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Puerto Rico's Hell

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by rogue49, Sep 24, 2017.

  1. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    THIS
    ‘If anyone can hear us … help.’ Puerto Rico’s mayors describe widespread devastation from Hurricane Maria

    I've been watching the channels and other media
    there's barely a word being noted on this tragedy (except for PBS and such, which ALL watch, right??)

    Texas...tons of coverage
    Florida...tons of coverage (even those they get a few every year...)
    Puerto Rico *crickets*

    This island US territory just got out of bankruptcy, with minimal assistance after begging the Congress.
    Mind you, these are STILL American citizens...they're just not a state.

    And now this...A huge hurrican, right down the center.

    Yes, I know it's an island...it takes some time to get things there.
    Yes, I know it's without power all over, so it's more difficult to cover things with cameras and other fully exotic media equipment.

    But seriously?? We're talking about media that's been ALL over...
    Middle-East, Africa, Haiti, Afghanistan, etc, etc, etc (in the middle of wars and it all)

    It comes down to "liberal" media (and that's sarcasm for those who claim it is such)
    Not focusing on it, for purely capitalist reasons (and I like capitalism...)
    The bottom line, what sells news and ads...

    So, this very large terrible thing occurs...and it's not all over the news.
    I see charities and requests for aid for Texas
    Nada for Puerto Rico.

    Sorry, if I'm going to give money out...it's going to be for this.
    The other places...yes, they're hit and hurt
    But they've got representation...industry and oh so much more.
    Including connections and kick-backs to assist.

    PR...it's stranded with not much attention.
    And that's just a shame.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  2. POPEYE

    POPEYE Very Tilted

    Location:
    Tulsa
    I remember when I was mad over the condition of Detroit. Our government seems to have a live and let die attitude. Folks in Puerto Rico are citizens. They have the right to vote same as me. Nope I just don't believe Congress will do enough to help. And yes, I am personally at a loss of what our country should do.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
  3. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    Large PR community here in the neighborhood. Lots of the workers in the building have no idea as to what happened to their family members since before the storm. No power, no communication.

    NY Post is the only place I saw that said the dam had failed.
    https://nypost.com/2017/09/22/dam-fails-in-puerto-rico-causes-flash-flooding/

    everywhere else said it's failure is imminent but nothing after that.

    I'm so sad for my friends and neighbors who are not able to find out if loved ones are okay.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Like Like x 1
  4. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    One of my best friend's wife's mother and sister live in PR. Another good friend's wife was born and raised there and has lots of family there. Both are somewhat comforted by the fact that the death count was low, but none of them have heard anything from their family.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  5. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    I'm happy to say we're NOT the only one's noting Puerto Rico's crisis
    Let's hear it for Americans for there for Americans (even those not inside the continental 48 states)
    The same CANNOT be said for Trump...
    As Puerto Rico reels from hurricane, Trump focuses on football

    Lies and attacks about games are more important to him than human lives. :mad:
     
  6. Leto

    Leto Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Toronto
    so, I'm confused... Peurto Rico is part of the US? And Peurto Ricans are American citizens? I agree that the amount of coverage in the news is paltry given the treatment that all the other disaster areas got.
     
  7. Lordeden

    Lordeden Part of the Problem

    Location:
    Redneckhell, NC
    @Leto or anyone else wondering how Puerto Rico fits into the USA. Here is a video on it.



    CGP grey does a great job breaking down the "American Empire".

    Tl:dr Puerto Rico is an "unincorporated territory" of the USA."They are organized, self-governing territories with locally elected governors and territorial legislatures. Each also elects a non-voting member (or resident commissioner) to the U.S. House of Representatives."

    Back to OP. I don't think Trump will ever give a shit about a natural disaster unless it affects mainland US and barely any care at that.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  8. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    Puerto Rico is formally a long-time US territory.
    It has the right to vote to request to become a state (it has been waivering on this "forever")

    ANYONE born in the States OR a US territory is automatically an American citizen. (even if your parents are NOT citizens)
    This includes John McCain, who was born on a territory.
    OR one of your parents is a current citizen (including naturalized ones)

    Puerto Rico within recent times, lost most of its industry and manufacturing (due to globalization)
    With this, the government there made some bad calls...and overspent and then some (with some corruption added in...)
    The island formally went bankrupt
    And had to request emergency funding from Congress (just a few months ago...with a GOP led leadership that didn't really like them)

    Now....with the hurricane...while there were only 10 immediate deaths
    They are already dealing with resources issues, infrastructure issues, massive unemployment, poverty and more...
    So everything has been wiped out.

    An island with more people (citizens) than 20 other states...are all without the basics to live.
    Power, food, repairs, flooding, damages and oh so much more.

    Because they are a territory NOT a state.
    They do not have any Senators or Representatives...so no one to formally represent them...unless they decide to do so by their own discretion.
    So no lobbying, no pork, no kick-back, no formal assistance like states, etc...
    Just if the whole Congress votes to help them.
    OR the President decides to help them (which he hasn't from what I've seen so far...correct me if I'm wrong or if it's changed)

    Does this clear it up???
     
    • Like Like x 1
  9. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    Residents of Puerto Rico and other territories are one step below residents of Washington, D.C.

    Both have members of the House of Representatives who can vote in committee but not on final votes to enact laws. Neither have a Senator.

    Representative from Puerto Rico - Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón

    The only difference between Washington DC and US territories is that DC residents vote for President of the US and has three electoral votes (23rd Amendment). Residents of Puerto Rico can vote in presidential primaries to elect representatives to the Democrat and/or Republican conventions and vote for the party's nominee.

    / end threadjack

    It is certainly true that Trump is more interested lately in bashing NFL players than showing any personal interest in the millions in Puerto Rico w/o power or any communications, massive destruction, severe shortages of food and basic supplies and a real humanitarian crisis.

    Photos: what Puerto Rico’s unfolding humanitarian disaster looks like

    Hopefully Congress will take a more pro-active response ASAP!
     
    • Like Like x 4
  10. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    • Like Like x 2
  11. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    All five living former presidents are raising money for Puerto Rico

     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Winner Winner x 1
  12. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    • Informative Informative x 1
  13. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City

    View: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/912478274508423168



    View: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/912479500511965184



    View: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/912481556127780865


    They are less American because they are brown and over there. Wait. Even if they were here they would be considered less American because they are brown.

    See, he finally said something via Twitter. And even then it's 3rd class American. Seriously, fuck that guy.

    Break it down here:
    Donald Trump Finally Tweets About Puerto Rico: “Broken Infrastructure, Massive Debt”
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  14. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    • Like Like x 2
  15. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    • Like Like x 2
  16. Leto

    Leto Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Toronto

    Clears it up very much Thanks for that rogue49! And the view from here (north of the border), is that Trump should stick to knitting. I know that phrase caused some concern here in Toronto when a city councilor used it on another councilor (who happened to be female) and was an unfortunate turn of phrase in that case, but what it means is that if the job is knitting, then do it. Trump was elected to govern, not pick fights with sports figures, champion nazi rights and trash talk foreign megalomaniacs. He was elected to govern so why doesn't he stay off of the phone and do his job?

    that's what I tell my kids. Put the phone down, you don't need to tweet about everything, you got a job to do. And in this case, if Peurto Rico is in dire straits, Trump should be focusing on it.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agree Agree x 1
  17. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    • Agree Agree x 1
  18. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
  19. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Puerto Rico has just a little bit more light at night than North Korea.

    Let that sink in for a minute.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2017
  20. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC