...but what makes the cult of personality stronger?

Unless your intent is strategic (a military presence or missile presence) and not economic. Even without an economic incentive they'd stick around forever just for leverage sake.

Any power taking over PR would be in the position of Daimler-Bemz moving into Detroit to take over Chrysler. The minute you do it, you begin looking for a way .... Any way ... Out.

Non-binding referendums are like polls. Unless it's an official vote or legislative petition, it's only opinion. All five times the issue has been formally voted on, the citizens of Puerto Rico have chosen to remain a territory.

Puerto Rico's default is the latest in what will be a long "progressive" list of loan payment defaults. What I don't get is, with all of the debt worldwide, why can't I find a decent interest rate on bonds anywhere like I did in the 1980's (and many other people did before that in the 1970's)?

He was horrified enough to exile Deng Xiaoping for proposing the idea in the seventies.

Here it is in US News and World Report: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2...

I remember men's rooms in public buildings where the urinals were free but the booths were coin operated. That gave me a double LOL.

close :)

Here I sit, broken hearted,
paid my dime and only farted.

lol, I heard about how it used to cost a dime from my grandfather whenever I asked to stop to use a rest room. Its funny what one remembers.

They don't need to get off the pot. The pot has been given to them. If defecating stands for actually doing the right thing, then here's some graffiti that while crude, does seem appropriate:
Here I sit, broken hearted,
Came to shit and only farted.

The trouble is if the American people voted to revoke territory status it would be an invite to other powers to setup shop. I don't think many these days would back military action based on the Monroe Doctrine should Russia, China, or even Iran or North Korea established a footing in PR.

Let Obama and the left wingers spend THEIR money on fixing Puerto Rico- NOT MINE

I dont want to contribute to solving their self imposed problems. They are an island; let them fend for themselves.

Maybe the US should have a vote on whether or not to keep them as a territory.

Want to take odds on how that would turn out??

we Should Not Bail People Out. . not States, not
territories, not businesses, not bureaucracies, not
individuals.

this is why we owe nineteen trillion! -- j
.

LOL.. or lack thereof.

Not sure if anyone has seen the stories on the 'medical slavery' in Cuba. They train their doctors (admittedly very well) and a big source of revenue for the government is to pimp them out to other Latin & South American countries. The Cuban doctors & nurses have to report to work in wherever, the Cuban government stacks them 5-high in 1 bedroom apartments, charges the host country $10,000+ a month each, and only pays them about $300 plus room & board.

I think Goldman made major money selling the PR bonds then shorting them.

That is what I thought. I had a long conversation about this with people in the USVI. They explained it was financially beneficial to remain a territory.

The best line in the whole book.

Even better. Should have similar work ethics.

Maybe "we" will be paying for the bailout.

Is that so? I didn't know they voted yes. Thanks. More to research here.

Detroit is certainly another harbinger.

I think its more a matter of shame. Initially, when they receive they are grateful but then over time they start to feel their dependency which only amplifies their sense of hopelessness (lack of self reliance - "if they stop suppling me I'll starve"). Its from this hopelessness they come to resent those who give.

Vicious cycle.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

Like Paris!