Puerto Rico's Economy Is a Wreck

[wuapinmon]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/22/pue...omy/index.html

[I.J. Reilly]

Not sure if this guy was being intentionally funny, but this quote from the end had all sorts of funny:

Puerto Rico is "still the pharmaceutical capital of the world, but we have to try to manufacture even more Tylenol to resolve our economic headaches," McClintock said. "We have to manufacture even more Viagra than we already manufacture so our economic statistics will rise."

Besides the quote, Puerto Rico is an interesting case. It is almost wholly a Latin American country, with the accompanying culture and ideas, but with an American overlord. I wonder if it could ever become integrated the way, say, Hawaii has been integrated.

[wuapinmon]

Not sure if this guy was being intentionally funny, but this quote from the end had all sorts of funny:

Puerto Rico is "still the pharmaceutical capital of the world, but we have to try to manufacture even more Tylenol to resolve our economic headaches," McClintock said. "We have to manufacture even more Viagra than we already manufacture so our economic statistics will rise."

Besides the quote, Puerto Rico is an interesting case. It is almost wholly a Latin American country, with the accompanying culture and ideas, but with an American overlord. I wonder if it could ever become integrated the way, say, Hawaii has been integrated.

Yeah, that last bit was brutal. Cranking out more Tylenol and Viagra is not a solution to their problems. They need a wholesale revampment of their economic plan and a focus on education. The tax breaks have done precious little to boost the economy. Either tourism or a banking haven are their biggest hopes, but the Newyoricans' remittances can only do so much, and if the island decides for independence, that'll become far more complicated.

[I.J. Reilly]

Yeah, that last bit was brutal. Cranking out more Tylenol and Viagra is not a solution to their problems. They need a wholesale revampment of their economic plan and a focus on education. The tax breaks have done precious little to boost the economy. Either tourism or a banking haven are their biggest hopes, but the Newyoricans' remittances can only do so much, and if the island decides for independence, that'll become far more complicated.

I am not really up on Puerto Rican politics, but I didn't know that they had the option for independence. I know that they have voted statehood down several times, but I was under the impression that they only had the option of either becoming a state or staying a territory.

[wuapinmon]

I am not really up on Puerto Rican politics, but I didn't know that they had the option for independence. I know that they have voted statehood down several times, but I was under the impression that they only had the option of either becoming a state or staying a territory.

If this bill passes, it'll happen.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c111:2:./temp/~c111ibz2TC::