WHY DO PUERTO RICANS VOTE NO ON STATEHOOD OR A CONGRESSIONAL VOTE

[Psycho]

WHY DO PUERTO RICANS VOTE NO ON

STATEHOOD OR A CONGRESSIONAL VOTE

 

 

Why is it every time the people of Puerto Rico have their bi-decade vote on obtaining statehood or a congressional vote, they vote NO?

 

It is because Puerto Ricans came to realize before that a Congressional vote or Statehood does not offer each citizen more than being exempt from Federal Income Taxes do. Yet, Puerto Ricans still get the same federal block grants/benefits as DC without having to pay federal income taxes.

 

The people of the District of Columbia would gain more by pushing for NO TAXATION than for REPRESENTATION.

 

NO TAXATION for DC is better than a commuter tax on people coming in from Maryland or Virginia because if DC residents do not have to pay federal income taxes then there will be a massive influx of people moving into DC from Maryland and Virginia, and the windfall in new income taxes and other taxes for the District would be far greater than a commuter tax and could add $4 billion in new tax revenues, it would be a boon for the DC economy and more, and businesses would move here to capitalize off the benefits of a NO TAXED work force.

 

I think smart people in DC should start pushing Congress for NO TAXATION vs. a CONGRESSIONAL VOTE or STATEHOOD.

 

STATEHOOD and CONGRESSIONAL VOTE is a losing proposition for DC but NO TAXATION is what smarter minds will opt for.

 

If DC Vote, Mayor Fenty, Congresswoman Norton, DC City Council and others want to see DC boom then they are defeating that goal by seeking STATEHOOD and a CONGRESSIONAL VOTE.

 

IT IS TIME TO SAY NO TO A CONGRESSIONAL VOTE OR STATEHOOD AND YES TO NO FEDERAL TAXATION just like the five US territories opted for!

[BlingBling]

Thats all fine and dandy, but Puerto Ricans had the opportunity to vote yes or no. DC residents do not get that Right to decide our fate.

Edited February 11, 2007 by BlingBling

[Psycho]

BlingBling,

 

The vote Puerto Ricans taken ever five years is done by the Government of Puerto Rico not something the Feds offer. DC too could have such a District sponsored vote.

 

Thats all fine and dandy, but Puerto Ricans had the opportunity to vote yes or no. DC residents do not get that Right to decide our fate.

[BlingBling]

The District government does not have permission to make that type of legislation with approval of Congress or the President.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

(8) The Mayor may propose to the executive or legislative branch of the United States government legislation or other action dealing with any subject, whether or not falling within the authority of the District government, as defined in this Act.

 

SEC. 601. [D.C. Code 1-206] Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Congress of the United States reserves the right, at any time, to exercise its constitutional authority as legislature for the District, by enacting legislation for the District on any subject, whether within or without the scope of legislative power granted to the Council by this Act, including legislation to amend or repeal any law in force in the District prior to or after enactment of this Act and any act passed by the Council.

 

SEC. 602. [D.C. Code 1-233] (a) The Council shall have no authority to pass any act contrary to the provisions of this Act except as specifically provided in this Act, or to--

 

(3) enact any act, or enact any act to amend or repeal any Act of Congress, which concerns the functions or property of the United States or which is not restricted in its application exclusively in or to the District;

 

(4) enact any act, resolution, or rule with respect to any provision of title 11 of the District of Columbia Code (relating to organization and jurisdiction of the District of Columbia courts);

 

SEC. 711. [D.C. Code 1-211] The District of Columbia Council, the Offices of Chairman of the District of Columbia Council, Vice Chairman of the District of Columbia Council, and the seven other members of the District of Columbia Council, and the Offices of the Commissioner of the District of Columbia and Assistant to the Commissioner of the District of Columbia, as established by Reorganization Plan Numbered 3 of 1967, are abolished as of noon January 2, 1975. This subsection [section] shall not be construed to reinstate any governmental body or office in the District abolished in said plan or otherwise heretofore.

 

SEC. 717. (a) [Partially codified at D.C. Code 1-101(] All of the territory constituting the permanent seat of the Government of the United States shall continue to be designated as the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia shall remain and continue a body corporate, as provided in section 2 of the Revised Statutes relating to the District (D.C. Code, sec. 1-102). Said Corporation shall continue to be charged with all the duties, obligations, responsibilities, and liabilities, and to be vested with all of the powers, rights, privileges, immunities, and assets, respectively, imposed upon and vested in said Corporation or the Commissioner.

 

( [uncodified] No law or regulation which is in force on the effective date of title IV of this Act [January 2, 1975] shall be deemed amended or repealed by this Act except to the extent specifically provided herein or to the extent that such law or regulation is inconsistent with this Act, but any such law or regulation may be amended or repealed by act or resolution as authorized in this Act, or by Act of Congress, except that, notwithstanding the provisions of section 752 of this Act [D.C. Code 1-1307], such authority to repeal shall not be construed as authorizing the Council to repeal or otherwise alter, by amendment or otherwise, any provision of subchapter III of chapter 73 of title 5, United States Code in whole or in part.

 

http://www.abfa.com/ogc/tit6.htm

[Psycho]

BlingBling,

 

The District can hold any non-binding referendum it wants just like Puerto Rico does when it votes on whether or not it wants to become a state.

 

 

The District government does not have permission to make that type of legislation with approval of Congress or the President.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

(8) The Mayor may propose to the executive or legislative branch of the United States government legislation or other action dealing with any subject, whether or not falling within the authority of the District government, as defined in this Act.

 

SEC. 601. [D.C. Code 1-206] Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Congress of the United States reserves the right, at any time, to exercise its constitutional authority as legislature for the District, by enacting legislation for the District on any subject, whether within or without the scope of legislative power granted to the Council by this Act, including legislation to amend or repeal any law in force in the District prior to or after enactment of this Act and any act passed by the Council.

 

SEC. 602. [D.C. Code 1-233] (a) The Council shall have no authority to pass any act contrary to the provisions of this Act except as specifically provided in this Act, or to--

 

(3) enact any act, or enact any act to amend or repeal any Act of Congress, which concerns the functions or property of the United States or which is not restricted in its application exclusively in or to the District;

 

(4) enact any act, resolution, or rule with respect to any provision of title 11 of the District of Columbia Code (relating to organization and jurisdiction of the District of Columbia courts);

 

SEC. 711. [D.C. Code 1-211] The District of Columbia Council, the Offices of Chairman of the District of Columbia Council, Vice Chairman of the District of Columbia Council, and the seven other members of the District of Columbia Council, and the Offices of the Commissioner of the District of Columbia and Assistant to the Commissioner of the District of Columbia, as established by Reorganization Plan Numbered 3 of 1967, are abolished as of noon January 2, 1975. This subsection [section] shall not be construed to reinstate any governmental body or office in the District abolished in said plan or otherwise heretofore.

 

SEC. 717. (a) [Partially codified at D.C. Code 1-101(] All of the territory constituting the permanent seat of the Government of the United States shall continue to be designated as the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia shall remain and continue a body corporate, as provided in section 2 of the Revised Statutes relating to the District (D.C. Code, sec. 1-102). Said Corporation shall continue to be charged with all the duties, obligations, responsibilities, and liabilities, and to be vested with all of the powers, rights, privileges, immunities, and assets, respectively, imposed upon and vested in said Corporation or the Commissioner.

 

( [uncodified] No law or regulation which is in force on the effective date of title IV of this Act [January 2, 1975] shall be deemed amended or repealed by this Act except to the extent specifically provided herein or to the extent that such law or regulation is inconsistent with this Act, but any such law or regulation may be amended or repealed by act or resolution as authorized in this Act, or by Act of Congress, except that, notwithstanding the provisions of section 752 of this Act [D.C. Code 1-1307], such authority to repeal shall not be construed as authorizing the Council to repeal or otherwise alter, by amendment or otherwise, any provision of subchapter III of chapter 73 of title 5, United States Code in whole or in part.

 

http://www.abfa.com/ogc/tit6.htm

[Luke_Wilbur]

Interesting discussion.

 

I spoke with Attorney Kenneth McGhie of the DC Board of Elections and Ethics.

 

(202) 727-2194

 

Mr. McGhie stated that the District Charter allows the City Council to place Advisory Referendum on the ballot.

 

I think our District government should poll its citizens on what course it should take. I wonder whether no taxation would be more appealling than representation to our community.

 

The residents of the District of Columbia are the only Americans who pay Federal income taxes and who have fought and died in every American war but are denied voting representation in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

 

I know that HEALD v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA discussed how residents of the District lack the suffrage and have politically no voice in the expenditure of the money raised by taxation. Money so raised is paid into the treasury of the United States, where it is held, not as a separate fund for the District, but subject to the disposal of Congress, like other revenues raised by federal taxation.

 

The Court stated that there is no constitutional provision which so limits the power of Congress that taxes can be imposed only upon those who have political representation. And the cases are many in which laws levying taxes for the support of the government of the District have been enforced during the period in which its residents have been without the right of suffrage.

 

“It is almost incomprehensible that in this day and age that ours is the only democracy in the world in which citizens of the capital city are not represented in the national legislature. This injustice is felt directly by District residents but it also casts a shadow over the democratic traditions of the entire nation.” U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT), January 27, 2005

[Psycho]

For argument sake; Even if we got 1 vote vs the other 435 votes in Congress, what impact will that really have?

 

Experts say none.

 

So since our 1 vote would not really benefit DC other than be symbolic, I'd rather not pay federal taxes than have that vote.

 

The people who promote DC Voting rights have made a killing off it like Joe Sterlieb who started DC Vote, got grants for it, paid himself a hefty salary, bought a home in Forest Hills with that Hefty salary but you and I have yet if ever benefitted from his scam.

 

 

Interesting discussion.

 

I spoke with Attorney Kenneth McGhie of the DC Board of Elections and Ethics.

 

(202) 727-2194

 

Mr. McGhie stated that the District Charter allows the City Council to place Advisory Referendum on the ballot.

 

I think our District government should poll its citizens on what course it should take. I wonder whether no taxation would be more appealling than representation to our community.

 

The residents of the District of Columbia are the only Americans who pay Federal income taxes and who have fought and died in every American war but are denied voting representation in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

 

I know that HEALD v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA discussed how residents of the District lack the suffrage and have politically no voice in the expenditure of the money raised by taxation. Money so raised is paid into the treasury of the United States, where it is held, not as a separate fund for the District, but subject to the disposal of Congress, like other revenues raised by federal taxation.

 

The Court stated that there is no constitutional provision which so limits the power of Congress that taxes can be imposed only upon those who have political representation. And the cases are many in which laws levying taxes for the support of the government of the District have been enforced during the period in which its residents have been without the right of suffrage.