Hernan Padilla

Activación PRNG requiere explicaciones

Hago referencia a El Nuevo Día para analizar el tema de la movilización de la GNPR. Cito: “Es justo darle espacio a la medida del Ejecutivo que moviliza la Guardia Nacional para vigilar costas, muelles y aeropuertos por donde entran esas letales mercancías del bajo mundo”.

Admiramos y reconocemos a la Guardia Nacional de Puerto Rico por su dedicación a “proteger las vidas y propiedades de los ciudadanos en forma rápida y eficaz; preservar la paz, el orden y la seguridad durante situaciones de emergencia provocadas por desastres naturales y disturbios civiles” y servir como cuerpo de seguridad Nacional del Ejercito de nuestra nación, los Estados Unidos” como la movilización reciente en las guerras de Irak y Afganistán.

Tuve el honor de unirme a la GNPR cuando era estudiante de escuela superior. La primera vez que participé en un desfile militar fue un 4 de julio a lo largo de la Avenida Ponce de León. En la tarima estaba presente el Gobernador Muñoz Marin rindiendo honor a la Nación Americana. Años después, tuve el privilegio de prestar servicios médicos en múltiples actividades que se ofrecían a las comunidades aledañas al Campamento Santiago en Salinas.

La PRNG depende en gran medida de los fondos y la ayuda federal. El presupuesto consolidado del 2012-13 asciende a $41,333,000, de los cuales $29.8 millones provienen de fondos federales (72%) que se utilizan para cubrir los gastos de nómina y funcionamiento y $11.5 millones de fondos locales (28%).
Advierto que tomar una decisión prematura conlleva riesgos. Ni siquiera hay un Ayudante General confirmado. Algunos militares retirados consideran que la GNPR no cuenta el equipo, adiestramiento y posiblemente la autoridad para usar armas de fuego en funciones policíacas con equipos especializados, como tampoco la tienen para registrar embarcaciones sospechosas. Es posible que los helicópteros de la GNPR se pudieran utilizar de noche en apoyo a las autoridades civiles, pero su costo operacional sería prohibitivo.

La primera oportunidad para que la nueva administración explique los detalles sobre la decisión de activar 50 miembros de la PRNG será en las vistas públicas de confirmación del nuevo Ayudante General de la Guardia Nacional.

Es necesario que explique la misión de ese grupo limitado de 50 y las fechas para comenzar y completar la operación. Debe aclarar si es una misión federal (controlar fronteras o tráfico ilícito de armas y drogas) o es para prestar ayuda a la Policía Estatal. Si es en apoyo del Gobierno Federal bajo el Titulo 32, requiere la aprobación del “National Guard Bureau” (NGB), y de los Departamento de Defensa y “Homeland Security”.

La Administración debe explicar la función y las asignaciones generales de cada uno. Las preguntas obligadas son: ¿Bajo quien operan y quien supervisa a estos 50 militares, la Policía o la GNPR? y ¿Cómo se medirá la efectividad, eficiencia y rendimiento de ésta operación? También debe explicar la función y las asignaciones generales de cada uno y cuales son los parámetros para determinar si este experimento tendría éxito.

En vista de la Orden Ejecutiva para activar personal de la GNPR para tareas seleccionadas por el Ejecutivo, es importante que ofrezcan los costos detallados y de donde provienen los fondos, ya que el costo será sufragado con fondos estatales. Es necesario considerar el rango de cada soldado, la nómina, incluyendo Seguro Social. Tricare, (seguro médico), vacaciones acumuladas, logística, transportación, alojamiento, comidas, uniformes y el periodo que estarán separados de sus empleos civiles.

Al fin y al cabo, las respuestas y los resultados medibles de esta Orden Ejecutiva darán una imagen clara si la decisión era para cumplir con una promesa política, un “show mediático, un ejercicio basado en desconocimiento administrativo de la GNPR, o si realmente fue una decisión basada en datos objetivos.

Excerpts from Press Conference
Hernan Padilla, MD

• A simple and compelling objective: achieving full equality in citizenship under the Constitution for the American citizens of Puerto Rico through the admission of the Island as a State of the Union.
• We believe that our Nation has one Constitution and one citizenship for all Americans.
• The American citizens of Puerto Rico should have the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities as the American citizens who reside in the 50 States.
• The Island’s current status as an unincorporated territory of the United States deprives American citizens residing in Puerto Rico of fundamental rights such as the equal protection of the laws, participation in the election of the President, and proportional representation in Congress.
• The Supreme Court created two classes of territories: incorporated, which were intended to become States, and unincorporated, such as Puerto Rico, which according to the case law could be ruled by Congress indefinitely.
• The unprecedented category of “unincorporated territory” was created by a segregationist Court to prevent a territory inhabited by people of Hispanic origin from becoming a part of the United States.
• In 1917 Congress granted American citizenship to Puerto Ricans it was generally understood that the Islands had been incorporated into the United States.
• But in 1922 a U.S. Supreme Court that upheld racial segregation determined that Puerto Rico was still an unincorporated territory because its Justices could not conceive of a faraway island inhabited by Hispanics, rather than Anglo-Saxons, to be a part of this Nation.
• American Citizens who reside in Puerto Rico are subjected to geographic discrimination, segregationist policies and a deficit of democratic rights.
• The U.S. Constitution does not protect the U.S. Citizens who reside in Puerto Rico in the same manner it protects other U.S. Citizens. (SCOTUS 1921-22)
• Today the residents in Puerto Rico continue to be subject to a political system that denies them full equality as U.S. Citizens and participation in their national government.
• With the participation of 77.6% of all registered voters, the residents of Puerto Rico rejected the continuation of the current territorial status, often called “commonwealth,” with an absolute majority of 54%.
• The plebiscite results yielded an overwhelming preference for statehood which garnered 61% of the votes over the options of independence in free association with the U.S. and full independence.
• With this vote the American citizens of Puerto Rico removed any possible consent that may have existed to continue being governed under a political status that is both undemocratic and discriminatory.
• We join the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles in its call for The White House and Congress to take action to resolve Puerto Rico’s political status problem in a manner consistent with the results of the plebiscite held last November.
• Our ultimate goal is to achieve full equality in citizenship under the Constitution for the American citizens of Puerto Rico through the admission of the Island as a State of the Union.
• The United States is one Nation with one Constitution and only one citizenship for all Americans.
• The continued political segregation of a community of 3.7 million American citizens of Hispanic origin is a national problem that deserves prompt attention and expedient action.
• We urge President Obama to include Puerto Rico’s political status problem in his State of the Union address on February 12th.

National Press Club, January 29, 2013
Message shared at a press conference with the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles.

Igualdad (Equality), a non-partisan grass-roots citizen advocacy organization, has a simple and compelling objective: achieving full equality in citizenship under the Constitution for the American citizens of Puerto Rico through the admission of the Island as a State of the Union.

We believe that our Nation has one Constitution and one citizenship for all Americans and, therefore, that the American citizens of Puerto Rico should have the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities as the American citizens who reside in the 50 States.

The Island’s current status as an unincorporated territory of the United States deprives American citizens residing in Puerto Rico of fundamental rights such as the equal protection of the laws, participation in the election of the President, and proportional representation in Congress.
Ironically, thousands of Puerto Ricans have served in the Armed Forces protecting our freedoms at home and defending our democratic ideals abroad —many at the cost of their lives.

Historical Background
Puerto Rico became a territory of the United States in 1898 as a result of the Spanish American War. And in 1917 Congress granted American citizenship to the inhabitants of Puerto Rico.

Prior to the Spanish American War it was expected that American territories would eventually be admitted into the Union. However, in a series of decisions known as the Insular Cases, the Supreme Court created two classes of territories: incorporated, which were intended to become States, and unincorporated, such as Puerto Rico, which according to the case law could be ruled by Congress indefinitely.

However, the Constitution does not provide for such differentiation. The unprecedented category of “unincorporated territory” was created by a segregationist Court to prevent a territory inhabited by people of Hispanic origin from becoming a part of the United States.

Moreover, when in 1917 Congress granted American citizenship to Puerto Ricans it was generally understood that the Islands had been incorporated into the United States. But in 1922 a U.S. Supreme Court that upheld racial segregation determined that Puerto Rico was still an unincorporated territory because its Justices could not conceive of a faraway island inhabited by Hispanics, rather than Anglo-Saxons, to be a part of this Nation.

As such, American Citizens who reside in Puerto Rico are subjected to geographic discrimination, segregationist policies and a deficit of democratic rights. The U.S. Constitution does not protect the U.S. Citizens who reside in Puerto Rico in the same manner it protects other U.S. Citizens. (SCOTUS 1921-22)

Even though, in 1952 President Truman signed USC§1402, changing the Statutory American Citizenship that had been granted to all persons born in Puerto Rico in 1917 to Natural Born American Citizens for all persons born on the island from January 1941 onward, today the residents in Puerto Rico continue to be subject to a political system that denies them full equality as U.S. Citizens and participation in their national government.

Results of the Recent Puerto Rico Status Plebiscite
On November 6th, 2012, the U.S. Citizens residing in Puerto Rico voted in a two-part plebiscite on whether they wanted the Island to remain a territory, and on their preference among the three full self-government or non-territorial status alternatives.

With the participation of 77.6% of all registered voters, the residents of Puerto Rico rejected the continuation of the current territorial status, often called “commonwealth,” with an absolute majority of 54%. With this vote the American citizens of Puerto Rico removed any possible consent that may have existed to continue being governed under a political status that is both undemocratic and discriminatory.
Moreover, the plebiscite results yielded an overwhelming preference for statehood which garnered 61% of the votes over the options of independence in free association with the U.S. and full independence.

Request
We join the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles in its call for The White House and Congress to take action to resolve Puerto Rico’s political status problem in a manner consistent with the results of the plebiscite held last November.

I repeat, our ultimate goal is to achieve full equality in citizenship under the Constitution for the American citizens of Puerto Rico through the admission of the Island as a State of the Union.
As I said, the United States is one Nation with one Constitution and only one citizenship for all Americans. Therefore, the continued political segregation of a community of 3.7 million American citizens of Hispanic origin is a national problem that deserves prompt attention and expedient action.

Every year the President speaks before a joint session of Congress recommending measures to deal with the issues that he believes are important. We would hope that the President includes Puerto Rico’s political status problem in his State of the Union address on February 12th.

I appreciate suggestions from Franklin Lopez and Pedro Campos.

MY DEAR MAINLAND FRIENDS:
I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR COLLABORATION
BY DISTRIBUTING THE MESSAGE THAT I’M
INCLUDING, ASKING THE WHITE HOUSE FOR
PRESIDENT OBAMA TO MENTION IN HIS STATE OF
THE UNION MESSAGE OF NEXT FEBRUARY 12 ,THE RESULTS OF THE VOTING OF PUERTORICANS FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE STATUS OF PUERTO RICO THIS PAST NOVEMBER.
YOU SHOULD SEND YOUR PETITION TO:

www.whitehouse.gov/contact
Go to “submit comments on line”
Follow instructions.

This is a SUGGESTED TEXT, but you may change it to your own satisfaction
Do not write an extensive, long message.

Dear Mr. President:

I support the petition that you consider including the results and the resolution of the status of Puerto Rico in your up-coming State of the Union
Address before the 113th Congress. You wrote in your Democratic Agenda for your second term the following: “It is time for Puerto Rico to take the next step in the history of its status and its relationship to the rest of the United
States.” We did, Mr. President by voting with 54% to end the segregationist &
colonial status and 61.9& for statehood.

It is time Mr. President to resolve the colonial condition of the 3.6 millions American citizens living in the territory. You said that “We commit to moving the resolution of the status issue forward with the goal of resolving it expeditiously.” The State of the Union Address would be a great launching pad for making political equality a reality. Ask Congress to present an Admission Act. 37 states of the Union were admitted without a Federally sponsored plebiscite. It is time for bold leadership on this issue.

Gerald R. Ford: “Statement on Proposed Statehood for Puerto Rico,” December 31,1976. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=5538.

IN OCTOBER 1975 the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Puerto Rico, appointed jointly by the President of the United States and the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, recommended a new Compact of Permanent Union between Puerto Rico and the United States, to provide maximum self-government and self-determination for Puerto Rico.

The proposed Compact would institute fundamental and far-reaching changes in the relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States, and its provisions would affect a wide array of Federal programs and interests.

Members of my Cabinet have thoroughly analyzed the proposed Compact and made recommendations to me. After studying their comments and recommendations and giving deep thought to this important proposal, I have concluded that the proposed Compact, significant and important though it is, does not advance as rapidly as it might freedom and opportunity for the American citizens of Puerto Rico.

I believe that the appropriate status for Puerto Rico is statehood. I propose, therefore, that the people of Puerto Rico and the Congress of the United States begin now to take those steps which will result in statehood for Puerto Rico. I will recommend to the 95th Congress the enactment of legislation providing for the admission of Puerto Rico as a State of theUnion.

The common bonds of friendship, tradition, dignity, and individual freedomhave joined the people of the United States and the people of Puerto Rico.
It is now time to make these bonds permanent through statehood in accordance with the concept of mutual acceptance which has historically governed the relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States.

Of course, I would not make reference to a “relationship” or “friendship”
because Puerto Ricans are Americans.

Quotes from article from Pres Ronald Reagan and Statehood (The Wall Street Journal, Feb 11, 198)The GOP should honor his commitment to promote and defend statehood for the Island or Puerto Rico.
Hernan Padilla

I. When I formally announced my intention to seek the Republican nomination in1980, not only included a commitment to support statehood for Puerto Rico if the people of the island desired statehood. It also included a commitment that, as President, I would initiate statehood legislation, which really means that that I would take the lead in persuading the people of Puerto Rico—the mainland United States- all American Citizens- that statehood would de good for all of us.

II. Fidel Castro hardly let’s a speech go by without denouncing “Yankee imperialism” in Puerto Rico and calling for total independence from the United States. (Now they are Chavez, Raul Castro, Noriega, Evo Morales, etc)

III. As Commonwealth, Puerto Rico is now neither a state nor independent, and thereby has an historically unnatural status………. Its unnatural status creating tensions around the idea of American “colonialism” Yankee Imperialism”

IV. In cementing itself to us as the 51st State, with unbreakable bonds, Puerto Rico would represent a positive bridgehead into the Caribbean Latin America and the developing world.

V. The geopolitical concept of Puerto Rico’s exposed position on the frontlines of geoplitics isn’t new… It is understood by Gov, Carlos Romero Barcelo and San Juan Mayor Hernan Padilla, the two dynamic advocates of statehood, and profoundly understood by Luis Ferre. To these men, statehood is an historic imperative.

VI. About US: If we en the United States cannot design a model for a political economy that is sufficiently attractive, I f we can’t win over our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico to the nuptial that statehood involves, how can our model succeed as an instrument of foreign policy anywhere in the world?

VII. Puerto Ricans already face higher Tax Rates and they have shed a disproportionate share of blood, relative to mainland citizens, in our wars.

VIII. We must once again make economic policy an essential ingredient of foreign policy. This is behind my idea of Statehood for Puerto Rico.

IX. We should pick a peaceful battleground of competition between economic systems, and…. a positive foreign policy. We can build from a bridgehead in Puerto Rico.

X. To show the world that the American idea can work in Puerto Rico is to show that our idea can work everywhere!

Llamado a Obama a incluir status de Puerto Rico en mensaje al Congreso

San Juan – El Dr. Hernán Padilla, presidente de Igualdad, organización no partidista que defendió la fórmula de la estadidad en el pasado plebiscito, públicamente solicitó al presidente Barack Obama que incluya su propuesta para resolver el problema del status de Puerto Rico en su próximo Mensaje de Estado al Congreso, programado para el 12 de febrero.

Padilla dijo que las organizaciones comprometidas con la causa de la estadidad, deben promover que el Primer Mandatario estadounidense incluya en su mensaje anual del Estado de la Unión el tema del estatus, para dar impulso a las deliberaciones congresionales requeridas para que se produzca un acta de admisión, que encamine el ingreso de Puerto Rico como el estado 51 de los Estados Unidos. A la vez, reconoció que el Comisionado Residente, Pedro Pierluisi, y otros líderes demócratas de Puerto Rico se mantienen en comunicación con la Casa Blanca sobre los resultados del plebiscito y las aspiraciones del pueblo de Puerto Rico.

Padilla apuntó que el programa de gobierno del Partido Demócrata en las pasadas elecciones indicó que “es tiempo que Puerto Rico tome el próximo paso en la historia de su estatus y su relación con los Estados Unidos.” El presidente de Igualdad recalcó que “el Pueblo tomó ese paso y habló claro y contundente cuando rechazó la condición colonial con el 54 % de los votos en contra del estatus territorial actual y apoyó la única y verdadera unión permanente con el 61% a favor de la estadidad sobre las fórmulas de independencia”.

El presidente de Igualdad subrayó que en consecuencia del compromiso del Partido Demócrata – que también reza “Nos comprometemos a mover la resolución del estatus de Puerto Rico hacia adelante con el objetivo de resolverlo con carácter de urgencia” – el Presidente debe incluir el tema de los resultados del plebiscito y su resolución en su mensaje.

El ex-Alcalde de San Juan recordó además que “el Informe del Grupo de Trabajo del Presidente sobre el Estatus de Puerto Rico también dice claramente que el éxito económico de Puerto Rico está íntimamente ligado a su efectiva solución del estatus político.”

“Cuarenta y ocho (48) estados han pasado por el proceso de admisión que contempla el Articulo IV de la Constitución, once (11) de ellos fueron readmitidos nuevamente durante la Reconstrucción y casi treinta y siete (37) estados ingresaron a la Unión sin plebiscitos “auspiciados por el gobierno Federal” agregó Padilla.

“El Pueblo de Puerto Rico fue claro en rechazar el experimento colonial del ELA territorial fracasado y apoyó abrumadoramente la causa de la estadidad”, terminó diciendo el presidente de Igualdad.

Visión, democracia y compromisos

El programa de gobierno, la plataforma y las promesas electorales del PPD y Alejandro García Padilla están basados en que “el gobierno es legítimo en la medida en que es expresión de la voluntad democrática”

Estoy de acuerdo que en la democracia se respeta la voluntad de la mayoría, independientemente del margen de diferencia. Así es la democracia. Los procesos electorales tienen consecuencias. Confío que los que resultaron electos recíprocamente reconozcan y respeten el resultado del plebiscito.

Les aseguro que nuestra meta es lograr que los ciudadanos americanos residentes en Puerto Rico disfruten de los mismos derechos y oportunidades de nuestros ciudadanos en los 50 estados de la Unión. Aunque reconozco que existen diferencias ideológicas que dividen a nuestro pueblo, los populares, los estadistas y el pueblo en general coinciden en cuanto a los valores que deben prevalecer en Puerto Rico.

Me tomo la libertad de citar pasajes que aparecen en los programas de gobierno del PPD y el PNP, pero a propósito no los identifico para resaltar algunas visiones y compromisos que pueden tener apoyo común fuera de la política partidista. Sin distinguir quien lo expresa, dudo que alguien se oponga a que “todos los puertorriqueños tenemos sueños, anhelos y aspiraciones y que como pueblo, queremos un Puerto Rico mejor, con paz, progreso, bienestar y donde nuestros hijos puedan echar adelante”.

Creemos en el “respeto a la dignidad humana de cada ciudadano; lograr una mejor salud física, mental y emocional; alcanzar metas profesionales y de trabajo; educación de calidad accesible, creativa y competitiva; mejorar el ingreso familiar con trabajos de calidad; vivir en ambientes más seguros y más hospitalarios y respetar, conservar y disfrutar de nuestros patrimonios naturales y culturales”.

Fuera de líneas partidistas, tampoco se opondrían a la visión de “un gobierno para crear oportunidades para el progreso de todos los puertorriqueños; lograr una mejor calidad de vida; pagar menos contribuciones; invertir en el futuro de la educación y expandir el programa de las escuelas del Siglo21, con educación bilingüe y destrezas en matemáticas, ciencias y tecnología”.

Debemos examinar y darle seguimiento a los compromisos programáticos de la nueva administración, dirigidos a “mejorar la economía de Puerto Rico y el derecho de los puertorriqueños a vivir en paz; cumplir con la ley y garantizar los derechos de todos. Por ejemplo, en vista de la criminalidad y el alto numero de asesinatos que ocurre en Chicago, el gobernador debe explicar su compromiso de “implantar el Programa Tregua, basado en los fundamentos del programa Ceasefire” de Chicago.

Aunque no quieren admitir que los Estados Unidos es “su nación”, se comprometen a fortalecer los operativos conjuntos con las agencias federales en el Comité Interagencial de “High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas” (HIDTA) y a solicitar asignaciones federales para un para un sistema de vigilancia de las costas.

Le deseamos éxito al nuevo gobernador en su compromiso para “explotar” al máximo nuestra sintonía con la política económica federal, solicitar fondos federales para comprar y renovar edificios abandonados y promover nueva legislación federal aplicable a Puerto Rico que le permita a las corporaciones americanas repatriarse a suelo americano.

Seré el primero en felicitar a la nueva administración si hace realidad los proyectos de desarrollo conjunto de los terrenos aledaños a las Estaciones del Tren Urbano para la creación de desarrollos mixtos de negocios, servicios y vivienda”. Confío en que la nueva administración no deseche las buenas ideas del gobierno anterior. Entre otras, completar las autopistas de clase mundial apoyadas por una red vial de Metros Urbanos.

Pueden contar conmigo en la defensa de “un buen gobierno y el respeto que merecen los ciudadanos, las instituciones públicas y la democracia”. Pero lo cortes no quita lo valiente, también dejaré saber mi opinión divergente cuando entienda que incumplen sus compromisos.