Problem with PR, as some have touched upon, they are basically a protected territory. Every election year they vote on if they want to be changed to a state. THEY have that right. Problem is, they get alot of benefits that states dont get, money, etc. The people can get money for doing nothing, for their lifetime. If PR became a state, they would lose that and have to get by just like people on the mainland.
Now, not everyone there wants to stay as they are, but as a rule, the measure is well defeated every 4 years. They are supported and that is what most there want. Now, I do love the country and would love to live there, for the climate, for the peopleā¦but its really poor. Gov buildings without powerā¦BEFORE the hurricanes. Federal buildings are up to code. NOT the PR gov buildings.
@Fever Just to let you know, I am retired military. 100 percent disabled due to my service. And have to fight for every so called benefit. Not the recent retireās, just those that got out before the Gulf War. I dont fault those guys for their benefits, but I do envy them. Us older vets dont get the same.
I donāt even hear about people in shelters or that people had rations stocked up or anything. The way the news portrayed it, they were caught by surprise but I know that canāt be the case
"For those watching CNN, FoxNews, MSNBCā¦ Who are depicting all that the Fed Gov isnāt doing for PR; may i sayā¦ You are being poorly informed.
The airports are filled with AC-130ās, govt. planes, troops, aid workers, ospreys, helicopters, and commercial flights offloading Nat. Guard workers before taking evacuees out of PR. All of this with limited sustainable power for airport operations.
The island is surrounded with the USCG & Navy ships, rescue helicopters, flying overhead all day and night, army soldiers and reserves, cleaning all the streets to allow gas deliveries, and escorts of fuel trucks to gas and fueling stations.
If you were on the island, you would see the amazing working being done by everyone that lives there. I am amazed with how quickly everyone has been able to mobilize during this disaster. Puerto Ricans are an amazing people with over 3 million people on the island, skilled laborers that are working hard as neighbors, families, and citizens getting things stabilized.
Yes, Puerto Rico needs help and aid, but I can tell you that no single person, or government can fix this level of disaster and devastation overnight, or even in a couple weeks. Itās going to take time.
So be grateful that you have running water and a house to sleep in. Bashing programs and personnel for not doing what you think is best, when in reality its you that has a limited scope of visibility. That type of attitude and behavior is counterproductive to those that are helping.
Communication is out around 90 % of the island. Youāre hearing about single events promoted by media, who for who knows what reasons. Be positive, say your prayers, love your family and neighborsā¦ and always rememberā¦ #DoGoodBeKind!!!
But now we have a president who loves the military and vets -so that is changing. Allowing VA to fire dipshits is a good start, but itāll take time. I think weāll see the funding easing away from welfare programs and back to vets and other disabled that are needy, not just lazy.
Iāve been to PR on a missions trip. It is a poorer place. Some are worse off that others. But the part we were in to help with workā¦ sad to say, they werenāt that bad off. We went to help all the same so thatās what we did. When you have a full size motor home in your driveway and a '74 corvette with under 75k milesā¦ you question. But we happily helped and had fun doing it.
@Whodat66 I hope he does help the vets. I know some new VA bills have gone through Congress but I guess I am just scheptical from all the years of us being treated like crap and our benefits being taken away. Used to be I could go to a military hospital for anything and could get treatment. Now, many of those hospitals are closed down and the clinics are combined with VA clinics but the active duty get prefered treatment. I am just tired I guess.
Good you are at 70. Should try for moreā¦big if though. It took me 8 years of fighting to get what I have. Havent heard of any missions going to Houston or Florida.
@suctionmed Yea, that is the thing I am talking about. I dont have a motor home or a nice corvette though I wouldnt mind either. I would be happy with a small motor home and hang the vetteā.
My house is falling apart and I dont get missions coming to help me. But I dont go looking either. I fix what I can, when I can of the storm damage.
Yeah, Iām going to give it a while. Let the system catch up. Iām getting regular e-mails from the VA about changes and streamlines, businessman type changes that make sense.
My 70 was a combo, but primarily āundiagnosed backā issues - which have since been diagnosed. Iām getting an extra check every month, so I canāt complain. And if they do up your % in a case like mine where I havenāt gotten worse, but they know what it is now, I believe they pay you retro-actively - so itās a canāt lose situation. But like I said, Gubāmint works slow, so Iām going to wait for his second term to file again
@Whodat66 My 100 is a combo as well. With similar small percent of undiagnosed pain issues. That sucked but oh well. I was happy to get what I did after 8 years of fighting.
@Whodat66 Iāve been to texas/Mexico 5 times and once to PR. I lived in Laredo for 9 months besides. Canoed the Rio Grande.
My mother in law lives in Galveston right below Houston. But they were closer to the ocean that the flood waters went back out instead of just layed. Iāve been there when they get a hard rain. It sucks to drive through flooded streets.
My point was, mission trips are primarily to 3rd world countries, unless it is to build a church for a small community or something locally. āMission tripā usually implies going to help those not fortunate enough to be Americans - right?
Is America the best country in the world? Maybe. It does provide the most freedomās for itās citizens (and even more for illegal insurgents apparently). The simple fact is that any āfreedomā that can be limited, permitted, taxed, overseen, etc. is not a freedom.
āWe hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,ā¦ā:
How perfect is that???
Unfortunately, many have been taught that āpursuitā means āguaranteeā.