HR2000 & S2020 or New Plebiscite The election of 1964 was the very last one where the PPD got almost 60% of the vote. Since the elections of 1968 the electorate in Puerto Rico has been divided, on average, 48% PPD – 48% PNP and 4% PIP. And the very first one where Don Luis Muñoz Marin did not run for Governor. 1964 General Election Candidato Partido Votos % Roberto Sánchez Vilella PPD 492,531 59.2 Luis A. Ferré PER 288,504 34.7 Francisco González Baena PAC 27,076 3.3 Gilberto Concepción de GraciA PIP 23,340 2.8 Nulos/En Blanco 8,227 – Total 839,678 100 Untill this election the PPD had won every single election since 1948 by doble digits with Don Luis Muoz Marin as its gubernatorial candidate. With the “retirement” of Don Luis Muñoz Marin,the internal positioning for control of the party started. This took us into the election of 1998 where for the very first time the ugly head of egos and personal interest within the PPD come to the surface and the party SPLIT . . . Governor Rafael Sanchez Vilella is ousted and the PPD elect Luis Negron Lopez to run against their eternal adversary Don Luis Ferre, gut this tome under his new political party the PNP. Additionally the Govrnor of Puerto Rico had formed his own political party, Partido del Pueblo (Peoples Party), thus devidin the PPD in two fronts. And as was to be expected Don Luis Ferre and histhe newly formed PNP won the election. A lesson the PPD did learn well and a lesson the PNP never understood. 1968 General Election Candidato Partido Votos % Luis A. Ferré (PNP) 400,815 43.6 Luis Negrón López (PPD) 374,040 40.7 Roberto Sánchez Vilella Partido del Pueblo 107,359 11.7 Antonio J. González (PIP) 32,166 3.5 Otros candidatos 4,449 0.5 En blanco/Nulos 3,993 – Total 922,822 100% From this election forward, the PPD never has gotten ists pre 1968 mojo back together. Since this election the PPD has won 7 elections and the PNP 4. However only two (2) of the seven elections won by the PPD were with and over 50% vote (1972 - 50.7% and 1996 – 51.1%) all the rest elections were won or lost within the high 40s%. During all these years, 1968 to the present, the political split by party has been an average od 48% PPD, 48% PNP and 4% PIP (independence party). So, the political division has been well set during the las 50 years. The PNP know what the want, Statehood, the PIP know what they want, Independence, and the PPD . . . well . . . this is where things get complicated. It is not as simple as the other two political parties. Back in 1952 when the US Congress and Don Luis Muñoz Marin came with the Estado Libre Asociado or ELA for short, They did this to remove Puerto Rico from the Colonial list that the United Nations does maintain. The UN in all its glory “bought what the US and Puerto Rico was selling and did remove Puerto Rico from it Colonial list thus freeing the US of the embaressing title of a Colonial owner. And this is exactly where all the problem, for Puertorricans, does begin. The Title given to the territory of Puerto Rico now is Estado Libre Asociado or Free Associate State. However, Puerto Rico was NOT Free (independent) or Associated (it was a Territory) and much less a State. So, the came up with the closest definition they could come up with ant called it a “Commonwealth”. Washington has known very well what Puerto Rico is and is not. However the same has not been for Puerto Rico. From the very beginning Don Luis Muñoz Marin started saying the the island was not a colony (synonym for territory) and that Puerto Rico had a “pact” with Washington thus making beleive that to its members of some “special” relationship with the US. Now if you look up the definition of “pact” you will find the following . . . “a formal agreement between two countries, people, or groups especially to help each other or to stop fighting”. Totally diferent to territory . . . “an area of land that belongs to or is controlled by a government” Later on in the 1970s Rafael Hernandez Colon, came out with his “Nueva Tesis” or new Thesis” which was the “development” of the ELA, not the name but as a status. In essence this “thesis” takes Puerto Rico from a Territory . . . some kind of a new political status within the US Constitution. Now, there are two main different development withing the PPD. One group support the so called ELA Mejorado or Enhanced ELA (based on the RHC New Thesis) and the other group rather mve to an ELA Soberano or in essence an Associated Republic. Of course the traditional colonialist are still there that do prefer the status quo to continue administering the colonial territory. So with these three fractions, each one pulling their way the party, have not define itself to thell their followers which way are they going to go. Now, this has been going on for over 40 year. So the PNP and the PIP know and their followers now their goal . . . only the PPD has no idea at least publicly what they really want. Now to the present . . . You will remember where I mentioned above that the PN did not learn anything from the 1968 victory. Well, it came to the surface their ignorance in history and the rivalry that started during the Primary elections of 2008 and that continued through the 2012 election, the PNP looses the election as in prior elections . . . 2012 Election PPD 47.73% PNP 47.13% PIP 2.52% The fight that started in 2008 take those opposed to Governor Fortuño to boycott the party and many of the followers of the Rosello fraction stayed at home or voted against Fortuño . The interesting part on this election is not the internal fight in the PNP party. The interesting part is that for the very first time a Plebiscite is run with three (3) well defined Non-Territorial political Status and Statehood won. Until this Plebiscite, prior ones have included the ELA as is rather that defining it as a Sovereign State. In essence prior Plebiscites the votes have been an extension of the political parties themselves. On this one, 2012, the alternative status were well defined as Non-Territorial. But, but of course there is a BIG but . . . ., since the ELA as is was not included in the Plebiscite, the PPD went against supporting the plebiscite and asked its followers not to vote on the second question or leave it BLANK. Well close to 500,000 blank votes were cast. And even if Statehood had won with 61.3% of the votes it did thow some shadows over the Statehood victory. On August 1, 2013 the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources had an open hearing on Puerto Rico and the 2012 election. Each political party presented and defended their political status ideology together with others interested in the future of Puerto Rico. The presentation by the PPD was a disaster from the very beginning. The presenter was the new Governor from Puerto Rico Alejandro Garcia Padilla, that unfortunately is not proficient in the English language thus making himself incomprehensible at times. And he went to defend the ELA Mejorado or Enhance ELA. Another mistake. The Committee question the 500,000 blank ballots in the second question and suggested that probably made the vote “inconclusive”. Additionally requested from the PPD to submit a NON-TERRITORIAL and CONSTITUTIONAL definition of their ELA. Also suggested that probably a new plebiscite sponsored by the US Congress with the three non territorial and constitutional alternatives, as the President had suggested, was in order. On December 13, a letter from the Chairman and Ranking Member was sent to the parties confirming what has transpired at the meeting. With all this background, it bring us to the question . . . is an up or down vote as stipulated in HR2000 and S2020 warranted without having a three Non-Territorial and Constitutional Alternatives Plebiscite first? My contention is that . . . as long as the ELA is not defined as a non territorial but constitutional format any other vote will be a waste of time and monies. If the PPD is not FORCED to define their ELA they will continue fighting for their ELA as is and their followers will continue to vote for whatever the PPD leaders tell them. Thus, and up and down vote without eliminating the ELA as is at this time will be a waist of time, monies and the defeat of Statehood for years to come.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 16:05:32 +0000
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