Statehood Movements are Afoot
More states are a good thing. Bring in both the more Conservative Jefferson and more Liberal Puerto Rico for a good balance.
The Siskiyou County, California Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday to support the county's split from the state of California.
It's the first in a long series of steps to form the proposed state of Jefferson, which proponents of the effort say would bring representation to rural North State counties that currently are beholden to the whims of representatives of the more heavily populated Southern California and free them from burdensome state regulations.
”We have to have government that's local, understands our issues and has empathy” for those affected, said Mark Baird, a Scott Valley rancher who's also president for Scott Valley Protect Our Water and vice president of the Siskiyou Water User's Association reports the Times-Standard.
Baird is leading the charge to form a new state from rural counties in Northern California and Southern Oregon.
”Many proposed laws are unconstitutional and deny us our God-given rights,” said Gabe Garrison of Happy Camp. “We need our own state so we can make laws that fit our way of life.”
Humboldt County 1st District Supervisor Rex Bohn said he can understand the frustration in Siskiyou County and that he tends to agree with most of the issues that were brought up by the board. ”I was one of the people who thinks the State of Jefferson wasn't a bad idea,” Bohn said. “There has been a total lack of respect in terms of our water rights and the fire fee. Those things may not be important to the rest of the state, but it's important to us. This is a major thing for everyone that lives rurally.”
State of Jefferson - 51st new state of US
Key lawmakers told Puerto Rico's governor that it's time for the island to choose between statehood and independence.
Gov. Alejandro García Padilla has been fighting to retain the island's status as a U.S. territory without voting rights, arguing that it provides the economically troubled island with an advantageous tax status. Leaders of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over U.S. territories and insular possessions, said that's unacceptable.
“After 115 years, it is clearly time for Puerto Rico to determine what political path it will take,” said committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). “The current status undermines our nation's moral standing around the world,” reports The Hill.
The top Republican on the panel agreed change is in the air.
“It's clear to me the majority of Puerto Ricans don't favor the current status,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who says she's the only sitting senator born in a U.S. territory.
She has called for island residents to have a choice between retaining the current Commonwealth status; statehood; independence; and free association, similar to what the United States has with the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau.
The debate comes as Obama has asked for $2.5 million for a new referendum on statehood. Puerto Ricans voted last year in a nonbinding referendum in which 54 percent of voters said they did not want to retain the current status.
García Padilla argues the referendum was invalid because it asked voters to weigh in on the island's “present form of territorial status” instead of calling it by its name, “commonwealth.” Statehood advocates say that's nonsense.
“The current status has now lost its legitimacy,” said Pedro Pierluisi, the island's nonvoting member of Congress and president of the opposition New Progressive Party.
Pierluisi introduced legislation in May calling for an up-or-down referendum on statehood. He has threatened to take the statehood issue to the United Nations if he doesn't get his way.
Puerto Rican lawmakers Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.) and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) are urging their colleagues to oppose the resolution, saying Obama's call for a status referendum is a better approach.
The Last Colony
Coming Soon: The 51st State?
Among those in attendance was Erin Ryan, field representative for GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa. When asked for the congressman's opinion, she said that she and other LaMalfa staff members supported the effort to secede, but she did not know LaMalfa's thoughts on it.
Bohn said the problem is that only 16 percent of the state is rural, and decisions in Sacramento are sometimes based on the needs or realities of more urban areas.
”It's kind of a drastic measure to get someone to listen to you, but I guess they feel like they're not getting heard,” he said.
Bohn added that the Humboldt County supervisors will likely meet to discuss the issue.
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| . Proposed maps of the new state of Jefferson. Talk of the new state dates back to 1941. (The State of Jefferson) |
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| . Also see Jefferson State. |
State of Jefferson - 51st new state of US
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Congress says it is time for Puerto Rican
independence or statehood
Key lawmakers told Puerto Rico's governor that it's time for the island to choose between statehood and independence.
Gov. Alejandro García Padilla has been fighting to retain the island's status as a U.S. territory without voting rights, arguing that it provides the economically troubled island with an advantageous tax status. Leaders of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over U.S. territories and insular possessions, said that's unacceptable.
“After 115 years, it is clearly time for Puerto Rico to determine what political path it will take,” said committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). “The current status undermines our nation's moral standing around the world,” reports The Hill.
The top Republican on the panel agreed change is in the air.
“It's clear to me the majority of Puerto Ricans don't favor the current status,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who says she's the only sitting senator born in a U.S. territory.
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| Puerto Rico statehood looks good. |
The debate comes as Obama has asked for $2.5 million for a new referendum on statehood. Puerto Ricans voted last year in a nonbinding referendum in which 54 percent of voters said they did not want to retain the current status.
García Padilla argues the referendum was invalid because it asked voters to weigh in on the island's “present form of territorial status” instead of calling it by its name, “commonwealth.” Statehood advocates say that's nonsense.
“The current status has now lost its legitimacy,” said Pedro Pierluisi, the island's nonvoting member of Congress and president of the opposition New Progressive Party.
Pierluisi introduced legislation in May calling for an up-or-down referendum on statehood. He has threatened to take the statehood issue to the United Nations if he doesn't get his way.
Puerto Rican lawmakers Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.) and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) are urging their colleagues to oppose the resolution, saying Obama's call for a status referendum is a better approach.
The Last Colony
Coming Soon: The 51st State?
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| Puerto Rico - State 51? |
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