Deviating from the preliminary topic about assembling a presidential cabinet, Mr. Untermeyer chose to focus his remarks on Puerto Rico and the recent devastating damage to the island during Hurricane Maria.  Puerto Rico is a “fascinating and beautiful place” with three and one half million people and a land size similar to Connecticut or Iowa.  The Island was “won” by the United States after the Spanish American war and has maintained itself as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for the last 65 years.  Prior to that time, the Governor of Puerto Rico was a political appointment of the President.

 

Mr. Untermeyer described Puerto as a “very political state” with the main parties being the statists and the independents.  The statists want to become a state in the United States and the independents want the island to be a totally recognized free state of its own with no outside connections.  Puerto Rico citizens are U S citizens with the right to move freely within the United States.  Elections are held once every four years for every single elected position on the island.  Loosely, the statists closely align to our Republican Party and the commonwealth members with the Democratic Party.  They have no say in Congress but are granted one representative to Congress who can attend committee meetings but that person is not eligible to vote on the floor of Congress.  There have been no serious considerations by Congress in the last years to bring statehood to Puerto Rico.  This is probably due to the political leanings of the Senate which sees the statehood issue as politically charged.

 

Citizens of the island do not pay federal income tax but they do pay tax on the island.  At the present time the island government has about $70 million on bond issued debt for the island which, in all probability, is uncollectible, especially after the devastation of Hurricane Maria.  With no power and very few resources of its own, the island is turning to the federal government for aid as the only viable option to recovery.  They need our military for delivery of goods, order and strategic setup of disaster commands on the island.  They need funding from various federal entities in order to return the island to a place that is desirable to live.  With about 2% of its citizens leaving each year for the States and a better economic life, the island desperately needs new resources for economic livelihood besides tourism and agriculture.

 

"Puerto Rico is an island with a vibrant culture, interesting architecture, plantations, beautiful beaches, music and the arts and a splendid culture.”  Mr. Untermeyer is hopeful that the island can eventually return with tourism and economic well-being.