Puerto Rico in bad shape after storm

[WillBrink]

Puerto Rico has potential for legit mass violence and is one of the islands I never had an interest in visiting. I'd be surprised if US mil not called in to keep stable:

Puerto Rico Energy Infrastructure Is 'Completely Down,' Governor Says

Hurricane Maria has damaged Puerto Rico's power infrastructure in ways that, in a worst-case scenario, could take months to repair, Gov. Ricardo Rosselló told CNN late Wednesday.

"Our telecommunications system is partially down," he said. "Our energy infrastructure is completely down."

Rosselló said that the island's energy infrastructure is "a little bit old, mishandled and weak," and towers carrying high-voltage lines may have been toppled by the storm. The National Guard will assess the lines from the air once conditions are safer, he said.

The head of Puerto Rico's emergency management agency said such damage would leave the entire island without power.

Cont:

http://wlrn.org/post/reports-indicat...ll-puerto-rico

[ABNAK]

Personally I feel that we, as the parent nation, are obliged to help them overcome this as we would any other U.S. state/territory. It apparently was catastrophic. Not one dime should be sent towards their bankruptcy but this is a true disaster. I'd hate to be there right now.

If they had all-inclusive resorts there my wife and I would have already vacationed there. But alas, they don't.

[WillBrink]

Personally I feel that we, as the parent nation, are obliged to help them overcome this as we would any other U.S. state/territory. It apparently was catastrophic. Not one dime should be sent towards their bankruptcy but this is a true disaster. I'd hate to be there right now.

If they had all-inclusive resorts there my wife and I would have already vacationed there. But alas, they don't.

Unfortunately, we'll end up rebuilding the place on our dime which in many ways will defacto assist with their financial situation is my guess. I don't see any particular reason they should remain U.S. territory at this point, but that's another topic.

[Alex V]

Yikes. Months without power will surely end in violence.

From what I understand individual residents don't pay US Federal income taxes unless they earn money outside of PR. So why should federal tax dollars they they did not contribute to be spent on them to recover? I am sure the US Federal Government will step in and help, but I am not sure they should.

[ABNAK]

Unfortunately, we'll end up rebuilding the place on our dime which in many ways will defacto assist with their financial situation is my guess. I don't see any particular reason they should remain U.S. territory at this point, but that's another topic.

Don't disagree, but right now they are our territory. Rebuilding as opposed to replentishing the trough is going to be a tough needle to thread.

[WillBrink]

Don't disagree, but right now they are our territory. Rebuilding as opposed to replentishing the trough is going to be a tough needle to thread.

A needle we will fail at as billions of tax payers $ will be used to help rebuild and much of it will disappear, etc.

[Doc Safari]

Not to make light of the situation, but we may get to see what would happen to overall society in the event of an EMP attack. Months without power due to a hurricane is the closest we may come to an observable scenario.

[ABNAK]

A needle we will fail at as billions of tax payers $ will be used to help rebuild and much of it will disappear, etc.

Unfortunately this is probably true......despite them being a U.S. territory, they still have that rampant traditional Latin/Caribbean corruption thing going on.

[Firefly]

Its time Puerto Rico stopped LARPing that it was Quebec, learned English, and remember who owns it so the recovery effort goes smoother.

JMO

[WillBrink]

Its time Puerto Rico stopped LARPing that it was Quebec, learned English, and remember who owns it so the recovery effort goes smoother.

JMO

That they have repeatedly voted no to becoming a state tells me they should be cut lose. Not that I particularly want that totally corrupt island to be a US state per se, but that too would probably improve if it were a state. I say if they vote yet again not to be a state, we vote they are on their own and become independent nation state of their own. See how long they last 'till they turn into Haiti etc. I think US citizens should have a vote to cut them lose just as they have a vote to become a state, something they have voted no on repeatedly.