Are you aware that your representation may soon be diluted in order to bolster the Democrat Party in Congress? House Resolution 2499, The Puerto Rico Democracy Act, would allow residents there to again vote on their political future. If a bare plurality (as few as a third-plus-one) wants statehood, then the process of adding a Spanish-speaking state will begin in earnest. Polls have shown that Puerto Ricans want the status quo of a commonwealth relationship with the US without statehood and the related taxation. However, the Dems in Congress do not care what the Puerto Ricans want. This would give the Democrats 2 more senators and 6 or 7 Representatives.
#2
Getting there, maybe it wasn't a slip of the tongue, maybe it was a glimpse of His Royal Highnes's mental plans.
Let's see Cuba, Puerto Rico, who's next, Haiti?
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/24/2010 14:39 Comments ||
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#3
A popular vote is only a first step. Statehood and commonwealth status both are popular in PR and usually are within 2 to 3 points of each other in the polls (independence never gets more than a couple points).
But even if PR votes for statehood by a convincing margin, a bill then has to be introduced in Congress.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/24/2010 14:45 Comments ||
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#7
There are three basic political factions in Puerto Rico. Identifying one's political faction generally comes with 3 minutes of a formal or informal introduction:
A. Statehood faction (least popular)
B. Nationhood faction. (somewhere inbetween)
C. Status-quo faction. (most popular)
Sweet Jesus, Jim - PLEASE don't give the b****rds any ideas!!
Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) ||
04/24/2010 17:12 Comments ||
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#10
This is a chill moment. They've had referendums in the past pretty much divided evenly between the positions posted in #7.
Would you vote yourself an income tax today and federal mandates to the state upon yourself and others in your area if you could avoid it while getting the bennies like first in line in the region when any major disaster hits? /rhet question
#12
With open borders I thought Mexico was the 57th state. I thought for sure Kenya would become the 58th state (solves a lot of "birther" issues). But in Obama's list of state hood priorities I suppose Puerto Rican pot is better stuff???
Broadway Bank, the family-run lender that helped launch U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias' political career, was one of seven Chicago-area institutions seized by the U.S. government Friday and sold to healthier companies.
Done on a Friday afternoon and reported on Saturday. That's the way you bury bad news, and this is bad for Obama and the Dhimmicrats. Giannoulias is way connected in Chicago. The family bank, which is what the Broadway was, loaned money to Tony Rezko and other notorious folks. It was rumored to be mobbed-up. Giannoulias makes money even as the FDIC seizes the family jewels. This will be all over the news in the fall election.
The failure of Broadway, which was unable to raise the $85 million it needed to remain independent, will cost the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. $394.3 million.
Giannoulias worked for his father at Chicago-based Broadway before entering politics, and the bank's struggles in recent years with real estate loans gone bad have weighed on Giannoulias' Democratic bid for Barack Obama's old Senate seat.
During Giannoulias' successful run for state treasurer in 2006, he used his banking experience as one of his chief qualifications. But in the Senate race, he has tried to distance himself from the bank's troubles.
Which won't work.
If Mr. Giannoulias actually wins, his voters will deserve what they get. The question then is, how many of the votes will have been cast by legitimate voters.
Unfortunately we will all get what they deserve.
"This is a difficult day for bank employees, for my family, for this community and for all those who built businesses and protected their savings with the help of this bank," Chief Executive Demetris Giannoulias said in a statement. "We fought to carry out the vision my father had when he founded Broadway Bank 30 years ago, but our bank -- like many businesses -- has struggled during these challenging times."
The Tribune reported earlier this month that the $1.15 billion-asset bank, founded in 1979, loaned a pair of Chicago crime figures about $20 million during a 14-month period when Giannoulias was a senior loan officer.
Giannoulias' Republican opponent, Mark Kirk, has hammered on the bank issue, prompting Giannoulias to accuse Kirk of negative campaigning. "He has essentially campaigned on one thing and one thing only -- Broadway Bank," Giannoulias said.
It always is negative when your opponent comes after you ...
But even fellow Democrats have taken shots at Giannoulias and Broadway. Asked recently whether the bank's problems would affect Giannoulias' Senate race, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan joked: "I'm glad I don't have any deposits there."
Broadway has only four branches, including its 5960 N. Broadway headquarters.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/24/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
Very minor point Steve - the FDIC always seizes and closes banks on Fridays. It gives them the weekend to clean up and prepare the new owner to reopen the following Monday.
Unlike so much of what the government does, these are actually very precise and well run operations, with extreme confidentaility, extensive preparation and coordination, and severe professionalism.
It prevents last minute looting by staff/owners, and smoothes the transition for innocent customers.
All that said, Lexi and crew knew this was coming years ago, and successfully paid themselves huge "dividends", which is essentially the case Kirk will make. It will be interesting to see if US Atty Fitzgerald gets in the act with fraud charges - since the family basically gutted the place "during these challenging times" rather than fold up honorably.
#2
More interestingly the bank was closed immeditely AFTER the Obama administration announced that the stink was on Giannoulias and the president would NOT be going to Illinois to support the campaign of his hoops shooting pal.
Broadway Bank in Chicago, whose wealth helped finance Giannouliass successful 2006 bid for state treasurer, has been operating since January under a consent agreement with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. because of commercial real- estate loan losses. Bad loans included money to such figures as convicted prostitution ring operator Michael "Jaws" Giorango. Loans were also made to convicted influence peddler Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who also was a fund-raiser for Obama.
More Tony, sing more! Tell us about Barry's first sweatheart town home loan from Broadway Bank.
#3
However, this Fridaw was an all Illinois shut down with 7 Illini institutions biting the dust. Be interesting to know what went on at the other 6 that will be covered by the Giannoulias/Broadway announcement.
#4
We've had a few "all Illinois" days. The FDIC seems to rotate its shutdown crews around the country and it makes sense to concentrate resources. There have been a few "all Georgia" and "all Nevada" weekends. I doubt there's politics involved there, or even in the other Illinois banks, but the POTUS will be thoroughly tied into this and the soon to start Blago trial.
This is a useful list of the failed banks, which is updated about every Friday. I've bookmarked it, and actually refer to it more often than you'd think.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/24/2010 12:12 Comments ||
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#7
I believe the State of Georgia have established the unenviable record for first and second mortgage related, failed banks. We've probably set national sales records for Cadillac Escalades as well.
#8
Besoeker, very good estimating. Since the current spate of bank closings began in 2007, Georgia is the champ with 38 banks. In Georgia's defence, it should be noted that it was historically a unit bank state without branching, so it probably still has lots of little banks with low barriers to entry. California has 26 closures, Florida and Illinois 25, Minnesota 11 and then it drops to single digits.
#9
When Barry finally leaves office (if he ever does) I'll buy a new car or two. Never owned one before, but it will probably be a Toyota...since the government seems to feel they need weekly whippings....... they go right, I go left. They go up, I go down.
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) on Friday issued a subpoena to Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin (D) to testify at his corruption trial.
NBC Chicago reported that Durbin, the second-ranking Senate Democrat, said that the former governor, who was removed from office in January 2009, demanded that he testify. Durbin revealed the subpoena after he spoke on behalf of Senate candidate Alexi Dead Meat Giannoulias (D).
#5
I have always thought Rod Blagojevich and wife Patty were strangely cavalier with regard to what appeared to be quite serious senate seat appointment difficulties. But of course keeping accurate records of conversations, ie, tapes, photos, etc, is what solicitors do best.
"Yes, let's hear all the tapes please, all the tapes."
#8
Besoeker, most pols, especially the higher up ones, keep careful notes, diaries and the like, if only so that they can write their memoirs and cash in with a publisher.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/24/2010 12:14 Comments ||
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Posted by: Flapper Scourge of the Algonquins4926 ||
04/24/2010 12:57 Comments ||
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#10
I really hope that Fitzgerald has a backup plan in case Blago has an "unfortunate accident".
Of course, Holder could just reassign Fitzgerald to somewhere else and replace him with a more "reasonable" prosecutor.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
04/24/2010 14:14 Comments ||
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#11
Blago's strategy is undoubtedly one of releasing bits here and there with the hope that all charges will be dropped and he can return to finishing his book. Blago's insurance policy, (the entire piñata) should he end up in a Illinois Tollway cement pour, is probably in a safe deposit box with Patty and a half dozen others on the signature card.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Broadway Bank, the family-run lender that helped launch U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias' political career, was one of seven Chicago-area institutions seized by the U.S. government Friday and sold to healthier companies.
