Puerto Rico Donations - Page 10

tansy · ‎01-02-2011

@Isobel Archer wrote:
@Noel7 wrote:
@Isobel Archer wrote:
What about the Clinton Foundation? I'm sure they are helping.

@Isobel Archer

A lot of people are helping but American bureaucracy is holding up delivery.
Again, I'd like to see evidence of that. I know there were issues with the Navy sending in the USNS Comfort because initially, the ports couldn't handle the large ship. But that is being resolved. Not sure what else is being delayed/refused.

It is a different situation from TX/FL because they can't just send trucks in and ships take longer - altho as the PR Governor confirmed, the President already had ships on hand ready to provide aid after the hurricane. I'm not sure what the issues have been with airport landing availability. I'm sure it was a priority to restore runways so that help could arrive.

It's also a different situation because of the extent of damage they received as compared with TX/FL - and with their financial problems.

I have little doubt that before they is over they will have received help that is many magnitudes over the help that TX/FL receives - and I have no problem with that.

This cannot be responded to fully without becoming political, as I'm sure you realize, @Isobel Archer.

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

@Noel7

PLUS any residents who work for the federal government in PR ARE paying personal income taxes. also, any residents who earn money from outside of PR are required to pay personal income taxes on that income.

********************************************
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@tansy wrote:
@Isobel Archer wrote:
@Noel7 wrote:
@Isobel Archer wrote:
What about the Clinton Foundation? I'm sure they are helping.

@Isobel Archer

A lot of people are helping but American bureaucracy is holding up delivery.
Again, I'd like to see evidence of that. I know there were issues with the Navy sending in the USNS Comfort because initially, the ports couldn't handle the large ship. But that is being resolved. Not sure what else is being delayed/refused.

It is a different situation from TX/FL because they can't just send trucks in and ships take longer - altho as the PR Governor confirmed, the President already had ships on hand ready to provide aid after the hurricane. I'm not sure what the issues have been with airport landing availability. I'm sure it was a priority to restore runways so that help could arrive.

It's also a different situation because of the extent of damage they received as compared with TX/FL - and with their financial problems.

I have little doubt that before they is over they will have received help that is many magnitudes over the help that TX/FL receives - and I have no problem with that.
This cannot be responded to fully without becoming political, as I'm sure you realize, @Isobel Archer.

THANK YOU @tansy

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@sunshine45 wrote:
@Noel7
PLUS any residents who work for the federal government in PR ARE paying personal income taxes. also, any residents who earn money from outside of PR are required to pay personal income taxes on that income.

Thanks for making that point @sunshine45. You are right, some in PR do pay American federal income taxes.

pitdakota · ‎03-16-2010

@Noel7 wrote:
@pitdakota wrote:
@Noel7 wrote:
GOOD NEWS:

The shipping restrictions on delivering life-saving supplies to Puerto Rico have been waived! Finally.
________________________________________________-

That is good, but they have thousands of containers full of water, diesel, food, and other relief supplies just sitting there because they can't get it distributed out to the people.

Time to send a big military effort down there. They need truck drivers...the army has multiple mechanized units so they could drive trucks and develop convoys.

Bridges are out, the military can put up mobile bridges in very little time.
Radar is out at the airport, we have mobile radar units that can be set up on the spot in all kinds of geographic locations.

They also need to get a large number of big helicopters down there to drop those supplies in to the harder to reach areas.

I think Ft. Campbell has deployed a group of Black Hawk helicopters and some soldiers down there, so hopefully they will get a move on and send more military units down there.

They probably need a military commander on site to start coordinating all of those efforts. Time to turn this over to the Department of Defense.

Absolutely! @pitdakota

TEN THOUSAND shipping containers of supplies are being held at the port.

________________________________________________-

Yep, turn it over to the department of defense. That takes care of it being different from responding to a disaster because it is an island, has had its infrastructure wiped out, etc.

So turn it over to the military who knows how to do these things and solve those problems. I don't know why that hasn't been done as of a couple of days ago really.

* Freedom has a taste the protected will never know *

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@Isobel Archer and a reference for all:

An FYI because some here are unaware of Puerto Rico's contribution to US taxes.

Though the Commonwealth government has its own tax laws, Puerto Ricans are ALSO required to pay most US federal taxes, with the major exception being that most residents do not have to pay the federal personal income tax. In 2009, Puerto Rico paid $3.742 billion into the US Treasury.
Taxation in Puerto Rico - Wikipedia

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@pitdakota wrote:
@Noel7 wrote:
@pitdakota wrote:
@Noel7 wrote:
GOOD NEWS:

The shipping restrictions on delivering life-saving supplies to Puerto Rico have been waived! Finally.
________________________________________________-

That is good, but they have thousands of containers full of water, diesel, food, and other relief supplies just sitting there because they can't get it distributed out to the people.

Time to send a big military effort down there. They need truck drivers...the army has multiple mechanized units so they could drive trucks and develop convoys.

Bridges are out, the military can put up mobile bridges in very little time.
Radar is out at the airport, we have mobile radar units that can be set up on the spot in all kinds of geographic locations.

They also need to get a large number of big helicopters down there to drop those supplies in to the harder to reach areas.

I think Ft. Campbell has deployed a group of Black Hawk helicopters and some soldiers down there, so hopefully they will get a move on and send more military units down there.

They probably need a military commander on site to start coordinating all of those efforts. Time to turn this over to the Department of Defense.

Absolutely! @pitdakota

TEN THOUSAND shipping containers of supplies are being held at the port.
________________________________________________-

Yep, turn it over to the department of defense. That takes care of it being different from responding to a disaster because it is an island, has had its infrastructure wiped out, etc.

So turn it over to the military who knows how to do these things and solve those problems. I don't know why that hasn't been done as of a couple of days ago really.

Again, absolutely @pitdakota. The military is saying they have done that many times, no problem.

ms traditional · ‎03-09-2010

yes, time to turn over to military. it is clear that municipalities are overwhelmed . FEMA is dependent on state and localities for manpower - police, trucking, administration, utilities and the manpower isn't there. i expect a lot of people just got out. there seem to be plenty of supplies - but no one to truck them now that the roads are passable. according to Rosello the electrical grid is beyond repair due to lack of upkeep and the storm. it will have to be replaced, not repaired, which means it will be a long time before island is liveable. i expect that the Army Corps of Engineers may have to take that over and the dam.

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

Right @ms traditional

They are saying a lot of the problem now is getting local truck drivers immediately, there is no communication, they are scattered in destroyed houses.

General Honore is saying he had 50,000 military people sent to New Orleans immediately to do the work.