Marg6043, edit and correct me, please.
The US took Puerto Rico from Spain as a “spoils of war” in the 1898-1899 Spanish American War. We occupied Cuba but never “took” it. We left
in 1907. We also took the Philippines and Guam plus Wake and Midway islands in the Pacific Ocean. The US Navy was still coal fired in the late 19th
century. Every nation wanted its own coaling stations around the globe. The UK used the Falkland Islands for the purpose. Gen. Leonard Wood re-made
Cuba from a Spanish knock-off of the French Haiti.
When we hit the beaches on Cuba, we had one soldier for every 260 Cubans. Overwhelming military strength. We immediately disarmed the militias, but
then we re-trained them, and put them back to work as the Cuban Constabulary. There was never an insurgency in Cuba against the U.S. although there
had been a running gun battle between guerillas and the Spanish Army for decades.
The U.S. needed Puerto Rico as a fortress to guard the up and coming Panama Canal. We designated PR as a Commonwealth and “annexed” it into the
United States. Although Puerto Ricans cannot vote in U.S. elections, they are allowed to vote for a Delegate to Congress, along with other delegates
from W-DC, Guam and the Pacific Territories.
I believe there are 5 delegates to the House. They are treated as if they were Congressional representatives in every respect except they cannot vote
on the floor of the House on the final passage of a bill. They do vote in committees and receive the same pay and allowances as any other
representative. They are chosen for 2 year terms. I believe Puerto Rico has “Home Rule” in all other aspects, but do not pay U.S. taxes.
I think they do pay the FICA which is not regarded technically as a tax. FICA is the Social Security and Medicare trust funds. Federal Insurance
Contributions Act. Not to be confused with Medicaid or SSI. Security Supplemental Income. FICA replaced the older OASI. Old Age and Survivors
Insurance.
[edit on 3/29/2006 by donwhite]



