Former Puerto Rico Secretary of State, Senate President and Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association founder Kenneth McClintock delivered was is subtly, but very effectively the most scathing criticism of the Obama administration for their inaction on Puerto Rico and its current financial crisis. By listing all the potential actions the White House could undertake to help address the crisis (some admittedly not as easy as they may seem), McClintock shows how the President and his staff have taken a rather careless attitude towards the territory of 3.5 million Americans. This attitude is in no doubt fueled by the difficulties of Congress, and the huge risk in taking action for little or no reward, since Puerto Ricans cannot vote for Congress or in presidential elections. The piece is in Spanish, but you should still take a look even if it is through Google Translate.
As McClintock says:
In fact, the president should have called governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla, and asked that, in exchange for all this, he prevented the default on bonds from last Monday which affects the entire United States, in addition to cooperatives, pensioners and other interests in Puerto Rico.
With the announcement of what the White House is not going to do, there is much the president of Puerto Ricans can do for his 3.4 million co-citizens.
Which is true, there is much Barack Obama can do. But the way things are looking, do not count on any action.
