Dick Thornburgh
Dick Thornburgh
Richard Lewis "Dick" Thornburghis an American lawyer and Republican politician who served as the 41st Governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987, and then as the U.S. Attorney General from 1988 to 1991...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth16 July 1932
CountryUnited States of America
experience needs resolution
The need for a permanent status resolution approved by Congress is made even more clear to me because of my experience as a former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.
organization territory ranking
As the highest ranking American official in the United Nations organization, I came to understand thoroughly that the national constitutional processes of the member states define the status of territories under their sovereignty.
optimism want should
That is why, with optimism instead of fear, all those who want to see Puerto Rico's status resolved should seek the truth about each option, including the upside and the downside of each.
law government states
However, the sovereignty of the states is constitutionally defined and recognized, while the powers of the local government in Puerto Rico are defined by, and subject to alteration under, federal statutory law.
pay corporations income
Yet, individuals and corporations in Puerto Rico pay no federal income tax.
greed human ingrained stop
Greed is so ingrained in the human psyche. I don?t know how we can stop it.
affairs consent derive federal governed government otherwise powers unless
The powers of government exercised locally derive from a federal law authorizing government by consent in local affairs only, unless those affairs are otherwise governed by federal law.
apparently clear constitution local people provided puerto schedule status tired tools
Apparently tired of waiting for clear direction from Congress, the people of Puerto Rico have used the tools provided by their own local constitution to schedule a vote for Dec. 13 on the status of the island.
arrest customs island nation national puerto rest state system territory though
Yet, Puerto Rico's economic convergence and political integration with the rest of the nation is in a state of arrest - even though the island has been within the national borders, political system and customs territory of the U.S. for a century.
national preserve puerto quite separating
It is quite understandable that Puerto Ricans seek to preserve a cultural sense of identity without separating politically from U.S. national sovereignty.
defined federal governed people states
Specifically, the reservation of sovereignty to the people of the states in matters not governed by federal law is constitutionally defined and permanently enshrined in the 10th Amendment.
affairs capacity constitution created government local powers regard states union
The capacity of the commonwealth government created under the local constitution to exercise governmental powers in local affairs is like that of local government in the states of the union in regard to non-federal affairs at the local level.
plays prosecutor pursued
The prosecutor has pursued it relentlessly and we'll see how it plays out,
chasing favorite fools-and-foolishness leaks
Chasing down leaks is a favorite sport in Washington. Generally, it's a fool's errand,