An editorial in yesterday’s New York Times looks at the dire situation the colony/nation of Puerto Rico finds itself in and why. The article points to a study — “The Economy of Puerto Rico: Restoring Growth” — from the Center for the New Economy, a nonpartisan Puerto Rican research group, and the Brookings Institution. The study doesn’t point the finger for the island’s problem on the people of Puerto Rico but rather at the U.S. government and its’ policies.

Much of the blame can be put on Washington, which has been tone deaf to the island’s needs and has miscalculated where help was needed. Even a good idea, like the Section 936 program of tax incentives, was mismanaged. Before it was phased out last year, it had succeeded in bringing many pharmaceutical concerns to the island, but produced relatively few jobs and at so high a cost that a $40,000 position cost the government $70,000.

The article points to calls to end welfare programs on the island including food stamps. What is interesting about the article and the report is that there is no call to change the political status of the island or pointing the finger at status as a primary reason wahy the Rican economy can’t prosper. It allows for the status quo , in-between status that is not full statehood and certainly isn’t an independent nation. While the economics of the isla del encanto need to be reformed, just looking at that part without seeing the larger picture is really missing the point. Maybe we should be happy that the mainstream media is bringing some play to Puerto Rico.

Via / The New York Times (Registration required)