Tengo Poder

Ya empezó la revolución,

ya la gente está peleando
macanazos están volando
y yo solo contemplando,
¿cómo le voy asistir?

Algunos tienen machetes
y otros traen explosivos,
al pueblo no te retires,
tenemos poder pa’ vencer,
saquen rosarios de tos’ colores
rézale al quien le responde
estamos en tiempo turbulento
¿qué es lo que va resultar?

Un lado dice que sí
y el otro dice que no
Y yo caigo en el centro
y disparo mi canción.

Mi cartita a la Casa Blanca

To whom it may concern,

I am a 29 year old man with a government job in Puerto Rico. I work with the Medicaid program under the Department of Health. In these difficult times, Puerto Rico is confronting a very tense situation concerning the economy, unemployment and fiscal deficit. The new governor of the island, Luis Fortuño, is decided to toss to the streets around 30,000 government employees to lower the debt. Being a government employee, I am at risk of losing my job due to the resize of the state payroll. As a republican, his agenda is like the Reagan days in the 80's; in time of recession, new reforms are proposed being the private sector the protagonist in taking over the public spending. Recently, all government employees, activists and religious organizations had a march rejecting the executive decisions and alliances with the corporate sector in the island.

For the Medicaid program in Puerto Rico, Obama administration is assuring the funds equally given to the 50 states. Lately, this issue of health care in Puerto Rico is taking headlines in the newspaper, due to the poor service and mediocre administration of the Medicaid funds also used in the health care plan offered by the puertorrican government (Plan de la Reforma). It should be noted that around 1.5 millions of people are cover by this plan, which has made a gigantic deficit since his implementation in 1993.

We need universal health care now! Health services should be granted by the government and paid by taxpayers, like for instance: police (security), libraries (education) or buses (transportation). What’s the plan toward Puerto Rico SOCIAL Health CARE? What kind of structure it would have? What kind of facilities and technology is proposed to this vision of health care in America? Is going to be the same kind of treatment for all of us? This issue is essential to the Obama administration, putting health perception in contrast to the corporate vision of insurance companies.

Is clear that statehood for Puerto Rico is not, and never has been, a primary issue in congress for the past 50 years. It has diminished the government power to a commonwealth since 1952. In that matter, I would like to know what this new administration under Obama is planning to do in the short term about this political issue so important for defining our national identity, sovereignty and autonomy. Please be sincere in your response by giving me something concrete, adequate and sincere. Don’t answer with the same old process of plebiscite, ONU hearings or the cliché “is the right of the people to decide" that leaves to nothing. Is really statehood an option to Obama or what’s going to be the future relationship of Puerto Rico with the Unites States? Please answer frankly this question for god’s sake!

I hope the Obama administration put his ideas and plans into action as soon as possible. All of us want political definition and consideration as a nation with its own language, ethnicity, culture and customs needed to be recognized independently.

Thanks for the time and attention.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/