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Lessons to Be Learned from ukraine
/ Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Kenneth Davison McClintock
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22nd Secretary of State of Puerto Rico
Lessons from UkraineThe Right to Life
For the past two weeks, Puerto Ricans have been observing from afar the horrendous invasion by Vladimir Putin’s Russia of its neighboring country, Ukraine, expressing solidarity with
Ukrainians and the direct effects that it has been triggering in our pocketbooks. It remains to be seen if Puerto Rico has been discerning, within the terrible fog of war, multiple lessons to be learned by our people.
First of all, are we learning the lessons of democracy’s fragility? After thirty years of independence from the old USSR, most Ukrainians, especially those born in freedom, know no other system than a solidly institutionalized democracy. In just two weeks, they have discovered its fragility.
They thought that their democratic system was respected by their immediate neighbor, Russia, and that they would be strongly defended by another world behemoth from afar, the United States, the main beneficiary of Ukraine’s willingness to give up its nuclear warheads over two decades ago, in exchange for America’s treaty promise to defend Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Not only has Russia invaded its neighbor, but the United States has found excuses to partially renege on its treaty promises to fully defend a former nuclear power that changed its status as such at its prodding. The first lesson for Puerto Rico? As much as we’ve been citizens of the United States for 105 years, we must always be aware that there are forces in our hemisphere that want to break up that relationship, regardless of the chronic lack of votes for independence in our ballot boxes, such as the powerful São Paulo Forum and the Puebla Group, both avowed supporters of independence for Puerto Rico. In a time in which the United States sent a delegation to meet with the Nicolás Maduro regime to potentially lift sanctions and enable the purchase of Venezuelan oil and enrich its dictator without even notifying the Venezuelan putative president America supports, President Guaidó, could an American president also backstab Puerto Rico if it’s diplomatically convenient in the future? Have they not already repeatedly ignored the will of our people as to our future relationship? Learning that first lesson should lead us to insist, more forcefully than ever, for Puerto Rico’s status to be resolved. That is a decision that depends less on us and more on Congress and the President.
Among the multiple partial sanctions the West has imposed on Russia lies our second lesson to be learned: “Oil rules”. Neither the United States nor the West have closed Russia’s oil spigot, the second oil producer in the world. For 124 years, America has made Puerto Rico dependent on fossil fuels. As a result, Puerto Rico has become the American jurisdiction most affected by energy inflation triggered by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Not only are our gasoline and diesel prices rising as fast as in the rest of the nation, but electric rates are going to rise much higher because Puerto Rico is the only jurisdiction that produces electricity almost entirely, over 95%, on a fossil fuel mix that includes not only coal and non-United States natural gas, but on international crude oil.
The second lesson is that we must learn to be much less dependent on fossil fuels we don’t produce and can’t control, and learn to be more selfreliant energywise. We’ve heard that one before. Fourteen years ago, one of the world’s strongest renewable energy advocates, Bill Clinton, stated: “In the United States, the most compelling candidate for complete energy independence is Puerto Rico because they have to import 100 percent of their energy. The Congress has battled, for years and years, about what kind of tax incentives we ought to give to Puerto Rico to get new manufacturing jobs down there so that they will not be so desperately worse off than the rest of us. A lot of the incentives that have been given and lower labor costs that are enjoyed have been totally wiped away in Puerto Rico by the fact that they have to import 100 percent of their energy. And they pay much more for it than the rest of us do. So, why doesn’t America say, ‘That’s part of the United States, and we’re going to figure out a way through the sun, through the wind, through efficiency, through closing landfills, and through all the stuff we talked about to make Puerto Rico completely energy
After thirty years of independence from the old USSR, most Ukrainians, especially those born in freedom, “The Right to Life” is a phrase used in the national discourse only in the context of the beginning of life when discussing women’s right to choose or the know no other system than a solidly institutionalized democracy. In just two weeks, they end of life and euthanasia. However, at least once a person is born, he or she has an enduring right have discovered its of survival throughout life. In designing several important federal programs since as far back as fragility. the nineteenth century, the Federal government has sought to help Americans prolong their lives. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln saw the need to create a system, now known as self-sufficient.’ If we can do it, then it should be done.” the Department of Veteran Affairs, to provide In order to reduce our dependence those who fought in America’s wars with medical on gasoline, we should follow a services that would help them live and receive two-pronged strategy. First, have medical services. Few nations provide those who the Pierluisi administration develop have served the level of health services as America. the support network necessary to
During the Depression, as part of the New increase the use of electric, as well as Deal, the federal government saw the need to hybrid plug-in, vehicles on our roads. help Americans who could not afford basic health Puerto Rico’s Energy Bureau, services, and began to provide some assistance. In the 1960s, President Lyndon Johnson spearheaded efforts to create Medicare for the elderly and the disabled and Medicaid for the medically indigent. Unfortunately, federally subsidized medical assistance has not been made available to all Americans in a non-discriminatory fashion. As for veterans, VA facilities are doled out, not its chairman Edison Avilés and its four commissioners, have begun pressuring PREPA and LUMA to modify our network to support electric vehicle (EV) chargers. The administration has received millions of federal dollars to start installing EV chargers throughout the strictly on the basis of need, but as a result of island. It’s time to use it. Fast. This patronage or political influence. Partisan politics could include providing subsidies and seniority in Congress is factored in when it is to private households, apartment determined where a new VA hospital or clinic will buildings and private parkings to be located. In that case, a state-like jurisdiction that install for-pay EV chargers. should have two voting senators and two voting Our Secretary of Housing could representatives but doesn’t, ends up getting the use federal funds at his disposal short end of the stick. to install EV chargers in our public
Regarding Medicare, that same state-like jurisdiction lacking voting representation in the national legislature as well as in the Electoral College that elects that jurisdiction’s president and vice president, Congress has built in mechanisms to extend Medicare services almost equally, but almost. When I turned 65 last month, I qualified for the Medicare coverage that I’d been paying premiums for 47 years. However, if I didn’t ask housing projects that are home to 56,000 families because EVs are not only for the economically well-off anymore. The second prong is to use our tax system to promote the sale of EVs. While every car should pay a minimal excise tax, EVs that currently pay $0 particularly for “Part B”, one of the most important should see a very gradual increase, benefits, I wouldn’t get it. Anywhere else in the while conventional gasoline vehicles nation I would get that benefit automatically. That should see a less-than-gradual discriminatory rule---“opt in” if in Puerto Rico, “opt increase to motivate the market to out” if anywhere else--- was devised for Medicare purchase EVs. to be less expensive for the federal government in We have to learn the second Puerto Rico, only in Puerto Rico. lesson triggered by the Putin invasion Concerning Medicaid, the program to provide and reduce our dependence on oil. Fast.
services to all the medically indigent throughout America, the cost in Puerto Rico is statutorily capped at less than $400 million and the federal share is limited to 55% of the total cost, requiring America’s poorest jurisdiction to cover 45% of the cost. In a state with demographics similar to the nation’s most populated territory, the total cost to
the federal treasury would be over $4 billion, and the federal share would be 83%. While those benefits are automatic in a state, Puerto Rico’s non-voting representative Jenniffer As Congress struggles to legislate and keep America González, Governor Pedro Pierluisi, and their predecessors for generations, have to devote a lot of time and lobbying efforts to plead with fiscally stable past Friday, Congress and every President from LBJ on to seek the equality that would guarantee residents of February 18, Puerto Ricans on Puerto Rico the “right to life” that is automatic on the mainland as well as their the mainland. There are many reasons why an absolute representatives in Congress should make sure in the next majority of Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico want statehood. According to multiple polls, over 75% of Puerto Ricans in Florida, over 60% of Puerto few days to include language Ricans in New York and probably an absolute majority of the two thirds of America’s Puerto that will protect the Right to Ricans who have chosen to live in the states Life in Puerto Rico, providing and not in discriminated Puerto Rico, also want statehood for the territory. However, because of equal benefits under Medicare and Medicaid to its citizens in the discrimination in extending federally financed health services to the island, it is also a life or death issue, a denial of the Right to Life. our territory. As Congress struggles to legislate and keep America fiscally stable past Friday, February 18, Puerto Ricans on the mainland as well as their representatives in Congress should make sure in the next few days to include language that will protect the Right to Life in Puerto Rico, providing equal benefits under Medicare and Medicaid to its citizens in our territory. That should be our urgent agenda for the next week, seeking the full extension of The Right to Life in Puerto Rico through equality and statehood.
Amazon is closing all of its physical bookstores, as well as its 4-star shops and pop up locations, as the online behemoth reworks its physical footprint. >AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey
Amazon shuttering its physical bookstores and 4-star shops
The company will concentrate its efforts on other projects
Anne D’Innocenzi, The Associated Press
Amazon is closing all of its brickand-mortar bookstores, as well as its 4-star shops and pop up locations, as the online retail behemoth reworks its physical footprint.
The Seattle-based company said that the move, which affects 66 stores in the U.S. and two in the United Kingdom, will enable it to concentrate its efforts on Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, its convenience concept called Amazon Go and its upcoming Amazon Style stores. Amazon Style, which will sell fashion and accessories, is set to open in a Southern California mall later this year. “We remain committed to building great, longterm physical retail experiences and technologies, and we’re working closely with our affected employees to help them find new roles within Amazon,” the company said in a statement. It couldn’t be learned immediately how many Amazon workers are being affected. Amazon opened its first brick-and-mortar bookstore in 2015, two decades after it began selling books online and helped drive a number of shops out of business. Amazon’s 4-star shops, which first made their debut in 2018, carry a limited selection
In fact, of best-selling products from top categories that Amazon. com sells, including devices, consumer electronics, toys Amazon opened its first brick-andmortar bookstore in 2015, two decades after it began selling books online. and games. The move comes as Amazon.com Inc.’s overall revenue growth is slowing, and it’s looking for new ways to reignite sales. Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, said the strategy comes as a surprise. He said he believes it’s an acknowledgment that the bookstores weren’t delivering the returns Amazon was looking for. Saunders said he thinks the main problem with
Amazon’s non-food stores is that they lacked a real purpose, even though the merchandise was wellpresented.
“They were designed for people to pop in and browse rather than as destinations where people would head on a mission to buy something,” he wrote in a note. He noted that ultimately that wasn’t good for driving customer traffic, especially in an era where people are visiting shops less.
Saunders added that the other problem is the assortment which, in many locations, was disjoined and unfocused.
States launch probe into TikTok’s effect on kids’ health
It has been criticized for practices and promotion of content that can endanger young users
MARCY GORDON - The Associated Press
State attorneys general have launched a nationwide investigation into TikTok and its possible harmful effects on young users’ mental health, widening government scrutiny of the wildly popular video platform.
The investigation was announced last week by a number of states led by California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee and Vermont.
U.S. lawmakers and federal regulators have criticized TikTok, citing practices and computerdriven promotion of content they say can endanger the physical and mental health of young users. The platform has an estimated 1 billion monthly users and is especially popular with teens and younger children.
Last month, Texas opened an investigation into
TikTok’s alleged violations of children’s privacy and facilitation of human trafficking.
“Our children are growing up in the age of social media — and many feel like they need to measure up to the filtered versions of reality that they see on their screens,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a news release. “We know this takes a devastating toll on children’s mental health and well-being.”
Bonta said the investigation aims to determine if TikTok is violating the law in promoting its platform to young people. Government officials and child-safety advocates maintain that TikTok’s computer algorithms pushing video content to users can promote eating disorders and even self-harm and suicide to young viewers.
TikTok’s Response
TikTok has said it focuses on age-appropriate experiences, noting that some features, such as direct messaging, are not available to younger users. The company says it has tools in place, such as screen-time management, to help young people and parents moderate how long children spend on the app and what they see. “We care deeply about building an experience that helps to protect and support the well-being of our community, and appreciate that the state attorneys general are focusing on the safety of younger users,” the company said. “We look forward to providing information on the many safety and privacy protections we have for teens.”
Early last year, after federal regulators ordered TikTok to disclose how its practices affect children and teenagers, the platform tightened its privacy practices for users under 18.
As its popularity has swelled, TikTok has come under a barrage of criticism from state officials, federal regulators, consumer advocates and lawmakers of both parties. Republicans have especially homed in on the company’s ties to China. TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance.
“TikTok threatens the safety, mental health and well-being of our kids,” Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, the senior Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said at a hearing last week.
Late last year, a similar coalition of state attorneys general began an investigation into the Instagram photo-sharing platform, owned by Facebook parent Meta Platforms, and its effects on young people. The action came after former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen
In fact,
TikTok has an estimated 1 billion monthly users and is especially popular with teens and younger children. revealed internal company research showing apparent harm to some teen users of Instagram.
In his State of the Union address last week, President Joe Biden asked Congress to bolster privacy protections for children, including by banning advertising targeted at them and with measures aimed at reducing the promotion of content that contributes to addiction.
Critics of TikTok have pointed, for example, to incidents around the country that came to light last fall in which students vandalized school bathrooms and other equipment, and stole supplies — apparently in response to a viral TikTok challenge called “devious licks.” Also last fall, The Wall Street Journal reported that teenage girls had been seeking medical care for the sudden onset of tics, such as jerky motions and verbal outbursts; doctors said TikTok videos on Tourette syndrome could be a factor.
Rob Bonta California Attorney General
