During a June 8 town hall campaign event in Manhattan, Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) was asked about the Jones Act and its impact on Puerto Rico’s economy, especially in a post-Hurricane María world. Recently, repeal of the Jones Act has gained some traction with Puerto Rican political advocacy groups who have asked for presidential candidates to state their positions on the Jones Act and other issues related to Puerto Rico.
As the video shows, Gabbard supports the Jones Act because of job opportunities and national security. The Hawaii Democrat, however, did admit that she did not know how the Jones Act impacts Puerto Rico.
As expected, her views about the Jones Act are being criticized.
By Gabbard’s own statement, she has no knowledge of the challenges in Puerto Rico, and she supposes the Jones Act. You’re running for President, yet you don’t know what is affecting 3 1/2 million Americans in Puerto Rico post Hurricane Maria. Could it be that it doesn’t matter(1)
— Margarita (@AHappyMargarita) June 11, 2019
because their voices cannot vote. News flash in NYC alone there are 6 million Puerto Rican voices who can make the voices of their families on the island count, and that’s just one state. Sick and tired of candidates who mention Puerto Rico just for brownie votes, then tuck (2)
— Margarita (@AHappyMargarita) June 11, 2019
Puerto Rico back into the, “Out of sight, out of mine” file.
Have you even responded to the request to submit a publicly comprehensive platform to over 50 Puerto Rican allied groups on your intent for Puerto Rico? If you haven’t, you can find the request pinned @Pwr4PuertoRico .— Margarita (@AHappyMargarita) June 11, 2019
But the tell is that she says she supports it because of “jobs” and “national security”. That has been the talking point for both parties since it was enacted in the 1920’s!! And they have been proved wrong, but they still say that. @SOSPuertoRicoFL @latinorebels
— Frederick Velez III (@frederickvIII) June 11, 2019
How NOT to answer a question 101 https://t.co/zQAvNl2uJt
— Juan Escalante (@JuanSaaa) June 11, 2019
Apparently, Gabbard might want to brush up on the politics of the Jones Act, even when it comes to Hawaii. And maybe Gabbard didn’t know that in 2014, state legislators from Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and Guam all met to see how the federal government could change the Jones Act? Or what about a new Senate bill that is calling for its repeal?
