Note to Conservatives: Puerto Rico Not a Foreign Country

Idaho Congressional Vaughn Ward does not support Puerto Rico statehood. His reasoning is that Puerto Rico is a foreign country.

The problem with extending statehood to some, to any other country, is that then, the infrastructure requirements -- everything that we have under our laws, regulations, then applies to them. The infrastructure needs, I have read, cost an enormous amount of money. It is not time to grow the United States. Not today, not tomorrow. I don't see a time when we would. We're 50 states, I want to see us stay at that. When you can show me we've balanced the budget, we've got things under control, we've got immigration under control, we've got jobs in America, we can start maybe then looking. But I don't see that happening in my lifetime. Let's focus on America first. Let's focus on what's important here. And it's about putting Americans back to work. It's about putting this country right again. And I don't see that -- I don't care what state it is, or what country that wants to become part of America. It's not time, it's not going to be time. Let's focus on us, first.

Ward's debate opponent Raul Labrador corrected him by stating that Puerto Rico is a United States territory.

"I just need to correct," he says. "Puerto Rico's not a country. Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. It's about time that we take some civics lesson and we learned what Puerto Rico is."

Ward, unbowed, gives no indication that he misspoke and knew what he was talking about: "I really don’t care what it is. It doesn't matter."

"Obviously you don't," says Labrador.

It will be no shock to readers that the poorly informed Ward has been endorsed by Sarah Palin and the Tea Party Express.

Listening to Ward's amazingly stupid statement, I wonder if far-right conservatives hate opening text books or they are just scared of brown people. It is probably a combination of both factors. Ward isn't the only conservative who thinks Puerto Rico is a foreign country. Ginny Brown-Waite thought Puerto Rico and Guam are foreign countries.

“Second, the bill sends hundreds of millions of dollars to people who do not pay federal income taxes, including residents of Puerto Rico and territories like Guam. I do not believe American taxpayer funds should be sent to foreign citizens who do not pay taxes. Americans want an economic stimulus for Dunnellon, Brooksville and Clermont, not for San Juan or Hagatna. As the legislation moves forward, it must be changed to ensure that only federal taxpaying American citizens receive rebate checks.

I would not be shocked if other Congressional Republicans are as poorly informed about Puerto Rico's status.