Puerto Ricans cannot vote in general elections despite being U.S. citizens, but they can exert a powerful influence with relatives on the mainland. Phones across the island of 3.2 million people were ringing minutes after the speaker derided the U.S. territory Sunday night, and they still buzzed Monday.

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris is competing with Trump to win over Puerto Rican communities in Pennsylvania and other swing states. Shortly after stand-up comic Tony Hinchcliffe said that, “I don’t know if you guys know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny announced he was backing Harris.

After Sunday’s rally, a senior adviser for the Trump campain, Danielle Alvarez, said in a statement that Hinchcliffe’s joke did “not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”

    • Verat@sh.itjust.works
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      27 days ago

      While they dont pay income taxes to the IRS, they do pay customs taxes, federal commodity taxes, and federal payroll taxes (Social Security, Medicare, and Unemployment) to the IRS, which sounds alot like federal taxes to me.

      • raef@lemmy.world
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        27 days ago

        It also feels like it’s something different because they aren’t supposed to go into the general fund, but advance payment for specific benefits

        • explodicle@sh.itjust.works
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          27 days ago

          Taxes are just when the goverment demands money. It doesn’t require they spend (or not spend) on anything in particular.

          • raef@lemmy.world
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            26 days ago

            That’s not true. There are technically different classifications. For example, fees are specifically not taxes.

            • explodicle@sh.itjust.works
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              26 days ago

              Oh in that case they’re just paying the “working a job” fee. Next we should have a “using land” fee, problem solved!