Rick Santorum began inventing new laws right off the top of his head on Wednesday when he told the people of Puerto Rico during his visit that they couldn’t be considered for statehood if they didn’t all start speaking English as their first language.
In his magical world of make believe Santorum said he supported Puerto Rico’s right to self-determination but then added that the mostly Spanish-speaking island would first have to adopt English as it’s first language.
According to Santorum:
“Like any other state, there has to be compliance with this and any other federal law … And that is that English has to be the principal language. There are other states with more than one language, such as Hawaii, but to be a state of the United States, English has to be the principal language.”
There’s just one problem with Rick Santorum’s comment, there is no extant federal law that states English is the official language of America. In fact there is no law on the books that would mandate that a territory adopt English as its principal language to become a U.S. State.
The statehood referendum will go before Puerto Rico’s people in November when 3.7 million people will vote on the statehood proposal.
At this time the people of Puerto Rico can’t vote in presidential elections however 20 delegates are up for stake in the Republican primary which will be held on Sunday.
Are you shocked that Rick Santorum would make such an ignorant statement or have you grown use to his strange brand of bending the truth with no facts to support his claims?