Puerto Rico, an island 1500 miles from the major damage along the Atlantic coast inflicted by Hurricane Sandy, is slated to receive millions of dollars in “emergency relief funding,” originally intended to go to victims of the late October storm.

The Caribbean island, whose hurricane-ravished shores often go unnoticed in the mainland U.S. mostly due to the frequency of storms, sustained some flooding due to the outer bands of Sandy’s wrath.  However, it is generally considered to have received relatively minor damage from the storm.

In an effort to underscore Washington’s propensity for adding “pork” to unrelated bills, Taxpayers for Common Sense highlighted this fact, along with many other spending ad-ons expected to total billions of dollars.

Puerto Ricans aren’t the only ones expected to catch a significant windfall from the $54 billion bill, passed this week.

$25 million will be spent on weather forecasting, which is arguably important for improving our knowledge of the impact of storms like Sandy; however, many argue that an “emergency” bill is not the place for this type of amendment.

In addition, $500 million will go to Army Corps of Engineer coastal projects in many locales untouched by Sandy.  Another project everyone agrees is beneficial to the public, but not necessarily related to Sandy victims or the relief they require.

Previously, states have contributed to at least one-third of these costs.  Now the entire nation, even citizens of inland states hundreds of miles from coastlines, will pay for the improvements.

It is well known that our nation’s infrastructure is in need of extensive repairs.  Some members of Congress are now supporting an amendment to spend $2 billion on road improvements to help stymie the problem, regardless of whether they were damaged by a hurricane or flooding.

According to U.S. Representative Tom McClintock (R-CA), “This includes $20 million for places like Guam, American Samoa, and the Mariana Islands.  They’re not even in the same ocean [as Sandy was].”

$16 billion will be spent on Community Development efforts as well.  While this may sound like the type of funding originally intended for Sandy victims, the money will be available to any state declared a federal disaster area in each of the last three years.  Sandy might have impacted 24 states in the Eastern U.S., but this provision allows every state in the union, excluding three, to get in on the action.

McClintock again retorts, “This same Community Development Fund has given money to a Doggie Day Care in Ohio and even provided families a ‘day at the circus’ in New York.”  Others have expressed equal concern over the administration of funds provided for “community development.”

Although the big-ticket items of spending are impressive, many more are concerned that the smaller items of unnecessary spending will add up to billions as well.  Some of these include:  more than a million dollars to the DEA for vehicles repair and replacement, millions of dollars for roof repair at the Smithsonian, and millions for salaries and expenses at the FBI.

The argument against the additional spending with the greatest consensus surrounds the original intention of the bill—relief for Sandy victims and relief right now.  Only $4 billion, less than 8% of the entire bill’s cost, will be spent this year.  But, because these funds will excluded from the yearly budget, many legislators are finding it easier to avoid the contentious and tedious appropriations process that kills many of their so-called “pet-projects.”

Places like Puerto Rico, where there are 250,000 families earning less than $10,000 per year, can use every penny sent their way.  Yet Sandy victims, who are in need of assistance today, were forced to wait (more than eight times as long as Katrina victims) while Congress argues about the additional spending.

JUSTIN VELEZ-HAGAN is Senior Contributing Writer and Commentator for Politic365.com.  He is also an Adjunct Instructor of Economics at the University of Maryland-University College and the National Executive Director of The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce.  He can be reached at Justin@Politic365.com.

From the Keystone Pipeline to Solar Power to “shovel ready” projects under the American Jobs Act, both parties have come up with a variety of strategies, which they claim will solve our energy problem, enhance security, and reduce foreign dependency all while adding jobs to the economy and maintaining a little respect for Mother Nature at the same time.

Unfortunately, little has changed.  Gas and energy prices are rising dramatically (expected to increase more once the heavy-travel, summer season hits) affecting the everyday costs of everyone from grandmothers making grocery runs to small business owners.

But there is one energy source, which is already known to not only be cheaper, greener, and entirely domestic, but will also add tremendous and immediate economic value to our economy while continuing to gain bi-partisan support:  nuclear power.

Every month we are reminded about the fluctuating unemployment rate, hoping that some of the recent bumps will continue their positive trends.  However, even if we continue the recent positive movement it will take years for unemployment to normalize and even longer to get back to full economic employment.

It will take even longer if you are Hispanic or African American, whose unemployment numbers rose again last month.

With each new nuclear power plant 1,400 to 1,800 construction jobs are created, with up to 3,500 jobs at peak construction, in a sector that now experiences one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.  Another 400-700 full-time employees will earn 36 percent more than the average salaries in the local area.  For every 100 direct jobs at a nuclear facility, 66 indirect jobs will simultaneously be created to provide goods and services in the surrounding community.

With multiple applications for new reactors under review and many more needed to fulfill our energy demands, the potential for job creation is immense.

Since minorities are currently impacted the most by unemployment, it’s important to note that we also stand to gain the most.  Not only will contract opportunities be set aside for minority development programs, but, given recent entrepreneurial trends, Hispanics will continue starting businesses at a much higher rate than the rest of the population in order to cater to the needs of these new facilities.  Consider also that higher-education, “feeder” programs for energy industry jobs are already targeting minorities, and the potential for minority involvement improves even more.

Perhaps the best part about nuclear jobs is that they can’t be outsourced.  No nuclear plant in India or China can send energy to the U.S. while displacing an American worker.

So, what’s the hold up?

First, we are all scared by overly sensational news stories.  Did you know not a single person died, nor was there a proven case of cancer connected to the Three Mile Island accident, the “worst nuclear accident” in our history?  Given the news coverage at Fukushima one would think thousands perished due to radiation leakage there as well.  Again, not a single soul has passed from radiation alone.

The amount of radiation given off by a nuclear power plant would take a couple of millennia before it reached the level of your typical x-ray.  Even Methuselah would have been safe planting his humble abode next to a nuclear power plant.

There are also a number of fears surrounding the impact on Mother Nature.  But again, the truth doesn’t always make exciting news. Nuclear power plants produce virtually no carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, or nitrogen oxides – all major air pollutants, according to the EPA.

Because of their low emissions and high efficiency, nuclear energy plants have the lowest environmental impact of any electricity source (yes, even including wind, solar, water, etc.).  Consider that a wind farm would require 120 square miles to produce as much electricity as the smallest capacity reactor in the U.S.  A solar farm would require even more.

The biggest hurdle for all types of clean energy is capital.  Despite all of the taxpayer-funded resources recently given to failed businesses in the renewable energy sector (see Solyndra, Evergreen Solar, SpectraWatt, etc.), existing loan guarantees for nuclear energy will only allow for two more facilities.

The Obama Administration has recently proposed tripling that number, but the Electric Power Energy Institute estimates that we will need at least 45 new plants just to comply with the Waxman-Markey energy bill’s requirement of a 42 percent cut in greenhouse emissions.

Given the amount of energy a single nuclear facility can produce, combined with the economic impact as well as the reduced dependence on unstable foreign states, nuclear energy seems to be the one viable energy solution that everyone can support as part of a diverse and comprehensive renewable energy strategy.

But don’t just rely on my word.  Ask the thousands of Hispanic and African American non-profits, as well as scientists, engineers, and small business owners who have recently joined organizations such as the CASEnergy Coalition in support of nuclear energy.  You can’t find more diverse support for any other existing energy solution.

Perhaps we should stop taking risks with taxpayers’ money and start betting on a sure thing that we can all rally behind.

JUSTIN VELEZ-HAGAN is a Senior Contributing Writer and Commentator for Politic365.com.  He is also the National Executive Director of The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce and an international developer of senior living facilities.  He can be reached at Justin@Politic365.com.

If you haven’t heard (in which case, you’ve got to watch something other than Jersey Shore once in a while), gas prices are going bananas. But, what you don’t hear a lot about is everything else that is kicking your bank account’s backside, especially for Latinos.

According to the Consumer Price Index, our recent and expected rates of inflation are right on par with our nation’s historical average at 3.1 percent. Basically, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is saying there is “nothing to fear, it’s business as usual.” (I would say this “modest” rate is already a problem, given that it means the prices of goods will double every 20 years, but I digress.)

The problem? That rate is pretty much what you would expect to feel if you buy your groceries and gas, along with a new house, car, and computer . . . every single day. Even the richest reggaetonero isn’t foolish enough to do that.

If you look at the inflation rate without considering those rare purchases, which have become even rarer since the economic downturn, you get a much better feel of the increased costs we are actually experiencing on a daily basis. In addition, if you consider the disproportionate drops in income and personal wealth for Latinos, you will begin to understand why inflation affects us that much more.

According to the American Institute for Economic Research, considering only those goods that we frequently purchase, such as food, healthcare, gas, tobacco, child care, and phone and TV service, prices are rising much faster than the government’s anticipated inflation rate. As a matter of fact, they are expected to continue rising nearly 2.5 times the government rate for a more realistic grand total of 8 percent (an increase over 2011’s 7.2 percent rate).

You thought a price doubling in 20 years was bad, what if the price of your favorite Applebee’s dinner doubled in less than half that time? Retirement looks like an even bleaker prospect if you take that into consideration.

Here comes the worst part. Latino wealth has decreased by nearly 66 percent since 2005 and Latino incomes tend to grow at a slower pace than everyone else’s. With our wealth and incomes lower than others, this means that we feel price increases on everyday goods more than other Americans. When inflation rises, it hurts us the most.

Before you go increasing your dosage of Cymbalta, there is some good news. Although inflation rates are not necessarily expected to steady, or fall, anytime soon, more Latinos are leaving poverty behind and entering middle income levels than ever before. Latinos are also starting businesses at a rate of 3-to-1 over the rest of the population (6-to-1 for Latinas, come on fellas!).

Lastly, we live in America. If you don’t like how things are, you have the right, and civic duty, to express your opinion at the polls.

Although it may seem that things look bleak for us now, there are a lot of opportunities. You may not see a lot ofCarlos Gates’ or Maria Winfrey’s out there today, but – if trends continue – that may soon change.

Let’s just hope the cost of our daily Café con leche doesn’t bankrupt us first.

Justin Vélez-Hagan is the National Executive Director of The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce and an international developer of senior living facilities.  He is also the Sr. Contributing Writer for Politic365 and can be reached at JustinV@NPRChamber.org or @JVelezHagan.

Originally published by Politic365 here.  

A panel of industry experts discusses an important consumer advocacy issue on behalf of the American Television Alliance on Capitol Hill.

If you don’t know what “retransmission consent” is, don’t worry, you’re normal.  Unless you’re a Washington, D.C. policy wonk, you’ve probably never even heard the term before.  However, if you own a television, or own or work in a business that depends on local advertising, you should get an understanding of this issue, because it affects you.

Background and importance

A couple of decades ago, Congress decided it was in the best interest of the public to guarantee that local TV programming be carried on all cable, satellite, and other carriers.  The concern was that, without this policy, local content such as news, emergency information, and local programming may not continue to be available to consumers.

After two decades, the television and business climates have changed tremendously, yet the same regulations still apply.  Twenty years ago, there was no competition to the cable company, whereas today there are two and sometimes three other video providers in every market.  Meanwhile, power has shifted into the hands of national broadcast networks, allowing them to dictate terms to cable, satellite and telephone companies that carry local broadcast signals.  Often, the broadcast networks seek enormous fees from cable, satellite and telcos.  If those fees are not met, networks can instigate “blackouts,” a term you are likely to have heard of as they have affected millions over the last couple of years.

Today the networks have an uneven advantage as they hold “all the cards” in negotiations.  Local programming currently is legally required to be carried and this programming can be withheld by the networks or “blacked out” without repercussion.

Imagine having paid your monthly cable or satellite bill and, through no fault of your own, the largest sporting event of the year disappears from your screen.  Now imagine important local information, perhaps even during an unexpected emergency situation, is to be broadcast over those “blacked-out” airwaves.  You won’t be a very satisfied or informed consumer.

Negotiation tactics that lead to blackouts adversely affect local and national businesses, as well.  If you are a small or burgeoning business, revenue could easily decrease if your marketing dollars are not used as efficiently as anticipated as a result of a blackout, thus unnecessarily affecting businesses’ bottom line.

And who gets the blame for “blackouts?”  Clearly, your local cable or satellite provider is much easier to reach than NBC’s complaint department (trust me, I tried).

What the experts think

That leads us to the reason behind the expert panel discussion put on in front of an overflowing crowd of Congressional staffers, think-tank representatives, and members of the media by the American Television Alliance (www.americantelevisionalliance.org).

The panelists provided summaries of their research, which, when combined, provided a glimpse into some of the flaws behind policies that currently exist at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Thomas Hazlett, an Economist at George Mason University and former Chief FCC Economist, provided insight into the current regulatory environment setting aside billions of dollars’ worth of public spectrum and other regulatory benefits for broadcasters, and how it impedes innovation and blocks alternative distribution systems necessary for a free economy to advance.

Philip Napoli of Fordham University’s Graduate School of Business buttressed Hazlett’s argument with his own research, showing that, while retransmission consent fees were supposed to support local programming, that programming has declined while retransmission consent fees have skyrocketed.

Despite their varied research backgrounds, all of the panelists agreed that significant changes to policies in Washington, D.C., are needed.

What should Washington do?

Although there is no true consensus on which policies will best allow for a fair, competitive marketplace for broadcasters, video programming distributors, local businesses and consumers, it is clear that awareness of the issue is just the beginning of the process.

But in time, and with enough support, regulators in D.C. just might implement much needed changes to an outdated policy that affects everyone, whether or not you’re aware of it.

When it comes to landing your vote for President this year, figuring out just how small-business friendly the Republican candidates’ tax plans are may be key.

Among the top three factors that could stand in the way of business growth this year, high taxes was number two — just behind the cost of doing business and ahead of too many regulations — according to Sage’s February Small Business Sentiment survey (pdf).

On the campaign trail so far, each of the Republican Presidential candidates has announced ambitious plans to boost small businesses, a.k.a. “job creators,” by overhauling everything from health care to taxes. Though many of the candidates proposed reforms echo each other, their policies on taxes ring decidedly discordant tones — from slashing the top corporate tax rate to flattening it and switching to a territorial tax system, in which the U.S. would only tax income from operations based in the U.S.

Read more here.

Although many voters have some idea of the importance of Super Tuesday to presidential elections, for the 10,000,000 or so new voters in 2012, you may have some catching up to do. If you’re in need of a little political brush up, here are five reasons Super Tuesday is the second most important election day of 2012.

1. There’s a reason it’s called “Super.” More delegates are awarded to primary candidates on this designated Tuesday than any other day, and have been since 1988. In 1992, Clinton was behind before winning a slew of southern states, garnering the nickname “the comeback kid.” In 1996, Bob Dole swept Super Tuesday elections winning the Republican nomination. In 2000, both Al Gore and George Bush secured their respective nominations, and in 2008 the number of states holding primary elections on Super Tuesday rose to its highest level ever at 24.

2. Not just any ten states. The 10 states holding primary elections on this Super Tuesday represent the most diverse mix of voter backgrounds of any primary election to date.  Some states, like Idaho and North Dakota, are almost completely rural and historically Republican, while other states like Vermont and Massachusetts are strongly Democratic.  Massachusetts has a large and diverse population, which, incidentally, chose the Republican candidate Mitt Romney as their 70^th governor. And then there are the “swing states,” which can go either way. Ohio and Virginia both contain large and growing minority populations (especially Latinos) and may provide evidence for how those communities feel about the candidates.

3. First test of national electability. You’ve heard the term “electability” kicked around a lot, especially given Republicans’ ultimate goal of beating President Obama in November. Given the diversity and number of states involved, this Super Tuesday will be the first real test of national electability for the Republican candidates.  Because of the demographic diversity in those states, the issues voters consider the most important is also very diverse.  Big wins on Super Tuesday usually mean the party’s nomination.

4. Latinos have the power to influence. A Florida-based political analyst, Charles Garcia said that he is “confident Latino voters will decide the U.S. election in 2012,” especially in “swing” states.  You’ve been hearing about the power of the “Latino vote” ever since. Why are we so powerful?  The number of Latino voters in the “swing” states, which are expected to decide the outcome of November’s showdown, have grown by more than 700,000 voters over the last four years, far faster than any other demographic, according to Garcia.

5. Super Tuesday will affect our businesses, our economy, and our families. Latinos start and own businesses at a rate of 3 to 1 over anyone else. (Latinas start businesses at a rate of 6 to 1!  You gochicas!) Because small businesses have hired more than 60% of our nation’s employees over the past decade, and an even higher percentage of Latinos, Latinos see them as the lifeblood of the economy.  How we vote on Super Tuesday will send a message, not just to current Republicans, but to the President as well, that could have immediate economic repercussions.

During the Republican primary, there has been no date more important to its outcome than Super Tuesday. With Latinos’ newfound influence and power, there is also no election more vital to our own interests.  Watch what happens on Super Tuesday, it could change our country forever.

Justin Vélez-Hagan is the National Executive Director of The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce and an international developer of senior living facilities.  He is also the Sr. Contributing Writer for Politic365  and can be reached at JustinV@NPRChamber.org or @JVelezHagan.

Originally posted at Entrepreneur.com here. 

For a long time, small businesses couldn’t seem to get a loan anywhere. The lending environment now appears to be on the mend.

Small-business lending rose 18 percent in January, the Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index reports. We’re still down from the high point hit four years back, but the index has been up double digits for 18 straight months.

As a result, many of the “experts” suggest that this bodes well for the economy. Small businesses will hire more, some opine. Other studies indicate that small-business owners areplanning more capital spending.

But is the news that businesses are borrowing more really good news? Does it really presage an economic boom? I’m not so sure.

It could be small businesses are just reorganizing debts that mounted during the lean years. Or that they need to borrow simply to stay afloat, as they’ve exhausted their resources at this point.

The one thing small businesses apparently won’t spend more on is marketing, but some mayconsider hiring.

Small businesses could also be operating like big businesses have in the past few years — grabbing credit lines and loans while they can and then sitting on the money while they wait for the economy to truly improve.

Some entrepreneurs could just be sucking cash out of their businesses before leaving their sinking ships. Definitely wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.

But in general, debt isn’t a good thing for small businesses, particularly if it’s high-interest credit-card debt. I think we’ll have to wait and see whether small businesses are going to spend more to get more or whether they’ve just borrowed more.

Is increased small-business borrowing a good sign? Tell us what you think and why in the comments section.

By Jeb Bush, Jr.

Pollsters, columnists, and pundits have all pointed out the importance of the immigration issue to Hispanics across the country.  However, the Republican Primary in Florida this week may have proven that the economy is the number one issue to Hispanics, by a landslide.

In Florida, Hispanics make up nearly a quarter of the population, compared to 16% throughout the rest of the country.  On the other hand, Hispanics are severely underrepresented in their civic participation making up only 11% of the voting population.  The disparity is based on a number of factors, including the fact that they are a younger population and have historically felt a lack of connection to the political process.

For this reason, I co-founded ‘Sun-Pac’- Florida Hispanic Outreach, whose mission is to increase political engagement among Hispanics as well educate them on the core values that make this country great:  free markets, limited government, and fiscal and personal responsibility.  To many Hispanics across the country – who often come from oppressed countries with over-zealous governments and over-reaching bureaucracies forcing them to take their family’s welfare into their own hands – there is a natural connection to these precepts.

For most political candidates, the lack of Hispanic voter participation has led to the realization that the greatest potential for growth is within these communities.  Strategists have scrambled to find the most important issue to Hispanics that will also increase voting participation.

Hispanic Republican voters in Florida have just made a statement proving that Hispanics really are not that different from anyone else.

A Latino Decisions/Univision poll taken on the day of the Florida Primary shed some light on how Hispanics think.  Across the nation, their number one concern has been the economy, closely followed by immigration, which in some cases even trumps economic concerns.  In Florida, where the Hispanic population is often discounted as being too distinct to compare to the rest of the country because of its majority Cuban and Puerto Rican population, many were surprised to see fairly similar results with only a slightly stronger emphasis on the economy and slightly less on immigration.

Despite these numbers, Mitt Romney, who many now consider to have the toughest stance on immigration, easily defeated Newt Gingrich, who is seen as having the most “immigrant-friendly” platform of the Republican candidates.  Even more surprising may be the fact that Hispanics voted for Romney over Gingrich by an even greater margin than the rest of the population.

In Florida, economic conditions trumped all other concerns and Mitt Romney was seen as the strongest candidate to turn the economy around.  Exit polling numbers showed that immigration was not even a close second among the most important issues to Hispanics in Florida.

We shouldn’t be surprised.  The economy has been weak since 2007.  Although we are being told that the unemployment rate is dropping, the truth is we have lost more jobs than we have gained since 2008 and much of the recent drop in the unemployment rate has been due to job seekers giving up.  As overall food and gas prices have continued to increase, housing values have plummeted and consumer confidence continues to wane.  This combination substantiates the claim that our economy is still performing poorly.

Hispanics are no different than the rest of the population. As a matter of fact, they have been hurt the worst.  The Pew Hispanic Center just released a study showing that the majority of Hispanics believe that the economic downturn has been worse for them than for any other group.  Nearly 60% report that someone in their household has been out of work over the last year and 75% believe their personal finances are less than good.  This sentiment is backed up by greater percentage decreases in household wealth and larger increases in unemployment and poverty than anyone else.

Hispanics place more importance on economic concerns because they have been affected the most by it.  Add to their list of concerns the fact that Hispanics open more small businesses and that small businesses depend the most on a stable and growing economy, and you have a population that understands, and feels, economic ups and downs more than anyone else.

We should pay attention to those concerns.  After all, although Hispanics produce more than 25% of the world’s economy, they still choose to come here to provide a better opportunity for their families and contribute to our American economy.

Jeb Bush, Jr. is the COO of Jeb Bush and Associates (“JBA”) and is also the co-Founder and Chairman of Florida Hispanic Outreach.

See original post at VotoLatino.org here.

If you are Hispanic, immigration is the only issue that matters to you.  At least that’s what politicos in D.C. keep telling us, and polling seems to back it up.  But, should it be the number one issue, or is there something more important that trumps even the supposed golden goose of Latino politics?  In reality, the impact of our economy is far more important.  It affects you, your family, the world . . . and even immigration.

The deficit impacts you

Our national debt just passed $15 trillion.  Every man, woman, and child will have to pay $48,000 just to get us out of debt.  You can make your check out to the Department of the Treasury, P.O. Box . . .

Don’t have the cash?  Neither does our government, and that’s why we continue to borrow and pay nearly $30 billion per month, in interest alone.

The higher our debt the more we have to waste in interest and the less we have for building better schools, supporting our military, or helping a family in need.

Want a job?  You better support small businesses.

Small businesses have created nearly 65% of jobs over the last decade, comprise nearly 99% of all businesses that employ people, and higher at a faster rate than other businesses.

Hispanics, particularly, open small businesses at a rate nearly twice that of the rest of the population.

Want a job in the future?  Want to open a business?  Want your kids to have jobs and the opportunities that you do?  Then you better pay attention to policies that affect small businesses; they are the drivers of the economy.

Tax rates on any of us affect all of us

Do you remember that feeling before you got your first paycheck?  You were so excited about how much you were about to make and then wham – Uncle Sam gave you a sucker punch to the gut.

Imagine what you could have done with a few extra bucks.  You could have bought the new shoes you wanted or even helped your family or a needy friend.

Before you get too caught up in the idea that we can just increase the taxes on the “wealthy” in order to keep our taxes low, consider this:  Have you ever been hired by someone poorer than you?  If we start impacting their pocketbooks, it may inadvertently start impacting our jobs.

Higher tax rates, whether on us or on others, can have a significant impact on our lives

Want your family to be safe and secure? 

Our enemies know that the economy impacts us all in many ways.  If our economy is in the tank, the last thing we want to do is get into an expensive fight with someone, even if they just slapped us in the face.

If a foreign government decides it wants to hurt our economy, it can devalue our money or recall what we owe them.  I won’t bore you with the economics of it, but if our economy is hurting, we are much more susceptible to getting financially screwed.

Without a strong economy, we have little security.

Our economy affects the world

Our economy has been the strongest and most influential in history.

Because of our success, the U.S. is the most attractive location on the planet for immigrants chasing the “American Dream,” as well as the most benevolent and giving to the needy of other countries.  Now imagine our economy becoming so burdened that it can no longer offer the dream that our forefathers chased or the much-needed food and medical supplies for the poorest in the world?

When our economy is down, the world’s economy is down too.

Not just a vote, but an educated vote

It’s easy to get caught up in the mêlée, double-speak, talking points, and overall Politicanese of an election cycle, but don’t become so disoriented that you give up.  There are distinct differences between politicians’ philosophies and those differences are going to greatly affect our economy, your life, your family’s welfare, and the well-being of the entire world.

It’s too important to let others decide for us.  You may have the right to vote, but making an educated vote is your civic duty.

Justin Vélez-Hagan is the National Executive Director of The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, and an international developer of senior living facilities.  Justin is also a contributing writer for Politic365 and a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve.  He can be reached at JustinV@NPRChamber.org or @JVelezHagan.

Perhaps, the light at the end of the tunnel comes from that knowledge that the American spirit that demands economic freedom, is touted through the competitive market, and projected through entrepreneurial ventures, has not been entirely restrained.  Entrepreneurship, as part of the American Dream, has always, and will always prevail.

But what is most important to you is what we are all going to do about it.   The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, its board, and its members refuse to sit around and wait on others to take care of our people.  Our entire mission revolves around developing ways of helping you.

To that end, this year alone we have hosted or co-hosted business plan competitions in both Puerto Rico and the continental U.S., created new and exciting partnerships with some of the largest Latino organizations in the country, such as The Latino Coalition, extending our outreach to over a million businesses, co-hosted conferences and events in Washington D.C., increased our membership and quintupled our outreach, assisted veterans with job searches and business opportunities, supported businesses with federal procurement issues, and have helped find financing and other funding for dozens of businesses, which has allowed us to nearly reach our goal of creating 1,000 jobs in 2011!

In addition, we have advocated for initiatives that promote the growth and development of the economy such as broadband infrastructure development, increased opportunities for government contractors, and increased funding and educational opportunities for budding entrepreneurs, as well as advocated for the defeat of policies that inhibit small business development such as the burdensome 1099 regulations within the recent national healthcare law and numerous new regulations proposed by the federal government.

Due to our successes and rapid growth, we have been invited to participate in events, discussions, and forums within Congress, at the White House, and within other government agencies, as well as invited to participate or join numerous other coalitions and group discussions within the private and non-profit sectors, all of which focus on issues relating to small business, Hispanic entrepreneurship, job growth, and other minority issues.

Of course, we have no plans to slow in the coming year!  Although our Executive Director is going to be protecting us on the front lines of Afghanistan for much of the year (we hope you will all pray for his protection and safe return), a combination of board members and staff will pick up the slack.  Aside from continuing to develop our micro-lending partnership with Acción, we will also continue to grow grant opportunities, create new partnerships, grow our current Local Leadership Councils throughout the U.S., and advocate for policies in Washington that help to grow our small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy.  We will also continue to co-host and support events that will educate and benefit our community such as a Young Entrepreneur’s Symposium in conjunction with The George Washington University, an event to promote entrepreneurship among returning veterans of war zones with Microsoft and the National Military Family Association, as well as events coinciding with both the DNC and RNC national conventions in Charlotte and Tampa.

Most importantly, our mission going forward is not going to change:  We believe that entrepreneurship is the key to a strong, successful economy.  We will continue to support the development of entrepreneurship and innovation for Puerto Ricans, Hispanics, Women, and other minorities throughout Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland in order to reach our renewed goal this year of helping to create 1,000 jobs across the country!  In addition, we will represent the interests of our members by advocating for policies which enhance or maintain economic freedom—those policies which are most supportive of a growing economy.

To do so, we continue to need the help of our most successful, our most giving, our families and our friends . . . in a nutshell, we need you.  Simply looking over the last couple of years, we continue to see how much we can achieve with so little.  Your contributions are invaluable and are the reason we have become an organization devoted to helping others.  Although a hackneyed phrase, together we really can do anything.

We wish you all a prosperous and healthy New Year!  If there is anything we can do to help, whether in business or in life, feel free to contact us.

Respectfully and faithfully yours,

The Staff of The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce

866.576.5222

Info@NPRChamber.org

www.NPRChamber.org

@NPRChamber

www.facebook.com/NPRChamber