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.”

  • @raef
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    -723 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

    • @[email protected]
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      123 days ago

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

      • @raef
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        -223 days ago

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

        • @[email protected]
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          123 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!