Governance asks hardball questions

When simple villagers can no longer deal with the disastrous effects of the CNMI’s economic paralysis, bankruptcy turns into daily bread, including the loss of hope and the treasured peaceful comforts of our island paradise. You quiz, “Is this the envisioned destiny from dysfunctional officials—appointed and elected—hailing from both sides of the Pacific Divide?”

Sad how paradise has become the colossal hellish hole of a once proud and enthusiastic people ready to build brighter tomorrows. Such enthusiasm has faded into the filthy swamp of failed promises that began with the miscalculated change on immigration and minimum wage.

Adding to the misery is the collusion of the administration and Legislature to warmly embrace “leadership deficit” over proactive pursuit of substantive issues. It’s a tale of a disoriented bunch clueless to the hardship they have piled atop already paralyzed governance. This is the net effect of placing a once enthusiastic leadership on automatic pilot.

It’s profoundly embarrassing, the inaction of legislators on the economic front. You probe their work only to find what’s known as powder puff legislation on bicycle regulations and the prohibition of undergarments display. Their efforts are uselessly misguided as to miss providing real answers to the deepening economic mess at home.

Most legislators are clueless to the concept of wealth and jobs creation. At the same time, the administration occasionally flexes its muscle on the same concept with more misses than hits. This, as it stares blankly half the time dazed at the dystopia it has created by pettifogging and flogging issues with impunity. The obvious negligence and failure has only hardened the resolve of governance to declare the impending midterm election, “No mas!”

It brings into focus another query: How many of our men of wisdom actually have clarity of understanding of the first principles, the concept of “the consent of the governed” or the Bill of Rights, the difference between a republic and a democracy, or the distinct difference between natural and civil rights? It’s time to quiz these guys if perchance they still wish to return to play hardball on substantive policies over shallow bicycle or undergarment regulations.

Meanwhile, how sad the quicksand of acquiescence when dealing with disastrous hardships, from lethal surcharge fees, flat or reduced salaries that translate into the loss of the first family home and the paralysis against families with scholars abroad, to lack of decent meals as cost of basic commodities skyrocket and, most egregiously, the loss of hope to decently raise a family here in paradise.

Indeed, the cumulative effect of collective negligence from both sides of the Pacific Divide isn’t just at our front door; it has already permeated every household here. If anything, for every year that you fail governance, you send their livelihood three years into the gutter. Now governance is saying “No mas.” And it isn’t ready to be dazzled by another discordant “let it be” that has fallen flat on its face!

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[B] Self-government in NMI [/B]

The one issue that was taken from the CNMI is the opportunity to strengthen its democratic institutions. The feds wasted no time imposing its paternalistic attitude that it has sole authority to dangle our future any which way it wishes. It came in and imposed federal immigration and wage. Notice the magnitude of these statutes so equipped to completely paralyze what tiny fragile economy we had in recent past?

These impositions are reminders of how Congress stepped into Puerto Rico in recent history and imposed laws and regulations that killed and eradicated the tuna canning, pharmaceutical, and other manufacturing industries. Here it has successfully shut down apparel manufacturing, not to mention the complete annihilation of other manufacturing. Wasn’t the feds obligated to ensure that it provides opportunities to advance the well-being of the CNMI per the Covenant agreement? Is the now collapsed economy the trophy it leaves under the Christmas tree for posterity?

Yes, we have our own share of misgivings conveniently orchestrated and prominently attached by liberal progressives in Congress to human rights abuses. Indeed, we were negligent in rectifying the mess at home. But is this form of interference from the feds the appropriate paradigm to undertake? Was slavery resolved during George Washington’s term in office? Wasn’t Thomas Jefferson guilty of preaching against slavery while owning some himself? Wasn’t it until the sixteenth president that slavery was outlawed?

The point that must be understood is that the democratic process is an arduous and lengthy undertaking to reconcile. Our country is still struggling to recapture what made the U.S. a great nation by returning to first principles, a true and tried foundation after 236 years. We started rudimentary democracy after the war with the installation of the first elected mayor and municipal council. It wasn’t smooth sailing either in that it got mired in racism between Chamorros and Carolinians. Even the ugly dust of this development took years before it settled down. The populist election replaces political maturity and we are still marching toward that elusive goal post.

Still optimistic though that someday we shall overcome and get on to the real task of strengthening our democratic institutions.
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