Insurgents in GOP Land

GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney said that contentious disagreements among candidates on issues “do not divide but prepare us to win” the 2012 presidential election.

There are parallel events in U.S. history where the party in command loses to the other side not so much because they’ve become lazy and redundant, but they simply ignored the emergence of internal insurgents whose participation is equally critical.

They simply ignored the positive contributions of insurgents as to let them disappear when they exit the front gate. At the end of the day when the final tallies are counted, theirs was one sound defeat, a dollar short and a day late. This is where the hands of real leadership equipped with the ability to listen come into full play. It’s vital to get their ducks in order.

I much prefer Newt Gingrich for his fiery and substantive views. Mr. Romney, however, has done equally well in recent debates. Those who have come to know his forte in wealth and jobs creation now begin to see the focused leadership he’s held throughout his business and public life. He remains critically sharp in his views and disposition.

Hope he sees the essence of corralling GOP insurgents who can contribute substantially to his presidential goal.

[B]Local GOP landscape
[/B] The local GOP insurgency is a bit different in color and hue. It isn’t premised on ideological or philosophical differences but more of tweaking the rules of the game to accommodate personal interests over an already seriously ailing party.

It’s only the midterm election and some Republicans have refused to drink homogenized milk from their former boss who prefers pasteurized stuff. Once faithful Covenant loyalists aren’t worried if the milk is pasteurized or homogenized for as long as they get a cold drink. They are ready to get pallets at a time for their own use.

The discordancy born by GOP leadership would be cannibalized as soon as Republican and Covenant insurgents hit the campaign trail. There may be a gentlemen’s agreement to do it clean but I could see it bursting wide open like the volcanic eruption of recent past.

A disastrously bad economy and other divisive issues would make GOP victory woefully difficult to secure. Like I said earlier the GOP needs an economic miracle but such phenomenon isn’t anywhere in the horizon either.

Interesting what would be the referendum of governance against Republicans and Covenant parties. Will it be more of the same, half shame or a real shame? Would casino supporters get re-elected after ignoring the decision and will of governance on this matter? Why the obvious dismissive arrogance on an issue we have overwhelmingly shot down twice in recent past? This adolescent behavior seems headed to replicating the total defeat of the GOP in 1979. Well, “Let It Be!”

For all the sinking and discouraging tidings everywhere, I am sure governance isn’t ready to look itself in the mirror to declare, “Shame on me!”

[B]Guam buildup shifts[/B]

Plans for a major military buildup in Guam keeps shifting and spiraling downwards. As of last week, the U.S. and Japan reportedly agreed to move 4,700 Marines from Okinawa to Guam instead of 8,000 and some 9,000 dependents.

The transfer of Marines and dependents from Okinawa to Guam has been a pillar of the 2006 bilateral accord on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan where progress on relocating Futenma was made a precondition of the troop’s move.

But the U.S. Department of Defense is now considering rotating 4,000 of them through Australia, Subic Bay and perhaps a smaller base in the Philippines and Hawaii. The military has strategic plans that include deployment or redeployment of troops where it sees most fit.

I don’t mind the decision to downsize the military buildup on our southern neighbor. At least it lessens kaboom diplomacy to other venues while leaving the NMI at peace.

[B]The NTTU on Saipan[/B]

We’ve had our bouts with military occupation of the islands after the war. The Navy took over and kept Saipan and Tinian closed and shut from the rest of the world. We couldn’t even hunt nor visit Magpi (Marpi) and Chacha (Dandan) nor could we freely roam the well-manicured community on Capital Hill. Never got to see these places until the Navy deployed elsewhere in 1961.

The military is notorious for securing prime land. It took beach property between San Jose and Susupe. It built housing and self-contained facilities for its soldiers and dependents.

Capital Hill was strictly for its NTTU operation (an arm of the CIA) where it ran the training of some Chinese soldiers in Marpi and Kagman. But it is also a good organization when help is needed on the islands. It was instrumental in the establishment of public schools, health clinics, hospital and other services where local folks were employed. It saw the need for assimilation and they did it generously too.

For some reason Rota was excluded from the Naval Administration of the islands. But we were shut down from the rest of the world in order to keep the Navy’s secret mission intact.

Like any organization, it isn’t necessarily adept at understanding the domino effect of programs it begins here. You send local kids to Saipan Intermediate School (up to eighth grade) and upon graduation they had to go on to high school. So our kids headed to GW on Guam aboard ships or military airplanes.

Hopwood Sr. High School was built in the mid-’60s, marking the establishment of the first high school here. Air travel was primarily military planes. Initially, visitors were soldiers on R&R. We were spoiled and learned heavily from it when we became an administrative district of the old Trust Territory government.

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[I] Delrosario is a regular contributor to the [/I]Saipan Tribune’[I]s Opinion Section.[/I]