Leadership or liarship

Over coffee, several educated youngsters were broaching issues that were soundly avoided by the elected elite upstairs. It’s an interesting discussion given that the level revolves around knowledge-based exchange in addition to thoughtful views.
Financial/economic posture

“When a government is strapped by heavy debts coupled with strangulations from predatory policies, is there room to navigate our way out of economic dystopia and fiscal impotence—where nothing works—so we begin the long march to recovery?” asked a student.

Quizzed another: “Let’s focus on the economic implications of huge debts on our future and those who march behind us. What does it mean and is there a leeway to avoid more piles of debt?”

“Excellent query that places the debate squarely on whether there’s leadership or liarship on the islands today and at a time when it is in dire need of the former?”

“Politicians have ensured the insolvency of the Fund. Is this leadership or liarship?”

“This issue involves nearly 3,000 retirees and their families for a total of over 10,000 folks. Central to this issue is the detrimental reliance on that biweekly paycheck for their livelihood. Is the disruption and likely permanent end to their means of livelihood one of leadership or liarship?”

“This happens when politicians feed off a hog’s back until the beast falls flat on its face, dead! Interesting their reactions as though they too are victims of their own destructive agenda and definitely this attitude is far from leadership for it lacked the spiritual stature to see the needs of others.”

“Even more egregious is the lack of a sense of direction and purpose in the review and consideration of policies that adds to instability, a very highly detrimental message for investors of substance. Herein, again, we quiz if this disconnect is leadership, liarship, or followership.”

Kilili’s fatal scourge

As though egregious hardship hasn’t robbed families of their buying power with what’s left in their wallets, in came our esteemed Delegate Kilili with his Trojan horse known as Obamacare.

The devastating effect is another heavy blow against the family purse. It further degrades and destroys another means for families to stay afloat amidst a myriad of increases from all directions.

It’s a health care law members of Congress approved so they could find out what’s in it later. It’s a law known nationwide as the “Lie of 2013” that failed from its initial rollout. It has denied, displaced, and disrupted the lives of millions of Americans across the country.

The promised savings of $2,500 never materialized but took the exact opposite where it pushed the cost of health premium beyond the reach of most folks here.

The devastation has crash-landed and instantly emptied the wallets of families who are searching tirelessly for reasonable alternative to which there’s none. Perhaps our Delegate Kilili who has done a superb job avoiding any discussion of his scourge may someday work up the courage to be truthful to our people. This attitude definitely doesn’t fit the term leadership but custom made for liarship!

Two-headed snake’s back!

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe”—Albert Einstein.

When leadership failed royally in the consideration of pertinent substantive issues for more than three decades, somehow it forces the reactionary answer that a casino industry is the Holy Grail to the fiscal impotence or bankruptcy of the NMI.

Policymakers have devolved into the pits of lunacy and filthy mediocrity proclaiming, via another ad hoc answer in perpetuity, that casino is the answer. Are you sure you aren’t talking about storming up a more egregious fiscal disaster that would find its way into households here?

What’s our share of the market of the wealthy bunch when by 2016 Japan would have built its own casino industry, Macau would have catered to top wealthy players, Singapore becomes a pit stop for others, while South Korea manages its own?

Sen. President Ralph Torres lamely justified his affirmative vote saying, “Times have changed.” Sir, the only thing that changed was the heaps of negligence from leadership who simply failed to do things right by doing the right thing. You sport initial apprehension of the fiscal impotence besetting the NMI while equally acknowledging the lack of conscientious leadership for decades who obviously never acquired nor learned from wisdom. Despicably ludicrous the myopic and hollow view.

Interesting the content of the suspect measure, raising more questions whether the license isn’t fixed and sold to a preferred applicant. Furthermore, why a 100 percent tax rebate for 25 years? The deal definitely stinks or isn’t it predicated on the recent China trip by legislators?

Administrative state

The Fourth Estate or Administrative State has been established under the Obama presidency to dish out some 101 major policies. Each policy is reportedly going to cost about $100 million.

The administrative state becomes the arm of the administration where federal bureaucrats would be crafting policies for implementation nationwide. The most fearsome and troubling aspect of the work of these agencies is the freedom they have writing policies not subject to congressional or judicial review.

But what’s the drawback besides subsequently following dictates from people we’ve never elected into office?

The purported role of the administrative state is one of public policymaking. This on its face is unconstitutional, therefore illegal. In other words, the authority for public policymaking is solely the purview of the U.S. Congress. This authority was never earmarked constitutionally for an administrative state.

Now, given the existence of the Covenant Agreement setting forth the relationship with the feds, has our illustrious Delegate Kilili ever lifted a finger to find out what the 101 planned policies entail and would any of them compromise or violate the substance and spirit of the agreement? Are we supposed to accept it with servility so we could “find out what’s in it later?”

John DelRosario Jr. is a former publisher of the Saipan Tribune and a former secretary of the Department of Public Lands.