A politically incorrect governor

First, I must express my sincere apology to Sen. Torres as I view him as truly being a future executive of the CNMI but his choice for a running mate is surely going to kill his chances this time around. From the very beginning, Governor Inos was not a political leader but a financial officer and now his lack of basic political skills is truly starting to show. The fact that candidates for governor are coming out of the woodwork also tells me there is a feeding frenzy about to take place from the splashing by the governor.

For a governor who was never elected, he has truly let it go to his head. He actually thinks he can speak and dictate to the people on every issue without any kind of accountability to the people. Governor, FYI Political Science 101, whenever there is a tough issue on the table like the legalization of marijuana that truly meets the test for a decision by the people, don’t say anything but “I think that it is a decision for the people.” I know you have heard some of the real veteran politicians use this phrase out of pure wisdom but you just go off the handle and tell the people they can’t have something or we are not ready yet like you did with the ferry when every school child knows we need a ferry service to the other islands. For your political incorrectness you can be assured the people are going to show you who is really the boss in November.

Governor, the president and the attorney general are leading the marijuana reform and over 20 states are already lined up behind Colorado and Washington, so for you to say legalizing marijuana is taking it too far shows your ignorance, arrogance, and lack of political experience. Furthermore, to insinuate that you can dictate what “we the people” can’t or are not ready to do shows your arrogance and more importantly it is not your prerogative to decide for the people. The funny and sad part is you only give us lip service with sound bites like we are not ready for that yet and legalizing is taking it too far without any proof or concern for how the majority of the people (your bosses) feel on these major issues.

I have often wondered why you would put so much political real estate on the line pushing a casino issue that the majority has voted down twice and now the truth is slowly coming to the light and it is starting to smell so bad that many in the community as asking about Fitial’s and your ties to the e-gaming and casino investors. You should be doing all you could to avoid even the slightest hint of improprieties but instead you keep going down the road to casinos. You and your predecessor have been pushing casinos for over 10 years using different people in the Legislature to sponsor bills and using every excuse under the sun. It’s the old lying syndrome that once you tell one lie, you have to tell a thousand more trying to cover up the first one. Using half-truths about the need to earn revenues is no excuse to say only casinos can help us. Voters are smart enough to know that your half-truths are really whole lies. One people for demanding respect from our governor and the people’s right to decide on all major political, social and economic issues

P.S.: I hope readers can see this as another reason why we need a polling system because the governor really needs to give the casino and the legalization issue to the people if you really want to be politically correct. Governor, talk to Sen. Torres, it’s you only hope. Voters are not going to forget about a proven way to earn hundreds of millions that is fully supported by the President of the United States, congressional members and over 20 states based on what the governor thinks especially when it is not his choice but the people’s!

Ambrose M Bennett
Kagman, Saipan