I WONDER who Speaker Forbes is going to recruit for the November ’08 elections to help keep and even expand the Republican majority in the Legislature, thereby setting the stage for the 2010 election cycle? You know, to hand the baton over to another chosen one, so to speak. One already blessed by the political machines, the power brokers and hidden money. Let me take some wild stabs in the dark:
Telo Taitague who finished 16th and now a cabinet member of the second term of the Camacho administration. This new position will give Telo the exposure she needs like Sen. Frank Blas Jr. got during this stint as Homeland Security Chief.
Another prospective candidate could be Police Chief Paul Suba, who has been in the trenches for a long time and handles himself pretty well in media circles like his predecessor, now Sen. Frank Ishizaki, did during his police chief days. Now that would make 10 (eight incumbents plus two).
But I’m sure the Republican leadership is worried about Sen. Jesse Lujan’s chances of getting in to the 30th Guam Legislature given his steady deterioration in the 04 and ’06 elections, despite being banner years locally for the GOP. So I’m pretty sure the speaker will have one or two more “anointed” ones to fill the card.
Let me take the opportunity now to describe the possible ads that will run in ’08:
“We are united.” “We are prioritizing.” “Our economy is growing.” “The military is coming even more so.” “Our people have jobs.” “We have had bipartisanship in the 29th Legislature; the Education Committee’s leadership is shared between the Republican leader and the Democrat leader.”
(Basically, the message is if it is good, it is our doing and if it is bad, Dems were also involved.) These might be some of the blurbs condense and “projectile” at the voters non-stop between October and election day. The same period when PDN, for example, institutes a policy that you cannot attack candidates (for its VOP columns) and you can only discuss issues.
The same time period when Republicans go on the attack mode, sometimes nicely (usually during non-gubernatorial election years) and almost always not nicely during gubernatorial election years. Propaganda, an art that has been mastered by the elitists on Guam to keep their powers structure intact. (I understand why PDN has to because the phone bankers who call Newstalk K-57 might suddenly get an urge to put pen to paper.)
So dear people of Guam, if you want a better quality of life, don’t wait for folks funded by big businesses that do not pay any taxes (not motivated to do capitalism but depend on socialistic favors), to do so out of the goodness of their hearts as they will be beholden to them. They will be “nice and quiet” now which makes this the time to propose and enact change. And if change does not occur, then be prepared for them to get nasty now, so that you can see their true colors and get used to it. Not be swayed by propaganda later.

MATT PHILIPS
Mangilao, Guam