THE people of Guam when they voted for four more years of Felix P. Camacho, they were in essence voting for borrowing as the least painful way to make up the cash shortfall. That is why you don’t see mass hysteria gripping the countryside so to speak.
The people (some) also know that since Governor Camacho is a Christian, it must have been God’s will – just as it was God’s will for George W. Bush to win in ’00 and ’04 — for the CEO to serve another four years. According to the Governor himself on election night, “The people don’t want change.” In essence, more borrowing has been blessed by the people; no cuts, no tax increases, no layoffs. Basically, business as usual. That was the verdict, wasn’t it?
You’re not telling me that the people of Guam can stomach a 32-hour work week, 10 percent pay cuts, outsourcing/downsizing, GRT hikes? Of course they can’t, so despite all the talk shows and editorials calling for austerity measures and brainstorming that has been going on at GPSS for example, there is but one plan: BORROW. And the people, I think, are ready to accept it and pass on the costs to the next generation.
Remember that some folks who support Camacho also support Bush and they believe that we are living in the last generation? It is the here and today that is important. Tomorrow has its share of problems and worries.
Which is why also you don’t see some conservative Christians oppose Pres. Bush’s foray into Iraq even if that meant the slaughter of innocent kids since he, Bush, MUST have been doing God’s will. (I don’t know about that but was it also God’s will for some firms and the VA under bush to not live up to it’s obligations to U.S. service members?)
In the 7th year of the Bush reign, most Americans have come to the conclusion that he is a nice man but a phony nonetheless. In the 5th year of Camacho’s tenure, more and more folks are coming to the conclusion that he is a nice man but a “clueless” individual when it comes to the stewardship of this ‘USS GUAM.’ Good thing Governor Camacho is not running an independent Guam. We might have been sold a ‘bill of goods’ to invade Chuuk or Ulithi or maybe Hawaii.

MATT PHILIPS
Mangilao, Guam