In business, a merger involves two or more companies joining together to form a new single company taking each company’s strengths and forming a much stronger company to address market demands and changes.
If the intent of the officials of the two political parties is to form a new, stronger, single party, it cannot be a “merger” as defined above. There is no reason to dissolve the Covenant party if some of its followers want to keep it alive, unless it runs out of followers and fails to win any office seats in elections. But the followers may want to consider joining the Republican party anyway for reasons stated below.
Just what exactly makes one a “Republican”? The answer lies in the principles of the Republican Party.
Republicans believe strongly: in less government in our lives — the best government is the one that governs the least; that the most effective, responsible and responsive government is the one that is closest to the people; in a balance budget and the use of our taxes to benefit the common good and not just a select few; in less taxation — we should keep more of the hard-earned fruits of our labor; that government should only provide those necessary services that would benefit the community as a whole like public health, education, safety; and public work; in individual entrepreneurship — you are the master of your own destiny — government protect these liberties that offer opportunities and encourage people to excel in their pursuit of happiness and bettering their lives; in the free enterprise system; that the family unit is the strength of the community and should always be protected; in a strong military to protect our rights and freedoms; and not in the least, Republicans believe in the dignity, sanctity and respect of human life beginning at conception, and will always work toward the preservation of life. Republicans also believe in God, and through Him comes the strength, wisdom, moral foundation and values to live our lives in the service of our fellow man.
If anyone espouses the above principles, he or she is a Republicans and can be proud to say so. You do not need any membership card to confirm your beliefs. There really is no membership requirement, no application form to fill out — nothing, to consider oneself a Republican. One just has to believe and live the principles of the Party as founded by President Abraham Lincoln. Now, some parties require “party members” to register for statistical and record purposes, and that is fine, but it is not a manifestation of your beliefs. Your actions within the guiding principles are what makes you a Republican.
Every state and territory of the U.S., and Washington, D.C. has a Republican party, who are independent of each other. Every state and territorial Republican party is organized differently. There is no national entity that tells Republicans in each state and territory how to organize themselves, because there is no “national Republican party.”
All Republican parties, however, have banned to form a FEDERATION, with each electing three representatives to sit on the Republican National Committee. There are only 168 members of the Republican National Committee, comprised of three members from each state, territory and Washington, DC. They are: the state chairman, the state national committeewoman, and the state national committeeman. Their main focus is to get Republicans elected.
Prior to 2004, the CNMI Republican party was not part of the RNC. They used the term “Republican,” but they were not officially recognized nationally because they did not have sitting members on the RNC — the Board of Directors of the Republican parties across the states and territories, so to speak.
Beginning in 2000, members of the RNC from Guam and American Samoa initiated a four-year effort to get national recognition of the CNMI Republican Party. A resolution was introduced at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City, where over 2,000 delegates from across the United States and its territories, voted to pass the resolution to recognize the CNMI Republican Party! This gave the CNMI Republican party three seats on the RNC for their chairman, national committeeman and national committeewoman. The by-laws of the party had to be amended to include election of the latter two positions, as they were non-existent prior to 2004. And for the first time in history, the CNMI sent Republican delegates to the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota to vote for the Republican candidate for the office of President of the United States.
The CNMI Republican party is the only party in the CNMI that is recognized nationally. They have a say in national Republican politics through its membership on the RNC, and through its participation at the quadrennial Republican national convention.
I believe that Governor Fitial recognizes he needs help from Washington, D.C. to spur the economy of the CNMI among other things. He needs to develop closer relationships with members of Congress. He cannot forge those relationships solidly, because he is not affiliated with a nationally “recognized” political party, either Democrat or Republican.
Governor Fitial cannot caucus with other Republican governors of the U.S., or with the Democrat governors for that matter, because he is neither a recognized Republican nor Democrat. The Covenant party is not recognized outside of the CNMI. He is alone, and that is very unfortunate for the CNMI, as their issues before the federal government may not be prioritized as he would want.
Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan was elected as an independent but during his first term in Congress, he had to aligned himself with one of the major political parties recognized nationally. He chose to align with the Democrats. I hope in the new term which starts next month, he will align himself with the Republicans and stay there. It is unwritten, but you can change your party alliance once to maintain your integrity and credibility. He has that one chance now to align and remain with the majority party (Republicans) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
But for Governor Fitial, he is without a recognized political identity in Washington, D.C. Since the CNMI Republican party is the only one in the CNMI that is recognized nationally, it is an obvious choice to join them.
If the governor truly believes in those principles, the CNMI Republican party should welcome him and the followers of the Covenant Party to strengthen the base of the party. And since the CNMI Republican party is recognized nationally, and has three members on the RNC, they have the leverage over the Covenant party to remain unchanged. I really don’t believe the Covenant party can offer anything of significance in “merging” with the CNMI Republican party. Therefore, the best alternative for followers of the Covenant party, who believe in the principles stated above, and who want to be part of a nationally recognized political organization, should simply join the CNMI Republican party, and that goes for the governor also. If they want to go further and participate in elections and in the business of the CNMI Republican party, then all they have to do is be active with the CNMI Republican party apparatus, within the dictates of the organization’s articles and bylaws.
DAVID J. SABLAN
Former Chairman (2000-2004)
Republican Party of Guam
