WHILE the Governor is grandstanding with Vinnie, in a futile effort that should result in both of them being FIRED, the Democrat Party is deliberating as to whom their candidates will be with an announcement COMING SOON! It is more important than ever for voters to “get-it-right” this time around, as it’s obvious WE the People need “NEW Everything” given the devastation to our economy that was created more by the Republicans “all-in Casino Plan” than the natural disasters and pandemic. In fact, the Governor and Republicans have only come up with MORE taxes FOR the People and Businesses while the Feds have literally picked-up the tab for the typhoons and the pandemic to the tune of almost a billion dollars over the past three years, yet the Governor still can’t figure it out because he is more concerned about HIS Secretaries and securing voters than helping ALL the People. He gave money to South Koreans BEFORE even thinking about HIS own People who should have been FIRST in line and some of us are still waiting. I’m sure there are literally thousands of voters who have seen ENOUGH of the Torres Administration and all the corruption, nepotism, favoritism and manipulation of OUR Federal Funds that are being used MORE for the benefit of the Governor, his Secretaries and his Party than FOR the People.
There really won’t be any rational to offer against a NEW Democrat Candidate which will make it very hard for the Governor to try and destroy the pending Democrat Candidate politically. But I’m sure he will try the “age-old Republican Strategy” of “letting him and his Republicans finish what he started” when it reality they only thing they started was the “death of our Japanese Tourism Market” for a casino that is now DEAD in the water literally. And if the Governor attacks their capacity or lack of experience, I beg to offer the fact that if Trump was able to be president with NO experience in politics, then certainly whomever the Democrats will put forth are capable of being our Governor and Lt. At least we can look forward to a Democrat who is truly honorable and trustworthy.
Too many voters have swallowed the Governor’s Gaslighting Shows and his manipulating of Federal Funds FOR his Secretaries without even chewing as if the Governor was serving a “great meal” figuratively when the rest of us-folks-in-the-cheap-seats are living the true reality of having the same or even worser quality of life that has existed for the past two decades. Just think about your situation voters and how it has gotten WORSE, unless you were fortunate to get a job in government due to the pandemic but that shouldn’t blind you to the true realities of our declining economy at the hands of Republicans. In fact, NO ONE can honestly contest the fact that the CNMI has NOT prospered under these Republicans over the past two decades. If the Republicans couldn’t build a sound and prosperous economy over the past two decades when they had FULL control of both Houses in our Legislature and the Executive Office, it should be clear they really don’t have the solutions FOR the People and the death of their GREAT Casino Plan is the latest PROOF that WE the People need to “FIRE ALL these Republicans to teach them a lesson.”
BUT
BUT the Governor is getting BOLDER and BOLDER and now he has suckered poor Vinnie Sablan to be his running mate — what happened to Arnold Palacios? Oh, Arnold’s Political Real Estate is in decline and the Governor thinks Vinnie will bring in more voters. It’s really that simple to see and you don’t have to be a political scientist to see this. Vinnie has been wanting to run for Governor “ever-since” as Locals might say. BUT it will be Vinnie’s Political Destruction as he has much more to lose than the Governor in this election. I don’t think Vinnie really thought this out after playing it safe as an Independent.
BUT there is no secret that the Government Employee Block of Voters represent the MOST influential block of voters in the CNMI, which is WHY Government Employees need to vote Democrat in 2022, as the only Government employees who will lose their jobs are the Secretaries. But the Governor has made SURE that ALL the Leaders in our Government are LOYAL Republicans regardless of their ability to perform. The Governor has made SURE that 99.9% of all the Board Members and Commissioners in the CNMI are also LOYAL Republicans and he is using the Pandemic Funds to literally RECRUIT new Republicans through jobs which means the Governor has a very large Blind and LOYAL Base of voters he can depend upon. But I beg to ask ALL of these LOYAL Republicans to consider the fact that they are being LOYAL to a person who is under a RICO Investigation, a person who doubled-crossed ALL of the People with his LOYALTY to IPI who is now holding 57 Million of OUR Community Chest money that WE the People may NEVER see. When are voters going to realize the Governor is ONLY loyal to the Governor! If WE the People learned anything from the Governor Fitial Fiasco it is the fact that WE need to FIRE Governor Torres BEFORE he is indicted or WE will have let this ugly history in the CNMI repeat itself AGAIN on OUR watch.
BUT WE the People and Government Employees need to make SURE the Governor, his Cabinet and his Emissaries on Boards & Commission are neutralized in 2022, as they will be the ones leading the Governor’s charge. So, if ANY Secretary, Board Member or Commissioner tries to “recruit YOU” as a Government Employee to immediately call the FBI as they will be violating OUR Election Laws that prohibit this kind of political activity. Just “play-along with them” as their attempt to recruit you alone should be PROOF that you are being recruited to maintain the same status quo that has lasted for over two decades that has gotten us NO-where quick, fast and in a hurry. WE the People, must end this “FEAR of being fired as a Government Employee if you don’t vote Republican” when your vote is confidential — just play along and vote Democrat in the voting booth. We the People must put a stop to Government employees being FORCED to support and vote Republican because WE know from what the Governor tried to do to stop the Democrats from controlling the House of Representatives that he will bribe, threaten and do anything to stay in power. It will truly be a GREAT Day for the CNMI when he is finally stopped.
BUT it gets WORSE as the Medical Referral Program is still struggling and the badly needed escorts are even being forced to burden their own expenses. In fact, the AG just recently literally DUMPED the Medical Referral Program on CHCC. The Governor may think that this could protect himself in his election bid from anymore political accountability/scrutiny over the Program. BUT the Governor was able to find a way to manipulate the Federal Stimulus money to give HIS Secretaries a pay raise but he can’t find a way to offset some of the cost for the People in the Medical Referral Program, especially for the Escorts who are vital “care-givers.” It may be legal but it is still truly scandalous and disgusting to see what this Governor is doing and getting away with it because of the “autocracy government” he has created that has even tied the hands of OUR Justice System. I just wonder when will enough be enough for the Feds, for the Voters and even for Divine Intervention, as right now there are thousands of voters who will take ANY legal solution to getting rid of this Governor.
BUT I’m just glad that WE the People can always depend on one prophetic TRUTH that my MaDear would often say when faced with a challenge or hard times: “thank God, trouble don’t last always” so there is an expiration date FOR the Governor and most of his crew, especially Angel Demapan who helped the Governor betray us all for IPI, which is why the Governor and his fellow Republicans wanted his partner in “U-know-What” soooo bad to be the Speaker. All voters are not stupid Governor and you will be FIRED one way or another. BUT for now, like many of us I just hope and pray the expiration date is much sooner than later. To be continued: One People One Direction.
The writer is an Economist, Political Scientist, retired teacher, former CNMI Board of Education Member, James Madison Fellow (U.S. Constitutional Scholar), a Fulbright-Hays & Humanities Scholar who resides in Kagman III.
The head-rest of George Washington’s “Rising Sun” chair.
