Ambrose M. Bennett
THE TRUTH of the matter is Ambrose M. Bennett has only been telling the TRUTH in pointing out the economic mistakes in the shadow of political opposition hindering “economic & social fabric improvements.” The politics of the CNMI has a domino effect on our economy and our social fabric, as good politics will equal a good economy for our social fabric — (P = E-SF). Many readers will have to agree that our politics have not equaled the economy for the quality of life needed FOR the People & our CNMI. Building Trust is good but does nothing to rebuild our Economy.
I know there are some who seem to think my approach and method has been wrong, as if being “considerate & soft and altruistic & inclusive” would somehow magically cause our leaders to listen to me or seek my help. That might be good for a local, but nothing is going to change the factors for “Blackballing me” — being Black and Outsider. So, no matter how sweet I made the mess smell nor how nice I talked our leaders nothing was going to change these factors. I am fighting against a deeply rooted culture practice of “not letting outsiders tell locals what needs to be done.” Our leaders don’t even listen to the Feds on things, which is how the CNMI lost control of our Immigrations and our CWs that I also pre-warned our leaders about. We the People have been SUFFERING under the same-old GOP mentality for over two decades be it the “Covenant, Independent-Republicans, Republican and now Independent.” I submit “the CNMI will never change for the better until the silent majority CHANGE and elect Liberal & Proactive leaders.” If it looks, acts and sound like a duck — it’s more than likely a duck.
I tried the “tactful & nice method” not stepping on the toes of our leaders back in the early 1990s only to face all kinds of attacks on my character in the newspaper, thinking I was soft and they could scare me out of the papers. So, I took on the persona of one of my mentors “Ali,” just to survive these attacks. Now my critics have gotten the memo that: “Ambrose can defend and prove what he writes and he’s no-nonsense about our politics, economy, and our social fabric.” So, they do nothing to help the people just talk about me getting in trouble 50 years ago and try to assert me as a marijuana stoner, when I passed the drug test. One would think with our very quality of life depending upon our economy that they would be far more concerned about our economy, but their goal is to stop Ambrose — pathetic! Economist are a VERY RARE Breed but our leaders haven’t learned the overbearing lesson and need to hire one! If you’re sick you see a doctor, if the economy is suffering you hire an economist. But they have been pretending to be economists for over two-decades, which is why WE can’t master our economic challenges — duh!
I was seemingly well respected with Resolutions from the House & Senate for my work in education but the moment I tried to enter the political arena and tried to influence our political choices & decisions was when the “true colors” of our leaders surfaced to STOP Ambrose at any cost and the People have been paying the economic & social cost ever since. I asked Clyde Norita the other day, who has capitalized on my work to legalize marijuana, “why can’t you even say thanks to me for the work I did to get marijuana legalized” but had the nerve to say “what work,” followed with a hasty retreat and insulting sarcastic goodbye. But it proved what some politicians, political hacks and even the Cyber Rats in the comment section will insinuate anything to make sure Ambrose doesn’t get the credit. They KNOW that “credit = political real-estate & power,” so, nothing FOR our 77-million owed by IPI, nothing to lease OUR Hotel, nothing for NMDs, nothing to change our Tourism Model, nothing to create new attractions and the list of nothing…
Ambrose is a real unique phenomenon being an outsider and speaking-out on issues that the People are concerned about and the only thing our leaders can do is just to try and ignore or debunk me. But “Time & Truth” continue to prove Ambrose is right. To some degree I believe that I have been a genuine test for the CNMI, that many citizens have passed with their kindness, acceptance and appreciation for me writing. But the powers-that-be have continued to fail miserably and history proves it — just look at the poor state of our economy, our riddled social fabric and the continuous adverse migration of locals to the mainland when we are fighting a federal workforce mandate. Ambrose is not in the CNMI by mistake, as the odds of meeting my beautiful and loving Chamorro wife of 38 years was in the trillions. I would encourage my critics who attend church to think about that for a moment, as God Ain’t Sleeping and divine intervention is real. Ambrose never thought he would be writing in the paper and stuff, as I’ve only been trying to offer economic & social solutions. People like Ambrose who prove to be prophetic over time are often never fully recognized until they are long-gone and society finally realizes through hindsight the truth & power of their prophetic roles or words. Time has always been on my-side, yes-it-is!
One People, One Direction.
Ambrose M. Bennett is an Economist who minored in Sociology, a Political Scientist, a teacher & former CNMI Board of Education Member, a James Madison Fellow (U.S. Constitutional Scholar), a Fulbright-Hays & lifetime Humanities Scholar who resides in Kagman III.
