First, the nearly 75 percent who prefer being a citizen of the U.S. was not a surprise. But in these days of dual citizenship, there are an increasing number of U.S. citizens from the mainland who reach retirement age and then seek to bask in the sun of Asian nations such as the Republic of the Philippines, also a favorite among citizen groups from other industrialized nations. Other reasons include, but are not limited to: the dollar goes further in the RP, and one can afford to get household help.
Second, the economy and jobs being the most important issue is also not a surprise. In fact, even in good economic times when there is full employment (meaning everyone seeking a job can find one), it is still an economic-related issue that would top the voters concern list, such as power supply shortfalls to meet the demands of the burst in economic activity.
The general point I would like to make is that self-determination will always poll low, but that does not mean that it should be relegated to a low priority among the list of things to do for a new administration. While I commend the Calvo administration for taking the first steps in this process, I also caution them not to politicize this issue for electoral gain in 2014, because in that game there are 15 other individuals who might beat them at it, like the military buildup process.
MATT PHILIPS
Mangilao, Guam
