It would seem prudent and rational to examine all options and focus on those that are realistically achievable rather than waste resources in pursuit of that which won’t happen, but that’s for a later discussion.
Guam can never have a realistic shot at statehood unless it unifies with the CNMI, and perhaps with all or some of the independent states of Micronesia. Even then, chances are slim. Much of that has to do with location, and even more with population size. And then there’s the problem of “Why?” I’ve heard no rational reason to covet statehood status other than eligibility to vote in national elections. There’s no harm in asking, however, and that’s why local law provides for a Statehood Task Force.
As with the other political status task forces, there are few clues about what they may be doing, but it’s reasonable to assume they’re working on making statehood an attractive voter choice should the political status plebiscite ever see the light of day. There are lots of advantages to be had as a full-fledged member of the American family of states. For one thing, we’d get a couple of senators and a representative or two, all with full voting privileges, and we’d be fully enfranchised for national elections. Our territorial legislature would become a state legislature, subject to different rules. Federal programs now unavailable to Guamanians such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Supplemental Security Income would apply.
Should security measures improve in the region, and especially in the CNMI, we might even be incorporated into the U.S. customs zone. If political common sense ever prevails over hunger for election, we might also be able to disband all those local agencies that duplicate federal ones and pare GovGuam down to a supportable level. And let’s not forget the benefits in being added to the pull-down menus for all those Internet websites that treat Guam as a foreign country or ignore it completely.
Income taxes would be deposited into the National Treasury. GovGuam could never get its hands on your federal tax return or have the opportunity to divert or delay your refund. A state constitution would replace the Organic Act and the federal judiciary would become much more aware of, and interested in, constitutionality of local law.
As with most things, this one has an upside and a downside. The annual section 30 windfall would be no more, so some other revenue source would be necessary to replace it. We should expect to see (a) a state income tax; (b) a state sales tax; (c) radical increases in fees for government services; or (d) all of the above.
We’d no longer be able to fantasize that we’re an independent nation. No more Guam National Olympic Committee, for example. Guam athletes would have to compete at the national level.
A new chain of command would apply. It’s doubtful whether the federal government would tolerate continued whining at the U.N. After all, we’d be part and parcel of that entity so vilified for so long by Chamorro activists: the federal government.
DAVE DAVIS
Yigo, Guam
