Ambrose M. Bennett
THE Truth of the matter is malfeasant behavior still prevails in our government when WE were PROMISED by the Governor “TRUST” — for TRUE! Why this behavior continues is mind-boggling, as it seems to be acceptable in the absence of any protest. The Governor just declared MORE austerity after two years in office, as it is clear NOTHING has been done to create NEW revenue sources after two years other than the continuous dependency upon the Feds to save us. WHY do our politicians play “safe politics” their entire term and save Bills for election season is the only planning I see on the Hill — WHY! WHY our politicians flat out REFUSE to even consider the plethora of ideas and recommendation I’ve offered, as it can only be fear of GOP reprisal, bigotry towards outsiders, and/or just don’t care as long as they are sitting, as locals say!
They are drinking entirely too much of the Republicans’ Kool-Aid that is mixed to “stop anything and everyone who is not part of their conservative effort to keep the CNMI from changing FOR the People & FOR the Better.” If it doesn’t come from them, then it is a dead issue, as WE just saw with the impeachment of Ralph and more recently with the push for China from Jude that has taken us NOWHERE quick, fast and in-a-hurry!!! From 2003 to 2013 WE saw the orchestrated DEATH of the Retirement Fund by Republicans and the Casino that was a bad idea killing Casino operations on Tinian & Rota. 2013 to 2015 was the Tan Era when our Governor was meeting more with Tan Holdings than his own cabinet and more Casino. 2015 to 2023 under Trump Jr. Ralph, the CNMI suffered the worst economic catastrophe in our history compounded by a Republican Governor who literally wasted at least a billion half of the Federal aid. 2023 to the Present, the obituary for the Casino was finally published and yet WE still have a malfeasant nonfunctioning Cannabis & Casino Commissions.
WE are NOT better off than WE were two or even ten years ago, as the CNMI’s economy and quality of life is still “declining going nowhere in-a-hurry” and is even getting WORSE with arrivals continuing to decline!!! One has to wonder WHAT is our plan and is malfeasance the reason WE continue to virtually suffer from austerity under EVERY Governor since 2003, at one time or another. WE as a People, can’t seem to ever get out of one economic slump under one Republican after another. WHY does the Governor refuse to tell us WHO is our economist and HIS economic plan for our recovery, because there isn’t an economist nor a plan, just attack the challenges as they come. It’s just like I’ve been saying for years. “WE are suffering under picnic table economics of the Governor in charge” that IS NOT working. When you have a medical problem you see a doctor, when your car needs fixing you see an auto mechanic and when the economy needs fixing you see an economist, duh! Many citizens have even resigned to vote saying “they don’t like nor trust any of our politicians.” Every time I’m ignored (the real economist) our leaders only serve to HURT their People, not me, as they hate to say maybe Ambrose is RIGHT and we should at least take a serious look at it — pathetic and even unprofessional to ignore cures!
WHY is the Casino Commission still sitting after shafting us and leaving us emptyhanded (no stocks in IPI, no lawsuits FOR the People, no money collected not even their salaries. WHY is the Cannabis Commission still costing us un-necessarily? Why the lack of a Workforce Transition Plan and no Repatriation plan to bring back some of our highest qualified citizens with degrees, as WE are failing in hiring Federal employees. WHY the lack of real REFORMS when the average citizen can see “WE need an Economic Recovery Plan with REFORMS,” not economic Band-Aids like the push for China that was NEVER a guarantee, and the list goes on & on, as the answer is simple — no economist, it’s ka duku!
WE are taught that “one can learn from children and even ants” but yet our leaders refuse to listen to an economist who has PROVEN their worth, as I got tired of saying I Told You So and they still didn’t listen. It’s not about Ambrose the messenger but the People who treat me like their own that I’m fighting FOR! No economist is WHY our economy and quality of life has been like a “broke-down horror rollercoaster ride” — for TRUE! WE need an economist and more politicians like Independents Mayor RB & Marrisa and Democrat Ed who need more help & support from their kind, which is why Republicans need to be replaced — a real game-plan for the next two elections for CHANGE! But I’m just thankful for the thousands among the silent majority who truly support me fighting FOR them and I continue to pray FOR all of us that real integrity & acceptance for all will take hold over the malfeasance & bigotry!!!
One People, One Direction.
Ambrose M. Bennett is an Economist who minored in Sociology, a Political Scientist, a retired 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.
