I know. I should have known better. But as a veteran Washington Post reporter once noted, “All journalists seem to believe that life begins when they arrive. They get off the plane and expect to be instant experts.”
I eventually realized that the “scorecard” approach to covering lawmakers ignores a crucial fact: Not all measures are the same. It is easy to introduce a bill. What’s hard is to introduce a good one. Moreover, a lawmaker can also distinguish himself through community service — by being out there with his constituents and helping them in any way he can. And then there are lawmakers who consider it their main duty to expose corruption and mismanagement, ensure government transparency and hold the CNMI’s leaders accountable for their misdeeds. There are also lawmakers like Senator Frica who made a startlingly good point when she noted that the CNMI already has too many laws. “What we need to do is to make the best of what we have — follow the existing law and enforce it,” she said in an interview last October.
All this is all good, and so after 14 years of covering or writing about Capital Hill, I’ve finally arrived at this rule of the thumb: Legislation only matters if it matters. That is, if it proposes something substantial and relevant to the commonwealth’s pressing concerns.
The “problem” with quality legislation is that it is controversial, and politicians do not like controversy, which usually involves disappointing some voters or powerful special interests. It takes courage to propose this type of legislation. It is hard for most politicians to ignore their “conscience” — that still, small voice telling them what they’re doing is likely to lose them votes.
Since the inauguration of the 16th Legislature, however, one lawmaker has consistently stuck out his neck by introducing bills and legislative initiatives that aim at the root of the CNMI’s problems — its obese and inefficient government.
Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider has sponsored measures to make CHC an autonomous agency, privatize CUC, allow the retirement of 300 government employees, and float a $250 million bond for the Retirement Fund.
He has also proposed reducing the size of the Legislature and transforming it into a part-time body; requiring the enactment of an annual balanced budget; increasing land lease terms; and prohibiting the Legislature from increasing benefits until all government obligations to the Retirement Fund have been satisfied or fully funded.
He insists on public hearings for his bills and legislative initiatives. He asks his colleagues to carefully review his proposals. He consults with experts and government officials who will be affected by his measures. He does his homework.
Some may say that he is also a candidate for governor this year. True. But if that’s what it takes to see more weighty and important legislation on the Hill, then all lawmakers should also run for the CNMI’s highest office.
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Speaking of this year’s gubernatorial race, let me just point out that the more candidates there are in the first round of voting, the better the chances of the incumbent governor to squeak into the runoff.
Everything, moreover, is possible in politics and I can already imagine the extent of the horse-trading among the candidates before the runoff.
It’s scary.
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