The governor’s detractors emphasize that they are wise to political tricks, and no one can get one over on them. They’re smarter than Uncle Ben and his sidekick Angel, they say. But then they willingly become pawns in the political game being played by those who wish to seize power from the governor. In their eagerness to not be tricked by the Fitial camp, they are mercilessly fooled and exploited by the other side. Trying to impeach the governor is nothing but a feel-good exercise tricking our desperate populace into supporting some politicians’ ambitions to power. No good can come of impeachment, other than good for a few power-hungry politicians, whose names we all know.
The peanut gallery in the media and the Legislature finds evil plots and conspiracies behind all of Governor Fitial’s actions but never do they see the political games and power plays behind the plots to unseat the governor. Do they really believe that the impeachment move is free of politics? And that it’s being done for the good of the people, and not for the good of a few politicians in whose way Governor Fitial currently stands?
We haven’t been shown any proof of how it will benefit the Commonwealth, especially our economy and our treasury, to impeach Governor Fitial. All our economic problems are caused by global economic forces, an exodus of business and tourists, and a difficult immigration situation. Can replacing the governor change any of that? Do the governor’s replacements have a money-printing machine we don’t know about?
Paychecks are late and CHC is in trouble because there’s no money in the treasury. Not because Ben Fitial is governor. Unless the proposed replacements have a tangible plan to make money appear in the treasury, they have absolutely no solution to offer to the current crises. Impeachment will cost significant sums of money in legal proceedings and administration, while distracting our leadership, including the governor, from useful work for our common good.
If we follow the impeachers’ way, the CNMI treasury will spend a pile of money on impeachment proceedings and legal wrangling (money that could have been spent on education or medical referrals), and at the end of the day, even if impeachment is successful, we the people will be no better off than where we started. Sure, a few politicians may be better off, if they manage to shove the governor out of their way. Maybe they’ll have a few more notches of success in their desks, and some bigger titles and discretionary budgets. But how will this help us, the long suffering people of the CNMI? Not at all.
Impeachers, you’re the ones being played. Yes, in bad times, "anywhere but here" often seems like the best place to be. Desperate people will go for anything that’s different from their current situation. But don’t let yourselves be fooled. Impeaching Governor Fitial is about as smart as taking a big gulp of salt water when you’re thirsty. It sure sounds good, but it’s not going to help anyone in the long run.
Diego C. Blanco
As Lito, Saipan
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