Power to the people

There’s been a lot of criticism about the government and its control over agencies and activities, as well as decisions that have created our current state of affairs. Politicians base their decisions on a philosophy or a set of beliefs. Their collective beliefs are translated into behaviors they expect citizens to observe through laws and regulations, which define a political system used to govern the people. We simply call this process our government.

With Independence/Liberation Day approaching, we felt it would be interesting to focus our thoughts on government and its use of power. What political system are we really following? Before you answer too quickly, read each of the statements below, and choose the one you feel best describes how the government or politicians are running things.

The CNMI is based on a system of government in which:

A. decisions are based on the majority, and every person has the free and equal right to participate in the government.

B. a small group of elected representatives have the responsibility to exercise power over the citizens.

C. a small group of people or families control the islands, often for their own self-serving purposes.

D. an individual has centralized control of private enterprise, represses opposition, and there is excessive nationalism (the desire to achieve political independence by people with a separate identity and culture).

There are no right or wrong answers because it is based on your experience and how you feel the government is operating. Make sure you have made your choice before reading on.

The first statement describes a democracy and it involves mass participation to make decisions. This can work well with a small group of people in a business or family, but it does not work with a large state or nation. Most people characterize the U.S. form of government as a democracy, but in reality it is a democratic republic.

Choice “B” defines a republic. The Founding Fathers of the United States wrote into the Constitution the democratic principles of mass participation of qualified voters in electing their representatives, but then they turned to the principle of a republic to have those representatives pass the laws and administer the government.

If you felt statement “C” better describes the current form of government, then you feel the CNMI operates as an oligarchy. This statement also could describe a plutocracy or aristocracy, depending on the ruling faction. Choice “D” describes fascism, or it might define a dictatorship or monarchy. Both “C” and “D” might be described as “Ruler’s Law,” which is a form of government that allows total authority and power to rest with an individual or party in power. When this form of central government exercises power in a manner that causes people to suffer, it represents a despotic government.

What happens when the people feel that the government has gone “bad” and there is a time for change? They can either wait for the next election cycle to vote others into office, or they might start a revolution to try and make things better. This is what the United States did when it sought independence from the British Empire. In recent times, it is what happened in the Philippines when individuals collectively exercised their People Power to oust an unpopular leader.

We’re witnessing the rumblings of malcontent people who feel some or most of their elected leaders are missing the mark. Approximately 200 CNMI community members gathered to discuss the misuse of power (as in utility) on June 17th and they outlined a series of reasonable demands for greater transparency, accountability, and long-term solutions. The desired outcome is to have reliable, dependable, and affordable power for the entire CNMI.

Even though the discussion focused on CUC and the power situation, some participants expressed their disappointment in the lack of government intervention. You could say that they were discontented with the use or abuse of power from both CUC and the politicians. If the situation is unresolved, it could fester into a larger issue where the people will exercise their power. CUC may become the Boston Tea Party of the Commonwealth. I guess you could say that unless power is given to the people, the people will take away the power from their “leaders.” Power to the people—ain’t it great!

On a side note, Jim Bell—the man who recently swam the Tinian Channel—is going to start his swim around Saipan at 9:00 a.m. on July 4th. He’ll start at Sugar Dock and swim to Mañagaha for his first leg. It will take several weeks as he completes the 80-mile distance in sections around the island. Come join us on Friday morning to see Jim off at Sugar Dock.