The Senate budget fiasco

The CNMI Senate has ruined the budget submitted by the House. Our House of Representatives originally earmarked at least $700,000 for vital Washington, D.C representation. But our Senators apparently do not feel that fighting a US Federal takeover is absolutely necessary.

Some of our senators have grown foolish and complacent. By refusing to employ professional lobbyists, they are placing the CNMI and its economy at great risk. Why is the Senate behaving in such a reckless and unpardonable fashion?

The given excuse is rather flimsy. The Senate argues that funding the Free Trade Zone program is more important than protecting our local self-government. Little do they realize, however, that the proposed FTZ program would be entirely useless if the Feds ever seized control over our immigration and minimum wage autonomy.

Without the relatively free flow of capital and labor, the free flow of goods (free trade) would be entirely useless. The free flow of capital, labor and goods is absolutely essential to any viable, growing economy. This is especially true in the CNMI, where there is a huge local labor shortage. Without an adequate labor force (supplied by nonresident workers), capital investment, both foreign and US domestic, would never flow into our islands for economic development. Our standard of living would never improve. Poverty would inevitably be the deplorable result.

It is painfully obvious that the leaders in our upper house have no grasp of economic fundamentals. They claim that the $700,000 earmarked for the preservation of our local self-government is excessive. Yet they can afford to spend $2 million to give 2,000 government employees a retroactive, across-the-board pay raise regardless of individual merit.

A quick question to our enlightened Senators ensconced on Capitol Hill: If the Feds take over and our private sector’s labor force is cut off and compromised, who will then pay the taxes to keep government workers employed? Will the US Federal government shoulder the burden and turn these islands into an abject welfare state? Could that be the ultimate desire of our very own Senate?

Given the Senate’s recent proposal to fund a new government office that would “handle the employment requirements of returning students,” establishing a welfare state may very well be their true objective. For establishing such a government office would be preposterous.

If returning college students need jobs, let them find it on their own. Let them prepare their resumes. Let them contact private companies. Let them interview for positions. Are returning college graduates so pathetic, so incompetent, that they actually need a government office to help them find gainful employment?

Alas, the question may prove to be largely rhetorical, because if the Feds ever impose a takeover, there won’t be any jobs available for returning students, in which case, we may blame the current CNMI Senate. Fire them in the next election!

Strictly a personal view. Charles Reyes Jr. is a regular columnist of Saipan Tribune. Mr. Reyes may be reached at charlesraves@hotmail.com