Miller’s reckless proposal vs. NMI

California Congressman George Miller has taken his ruinous agenda against the islands to new heights. Now, he accuses the most powerful member of the US House of Representatives as a supporter of sweatshops out here. His answer is the imposition of accelerated increase in federal wages of up to $6.15 an hour by the year 2000, in addition to taking over local immigration. What’s wrong with the Miller proposal?

Right off the bat, it lacks analysis on its impact against a fragile island economy on the verge of crumbling to a total meltdown as a direct result of the Asian crisis. It would froce more businesses here into closure. It would instantly kill the last major industry (garment) into oblivion. The cost of housing will more than triple for local families not to mention the increase of basic commodities spiraling beyond the reach of most people.

The last major industry will instantly sink, its domino effect extending to tourism, shipping, airlines, other support businesses, the final chapter being a completely bankrupt private and public sector. This is what I envision of the NMI under Millier’s proposal to simply ram down our throats a total federal takeover. It is his way to getting even with Congressman DeLay because the latter engineered President Clinton’s impeachment.

While I can bet that Miller’s proposal will never see the light of day given that he’s now challenging “The Hammer” (DeLay), the troublesome aspect of his proposal to sink these islands is the policy instability it promotes against current and prospective investors eyeing the islands as their new home. Just a week ago, a Japanese investor who plans to build a hotel along the shore decided against it just as soon as news that Miller and cabal are returning with their ruinous federal takeover proposal.

This is the net effect against investors forced to either reconsider their plans or pull out investing in the NMI altogether. It isn’t only the garment sector that is affected, it affects all plans for expansion or discourages fresh investments from the outset. Planting the notion of policy instability has defnitely ruined any hope of allowing the financially strapped government from making any headway to revive revenue generation.

Meanwhile, we should ask Congressman Miller to provide us reasoned analysis on the impact of his proposal against an already deepening economic contraction in the NMI. I recall his statement saying that he voted for the Covenant Agreement which included a fiduciary responsibility on the part of the federal government to assist the NMI “attain a progressively higher standard of living”. Would Miller’s ruinous and half-cocked proposal fit the bill under the specific role of the federal government to improve the economic lot of the people of these islands?

His focus is two fold: 1). Ruin the NMI garment industry to protect the garment capital of the West Coast–State of California where he comes from. 2). While he purports to be a strong human rights advocate, he’s out to ruin the livelihood of this group of US Citizens in favor of foreigners or non-US Citizens. Mind you, Mr.
Congressman, we too can’t tolerate abuse of human beings because of our religious upbringing. This you must remember in your constant quest to make life miserable for this group of US Citizens who do not even benefit from US Congressional representation. This missing equation in our citizenship turns the question of justice and equality on its head. Now, let’s see you put your mouth where your money is, sir!

We also know our rights as US Citizens under the umbrella of the American Economic Community. We deserve nothing less in the opportunity being trumpeted by President Clinton at wealth and jobs creation. To do otherwise against a helpless group of US Citizens situated in the fringe is to subscribe to the view that it is perfectly acceptable to discriminate and play the game of Reverse Robinhood–stealing from the poor to feed the rich as recently done by the Clinton Administration on NMI CIP funds.

It is obvious that you and cabal have simply decided against accepting that in fact we have responsibly instituted major reforms in all industries here. It goes to illustrate in glaring fashion that American Democracy and freedom, justice and equality are only as good for the politically powerful using the premise of “Might Is
Right!” But, can you tell us in straightforward fashion how your plan would aid our already troubled economy “attain a progressively higher standard of living?” What grand way to ruin our belief in all that our country stands for.