Basic U.S. unfairness

When it comes to the CNMI, the United States government often pursues a predictable pattern of unfairness and discrimination. The people of the CNMI rarely warrant special consideration from Washington.

President Bill Clinton, for example, wants to give away more than $12 billion in American foreign aid: to places such as Russia, Yugoslavia and Nigeria, where billions of US taxpayer dollars could be funneled into the pockets of corrupt bureaucrats, politicians, and gangster elites.

When it comes to the CNMI–an American territory–the federal government wants to renege on Covenant funding. The feds want to withhold Compact-Impact reimbursement. Further, they want to drag their feet on the Chinese boat people reimbursements.

In each of these instances, the CNMI has a right to receive federal funds. The U.S government made a good faith agreement. They promised federal funding. They promised to reimburse us for the government costs incurred by the influx of Micronesians–an arrangement made without our consent. The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, moreover, diverted thousands of Chinese refugees to Tinian, where the CNMI government then proceeded to spend more than $500,000 for their sustenance.

Has the federal government adequately reimbursed us for our troubles–for shouldering their responsibilities? If so, how long did it take them? And did they take it out of other fiscal obligations?
(The US Interior Department certainly did not attempt to aid us; indeed, they did everything in their power to derail our case.)

This federal mistreatment extends quite beyond the issue of federal funds. It applies to free trade as well.

The feds want to strip the CNMI of its Headnote 3 (a) provision. They want to impose stiff tariffs on CNMI exports (in order to save American jobs and level the playing field between America’s enormous economic prowess on the one hand, and the CNMI’s fragile, struggling and minuscule economy on the other).

When it comes to the Caribbean and Central America, however, the feds want to extend free trade without qualification–despite the fact that countries like Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador do not have the CNMI’s U.S. protections (OSHA, etc.).

Happy Veteran’s Day, Mr. Miller, Mr. Stayman, Mr. North, and Mr. Akaka. You gentlemen have all worked so hard to undermine the sacrifices made in the name of freedom, justice and equality for the people of the Northern Marianas.