Money politics
There is absolutely no question that money drives American politics. Fundraising, political action committees, soft money, hard money, lobbyists galore–these are the stuff of Washington, D.C. Money makes the U.S. Congress and the American Presidency go round. Which is why campaign finance reform is still such a hot issue in the U.S.
The labor union-financed Democrats in the federal government are particularly concerned with this sordid money politics. They are so concerned that they are even worried about the alleged dirty money politics in a remote U.S. territory: the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
According to Congressman George Miller and other federal officials, the CNMI is tainted by the undue influence of big business–in particular, by the local garment industry. They contend that the CNMI is a bastion of corruption–a territory dominated by an elite oligarchy primarily comprised of unscrupulous, greedy garment magnates.
Such charges are, of course, completely false. Contrary to the repeated claims of our hardened detractors, the CNMI electorate is not dominated by big business or money politics. A look at the last two gubernatorial elections offers a compelling case in point.
Back in November of 1993, Governor Larry I. Guerrero was the Republican incumbent running for re-election. Governor Larry Guerrero was the heavily funded candidate at the time. He had the backing of big business–including some noteworthy individuals in the local garment industry. As an incumbent, Larry had more money than then Democratic challenger Froilan Cruz Tenorio.
But guess what? Governor Larry Guerrero lost that election. Even with all of that money–with the substantial backing of the business community–Larry couldn’t beat relatively under-financed Froilan Tenorio.
And when Froilan Tenorio won–when he finally became the incumbent governor–he then had greater access to business donations, since he was in a position to make policy: to make or break profits through government taxation and regulation. So Froilan eventually built a considerable campaign war chest.
But guess what?–Incumbent Froilan Tenorio lost his re-election bid. He lost despite his considerable political war chest. He lost despite the many sophisticated–and expensive–campaign commercials he ran (including my favorite one: the morphing of Jesse Borja into Al Stayman).
Lang ran a classic textbook campaign, going both positive and negative. He probably ran more campaign ads than Jesse and Teno, although neither of his opponents appeared too short on cash. (Teno reportedly had Joeten and Borja reportedly had businessman Efrain Camacho backing his campaign.)
If the feds want to argue that dirty money politics and big business dominate Marianas politics and perpetuate labor abuses, they have got their facts all wrong. To this day, the garment industry stands as the CNMI’s “scapegoat and whipping boy” (in the words of SGMA man Richard Pierce).
Moreover, if money really drove CNMI politics, why did so many anti-business “Republican” incumbents win in this month’s election?
True, Senator Morgen lost. Karl Reyes also lost. Both men can indeed be said to be “anti-business.” Morgen ran on the three-year limit. Reyes passed the CNMI’s first estate tax, among other things.
But guess what? Former House Speaker Diego Benavente won. Oscar “Scott” Babauta also won. Senator Pete P. Reyes also won in the 1997 election. Didn’t all of these incumbents pass the extremely anti-business Foreign Investment Act of 1997?
Who says corrupt big business interests dictate Marianas policy? The Feds? Miller? Stayman? David North? Akaka? Kenneth Offendo?
We have some of the most anti-business politicians presently holding power in public office. They should be there for a very long time. Indeed, they may always be there, because socialism (statism) never dies. In America or in the CNMI, you can’t keep down envy and class hatred.