I’ll take the lead, sir, if….

The US Senate is scheduled to consider Senator Daniel Akaka’s federal takeover legislation of the Marianas on 15 February 2000. For one kahuna who has lost compassion and understanding of the fate of these islanders, I’ve gone soul-searching to comprehend where is he coming from.

Akaka represents the most unionized state in the union. Thus, this mind set coupled with having to do the rain dance of the US Textile Labor Unions. Senator Akaka had accede to the demands of labor bosses.

This attitude is a tale of the power of labor unions who have played a key role in forging illustrious political careers for most liberal social democrats in the US Congress. It is even surprising that in the process, pet tigers of the unions no longer guard their dignity, but pander to the whims of an organization riddled with dissension among its members.

If Senator Akaka really feels that his single-pill prescription is the answer, then let us begin in the Aloha State where the sex industry thrives. I mean, it doesn’t take the cranium of an Einstein to discern the very essence of “Viagra Trips” between Tokyo and Hawaii. In other words, let’s begin in your own backyard, sir!
Let’s employ the equal application of your proposed legislation in the very state that you represent. After all, fair is fair, yeah? Glass house syndrome?

I’ll take the lead on federal takeover if and, only if, your proposed legislation includes New York, California, Appalachia and Hawaii. How sad that you can literally keep both eyes shut to egregious commission of human rights violation in these states. It is in these states (including California, apparel capital of the West Coast) where apparel industry owners employ the pyramid concept to deny their workers save and fair working conditions. Need I go on, sir? Time Magazine dedicated an entire issue exposing labor abuses in New York several months ago. If you haven’t read this expose`, I’ll be most happy to sacrifice my only copy.

I’ll take the lead on federal takeover if your juvenile legislation includes measures to cushion the local economy when the apparel industry closes shop and head elsewhere. We’re dealing here with jobs and how sad that too often the indigenous people of these isles (all US Citizens) are often dubbed “foreigners”. If you’re talking widely accepted “American Values”, I also subscribe to it provided you deal with reality in this part of the world and veer off blind legislation laden with innuendoes trumped up by Interior’s OIA.

I’ll take the lead on federal takeover if you include in your ill-conceived legislation the complete wipe-out of child slavery in the farmlands of our country. The Associated Press did a serial on the blatant abuse of innocent children and their families so that US consumers can continue having fresh vegetables and fruits on their dinner table. If you haven’t read this serial on child slavery, I’ll be most happy to forward you a copy of my file.

I’ll take the lead, sir, if through your legislation this group of US Citizens are granted equal representation in the most powerful chambers on earth–the US Congress. After all, you owe us the so-called participatory democracy at a venue where policy decisions are made to which we have no say so whatsoever. We definitely deserve representation in the US Congress. Put your mouth where your money is in righting a constitutional anomaly once and for all. After all, we’re all US Citizens, therefore, deserving of equal representation.

Finally, it’s an economic issue where labor unions throws its weight recklessly as they watch large US corporations head overseas in order to rake-in profits from cheap labor costs in foreign countries. Is the NMI to blame for these relocations that deny US workers gainful employment? How do you view this group of US Citizens anyway, play things to jerk around at the whims of special interest groups? Isn’t it your fiduciary responsibility, sir, to protect US Citizens who have become the target of the US Textile Labor Unions from the tyranny of might is right? Has anybody seen local leadership and what plans does it have on this matter?