Aspirants singing strange refrain

Since the inception of our constitutional government, I’ve watched political careers take meteoric ascend or slide into oblivion. Recently, it has turned into a musical: “Candle in the Wind”. It’s what I call hierarchical burn out, therefore, a struggle that is all uphill. Repeating victory, mind you, is next to impossible.

Going for the most coveted seat takes more than just fickle dreams of amassing power and prestige. As you enter this circle, greater scrutiny is placed on your performance record of recent past. If it is riddled with ill-conceived policies that have done nothing but placed greater hardship on the welfare of families here, it’s best that you steer clear of blindly searching for public confidence.

How sad that such is the case especially among drained GOP gubernatorial aspirants most of whom have taken public confidence for granted. No, gentlemen, the voters aren’t about to accept your rendering of alleged leadership that has translated into less revenue generation and far less jobs for the hundreds of locals still seeking for meaningful employment. It’s an entrenchment that is awfully difficult to justify to reverse the apparent steady erosion of public confidence.

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It’s comforting though that among the group, there emerges the Messenger of Hope (Speaker Ben Fitial and his coalition) who’s poised to provide real leadership even against all odds. For once, someone has stood up and delivered a simple straightforward message of the dire need for positive policies that would turn an estranged relationship with the private sector into one of partnership.

It’s all a matter of staying focus with what needs to be done. What stark difference in approach from previous legislative mediocrity often dazed and unsure how to defend self-government which equally entails defending our economic freedom. In the process, strings of reactionary measures ensued that at best pander to the whims of our detractors.

Such perceptual allegations as denial of religious freedom and prostitution should have been brought squarely to Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka’s nimble mind that Waikiki is still lurking with real prostitution as to force the immediate community to rally support against pornography to protect its young people. But our White Knight
(Juan N. Babauta) led the chorus in apologies for the so-called “mistreatment”.

But then, what about Akaka’s agenda to ruin and compromise the democratic process against Chamorros and Carolinians, Mr. Babauta? Was your apology intended to acquiesce Akaka’s bent determination to deny our people their political and economic freedoms? Is this your definition of representation–allowing our arch-enemies or liberal social democrats–to annihilate our livelihood? Hell, for $1.6 million I’ll do a better job representing the true sentiments of the people of these islands at the nation’s capital.

Perhaps it is just as appropriate a time for me to seriously consider running for your post. I’ve worked so very hard to defend and protect our rights to self-government however you may disagree with my approach. It is a crime to compromise our rights and freedom with convenience and vacillation.

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You see, respect is a two-way street. I was really relying upon a fellow islander like Sen. Akaka to go to bat for us. I never knew that he had to adhere to labor unions’ version of a Tahitian dance at our expense. Guam also joined the critics’ corner because she can sit pretty with more money flying into its military bases.
The NMI must make do with tourism and apparel manufacturing because it’s the only two realistic economic activity that have scaffold our growing needs. The latter has done exceedingly well in terms of revenue, but we continue to sport a juvenile attitude that it isn’t what it is. Well, has the previous leadership provided an alternative? Nothing can be further from the truth!