Unite for Growth

Governor Juan N. Babauta sums up his first three months in offices as “… a humbling experience.” He says this perhaps with a good measure of guarded optimism knowing that there are ‘specific problems and issues’ now cropping up to face his administration.

Lest the Commonwealth be embroiled in four more years of political wrangling among the powers that be, the Governor warns of the danger to the welfare of the Commonwealth in allowing the kind of hostile relationship that pervaded between some of the previous administrations and legislatures. Be that as it may, rumors abound that a rift between the current administration and the legislature is beginning to unravel. This goes against the view of some political observers, who claim that as a rule, a six-months period of rapport will be enjoyed by a new administration and a new legislature before things begin to turn ugly between them.

A break in friendly relations now, or six-months from now between the executive branch and the legislature will only serve to aggravate, and further hamper the Commonwealth’s ability in ridding itself of an anemic economy.

There is a myriad of fundamental, and complicated issues confronting the Commonwealth’s economic well-being, which begs for solutions that can only be realized through unified effort by the office of the Governor, the legislature, and the business community.

In just the first three months in office, the Babauta administration appears to be on the right path in trying to pull the Commonwealth out of an economic quagmire. Whether through coincidence or design, or perhaps both, the Babauta administration at this time, can actually provide tangible proofs, which at the very least offer a ray of hope for a revitalized economy. With such a promising note, the administration and the legislature must do all they can now to set aside any, and all political differences for the sake of the people they serve. At this juncture, further polarization between the administration and the legislature will only serve to drag the Commonwealth deeper into the pit of economic despair –a likelihood that we can all ill-afford.

To say that the people of the Commonwealth have been very accommodating to all the petty political bickering between previous administrations and legislatures- especially among legislators would be understatement.

This time around, however, with election 2003 just months away, it behooves every lawmaker aspiring for another term to rally behind the governor in his effort to put life back into our economy.