Apocalypse Not

I've read some dire predictions about what the Commonwealth faces now that it appears Gov. Benigno R. Fitial will be re-elected. Nothing new, of course, equally dire predictions were made before the runoff about the future under him and under Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider, the challenger. Two sides, and support hardens to partisanship in the clinches.

I'm a fatalist myself. The government's profligate ways combined with the economy's retrenchment to form not the perfect storm, but the perfect doldrums. I had a definite preference, but there won't be much room to maneuver for either man.

The Pacific Daily News paints a pretty accurate picture in their election story. With a liability of 'close to $500 million' (David Sablan) or 'probably upwards of $1 billion' (Sam McPhetres), the government will likely be reacting to events rather than controlling them.

Any solutions will be complicated, as usual, by the fact that Rota and Tinian use their control of the Senate to say 'me too' and 'me three' whenever appropriations come around. (Another reason a union with Guam is highly unlikely in the foreseeable future. They would never consent to having a Senate with veto power over their larger population, while Rota and Tinian would never give that up.)

Somehow, though the problems will be solved, or at least dealt with, simply because there is no other choice. There will be a lot of pain and suffering. The finger-pointing and second-guessing is likely to continue. More crisis management with the bottom signaled not with a bang but a whimper.

Some of Governor Fitial's detractors have said, or implied, that 'the feds' had a preference in this election, and it wasn't him. The Governor has done nothing to discourage that view. Personally, I view the federal government as a huge, amorphous caterpillar that doesn't have the motor skills to get all of its feet moving in the same direction.

Yes, the Department of Interior didn't announce the release of Compact Impact funds until after the runoff. The progress report on CUC's compliance with its stipulated order came out just before the election. But, at the same time, the Department of Homeland Security's postponement of immigration control until a week after the election seems almost calculated to help the incumbent.

People fear change, and boy, is federal immigration control a big one. Hofschneider and Speaker Arnold I. Palacios meant change from the current policies with their campaign slogan, but it got confounded with 'change to federal control'. In times of crisis it's 'don't change horses in midstream', 'stay the course', 'rally around the flag' or 'let it BE'. (Maybe it's just me, but 'let us finish the job' sounds a bit too ominous.)

My cynical side suspects that the thinking behind the lawsuit attempting to stop federalization was 'even if it doesn't work, it's great for the campaign.' I suppress that side, but it pops up again and suggests that the Marine Monument might have gotten a better reception if it hadn't been proposed with immigration control pending. Outsiders, pushing federalization and taking away local control all dovetail too neatly with the immigration narrative.

McPhetres brings up an interesting point in the PDN article: most of his students get a "warm and fuzzy feeling" from Fitial. I hadn't thought of that, and it's undoubtedly true, though I doubt he'll be pushing Saipanda dolls off of the Duty Free shelves.

I once told Bob Grimac, a former editor of the Marianas Variety that he would probably never understand CNMI politics if he didn't have some familiarity with big-city machine politics. Analogies are never exact, but that one has been pretty useful to me over the years.

The ward heelers were out in force in the gap between the general election and the runoff; you saw many of the free-lancers choosing up sides with their endorsements. Two things: 1) that's meant as an observation, not a judgment and, 2) I'm not saying the term applies to all of the people endorsing one camp or the other.

If you think I'm going to tell you which is which, well, that's tough. Do your own homework.

I've been amused and sometimes irritated by the spokespeople, politicians and columnists who throw out references to 'bloggers' instead of responding to a specific person. It's intellectually dishonest. A straw man: they win by default because you don't know who they're arguing with. *

I agree with some bloggers ten percent of the time and others 90 percent. Only one meets my exacting standards and is 99 percent correct. That's me. I resent being lumped into somebody's spew against bloggers in general.

For instance, here's David North reacting to the latest election. Another hollow man, but not me.

* Yes, I'm doing the same thing. Aren't you clever to catch it?

Whose visa waiver?

Or, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Guam is looking forward to getting its share of Russian and Chinese tourists under the visa waiver program.

"Guam may be able to benefit from a similar program if the one in the CNMI proves successful, (Guam Delegate Madeleine) Bordallo and tourism officials have said," according to the Pacific Daily News.*

Uh, oh. Unfortunately for us, Guam's 'share' will probably be larger than ours. They've got the air connections and a lot more attractions. Hong Kong was just added to the list eligible for Guam waivers. It will be interesting to see how they do in that market.

Another uh, oh: "It will open up English language and educational tourism opportunities of longer duration, thereby expanding the mix and menu of teaching modules that have different time horizons," said Guam Visitors Bureau General Manager Gerry Perez.

Where have we heard this before?

Bordallo was lobbying Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano for Chinese and Russian to have Guam included in the 'parole' that was eventually approved for the Commonwealth. According to the article, she's still at it.

That may give the CNMI a very small window to get our act together before Guam is competing for the same tourists. Ah, but we've got casinos.

Well, casino. One, and it's not doing that well. A lot of plans, a few silver shovels getting scratched up in 'groundbreakings'. Don't get me wrong. I hope they work out on Tinian. I have the same hopes for Rota. I hope Saipan doesn't fall for that one.

Meanwhile, Rota leaders appear to be having second thoughts: Small-scale casino pushed on Rota.

Umm, do you mean a poker palace?


* I'd appreciate it if one of my two loyal readers lets me know when this link disappears and the article disappears into the vending-machine archives.

College grade

Could the Northern Marianas College actually shut down? I've been on Saipan long enough that I'm used to brinksmanship; thinking the current 'show cause' status was just another example of mañana meeting reality.

Despite the article in today's Saipan Tribune about a closure plan I was still in denial about NMC losing accreditation.

I'm not alone, though. The article includes the incredible statement that some officials "are aware officials are coming, but didn't know they would be using that visit to help determine NMC's future." Why else would they be coming?

Just a minor thing, a comment in Must be the Humidity woke me up. I went back and gave the story a closer read. This is not good.

The CNMI has a small population, and NMC has already had to shut down its Rota and Tinian campuses. Maybe we just don't have the resources, or the will, to support a community college. I hope that's not true.

BTW: Governor Benigno R. Fitial has extended the State of Emergency for the Commonwealth Health Center Pharmacy. Mañana.

Size matters, and random observations

I loved the Marianas Variety's survey of Marianas gas prices: Rota $5.30, Tinian $5.00, Saipan $4.80 and Guam $4.57 per gallon. The differences are about what you'd expect given the islands' size and other factors. For good measure, we get a peek at $6.00 gasoline in the Federated States of Micronesia.

So we're all getting 'hosed' equally. The closing paragraph was entertaining, though not very amusing:

"Robert Koppen of South Pacific Petroleum Company, which runs Circle K gas stations, declined to comment, saying oil companies don't normally discuss gas price issues."

Fish stories

An anonymous poster had a cow because of my ruminations about the Marianas Variety and Saipan Tribune perhaps, er, leaning one way or another on the proposed Marine Monument. Follow the links and see how they handle the same story. No comment here; I want to be fair and balanced. You decide. (Gee, I always wanted to write that. Does Fox have the copy write?)

Site sighting

This is just a quick jab at my pal Ed Stevens for writing "re-zero your sites" in his Friday column. Tch, coming from an experienced writer and self-proclaimed gun nut. I wouldn't even mention it, but he once mocked my affection for The Elements of Style.

Round three to the Governor

The House of Representatives may oppose Gov. Benigno R. Fitial's 'emergency' takeover of the Commonwealth Ports Authority, but it's been outfoxed. The Governor has extended the state of emergency and there's nothing they can do. He's forced the board to resign, but no replacements have been appointed.

Bucking the trend

Our air service glass is half full. That's the impression I get after reading Airlines’ Cuts Making Cities No-Fly Zones in the New York Times.


Sure, Continental has pretty much abandoned Saipan for Guam. It was probably bound to happen once Larry Hilbloom's plane crashed (cue the irony). Like it or not, Guam's the Micronesian hub for a lot of businesses. We still get some flights, charters and the Continental Connection to Guam through Cape Air.

Asiana Airlines, and Kumho Asiana in general, is moving in. The Marianas Variety says Northwest to double Saipan flights. All in all, we seem to be in better shape than most areas.

The article surprised me. I didn't know Cape Air was in the Northeast U.S., Florida and the Caribbean too. According to sometimes-reliable Wikipedia, it's the largest independent regional airline in the United States.

They seem to be pushing Rota, though. From the website: "Travel between the beautiful islands of Guam and Rota in under an hour, with more to do and see than ever before." Now that's a Continental Connection.

No Absoluts

Did you catch this one? It's been all over the internet for a few days. It even ran in the Saipan Tribune.

An Absolut Vodka ad, in Mexico, showed North America as it was in 1848. "In an Absolut world..." The Red State set went bonkers, claiming a liberal conspiracy backing the reconquista at La Raza. Nuts were ponging off of my eyes and ears like hailstones on a tin roof. Fox News of course, a bit subdued and chagrined because Michelle Malkin got there first.

There were calls for boycotts. San Francisco's Skyy Vodka* donned a U.S. flag cape and sycophantically flew into battle.

Absolut caved, of course.

What's the big deal?

In a few minutes I could come up with a hundred places where people think they're on the wrong side of a boundary. Maybe in an Absolut World Saipan, Tinian, Rota and Guam would be the Chamoru Nation. This is advertising, folks. Nobody is trying to rewrite history-- and it doesn't do any good to get defensive when your sordid past is mentioned.

Some Mexicans don't even want the territory. One man said he wanted to go to Los Angeles to earn dollars, not pesos.

Their government hasn't been terrific over the years. It's dominated by those of European descent. Does it even matter to most indios which oligarchy is in charge? Who asked them? Most probably don't want to go back to the good old days anyway, those Aztecs were pretty nasty conquerors.

Malkin alert

Absolut's not done, of course. They've moved on to the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual,transgender) community. You might have to explain this ad to your kids. Or not.

Shot or a mix O'Reilly?


* I'm pretty neutral about Absolut; don't even think about it much. The ads are cute, sometimes, and it's better than Skyy's dishwater.

Indian nation

How is the Commonwealth like Indian Country (reservations)? How is it different?

I boarded this train of thought when I ran across an article on H.R. 5608, The Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments Act. Rahall Introduces Bill Upholding Federal Trust Relationship with Indian Country (Native American Times)

We know what the federal government thinks: the CNMI is under the Office of Insular Affairs and not the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The National Indian Gaming Commission didn't jump in when yet another casino was proposed on Saipan; it left Rota and Tinian Casino proposals alone.

But the proposed government to government consultation? That sounds like Section 902 of The Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America. The Covenant, after all, is essentially a treaty.

Land alienation? Yup, very similar, except First American lands are really messed up. Technically, most of them are really owned ('held in trust') by the U.S. government.

Yet, I'm sure I remember articles from time to time that say the CNMI is eligible for some Indian grants and programs.

Really, I have no opinion on this. I'm just curious, and a little confused.


Oh, as an addon. How about these quotes from Indian Country Today?

Similarly, Native Hawaiians are beneficiaries of many congressional legislative acts along with American Indians and Alaska Natives. Yet, Native Hawaiians are not federally recognized as an ''Indian tribe'' the way that many Alaska Native villages are.

Should Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, indigenous peoples from the Pacific territories, also be classified as ''Indian tribes'' for the purposes of the Constitution and law? Did the Constitution's framers mean ''indigenous peoples'' when they used the more politically, culturally and historically limited expression ''Indian tribes''?