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Nov 7, 2007

Poll: Will Tina Make It or Not?

Our new poll asks whether you think Tina Sablan will make it to the top 6 in her precinct when the absentee ballots are finally counted. She is on a neck-and-neck battle with Janet Maratita and Cinta Kaipat.

So what do you think? What went wrong and right on the result of her votes?

<-----Cast your votes now!

---

Poll Results:

Our last poll about NMC's shutting down of Tinian and Rota instructional sites:

75 percent of the votes said Yes and should've been decided a long time ago.
12.5 percent said no.
12.5 percent of the voters were surprised to learn that there are other campuses on the two islands.

The Reveler

37 comments:

Lil' Hammerhead said...

The fact that we're even discussing this is sad. Tina should have been the top votegetter. People can't be this stupid or self-serving. Who knows? Maybe it'll take having to forage through trashbins for a meal before this great nimrod block of voters decides the same old shit is only going to keep us heading into the abyss. Oh yeah, Janet "PIC is Racist" Maratita is just what we need. Another legislator with an IQ of a housefly.. alright, not a housefly.. how about a Micronesian Honeyeater :) Let's hope the off-island votes are coming from a more educated group, who aren't gambling on a family member or themselves getting a job.

On Saipan said...

hmmm...housefly...wonder why the comments. i have not met her nor brushed elbows with her yet. care to elaborate on racist comment? thnx

Pragmatic Plato said...

So everyone is asking about why Tina Sablan didn't get more than 911 votes.

Here is my take:


----------------

She...

ran independent

did not run a single advertisement(radio/tv/internet)

did not attend the funerals, baby showers, birthday parties, etc.

did not "ask" for a single vote

did not post up a single billboard

did not do a sign waving

did not have a rally or campaign party of any sort

spoke openly about the plight of non-res workers, federalization, minimum wage, casino act, government's status quo, and all other issues the face the CNMI

went to every forum she was invited to and spoke from her heart unscripted

had her name on the ballot different than what is publicly known

moved to precinct 1 the day before she filed (never lived in the precinct prior)

filed for candidacy the last day you could (before the extension)

did not align herself with anyone running

is a female

is 26 years old

is hapa (50% NMD)

had 14 people with her contending for 6 seats (worst ratio in the election)

did not promise anyone a single job

did not give a single person a donation of any type

spent less than $700 on her entire campaign

-------------------



So with all that said shouldn't the question be:

How the hell did she get 911 votes?

I am very optimistic that the absentee votes will keep her in.

All that said, she has opened up the door to many people to run in the future that thought it could not be done except if you ran the way all the others did.

As for the people that did get in the biggest obstacle to change that was presented during this election was the fact that the selection was very limited. Look carefully at each precinct there was not much to grab at. Each precinct but #3 in Saipan sent a new face in.


Precinct 1 - Ralph and Tina
Precinct 2 - Ray
Precinct 3 - (lack of a new face other than Pete)
Precinct 4 - Joe
Precinct 5 - Rosemond and Fred


If you look carefully at the choices in each precinct there really wasn't much to select from.

This is normally the case in the CNMI.

Let us hope that this will not be the case come 2009. I truly believe that we will see a huge pool of new faces with new ideas enter the ring in 2009.

Boycott Porky's!

PP

On Saipan said...

this would make a great letter to the editor...;-)

Anonymous said...

Those require names and some cojones.

Lil' Hammerhead said...

Writer.. there was an incident a few years ago, when Ms. Maratita was serving as a Representative. She accused a PIC manager of being racist. She was so far off base, she was in a seperate ballpark. A number of local people in the community rushed to back up this PIC manager and basically Ms. Maratita eventually moved on. I don't know what the backstory was behind Ms. Maratita's tyrade, but she made herself look incredibly bad.

Pragmatic Plato said...

Ron M.

Do you honestly feel that you are so world renowned that people know who you are?

Ron M.??

Oh crap you are. Thanks for the visit to all of the schools Mr. MacDonald.


Boycott Porky's!

PP

Anonymous said...

To her credit, Tina was truthful throughout her campaign. I cannot say the same for most of the other candidates. Tina's already won what's important and now I hope she also gets enough votes to get sworn into office in January.

But Tina's already won the hearts and trust of so many people despite that she broke every rule of the NMI's establishment politicians.

Go Tina, Go Girl!

Ps. Who is Angelo?

Anonymous said...

I know I'm not such a puss that I'm afraid to say what I want and have to hide. You don't have to be famous. You just don't have to be gutless and lacking all risk taking/leadership skills. Social change requires risk on the part of people. Why would they put themselves at risk for someone so gutless. You're just blustering. Sorry to call you on it again.

Lil' Hammerhead said...

You missed his point "Ron M"... his point was: How can you be so caught up on the anonymous thing, when you comment all of the time and NOBODY KNOWS WHO THE HELL YOU ARE.

Anonymous said...

ey, be gentle to ronald mcdonald. those make up is enough pain to wear everyday ;-)

Someone asked who Angelo is. Lil care to introduce him? ;-)

Pragmatic Plato said...

Ron M. I don't know who the heck you are and the most important thing is...

I really don't care.

If you share any insight on an issue or a topic I will gladly entertain the issue or topic just the same.

Boycott Porky's!

PP

PS: Got some great X-Mas gifts available on my blog:

pragmaticplato.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I comment once in a while. I'm not trying to lead boycotts or tell people how to vote on casinos. Anyone who lives in Saipan should know who I am. You comment all the time, more than anyone, and no one knows who you are. Plus you make up stories about being here for decades, but you're 23 on your profile. Who knows what to believe with you. Maybe just stop lying for a minute.

Lil' Hammerhead said...

:) Ask me a question... any question "ron m". In 1965 you could still see old men walking around with thus (traditional loin cloths) in Chalan Kanoa. In 1974, what is now the steak house by the world resort, was a tin building used for boxing matches. In 1975 construction started on the Surf Hotel which is now the PIC. Between 1978 and 1982 a ferry ran between Tinian and Saipan that allowed you to transport your car back and forth.

... Many many decades "ron m".. A woman doesn't disclose her age you ass.

Lil' Hammerhead said...

As far as Angelo goes.. no, I'm not going to be mean for the sake of being mean.

You can check out my blog on my personal experience with him.

Tamara said...

I'm sorry but I have lived on Saipan for a good 33 years and I have been on the board of the Red Cross, Chamber of Commerce, Northern Marianas Insurance Association, Workforce Investment Agency, etc etc...I guess it's safe to say I have "lived" on Saipan and I have NO clue who you are "Ron M" ..So who are you?

Pragmatic Plato said...

23 = 2 decades and 3 years.

(Mr. McDonald, you remember the old Coca Cola bottling plant in lower base?

The CNMI population signboard sign atop it?

Remember USDA cheese that we all used to go down and grab?

Remember the Taipei Restaurant?

Remember when we used to drag race on the old Kobler Runway?

Etc.)

Boycott Porky's!

PP

PS: I still have no clue who you are. I still don't much care. I may be leading boycotts and giving people my take on legislation and other going ons in the CNMI and the world, you my friend are just a waste of pixel space.

If you decide to address an issue do so. If it is worthy of a response from other bloggers you will get one. The anonymity is not a factor unless of course you, Mr. Mcdonald are looking to gain a spotlight or enhance your own personal image. I could care less to do either. I have opinions. They are my opinions. You can read them and take them for what they are worth or disregard them.

Boycott Porky's!

PP

Pragmatic Plato said...

Well mister Ron McDonald it appears you are the Anonymous one. I can assure you I know Charmin and I know Tamara.

So henceforth I request that you, Mr. McDonald, please stop with the anonymous posts and assume an identity that is well known to all bloggers. I suggest you stick with the Clown one I have dub you.

Boycott Porky's!

PP

PS: Start a blog you louse. Your sporadic comments without a blog attached to them are not of the same worth as mine. (BTW, this was a shot at sarcasm. Everyone should comment anytime they want on any public blog IRREGARDLESS [wow, Microsoft Word also thinks this is a real word. No squiggly line under it. Go figure] of whether they use an alias, have a blog, wear clown make-up, support acts that would further gov't waste and corruption, etc.)

Tamara said...

By the way, I think Tina did an awesome job. Garnering 911 votes based on the information PP gave us above, is an accomplishment! I'm sure if the entire population of Saipan had the opportunity to vote for her, she would have received a significantly larger number of votes. She has definitely set a precedent for future elections. I also, don't see what or why Angelo has to do with anything including the poll ??!!? Have or am I missing something??

Jeff said...

Plato, I still think you act like an ass and are completely overboard with bruce, but you do occasionally make sense, and I recognize that. I'm going to quote from your take on Tina for my next column and attribute it to an anonymous blogger.

Pragmatic Plato said...

Please verify the items with her. I have talked to her on a few occasions and that is what I can recall of hand.

Boycott Porky's!

PP

Pragmatic Plato said...

Btw, I have never denied the fact that I can be a total ass.

Boycott Porky's!

PP

Brad Ruszala said...

ron m, remember the alamo?

ha ha ha. if this isn't the silliest ongoing exchange of blogger fodder then i don't know what is.

as for Janet "PIC is Racist" Maratita, i remember both papers being swamped with letters to the editor from wendy supporters, both local and non-local alike.

maratita was mara-trounced with rebuttals and she actually did more to find additional community praise for wendy on her way out of saipan rather than mar the former manager's image.

i didn't even know wendy, but i got a quick interview with her at the airport when she was saying goodbye to saipan for the last time.

she seemed like a nice lady and she teared up when she headed up to customs.

it was genuine. from the letters that poured in, it seemed like she was a genuine, too.

Anonymous said...

I thought everyone knew Ron Mandel. Right, PP?

Lil' Hammerhead said...

That's the incident Brad! Thanks for adding the additional info.

Lil' Hammerhead said...

We should get our minds off of all of this right now and just wait for the ballots. Find something interesting or funny to help you do that. Well whatta ya know! Just in.. new desktop wallpapers from MustBeTheHumidity!

Check out the link on my site, or find them here:

http://lilhammerhead.googlepages.com/home

Enjoy!

Brad Ruszala said...

howie's brother?


deal or no deal?

Pragmatic Plato said...

Ron Maratita?

Boycott Porky's!

PP

Anonymous said...

no matter how you want this discussion to end, the fact remains that tina is on the sixth place. What if the absentee ballots push her down?

Pragmatic Plato said...

They very much could. I don't think anyone is denying that rev. ALthough it appears that many bloggers believe she will stay where she is.

Boycott Porky's!

PP

Lil' Hammerhead said...

I do. I still have a little bit of hope where the intelligence and goodness of most of the people of Saipan are concerned. Just a little.. hopefully a win for Tina will help me hold on to that hope.lil

Anonymous said...

yeah same here. but PP why do you keep on crying to ban Porky's? sorry out of that loop here.

Anonymous said...

All of you guys crack me up. I read all the comments and got lost on what I'm supposed to comment about. Is it about who has lived on Saipan the longest? Sounds like a pissing contest if you ask me.

Regarding Tina, I am willing to bet my case of Spam that Tina will gain a great deal of off-island votes. She is the people's champion and will do an awesome job up at Capitol Hill.

I don't agree with Tina on some issues, but who the hell cares? It's about character and honesty. Tina is as refreshing as a cold shower on a hot day. If you want honesty, talk to Tina. She won't sugarcoat the truth or give you a half-ass answer. She speaks from the heart. I wish more of us could do the same...

Best wishes Tina!

Ed Propst

Anonymous said...

i couldn't agree more. though i wish our friends cinta and waki would make it as well....happy also that Galvin made it to the BOE.

On Saipan said...

Someone told me the entire story about the PIC incident with the former lawmaker. Source said that the cashier mistakenly called their attention thinking that the lawmaker's group didn't pay the bill. PIC apologized for the mistake and offered some perks for the mistake. However, the lawmaker asked more than what was supposed to be given to them. The lawmaker asked for free rooms and more food for the lawmaker's group among many others. The general manager at that time diplomatically smacked the lawmaker with words that it was utterly unacceptable what the lawmaker was asking at time. So PIC GM, who was white American, told her staff not to accommodate further the lawmaker's whims. Thus, PIC was labeled as racist.

Now I know.

Anonymous said...

This all goes to show that a lot of people really dislike being called a racist when they're not, and do not shy away from rebutting such unfounded allegations.

Being overly quick to make such charges publicly, as did the former Congresswoman, does not create a better community in the long run.

Weren't there also incidents in the press during her term where her vehicle was observed at poker parlors during working hours?

Anonymous said...

let's all watch for the absentee ballot counting this weekend!!!!

Translate: saipanmiddleroad.blogspot.com

 

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