A more transparent Legislature? Or should the Legislature hold office in a glass house? This is the call of current Rep. Tina Sablan for more signatures to make this initiative a reality-- in time for the November election ballot.
This brings me to wonder what the Legislature's role in all these commotion up on Capital Hill. What is its role on the lawsuit being filed or about to be filed against the US government? Do lawmakers have its say on the current issues facing the Commonwealth at all? Should they intervene? I guess I'm a bit lost. Kindly enlighten me....
Going back to the transparency issue, is making it open really the issue?
Quoting the "freshman lawmaker" from the Trib, “I am convinced that it is up to the people of this Commonwealth to rise up and demand the transparency and accountability they deserve from their elected officials, and to take direct action to apply the Open Government Act to the Legislature through the popular initiative process,” she added.
Click here for the entire story from ST.
18 comments:
Yes, I think it is important, if not crucial, that the people who are governed know exactly how their elected officials conduct the public's business.
Who in the community would be opposed to an open, transparent government?
If you have not signed this petition, what are you waiting for?
Many of our elected "leaders" are concerned with getting their unaccountable funds, stealing any chance they get, and trying to perpetuate the ill conceived gravy train for as long as possible.
Half of our lost congress supports a lawsuit against the US to support the Governor and other half just don't know.
Big business will no longer support such losing efforts and now, absent textile profits to feed the defense, must support transparency in government, reduction in numbers and salary of our Congress, and a complete restructure and downsizing of our bureaucratic local government.
Our shameless lawmakers now sit flat on their ass on a hill like cowboys in circled wagons waiting for the wrath of our disenchanted public, protecting their money.
And as for Tina/s bill, we commented this about her in the early summer of 2007:
"Many local islanders have been led to believe the US government was the enemy and protection from federalization was essential in protecting the island economy and culture. Protectionism here has not worked and only helped the textile industry. For years I wondered if the local islands would ever produce someone with the intestinal fortitude, honesty, and incorruptible character to incite change in the commonwealth. At the rate our high school and college students are vacating the island we saw no end in sight....and then came Tina. Her name is Tina Sablan. She is smart and tougher than she looks. When you question her she will tell you the truth, the whole truth, and you will see it in her eyes. She is an advocate to beautify Saipan turned political candidate in District 1. Within a few years you will see politicians jumping on her bandwagon out of fear. She is running Independent, probably to disassociate herself with our corrupt past because at 26 years old, she is the future. She doesn't want any campaign contributions and her proprietary interest is deep rooted love for these beautiful islands and their people. Congressperson Christensen, she is your friend, Saipan's friend, and the people's friend. Please help her all you can."
Her bills and initiatives are no surprise. Our remaining Congress can get their ass on the bandwagon or the will go down in the historical record as stupid shameless crooks.
I was shocked to find out the "open government act" didn't apply to the legislature. Absurd.
To Chamberonomics,
You say that half of the legislators support the governor's lawsuit and the other half just does not know.
Name them all of them and where they stand.
The saddest part of this post is that your educators have failed you, my friend.
the saddest part of your comment is that you don't fully understand this blog and its style.
The CNMI government has always been and always will be a fucking embarrassing joke. Most lawmakers are lawyers in the States. These fuckers are a bunch of uneducated vindictive criminals. Just as Nancy Pelosi said: "These people are criminals!" Yes, they are.
. . . as opposed to the US Congress, which is a bunch of educated vindictive criminals.
Pelosi's thefts and under the table deals make CNMI politicians look like saints by comparison.
One does not have to be a lawyer to be an effective Representive, nony, far from it. In fact the inverse may be true.
Sorry you didn't get the contract you wanted. You are a bit bitter sounding, ehh?
The only solution commonwealth by China or Korea....
"the saddest part of your comment is that you don't fully understand this blog and its style."
I don't think there's any style in unintentional poor grammar. Here's what I mean.
"This brings me to wonder what the Legislature's role in all these commotion up on Capital Hill. What is its role on the lawsuit being filed or about to be filed against the US government? Do lawmakers have its say on the current issues facing the Commonwealth at all? Should they intervene? I guess I'm a bit lost. Kindly enlighten me....
Going back to the transparency issue, does making it open really the issue?"
What's the style? Where's the style? Take some time to read it over before posting, fan.
Here's a little "enlightenment" for you:
"This brings me to wonder what the Legislature's role in all these commotion up on Capital Hill."
A simple fix (though it still isn't perfect) would be:
"This brings me to wonder what the Legislature's role is in all of these commotions up on Capital Hill."
NEXT:
"What is its role on the lawsuit being filed or about to be filed against the US government?"
Not sure that anyone has a role "on" any lawsuits unless they have a role on Law & Order. Otherwise I think they'd have a role "in" said lawsuit.
NEXT:
"Do lawmakers have its say on the current issues facing the Commonwealth at all? Should they intervene?"
Maybe ask if lawmakers have "their" say instead of "its" say.
"I guess I'm a bit lost. Kindly enlighten me...."
That's just what I'm trying to do. And for the last one:
"Going back to the transparency issue, does making it open really the issue?"
Replace "does" with "is" and you'll be fine. You could also replace "it" with "the legislature" for extra points.
whoa, since when did blogging have editors, dimwit. better write your own blog, since you have such extensive imagination.
i guess variety editor is your consultant or maybe it's you. BB won't like that.
here's enlightenment for you. you have no blog. you're just jealous with this blog. geez.
hold your horses kids. no need to fight in this blog. flogger has actually a point. we at the SMR Headquarters were a bit lax on that one. The poster admitted he was inebriated when that post was written.
does anyone else care about this?
thanks.
Frankly, I don't think most people do.
Those with great interest should sign Tina Sablan's citizen initiative petition this weekend to apply the Open Government Act to the legislature.
Maybe it would actually be a good thing to have them spend all their time responding to OGA queries rather than doing substantive work.
This already happens to the Executive Branch. Maybe we'd be better off to repeal the entire thing.
How about Stinker Torres who has withdrawn his support for a transparent legislature? Maybe his trying to hide more of his ghost employees?
Is everybody busy gathering signatures right now?
While foreign nationals are forbidden from contributing money or services toward candidates for Delegate, there is no such law restricting aliens' political activity or donations with respect to local elections or petitions.
Post a Comment