Risky to change leadership?
As the entire CNMI gears up for election this weekend, news today says that the incumbent discloses apprehensions on changing leadership in the time of crisis.
The incumbent according to Saipan Tribune expressed that it would be “very risky' for the CNMI to vote for a governor without proven leadership, especially in these challenging times amid federalization and economic recovery concerns. House Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, who is the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider of the Republican Party, says “change is inevitable.”
Are you ready for the big "Change?" Our poll, which is proven unreliable, is up for the BE tandem.
'Happy Elections' everyone!
149 comments:
I'm not even up for an oil change.
don't BE fooled again!
BE careful what you wish for, HA!
If you really care about the CNMI and you would like to see an end come to this dictatorship of an administration that was riddled with corruption, nepotism, emergency declarations, incompetence and brash disregard for the law and the wellbeing of our community then VOTE in the poll on the side bar NOW!
VOTE FOR ANYONE OTHER THAN FITIAL... YES, ANYONE OTHER THAN FITIAL. EVEN KUMOI IS A GOD COMPARED TO FITIAL!!
Noni 2:44pm,
your call has been answered. we will vote the same way on saturday! no more fitial.
Anyone has a bio/resume on HA/HP? What kind of jobs did Heinz have? Education?
Bills introduced?
Hobbies?
I know he wasn't an Executive in with a Garment Company that got slapped with the LARGEST LABOR FINE in the history of the world.
:-( You can get a copy of Heinz and Arnold's CV directly from them just give them a ring.
By the way, I called UOG and they have no idea who Fitial is. Can you please ask him to post his transcripts from UOG?
Also, does anyone know what hobbies Ben has besides sitting on the couch at Blue Lagoon and Kimchee Cabana (the oldest nightclub in town baby!)?
Also, besides trying to steal a the health care corporation bill from Heinz, what bills did Fitial introduce while in the house back in the 2nd (OMG aren't we like almost in the 17th?! Can you say fossil?), 3rd, 4th, 5th, 12th and 14th legislatures (can we put a term limit on these bozos?)?
Also, anyone know what his favorite color is and his favorite food?
Thanks!
I would ask for his favorite song but I heard he is very upset that "Let It Be" was re-written and he can no longer stand to hear it.
Noni 3:52
Are you a HA/HP supporter? Nevermind...
Why don't they post their bio info on their website? Why do I have to call? If I get their CV is it only for me to know and everyone else to call and find out? Doesn't seem fair...
When I hire/elect someone I expect them to come to the job interview with a resume.
Could you please anonymously post their CV on wikileaks or something so we can be more educated about our vote?
Thanks in advance
funny...suddenly the poll makes HA tandem ahead of BE...
500 votes and it keeps going....
Ask Smart Glen, the Chief of Technology.
HA!
Noni 3:59pm,
Yes, I will post both of their CV online. Please post what I requested of Fitial online too. Okay?
I'm concerned about the whole UOG thing. Did he really go there?
Also, after nearly 14 years in the House as a representative, what bills did he introduce. I mean we all know he paid off Abramoff to get the speakership position. That is well documented. Tsk Tsk Tsk. What did he do once he got it?
Is he still in close contact with Willie even though Jerry is supporting Juan Pan? How does he feel about that massive Labor Fine assessed by the Federal Government. I guess we still know how he feels... just look at the lawsuit he has filed now.
hey I just realized that Fitials Resume online lists all the "President" & Spec Consultant positions he held after being int he House for so long. Was that adequate experience for President Positions? Where was his previous work experience? I guess wheeling and dealing with Abramoff in the House and countless backroom transactions buys you Presidency in Private Sector.
Anyone got any insight?
I look at all good businessmen's resumes and they all start somewhere before hitting Pres. unless they are corrupt and buy it.
You are right. When I interview people for a job I love to see their resume.
I just looked at Fitial's Bio online.
It appears that after he secured the deals with Abramoff to help Tan with his under the table dealings when he was in the House of Representatives he went off to succeed royally in business (lol)
Here is a list of his Work Experience as detailed publicly online:
Vice President, Tan Holdings Corporation
Special Consultant, L&T Corporation
President, Century Insurance Corporation
President, Century Travel Corporation
President, Consolidated Transportation Services Inc. (CTSI)
President, Pacific Oriental Inc. (POI)
President, Home Improvement (MPI)
Do you see what I see?
I sure do...
EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS listed above is a TAN owned business. Do you think he worked his way up? lol
Wow, 3:17pm, you should have kept your trap shut. I'm sure this just cost Fitial a few more votes.
TAN MAN he is.
Hey wait a second. Fitial has been in government for 14 years in the house as a representative, 6 more years in various government positions and now 4 years as governor. 25 years in government. how did he squeeze in 7 presidencies with Tan owned corporation in 9 years? Was it musical chairs at Tan Co?
Man, I want to play... I mean work for Tan.
7 presidencies in 9 years?!?!
is that for real?
either ben was a fantastic manager.....
or he was terrible.
either he was the rare and brilliant dude who didn't have to work his way up the corporate ladder and just started at the top .....
or he was the connected dude with friends like willie and jack who liked him because he was their "boy."
i'm thinkin ..... the latter
.
Sorry, this is the only poll on any site that has held them, that has had Fitial-Inos even close to winning. It's obviously being manipulated.
Their "proven leadership" mantra is the current community joke. The only thing that's been "proven" is their ability to appoint the dumbest lackluster bunch of bums, and the ability to take a poor situation and make it one hundred times worse.
Thank God we'll be able to send a message to this pack of parasites.
Find it interesting that only a few days to the election and many voters sill do not have any idea what this latest pack of clowns really have in mind if they get elected.
Babauta and Buenavente on the day after they were elected have publically stated "They had no idea what they had got themselves into" Ben and Tim came in with guns blazing and look what happened.I have this dejavu feeling all over again......
The HA! team is running a stealth campaign of no substance, hoping the negative attacks such as those in this blog by the likes of Bitter Ed and Smart Glen will get their candidates elected.
Leadership roles in the private sector are based on decades of prior experience. Unlike the Legislature, businesses do not pay for incompetence, let alone keep them on the payroll and recycle them through non-performing positions.
Two of the would-be-governors, and one lieutenant gubernatorial aspirant, have extensive private sector management histories: Juan Pan, Ben, and Eloy.
The latter have equally impressive public service resumes.
One may not find a plethora of world-class leaders in a community of 60,000, but Ben and Eloy are truly impressive.
Let it BE!
The quality of CNMI department heads depends on those available and willing to serve.
How many prospective public servants want to subject themselves to public villification and defamation by the likes of Pete Reyes, Tina Sablan, Ralph Torres, Bitter Ed, Smart Glen, or their cronies, hangers-on, or sycophants?!
The Legislature is a major reason for governmental dysfunction.
Fortunately Ben and Eloy are proven leaders and managers who can motivate and inspire highly-competent, idealistic, humble, self-sacrificing individuals like Tony Muna, Ed Buckingham, Mike Ada, and Esther Flemming to carry the torch for the CNMI.
Shine until tomorrow, let it BE!
The quality of CNMI department heads depends on those available and willing to serve.
How many prospective public servants want to subject themselves to public villification and defamation by the likes of Pete Reyes, Tina Sablan, Ralph Torres, Bitter Ed, Smart Glen, or their cronies, hangers-on, or sycophants?!
The Legislature is a major reason for governmental dysfunction.
Fortunately Ben and Eloy are proven leaders and managers who can motivate and inspire highly-competent, idealistic, humble, self-sacrificing individuals like Tony Muna, Ed Buckingham, Mike Ada, and Esther Flemming to carry the torch for the CNMI.
Shine until tomorrow, let it BE!
Sorry about the BlackBerry induced duplicate post.
If the Saipan Middle Road folks actually read their own blog, perhaps they could helpfully delete the duplicate and empty (literally) comments.
Thanks!
Noni 8:17am,
Heinz will be..... Heinz will be..... Heinz will be governor! Let your fixation with Glen and Ed be as you stare at their posters on your ceiling..... let them be!
As for the plethora of Business experience that you aver that Ben has, what kind of dope are you toking?
7 Presidency positions would normally speak volumes in respect to experience. In Benigno's case however he was merely a figure head that held the positions in return for POLITICAL favors he pulled for TAN during his many many many years in the LEGISLATURE. We know publicly of the ones involving him stealing the speakership and we also know full well about the Abramoff-Tan-Fitial connection. Remeber that guy who is sitting in Fed Prison?
So unless you can come up with some REAL business experience, I suggest you get off the "Ben has Business Experience" bandwagon and LET THAT BE! lol
Dumb ass!
7 Presidencies in only TAN OWNED corporations. lol So pathetic!
Noni 8:26am,
I thought that the AGO stopped giving out Blackberrys.
Looks like the Fitialies made a big error (again) by putting focus on Benny's Resume :)
Basically he has either been in Public Office (16 years in the Legislature) making back room and special interest deals for Tan or in Private Sector working for Tan and getting paid back.
Wow. I have never seen such a clear case as this of such a heist. Make deals for me as a politico and I will give you jobs when you are out of office.
Damn.
Let's not feel too sorry for Fitial. When he is not re-elected he will just go back to being a figurehead at one of the many Tan Companies. Maybe the bloggers here on this site that support Fitial can get jobs as his assistant.
Fitial: "Look Ma, I'm Presidnet of this business!"
Ben's Mom: "Wow. I never knew you worked for that company."
Fitial: " I didn't. I was in the House of Representatives."
Mom: "And that experience helps you be president of a large company?"
Fitial: "Well, I sort of already helped the large company when I was in the House. I made some back room deals and worked with this thing called a lobbyist. We bent a few rules and pushed the large companies agenda. We got them some sweet deal."
Mom: "I don't really understand. Sounds like you were playing both sides for the Company, but, oh well. Congrats my lil businessman!"
Fitial: "Aw. Thanks Ma!"
Fitial is doing a great job of saving the Commonwealth. Let him continue rebuilding our infrastructure for another four years.
Still waiting for a resume or bio on HA/HP...
between JuanPan & BenFitial I think JuanPan's resume is much more imprssive. Volunteer work, a little experience in the gov., entrepreneurship, and even workng maintenance at a soup company.
I am still waiting on transcripts from UOG on Fitial.
For Fitial and Juan Pan and Kumoi:
Hobby?
Bills introduced while in legislature?
Fav food?
color?
smell?
Transcripts can be solicited by any joe sixpack? I have no "connections" just a voter who would like more info.
You already have Fitials spectacular presidential career with Tan. Would UOG ranscriptsmake or break your vote?
"Transcripts can be solicited by any joe sixpack?"
Resume can be solicited by any joe sixpack too.
If you are asking what would make or break MY vote it would not be a resume (I wouldn't hire based on one either. Heck look at Tan's I mean Ben's. What a mistake hire that would be.)
MY vote will be cast based on personal conversations I have with each candidate, the job they did in the forums and debates, their platform [ http://heinzarnold2009.com/platform.php ], public exposure they have presented over the recent years, and personal faith in their commitment to the CNMI as a whole.
A resume on HA/HP would not be a big factor at all. If it is for you than that is your choice. Give them a ring and get one.
Is that really what will make or break your vote?
How about both Heinz and Arnold getting caught banging their secretaries?
When will the Philippines be federalized?
Noni 11:14am,
I am so surprised that any supporter of Juan Pan, Fitial or Kumoi would even bring up personal relationships.
LOL.
Do they really want to start throwing around that type of attack. All the candidates live in glass houses.
Where is the one of the 4 that does not have baggage there?
Dummy!
The politics of envy and ugly anti-business racism again make their appearance amidst the electrons of these august blogs. Imagine that. HA!
Same old, same old.
And the acolytes of transparency don't even care about the missing resume or stealth appointees -- PIO Propst and CTO Hunter? Cheered on by Senate President Reyes and Ralph Torres or Tina Sablan? And any other unsuccessful legislative candidates?
That's been happening in the CNMI for decades, including under Fitial, given our limited talent pool in the face of legislative micromanagement.
Now we call old-style negative advertising "change"?
That's as ill-founded as the assumption the OAG issues cell phones.
There will be an answer.
Oh, my!
The incompetence of our Legislature is reflected I four special-interest initiatives on the ballot.
Reject them all!
Dummies.
College transcripts and resumes. They're just pieces of paper that contains info on the owners past experience and education.
I would rathr give a prospective employee the time of day if they had a resume than if they didn't.
Why don't they make that information public?
HA/HP may well become the next elected leaders and shit if I ever apply for a job with the govt. I might laugh in their face if they turn me away for not show p to the interview without a resume.
In no particular order:
B. Fitial
E. Inos
R. Mafnas
C. Reyes
H. Willens
D. Siemer
T. Kim
G. Baka
E. Fleming
M. Rosario
J. Rosario
M. Grey
M. Faisao
P. Eche
B. Bateman
I. Dela Cruz
J. Joyner
P. Tenorio
J. Kaipat
S. Tudela
P. Untalan
T. Salas
and many many more...
THROW EM OUT!!!
Who are the HA! team?
None of these sorry folks:
B. Fitial
E. Inos
R. Mafnas
C. Reyes
H. Willens
D. Siemer
T. Kim
G. Baka
E. Fleming
M. Rosario
J. Rosario
M. Grey
M. Faisao
P. Eche
B. Bateman
I. Dela Cruz
J. Joyner
P. Tenorio
J. Kaipat
S. Tudela
P. Untalan
T. Salas
Who are the Tony Muna, Ed Buckingham, Mike Ada, and Esther Fleming of a HA! Administration?
the teacher said...
Highlighting the Northern Marianas Islands in total shame and disgrace intensified when Ben Fitial became Governor.
He has operated the CNMI like a Czar. noni 2 uo (Repulics falls) hit the nail on the head so I will not repeat the salient points.
He has managed with bribery, corruption, intimidation, and fear through scare tactics.
One thing we can be certain of, and that is if he wins again, the commonwealth will worsen and the impoverished people will suffer more than they already have endured.
The blogs, news stories, national, and intenational reports of shameful antics from the CNMI will worsen as well. His regime has already tainted the reputations of the people here for the last generation.
Students here don't care anymore. They want to leave here ASAP, and while I suspected economics, local students want to distance themselves from "our island" for other reasons, and it is not the reasons we might suspect.
Electing Ben Fitial could make for a real comedy show here though, because when the twenty or so felons continue to cooperate with the government. I suspect law enforcement will handcuff Ben and friends for conspiring to and covering up the plot to block federaliztion of the cNMI by paying Jack Abramoff a fortune to bribe the uS House of Representatives.
We locked up Tim and got Eloy, when we lock up Ben, who will the A team give us next?
The negative attacks against public servants are exactly why the proposed change would take us utterly in the wrong direction.
Si Taotao Marianas are better than that.
When I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me.
Noni 12:19pm,
HA Administration will be much welcomed!
Noni 12:24pm,
you mean the attacks that Fitial has carried out? Like on Lino, on DPS workers, on Demapan, etc?
Or the recent smear attacks on Heinz?
If there is criminal corruption, it must be prosecuted under federal law applicable here for three decades, as happened when Ben's OAG referred Tim's case to the FBI.
I am thankful Ben is restoring the integrity we lost during the Babauta regime and before.
Bota Covenant!
Nowhere in the US do cabinet members actively campaign against and oppose their appointing authority.
Ben honors and respects their decision so much that he allows them to do so full-time, on their own time.
Thank you Ben, for retaining a cohsesive and integrated team, focused on serving the people.
Biba Ben and Eloy!
12:36pm,
Place your resume at a Tan Corp. Glad you got citizenship day off from the AGO. 2 months to go then you are out!
Is your employment advice part of a "change" agenda to sue ourselves to prosperity by filing lawsuits against successful local businesses?! HA!
Reject the politics of envy.
lawsuit?
the only lawsuit being filed that is suing the CNMI into a hole is the one that good ol' benigno fitial is still throwing our hard earned tax dollars at.
i think he is trying to see if he can spend as much tax payer money with jenner and block as he spent on abramoff.
so, noni 2:08pm, has he beat the magic $130 million yet?
i heard that certain people may be getting kick backs from J&B is that true? nice little boomerang action happening?
Is it true that the Governor hid away and has somehow used over $17 million in Cover-over funds that were secured by a settlement he asked the former AG to negotiate?
Is this true?
Hey is it true that when Fitial took control there was $25 million in the Fuel tax account and now it has completely vanished?
Fine,
so we wont see a Heinz resume.
Has he worked nywhere else bsides the legislature?
Curiousity invites alot of bullshi on ths site.
Did you hear that the difibulators at the hospital were purchased under sole source by this administration. did you hear it was a multi million dollar deal. did you hear that they have been sitting in storage at CHC for 3 years.
Noni 3:11,
Heinz has a pretty good web site. Look it over. There is an email address you can shoot any other requests to. I mean you just posted like 4 comments on SaipanMiddleRoad to get information you could have gotten by shooting one email to Heinz.
What is your real purpose?
Noni 2:08 --
"Reject the politics of envy."
Who's envious? Of Ben? Not me. I'm mad as hell! He inherited a mess alright, we'll give him that -- BUT THEN HE MADE IT WORSE.
People of the Marianas -- are you better off today than you were four years ago?
If your answer is a resounding "hell no!" like mine --
WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU WANT ANOTHER FOUR YEARS OF THIS CRAP?!
"What is your real purpose?"
Just to make it public like HA/HP opponents have. Plain and simple. I post anonymously and would like info about their CV anonymously. Whats wrong with that? Come Saturday I want to walk into the voting booth without anyone looking over my shoulder as secret ballots should be. I don't want to email their campaign so that I am exposed as showing interest in their career history. I think voters have the right to know anonymously. All this secrecy about something as basic as a resume is, IMO just saying that HA/HP don't trust CNMI voters with this info. For all we know, this could help HA/HP. Make it public and let it stand on its own merits like the other candidates have.
I have looked at their website. It has a nice platform. Lots of pictures. Cute campaign song. No CV.
There is no "risk" in voting out this horrible administration. "Risk" suggests you are taking a gamble. In this case there is absolutely NO gamble. We know exactly what will happen if this administration is re-elected. We will continue to be mismanaged by the worst administration this Commonwealth has ever seen.
"Is it true, is it true?"
The politics of rumor, innuendo, envy, and desperation.
Change? HA!
I would vote for my dog over Ben Tan Fitial.
I am personally tired of Ben Tan the puppet. We all know Willie Tan is behind the scenes pulling his strings.
The flow of ice and illegal pesticides and corruption will be Ben Tan's lasting legacy.
Some political wisdom from the Res.
Democracy is two coyotes and a rabbit voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed rabbit working against the vote.
A Republic is the LAW negating the vote.
Come on Saturday!
What will we name the new holiday on November 28, 2009? Should it be another C holiday?
Do we have suggestions?
1. Contract Workers Day
2. Conspiracy Day
3. Corruption Day
4. Federalization Day
5. Chamberonomics Day
6. Christensen Day
7. Christina Day
8. Congressional Day
9. Chamolinian Day
10.Coequal Rights Day
standing for Federalization Day, of course.
F-Day!
Tita Wendy, save us from the Feds!
Care to borrow Ben's Umbrella?
You can use his umbrella if you want to get drenched...full of holes and pretty much useless.
You can use his umbrella if you want to get drenched...full of holes and pretty much useless.
So we are going to call federalization Chamberonomics Day.
Isn't Decembar 7 Ron Hodges Day?
Why not vote for pete reyes? I'll tell you why I'm not. Special interest. He's double dippping and can't collect two salaries, so claiming he gives his paycheck to the scholarship fund is false, lobbied for his wife to become LB director, etc... and has had his chance. Time for some new ideas.
Exactly. We need an environmentalist like Cinta Kaipat, a co-founder of Beautify CNMI! She is also a skilled legislator who actually got substantial bills enacted, including a labor law much more generous than federalization. And she is a proven manager in the executive branch.
Bota Cinta!
On all four initiatives.
Tina Sablan for Senate
Heinz and Arnold for Guv & Lt
The discussion regarding CV is interesting since so many people actually believe that somehow being "president" of anything makes you qualified for governor. Business experience is claimed by three of the four top c. and not a one could make a living without wives, sons, Tans, or government corruption running the show. Stop expecting anything from an x-president of the Chamber - OMG- what a false sense of hope. vote for HA
Kaipat doesn't have any ideas of her own. She is mean and vindictive. She spews more racist garbage than Beautify CNMI picks up on weekends. She will never get my vote.
I find it a bit disturbing that supporters of our future leaders see no need for individuals to provide a autiobiographical outline of their own work experience and education a.k.a the resume!!!
Those who accuse Jacinta M. Kaipat of racism are themselves likely prone to those tendencies or judging on appearances.
Cinta is a kind and compassionate individual whose decisions have helped hundreds of guest workers better their lives, and a similar number of locals find productive jobs.
She comes from a family of self-sacrifice and service; as a girl her father was assasinated on Pagan. Cinta is a committed environmentalist.
While her personality and appearance may not be as pleasing as Tina's, Cinta gets actual results.
Tina's federalization is resulting in job loss and expulsion of guest workers or retention under cruel CR-1 visa policies.
Cinta's Umbrella Permits offer practical hope.
Cinta is a doer, not a talker.
Vote Covenant!
Cinta is one of the kindest people I've met. She's got a big heart and she does what she believes is right.
The chamber debate was on tv last night (most not all..thanks to MCV) and in my opinion the winner was Juan Pan. Questions were answered to the point and with a plan/objective on how to best solve the issues facing the CNMI.
Heinz, again my opinion clearly came in second. Good ideas and possible solutions but failed to explain why issues were not addressed while he was in office, does he need to be Governor for these issues to be addressed? Tina Sablan was only a freshman congress woman and managed to make some head way and even if she couldn't make the changes...tried too.
Kumoi was third, a couple of good answers but quite frankly heavy fuel it not going to solve any problems we have. CUC is important but we have an array of other important and pressing issues.
Privitize it or a combination of public/private partnership, alternative energy and most importantly conserve which includes using equipment that is energy efficient to reduce our load demand. Put a qualified proffesional in charge to oversee these objectives and move on.
At the bottom of the barrel was without a doubt our current gov. Fitial. No answers, no solutions, no plan, proven nothing and asking for four(possibly 5) to continue doing what he has done...nothing for the people of the cnmi, well maybe something for those close to him but thats it.
Hopefully MCV will show the entire debate tonight.
Your Covenant Kool-aid is past expiration, "Bota"! My memory is not short! Cinta, Cinta, Cinta? You mean Deanna, Deanna, Deanna! Cinta proved herself to be a puppet on a string!
Also, no disrespect, but what the heck does her father being assisinated on Pagan have to do with how good of a legislator she is or why I should vote for her?
No, I am not stupid. I will not vote for Jacinta "It's a good law" Kaipat!
Cinta is a person who has devoted her life to serving others.
With the revelation of the full consequences of federalization, and its abysmal CW-1 visa treatment of our hard-working contract laborers, the flexibly implemented Public Law 15-108 is looking more and more prescient. Jacinta M. Kaipat is indeed a visionary.
Also, the ability effectively to use the services of legal professionals will serve her in great stead as a Senator.
Cinta is the ONLY senate candidate for whom I plan to vote.
The incompetence of our Legislature is reflected in four special-interest initiatives on the ballot.
Reject them all!
No, I am not stupid. I will not vote for Jacinta "It's a good law" Kaipat!
Why not? We need new bloodand fresh ideas for a senator. Let repete retire on his 150k retirement allowence. No to personal interest! Time for a change.
As noted just four comments up, Cinta is a marvelous choice for Senator.
Tina Sablan will be the voice of truth in the Senate.
We need not mere well-intentioned talk, but concrete and productive action.
The fact is, The Covenant Party itself is a joke. With the takeover here, Its best to be a Republican or Democrat in the future. Another Covenant party term in the next 4 years, its a joke
.
If you are stupid enough to run under the Covenant party banner, you are too stupid to serve. It's that simple.
They stand for nothing by sleeze, cronyism, racism, greed, ineptitude, and bad bad governance.
That's not true! Ana Teregeyo stands for running innocent kids down with her car!
My bet...not one covenant canidate wins
NO NO NO
to Covenant THUGS!
Time will tell, perhaps after a run-off.
But having not elected an incumbent governor since 1985, I hope we do so soon, either this year or at the next election.
This wholesale turnover of government every four years is economically and socially counter-productive.
I voted for Heinz in 2005 and Ben in 2009, so I obviously think they are both capable of running our executive branch.
The big problem is our legislature, prone to corruption, kickbacks, micromanagement, and petty fights with our governors.
Doing the right thing will not always be popular, particularly given the level of cut-backs needed in our government.
For instance, we don't need five Superior Court judgeships. The next vacancy should not be filled. This could be done by law, or as a gubernatorial decision not to nominate.
Whoever "wins" will need our prayers.
After three decades of dominating the CNMI policical scene, the Republicans continue their party predominance.
Heinz beat Ben by 37 votes, forcing a run-off. Ralph swept to the Senate, along with party mate Pete Reyes, followed closely by Cinta, Justo, and Tina. So much for "change."
Saipan and Tinian will have Republican mayors. Particularly on Saipan, this shows the strength of party-line voting. Don Flores won by a substantial margin, followed by Covenant's Marian Tudela, and then Democrat Angelo Villagomez tied with Lino Tenorio for third.
All the initiatives garnered substantial majorities, but Tina's Open Government Act amendment failed the 2/3 requirement by a mere 100+ votes.
So we are going to even-year elections, and the people we chose get an extra year on their terms.
The CNMI Republican Party is a force to be reckoned with.
That has NOT changed!
Bye Tina. Bye Glen. Time to look for a job. I'm guessing DEQ will be getting an application Monday.
I had been getting my numbers from the Saipan Tribune website, which download much faster than the CNMI Election Commission site.
The gubernatorial results had not included Rota and Tinian, after which Heinz's lead shrunk from 37 to 8 votes. That was my fault, because I did see the zeros for the final two precincts.
However, Angelo got third place free and clear. The Tribune had not posted the results for Roman Benavente, who was in the tie for fourth place with Lino Tenorio. Or else my cell phone skipped a page.
In the Senate, Independents Jovita M. Taimanao and Juan M. Ayuyu from Rota and Francisco Q. Cruz from Tinian join Republicans Jude U. Hofschneider, Pete P. Reyes, and Ralph Torres. The off-year hold-over Senators are Luis Crisostimo, Paul Manglona, and the other Tinian senator. Who will be Senate President?
On the House side, for the next three years, we will be represented by (in order of votes received by precinct):
Precinct One:
Diego T. Benavente (R), 2028
Froilan C. Tenorio (I), 1671
Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero (R), 1634
Antonio P. Sablan (R), 1498
Joseph M. Palacios (R), 1494
Eliceo D. Cabrera (R), 1485
Precinct Two:
Raymond D. Palacios (C)
Rafael S. Demapan (C)
Precinct Three:
Ramon A. Tebuteb (R), 1221
Ray N. Yumul (R), 1197
Francisco S. Dela Cruz (R), 1151
Felicidad T. Ogumoro (C), 1140
Edmund J.S. Villagomez (C), 1079
Stanley T. McG. Torres (I), 1078
Precinct Four:
Sylvestre I. Iguel (C), 618
George N. Camacho (I), 554
Precinct Five:
Frederick P. Deleon Guerrero (I), 775
Ramon S. Basa (C), 664
Precinct Six (Tinian):
Trenton B. O'Conner (R)
Precinct Seven (Rota):
Teresita A. Santos (I)
So who will be Speaker for the next three years?
The Legislature retains two women in the House and one in the Senate. We need more candidates from the distaff side!
Clearly, the vituperative attacks of Glen Hunter were the margin of error for the failure of Tina's Open Government Act amendment.
He also contributed heavily to Tina's 5th place Senate finish, along with public misgivings about the consequences of the Unity March and federalization.
But Tina has a bright future and is an excellent public servant.
In a HA administration, she could be head of DEQ or another political appointee. Otherwise, she should consider law school.
The Commonwealth has been blessed to have her serving us.
She will undoubtedly win elective office again some day if she can reign in her supporters' grave disrespect for others, and her own tendencies in that same direction displayed in her OGA litigation. Live and learn.
Thank you, Tina!
Who will Juan Pan, Kumoi, and their supporters vote for in the run-off election?
It doesn't matter. The majority of their supporters will not support Ben Tan. They know he is the worst candidate of all four.
Hey Armchair
According to the CNMI Election website, 9,644 votes were cast on the OGA Initiative. Two-thirds of 9,644 is 6,430 votes, and 6,597 people voted "Yes," which should mean it got more than the two-thirds it needed to pass.
Sorry "OGA init. passed", but wishful thinking won't make it happen. It takes 2/3rds of the registered voters to pass a public initiative, not 2/3rds of cast and counted votes. 6500 isn't even close to the 10,700 or so that it would have taken to pass. Better luck next time.
"An initiative petition that proposes a general law for the Commonwealth shall become law if approved by two-thirds of the votes cast by persons qualified to vote in the Commonwealth."
According to my unofficial figures [written in near delirium during the wee hours of the morning], a total of 10,694 votes were cast, CNMI-wide, on the Open Government Act popular initiative on Saturday.
7,249 voted YES.
And that means that 68% (more than 2/3) of the votes cast by persons qualified to vote in the Commonwealth, pursuant to Article XI, section 1(d) of the Constitution, have successfully enacted this general law.
This general law by popular initiative to apply the Open Government Act to the Legislature becomes effective in 30 days.
I was relying on the apparently incomplete Saipan Tribune result numbers.
The words "votes cast" must be interpreted to have meaning. A two-thirds heightened standard is hard enough to meet.
If the framers of our Constitution had wanted an even stricter standard based on percentage of total registered voters, they would have left those words out, as they did when designating the percentage of signatures required to get on the ballot in the first place.
If the 2/3 requirement of votes cast on the question has in fact been met, I apologize for relying on outdated information.
One can't always rely on what one reads in the local papers, or their websites.
Tina would deserve a hearty "well done" for this consolation prize.
And the hope that the legislature doesn't undo it with a simple majority vote on a bill presented to the governor.
.
The open govt act did pass.
Let's not fool ourselves. This wasn't a referendum on "Tina supporters", or Angelo and Jesse supporters for that matter. This was a measure of the still clearly significant group of uneducated voters that exist in the CNMI.
It is, on the otherhand, a good measure of the rapidly changing vote pattern. The three candidates showed very well. This brand of candidate would have not garnered nearly the number of votes an election or two ago.
One could also intimate that the "armchair quarterback" aka Baka, via his inept handling of the "cover up" of the federal lawsuit, contributed to the Governor's 2nd place finish?
Dear Brother Willie,
Please send more money! The election is hot and I sucked ass in the debates but who cares coz our peeps want jobs. I already hired 500 people and now have to buy more Bud to get the people drunk enough to vote for my sick diabetic ass. Hey, send me more Viagra. I'm planning on going to Mermaid and Kimchi Cabana tonight to celebrate our victory.
Thank you brother Willie for your support. I am hoping to change the name of Saipan to SaiTan once I win this election. I love these suckers. They are so stupid enough to vote for me again.
Regards,
Ben Tan
The above list has Froilan Tenorio mislabeled as Independent. He ran on the Covenant Party ticket.
That leaves the incoming House with nine Republicans and seven Covenant. In the 20-member house, eleven is required to form a majority, so neither party has one. This leaves the balance of power in the hands of the four Independents -- Stanley Torres, George Camacho, Fred Guerrero, and Teresita Santos. Any speculation on which way they will lean?
Yet again, many of the People have been bought. I would like to see the itemized lists/reports of Donations and Spending by each candidate for this election prior to the run off. Additionally, how can we certify the results of this election when not all ballots have been counted? Are we or did we already resend out the absentee ballots that were returned due to lack of postage. There were several hundred.
The run-off election law said that absentee ballots had to be counted on the day of the election with the other ballots.
Whatever the deadline, each year there are absentee ballots that don't arrive on time and are not counted. That is part of life.
Then the voters are removed from the election rolls for "not voting."
The moral? If you vote absentee, double check about a month later that you are still registered to vote, so you don't get a bad surprise and get turned away two years later.
Here is the new line-up in the Senate:
Rota
Paul A. Manglona (Ind.)
Jovita M. Taimanao (Ind.)
Juan M. Ayuyu (Ind.)
Tinian & Aguiguan
Henry H. San Nicolas (Cov.)
Jude U. Hofschneider (R)
Francisco Q. Cruz (R)
Saipan
Luis P. Crisostimo (Ind.)
Pete P. Reyes (R)
Ralph DLG Torres (R)
In the House there are 7 Covenant (including Froilan C. Tenorio) and 9 Republican representatives.
These four independents hold the balance of power in the House:
Precinct Three:
Stanley T. McG. Torres
Precinct Four:
George N. Camacho
Precinct Five:
Frederick P. Deleon Guerrero
Precinct Seven (Rota):
Teresita A. Santos
What if there is a tie?
How about the absentee ballots that were returned by the Post office for LACK OF POSTAGE, being sent out of here, not returning
The closest race in the House of Representatives this election was the 34-vote Precinct Two victory of Rafael S. Demapan (Covenant) over Eric B. Atalig (Republican), 381 votes to 347. The third-closest was his 58-vote victory in the same contest over Manuel A. Tenorio (Republican), 381 votes to 323.
In Precinct Four, the second closest race with a 50-vote margin, George N. Camacho (Independent) beat out Juan R. Babauta (Republican), 554 votes to 504. He also had a 74-vote margin over the next finisher, Thomas Camacho (Covenant), 554 votes to 480.
In Precinct One Eliceo D. Cabrera edged out fellow Republican Janet U. Maratita by a 72-vote margin for the sixth seat, 1,485 votes to 1,413.
Rota's Precinct Seven was won with a 91-vote margin by Teresita A. Santos (Independent) over Ross S. Manglona (Independent), 695 votes to 604.
On the Senate side, Rota's Jovita M. Taimanao (Independent) prevailed by a 34-vote margin over Juan M. Ayuyu (Independent), 578 votes to 544, and by an 89-vote margin over Joey A. Quitugua (Independent), 578 votes to 489.
Tinian & Aguiguan's incumbent Jude U. Hofschneider (Republican) prevailed with a 73-vote margin over Joaquin Borja (Covenant), 637 votes to 564, and with an 88-vote margin over re-electionist Joseph M. Mendiola (Covenant), 637 votes to 549.
All other legislative victors had at least a 100-vote margin over all other unsuccessful candidates.
Note that the closest races were in the least populated contests, so on a percentage basis they may have been comparable to the others.
Why aren't are newspaper reporters telling us this?!
They are. All those numbers are in the newspaper.
Not the differences, how close they were, etc.
Reporters need to do more than simply print raw data.
Delayed absentee ballots are a part of life.
The best way to be sure your ballot makes it to the tabulation room is to insert into the locked box yourself!
Tampering with mailed ballots is a federal offense.
Jesse who?
With the exception of Glen Hunter posting on the Marianas Variety as The Truth Hurts, Tina didn't even campaign! And she wonders why she lost? How many houses did she visit? How many voters did she talk to? She sends out one email and expects to win? Ralph and Slow won because they out-campaigned her. Tina let down her supporters by not even trying. She should be ashamed of herself.
anonymous at 11:45pm,
she visited my house. i also attended 3 of her thursday night village forums. she had them throughout the island. they were informative and were more candid and enlightening than anything i have ever seen any politician put forward to constituents. she has maintained a website forum for years now and has keep a dialog of communication up on that front as well as her facebook page. she sends out massive amounts of emails that address almost every issue int he cnmi. i also received a campaign flyer in the mail that clearly detailed her platform, what she has done ans where she had hoped to help out in the senate. she had advertisements in both papers for the months leading up to the elections and other supporters also ran multiple ads in the papers. she had letters to the editor detailing her reasons for running and many supports wrote letters doing the same. she attended every forum available and shined at all of them. she has openly spoken out on almost every crucial issue in the cnmi and has been covered by the local media when doing so. she made her contact info public (phone, email, cell, po box) and herself.
say what you want. the truth is that she ran one of the most informative campaigns this island has ever seen.
why did they choose ralph and slow? i do not know. i know very little about the two of them.
i voted for christina sablan. i know of many others that did too. i question the outcome of the election especially the absentee votes.
as a great man once said, "I always believe that ultimately, if people are paying attention, then we get good government and good leadership. And when we get lazy, as a democracy and civically start taking shortcuts, then it results in bad government and politics.". when people start thinking that billboards with the candidates name on them and parties where the candidate is not even present constitute "good campaigning" we are taking shortcuts and being lazy citizens and inevitably we are ending up with bad government and bad politics.
make no mistake, she did not lose on november 7th. we, the cnmi, lost.
every voter that did not vote for tina let the cnmi down. big time.
signed,
an informed voter
"There are times in politics when you must be on the right side and lose."
=JOHN KENNETH GALBRAITH
Glen Hunter not only posted on the Marianas Variety as The Truth Hurts but repeatedly and anonymously on this very blog, as well as Wendy's.
I received Tina's flyer in the mail, as well as under the windshield wiper after Sunday mass.
She got her message out much better than Pete P. Reyes; Ralph Torres also sent out mailers that weren't nearly as informative as hers.
This election shows that personal and family ties, and particularly political party organization, all loom large in the voting process of the CNMI.
Pete Reyes personally went to every single house on Saipan. That's how he won. He put a face to the name on the ballot and made a personal connection.
Winning a race is not about mailers.
As for Ralph, I think he just conned a lot of people...twice.
Pete never came to my CK apartment.
But having been first elected as a Congressman in 1993 and Senator in 1997, it is safe to say most voters know what he stands for.
For the first time in all those elections, I did not vote for him. But it wasn't to support some vapid "change."
Pete never came to my house.
What does he stand for? I have no clue.
Why not was never a question. It was a declarative.
>>>>>
Tina's loss was no loss to the CNMI. She was possibly the worst Legislator I have ever seen in any jurisdiction, ever. Pitiful in fact, which is why she ran for senate. She had a zero chance of reelection in her own precinct or any other and she knew it (or she would have moved again).
Well intentioned (sometimes) and candid do not make a legislator.
Her strengths would make her a good consumer watchdog, or a career bureaucrat (which is the likely case) but make her a dirt poor legislator or administrator.
Enough of that...stick a fork in her. She's done. No use going on about the milk whether you consider it well spilt or ill.
Biba Joe Camacho for coming back to the Covenant! We welcome you with open arms.
Pete visited my house. I did not vote for him. He was very nice but I got upset. He asked me to vote for him and told me to also vote for Governor Fitial. He said that in the next 4 years it would be better. I ask why he is Republican and he said that Governor Fitial was Republican first. I am Refaluwasch but I am not a stupid person.
Noni 9:18PM =
That is AG-Elect Joe Camacho, to you.
If Joe Camacho is nominated and confirmed as Attorney General, then resigns as Floor Leader and as a member of the House of Representatives, and is sworn in promptly as AG, who would take his seat in the Legislature?
According to the Constitution, it would be the unsuccessful 2007 candidate from Precinct 4 with the highest number of votes and is willing to serve.
According to the Commonwealth Election Commission archives, who is that person waiting in the wings?
None other than Sylvestre Ilo Iguel, then a Republican, but elected last week for the 17th Commonwealth Legislature as a Covenant party member. Perhaps he would like an early start?
While it would not change the balance of power in the lame duck 16th Commonwealth Legislature enough to affect the Speakership, it would be interesting to see who would be chosen as the new Floor Leader.
Noni 12:51pm,
You are a dummy.
Joe doesn't have to resign when he gets his AG appointment. His term is up on January 11, 2009. He has been given the nod and will be appointed shortly after the election.
I heard Clyde will head DPS again. Vicky will continue her job. JP's kids will keep their jobs. I bet they will have Kumoi replace Muna and put Muna over to Finance.
Ah. One big happy family. All of them get fatter while the island suffers.
How easy it is for a few rich people to sell out there brothers and their children's children.
Such a sad state of affairs.
Bunch of prostitutes!
i hope he gets arrested by the feds before the election or at least shortly after.
Can Joe Camacho get any fatter?
So where is the hidden Heinz resume?
Change? Transparency? HA!
Who would be their AG?!
Noni 8:32pm:
Anyone but Joe Camacho. Anyone except Baka, that is.
Sounds like a sure receipe for "change" and success.
And the rest of the HA cabinet?
Will the resume be published before the election?
There will be an answer.
and the answer will be:
"shut up already!"
Shine until tomorrow.
Shine on until tomorrow.....
The repetition of the chorus is part of its effectiveness.
For the rest of my life, whenever I hear this song, I will think of Ben and Eloy with their proven leadership, and say a little prayer.
Once the HA team announces that Tina Sablan is their choice for 1. bedmate and 2. administrative liaison for special assistant to the special assistant the huge upwelling of votes which align themselves with her will march in lock step causing: Well, causing the same loss she suffered when running on her own. HAHAHAHAHAHAHH
On the positive side, there actually is a candidate that has more than a high school education. A leader that will keep focused, educated reason in the Governor's office. That leader would be Benigno Fitial.
HA doesn't want to open the curriculum vitae can of worms because when opened it will be found to contain - nothing of any substance.
No resume' - no vote ! HA HA HA
Let's see it Heinz. Let's see it Arnold.
A CNMI Governor with a college degree.
Re-electing a highly qualified incumbent, for the first time since 1985, despite the desperate, shrill, ever-louder naysaying from trendy, populist opinion-makers Zaldy and Tina.
You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
That's a change we can believe in.
You greenmorons keep forgetting the "sleaze factor" Ben has it and it will not washoff.....
Most of it is based on outdated or simply incorrect facts.
The posts of Smart Glen and Bitter Ed are full of false, misleading, or incomplete factual premises.
The people no longer need, if they ever did, Zaldy and Tina to tell us how to think or what the factual "truth" is.
We can see these things for ourselves, and do not need a scapegoat every four years. We are ready to take responsibility for our actions.
That is the real change. We are empowered.
There will be an answer.
Fitial is a PR disaster that will continue to rub the CNMI badly. Ignore the poor governance, incompetent managers, lack of ideas, etc. That alone is more than enough to not have elected him in the first place. We need to start fresh with a post-garment era, post cheap-labor, post Abramoff, post covenant Governor.
Some people, the forces of "change," judge by appearances.
"What will Washington think?" Who is "associated" with "bad" people? Who is "not like us"? Who is "greedy"?
The surprising strength of the BE team is because the people have rejected the politics of envy, the politics of division, the politics of fragmentation and ethnic prioritization.
The new generation and the manamko alike are rejecting the drumbeat of "change" that insists their views do not matter, their experience does not matter, their common sense does not matter, their votes do not matter -- in the face of the all-knowing mandates from Washington echoed by their local self-appointed spokespersons.
Nothing could be further from the truth!
The people have borne insults, misunderstandings, and guilt-by-association silently. Now we reject them?
The CNMI is not, not, NOT what our critics say it is!
It is a beautiful place, a vibrant, friendly people who reject the politics of ethnic division, social division, of economic division.
We will choose our leaders on that basis.
Biba Covenant.
Yes, we reject them!
Shine until tomorrow.
God damn! I wish Baka would stop this immature and mindless "Let it BE!" blogging bullshit and get to work on traffic cases!
WTF!
Did the governor put him there so that the AG would turn a blind eye to the recent vehicular death cases involving pedestrians?
What happened to the one in As Lito? The lady hit and killed a man and then the report changed to the driver being a man and till this day (months later) no name ever came up and no more information was released. What the hell are you doing BAKA? How do you sleep at night covering up for the governor and stealing votes by breaking the law?
What happened to the one in Kagman? The first report said alcohol and speed caused the vehicle to hit and kill that guy. the next report said no charges and blamed the man for not being in a crosswalk. WTF!!! Baka, this is shoddy and shitty work! MCV went to the scene of the accident and revealed that the car had VEERED OFF THE ROAD prior to hitting the man and perhaps caused him to flee into to the road before getting struck and KILLED!!!!!
This governor can hold hands and sing with baka "let it be" all fucking day! the truth is they are both corrupt assholes!!! I hope you dream nightmares of people being KILLED and you two covering shit up for votes!
What of the guy beaten by Fitials son in law at the prison????
BAKA cover-up again?
Baka, go to church and repent and hope to GOD you are forgiven.
i thought those vehicular accidents were really strange too. i thought the one in kagman that blamed the guy for not standing on a cross walk was bad enough.... anyone who lives in kagman knows there are no cross walks at all. when i heard that i thought what was the guy supposed to, FLY to get to the other side of the street? how could it be his fault? but then i saw the mcv report that showed the skids that went off the road and i knew there was a cover up.
there have been other cases too, before and after that poor guy died in kagman. as if it weren't scary enough to cross the street its even scarier to go to the hospital if you get into an accident.
CUC Generator said...
I'm not even up for an oil change.
Maybe the CNMI should have a lube job?
The smart change guy surely knows where we can find one.
HA!
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