By Mabel Doge Luhan
Have you ever been tempted?
For example, when the neighborhood rapscallions offered you a bunch of BIG SHINY NICKELS in exchange for THOSE TEENY-TINY DIMES?
Or when the Capital Hill rapscallions offered you a BOOST GRANT in exchange for YOUR UNWAVERING LOYALTY?
You see what I’m getting at.
Why, it was described in the book I found in the nightstand of the Saipan Imaginary Sheraton And Towers, in Genesis 25:29–34: “A mess of pottage.”
Pottage is, culinarily speaking, similar to chalakiles. But very much unlike chalakiles, pottage is, in the metaphoric sense, cheap and worthless. Pottage is something fleeting and pretty worthless that you hastily and foolishly choose over longstanding principles.
Yes, pottage is that particularly callipygian dancer from Guam Manhole whom I flew over to my private quarters for the evening, while telling my fourth husband I had a headache.
Pottage is scrolling Facebook instead of doing homework.
Pottage is also laughing and nodding and agreeing with bullying, sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, whatever, instead of calling it out. Because it’s easier in the short run, and principles be damned.
All our social problems in the CNMI — if you are among those who consider generational poverty, meth addiction, and a lack of government services to be problems rather than features — are caused by someone, somewhere choosing a mess of pottage over what is right.
This election, it’s obvious that we need to choose leaders who will reject a mess of pottage, and will stand by their values. We all want to choose such leaders. In fact, no matter what our political leanings or affiliations, we all seek out leaders who will stand for principles and good governance over short-term personal gain.
But how can we know who’s who? After all, when asked, every single political candidate in the history of humanity will say that they “stand for values” and “don’t care about politics” and “aren’t in this for personal benefit.” Hitler said it. Mao said it. Rafet said it. So how can we know who will really reject a mess of pottage?
What if there was some experiment or test we could have for who will accept temporary gains, even against the public interest? After all, Carl Jung (AMAZING IN THE SACK BTW!!!) said, “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do,” often paraphrased as, “Watch what they do, not what they say.”
If only we could know what candidates would do in the face of temptation! If only we had an experiment.
Oh, what’s that? We did have such an experiment? Oh, we certainly did! It was called Best Sunshine, Imperial Pacific, and whatever other alter egos they used. They offered anybody who’s anybody cash (PLUS PROSTITUTES, OF BOTH MAJOR GENDERS!) to forget the public good or their oaths to the People and the Constitution — in return for the only thing that matters back in their homeland of China, which is money.
We know exactly who among our political class lined up at the trough and agreed to do IPI’s bidding. In fact, there’s a NON-EXHAUSTIVE list of thirty people or entities whose payments from the casino were subpoenaed by a federal grand jury:
https://www.kanditmedia.com/post/dirty-30-confirmed-transactions
Oh my! There’s well-known world traveler, luxury hotel resident, and baggage manhandler Chris Concepcion! There’s Kimberly King-Hinds’s former law partner Viola Alepuyo!
Of course that list is just the beginning. IPI could not have effectively taken over our government through just thirty “influencers.”
Before you vote for a candidate, ask them, or ask someone you trust, what that candidate was doing in the IPI times. And “I was in Austria during the war,” or “I was in Guam during the casino debacle,” is not an acceptable answer.
Why, according to unverified documents we’ve seen, “reformer” Del Benson was getting paid as a “consultant” (wink wink) by IPI. “Reformer” Marissa Flores was singing “Hey, Jude” as loudly as she was instructed to. And so on.
Not to even mention the CNMI GOP. And how the drove (including The Trove) acted again when BOOST payouts came around:
https://kanditnews.com/boosted-heres-the-list/
Among our major Congressional candidates (or as the Marianas Variety would say, “bets”), who didn’t line up at the trough? (Excluding Si Liana and Si Bolis because I think they themselves don’t know what they’re talking about, and excluding Si Jimbo because he’s a nice young man but has no chance in this race.)
Who was the only CNMI legislator willing to go on record with Bloomberg as standing against the corruption IPI wrought?
Ed Propst. That’s it. Among the entire gaggle of politicians who had promised us to work on our behalf and not sell out, the only one who walked the walk was Ed Propst.
Meanwhile, KKH continued on her pro-China, pro-IPI crusade (weirdly contradicted in that weird viral video recently — did the CCP check bounce?). And arguably is still on that crusade. And still puts an R next to her name: a symbol of a party run by Donald Trump, the GOP’s defacto idol who openly disdains brown people, US territories, and the military. No thanks.
That’s why I’m voting for Ed Propst for our Congressional Representative. That’s why I’m endorsing him in this very column.
“But he…” Fine. Whatever. He’s not my first choice either. I’m not marrying Ed Propst. HE IS WELL OUT OF MY LEAGUE. I’m not claiming he’s a perfect man (EVEN WITH HIS STUNNING BROWN EYES). Voting is not about choosing THE PERFECT MAN — this is not a dating reality show. I much rather would vote for James M. Cox, but he’s not running.
Voting is about choosing the one alternative, from a list of options, who will not sell us out. Who will give us the option of not selling ourselves out.
And in this 2024 CNMI election, Ed Propst is the only option. Biba!
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Mabel Doge Luhan is a woman of loose morals. She residents in Kagman V, where she pursues her passions of crocheting, beatboxing, and falconry.
2 Comments
Russ Mason
10/30/2024 at 4:37 PM
Neither did Jim Rayphand. Do your research please.
Anthony C
11/03/2024 at 10:51 AM
Exactly! Looks like Mabel research also conveniently left out other “facts” about Ed like resigning from the legislature because the “cyber bullying” about his sexual abuse allegations was “too much” for him and his family. He “GAVE UP” and no telling if he’ll abandon constituents again in the halls of Congress. Or the crazy social media video of his drunken rage against Robert Hunter using English and Chamorro expletives….and this all was recorded and widely viewed while he was a sitting member of the legislature:). Bolis and Liana will embarrass us with racist rants and fake Chamorro chants. Kim has deeply rooted loyalty to local politics and will continue with more of the same corruption but from DC. Getting anything done in Congress requires skills and careful strategy. It also requires someone that has a deep, deep, dedication to help others and not constantly find ways to feed ego’s and self righteousness. Jim is an advocate and his humility is the cathartic leadership we need to help us.