I am pissed off. In fact, I’m so angry I find myself shaking.
Last weekend, I wrote about the need for Political Courage. As I look at the politics of America, the absence of courage is epidemic. We have become a Nation or cowards.
Faced with the endless corruption, failure and incompetence of the Republican Party, Americans rose up in 2006 and elected Democrats to lead us in a new direction. We got a Democratic majority, but it is an assembly of timid, fearful boys and girls. The idea of leadership seems to be: who will lead the party in asking the Republicans how we can capitulate to their minority this week, this day, this hour.
I worked my ass off to elect this?
***insert loud and long scream of rage here***
Last year, I used my research of the GOP Culture of Corruption to help us win elections. Without the Abramoff scandal many Republicans would still be in Congress and the GOP would still control the Senate and possibly the House.
And now, Democrats are following in Abramoff’s footsteps.
Angry jump...
A few days ago I was sent an email from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). It told me that the Democratic Congress was about to water-down already weak CNMI reform legislation. It said the word on the CNMI was that the Democrats were going to capitulate to the Pirates of Saipan and the Republican Party. It said my Party was going to sell the workers of the CNMI into permanent bondage.
It turns out to be true.
When the CNMI became a US Territory the local government was left in control of immigration, labor and customs. This power was abused to create an economic system based on a permanent underclass of imported foreign contract workers who would work for almost nothing and never have any rights. It created an economy based on sweatshops, brothels, human trafficking and abuse.
Since 1995 this system of abuse was protected by the Republican Party and they were rewarded with millions of dollars for their work to protect forced labor, force prostitution and even forced abortions.
For years, Democrats, led by Congressman George Miller and President Bill Clinton fought to end the abuse. The fought to extend US labor, immigration and customs laws to the runaway Territory. They also fought to grant long-time guest workers rights and a clear pathway to US Citizenship. In the 1990s some of these workers had already been on the CNMI for 15 years. Tonight they have been there for 25 years—and they are still without rights.
The Pirate of Saipan always called this effort to extend US laws, Federalization. And they have fought it tooth and nail.
For years, Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay always won. They were always able to block any effort to reform this cesspool of corruption befouling the Western Pacific and tainting the image of America around the globe.
The most horrific stories of Saipan sweatshops, brothels and forced abortions were used to great impact in the 2006 election. We used the tragedy, horror and personal stories of these workers to WIN seats and take control of Congress.
I helped in this effort. So did the workers on the CNMI. There were happy to help because they believed that a Democratic Congress would FINALLY bring justice to the Marianas Islands.
So did I, but we were wrong.
This week’s capitulation by the 110th Congress is to sell out the workers of the CNMI.
We used them. We exploited them to win control of Congress. We are planning to exploit their stories again in 2008 as we try to defeat out this or that Republican who helped Tom and Jack maintain the system of abuse.
We implicitly promised these workers relief and we promised the American people that we would clean up the mess that years of Republican corruption left on the CNMI.
We promised, but we lied.
Two Bills are moving through Congress, H.R. 3079 and S. 1634. These bills would extend Federal law to the CNMI. That is a good thing, but unlike the previous Bills Democrats offered when the were in the Minority, these Bills would not include a pathway to citizenship for the 10,000 or so guest workers who have been on the CNMI for five years or more—not even those workers with children who are US Citizens (there are thousands of these children in legal limbo on the CNMI).
Instead, these Bills would extend the Immigration Status of the Freely Associated States (FAS). It is less than what used to be on the table, but it was a real improvement (when compared to nothing). FAS status would grant these workers rights, liberty and some freedom of movement.
Now, I’m told that Democrats, YES, Democrats are working to remove provisions granting long-time CNMI workers FAS rights and legal status. I’m told that Congressman Abrercrombie (HI-01) is leading the push for this legislative dirty work. It seems to be driven in part by knee-jerk racism on the part of Pacific Islanders, in part as an appeal to greed and a result of the CNMI Government (in the role of a Tan Family sock puppet) spending money to buy Democrats.
According to October 25, 2007 issue of the Mariana Variety the Democratic betrayal is a done deal:
Nonimmigrant status provision will be removed from US House bill
THE Fitial administration yesterday said the controversial nonimmigrant provision for long-time guest workers will be removed from the federalization bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Press Secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said this was confirmed by their "consultant" in Washington, D.C., Oldaker, Biden & Belair LLP. [snip]
The provision was to allow these guest workers to freely travel, work and study anywhere in the U.S. and its possessions just like citizens of the Freely Associated States. [snip]
He said the U.S. lawmakers should wait for the outcome of a General Accountability Office study on the impact of the proposed federalization of the local immigration system.
We exploited the stories of abused workers, victims of human trafficking, forced prostitution, rape and forced abortions to elected Democrats in 2006.
We owe these people justice.
Instead, Our Party will betray them.
Saipan Sucks! And so do we!
And by "we" I mean all of us. Our elected officials, our candidate and us, the activists of the netroots who use these stories of abuse to win elections, but will not fight to end the abuse or bring these workers justice.
WE SUCK! Like our leaders, we are cowards.
Now, I have been hard on Senator Hillary Clinton, because her Senate Campaign in 2005 received $10,000 for the Tan Family, the folks behind the vile, evil and corrupt system on the CNMI. She has taken another $16,000 from the head of the Tan Family’s operations in the USA.
I have been hard on her because her husband had a great record on fighting the abuse on the CNMI. I’ve been hard on her because I like her and I expected her to lead. I expected her to pick up where her husband left off. Her acceptance of the Tan money and failure to take a stand on the reform legislation before the 110th Congress is a failure of leadership.
I expected more of her, but why should I.
I mean, Hillary is doing no more on this issue that any of the other Democrats running for President. They are all united in their commitment to ignore the culture of corruption and abuse on the Marianas Islands.
Hillary is not leading to end the abuse, but then again she is being just like all the rest of them.
I once had high hope for Obama, but he is AWOL on this issue. He is ignoring it.
So is Edwards.
So is Dodd.
So is Richardson.
Yeah, and those other guys do not care as well.
And Biden, HELL, Biden’s son (or is it grandson) is now a lobbyist working to block CNMI reform at Oldaker, Biden & Belair. And of course, the firm is spreading money to Democrats in the same manner that Abramoff used to spread dirty money to Republicans.
Each and every one of our Presidential Candidates is scared that advocating for these CNMI workers will be used against them in the General Election as the GOP attacks them for supporting "immigrants", immigration and (horrors) actual rights for foreigners working on American soil. In their fear they default to timidity and inaction (and it is not just on the issue of the CNMI, the cowardice is on display on almost every issue for almost every candidate).
Their supporters are afraid as well. Everything is a focus tested, timid response to what the VRWC might say or do to us. So far the campaign for a Democratic Presidential nominee is a Political Courage Free Zone.
They are cowards, one and all.
NO wonder I do not have a candidate to support. None of these folks has the courage to speak for the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party.
I miss Paul Wellstone!
I miss the courage of Howard Dean.
Our Members in the House and our Senators are no better. Without exploiting the abuse of the workers on the CNMI to win in 2006, we would still be in the minority.
But these workers, who put their hopes in a Democratic victory, are being sold down the river by Democrats too afraid of Republicans and their noise machine to fight for justice.
Nobody will advocate the workers on the CNMI because they are NOBODIES. They are invisible. They are great for photo opps and campaign talking points to hit your opponents over the head with, but nobody will speak for them.
Well, almost nobody.
They do have Wendy Doromal. She has been working to end the abuse on the CNMI for over twenty years. She has smuggled victims off the islands, been shot at, harassed and threatened. And she keeps fighting for these people on the CNMI who we can only seem to see as props. Wendy sees them as human. I wish we all did.
I had dinner with Wendy tonight. She is in Washington DC. She spent the day on Capital Hill, going from office to office to speak for these voiceless victims of American neglect.
I asked her about the report in the Marianas Variety and the rumors I had been hearing about Democrats, YES, Democrats selling these workers out.
It is true.
The House Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs will mark-up a version of H.R. 3079 that removes extending FAS immigration status to the long-time legal guest workers of the CNMI.
Then I guess the full Resources Committee will approve it and the House will pass it and the Senate will follow suit. Republicans will not be challenged, the workers will continue to be a permanent underclass of expendable labor without rights or humanity and the Pirates of Saipan will win again—this time with Democrats picking up where Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff left off.
Saipan Sucks! And so do we!
I am so angry right now. I am extremely tired of the epidemic of Political Cowardice sweeping the Democratic Party.
Our elected officials are afraid. Our candidates are afraid. Their supporters are afraid.
Why?
Why are we so fucking scared of the Republican Party and their fucking noise machine!
We are afraid to ask questions. We are afraid to challenge our candidates. (I was even asked to delete a Diary because somebody on the fucking right might see it some fucking day and ask one of our Presidential candidates about taking money from the fucking Tan Family).
Now I’m so angry, I’m cussing. My apologies to those who are offended, but words of outrage are failing me.
Perhaps, we can stop this effort to abandon the workers of the CNMI.
The netroots, when activated can be a powerful force. I’ve seen us drive stories and win victories. If we work together we can stop this effort to sell out these workers.
Please help.
Make noise. Demand courage.
Contact the staff and Members of the Insular Affairs Subcommittee:
Subcommittee on Insular Affairs
1337 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-0691 Fax: (202) 225-0521
Staff Director – Tony Babauta
Counsel – Brian Modeste
Clerk – Allison Cowan
Democrats
Mrs. Donna M. Christensen, Virgin Islands, Chairwoman
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American Samoa
Raúl M. Grijalva, Arizona
Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam
Nick J. Rahall, II, West Virginia (ex officio)
Republicans
Mr. Luis G. Fortuño, Puerto Rico, Ranking Republican Member
Elton Gallegly, California
Jeff Flake, Arizona
Don Young, Alaska (ex officio)
Contact the House Leadership, your Member of Congress, Your Senators and demand that they protect these workers.
We owe these people JUSTICE!
If H.R. 3079 and S. 1634 are passed without the provision to extend long-term workers FAS status we will have condemned these workers to neo-slavery. This is not acceptable. Justice matters.
It is a small thing to fix. All we have to do is extend justice to less than 10,000 workers. They have earned it. They have given much of their lives to build the economy of our way-fucked-up Territory, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. If we can not fix this small pathetic place, we will never be able to fix anything.
As for the folks running for President, I would like to see leadership. I would like to see Political Courage. Not only as it relates to the CNMI, but on a whole host of issues. Right now, they are all cowards in my book. I wish somebody with a backbone would get in the race or that one of these would embrace leadership and courage.
As I look at my Party on the verge of selling out these workers, I am filled with anger and shame. Why did I work so hard to elect Democrats if they will not LEAD? On anything!
Still, I want to believe in hope. I want to believe that we can take this Country back and change things for the better. But tonight, I am angry, sad and tormented by the impending failure to deliver justice to people who believed in the Democratic Party and trusted that we would end their years of suffering.
Instead we will move the current CNMI system of neo-slavery from local control to Federal control. It will be the same cruel overseers, same master but new USA Federal business cards and hats.
***insert loud and long scream of rage here***
If the Democratic Congress must remove FAS Status for these workers from the bills, perhaps they could include to money to study the problem. It will be great. We could send in teams of anthropologists and archivists to map and document the stories of each worker on the CNMI.
It would be great data for future generations.
I’m sure that they would want to know the names and stories of the people enslaved as the 110th Congress re-embraced slavery as American policy and institutionalize the current practice of abuse on the CNMI.
After all, if we are going to deny these folks any rights we might as well set aside a few dollars to capture and archive their modern slave narratives. It might even help future generations understand the barbarity, selfishness and cruelty of our time.
I’m so angry I could spit.
Saipan Sucks! And so do we!
Cheers.