It’s increasingly evident that those we elect to serve us are habitually prone to deviate from moral, legal and contractual obligations as they go about their versions of government business. They seem to believe it’s OK to default on any number of agreements and contractual arrangements with constituents, the federal government, contractors, vendors and others, and then whine and wring their collective hands when they’re called to an accounting. It gets worse as time goes on.

It’s no secret that there’s a pervasively unfavorable opinion about the reliability of GovGuam and its politicians, and the reason for that is also no mystery. The behavior of those we elect to serve us is disgusting. They divert whatever funds become available to pet projects and vote-buying agendas. They ignore the law when it conflicts with their personal political objectives, blithely assuming that in keeping with past experience no accounting will follow.

That’s why hundreds of millions of dollars were for years withheld from the people of this territory in delinquent income tax refunds, EITC payments and COLA entitlements. That’s why GovGuam consistently remains in trouble with the federal government on various fronts. Guam Waterworks from time to time is fined for violations of the Clean Water Act; Mental Health still requires federal oversight to preserve the rights of those it serves; and the Department of Corrections is apparently perpetually subject to federal intervention. 

There’s more. There’s that lingering problem with GovGuam’s violation of the terms of a quitclaim deed in the Tiyan Parkway issue, a federal court case that alleges voter discrimination and an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation into allegations of racial discrimination by the Chamorro Land Trust Commission.

Aside from problems with the feds, there’s the always-present fact that many off-island medical and other equipment and supplies vendors will no longer accept anything other than pre-paid orders due to delinquent receivables from GovGuam, and many local vendors will no longer do business with our government for the same reason.

And do our elected representatives deal with these problems intelligently and effectively? Do they make any meaningful attempt to institute reforms to streamline our bloated government, reintroduce some degree of integrity and reliability or exercise any measure of responsible fiscal policy? Contrary to what they try to make us believe through various “too little, too late” schemes that they say will correct and resolve all that fiscal mismanagement, the answer is a resounding “No.”

Their preferred response to these massive problems, and apparently the only one they can come up with, is to borrow more money and further burden future generations with massive additional debt.

Wake up, people! Stop voting for these folks, and insist on accountability in your elected officials. Before you enter that voting booth, take a moment to reflect upon the huge injuries that the current crop of career politicians has done to our economy and to the future of your children and grandchildren.

Save your vote for someone you can trust.