Should the Federal gov't control the VI?

Why should we think that the federal government, could do a better job? They can't even manage what they are responsible for now. Plus, I don't think I like the idea of an occupying force in C'sted.

I'm reminded, again, of Howard Beal in the movie: "Network" where he got as mad as hell and wasn't going to take it anymore. Hopefully that will happen in November, and maybe even in September, here... But I've stopped holding my breath a long time ago...

I meet 'Federal Employees' all the time who are here on assignment for various reasons - In almost every case they are ineffective in making any change or understanding the problems.

When you add the value of govt employee benefits, their total compensation far exceeds the compensation of most VI private employees who often don't get any benefits. They can probably call contract slumbers when needed.

Hi, MS411,

My friend, some people are going to say that's the greatest Freudian slip of all time!

PT

I don't think the Feds are necessary. Change has to occur from within to be effective.Cultural differences are difficult to penetrate.
Change has begun. Crime Stoppers has given the people power to intervene in crime anonymously. The PD is in the forefront and visible to everyone. Their effectiveness is under constant scrutiny. More corrupt officials are being exposed.

Slow change has come and more will come as people register to vote and demand more from their elected officials. Those who have been here for a while notice the change. I do and over the long term I am optimistic.

Maybe the time has come for the VI to become a state of the US, with a Member of Congress (with voting power) and 2 senators.

I don't think the Feds are necessary. Change has to occur from within to be effective.

The Fed may indeed be necessary to effect any real substantive change in a relatively short time frame but unless all hell breaks loose here, it's just not gonna happen. Agreed, change has to come from within. In my opinion, stateside transplants that think they can bring about change are largely engaged in wishful thinking. That's not to say that our votes aren't important. We're just not a large enough voting block.

Politically, the games are afoot. It's very interesting watching what's happening in advance of this primary. I hope you're watching. There are some indicators that change is possible and many indicators that politics and government will continue to be the same f_ed mess that they have been and presently are.

One of the three great lies: "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you! 😀

The VI are now far more in debt, per capita, than were the cities of Boston, New York, and Washington, DC, when they were placed in financial receivership. We don't need the feds; we just need to get someone in charge of our spending who's not interested in lining his/her own pockets. I still want to know what happened to our financial stimulus checks that we were supposed to get over two years ago. I don't know anyone who ever got his/her money. I think that the VI gov't used it to pay WAPA. Remember when, all of a sudden -- out of nowhere -- the VI gov't paid WAPA $17million?

"There are some indicators that change is possible"

Ha, ha, ho, ho!!!!!

If you change the governor, (and IMHO, he is the best we have had since I have been here) you still have the legislature. And you cannot change that unless we get districting. And we are not going to get districting because then there would be change!

LOL...yeah, well I said possible - not probable. I tend to share your cynicism EE. I see very little hope of things getting any better and that's why it's probably only a matter of time before I'll be getting outa Dodge. It appears that things might even get much worse. There appears to be a grassroots movement among the locals that are tired of the same ol' same ol' corrupt ways. Whether it's a large enough group to make a difference I guess we'll soon enough see. Whether their idea of change is anything other than another flavor of the same ol' cr@p is also yet to be seen.

Agree about this governor. He certainly has a good person as the head of Tourism.

Has anybody had any personal experience with STX senators? I'd like more to go on than their names and signs. After the shooting near Coki, I e-mailed Sanes and got a response, from him, in less that 24 hours. I wrote back to thank him and he wrote ME back. Even if it was staff, and I don't think so, it was reassuring.

Linda: Cynical EE says: Of course, they are going to answer you! It's election season. Vote for me and help me remove more money from your pocket.:P

Maybe the time has come for the VI to become a state of the US, with a Member of Congress (with voting power) and 2 senators.

😮 😮 😮

@ Linda, I've heard similar good things about Sanes, although being a first term senator is likely to work hard to become a second-term senator. Usie Richards is unimaginative and seems to be drawn to inane scandals. He is the moral and intellectual protege of Adelbert Bryan of cursed memory. The smooth and charismatic Terrence "Positive" Nelson is a slippery, slippery centipede.

pt, great proofreading! Um, I think that was an EVO slip instead of a Freudian slip, because I was composing on my phone, LOL! Well, that'll be my new excuse for any slips from now on.;)

Being a "state" isn't all it's cracked up to be.
I give you: California, Michigan, Nevada, South Carolina.

I'm not as pessimistic about things here as some on this board and some longtime Crucians are.
Too often, locals who don't have their candidate in office like to paint a dire picture. Such apocalyptic "ain't it awfulism" rubs me the wrong way.

Same thing on a national level. There are those who will always believe that the country is going to hell in a handbasket as long as ___________ is in the White House.

Many positive things are happening here despite being in the middle of recession.

Uh...I think that the staggering crime rate, free flow of guns and drugs into the islands, and our court system paint a pretty clear picture. What ya think?

There will never be statehood, complete with a Representative and [two Senators] given to a territory that has maybe 120,000 people , mostly of African descent. The US Senate is a Very Closed Club.
Also our financial status -- including Income Tax and Duty Free Status for cruise ships would be a disaster.
Federal intervention on a very pointed and limited basis could be very effective if it was requested and organized by our local hierarchy.
STT residents can only vote for STT Senators - same for STX.
The At-Large Senator is the only Senator elected by an all island vote.

Aussie, I think many people, me included, live happy, productive, safe, comfortable lives in the USVI.

I actually agree with most of your statement, Linda J, although feeling safe and being safe are 2 entirely different animals. Safety is largely a matter of degree anyway. Lemme give you an example. I posted the crime stats for the community I moved down from in a past thread. I'm going from memory here but these numbers should be pretty accurate.

The homicide rate in the community I came from was 0.02/100K. The homicide rate here last year was approximately 51/100K. That makes the homicide rate here more than two thousand five hundred times greater than it was in the community I came from. You could choose to feel safe in both locations but, in only one of those locations, your sense of safety would be supported by the statistics.

When I speak about the crime rate, I'm not just talking about the rate of homicides. I can't find the full crime stats for the VI for recent years. Have they been published?

I agree, the chances of being a victim of crime is much higher here. But if the chance is 1 in a million in kentucky and only 1 in 200.000 here, is that REALLY a difference that I have to worry about!! I hope not, because I don't.

The VI government learned from the federal government. It is just that they do all the stuff on the front pages. Getting your kids hired to do nothing, your friends,etc.

There needs to be a day when someone wakes up and says enough is enough. I just hope that it is before we are run by China?

billd