Mitt Romney, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, Republicans and, um…me???

“Saipan??? 87% voted for Republican Mitt Romney??? Isn’t that the place Walt Goodridge escaped the rat race to? Isn’t that the paradise island for which he offers tours on his Discover Saipan website? Isn’t that the island where garment factories existed and about which Walt wrote in his groundbreaking book Chicken Feathers and Garlic Skin: Diary of a Chinese Garment Factory Girl on Saipan (co-authored with Chun Yu Wang)?? How can that be?” Yes, I can hear the questions coming.

Well, I know much better than to get into a political discussion. However, what I will say is that the word “republican” and even the word “democrat” don’t mean quite the same things as they do on the US mainland. Hard to understand, I know, so here’s what we’ll do. Ask your questions in the comment box below, and I promise you you’ll hear from Saipan residents and others who can explain what is actually happening here. Things are not always as clear cut as they may seem…