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WE NEED BETTER LEADERS
We the People of Hawaii have been disenfranchised on many levels. Our State government thinks they know better what is good for us than we know for ourselves and our families. Both the Democrat Party and the GOP presume to make decisions on our behalf without consulting us.
Unless we coalesce and vote more wisely in future elections, this sorry state of affairs will continue ad infinitum. We need better leaders to make and enforce better laws and we need better political leadership to elect better leaders.
Which came first: the chicken or the egg? We need better leaders to make better laws but we need better laws and better policies to elect better leaders. But, we have to start somewhere and that somewhere is here and now.
STATE GOVERNMENT
There are so many ways that we here in Hawaii do not have a voice in government the way people in other states do. On the ballot, we have no popular initiatives, referenda or recalls. We are among very few states that do not even allow write-in candidates. The prevailing attitude here is that what you see is what you get. Pick what’s on your ballot or abstain.
Hawaii is also one of only a handful of states that do not have a popular election of our state Attorney General. He or she is appointed by the Governor.
Nor do we elect judges. Juries in criminal trials in Hawaii State courts have absolutely no say about the sentence imposed after conviction; that is the prerogative of the judge alone.
We have no Hawaii State Police or Highway Patrol. The State Sheriffs have very limited jurisdiction with focus on airports, seaports and State facilities.
Honolulu Police Department along with the neighbor island police departments are responsible for most law enforcement. They are not truly accountable to the people, falling under the Mayor and Police Commission.
For a Governor, other state official or state legislator to be removed from office, that must be done within the government and not by the voters between elections. Former Attorney General Doug Chin worked only for Governor David Ige. When he was running amok in self-aggrandizing fashion challenging President Trump’s Executive Orders, we in Hawaii had no real way of letting him or his benefactor know he was not speaking for us or on our behalf.
“In Hawaii, there is no right of statewide recall, either of federal or state government officials, and no ability to recall members of the Hawaii State Legislature.” – Ballotopedia
But you say, the people still can remove an incumbent from office in the polling place every election. That much is true. So, now let’s look at how our two major political parties are commandeering the elective process and depriving us of our voices.
HAWAII REPUBLICAN PARTY
Who knows what our elected party officials do all day because it never leads to wins in general elections. GOP Party Chair Shirlene Ostrov reportedly took a trip to Europe and Africa this year. Where do I go with this ludicrous thread? You ask her why.
Meanwhile, Oahu GOP Chair Brett Kulbis is Donald Trump’s biggest fan here in the 50th state, despite the fact that he and I both worked on the Ted Cruz campaign in 2016.
Hawaii is Hawaii. Adore our current president all you want but that will not get conservatives elected to local offices as he has no coattails here. What he couldn’t do in red Alabama, red Kentucky or pink Louisiana, he sho’ ’nuff ain’t gonna do here in deep blue Hawaii! So unhitch your wagons from the contentious national campaign.
Now, to add insult to injury, Hawaii GOP has canceled the presidential preference caucus for 2020. This totally disenfranchises conservatives in Hawaii who wish to express their support of another candidate and/or their non-support of Donald Trump for the nomination.
I have tried the direct approach but found our local GOP party officials uninterested and unresponsive to input from the field. They know better than we do and will keep losing elections just to prove they can do whatever they want without accountability. They have perfected the moral victory rigmarole and can recite it from rote memory every two years.
Add to that the toxic atmosphere caused by a fringe splinter element which condemns anybody and everybody in the most vile terms imaginable. Folks in Hawaii know of whom we speak, so we’ll just leave it at that.
With Tulsi Gabbard’s announcement that she will not seek reelection to Congress, this should be a golden opportunity for the opposition party to vie for an open office for a change. But no names have yet been floated as possible GOP contenders.
I am a firm believer that one cannot ask and expect others to respond to the clarion call if one is not willing to do so himself. I am the consummate non-politician as I say what I mean and mean what I say consistently. But, yes I did actually look into whether I should consider running.
I even went so far as to contact the U.S. House of Representatives Retirement Counselor. I know that sounds like getting the cart before the horse to talk about retirement before even getting elected.
But my situation is rather unique. As a retired federal employee of the executive branch, my retirement benefits are under the same systems which members of Congress, both House and Senate, are covered by.
I will spare you the details, first because I know you’re not interested and second because it wouldn’t alter the reality that a Congressional retirement would basically offset what I have already earned after 42 years of federal service.
Representatives are not allowed to opt out of this retirement system and social security. I actually considered contacting my own Congressman, Ed Case from Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District, to propose amending the Congressional retirement system. But a lifetime with the government has made me rather cynical and the more Congress fiddles with federal retirements, the worse they usually make it.
Serving in Congress is one thing but running an election campaign is something else altogether different. In all humility, I think I could be an excellent Representative or Senator with a lot more on the ground experience and knowledge than most.
Another person I greatly respect that I hoped would run for Congress also reminds me that a Representative has to campaign to be reelected every two years. You actually spend more time getting elected than doing the actual job. A Senator at least has a 6-year term and does not have to start actively seeking reelection right away.
So, I hope we can recruit a heretofore unknown but highly qualified individual to seek Tulsi’s 2nd CD seat. It is not too soon to also prepare to replace “Mr. Talking Points” Brian Schatz in the Senate in 2022.
HAWAII ONE-PARTY MACHINE, AKA DEMOCRAT PARTY
The Democrats also do not respect or care one whit what the people of Hawaii think. They feel like they own you lock, stock and barrel. After all, you and your family have always been on the Democrat Plantation and always vote a straight party-line ticket. Under those circumstances, why wouldn’t they take you for granted?
You would never be as mean, nasty and hateful as Mazie, yet she rightly presumed she would get reelected, and did, no matter what antics she displayed on C-SPAN. The things I said earlier about how Hawaii State government acts unilaterally without the people’s input applies to you as much as it does to Republicans.
But you are responsible for letting these career corrupt politicians play musical chairs, moving from one title to another, totally disrespecting the common good of our communities.
As long as Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly 8 to 1, you hold the key to change here in our island home. Learn to think for yourself and avoid the group-think mentality trap.
A NATIONAL SCHEME
Hawaii has now signed on to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which would award Hawaii’s electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote regardless of which way the local count goes. This is in total circumvention of the Electoral College and disenfranchises the voters of Hawaii.
I oppose it on that principle though Hawaii will unquestionably vote for the Democrat nominee and this action by Hawaii could only benefit Donald Trump. Hawaii Democrat legislators didn’t think this one through very well.
TOGETHER WE CAN DO THIS
The current on-going non-partisan race for Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu is a prime example of how we can focus on electing the best person without regard to their political affiliation. If we will all listen to the candidates next year, what they have to say, what they propose, their platform for progress, and not rule them out because of an [R] after their name, things will finally change for the better in Hawaii Nei!
A WORD TO OUR FRIENDS OUTSIDE HAWAII
Some of the principles we’ve discussed today may very well apply to you in your own environment, but it’s obvious that your mileage may vary. Please encourage everyone you know to get off their okole and actively engage in next year’s political process.
2020 MARKS A NEW BEGINNING
Hawaii needs to become a leader in innovation and not a follower of demagogues, home-grown or imported. It all begins with you and with me.
Not one of you in your heart really wants more of the same in Hawaii politics. NOQ Report affords us a forum we were denied in past elections by the establishment media in Hawaii.
This is my 100th article and every one of them has been with you in mind.
The future begins now!
Stay tuned!
We are currently forming the American Conservative Movement. If you are interested in learning more, we will be sending out information in a few weeks.
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