Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Friday, May 16, 2014
Duke Aiona: Have I done all I can do for the people of Hawaii?
By Lt Gov Duke Aiona @ 6:18 AM :: 5456 Views :: Politicians, Republican Party

Is a Father's Job Ever Done?

Aloha,         May 15, 2014

Isn’t it amazing how time flies? If you’re like me, you look at your children or your nieces and nephews and realize how much they’ve changed in a short amount of time.

Four years ago my daughter Ka’imilani (Imi) was heading off to college, today she’s back in Hawai’i with college degree in hand, looking for a job.

I think about Imi a lot when I think about Hawai’i’s future. Imi is just starting her adult life. As a parent, I’ve done just about all I can do for Imi.  I’ve provided her a good, solid home, a college education and all the unconditional love a father can give.

But have I done enough?  I know Imi has been blessed with many opportunities, I know, because I saw plenty of children raised in an environment of abuse, neglect, and addiction, during my time as a family court judge. And even with all her opportunities, will Hawai’i be a place she can stay?

It isn’t just Imi that’s changed in four years, Hawai’i has changed too. Housing prices are approaching record highs and fewer of Hawai’i’s workforce can afford to buy a home. Our costs of goods and services are only going up. Will these trends continue and if so, how will Imi raise her family here if she decides to have one?

I don’t know about you, but the last four years have done nothing to restore my trust in government. This last legislative session was an example, last minute press conferences for programs not funded, appointees subjected to politics, personal attacks and political showboating. Who wins? Politicians, that’s who.

I’ve been in politics, but I don’t consider myself a politician. But I am a Hawai’i resident, a husband, a father and a grandfather. I am personally concerned about the direction of our state. I’ve hinted at running for the Governor’s office, but I have yet to officially announce. As I ponder this decision, I can’t help but ask myself, have I done all I can do for the people of Hawai’i?

Duke Aiona

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT