Governor Neil Abercrombie signed into law a measure that recognizes Native Hawaiians as the indigenous people of Hawai'i. Act 195 gives the Governor the power to appoint a five-member Native Hawaiian Roll Commission that will build the foundation for self-determination.

Sometimes magic tricks just aren't that great, and even the most innocent, wide-eyed child can't be fooled by the illusionist's flourish.

“At first, we questioned the state’s call to relocate our services,” said Brother Sage of Ohana Family of the Living God Ministry, which is in the process of moving its services from A'ala Park to coordinate efforts with the Institute for Human Services’ shelters. “But after much thought and collaboration, we see the potential of benefits to the community that our change and transition in service will make. We are still fulfilling our mission of serving those who need our help while contributing to our collective goal of creating solutions to end homelessness.”

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011
• Senate: Confirmation of David H. Petraeus to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

From the halls of Congress, those individuals traveled to the gates of the White House, where they "complained that [President Barack] Obama had supported immigration reform with words and not deeds," as Fox News reports.

...Those credits were then followed by the now infamous Act 221 tax credits that were designed to attract investment funds to underwrite the high technology industry as it was difficult for start-up companies to attract investors. But the generous tax credits made it more of a boondoggle than a true tax incentive that invited participation.... 

The Declaration announced to the world that the American colonies were free and independent states. But this alone does not make the document or America revolutionary. What is revolutionary about the Declaration is not that a particular group of Americans declared their independence under particular circumstances but that they did so by appealing to a universal standard of justice: equality. What is revolutionary about America is that it is built upon a foundation of universal principles, not petty interests.

The start of July marks the effective date of the many bills that did become law this session. Below are some that might be of most interest to you.... 

Senate Bill 219 prohibits physically restraining inmates who are pregnant....

The only question is what will that HSTA courtroom victory look like?

The Abercrombie administration’s “last, best, and final” offer to the Teachers Union--which has now been unilaterally imposed--says nothing about implementing the 180-day school year....  The State’s contract also says nothing about implementing anything even vaguely resembling the teacher accountability requirements mandated by Race To The Top.

The continuing rise in the cost of living has not been offset by increased productivity: gross state product decreased by $2,363 per capita in 2009, the worst decrease in the nation.... 

“Hawaii is the most regulated state in the nation.” He described that it takes about 10-14 years to get a project in Hawaii from green field (non-urban designation) to completion. ...“Every delay adds to the cost of housing, as projects are all financed and the cost of those loans keeps accruing even though no development has actually taken place.” We all end up with higher housing costs as a result.

As we are celebrating the 4^th of July this weekend, we recommend you take some time to read some substantive articles about who we are as Americans....

Did Wil Okabe and the rest of the Abercrombie lap-dogs running the HSTA accepted the State’s “last best final” offer in negotiations? Are they now engaged in face saving after the HSTA board slapped them down? That’s what Neil Abercrombie says….

The Hawaii Republican Party announced today that Executive Director, Dylan Nonaka, has left his post to launch his own political and public affairs consulting firm...

Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann was recently on ABC News in an interview with George Stephanopoulos. During the conversation, Bachmann said that a number of the Founding Fathers opposed slavery and worked to end it, but Stephanopoulos challenged her, “Now, with respect Congresswoman, that's just not true.” 

But it is true....

While Helm repeatedly stated the I Aloha Molokai position of NO to both the cable and the windmills, Ritte said right now his position is also NO but that could change if given the opportunity to negotiate and have his long list of benefits met. The list was so long that he did not have time to finish reading it.

A new Harvard University study finds that July 4th parades energize only Republicans, turn kids into Republicans, and help to boost the GOP turnout of adults on Election Day.

the President made the following proclamation in a desperate attempt to recast himself as a deregulator:

What I have done — and this is unprecedented, by the way; no administration has done this before — is I've said to each agency, 'Don't just look at current regulations or don't just look at future regulations, regulations that we're proposing. Let's go backwards and look at regulations that are already on the books and if they don't make sense, let's get rid of them."

Oh, if only it were true....

Hawaii citizens are faced with a $500 million increase in taxes in the next 2 years to cover the $22 billion budget for the same period. It is clear the Hawaii government desperately needs to hear from commonsense taxpayers like you. That is why I am happy to introduce the co-chairs of AFP Hawaii, Jay McWilliams and Laura Brown.

Former Council Chair Nestor Garcia is iced out of all leadership positions.

A flotilla is determined to sail to the Gaza Strip this weekend in breach of Israel's naval blockade on the Hamas-controlled territory. This decision comes in spite of growing international pressure to stop the campaign, damaged ships and fewer passengers than expected. 

As the nation celebrates its 235th birthday July 4, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii invites the public to its 40th Annual Fourth of July Spectacular on Weyand and Sills Fields....

The Hawaii Meth Project today released findings from the 2011 Hawaii Meth Use & Attitudes Survey which revealed that, compared to a benchmark survey conducted prior to the launch of the Hawaii Meth Project, Hawaii’s young people are significantly more aware of the dangers of trying Meth and increasingly disapprove of trying the drug.

Emphasizing this, Gino Antoniello, VP, Transportation Systems and Equipment for SCOA explained: "Our protest--a first for us--was prompted by the conviction that our bid was improperly passed over in favor of another vendor with less experience and a questionable track record that lacked the proper legal qualifications to undertake a project of this scope."  ...Antoniello stressed that in starting down this protest path, the company did so with a readiness to go all the way.

ProPublica analyzed new data from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights along with other federal education data to examine whether states provide students equal access to programs — such as Advanced Placement or higher-level math and sciences classes — that researchers say will help them later in life.

As we saw at yesterday's press conference, President Obama is not going to lead on the debt ceiling issue. Nor is he going to compromise or play a mediating role. He is more interested in blaming others for his troubles, demagoguing other solutions and running for re-election. 

Beginning on July 1, with the start of the new fiscal year, we must implement the state budget as passed by the State Legislature. This included 5 percent in temporary pay reductions from June 30, 2009 salaries and an equal contribution of health care benefits for state employees.

"If governors and legislatures had truly balanced each state's budget, no taxpayer's financial burden would exist," said Sheila Weinberg, Founder and CEO of the Institute. She continued, "A state budget is not balanced if past costs, including those for employees' retirement benefits, are pushed into the future."

“If the community does not want this project it will not go through,” said Pattern Senior Developer Christian Hackett. “And we will pack up and leave.”

From CNBC America’s Top States for Business 2011....

The Obama administration said Tuesday that it had shelved plans for a survey in which “mystery shoppers” posing as patients would call doctors’ offices ….

With fellow Rep. Mazie Hirono already in the race, it's hard to see how Hanabusa wouldn't compete for the same pile of votes and risk giving the nomination to DLCer Ed Case in the Democratic primary.

The Obama Administration generally employs one of two strategies to legislate without—and often in spite of—congressional action: (1) administrative decree establishing a new federal rule, or (2) a refusal to enforce existing federal law. In five separate policy areas, the President and the federal agencies under his command have spurned congressional authority to achieve Obama’s objectives.

Since 2004 biofuels from crops have almost doubled the rate of growth in global demand for grain and sugar and pushed up the yearly growth in demand for vegetable oil by around 40 percent. 

A generic Republican candidate now holds a four-point lead over President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 election matchup. It's a fifth week in a row that the GOP candidate has been ahead and the widest gap between the candidates to date.

"They did listen to our testimony about the contributions that military personnel make, and about how they are part of the community," said Tom Smyth, president for the Hawaii chapter for the Military Officers Association of America. "I'm very pleased it came out the way it did." …

Bachmann said she plans to win decisive early victories in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina on her way to the White House. She promised to follow that with a national campaign – even in the heavily Democratic state of Hawaii.

 The state’s plan to bring Hawai'i’s prisoners home include expanding prison space in the state, creating alternatives to incarceration and reducing recidivism through community-based programs.

Today, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii announced the publication of the 2011 Pork Report, an examination of state spending that reveals the depth of government waste and inefficiency that has contributed so much to the State’s economic woes.

House Bill 1134 repeals Part V of the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act and Act 99, Session Laws of Hawaii 1994, relating to the future termination of the prepaid health care law. Further investigation is needed on whether approval of this bill would have unintended consequences to Hawaii’s Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) waiver.

HONOLULU – Lesley Jane Seymour, Editor-in-Chief of More magazine, will address delegates at Hawai‘i’s 8th annual International Women’s Leadership Conference (IWLC), taking place on September 20, 2011 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Resort.

Ms. Kauhane replaces retiring DHHL Deputy Robert Hall, who is leaving the department on July 1.

Jan Gouveia was the vice president for Executive Operation at (Al Hee's) Waimana Enterprises (no conflict of interest here, eh Neil?) prior to joining the Abercrombie Administration in December 2010.

The nation’s two highest-ranking military commanders have gone on record raising serious concerns about President Obama’s flawed plan to bring 33,000 troops home from Afghanistan by September 2012.

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Confirmation of Leon E. Panetta to be Secretary of Defense
• House: Jobs and Energy Permitting Act of 2011
• House: America Invents Act
• House: Authorizing the limited use of the United States Armed Forces in support of the NATO mission in Libya
• House: To limit the use of funds to support NATO Operation Unified Protector with respect to Libya

WSJ--The U.S. debt is now above its current limit of $14.3 trillion, a figure so large that it is nearly impossible for the average American to comprehend. Under the budget proposed by President Obama for 2012, the debt would rise to $15.7 trillion in 2021. The annual interest alone would be about $700 billion, and that would only increase with inflation. President Obama's proposed budget was so excessive and fiscally irresponsible that it was voted down in the Senate 97-0.

After the Audit became public, Cox called for Martin’s resignation as Chair of the Council’s Budget Committee. But the December, 2010 Community Benefits Audit hasn’t received much media attention. It almost became news June 21--but just before it was to be discussed on the agenda of that day’s Honolulu Council Recreation Committee meeting, Martin’s council ally Ann Kobayashi got up and walked out, denying the committee a quorum and ending the meeting.