On rail, the current and previous city administration and city councils have shown anything but real leadership. Given the philosophy of government by polling at Honolulu Hale, we should get rid of the mayor's office and the city council. Instead, we could save a lot of money by just retaining a good polling company and have the polling firm lead our community.

The Democrat-controlled Illinois redistricting commission has apparently re-drawn the Illinois 8th Congressional District especially to include the home of Tammy Duckworth.

...Last month we were worrying that the always ambitious, always reactionary corporate shill, Ed Case, would get a free ride for the Senate seat he once tried to steal from Dan Akaka, a progressive who is now retiring....

...The grant will support initiatives proposed by Marc Alexander, the Governor’s Coordinator on Homelessness, including rapid housing and supportive services for people who are chronically homeless ....

...President Barack Obama is holding a victory party today at a Chrysler plant in Toledo, Ohio, trumpeting the only jobs he can manage to create—those bought and paid for directly by the U.S. taxpayer....

Hanabusa supported Speaker John Boehner’s resolution demanding that Obama seek approval of the war under the War Powers Act within 14 days.  Hanabusa also supported a resolution offered by Rep Dennis Kucinich demanding US withdrawal from Libya within 15 days.

Hirono opposed both resolutions, essentially agreeing that the President may go to war without Congressional approval. This position differs sharply with her loud opposition to the Iraq war under President Bush.

The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii Military Affairs Council and The Hawaii Institute For Public Affairs hosted a $35-a-ticket-event for the report co-sponsored by defense contractor BAE Systems yesterday.

• Ranked 1 for cleanest metropolitan areas in the country for Ozone
• Ranked 1 for cleanest metropolitan areas in the country for 24-hour particle pollution
• Ranked 4 for cleanest metropolitan areas in the country for annual particle pollution  

... the rating outlook will depend on the outcome of negotiations on deficit reduction. A credible agreement on substantial deficit reduction would support a continued stable outlook; lack of such an agreement could prompt Moody's to change its outlook to negative on the Aaa rating....

...there’s no opportunity for the Consumer Advocate to be a part of that process to say on behalf of the consumer, ‘We don’t believe that this rate increase is legitimate. We don’t believe you should authorize it.’ .... 

Last night, House Republican leadership postponed a vote on a measure to withdraw troops from Libya within 15 days. While many agree that entering the war was unwise, they are also fearful of making another rash move that could harm our national interest or leave our allies stranded.

The legislators state that..."all ten members of the nationally recognized Physician Group Practice (PGP) CMS demonstration project" have expressed reservations over the regulation ...(and)... a recent report from American Hospital Association estimated that ACO startup costs would be at least 10 times higher than costs cited in the proposed rule.

You’re hearing a lot of Democratic criticism about the Medicare budget proposal passed by the House of Representatives.

What you need to hear more about are the changes to Medicare already enacted as part of the Obama health care law.

Life of the Land has filed a Motion to Intervene in PUC Docket 2011-0112. The docket was opened so that HECO could acquire nearly $4M of ratepayer money for completed Big Wind studies. This is illegal. Rate recovery can only occur after acceptance of the Final EIS.

These projects are aimed at improving and/or constructing learning facilities and campus environments within the Department of Education and the University of Hawai'i....

...On June 15^th from 7pm to 9pm at the brand new Ewa Makai Middle School in Ewa Beach, Berg will host several guest presenters in order to facilitate the public being able to form an up-to-date understanding of what they can truly expect from the rail project....

Well, President Obama asked for it. And last night he got it in grand fashion—a “clean vote” on raising the nation’s debt limit, free of any of the desperately needed spending cuts that Americans are demanding, conservatives support, but liberals abhor.

DoD expenditures in Hawaii during FY 2007–2009 averaged $6.5 billion per year in 2009 dollars — $4.1 billion for personnel and $2.4 billion for procurement. These expenditures were associated with $12.2 billion worth of Hawaii's output — 18 percent of Hawaii's 2009 GDP — and 101,000 jobs.

After being hounded for years by charges of sexual harassment leveled against him by a former aide in a 2006 EEOC complaint, former Big Isle Council Chair and Mayoral candidate Stacy Higa has been named Executive Director of the Hawaii State Commission for National and Community Service, which oversees AmeriCorps programs in Hawaii.

Congresswomen Hirono and Hanabusa are clearly part of the problem in Washington and have offered no solutions other than spending more money. This vote alone is a good reason why Congresswoman Hirono does not deserve or belong in the U.S. Senate.

Stephen H. Fraser, President and Chief Executive Officer-- "We believe our current stock price and market capitalization reflect investor concern over our ability to achieve a long-term refinancing that deleverages the company and preserves equity. We are working to complete a successful refinancing which we hope will alleviate that concern and help us achieve higher market capitalization."

"We are thrilled that eleven of thirteen candidates endorsed by Hawaii Right to Life PAC won their respective races. We also believe that every person who runs for public office of any kind and vows to uphold the right to life is a winner." said Janet Grace, Executive Director of Hawaii Right to Life.

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: FY2012 House Budget Resolution
• Senate: President’s FY2012 Budget Resolution
• Senate: Patriot Act Extensions
• House: National Defense Authorization Act, FY2012
• House: Patriot Act Extensions

...revised data released last week that shows the economy’s growth stuck at 1.8 percent, slow consumer spending, stagnant wages, higher prices for gas and food, the poor housing market, flagging consumer confidence and a recent Labor Department report showing a higher-than-expected rise in claims for jobless benefits.....

There is upon your desk an emergency appropriation by the legislature (HB838) awaiting your signature to fund the functions of the Reapportionment Commission and its temporary staff positions.

IAM is fortunate and pleased to announce that on June 2 at 6 p.m. at the Kulana `Oiwi Halau, Robin Kaye from Friends of Lanai (FOL) will be sharing the “Lanai Wind Fall Out” video and their experience with the Big Wind and undersea cable project.

Arrogantly, Abercrombie states that “we” –ie the State—have to “deal with” the question: “Are we extending life or are we prolonging death?”

For every child currently waiting to be adopted, there are 500 married households and three religious congregations in America.

Here in Arlington rests a sharecropper's son who became a hero to a lonely people. Joe Louis came from nowhere, but he knew how to fight. And he galvanized a nation in the days after Pearl Harbor when he put on the uniform of his country and said, "I know we'll win because we're on God's side."

Just six months ago, the settled view was that Americans were putting social issues on the back burner.... As a New York Times headline in March 2010 put it: “Tea Party Avoids Divisive Social Issues."  Some avoidance. Since the beginning of this year, according to a count published by the liberal Alan Guttmacher Institute, state legislatures have introduced nearly 500 pro-life measures. Most alarming to the institute and its allies, an unprecedented number of such measures are being passed, many by wide margins, and made law. 

...we noticed a very strong change in the legislature this year towards religious entities. Comments directed at Hawaii Family Forum, and other religious organizations, were negative. Pro‐family supporters walked away from several hearings disheartened at the way legislators allowed, and in some cases perpetuated, back‐ended derogatory comments about religious institutions. We have never before seen this type of discrimination at the capitol....

This spring, on Sunday, May 29, 2011, we will again create a festive environment to commemorate Yom Ha’atzmaut – Israel's Independence Day....

Representative Gene Ward, Ph.D. speaks with Dianne Glei Event Chair, for the Independence Day at Maunalua Bay; Kevin Nitta, treasurer of the Independence Day at Maunalua Bay Foundation and Laura Buck, the IDMB Foundation president.

...next Friday, June 3rd, we are on schedule to adopting a budget which (though imperfect in many ways) is definitely trying to make up for the shortchanging of taxpayers in years gone by....

The Honolulu Neighborhood Commission Office has announced the complete election results for Honolulu Neighborhood Boards. The online voting, which ended Saturday May 21 drew 13,264 voters for an 8.5% turnout.

Association of Alternative Newsweeklies CONDEMNS the attempt by Maui authorities to force this disclosure, and SUPPORTS the right of Maui Time and Tommy Russo to oppose this subpoena and CALLS ON the district attorney of Maui to immediately withdraw this subpoena and cease all efforts to chill the free speech rights of Maui Time readers.

...legal issues that the rail project will involve, include eminent domain, environmental questions, and the relationship with the newly-created Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit (HART), an agency within city government to oversee the project....

When the government chooses a preferred beneficiary before it condemns, the taking looks a lot more like the prohibited "A-to-B" taking that the Court professes to frown upon....

The Council on Revenues forecast today was unchanged for the current and upcoming fiscal years. Governor Neil Abercrombie has no plans to call for a special session.

About 26 percent of households fish regularly, and majority of nearshore fishers are non-commercial, according to a 2006 University of Hawai'i Social Sciences Research Institute study. Unsustainable coastal development and pollution, along with a high volume of fishing activity, have (has) led to the decline of 75 percent of Hawai'i’s nearshore fish population.

Hawaii is 50th
Average Score 73.0%
32% of Hawaii drivers failed the National Drivers Test

These $600 million in increased taxes come even while state legislators might be finagling a pay raise for themselves—if House Bill 575 is vetoed on constitutionality grounds, legislators would get 12 percent pay raises, administrators 17 percent, and judges a 28.5 percent increase in salary.

Governor Abercrombie promised “A New Day in Hawaii”. Seems like business is same old, same old.

in the first quarter of the year, government agencies in Hawaii spent more money lobbying in Washington, D.C. than private business did....  Hawaii state and local government spent about $185,000 on D.C. lobbying, compared to about $122,500 from Hawaii's private businesses over the same period.... the biggest state spenders were the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (which continues to push for the Akaka Bill) and InfraConsult, Inc. (which lobbies on behalf of Honolulu's rapid transit project). 

This scam is tied to several well-known sovereignty activists—which perhaps explains why the Advertiser’s two recent articles have included so little information about the alleged perpetrators.

Having deployed twice to the Middle East, served 2 years in the US Senate with Senator Akaka, assisting him with issues such as energy independence, homeland security, the environment, and veteran affairs, being elected as a State legislator and City Councilmember, as well as my work with my environmental non-profit, I am well-equipped to take on these challenges, and am confident that I will serve you well.

Even steeper rises in the cost of private insurance are possible, due to Obamacare’s reductions in Medicare payment rates and its expansion of the Medicaid program.

Myth #5: The House budget balances the budget on the backs of seniors.

Fact: Current and near-retirees are exempt from reforms.

Instead of offering solutions, the left is resorting to smear tactics. The prime example this week surrounds a special congressional election in western New York, where Democrat Kathy Hochul defeated Republican Jane Corwin, who supported Ryan's budget. Hochul attacked the plan, falsely claiming that it was an attempt to end Medicare.

Of all the plans released today at the Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s 2011 Fiscal Summit, the Heritage Foundation’s proposal reduces the national debt held by the public the most and keeps federal spending and taxes at the lowest levels.

The state’s Office of Aerospace Development will be the lead state agency for the project, enhancing dialogue and coordination among the state, private and academic partners to enable growth and diversification of the state’s aerospace economy.