"If I vote no [on SB1]...Ewa Beach will be toast." - Rep. Rida Cabanilla

From If Hawaii News  November 16, 2013

"If I vote no, in front of my leadership, in front of the Speaker of the House, there's a big chance, I can guarantee you, it's almost 100%, Ewa Beach will be toast."

At a community meeting several minutes of video were captured of Matt LoPresti confronting Rep. Rida Cabanilla on her absence during the final House vote on SB1 HD1, the recently passed "same-sex marriage" legalization bill.

Though many of LoPresti's comments and commentators on the subsequent Facebook post of the video lambasted the Rep. for opining that her vote yes or no "really doesn't matter", this matter runs much deeper than its surface.

She cited certain loss of money for James Campbell High School, Ewa-Makai Middle School, the "new High School in Ewa Beach", the widening of Ft. Weaver Rd., and others.

"Is it worth it for me to vote yes, or no, on that instance?  When the appropriation of the whole district is riding on it?"

The real tragedy is that any measure, any measure, incapable of passing on its own merits would be rammed through by our elected officials.  And worse, that this would be accomplished by holding money for schools and traffic mitigation as hostages.  This does not excuse the Representative from Ewa Beach from her failure to do her duty.  But rather her failure is symptomatic of the browbeating, bullying, and harassment by the "Speaker" and "leadership" that currently hold seats.

Is it any great wonder, with this backroom hammer swinging, that the educational, social, and business edifices of our state are crumbling?

Perhaps, with this kind of rippling that rolls out in the aftermath of Hurricane Abercrombie, we will remember what has been done, not done, and ultimately what has been undone by our Legislature and Governor.  And perhaps we the people of Hawaii will do something, come 2014, in return.

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The entire video clip can be found here.