Environment

Here is video from the March 23 rally at the Capitol. 

More anti-tax rallies are planned for Honolulu, Kona, and Hilo April 15.

• Honolulu Rally 4-7PM at Capitol
• Kona Rally 1-5PM along Queen K Hwy near Mormon Temple
• Hilo Rally 4-6PM along Bayfront at Kamehameha Statue

Today the House Finance Committee will be hearing a bill (SB 2124 SD2) that appropriates $86.1 M to end Furlough Fridays. Representative Finnegan will be offering an amendment to Finance Chair Marcus Oshiro, reflecting her proposal to decrease the appropriation to $77.5 M.

“We can refrain from raising taxes and get students back in school,” said Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan.

The New York Times reports: "Administration officials describing the draft treaty said its preamble recognized the relationship between offensive weapons and missile defense, but that the language was not binding." But the Times goes on to quote retired major general Vladimir Dvorkin who says Moscow will scrap the treaty if the U.S. pursues missile defense: "If, for example, the U.S. unilaterally deploys considerable amounts of missile defense, then Russia has the right to withdraw from the agreement because the spirit of the preamble has been violated."

“With the 31% pay increase, our part-time legislators, who are in session for just four months in the year, are the highest paid part-time legislators in the nation.  In these tough economic times, when people are losing their jobs, businesses are shutting down and teachers and students are being furloughed, do we really want to elect someone who cares more about her own paycheck than what’s good for the people of Hawai'i?” said Hawai'i Republican Party Chairman Jonah Ka'auwai.

With more than half of the 2010 legislative session gone and fewer than 30 business days to go, the Legislature should focus on enacting bills that will improve government operations and strengthen our economy — not increasing taxes.

Many key proposals that could save the state precious general funds have either stalled or not been heard in House and Senate committees. Instead of increasing the general excise tax, the Legislature should cut inefficiencies and spend within our means to ensure economic recovery for Hawaii.

Rumors of a possible Supreme Court retirement this summer have Washington buzzing with anticipation.  Adding to the intrigue is the controversial nomination of Goodwin Liu for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.  Senate Republicans used a procedural move Wednesday to postpone Liu’s hearing....

For the current (2009-10) school year:  The agreement provides for the state to appropriate approximately $24.5 million to eliminate the four (4) remaining furlough days this school year. In return, students will be given an additional full day of instruction; and the last teacher work day of the year will be converted to a half day with students.

For the next (2010-11) school year: The agreement provides for the state to appropriate approximately $67.5 million to eliminate eleven (11) furlough days. The remaining six (6) furlough days will be scheduled on non-instructional days as follows: Two (2) days at the beginning of the school year (one administrator day and one teacher day); teacher institute day; three (3) planning collaboration/waiver days as scheduled by the Board of Education.

Funding would cover both the salaries and fringe benefits of teachers.  Release of the funds would be contingent upon legislative passage of a constitutional amendment to allow voters to determine if the next governor should appoint the school superintendent.

HONOLULU – In response to Senator Roz Baker's (South and West Maui) decision not to schedule a public hearing for House Bill 2311, veterans from across the state, will be delivering their military decorations ribbons and awards that honor their valor and service to the country out of protest to her tomorrow.   

Veterans will present the ribbons to Chair Baker and her Committee members of the Commerce and Consumer Protection (CPN) on Wednesday, March 24 in room 229 at 10 a.m.  Sen. Baker, who sponsored the clothesline bill last year, has chosen to pass an unenforceable resolution about the flag instead....  

What do Sen Roz Baker and Rep Rida Cabanilla have in common?  They both have employed convicted child molester Leon Rouse.

It is difficult to imagine the Ninth Circuit as any more radically liberal than it already is. Despite a few stellar judges, the Court is full of liberal activists who have earned it the reputation of having the highest Supreme Court reversal rate of any court in the nation.  But, with his latest judicial nominee, President Obama just may do what seemed impossible.

There are many red flags in the judicial record of Ninth Circuit nominee Goodwin Liu, who is Associate Dean at the University of California Berkeley Law School.  Here are just a few highlights....

New information is emerging about President Barack Obama's federal appeals court nominee Goodwin Liu.  If the Seante approves Liu's appointment to the 9th Circuit Court, Liu will be among the judges ruling on appeals of cases originating from Federal District Court in Honolulu.

…In 2007, Liu joined 17 other professors and submitted a friend of the court brief to the California Supreme Court, arguing that California's definition of marriage between a man and a woman violated the state constitution.

First, he said, the mandate to buy insurance or pay a fine amounts to "a tax on living." Unlike auto insurance or payroll taxes, McCollum said, the new fees would apply to people for not doing anything, not triggered by any status or activity on a citizen's part.

Secondly, he said, the bill imposes spending requirements on the states --amounting to more than $1.6 billion for Florida. McCollum said Congress can't legally do that.

“The health care legislation approved by the House tonight will force Hawai‘i and all the other states into a one-size-fits-all program that is financially unsustainable.

“The $1.2 trillion government takeover of health care will cost Hawai‘i residents, conservatively, an estimated $300 million over five years in added costs to our Medicaid programs, which are already hemorrhaging red ink.

“Since the healthcare debate heated up in March, over 7,617 jobs were lost every day.  Not only did Congress fail to address the most important issues of the day—jobs and the economy—but they passed legislation that is guaranteed to hurt businesses and negatively impact jobs.  Hawai'i needs congressional representation that works for our concerns, for our jobs and most importantly, for our families.

“We have a unique opportunity here in Hawai'i come May.  We can, must and will elect Republican Charles Djou to Congress, gain a champion of fiscal accountability, individual responsibility for Hawai’i and return independent, effective leadership to Congress.”

“Congress should instead have enacted medical malpractice reform, allowed for the interstate sale of health insurance, and reformed the tax code to allow for an individual deduction on health insurance premiums.  We must continue to fight for responsible health care reform that lowers costs and offers greater access to affordable health care.”

Djou is the only major candidate in the Congressional race, who lives in the 1st Congressional District and the only major candidate who would have voted against this bill.  Ballots will be mailed out April 30.

For months, Mazie Hirono pledged to vote against the Senate version of Obamacare.  For her, Senate Obamacare just wasn’t socialist enough.  Along with 56 other “progressive” members of Congress, she demanded a program with a public option and denounced the Senate bill as a multi-billion dollar giveaway to the insurance companies.

Hirono’s July 30, 2009 letter explained:

“Any bill that does not provide, at a minimum, for a public option with reimbursement rates based on Medicare rates--not negotiated rates—is unacceptable…. (T)his agreement will result in the public, both as insurance purchasers and as taxpayers, paying ever higher rates to insurance companies.  We simply cannot vote for such a proposal.”

Hirono has maintained this position as recently as February 2, but at the last minute, barely noticed by her “progressive” base, Rep Mazie Hirono has changed her mind....

Now, more than ever, we need to bring balance to our nation’s capitol.  For too long, Hawaii residents have been underserved with only “one” viewpoint represented in Congress.  This out-of-balance system has failed our citizens and allowed for policies that have stifled our creativity and economic growth and burdened us with heavy taxes, wasteful, out of control government spending, and inefficient bureaucratic growth.

The people are speaking, but Washington isn’t listening.  That’s why we need new leaders who will listen and provide “common sense” approaches to get our country back on track.  Join me in the “good fight” and allow me the honor to represent you with “a strong voice and presence” in the halls of Congress.  

Honolulu- Friday, March 19, 2010 Republicans withdraw their support of a seemingly routine procedural resolution. The resolution (HR 205) dictates that the Speaker of the House exclusively controls in-house video programming and information output, and sets restrictions for its use.

“Just one example of the final report's gross flaws is that without any citation of the attorneys (if any) that she relied on for her own legal opinion, the legislative auditor dismisses the attorney general's detailed opinion that concluded that the purchase of auction rate securities was specifically authorized by the Legislature in 1997, and legal when made by two budget directors in the Cayetano Administration and by my department in the Lingle Administration."

“The Legislature’s failure up to this point to focus on immediate measures that will reduce government spending and create jobs for our residents is putting the future economic well-being of our state in jeopardy,” said Governor Lingle.  “Instead of taking action that will help get people back to work, the Legislature is attempting to further burden our residents and businesses with a 25 percent increase in the general excise tax, a $1 tax on every barrel of oil shipped into the state that would raise the cost of living and doing business, a 30 percent tax increase on timeshares and numerous other unjustifiable fees on small businesses."

"I think Neil was determined to get moving on his gubernatorial race," DCCC chairman Chris Van Hollen told me yesterday...."Once a person makes up their mind to do something, this is America, they're free to do it."

...there is genuine concern among Democrats that while Djou is up on air with appealing intro ads that don’t mention his party affiliation, neither state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa nor former Rep. Ed Case are running great campaigns. Case may enjoy an early lead, but he also has the least money. Furthermore, Democratic Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka will do all they can to ensure Hanabusa overtakes Case, their longstanding rival.

Tuesday, March 23rd at the State Capitol -- from 10:00am till 12 noon -- Mauka side of Beretania St across from State Capitol.

"I don't impose my faith and my beliefs on anybody using my authority as lieutenant governor or as a judge, when I was a judge. But that doesn't mean I can't stop believing and practicing my faith," Aiona told CBN News.

Puzzling Statement: Obama Says ‘Louisiana Purchase’ Will Help With the Earthquake in Hawaii....

"Do we really want to be known internationally as the Legislature that blocked any inquiries into where President Obama was born?" asked Rep. Cynthia Thielen, R-Kaneohe-Kailua. "When people want to get more information, the way to fuel that fire is to say, 'We're now going to draw down a veil of secrecy.'"  (Which is precisely why Hawaii Democrats are doing this—to fuel the fire.)

"With this endorsement, Hanabusa, like other public union soldiers in the legislature, remains beholden to a lobbying group that protects its own interests, even at the expense of Hawai'i’s children.”

The Office of Elections has set May 22nd as the date of the special election and has determined that the election will be an all mail-in special election.  Ballots will be mailed to every registered voter in the district on Friday, April 30.  The deadline to register to vote is April 22.  If you are not registered, click here to download the form.  Please remember to look for your ballot in the mail and return it to the Office of Elections as soon as possible...

THE SENATE HAS TAKEN A BILL MEANT TO REPEAL TAX EXEMPTIONS- HB2877.  AND TURNED IT INTO A 1-PERCENTAGE POINT GENERAL EXCISE TAX INCREASE.

This will increase GE Taxes on Oahu from 4.5% to 5.5% – a 22% increase.  On outer islands the bill will hike taxes from 4% to 5% -- a 25% increase.

Despite the failed attempts last fall to pass a health care overhaul bill through Congress, a bill that time after time Americans have fought against, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is trying to shove the U.S. Senate bill through the House this week.

Charles Djou, Republican candidate for Congress, has already vowed not to vote for this bill or any health care overhaul that places further burden on American taxpayers.  But, if Speaker Pelosi has her way, this vote will take place BEFORE Hawaii's special election ballots are due on May 22, 2010.

HONOLULU — Uncertainty is rising within Hawaii political circles over whether the state’s primary election in September will be moved to an earlier date and, if so, the impact that will have on candidates.

Some candidates for statewide offices are devising two sets of schedules and strategies — one based on the current Sept. 18 primary date, and the other for a primary in early August.

The April 15^th Tax Day Tea Party is now planned to take place

Thursday – 4/15 – from 12 Noon until 5 or 6 PM

The location : fronting the Mormon Temple on Queen K

DESPITE ALL HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTING NO TO THE DEATH TAX, THE BILL PASSED THE HOUSE ON MARCH 2, 2010 AND IS TO BE HEARD ON MARCH 16 IN THE SENATE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.

Federal courts are slowly becoming a new battlefield in the war on terror, with combatants setting aside traditional weapons and arming themselves instead with domestic and international laws. Responding to this phenomenon, the inaugural meeting of The Lawfare Project convened last week in New York to discuss The Use of the Law as a Weapon of War.

Rep. Cynthia Thielen filed today for the Hawaii House of Representatives (50^th District).

Is that nutty poli-sci graduate assistant really running for the U.S. Senate?  The question was asked across the U.H. Campus back in 1970. As this pot-fueled manifesto is testament to, the answer was yes.

Today, we’re just about at the half-way point of the legislative session and we’ve done marijuana stores, gambling, foie gras and now is a great time to get re-focused on what this legislative session has to be about and that’s getting our economy back on track and creating new jobs all across the state.

If a Republican can win in the district representing Obama's birthplace, "then no Democratic seat in the U.S. Congress is safe," Djou said in an interview on Tuesday at a gathering of reporters in downtown Washington, trying to emphasize the significance of his race.

“The statement by Save Our Schools that 'All that is required now is for the governor to approve (an emergency appropriation),' is not true.

“While the Legislature may be exploring various funding mechanisms to address the furlough situation, at this point, no funds have been appropriated by the Legislature, therefore the Governor cannot approve or release any funds. 

The non-partisan research group, www.Congress.org, measures 15 criteria to rank "demonstrated power and the ability to be effective in Congress.”  By the end of his time in Congress, Case’s ranking for legislative activity was zero.  Case’s “influence” was –2, two notches below zero. 

Neil Abercrombie has gotten a lot of financial backing from the defense industry, especially since his rise to Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces. This has required him to modify the radical anti-war positions he espoused during his happy, hippie days on the U.H. campus. However, his wife, Nancie Caraway has undergone no such metamorphosis....

“While there is reason to be optimistic, we also need to be realistic and accept the fact that actual revenues are still significantly lower than earlier projected, and it will take several years before general fund revenues return to pre-recession levels.

“For this reason, the focus of our entire state must be on job creation.  The fact is, we cannot successfully revive our economy unless our residents get back to work.  My Administration is working with the Legislature to pass laws that will help businesses create new jobs, while also ensuring that any legislation that would hinder job creation does not pass.”

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today signed a new law that will lower unemployment insurance (UI) taxes paid by all employers. Act 2 (HB2169 HD2) will save businesses an estimated $77 million in unemployment insurance tax payments over the next four years.

“While this law helps businesses get some tax relief as they struggle to keep their doors open and retain their employees, it falls far short of what is needed to grow our economy,” Governor Lingle said. “I urge the Legislature to take up this matter next year and pass a bill similar to the one I proposed that would have saved employers $497 million and kept close to a half billion dollars in our local economy.”

“The vested interest shared by the People’s Pulse Survey co-sponsors Hawai‘i Business Roundtable and Pacific Resources Partnership resulted in a poorly worded and misleading survey question.

“Also, the question failed to identify the Governor’s legal obligation to review and approve the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). 

“Under the law, the Governor must review the final EIS....

State House and State Senate members from across the islands are meeting at the State Capitol right now. The majority of these 76 elected officials are seriously considering increasing our already high cost of living in Hawaii by approving massive tax increases which will make everything you need to buy even more expensive.

Why? Because they refuse to tighten their belts like the rest of us.

The timetable for rail to continues to move into the future and there is much uncertainty that now appears unlikely to be resolved before Mayor Hannemann has to resign if he wants to run for Governor. If Mayor Hannemann resigns as Mayor to run for Governor while the future of rail hangs in the balance, the rail project will be put at risk. 

Ed Whelan, a one-time clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia and now president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, echoed those concerns.

“Liu believes that judges have the authority to impose their views … using clever verbal camouflage to disguise what they’re doing.”

State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA): This is the agency responsible for the Certificate of Need program, and in years past, we have advocated for its demise, the program and the agency. 14 states have repealed this outdated program, and more are debating its demise. Because of our health care market, I would believe that private entities would apply just as much scrutiny, if not more, when it comes to the purchase of new medical technologies and equipment.

Eliminating SHPDA would save the state approximately $670,741 in FY 2011, and every year beyond.