Ward proposed an amendment to remove political appointees in SB2571's process of selecting the governor's BOE appointees. The amendment, along with one that proposed to lift the cap on Charter Schools would have made Hawaii more competitive for Race to the Top funds. All three amendments were killed by the House.

...the DCCC should explain to voters why several current U.S. House and U.S. Senate Democrats, and numerous Democrats on the state level have already made the same commitment as Djou. The following Democrat members of Congress have signed the Pledge: Reps. Brad Ellsworth (IN-08), Rob Andrews (NJ-01), Gene Taylor (MS-04), Ben Chandler (KY-06) and Sens. Ben Nelson (NE) and Arlen Specter (PA). Interestingly, every single Democrat named has violated the Pledge on at least one occasion. Even more interesting is the fact that every House Democrat named has violated the Taxpayer Protection Pledge on multiple occasions.

In late 2008, Congressman Neil Abercrombie could not have been more clear in this letter to a Hawaii constituent, where he vowed to vote “no” on the $700 Billion bail out bill....Less than one week from the date of Abercrombie’s  reassuring assertions, he voted for the bailout anyway.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said Tuesday he wouldn't rule out making an endorsement in the May special election in Hawaii's 1st Congressional District.

As two Democrats — former Rep. Ed Case and state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa — compete against a single GOP candidate in the three-way election, Van Hollen didn't reject reports that the DCCC may swing behind Case's campaign.

To hear the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee tell it, Republican Congressional candidate Charles Djou “signed a pledge that protects tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas” and “Djou still supports tax breaks for big corporations who would export our future.”

Starting tonight, the National Democrat commercials will run through the end of this week.  According to one Honolulu TV advertising sales exec interviewed by Hawai’i Free Press, the commercials will target Republican Congressional candidate Charles Djou.  Djou is the only Republican facing off against Democrats Colleen Hanabusa and Ed Case in the May 1 –22 mail in special election.  The same source tells Hawai’i Free Press the DCCC message will be anti-Djou—and will not make reference to either Ed Case or Colleen Hanabusa.

Determined to avert that result, the two sources said the DCCC is providing under-the-radar organizational support to former Rep. Ed Case against Democratic state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa, including assistance from DCCC Western Regional Political Director Adam Sullivan.

Unfortunately for Americans, President Obama’s new strategy will have the exact opposite result of its intended effect. Instead of incentivizing countries to give up nuclear ambitions, it creates new incentives for them to maintain or develop their own nuclear programs.

This unique 18-unit subdivision is an affordable-housing project by the State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. The homes will consume little electricity and have a low environmental impact, and were designed with a blend of the newest energy technology and traditional Hawaiian practices to support a self-sufficient and sustainable lifestyle.

Just three days after President Barack Obama's health plan was signed into law, AT&T announced that due to an obscure tax change in the bill, the nation's largest telephone company would take a $1 billion hit to its bottom line this quarter. According to health benefits analysts this tax law modification would shave as much as $14 billion from U.S. corporate profits. While it would have been better had these tax losses been made more public before Congress voted, at least these tax charges are transparent and easily quantifiable enough to get noticed by the American people. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of the hundreds of new regulations that the federal government will enforce as it tries to implement Obama's redistributionist health agenda.

“I’m the only one who actually lives in the congressional district,” Djou says. “I have two opponents who are running insider themes. Case is running on his experience, his seniority, and [the fact that he] knows the corridors of Congress. Hanabusa is running on how she’s going to be a team player with Democrats in Congress. It’s clear that voting for Case or Hanabusa will not change Washington, D.C. My election will mean change, not just here, but if I win this race, we’re going to have a very big impact across the country.”

“I have never voted for a tax increase, and neither of my opponents can say that,” Djou says. “In five debates so far, both of them have repeated that they will not take a pledge to not raise taxes. They have both said they believe that there’s even an appropriate time to raise taxes, even in a recession.”

Concerned that momentum is shifting in favor of Charles Djou, the national Democrats are worried and want the powerful insiders in D.C. to pick Hawai'i's next congressional representative. 

The National Journal writes: "National Democrats are tempted to pick a favorite, sources say, and perhaps get the White House involved to avoid the embarrassment of losing in President Obama's hometown urban Honolulu congressional district."

But the Dan’s won’t let them pick Ed Case, so they are stuck with Larry Mehau associate Colleen Hanabusa.  The National Journal article points the finger at Inouye, while pretending to point the finger at Obama, who, perhaps retaliating for Inouye’s support of Clinton in the Primary, washes his hands of the mess caused by Inouye’s retaliation against Ed Case and Neil Abercrombie....

Meanwhile..."Democratic strategists sense a momentum shift for Djou."

Case led in the last public poll, but that was nearly three months ago. Privately, Democratic strategists sense a momentum shift for Djou.

"The onus is on the White House. ... Can you imagine how bad it would be messaging-wise if we lost Obama's home district after losing Massachusetts?" one strategist said.

White House officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Democrat congressional candidate Ed Case is attempting to portray himself as someone who is fiscally responsible.  A look at his record, however, uncovers the truth: While in Congress, Ed Case was a reliable vote for imposing higher taxes on middle-class families and small businesses....

Ed Case has been ranked as one of the most ineffective members of Congress: “Two members of Congress ranked as some of the least effective – Rep. Ed Case [D- Hawai'i] and Sen. Dan Akaka [D- Hawai'i] – are battling over who has the worse rating on a national political Web site.” (Richard Borreca, “Case to Akaka, Akaka to Case: You’re ineffective,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 08/29/06).

Have you seen more Republicans in the fall elections in office?

I do.  I think this is going to be a very good year to run for the State Legislature as a Republican, and I think it's because legislators have really ignored the major issue of the day, which is job creation, and we've given them a whole series of great proposals on how to stimulate the economy through job creation, and instead they have spent much too much time on things like cock fighting and marijuana stores and other issues that might be important to a small number of people.   It's not to say they are not important but a leader has to say, you know what, we're going through the worst fiscal crisis in state history, our economy needs to be rebuilt, we just can't take up cock fighting right now.

Today the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor and Statistics released its monthly jobs report showing that the nation's unemployment is 9.7% for the third month in a row. While the jobs report does indicate that 162,000 net jobs were created in March, almost 50,000 of those jobs were temporary government Census jobs that do not reflect any real economic progress. In total, the U.S. economy has now lost a total of 3.8 million jobs since President Barack Obama signed his $862 billion stimulus plan. We are 8.1 million jobs short of the 138.6 million he promised the American people.

...When private investment declines, taxpayers will be forced to step in and subsidize broadband Internet, with lots of strings attached. And regulations could eventually even restrict political speech online.

Honolulu – Thursday, April 1, 2010 "I'm very disappointed that the HSTA leadership, BOE, and DOE allow the general public, parents and classroom teachers to believe incorrect information," said Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan.

"I'm hearing that teachers are under the impression that front office staff, nurses, cafeteria workers, special education assistants, janitors and security are on the non-essential employees list. This is simply not true," stated Finnegan.

With the media picking up on this big story, maybe they will start asking Hanabusa about the firing of Margery Bronster, or her meeting with Larry Mehau, or the land deal with a member of the Pali Shooter’s gang, or the Honolulu Raceway deal. 

So if developing new energy sources that can create private sector jobs for Americans and new revenues for financially strapped states and the federal government is not the Obama administration's real goal, then what is? Well, President Obama's Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who was at yesterday's announcement, has said, "Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe." For reference purposes, when Secretary Chu said that, Europeans were paying $8 a gallon for gas at the pump.

While Hawaii’s school children are subjected to Furlough Fridays and the state faces a record shortfall, the 2010 Hawaii Pork Report reveals that bureaucrats continue to spend taxpayer dollars in questionable ways. Co-authored by Hideo Hikida, Frances Nuar, and Jamie Story, the second annual report reveals more than $300 million in waste, abuse, and mismanagement of taxpayer dollars.

“This day will commemorate the life and accomplishments of Saint Damien, whose service and ministry has perpetuated the Spirit of Aloha and has offered hope and inspiration to past, present and future generations,” said Lt. Governor Aiona, who presented the legislation, signed into law today by Governor Linda Lingle as Act 10, at an event to celebrate the change in law.

Joseph de Veuster, who would later be known as Father Damien of Moloka‘i and Blessed Damien de Veuster, was a Roman Catholic missionary who sacrificed his life in service to those suffering from Hansen’s Disease in Kalaupapa on the Hawaiian island of Moloka‘i.

In Montana, 33% of all children are in foster care due to methamphetamine abuse.  Two years after launching the Meth Project in Montana, adult Meth use has declined by 72% and Meth-related crime has decreased 62%.  The state has seen a 63% decrease in teen meth use.  Now the same program is being tried in Hawaii.

In May 2004, FBI agents driving a black Suburban and wearing SWAT gear ran Evertson off the road near his mother's home in Wasilla, Alaska. When Evertson was face down on the pavement with automatic weapons trained on him, an FBI agent told him he was being arrested because he hadn't put a federally mandated sticker on a UPS package.

In the closing days of the Congressional health care debate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told the National Association of Counties: "We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it." Today marks the end of just the first week of life under Obamacare and Speaker Pelosi has been proven right: we are just now finding out what is in it. This past Friday, AT&T, the biggest U.S. telephone company, announced that it would take a $1 billion charge against earnings thanks to tax changes buried in the 2,300+ page bill. $1 billion. That is a full third of AT&T's $3 billion earnings for the fourth quarter of 2009.

When the Advertiser in 2004 exposed business dealings between then-State Sheriff John Sousa and two convicted felons, Souza said he was considering resigning and acknowledged "The appearance is bad." Souza had extended $25,000 credit to organized crime figure Jonnaven Monalim as part of a deal to sell seven Makaha acres of former Hanabusa family property. Another convicted felon was managing Souza's Pueo Trucking company while Souza was Sheriff.

But just two years later, Hanabusa's husband Souza would form a close working relationship with one George Grace III.  Unlike Monalim, a search of the Hawaii criminal database indicates that George Grace III has never been convicted of a crime. But the controversial owner of porta-potty rental firm Paradise Lua has had a court-documented interest in stolen trucks going back to the 1990s.

In 1998, the State of Hawaii ... had this to say in a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court: ‘‘the tribal concept simply has no place in the context of Hawaiian history.’’

Senator Inouye ... had this to say (on January 25, 2005): ‘‘Because the Native Hawaiian government is not an Indian tribe, the body of Federal Indian law that would otherwise customarily apply when the United States extends Federal recognition to an Indian tribal group does not apply.’’

Senator Inouye went on to say: ‘‘. . . That is why concerns which are premised on the manner in which Federal Indian law provides for the respective governmental authorities of the state governments and Indian tribal governments simply don’t apply in Hawaii.’’

Congressman Abercrombie, the ultimate PAC Man, displayed an insatiable appetite for special interest money during his twenty years in Washington.....

Caterpillar was quick to inform the markets exactly what Obamacare meant for its bottom line. Caterpillar announced that Obamacare would raise its insurance costs by at least 20 percent - or more than $100 million - just in the first year of the health-care overhaul program. And Caterpillar was not alone. Other Fortune 500 firms quickly followed suit announcing Obamacare hits to their bottom line including: Deere & Co., $150 million; AK Steel, $31 million; 3M, $90 million; Valero Energy, $20 million; and AT&T, $1 billion.

Election 2010: Hawaii Governor

• Duke Aiona (R) 31%
• Neil Abercrombie (D) 54%
• Some other candidate 6%
• Not sure 9%

Even with Hawaii facing an $869 million budget deficit over the next three years, in 2008, state Senate President Hanabusa defended a 36 percent pay raise for the Hawaii State Legislature.  Hanabusa said “legislators work very hard and deserve the raise.”  As of December 2009, Hawaii pays the highest salary for part-time legislators.

Wil Okabe, the HSTA President, said that negotiations would cease if their proposal failed. This would leave parents, teachers, principals, and students with 21 Furlough Fridays in place until the school year 2010-2011 is over. The HSTA will vote next Wednesday to approve or disapprove a new supplemental agreement between HSTA, BOE, and the DOE.

“HSTA is treating this as if it is the end of the road. There is more work to be done, but I’m hopeful there can be further compromises to end this Furlough Friday fiasco,” Finnegan said.

The difference between bringing back only essential employees and also bringing back non-essential DoE employees is $1 million per day.   Representative Finnegan continues to advocate bringing back only essential personnel in order to keep the cost of restoring Furlough Fridays reasonable and something the State can afford.

An indication that our campaign is a threat to the status quo is the number of yard signs stolen on a regular basis.  We know that it happens in every election, but the rate that our signs are stolen surpasses anything we have ever seen before.  In some areas, we will put up a yard sign and the sign will be taken in a matter of hours.  One of our supporters reported last week that she was in her yard when a white van drove up to her house.  A man jumped out of the van and pulled her yard sign out from where it was planted in her yard.  When she asked him what he was doing, he said that he was from the Djou campaign and that the sign was needed in another location.  This was completely untrue - the campaign never relocates signs to "better" locations.  We value every single person willing to indicate their support for Charles with a yard sign.

“While I share valid objections regarding the sovereign immunity bestowed upon a Native Hawaiian governing entity and the amended definition of a qualified Native Hawaiian constituent, as provided in the 2010 Akaka Bill, I believe the proper balance of state and federal laws can be fully vetted and resolved in a manner that is consistent with the best interests of all of Hawai‘i’s citizens.

“I am hopeful that our Congressional leaders will address these issues in the community before passing the 2010 Akaka Bill, rather than facing anticipated litigation following passage."

“It is more important that our next Congressman fight to lower taxes and allow Hawaii families to keep more of their money than to elect a Congressman who wants to spend all of your money,” stated Djou.

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.

A "fix" to the Cadillac tax that actually makes it worse, not better. Under current law the exemption amount is indexed to CPI plus 1 percent. That is not enough to keep up with medical costs. The reconciliation bill delays the start of the tax by five years, from 2013 to 2018, but it cuts the inflation adjustment to plain CPI. The lower inflation adjustment means that once the tax starts it will hit more people faster.

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.

The Governor’s letter stated, “The explicit sovereign immunity and exemption from regulation provisions in the present bill allow the Native Hawaiian governing entity, and its leaders, to conduct activities anywhere in Hawai‘i (and potentially any other state) in a way that is inconsistent with State criminal statutes otherwise applicable to all citizens, and state laws governing narcotics and dangerous drugs; civil defense; alcohol and tobacco; fire and building codes necessary for public safety; traffic safety; landlord-tenant matters; clean air, clean water, hazardous waste (and other state pollution statutes); child welfare, child protection, and child safety; public health; food and drugs; and virtually every other conceivable law that serves to protect the public. It is not clear how the State could enforce its interests against unlawful or irresponsible actions by the governing entity or its elected leaders or employees."

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.

But the leftist majorities in Congress just do not care what the American people think. Today, the Senate will press forward with work on the proposed "fix-it" bill through the reconciliation process. You may have thought it was impossible to make the policy and process of Obamacare even worse, but that is exactly what this reconciliation bill does . . .

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....