HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today said the selection of Hawai‘i to host the 2011 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Meeting is an affirmation of Hawai‘i’s strategic role as a leader in the Asia-Pacific region, and will help build a stronger economic foundation for Hawai‘i’s future.  President Barack Obama, who will host the Hawai‘i meeting, announced Hawai‘i’s winning bid today during the APEC Leaders Meeting being held in Singapore.

The recent bill that passed in the House is quite explicit about this. If it becomes law, the state will force everyone to buy health insurance or suffer a penalty.

As recorded by ABC News' Jake Tapper on November 9, President Obama said that penalties are appropriate for people who try to "free ride" the health care system.

"What I think is appropriate is that…if you have the ability to buy insurance, and you choose not to do so, forcing you and me and everybody else to subsidize you…there's nothing wrong with a penalty."

Under the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, signed into law as part of the Defense Authorization Act October 28 by President Barack Obama, ballots must be mailed to overseas voters--including deployed US military personnel-- at least 45 days before an election.

In reaction to MOVE becoming law, State election officials nationwide are scrambling.  Minnesota Secretary of State Marc Ritchie is asking legislators to move Minnesota's September 14 primary up by at least one month.  Colorado officials are working to move their 2012 primary to the first Tuesday in August...

Photo taken from mauka area of Hilo as clouds clear from summit just at sunset.  Snow is barely visible on Mauna Kea left of palm trees.  Check out time lapse video from summit... 

Five weeks after Honolulu Councilmember Charles Djou's formal request, the administration of Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann has released a complete list of contractors and subcontractors currently or previously being paid to work on the Honolulu rail system.

“Our nation’s veterans have made tremendous sacrifices in defense of our freedoms. The least Senators should do is make the easy sacrifice of eliminating a small amount of wasteful spending to improve veterans’ health care."

Today, we at The Heritage Foundation will honor Veterans Day by pausing to remember those who sacrifice in defense of freedom for our country. Heritage honors all who serve past and present in the United States Armed Forces, their families, and all military retirees and veterans. We solemnly remember those fallen men and women who gave the last full measure of devotion and will also not forget those who have yet to come home and remain missing in action.

Hawaii does a below-average job managing its schools in a way that encourages thoughtful innovation. Ninety-four percent of teachers report that routine duties and paperwork interfere with their teaching, and only 22% of teachers like the way their school is run....Ninety-six percent of principals say that teacher unions or associations are a barrier to the removal of ineffective teachers, 35 percentage points above the national average of 61%.

Leftists in America do not want us to remember Reagan’s role in history. That is why President Barack Obama (the same man who found time to jet to Copenhagen at the drop of a rumor that his presence could win the Olympics for his hometown of Chicago) could not be bothered to attend the 20th anniversary of the wall’s fall last night. Instead, President Obama taped a video message that completely failed to mention Reagan or British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

PHOTOS Left: Sun at peak of warming, 1998.  Right: After 10 years of cooling, 2008.  NASA reports that the absence of sunspots continues today.

The average October, 2009 temperature of 50.8°F was 4.0°F below the 20^th Century average and ranked as the 3^rd coolest based on preliminary data.  If you are surprised by global cooling like this, it means you haven't been paying attention. 

If you are like me, you are deeply disappointed that we lost, by an inch, the vote to stop Nancy Pelosi's trillion dollar takeover of health care in America.  You might even be thinking that the fight is over.  Not true. As Winston Churchill said, “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps the end of the beginning.”

And, in fact, the narrowness of the House vote tells me the momentum is on our side.

Supporters of radical Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki--whose name has surfaced in connection with the investigation of Major Malik Nidal Hasan--are now championing Hasan's murder of thirteen U.S. military personnel last week at Ft. Hood in Texas.

Following last Tuesday’s election, the last thing Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wanted to do was allow Members of Congress to go home and talk to their constituents about the $2.6 trillion health care bill she was marshaling through Congress. The centerpiece of Pelosi’s trap and pressure campaign was a Saturday address by President Barack Obama in the Cannon Office Building, where Obama warned Democrats: “Does anybody think that the teabag, anti-government people are going to support them if they bring down health care? All it will do is confuse and dispirit [Democratic voters] and it will encourage the extremists.”

The extremists. That is how the President of the Unites States describes Americans who do not want to see the federal government control over half of all health care spending. 

...Sandwich Isles Communications is another worst 10 offender costing the USF fund $13,408 per phone line in a few tiny pockets in Oahu and Maui where Hawaii Telecom already offers full cellular phone coverage....

Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women for America (CWA) noted that "Although an amendment passed to bar federal funding of abortion, Democrat leaders refused to guarantee that it will be in the final bill. The vote on the amendment may have been a ruse to gain pro-life Democrats vote for the bill."

"This bill will erode the best health care system in the world. In exchange for insurance, we'll lose access to proper health care. We'll lose health care providers who will leave the profession. CWA will fight to protect Americans from this government orchestrated destruction of America's health care system as it now goes to the Senate."

Federal law enforcement officials say the suspected Fort Hood, Texas, shooter had come to their attention at least six months ago because of Internet postings that discussed suicide bombings and other threats.  The officials say the postings appeared to have been made by Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who was killed during the shooting incident that left least 11 others dead and 31 wounded.

One of the Web postings that authorities reviewed is a blog that equates suicide bombers with a soldier throwing himself on a grenade to save the lives of his comrades.

According to an October 26 editorial piece thinly disguised as a news analysis, Save Our Sports’ success in raising $1.2 million for Hawaii’s 55 public high school athletic programs indicates a “shift toward an ‘American Idol’-style system of public funding that rewards popularity over merit.”

Last week the Obama administration issued a report purporting to show that the President’s $787 billion economic stimulus plan had saved or created exactly 640,329 jobs. Such a precise number for such a fuzzy concept as jobs “saved or created” immediately raised doubts about the veracity of the report in any honest American’s mind.

And since that report was issued, a once compliant press has filed story after story tearing the credibility of the Obama administration’s job creation claims to shreds.

After dropping $50 -$200, those in attendance may then be invited to shell out some serious bucks for the books, DVDs, and CDs which keep phony psychics fat and happy.  Oh and don't forget to contribute to the "Daffodil Project"--its a "non-profit" for the 580 acre "healing center" that Altea got from a dying cancer patient. 

The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis has found that cap and tax legislation would cost the average family-of-four almost $3,000 per year, cause 2.5 million net job losses by 2035, and a produce a cumulative gross domestic product (GDP) loss of $9.4 trillion between 2012 and 2035.

...Hooser's campaign website indicated that the anti-Semitic, Holocaust denier, 9-11 trooother website www.WhatReallyHappened.com was part of Hooser's "regular reading regime." ....

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - The 25th Infantry Division (ID) Headquarters is scheduled to return to Schofield Barracks, Thursday morning. The homecoming marks the return of the last group of Soldiers from the 25th ID Headquarters, which assumed command of the Multi-National Division North (MDN-North) in December 2008.

HONOLULU — With less than a week before what could be a pivotal court hearing, a federal judge and lawyers involved in two lawsuits that seek to end Hawaii’s teacher furloughs may meet privately in the next few days to discuss settling the cases.

Lawyers representing parents of public school students said Tuesday they have not yet heard from U.S. District Judge David Ezra, but they expect to engage in talks with him and attorneys for the state before a public hearing scheduled for Monday.

Last night, elections were held in several states across the nation, and by most independent observations, the results served as a warning to liberals. Whether it was Republican victories in Virginia, New Jersey or even in typical liberal bastions like Westchester County, New York, the post-analysis was framed on what does this mean on Capitol Hill, and more importantly, what does this mean for the conservative movement. However, last night did not represent a new day for conservatives. On Monday, the same could have been said: the state of conservatism is strong.

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle has concluded a successful round of meetings in Beijing as part of the Administration’s ongoing strategic effort to strengthen the state’s long-term economy by promoting Hawai‘i as a visitor destination to China’s growing outbound tourism market, developing export opportunities for Hawai‘i products and services and forming partnerships in clean energy.

“The Republican Party’s overwhelming victory in Virginia and New Jersey is a blow to President Obama and the Democrat Party.  It sends a message that America has had enough of more government spending, higher taxes and bigger government.  The people of this great country are saying no more broken promises and no more change for the sake of change.

"The Hawai'i Democrat Party, who has proven to be ineffective for the people of Hawai'i, should learn from Democrats across the country. These victories prove traditionally Democrat states like Hawai'i can and will vote for Republicans.”

For the leftist base of the Congressional majority, the creation of a government-run health insurance company has been the defining issue of the health care debate. So, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has explained numerous times that: “The thinking on the public option has been that it gives consumers more choices and it helps keep the private sector honest because there’s some competition out there.” But is this true? Would the public have more choices if a government run health insurance company was created?

--REPUBLICAN TAKES VA: 982,095 McDonnell [R] 653,687 Deeds [D]
--NJ: 514,692 Christie [R] 460,120 Corzine [D] 58,825 Daggett [I]

Contending they were treated unfairly, Asmus and Coker have written to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. They are accusing Inouye’s staff of unevenly applying earmark procedures by dispersing federal dollars to an institute honoring the late Massachusetts senator without giving their outfit, Humanitarian Air Logistics, what they consider a fair hearing....

Walt Kaneakua, an Inouye aide who Asmus and Coker say accused them of insulting Inouye by questioning his decision-making process, did not respond to a request for comment....

Ellis thinks one thing is a pretty sure bet: “They are virtually guaranteeing they will never get an earmark from Inouye.’’

"UNICEF has been a major financier of Palestinian 'summer camps' which encourage children to become suicide bombers. One such camp is named for Wafa Idris…"

Not shy about involving church-goers in the electoral system, Hawaii conference organizers will be promoting the "I VOTE" voter registration drive which aims to register 80% of Hawaii church-goers and turn out 80% to vote at the polls.

Secular humanists are already alarmed at the prospect.  Hawaii has one of the lowest rates of voter participation in the nation but the Honolulu Star-Bulletin October 13 editorialized against the voter registration drive--a positive sign that voter registration can have a profound impact on the direction of the body politic.   

Kona Gathering of Eagles: Sadly we must report to you that four brave aviation Marines, whose Squadron we have been supporting with donations of Kona coffee since last June have been killed in action in Afghanistan.

Editor's Note: On Maui, Kihei Elementary School PTA leaders are working against resistance from the HSTA and the DoE to re-open their school on Furlough Fridays.  Why would the union and bureaucracy oppose this plan?  The best clue is at the end of the letter:

"While the children are in their usual routine the rest of us adults can figure out what to do with the budget."

The DoE and HSTA need to create as much chaos as possible in order to stampede the legislature into raising taxes and raiding special funds.  They are working to stifle any discussion of the massive waste, fraud, and abuse contained within the DoE budget.  By coming up with a way to keep school open on Fridays, the Kihei PTA is getting in the way of this DoE/HSTA political game. 

The new House health care bill (H.R. 3962) unveiled by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) yesterday clocks in at 1,990 pages and about 400,000 words. As written, the bill purports to cost only $1.05 trillion over the first ten years and is paid for by over $700 billion in tax increases and cuts to Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug payments. But as troubling as those numbers are, the scariest thing about the bill is the solid foundation it lays for a complete government take over of the health care sector of our economy.

"This would appear to leave the door open for Professor Osorio to bring a claim once there is state action under Act 176 to sell or otherwise transfer ceded lands."

First-class and priority mail for servicemembers stationed in Afghanistan should be sent by Dec. 4 for arrival by Christmas. The deadline for parcel airlift mail is Dec. 1, and space-available mail bound for Afghanistan should be sent by Nov. 21.  Officials recommend that parcel post mail to all military overseas locations should be sent by Nov. 13.

The undersea cable, which would connect the islands into one electrical grid to allow the integration of renewable wind power generated in Maui County for transmission to O‘ahu is part of a comprehensive energy agreement signed one year ago between the State of Hawai‘i and Hawaiian Electric companies to move the state away from its dependence on fossil fuels for electricity and ground transportation.

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle announced today she will travel to China to build on the State’s strategic efforts to strengthen Hawai‘i’s economic base by tapping China’s growing outbound tourism market as well as developing opportunities and partnerships in clean energy and international trade. 

In poll, after poll, after poll, the American people have clearly expressed their preference for prioritizing economic growth over global warming. This is a major problem for those on the left who want to reorganize our entire economy under the guise of cap and trade climate change legislation. Tacitly admitting they have lost this argument, the left has shifted gears and is trying a new tack: global warming is a threat to national security.

Americans who like making their own health care choices received welcome news yesterday when Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) said he would be willing to block final passage of Obamacare if the government run health insurance program Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced Monday survives the amendment process during the Senate debate. Lieberman explained: "I think that a lot of people may think that the public option is free. It’s not. It’s going to cost the taxpayers and people that have health insurance now, and if it doesn’t, it’s going to add terribly to our national debt.”

This morning the City Council voted not to advance Bill 51 relating to a homeowners tax class.  After the vote, Mayor Mufi Hannemann hauled Council Chair Todd Apo into his office for several hours.  Late this evening, after all media had left the building, Apo, along with Councilmember Gary Okino, suddenly reversed their votes and voted to pass Bill 51.  Councilmember Apo had consistently been a leading opponent of establishing a homeowner tax class since it was first proposed last year.

As a practicing attorney, Nacino had the opportunity to prepare appellate briefs to the Hawai‘i Supreme Court, Hawai‘i Intermediate Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.... He worked for two-and-a-half years at the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office where he tried jury and non-jury cases involving misdemeanor and felonies at the District, Family and Circuit Court levels.... Before beginning his legal career, Nacino was a police officer with the Honolulu Police Department for approximately eight-and-a-half years.

Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced that the health care legislation he is drafting will include a government-run health insurance plan, or as many on the left like to call it “the public option.” The new wrinkle that Reid has thrown into the proposal is an “opt out” clause which would require states to pass legislation by 2014 rejecting participation in the federal government run plan. None of the committees in the House or Senate ever even voted on this new opt out scheme. But that does not really matter. Whether it is first implemented through a co-op, or a trigger, or an opt out, the end goal is the same: government-run health care for all Americans.

The event will feature a presentation by national spokesman and former NFL football star, Riki Ellison, Founder and Chairman of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) a non-profit organization which advocates the deployment and development of a missile defense system.  Mr. Ellison has is an expert in the field of missile defense.

Republicans have their best candidate in a decade running for this seat. Djou has been fundraising for this race since early 2008, when it was correctly rumored that Abercrombie would leave his House seat open to run for governor. National Republicans already have taken note of Djou and aired advertisements in the heavily Democratic district.

In the HSTA/Kanu Hawaii playbook, Furlough Friday, October 23, 2009 was supposed to be the day they seized control of the debate on how to solve the Hawaii budget crisis.  The Legislature was supposed to announce that they had a majority of both houses lined up to demand a special session.  But other government employees' unions got in the way. 

Since energy is the lifeblood of the American economy, 85 percent of which comes from CO2-emitting fossil fuels, the Waxman-Markey bill’s arbitrary and severe restrictions on the current energy supply and infrastructure will not only have direct impact on consumers’ budgets through higher electric bills and gasoline prices, but also cause unnecessary inefficiencies at virtually every stage of production. CDA estimates that Waxman-Markey legislation would cost the average family-of-four almost $3,000 per year, cause 2.5 million net job losses by 2035, and a produce a cumulative gross domestic product (GDP) loss of $9.4 trillion between 2012 and 2035.