October 21, 2008 > Hawaii Free Press

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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

October 21, 2008
By Andrew Walden @ 8:12 PM :: 8231 Views

Review: "The Forgotten Man" by Amity Shlaes

by Lil Tuttle

What happens if government intervenes in a nation’s economic crisis and makes it worse? Amity Shlaes tells such a story in her book, “The Forgotten Man: a New History of the Great Depression” (HarperCollins). School children are generally taught this standard history lesson about the Great Depression: The 1920s was a period of false growth, high living and low morals brought to a halt by the 1929 stock market crash. The crash led to crippling inflation and the nation’s economic collapse. President Franklin D. Roosevelt took control and ushered in the New Deal to revive and save the nation.

Drawing upon original records by and about the era’s major public and private players, Shlaes provides an insightful, and markedly different, account of that period of American history.

Columbus Day Celebrates Western Civilization
By Thomas A. Bowden

On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the New World, opening a sea route to vast uncharted territories that awaited the spread of Western civilization. Centuries later, the ensuing cultural migration culminated in the birth and explosive growth of the greatest nation in history: the United States of America.

Barack Obama’s War on Black America

by Andrew Walden

Polls show most African-American voters will be casting their ballots for Barack Obama on November 4. The first opportunity to elect a black person as president is tempting. But black Americans will be paying a price, and Obama’s record gives a clear indication of what that price will be. Obama and his cronies have a long record of profiting from funds intended to aid black people. The intended beneficiaries have nothing to show for it other than Obama’s political ascent.

Koller named ‘Public Official of the Year’

by Alan Eyerly

HONOLULU – Governing magazine announced today that Hawai‘i Human Services Director Lillian Koller has been selected as a “Public Official of the Year” for her leadership in bringing about widespread improvements at the State Department of Human Services (DHS) over the past five years, including an overhaul of the child welfare system.

Don’t Be Conned Out of a Con Con

by Senator Sam Slom

Despite irrational scare tactics, entrenched political power brokers, and half a million dollars-plus of out-of-state special interest lobbying money, Hawai`i voters must vote “YES” on the Constitutional Convention ballot question November 4. A YES vote is your only real chance at change and improvement. Nothing is guaranteed except that if ConCon does not pass, no meaningful changes will originate from the State Legislature. The past thirty years is our guide to that fact.

Honolulu Advertiser misrepresents candidates

by Steven Offenbaker

I could not have been more shocked and disappointed than I was when I read the Advertiser’s endorsement of my opponent in House District 1. Their endorsement states: “Nakashima proposes exploring ideas to encourage markets for local farmers, including eliminating the general excise tax for local agriculture” This is almost a direct quote of Senate District 1 candidate Ted Hong.

Unions Lobby against ConCon

by Laura Brown

The Hawai`i State Teachers Association (HSTA) “Educational Alliance” this week distributed a flyer throughout Hawai`i’s public schools that lobbies teachers to mark their general election ballots “no” to a Constitutional Convention.

Felon to lead Laborers’ Union?
www.HawaiiReporter.com

Laborers’ Local 368 swore its newly elected members into office on Saturday, September 20, with Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) National Vice President and Trustee Rocco Davis administering the oath of office.

But while the vice president, secretary-treasurer and two executive board members were made official, the president, business manager, and recording secretary weren’t – because the union is awaiting a decision by the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Department of Labor on related ongoing legal challenges.

Part of the delay stems from the U.S. District Court’s continuation of the Kupau v. U.S. Department of Labor.

Oliver Kupau III was a field agent for the Local branch for years, but in 2002, he was found guilty in U.S. District Court for money laundering. ... (continued at link)

(Also read--Part 1 and Part 2 of this story at these links:

http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?46ba51f4-ed79-4faa-a6d1-52aca69feaae

http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?93e8b52a-45c7-4423-99e5-38482b4c80da