National News

So now that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) has filed for cloture, is Tuesday’s vote a foregone conclusion? No.

• Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010
• Cloture Motion; DREAM Act
• Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010

Last night, the spirit of the Tea Party won another major victory when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) was forced to drop his $1.27 trillion, 1,924-page omnibus spending bill. The problem with Reid’s omnibus spending bill was not just its size—although our federal government does spend far too much of other people’s money—but the way it was drafted and forced on the American people.

Rep. Djou voted in favor of the Obama tax proposal that the President announced last week. Rep. Mazie Hirono was the only member of the Hawaii delegation who voted to oppose the President on this critical bill.

It isn’t quite the Akaka Bill sneak attack that many have warned of in recent days, but on page 809-810 of the 2011 Omnibus Appropriations Act, Senator Dan Inouye has slipped in a mandate to the US Department of the Interior....

Yesterday, the Senate voted 66–32 to begin debate on the New START agreement with Russia. Only a simple majority (51) was required, but vote counters can use yesterday’s roll call as a benchmark for final ratification, which will need 67 votes to pass.

Hawaii joins the 32 other states who already have borrowed money from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits during the current economic downturn. DLIR anticipated the insolvency and proactively took the steps to request advances from U.S. Department of Labor last September. Currently, Hawaii pays out $25 million in regular unemployment benefits a month through the trust fund. 

Defense, homeland security, and veterans can all be funded at current levels for one month through a continuing resolution, and then the next Congress could adjust our defense needs. Inouye is attempting to hold the troops hostage? And for what? Taxpayers for Common Sense reports that among the 6,600 earmarks in the bill is $6 million for parkland acquisition in Hawaii. No wonder Americans hate this Congress.

“I welcome the GAO’s decision to audit the federal funds that go to the COFA. I have been vocally calling for reforming this treaty throughout my campaign and time in Congress – this is a good first step."

Overall, states achieved the highest scores ever for health emergency preparedness with 14 states scoring nine or higher. Three states (Arkansas, North Dakota, and Washington State) scored 10 out of 10. Another 25 states and Washington, D.C. scored in the 7 to 8 range. No state scored lower than a five

“The unchecked expansion of congressional power to the limits suggested by the Minimum Essential Coverage Provision would invite unbridled exercise of federal police powers. At its core, this dispute is not simply about regulating the business of insurance—or crafting a scheme of universal health insurance coverage—it’s about an individual’s right to choose to participate.”

• Cloture Motion, Defense Authorization Act
• Continuing Resolution
• DREAM Act
• Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010

The Obama administration’s requirement that most citizens maintain minimum health coverage as part of a broad overhaul of the industry is unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled, striking down the linchpin of the plan.

When President Obama and Congressional Republicans first announced their tax deal early last week, our reaction was to hold our noses against its bad elements; on balance, we thought the extension of the current tax rates was laudable. Now, however, the full text of the bill has been released and we see all the bad things that were in the original deal.

S.510 has been called the “most dangerous bill in the history of the United States.” With over 225 pages of regulations, the FDA is not only granted the authority to issue mandatory recalls, but has the power to tell farmers how to grow food, including regulations on soil, water, temperature, even what type of animals are permitted on the premises. From 2011 to 2015, the estimated cost by the Congressional Budget Office is $1.4 billion.

The GAO is in the “design phase” of preparing the audit plan. US Interior Department official Tom Bussanich, who was in Majuro last week for the Development Partners Meeting, said GAO officials had an “entrance conference” with him last month to start the audit process.

Highlights:

US Attorney General Eric Holder and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar have written to Senate leaders to “express the Administration’s strong support for …  S 3945 .”  S3945 is the latest version of the Akaka Bill.  

When I was a mere eight-year-old boy I was sexually abused for an entire year of my childhood life. In addition to the horrific abuse my abuser took child porn photographs of me and had me develop them at his apartment.

He put his hand on my shoulder and said “wouldn’t your mother like a copy.”

On Wednesday, Vice President Joe Biden reportedly told House Democrats that the tax deal cut with Republicans was a “take it or leave it” proposition that could not be changed. But by last night, after fierce opposition from his leftist base, President Barack Obama was singing a different tune, telling NPR: “My sense is there are going to be discussions between both House and Senate leadership about all the final elements of the package. Keep in mind we didn’t actually write a bill.”

Olbermann: It is not disloyalty to remind the President that he was elected by people to whom he had given a clear outline of what he would do for them.  And if he does not steer out of the skid of what he is doing to them, he will not only not be reelected, he may not even be re-nominated.

It is not disloyalty to remind him that we are not bound to an individual.  We are bound to principles.  If the individual changes or fails often or needlessly, then we get a new man.  Or woman….

 "We are disappointed that, despite bipartisan efforts to achieve real results for the American People, Congresswoman Hirono continues to cater to the ultra-liberal wing of the Democratic Party. We hope that Congresswoman-elect Hanabusa does not follow her lead and will instead call upon Congresswoman Hirono to end her opposition on this critical compromise and join the rest of Hawaii's delegation in supporting President Obama."

The frustration with President Barack Obama over his tax cut compromise was palpable and even profane at Thursday’s House Democratic Caucus meeting.

More people tapped food stamps to pay for groceries in September as the recession and lackluster recovery have prompted more Americans to turn to government safety net programs to make ends meet.

Thanks to the deal to extend the Bush tax cuts, the Manoa-Liberal-in-Chief is now being rejected even by his own Party.  Will Obama be the Democrats’ Presidential candidate in 2012?  Will he even run?  And how would the crushing and absolute rejection of Obama by his own Party affect voter turnout by Democrats in Hawaii? 

We understand that there is a possibility that the new and significantly revised version of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act will be tacked onto the spending bill in the next week or so. We hope that this does not happen. A bill as important as this deserves careful consideration. It would be a matter for concern if it were to be made law without a hearing on its new provisions.

“I applaud President Obama's compromise with the Republican leadership on taxes. Congress has dragged its feet for too long on this issue. I repeatedly stated my support for what is now the Obama compromise during the campaign and hope the Democrat leadership will finally agree.”

The Meth Project has been named the third most effective philanthropy in the world by Barron’s magazine, one of the country’s premier business and financial publications. The announcement was made in the magazine’s cover story this week, “The 25 Best Givers.” This is the second year in a row the Meth Project has been named to the Barron’s list; it was ranked number five in 2009.

The President defended this compromise by finally stating the obvious: "Make no mistake: Allowing taxes to go up on all Americans would have raised taxes by $3,000 for a typical American family. And that could cost our economy well over a million jobs." It's great that a leader of the progressive movement is willing to recognize the link between higher taxes and lost jobs.

Last Friday the Labor Department reported that private sector employers added an anemic 50,000 net jobs to the U.S. economy in November. That is far fewer than what is needed to absorb discouraged workers reentering the workforce or population growth. As a result, unemployment rose to 9.8 percent, marking the 19th consecutive month that our nation’s unemployment rate topped 9 percent, a post–World War II record.

HONOLULU – One hundred and twelve teams of middle and high school robotics students from Hawai‘i, California, Nevada and China put their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to the test for the past three days in a friendly, spirited competition that pitted robots against robots, and showcased students’ ingenuity, teamwork and ability to think analytically under pressure.

While BPC has focused primarily on federal policy issues – including energy, health care, national and homeland security, transportation and economic policy – during its first three years, it is increasing its efforts to draw upon the policy and political experience that exist at the state level. 

A press release from the University of Hawaii at Manoa on November 24, 2010 announced the results of a computer study by UH climatologists which portends greater global warming in the future.  Even though this was a computer study of other computer studies, the authors were correct in pointing out that there has been great disagreement between the many existing global climate models.  In most of these cases the computer models have consistently overstated future global temperatures.  We also know that estimates of future atmospheric CO2 have also been overestimated.

The world economy contracted in 2009 for the first time since the 1930s. This year, growth has staged a moderate rebound, but will ease off somewhat in 2011. Overall, the global recovery has been anemic by historical standards.

“Legislation as highly complex and divisive as the native Hawaiian bill requires vigorous discussion, debate, and amendments,” Kyl said. “An attempt to include it in unrelated legislation to keep the government operating is a breach of process and is an example of what the American people are tired of – back room deals that are inserted in secret packages written behind closed doors.”

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) issued the following statement reacting to the news that the United States and the Republic of Korea have reached a deal on the languishing free trade agreement. Congressman Djou has been a leading voice in the U.S. House, advocating for this agreement from the first day he was in office.

Hosting 112 teams from around the globe, the majority of which are Hawaii-based teams, Hawaii has topped the list as the largest VEX Robotics tournament in the world, outside of the world championships hosted in Orlando, FL.

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) issued the following statement after voting to censure Congressman Charles Rangel:

"...most importantly, this measure was not deficit-financed.  Moving forward, it is my hope that the United States Congress will continue to advocate for policies that do not add to our nation’s deficit.”

Nearly Half Of The Business Income That Is Reported On Personal Tax Filings Goes To Families And Businesses That Would Have Their Taxes Raised By Democrats.

...we are excited to launch Libertad.org, our new Spanish-language website. Libertad.org will communicate the message of conservatism to a Hispanic audience that prefers to read news in their first language. We are a country of opportunity, one where Hispanics have the opportunity to become the latest in a long list of immigrants from the world over who have realized the American Dream.

Less than 24 hours after declaring victory in his quest to vastly expand the regulatory powers of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—for the children—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) is mired in a procedural misstep that may well kill the legislation.

Washington, D.C., December 1, 2010—This morning, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski announced that the Commission will vote on net neutrality rules during its December 21 meeting. Telecom policy analysts at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) urged FCC Commissioners to reject this unwise proposal, warning that mandating net neutrality would harm consumers and stifle network investment.

On November 30, Ralph Nader asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his ballot access case from Hawaii.  The case number has not been assigned yet.  The case originated in 2004, and challenges the Hawaii policy that requires six times as many signatures for an independent presidential candidate, as for an entire new party.

Activist, masquerading as academic, argues for his preferred changes in society....

The campaign to paper over President Barack Obama’s big government tax-and-spend record with symbolic political triangulation has begun.

A leading American Muslim charity routed millions of dollars illegally to Hamas. An international convoy and flotilla campaign to deliver aid to Palestinians supports the Hamas government in Gaza.

Their advocates insist they want nothing more than to ease the suffering of the Palestinian people.

A review of Hamas' actions since seizing control of Gaza in 2007, however, shows the group is creating suffering.

This has not been a good month for the Obama Doctrine: The President came home empty-handed from Asia, North Korea fired artillery at South Korea just days after revealing nuclear facilities no one knew they had, and Obama failed to get the G-20 to take any action limiting trade imbalances. It was not supposed to be this way. After apologizing for all of our nation’s sins, the world was supposed to swoon at President Obama’s unparalleled charisma.

...within five years, a tiny 15 percent of the unmarried couples had actually taken wedding vows, while a whopping 60 percent had split up. At the five-year mark, only 36 percent of the children lived with their fathers, and half of the other 64 percent hadn’t seen their dads in the last month. One-half to two-thirds of the absent fathers provided little or no financial support....