An examination of "administrative earmarks" around the time of congressional votes on key pieces of President Barack Obama's agenda suggests the White House used its power to fund local projects as a means to "buy" votes for major legislative efforts....

...Charles is on his way home from Afghanistan after many months of deployment in one of the most dangerous provinces in Afghanistan....

The Hawaii Legislature is currently considering the “Hawaii Safe Schools Act,” which claims to target bullying and harassment at schools. In reality, it is a mechanism for imposing a pro-homosexual, state-mandated orthodoxy on students and teachers....

Poor George Washington. His birthday, spontaneously celebrated since the Revolution and formally declared a holiday in 1879, has slowly morphed into the insipid Presidents Day you'll hear about today....

...a mini-series of Hawaii answers to surveys on major issues which have been debated at The Economist.....

Lowering the compulsory attendance age will prevent parents from determining when their child is ready for school....

There are 10 new and increased taxes to watch....

...one of the biggest fears of government observers in Hawaii is the looming elephant in the room which is the unfunded liabilities of the state and county retirement system and the related health benefits for current and future public employee retirees.... 

Yesterday, House Bill 679 passed in the state House Public Safety and Military Affairs (PBM) Committee, with no amendments, by a 7 to 1 vote.

impending troubles to be faced by public-sector retirement funds....

• Reapportionment Public Comment Meeting
• Wednesday, February 22, 2012 6:00 p.m.
• Conference Room 329, State Capitol, 415 South Beretania Street

The bill prohibits minors under 16 from riding ATVs, bans ATVs from public streets, bans passengers and requires helmet use....

The 11 are Brian A. Costa, Paula Devens, Nelson W.S. Goo, Shirley M. Kawamura, James S. Kawashima, Stephen H. Levins, Linda S. Martell, Alvin K. Nishimura, Maura McDermott Okamoto, Kevin A. Souza and Paul B.K. Wong.

These appointments are subject to Senate confirmation....

in a year, DoE will be $75M richer, some teachers will be 20% richer, and right back to the status quo ante.

Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Heather Haunani Giugni to the state House of Representatives for District 33, which includes 'Aiea, 'Aiea Heights, Halawa Heights, Halawa Valley and Red Hill....

This is what happens to Hawaii legislators when they are so close to a tax increase that they can taste it....

"...only 9.6% of lower income citizens used transit to get to work. This is not very much higher than the 7.9% of all workers in the metropolitan areas who use transit."

The 9th Circuit heard arguments about whether to allow fishermen to intervene in the formation of a new federal regulation aimed at protecting endangered turtles.

Even with billions in US Tariff support, sugar just couldn't carry the ILWU in Hawaii....