"...governments have perversely immoral incentives to make sure as many smokers keep smoking as possible, because governments are hooked on cigarette tax revenue...."

To correct the threats to religious liberty and rights of conscience by the Obama administration, the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act has been introduced in Congress (H.R. 1179, S. 1467).

On Feb. 6, 2012, the Regents Candidate Advisory Council (RCAC) delivered to Governor Neil Abercrombie's office a list of candidates for the University of Hawai'i Board of Regents ....

All indications are that the Middle East is crumbling, and President Barack Obama's foreign policy is collapsing right along with it. 

Clinton was planning historic reforms during his second term. These were to include private accounts under Social Security and vouchers for Medicare.

Americans who rely on government receive an average $32,748 worth of benefits, surpassing the average American’s disposable personal income of $32,446....

Sen. Rick Santorum won all three Republican Presidential caucuses February 7 ....

“People always opt for more information,” says Giddings, “whether or not they have any idea what it means, or how they might use it.”

But for the trees, our good senator, can't see the forest. Here are some important facts the senator may have overlooked ....

...we would otherwise be obligated to pay $50 million to Tianwei this quarter....

Beginning in 2013, a tax will be imposed on the manufacture and importation of medical devices in an attempt to offset a portion of the $1 trillion cost of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act....

It is a rare moment indeed when faith denominations of all stripes unite together in common cause, and it is rarer still when that cause is a political one, with a sole piece of legislation as its principal target.... 

...Herkes was visibly not thrilled when citizens from all islands called and emailed committee members over the weekend to register deep and wide dissatisfaction with HB2652....

Rep. Gene Ward (R-Hawaii Kai – Kalama Valley) introduced HB 2240, which would offer a tax credit equal to 50 percent of the costs for a qualifying company to relocate its headquarters to Hawaii....

...permission to spend up to $184.7M on rail design build contracts....

• Senate: STOCK Act
• House: Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act
• House: Pro-Growth Budgeting Act of 2011
• House: Baseline Reform Act of 2011
• House: FAA Modernization and Reform Act

Americans following the current GOP brawl witnessed a series of attacks on Mitt Romney for the low effective tax rate he pays on his personal income.

the geniuses running state pensions lost $4.33 for every dollar public workers "contributed." However, the geniuses did manage to pocket $36.6 billion in "Other Expenses" for themselves and their pals in the process.

Today marks President Ronald Reagan's 101st birthday....

Marshall, who oversees the think tank’s Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society, took her presentation on the road. During a three-day tour of Hawaii she spoke to political science students at BYUH and to TEA Party groups in Kona and Hilo.

...the proportion of Hawaii residents identifying as conservative has increased by 3.4% to 31.0%....

U. S. Senate candidate Ed Case (D‐HI) today called out his Democratic opponent, Mazie Hirono, for false and misleading claims in her current television ad.

... we can be 100% free of our dependence on foreign oil within 10 years if we set our minds to it, by using our most abundant renewable energy source, geothermal energy, for our base load energy, sun, wind, and ocean, but HECO keeps stifling these technologies, especially geothermal energy, so it can continue burning oil and bi-oil for another 20 years to preserve its profits ....

Myles Kawakami, President and CEO of Hawaiian Carpet One/Ceramic Tile will present a discussion on the "Conservative Coalition" and how uniting the diverse demographics in our movement can lead to a reversal of the current situation in our State ....

Hilo 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 Dept. of Education Annex, 450 Waianuenue Ave. Bldg. C, Hilo, HI 96720

Abercrombie has signed into law House Bill 608, which appropriates state funds to The Queen’s Medical Center to perform kidney and liver transplants and to the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii to maintain its chronic kidney disease management program....

...the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Hawai'i County as a primary natural disaster area resulting from ongoing drought conditions....

... down the drain ...

One would think that in an election year lawmakers would shy away from raising taxes and imposing new fees, but that is just not the case down at the state capitol building in Honolulu....

With 100% of the Vote in, here are the results from the Nevada Republican Caucuses....

Schools, public agencies, and private nonprofit organizations may apply to be SFSP sponsors. Sponsoring organizations receive reimbursements for serving healthy meals and snacks at approved sites to children and teenagers (18 years and younger). Sponsors are encouraged to provide educational or recreational activities.

The University of Hawaii is considering whether to provide funding for the Planned Parenthood abortion business to start doing abortions on Kauai inside the Mahelona Memorial Hospital in Kapa’a....

Released January 31 by the Thomas B Fordham Institute, “The State of State Science Standards 2012” doesn’t pull punches in its analysis of the Hawaii Department of Education’s much-ballyhooed ‘academic standards’.

Hawaii GOP Chair David Chang said: “We are pleased that all of the front running Republican Presidential candidates are now on the ballot. The Hawaii Republican Caucus gives voters a real choice and a real voice in the Presidential race.”

Hawaii Republicans are meeting to select delegates for the upcoming State GOP Convention May 12 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu.

...a small number of people spend most of the health care dollars. True. But the small number this year are not the same people as the small number last year, or the year before....

The Board of Directors for Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, which operates the hospital, has scheduled a meeting on Tuesday, February 21 at 6:00pm to discuss the clinic.

The Hawaii news and opinion site, Civil Beat, was offline February 2-4.

Hint to Hawaii: This is what happens when a PUC actually represents the consumers ....

Senate Bill 2975 is slated to be heard in the Senate Public Safety, Government Operations and Military Affairs Committee (PGM) on Thursday, February 9th at 2:45 p.m. in conference room 224.

The Obama Administration and the nation have cause to breathe a sign of relief as today’s monthly jobs report shows 243,000 jobs were created in January....

Former Hawaii Governor and current U.S. Senate candidate Linda Lingle released today a new video spot highlighting her commitment to bipartisanship. 

... the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty has already filed a lawsuit on behalf of an interdenominational Christian college that objects to providing abortion ....

Governor Neil Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Dean Seki as State Comptroller to the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS)....

Participants Will Aid in Hawai'i’s Broadband Initiative ....

Hilo, HI—Epic ‘Ohana, Inc. today announced the expansion of The Hawaii Youth Opportunities Initiative (HYOI), formed to improve outcomes for young people who age out of the foster care system....

WHAT: HB 2318

Where and When: Thursday, February 02, 2012 Room 309 9:00 A.M.

The Judiciary submitted the following testimony to the 2012 Legislature....

Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) is up with her first ad in her Senate race, and seeks to tie both her primary and general election opponents to former President George W. Bush.

Evidence is mounting that the Aloha State could offer the biggest surprise of the cycle. Former Gov. Linda Lingle flexed her fundraising muscles with a $1.7 million quarter....