Following the November 2010 elections, the suicide lobby announced that they will legalize assisted suicide in at least one eastern US state and that their push will lead to several states legalizing assisted suicide within the next few years.

It appears that the goals of the suicide lobby are failing.

...we're currently engaged in what we believe is one of the biggest natural and man-made disasters that we'll face in our lifetime....

In the meantime, I will take over as acting president and keep the GRIH ship on course. - Dick Rowland

 By recognizing the successful elements of reform enshrined in the 1996 TANF legislation and promoting the principles of personal responsibility and accountable spending, policymakers can ensure that taxpayers finally begin to see the fruit of their investment, and more impoverished people can achieve long-term independence.

”While Act 196 achieved one of its purposes–-to generate a one-time windfall of revenue to the state–-the long-term effect has been to hinder Hawaii's economic recovery by placing an undue burden on the business sector.”

Two wars, about to start a third, plus a disaster in Japan...and Obama?  He's headed for Rio de Janero, Brazil....

He went on, “If you take a look at what’s on her plate as compared with what’s on the plates of previous Secretary of States — there’s more going on now at this particular moment, and it’s like playing sports with a bunch of amateurs. And she doesn’t have any power. She’s trying to do what she can to keep things from imploding.”

With 125 mph hurricane Flossie still on track to pass August 13 just south of the Big Island, Hawaii County Civil Defense is opening ten emergency shelters in schools and other public buildings island wide. In Kau, likely to be hardest hit, the only available shelter is at Kau High School in Pahala.

Red Cross volunteers are working to get a second shelter opened up at an area church, but as yet have no firm commitment. Hawaii County Red Cross director Youlia Kalima explains the two buildings are the only hardened structures in the entire rural district of 5,000 people. The next nearest shelters would be at Konawaena HS in South Kona or Keaau HS in Puna—dozens of miles away.

While she is not a household name, Kim's interest in the race illustrates how a Democratic primary that already promises to be crowded could grow, in time, to become even more jam-packed.

On April 1, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether to hear Nader v Nago, 10-728, the Hawaii ballot access case.

HCF is providing a $3 million grant for this new initiative from the Omidyar Ohana Fund, a donor advised fund established through the support of Pierre and Pam Omidyar.  The grant is in part conditioned upon monies from Senate Bill 1287/House Bill 1060, currently being considered by legislators, as well as future legislation which together will provide the majority of the funding for the transformation effort.

When the people of Hawaii voted for change in November, they voted to end a policy that said all people must fend for themselves.  They rejected the status quo where we fail to invest in ourselves; where we ignore long-term problems for political convenience; where we make government the enemy of the people instead of the instrument for reaching our goals; where political drama and private interests drown out the voices of the majority; where we stoke distrust and disdain for one another instead of treating each other with fairness and respect.

The war of each against all, which has an iron grip on our country, is coming to an end in Hawaii.

Will the Legislature bow to pro-abortion extremists and risk closure of two hospitals, loss of medical personnel, and possible statewide loss of millions of dollars of federal health funds? 

The Worldwide Leader In Sports could tape his picks for the 2011 NCAA basketball tournament. The President picked all frontrunners. Good for him. Meanwhile, 5,000 miles away, a Libyan rebel defending the town of Ajdabiya from Muammar Qadhafi loyalists told The Washington Post: "These politicians are liars. They just talk and talk, but they do nothing."

Hawaii presents the most decisive defeat for assisted suicide and euthanasia to date. According to Schadenberg, opponents from the Christian and disabled communities testified so convincingly before the legislature’s Health Committee that it defeated the measure unanimously.

"The federal courts have long recognized that the determination of sovereignty over a territory is fundamentally a political question beyond the jurisdiction of the courts."

Hawaii. One of the newly open Senate seats where we haven't seen any numbers at all, not even internal polls.  The big question here-does Linda Lingle actually make this competitive or is it an easy keep for Democrats no matter who the Republicans put up.

Although usually benign, KI can be harmful to people with allergies to iodine or shellfish, those with certain skin disorders, or those with thyroid problems. Observed but infrequent side effects of ingesting potassium iodide include nausea, intestinal upset, rashes, inflammation of the salivary glands, and possibly severe allergic reactions.

$120M COFA, Japan Tourism dropoff, CoR revision, 13 Hospitals bleeding 25-30M a year…

• Tuesday, March 22 at 7:00PM
• Ewa Makai Middle School cafeteria, 91-6291 Kapolei Parkway, Ewa Beach

Forty-one states wasted millions of taxpayer dollars and administrative man hours trying to persuade Obama Education Department bureaucrats to give their states Race to the Top stimulus money. Louisiana's application alone was 260 pages with a 417-page appendix. And in the end, the Obama Administration just wound up giving the cash to their government union political allies.

• Senate: Patent Reform Act of 2011
• Senate: Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
• Senate: Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
• House: FHA Refinance Program Termination Act
• House: Emergency Mortgage Relief Program Termination Act

Bad Day for Tax Increases - Governor Abercromie promised during the campaign, “We will not be raising any taxes, what we will be doing is utilizing state government in a way that brings the hope and change people want.” After taking office he quickly broke this promise and has proposed at least $500 million in new taxes for Hawaii residents over the next 2 years.

The goal of the project is to give Big Island homeowners who have been served with a foreclosure action the opportunity to participate in mediation with the lender and a trained mediator before the case is heard by a judge.

The war between Neil Abercrombie and Dan Inouye for control of the Democratic Party now focuses on a key battle over whether to raid the Rail Fund to patch Abercrombie’s artificially-inflated budget gap.

At the New York City Regional, students from Waialua High School earned the competition’s top honors by being named the Chairman’s Award winner in addition to winning the field competition, beating out an impressive field of 65 competitors. As the Regional Champions and Chairman’s Award winners, Waialua has earned a position at the World Championships in St. Louis.

When members of Minneapolis' Somali community realized their sons had disappeared and likely gone back to Africa to join a jihadist group, mosque leaders told them to keep quiet....

Pūnana Leo O Kawaiaha`o, a Hawaiian language medium preschool is working with the museum to present three separate displays focusing on the stories and legends of O`ahu’s oceans....

 “You may not use State time, equipment, or facilities, for private business purposes, including for-profit and not-for-profit corporations.” – HRS 84-13 (2).

The Senate had rejected requests for a "healthcare right of conscience" exception for SB 218 (Emergency Contraceptive) and passed the bill 22 to 3.  We are grateful to Senators Gabbard, Kochi and Slom for standing courageously to oppose SB218.  The bill has been referred to the House Health and Judiciary Committee for hearing.

Those interested in making a contribution to the Japan-Hawaii Relief Fund may do so at any First Hawaiian Bank branch through March 31, 2011.

County Police, Fire, Public Works and Environmental Management crews worked with State Highways, the American Red Cross and the county Office of Housing and Community Development to conduct preliminary damage assessments in the County of Hawai‘i today. Their findings include the following reports

Description: Amends provisions of the code relating to adoption records and the secrecy of proceedings and records, allowing access to adoption records....

To provide Employer contributions amounts for plan year 2010-2011 for Hawaii Employer Union Health Benefits Trust Fund health benefit plan premiums for the employees of collective bargaining units....

Fontaine, who represents South Maui, will have access to an exclusive bank hot line on behalf of constituents and other Maui homeowners who are having difficulties with their mortgage payments. BOA’s goal is to establish contact with the customer within one business day, and to provide a response the legislator’s office and to the borrower within 20 business days on the specific issues of the inquiry.

Board members oversee and administer the LFCP, the purpose of which is to reimburse -- to the extent provided by the Rules of the Hawaii Supreme Court -- losses caused by dishonest conduct of lawyers licensed to practice in Hawaii.

• Rep Fontaine and Riviere on HB845 Ground Leases
• Rep. Thielen on HB1176 HECO's Transmission Cable
• HB1435 Highway Safety Reps. Thielen, Ward and Ching
• Rep Ward in Opposition to HB1486 boat harbors
• Rep. Gene Ward on HB853 State Bank
• HB1457 Reps. Ward and Johanson on Higher Education
• Rep. George Fontaine Supports HB1640 Certificates of ID
• Rep Marumoto opposes DBED's surcharge tax HB782
• Reps. Riviere and Pine on HB 1411 - Mortgage Foreclosures
• Rep. Fontaine Opposes TAT Tax HB 795
• Reps. Ward and Pine Oppose Liquor Tax HB 840

The program will cover 80 percent of health expenses between $15,000 and $90,000, and was intended to encourage employers to maintain coverage for early retirees in the age group between 55 and 65....

Before the vote, lawmakers were threatened with death and physical violence. After the vote, thousands of protesters stormed into the capitol building, ignoring announcements from police that the building was closed. Once inside, and at great risk to the public welfare, activists handcuffed some doors to the capitol shut. When security escorted the Senators to another building, a Democrat tipped off the mob, which then surrounded their cars and tried to break their windows as Senators returned home.

This is the case in which Ralph Nader challenges the number of signatures needed for an independent presidential candidate, on the basis that the law is irrational, because Hawaii requires approximately six times as many signatures for an independent presidential candidate as for an entire new party.

• Baldwin High, Moanalua High, and Punahou School will compete at the San Diego Regional Competition among 60 teams from four states and two countries.
• Waialua High will compete in the New York City Regional Competition among 66 teams from three states and three countries.
• Sacred Hearts Academy will compete at the WPI Regional Competition among 36 teams from three states and three countries.

After nearly a month of debate on the budget repair bill, nearly three weeks of childish stunts and delay tactics from the Democrats, the longest public hearing in state history and the longest Assembly debate in state history, the Senate met tonight to pass the non-fiscal items in the Budget Repair Bill.

one of my concerns with this bill as currently drafted is that, while the threshold is now higher, $100,000, it opens the door to taxing the pensions of those with a lower AGI in the future.  It could slip down to $75,000 or lower before the end of session or in future sessions.

The good news is with the first crossover of bills in the state Legislature, the number of bills remaining alive has been reduced from 3,224 to 710 bills....