On Sunday, columnist Ross Douthat described the Dodd bill as just one example of "the real story of our time. From Washington to Athens, the economic crisis is producing consolidation rather than revolution, the entrenchment of authority rather than its diffusion, and the concentration of power in the hands of the same elite that presided over the disasters in the first place. ... If Robert Rubin’s mistakes helped create an out-of-control financial sector, then naturally you need Timothy Geithner and Lawrence Summers — Rubin’s protégés — to set things right. ... But their fixes tend to make the system even more complex and centralized, and more vulnerable to the next national-security surprise, the next natural disaster, the next economic crisis. Which is why, despite all the populist backlash and all the promises from Washington, this isn’t the end of the 'too big to fail' era. It’s the beginning."

Bob Wiesel is a pseudonym that has a long history in Honolulu and been passed around quite a bit.  I am one of many Bob Wiesels...collectively we amount to a poor man's Publius. There are blog entries that go back to before 2001 still online from Robert D. Wiesel, BobW, BWiesel and every other variant that you can dream up.  Some of the "Bob's" work for, or had worked for both the city and state at some point. 

Blog participation at City Hall tapered off after Dave Shapiro started publishing IP addresses in an attempt to suppress his critics.  Several individuals at City Hall asked Charles Totto (ethics commission) for a reading on whether it was "against the rules" to participate during our lunch hour, breaks etc.  He recommended that we play it safe and just not do it at all from the city network and it pretty much stopped at that point.  Bob Wiesels live on, however, on their own time and own internet connections. 

HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Approximately 200 Soldiers assigned to the 307th Integrated Theater Signal Battalion (ITSB)’s Headquarters, Headquarters Company (HHC) and Bravo Company, are deploying to Afghanistan for one year to provide signal support as part of the Operation Enduring Freedom surge.

This is the 307th's first deployment into combat since the Vietnam War.

HONOLULU - Lt. Governor Duke Aiona today announced more than a thousand jobs that pay $8 or more per hour are available immediately for young people, ages 14 through 23, from low-income families through the new 2010 Summer Youth Employment Program.

Savvy liberal political strategists and worried Democratic primary voters, moreover, have had ample time to adapt to the demands of an angry and increasingly conservative electorate. Few Democrats in swing or conservative districts will run as Pelosi or Obama liberals. Instead, expect their rhetoric to morph the populism of Joe Sestak into the conservatism of Mark Critz.  As Rand Paul said last night:

I have a message, a message from the Tea Party. A message that is loud and clear and does not mince words: We’ve come to take our government back.

We are reprinting excerpts from an April 23 letter to Honolulu Councilmember Ann Kobayashi from Honolulu Attorney John C. McLaren who wrote “on behalf of former Governor Ben Cayetano and other unidentified people” according to the May 6 Advertiser.  Kobayashi and Cayetano are key supporters of Neil Abercrombie.    The allegations contained in the letter have been forwarded to the State procurement office for investigation.  

  Obama doubles down on book burning....

On March 26 the White House released a fact sheet on the New START Treaty. It claimed that the agreement signed by President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev "does not contain any constraints on testing, development or deployment of current or planned U.S. missile defense programs."

But the Russians seem to have a different interpretation of the document they signed.

As of April 30, 2010, actual tax revenue collections indicate the revenue decline for the current fiscal year will be smaller than forecasted by the Council on Revenues.  For the first 10 months of FY10, actual tax collections were down 1.0 percent.  In contrast, the Council on Revenues has forecasted negative revenue collection growth of 2.5 percent.

“The fact that the decline in actual tax collections is less than what the Council on Revenues projected is an encouraging sign,” said Governor Lingle. 

Lt. Governor Aiona on Thursday announced at a news conference at the State Capitol that Hawai`i residents will soon be able to save money on new energy-efficient refrigerators when they replace their old models, as a result of $2 million in federal stimulus funds allocated to the State of Hawai`i to be used for Energy Star appliance rebates.

Whereas marriage is a fundamental institution of society, which must be protected and reserved for the unique and complementary union between one man and one woman; it is in the interest of the Government to accord special rights and privileges to the institution of marriage in order to foster and support marriage between one man and one woman so as to maintain society in the optimum family setting providing benefit to the couple and a father and a mother for any resultant offspring; no other human relationship provides that optimum setting for a child;

The Democratic Gubernatorial Primary features a confrontation between Neil Abercrombie and Mufi Hannemann.  Whether one sees this as a replay of Democrats’ 1986 Abercrombie vs. Hannemann demolition derby or as an echo of the current Case vs. Hanabusa CD1 cage fight, it is not difficult to see what Matsuura might mean by “politics or special interests.”

But what about the song?  “For the sake of the children” is a cry which has been used to justify many things.  Why might it now mean “Aiona for Governor”?

"Charles Djou is scared to death, desperate and knows his campaign is slipping. He's a fraud, a charlatan and the political equivalent of a 'Rick Roll' and the voters of the district can see that," said Jason Burke, Case's campaign manager....

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced this week that it was pulling out of the district after spending more than $250,000 on TV ads blasting Djou.

CBS News' Chip Reid points out: "Mr. Obama's been president for nearly 16 months. Does he get at least a little piece of the blame?" Pointing to President Obama's staunch defense of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Reid answered his own question: "Not a bit. ... He portrayed his administration as valiantly fighting the good fight against the oil companies from day one. ...So while the president is pointing the finger of blame, he's also working hard to make sure that over time the finger doesn't do a 180."

“It is no surprise that the three former governors would come out in full support of electing someone who would perpetuate Hawai'i’s broken political system since they are responsible for creating it.  Their encouragement to vote for any Democrat only illustrates that they want to continue the culture of wasteful out of control spending and high taxes in Washington D.C.,” stated Ka’auwai. 

HILO, HAWAI‘I — Teams of local middle and high school students competed today using underwater robots that they designed and built over the past weeks and months.  At the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Student Life Center Pool, students used their underwater robots, known as remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs), to navigate the precarious terrain of active undersea volcanoes in a mock setting. 

“Charles has run a great campaign and his message bold, independent leadership is exactly what people want to hear," said Hawai'i Republican Chairman Jonah Ka’auwai.  “The state party has been an active partner with his campaign and the grassroots support has been tremendous.  It is this type of energy we will take into November and the state convention helped showcase the future of the Republican Party.” 

Kalani HS: Political indoctrination?

HONOLULU – Joining a boisterous crowd of 700 convention delegates and grassroots supporters wearing t-shirts and waiving signs in support of Duke Aiona at the 2010 Hawai`i Republican Party State Convention, Lt. Governor Duke Aiona, the leading Republican candidate for Governor, delivered a keynote address highlighting his grassroots campaign for balanced, efficient and accountable government while setting an agenda to create jobs, improve education and strengthen the economy in Hawai`i.

In a surprise appearance, former Democratic State Senator David Matsuura introduced Lt. Governor Aiona to the supportive crowd and crossed party lines to endorse his campaign for Governor.

This year, the event will be hosted by the Hawai'i Republican Party and Convention Chairman Representative Gene Ward.  The agenda includes the adoption of a new Party Platform by Convention Delegates and remarks by Governor Linda Lingle, Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona, Congressional candidate Charles Djou and Chairman Jonah Ka'auwai.  Elected officials, including Senator Sam Slom, Representative Lynn Finnegan and Representative Cynthia Thielen as well as several Republican candidates for offices across the state will also be in attendance.

In the third and final broadcast debate of the special election in Hawaii’s First Congressional District, Charles Djou scored a resounding victory over his two opponents.  Highlighting his campaign themes of fiscal responsibility, job creation and government accountability, Djou clearly showed why the voters in the May 22 special election have a choice between the status quo in Washington, DC, or his fresh ideas and vision for Hawaii’s future. 

Ed Case has hypocritically taken more than a quarter million dollars from special interests groups. Case has taken $286,476 from political action committees (PACs) and $71,500 from labor industry PACs, as of May 2, 2010.

Votes are already being cast in the free-for-all special election in Hawaii's 1st Congressional District, and a Republican candidate has emerged with the most cash on hand in the campaign's final stretch.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) once said that the "most basic responsibility of governing is to pass a budget." Yesterday it became clear that Congress has decided to shirk that responsibility, as word broke that the House likely will not pass a budget resolution for the first time since the modern budget process was created in 1974.

...turnout has been high in the district with about 30 percent of ballots already turned in to the state elections office. According to an automated telephone survey taken May 6 and 7, 53 percent of voters had already mailed in their ballots and 45 percent of those folks reported they voted for Djou.

When it comes to HB 444--Gay Civil Unions—Honolulu Mayor and all-but-declared gubernatorial candidate Mufi Hannemann has consistently refused to stand in opposition.

Last September, Herb Sample of the Associated Press asked Hannemann’s campaign for a comment on HB444 and other hot-button social issues.  This is what he got...

The Treasury Department announced yesterday that the federal deficit for April soared to $82.69 billion, more than twice the $40 billion deficit that Wall Street economists had predicted. An April deficit is rare for the federal government (there has been a surplus in 43 out of the past 56 years) and the announcement marked a record 19th consecutive month that the Treasury has posted a shortfall. Like those who said there was no housing bubble, some on the left who crave an ever larger federal government are still saying that Americans have nothing to worry about--that we can borrow and spend forever.

(Kapolei, HI)- Former local television news anchor and reporter, Ramsay Puanani Wharton, today announced her candidacy for the 2nd Congressional District. She was surrounded by family and supporters as she filed her nomination papers at the Office of Elections in Pearl City.

“I’m running for Congress because our current Representative has shown little or no leadership on the key issues upon which our voters have made clear they want our Washington Representatives to focus: job creation, restraint in spending and lower taxes,” said Wharton.

Where I grew up — on Manhattan’s Upper West Side — nobody ever admitted to voting Republican. The real contests for Congress and the state legislatures occurred in early September, when the Democratic primary was held. And the people who won those races and who then took the November elections with some 80 per cent of the vote were real Democrats — not the closet Republicans that one sees so often these days but men and women committed to liberal principles and motivated by the ideal of an affirmative and compassionate government.

Current Hawaii law requires a homeowner to "retreat" from his or her own home when invaded by a criminal engaging in a felony. The new law establishes provisions relating to owner to felon; limited liability. Provides that any owner of any interest in real property shall not be liable to any perpetrator for any injury or death that occurs upon the real property during the course or after the commission of certain felony offenses.

More than half the respondents — 52.6 percent — had already voted. And of that group, Djou got 45 percent of the vote, one reason it's so difficult to imagine trends changing in any significant way between now and May 22….

Djou leads among voters who believe limiting government power or national security are the most important issues in the election. They are "through the roof" for Djou, Rosenthal said.

Hanabusa wins among voters who identify education as the most important issue, while Case wins among voters who pick energy independence and environmental protection.

Honolulu has the fifth highest debt per capita of America’s larger cities (See list below).  Note that this debt does not include our inevitable shortfall in rail taxes, the $1.2 billion liability for secondary sewage treatment (the city lost both the suit and the appeal to EPA) or the funds needed for our roads which are some of the worst in the nation and will require billions for restoration (as opposed to the wasteful two inch overlays currently done in a hurry in order to “buy votes”).

“As our campaign continues to grow, I'm adding new leaders to my core team that will help me draw upon the community to shape the next chapter in Hawai`i’s future,” said Lt. Governor Aiona. “They bring together the right mix of campaign experiences, fresh ideas and an unwavering commitment to reduce the financial burden on our working families and businesses, create jobs and improve our education system so all of our children have the opportunity to compete in a global economy based on knowledge and innovation.”

"We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it," Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told us just weeks before Congress passed President Barack Obama's health care plan. Well, the nation's post-passage Obamacare education continued yesterday when the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed that the federal government will have to spend an additional $115 billion implementing the law, bringing the total estimated cost to over $1 trillion. . . .

81-year-old Robert Hicks passed away April 13, and is remembered for being, among other things, the last known surviving member of the Deacons for Defense and Justice.

East Hawai`i campaign headquarters will officially open its doors to the public on Thursday, May 13, at 5:00 p.m. The Lieutenant Governor will be on hand for the grand opening ceremony to deliver remarks and talk story with campaign supporters and their families at the new office, which is located at 142D Kino`ole Street at the old Hilo Hotel.

KITV ran a segment in last night’s 10pm news where they picked apart the latest misleading ad from the Case campaign.  Political analyst Neil Milner called the Case commercial, “fancy political footwork in the sense that it suggests a more explicit link between Case and Obama than really exists.”  Milner goes on to say “I’m not making an ethical judgment here; I am just saying it isn’t what it says it is.”

The innovative 21st Century Platform to be proposed at the upcoming convention combines the best of a conservative tradition by creating a 1-page Platform of Hawaii Republican Values along with a much more detailed Current Issues Database designed to be updated throughout the year. “This new approach allows the Hawaii Republican Party to stand firm on its values via the Platform while delivering clear positions on issues and inviting innovative solutions via the Current Issues Database”, said Platform Chair Ryan Markham, “we’re happy to see that Panos will be among the first candidates to get engaged on this exciting new approach to solving problems that have plagued Honolulu for decades”.

“Hawaii families work hard, pay their taxes and play by the rules,” said Djou. “During these tough economic times, the people of Hawaii do not need another representative who will fall prey to the demands of Washington insiders. Instead, they deserve a representative who will stand up for them in Washington and put Hawaii families first. In Congress, I will fight corruption, stop wasteful government spending and control tax increases so that the people of Hawaii may have a better tomorrow. ”

If you’re looking for a sign that Republicans’ message of fiscal responsibility and government accountability will win this November and Democrats will struggle to defend their reckless agenda, look no further than Obama's home district in Hawaii.  In the very-blue first district, a rising-star Republican candidate is leading two Democrats in a peculiar and enthralling three-way, vote-by-mail special election to fill the vacancy left by Congressman Neil Abercrombie.

Djou reported raising $525,150 in the month of April from 2,983 donors.  Since his entry into the race, Charles has raised $1,217,339 from 4,680 donors.  The campaign reported having $362,711 cash on hand at the end of the reporting period.  In addition to the tremendous financial support, the Djou campaign has 4,150 Facebook fans, 1,207 Twitter followers and a volunteer list totaling over 1,100 supporters.  The Djou team has assembled one of the largest grassroots efforts the State of Hawai’i has ever seen. 

Our state needs well thought out proposals based on a fiscally responsible budget. However, Mr. Abercrombie's proposals will amount to nothing more than empty campaign promises because he and other Democrats continue to bow to union leadership and ignore the needs of our keiki.

On March 15th, appearing with labor and environmental leaders, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa unveiled a new alternative energy plan that he said would ensure the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power would meet his goal of securing 20% of its energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar by December 31st. At the time, he claimed it would create 16,000 jobs and only raise consumer electric bills between 8.8% and 28.4%. But less than two weeks later those energy rate hike estimates had skyrocketed with the DWP saying it needed to raise rates by 37% in order to meet the renewable energy standards. Los Angeles' already shrinking business community revolted and by April Mayor Villaraigosa's plan had been soundly defeated.

WASHINGTON — House Democrats are abandoning efforts to win a special election in Hawaii as a party feud threatens their prospects in President Barack Obama's native state.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokeswoman Jennifer Crider today said the organization would stop spending for the May 22 contest to replace Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who left Congress to run for governor.

Most of the dbte on "net neutrality" is arcane, but one fact leaps out.  If the Federal Communications Commission grabs regulatory ovesight of the Internet, it will be able to begin subtly controlling content as it does with TV nd radio broadcasts.  The Internet equivalents of radio>>>satellite shock jock Howard Stern will not be their only targets.... 

"I pledge to stay true to the ideals of a State government that places residents ahead of bureaucracy; supporting businesses so that they might thrive, not just survive; a public education system that puts students and families first; a clean energy economy which accelerates Hawai’i’s economic diversification and recovery; and a new vision for the 21st century Hawai‘i that places our island state on the world stage as leaders in innovation.”

“I am running for Lt. Governor because I believe we must keep Republican leadership in the Executive Branch in order to have a balanced and honest government which serves all the people of Hawai‘i.”

In a dramatic step forward, the Committee transformed the previous 2008 platform into a “Current Issues Database” and created an entirely new one page, values-based platform based on HRP's "L.L.I.F.E. Values:" Liberty, Limited Government, Individual Responsibility, Fiscal Accountability, and Equality of Opportunity.

The Current Issues Database is an entirely new body that holds party positions on various issues and is designed to be updated on a regular basis.  This new approach allows the party to adopt both a timeless, easy to understand platform while addressing current issues in a flexible and responsive way.