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Hawai'i Free Press

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Thursday, January 21, 2010
Obama forms “fig leaf” commission to propose tax increases
By Heritage Foundation @ 2:47 PM :: 5353 Views :: National News, Ethics

From the President who brought you unaccountable, constitutionally-questionable czars comes the latest innovation in pass-the-buck leadership: a White House executive commission designed to solve the behemoth of a spending problem plaguing the federal government.  Members of Congress have described the commission as a “nothing burger,” a “fig leaf” and “something that is put in place to kind of cover [President Obama’s] rear end." Colorful critiques aside, it’s an executive commission tasked with making policy recommendations aimed at reducing the country’s projected $1.4 trillion deficit.

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Americans Call for Change As U.S. Becomes Less Economically Free
By Heritage Foundation @ 6:57 PM :: 5630 Views :: National News, Ethics

Scott Brown’s shocking victory in Massachusetts on Tuesday was a shot across the bow of the liberal ruling class in Washington and declared one clear message: Americans do not like the direction the country is heading, and they’re not going to stand for it, even in the solidly-blue Bay State.

The United States’ direction today is a dangerous one, even when compared to the country’s state of affairs just one year ago, as revealed in the 2010 Index of Economic Freedom, which we are releasing this morning in a joint project with The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal. The Index analyzes just how economically “free” a country is, and this year America saw a steep and significant decline, enough to make it drop altogether from the “free” category, the first time this has happened in the 16 years we’ve been publishing these indexes. The United States dropped to “mostly free.”

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
POLITICO: Charles Djou – the next Scott Brown?
By Selected News Articles @ 1:43 PM :: 11640 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

Here’s the next potential Scott Brown, or at least a candidate who will spark a debate over whether the national GOP should look at him that way—Charles Djou in Hawaii.

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
DANGER Hawaii Legislature in Session: Tax increases, Raids on special funds, Gay Civil Unions—and 275 new bills introduced
By News Release @ 1:00 PM :: 5332 Views :: Energy, Environment

"We can't fix our economic problems by increasing the taxes on businesses. Businesses don't have more money to give to the government especially during these times. Small businesses are the engine of economic growth.  Shirokiya's recent announcement of laying off 71 employees in anticipation of the increasing unemployment insurance tax serves as powerful evidence of what businesses will and must do when taxes are increased."  -- House Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010
GOP: “Hawaii voters will be next”
By News Release @ 8:33 PM :: 8066 Views :: Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

“Sen.-elect Scott Brown’s come-from-behind victory, in a solid Democrat state like Massachusetts, clearly shows the American people want different leadership in Congress.  Like Sen.-elect Brown, I am troubled by Congress’ multi-trillion dollar budget deficit that recklessly mortgages our children’s future, a multi-billion dollar stimulus package that has done little to alter unemployment and a health care plan that is too expensive and won’t work,” stated Djou. 

"From those I've spoken to at the 4,000 doors that I've knocked on in the last two weeks, and from the 1,100 donors to my campaign, it is clear that Hawaii’s voters feel just as frustrated.  Hawaii needs a voice from outside the system to fundamentally change the status quo.”

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010
GOP's Brown WINS in Mass. -- Coakley Concedes -- Webb calls for delay on Obamacare vote
By Selected News Articles @ 7:38 PM :: 5642 Views :: National News, Ethics

THE BOSTON TEA PARTY... (99% of precincts counted)
52% SCOTT BROWN (R) 1,153,808
47% MARTHA COAKLEY (D)D: 1,052,391

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Health Care in the Balance as Ground Shifts Under Obama
By Heritage Foundation @ 7:07 PM :: 5221 Views :: National News, Ethics

One year ago, President Barack Obama delivered his inaugural address at the foot of the Capitol, laid out an agenda of “big plans” for his administration, and chided “cynics” who “fail to understand that the ground has shifted beneath them.” One year later, as voters head to the ballot box in Massachusetts, it seems that the ground very well may have shifted under President Obama.

And that ground shift might spell trouble for the President’s health care magnum opus.

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010
VIDEOS: Scott Brown shows Republicans how to win in “liberal” states
By News Release @ 6:17 PM :: 7588 Views :: National News, Ethics

Hawaii Republicans need to follow this example.

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Monday, January 18, 2010
Feds: "City will need a stronger financial plan" before moving forward with Rail Transit
By Gov. Linda Lingle @ 7:16 PM :: 6158 Views

I want to thank the American Institute of Architects – Honolulu Chapter for being willing to share their information and point of view with the broader public. The members of the AIA are pro-transit. They are pro-development. They make their living off of development. But they have some concerns about the project as it’s proposed and they wanted to present them to me and now, to the public. They have nothing to gain personally by making this presentation and I believe they have a lot to lose when it comes to future contracts with the City. I admire them for being willing to step forward in this fashion.

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Monday, January 18, 2010
Rallies on Oahu, Maui, Kauai: 15,000 against Gay Civil Unions
By Andrew Walden @ 3:17 PM :: 22566 Views :: Kauai County, DHHL, Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment

An estimated 15,000 Hawaii residents rallied Sunday at the Capitol against passage of House Bill 444 which would enact gay civil unions into law.  They were backed by another 500 protesters gathered at the Wailuku State Building on Maui.

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Sunday, January 17, 2010
UPDATE Oahu, Maui Protests January 17th: Gay Civil Unions HB444 poised for passage in 2010
By News Release @ 12:05 AM :: 16486 Views :: Kauai County, DHHL, Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment

Attend the Rally at the State Capitol on Sunday, January 17th (2:00 pm – 3:30 pm) to support traditional marriage and other pro-family policies.  AND MAUI -- Wailuku State Building, Wailuku, Maui  Sunday, January 17  2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

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Saturday, January 16, 2010
Pact with Gaia: Danny Glover--Haiti Quake caused by Copenhagen failure (VIDEO)
By Selected News Articles @ 8:06 PM :: 8412 Views :: National News, Ethics, World News, Family

VIDEO: “When we see what we did at the climate summit in Copenhagen, this is the response, this is what happens, you know what I’m sayin’?”

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Saturday, January 16, 2010
Over $400K raised: Djou announces fundraising totals
By News Release @ 7:19 PM :: 13392 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

Djou's Dec 31 fundraising figures released this afternoon (below) are more than double Ed Case's Dec. 15 figures.  Djou's Dec. 31 cash on hand is 263% of Case's Dec. 15 cash on hand.   Hanabusa is a very distant third.

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Saturday, January 16, 2010
Governor disappointed by arbitrator's UPW "split decision"
By News Release @ 11:31 AM :: 6834 Views :: Energy, Environment

“This is a split decision as far as I’m concerned,” said Governor Lingle.  “The arbitration panel went along with our request for pay cuts for employees of some of the most important 24/7 operations at the State Hospital, the prisons, and the youth correctional facility, but ignored the same request for others. 

“We are very disappointed that the panel chose to implement furloughs for employees of the Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation.  A straight pay cut for these employees would be better than furloughs because the nature of the work and the people they serve requires 24/7 attention,” the Governor added.

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Friday, January 15, 2010
Obama's Bank Tax Misses the Real Bailout Deadbeats in Detroit and DC
By Heritage Foundation @ 1:38 PM :: 5552 Views :: National News, Ethics

The real deadbeats that are not giving us "our money back" are not the banks, but the union-backed car companies and failed government mortgage modification programs. But guess what? The White House has chosen not to include the car companies among the institutions that will pay this so called "Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee." Also exempted are Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored entities that helped create the crisis.

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Thursday, January 14, 2010
HAITI QUAKE - How to help now
By Selected News Articles @ 7:47 PM :: 7889 Views :: National News, World News

The impoverished nation of Haiti needs your help.  Text "HAITI" to "90999" and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill.  Yele Haiti Wyclef Jean's grassroots org  --  Text Yele to 501 501 to donate $5 via your cellphone

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Thursday, January 14, 2010
Cook Political Report: Djou is "strong candidate" who has "gotten big break"
By Selected News Articles @ 6:05 PM :: 12505 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

Even armed with a strong candidate, Republicans needed a big break to give them any hope of capturing President Obama's native district, which is 11 points more Democratic than the national average. They appear to have gotten one in the form of Abercrombie's early resignation to focus on a gubernatorial bid, which has set up an all-party special election that will likely take place in May. Honolulu Councilman Charles Djou, a Republican, will have the resources to seek a plurality as state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa and former Rep. Ed Case split the Democratic vote.

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Thursday, January 14, 2010
Obamacare: Meeting Behind Closed Doors, Union Bosses Win, Taxpayers Lose
By Heritage Foundation @ 1:06 PM :: 6438 Views :: National News, Ethics

And just what deals were Big Labor, the leftist majorities in Congress and the Obama administration making behind closed doors? How to pay for President Obama's likely $1 trillion health care plan without raising taxes on one of the President's most loyal constituencies: labor unions. Specifically, Big Labor reportedly has struck a deal with health care negotiators to exempt union members from the 40% excise tax on high-priced health insurance premiums. By some estimates, the tax would hit one in four union members. Now Big Labor will get all of the big government health care spending they always wanted, but they will not have to pay for it.

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
UPDATE VIDEO: Case vs Hanabusa vs Djou -- first AND SECOND Congressional Debates
By Selected News Articles @ 5:48 PM :: 15264 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

VIDEO:  Watch the complete 30 minute January 12 debate from Honolulu Public Access TV here.

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
DoE's Charter Cap: Another reason Hawaii likely won't get RTTT funds
By News Release @ 2:07 PM :: 10798 Views :: Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

This report is actually good news.  Because of the DoE/HSTA efforts to crush Charter Schools, the DoE has already done enough to make sure that the RTTT funds--and the accountability requirements that come with them--won't be coming to Hawaii.  So they no longer need to force furloughs onto instructional days in order to keep RTTT out.

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Political porn: LA Times comes to Hawaii for a quickie
By Andrew Walden @ 1:44 AM :: 12766 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment

Democrats across the nation are on the ropes as Americans turn against Obamacare, taxes, and failed "stimulus."  Unemployment and debt race to the top as Obamanomics drives everybody else to the bottom.  Terrorism is again rearing its ugly head and the President shows only weakness.  Obama's numbers are in the tank and continue to decline.  Congressional Democrats are jumping overboard like rats from the proverbial sinking ship and Democrat Congressional candidate recruits are dropping out as analysts debate how large GOP gains will be this November.

In these hard times, where could the liberal LA Times still find defeatist Republicans whose utter demoralization could provide its lefty readers a quick peep at a political porn show to numb their pain?   

The small dissident group known as Hawaii Republican Assembly, that's where. 

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010
$787 Billion in Stimulus, Zero Jobs "Created or Saved"
By Heritage Foundation @ 3:49 PM :: 5499 Views :: National News, Ethics

Even where infrastructure spending has been spent, the hard evidence shows that there has not been any positive effect on unemployment. According to an Associated Press analysis reviewed by independent economists at five universities, the $20 billion spent nationwide on infrastructure so far "has had no effect on local unemployment rates."

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Aiona campaign announces "Grassroots Leadership Team"
By News Release @ 3:42 PM :: 20586 Views :: Hawaii County , Akaka Bill, Honolulu County, Democratic Party, Kauai County, DHHL, Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment

HONOLULU – Duke Aiona today announced five county chairs and co-chairs and 13 regional chairs for his growing campaign. The leadership team will provide grassroots support to mobilize and turn out voters for Duke Aiona in the 2010 gubernatorial election.

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Gay marriage on trial: Stacking the Deck Against Proposition 8
By Heritage Foundation @ 12:08 PM :: 7148 Views :: Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

The much-anticipated trial to determine the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8 is scheduled to begin this morning in the case of Perry v. Schwarzenegger. What's at stake in this case, filed in federal district court in San Francisco on behalf of two gay couples, is not just the right of California voters to reaffirm the definition of marriage as only between a man and a woman, but also whether marriage may be otherwise defined in any state.

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Monday, January 11, 2010
Hey Obama, Who's Freddy?
By Andrew Walden @ 11:40 PM :: 16727 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

Is it possible?  Did we miss one? With all the Marxists dug out from the very public -- yet very opaque -- story of President Barack Obama's life, could there be room for one more, hiding in plain sight on page 24 of Dreams from My Father?  

A Japanese-American man who called himself Freddy and ran a small market near our house would save us the choicest cuts of aku for sashimi and give me rice candy with edible wrappers.

Who's Freddy? 

I nominate the late Wilfred Mitsuji Oka, former proprietor of the Corner Liquor Store in Honolulu's Chinatown.

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Monday, January 11, 2010
Case implies Hanabusa campaign is dirty and negative
By Andrew Walden @ 11:07 PM :: 15973 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

Endorsing Colleen Hanabusa (D-Koolina), Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) Saturday claimed "She's got integrity. She's a very principled woman."  This may come as quite a surprise to readers of Governor Ben Cayetano's (D-HI) autobiography, in which he ties Hanabusa's Broken Trust connections to her dealings on behalf of Jeff Stone's Ko'olina project.  But Ed Case's ire was raised to challenge Inouye's "recollection of the facts" on another matter.

In an email blast sent out this morning, Case claims, "There is and must be a better way forward than just more old-style control politics."  Case challenges Inouye's recitation of the 2006 Case vs Akaka primary campaign

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Monday, January 11, 2010
Cast Your ballot: Abercrombie nominated "2009 Porker of the Year"
By News Release @ 2:20 PM :: 9449 Views :: Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

 

Neil with his friends, Mr Broken Trust, and Brother Sandwich Isles. 

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Monday, January 11, 2010
Global Cooling killing Manatees and Sea Turtles: Frozen iguanas falling from trees
By Andrew Walden @ 2:09 PM :: 15798 Views :: Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics, World News, Family

  A victim of Global Cooling lies on the frozen soil of South Florida.

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Monday, January 11, 2010
The deciding vote on Obamacare: Will a Republican JAG Officer win Kennedy's former Senate seat?
By Selected News Articles @ 12:52 PM :: 6310 Views :: National News, Ethics

Scott Brown is a Massachusetts State Senator running for the U.S.Senate as a Republican in a special election to fill the vacancy left by the death of Senator Ted Kennedy. The Massachusetts special election to fill the seat is less than two weeks away (January 19) and the polls indicate that the race is tightening. Scott Brown, who is a solid moderate Massachusetts Republican with a fiscally conservative record in the Massachusetts State House, stands poised to pull off what would be the upset of the century.

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Saturday, January 9, 2010
Illegal aliens get past TSA, jet off to Hawaii with forged ID
By Andrew Walden @ 1:00 PM :: 26186 Views :: Law Enforcement

Thousands of airline passengers on domestic US flights are using forged IDs to get past TSA screeners and board commercial flights under assumed names.  Just days after the al-Qaeda Panty Bomber tried to blow NW Flight 253 out of the sky, evidence leading to acquittals in a Honolulu illegal alien smuggling case has exposed the US Transportation Safety Administration’s repeated failure to spot phony IDs.

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Friday, January 8, 2010
FreedomWorks: Flip three votes and Obamacare fails in House
By News Release @ 6:50 PM :: 4998 Views :: National News, Ethics

Pelosi barely held Democrats together in passing ObamaCare the first time. A narrow 220 to 215 margin means we can kill ObamaCare in the House by flipping just 3 votes!

FreedomWorks has identified 13 critical Democrat targets that we believe are the most likely to abandon Pelosi in her quest to socialize health care.

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Friday, January 8, 2010
Lingle proposes new plan to eliminate Furlough Fridays
By News Release @ 6:45 PM :: 7891 Views :: Energy, Environment

Under the Governor’s latest plan, up to $50 million from the Rainy Day Fund would be used to restore 12 furlough Fridays – five this semester and seven in the 2010-2011 school year. 

An additional 12 instructional days – two this semester and 10 in the next school year – would be gained by using days when teachers are paid to be in their classrooms but do not teach students.

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Friday, January 8, 2010
Two more Muslims, of all people, arrested in New York 9-11 anniversary bomb plot
By Selected News Articles @ 4:30 PM :: 7824 Views :: National News, Ethics, World News, Family

Zazi, 24, an Afghan national was nabbed after sweeping raids on Queens apartment buildings in September. The raids turned up evidence of bomb-making materials, and Zazi was charged with conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction.

Medunjanin, 25, who is believed to have accompanied Zazi to an Al Qaeda training camp in Pakistan in 2008, fled in his car Thursday when he came home and saw agents swarming over his apartment, sources said.

He made it as far as Whitestone, Queens, where he crashed on the Whitestone Expressway about 4 p.m....

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Friday, January 8, 2010
Obama "Kills the initiative and morale of our intelligence employees"
By Heritage Foundation @ 11:32 AM :: 8530 Views :: National News, Ethics, World News, Family

 The President promised he would direct “our intelligence community immediately begin assigning specific responsibility for investigating all leads on high-priority threats so that these leads are pursued and acted upon aggressively — not just most of the time, but all of the time.” And he added: “In addition to the corrective efforts that I’ve ordered, I’ve directed agency heads to establish internal accountability reviews, and directed my national security staff to monitor their efforts.”

But this failure of our intelligence system was not just about lack of accountability. It was about empowerment - or more specifically the lack thereof. The system simply moved too slowly because there was a lack of urgency about the war on terror. Intelligence personnel were not empowered to employ their ingenuity and resourcefulness to connect the dots. Adding layers of “internal accountability reviews” will only make the bureaucratic stupor worse.

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Thursday, January 7, 2010
Passenger taken off flight: "I'm Palestinian and I want to kill all the Jews"
By Selected News Articles @ 11:23 PM :: 8420 Views :: National News, Ethics, World News, Family

Mansor Mohammad Asad, 43, has been charged with threats against a public servant, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after the incident aboard Delta Airlines flight 2485, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department.

Witnesses told investigators that Asad yelled anti-Semitic references such as, "I'm Palestinian and I want kill all the Jews," in Arabic. The pilot turned around as the plane was taxiing for take-off at 6:35 p.m., according to police.

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Thursday, January 7, 2010
Governor nominates DCCA Dir Reifurth to Intermediate Court of Appeals
By News Release @ 6:25 PM :: 7931 Views :: Energy, Environment

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today nominated Lawrence M. Reifurth to serve as a judge on the Hawai‘i Intermediate Court of Appeals.  Reifurth would fill the vacancy created when Governor Lingle named Judge Craig Nakamura to serve as chief judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals.  Reifurth’s nomination is subject to confirmation by the State Senate.

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Thursday, January 7, 2010
Democrats jump from sinking Congress after healthcare "mistake" -- Obama proposes third "stimulus"
By Heritage Foundation @ 12:16 PM :: 5307 Views :: National News, Ethics

The Democratic Party was shaken to its core on Tuesday when Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Gov. Bill Ritter (D-CO) announced they would not run for re-election in 2010, all on the same day. The source of these Democrats’ fears in facing the American people at the polls is no secret: the American people believe the state of the economy is poor and getting worse. Responding to this dismal environment, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) told the Fremont Tribune on Tuesday: “I think it was a mistake to take health care on as opposed to continuing to spend the time on the economy.”

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Thursday, January 7, 2010
Hamamoto's DoE resignation: To block Lingle's constitutional amendment?
By Andrew Walden @ 4:06 AM :: 11464 Views :: Education K-12, Labor

While Hamamoto said politics were not part of her decision to resign, she spoke out yesterday against a state constitutional amendment proposed by Lingle to make the DOE superintendent a Cabinet-level position, under the governor's control.

"Politics should not be part of what goes on in the school room," Hamamoto said. "The superintendent has to be able to advocate for what is right for the kids. You have to be apolitical in order to advocate for the children. That should be the first priority of a superintendent. The second priority is ensuring organizational stability. How do you ensure stability if teachers and administrators think they will be jerked around every four or eight years?"

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Thursday, January 7, 2010
Hawai`i Free Press closes out 2009 with more online readers than Honolulu Advertiser
By Andrew Walden @ 12:06 AM :: 5685 Views :: Energy, Environment

HawaiiFreePressDailyTrafficDec2009

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Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Obama’s Other Broken Health Care Promises
By Heritage Foundation @ 7:24 PM :: 5076 Views :: National News, Ethics

A reporter reminded Pelosi about President Barack Obama’s frequent promises to the American people throughout 2008 that he would ensure C-SPAN was allowed to televise exactly such negotiations, to which Speaker Pelosi quipped: “There are a number of things he was for on the campaign trail.”

Speaker Pelosi is right: President Obama’s broken health care promises are legendary. According to reports, Speaker Pelosi wasn’t even referring to Obama’s whopper from last month that he never campaigned on the public option. No, Speaker Pelosi is apparently most upset with Obama’s support for the Senate’s tax on high cost health plans, which she believes is a violation of Obama’s promise not to raise taxes on the middle class.

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Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Obamacare, COFA, and the upcoming $350M State budget gap: Lingle vs Congressional Delegation
By Gov. Linda Lingle @ 1:11 PM :: 9679 Views :: Energy, Environment

In Hawaii, we have some of America’s most generous Medicaid programs – especially for children. Medicaid enrollment jumped by almost 15 percent in 2009, and last spring the State Department of Human Services had to delay $43.5 million in payments for medical care because of a serious budget shortfall.

Nearly one year later, we are still unable to catch up with our Medicaid funding deficit, and it is about to get worse – a lot worse. On January 1, 2011, the boost to states for Medicaid programs from the national stimulus funding will come to an abrupt end after nine quarters. That means Hawaii will stop receiving more than $350 million in federal funds....

If Congress forces Hawaii to further increase Medicaid eligibility and benefits, we could only pay the bill by slashing other government programs or by raising taxes. Neither option is acceptable, in my opinion. 

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Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Lack of Law Put Minors at Risk in Hawaii (Is Hawaii a haven for pimps?)
By Selected News Articles @ 12:24 PM :: 8182 Views :: Energy, Environment

Marcus X Arrington's victim was only 16-years-old when he allegedly forced her into prostitution.

While she can't be named because she is a minor, her story fits the profile of many others. She ran away from home hoping to escape its problems. Arrington allegedly promised to help but instead brandished a handgun and forced her to work for him....To keep her in compliance, she says she was beaten and sexually assaulted by her captor.  

Hawaii is one of eight states without a human trafficking law. If this were New York, Arrington would face up to 25 years in jail for this felony offense. Instead, he is charged with promoting prostitution, a crime that can be classed as a misdemeanor and carries a very broad sentence ranging from one day and ten years.

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Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Constitutional Amendment: Aiona Proposes Hawaii Elect Secretary of State
By News Release @ 9:09 PM :: 7729 Views :: Energy, Environment

Currently, voters in Hawai‘i have no direct authority over the Office of Elections. The Elections Commission, which appoints the Chief Elections Officer, is composed of individuals selected by only four members of the State Legislature.

Hawai‘i consistently ranks at or near the bottom nationally for voter turnout.

If passed, the constitutional amendment would give Hawai‘i voters the authority to decide in the 2010 General Election whether or not to establish an elected, nonpartisan Secretary of State.

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Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Bennett: New Akaka Bill guarantees years of litigation
By Selected News Articles @ 7:36 PM :: 10308 Views :: Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

The move ignited a furor in Honolulu. Gov. Linda Lingle and Attorney General Mark Bennett, who found out about the changes just hours before the Dec. 16 House vote, promptly reversed their support for the bill, saying the revisions could endanger Hawaii's economic and legal standing. Both officials are Republicans.

"The new bill explicitly states that it gives the state of Hawaii no authority to tax or regulate the new tribe, while ambiguously stating that nothing in the bill will itself pre-empt state authority over Native Hawaiians or their property," said Mr. Bennett in a statement. "Such a provision would guarantee years, if not decades, of litigation."

Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, the state's senior Democratic senator, told local reporters in Honolulu last week that differences were being "ironed out" with the governor's office and predicted the Senate would vote on the amended bill in February. But to date, no final deal has been announced.

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Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Obamacare: A Sham Of A Process For A Sham Of A Bill
By Heritage Foundation @ 2:38 PM :: 6469 Views :: National News, Ethics

Politico is reporting that President Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will meet at the White House today (joined by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) via conference call) to set the parameters for reconciling the House and Senate versions of health care legislation. However, instead of proceeding with the usual public and open conference committee process, the White House is going to take a very active role in secret behind-closed-door meetings between the House and Senate. The Sunlight Foundation explains the implications for the American people: “Both House and Senate rules require that all conference committee meetings be open to the public unless a majority of conferees votes in open session to close the meetings. Senate rules require all conference committee reports be publicly available for at least 48 hours prior to a final vote. Without conference, there is no mechanism to provide for openness in the final discussions regarding the health care bill.”

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Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Kubo: Governor nominates former Federal prosecutor to First Circuit Bench
By News Release @ 11:30 AM :: 11016 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment

Kubo served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii from 2001 to October 2009, and prior to that was Assistant U.S. Attorney for 11 years. During his tenure with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Kubo focused on major federal criminal investigations such as white collar crimes, mortgage fraud, civil rights violations, tax evasion, corruption, crimes on government installations and violent crimes.

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Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Security Theater Now Playing at Your Airport
By Daniel Pipes @ 1:01 AM :: 9905 Views :: National News, Ethics, World News, Family

Airport security--How the Israelis do it.

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Monday, January 4, 2010
Case again implies Hanabusa disrespectful, lacking in knowledge
By Andrew Walden @ 11:41 PM :: 12972 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

In an obvious reference to Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, (D-Koolina) Case argues that those who "have suggested that we don't need the special election until our regular primary election on September 18th" demonstrate "not only a disrespect for our rights as citizens, but a basic lack of knowledge of how Capitol Hill works and what's at stake."

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Monday, January 4, 2010
Responding to Abercrombie resignation: Djou "ready and eager" for early Special Election
By Andrew Walden @ 6:30 PM :: 12171 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

"We are ready and eager to bring our message of fiscal responsibility to Hawaii voters in a May special election."

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Monday, January 4, 2010
Abercrombie resignation effective Feb 28
By Andrew Walden @ 5:01 PM :: 16773 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

Under Hawaii law a Special Election may be held no earlier than 60 days after a vacancy occurs.  That would be Thursday, April 29, 2010.  There is no outside limit on when the Special Election can be held.  Trailing in the polls, Senate President Colleen Hanabusa (D-Koolina) has suggested that Hawaii "cannot afford" a Special Election. 

Republican Honolulu councilman Charles Djou is leading in the fund race.  The other candidate is the widely hated Democrat Ed Case whose failed challenge against Dan Akaka in 2006 still rankles many Hawaii Democrats.  Case, who calls Hanabusa "clueless", has already indicated he would again seek a Senate seat if the opportunity arose.

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Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii