More recently still, CAIR has demanded that Florida House Majority Leader Adam Hasner step down, for the "crime" of co-hosting a conference on free speech at which Mr.Wilders spoke. Lawsuits charging "defamation" continue to plague people who speak out against radical Islam and terrorism, including ongoing cases against Iranian-American researcher Hassan Daioleslam, Americans Against Hate founder Joseph Kaufman, and Hawaii Free Press Editor Andrew Walden. By and large, these events, and others like them, have not made the front page of any major newspaper, or been featured on broadcast television, if mentioned at all.

When the Star-Bulletin and Advertiser write about "ethical lapses" of public officials without actually describing the lapses it is a sure sign that a good story is lurking below the surface.  Of course that is the case with MRC Greenwood, one of the two finalists selected from 600 applicants for the job of UH system President. 

This hidden story involves money-grubbing lesbians, a $30,000 dog run paid for by the UC system, former Communist Party vice-presidential candidate Angela Davis, and one suicide.  Questions Hawaii reporters should be asking Greenwood include:  "If hired, will UH be expected to also hire Ms Goff and/or your son?"  and "Will you speak up in favor of  administrators arranging cushy high-paying jobs for their lovers at UH--or was that just a UC thing?"

Rebounding from their 2008 election drubbing, Hawai`i Republicans have recruited over 500 new members -- and it showed at the State GOP convention meeting at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott May 16. Among over 300 delegates and guests were about 100 attending their first convention.

Since the legislative session ended on May 8, my Administration has been carefully analyzing the 250 bills passed by the State Legislature. As Governor, I have until July 15 to sign the bills into law, veto them or let them become law without my signature. We encourage the public to provide input on the bills that are still under consideration by e-mailing gov.policy@hawaii.gov , faxing 808-586-0006 or calling 808-586-0034.

The caucuses replace Hawaii Republicans' former convention-based system of voting for Presidential-year RNC delegates. Backers of the caucus system pointed to the opportunity to recruit thousands of new Republicans as the competing Republican Presidential nominees campaign in Hawaii and encourage their supporters to vote at the caucuses.  The Hawaii Republican caucus will be held on the third Tuesday in February.

(Today's Star-Bulletin Editorial properly Fisked by your beloved Editor) 

Legislators' near-unanimous approval of a resolution creating an Islam Day in Hawaii was greeted with anger by many people who mistook it as siding with terrorists.  (Why would they think that?  Just because it honors Sept 11 in the old Julian calendar but corresponds with exactly nothing in the Islamic calendar?  Or is it because of the 'magnificent' 7% below....)

Advertiser: Republicans urged to unite: GOP challenged to gain seats in 2010 election by sticking to core beliefs

AP: Hawaii Republicans elect 36-year-old as new leader

KGMB: Hawaii GOP Elects New Leadership For 2009-2011

KITV: Lingle: It's Time For Younger Republicans To Lead, Aiona Says Democrats Are 'Party Of No Ideas'

Convention business will include the election of Party officers and adoption of Party rules. Hawai’i Republicans will also hear from Governor Linda Lingle, Lt. Governor Duke Aiona, and other Republican officials.

In response to the www.HawaiiFreePress.com article “Hawaii ‘Islam Day’ secretly marks September 11” UH Manoa Department of Religion professor James D. Frankel today writes:

“Andrew Walden has uncovered no secret or nefarious conspiracy to honor the deplorable terrorism of September 11, 2001. The 12th day of Rabi ul-Awwal will fall on September 24, 2009, but will be on September 13 next year and September 2 the year after that.”

Frankel is dead wrong -- and has exposed an utterly stupendous ignorance of his own field of study.

Had Professor Frankel bothered to look at an Islamic calendar he would have discovered that the Islamic lunar calendar’s “12th day of Rabi ul-Awwal” fell on March 9, 2009 and will next year fall on February 26, 2010.

"States that adopt new taxes on high-income earners are ones where policymakers are persuaded to ignore concerns about long-term economic growth in favor of a short-term budget fix that avoids deep spending cuts."

The word "al-Taqiyya" literally means: "Concealing or disguising one's beliefs, convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions, and/or strategies at a time of eminent danger, whether now or later in time, to save oneself from physical and/or mental injury." A one-word translation would be "Dissimulation."

The Story of Stuff highlights the very extreme left’s Greenpeace view of America. Essentially it tells the story of how America is not a nation to be proud of, and in fact, your child should be ashamed for living in it. For example: after implying that the radios for sale in Radio Shack are assembled by 15 year olds in Mexico, and by purchasing one, you contribute to the exploitation of the third world and the eventual end of the Earth....

The US Senate Judiciary committee is now considering the so-called Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed by the House April 29, under the sponsorship of Rep John Conyers (D-MI) and 120 other Representatives. Dubbed the “Thought Crimes Prevention Act” by some House Republicans, HB1913 includes pedophilia as a protected sexual orientation.

Prior to approval by the whole House, a party-line 10-13 vote of Conyers’ House Judiciary Committee April 23 rejected a proposal by Republican Rep Steve King (R-IA) “to define the term `sexual orientation' as used in the bill to explicitly exclude pedophilia.” Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin, an open lesbian, called the amendment, “unnecessary and inflammatory."

Over a dozen articles and analyses from the last six weeks of local media prep for the State GOP convention (with commentary).  Must read.  Updates will be added.... 

I was one of those Ron Paul supporters employed in Rep. Pine’s office.  Your comment implies that I am in favor of government getting involved with religion.  I do not.  I believe government should have no place in supporting any religion.  On the other hand I do not support government officials equating Islam with terrorism.  Equating Islam with terrorism shows the ignorance of some people who refuse to take off their blinders. 

HCR 100, the Islamic Holiday Resolution passed by the State Senate (22-3) on Thursday, May 7, is insensitive to patriotic Americans of all religions, outrageous, and an embarrassment (once again) for the State of Hawaii.

This resolution (which does not have the force of law) proclaims September 24 as Islam Day in Hawaii. How insensitive, no matter what the original intent, can anyone get, selecting a holiday just 13 days following the 911 Islamic terrorist attack on America? Is it just me that feels the stunning inappropriateness here?

Hawaii Rep. Kymberly Pine, R-Ewa, is way off base in chastising Sen. Sam Slom, R-Hawaii Kai, for his comments regarding the proposed Islam Day.  To honor a person or generic group of people like kupuna or Tartans is one thing – honoring a religion like Islam, as the House and Senate did in HCR 100, is totally inappropriate.

HONOLULU Thursday, May 7 – Governor Linda Lingle today, joined by hundreds of individual taxpayers, businesses and visitor industry leaders and employees, vetoed four bills that would raise taxes on residents, visitors and businesses, cause further job loss, and delay our economic recovery.

Combined, the four bills would extract a total of $94.3 million in 2010 and almost $126.2 million each year thereafter out of the economy.

HONOLULU – As part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s comprehensive process of reviewing legislation passed this session by the Legislature, Governor Linda Lingle is encouraging the public to provide input and comments on 250 bills.

From email distributed by the Islamic Information Office of Hawaii:

Islam day HCR100 Resolution was on the agenda yesterday (Wednesday). Senator Hemmings (Republican) gave a hate speech in opposition talking about the 10% of Islamic terrorists who want to kill Americans. The gallery was filled with the red shirts that are opposing HB444, the Civil Unions bill who all stood and applauded in support of Senator Hemmings speech against this Resolution. It was disgusting.

In just two days from now, on Friday, May 8th, the 2009 legislative session will come to a close. The budget passed by the Legislature in conference committee late last Friday evening takes $566 million out of the pockets of our visitors and residents, in an attempt to balance the budget. Last Friday, legislators also voted to extend the legislative session by two days so that they would be in a position to attempt to override my vetoes of tax increases without having to call a special session.

Tomorrow, on Thursday, May 7th at 3:30 p.m., I will follow through on my promise to veto these tax measures because they would further erode our already weakened economy, cause greater loss of jobs, and discourage visitors from coming to Hawai`i.

I would like to invite you to join me at a rally to oppose a number of legislative bills that will raise taxes on the people of Hawai`i, hurt our economy and stall job creation.

Governor Lingle will veto the measures at the rally. 

Please join us at the State Capitol on Thursday, May 7, at 3:30 p.m. to express your opposition to this legislation and send legislators a strong message that their responsibility is to the public, not special interests.

Hawaii has no Christianity Day, no Judaism Day, and no Buddhism Day--but Hawaii's Democrat Legislators have decided to violate the "establishment clause" of US Constitution -- for Islam. 

Affirming that their desire to submit to Islam supercedes their adherence to the sacred principles of the US Constitution, by a 22-3 vote the Hawaii Senate approved House Concurrent Resolution 100 which designates September 24, 2009 as Islam Day.  The State House had earlier approved the measure.

A decrease in the Hawaii State Judiciary's budget could result in a narrowing of services and a return to the Judiciary's original mission: To decide what is right and wrong in accordance with the law, Moon said.

The recruitment push is unavoidably part of the GOP quest for identity and leadership. President Obama, an untraditional candidate from an untraditional background, helped Democrats define themselves and win over followers during the end of the Bush years. Now Republicans are looking in out-of-the-ordinary places for candidates who can enthuse Americans and pick up seats in their name.... 

The Governor’s Web address can be viewed starting:  4:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The address may be viewed at:  www.hawaii.gov/gov

Left: Sun at peak of warming,1998.  Right: Sun after 10 years of cooling, 2008.

As Governor, I have until July 14 to sign bills into law, veto them or let them become law without my signature. I encourage you to send my office your input during this comprehensive review process at governor.lingle@hawaii.gov  so that we can approve legislation that boosts our economy, creates jobs and balances our budget in a way that is fair to all the people of Hawai‘i.

“This is a slap in the face to me, my mother, and the citizens of Hawai'i who expect our government to rise to protect them,” stated Melanie McLellan, foster daughter of Karen Ertell, who was brutally murdered and raped allegedly by her 15 year-old neighbor, Vernon Bartley.

HB 1404, which was gutted and replaced with new language, emerged this  morning with an increase in the state's General Excise Tax in an unspecified amount thought to be between one  half and one percent on top of the current 4 percent (4.5 percent on Oahu).

Today HB1404 isscheduled to have a conference committee hearing at 5:30pm in room 309. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2009/hearingnotices/CONF_05-01-09_FIN1_.HTM

HB819, "Karen's Law," will be heard today at 3:30pm in conference room 229. "Karen's Law" has passed out of both the House and the Senate and is now sitting in conference committee.

Although the bill has been heard three times, an agreement over the final draft has yet to be made. If Karen's Law does not pass out of committee today, tomorrow will be the final deadline for the bill to pass out so that it may be voted on by a joint Legislature.

Yesterday before President Barack Obama’s 100 days news conference, the Commerce Department released data showing that the U.S. economy shrank at an annual rate of 6.1% in the January-March quarter. This comes on top of a report from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics released earlier this month showing that the U.S. has lost more than 1.2 million jobs since President Barack Obama was sworn into office. Yet despite all this bad economic news Obama claimed that his stimulus $787 billion deficit spending stimulus package “has already saved or created over 150,000 jobs.”

Please help us by getting signatures on the petition and bring them to the prayer rally on Sunday.  We will also be gathering signatures on Sunday.  If you have not done so already, please click the link below to send an email to your Senator asking him/her to stand firm against pulling the bill from committee.  Those of you who reside in Manoa, please encourage people to contact Senator Taniguchi and encourage him to remain firm in his commitment to leave the bill in committee.

As the President admitted to the San Francisco Chronicle, "Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket." Well, at least he was being upfront about the costs, unlike former Vice President Al Gore, who refused to answer questions about the total costs of implementing a cap and trade program. But Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) rightly pointed out recently, "cap and trade is a tax, and it's a great big one." Estimates are that this national energy tax would cost the average American family $3900 per year! ($325.00 per month)

When this subject came up last week in the House Judiciary Committee, an amendment to the hate crimes bill that would have excluded pedophilia from the definition of sexual orientation was defeated by Democrats along party lines, 13-10.

Under the latest reorganization plan released by General Motors, Uncle Sam would take ownership of 50 percent of the challenged automaker in return for forgiveness of $10 billion of debt now owed to the Treasury. The deal would give Washington controlling ownership of a major industrial corporation for the first time since Conrail was sold in 1986.

Rep Joe Bertram’s 30-year friend Mark Marcantonio isn’t the only convicted child molester helped out by the Maui Democrat. The Legislative staff directory for 2007 shows that Bertram hired convicted child molester Leon Rouse as a Legislative Aide for the 2007 Legislative session.

Why is there so little media investigation of the financing behind Barack Obama’s early political sponsor—and now convicted felon—Tony Rezko?   

The dual US-Syrian citizen Rezko--who assisted Obama in the purchase of his Chicago mansion--was heavily funded by loans from Iraqi-British ex-Baathist billionaire Nadhmi Auchi.  According to testimony at Rezko’s trial, Obama met Auchi at an April 3, 2004 event at Rezko’s home during Obama’s 2004 US Senate campaign.  The Times of London reports discovering, “state documents in Illinois recording that Fintrade Services, a Panamanian company, lent money to Mr. Obama’s fundraiser in May 2005.”  Fintrade directors, according to The Times “include Ibtisam Auchi, the name of Mr. Auchi’s wife”.

Media bias is an easy—and intellectually lazy--explanation.  Journalists digging into stories involving Auchi often find themselves peppered with threats of libel litigation from a London law firm known as Carter-Ruck.  Hawai'i Free Press has received several such letters.

If your senator or representative is on the committee, it is imperative that you send them a message today urging them to keep health care out of reconciliation.  They are meeting THIS AFTERNOON, so time is of the essence.  By far the most important two are Kent Conrad and Allen Boyd, Democrats who have been skeptical about using reconciliation. 

Due to the state’s projected $2 billion revenue shortfall and decreases to the DLNR budget, it was not known when funds would be available to make repairs to reopen the road and park. The infusion of community volunteer energy made it possible for the park to be reopened sooner.

Thursday May 7 2009 State Capitol Auditorium 6:30-8:00 PM

HB519HD1SD2, includes the following section of the bill, which adds the provision of bringing women home first (On page 3, Section 2 (c), line 16): (c) The director of public safety shall return to Hawaii all women inmates that are detained or incarcerated in out-of-state prison or correctional facilities by December 31, 2011…”

The capital of Pakistan was under threat last night after Taliban fighters threatened to overrun the volatile country and came within 60 miles of Islamabad.  It is feared the state is on the brink of collapse as Taliban fighters get closer to the nuclear powers of the country.

Another notable cash-on-hand total was the $150,000 reported by Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou (R) in Hawaii’s 1st district....

Senate hikes Hawaii hotel room tax

Cataluna: Legislators need pay cuts, not retirees

Hawaii Legislature passes tax hikes on income, cigarettes

Tobacco settlement fund shift criticized

Democrats confident of prevailing on taxes 

There's a new bogeyman lurking in the closet, and this one isn't imaginary. Us. One out of three children aged 6 to 11 fears that Ma Earth won't exist when they grow up, while more than half—56 percent—worry that the planet will be a blasted heath (or at least a very unpleasant place to live), according to a new survey.

Karen’s Law will be heard in conference committee Wednesday at 3:00pm in room 229. Please send testimonies in support of HB819....

Does terrorism work?

My goal and commitment to you in 2010 is to help elect a Republican Governor, a member of Congress and more Republicans to the legislature, council races and Board of Education.  As Party Chairman, I will work to ensure that Republicans contest all Legislative seats so that Hawaii voters have real choices on election day.