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FWD from Jack Kelly's Green Flash News. This one gives good insight into some aspects of Hawai'i politics.
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September 18, 2006
The Green Flash News 2006 Political Endorsements
The 2006 Hawaii primary is Saturday, September 23, and there are some red-hot races going down. Due to public demand, The Green Flash News has agreed to jump into the fray by publishing Editor Jack Kelly’s choices. Admittedly, we’ll be pretty Hawaii Island centric but that’s the way it goes. We will try and make it interesting.
Let’s start with the biggest contests and work our way down.
U.S. Senate: Daniel Akaka vs. Ed Case
Lets put it this way. Senator Akaka is steadfastly holding on to an Arctic Refuge policy he developed in 1995, while totally ignoring reams of current documentation about how the native people (not the native corporations, Senator), oppose drilling in the Refuge. That type of behavior tends to support Case’s contention that it is time for Akaka to retire. At this 11th hour Senator Akaka has finally sent out a letter saying that he would be willing to meet with the Alaskan natives and talk story after the election - if he gets elected! Too little, too late.
Akaka especially avoided the Alaskan/Hawaiian grass roots contingent both in Honolulu and Washington D.C, on four different occasions in 2005 and 2006 while Ed Case opened his doors four times to the same people and went out of his way to treat them with the honor and respect they deserved. At least Akaka’s staff met with the Alaskan Hawaiian contingent and were pleasant, Senator Inouye’s office was downright rude. And this, the Aloha State.
Ed Case is a hard pill to swallow for many Democrats who cringe at his stance on the Iraq War and his vote for the Patriot Act. Our answer to that is that Akaka has continually supported the militarization of Hawaii throughout his tenure in the Senate and just because he takes a more liberal stance on the war in Iraq doesn’t cancel out that fact.
We don’t understand how you can be pro military expansion and anti war but that’s why we had a short political career.
Of course we could argue the merits pro and con between these two all day.
We think the key here is, and really in all the races is, does the candidate, on the whole, represent the people or his or her own ideologies?
Here is the message we want to send to all the candidates but especially these two.
The people elect you to represent them. So when over 60% of the population in Hawaii opposed drilling for oil in the Arctic Refuge you back them up and by the same token if 60% of the population in Hawaii opposes the war in Iraq you back us up, you speak out against the war and you do everything in your power to bring it to an end. That is REPRESENTATION.
Anything less is not what we sent you to Washington D.C. to do.
In spite of his “centrist” leanings The Green Flash gives the nod to Case.
In his short tenure Case has done a lot for coastal issues in Hawaii and has provided support and funding for coastal acquisition. He also supported the creation of a National Seashore on Maui and helped finalize the preservation of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.
He is on board with our local environmental goals and he responds to his neighbor island constituency.
2nd District Congressional Seat
In our mind this will always be Patsy Mink’s seat. Patsy was what being a REPRESENTATIVE is all about. Anyone who attempts to fill this seat has their job cut out for them.
They had to hold a lottery to get a shot at post positions in this one. What a horse race!
We like Gary Hooser and Brian Shatz, heads and shoulders above the rest.
These two guys, Brian in the State House, and Gary in the State Senate, are both smart, committed, and embody the meaning of, you know, REPRESENTATIVE. You can see that this is a theme piece. Too bad they are both running.
Gary Hooser stood up this past year when the Legislature was ready to gut the state land use law. He defended his agricultural constituency when they needed it most.
Brian Shatz has been a great supporter of the environmental community and is for sure a rising star in politics in our State.
We hope they both continue in public service for years to come.
We’re going to go with Gary because you can only vote once.
Gary’s older; Brian’s going to have many more chances.
Really, that’s my reason.
Governor
Is this one up for grabs? What goes on in the Democratic Party?
I mean we like Aila and Henkin but I just read where Lingle has raised 6 million dollars to defend her seat against whom? I guess all the Democratic talent figured they would be better off beating each other over the head trying to get the Congressional set than to try and take on Lingle.
Hawaii Island Legislature
I would like you guys to note that the Hawaii State Chapter of the Sierra Club failed to endorse any Hawaii Island members of the State Legislature in its 2006 endorsements.
You can find a list of the Sierra Club Endorsements at: www.hi.sierraclub.org/endorsements
You can call it Land Use War Fallout.
Mom always told me, “if you can’t find anything nice to say don’t say anything”, so I’ll just repeat what I said before; Good for you Gary!
Hawaii Island County Council
Why would anyone actively pursue such a thankless job? Jesus, what a pit of pain and suffering. For that reason, Bob Jacobson gets our vote for outright Olympic level persistence in fighting the good fight. Personally I would have jumped off a cliff by now if I had to sit though as many of those meetings as Bob has. Runner up in the persistence category would have to go to Tiffany Edwards of West Hawaii Today.
Dreams of a West Side coalition that we had in 2004 were quickly dashed, as Ms. Isbell didn’t seem to want to play along. Now Virginia has given us many years of good service and community involvement but like in the Akaka race, maybe its time for some new blood.
Brenda Ford has been a tireless community advocate in her work with Plan to Protect, Keep Kealakekua Wild and other advocacy groups. She took on the plaintiff’s role in the 2000 redistricting lawsuit like a bulldog and that’s the kind of energy we need on the Council.
Pete Hoffman in District 9 has been a breath of fresh air. It’s been so nice not having Elarionoff on the Council. The Council doesn’t need any more grandstanders. Please re-elect Pete.
Angel Pilago is the man in North Kona and maintains a Hawaiian presence on the Council that is sorely needed.
Dominic Yagong gets the nod in Hamakua. Maybe Fred Holschuh could stand by in case there is an emergency but otherwise let Dominic run the show.
Really, I don’t know what to say about the Hilo side guys. I’ve tried to ignore the County Council for a couple of years now. We used to go and testify on this and that and drive to Hilo and sit there all day to get the job done and then drive back but I purposely gave that up.
The inability of the County Administration and the County Council to stay in step with the needs of the people has, in our opinion, rendered County government impotent and irrelevant. The promise of 2004 has not been realized. It is time for the people to speak. Let’s hope for a better energy mix in the coming two years.
Maui County Council
For our Maui readers we really think that West Maui Councilwoman JoAnne Johnson is the greatest and are hoping that political newcomer Lucienne De Naie grabs the East Maui seat.
We plead ignorance as to the Oahu and Kauai Council races so we will let sleeping dogs lie. Thank you for your rapt attention.
Please get out and vote!
-------
September 18, 2006
The Green Flash News 2006 Political Endorsements
The 2006 Hawaii primary is Saturday, September 23, and there are some red-hot races going down. Due to public demand, The Green Flash News has agreed to jump into the fray by publishing Editor Jack Kelly’s choices. Admittedly, we’ll be pretty Hawaii Island centric but that’s the way it goes. We will try and make it interesting.
Let’s start with the biggest contests and work our way down.
U.S. Senate: Daniel Akaka vs. Ed Case
Lets put it this way. Senator Akaka is steadfastly holding on to an Arctic Refuge policy he developed in 1995, while totally ignoring reams of current documentation about how the native people (not the native corporations, Senator), oppose drilling in the Refuge. That type of behavior tends to support Case’s contention that it is time for Akaka to retire. At this 11th hour Senator Akaka has finally sent out a letter saying that he would be willing to meet with the Alaskan natives and talk story after the election - if he gets elected! Too little, too late.
Akaka especially avoided the Alaskan/Hawaiian grass roots contingent both in Honolulu and Washington D.C, on four different occasions in 2005 and 2006 while Ed Case opened his doors four times to the same people and went out of his way to treat them with the honor and respect they deserved. At least Akaka’s staff met with the Alaskan Hawaiian contingent and were pleasant, Senator Inouye’s office was downright rude. And this, the Aloha State.
Ed Case is a hard pill to swallow for many Democrats who cringe at his stance on the Iraq War and his vote for the Patriot Act. Our answer to that is that Akaka has continually supported the militarization of Hawaii throughout his tenure in the Senate and just because he takes a more liberal stance on the war in Iraq doesn’t cancel out that fact.
We don’t understand how you can be pro military expansion and anti war but that’s why we had a short political career.
Of course we could argue the merits pro and con between these two all day.
We think the key here is, and really in all the races is, does the candidate, on the whole, represent the people or his or her own ideologies?
Here is the message we want to send to all the candidates but especially these two.
The people elect you to represent them. So when over 60% of the population in Hawaii opposed drilling for oil in the Arctic Refuge you back them up and by the same token if 60% of the population in Hawaii opposes the war in Iraq you back us up, you speak out against the war and you do everything in your power to bring it to an end. That is REPRESENTATION.
Anything less is not what we sent you to Washington D.C. to do.
In spite of his “centrist” leanings The Green Flash gives the nod to Case.
In his short tenure Case has done a lot for coastal issues in Hawaii and has provided support and funding for coastal acquisition. He also supported the creation of a National Seashore on Maui and helped finalize the preservation of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.
He is on board with our local environmental goals and he responds to his neighbor island constituency.
2nd District Congressional Seat
In our mind this will always be Patsy Mink’s seat. Patsy was what being a REPRESENTATIVE is all about. Anyone who attempts to fill this seat has their job cut out for them.
They had to hold a lottery to get a shot at post positions in this one. What a horse race!
We like Gary Hooser and Brian Shatz, heads and shoulders above the rest.
These two guys, Brian in the State House, and Gary in the State Senate, are both smart, committed, and embody the meaning of, you know, REPRESENTATIVE. You can see that this is a theme piece. Too bad they are both running.
Gary Hooser stood up this past year when the Legislature was ready to gut the state land use law. He defended his agricultural constituency when they needed it most.
Brian Shatz has been a great supporter of the environmental community and is for sure a rising star in politics in our State.
We hope they both continue in public service for years to come.
We’re going to go with Gary because you can only vote once.
Gary’s older; Brian’s going to have many more chances.
Really, that’s my reason.
Governor
Is this one up for grabs? What goes on in the Democratic Party?
I mean we like Aila and Henkin but I just read where Lingle has raised 6 million dollars to defend her seat against whom? I guess all the Democratic talent figured they would be better off beating each other over the head trying to get the Congressional set than to try and take on Lingle.
Hawaii Island Legislature
I would like you guys to note that the Hawaii State Chapter of the Sierra Club failed to endorse any Hawaii Island members of the State Legislature in its 2006 endorsements.
You can find a list of the Sierra Club Endorsements at: www.hi.sierraclub.org/endorsements
You can call it Land Use War Fallout.
Mom always told me, “if you can’t find anything nice to say don’t say anything”, so I’ll just repeat what I said before; Good for you Gary!
Hawaii Island County Council
Why would anyone actively pursue such a thankless job? Jesus, what a pit of pain and suffering. For that reason, Bob Jacobson gets our vote for outright Olympic level persistence in fighting the good fight. Personally I would have jumped off a cliff by now if I had to sit though as many of those meetings as Bob has. Runner up in the persistence category would have to go to Tiffany Edwards of West Hawaii Today.
Dreams of a West Side coalition that we had in 2004 were quickly dashed, as Ms. Isbell didn’t seem to want to play along. Now Virginia has given us many years of good service and community involvement but like in the Akaka race, maybe its time for some new blood.
Brenda Ford has been a tireless community advocate in her work with Plan to Protect, Keep Kealakekua Wild and other advocacy groups. She took on the plaintiff’s role in the 2000 redistricting lawsuit like a bulldog and that’s the kind of energy we need on the Council.
Pete Hoffman in District 9 has been a breath of fresh air. It’s been so nice not having Elarionoff on the Council. The Council doesn’t need any more grandstanders. Please re-elect Pete.
Angel Pilago is the man in North Kona and maintains a Hawaiian presence on the Council that is sorely needed.
Dominic Yagong gets the nod in Hamakua. Maybe Fred Holschuh could stand by in case there is an emergency but otherwise let Dominic run the show.
Really, I don’t know what to say about the Hilo side guys. I’ve tried to ignore the County Council for a couple of years now. We used to go and testify on this and that and drive to Hilo and sit there all day to get the job done and then drive back but I purposely gave that up.
The inability of the County Administration and the County Council to stay in step with the needs of the people has, in our opinion, rendered County government impotent and irrelevant. The promise of 2004 has not been realized. It is time for the people to speak. Let’s hope for a better energy mix in the coming two years.
Maui County Council
For our Maui readers we really think that West Maui Councilwoman JoAnne Johnson is the greatest and are hoping that political newcomer Lucienne De Naie grabs the East Maui seat.
We plead ignorance as to the Oahu and Kauai Council races so we will let sleeping dogs lie. Thank you for your rapt attention.
Please get out and vote!
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