flASHback: Open windows, closed door
October 16th, 2009 by David ShapiroThe big issue seems to be "Who's No. 2?" as we "flASHback" on the week's news that amused and confused:
- Sen. Robert Bunda joined the swarm of Democratic lawmakers running for lieutenant governor. Never have so many fought so hard for the right to contribute so little.
- Debate organizers fear the field is too big for a meaningful exchange. Bring LG candidates to the governor's debate to answer the only question that matters: Who can keep a straight face in the background while Mufi Hannemann and Neil Abercrombie talk?
- Legislators said Lingle administration layoffs in the state film office have “no defensible rationale.” Interesting choice of words from folks who took 36 percent pay raises for themselves while fellow public workers faced furloughs.
- The University of Hawai'i faculty is running TV ads defending its refusal to join other public unions in accepting pay cuts. If you cut through the academic jargon, the takeaway message is, "We're special."
- Lawmakers held a meeting to discuss the well-being of Hawai'i's youth under the theme, "Imagine the Possibilities." The kids will have to hold that thought until after Furlough Friday.
- City management of its fleet of 1,000 passenger vehicles is woefully inefficient, says the city auditor. That inspires confidence they can manage a $5.5 billion train without running us broke, doesn't it?
- Big Island Councilwoman Emily Naeole, already cited for giving the thumbs down to witnesses she disagreed with, got another ethics violation for throwing a pen. Sounds like she's making a transition from umpiring to pitching.
- A resolution sponsored by Naeole declared the swine flu vaccine coming into Hawai'i to be unsafe. Patients should be aware that her M.D. stands for her nickname: Miss Directed.
- The Big Island Council posted a security guard outside its meetings to keep the peace between lawmakers and the public. But it's only a test, and citizens are still advised to bring personal bodyguards to guarantee their safety.
- Attorneys whose lawsuit bankrupted the Hawaii Superferry have been unable to collect $100,000 in legal fees because of the bankruptcy. All together now: Awwwwwwww.
And the quote of the week ...
... from elections chief Kevin Cronin on muddled planning for the 2010 voting:
"I think we have a window of time, but it's a window of time that is closing."
His door of employment appears to be closing faster.
Tags: Big, Big Island, Education, Election 2010, Haw, Hawaii Superferry, Legislature, mu, Mufi Hannemann, Neil Abercrombie, rail transit, University of Hawai'i
October 16th, 2009 at 4:26 am
Please remind me, why do we have the government? Of course we get the government we deserve and it is reflective of us as people.
Shakespeare once said: "All the Word's a stage". If that is true, why are the clowns always gravitating toward elected offices?
October 16th, 2009 at 5:17 am
Fluffy, you gotta run and set us all straight.
Your message should be we don't need government. Surely that message will captivate the voters.
Game?
October 16th, 2009 at 6:17 am
Hi Dave,
As a state worker I will vote to ratify our new contract today. I am getting myself ready to accept our "furlough Fridays" which they want to begin next Friday. I have a large pile of work that will sit on my desk while I enjoy a day at home cleaning my house since I will have no money to go anywhere. 3 day weekends, twice a month for two years. Might get used to these long rests.
Have a great weekend!
October 16th, 2009 at 7:20 am
Linda, that can't be a happy vote to cast. I hope the sacrifices will be rewarded down the road.
October 16th, 2009 at 10:51 am
"Never have so many fought so hard for the right to contribute so little." My initial reaction about all these people running for Lt Gov was they must not be very ambitious if they're willing to settle for No. 2. But as I thought about it, the No. 2 spot is a soft, cushy job that pays wells, comes with a lot of perks, doesn't require any heavy lifting and doesn't require the job holder to stick his or her neck on the chopping block. Maybe these people aren't so stupid after all?
David, I just want to say that I look forward to reading your flASHback column every Friday morning. Keep up the great work. Please continue to poke fun at our local politicians--otherwise they'll start taking themselves too seriously.
October 16th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Aloha David ~
I respect your column and efforts but wonder about the overall impact to society. As "Another Charles" says, some people enjoy how you poke fun at our politicians ... On the other hand, "Fluffy McNutter" questions, "why do we have the government?" Some see your Friday Fun as humorous; for others it makes then cynical.
Yesterday most of us were aroused by a story of a giant Mylar balloon. First reports told us a 6-year-old boy had accidentally been lifted into space.
Fluffy ... how would your beloved private sector handle this emergency? Would the Heene family open their Yellow Pages to see if any companies were running a $0.99 special on saving young boys floating around in giant balloons?
We receive many gifts from our private sector. I thank all who put their best foot forward for us. Yet the private sector does not function well absent a profit motive. Some tasks in our society can operate only using other incentives.
Each day our government gets most things right. Most politicians and elected officials are honorable and fight for their constituents with pono. Yet we tend to focus entirely on the negative minority of incidents.
When do we write the story about the blessings that come from government ... too many to list. Look outside to your clean air and water (it would be far more polluted without government regulation). Our roads aren't perfect but we travel more than any culture in history; our trash is picked up regularly; our sewer waste disappears magically from sight. People we don't know personally do so much for each of us every day.
We are the most free large nation in the history of the world ... thanks to our government. Working for our government, our young give their blood and lives to secure this freedom. We respond with cynicism and selfishness.
Young John Kennedy asked his generation to stop asking what government could do for them. He challenged them to find out how they could do more for government.
We've lost that spirit over the next few decades. Ronald Reagan taught us the nine nastiest words in the English language, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help."
So, Fluffy, you are correct: "we get the government we deserve and it is reflective of us as people."
I extend mahalo nui loa to my government. How can I do more to help? We aren't a perfect people and our government will surely reflect that imperfection. Yet to those who came before me ... to all who gave so much, whether it was simply taxes or a deeper contribution in blood or life ... thank you for giving me the most diverse, intensely intriguing nation and nani state in the history of the world that allows me to pursue my life, liberty and happiness.
We are not yet a perfect nation yet this offers me the opportunity to extend my kuleana and help move us closer ...
A*L*O*H*A
October 16th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
councilwoman emily naeole may be correct when she says that swine flu vaccines are unsafe.more tests should be done for possible dangerous side effects on humans.anyway,the beast way to stay flu free is to maintain a strong immune system.eat healthy,nutritious whole foods.take phyto-nutrients and please consider massive dosages of vitamin D3(cholcalciferol).as soon as you feel a flu-like symptom,take off your shirt and get some sun for at least 5 minutes.don't overdo it.if you can't get into sunlight take 5-15,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily.and always let your doctor know.(he/she will probably discourage you).please google vitamin D3.
October 17th, 2009 at 6:43 am
Aloha "shaftalley" ~
I urge you to do a better job reading the scientific literature about the H1N1 virus. H1N1 is a dangerous virus. We do not have natural immunities to this strain.
An extremely healthy, 30ish friend got it last year and it took THREE months for her to overcome. It sucked her normal 100% life energy down to about 60% for that time. Nasty stuff ...
Unless you believe the earth is flat and 7,000 years old, trust your national scientists on this issue.
A*L*O*H*A
October 17th, 2009 at 7:28 am
Being a few days behind when I see number 2, I think of where we finished in the Southeast Asia war games (Vietnam). (We actually had patches made up that said SEA Wargames -- Second Place.) Still on your last column.
Okay, transition, the Dems want to be number two because it offers them a chance for what was in the past a shoo in for number 1. The notable exception was Mazie Hirono who due to a combination of personal ineptness in debates at a time when Linda Lingle was a much better debater and appeared to show much more promise. And, in a state where innuendo has too often been the downfall of candidates for governor (thinking Cec Heftel here) the innuendo against Lingle (finally) backfired. Unfortunately, the promise that Linda Lingle once showed somehow did not quite manifest itself. Ultimately, Hirono go elected to represent a district she didn't really live in because the field was so diffused. Now Mazie is pretty much guaranteed a job -- if not work -- for as long as she wants it. But, it is abundantly clear she will do whatever Senator Inouye wants.
Am I cynical? Maybe. But more importantly the state of politics -- which seems to go through cycles -- is in the nadir of its current cycle. I actually thought there was promise with President Obama and I still harbor hope. But partisanship and lobbyists are wreaking more than their usual havoc and as yet President Obama seems unsure about Afghanistan. I hope that Afghanistan will not do to President Obama what Vietnam did to LBJ who was blinded by determination not to be the first US President to loose a war. But, LBJ had people pushing him that President Obama doesn't. That is unless someone can tell me who are the successors to RFK and MLK? With people like these and Republicans who could be bipartisan Johnson did get some of the Kennedy inspired programs passed. But, when President Obama picked advisors like Larry Summers, his luster was tarnished. (Okay, I'll see your Summers and raise you a McNamara! I'll see your McNamara and raise you a Geitner. Legacy loans anyone?)
I agree with some of Scott's conclusions, we still remain among the freest of nations. However, I sometimes think this is in spite of our government. Government seems to be less open than it was 30 or so years ago. Then there are the lobbyists -- suffice it to say that we have six of each for each member of Congress on health care alone. Be interesting to know how much of the wording of the current bills was driven by lobbyists. The number of lobbyists must be at an all time high. When I read about health care lobbyists funding meetings for Senator Baucus, I just don't see how our government is so noble. That with the fact that we continue down the primrose path thinking we can sustain huge deficits for the indefinite future makes me cynical. Well, cynical for today at least. I really don't care who got us in this mess, there is more than enough blame to go around. We don't need blame, we need a path out and a restoration of openess. Let the sun shine in.
But, hey Hawai'i as problematic as politics in Hawai'i are, be glad you do not live in Cuyahoga County, Ohio right now. The FBI carted off cases of records from two key public officials and we have had between 15 and 20 people get serious jail time so far. The two key officials have not yet been indicted.
Jefferson was right, what we need in America is an enlighted and informed electorate. Right now I am not sure we have either. Sadly, that makes me recall the old bumper sticker that surfaced after Watergate -- "Don't vote, it only encourages them!"
October 17th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Aloha maxcat ~
I always find your comments enlightening ... I agree there are many lobbyists but is the number itself indicative of a failing system? What are lobbyists but "hired" guns to represent the interests of the "public."
I put public in quotes because we likely agree lobbyists serve a special "public" or interest ... but isn't this part of representative democracy?
Let's say 1,000 of us here want to push legislation through either our state or national forum. It would be impossible (or impractical) for all of us to go. We might select one person to do our bidding. Prior to our "lobbyist" leaving for the big house, we might draft the legislation. Who better than us to suggest how our legislators should craft the new policy?
Legislators, particularly in states, have little or no staff. This prepared legal text helps them a great deal. I don't have a problem with our system to this point ... I believe we become cynical when we feel MONEY drives decisions rather than political logic or prudence. Would you agree?
Regarding deficit spending, people are overly worried about this. We would prefer to manage our books more responsibly but "we be where we be." This debate over deficits should have occurred between 2001-2009 when we were trying to battle in two theaters and gave huge tax breaks to our most wealthy. Our national debt exploded from $5T to $10+T - yet who sounded the alarm? (OK, well I did) ...
One potential outcome of increased national debt is the devaluation of the dollar on international markets. Imports will become more expensive ... GREAT! This slows consumer spending on cheap goods from China (this is why China is supporting the dollar and keeping the yuan undervalued).
Second, it will drive up the cost of oil ... great also, as it makes alternative sources of energy more competitive, which could be good in our battle against global warming. Europe and the world forced this decades ago. This is why their public transportation is superior to ours and why they drive smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles.
Third, a weaker dollar makes American products more attractive to the world - and that doesn't seem to be a bad outcome either. It would be more lucrative for businesses to return production to U.S. workers rather than outsourcing.
The greatest risk is "stagflation," as some sectors might see explosive rises in costs while others remained depressed. This scenario hit the U.S. in the '70s and forced Nixon to institute wage and price controls (imagine this socialism today) and Carter to drive interest rates above 21%. Very nasty times ...
But one can't have both "guns and butter" in society - guns representing war spending and butter equating to large social programs. There is no free lunch and this seems what we all want ... thus it's not our government that fails us. Rather we fail to be honest with ourselves.
One side note ... keep in mind neo-con leaders, including people like Dick Cheney and William Kristol (see Project for New American Century), want to end FDR safety net social programs. They are equally concerned about universal insurance reform for similar reasons. Neo-cons openly expressed their desire to trap America in massive military operations for the stated purpose of running up debt and thus forcing a reduction in social programs.
Aloha Cheney and Kristol, "You must be pleased to hear today that we're slashing school budgets and public servants in Hawai'i while continuing to increase military spending."
Friggin' madness!
A*L*O*H*A
October 18th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Hey Scott,
I enjoy reading your comments. Thanks. Wipe your hands after you read this, I once had to shake Dick Cheney's hand (when he was SecDef). I still feel creepy when I think about that. Too long a story, but I did not care for the man one iota. It was my job and I had to smile and 'make nice.' Also got to round up a blazer for Scooter Libby, who took the fall for Cheney. Liked him a lot beter, but never understood why he was so devoted to Cheney.