Entries for the 'Oahu News' Category

Allen was responsible for organizing the volunteers at the 2010 iVote rally at the Capitol as well as organizing the neighbor island pastors and churches in the HB444 campaign.  He is a leader in our community and we are extremely blessed to have him take this key position.

Lt. Governor Aiona on Thursday delivered remarks on the importance of providing affordable, quality health care at a dedication ceremony for a new Shriners Hospital for Children in Honolulu. The hospital will help provide specialty care and innovative research for children from Hawai`i and the Pacific Northwest.

According to the Board of Water Supply, there were 364 water main breaks per year between 2005 and 2009.

“Today marks a historic and monumental shift—and we have our brave men and women in uniform to thank for that. The progress made in Iraq has been difficult and undeniable. It is remarkable to reflect on how far Iraq has come from a nation ruled by a tyrant to a functioning democracy in the heart of the Arab Middle East. This is what our courageous troops have accomplished.

Join Congressman Charles K. Djou and many prospective employers looking to hire at the 2010 First Congressional District Job Fair. This job fair is free of charge and is open to all residents of Honolulu who are unemployed or underemployed and are looking for better opportunities.

HONOLULU - House Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan, Republican candidate for Lt. Governor, today announced the endorsement of several members of her Minority Caucus in her election bid. The Minority Caucus elected Lynn Finnegan as their leader five years ago.

“The team’s achievements clearly reflect the guidance of their parents, coaches and teachers.  I want to especially recognize Team Manager Brian Yoshii and coaches Kiha Akau and Jason Heleski for their leadership in mentoring these young athletes and providing them a strong foundation for success both on and off the field.

“The loss to Japan today in no way takes away from what the Waipio All-Stars have brought to our state: tremendous pride to their families, their community and the entire State of Hawai‘i."

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle congratulated the Waipio All-Stars Little League team for winning the U.S. Championship Little League World Series title today, in a 10-0 shutout victory over the team from Pearland, Texas. ...

“I can’t wait for tomorrow’s championship where I know Waipio will continue to play at the highest level as they pursue their second Little League World Series championship. Special kudos to the coaches and volunteer staff who led by example.”

“Mr. Carlisle is fortunate that his statements about his involvement in the Republican Party do not have to stand up in court.   Although he claims that he was not an “active member” and only involved for a “few months”, the fact is Carlisle was a registered party member for 4 years, chaired two State Republican Party Conventions, emceed a major party fundraiser, and ran as a party member for reelection in 2008."

In an odd sequence of events, Republican Lieutenant Governor candidate Adrienne King last week first claimed and then retracted her claim to have won the endorsements of both the Kona and Maui TEA Party groups.  Rep. Pat Saiki, Honolulu’s Republican Congresswoman from 1986 to 1990, also rejects King’s continuing use of Saiki’s name as an endorser.  

"Even Mr. Carlisle, who promises to 'put our financial house in order' admits this is not fiscally responsible.  Despite this, he wants to build a mega rail system--even bigger than the one currently planned.

"It is our belief that Hawaii’s political class is purposely waiting until after the elections, at which time it will announce a 'November surprise' of massive tax increases to pay for rail, sewers, and pay increases."

Hawaii politicos have spent a lifetime snagging federal dollars and then doing what they please, so it is illogical and unreasonable to assume that RTTT will be any different. 

The HSTA’s worthless signature was a key to the DoE’s RTTT application being ranked third in the nation, how will they undo it?

“While today’s news is promising, it is just the beginning. The road to success in the public school system is long, but with the kind of resolve that the State of Hawaii has displayed, it is not one that is impossible.”

“Securing this grant is just a stepping stone.  We will now begin the hard work of implementing our education reform plan, which includes a common core curriculum tied to a new on-line state test while tracking student progress and rewarding teachers by linking 50 percent of their evaluation to student achievement.  I am especially excited about our pledge to have 100 percent of high school graduates ready for a career and college without the need for post secondary remediation programs,” the Governor added.

“We outlined an ambitious vision and long-overdue public education reform goals for our state, which included assisting struggling schools, improving school performance from kindergarten to college, and ensuring that all of our students are equipped and prepared to enter both college and the working environment.

“This is an historic opportunity, and we must continue to work together to implement the reforms necessary to cultivate a brighter future for our young people.”

I like Panos Prevedouros: his energy and enthusiasm; outside-politics base and perspective; and fresh thinking and independence. We need him and many others like him to seek and serve in elective office. In this election, though, he and Carlisle are the change candidates against a status quo Caldwell; I don't want that vote to be split at the risk of Caldwell prevailing. As well, as a cautious mass transit supporter, I don't believe rail should be effectively scuttled on this vote. So for me Prevedouros is a yes, but not this one.

Washington- In another attempt to distract from their record of runaway spending and economic failure, House Democrats have handed down new marching orders to Democratic candidate Colleen Hanabusa. Their latest strategy to gloss over their job-killing agenda is to instruct loyal followers like Hanabusa and her Washington friends to highlight the party’s so-called small business agenda. Likely missing from the latest directive, however, is any mention that Washington Democrats are pushing forward with a plan to slam small businesses with massive tax hikes that are certain to kill jobs, prevent businesses from hiring, and set the already-struggling economy back even more.

House Republicans this weekend continued to blame Democrats for a lethargic economy, charging that last year's stimulus bill has hobbled the country with debt while failing to prevent the job losses that supporters promised.

"For every problem facing our nation, the answer from Washington has been to spend and spend, and – if that doesn’t work – spend some more," Rep. Charles Djou (R-Hawaii), said Saturday, delivering the Republicans' weekly radio address.

Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Voice of America, AP, Bloomberg, Politico...they're all talking about Charles Djou's speech.  And the local media?  Oh, that's right, they're busy doing point-by-point color commentary on the trash-talking Democrats who want to be Governor.

Rep. Djou: “Even if the powers-that-be in Washington do not support less government and less spending, they should at least provide those of us who do with a chance to give the American people the common-sense fiscal discipline they are demanding.”

"The poll numbers referenced by Mr. Carlisle in the Midweek story do not exist.  The Hawaii Republican Party has not conducted nor shared poll numbers with the Carlisle campaign and the public needs to know that the numbers he is referring could just be made up."

Peter Carlisle is not a member of the Hawaii Republican Party.  The only Hawaii Republican Party member in the race for Honolulu Mayor is Panos Prevedouros. 

Congressman Djou meeting with the Hawaii Restaurant Association

“For too long, the State of Hawaii has had to bear a disproportionate burden in providing social services for Micronesian citizens who are legally allowed to travel to the United States without visas. While Micronesian citizens comprise less than 1% of Hawaii’s population, they consume over 20% of Hawaii’s social services. This burden is simply unfair to the taxpayers of Hawaii...."

The three names submitted by the Democratic Party to fill the vacant Senate District 22 (Mililani Mauka, Wahiawa, Hale‘iwa, Mokule‘ia, North Shore) seat are:  Laura Figueira, John Kampfer and Lei Learmont.

The three names submitted by the Democratic Party to fill the vacant Senate District 7 (Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau) seat are: Ronald Kouchi, Barbara Robeson and Sandra Wright.

 $3M demolition job?

I am the child of immigrants, a citizen by birth, and at age 39 I proudly placed my hand on the Bible and swore to protect our Constitution as a member of the U.S. Congress. My story is not unique. For more than 200 years our ancestors abandoned their homes and risked their lives to come here, work hard, and provide a better life for their families. The opportunity to do so is part of what makes our country the greatest on Earth.

I understand that our immigration system is broken and share the frustration of so many Americans with our porous borders. America needs comprehensive immigration reform; it is critical to our nation's future. But it is simply unrealistic to believe that we can fix the problem by amending the Constitution.

It took 15 months, but the Advertiser has finally slipped up and mentioned the possibility that the scheduling of Hawaii Islam Day had something to do with celebrating Islam on September 11.  Even better, Volcanic Ash columnist David Shapiro August 11 ruefully admits:

“state Rep. Lyla Berg is still taking grief in her campaign for lieutenant governor for a resolution she sponsored declaring last September 24 as Islam Day.”

If confirmed by the results of the September 18 Democratic Primary, this will be good news.  It is also a teachable moment. 

“My responsibility is first and foremost to represent the people of Hawaii and that is absolutely what I have been doing. I think what you saw in the special election is that the majority of the people didn’t vote against me. The overwhelming majority of the voters voted against the establishment. They didn’t like the status quo and felt that the current representation in Congress needs a fundamental change. That’s what I’ve been doing, and that’s who I’m representing. I look forward to the judgment of the voters again in November.”

This Bill will have the dubious distinction of being the first ever to lower SNAP benefits from one period to the following period. For the first time ever, SNAP recipients will see their monthly benefits shrink. A family of four can expect their benefits to drop about $59 a month starting in April 2014. ($59 x 12 = $708/yr)

Despite a categorical denial, evidence is mounting that leading Hawaii gubernatorial candidate Neil Abercrombie, is a covert socialist. What is worse, he may be lying about it.

Today the House of Representatives is expected to approve yet another bailout for those states that have proved incapable of controlling their spending on government worker pay, benefits and pensions. The $26.1 billion price tag will be funded in part by $11 billion in tax hikes on U.S. companies that compete internationally.

"The HGEA Union Bosses have made it clear that a prerequisite for their endorsement is a commitment from candidates to raise the GET tax in order to pay them off.  Hannemann, Schatz and Caldwell need to come clean with Hawaii voters and tell them how big of an increase they promised so we know just how much more in taxes we can expect to pay if they get elected."

"... in order to pay for this latest $26 billion bailout of states, the Democrat-controlled Congress cut almost $12 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps), at a time when a record number of Americans – including almost 141,300 Hawai‘i residents – depend on this assistance to subsidize their food purchases.

“In addition, Congress rescinded $2.2 billion in unobligated highway funds, including an estimated $10 million that would have been used for Hawai‘i highway projects. 

With unemployment at 9.5 percent and the national debt at an all-time high, the last thing middle-class families need is more of the Democrats’ reckless spending agenda. Instead of calling Congress back into session to create private-sector jobs, House Democrats have once again dismissed an opportunity to rein in runaway government spending and provide the fiscal discipline needed to create jobs.

(08/10/10) HONOLULU – A comprehensive settlement has been reached with the City and County of Honolulu that will address Clean Water Act compliance at Honolulu’s wastewater collection and treatment systems, the Justice Department, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Hawaii Attorney General’s Office, Hawaii Department of Health, and three environmental groups announced today.

The settlement which also resolves lawsuits brought by the Sierra Club, Hawaii’s Thousand Friends and Our Children’s Earth Foundation, includes a comprehensive compliance schedule for the city to upgrade its wastewater collection system by June 2020. Under the settlement, the Honouliuli wastewater treatment plant will need to be upgraded to secondary treatment by 2024. The Sand Island plant will need to be upgraded by 2035, but could be extended to 2038 based on a showing of economic hardship.

“The problem in Congress today is that it seems that the universal answer to every one of our nation’s problems is spend, spend, and—if that doesn’t work—spend some more. And this particular bill that we’re voting on today fits exactly in that genre—‘Spending can fix all of our nation’s woes.’

Editor's Note: For decades, Hawaii Democrats have based their power on their ability to get federal pork from DC.  Charles Djou is directly challenging the desirability of their pork.  This vote is probably the most direct challenge in decades to Hawaii Democrats' basic strategy.  Will it be a winning issue for Djou?  Election Day is Nov 2.

“I was honored to attend the mobilization ceremony today (Sunday Aug 8, 2010) for the 305^th MPAD/9^th MSC. It was a particularly special honor to be with a number of soldiers from the 1101^st GSU, my former unit in the Army Reserve, who will be deploying to Iraq with the 305^th."

For someone seeking the Democratic Gubernatorial nomination, Mufi Hannemann’s campaign sure has a lot of current or former Republicans among its leadership.  In fact, Mufi’s GOP connections lead straight to the Bush family—the locus of Democrat seething and hatred for eight years....

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) appeared on MSNBC today with guest host Cenk Uygur to discuss the current economy, today’s disappointing jobs numbers and the need to create more private sector jobs by enacting pro-growth policies.

Here's the real reason: "Sen. Clayton Hee, in opposition, raised concerns about whether Leonard would be open enough to Native Hawaiian rights. A court that strictly follows the rule of law may not have led to the recognition of customary Hawaiian rights, he said."

Congressman Djou articulated his concerns about the impact of Micronesian immigration to Hawaii on the City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii's social service programs. Congressman Djou and Ambassador George both acknowledge that the status quo is not working.

Washington- The Obama White House promised this would be a summer of economic recovery, but after another disappointing month of high unemployment it is evident that is simply not the case. Now, Hawaii families can add another false promise to their growing list of grievances against Colleen Hanabusa's out-of-touch Democrat friends, whose runaway spending addiction has led the economy astray. With unemployment standing at 9.5 percent and over 130,000 jobs lost last month, Hawaii families are feeling burned by Hanabusa's Washington friends, whose trillion-dollar stimulus has failed to bring them out of this jobless recovery.

“Democrats in the Senate have tried every trick in the book to prevent Governor Linda Lingle from appointing the next Chief Justice. They put a question on the ballot to change the retirement age for judges which was voted down by voters and now they are trying to vote down an obviously qualified judge, with Judiciary Chair Brian Tanaguchi telling the media after the hearing that the five men on the list were all qualified. This is height of hypocrisy."

UPDATE Aug 4: Hannemann commercial "Abercrombie is a follower"

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defends:  "Neil Abercrombie was an outstanding member of Congress and he will be an outstanding Governor."

Abercrombie campaign responds: Neil’s Record in Congress

Just two-and-a-half months after winning his special election in HI-01, a new poll from Rep. Charles Djou's (R) camp shows he starts the general election in a rather strong position. In the survey, Djou led state Senate Pres. Colleen Hanabusa (D) 50-42%.

Mainland gay activists are doing everything they can to make sure that Hawaii remains under the thumb of child-molester advocate Rep Joe Bertram (D-Kihei) and HB444 sponsor Rep Blake Oshiro (D-Aiea).  The multi-million dollar Washington, DC-based Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund names Oshiro as one of its “featured candidates” pumping mainland gay money into Oshiro’s campaign as he faces off against a strong Democrat Primary challenge from Honolulu Councilmember Gary Okino, a firm opponent of HB444.

Hawai‘i has become one of the least business-friendly states in America. Having served in the Hawai‘i State House and on the Honolulu City Council, I know that we cannot continue to punish businesses and still provide for a prosperous Hawai‘i.

But the anti-business policies that I fought in state and local government are dwarfed by the tax-and-spend agenda that I am battling in the United States Congress. It seems that for every problem facing our nation, the government’s answer is to spend and spend some more.

Hawaii state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, who split the Democratic vote with former Rep. Ed Case in the May special election, is the party's presumptive nominee against Djou.

"We now have sweetness and light in Hawaii — or at least we don't have a lot of darkness," Hoyer said.

Congressman Djou’s amendment would’ve restored, through offsets, the necessary funding to one of the largest movements of military assets in decades while helping to maintain a robust military presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Congressman Djou’s amendment would’ve increased funding for military construction projects necessary to realign Marine Corps forces to Guam.  The funds would come from offsets within H.R. 5822....

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) gave the following speech today from the floor of the U.S. House, advocating for a stronger and deeper relationship with the Republic of Korea...

The Congressional Budget Office employs talented economists whose job it is to study every aspect of every bill and predict how much each will cost – or how much each will save – years into the future.

They are good, but they are not infallible soothsayers. Economic predictions that are off just a little in a year can become wildly inaccurate over the course of decades.... 

When costs are higher than or savings lower than predicted, the Truth in Spending Act creates a fast-track process to reduce excess costs through legislation.

“To stimulate the economy and help small businesses, I am proud to join my colleagues in co-sponsoring the Small Business Assistance and Relief Act. Whoever is in the majority—whether Democrats or Republicans—we need fiscal responsibility in Washington, D.C. and tax relief for every working family and small business to get our economy moving again.”

H.R. 5554, the Small Business Assistance and Relief Act, will help small businesses thrive by providing tax relief, reducing regulatory burden and boosting lending in the currently tight credit environment.

“After supporting a Democrat agenda that has buried Hawaii taxpayers under a mountain of reckless government spending and record-high debt, it looks like Colleen Hanabusa could once again support a job killing tax hike that would devastate the economy even further,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Small businesses are looking for some much-needed relief, but all they’re getting from Washington is the uncertainty that comes from the Democrats’ harmful agenda. If Hanabusa can’t finally stand up against the Democrats’ tax-hiking agenda, it will prove once and for all that her loyalties do not lie with Hawaii businesses and families.”

Thursday July 29 and Friday July 30 -- four events on three islands.

“Raising $3.8 trillion in new taxes at any time is a bad idea. Raising these taxes in the middle of an economic downturn is a terrible idea. The current majority in Congress has spent hundreds of billions of dollars to try and turn around the economy with the so-called ‘stimulus’ package. It has utterly failed.”

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today appointed Caroline S. Wong to the Board of Education to fill the seat vacated by Breene Harimoto, who resigned last month.  Wong will serve on a temporary basis until a new member is elected in the November General Election to serve out the remaining two years of Harimoto’s term.  Her appointment takes effect immediately.

The legislation penalizes entities that assist Iran in importing refined petroleum or in maintaining or expanding Iran’s domestic refining capacity. These sanctions penalize foreign financial institutions that do business with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, aid Iran’s nuclear program or support Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism. I was proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in supporting these sanctions.  

The bill that I co-sponsored has now become law, signed by the President on July 1, 2010.  

The DoE is paying millions of dollars to contractors for software when equal or superior alternatives are available elsewhere at lower cost--often free of charge. This wasteful spending is the direct result of the cozy, revolving door relationship between the contractors and the DoE officials who direct business their way.

Setting snark aside, there is a real issue here: Is it appropriate for a state to require parents to declare their races so they can be stamped on to their children’s birth certificates, where they will remain in perpetuity? As of 1993, only five states had such policies in place. Now, over 15 years later, we have a multiracial president in the White House. Is it still necessary to insist upon racial identification on birth certificates — or is it time to discard such policies as outdated and counterproductive?

What valid purposes are served by such policies? Don’t they just exacerbate the problem of excessive race-consciousness in this country? To quote the wise words of Chief Justice John Roberts, “[t]he way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” And the way to stop discriminating on the basis of race is to stop knowing or caring what race a person is. [FN1]

The FTA has said that the City’s current financial plan is insufficiently robust to warrant entry into the next stage, Final Design. The Governor has said that she needs to see a plan that is robust enough to warrant entry before she will “accept” the Final EIS.

Mufi can continue this standoff by not having the City produce a new financial plan; Caldwell will do what he is told. Mufi can then continue to blame the Governor for holding up the project while deflecting blame from himself.

Bob Jones: Absent evidence otherwise, we have to take his word. It’s just hard for us skeptically-inclined old-timers in journalism to accept that a man with a City job and a history of doing “opposition research” didn’t even ask some high Hannemann campaign official if it was okay to portray Abercrombie as a brain in a glass jar controlled by former Gov. Ben Cayetano, as a “flailing gasbag” and his wife, the scholar Nancie Caraway, as “a witch.”

…And it’s just going to get nastier at least until the primary, perhaps beyond.

VIDEO of Djou interviewed on Fox News...

Hanabusa said that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's preference for former Rep. Ed Case (D) in the special election was based on "bum information" in an interview with the Fix Monday. "I'm president of the Senate. I'm not a neophyte when it comes to understanding political alignments and misalignments," she added.  (Is that why she "aligned" with Mehau against Bronster?)

The four politicians running for this office all have clearly represented their support of the status quo with even prosecutor/politician Peter Carlisle pledging to have rail all over the island and through the Koolaus. Is Peter's 30 Billion Dollar Rail Plan prudent fiscal policy for our Oahu?

I am the only candidate who is an engineer, not a politician, and I will stop the rail project, repeal its tax, and work with everyone who wants to make Honolulu the great city we all know it deserves to be.

Here are some questions for Abercrombie and Caraway:

At first blush, Hawaii’s First Congressional District doesn’t look like a potential Blue to Red conversion target. Obama did carry HI01 by a lopsided 70-28 percent spread, but that margin seems to be grossly distorted in favor of Honolulu’s Favorite Son. President Obama was born and spent some of his schoolboy years in this very district. 

Djou’s Honolulu-based district is historically Democratic, but it is not utterly inhospitable to Republican candidates. As the Washington Examiner’s senior Political Analyst Michael Barone mentions in his Almanac of American Politics, HI01 is home to “many military families in modest neighborhoods who may vote for Democrats but can be attracted to Republicans.”  

“Mr. Speaker, the American people expect Congress to act responsibly and to be trustworthy. But how can this happen when this Congress has no plan?

“No plan for a budget. No plan to create jobs. No plan to turn around our economy other than to spend, spend, and spend some more of the people’s money.

“We spent more than a trillion dollars to ‘create jobs,’ but as of yet our unemployment rate still languishes at over 9.5%. Our nation is plagued with debt and not creating a budget further amplifies the problem."

Despite having served for less than two months, Hawaii Congressman Charles K. Djou is influencing national policy in Washington.  He has rapidly become one of the most active and outspoken representatives in the U.S. today.

“After more than 10 days of political maneuvering, Hannemann must have reviewed his polls and discovered that taking a clear stance on HB444 was politically beneficial. 

"Is this the kind of pono leadership Hannemann promises in his latest television ad?  Hawaii deserves a principled Governor who is not afraid to make decisions and take positions on controversial issues.”

 Brian Schatz at 2006 Akaka campaign rally in Larry Mehau’s barn.

Thursday’s editorial in the Washington Post: “Wrong way in Thailand” highlights an issue of personal significance to Congressman Djou. He is the first Member of Congress of Thai descent and still has family living in Bangkok. 

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) appeared on the CNBC program “Worldwide Exchange” to discuss, among other things, the flawed financial regulatory reform bill that passed the U.S. Congress, the ballooning national deficit and debt, and Congress’ failure to pass a budget.

“The sewer fix and the EPA consent decree (these are two different things) are likely to cost about $4.5 billion.  Add $5.5 Billion for the rail and Oahu taxpayers face a $10 Billion fiscal liability.  For a city with a typical capital improvement program (CIP) of no more than One Billion dollars per year this spells mismanagement.

“The rail project and the mismanagement of sewer and water mains leaves Honolulu with record tax increases, chronic homelessness, crumbling infrastructure, and some of the worst roads in the country. 

“And let's not forget corruption....

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the so-called “stimulus,” was enacted in February of 2009 when the national unemployment rate was 8.2% and Hawaii’s unemployment rate was 6.3%. Today, unemployment is at 9.5% nationally and remains at 6.3% in Hawaii.

Calling it a “Safe Zone”, State Rep Tom Brower (D-Waikiki) wants to bring a Seattle-style homeless tent city to Kakaako.  Rep. Rida Cabanilla, and Rep. John Mizuno agree.

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann yesterday endorsed the idea of homeless camps--as along as they were run by a private contractor such as a non-profit.

HNN burbles: “Tent cities do exist on the mainland. One in Sacramento had to be closed down because of drugs and unrest, but Seattle has four successful homeless camps.”

Now we know where this “tent city” idea came from.  But what is the real track record of Seattle’s “four successful homeless camps”?

Hawai’i Free Press found some answers and they aren’t pretty.... 

Congressman Charles K. Djou is entering the general election with a strong showing of support from 4,137 individual donors for the quarter that ended June 30, 2010. The Djou campaign raised $935,435 in the second quarter, receiving nearly $200,000 of that in the five weeks after his special election victory.  Djou has entered the third quarter with $379,046 on hand.

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) today expressed his concern regarding the municipal waste buildup in Honolulu to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and received verbal assurance that the matter would be resolved as quickly as possible.

“If our nation continues down this fiscally reckless path, what is happening in Hawaii will be writ large, and that is an outcome that we simply cannot afford”

“I met with constituents of Hawaii’s First Congressional District while I was home this past week,” Djou said. “From town hall meetings to business visits to encounters on the street, the number one concern that constituents expressed to me was the reckless and runaway federal spending in Washington.”

Xtreme has made some extreme claims for its technology....  As with all new battery technologies, the proof will be in the deployments, with close attention being paid to how long, and for how many cycles of varying depths, the systems can operate before degrading. 

(In other words, Hawaii is being used to ‘prove’ a secret technology which has never been proven anywhere else.  The fact that they chose a place with unanimous unquestioning politico/economic/media support for the project shows that they don’t have much faith in it.)

"Having worked with Lynn for many years as part of the Legislative Minority Caucus, I continue to be impressed by her bold and yet compassionate leadership. Her work, characterized by her willingness to collaborate in a bipartisan way, has been an asset to the Legislature and to the people of Hawai'i. As our next Lt. Governor, I am confident Lynn Finnegan will continue the strong, balanced leadership we need on the 5th floor."

HONOLULU - At the close of three days of intense international competition, a team of five students from Hanalani School in Mililani were named the tournament champions of the International Botball Tournament held in Edwardsville, Illinois. 

Competing among 64 teams from around the globe, including Kuwait, Poland, and teams from across the United States, Hanalani’s team was undefeated as they entered the final rounds of competition and finished number one in the seeding rounds. 

“We made a pledge to fill every open seat this year and we are very close to it with just about seven days left before the filing deadline,” said Dylan Nonaka, Executive Director of the Hawaii Republican Party.  “We have a lot of people working on recruiting quality candidates and are making every effort to challenge every race.  This is going to be an exciting year for Republicans in Hawaii.”

Testimony will be accepted at the end of the Council calendar.  The meeting is this Wednesday 7/14/2010 beginning at 10:00 a.m. at City Council Chambers in Honolulu Hale (530 South King Street.) As this is the last item on the agenda, Council will probably not hear testimony until after 2:00 p.m.

Walid Shoebat, ex-PLO member, will be speaking at the Sunday, July 11, services at Calvary Chapel of Honolulu (8:30am, 10:45am, and 6:00pm).  The public is invited.

Calvary Chapel of Honolulu is located in Aiea, on Komo Mai Drive.  LINK>>> Google map

Holomua Elementary School, Mililani High School, Pearl Ridge Elementary School, Kawananakoa Middle School

The Finnegan campaign signs were hung near several Duke Aiona campaign banners, which were also taken prior to the start of the parade. Each sign was hung only after receiving explicit permission from the respective home owners or occupants. When one home owner was asked what happened to the signage, they responded that persons approached their door claiming to be from the Finnegan campaign and they would be taking down the banner.

“80% of our homeless here in our city are good people who are facing hardship and most likely will get back on their feet in one to six months,” Prevedouros says.  “We need to take care of them and their children. This includes shelter, health care, food, schooling and retraining-  but with strict monitoring and follow up so they are enabled to return to society, instead of becoming accustomed to a parasitic and outcast lifestyle.”

Here are some Video clips from a public town hall on Tuesday, July 9 at Ahuimanu Elementary School hosted by Rep. Jessica Wooley (D-47 Laie to Kaneohe) with special guests Rep. Pono Chong, Rep. Ken Ito and Rep. Marcus Oshiro.  During the town hall meeting, Rep. Wooley put her hands on an attendee in an attempt to make her stop filming the public forum she was holding as a public official on public property. 

Wooley apparently believes that she can determine whether a video will be “used for political purposes” and if so she can shut down the videographer.  No transparency or accountability here; just another politically correct wanna-be dictator with an attitude of superiority.

We have until July 20, 2010 to recruit Republicans to run for office. We've put out radio and Facebook ads and a You Tube recruitment video that have generated dozens of qualified and exciting candidates. 

We only have 10 more districts to go before we fill the ballots with Republican candidates....

Now, Djou enters a new stage in his political career: embattled incumbent. After easily winning a three-way special election in the more conservative -- but still dang Democratic -- House district in a May 22 special election, Djou enters an abbreviated 2010 reelection campaign as one of a handful of deeply endangered GOP incumbents.

That's just fine with him, and nobody will accuse Djou of being ill-prepared. "The only way I know how to campaign is running a race where I'm down by two points and closing in," he said in a recent interview with the Fix.

Speaker Calvin Say announced today that the House will not convene a Special Session to override any of the Governor’s VETOs. Unless both houses agree to meet there can be no special session and there will be none on July 6. Praise the Lord! Now the decision rests squarely with the Governor.

Therefore, we will not be gathering at 9:00 a.m. to fill the House gallery but instead, will gather for prayer on the fifth floor, at noon in front of the Governor’s office, regardless of her decision.

Koko Head Elementary School--Kaimuki High School--Noelani Elementary School--McKinley High School

The American experiment with democracy began 234 years ago with the enduring words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Those words remain a profound statement of our natural rights. And to this day, the United States of America is the freest and most prosperous nation in the world. The success of our nation is a testament to the timeless vision of our Founding Fathers.

When families around our state woke up this morning, they were met with reports in the newspaper, on television and on radio about the new legislation which takes effect today, the vast majority of which are new taxes and fees on Hawai‘i residents. 

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) issued the following statement after signing on as an original co-sponsor to H.R. 5658, the “Securing Knowledge, Innovation, and Leadership (SKIL) Act,” a bill that would make it easier to attract and keep the best minds from around the world....

I am writing to request that you veto HB2377 HD3 SD2 CD1, a bill that would force future governors to nominate individuals for the Board of Education (BOE) from a list of individuals submitted by an advisory committee as it would damage attempts to bring accountability to Hawai`i's education system.

As you have noted on many occasions, the leadership in Hawai`i's education system is fragmented between the BOE, the governor and the legislature. I was supportive of the constitutional amendment that passed that would make the BOE a governor appointed board. It was a positive step that would make the governor more accountable for the performance of education.

However, whatever good the constitutional amendment would accomplish was completely undermined by HB2377 HD3 SD2 CD1, the enabling legislation for that constitutional amendment.

The Obama Administration announced earlier today that:

“As in any military operation, the ability of U.S. forces to operate effectively in Afghanistan depends on affording the Commander in Chief the utmost flexibility and discretion.  If the final bill presented to the President contains provisions that would undermine his ability as Commander in Chief to conduct military operations in Afghanistan, the President’s senior advisors would recommend a veto.”

For months the now-defunct AtomicMonkey.blogspot.com site has skewered Neil Abercrombie as a “flailing gasbag” and his wife Nancie Caraway as “a witch.”  One posting portrayed former Governor Ben Cayetano as an evil scientist secretly controlling Abercrombie’s brain.  Now the Hannemann campaign has admitted that this site was operated by “a campaign volunteer” who works at Honolulu Hale.

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) issued the following statement regarding his vote on the Conference Report for H.R. 4173, the so-called “Restoring American Financial Stability Act:”

“While I was lobbied extensively by mainland special interests, the opinions that I cared about most were those of my constituents. The responses I received from businesses and residents in my district were nearly unanimous: this bill will hurt Hawaii. I have consistently said Hawaii comes first and I will not support a bill that hurts Hawaii."

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) has continued to lead a push in Congress to enact a languishing free trade agreement with the Republic of Korea. A week ago, Congressman Djou signed onto a bipartisan letter that was sent to the President, which affirms President Obama’s goal to double U.S. exports over the next five years and to promote U.S. trade with key allies.

"This year's Fourth of July Spectacular is a great opportunity for the public to join with Soldiers and their families for a day of food, fun and entertainment, and also to celebrate one of our nation's most important holidays," said Col. Douglas S. Mulbury, commander, USAG-HI. "Not only does the event give us an opportunity to get together and have fun, it also provides us an opportunity to collectively reflect on the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform, and their commitment to preserving the freedom and independence we enjoy today."

Four years after kicking homeless families out of Ala Moana Beach Park leaving them with nowhere to go during one of the worst rainy seasons in recent memory, Mayor Mufi Hannemann is now holding a forum on homelessness. 

It’s about time the Mayor stepped up – even though it’s evident that he is only doing so because he is running for Governor.

“Having served in the U.S. Congress, I've seen the need for balanced leadership in government, at every level. Lynn Finnegan is an experienced, tested leader with 8 years of the State Legislature under her belt,” said former Congresswoman Saiki.  “Her valuable perspective from inside the House Chambers as the House Minority Leader will be a tremendous help to Duke Aiona as the Aiona-Finnegan team works to lead our state into the future. Lynn Finnegan has my full backing in her bid for Lt. Governor of the State of Hawai‘i.”

Washington- After coming under fire for their failure to pass a budget, House Democrats are now looking to pass off a ‘deeming resolution’ as a real fiscal blueprint. This leaves Hawaii families wanting to know: Does Colleen Hanabusa support this deceitful plan? After already rubber-stamping a failed trillion-dollar stimulus, one would think that House Democrats would be more concerned with getting the economy back on track before the midterm elections. Instead, they have continued to give the green-light to the same big-spending, big-government policies that are responsible for driving the economy off the cliff.

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) issued the following statement in response to the Administration’s announcement over the weekend at the G20 Summit in Toronto that it would push for the free trade agreement with the Republic of Korea currently languishing in Congress to be enacted....

This time last year, Colleen Hanabusa's Washington friends rubber-stamped a job-killing national energy tax that would increase costs on everything from electricity bills to groceries. While it’s not surprising that the out-of-touch Democrat majority would vote for tax-increasing legislation, this one is particularly egregious. According to the Department of Treasury’s own admission, the national energy tax could pile on an additional $1,761 in new taxes to struggling middle-class families. This begs the question: Would Hanabusa have supported the national energy tax?

The Jones Act was an issue in the May 22 House special election in Hawaii: Both Republican winner Charles Djou and one of his two Democratic opponents charged that it benefited a handful of ship lines and unions at the expense of ordinary Hawaiians. Mr. Djou is preparing a bill to exempt Hawaii. If FedEx can move cargo across the country in European-made Airbuses, why can't a boat built in, say, Canada, ship wheat from Los Angeles to Honolulu? The Jones Act lobby crushed the last attempt at reform back in the 1990s.  May the next one meet with more success.

GO TO THE STATE CAPITOL ON JULY 6 TO OPPOSE ANY OVERRIDE OF HB 444. We are asking everyone to be there by 12:00 noon and stay as long as you can. Wear your white shirts and red iVOTE buttons!

Washington, DC — Today, the U.S. House passed House Resolution 1464, which recognized the 50^th anniversary of the United States—Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. This resolution, which was initially co-sponsored by former Rep. Neil Abercrombie, was the first piece of legislation passed of which Congressman Charles Djou (HI-01) was an original co-sponsor.

Washington - According to a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 63 percent of Americans are concerned about keeping the budget deficit down. With such a resounding majority of Americans clamoring to cut spending, this begs the question: Is Democrat candidate Colleen Hanabusa?

“I am confident that General David Petraeus will bring the necessary skills and vision to ensure a smooth transition in leadership. As we move forward, we must all re-commit ourselves to turning back al-Qaeda and the Taliban. For our men and women in uniform, this will mean continuing their exemplary work. For Congress, and particularly the members of the Armed Services Committee, this will mean ensuring our brave troops get the resources they need to secure victory in Afghanistan and return home safely."

This Jones Act is a 90-year old anachronistic law. It is basically protectionist legislation that limits ships operating in U.S. water to American-flagged vessels. Under normal circumstances in the past there might be some justification for this; but with the situation in the Gulf: we need to stop the spill, we need to clean up the mess and we need to do everything we can to hold BP accountable.

On the campaign trail, I pledged to listen to my constituents.  To that end, I asked my constituents about the issues that Congress is likely to vote on in the next few months.  I also held a live telephone “talk story” and had the privilege of hearing the thoughts and concerns of thousands of my constituents in the 1st congressional district.  I also plan on holding eight “talk stories” throughout the State in early July.

“The biggest concern I hear about on a regular basis from my constituents is the out-of-control spending in Washington, D.C.  We’re simply spending too much money on programs that don’t work with no plan to pay it back. This is irresponsible."

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today released three lists of nominees for three circuit court judges that were provided to her by the Judicial Selection Commission.   The nominees, some of whom are on more than one list, will fill three vacancies on the Circuit Court of the First Circuit which covers the island of O‘ahu.  The Governor is inviting the public to submit comments on the nominees as part of her review and selection process.

In order to avoid a vote on the record trillion-dollar deficits they are responsible for accumulating since taking office, Democrats have confirmed that they will be the first House majority that has failed to pass an annual budget resolution since the Congressional Budget Act was adopted in 1974.

 Rep. Djou At the Ewa Hongwangi Bon Dance

She was joined by Ann Wright, 63, of Honolulu, Hawaii, who wore a BP hard hat, overalls and sunglasses adorned with dollar signs.

"BP doesn't really care about this," she said, pulling out an oil-stained rubber ducky.

The Jones Act may also have played a role in delaying the construction of sand barriers to protect the fragile Louisiana coast. Mr. Visser, the Dutch consul, says American dredging companies, which lack the dike-building expertise of the Dutch, rebuffed Dutch offers of help, which might have meant running afoul of the Jones Act.

For the longer term, Mr. Djou is about to introduce a bill to exempt his home state of Hawaii from the law. Hawaii is hit hardest by the law because most goods arrive by sea. Despite the political power of unions locally, Mr. Djou is pressing forward.

The commission may go beyond the allegations made by the complainant if investigators feel there are any other irregularities.

“We could add additional counts to the complaint or file an additional complaint. At my discretion, I can file a complaint,” Wong said. “The commission has the opportunity to decide whether there is probable cause that a violation or violations occurred, whether to dismiss the complaint, whether to ask for additional investigation or whether to refer it to the prosecutor."

A prosecutor gets involved only in cases where willful or intentional violations are found. According to state statute any person who knowingly, intentionally or recklessly violates any provision of campaign spending law faces a misdemeanor. Anyone who knowingly or intentionally falsifies any report required with the intent to circumvent the law or deceive the commission faces a class C felony.

  The authors admit to working at Honolulu Hale.

VIDEO: Republican Congressman Charles Djou, Hawaii, and Jessica Brady, Roll Call reporter, discuss Obama's first Oval Office address regarding the Gulf Oil spill.

“I am disappointed, however, that the President has failed to waive the Jones Act for foreign ships, who want to assist in the clean-up efforts. There is no good reason to turn away international help in responding to this environmental catastrophe.

“Nevertheless, I look forward to working with President Obama to temper the House energy bill and craft a sensible long-term energy strategy for America that makes sense for our economy.”

Washington- With two months passed since their April 15 deadline and still no budget produced by Washington Democrats, the majority in Congress continues to miss opportunities to rein in government spending and provide the fiscal discipline needed to create jobs and grow a healthy economy. Since the Congressional Budget Act was adopted in 1974, the House has never failed to pass a budget resolution, but Colleen Hanabusa and her Washington friends continue to forge ahead with their out-of-control spending spree and still no budget resolution in sight.

POLITICO: Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers, the National Republican Congressional Committee's incumbent retention chair, urged PAC leaders at a briefing Monday to focus on helping just nine GOP members of Congress shore up their bids for re-election, telling attendees that the committee's work had already shielded a substantial group of members from facing any serious challenge in 2010.

"A year and a half ago, I was giving you the names of 30 members and you know what? It worked," Rogers said, according to a source familiar with his remarks. "We feel strongly at this point that only nine incumbents need your help to withstand the attacks by the DCCC and their allies."

“Hawai‘i is the only State in the nation that does not set by statute the minimum number of hours of instructional time a public school student should receive,” said Lt. Governor Aiona. “Our families, principals and teachers deserve a public school system that ensures our students have the tools and classroom time needed to succeed.”

Hawai‘i has the shortest amount of instructional time in the nation – 4 hours and 43 minutes per day.  Thirty-two states average 5-and-a-half hours per day of instructional time (990 hours per school year) and 16 states mandate a minimum of 6 hours of instruction per day (1,080 hours per school year).

It is unfortunate that State Rep. Tom Brower believes Lt. Governor Duke Aiona, as acting Governor, should sign or veto the civil unions bill (HB 444) behind the back of Governor Linda Lingle while she is on an economic mission to China.

Brower should not be doling out political advice, especially since he voted for HB 444 only days before turning on his Democrat colleagues for reviving the issue.

While Brower’s deceptive politics may pass in a State Legislature overrun with 90 percent of its members from one party, Lt. Governor Duke Aiona believes government works best with balance, integrity and accountability.

With the DCCC’s help Ed Case came in dead last.  And now, they are going to do the same for “longtime insider” Hanabusa.  A DCCC news release sent out this morning announces Hanabusa is being included in the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” program....

“Over the course of the past two years of a Democrat-led supermajority, Colleen Hanabusa and her Washington friends have pushed the economy into a jobless recovery by supporting an anti-jobs, anti-small-business agenda at the expense of a healthy economy,”

On the Failure of Congress to Pass a Budget:

“A perfect representation of the problems we have here on Capitol Hill is the failure of Congress to pass a budget. I mean, that’s one of the most basic things any private business, any family would do to get its fiscal house in order. But here in the United States Congress we have yet to pass a budget and it’s already mid-June. This is irresponsible.”

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles Djou (HI-01) issued the following statement today reacting to the selection of AECOM as the EIS contractor for the Big Wind Project....

"The Honolulu Mayor has used taxpayer dollars to advocate for the reckless rail transit project, he raked in more than $200,000 from donors linked to government contractors in the last six months of 2009, and now he's raising big money from consultants seeking rail contracts.  While he's whacking the rail transit piñata for all the goodies he can get, he's raising property taxes and increasing fees on just about every other service the city provides.  Is this the kind of leadership Hawaii deserves?"

“We must ensure that the connection between the United States and the Philippines remains strong. One of my priorities in Congress is to strengthen our nation’s ties to the Philippines and expand the number of visas that our government issues, particularly to the Philippines,” Djou continued.

RepCharlesDjou — June 10, 2010 — Congressman Djou gave the following speech from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives discussing the nation's fiscal situation and the need for a budget that puts our nation's fiscal house in order.

Washington- The nation’s chief economist warned yesterday that America’s fiscal path is unsustainable and called for swift action to manage a growing national debt crisis, but Democrat candidate Colleen Hanabusa's Washington friends still refuse to do the necessary work to lead the country back to fiscal stability. While Democrats still refuse to create a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testified to the House Budget Committee yesterday that it’s time for Congress to act....

“Charles Djou built his career fighting for limited government and against raising taxes.  In his first major act as Djou's replacement on the City Council, Lee Donohue voted to dramatically expand government spending and increase taxes.  Councilmember Donohue's votes are so typical of politics as usual in Hawai'i and a perfect example of how unique, important and needed Congressman Djou's voice is in our government."

Rep. Djou: Second series of questions, Dr. Bernanke, and that is I have been frustrated and disappointed that there have been a number of free trade agreements languishing in Congress. Do you believe that were the Congress to pass free trade or expansion of free trade, it would help the economy?

Bernanke: Yes I do. I think we need to be part of the globalized economy, I think trade is an important source of demand for our goods and also a source of materials and imports as well. So I think that generally speaking, you ought to push forward on the DOHA round and on the free trade agreements that we’re looking at.

Congressman Djou was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives last month after seven and a half years on the City Council. To date, Lee Donohue has never spoken to Congressman Djou on issues concerning the council district, or any other matter since retiring as police chief nearly six years ago. 

WSJ: It took Charles Djou, the new Republican Congressman from Hawaii, to put it bluntly to Bernanke. Should there be “additional fiscal stimulus?” 

And Bernanke answered as bluntly as a Fed Chairman ever will, “If you (Congress) decide to do more fiscal stimulus, then it would be very helpful to combine that with a plan for a fiscal exit strategy.”

Everyone in that hearing room got the joke. Congress not only has no plan for a fiscal exit strategy. It can’t even be trusted to come up with one. That’s why we now have a presidential bipartisan debt commission.

Waianae Coast residents, upset that all of Oahu is literally "dumping" on them, have been fighting for years to close down Leeward Shore landfills. But, the Honolulu City Council Planning Committee, with the support of many residents on the Waianae Coast, has cast a vote which may very well keep Waimanalo Gulch Landfill open.

For Reps. Mark Critz and Charles Djou, the Washington axiom of a “permanent campaign” has never been more apt.

The capital’s newest congressmen have been in office less than a month, but the looming November election has forced them to begin their legislative careers in full campaign mode.

“Hawaii needs legislators that understand that the States created the Federal Government and that the Tenth Amendment exists to ensure that Hawaii is run by the people of Hawaii and not entrenched politicians half a world away. Hawaii needs leadership to say that we will not give up our state sovereignty and individual liberty for a few dollars more and courage to make hard decisions like cutting taxes and admitting that government shouldn’t be responsible for every aspect of our lives from cradle to grave."

“This is a great day for East Honolulu,” said Rep. Ward.  “In the beginning, we were told that such a reclassification couldn’t be done due to a lack of resources and time, plus it hadn’t been done anywhere for more than a decade.  But we all worked together as a community with the Governor’s office and now the preservation of the Ka Iwi coast has become a reality.”

This weekend, however, the forces who want Hawaii's government to maintain the failed status quo consolidated their opposition to our campaign at the Democrat Party convention.  This is not unexpected. We never thought the establishment would simply give up without a fight - they have too much to lose.

I personally wish Ed Case well.  However, with Ed gone from this race, we are alone in being the voice for the mainstream across Hawaii. I look forward to this critical fight for Hawaii's families against entrenched special interests.

Washington- A temporary boost in government hiring has padded jobs numbers for the month of May, but the 9.7 percent unemployment rate belies just how badly the runaway spending agenda pushed by Colleen Hanabusa’s Democrat friends has failed Hawaii families. The spike in jobs is simply a reflection of over 410,000 new census workers being added to the government’s payrolls at the taxpayers’ expense.