"The federal courts have long recognized that the determination of sovereignty over a territory is fundamentally a political question beyond the jurisdiction of the courts."

Hawaii. One of the newly open Senate seats where we haven't seen any numbers at all, not even internal polls.  The big question here-does Linda Lingle actually make this competitive or is it an easy keep for Democrats no matter who the Republicans put up.

Although usually benign, KI can be harmful to people with allergies to iodine or shellfish, those with certain skin disorders, or those with thyroid problems. Observed but infrequent side effects of ingesting potassium iodide include nausea, intestinal upset, rashes, inflammation of the salivary glands, and possibly severe allergic reactions.

$120M COFA, Japan Tourism dropoff, CoR revision, 13 Hospitals bleeding 25-30M a year…

• Tuesday, March 22 at 7:00PM
• Ewa Makai Middle School cafeteria, 91-6291 Kapolei Parkway, Ewa Beach

Forty-one states wasted millions of taxpayer dollars and administrative man hours trying to persuade Obama Education Department bureaucrats to give their states Race to the Top stimulus money. Louisiana's application alone was 260 pages with a 417-page appendix. And in the end, the Obama Administration just wound up giving the cash to their government union political allies.

• Senate: Patent Reform Act of 2011
• Senate: Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
• Senate: Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
• House: FHA Refinance Program Termination Act
• House: Emergency Mortgage Relief Program Termination Act

Bad Day for Tax Increases - Governor Abercromie promised during the campaign, “We will not be raising any taxes, what we will be doing is utilizing state government in a way that brings the hope and change people want.” After taking office he quickly broke this promise and has proposed at least $500 million in new taxes for Hawaii residents over the next 2 years.

The goal of the project is to give Big Island homeowners who have been served with a foreclosure action the opportunity to participate in mediation with the lender and a trained mediator before the case is heard by a judge.

The war between Neil Abercrombie and Dan Inouye for control of the Democratic Party now focuses on a key battle over whether to raid the Rail Fund to patch Abercrombie’s artificially-inflated budget gap.

At the New York City Regional, students from Waialua High School earned the competition’s top honors by being named the Chairman’s Award winner in addition to winning the field competition, beating out an impressive field of 65 competitors. As the Regional Champions and Chairman’s Award winners, Waialua has earned a position at the World Championships in St. Louis.

When members of Minneapolis' Somali community realized their sons had disappeared and likely gone back to Africa to join a jihadist group, mosque leaders told them to keep quiet....

Pūnana Leo O Kawaiaha`o, a Hawaiian language medium preschool is working with the museum to present three separate displays focusing on the stories and legends of O`ahu’s oceans....

 “You may not use State time, equipment, or facilities, for private business purposes, including for-profit and not-for-profit corporations.” – HRS 84-13 (2).

The Senate had rejected requests for a "healthcare right of conscience" exception for SB 218 (Emergency Contraceptive) and passed the bill 22 to 3.  We are grateful to Senators Gabbard, Kochi and Slom for standing courageously to oppose SB218.  The bill has been referred to the House Health and Judiciary Committee for hearing.

Those interested in making a contribution to the Japan-Hawaii Relief Fund may do so at any First Hawaiian Bank branch through March 31, 2011.

County Police, Fire, Public Works and Environmental Management crews worked with State Highways, the American Red Cross and the county Office of Housing and Community Development to conduct preliminary damage assessments in the County of Hawai‘i today. Their findings include the following reports

Description: Amends provisions of the code relating to adoption records and the secrecy of proceedings and records, allowing access to adoption records....

To provide Employer contributions amounts for plan year 2010-2011 for Hawaii Employer Union Health Benefits Trust Fund health benefit plan premiums for the employees of collective bargaining units....

Fontaine, who represents South Maui, will have access to an exclusive bank hot line on behalf of constituents and other Maui homeowners who are having difficulties with their mortgage payments. BOA’s goal is to establish contact with the customer within one business day, and to provide a response the legislator’s office and to the borrower within 20 business days on the specific issues of the inquiry.

Board members oversee and administer the LFCP, the purpose of which is to reimburse -- to the extent provided by the Rules of the Hawaii Supreme Court -- losses caused by dishonest conduct of lawyers licensed to practice in Hawaii.

• Rep Fontaine and Riviere on HB845 Ground Leases
• Rep. Thielen on HB1176 HECO's Transmission Cable
• HB1435 Highway Safety Reps. Thielen, Ward and Ching
• Rep Ward in Opposition to HB1486 boat harbors
• Rep. Gene Ward on HB853 State Bank
• HB1457 Reps. Ward and Johanson on Higher Education
• Rep. George Fontaine Supports HB1640 Certificates of ID
• Rep Marumoto opposes DBED's surcharge tax HB782
• Reps. Riviere and Pine on HB 1411 - Mortgage Foreclosures
• Rep. Fontaine Opposes TAT Tax HB 795
• Reps. Ward and Pine Oppose Liquor Tax HB 840

The program will cover 80 percent of health expenses between $15,000 and $90,000, and was intended to encourage employers to maintain coverage for early retirees in the age group between 55 and 65....

Before the vote, lawmakers were threatened with death and physical violence. After the vote, thousands of protesters stormed into the capitol building, ignoring announcements from police that the building was closed. Once inside, and at great risk to the public welfare, activists handcuffed some doors to the capitol shut. When security escorted the Senators to another building, a Democrat tipped off the mob, which then surrounded their cars and tried to break their windows as Senators returned home.

This is the case in which Ralph Nader challenges the number of signatures needed for an independent presidential candidate, on the basis that the law is irrational, because Hawaii requires approximately six times as many signatures for an independent presidential candidate as for an entire new party.

• Baldwin High, Moanalua High, and Punahou School will compete at the San Diego Regional Competition among 60 teams from four states and two countries.
• Waialua High will compete in the New York City Regional Competition among 66 teams from three states and three countries.
• Sacred Hearts Academy will compete at the WPI Regional Competition among 36 teams from three states and three countries.

After nearly a month of debate on the budget repair bill, nearly three weeks of childish stunts and delay tactics from the Democrats, the longest public hearing in state history and the longest Assembly debate in state history, the Senate met tonight to pass the non-fiscal items in the Budget Repair Bill.

one of my concerns with this bill as currently drafted is that, while the threshold is now higher, $100,000, it opens the door to taxing the pensions of those with a lower AGI in the future.  It could slip down to $75,000 or lower before the end of session or in future sessions.

The good news is with the first crossover of bills in the state Legislature, the number of bills remaining alive has been reduced from 3,224 to 710 bills....

4 March 2011 - The Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International protests the detention of writers Ahmet Sik and Nedim Sener, who were among around 10 journalists and writers arrested early yesterday morning (3 March 2011) following police raids on their homes and offices.

Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald announced today that he is seeking written comment on judicial nominees for three vacancies at the District Court of the First Circuit and one vacancy at the District Family Court of the First Circuit (Oahu).

The first HOPE “warning hearing” will be administered to five offenders on Wednesday, March 9, at 1 p.m. by Judge Greg Nakamura. Judge Nakamura will preside over all hearings involving offenders on HOPE Probation in addition to his regular calendar.

PV investigative reporters, Shaughn Adeleye and Simon Templar posed as members of the Muslim Action Education Center, a non-existent group with a goal to "spread the acceptance of Sharia across the world."

The meeting is on Saturday, March 19th at 1:00 PM at the Kona Vistas Pavilion

Repeals part V of the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act and Act 99, Session Laws of Hawaii 1994, relating to the future termination of the prepaid health care law....

HB1101: Allows for increase in the State motor vehicle registration fee

HB1097: Extends the $3 per day surcharge on rental motor vehicles

...rest assured, proclaimed the crowd in matching mass-produced t-shirts, “this is what democracy looks like.”

James Madison would disagree. A public-sector union protest is not the essence of democracy. In reality, public-sector unions are a faction, and therefore dangerous to popular government....

...deeply buried within Obamacare was a $105 billion slush fund that assures its implementation into the future, no matter what future voters think or want....

...at the end Yoshioka accused Slater of lying and mentioned the 20 misrepresentations by Slater that he had presented to the City Council. At this point Slater was on his feet demanding to answer this slander but with Council Chair Garcia screaming that he was out of order, Slater stood down....

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Short-term Continuing Resolution
• House: Short-term Continuing Resolution
• House: Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Hawaii had the highest wellbeing among states in 2010 with a Well-Being Index score of 71.0. Wyoming, North Dakota, and Alaska are also among the 10 states with the highest overall wellbeing scores.

The healthcare reform bill passed last year will cost states at least an additional $118.04 billion through 2023 due to their increased Medicaid costs, according to a new congressional report. Hawai'i's cost will be $30 million between 2014 and 2019.

“I’m relieved that HECO and IBEW leaders have put the people of Hawaii first today."

Two members of Congress, two men whose families were devastated by a relative's radicalization and two civic leaders with opposing views on Muslim community support for law enforcement will testify Thursday at the first hearing on Islamic radicalization in America.