Democratic Party

In a shocking report, Neil Abercrombie denounces his opponents as Nazis and enemies of civil rights.  He points to ousted Broken Trust Trustee Dickie Wong as an example of “people coming together.” 

"I am endorsing Duke Aiona and Lynn Finnegan because they will provide a hopeful, balanced vision for our island and citizens," said Annette Baptiste. "My family is fully supportive of their campaign for Governor and Lieutenant Governor. At this critical point, I feel that, under their leadership, Duke and Lynn are best suited to address the big issues facing the people of Hawai‘i."

...in a hearing on the State’s motion for summary judgment, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. argued that the court should interpret “preserve in place” as used in the State burial law and administrative rules as prohibiting building over burials. There is no such prohibition explicit in the statutory language and the Court declined to impose such a meaning....

...when it comes to the civil rights violation known as slavery, Neil Abercrombie has remained silent as his key supporters organize and lead the defense of Democratic donors Mike and Alec Sou of Aloun Farms entangled in the "largest human trafficking case in US history."

Asked if he would endorse any gubernatorial candidate now that Hannemann is out of the race, Carvalho said, “As for further endorsements, I’m not prepared to do so at this time but may at a later date.”

“People of House District 28th should know who the ‘residents’ filing these petty complaints are.  Lynne Matusow is an Oahu County Democratic Party official who has developed a habit of filing complaints against Mr. Chang to distract the campaign away from Karl Rhoads’ record of raising taxes and hurting small business.  Anthony Chang is a former staffer at the Democratic Party who was paid to do one of the dirtiest jobs in politics-- follow opposing candidates around with a video camera.  These people are not concerned residents and this is not an honest complaint.

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

Primary Election Vote on Saturday, September 18, 2010 -- 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Hawaii Democratic convention delegates meeting at the Hilton Hawaiian Village May 29 approved a resolution calling for closed Democratic primaries.

Hawaii State law now mandates that political parties’ primaries be open to any voter who wishes to participate.  But many Progressive Democrats feel that their ideological soul mates are having a tough time winning Democratic Primary races due to voting by non-Democrats.

Any move away from Hawaii’s current open primary system would require party line registration, causing tens of thousands of new voters to become enrolled members of both Democratic and Republican parties. 

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today appointed Laura Figueira to fill the vacant O‘ahu North Shore Senate seat and Ronald Kouchi to fill the vacant Kaua‘i Senate seat.  They will serve on a temporary basis until new Senators are elected in the upcoming General Election and take the oath of office.  The two vacancies were created by the resignation of Robert Bunda and Gary Hooser in July. 

VOTE EARLY! Here is a complete list of Walk-in absentee/early voting sites and hours for all four counties.

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.

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.

Mufi to Neil:  "You can't know the private sector...."

Neil on Mufi: "...name-calling and finger pointing there..."

Neil on Birthers: "(Obama) was born yesterday in Kapiolani Hospital in 1961, I can assure you...."  (Defeating birthers to become Gubernatorial priority???)   ...  and much, much more....

Neil Abercrombie’s campaign is responding to reports that Abercrombie has been a secret member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

  DSA's Democratic Left Nov./Dec. 1990, page 4

A highly funded, Washington, DC lobby organization, Food and Water Watch (FWW), is mounting a frontal attack on Hawaii State policy that supports open ocean mariculture. They have rallied a motley crew of rag tag environmental groups, and paid many of them to attack a growing sector of our economy that is on the verge of showing the world a way to produce seafood that is environmentally responsible.

SB: The Hawaii rally was aimed squarely at state lawmakers—majority Democrats who approved this week an increase in the tax on a barrel of oil. The increase from a nickel to $1.05 per barrel is expected to increase the cost of gas and energy bills….

One candidate, Republican Charles Djou, attended the rally and took the occasion of tax deadline day to launch an appeal for votes....

Hawaii Legislators want to raise the GE Tax by as much as 25%. They propose to raise the barrel tax on fuel 3000%.  But they refuse to even consider abolishing the BoE and placing the DoE under the direct control of the next Governor.  On April 15, Hawaii voters will have their say at rallies planned for Honolulu, Kahului, Kailua-Kona, Hilo and Lihue.  Here are the details and contact information for each rally. 

For months, Mazie Hirono pledged to vote against the Senate version of Obamacare.  For her, Senate Obamacare just wasn’t socialist enough.  Along with 56 other “progressive” members of Congress, she demanded a program with a public option and denounced the Senate bill as a multi-billion dollar giveaway to the insurance companies.

Hirono’s July 30, 2009 letter explained:

“Any bill that does not provide, at a minimum, for a public option with reimbursement rates based on Medicare rates--not negotiated rates—is unacceptable…. (T)his agreement will result in the public, both as insurance purchasers and as taxpayers, paying ever higher rates to insurance companies.  We simply cannot vote for such a proposal.”

Hirono has maintained this position as recently as February 2, but at the last minute, barely noticed by her “progressive” base, Rep Mazie Hirono has changed her mind....

Now, more than ever, we need to bring balance to our nation’s capitol.  For too long, Hawaii residents have been underserved with only “one” viewpoint represented in Congress.  This out-of-balance system has failed our citizens and allowed for policies that have stifled our creativity and economic growth and burdened us with heavy taxes, wasteful, out of control government spending, and inefficient bureaucratic growth.

The people are speaking, but Washington isn’t listening.  That’s why we need new leaders who will listen and provide “common sense” approaches to get our country back on track.  Join me in the “good fight” and allow me the honor to represent you with “a strong voice and presence” in the halls of Congress.  

Two years ago, 37,000 people showed up to vote in the Democratic caucuses....  This year, if the House District 2 and 3 attendance is reflective of the whole, fewer than 2,000 people will have shown up Statewide.

It takes skill to drive away that many people, and the old-boy faction of Hawaii Democrats definitely has that kind of skill.  They don’t want idealistic liberal types interfering with their power games.

Hawaii Legislature's own papermill.  Built by feeeel-goood fake environmentalism.

Initiatives on the County level have included: Kauai Ohana in 2006-2007 attempting to use the initiative process to defeat high property taxes, Stop Rail activists who won the opportunity to vote on rail, and others who have used initiative for various causes on the Big Island.  Hawaii citizens do not have any statewide initiative and referendum rights. A majority of state citizens do enjoy local initiative and referendum rights. 

Democrat legislators making up excuses to block Lingle’s judicial nominees are usually just doing the bidding of the criminal defense bar—which seeks to block judicial nominees who are not sufficiently soft on crime.   But it appears that opposition to the nomination of former Federal Prosecutor Ed Kubo to Oahu's First Circuit Court is coming from former State Sherriff John Souza.  Souza, the husband of State Senate President Coleen Hanabusa, was nailed in 2004 for a land sale which involved giving a $25,000 loan to an accused meth dealer who is a cousin to two convicted Pali Golf course shooters.

HONOLULU – Duke Aiona today announced five county chairs and co-chairs and 13 regional chairs for his growing campaign. The leadership team will provide grassroots support to mobilize and turn out voters for Duke Aiona in the 2010 gubernatorial election.

SB Photo 1999: Jeff Stone's sister Mari Stone Wong and his then-brother-in-law, ousted Bishop Estate Trustee Dickie Wong, needn`t be as worried as they look--they're on trial in the courtroom of Judge Michael Town.

About Hanabusa's 2002 push for developer Jeff Stone to receive $75 million in Ko Olina tax credits, Cayetano writes:

"As I watched all of this, I wondered if there were any legislators who had the guts to ask the hard questions.  There was not a peep from the Democrats--or from conservative Republicans like Slom and Hemmings who had made careers in opposing social programs for the needy, or from young legislators who were learning quickly the politics of "going along to get along."  The only legislators who raised questions about the credibility of Stone's claims were Republicans Charles Djou of O`ahu and Jim Rath of Kona, Hawai`i."

If Hanabusa enters the congressional race and defeats Democrat Ed Case in the Primary, she will face off with Charles Djou in the General Election next November.

...Hooser's campaign website indicated that the anti-Semitic, Holocaust denier, 9-11 trooother website www.WhatReallyHappened.com was part of Hooser's "regular reading regime." ....

The event will feature a presentation by national spokesman and former NFL football star, Riki Ellison, Founder and Chairman of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) a non-profit organization which advocates the deployment and development of a missile defense system.  Mr. Ellison has is an expert in the field of missile defense.

Hooser prefers that we hold hearings and community discussions to debate the type and size of government we should have. Lawmakers can hold such hearings during the next legislative session, or even schedule them now while the Legislature is on its break. Frankly, the Legislature should have held such discussions three or four years ago, when the State had money to invest in our long-term future.

While Hooser is busy debating options, the Administration is facing up to our fiscal responsibility and obligation to the people of Hawai‘i by taking immediate steps to address the current financial crisis. Many of the decisions that are being made are not ones that we want to make, but we are doing what needs to done in order to ensure the State government does not run out of money, which will happen if we wait as Hooser suggests.

Read between the lines of Sen. Hooser’s commentary and you will see the only idea he has is to increase taxes on Hawai'i’s already overtaxed citizens.  We need elected officials who can make difficult decisions and solve complicated problems, not hope someone else will find a solution.

This background file includes news articles, and letters to the editor by leading Democrats, regarding a possible shift to a closed primary system.  Also included US Supreme Court rulings on two relevant cases.

Big Island Rancher Larry Mehau, resplendent in a dazzling white “Akaka for Senate” campaign T-shirt, welcomed over 100 Hawaii County Democratic activists to a campaign rally at his Big Island ranch on Sunday, Aug. 27, for U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-HI.  Several of Hawaii’s Political Candidates Show Face Including Congressional Candidates Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz and Gubernatorial Candidate Randy Iwase....