Ordinary people turned into heroes in the face of danger, displaying extraordinary acts of courage, selflessness and aloha.

New York City firefighters, policemen and port authority officers, active duty military and reservists, and Department of Defense civilians answered the call without hesitation, risking their lives for their fellow citizens.

“Nine years ago, amid the confusion, shock and rubble, we witnessed something remarkable unfold. Out of the ashes, American courage and charity emerged. Our resilience as a people was tested and strained, but it did not break. We came together and rose above the pettiness that so often marks our day-to-day reality."

Many Republicans are talking about voting in the Democrat Primary for Governor for one reason or another.  I wanted to take a minute of your time to share some perspective and explain why it is not effective and more importantly why it is undermines the hard work of our Party, our  leadership and our candidates. 

HawaiiFreePress.com is enjoying strong readership growth--74% growth over the last 12 months. 

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle has ordered the Hawai‘i State Flag at all state and county buildings to be flown at half-staff from sunrise until sunset on Saturday, September 11, 2010, in honor of those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on our nation on September 11, 2001.  The Governor’s proclamation also encourages Hawai‘i residents to display the state flag at half-staff at their homes and businesses in observance of this day of remembrance.

At $578 million, the Robert F. Kennedy School in Los Angeles is the most expensive public school ever built in America. It features a high-tech swimming pool, a chic auditorium, vaulted ceilings, luxury amenities and a design aesthetic worthy of a spread in Architectural Digest. ABC News reports that the school is more expensive than the "Bird's Nest" stadium in Beijing, China, built for the 2008 Olympics, and the Wall Street Journal notes that it cost more than L.A.'s Staples sports center.

Colleen Hanabusa today unveiled her fall campaign slogan with the release of her first campaign commercial: “What you see is what you get.”  

In the commercial, we didn’t “see” her husband John Souza, the former State Sheriff, trucking company magnate, and land baron now known as “Mr Invisible”, but that doesn’t mean we don’t “get” it.

She didn’t mention Ko Olina or the Pali Golf Course but we do “get” it.

“A lot of politicians talk about the economy and jobs, I decided to actually do something about it with this job fair.  Hawaii residents understand that doing is always better than talking."

Honolulu, HI — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) issued the following statement today, expressing relief that North Korea had released the South Korean fishing vessel, the Daesung 55, and its crew yesterday at the East Sea military demarcation line. Congressman Djou introduced a resolution at the time of its seizure, condemning North Korea’s provocations and calling for the release of the Daesung 55 and its crew. Congressman Djou’s statement also praises South Korea for joining the United States in trade sanctions against Iran and urges China to do the same

Furst cites a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad aired against Rep. Charles Djou (R) before the May special election vote in Hawaii.

Djou and the youthful new leaders reshaping the Hawaii Republican Party suggest that their opponents are living in the past and counting on tradition to overcome voter dismay with deficit spending, rising taxes and protracted economic crisis.

The Hawaii Republican Party filed a formal complaint this afternoon with the Office of Elections, raising concern about a violation of laws that prohibit campaign activity within 200 feet of a polling place.  Yesterday, Colleen Hanabusa held a press conference and had news crews film her as she filed her Primary Election ballot at Honolulu Hale. 

According to 2009 YRBS (Youth Risk Behavior Survey) data, Hawai‘i high school students had the highest self-reported prevalence of considering suicide (19%), the highest for making a plan (16%), the highest for attempting (13%), and the 4th highest prevalence for being treated for a self-inflicted injury (4.5%) in the country. 

“I am pleased the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled in my favor in this matter and found that the Circuit Court should never have issued the injunction it did,” Governor Lingle said.  “It is unfortunate that I was prevented from implementing what I believed to be a fiscally sound plan to address the massive deficit Hawaii faced in 2009.  As a result, we were forced to layoff hundreds of State employees,” she added.

“As Governor, one of my first acts will be to propose a fiscally responsible biennium budget based largely on the latest projections that will allow our state to spend within its means.

“It may take several years before general fund revenues return to pre-recession levels, which is why it is so important for the next Governor to hit the ground running in the right direction.

Cam is proud to have the endorsement of Honolulu City Councilman Gary Okino of Aiea. Councilman Okino's support shows that standing up for traditional values is a Hawaiian principle, not a partisan one--and that more people across the Islands need to be exposed to the facts on Senator Inouye's voting record.

Weekend retreats offer a safe, supportive, confidential and non-judgmental environment where women and men can express, release and reconcile painful post-abortive emotions to begin the process of restoration, renewal and healing.

Faced with predictions of staggering losses for his party in November's midterm elections, President Barack Obama today appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" and said, "If the election is a referendum on 'are people satisfied about the economy as it currently is,' then we're not going to do well, because I think everybody feels like this economy needs to do better than it's been doing." The prospect of that referendum is casting a long shadow over Washington as the President and candidates alike wrestle with America's frustration over a still-stagnant economy, despite $814 billion in stimulus spending.

So what's President Obama's solution? Kick into campaign mode and turn to even more destined-to-fail stimulus gimmicks, loaded with increased government spending and higher taxes.

Paychecks Hawaii, the private, independent, Smart Business Hawaii political action affiliate, announced its picks for the September 18 Primary Election....

“Just last week, Congressman Charles Djou cast his vote in the Primary election for Hawaii’s First Congressional District. His main opponent, however, has not cast her vote yet. In fact, she will not be voting in this election. As a candidate asking for the vote of the people, it’s worth asking: ‘If Colleen Hanabusa won’t be voting for herself, why should anyone else?’"

Due to an event scheduled at the same time by the League of Women Voters, the Townhall Meeting at Haha‘ione Elementary School Cafeteria for Tuesday, September 14 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. has been cancelled.

Complete list of employers planning to attend tomorrow's job fair.

In yesterday's New York Times, International Herald Tribune columnist Roger Cohen reported: "Since taking office, President Obama has reached out to the Muslim world as a whole, to China, to Turkey and to Iran, but has devoted scant serious diplomatic energy to Europe." Cohen then went on to quote prominent Paris-based defense analyst Camille Grand: "Europe is the object of benign U.S. neglect. Obama has not established or re-established a strategic relationship with any single European country or with Europe as a whole."

ARE YOU SICK AND TIRED OF:

• Paying the highest taxes in the USA?
• Joblessness and Unemployment?
• Too much government regulation/intervention?
• Voice of the people being ignored?
• Out of control government spending of tax $$$?
• Slowly losing your Individual Rights?

If your answer is "yes," then take these names to the polls on Saturday, September 18....

According to Article IX, Section 3 of the Party’s 2010 Constitution, which is available online, “candidates shall submit Candidate Statement Forms... indicating their agreement, disagreement, and/or reservations with the Platform and Resolutions of the State and County Party" and that, a "candidate who fails to abide by these requirements shall not be eligible for endorsement".

In the letter, Mr. Woerner notes that, “the majority of candidates (and especially incumbent candidates) either failed to return their forms at all, or failed to complete them as required”.

As thousands gather in Washington, DC, Hawaii Christian Coalition and Hawaii TEA Party groups will hold local rallies Maui, Kona, Hilo.

Local officials also predict an expensive future as new requirements—for technology, quality accounting and care coordination—start under the overhaul, which became law in March.

Moody's Investors Service said in April that many standalone hospitals won't have the resources to invest in information technology or manage bundled payments well. Many nonprofits have bad credit ratings and in a tight credit market cannot borrow money, either. Meantime, the federal government is expected to cut aid to hospitals….

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. 

Breaking technology is now offering a safe and affordable alternative to large nuclear reactors, called Small Modular Reactors, or SMRs.  Even enlightened environmentalists have changed their minds about energy and now support nuclear. Greenpeace activist Patrick Moore, Gaia theorist James Lovelock, Greenpeace UK Executive Director Stephen Tindale,  Friends of the Earth board member Bishop Hugh Montefiore and environmental icon Stewart Brand have all switched sides in the nuclear energy debate....

Honolulu, HI — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) appeared on Hawaii News Now “Sunrise” this morning to discuss returning to Washington, the President’s latest economic proposals and the First Congressional District Job Fair this week:

Washington- It’s been more than 18 months since Colleen Hanabusa's Democrat friends passed a trillion-dollar stimulus bill promising to keep unemployment under eight percent and create four million jobs and, so far, one thing is clear: It’s an utter failure. With unemployment at an unacceptably high 9.6 percent, the economy in a complete tailspin and the nation deeply in debt, Democrats now want to ram through a $50 billion spending bill in a last ditch attempt to salvage their crumbling political careers.

According to the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released today, only 26% of voters think the economy is going to be better in the next year, and 61% think the country is on the wrong track. Desperate to show Americans he's fighting "every single day, every single hour, every single minute" to turn the economy around, President Barack Obama unveiled yet another economic stimulus spending plan yesterday. This time the President is promising to spend $50 billion over six-years....

Charles Djou opens his Campaign HQ and releases his first campaign commercial of the fall election season. (VIdeo)

This Labor Day marks a milestone in the history of the U.S. union movement. It is the first Labor Day on which a majority of union members in United States work for the government. In January the Department of Labor reported that union membership in government has overtaken that in the private sector. Three times as many union members work in the Post Office as in the entire domestic auto industry. The face of the union movement is not a worker on the assembly line but a clerk at the DMV.

Neil Abercrombie has for years, maybe decades, been included among a small group of Congressmen who describe their religion as “unaffiliated” or “unspecified.”  But within the last seven days, Hawaii media outlets have suddenly begun describing Abercrombie as “Episcopalian.”

Remember, none of this has anything to do with how much money is coming out of your pocket to line theirs....

This year’s election offers the chance to bring to Hawaii an improved legislative body that will transform the way Hawaii politics works.  That historic change could be the beginning of an improved government.  What happens in the next two months has the potential to change the future of Hawaii forever.  Will you be a part of it?

I humbly ask that we dissolve any ethnic, religious, political or bitter barriers that separate us. Let us unite and seek love rather than hate. Let us seek love rather than ethnic and religious differences, let us vote principles above parties, character above campaign promises.  Let us stand together and be a part of the iVOTE movement to improve Hawaii’s future.

One of the most surprising endorsements of the campaign season was forwarded to this writer by Adrienne King’s Republican Lt Governor campaign last Friday....

Yet, as important as this their influence is, most Americans have no say in choosing their child’s teacher. Parents don’t have a choice when it comes to their child’s education, despite the fact their tax dollars pay for the public schools, and their children’s futures are at stake.

Parents in Los Angeles are getting some new transparency about their children’s schools this week.  The Los Angeles Times recently released the names of 6,000 elementary teachers and data showing how much each teacher’s students improved on standardized tests....

"Instead of an over-reliance on government spending, we must continue to focus our efforts on cultivating a business-friendly environment that creates job opportunities and instills confidence and transparency in government.

"Government doesn't create the jobs that fuel our economy over the long term, but we can make it easier for those who do."

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

...the U.S. economy lost 125,000 jobs in June and then the August report found another 131,000 jobs were lost in July. Today the Labor Department released the September jobs report, showing nonfarm payrolls decreased again by 54,000 and that the nation's unemployment rate rose to 9.6%.

Washington- House Democrats’ summer recess is almost over and it’s time for Colleen Hanabusa and her out-of-touch friends to face the music. With another failed attempt at recovery under their belts, Democrats are facing a bruising uphill battle this November. With unemployment at an unacceptably high 9.6 percent and way above the once-promised eight percent, Democrats have officially run out of excuses. Their trillion-dollar stimulus failed to produce jobs and their runaway spending spree has left the nation in debt, putting their Democrat majority up for grabs this fall – and making Hanabusa accountable for supporting her party’s failed economic agenda.

Motorists in California and Hawaii have to look out for the most potholes on urban Interstates. In those two states, 25 percent of urban interstate pavement is in poor condition. ... Rhode Island, Alaska, California, Hawaii and New York have the least cost-effective roads.

THREE MONTHS after Intajak arrived in America, in October 2004, Global Horizons sent him to Hawaii to work for the Maui Pineapple Co. Here, the pay was better than in Yakima—$9.50 an hour—but the conditions were worse. One Global Horizons agent, Intajak and other workers told me, was in the habit of carrying a knife, a gun, or a baseball bat, and of threatening workers with "deportation" if they didn't behave or meet their quotas. Just four days in, Intajak says, he watched the man beat a coworker. 

The Maui Pineapple Co.'s land is nestled among gorgeous foothills, shrouded in mist and covered with volcanic soil the color of dark coffee. The now-defunct company was part of Maui Land & Pineapple Co., whose majority owner is Steve Case, cofounder of AOL; another primary shareholder is eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, a generous benefactor of anti-slavery organizations.... 

“I am very pleased that the State Senate has voted unanimously to confirm Mark Recktenwald to be the fifth Chief Justice of the Hawai‘i State Supreme Court.

“The people of Hawai‘i can feel confident, as I am, that they will have a Chief Justice who will guide our courts with fairness and integrity in upholding the rule of law and our constitution.

Throughout the month of September, make your trip to the grocery store count for life by donating to Hawaii Right to Life through the Foodland/Sack 'n Save Give Aloha program.

In 2004, Hawaii required 677 signatures to qualify an entire new party, and 3,711 signatures to qualify an independent presidential candidate.  Ralph Nader and Michael Peroutka each tried to qualify as independent presidential candidates.  Even though each of them submitted more than 7,000 signatures, Hawaii elections officials invalidated over half of them.  Hawaii tends to disqualify signatures if the signer failed to show either the last four digits of his or Social Security number, or the full birthday.