As the rest of the country moves forward with the election of Americans that are willing to face the true depth of the problems we face economically, financially, and globally, Hawaii changed up to a Caterpillar Excavator with a sweeping slate of democrats that leave so much to be desired as to inspire heavy drinking and depression. The bright side to what appears to be a dismal future is that democrats are on track to totally destroy Hawaii’s economy with higher taxes, bigger government, and new forms of corruption. Maybe, just maybe (and that’s a really big maybe), the moos might wake up next time around.
As President pro tempore of the Senate, Inouye is third in the line of Presidential succession(behind the Vice President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives), and signs all bills that are passed by the Senate, before they are sent to the President of the United States to be signed into law or vetoed.
But here’s the kicker; what most people on the mainland do not understand is that Hawaii became a state in 1959. Inouye has been a Hawaii senator for 47 of the 51 years that Hawaii has been a state. How WRONG is that? Has not his 47 year tenure enabled him and his cronies to steer situations for their own profit SINCE THE STATE BECAME A STATE?
Hanabusa and Souza at one time lived in an expensive Ko Olina townhouse bought by Souza from Stone after Hanabusa, a state senator who represents the Leeward Coast, championed a controversial $75 million tax credit for Ko Olina at the Legislature in 2002-2003.
In February 2005, less than two years after Souza bought the home, he sold it for a $421,000 profit, according to real estate records. Souza and Hanabusa, who were engaged at the time and married in 2008, then bought a $1 million home in another Ko Olina subdivision developed by Centex Homes of Texas.
That home, and the Ko Olina Resort, are actually in the 2nd Congressional District and Hanabusa is a candidate in the 1st District. District residency is not a legal requirement, although Hanabusa has said that, if elected, she would move to a new home inside the 1st District.
Now didn’t I say something earlier about stupid, entitlement-dependent moos?
Not every single candidate that won last night is on par with Allen West or Marco Rubio, but the universe’s balance of corrupt politicians and straight-shooters has to be met, and Hawaii is providing almost all of the corrupt quota in one shot. This will be our historic contribution to the republic; how not to run a state.
It’s obvious that Hawaiians have not yet hit their ‘hopey-changey’ rock bottom moment yet. They still believe there is a difference between Dems and Pubs, and that the democrats are going to take care of them. Lalalalalalalalalalalala…
Mid-April, I introduced my readers to John Willoughby (R) who is running to unseat Mazie Hirono in Hawaii’s 2nd District. If you have not yet taken the time to peruse this common sense, conservative alternative to Mazie Hirono, go here.
Mr. Willoughby has written an op-ed about how the ‘Jones Act‘, (which is very much in the news currently because of the gulf oil leak), is unnecessarily inflating prices on the islands because of the stranglehold that shippers, unions, and democratic lawmakers have on this state. He understands the pieces of the puzzle and would be working to exempt Hawaii from this ancient law put in place to protect American merchant seamen. Our newest representative, Charles Djou has already called for Obama to waive this act as was done during hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The prices of goods and services are higher in Hawaii than any other state in the country.
That’s not news to anyone who lives in Hawaii. However, if the two words ‘kept unnecessarily’ were to be inserted in front the word ‘higher,’ that would be news.
If elected to Congress, the very first day in office I will introduce legislation that will drastically lower the price of virtually every good and service bought or sold in Hawaii.
If you were to ask anyone who lives in or visits Hawaii why prices here are the highest in the nation, they would typically answer that there are several reasons. First, we produce (locally) a very small percentage of what we consume. Secondly, we export very little. But the primary reason people would give is that it costs a lot to transport goods to Hawaii, and we transport virtually all of what we consume – not only to the Islands, but also between the Islands.
These facts accurately describe the effect (high prices), but not the cause. This article will address that, and our solution.
Imagine if you will, Hawaii’s private sector economy as a tall three-legged wooden stool with the legs connected by supporting braces. Let’s say the seat represents the prices of goods and services, once again being kept high by the three legs.
The first leg represents the monopolistic trust of a few powerful and politically influential shipping and transportation companies such as Alexander & Baldwin’s Matson Navigation Company (who sets the costs for transportation of goods and services to and from the Mainland), Saltchuk Resources, Inc. (whose companies Young Brothers and Aloha Air Cargo determine rates for the interisland transportation of goods and services, and who is credited in many circles for shoring up their position by helping to sink the Hawaii SuperFerry), and Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (whose Hawaiian Airlines controls pricing of interisland air passenger transportation).
The second leg represents Hawaii’s union leadership. Notice that I said “leadership,” because most of Hawaii’s union members are good, honest, hard-working people looking to earn an honest-day’s pay for an honest-day’s labor. Union leadership on the other hand is a de facto political action committee operating by a simple mantra – elect politicians who support the union’s goals to work as little as necessary and earn as much as possible doing it. (I’m a union member and my union’s contract and work schedule-bidding program is based on that formula.) Union leaders will make large contributions, lobby legislation and promise votes to labor friendly politicians, and negotiate contracts with their companies to achieve those goals.
The third leg represents four people – our Hawaii congressional delegation including Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, and Representative Mazie Hirono (and former Representative Neil Abercrombie). They are all responsible to ensure no legislation is advanced to “rock the stool.”
The supporting braces that hold the legs together (and will not allow the others to stray) represent the Merchant Marine Act of 1921, also known as the Jones Act. The Jones Act requires that all goods transported by sea between U.S. ports be carried on U.S. flagged ships that are constructed in the U.S., owned by U.S. citizens, and operated by U.S. crews. The law was designed to support the U.S. merchant marine industry. Opponents (including farms, ranches, and small businesses here in Hawaii) claim it stifles competition and increases the cost of shipping.
Though the Jones Act may still be appropriate on the Mainland (and even Alaska) where there are alternate means of transporting good and services, it is an extremely unfair and business and consumer unfriendly law here in the Islands. Our obvious boundaries allow only two means of conveyance between Hawaii and the Mainland – air or sea. As oil prices rise, it becomes less economical to transport goods by air. A large percentage of our goods must be transported by sea.
And though the increasing price of oil has a debilitating effect on the price of conveyance, it is the lack of choice and competition that radically exacerbates the cost of doing business in Hawaii. These costs are further increased by unions that get what they ask for without a fight, monopolistic trusts that can simply increase their cost of doing business to offset higher costs of labor, and politicians who have received millions in campaign contributions from the unions, Alexander & Baldwin, Saltchuk, Hawaiian Holdings, et al. in exchange for maintaining the status quo.
The only way to stop the continued escalation and lower the price of virtually every good and service in Hawaii is to knock one of the legs out. As with the seat of the stool, prices will fall. We must elect representatives who are not loyal to special interest groups (unions and monopolistic trusts), but to the people of Hawaii.
As we all know, congressional committee assignments are based in large part on the background of the elected representative. As a commercial airline pilot for the past 12 years, I would line up for membership in the powerful House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure where legislation supporting an exemption to the Jones Act for Hawaii would be introduced, debated, and moved forward. We are already off to a good start with the election of Congressman Charles Djou who also favors exemption. With the impending large-scale change in U.S. House membership after the 2010 general election, having both Hawaii representatives co-sponsoring and fighting in favor of an exemption, advancing legislation on Hawaii’s behalf would be virtually guaranteed.
Hawaii desperately needs an exemption to the Jones Act. An exemption will allow us to lower the cost of living for our Hawaii families and the costs for farms, ranches, and small businesses to do business and export their products to the mainland. It is undeniable that an exemption will also lead to more jobs for Hawaii residents, and an increase in tax revenues to state and local governments.
Hawaii voters must elect representatives who will take this “common sense” message to Washington. A Jones Act exemption is a win/win solution that will benefit everyone in Hawaii – everyone that is, except the current legs of the stool.
I have a rather important question, but let’s allow Ben Bernanke to do his little song and dance for Charles Djou about how the government has no fiscal exit strategy from the current monetary policy that was put in place to keep the economy from collapsing.
I almost passed by this video because it is so much of the same old schtick from past and present administrations. It is more than obvious that the people at the helm appear to have no clue while they are busy taking the necessary steps to bring the United States’ economic situation more in line with the rest of the world’s economies.
WASHINGTON June 8 (Reuters) – The U.S. debt will top $13.6 trillion this year and climb to an estimated $19.6 trillion by 2015, according to a Treasury Department report to Congress.
The report that was sent to lawmakers Friday night with no fanfare said the ratio of debt to the gross domestic product would rise to 102 percent by 2015 from 93 percent this year.
“The president’s economic experts say a 1 percent increase in GDP can create almost 1 million jobs, and that 1 percent is what experts think we are losing because of the debt’s massive drag on our economy,” said Republican Representative Dave Camp, who publicized the report.
He was referring to recent testimony by University of Maryland Professor Carmen Reinhart to the bipartisan fiscal commission, which was created by President Barack Obama to recommend ways to reduce the deficit, which said debt topping 90 percent of GDP could slow economic growth.
Here is the question. Is the American taxpayer relevant anymore? If we were all to stop working, producing, and paying our taxes, would the current WH, Congress and Fed Board of Governors even notice, or would they just keep printing money and using the fiscal credit card? I wonder how many Americans would agree that we need to give the Palestinians $400 Million when Detroit looks like Mogadishu, and real unemployment numbers are hovering around 20%?
I think we need an answer to the first question, and soon…
Tongue firmly in cheek, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) on Tuesday afternoon called on reporters to demand to see the birth certificate of new Rep. Charles Djou (R-Hawaii).
As Djou (pictured here) was being sworn into office, Frank walked the hallway of the Speaker’s Lobby off the House floor calling on the media to “do your job” and review Djou’s papers.
It was a small bit of payback for the enormous amount of attention some conservatives (and the media) paid to the is-the-president-really-from-America controversy.
But, unlike the commander-in-chief, as Frank knows, being born outside the U.S. does not preclude you from becoming a member of Congress.
Republican Charles Djou emerged victorious tonight in the special election to fill Hawaii’s vacancy in Congress, giving Hawaii it’s first GOP member of Congress in 20 years.
Djou won the special mail-in election with 39.5 percent of the vote in the first printout, released at 6 p.m.
The first printout represented nearly all of the 170,312 returned by voters in the district, which stretches from Waikiki and downtown to Mililani.
Democrat Colleen Hanabusa was second at 30.8 percent, with Democrat Ed Case third at 27.6 percent.
“This is a momentous day,” Djou told a jubilant crowd at state party headquarters. “We have sent a message to the United States Congress. We have sent a message to the ex-governors. We have sent a message to the national Democrats! We have sent a message to the machine.
“We have told them that we will not stand idly by as our great nation is overburdened by too much taxes, too much debt and too much wasteful spending.”
Djou is Hawaii’s first GOP member of Congress since Pat Saiki, who represented the party from 1987 to 1991.
Better not tell the unwashed masses they just had another great victory. If and when some type of video surfaces, (remember ‘the Scott heard round the world’), I’ll post it.
…or…The True Beginning Of The Conservative Shift Will Not Be Televised.
I will actually be rather surprised if a Djou/Conservative win even shows up on the Drudge Report as it appears both major parties are trying to keep this one on the down low. The DCCC has even decided to throw in the towel and not ‘invest’ anymore resources into squabbling, greedy dems.
Republican Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou is on his way to Washington to represent Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District, according to a new poll of likely voters conducted for Civil Beat.
Djou leads with 39.5 percent of the vote, followed by former Congressman Ed Case and Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, who are tied at 25.5 percent, according to the poll by Aloha Vote, a Hawaii subsidiary of Merriman River Group (MRG), a Massachusetts research organization. Nearly 10 percent are undecided.
“He’s got it all but wrapped up,” Matt Fitch, executive director of Merriman River Group, said of Djou’s chances in the May 22 special election. “The only thing in question is who finishes second.”
-break-
More than half the respondents — 52.6 percent — had already voted. And of that group, Djou got 45 percent of the vote, one reason it’s so difficult to imagine trends changing in any significant way between now and May 22.
If Charles Djou wins a long-time dem held seat, you won’t be hearing any “Djou heard round the world” statements from the MSM. What you will be hearing is the following tale of an internal struggle inside the Democratic Party. You won’t be hearing about residents awakening to the level of taxation and interference from state and federal agencies. You won’t be given the opportunity to understand the enormity of the shift happening in a state that has been a nanny state since it’s inception fifty years ago. You’ll just be hearing about Elena Kagan’s partner preference, the Times Square Bomber and whatever else the WH can throw up against the wall to grab your attention.
Charles Djou will be breaking a five decade dem stranglehold on this state with the blessing of a population that is starting to awaken to the slave role they have been placed in by their ‘uncs’ Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, and their auntie Mazie Hirono.
Though the MSM and the Democratic Party want to blame the true beginning of the conservative shift towards smaller government on dems feuding amongst themselves, don’t be fooled. Scott Brown was the only type of republican that could actually be elected to Dead Kennedy’s seat in Massachusetts with so many average Americans losing their wealth through current Dem policies. Rest assured, Scott Brown is a progressive liberal republican as Charles Djou is not. In the likelyhood that the voters elect Charles to Neil Abercrombie’s forfeited seat, you probably won’t be hearing about all those residents in district 1 who are now becoming more and more fed up with the federal government’s spendy ways. You also won’t be hearing about how Charles Djou is the only candidate of the top three that lives in District 1.
HONOLULU — Across the country, Democrats are on the defense, laboring to put out political fires sparked by angry voters and emboldened Republicans. Even Hawaii, the bluest of blue states, where a Democratic machine has controlled politics for the five decades since statehood, has become a dangerous hot spot for the party in power.
But here’s the catch: The Democrats started this fire themselves.
Democrats here might lose a House seat in a special election this month because of a feud between two candidates that has inflamed tensions within Hawaii’s ethnic voting blocs and between the state’s Democratic establishment and the party’s national leaders.
The result could be a victory by plurality for the GOP candidate. That would upend Hawaii’s political order and, like the recent Senate race in Massachusetts, simultaneously hand Republicans a compelling narrative of Democratic defeat — this time in President Obama‘s birthplace.
“It’s a nightmare for Democrats,” said Dan Boylan, a University of Hawaii history professor.
There is no primary to replace Neil Abercrombie, a 10-term congressman who resigned to run for governor. So the race in Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District will be decided in a winner-takes-all election on May 22.
For weeks, the two leading Democrats — state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa and former congressman Ed Case — were locked in a dead heat with Republican Charles Djou, but a new poll shows Djou pulling ahead in the 14-candidate contest. He led with 36 percent of likely voters in a Honolulu Advertiser poll released last Sunday, followed by Case at 28 percent and Hanabusa at 22 percent.
In a staring contest with Sen. Daniel Inouye over the high-stakes May 22 Hawaii special election, national Democrats blinked first and bowed to the wishes of the Aloha State political titan.
As a consequence, some Democrats say, it could cost the party a House seat next week.
Republican Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou appears poised to capture the heavily Democratic 1st District next week as a result of a three-way contest in which a split Democratic vote is making it increasingly unlikely that either former Rep. Ed Case or state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa can win enough votes to capture the seat.
At the heart of the Democratic predicament is the role played by Inouye, a veteran of nearly a half-century in the Senate and the undisputed heavyweight champion of Hawaii politics.
Inouye’s outspoken and unflinching support of Hanabusa, even as Washington wanted to throw its weight behind the better-known Case in an effort to concentrate the Democratic vote behind a single candidate, has led national party officials to retreat from the contest and leave it to chance.
Sean Hannity interviewed Charles Djou on 4.21.2010 about his race for Neil Abercrombie’s former congressional seat in Obama’s “hometown” (I am using that term loosely here). Charles covers the money and the attacks that the DCCC are bringing against the best chance free thinkers have had in the islands in decades. Mr. Djou’s lead in the polls falls inside the margin of error, but he has gone from 17% of the vote in January to 32% currently; statistically a deadheat. If you want to help Charles place another road block in the progressives’ march toward european socialism, and help Hawaii join New Jersey, Virginia, and Massachusetts, go here. Remember, there are no more local races; get involved!
There is no time for surfing when the sharks have entered the water. Sen. Inouye is dumping money into the DCCC in order to defeat Charles Djou’s bid for Neil Abercrombie’s congressional seat. Keep in mind that Inouye is 85 years old, he started his House congressional career in 1958, and moved up to a continuous Senate career starting in 1962. (I personally think that 52 years without a real job is OBSCENE!)
Mr. Inouye has $3.2 million in cash in his war chest and he really wants Hawaii’s entitlement state to continue with his backing of Colleen Hanabusa. Sen. Inouye is an old war horse that is not beneath getting bailout money for the bank he started and keeps his wealth in. All of that being said, remember that every single seat is a “National Referendum”, and as such, you should donate to candidates that are trying to break the elitist monopoly. If you can contribute to Mr. Djou’s campaign, go here. We will take our country back one seat at a time.
Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) has transferred $100,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, money that will be used to bash the GOP candidate in next month’s House special election in the Aloha State.
Inouye’s action complicates the behind-the-scenes struggle between Inouye and House Democratic leaders, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, over which Democratic candidate will get DCCC support in the May 22 election.
Inouye and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) are backing Hawaii Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, but the DCCC is flirting with throwing its public backing to former Rep. Ed Case, who alienated the Hawaii Democratic establishment by waging an unsuccessful primary challenge to Akaka in 2006.
Case and Hanabusa are vying for the vacant seat of former Democratic Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who stepped down Feb. 28 to run for governor.
With the prospect of two prominent Democrats splitting the party vote — a scenario that would potentially enable Republican Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou to capture the heavily Democratic seat — party sources say national Democrats have offered quiet organizational support to Case. That effort has coincided with the circulation of opposition research within Washington targeting Hanabusa.
But Inouye’s contribution to the DCCC is part of a broader push from the powerful senior Hawaii senator and Appropriations Committee chairman to sway the party from backing Case, whom he has sharply criticized in the past.
The contribution marked Inouye’s first donation to the DCCC since at least 1998, according to an analysis conducted by the Center for Responsive Politics.
A spokesman for Inouye’s 2010 reelection campaign confirmed the $150,000 donation to the DCCC, but he did not comment on the use of the money for an anti-Djou ad blitz.
“The senator’s campaign has made a contribution to the DCCC for its use to support its programs,” said Dale Snape, Inouye’s finance director. “With respect to the upcoming election in Hawaii, while Republicans in Hawaii and Washington are very good at saying no, they have offered no innovative solutions and shown no ability to lead Hawaii forward during these difficult economic times. Sen. Inouye supports state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa as the best person for the job.”
Inouye’s campaign had more than $3.2 million in cash on hand as of Dec. 31, according to his latest disclosure report with the Federal Election Commission.
Akaka said that, like Inouye, he is planning to make a contribution to the DCCC, although he has only $86,000 in cash in his campaign account, according to his FEC report.
“It’s on the record that Sen. Inouye and I are supporting Hanabusa,” Akaka told POLITICO. “She has a great background.”
Jennifer Crider, a DCCC spokeswoman, said the committee “appreciates Sen. Inouye’s support, as well as everything he is doing in Hawaii to defeat Charles Djou.”
An interesting tidbit about Colleen Hanabusa:
In November 1998, Colleen Hanabusa was elected as the State Senator from the 21st District. The 21st District includes Wai’anae, where her family has resided for four generations, as well as Ko ‘Olina, Kahe Point, Nanakuli, Ma’ili, Makaha, Makua and Ka’ena Point.
One of Hanabusa’s first acts upon being elected was to organize Senators to vote against second term confirmation of Hawaii Attorney General Margery Bronster. Bronster was investigating extensive corruption organized by Kamehameha Schools trustees. Hanabusa did this in concert with reputed Hawaii mafia boss Larry Mehau and with two of the five “Broken Trust” trustees. In his memoir, Hawaii’s then-Governor Ben Cayetano explians (p432-433:
“…Hanabusa had other reasons to oppose Bronster’s confirmation. (KSBE Trustee) Henry Peters and his influential mother, Hoaliku Drake, who had organized public demonstrations in opposition to Bronster’s confirmation, were both supporters who lived in her district. Politically, that alone would have been reason enough for her to vote against (Bronster). but, as the Honolulu Advertiser would later disclose, Hanabusa had a close relationship with developer Jeff Stone, whose sister was married to Bishop Estate trustee Dickie Wong and who, along with Peters and Wong had been indicted by a grand jury convened by Bronster. As the attorney general’s investigation would later reveal, prior to the confirmation hearing, Hanabusa had met privately with Larry Mehau and Wong. When confronted by a reporter, Hanabusa confirmed that the meeting had taken place, but, in a remarkable lapse of memory, she could not remember if Bronster’s confirmation had been discussed.” “Cayetano: Hanabusa’s Broken Trust connections lead to Ko Olina”, Hawaii Free Press, 2009, http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/main/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/978/Cayetano-Hanabusas-Broken-Trust-connections-lead-to-Ko-Olina.aspx </ref>
Remember what I wrote about every race now being a “National Referendum”? Charles has an uphill battle very similar to other races we have seen lately. He needs all the contributions he can gather.
After America sent Barry, Harry, and Nancy a message with the election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee isn’t taking any chances with Hawaii District 1 and Charles Djou. As for average Americans, this is another golden moment to hammer another nail into the progressive left’s coffin.Pony up people!
To Prevent Republican Djou From Winning Congressional Seat
HONOLULU — The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s TV commercial slams Republican candidate Charles Djou, questioning his credibility on the jobs issue. Here is the wording of the commercial: “In the race for congress you have heard a lot about Charles Djou so it is best to check the record. On jobs, Djou signed a pledge that protects tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas. With more than 43,000 people in Hawaii looking for work, Djou still supports tax breaks for big corporations that would export our future. Take a closer look at Djou’s troubling record on jobs at djoufacts.com because Hawaii needs a congressman on our side…”Some said the ad also makes a subtle endorsement of Djou’s Democratic party opponent, Ed Case, with the wording “Hawaii needs a congressman on our side.”
The reality?:
Statement from Charles Djou: Setting the Record Straight
As we warned you last week, the National Democrats will stop at nothing to ensure that either, Ed Case or Colleen Hanabusa, win this election and have already spent almost $100,000 on negative television attack ads that began airing on Tuesday. The reason they are willing to spend so much money and lie about my record is that the National Democrats reportedly took a poll that has us tied for the lead with Ed Case at 32% each and with Hanabusa trailing at 27%. I need your help. Please consider making a contribution now.
Unfortunately, the national Democrats have no regard for the truth. As demonstrated this past week, they are willing to do anything, including outright lie, to win this race, and neither of my opponents have the integrity to stand against these dirty tactics.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) attack ad states that I support tax breaks for corporations that ship jobs overseas. I DO NOT.
To support their false claim, they cite a pledge I signed promising the people of Hawaii that I would not vote to increase taxes. The pledge, however, has nothing whatsoever to do with supporting tax breaks for corporations that export jobs.
The sponsor of the pledge, the Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), has already denounced the National Democrats’ ad as “blatantly false.” Read their statement here.
Yesterday, a prominent, nonpartisan research organization, Factcheck.org, issued a statement that the DCCC ad is false: “A Democratic ad claims a GOP House candidate pledged to protect breaks for sending jobs abroad. He didn’t.” Read the full story here.
I have the utmost confidence in the people of Hawaii and in their ability to see through these tactics. I encourage all of you to talk to your friends and family, show them the Factcheck.org article, and tell them to ignore anything and everything the DCCC says.
We need a change in the direction of Congress. We need to focus on job creation and getting our economy back on track. We need to stop the wasteful spending in Congress. We need to focus on what’s best for Hawaii. Given the number of emails I’ve received denouncing the negative attack ads, I know that you know what’s important. So does my campaign and we’re staying focused on the issues you care about most.
I know times are tough but we cannot continue in the same direction.Please consider a contribution of $25, $50 or $100 to help us spread our message of government accountability and fiscal responsibility.
I thank you for your continued faith and confidence in me. We remain steadfast in our mission: a better Hawaii and Nation for our children and grandchildren.
Wow, this is lame. The DCCC is getting involved in Hawaii’s special House election, except that the Republican candidate, Charles Djou, is about as menacing as a Care Bear. So their line of attack is . . . for signing a pledge not to raise taxes. Djou signed the Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge, stating that he opposes any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar-for-dollar by further reducing tax rates. (emphasis mine)
The DCCC contends Djou is “protecting tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas.” And every other company, and every other individual. You might as well argue he is protecting tax breaks for serial killers, too. (Somewhere at the DCCC, some underling is reading the above sentence and jumping up: “Boss, I just read this great idea!”)
By the way, that’s it. That’s all the DCCC puts in the ad, and their extraordinarily sparse “Djou Facts” site. Djou’s been a Honolulu city councilman, and you figure at some point he might have made an unpopular vote, but if that’s the case, Washington Democrats can’t find any.
Mr. Djou’s Bio:
Charles represents the area from Waikiki to Hawaii Kai on the Honolulu City Council. Before entering the City Council, Charles served in the Hawaii State House where he was the Minority Floor Leader. Charles has spent most of his life in Hawaii. Charles graduated from Punahou School and earned both a B.A. in Political Science and a B.S. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, graduating magna cum laude with distinction. Charles earned his law degree from the University of Southern California law school.
Outside of the City Council, Charles serves as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. Charles also practices as an attorney specializing in business law and teaches at the University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of Law.
Charles is an active member of the community. He has served on the Board of Directors of the American Lung Association and is a former member of the Neighborhood Board. Charles is a member of the Young Business Roundtable, the Rotary Club, and the Hawaii Telecommunications Association. Charles is also a member of the Hawaii Republican Party, where he previously served as Vice Chair. Charles is married to Stacey Kawasaki Djou and together they have three children. Charles’ surname “Djou” is a misspelled French translation of his Chinese surname “Zhou.”
RESUME:
PUBLIC SERVICE City Councilman, 2003-Present State Representative, 2000-2002 House Minority Floor Leader, 2001-2002 Assistant House Minority Whip, 2000-2001 Small Business Hawaii “Legislator of the Year,” 2001 and 2003 Hawaii Republican Party, Vice Chairman, 1998-1999
MILITARY SERVICE US Army Reserve, 9th Regional Readiness Command
COMMUNITY SERVICE American Lung Association of Hawaii Young Business Roundtable Hawaii Telecommunications Association Chinese Jaycees, 1997-2001
PROFESSION Attorney, specializing in business law Adjunct Professor, UH West Oahu, Univ. of Hawaii Law School and HPU
EDUCATION USC Law School, JD Univ. of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, BS & BA Punahou School
ISSUES:
Economy
Getting the economy back on track begins with a clear vision. I believe that every resident of Hawai‘i who is looking for a job should be able to find one. I have always made it a priority to lower taxes because reducing the tax burden allows you to keep more of your money for your family, to grow your business and to buy goods and services, which in turn fosters small business and job growth in our community. That is why I have never voted for a tax increase. You are a better steward of your money and can do more for the economy than the government. I will continue this long standing fight in Washington. A reduced tax burden must be offset by the elimination of government waste, which is symbolized by the widespread practice of using earmarks to add unnecessary spending to an already bloated federal budget. I will work hard to ensure that Hawai‘i receives the funds it deserves but also believe that those funds should come to us fairly through an open and transparent budget process following hearings and testimony. I will never sneak my own unexamined earmarks into the federal budget and I will fight earmarks pushed by other congressmen. I am the only member of the City Council to have never accepted a trip paid for by the City taxpayers. I will bring this strong sense of integrity and ethics with me to Washington.
Healthcare
I recognize that healthcare costs are increasing too fast in our country and that too many of our fellow citizens remain uninsured. I will consider any sensible idea for making healthcare work better in America. But any change to our healthcare system must address the spiraling costs and insure more Americans without limiting heath options or harming the doctor-patient relationship. For these reasons, I support market-based healthcare reforms that work. What is needed is tort reform. I have long supported a limit on non-economic damages for medical malpractice. Tort reform is long over due and I will fight for a $250,000 cap or three times economic damages for medical malpractice awards to help reduce the need for “defensive” medicine and bring down the cost of malpractice insurance. I also support allowing the sale of inter-state health insurance. Just two carriers provide over 90% of all health insurance in Hawaii, which reduces competition. I support allowing inter-state health insurance sales. Finally, we need to rethink the way we tax health insurance. The current structure of health insurance in the U.S. is an anachronism dating back to WWII. Rather than have corporations as the sole providers of health insurance, we should instead allow for individual tax deduction of health insurance and make the health insurance market a more “normal” individual choice.
Ethics
When people have trust in their elected officials, they have trust in their government. I believe that the personal integrity of elected officials is fundamental to our democracy. All major public policy goals start with an open and honest government. After the series of scandals that tarnished the Honolulu Liquor Commission, I called for the wholesale reform and improved oversight of the Commission. When several Liquor Commission inspectors were convicted of bribery charges, I successfully obtained an audit of the Liquor Commission and called for the firing of the Liquor Commission Administrator and Chief Investigator. After months of intense work, my efforts helped secure the Liquor Commission Administrator’s removal and the voluntary departure of the Chief Investigator. Today this agency is rebuilding the trust that it lost. I also successfully fought to give the Ethics Commission the power to issue civil fines for violations of the ethics code and championed stronger ethics rules that have reduced conflicts of interest in Honolulu.
National Security
Our uniformed men and women make up the most capable fighting force in the world and Hawai‘i has a unique and critical role in our national security. Our island chain is home to key military bases and stations, thousands of military personnel and various strategic operations. To cope with the diverse and challenging threats facing our nation, America must maintain its strong military and Hawai‘i must retain its central role in military preparedness. I currently serve as a Captain in the United States Army Reserve. I understand that we must combat terrorism wherever it is found, whether in Iran, the Pakistan-Afghanistan border regions or in industrialized cities around the world. At home, I support a national plan to protect America’s infrastructure and keep our communities safe. That plan begins with increased security measures for our airports, ports and land borders.
Environment and Energy
I understand that Hawai‘i’s beautiful natural environment is a treasure that must be preserved for future generations. I have been an outspoken advocate for recycling and energy conservation. I successfully fought to bring curbside recycling to Oahu and have called for reducing the City’s energy use. I will continue those efforts as your Congressman. I am committed to a long-term energy strategy for America and Hawai‘i that brings us independence from foreign oil resources. I will fight for federal support of Hawai‘i’s alternative energy projects and will only support environmentally-sound and responsible efforts to enlarge America’s domestic supply of oil, natural gas and nuclear power.
Education
We need a reformed education system that puts children first. I believe we must turn education right-side up by making principals and teachers accountable for our children’s education and empowering parental involvement in schools. Principals in turn must have the resources they need, including adequate funding and the ability to remove underperforming teachers. The cost of the Educational bureaucracies must be reduced to insure that education dollars are spent in the classroom and teachers have the tools they need to educate our children, including continuing teacher education and training. That’s how good school systems work. We cannot continue to limit our children’s potential in school systems that don’t teach.
Faith and Family
Strong families raise successful children and keep communities together. I am candid about my own faith and my belief that we need a deeper, more substantive appreciation of the role that faith plays in American life. We cannot legislate healthy families, good parenting skills or a sound moral environment and we should not try. But we can do more in the public square to help parents through the increased challenges they face today by giving them the tools they need to succeed. As a husband and father of three, I know that strong families and a diverse community form the bedrock of a strong Hawai`i and strong America.
Here is your chance to get in the fight America. Charles Djou (R) (HAWAII – OBAMA’S HOME STATE) has a better chance of beating the democrats for Neil Abercrombie’s seat than Scott Brown had for the ‘Kennedy’ seat in Massachusetts.
This will be the first test of the voters’ resolve to start flipping Bahana C. Obama’s congress which rammed Obamacare through by ‘any means necessary’. According to Cook Political Report on 3.18.10, the race has gone from “lean dem” to “tossup”. The special election is mail in ballot only starting on 4.30.2010, and as it is a special type of election; the candidate with the highest percentage takes the seat. And because it is a special election, dem voter turnout is usually low.
If you want to volunteer or donate to Charles’ campaign, go to his website here. I have posted the video above (from 2.4.2010) to give more of a flavor of the candidate as we all know how deceiving campaign ads can be. Living here in Hawaii, I see the corruption on a daily basis and I am pleased to support Mr. Djou. (Also one more piece of good news, there may actually be a ‘real’ person that can unseat Mazie Hirono! I am still doing the research.)
HI-01 Special Election: Three-Way Fight is a Toss Up
Race: 2010 House – HI-01
The Cook Political Report has published a Race Update for this race. The text of the update follows:
March 18, 2010: HI-01 Special Election: Three-Way Fight is a Toss Up
As we noted in last week’s Hawaii rundown, the unique winner-take-all rules of the all-mail special election race to fill the seat of gubernatorial candidate Rep. Neil Abercrombie (HI-01) create a low hurdle for Republican Honolulu Councilman Charles Djou to clear in a race against two Democrats. Now, there is genuine concern among Democrats that while Djou is up on air with appealing intro ads that don’t mention his party affiliation, neither state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa nor former Rep. Ed Case are running great campaigns. Case may enjoy an early lead, but he also has the least money. Furthermore, Democratic Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka will do all they can to ensure Hanabusa overtakes Case, their longstanding rival.
Were Djou to shoot the gap and win – possibly with as little as 35 to 40 percent of the vote – he would be the underdog to hold this seat for the GOP in the more normal November election. But the winner-take-all special election has the makings of a genuinely competitive three-way race, and President Obama’s 70 percent share of the vote here – this is his native seat – belies this district’s willingness to vote for the right kind of Republican. Hawaii voters will mail in ballots between April 30th and May 22nd, and this seat joins the May 18th special election in PA-12 in the Toss Up column.
Charles represents the area from Waikiki to Hawaii Kai on the Honolulu City Council. Before entering the City Council, Charles served in the Hawaii State House where he was the Minority Floor Leader. Charles has spent most of his life in Hawaii. Charles graduated from Punahou School and earned both a B.A. in Political Science and a B.S. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, graduating magna cum laude with distinction. Charles earned his law degree from the University of Southern California law school.
Outside of the City Council, Charles serves as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. Charles also practices as an attorney specializing in business law and teaches at the University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of Law.
Charles is an active member of the community. He has served on the Board of Directors of the American Lung Association and is a former member of the Neighborhood Board. Charles is a member of the Young Business Roundtable, the Rotary Club, and the Hawaii Telecommunications Association. Charles is also a member of the Hawaii Republican Party, where he previously served as Vice Chair. Charles is married to Stacey Kawasaki Djou and together they have three children. Charles’ surname “Djou” is a misspelled French translation of his Chinese surname “Zhou.”
Getting the economy back on track begins with a clear vision. I believe that every resident of Hawai‘i who is looking for a job should be able to find one. I have always made it a priority to lower taxes because reducing the tax burden allows you to keep more of your money for your family, to grow your business and to buy goods and services, which in turn fosters small business and job growth in our community. That is why I have never voted for a tax increase. You are a better steward of your money and can do more for the economy than the government. I will continue this long standing fight in Washington. A reduced tax burden must be offset by the elimination of government waste, which is symbolized by the widespread practice of using earmarks to add unnecessary spending to an already bloated federal budget. I will work hard to ensure that Hawai‘i receives the funds it deserves but also believes that those funds should come to us fairly through an open and transparent budget process following hearings and testimony. I will never sneak my own unexamined earmarks into the federal budget and I will fight earmarks pushed by other congressmen. I am the only member of the City Council to have never accepted a trip paid for by the City taxpayers. I will bring this strong sense of integrity and ethics with me to Washington.
Healthcare
I recognize that healthcare costs are increasing too fast in our country and that too many of our fellow citizens remain uninsured. I will consider any sensible idea for making healthcare work better in America. But any change to our healthcare system must address the spiraling costs and insure more Americans without limiting heath options or harming the doctor-patient relationship. For these reasons, I support market-based healthcare reforms that work. What is needed is tort reform. I have long supported a limit on non-economic damages for medical malpractice. Tort reform is long over due and I will fight for a $250,000 cap or three times economic damages for medical malpractice awards to help reduce the need for “defensive” medicine and bring down the cost of malpractice insurance. I also support allowing the sale of inter-state health insurance. Just two carriers provide over 90% of all health insurance in Hawaii, which reduces competition. I support allowing inter-state health insurance sales. Finally, we need to rethink the way we tax health insurance. The current structure of health insurance in the U.S. is an anachronism dating back to WWII. Rather than have corporations as the sole providers of health insurance, we should instead allow for individual tax deduction of health insurance and make the health insurance market a more “normal” individual choice. (emphasis mine)
