Dash of Calabash

John Rutledge, our favorite economist, in his blog 8/24/05 points out that China seems to be economically awake while the USA is half asleep. But, our Hawaii is deeply, peacefully napping. Hawaii will not compete for capital until our leaders accept the fact that such must be welcome. Higher taxes and more useless, feel good regulations impede creativity and risk taking. Uncertainty drives capital away. Results of a passed Akaka bill are uncertain to the max. The only reason we are not yet seeing negative results is because most rational observers believe the act is silly and doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell. Once they really understand the genuine danger, look out! And when they realize that Hawaii’s government is failing to challenge and discipline the tiny, noisy hate America, hate the US military faction, the capital funds will flee as well as fail to come. And, our talented young people will be on the way to greener pastures.(ror)

The Sunshine on the Akaka Bill page on GRIH has been updated with many more links from various news organizations. Visit the page here.

August 30, 2005 the Heritage Foundation will hold a discussion regarding the implications of the Akaka Bill and whether it could eventually lead to secession. The speakers will be:

Rubellite Kawena Kinney Johnson -
Emeritus Professor,
Department of Hawaiian and
Indo-Pacific Languages,
University of Hawaii

Larry P. Arnn, Ph.D. -
President,
Hillsdale College

John Fund -
Editorial Board Member,
The Wall Street Journal

For more on this event go here.

Will Hawaii’s gas cap law prove effective if oil rises to $100 a barrel as some are predicting? Will the gas cap law take the flexibility out of the market to respond to a quickly changing environment? As the gas cap mentality spreads to other states, now that Hawaii has raised the issue, what will be the result? Gas shortages and long lines at the pump like in the 1970’s? Just some of the questions raised by this article.

Please see the article by Matt Welch of Reason.

Yes indeed.

The federal government could call for a federally supervised vote of the people of Hawaii on these questions:

Do you want Hawaii to continue to be a state of the USA? Yes or No

Do you want Hawaii as a state to be impaired in any way by a separate government in Hawaii made up of some of its people based on ancestry? Yes or No

If the answer is no to the first question, the federal government should act to cut us lose. If the answer is yes and the answer to the second question is no by over 50 percent of the voters, Hawaii continues as a state and the Akaka Bill dies.

If something is due those of Native Hawaiian ancestry, the state should address the issue. But from a practical perspective, why don’t we all put our shoulder to the wheel and produce a prosperous, harmonious, civil society that will be a beacon for the nation?

(ror)

Regarding the recent OHA poll of 400+ people in Hawaii. Please note that OHA is consistent in advocating a vote in Washington, D.C. and avoiding a vote of the people of Hawaii. They can talk about 80% in favor all day long but the real bottom line is an actual vote of all of Hawaii’s voters on the question: “Do you want Hawaii to remain the 50Th state of the United States”? Yes or NO And, one more: “If you want Hawaii to remain a state of the Union, do you want another nation formed within Hawaii?” Yes or No. In short, lets have a vote in Hawaii by Hawaii’s people before a bunch of Washington, DC officials decide what we want.
(ror)

One state’s matching fund (like Hawaii is hoping to get for rail) is another state’s pork. The recently passed national highway bill contained a record number 6,371 special projects put in the bill by members of Congress to benefit (read: buy votes) their states and districts. While Republicans used to advocate smaller government and cutting government spending this appears to be no longer true. Spending is wildly out of control and as new report details it is mostly for local and private activities back home. Many such special “earmarks” in the national highway bill have nothing to do with highways at all, i.e., $350,000 for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Read the report here.

A new report rates housing affordability by comparing median income with median housing prices of 4 nations: Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Honolulu has the honor of coming in 5th out of 88 cities. The affordability rating is here and the data for the report is here.

This article not only outlines the time and dates of the upcoming debates on the Akaka Bill but contains some points by both sides as well.

One of the leading liberal blogs in the country has a posting detailing opposition to the Akaka Bill. The post was actually written quite a while ago and only recently came to our attention. If nothing else it is an interesting read on why the Akaka Bill is a mistake.