Hawaii State Senator Gary L. Hooser

I have come to believe that much of the hand-wringing and sometimes hysterical rhetoric about civil unions is a bit of a red herring in that it distracts us from what should be our focus whenever we make laws: access to justice for all.

As Americans we pride ourselves on being a nation of laws. And indeed people flock to our shores because they are attracted to a system of laws structured to ensure that all are treated equally. The question of civil unions should not be confused with the sanctification of marriage that religious institutions provide and which indeed should be their domain. The state’s primary responsibility is to provide the legal structure and ensure that the law is applied equally. Would anyone disagree with the very American idea that if all citizens are to be treated equally, all citizens should have access to the same legal structure and the protections that come with it?

The divisive scare-mongering and bombastic hyperbole that fills the airwaves of talk radio are similar to the noise that surrounds any attempt to have any civil discussion of civil unions. Visceral antipathies tend to obscure what should remain a consistent focus on cherished American values, laws and freedoms. Even conservatives like David Keene, Grover Norquist and Bob Barr have, in a different context, called for the "scare-mongering to stop."

Indeed, the misleading rhetoric on civil unions and the divisiveness it fosters need to stop.

This is a time that calls for greater unity, not less. The challenges we face are real and daunting: the need to give our children a quality education, the need for jobs, the need to protect our environment and reduce our dependency on foreign oil, the need to provide healthcare for all. These very large issues of public policy demand our best energies and our most creative solutions. It is to these areas that we should direct our combined efforts as a community. We can do this. We can rise above our parochial, private interests and work for the greater good without denying our neighbor the enjoyment of a private life complete with all the rights each of us expects as Americans.

We can and must find agreement and it is possible by viewing this important subject through the prism of equal rights. I know we can do this. I know it because we are Americans. Our country was founded on these principles, the most basic among them being personal freedom and equal protection under the law.

Hawaii State Senator Gary L. Hooser
Watch "The Hooser Story" at http://www.garyhooser.com
Written for The Garden Island Newspaper

Health care is a critical issue on our nation’s agenda and Hawai‘i is poised to be a leader in providing sound solutions.

A recent New York Times article touted Hawai‘i’s healthcare system as a “lesson for lawmakers.” Workers in our state, who work more than 20 hours a week, have enjoyed health care benefits since 1974. A rarity in other states in the union, Congress is looking for ways to incorporate similar initiatives in the new national plans.

Compared to many parts of the country, Hawai‘i has a comfortable climate that promotes healthy living. We have the ability to eat nutritious produce that is grown locally and enjoy the health benefits of fresh-caught seafood. For many, the outdoors is our playground.

Our people enjoy the ocean, hiking on mountain trails and increasingly are taking up cycling and walking as our infrastructure for these activities improves and becomes more accessible. For these reasons and others, Hawai‘i’s Medicare costs are far below the national average. Culturally, our guiding principles reiterate shared responsibility. In the spirit of ohana, legislators, providers and citizens know of the need to work together to provide care for all.

Yet today, nearly 125,000 people in our islands are without health insurance. Amid the economic downturn, newly unemployed workers are watching their benefits dissolve. Employers are also struggling to afford the ever-rising cost of insurance while revenue declines. In recent years, an increasing number of part-time (less than 19 hours per week) employees have been utilized by businesses around our state to keep costs down and avoid health care insurance requirements.

With prices of medication rising faster than inflation, the incomes of seniors, the chronically ill, and the working poor, are suffering. Many of Hawai‘i's people face tough choices about their health, and may go without medication in order to pay for other basic needs. Additionally, our small hospitals on Kaua‘i and throughout the neighbor islands, are facing shrinking budgets and increasing deficits.

I have dealt with this first-hand. My wife’s parents who reside with us in Wailua Homesteads are a living testament to the benefit of our country’s existing “public option.” While not without its shortcomings, if not for Medicare there is no doubt that the challenges of growing old would have bankrupted our family years ago. I know the struggles personally of providing our increasingly ageing population with adequate care within the constraints of a working family’s limited budget.

All Americans have a right to expect affordable, quality healthcare. 
I am in support of a single-payer universal coverage system where no one is denied health care due to lack of income. Legislative action must prevent any cuts or changes that reduce the existing benefits of Medicare/Medicaid and must support efforts to increase reimbursements to health care providers. The health care insurance and pharmaceutical industries have profited from the sick and injured long enough. It is time again to put the customer first and ensure that everyone is provided affordable quality care.

Several initiatives intended to reform and improve our health care system are currently being debated at the federal level in Congress. I am hopeful that our federal leaders will pass a law that gradually expands Medicare and/or Medicaid benefits to more Americans. In addition, support for community-based health centers must also be increased. This is possible without taking away existing benefits from those who desire, and can afford a higher level of service.

Local and national leaders must take charge and adapt the healthcare system to the times.

The time for action is now.

Senator Gary L. Hooser
Watch "The Hooser Story" at http://www.garyhooser.com

Past Sierra Club Directors Endorse Hooser
Two former directors of the Hawaii chapter of the Sierra Club, Jeff Mikulina (1998-2008) and David Kimo Frankel (1996-1998) as well as respected environmental professor/attorney Denise Antolini, and numerous other leaders in the environmental community have endorsed Senator Gary Hooser for Lt. Governor in 2010

"As someone who has been active in advocating for Hawai'i's sustainability for over a decade, I'm supporting Gary Hooser for Lt. Governor," said Mikulina. "Gary has earned my support through his honest, thoughtful, and smart approach to leadership and policymaking. He's not afraid to make the tough political decisions that will benefit many--today and tomorrow."

David Kimo Frankel, recounting his years of lobbying for the Sierra Club had shown him that "there are not many people who can successfully navigate the system with integrity, intelligence and a progressive ideology. Gary Hooser is the kind of person we need at the statewide level here in Hawai`i," he said.
Losing 17 Days Of Classroom Instruction Is Unacceptable
"We need to convene a five day special session, utilize special funds for education, cancel the 17 days of furlough and send both parties back to the bargaining table." State Senator Gary Hooser - Honolulu Advertiser http://garyhooser.livejournal.com/34231.html

Who is Gary Hooser?
How did Hooser go from being a Waikiki pedicab driver, to being Majority Leader in the Hawaii Senate? Watch the 6 minute online video, "The Hooser Story". http://www.garyhooser.com

Your Help Is Needed Today
Our State is entering an era where leadership, new ideas and unwavering core values are needed more than ever before. If you value - energy independence, a robust diverse and sustainable economy, social justice, protection of the environment and a strong public education system - we need your help and support - TODAY. To be successful, our campaign must raise a minimum of $400,000. Our immediate goal is to reach 1,000 people each contributing $10, $100, or more by November 9th. Please go to http://www.garyhooser.com to join us and be part of the Hooser 1,000 if you can.

Action on Energy and the Environment
One of the most recent examples of Hooser's leadership is his authorship of the Solar Mandate Bill, requiring all new homes built in Hawai'i after January 1, 2010 to have a solar hot water heater or other highly efficient system installed.

Hooser's 2010 campaign for Lt. Governor is the first ever in Hawai`i to go carbon neutral to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight global climate change, by purchasing carbon credits from local companies doing reforestation and clean energy development in the islands.

Please join us:
http://www.facebook.com/supportgaryhooser
http://twitter.com/garyhooser/

Friends of Gary Hooser - P.O. Box 4094 - Honolulu Hawaii - 96812
Reach Senator Gary Hooser via senatorhooser@gmail.com or cell 808-652-4279

Our campaign for Lieutenant Governor is right on track. In retrospect, the decision to announce early was a very good one. During the past 8 months we have been able to organize a great team in every county, host a series of successful events on three islands, develop campaign materials, earn valuable early media attention and position ourselves well for the coming homestretch.

Recent polls indicate that the top three declared LG candidates, including myself, are all within 5% of each other. This tight grouping portends a very competitive race during the coming year.

Our core base is solid and expanding every day. Prominent advocates in the energy independence and environmental movement, progressive Democrats, small business owners and leaders from the educational community are stepping forward daily to offer their public endorsement and support of our campaign. Recently a former campaign organizer working with President Obama’s campaign has joined our team as well.

Yes, we are on track, fired up and ready to go 

To stay on track – We need your help and support today. If you believe as I do - in energy independence, in a robust diverse and sustainable economy, in the protection of the environment and in supporting a strong public education system – then we need each other.

Running a successful statewide campaign is expensive. There is a constant need to raise funds and expand the base of people who are involved – We need your help, support and your financial contribution – TODAY.

There are three very important ways you can help
:
#1 Visit http://www.garyhooser.com and make an online donation by credit card. Whether it is $10, $100 or more – your help is much needed and greatly appreciated. Or, if you prefer to make a contribution by mail, please send to “Friends of Gary Hooser, P.O. 4094, Honolulu HI 96812

#2) Send an email of support to your email list of friends and ask them also to support our campaign.

#3) Take a moment when on the website to view the new 6 minute version of “The Hooser Story” online video.

Our campaign is off to a great start, but your help and your extra push is needed today to maintain momentum toward victory in 2010.

If you have questions about the campaign, about issues, about accomplishments or about my qualifications and track record – you can find most of your answers at http://www.garyhooser.com or if you prefer, just call me direct at 808-652-4279. I would love to speak with you.

Sincerely, gh
Gary Hooser
Hawaii State Senator and Majority Leader
2010 Candidate for Lieutenant Governor
Watch “The Hooser Story” at http://www.garyhooser.com
Follow me on Twitter “garyhooser”
On Facebook http://www.facebook.com/supportgaryhooser

Losing 17 days of classroom instruction in our public schools is unacceptable.

While today’s budget crisis is temporary, the negative impacts of cutting 17 days of classroom instruction this year will last forever. No one will disagree that as a direct result of this action student achievement will suffer, test scores will fall and the future of an entire generation of young people will be impacted. The disruption to our families as they scramble with the added burden, further multiplies the adverse impacts.

When I speak to community groups around the state, I like to repeat a truism I have learned serving in the legislature; “When they tell you there is no money, what they are really saying is that it is not a priority.”

The future of our children must be our top priority. While we can complain about the quality and bemoan the historical low ratings of public education in Hawai‘i, losing 17 days of classroom instruction will reverse years of effort and plunge our state deeper into educational mediocrity.

It does not have to be this way. We can avoid teacher furloughs and keep our schools open by having the political will and foresight to use a portion of the $180,000,000 sitting now in the Hawai‘i Hurricane Relief Fund.

As someone whose life was shaken by Hurricane Iwa in 1982 and then losing my home and almost losing my business to Hurricane Iniki in 1992, I do not make this suggestion lightly. The physical damage wrought by a hurricane would be rebuilt, with or without the hurricane fund in place. Insurance companies have returned to Hawai‘i since their post-Iniki departure and federal disaster agencies are also ready to help.

With our budget in dire straits funding options are limited. Every state program has already been drastically cut and all public workers face pay cuts, furloughs and even layoffs. The additional funds needed to make our schools whole are too great to achieve by simply cutting state programs even more. Furthermore, our state constitution guarantees the rights of public workers to bargain collectively. Neither the legislature nor the Governor can dictate to teachers or other public workers specific contract provisions or wage cuts.

Although the hurricane fund can provide immediate relief, long-term answers must come in the 2010 legislative session. We must make the hard decisions with regards to streamlining and restructuring all government services, and face head-on the question regarding possible tax increases. If the public supports increasing taxes to support education, we must approach the topic cautiously with the clear goal of improving the status quo, not simply piling on more tax increases.

To be clear, we cannot continue to rely on tourists and high income residents to carry the brunt of the load. Possibilities include reforming the General Excise Tax (GET) by removing this regressive tax from supermarket food, medical services/supplies and rents under $1,000 – while earmarking a modest net increase for education. Other possibilities include what some are calling the “new sin taxes” - a “sugar tax” on soda, a “fat tax” on fast and/or processed food and a “carbon tax” on oil – all of which would serve the dual purposes of raising much needed funds while deterring inherently unhealthy behavior.

In the coming weeks there will be many meetings and briefings where the pros and cons of various ways to deal with this issue will be debated. These discussions are important, but we must speed the process in restoring our children’s access to education. If others have ideas that would resolve the issue in a realistic and bi-partisan manner, I would love to hear them.

The long-term remedies demand an extensive community discussion and thorough evaluation. The short-term solution however I believe is clear. We need to convene a five day special session, utilize hurricane funds for education, cancel the 17 days of furlough and send both parties back to the bargaining table.

Losing 17 days of classroom instruction is just unacceptable.

State Senator Gary Hooser
http://www.garyhooser.com
Twitter "garyhooser" Facebook http://www.facebook.com/supportgaryhooser
Written for the Honolulu Advertiser - October 5, 2009

In 1966, a well-known California political figure, Jesse M. Unruh, coined the phrase “Money is the mother’s milk of politics.” Today in Hawai‘i, the primary measure of a candidate is too often the question “yes, but can he/she raise the money?”

The opening paragraphs of the bi-partisan Common Cause Agenda for Change says it best: The problem is not so much the amount we spend on political campaigns ... as it is who pays for them, what they get in return and how that distorts public policy and spending priorities. Keeping our elected officials dependent on the very same wealthy special interests they are supposed to regulate undermines public confidence in their government and its ability to tackle the tough issues that face the nation.

To ensure the survival of democracy, to re-inspire and re-engage those who have lost faith in government leaders, who’ve opted out of the system and who no longer even show up to vote on election day, the power of big money and big influence must be tempered through comprehensive campaign spending reform.

It is likely to cost $2 million to $3 million or more to get elected governor in Hawai‘i in the upcoming 2010 elections. The successful candidate for the office of lieutenant governor will spend at least $500,000 in the primary election alone.

While the majority of funds are spent on radio, TV and newspaper advertising, there are myriad other expenses such as office rental, yard signs, banners, mailings, brochures and inter-island travel.

Getting your message out to the public, building statewide name recognition, running a year-long effort focused on success at the polls on election day is just plain expensive.

There are only a few basic ways to raise money: go to Bishop Street in downtown Honolulu and ask 100 big dogs for the maximum $6,000, reach out to main street and try to find 6,000 regular people to contribute $100 each, ask Mom or Dad for a loan or dig into personal family wealth (if they have any).

For many good candidates, Bishop Street is a foreign town and accessing family assets is just not an option. These financial realities alone are formidable roadblocks to most who contemplate running for high office. To move higher requires convincing the moneyed elite that you are worthy. Or, one must be very good at organizing at the grassroots level and be able to build a veritable army of people willing to contribute at the $10 to $100 level.

Is this a bad thing? A rhetorical question for the candidate because this is the system we operate under. You have to be elected to serve and you have to raise the money to be elected. For the long-term public interest, it is a real question and the answer in my humble opinion is yes, it is a bad thing. Choosing our public leaders based on their ability to raise large amounts of money clearly does not serve the public interest.

A viable statewide public funding option is needed in Hawai‘i. A system whereby qualified candidates may access public funds to level the playing field against the favorite sons and daughters of established political and moneyed interests is essential to re-instill faith and confidence in the democratic process.

Until a fully funded public option is available in Hawai‘i, it is up to both the moneyed elite and the grassroots, and yes, Mom and Dad too, to carry the very heavy weight of paying the cost of the very core of our democracy — free and fair elections.

• Gary Hooser, a Democrat, represents the 7th District in the state Senate. This column was written exclusively for The Garden Island.

See: The Hooser Story at http://www.garyhooser.com
Follow Hooser on Twitter "garyhooser" or on FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/supportgaryhooser

David Shapiro’s recent column entitled “Civil unions issue remains political divider” http://bit.ly/ePJTB suggests that Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona, Councilmember Gary Okino and assorted other right wing conservatives are in the process of fermenting a political holy war of sorts.

The plan it seems is that Aiona, Okino and others will rally and incite their flocks to storm forth from the temple and rain down the wrath of God upon the heads and shoulders of politicians like myself who support equality for all people.

Okino is quoted as saying that he will “bring a righteous point of view” implying that God is somehow on his side, which by definition then would be on the side of those who preach sermons of denigration, demonization and inequality.

The God I know is one who teaches love, tolerance, justice and equality.

The quest for the equal treatment of same sex couples is simply that. Opposite sex couples who choose to live in a committed relationship and are joined in marriage receive a certain bundle of rights granted to them by government. HB444 merely says that same sex couples are entitled to the same bundle of rights, but rather via a civil union agreement and not a marriage.

It is not the purview of government to sanctify relationships. The sanctification of a marriage is something that belongs, in my opinion, within the domain of religious institutions. Government is responsible for the passing, implementation and enforcement of criminal and civil law while religion holds the rights to blessings, sanctification and matters relating to eternal life. Government and its elected leaders, should and must enforce the laws that we pass equally and justly without discrimination.

Every legislator has sworn an oath to support and uphold the Constitution of the State of Hawaii and of the United States of America. Equal protection under the law is a fundamental precept of both our state and our national constitution, a principle I support whole-heartedly.

The passage of HB444 is essential to the fulfillment of our constitutional duty as a legislative body. It is also what I, as an individual, believe is simply the right thing to do.

I love the work that I do as a Hawaii State Senator and hope to do more one day as Lieutenant Governor. People often ask “Why do you run, why do you serve?” The answer is simple, I serve in public office because I want to make Hawaii and our world a better place. The God that I pray and listen to in the quiet of the night, is a God who guides me also on the path to righteous decision making - but mine is a path of tolerance, of justice and of equality.

As a legislator I believe it is my duty to help make real here in Hawaii the hope expressed in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."

Gary L. Hooser
Hawaii State Senator, Majority Leader
2010 Candidate - Lieutenant Governor

* Watch online video The Hooser Story http://www.garyhooser.com
FACEBOOK http://facebook.com/supportgaryhooser
TWITTER garyhooser

The economic winds are blowing hard against the bow of our state and stirring up a fierce and apparently relentless storm. The answer is to paddle together, not simply toss people out of the canoe.

Yes, we have to live within our means and yes, government services must be delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible. However the governor’s proposal for across the board layoffs, if allowed to go forward, would have significant and far-reaching negative impacts greatly exceeding any cost savings that might occur as a result.

We need to balance our state budget with a long term perspective—in a thoughtful and deliberative manner, using all of the tools at our disposal. Early retirement, attrition, deferred payments, special funds and user fees are just a few of the tools at hand. Technology to modernize and streamline the delivery of services must also be utilized. To do the job properly, with the maximum benefits and least amount of cost and disruption takes time. It is the nature of long term planning.

The governor unfortunately believes the task must be accomplished immediately and therein lies the problem. Decisions made in a panic mode are by nature conducted without adequate information and without proper discussion, resulting in a plethora of unintended consequences. The current situation with regards to agricultural inspectors is but one example of this. In the case of the State Foundation of Culture and the Arts, the proposed layoffs effectively cut millions of dollars in federal funds in order to achieve a $500,000 savings to the State budget.

Fear-based decision-making is just plain wrong.

The State Administration must take a deep breath, gather community leaders together from around the islands, then properly plan a strategy that will take our state forward in a measured and thoughtful manner. There must be a broad-based community discussion and a consensus built on what type of government we want and are willing to pay for.

Our community must decide what services we believe are essential and face up to the responsibility of paying for them. Is it acceptable to have our children attend 17 less days of school per year? Is it okay to leave our farmers stranded high and dry through layoffs of critical agricultural inspectors? Can we live without health inspectors checking our water and our food, or do we believe this is important and should be paid for? What about invasive species control? What about parks, airport and highway maintenance? Are libraries really important to us or should we simply shut them down? Would businesses rather pay the cost of higher unemployment rates or would they prefer a broader based tax increase shared by everyone?

The big fallacy about layoffs is that they create savings. In almost all situations they do not create savings, they merely shift and often actually increase costs.
Clearly there is a price to pay, one way or another. And clearly, simply throwing some of our friends and neighbors out of the canoe, is not the answer.

Gary L. Hooser
Hawaii State Senator, Majority Leader

* Official Senate contact: senhooser@capitol.hawaii.gov 808-586-6030
* Watch online video "The Hooser Story" http://www.garyhooser.com
* Hooser Blog and Friends of Gary Hooser http://www.garyhooser.com
FACEBOOK http://facebook.com/supportgaryhooser
TWITTER garyhooser

According to the 9/11 Commission, 2,981 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks. This tragic and horrific event can arguably be said to represent the most significant attack against the United States in history.

Each of us can remember where we were at the moment those planes slammed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, and each of us has burned into our minds those images of the buildings collapsing, the smoke rising, the people leaping from the windows and the looks of fear and sadness from all on this day.

Since that time, over 100,000 additional deaths have occurred as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. People, soldiers and civilians alike continue to die daily in the continuing conflict.

How Hawai‘i has changed since 9/11 depends in large part on one’s individual perspective and how this tragedy has touched each of us personally, or not.

If you have lost a loved one, if you have yourself been injured, or if you have served in the war or been directly involved in the events of the past eight years resulting from the 9/11 attacks, it is possible that your life will never be the same.

To others, life in Hawai‘i may not have changed very much at all. Traffic continues to be a challenge, housing continues to be too expensive, and wages continue to be too low relative to Hawai‘i’s cost of living.

The price of oil stood then at around $24 per barrel and now hovers around $70. Gasoline at the pump was at $1.50 per gallon and today is at $2.60 or so.

The unemployment rate in Hawai‘i was around 4 percent and today it has climbed over 7 percent.

The stock market closed on Sept. 11, 2009, at 9,605.41 nearly the exact same level the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at the day of the tragedy.

We still do not have “health care for all.” The disparity between the very rich and the very poor continues to increase. Global warming and the burning of fossil fuels continue to melt the ice caps and glaciers. In Hawai‘i we continue to lose native species to extinction at an astonishing rate, all the while fighting the invasion of alien plants, animals and insects who pound on our door daily seeking the hospitality of our islands.

How has Hawai‘i changed since 9/11? Ask the million or so residents and then the 5 million visitors and the answers will all be different.

I prefer to look forward. I prefer to think about how we might achieve peace and maintain a secure and safe world, and how we might bring home our troops from Afghanistan and related areas.

Rather than look back at the terrible tragedy of 9/11 and the terror, fear and sadness that event brought to our country, I prefer to look forward to see how we might rebuild the trust, friendships and mutual interdependence so critical to creating a positive, safe and secure future for our children.

Remember the feeling of unity we all shared in the days and weeks following 9/11? We all cared a little bit more, judged a little less, had a little more patience with each other and set aside our trivial differences to come together as humans who shared a common bond. There was no Democrat/Republican, no gay/straight, no rich/poor, no black/white, no man/woman — we were all reduced to our shared human core. Humans who need each other and who lift each other.

Whether it is the challenges facing the here and now in our own community and state, or those facing our nation and the world — recognizing that we are all in it together is key. We are all related, we are all interdependent and we all must find a way to work together toward the common good. We must relive and recapture the unity we held for that fleeting moment, our future depends on it.

The most important thing government can do to support business is to provide a degree of certainty with regards to government regulation.

Yanking the rug out from under farmers and businesses around the state, with little or no notice only perpetuates Hawaii’s reputation for not being “business friendly.”

One such yanking of the rug are the layoffs being proposed by the State Administration.

• Governor Lingle has issued layoff notices to 118 out of 350 Department of Agriculture employees. This impacts more than one-third of its permanent workforce.

• Of the 78 agricultural inspectors, 50 have been given notice. Most are from the neighbor islands.

With agricultural businesses, as with other business sectors, we can and must do better.

How is the larger infrastructure that supports agriculture to be sustained?

• Farmers large and small will be dramatically impacted, both from an increase in destructive pests because of less vigilant inspection, and from a severe reduction in the export and import-sustaining bureaucracy.

• Farmers who import or export produce and fruits, flower growers, cattle ranchers, ornamental growers, and even aqua culture businesses know that their perishable exports and imports will not survive delayed processing for distribution.

• Farmers will be forced to cut back or get out of the business altogether—and we in the community will, of course, face a reduction in choice and an increase in price.

Farmers around the State cite three elements central to their growth and prosperity.

1. Lack of a reliable, affordable source of irrigation water.

The complex system of irrigation ditches maintained by the sugar plantations has largely withered away as the plantations disappeared. Add to that, competition for water from urban development and from the need to restore natural water flow to streams and rivers – and we understand the water shortage in what would otherwise be prime farmland.

2. Lack of farm-worker housing negatively impacts labor.

The shortage of agricultural labor seen throughout our country is exacerbated in Hawaii by our high cost of living. Historic abuse and development of so called “fake farms” around the state also drives up the cost of housing on agricultural lands.

3. Numerous hurdles in gaining access to land.

All of us have seen the large vistas of open space now lying fallow. Small farmers face numerous hurdles in gaining access to parcels of this land. Much of this land (both privately owned and state owned) is in “large chunks” and lacks roads, water, fencing etc. Major land owners as well as the state are hesitant to give out long term leases or to sell the land to farmers at affordable prices.

Water, labor, land: all three issues can be resolved with community input, thoughtful legislation, and a focused commitment from the administration.

Hawai'i must take a leadership role in funding and managing our irrigation systems.

Whether by supporting existing irrigation cooperatives or via direct funding, the core irrigation infrastructure must be treated the way we treat other public infrastructure.

Farm worker housing issue must be resolved.

Amendments to the law must be made without opening the door to further abuse by those seeking merely to expand their vacation rental businesses.

Thousands of acres of State land suitable for agriculture are not utilized properly.

State Department of Agriculture must be more aggressive in making this land available to local farmers, many of whom tell me that they stand ready today to put that land to good use.

Supporting farms and farmers along with renewable energy and improved public education are fundamental to sustainability and a robust economy.

My response to an email received this morning from a concerned citizen:

Great letter Carol. And you are not a "nobody"...you are everybody and your email, letters and telephone calls are important. You are all the people who elected President Obama...and all the people who are needed to support him and others who want to change our country and our world for the better. Thank you for taking action. Thank you for being involved and staying involved. gh

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Private
Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 12:57 PM
To: Sen. Gary Hooser
Subject: President Obama's Health Care Plan

Aloha, Gary:

I’m just a ‘nobody’ but below is what I just emailed to President Obama. It’s FYI only.

Aloha President Obama:

I'm 65, a well educated (MBA) single white female, democrat living on Kauai. I know, in my heart of hearts, that you'll not see this message, but I write often just so I can feel inside that, as an American, I really care about our country and I believe in you so much that I literally cry when I hear all the disparaging remarks made about you. It appears to me that those who oppose you the most are the basically uneducated folks...and, of course, those stupid Republicans and I think they are crazy, too.

********************************
Above is first part of letter only...balance of message asks President Obama to educate the uneducated on the health care issue...and addresses other issues.
********************************************
Gary L. Hooser
Hawaii State Senator - Majority Leader
Candidate for Liuetenant Governor
Find out more and watch "The Hooser Story" at http://www.garyhooser.com
garylhooser@hotmail.com is the primary address to use for all purposes (personal, Loomis-ISC, and Campaign) except for official Senate communications.

* Official Senate contact: senhooser@capitol.hawaii.gov 808-586-6030
* Cell phone direct: 808-652-4279
* V.P. Loomis-ISC: Communications/Marketing http://www.loomis-isc.com
* Watch online video "The Hooser Story" http://www.garyhooser.com
* Hooser Blog and Friends of Gary Hooser http://www.garyhooser.com

If you would like to be on the Friends of Gary Hooser Campaign E-Newsletter list - submit your name and contact information at http://www.garyhooser.com

Aloha,

On Public Policy And The Future - By Senator Gary Hooser
*Getting out of the rut - it is past time to refocus: It is far too easy to be consumed and literally dragged down by the negativity of the events currently engulfing our state. The uncertainty and the lack of clarity as to what lies on the horizon makes navigating these troubled waters all the more difficult. It is time to lift our heads, put our shoulders and our brains to the task and move past the siege mentality that currently hobbles both our state government and the private sector.
READ MORE (Hooser Blog http://www.garyhooser.com )

Energy and Environment Leaders Support Hooser

Jeff Mikulina - Statewide advocate on renewable energy and environmental issues
"As someone who has been active in advocating for Hawaii's sustainability for over a decade, I'm supporting Gary Hooser for Lt. Governor. Gary has earned my support through his honest, thoughtful, and smart approach to leadership and policymaking.

Gary makes bold decisions and sticks to his word. He's not afraid to make the tough political decisions that will benefit many--today and tomorrow. Gary is the type of leader that the next generation would choose if they could."

Kimo Frankel - long time advocate on environmental issues
"Kauai Senator Gary Hooser is principled, progressive, and productive---not your typical politician!

I've been burned in the past by many politicians. My years of lobbying for the Sierra Club, suing county officials and even working in government have shown me that there are not many people who can successfully navigate the system with integrity, intelligence and a progressive ideology. Gary Hooser is the kind of person we need at the statewide level here in Hawai`i."

The above statements of support are personal and individual in nature and do not represent the position of any organization whatsoever that the individuals may be affiliated with now or in the past.

*Watch “The Hooser Story” online video at www.garyhooser.com

*Follow us on Twitter (garyhooser) and become a friend on Facebook

FUNDRAISING
*Campaign spending reports are in: With the actual election still over one year away, the Friends of Gary Hooser campaign has raised over $47,000 with more than 330 people making individual donations!

*Our immediate campaign goal is to reach our first $100,000 with 1,000 individual donors contributing $25 to $100 each. You can help by mailing in your contribution today or donating online at http://www.garyhooser.com. Your help and support is much needed and greatly appreciated.

UPCOMING EVENTS
*MAUI: Thursday, August 20, 2009 from 5:30 to 7:30 at the Velma Santos Wailuku Community Center - Ono Grinds, Live Entertainment $25 donation suggested donation - Contact Helen Nielsen oluolu@maui.net

* O'AHU: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 - 5:30 to 7:30 Pau Hana Event at the elegant and historical Pacific Club in downtown Honolulu. $150 suggested donation - Contact marialebron@ymail.com

Would you like to help by hosting a fundraiser or coffee hour? If so please contact Campaign Coordinator Maria Lebron at marialebron@ymail.com As always, your comments, suggestions and ideas are welcome. Please email me anytime at senatorhooser@gmail.com

Note: Contribution checks should be made to Friends of Gary Hooser and mailed to the address below. PayPal and Credit Card contributions are also welcome and can be made at http://www.garyhooser.com. Corporate contributions and funds from foreign nationals will not be accepted.

Gary Hooser
State Senator - Majority Leader
Candidate for Lieutenant Governor

garylhooser@hotmail.com is the primary address to use for all purposes (personal, Loomis-ISC, and Campaign) except for official Senate communications.

* Official Senate contact: senhooser@capitol.hawaii.gov 808-586-6030
* Cell phone direct: 808-652-4279
* V.P. Loomis-ISC: Communications/Marketing http://www.loomis-isc.com
* Watch online video "The Hooser Story" http://www.garyhooser.com
* Hooser Blog and Friends of Gary Hooser http://www.garyhooser.com
This message is a personal, private and unofficial communication.

Time to refocus, time to move on

This past Sunday, Nobel-prize winning economist, Paul Krugman on This Week with George Stephanopoulos cautiously affirmed what Newsweek has just announced on its front cover: “The Recession is Over.” For all those people still struggling to make ends meet in the aftermath of foreclosures, bankruptcies and job losses, this may be hard to swallow. The lack of clarity as to what lies on the horizon makes navigating the troubled waters of recovery all the more difficult. As the same Newsweek story points out, it will be a “pokey, painful recovery.”

It is time to lift our heads, put our shoulders and our brains to the task and move past the siege mentality that currently hobbles both our state government and the private sector. It is time to refocus and confront the new reality.

Governor Lingle and our leaders in labor need to strike a quick and fair bargain. And we all need to turn our attention to the task of re-vitalizing our economy, re-energizing our education system and building a sustainable future – all the while re-planting the seeds of hope and optimism in our community.

We live in one of the greatest places on this planet, and we have within ourselves the power and the ability to reinvigorate our economy and our people.

The formula is as simple as it is demanding: a focus on energy independence, educational excellence and food security will translate into economic vitality and long term sustainability.

The dangerous convergence of economic, environmental and security interests surrounding our near total dependence on imported oil, make the goal of energy independence the most critical issue facing our State.

But, as a place with an abundance of natural energy resources including solar, wind, geothermal, wave and ocean thermal the opportunity and benefits of tackling this issue are huge.

Retaining within our own economy any significant percentage of the $7 billion or more presently exported annually for the importation of foreign oil would have a massive and immediate economic-multiplier effect. The creation of new “Green Collar” jobs in both the development and implementation of renewable energy strategies is a tangible, here and now, opportunity.

Hawai‘i can be the world leader in the development of renewable energy. This is not an idle dream. It is a realizable goal.

As is achieving excellence in our public education system. Pre-K through University—we have to do better by our children and grandchildren. While streamlining and improving the efficiencies of the central DOE administration is essential, our primary focus must be on improving the class-room experience of students. In the long term we must increase the pay and training of teachers while shrinking class size especially in the lower grades. Funding to support education will continue to be a challenge but must not be used as an excuse for failure or non-action. Parents, students, businesses and communities across our state must step up to the plate even more and provide the resolve and leadership needed to achieve our goal of excellence in public education. Test scores have improved steadily over the past few years and we must maintain the positive momentum.

To achieve true long term sustainability as an island state, we must be serious about supporting our local farmers and protecting our shrinking supply of agricultural lands.

Hawaii is dangerously dependent on imported food and with united government and public support we could dramatically reduce our reliance on imported meat, fish, milk and produce. Our state government spends millions each year to feed public school students in our schools, inmates in our prisons and patients in our public hospitals – state government should set the example and buy locally grown food first.

We are entering a new reality and a new economy. It is critical now more than ever that we work together as a community, that we set aside our differences and that we approach the challenges of the present as the opportunities for the future that they really are.
Pupukahi i holomua.

Gary L. Hooser
Hawaii State Senator
Watch "The Hooser Story" at http://www.garyhooser.com

In his book “Hot, Flat and Crowded,” Thomas L. Friedman explains the dangerous convergence of economic, environmental and security interests that makes the goal of energy independence the most critical issue facing our nation.

As an island state nearly totally dependent on imported oil, the urgency for Hawai‘i is magnified ten-fold. As a place with an abundance of natural energy resources including solar, wind, geo thermal, wave, and ocean thermal the opportunity is magnified equally so.

Energy independence represents an immediate, clear and unambiguous pathway to a prosperous, vibrant and diversified economy. Retaining any significant percentage of the $6 billion or more presently exported annually for the importation of oil would have a massive and immediate economic multiplier effect. The creation of new “Green Collar” jobs in both the development and implementation of renewable energy strategies represents real opportunity, but this must be dramatically accelerated.

Hawai‘i can be the world leader in the development of renewable energy.

The environmental benefits of energy independence are obvious. The risk of rising sea levels should be incentive enough for us to lead the way in reducing green house gas emissions.

Given the fragile state of our economy at the moment, any incident whether natural or man-made that might keep the oil tankers from getting here, would send our economy into a tailspin and has the potential to send our community into the dark ages, literally.

While much has been accomplished in small incremental steps over the past few years, it is time for bold action.

One such bold step was taken recently when the legislature passed into law a “first in the nation” initiative requiring a solar hot water heater or other energy efficient system be installed in all new homes starting in 2010. As the original introducer of this Bill, I know first hand the challenge involved in taking bold steps and applaud my colleagues and especially Kaua‘i’s own Representative Hermina Morita for making this a reality.

Another bold step, also supported by myself and written in large part by Rep Morita is HB1271 now sitting under threat of veto, at the desk of the governor. It is imperative that this measure which will generate millions of dollars in targeted support for food and energy security initiatives be signed into law. Hopefully the governor relents and approves, but if not the legislature should over-ride the veto.

Ultimately what is needed in our state is an accelerated plan in support of “democratized power production.” Every roof top of every home and business should and can become its own independent power producer. Distributed generation favoring small power producers, supported by a smart grid is the model our State should be aggressively pursuing.

Unfortunately, the monolithic public utility model of the past continues to dominate and consequently inhibit the expansion of small independent power producers. For a variety of reasons, our electric public utilities statewide are resistant to change and have a clear bias toward supporting “big power” producers and at the expense of smaller producers. Existing utilities must embrace and encourage the small producer and facilitate the proliferation of true distributed generation by focusing and accelerating the development of “smart grid” technology and by expanding rather than limiting the benefits of net metering, allowing individuals to sell their excess power back to the grid at reasonable rates.

Counties, who control the zoning and permitting process, must also recognize the urgency and the benefits that come with accelerating the process that allows individual homes, farms and business to be energy self-sufficient.

The technology is available now. The public is clamoring for action. We have a White House that supports this kind of change. It is time to seize the moment. IMUA!

Hawaii Senator Gary Hooser
Majority Leader
Candidate for Lieutenant Governor
Watch "The Hooser Story" at http://www.garyhooser.com

HONOLULU, HI – State Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser kicked-off his statewide campaign for 2010 Lieutenant Governor before a packed crowd at a fundraising rally held on Tuesday, June 9th at the DAV Hall - Ke‘ehi Lagoon on O‘ahu. The candidate told friends, family and supporters that he has his eye on one assignment over all others:


“In a state with abundant sunshine, steady trade winds and the potential for wave, ocean and geo-thermal energy, we should clearly be the world’s leader in the development, testing, use, and export of renewable energy technology,” said Hooser. “If elected, this will be the first job I request of the new Governor. I will ask him or her to let me help lead the way in making Hawai‘i energy self-sufficient.”

Hooser also touched upon other issues about which he feels most strongly, stressing his belief in equality for all, his support of universal access to healthcare and education, his belief that drug addiction is primarily a public health issue and the urgent need to build environmental awareness and energy independence.

Acknowledging that his opponents may very well voice similar positions he made the case for his candidacy: “Besides the experience, business, family, living through with the community the impact of two hurricanes on Kauai, council and state legislative experience; the progressive values and policy positions, I am different because I have been tested. I have proven my resolve. I have proven that I am who I say I am and I have proven that I will fight and stand for what is right and just,” he said.

He reminded supporters of the comprehensive list of ways in which he had already acted upon Hawai‘i’s most critical issues, citing his recent efforts in regards to civil unions, his active support of nurses, hotel workers and teachers, and the authoring and successful passing of the nation’s first solar mandate bill.

“I am here tonight to say to you that I believe sincerely, that with new leadership, new energy and a new commitment to the future, we can achieve the Hawai‘i and the future that we all want and deserve. And I am here tonight to ask you to join me in making these dreams a reality,” Hooser said in his remarks.

The first of its kind in Hawai‘i, Senator Gary Hooser’s campaign for 2010 Lieutenant Governor is a carbon neutral campaign. A longtime advocate of sustainability and the environment in the Senate, Hooser has committed to offset all C02 generated by his campaign by purchasing carbon credits from local companies doing reforestation and clean energy development. “These efforts are my way of affirming my long-standing commitment to doing all that I can to protect the environment and foster a greener economy,” Hooser said.

The Friends of Gary Hooser will be hosting several meet and greet/fundraising events on Kaua‘i, Maui and Big Island over the next three months. For more information, please visit www.garyhooser.com.

The most recent effort by Lenny Klompus to make Governor Lingle look good and her critics look bad took the form of a hit piece on me in the The Garden Island newspaper (5/23/09)http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/05/23/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/doc4a17b49c974ed865392649.txt If nothing else, Mr. Klompus is to be commended for consistency: he is so thoroughly in step with the tone and modus operandi of other Republican voices like Rush Limbaugh and Dick Cheney.

If Mr. Klompus really wants to know what my platform is or what I have accomplished in the legislature, he should simply visit http://www.garyhooser.com Or, he could ask any of the good people around our state who are actively involved in public policy development and advocacy in the areas of education, energy, environment, health and human services, agriculture and/or water/land issues. They will tell him that not only am I a staunch and effective advocate, but that I have been the primary sponsor of numerous pieces of original legislation in each of these areas. These same hard-working people engaged in constructive efforts on multiple fronts critical to Hawaii’s future might also remind him that I was the primary sponsor of a recently passed “first in the nation” law requiring the installation of energy-efficient hot water systems on all new residential construction.

It is apparently my critique of the Governor’s style, which got Mr. Klompus going on his tirade. His language does her and her high office no service.

Unlike the Governor, I learned long ago that to be effective one must be inclusive and one must learn to give credit to others.

“My” accomplishments would not have been possible without the help and participation of many others. The ideas came mostly from members of the community and the success of the legislation came about because of support from my colleagues in the House and Senate. My style is to bring in partners, build a collaborative effort, do the hard work and achieve the desired goal first, then host the press conference afterwards to celebrate and give credit where it is due. The Governor’s style is to first host the press conference to celebrate her idea and initiative, then attempt to push her plan/program through the process, and should the initiative falter, blame those who were not part of her cheer-leading team from the start.

I truly believe our state has the potential to dramatically increase its energy and food independence which would have immediate dramatic and positive economic development impacts. With more qualified teachers in the classroom and a reduced central state bureaucracy we can significantly improve public education. I also believe that no student should be denied a college education because of his or her inability to afford the tuition.

Protecting and nurturing our natural environment, increasing our energy and food independence and improving and expanding opportunities in education will result in a strong, vibrant and diversified economy. This is my platform, and it is not rocket science. The ideas and program models are there and the underlying principles have been tested and proven.

Success is achievable but it will take leadership, a new and genuinely collaborative way of conducting business and an unwavering commitment to core principles. Nationally and locally, the Republican rant, unmoored from reality, is getting old. Mr. Klompus may not have noticed, but there is a new President in the White House, one whose commitment to civility in discourse and making words matter, is worth emulating. If Mr. Klompus is serious about his career in communications and about serving the office of Governor with the dignity it deserves, he should take notes.

Gary L. Hooser
http://www.garyhooser.com
Watch "The Hooser Story" online video

Gary Hooser is the Majority Leader of the Senate. He is a candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2010.

It is time we expand our goals and our vision beyond sustainability.

Dramatic change on the national stage has ushered in a new era in American civic and political life and our community must act quickly to capitalize on the opportunity and momentum that is now before us. We have been challenged to change how we act at home and abroad on many fronts. Nowhere perhaps is there a greater need to inject change than in how we think about the idea of sustainability.

Bandied about till its meaning has been worn threadbare, taken over by corporate interests and high-jacked by pop culture, sustainability is a term that today demands us to move forward and beyond the cliché. At this time of enormous drain on our resources and challenges to our political will to protect and manage those resources properly, we would do well to step back from the doomsday scenario of a planet in peril and remind ourselves of the scope of what we do not know about the planet and its vast mysteries yet to be revealed. Rather than repeat the mistakes of the past and continue on a path of simply plundering what we discover, we should use this moment at this critical time to remember what our elders knew and what we have largely forgotten. We need to learn once again how to listen better, how to focus on what is good for the community, not just for the individual, and how to treat the earth with the reverence our ancestors once did.

Restoring the idea of sustainability to a platform that not only requires environmental stewardship but rewards that stewardship with economic prosperity are only two critical components. To truly move beyond sustainability means to also embrace social justice and civic involvement — two thoughts that are perhaps President Obama’s biggest gift of leadership to the nation and to the world. Hawaii, with its rich Native Hawaiian culture, close knit community and the diversity of the people who call it home, has the opportunity to build on the national platform he has provided: to demonstrate that we can get beyond limited notions of sustainability.

Our children deserve more than a static no growth scenario envisioned by some in search of a so-called sustainable future. Prosperity and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. We must do more than merely protect our environment and actually enrich and re-grow those areas that have been damaged and neglected. We must not only create a thriving agricultural industry in order to feed ourselves but take it to the next step and create niche export markets that can help our farmers to prosper and grow. Energy independence is a goal we must achieve but we need to even now think beyond that limitation to expanding the export of newly developed renewable energy technology.

Small farms, small energy producers, small but numerous and diverse groups of committed individuals: that’s where the strength of our community lies. Gone are the days of big single crop plantations and large monolithic energy producers. At this moment when we have been badly let down by once respected models of corporate and institutional behavior, we need to lift ourselves up by reinventing new ways to do what we did before. We need to find better, smarter ways to grow our own food, harness the diverse sources of energy we are blessed with, and provide our children a quality education.

The truth is if we focus on the environment, food production, energy independence and education, the economy will take care of itself. When we take care of these four cornerstones of value, our economy will boom and we will command the attention of businesses from around the world. A robust economy translates into good paying jobs and an increased over-all quality of life for all Hawaii residents.

This year, the 2009 legislature has been driven by the need to balance our state budget while dealing with a recession the effects of which have been felt state-wide. In the midst of this struggle have emerged several pieces of legislation that can truly help our state move “beyond sustainability.” HB1464 takes a huge step towards ending Hawaii’s dependence on imported fossil fuel by banning the construction of new power generation plants that use fossil fuels. There are important electric vehicle incentives contained in SB1202, and with a very modest increase in the “barrel fee” on imported crude oil, Hawaii could take a huge leap forward toward achieving energy and food self sufficiency.

I remain optimistic that if the legislature and the community can work together toward a common vision and purpose, these important forward-thinking public policy initiatives can help move us significantly beyond tired notions and clichés of yesterday to a bright and prosperous future that is truly beyond sustainability.

Gary Hooser
Hawaii State Senator
Candidate for Lieutenant Governor 2010
Watch the online video "The Hooser Story" at http://www.garyhooser.com

In case anyone needs help in drafting a letter to the House or Senate regarding the cuts and tax increases currently pending before the legislature - below is a template for all to use. Follows the format of hundreds of letters/emails/phone calls that are coming in daily.

Dear Senator Hooser,

My business/family/organization/union/department (choose one) understand the serious nature of the State's economic situation however we must object to the (fill in blank) budget reduction or tax increase (choose one or both).

This budget reduction or tax increase (choose one or both) will have severe and negative impacts on our business/family/organization/union/department (choose one). These negative impacts include long lasting damage to the economy/environment/health/human services (choose one or more) and the future cost of repairing this damage caused by these budget cuts or tax increases (choose one or both) will far exceed the savings generated by the budget reduction or tax increase (choose one or both).

Please know that we fully understand what a difficult job you must have in balancing the State's budget during these challenging times and ask however that you seek other departments/businesses/organizations/programs (choose one) that can better withstand the budget cuts or tax increases (choose one or both) than us.

Sincerely,

Taxpayer, Constituent, Business Owner, Department Head, Organization Board Member, Other

Senator Gary L. Hooser
http://www.garyhooser.com

Madame President, I rise in support of the motion to recall HB444HD1 from the Committee on Judiciary.

Madame President, colleagues I rise today and humbly ask that you join me today in a vote to recall HB444HD1, a Bill that “Extends the same rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of spouses in a marriage to partners in a civil union.”

I am asking for your help and support, not as the Majority Leader but as an individual Senator, as the primary sponsor of the Senate version of this Bill – and as someone who believes strongly that it is my duty and obligation, that it is our duty and our obligation – to treat people equally, and to provide and protect the equal rights of all people.

That is I am are here today – to request of each of you …to request your support in pulling HB444HD1 to the floor of this Senate…to allow a full and open debate…and ultimately a full and open vote…on answering this important question: Should we “Extend the same rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of spouses in a marriage to partners in a civil union?”

For me the answer is yes without question we should. For you the answer may be different…but at the minimum the question deserves to come to this floor for a public discussion and a public vote. – rather than to sit bottled up in committee hamstrung by a 3/3 tie vote.

This is an important issue about the fundamental rights of people and deserves much more than to simply wither away and die an ignoble and anonymous death…stuck undecided and unresolved in committee because of a tie vote.

This issue and the people that have brought this issue forward, the people who have worked so hard to get it to where it is today deserve to have it discussed and voted on by the full Senate…and I am here today to ask that you join with me and allow this to happen.

HB444HD1 lies is stuck in committee because of a tie vote after traveling for over two years through the process. A similar effort to pass civil unions legislation died in the House two years ago after the House Judiciary failed to take a vote on it.

Advocates were told at the time…be patient, take the next year off --- build a broad-based community coalition – include labor, religious groups and others from around the community in your effort – get this passed in the House and we are pretty confident the votes in the Senate will be there for you.

So guess what…that is what they did.

They were patient; they took a year and gathered a broad-based community coalition together. The chorus of voices in support is diverse and strong. Just a few days ago members of that coalition issued a statement asking this body to recall the Bill from Committee and take a vote in the full Senate.

(READ HIGHLIGHTED NOTES AND NAMES FROM OPEN LETTER)

HB444HD1 passed in the House with a 33 to 17 vote…only one vote shy of a supermajority. Even members of the minority party and previously thought conservative Democrats voted in support.
18 members of the Senate then indicated they were in support…one more than the super majority needed to over-ride a veto and the measure was scheduled for a committee hearing.

Knowing the possibility of a tie vote was strong, members were polled on the possibility of a recall vote and at the end of that day 13 said they would support a pull.

Shortly thereafter, the marathon public hearing was held, the vote was taken…and the results were 3 for and 3 against. The Chair of the Committee voted YES in support of the Bill, and the Vice Chair also voted YES in support of the Bill.

Though a majority of Democrats supported passage – two Democrats joined with the Republican minority member to successfully blocking HB444HD1 in committee.

In the end, HB444HD will live or die not because of what happened in committee but through our action or inaction as a group - which is why this motion is being made here today. Which is why I am asking you to join me in allowing this very important measure be brought to the floor for a full and open discussion on its merits, and for a full vote of the Senate.

Why wouldn’t we be willing to recall this Bill from committee for a full discussion and floor vote?

If there are 18 Senators who support the Bill, if there are 18 Senators who support Extending the same rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of spouses in a marriage to partners in a civil union - Why is there hesitation now?

This language by the way is the official description of HB444HD and though the word “marriage” seems to make a whole lot of people nervous…this is not a new description and not new language. It has been there from the very beginning.

The stated concerns appear to revolve around 4 points:

Recalling the Bill from committee sets a bad precedent and somehow violates the internal committee process and structure of the Senate.

HB444HD1 is likely to be vetoed by the Governor and so why should we expose ourselves politically when she will veto and the likelihood of being able to over-ride the veto is slim…and so why even bother with taking this further?

HB444HD1 is likely to be challenged in court and we could wind up like Connecticut with same sex marriage being legalized.

Instead of passing HB444HD1, we should focus on amending the Bill, deleting references to marriage and granting some additional rights but not all the rights.

In the interest of time, I will not go into great detail refuting each and every one of these concerns however I will touch briefly on each.

The ability to recall the Bill from Committee is a constitutional right that is rarely used but is there for exactly these types of situations. It was created for situations in which Bills are kept “bottled up” in committee. Bills have been recalled in for a variety of measures over the years including: (Read list of dates and measures)

A review of the votes and reasons given will show clearly the recalls were made based on the Bill being stuck in committee and members feeling strongly that the full Senate needed to debate and vote on the substance of the issue.

A further review of the history also clearly shows that in each case of a recall, there was no subsequent breakdown of the committee process, there was no rush or flurry of attempts to recall other Bills. A review of the history also shows that many members here today, who I believe are not in the support of today’s recall motion, have in the past voted to recall other measures.

Worrying about whether or not the Governor will veto the measure or not, worrying about whether we have the votes to override or whether the House has the votes to over-ride – and failing to act as a result of that worry – to me is a fruitless and self defeating exercise.

If we truly feel that granting full and equal rights to same sex couples is the right thing to do, then we should simply call this measure to the floor and do it and let the Governor do what she must do. At the end of the day we must each look ourselves in the mirror, and judge ourselves for the actions we take. The decision we make today should be based on what we believe is right and just and not on what we speculate the governor may or may not do.

Recent concerns raised that HB444HD1 is “too close to the Connecticut law” and the courts may as a result legalize same sex marriage are unfounded. Though it may very well be likely that this law would be challenged in court – Hawaii Attorney and Professor of Constitutional law, Jon Van Dyke has stated clearly and in writing that the likelihood of this occurring is remote and in fact has used the word “impossible” In addition, Retired Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Steven Levinson has also written “I concur completely with Professor Van Dyke’s analysis”. I have another letter here from ACLU attorney Lois Perrin that says “there is no legal basis for any argument that HB444 as is currently written, will be used as the basis for a law suit for same-sex marriage under the Hawaii State Constitution”…

(I would like to request also that their entire statements be entered into the record as part of my remarks)

Last but not least…is the objection that we should amend the Bill, somehow remove the word marriage from the language, reduce the amount of rights we are granting and pass back over to the House an amended version that the Governor is not likely to veto. This option, though one that I do not personally support at this time…this option remains a possibility.

I would like to thank the Senator from Ewa Beach and the Senator from Downtown…who have each worked very hard trying to craft such an amendment that might be acceptable to the advocates and to the Senate Majority. I applaud your efforts and encourage you to support today’s vote and then offer your amendments to the full Senate on Friday. Should a majority of members vote in support of those amendments, I will join you in that vote of support for the final amended Bill.

In conclusion…

This is a tough issue.

We have pressure from all sides.

There are plenty of reasons we can come up with to postpone or vote no on this.

The main reason to vote yes, the main reason that I personally have not been able to avoid, is one of principle and of obligation.

The principle of course is that - all people are created equal and that all people deserve to be treated fairly, equally and with respect and dignity.

The principle that knowing that this is the right thing to do, the principle that the people affected by this legislation deserve better and deserve our vote in support.

I am voting in support of this measure today and am asking you to join me, because we owe it to those people. These are our friends, our neighbors, and our family members.

We owe them a full and open discussion of the issue and a full vote on the Floor of this Chamber.

I am here today – request your support in recalling HB444HD1 to the floor of this Senate.

But more than that I am asking that each of you simply vote your conscience.

Vote the issue, vote the principle, vote for what you know and believe to be right in your heart.

Thank you Madame President, colleagues.

******************************************
Hawaii State Senator Gary L. Hooser
808-586-6030 for official business
http://www.garyhooser.com for other than official business

The below op-ed was submitted to the Honolulu Advertiser in response to an editorial they published opposing the passage of HB444 and instead advocating for a new public vote on the issue. They have chosen not to publish the response that I submitted and thus I have posted it here:

The rights of minorities deserve our constant protection

One of the duties of our elected officials is to stand as the voice of minorities in ensuring that all of our citizens are treated equally. The very fact that our society relies upon our state and federal constitutions in defining the rights of our citizens demonstrates that we must be more concerned with fundamental policies and core values than with the momentary stance of the majority. The rights of minorities cannot be defined merely by the sanction of the majority; they should instead reflect the ideals of our nation and our state in ensuring equality for all.

There are few among us who do not represent a group that once suffered discrimination at the hands of a well-intentioned majority. Our history is littered with examples of what happens when rights are defined solely by the majority view. Majorities once argued for the propriety of segregated schools and universities, the internment of Japanese-Americans, the exclusion of Chinese immigrants, and the denial of women’s right to vote. In each instance, the majority that withheld rights from the minority believed they were acting from the purest of motives: preserving established ways of life, protecting the weaker sex, economic stability and national security. Today we look upon those practices as social oddities and historical embarrassments.

Time and again in our history, we have seen the support and protection of the rights of minorities come as the result of action by lawmakers who found sufficient support in our nation’s laws and constitution to overcome the weight of public opinion. It fell to the United States Supreme Court to end segregation in marriage and public education. Presidents ended slavery in America and segregation at the University of Mississippi. The end of Jim Crow and the preservation of voting rights came as the result of legislative action. These were true leaders who stood up to entrenched attitudes and improved the lives of millions by moving our national practices into line with our national ideals.

The Honolulu Advertiser’s recent editorial, “Public needs another vote on civil unions issue” (February 24, 2009) reveals a remarkably narrow and, frankly, dangerous view of how our society protects the rights of minorities.

The editorial starts with a fair and accurate statement: “Despite the reciprocal benefits statute on the books, heterosexual and same-sex couples do not have equal rights, and civil unions represent a reasonable means to bring equality to all.” Anyone who has carefully considered the question would come to the conclusion that the reciprocal benefits statute, while offering some rights to same-sex couples, offers only a weak approximation of equality.

However, the editorial then goes wrong in two vital aspects. First, it implies that HB444, which offers same-sex couples the opportunity to enter into civil unions that convey all the rights and benefits of marriage, represents too much equality. Second, it offers as the only acceptable solution asking voters to decide on the question of civil unions and equal benefits.

We as a state and a society cannot in good conscience limit the rights of a minority without good reason. If we were to follow the Advertiser’s reasoning and cut off the rights of same-sex couples at something short of full recognition of their relationships, where would that line be? We cannot call for equal rights in one breath and for the curtailment of those rights in the next.

The Advertiser editorial concludes with the admonition, “Such an important and emotionally charged decision should not be imposed by the few….”

Legislative action that reflects our historical, constitutional and cultural respect for the rights of all citizens is not imposed by the few; it is the product of the work of the many throughout history who have made a commitment to preserving our most treasured beliefs.

Senator Gary L. Hooser
http://www.garyhooser.com

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