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Perhaps "Agenda driven Roast" would be a better term.
Such is the nature of "American-Style" politics; the two major religious parties are actually identical, but they each wave around slightly different positions on the wedge issues which the public interprets as a "debate" in which their "vote" will actually "matter".
This is a local election, so the issues are smaller.
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quote:
Live up to what? Circumventing the democratic process? Complaining to every available agency until something "objectionable" gets shut down?
How is utilizing the agencies established by the elected representatives of the people (elected through the democratic process) and established for that very purpose, circumventing the democratic process? Duh!!!
Personally I think we have way too much government and resultant agencies but that's another topic.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Rob Tucker quote:
"He seems less interested in talking about things that can't really take place on council and is interested in things that can actually get done."
Really Rob name two? Could you tell me what Tim Law has been championing for the last ump teen years that would groom him for public service? Do you really think Tim could chair a meeting? Has he ever worked on legislation that you know of? Ask yourself when is the last time Tim Law showed up at any council meeting? That doesn't make him a bad person but since you are praising him I would like you to be a little more specific about his community accomplishments.
What I will say is this. Rob, I appreciate you and your ability to chime in but not censor. The punaweb forum is a marvelous community service.
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I've encouraged Tim to speak for himself here and I have expectations that he will.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Quote by Pau Hana:
Isn't it a little bit disingenuous for a group with actively supported, and endorsed candidates to be hosting a "Forum"?
Doesn't that seem a bit odd.
Perhaps "Agenda driven Roast" would be a better term."
Exactly! I would like to share with you, Pau Hana, how the endorsement process goes. This is going to be a long one but this just shows you how wonderful RJ is for even agreeing to show up at the Sierra Club forum after having been treated in this way. As, Roxanne "RJ" Hampton's campaign manager, I would like to report what happened to her in dealing with the Sierra Club endorsement process. I think you might find it interesting.
Candidate, Roxanne "RJ" Hampton, was given an interview appointment by the Sierra Club and then 3 days later Cory Harden called at 9pm to tell RJ that she was sorry but her interview had been cancelled. They had too many candidates, according to Cory, and would not be able to get to RJ. The following day, I called 2 other candidates from the County Council 5 race who told me that they had been given appointments after RJ.
It seemed a little strange and unfair that RJ was treated this way and she thought it was important enough to write a letter to get some kind of understanding. Below is a letter she sent to the Sierra Club national headquarters in California. This letter resulted in her getting an interview even though she knew by the local chapters earlier actions that she would not get selected.
Re: Information on Candidate Roxanne "RJ" Hampton's Sierra Club Interview
It was April 30, 2014 in the evening when my phone rang . It was Cory Harden the political chair of the Hilo chapter of the Sierra Club. Ms. Harden called to tell me that I had been selected for an interview and said she would be sending me a questionnaire . Ms. Harden said she was using 'snail mail' and the application should arrive in my p.o. box any day. We scheduled an appointment for Tuesday, May 6, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. I had to rearrange my schedule to accommodate this interview meeting which I was very happy to do. For I know what an endorsement from the Sierra Club means, especially on the Big Island of Hawai'i where we are in a battle for our lives to preserve, conserve and replenish our valuable resources. But enough about that for now let me get back to the subject at hand.
I picked up my mail the next day on May 1, 2014 and the correspondence was there. I eagerly opened up the envelope and there was a letter from Cory Harden with Sierra Club letterhead and a questionnaire. It was the last sentence that gave me great hope as it said, "If you are selected for an interview, we will contact you. " This thrilled me as I had already been called and told that I had been chosen for an interview. I got busy meditating on the twelve questions on the paper and where I stood on each one of them.
On Friday evening, May 2, 2014, the phone rang. It was Ms. Harden informing me that the Sierra Club was cancelling my appointment interview. Ms. Harden gave no reason whatsoever and told me they did not have to. I was shocked and I became very aware of the politics that can occur with political endorsements!
The most distressing part of this experience is that I am a viable candidate with a proven track record on issues that deal with the environment. Had the Hilo Sierra Club kept the appointment for the interview with me, all I am writing now would be mute, for I would not have known how I was de-selected and I would have accepted the news with grace and gone on with the race.
But on the morning of May 3, 2014, my campaign manager, Sativa Sultan, contacted Nelson Ho, chair of the Hilo chapter Moku Loa. When asked why Candidate Roxanne "RJ" Hampton was eliminated from the perspective interviewing process, Mr. Ho responded that there were "too many candidates and not enough time so some had to be eliminated. " I find it interesting that my interview was scheduled before the other candidates. Ms. Harden contacted me and gave me an interview date of May 6, 2014. Two other candidates were contacted after me and given appointment dates of May 12th and May 19th. So the question becomes if my interview was scheduled prior to the other candidates I don't understand and I will never understand why I was eliminated without having a chance to put my best foot forward?
Without getting into the details and this is an assumption on my part, after the conversation with Mr. Ho this morning, I believe I now know what is going on here. Mr. Ho was the legislative assistant to Council Member Brittany Smart. I am the former legislative assistant for Council Woman Emily Naeole. In 2010, we were able to stop bill 270, dead in its tracks, and forced Mr. Ho's boss and colleagues to include amendments that put back the "alternative building materials" section that had been left out of the bill. Without sounding disrespectful, I see Mr. Ho is still "smarting" , four years later, from the experience.
From caring about the air, land and water to trying to help preserve our open spaces and create more, I have championed these issues every time they have come up for discussion. I would hope that there is a process in place within the Sierra Club that would allow me to bypass Mr. Ho's obvious bias and be considered worthy of your endorsement.
I found out the Sierra Club will only endorse "viable candidates". I believe that it is fair to have that as one of the considerations for selection. I am a viable candidate as I have a following and I am loved in this community. When I pulled my papers I got the required signatures in 3 days. Many of my signs are already posted in yards and in front of businesses and I have already met with some of the leaders in this community to find out what they're doing and what they are committed too. I am a candidate who has a successful track record for writing legislation and getting it enacted in many areas including the environment.
Just last week, my team and I worked with Rep. Nicole Lowen to defeat SB 2274, a 'gut and replace' bill, that would have endangered state conservation land. I am not a professional lobbyist yet when I champion an issue I am in the habit of winning.
I saw being contacted by the Sierra Club as a sign. As a talk show host and video journalist in San Francisco I covered the 100th anniversary of the Sierra Club in 1992. I had a chance to interview David Brower at his home. I have been at the gates of Mercury Nevada and was arrested for protesting nuclear development and testing.
One more thing that I find interesting is the fact that the Sierra Club is making its decision on May 26, 2014, nine days before the deadline for qualifying to be on the ballot, which is June 4th. You would think, that the process would not be complete until all of the candidates have announced for the race; for someone even more qualified than the ones you have interviewed, might run and capture your attention and you might want to endorse them.
I hope what I have said in this correspondence will perhaps persuade you to look at me seriously as a candidate to earn your potential endorsement. The Sierra Club could not find a more ardent champion and supporter of your organization. I am very aware of the good work you have done here in Hawai'i and across the nation.
Respectfully submitted,
Roxanne "RJ" Hampton,
County Council Candidate District 5
(808) 965-7270 missionpossibleradio@gmail.com
I hope the Sierra Club looks into its process. I really set no store as to whom Sierra Club endorses here, but I can see how important it might be. They should have a fair process without bias. I did pay attention to Sierra Club endorsement in California when I voted there years ago.
Sativa, I'm sorry you got that email. Really not professional in any way.
Tiffany's approach to campaigning continues to mystify me. I look at her campaign site every so often, and it is all about pictures of her and her signs. Look, here is a cute keiki with one of my signs. Here is a kupuna with a sign. Here I am in the parade. It's really like a Puna version of the candidate who campaigns by kissing babies and creating a presence with signage. Where is the substance?
Then there is an entry that starts out:
"A day in the life of a council candidate
Following is a glimpse into the day and the life of a woman campaigning for Hawaii County Council ..."
This is like a typical Tiffany blog entry about her day delivering newspapers, only this one ends with the story of her erecting signs. Tiffany seems to have a fetish about these signs. They are just advertising! The fact she is going around being personally involved in her signage does not impress me any more than I was impressed that she drove copies of her paper around to put in stores.
The editor's focus should have been on making the paper great (and with readable font), not schlepping it around.
The candidate's focus should be on engaging with the issues and putting together a solidly thought out platform, not on hammering stakes into the ground, posing for photos, walking in parades, talking story.
I can already imagine if she becomes councilwoman, the amount of writing she will do about her day as a councilwoman and how enthralling or frustrating it was for her personally. I know that Tiffany has a brain and an education. I would so like to see her engaging it and stop focusing on campaigning as performance art.
The reason she irritates me is that she could be so much more but doesn't see what is deficient about approaching everything she does as a personal journal entry.
This would be my third and final post, Rob. To answer your question, no, I was not suggesting what you were suggesting. I would have spelled "Cool-aid" with a "K" if that had been the case. I don't know about "aloha." We Mexicans say "adios."
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Well then adios to you bub. Your reference to Jonestown made your intent clear enough to me.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
My deepest apologies, Rob. This will now be my 4th and final post... but I just don't wish to be misunderstood. My reference to "Jonestown" was that of Jonestown, Texas a community "dedicated to responsible planned development, economic vitality, a program for public service improvements and continued park expansions, as well as improving the quality of life of it's residents." All of these issues, I'm sure we can both agree, apply to the Puna District. Hope that clears everything up. Bub. 
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Wow, really? Jonestown? Clearly you think you've fooled us all. Jonestown + cool-aid = pretty much one thing. Mass killing and suicide. 1978, where 918 people died, including congressman Leo Ryan, who I believe was shot at the airstrip. I could be mistaken, however.
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