09-21-2008, 05:13 AM
OK, it's the morning after, and I feel compelled to start the discussion of what happened at the polls yesterday. From my point of view it isn't a pretty picture.
Here in Puna we have a rerun runoff between two tarnished candidates who did not inspire my confidence in 2006 and do so even less today. The voters didn't seem to be able to warm to either of the two new faces in the race, so here we go again.
Bob Jacobson, a reliable progressive voice on the Council, lost the Kau-Puna Mauka seat to Guy Enriques. I know several families from Kau, and they are desperate for jobs down there. Mr. Jacobson opposed the resort/land development at Punaluu which would have created some jobs, but more or less epitomizes the faults of the current State economy. Mr. Enriques supported this development.
Angel Pilago has made it into a runoff for Mayor. That is about the extent of the good news here. He will have to get virtually ALL of the people who voted against Billy Kenoi to vote for him. Ms. Inouye's supporters do not impress me as the sort to go trooping over to a candidate who supports a whole new approach to County government.
Faye Hanohano got the Democratic nomination, which is usually a free ticket to office in Puna. In my view she has demonstrated no ability to challenge the status quo in Honolulu. She even said so at the Kalani forum. Mr. Blas, as a Republican, will probably not get much farther with overturning the status quo, but he will at least be assertive and make some noise about it. I urge everyone to vote Republican on this one. It's the progressive thing to do.
And so it goes. Somebody show me I'm wrong . . . please.
Jerry
Here in Puna we have a rerun runoff between two tarnished candidates who did not inspire my confidence in 2006 and do so even less today. The voters didn't seem to be able to warm to either of the two new faces in the race, so here we go again.
Bob Jacobson, a reliable progressive voice on the Council, lost the Kau-Puna Mauka seat to Guy Enriques. I know several families from Kau, and they are desperate for jobs down there. Mr. Jacobson opposed the resort/land development at Punaluu which would have created some jobs, but more or less epitomizes the faults of the current State economy. Mr. Enriques supported this development.
Angel Pilago has made it into a runoff for Mayor. That is about the extent of the good news here. He will have to get virtually ALL of the people who voted against Billy Kenoi to vote for him. Ms. Inouye's supporters do not impress me as the sort to go trooping over to a candidate who supports a whole new approach to County government.
Faye Hanohano got the Democratic nomination, which is usually a free ticket to office in Puna. In my view she has demonstrated no ability to challenge the status quo in Honolulu. She even said so at the Kalani forum. Mr. Blas, as a Republican, will probably not get much farther with overturning the status quo, but he will at least be assertive and make some noise about it. I urge everyone to vote Republican on this one. It's the progressive thing to do.
And so it goes. Somebody show me I'm wrong . . . please.
Jerry