State Senate Dist. 2 candidates?

[Frankie Stapleton]

What are PWers' take on the candidates for St. Senate Dist. 2? Does Gary Safarik have any support any more? Of the candidates, I think I prefer him, despite his personality (he was never anything but courteous to me which is more than I can say for his opponents). Safarik was actually the one who put in motion Pahoa's new fire and police stations and the Pohoiki park, if I'm not mistaken.

Viewpoints?

[Rob Tucker]

Safarik lost me when he misled me on the Pahoa District Park so time back. Don't like the say one thing and do another stuff at all.

Russell Ruderman has qualities I think are well worth a shot. I haven't seen him in the trenches that much but perhaps he's been in other trenches.

[dwedeking]

quote:

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Don't like the say one thing and do another stuff at all.

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LOL. that's gotta cut down on how many politician's information/stances you have to go through then? Are you able to vote for ANYONE?

http://www.wedekingphotography.com

[Rene Siracusa]

We will all have an opportunity to compare the Senate 2 and House 4 candidates side-by-side if we attend the forum on Tuesday, July 17 at 5:30 (sharp) at the Pahoa Community Center. They have all been invited - tho' not all have as yet RSVP'd. Have your questions ready. The event will be posted at the beginning of July.

[robguz]

I can't imagine voting for Ruderman, although I agree with a lot of his positions. His stores are so ridiculously overpriced and prices seem to go up 10-20% per year. It seems so many people are on EBT, the stores do well off that. The other thing is he makes tons of money selling every type of snake oil imaginable. He is making all this money off uneducated and easily fooled people, who often can barely afford such things. That's unconscionable to me, and I'd as soon vote for the head of Enron.

The biggest "you've got to be kidding me moment" was when I was in Island Naturals and the person in front of me was purchasing the latest snake oil known as Alkaline Water (AKA tap water) and putting it on EBT. He sells tap water and you, me, and other tax payers pick up the tab! Food stamps are supposed to be a bare minimum thing to keep people from starving, not to buy some crazy latest disproven miracle potion that is actually tap water.

[nani1970]

Re: Russel Ruderman
I would just like Island Naturals to have consistent wages.
An experienced baker in Hilo is offered $9.00 per hr., whereas a cashier
In Kona, is offered $10.50 per hr, with experience not necessary.
Will the state be run with those inconsistencies?

[4antares]

"Natural" food stores are all overpriced so Mr. Ruderman isn't doing anything his competitors aren't. He also isn't forcing anyone to buy "snake oil". People will buy the latest miracle regardless of whether it does anything. Sometimes just believing it works has surprising benefit. And Mr Ruderman is simply being a businessman who offers goods his customers want for a profit. I think that is how capitalism is supposed to work.

life is short. enjoy it

[robguz]

Somehow Mana Foods on Maui, which I imagine has higher overhead costs generally prices things about 30% less than Island Naturals. He is a businessman and good for him. He can run it any way he wants and I can choose not to vote for him based on that. It sounds like given their prices and the supposed lower rent in their newer Hilo location he still isn't willing to provide living wages for employees. Selling expensive placebos because they have the expected result of placebos isn't a very convincing argument. Expecting tax payers to foot the bill for tap water under food stamp benefits is outrageous and unethical. If he is the nominee it will be one of the few times in my life I won't be voting for the Democratic candidate.

[Rene Siracusa]

I am curious regarding robguz' credentials to determine which items qualify as 'snake oil' and 'placebos'. Much modern medicine is derived from traditional herbal formulations. Many people are chemically sensitive and have bad reactions to strong laboratory-created drugs, but can benefit from milder natural medications. An example would be Vitamin E cream or lotion as opposed to wheat germ oil, which is rich in Vit. E.

That said, you can go into any grocery store and buy water with food stamps. You can also use your EBT to buy candy, cough drops and chewing gum (even though you don't even swallow gum). You can buy lots of products made with high fructose corn syrup, which is made from GMO Roundup Ready corn. The problem is with the way the USDA defines what can and cannot be purchased with EBT. Russell does not make that determination. If you have issues with it, contact Ag Secy Vilsak.

[robguz]

Well I have a degree in epidemiology so I do have some background in how such things are determined, and I've worked on a number of clinical trials. However, it doesn't take a degree to determine if there is scientific evidence for something or not. If something has been rigorously tested, gone through years of clinical trials, and ultimately gets FDA approved then yes, there is at least some hint of efficacy. Of course there can be things that have not gone through that process than may be useful. Most supplements and alternative medicines in health food stores actually have some reason for their existence. Although often that reason falls apart in human trials. It's safe to say something that fails to have proven efficacy in human trials is akin to snake oil. I guess what has irked me most are the signs in those stores touting nonsense about the tap water that goes through a placebo machine. I'm assuming as the owner he does make the determination to promote what he sells in his stores or not. Again, good for him, and that is his right. Ultimately, I feel that selling placebos for a living to the easily duped is not a progressive position, and I would prefer to vote for a progressive who as a legislator is going to base decisions where relevant on sound science and research. It's what I would expect in regards to environmental policy too. In Puna, so many people seem to latch onto unproven magical thinking solutions of the week, and lack any sort of critical thinking ability or understanding of the scientific method. His stores are the epitome of that to me. That isn't something I in any way want promoted by our elected officials. For me it is no different than voting for someone with a strongly religious background who will be influenced in their voting by their religious background.