La gobernadora

[Linkmeister]

The odds of Lingle losing are minuscule, but I do think she ought to be a little more honest in that ad that's running. She didn't provide funds for early childhood learning; the legislature appropriated it. She can suggest where she'd like funds to go in her budgets, but it's the legislature that actually puts the money there.

A small gripe, but still.

[mel]

Re: La gobernadora

I think the governor can make the executive decision on whether or not to release the appropriated funds to wherever the legislature says it will go to. So like the funds could be approved, but the governor could hold it back.

[anapuni808]

Re: La gobernadora

Excellent point!!!! Many folks who see those ads just take them at face value & think that "wow, didn't she do a lot for us". They don't realize its all just campaign rhetoric and she can't do anything the leg. doesn't want her to do.

One thing I can say positive for her: when the new law to strengthen the "Woman's Right to Choose" law came to her - she had a choice to just let it pass without her signature. Instead - she, a Republican, signed her name to the bill. That was really putting her money where her mouth was during her original campaign, when she said she was pro-choice. That's not a typical Republican stance to take. In doing so, she took a risk & broke with party policy & I applaud her for that.

Of course, this doesn't mean I'll vote for her - right now, my choice for Governor is William Aila. and I'll say that loud & proud. One thing I like about their campaign is that they are NOT getting endorsed by every Tom, Dick & Harry in the islands. That means they don't have to please all the special interest groups after the election! Although they have been endorsed by the Sierra Club and the Honolulu Weekly among others - but those endorsements are good ones.

Sorry - slight digression off topic there.

[pzarquon]

Re: La gobernadora

I'm actually intrigued that Lingle is campaigning at all. Is there a "use it or lose it" stipulation in campaign finance laws? Otherwise, blanketing the airwaves seems almost silly when, barring a random act of god, she'll be re-elected in a landslide.

Lingle's ads may be a bit misleading, but seeing as how she does withhold some appropriated funds and disburse others, it's not too out of line to say {x} happened via her actions. This sort of stuff is par for the course, anyway. A radio ad I heard today has her essentially taking credit for our strong economy and low unemployment. I'm pretty sure our economy has been churning along despite the government! But, she was in the governor's seat when things went well, so, it goes into her campaign brochure.

Like Anapuni808, Lingle has turned out to be a Republican I can live with. A sense I had when I voted for her over Hirono. While a relenlessly pro-business stance would worry me overall (as it does in Ed Case's case), in an anti-business state like Hawaii I figure it can't really hurt. And yes, on some social issues, she actually breaks from the party line, something that can't be easy, but she sticks to her principles and knows what she believes, and I like that.

While I'm sure Aila and what's-his-name are great guys, I can't see them as governors. Mayors, maybe, councilmembers, definitely, but for the top spot? Lingle's getting my "blue" vote this year.

[anapuni808]

Re: La gobernadora

Back in 1984 (?) while in San Francisco, I worked very hard with Jesse Jackson's Presidential primary campaign. We knew we didn't have a snowball's chance of winning the Presidency, but - with enough primary votes, he would have delegates committed to him, at least on 1st ballot at the Natl. Convention. That would give him a "voice" at the table to effect change. We did manage to pull out a win in San Francisco, which gave him delegates. We considered that a victory.

To me, Aila's campaign to win the primary is something like that - it is a way for both he & Henkin to position themselves for the future. Who knows, he may actually win the primary - but realistically, Lingle is pretty much an assured winner. From what I've been told, the Republican party is actually encouraging crossover voting for Aila in the primary - I guess they figure Aila is a weaker opponent in the general than Iwase. Politics is so much smoke & mirrors and so much strategy - thats why I get so excited about it. It's like a big chessboard where all the political strategists try to outhink each other. It's fascinating to me.

Like PZ, I also don't understand why she is spending so much on ads unless to encourage folks to vote Republican.

and as a PS to this: I support William Aila but am not in any way a part of his campaign team and I do not speak for his campaign.

[mel]

Re: La gobernadora

To me, Aila's campaign to win the primary is something like that - it is a way for both he & Henkin to position themselves for the future. Who knows, he may actually win the primary - but realistically, Lingle is pretty much an assured winner. From what I've been told, the Republican party is actually encouraging crossover voting for Aila in the primary .

As a member of the GOP, no one has told me or anyone I know of that. We are advised to keep to the party line despite the high profile Case-Akaka race for U.S. Senate, though I know many GOP members will or have already crossed and voted only in the Senate race, leaving the rest of the ballot blank. But then it depends on what district they are in... GOP members in the 1st congressional district may be more prone to crossover voting in the primary vs. those in the 2nd district, who also have a fairly visible and high profile primary for the 2nd congressional seat.

What will be interesting is if there is a spike in blank votes on the Democrat ballot for races other than U.S. Senate. That would somewhat indicate a crossover vote.

Getting back to the Governor's race, yes there is a spend all your campaign funds rule somewhere on the books... this kind of makes sense if you are like running for office for the last time... like the Governor can only run for re-election once since she is limited to 2 consecutive terms... so spend the money she will.

Of course she could bankroll some of the campaign funds to run for another office in the future.

[anapuni808]

Re: La gobernadora

Mel, I was only repeating a rumor that I've been told. and it's not like they would announce it anyway That's very interesting about spending the campaign funds - she has more money than anyone else in her fund. She couldn't possibly spend it all on this campaign could she? We're talking millions of $$$ here. and it would make sense for her to eventually run for congress in 4 years.

[pzarquon]

Re: La gobernadora

Lingle is on record saying to vote for Jerry Coffee, and folks can't do that if they're also crossing over to vote for Ed Case, can they?

As for her finances, she's certainly got more than she could possibly burn off in this gubernatorial run. But in 2010, when she's ready to go for a seat in D.C., she's set up well! (Er... if, that is, monies collected for a state race can be reallocated for a national one...)

[scrivener]

Re: La gobernadora

I don't think a stance either way on abortion is even part of the "party line" in the Republican party. It's true that a great number of the voters who vote Republican are pro-life, but as far as I know, a pro-life stance has never been a plank in the party's platform. I could be wrong, but when divisive issues are mentioned at all, they're frequently written about in such a way as not to mean anything.

I'm voting for Ozell Daniel this year, a candidate who served his prison time before his time in office. My kinda candidate.

[mel]

Re: La gobernadora

Lingle is on record saying to vote for Jerry Coffee.....

You are exactly right. The reason being if Jerry Coffee wins the primary race, the party can put someone else in his place since he has withdrawn for health reasons.

I don't think a stance either way on abortion is even part of the "party line" in the Republican party.

Again this is correct. We keep that off the official platform because the issue is so very divisive.

[anapuni808]

Re: La gobernadora

Um, I never mentioned the word "abortion" - I said "Right to Choose". There is a huge difference between the two. However, I don't think that HT is the right place to get into a discussion on this subject - as Mel says, its very divisive and can get very heated. I would rather keep this discussion friendly.......... I'd rather discuss Linda Lingle and her plans on how to spend all those millions of $$$. I know how I would do it but would get into a lot of trouble - I don't think Neiman Marcus would count as a campaign expense

[anapuni808]

Re: La gobernadora

I'm so sorry to do this but on further thought, couldn't let it go unanswered. I went to the official Republican party site www.gop.org and checked the "Party Platform" link. If you open the .pdf file, you will see on about the middle of page 84 of the .pdf file, under the subject "Promoting a Culture of Life", in paragraph #2 - there is a very clear statement by the party: We oppose abortion. It goes on to say more but that part was very clear.

That is why I expressed respect for Lingle - by signing into law, by placing her signature on the bill - she went directly against her party and stuck to her own personal beliefs. You gotta respect anyone in that position for doing that, regardless of their party.

Scriv & Mel - I'm not attempting to be "right" here because we all have our differing opinions and beliefs. I knew however that the party, in truth, did have it in their platform. I'm also not saying that the Republican party is right or wrong or good or bad for their beliefs - they aren't and the "party" cannot be looked at the same as individuals who happen to be members or who vote R.

Now, I plan to drop this subject - again, I intend no disrespect to anyone who reads this, no disrespect to their individual feelings or beliefs.