Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

[1stwahine]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

Kamuelakea, You got one thing right. I funny. I not RACIAL. I'm voting for Case because I believe in him. Nuff said.

Auntie Lynn

[kamuelakea]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

Kamuelakea, You got one thing right. I funny. I not RACIAL. I'm voting for Case because I believe in him. Nuff said.

Auntie Lynn

Always got exceptions aunty. Case will have supportfrom every race in Hawaii as will Akaka. But elections are won with blocs of votes. For 50 years it has been Union + AJA + maybe Filipino = YOU WIN. That's the name of the game. Thats why Hawaii has been dominated and controlled by Japanese since statehood. They are only 20% for the general population but they are almost 50% of the folks who show up on voting day and in general have tended to vote together.

That's why AJAs are the key to Case's chances of winning. But I think Case knows most AJAs are silently against any Hawaiian Recognition. That's why he wants to run now. Akaka is vulnerable right now. Hawaiian rights are his vulnerability.

[Miulang]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

That's why AJAs are the key to Case's chances of winning. But I think Case knows most AJAs are silently against any Hawaiian Recognition. That's why he wants to run now. Akaka is vulnerable right now. Hawaiian rights are his vulnerability.

So what does the Hawaiian voting bloc have to do to get more of their voters to the ballot box? Don't most of the labor unions have lots of kanaka maoli among their ranks? Don't the AJAs see that their power base will be eroded even further by Mainland and big business influence if Case becomes a Senator? Would Kau Inoa support Akaka?

Miulang

[kamuelakea]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

So what does the Hawaiian voting bloc have to do to get more of their voters to the ballot box? Don't most of the labor unions have lots of kanaka maoli among their ranks? Don't the AJAs see that their power base will be eroded even further by Mainland and big business influence if Case becomes a Senator? Would Kau Inoa support Akaka?

Miulang

No moah Hawaiian voting bloc. Das da problem. The largest Hawaiian voting bloc is the one that stays home on election day and drinks Primo beer and blames everyone for his or her lot in life.

If all Hawaiians and Part-Hawaiians actually voted and voted as a single bloc, they would rule Hawaii. Simple. But they don't. Never have. Probably never will, but who knows.

The AJAs have never depended on any Hawaiian voting bloc. They didn't need them. All they needed to do was throw the angry pit bull Hawaiian a beef bone to gnaw on once in a while, cry "blame da Haole", and keep the Hawaiians pacified and out of their hair while they looted the store. It worked. Hawaiians have been taken over by Plantation Asians and half of them supported it and the other half don't even know it happened.

In the late 1800s early 1900s the plantation haoles knew that if they kept importing more and more AJAs that someday their population would outnumber everyone else. But their drive for profits kept them importing more and more and more. Their greed for more cheap labor actually led to their own downfall.

Now the AJAs intellectually know that the next wave of immigrants will dilute their power, but what can they do? It's America now. How can they stop one type of immigrant over another?

The Old Boy Plantation Asians still think that they have the ethnic and union bloc. They always will. Absolute power does that to the mind. Do they? I don't know. Case apparently thinks they don't in the case of Akaka.

We'll see.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

One thing about the Japanese vote here in Hawaii is that as long as the Nisei are still around whatever Dan says...the Nisei will do. If Dan backs Akaka then the AJA's will back Akaka plain and simple. It has nothing to do with the Akaka bill, it has everything to do with loyality to Dan.

Unfortunately the Nisei are dying off and being replaced with the Sansei (like myself) who are becoming more and more Republican or at least moderate Democrats.

I was reading today's (Sunday) editorial from the Hawaii Tribune and the editor basically is supporting Akaka and went on to say that Case was arrogant to run against Akaka and was showing disrespect to the man and the party. WHAT? I think that editor has his head up his okole and really needs to see reality here. You're not supposed to vote out of respect for a party, you're supposed to vote on the issues here. Hey Akaka's a nice man but quite frankly, I think he did a Waihee on the Hawaiians by not respecting his own culture for what it's worth.

Yes the Akaka Bill stands to give Hawaiians more authority to make their own calls, however Hawaiians don't want the federal government trying to meddle in their own cultural issues. They just don't trust them anymore and this bill is just another white man's way of calling the shots for the sake of the Hawaiians.

Akaka lost the faith of many Hawaiians by introducing that bill and this is going to be his downfall if he loses.

Case on the other hand is a local boy to Hilo and is respected by even some of the most die-hard AJA Dan Fans, especially the Hilo Sansei. Renagade Democrat? You betcha but then so was Cayatano AND Abercrombie. Cayatano left without the support of the Democratic party and to spite them he tore apart one of the party's strongholds...trustees of KSBE by using his secret weapon Bronster.

Abercrombie cut his pony tail and suddenly he was a cookie-cutter Democrat instead of the renegade I knew him as when I voted him in to Congress in his first term. He basically bailed out on Democrat reformists who was totally against the "Machine" which included Dan Inouye, John Burns and George Ariyoshi and their legislative followers who held key seats in the state legislature, like Rod Tam and the likes.

But Case was different. And he's doing this without much support from his own party. Case is a people person who goes to local events here on the Big Island. Where's Akaka? Oh yeah he goes to luncheons and dedications and the high maka maka stuff that makes him so unreachable by the working folks. But Case is at neighborhood board meetings, he congregates around people. He's tangible! He's for real. Akaka? He's just a headliner in a newspaper, read but not seen.

Even if Case loses I'll bet it won't be a landslide and that should be the wake up call for the Democrats who are so smug to say that Case's running is a sign of disrespect and lack of loyalty to the Democratic Party and it's constituents.

[1stwahine]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

Right on Craig! You tell um!!!!

Auntie Lynn (jumping up and down)

[kamuelakea]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

I was reading today's (Sunday) editorial from the Hawaii Tribune and the editor basically is supporting Akaka and went on to say that Case was arrogant to run against Akaka and was showing disrespect to the man and the party. WHAT? I think that editor has his head up his okole and really needs to see reality here.

The answer to what will happen in this race and to whether Hawaii has significantly changed lies in how many craigwatanabe's there are out there. I don't claim to know. Obviously there are more than there were 25 years ago. But are there enough to make a Haole Republicrat the Senator from rural Hawaii?

Hawaii is a one party town and has been for 200 years or so. People like to say that Hawaii has changed politically but I don't see it. Wheres the Republicans, the Greens, Libertarians, Aloha Aina, Homerulers?? There are so few non-democrats in the House and Senate that they have no power and the Dems just rewrote the laws to weaken Lingle. In fact Republicans have lost seats in the house over the past few years. So there's no sea of change that I see happening. Just talk about change.

The Case/Akaka decision could come down to "what do you young AJA care more about, towing the Dan Inouye and Hawaii's 50 year legacy of Democrat power line, or snuffing out the Akaka Bill by electing Ed Case?" Which one is more important to the young AJAs? That won't be the only question that drives AJAs to vote but it will be the issue that shifts the largest percentage one way or the other. And that's how you win elections.

My gut tells me Hawaii is mostly the same as its been for the past 50 years and even young AJAs will not vote for Case in large numbers and he will be defeated. But we shall see.

[kamuelakea]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

If Case couldn't beat the lady from Japan, Hirono, he cannot beat the Hawaiian from Hawaii, Akaka.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

It takes generations to make changes. The fact that Lingle did get in as our Governor tells us that Republicans can take the power seat but I don't think the Sansei will be able to completely affect change in their (my) generation. I think it'll take another two before Inouye is simply a memory and not a loyalty issue. He is a WWII Vet. Many are still alive and their children (like myself) and some have loyalties to their parents.

We also see reality here and vote middle of the fence out of respect for our parents. Our children however see us as moderates and will make up their own minds come election time and it is that generation that will affect change in political leadership. It is our generation's children that don't have a direct connection to the "Machine" as they only know Burns or Ariyoshi as historical footmarks in modern day Hawaii politics.

Loyalty is a strong thing and it's tied to emotion more than common sense and the Plantation Japanese community survived and prospered under this rule. But loyalty is slipping amongst Sansei children and their children. Is that a bad thing? I think not.

As for young AJA's I do believe they will vote for Case. I don't know why but as a young AJA, I feel it's about time for the machine to shut down already.

[kamuelakea]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

It takes generations to make changes. The fact that Lingle did get in as our Governor tells us that Republicans can take the power seat but I don't think the Sansei will be able to completely affect change in their (my) generation.

Small kine. Lingle is an exception.

Cayetano was hated by many.
Hawaii was coming out of the depths of a recession
Political Scandals were everywhere.

Lingle was not the typical Kahala Republican. She was a woman for one. Single. Lived on Molokai and befriended Hawaiians and others. Worked with all types and sides on Maui. I think she was a one time exception. She also has done little to change Hawaii's high tax, high cost of living, poor business climate that I can tell.

[1stwahine]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

Small kine. Lingle is an exception.

Cayetano was hated by many.
Hawaii was coming out of the depths of a recession
Political Scandals were everywhere.

Lingle was not the typical Kahala Republican. She was a woman for one. Single. Lived on Molokai and befriended Hawaiians and others. Worked with all types and sides on Maui. I think she was a one time exception. She also has done little to change Hawaii's high tax, high cost of living, poor business climate that I can tell.

hmmm...mighty interesting. I want to know more.

Auntie pUPule

[kamuelakea]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

It takes generations to make changes.

Only if change is wanted. Corrupt governments in Latin America, Cuba and Southeast Asia and most of the worlds 180 natinos have existed for centuries without change. People don't want to buck the system for fear of retribution.

Just like Vegas. Hawaii's vegas travellers on a whole lose. That's how Vegas pays its bills. But everyone goes thinking that THEY will be the lucky one. Same thing in Hawaii. Everyone gives lip service about The Machine. But no one really works to defeat it because they think they will be the lucky one who gets the cherry state job or contract or whatever.

Could go on forever. They only way to defeat the Democratic party is to eliminate the major bloc votes. The Unions will never be defeated. State workers plus trade union workers = half the voters. The only bloc that can be affected is the AJA voting bloc. I think that bloc cannot change due to what you call "loyalty". I think that bloc will only die when there has been significant dilution via intermarriage and or young AJAs move away.

Then you might see some shift in Hawaii politics. Could be generations away.

[Miulang]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

Lingle was not the typical Kahala Republican. She was a woman for one. Single. Lived on Molokai and befriended Hawaiians and others. Worked with all types and sides on Maui. I think she was a one time exception. She also has done little to change Hawaii's high tax, high cost of living, poor business climate that I can tell.

Lingle talks a good line, but how much did she really do for the people of Maui when she was Mayor? During her tenure, Mainlanders really started moving to Maui in droves.

Miulang

[Linkmeister]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

Lingle talks a good line, but how much did she really do for the people of Maui when she was Mayor? During her tenure, Mainlanders really started moving to Maui in droves.

Miulang

Miulang, are you honestly suggesting that the mayor of a county can put up a fence to keep people from moving there? Seems to me there used to be a sign at the Oregon border saying something like "Enjoy your visit, then go home." That worked well.

[Miulang]

Re: Case to challenge Akaka for Senate Seat

Miulang, are you honestly suggesting that the mayor of a county can put up a fence to keep people from moving there? Seems to me there used to be a sign at the Oregon border saying something like "Enjoy your visit, then go home." That worked well.

No, I'm saying that she didn't exactly encourage sticking with the Maui County master plan for growth. Alan Arakawa, another Republican by the way, has a whole different take on what it's going to take to keep Maui liveable, and it means moderating growth, not encouraging it, because the island's infrastructure cannot support all the growth that is being proposed by money grubbing developers.

Miulang

P.S. If you ever visit Moloka'i, there's a sign posted at the intersection that leads from MKK to K'Kai that basically says, "Welcome to Moloka'i. Spend your money and leave." The people of Moloka'i were able to keep the cruise boats from making K'kai a port of call. How were they able to do that? They kept McAfee from buying and subdividing the ahupua'a that contains Iliiliopae heiau, even though the owners of the land were willing to sell it. And they are very staunchly Democratic on Moloka'i. When we visited during the last election cycle, "Dan for US Senate" placards were placed all along the main road and in many people's front yards.