Mike Gabbard

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Mike Gabbard

Sorry Leo - your "guess" is very wrong. Dems (here, at least) are definitely NOT becoming more conservative!

In this case, I'm very glad to be wrong.

[MixedPlateBroker]

Re: Mike Gabbard

I love the accompanying photo the S-B ran w/the story of Gabbard's switch. Senate President Colleen Hanabusa's body language is most telling. You can clearly make out her forced smile. And note how she has her hands clasped in front of her, usually an indicator of concern.

A thousand words indeed.

[anapuni808]

Re: Mike Gabbard

Sorry Leo - your "guess" is very wrong. Dems (here, at least) are definitely NOT becoming more conservative!

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Mike Gabbard

Is Gabbard becoming liberal, or is the Hawaii Democrat Party becoming conservative?

My guess (yes, it's only a guess) is the latter.

I am neither proud of nor ashamed of my ethnic background, but it is a huge part of my identity. Doesn't make sense to keep that hidden away. Faith? Even more.

But you can't impose your ethnicity on me, as you can your politics or faith. (Not saying you do so, just pointing out a difference.)

[anapuni808]

Re: Mike Gabbard

I'm more shocked that the democrats would accept him. If I recall correctly, he even admitted he wanted to be with the majority. He'll probably win the next election via party strength.

The Democratic Party did not have the option to reject his request to join the party. All he had to do was sign the membership card. That said, it doesn't mean that everyone was exactly thrilled about it.

here is the article from the Advertiser:

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...708310349.html

[mel]

Re: Mike Gabbard

... but the GOP lost seats in the last election; losing one more IS something of a loss. I'm no Republican (then again, I'm no Democrat), but I favor a more even distribution of representation, party-wise. If we're going to have a party system, better it should work if the parties are represented such that there is some kind of balance!

Yes, the GOP lost 2 seats in the House which has been spiraling downward since they achieved a high of 20 seats about 4 or 6 years ago. The House GOP minority stands at 8 this year. In the Senate the numbers went up a few seats at the time... 2 in the late 1990s, 3 in 2000, 5 in 2002 and remained there to the other day. So yes, with Gabbard's defection to the other side, the Senate GOP is 20% short of their last count. So now the Senate minority is 21 - 4.

I agree that we need to have a more even distribution to where numbers in the Senate can hover around say, 13 - 12, 14 -11 or even 15 - 10.... but at this time I don't see that happening any time soon. With those kind of numbers votes and coalitions built in a chamber would be much more interesting than they are now today with the usual lopsided margins.

That's unfair. Religion =/ Republican =/ Close-minded!

There are Democrats who are also religious. State Senator Norman Sakamoto pretty much follows a Christian edict by going as far as supporting right to life issues.

[scrivener]

Re: Mike Gabbard

The bio on his website says this:
"Religion: Catholic. St. Jude Catholic Church in Makakilo, serves as a lector" I thought he was also connected to Hare Krishna, and the Science of Identity Foundation folks.

He was, or at least that's what I was led to believe by that Honolulu Weekly stuff that went down a few years ago.

That first part surprises me, particularly the lector part.

I'm more shocked that the democrats would accept him. If I recall correctly, he even admitted he wanted to be with the majority. He'll probably win the next election via party strength.

That shouldn't surprise you at all. He's a politician. He's working with politicians. In party politics (which I despise), anything that adds strength to your side is good, right? Plus, as Mel pointed out, there was very little about Gabbard, issues-wise, that was Republican.

I fail to understand why some people in our country are capable of not being open with religion. We're not in the Islamic Republic of Iran, nor are we in the Republic of Gilead. Bring it to light, or make religion a completely private issue.

I'm with you there, but with one more option: Keeping your religious views separate from your political actions without necessarily keeping your beliefs private. I have always been open about what I believe, but I hope that I've also expressed my political views completely apart from my faith. I won't be private about what I believe, because it is too important to who I am, inside and out; it would be like keeping my ethnicity private. I am neither proud of nor ashamed of my ethnic background, but it is a huge part of my identity. Doesn't make sense to keep that hidden away. Faith? Even more.

That and right to life.

That's right; I forgot about that one. Here's the thing that irritates me about all the anti-Gabbard AND pro-Gabbard stuff: People assume that his positions on abortion and same-sex marriage are based on religion, as if that's the ONLY way people could have the beliefs Gabbard has. That's unfair, and it only serves to further flatten (as in, to make two-dimensional) people who run for or hold office. We don't allow for the complexities of issues and thoughts, finding it easier to say "he feels the way we feel because his religious beliefs are the same as mine" or "he feels the way we DON'T feel because his religious beliefs are different from mine." I know many conservative, evangelical Christians who are in favor of women's abortion rights and I know (not as) many liberal, atheist voters who think the unborn child has the same unalienable rights as any other human.

Gabbard's defection to the dark side is not that big of a loss for the GOP because most of the time he voted about 98% with the majority party on various issues in the legislature.

This might be true (no way for me to confirm the 98% part), but the GOP lost seats in the last election; losing one more IS something of a loss. I'm no Republican (then again, I'm no Democrat), but I favor a more even distribution of representation, party-wise. If we're going to have a party system, better it should work if the parties are represented such that there is some kind of balance!

Yes, yes, YES! I prefer keeping it private, but we have many politicians these days who cannot grasp the concept of separating church and state. Unfortunately, in recent years, most of the more publicly outspoken ones have been Republicans, which then taints all party members with that broad brush. I know of many, many GOP members for whom religion is NOT a factor in politics, nor feel that it should be.

Similarly, I'm tired of Christians being painted with the same, broad, political brush. It's easy to lump Republicans in with the Religious Right, and it's easy to lump Christians in with either or both of those groups. That's unfair. Religion =/ Republican =/ Close-minded!

[1stwahine]

Re: Mike Gabbard

"Shocked" is an understatement for me. Had to pick up my jaws off the floor.

Is Gabbard becoming liberal, or is the Hawaii Democrat Party becoming conservative?

I'm so confused. Some wahine console me, please?

Random, my soda wen go all ova my desk!

HAHAHAHAHA

yOU fUNNY!

Have a great weekend and Holiday!

(((HUGS)))

Auntie Lynn

[Random]

Re: Mike Gabbard

I'm more shocked that the democrats would accept him.

"Shocked" is an understatement for me. Had to pick up my jaws off the floor.

Is Gabbard becoming liberal, or is the Hawaii Democrat Party becoming conservative?

I'm so confused. Some wahine console me, please?

[1stwahine]

Re: Mike Gabbard

If people really knew what goes on behind closed doors at the State Capitol, they'd flip. That is all.

heheheh

While the Politicians 'Uhe 'Ami and Slide.



Auntie Lynn

[Keanu]

Re: Mike Gabbard

I'd wager that Senate President Hanabusa met Senator Gabbard behind closed doors. I'd wager that what was discussed initiated the party change. If people really knew what goes on behind closed doors at the State Capitol, they'd flip. That is all.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Mike Gabbard

I fail to understand why some people in our country are capable of not being open with religion. ... Bring it to light, or make religion a completely private issue.

Yes, yes, YES! I prefer keeping it private, but we have many politicians these days who cannot grasp the concept of separating church and state. Unfortunately, in recent years, most of the more publicly outspoken ones have been Republicans, which then taints all party members with that broad brush. I know of many, many GOP members for whom religion is NOT a factor in politics, nor feel that it should be.

[mel]

Re: Mike Gabbard

This doesn't surprise me at all. The only issue Gabbard had in common with the local GOP was the same-sex marriage issue.

That and right to life.

Gabbard's defection to the dark side is not that big of a loss for the GOP because most of the time he voted about 98% with the majority party on various issues in the legislature.

[Vanguard]

Re: Mike Gabbard

I'm more shocked that the democrats would accept him. If I recall correctly, he even admitted he wanted to be with the majority. He'll probably win the next election via party strength.

I thought he was also connected to Hare Krishna, and the Science of Identity Foundation folks.

I fail to understand why some people in our country are capable of not being open with religion. We're not in the Islamic Republic of Iran, nor are we in the Republic of Gilead. Bring it to light, or make religion a completely private issue. I certainly would not want a political representative with such pessimistic, jaded views of our country.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Mike Gabbard

The only issue Gabbard had in common with the local GOP was the same-sex marriage issue. While he had the support of the local Christian conservatives, he does not call himself a Christian

The bio on his website says this:
"Religion: Catholic. St. Jude Catholic Church in Makakilo, serves as a lector"

I thought he was also connected to Hare Krishna, and the Science of Identity Foundation folks.