Rooted in Reason
July 31, 2009
Welfare in Hawaii
Poverty exists in Hawaii, and the state Department of Human Services (DHS) administers welfare programs catering to tens of thousands of state residents to address it through the following Divisions: Benefit, Employment and Support Services, Med-QUEST, Social Services, and Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind. (more)
Rooted in Reason
July 20, 2009
Hawaii's Unions and Sense of Entitlement
Hawaii's unions could be a valuable asset to the community. Every individual is guaranteed freedom of assembly to associate with whomever he wishes to express, promote, pursue, or defend a common interest such as better working conditions. This is a basic human right. Problems arise, however, when any group believes it is entitled to special privileges and benefits. (more)
Rooted in Reason
July 16, 2009
Hawaii Legislature Exhibits Short-Sightedness
Yesterday, the House convened a special session at 11:30 AM to override several of Governor Lingle's vetoes. Amie, one of the Grassroot development interns, and I took our video camera and notepads to document the event. (more)
Rooted in Reason
July 15, 2009
Artwork Paid For By Taxpayers
Yesterday, Grassroot received a phone call from Mark Niesse of the Associated Press asking for comment on the Aquarius, a gigantic mosaic on the floor of the State Capitol that was recently renovated using public funds. See the Advertiser's "State Capitol's Renovated 'Aquarius' Mosaic Unveiled" to view the article. (more)
Rooted in Reason
July 14, 2009
Lies Behind Presidential Appointments?
President Obama selected Arne Duncan to succeed Margaret Spellings as the US Secretary of Education. The Secretary of Education position is one of several federal positions appointed by the president that requires confirmation of the US Senate. Hopefully, whoever is president makes appointments based on merit and skill rather than outside pressures or to return favors. (more)
Rooted in Reason
July 10, 2009
Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto Woes
A cause that is especially dear to me is that of transparency. That is why I find myself irritated when I see the Department of Education (DOE) get away with shenanigans like this. Today, headlines are focusing on the state school board approving $227 million in cuts, including salaries. You don't need to dig deep to see that this is hardly worthy of making the news, because to the DOE, this amount hardly constitutes a drop in an enormous, overflowing bucket. (more)
Rooted in Reason
July 09, 2009
Amazon Bids Hawaii Farewell
Starving for funds, Hawaii's lawmakers sought to tax anything they considered taxable, from cigarettes to the Internet. The Wall Street Journal took note that Amazon was cutting ties to its affiliates in our state. Amazon's spokeswoman, Patty Smith, said the company believes such legislation is unconstitutional. (more)
Rooted in Reason
July 07, 2009
Lessons from New Zealand and Chile
Hawaii's economy- and that of the United States- should take cues from bold moves made by two countries on opposite sides of the world, Chile and New Zealand. It seems like US leaders are intentionally steering away from capitalism towards socialism. For years, we've been watching as our monetary supply has multiplied (with ensuing inflation), subsidies to various industries have grown, taxes have escalated, and the government workforce has swelled. (more)
Rooted in Reason
July 06, 2009
Recession Hitting Teenagers
Do you recall teenage summers of flipping burgers, lifeguarding at the community pool, or scooping ice cream? During my summers in high school, I did various stints from stamping envelopes at a veterans hospital (unpaid) to performing skits as a camp counselor (paid... barely). (more)
Rooted in Reason
July 02, 2009
Government Paychecks: Bush vs. Obama
Most members of the public would agree that paychecks of elected officials and all public servants (otherwise known as government workers, whether at the city, state, or federal level) should be kept low to ensure that people who enter the public sector are truly motivated by a desire to serve others. (more)
Rooted in Reason
July 01, 2009
Inouye Gets Bailout Funds For His Troubled Bank
It turns out Central Pacific Financial, which was not originally slated to receive any bailout funds, is now standing to receive $135 million from the Treasury. Senator Inouye reported ownership of shares worth $350,000 to $700,000 at the end of 2007. (more)
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