Behind Open Doors

GRASS IN REVIEW

GRASSROOT INSTITUTE OF HAWAII

Nurturing the rights and responsibilities of the individual in a civil society.

WEEKLY GRASS IN REVIEW - May 21, 2008

Behind Open Doors
By Paul Jacob

We want to know what our government is up to.

If officials do bad things or just extremely clumsy money-wasting things, we need to know. Then we can try to do something about it. It’s called oversight.

Oversight requires transparency. If officials hide their activities it gets difficult to learn what they’re up to. I don’t say we should be told secrets the public unveiling of which would compromise our national security. But almost everything else is fair game.

Okay, I hear everybody nodding furiously. But government officials themselves aren’t always so agreeable. An example is Diane Oberquell, a commissioner in Thurston County in Washington. Last fall, Washington state auditors conducted a government performance audit to see how responsive local officials are to requests for public records.

According to the newspaper The Olympian, this Commissioner Oberquell — I guess it’s a coincidence that her name sorta rhymes with “overkill” — this Oberquell person went “ballistic” when she found out about the audit. Claimed it was an uncalled-for “sting” operation.

Hey, if that’s what it was, so be it. Let’s have more of these sting operations.

The irony is that a draft report of the audit has just been released, and it seems Thurston County got an okay assessment. Not the best, not the worst. Middling. So why all the defensiveness?

Hmmm... seems mighty suspicious to me. Time for another audit?

Paul Jacob is a member of the GRIH Board of Advisors and is Senior Advisor at the Sam Adams Alliance and Foundation.

IN THE NEWS - HIGHLIGHTED COMMENTARIES
Grassroot Institute is regularly featured in news articles and broadcasts around the state. Here is a sample of some of our recent articles, research stories, and other articles of interest.

HSAs Under Attack in Congress
By Greg Scandlen

Brian McManus of the Health Care Freedom Coalition and Dan Perrin of the HSA Coalition, both member organizations of Consumers for Health Care Choices, are mobilizing a defense of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) against a new threat in Congress.

The threat is a proposed requirement, passed by the House of Representatives on April 15 but not yet being discussed in the Senate, that HSA withdrawals be "substantiated" by consumers to ensure ahead of time whether the withdrawals are being made for "qualified medical expenses."

(To read more, click here.)

Boosting America's Oil Supply So Prices Drop
Open Letter to Congressmembers from Grover Norquist

On behalf of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), I am writing to express support for your proposed amendment to the Fiscal Year 2009 Interior Appropriations bill lifting the Congressional moratoria to allow oil and natural gas exploration and production in the Outer Continental Shelf. ...

Increasing domestic supply is a critical component of the solution to bring natural gas prices back to an affordable level. Supply has not been able to keep pace with demand in large part because of federal policies that restrict the exploration and production of natural gas.

(To read more, click here.)

UPCOMING EVENTS

All of the Institute’s events, research publication dates and speaking engagements are available on our website.

1. Luncheon with Mark Skousen
"To Invite Prosperity: What Should a State Constitution Say and Not Say"
Wednesday, May 28th, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Mark Skousen -- professional economist, investment expert, university professor and author of over 25 books -- will be our guest on May 28. Held in the Pacific Club Card Room, the deli luncheon buffet requires advance registration and payment ($25). Please send checks made out to GRIH to the office address or call (808)591-9193 to charge the fee. Click here for more information about Mark Skousen.

2. Breakfast with Mark Skousen
“Economic Empowerment.”
Thursday, May 29, 7:00-8:30 AM
Dr. Mark Skousen will be Small Business Hawaii’s featured speaker at the SBH Sunrise Networking Breakfast in the Pineapple Room of Macy's Ala Moana. Cost is $25 for SBH and GRIH members and their guests who pay in advance; $35 for non-members and walk-ins.

HONOLULUTRAFFIC.COM
The mission of HonoluluTraffic.com is to seek cost effective ways to reduce traffic congestion on Oahu. Add your name to the list of supporters.

STOPRAILNOW.COM
The goal of Stop Rail Now is to collect the nearly 45,000 signatures necessary to put on the ballot: "Honolulu mass transit shall not include trains or rail transit." Go to the website to sign up or download a petition, due back July 10th.

FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Opportunity for Young Adults:
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii created the Fresh Perspective column exclusively to publish the work of high school and college students. In addition to work appearing on GRIH’s website, their work is also submitted to Hawaii Reporter. Submissions are welcome from any interested young adult, and we will publish work that is clearly written and grammatically sound. For earlier Fresh Perspectives please click here.

Contact: wendy@grassrootinstitute.org for more info.

TRY OUR BLOGS
Use these links to access various topics.

The Mystery of Hawaiian History>>>Blog Archives>>>The Aloha Spirit

Dash of Calabash>>>Blog Archives>>>A Research Trip to New Zealand?

Dash of Calabash>>>Blog Archives>>>Wal-Mart to Expand Low Cost Generic Drug Program

Dash of Calabash>>>Blog Archives>>>Hawaii gas prices not the highest in the U.S.

Read what others have written or add your own thoughts by clicking here.

LIBERTY NETWORK

GRIH is looking for student interns for the summer. Interns will focus on one of three areas - policy, media, or development - and will receive a stipend. Click here for more information.

How fast does the state spend your money?
State spending is out of control. Watch the dollars fly out the window.....

Have an Institute speaker at your next meeting!
From taxation to education, from health care to transportation, the Institute’s staff is ready to address your group regarding the important policy issues facing all citizens of Hawaii. Call (808) 591-9193 to check availability and make arrangements, or e-mail us at wendy@grassrootinstitute.org .

Grassroot Institute is a proud member of the State Policy Network and Townhall.

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