 Myths of Rail
Grassroot Institute Exposes City-Backed Misinformation on Rail Project
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii has released a new study, "Debunking the Myths of Rail Transit", which sheds new light on the proposed multi-billion dollar Oahu heavy rail system. Now available on the Institute's website, it features several easy-to-understand graphs showing that the City and County of Honolulu is incorrect in many of its assumptions about mass transit in general and heavy rail in particular.
(To read more, click here.)
The Real Cost of the Rail GET Increase
GET Increase to Result in an Estimated 6,000 Jobs Lost
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii has released new findings on the economic costs of the City and County of Honolulu's recent General Excise Tax (GET) increase, which it levied to help pay for the proposed steel-on-steel rail system. Using a Hawaii-specific economic model developed by The Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University, the Grassroot Institute has estimated the GET increase impact on key economic indicators including unemployment, personal income, and investment.
(To read more, click here.)
GRASSROOT PERSPECTIVE
COOL is Anything But
By Pearl Hahn
The law requiring Country-of-Origin labeling (COOL) on food harms consumers. Yet proponents say it will boost demand for American meat and produce, encourage eating locally, and increase safety.
The first claim makes little sense. If true, U.S. producers would label voluntarily to give themselves an advantage over foreign producers. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says consumers do not express a strong preference for domestic items and are unlikely to do so because of COOL. Labeling costs to growers and retailers can reach $3.9 billion according to the USDA. To offset the expense, prices will rise and consumers must pay more for groceries. Consumers do not favor U.S. products, nullifying the environmental argument. If shrinking carbon footprints was the goal, then emission estimates should be provided. COOL won’t reduce risk of food-borne illness either--otherwise, the government should demand labeling the company of origin. Should all U.S. spinach have been boycotted just because California's Mission Organics spinach was contaminated with E. coli? There is no guarantee food produced in the West is safer than others. Furthermore, COOL does not apply to “processed foods” such as frozen corn, bacon, and items from fish markets and restaurants, all of which carry the same safety concerns.
Hefty fines for non-compliance with COOL began recently and will not accomplish any of its goals. The measure is nothing but a misguided form of protectionism that impedes on consumer choice and interests.
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Pearl Hahn is a Policy Analyst with The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, a free-market think tank based in Honolulu.
Where Have All the Jitneys Gone?
By Professor Ken Schoolland
With so much attention on plans for a city railroad, it's worth taking stock of the government strangulation of transportation over the past 70 years.
Few people today know what jitneys are, but there used to be lots of jitneys and the people of Honolulu loved them. That is, until 1940 when the government put them all out of business.
(To read more, click here.)
FRESH PERSPECTIVE
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. Please contact tom@grassrootinstitute.org for more info.
Government is Not the Solution
Reasons for the Financial Crisis
By Kristian Somi
The recent government bailout of Wall Street may hurt our economy. Whenever there's some kind of crisis politicians always rush to pass new laws, create new programs and increase government spending, sometimes just for the sake of image and the appearance of doing something even if that 'something' might be a bad idea. How unfortunate for us that many legislators don’t think about the effects of their actions on the American economy before they pass new laws or spend our money.
(To read more, click here.)
GRASSROOT TV
Grassroot TV at YouTube.com features videos relating to public issues in Hawaii and beyond. GTV has videos, viewer comments and more. Check our new "About..." series featuring Grassroot Institute President Jamie Story discussing the principles of liberty and various issues of the day: "About... School Choice" and "About... Transparency".
Please visit 'Grassroot TV' at http://www.youtube.com/user/GrassrootHawaii.
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GRASSROOT INSTITUTE PODCASTS
This issue's Grassroot Insight podcasts feature interviews with The Black Alliance for Educational Options' president, Gerard Robinson, and chairman, Dr. Howard Fuller. We interviewed these gentlemen just before Dr. Fuller's keynote address on school choice at the recent SPN K-12 Education Reform Summit.
Click here to listen to the interview with Gerard Robinson.
Click here to listen to the interview with Dr. Howard Fuller.
Please check out our other recent podcasts with:
• Vice President of the State Policy Network, Jennifer Butler
• Author and Hawaii education reform activist Laura Brown
• Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform
We have more great audio interviews coming your way, so we hope you'll give Grassroot Insight a listen! If you have any ideas for the show please let us know at tom@grassrootinstitute.org.
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GRASSROOT EVENTS
Information on the Institute’s upcoming events, research publication dates and speaking engagements are always available and updated via our website.
GRIH Family Brain Gain, Nov. 13, 7 pm
Trinity Christian Church and School, Kailua, HI.
Call Lora Burbage at 772-0787 for more information.
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LIBERTY NEWS
New Family Brain Gain Seminars
The Grassroot Institute is starting a brand new recurring educational event through our Youth Leadership Program. It's called Family Brain Gain and is designed to be of special value to high school and college students, parents, and other mentors. Although that is our target audience, we're inviting the entire community to attend, space permitting. We believe the events will be informative, fun, and beneficial to all who cherish liberty, the rule of law, and a free market economy.
(To read more, click here.)
Leading Tax Reform Author Speaks
Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform and author of the current bestselling book Leave Us Alone, delivers address at special GRIH luncheon
As part of its 2008 Speaker Series, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii recently featured Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) and author of the current bestselling book Leave Us Alone, at a special luncheon on October 17th at The Pearl Country Club. Norquist, who formed ATR at the request of President Ronald Reagan, is an astute observer of the political scene and what drives it. Norquist discussed his popular new book, the recent financial bailout in Washington, and the conflicting coalitions that are vying for dominance in our government.
(To read more, click here.)
Gov. Lingle Graded on Fiscal Management
Governor Linda Lingle has been graded for her financial management of the state by the Cato Institute in Washington, DC. A Republican governor who took office in December 2002, Lingle has dealt with a Democratic legislature that has created one of the highest state tax burdens in the United States. She has worked to ease the load on Hawaii's taxpayers, and in 2006 proposed income tax reductions consisting of an increase in the standard deduction and adjustments to state tax rate brackets. In 2007 and 2008, she proposed further cuts to income and sales taxes.
On spending, the Governor started out well in 2003, calling for an overall reduction in the budget and a statewide hiring freeze. Since then, she has taken various actions to restraint state spending such as vetoing a government employee pay raise. She also recently directed all state agencies to develop spending cut proposals at 10, 15 and 20 percent. Despite her efforts, Hawaii’s budget has grown rapidly. Lingle received a grade of C in the Cato report.
For the full report on all of the governors in the U.S., please visit http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-624.pdf.
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Beyond Bailouts
Free Market Groups Launch New Website for Federal Fiscal Solvency
Despite the best efforts of the nation’s largest taxpayer group, Congress passed a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry – but that doesn’t mean the battle against big government is lost, according to the 362,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU). Recently NTU and the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) teamed together to launch www.BeyondBailouts.org to properly assess the government’s role in the country’s current financial difficulties, establish some real policy solutions for those core problems, and provide an outlet for visitors to petition elected officials.
(To read more, click here.)
Grassroot Media Hits
Neighbor Isle News
The Maui News featured a Con-Con Opinion article from GRIH Policy Analyst Pearl Hahn in its special Viewpoints section. The piece was also featured on the daily newspaper's website.
On the Air
On Oct. 17th GRIH President Jamie Story and ATR President Grover Norquist spent an hour on KHVH 830 AM being interviewed on Hawaii's #1 morning show, The Rick Hamada Show.
Click here to hear another recent interview with GRIH President Jamie Story on The Rick Hamada Show.
On Oct. 21 GRIH Communications Director Tom McAuliffe was on the #1 afternoon radio show, The Mike Buck Show, as a call-in guest, talking about the need for a Constitutional Convention and more transparency in local and state government.
Honolulu Weekly
In a Letter to the Editor entitled "More to the Story",
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairperson Haunani Apoliona responded to a 9/08 Q&A interview with GRIH President Jamie Story.
Honolulu Star Bulletin
GRIH Policy Analyst Pearl Hahn had a Letter to the Editor published on October 3, 2008: "Regulation created nation's financial mess".
MidWeek
GRIH Policy Analyst Pearl Hahn was also featured this month in "Movers: Business Leaders of Hawaii".
Townhall.com
The nationally recognized and popular site http://www.townhall.com has recently picked up for national distribution many of the articles you read in Grassroot in Review.
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TRY THE GRASSROOT BLOGS
Join the conversation and express your views! Use these links to access our member blogs.
Dash of Calabash
http://dashofcalabash.grassrootinstitute.org/
The Mystery of Hawaiian History
http://historymystery.grassrootinstitute.org/
Read what others have written and add your own thoughts. See you there!
-GIR-
NEED A GOOD SPEAKER?
From taxation to education and health care to transportation, the Institute’s staff is excited 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 tom@grassrootinstitute.org.
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SUPPORT GOOD PUBLIC POLICY IN HAWAII!
Please help us continue to provide independent research on issues important to Hawaii! The Grassroot Institute operates only through the generous donations of friends and benefactors from around Hawaii and the United States, and even the smallest of donations can be used to accomplish great things for the future of our beloved state.
Will you please consider becoming a supporter today? Donations are tax deductible and it's quick, easy and secure. Click here!
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Grassroot Institute is a proud member of the State Policy Network, Townhall.com,
Americans for Tax Reform, The Sam Adams Alliance and more.
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