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Grassroot Institute of HawaiiGrassroot Institute of Hawaii GRASSROOT IN REVIEW

News, Opinion & Information from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

December 10, 2008

From the team at The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii... a large Mahalo for all your support throughout the year; it is deeply appreciated. Together 2009 can be an even better year to advance transparency and liberty in Hawaii. We wish you and yours the very best in happy holidays and a very Mele Kalikimaka!
Aloha,
Dick, Jamie, Wendy, Tom, Pearl, Don, Brandon & Jennifer

 

Breaking Green Chains
Talking Story and Busting Myths with Dr. Mike Fox
By Tom McAuliffe

Dr. Michael R. Fox is a member of the Grassroot Institute's Board of Scholars specializing in science, energy, and climate change issues. Now retired and living in eastern Washington, he has nearly 40 years experience in the energy field. He's also taught chemistry and energy at the university level. His interest in conveying scientific ideas to the general public has led to several awards, hundreds of articles and speeches and numerous appearances on television and radio talk shows. Dr. Fox sat down with Grassroot in Review Editor Tom McAuliffe to discuss the timely issues of climate change, global warming, and the proposed solutions to any real or perceived environmental problems.

(To read more, click here.)

GRASSROOT PERSPECTIVE

Happy Human Rights Day!
By Brandon Bosworth

Overshadowed by the big, gluttony-prone holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas, Human Rights Day (December 10th, in case it isn't on your calendars) marks the fortieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—the UDHR—by the United Nations General Assembly...

In theory, this is all well and good. It's easy to be in favor of universal human rights, just as it's easy to be in favor of any general, vague principles, such as equality, democracy, or liberty. It is much harder to actually define what universal human rights are. In trying to define specific human rights, the U.N. was bound to trigger debate, or at least tick some people off.

(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.

Student Essay Contest

The Foundation for Economic Education is holding a student essay contest on “The Law and Economic Freedom” and the deadline is approaching. FEE invites students to read The Law by Frederic Bastiat and address one or more of the questions below. Prize winners will be awarded a first place prize of $1,000, second place prize of $500, or an honorable mention, and have his or her essay considered for publication in The Freeman, Notes from FEE, or on FEE's website.

(To read more, click here.)

GRASSROOT REVIEWS

Have you read a good book or viewed a good DVD on liberty or a free market subject recently? Let your follow GRIH members know and share your views with 'Grassroot Reviews'. Please send your book or movie review to tom@grassrootinstitute.org.

GRASSROOT TV

Grassroot TV at YouTube.com features videos relating to public issues in Hawaii and beyond, as well as statements from the Institute on various concerns facing our communities. We've loaded the library at the online TV station with new videos from The Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, Americans for Tax Reform and more.

Please visit 'Grassroot TV' at http://www.youtube.com/user/GrassrootHawaii.

-GIR-

'GRASSROOT INSIGHT' PODCASTS

In our "Grassroot Insight" podcast series, GRIH Director of Communications Tom McAuliffe interviews VIPs, community leaders and special guests from the liberty and freedom movement. The audio interviews are available for download to your iPod or for listening via the Internet. This issue features interviews with Nicole Williams, Management and Technology Advisor at the State Policy Network, talking about new technologies being used by today's think tanks; and Nicole Kurokawa, Manager of External Relations at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C.

Click here to listen to the interview with Nicole Williams of SPN.
Click here to listen to the interview with Nicole Kurokawa of the Cato Institute.

Please check out our other recent podcasts with:
• Friedman Foundation's Robert Enlow on school choice
• Paul Bachman from the Beacon Hill Institute on the new Akaka Bill study
• Senior Legislative Analyst Jack McHugh from www.michiganvotes.org

-GIR-

GRASSROOT EVENTS

Information on the Institute’s upcoming events, research publication dates and speaking engagements are always available and updated via our website. The Grassroot Institute has regular meetings on Oahu, Maui, The Big Island, and Kauai. Please contact our office for more details.

GRIH Family Brain Gain Movie Nights
Please join us for our next video presentation, "Call of the Entrepreneur," on Thursday, Jan. 15th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at Trinity Christian Church and School, 875 Auloa Road in Kailua. Call Lora Burbage at 772-0787 for more information.

-GIR-

LIBERTY NEWS

GRIH President Ships Out

Jamie Story spends the day with the U.S. Navy.GRIH President Jamie Story recently spent some time with the U.S. Navy. In a VIP tour set up by the GRIH Communications Department and the Navy's Pacific Fleet Public Affairs Office, Story flew out to sea and landed on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. She spent the day touring the ship and learning about what the U.S. Navy's mission is in the Pacific.

"The military is vital in protecting our freedoms, and also serves a primary role in our local Hawaii economy," Story said. "I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the U.S. Navy and life on a carrier. The crew was incredibly friendly and welcoming, and it was truly the chance of a lifetime!"

After lunch with the ship's Commanding Officer she was catapulted off the deck and flew back to the island of Oahu.

-GIR-

 

Twin Talks

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, the Foundation for Economic Education and Hawaii Pacific University recently hosted a double header of speeches at HPU's downtown Honolulu campus. The event featured two knowledgeable and articulate speakers. Author Greg Rehmke spoke on economic freedom, as well as energy policy in India and the U.S. Professor Ken Schoolland delivered a talk on liberty in a global economy.

(To read more, click here.)

Skeptics Unite!

The second annual Global Warming Skeptics Conference has been announced by The Heartland Institute. The conference will be held in New York City, March 8-10, 2009, and is expected to draw up to 1,000 scientists and experts from around the world to discuss climate change and global warming. The 2009 conference will serve as a platform for scientists and policy analysts who question the theories of man-made climate change. This year's theme, "Global Warming Crisis: Cancelled!," calls attention to new research findings that contradict the conclusions of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.

(To read more, click here.)

Students Meet

Young America's Foundation held its West Coast Leadership Conference in November at Santa Barbara, California. The annual event offers students the opportunity to hear some of the nation’s best speakers on conservative ideas in a beautiful setting – Santa Barbara, California. This year's speakers addressed such topics as free markets, limited government, national defense, personal responsibility, traditional values, and the ideas and principles of former President Ronald Reagan. The conference is the largest one of its type on the West Coast, offering an abundance of books, resources, and networking opportunities that create a gateway to the Conservative Movement. If you are looking to learn more about conservative ideas and spend time with other conservative students, this is the place to be next fall.

Recorded webcasts from the 2008 West Coast Leadership Conference are available at: http://www.yaf.org/students/conferences/wclc/index.cfm.

-GIR-

Class of '09 at AU

The Acton Institute has announced that registration is now open for the 2009 Acton University (AU), which will take place on June 16-19, 2009 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. AU is a unique, four-day exploration of the intellectual foundations of a free society guided by a distinguished, international faculty. At Acton University students will:

  • Build their own curriculum. Choose from more than fifty courses ranging from the theological and philosophical to the policy-oriented and practical.

  • Learn from world-class faculty while meeting leading authorities on economics, theology, public policy, globalization, the environment, and other disciplines.

  • Network. Interact with people from diverse backgrounds who share a concern about issues at the heart of faith, liberty, and freedom.

  • Be equipped to engage in the debate. Better articulate your understanding of the Judeo-Christian view of liberty and morality and its application in a free and virtuous society.

Acton University is an opportunity to deepen your knowledge and integrate rigorous philosophy, Christian theology, and sound economics into your life and business.

Interested? Please contact Kara Eagle at (616) 454-3080 or keagle@acton.org and tell them GRIH sent you. Visit the Acton web site at www.acton.org.

-GIR-

Grassroot Media Hits

On Nov. 28th new GRIH Transparency Correspondent Don Ray was featured in Pacific Business News in the 'Pacesetters' column.

On Dec. 2nd GRIH President Jamie Story was a guest on KHVH 830AM's “The Rick Hamada Show,” the number one talk show in the state of Hawaii. On from 6:40 to 7 AM, Story spoke about the Hawaii DOE's efforts to trim its budget and the new GRIH transparency program.

Oahu's MidWeek, which goes to every home on the island, recently featured GRIH Transparency Correspondent Don Ray in the 'Movers' column.

GRIH Board member Dale Evans was recently published at HawaiiReporter.com with her article, “How Realistic Are Honolulu's Population Growth Estimates Being Used to Justify Rail Project?” Evans is also President of Charley's Taxi.

On Dec. 3rd, GRIH Director of Communications Tom McAuliffe was on KHVH's “The Mike Buck Show” (3-7pm) for 3 minutes talking about the proposed Oahu rail system and the burden on Hawaii's taxpayers.

GRIH President Jamie Story and Policy Analyst Pearl Hahn appeared recently on Olelo TV’s Chatty Kathy TV show speaking on School Choice, Transparency and the 2009 Pork Report.

Hawaii Reporter recently published several news releases from GRIH and articles from Grassroot Institute members. Please visit their site at http://www.hawaiireporter.com.

The nationally recognized and popular site Townhall.com has recently picked up for national distribution many of the articles you read in Grassroot in Review.

-GIR-

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.

-GIR-

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!

-GIR-

Grassroot Institute is a proud member of the State Policy Network, Townhall.com, Americans for Tax Reform, The Sam Adams Alliance and more.

 
 

 

 

GRASSROOT STATS

Total number of bills introduced during the last legislative session: 2,747. Of that number, 1,483 were House bills and 1,264 were Senate bills. Only four Hawaii legislators rated above 50%, according to GRIH's 2008 Hawaii Legislative Scorecard.
(Source: GRIH 2008 Hawaii Legislative Scorecard)

In the USA, the percentage share of public transportation usage has decreased in the great majority of metropolitan areas where rail has been built, while the share of car commuting has increased.
(Source: GRIH brief "Debunking Myths of Honolulu Rail Transit")

At least 41 states have recently faced, or are now facing, budget deficits. Today, 13 states are staring at budget shortfalls in excess of $1 billion in fiscal year 2009, with California ($31 billion) and New York ($6.4 billion) leading. Moody's recently reported that 30 states are in recession, and 19 more are at risk.
(Source: Center for Budget & Policy Priorities)

The Hawaii Department of Education operating budget has grown from $972 million in FY 99-00 to $2.4 billion in FY 08-09.1The current proposed reduction of $46 million represents a mere 1.9 percent cut of the entire budget.
(Source: New GRIH policy brief "Getting Less for More: Feeding the Government Education System in Hawaii")

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"Let's look at the word Politics: 'Poli' a Latin word meaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsucking creatures.' Sounds about right, doesn't it?"
-- Robin Williams

"Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed. He who molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or decisions possible or impossible to execute."
-- Abraham Lincoln

“Hawaii and the United States are in the midst of unprecedented economic challenges. This is not the time to burden taxpayers and businesses with an increase in the highly regressive General Excise Tax (GET)... the United States Congress voted to spend $700 billion in an economic bailout, or $2,300 per American resident. Yet the proposed Oahu rail system will cost each Oahu resident a minimum of $4,110 in construction costs alone—nearly 80% more per person than the bailout!”
-- Jamie Story, President of the Grassroot Institute

"How did politicians ever believe this weird idea that the law could be made to produce what it does not contain—the wealth, science, and religion that, in a positive sense, constitute prosperity?
-- Frederic Bastiat's The Law
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