Lots of rules, not enough clarity
On Wednesday, I wanted to take a walk. Unfortunately, it turned out to be much more complicated than I thought it would. That’s because that same day, Hawaii News Now reported that Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, in his continuing attempts to stymie the spread of...
Akina, Perry discuss Hawaii’s ‘state secrets’
Gov. David Ige's secretive decision-making during the coronavirus crisis has caught the attention of journalists throughout Hawaii, including Michael W. Perry, the state's most popular radio personality, who yesterday, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2020, interviewed Grassroot...
Watchdog group urges Ige to release COVID records
The following was issued as a news release by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii on Aug. 24, 2020. ___________ The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii says the lack of transparency is ‘eroding public trust in the management of the pandemic’ HONOLULU, Aug. 24, 2020...
Under mounting pressure, Jones Act lobby claims the law is cost‐free to Hawaii
This article was originally published by Cato at Liberty on Aug. 24, 2020. ______________ By Colin Grabow Jones Act supporters in Hawaii can be forgiven for feeling a bit on edge these days. Last December Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii), citing the Jones Act’s impact on the...
Meet Grassroot Institute of Hawaii board member Mark Monoscalco
The former paving contractor joined the board in 2016 and sees 2020 as a pivotal year for Hawaii’s future Mark Monoscalco was born and raised in a suburb of Chicago, but except for his accent, you wouldn’t necessarily know that from his political inclination toward...
Public deserves to know more about emergency decision-making
Photo by Charley Myers When it comes to Hawaii’s coronavirus lockdowns, it seems like deja vu all over again. After clamping down in March on Hawaii’s economic and social activities, then gradually reopening ever so slightly, lockdown measures more strict than ever...
High voter turnout showed frustration with state’s political class
Hawaii's most recent primary election achieved several milestones, and University of Hawaii political scientist Colin Moore discussed their significance on Keli'i Akina's "Hawaii Together" program on the ThinkTech Hawaii network, on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020. Moore, an...
‘Updating the Jones Act for the 21st Century’
"In a perfect world, there would be no Jones Act. … Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world.” Those are the words of Keli‘i Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, from his chapter “Updating the Jones Act for the 21st Century,” in the Cato...
Lockdown was last straw for Hawaii economy
During “normal” years, late summer is when I usually talk about what Hawaii needs do to improve its economy relative to other states. But this is not an ordinary year. This was brought home to me when I looked at the newest edition of “Rich States, Poor States,” the...
The Jones Act adds to Hawaii’s high costs, so update it for today’s world
This commentary was originally published Aug. 10, 2020 by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. __________ Hawaii already has one of the highest costs of living in the United States, and many economists believe the Jones Act only makes things worse. The federal law requires...
Lockdown mania, at what cost?
Hawaii lawmakers have again shut down bars, parks and beaches, and re-imposed an interisland travel quarantine after a surge in reported coronavirus cases. These lockdowns are well intended, but they also are causing a lot of pain. I don’t envy Gov. David Ige and...
Perry interviews Akina about new Jones Act study
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii released its groundbreaking study on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, regarding how much the Jones Act costs Hawaii, and the next day institute president Keli'i Akina was interviewed by radio personality Michael W. Perry, about the report's...