The Treasury Department announced yesterday that the federal deficit for April soared to $82.69 billion, more than twice the $40 billion deficit that Wall Street economists had predicted. An April deficit is rare for the federal government (there has been a surplus in 43 out of the past 56 years) and the announcement marked a record 19th consecutive month that the Treasury has posted a shortfall. Like those who said there was no housing bubble, some on the left who crave an ever larger federal government are still saying that Americans have nothing to worry about--that we can borrow and spend forever.

(Kapolei, HI)- Former local television news anchor and reporter, Ramsay Puanani Wharton, today announced her candidacy for the 2nd Congressional District. She was surrounded by family and supporters as she filed her nomination papers at the Office of Elections in Pearl City.

“I’m running for Congress because our current Representative has shown little or no leadership on the key issues upon which our voters have made clear they want our Washington Representatives to focus: job creation, restraint in spending and lower taxes,” said Wharton.

Where I grew up — on Manhattan’s Upper West Side — nobody ever admitted to voting Republican. The real contests for Congress and the state legislatures occurred in early September, when the Democratic primary was held. And the people who won those races and who then took the November elections with some 80 per cent of the vote were real Democrats — not the closet Republicans that one sees so often these days but men and women committed to liberal principles and motivated by the ideal of an affirmative and compassionate government.

Current Hawaii law requires a homeowner to "retreat" from his or her own home when invaded by a criminal engaging in a felony. The new law establishes provisions relating to owner to felon; limited liability. Provides that any owner of any interest in real property shall not be liable to any perpetrator for any injury or death that occurs upon the real property during the course or after the commission of certain felony offenses.

More than half the respondents — 52.6 percent — had already voted. And of that group, Djou got 45 percent of the vote, one reason it's so difficult to imagine trends changing in any significant way between now and May 22….

Djou leads among voters who believe limiting government power or national security are the most important issues in the election. They are "through the roof" for Djou, Rosenthal said.

Hanabusa wins among voters who identify education as the most important issue, while Case wins among voters who pick energy independence and environmental protection.

Honolulu has the fifth highest debt per capita of America’s larger cities (See list below).  Note that this debt does not include our inevitable shortfall in rail taxes, the $1.2 billion liability for secondary sewage treatment (the city lost both the suit and the appeal to EPA) or the funds needed for our roads which are some of the worst in the nation and will require billions for restoration (as opposed to the wasteful two inch overlays currently done in a hurry in order to “buy votes”).

“As our campaign continues to grow, I'm adding new leaders to my core team that will help me draw upon the community to shape the next chapter in Hawai`i’s future,” said Lt. Governor Aiona. “They bring together the right mix of campaign experiences, fresh ideas and an unwavering commitment to reduce the financial burden on our working families and businesses, create jobs and improve our education system so all of our children have the opportunity to compete in a global economy based on knowledge and innovation.”

"We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it," Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told us just weeks before Congress passed President Barack Obama's health care plan. Well, the nation's post-passage Obamacare education continued yesterday when the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed that the federal government will have to spend an additional $115 billion implementing the law, bringing the total estimated cost to over $1 trillion. . . .

81-year-old Robert Hicks passed away April 13, and is remembered for being, among other things, the last known surviving member of the Deacons for Defense and Justice.

East Hawai`i campaign headquarters will officially open its doors to the public on Thursday, May 13, at 5:00 p.m. The Lieutenant Governor will be on hand for the grand opening ceremony to deliver remarks and talk story with campaign supporters and their families at the new office, which is located at 142D Kino`ole Street at the old Hilo Hotel.

KITV ran a segment in last night’s 10pm news where they picked apart the latest misleading ad from the Case campaign.  Political analyst Neil Milner called the Case commercial, “fancy political footwork in the sense that it suggests a more explicit link between Case and Obama than really exists.”  Milner goes on to say “I’m not making an ethical judgment here; I am just saying it isn’t what it says it is.”

The innovative 21st Century Platform to be proposed at the upcoming convention combines the best of a conservative tradition by creating a 1-page Platform of Hawaii Republican Values along with a much more detailed Current Issues Database designed to be updated throughout the year. “This new approach allows the Hawaii Republican Party to stand firm on its values via the Platform while delivering clear positions on issues and inviting innovative solutions via the Current Issues Database”, said Platform Chair Ryan Markham, “we’re happy to see that Panos will be among the first candidates to get engaged on this exciting new approach to solving problems that have plagued Honolulu for decades”.

“Hawaii families work hard, pay their taxes and play by the rules,” said Djou. “During these tough economic times, the people of Hawaii do not need another representative who will fall prey to the demands of Washington insiders. Instead, they deserve a representative who will stand up for them in Washington and put Hawaii families first. In Congress, I will fight corruption, stop wasteful government spending and control tax increases so that the people of Hawaii may have a better tomorrow. ”

If you’re looking for a sign that Republicans’ message of fiscal responsibility and government accountability will win this November and Democrats will struggle to defend their reckless agenda, look no further than Obama's home district in Hawaii.  In the very-blue first district, a rising-star Republican candidate is leading two Democrats in a peculiar and enthralling three-way, vote-by-mail special election to fill the vacancy left by Congressman Neil Abercrombie.

Djou reported raising $525,150 in the month of April from 2,983 donors.  Since his entry into the race, Charles has raised $1,217,339 from 4,680 donors.  The campaign reported having $362,711 cash on hand at the end of the reporting period.  In addition to the tremendous financial support, the Djou campaign has 4,150 Facebook fans, 1,207 Twitter followers and a volunteer list totaling over 1,100 supporters.  The Djou team has assembled one of the largest grassroots efforts the State of Hawai’i has ever seen. 

Our state needs well thought out proposals based on a fiscally responsible budget. However, Mr. Abercrombie's proposals will amount to nothing more than empty campaign promises because he and other Democrats continue to bow to union leadership and ignore the needs of our keiki.

On March 15th, appearing with labor and environmental leaders, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa unveiled a new alternative energy plan that he said would ensure the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power would meet his goal of securing 20% of its energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar by December 31st. At the time, he claimed it would create 16,000 jobs and only raise consumer electric bills between 8.8% and 28.4%. But less than two weeks later those energy rate hike estimates had skyrocketed with the DWP saying it needed to raise rates by 37% in order to meet the renewable energy standards. Los Angeles' already shrinking business community revolted and by April Mayor Villaraigosa's plan had been soundly defeated.

WASHINGTON — House Democrats are abandoning efforts to win a special election in Hawaii as a party feud threatens their prospects in President Barack Obama's native state.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokeswoman Jennifer Crider today said the organization would stop spending for the May 22 contest to replace Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who left Congress to run for governor.

Most of the dbte on "net neutrality" is arcane, but one fact leaps out.  If the Federal Communications Commission grabs regulatory ovesight of the Internet, it will be able to begin subtly controlling content as it does with TV nd radio broadcasts.  The Internet equivalents of radio>>>satellite shock jock Howard Stern will not be their only targets.... 

"I pledge to stay true to the ideals of a State government that places residents ahead of bureaucracy; supporting businesses so that they might thrive, not just survive; a public education system that puts students and families first; a clean energy economy which accelerates Hawai’i’s economic diversification and recovery; and a new vision for the 21st century Hawai‘i that places our island state on the world stage as leaders in innovation.”

“I am running for Lt. Governor because I believe we must keep Republican leadership in the Executive Branch in order to have a balanced and honest government which serves all the people of Hawai‘i.”