OAHU – Over 4,000 volunteers will fan out on May 8^th across Oahu as part of a herculean effort to renew and beautify 47 city and state parks throughout the island as part of the ‘Mormon Helping Hands’ program.  In all, 6,500 volunteers throughout the state plan to clean-up a total of 81 parks in this one-day effort.

In April 2009 in Strasbourg, France, President Barack Obama was asked at a press conference if he "subscribe[d], as many of your predecessors have, to the school of American exceptionalism that sees America as uniquely qualified to lead the world, or do you have a slightly different philosophy?" President Obama then responded: "I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism."

The Medicaid assistance, set to expire at the end of December, has become a critical component in many state budgets during a time of devastating deficits. So critical, in fact, that two-thirds of the states crafted 2011 budgets assuming that more of it would come through, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

For a while, this looked like a safe bet. The House had included the states’ extension in its original version of health care reform. But by the time Congress produced a final bill for President Obama to sign in March, the aid to states had disappeared into the legislative ether. Now, with Congress ratcheting up its scrutiny of new spending, it’s not at all clear that the Medicaid assistance will ever materialize.

The live Talk Story event embraced by the Djou campaign falls within their new media strategy that has enabled them to communicate directly with thousands of voters throughout the district through digital means.  The results of their strategy have resulted in 4008 fans on Facebook, 9 times more than Ed Case and 5 times more than Colleen Hanabusa.   

Duke Aiona captures 43% of Independents against both Democrats, with another quarter of Independents remaining undecided in each race.  Further, though Aiona gains the support of 73% and 76% of Republicans in each match-up, Hannemann can rely on just 63% of Democrats and Abercrombie ticks up to just two thirds of Democrats (67%).

Dennis Gonsalves, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo, Hawaii, and professor emeritus of plant pathology at Cornell, detailed to the 63rd annual meeting of the Western Society of Weed Science in Hawaii how Hawaiian agriculture has done what no other ag sector has; win approval to market a genetically modified food crop in the U.S. and Japan.

“With the funding appropriated by the State Legislature, and the HSTA’s willingness to allow children to return to class on six non-instructional days, we have the resources to achieve a comprehensive solution to end teacher furloughs.

“Any comprehensive solution will require the involvement of the Governor, BOE, DOE and HSTA to come together and work out their differences. None of them can solve this issue alone, and all must come together in agreement. We are within reach of ending teacher furlough days, and there’s room for compromise."

Voters are already casting their ballots in the May 1-22 Special Election and the Democrats are still fighting over who should be running.  National Democrats think that all Hanabusa voters would automatically go to Case or vice-versa, but that’s not the way it works.  There are two parties within the one party and a faction which loses by these Chicago-style tactics will not line up to vote for Case in November.  Likewise Case voters will not line up to vote for Inouye’s Hawaii-style union thugs in November and many will cross over.  Either way Charles Djou wins.  Think “1986.”

As part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s comprehensive process of reviewing legislation passed this session by the Legislature, Governor Linda Lingle is encouraging the public to provide input and comments on 250 bills.  A list of these bills may be found here.

The Governor has until July 6 to sign, veto or allow the measures to become law without her signature.

Killed in the House, SB2646 would have designated two Hawaii surfing reserves, comprising surf breaks off Waikiki from Ala Wai to the War Memorial Natatorium and the north shore of Oahu from Alii beach in Haleiwa to Sunset beach.

MYTH: Ed Case said tonight he 'understood' DC and talked about his 'experience' representing Hawaii's other district. Case also attempted to defend his 148 missed votes, stating 148 was not that much.

FACT: Ed Case was rated one of the least effective members of Congress and missed numerous important votes:

“Two members of Congress ranked as some of the least effective – Rep. Ed Case [D-Hawaii] and Sen. Dan Akaka [D-Hawaii] – are battling over who has the worse rating on a national political Web site.” (Richard Borreca, “Case to Akaka, Akaka to Case: You’re ineffective,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 08/29/06)

The poll, conducted by the mainland Democrat polling firm Harstad Strategic Research, Inc., and paid for by the Democratic National Committee, shows amongst likely voters Djou actually does better than reported by the Honolulu Advertiser poll yesterday.  Among likely voters, the poll shows:

• Djou - 39%
• Case - 31%
• Hanabusa - 20%

See VIDEO clips from debate...

"Unlike my opponents, I am the only major candidate to live in the first Congressional district. Also unlike my opponents, I am not in this race for political gain; I am in this race to do what is best for the people of Hawaii.”

Last month the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee tried to raise Djou's negatives by arguing that his signature on Americans for Tax Reform's pledge meant he'd honored a "special interest group" to protect tax breaks for evil corporations.  ATR punched back immediately and nonpartisan groups fact-checked the ad, finding it wanting.  (And I'm told that the many D.C. groups that try to get GOP candidates to sign their pledges are on notice to behave the same way when one of those candidates get hit.)

It's a simple story of the conservative base engaging while the Democratic base squabbles or sleeps.

The result of the special election is likely to be interpreted as a national referendum on the state of play in advance of the November midterm elections. But, remember that Democrats -- even if they lose later this month -- are likely to win the seat in the fall due to its strong lean toward their party and the fact that it will be a one on one race rather than a three-way battle….

(Obviously the Washington Post doesn't know what "1986" means.)

Also this weekend, the Honolulu Advertiser released a poll showing that Djou’s message of “lower taxes, limited government and fiscal responsibility is resonating” throughout the district.  Here is just a sampling of recent headlines on the race . . . 

HONOLULU - Students from 37 Hawai‘i schools participated in the Hawai‘i Regional Botball® Tournament this weekend at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. 

(Editor’s note: It’s amazing what they can do when DoE bureaucracy is not involved.)

Whether Saturday's failed attack turns out to be connected to Islamic radicalism or is the work of a lone wolf, there have now been 31 foiled terrorist attacks in the United States since 9/11, eleven in New York City alone. Yesterday's plot was foiled by sheer luck and quick-thinking civilians. But luck is not an adequate strategy for protecting a nation.