In truth, Randy Perreira makes over $150,000 a year on dues from union members!  Randy knows he clears at least $25,000 a year more than the Governor, herself, who is taking a voluntary pay cut and furlough.  In typical, arrogant, Union Boss fashion, Perreira fails to mention that he isn't taking any pay cut, himself, nor is he offering to reduce the monthly dues for the hard-working rank and file to ease the hardship.  With these greedy bosses, it's always, "Do as I say, not as I do!"

After much prayer and input from close friends and family, I believe the time may have come to enter government rather than fighting from the sidelines. Therefore I am seriously considering running against Senator Brian Taniguchi or Representative Scott Saiki. Prior to making my final decision I would like to hear from my many friends and supporters of Hawaii Christian Coalition as I value your support, prayers and friendships. I now ask for your thoughts via email ...

People of Hawai’i, I am standing here with you because I am sick and tired of the strangle hold that the arrogant and greedy union bosses and there puppet legislature have on Hawai’i.

Our Senate President Colleen Hanabusa has said that you are used to paying higher taxes.  Which tells me that Senator Hanabusa and her tax and spend friends in the legislature will continue to stick us with the bill unless we get them out of office.

We, the principled, honest and hardworking people of Hawai’i have allowed selfish corruption, personal gain, and special interests to determine the future of our children. As the Republican Party Chair, I am telling you -- NO MORE, NO WAY, and, NOT ON MY WATCH!!!

The independent verdict on Obamacare is in: Instead of saving the federal government from fiscal catastrophe, the health reform measures being drafted by congressional Democrats would worsen an already bleak budget outlook, increasing deficit projections and driving the nation more deeply into debt. This runaway spending, coupled with the Democrats plans to raise taxes, will kill our struggling economy and leave us with double digit unemployment for years to come.

Tough questioning by conservative senators afforded Sotomayor a rare opportunity to defend the principles of progressive/liberal jurisprudence. But Sotomayor declined to defend those principles at every turn. Instead, according to Case Western law professor Jonathan Adler, Sotomayor sounded “more like the sort of nominee we would have expected from a President McCain than a President Obama.”

Governor Linda Lingle today issued an executive order (see attached) to furlough herself, the Lt. Governor, her chief of staff, and all executive branch directors and the deputies or assistants to the directors. The two-day furlough takes effect August 1, 2009 and continues through June 30, 2011. It is expected that the furloughs, along with the legislatively mandated pay cut, will result in more than $1.2 million in salary savings over the next two years.

In addition to the 5% reduction of pay implemented by Act 85 at the start of July, House Republicans unanimously decided to take a voluntary pay cut equivalent to a two day furlough effective August 1, 2009 – fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010.

Under current law, the federal budget is on an unsustainable path, because federal debt will continue to grow much faster than the economy over the long run. CBO estimates that in fiscal years 2009 and 2010, the federal government will record its largest budget deficits as a share of GDP since shortly after World War II. As a result of those deficits, federal debt held by the public will soar from 41 percent of GDP at the end of fiscal year 2008 to 60 percent at the end of fiscal year 2010.

Among the bills that will become law include measures that will take away the right to a secret ballot from employees who wish to form a union, make it difficult for employers to check the credit history of prospective employees, and will require employers to continue to pay the medical costs of individuals who are deemed ready to return to work.

The Legislature passed bills that would increase state spending by millions of dollars beyond the current budget. “The State cannot spend money it does not have,” Budget and Finance Director Georgina Kawamura said. “My Department will be forced to recommend the Governor not release the appropriations in these bills.”

Last year, instead of enacting a law stating that the Supreme Court was wrong, the Legislature adopted special legislation exempting the Superferry pending completion of an environmental impact statement. The Supreme Court’s recent decision correctly struck down that exemption as violating the Hawaii constitutional prohibition against legislative special treatment for special interests.

The governor and Legislature were then handed a second opportunity to make the law pono by saying what everyone believed. The Legislature could enact simple language, such as the following which I recommended to the legislative leadership in March 2009, making clear that our environmental laws do not extend to "secondary" impacts:

"Significant effect" does not include or require consideration of “secondary impacts” on the environment that may result from government action. This latter provision is retroactive to enactment of this chapter.

By doing so, the law would state what everyone always believed it meant and the Superferry would have been allowed to continue providing essential transportation to Hawaii's citizens and competition to interisland airlines.

Instead of closing the "pay-to-play" loophole that allows donations from grant-in-aid contractors, HB128 allows all but non-bid contractors to make campaign donations.

Instead of further limiting "seeding-the-community" donations to non-profits, HB128 doubles the allowable amount.

Governor Lingle also will allow to become law nine bills that were on the potential veto list.  These include SB 603 SD1 HD1 CD1 which deregulates Hawaiian Telcom, allowing it to compete with other telecommunications companies; SB 1673 SD2 HD2 CD1 which starts the process of allowing state hospitals to become private operations; and SB 199 SD1 HD1 CD2 which tightens the availability of tax credits for investments in high technology companies.

RELATED: Duke Aiona disagrees--signals opposition to reduction of tax credits

Yesterday House Democrats unveiled their much anticipated health care plan the same day that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a preliminary scoring of the bill putting a $1.3 trillion price tag on the effort. Weighing in at 1,018 pages, that comes to $1.264 billion per page. But even this analysis understates the true costs of the bill. The CBO only scores bills on a ten-year time frame, and House Democrats have designed their bill to obscure the catastrophic long-term fiscal path it places our country on.

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today vetoed five bills that would discourage the creation of more jobs in the state of Hawai‘i.  The Governor issued the vetoes one day in advance of the constitutional veto deadline to highlight the need to ensure that Hawai‘i’s economic recovery is not undermined by legislation that would make it harder for employers to hire and retain their workforce.

“The primary focus of my five-point economic recovery plan is to encourage the creation of jobs in the private sector.  This is also the focus of President Obama’s federal economic stimulus efforts,” said Governor Lingle.  “It is important that government not send the wrong message to employers and not make it harder or more expensive for them to keep and retain good staff.  In addition, it is important for government to respect the rights of employees who are in the workforce.”

The State legislature was the scene of an anti-tax rally the afternoon of July 14.  Organized by www.OverTaxedHawaii.com 150 people came to denounce the "Barrel Tax" and demand the Democrat-controlled Legislature not override any tax vetoes.

A parallel event occurred along the Hilo Bayfront where 50 protesters gathered. 

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle vetoed three bills today that would have negatively affected Hawai‘i’s low-income and affordable housing supplies.  The Governor issued her vetoes to highlight the importance of housing needs during one of the state's most economically challenging times.

“Affordable housing options are scarce in Hawai‘i,” Governor Lingle stated.  “We should be passing laws that increase affordable housing options for Hawai‘i’s families, not limit them.”

• HONOLULU July 14th 3:00PM Signwaving 3:00PM & RALLY 5:00PM -- "Just say no to Taxes" Rally @ State Capitol
• HILO July 14th 4PM-6PM Signwaving along Hilo Bayfront at Kamehameha Statue 

Because we believe that furloughs are still the best way to address the fiscal crisis, we will likely appeal the Circuit Court’s recent ruling.  We are also developing layoff procedures, which may become a necessary but undesirable reality.

In 2000, Carlisle encouraged then Deputy Prosecutor Randall Lee’s investigation into illegal campaign contributions to Harris, and stood by Lee’s investigation and prosecution of contractors who laundered money to Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris.

Bob Watada, then state campaign spending director, estimates that more than 100 companies laundered $1.5 million to Harris, constituting half of Harris' campaign war chest. Carlisle says if he is elected ... he will select people on the basis of talent, skill and experience and on what they know, not who they know.

As a result of declining state revenues, today Governor Linda Lingle vetoed 10 bills that would have spent funds not included in the state budget and which would further widen the state’s budget shortfall.  The Governor’s vetoes highlight the fact that the state cannot afford these programs, even those that have merit, during this difficult fiscal period.