Thursday, July 3, 2014

Musings: On Political Pandering

When you don't have any record to speak of, aside from flip-flopping votes on the GMO/pesticide bill, and you're worried about keeping your seat on the County Council, what do you do? Well, if you're Councilman Ross Kagawa, you pander wildly to the pro-football crowd.

As in trot out the coaches, and the athletic directors and the bored young football players, pack them into the council chambers, and let them all whine and whinge on camera about how hard it is to play football in the brutal heat of the day – never mind the football boys training during the summer months, or the tiny keiki out on the mid-day soccer fields – and how poor Kauai is always being punished, this time for having so many seabirds.

Waaaaah.

And if you're Councilman Gary Hooser, fearful of losing the local vote because you pushed through a legally-flawed GMO/pesticide bill just to feed your own ego, you pile on, too.

As in saying shouldn't the state — the same state Gary's repeatedly lambasted as utterly failing to do its job, so Kauai will go its own way — partner with the county? By which he means either kick down some more dough to the football boosters to cover lost game revenues, or share in the cost of a take permit so the county can legally kill endangered seabirds so the kids can play football at night and the politicians can win votes.

Ugh.

County Attorney Al Castillo tried to provide some background, reminding the Council that back on Sept. 9, 2010, he stood before the federal court and pleaded guilty on behalf of the county to one misdemeanor count of illegally taking an endangered species.

At the time, the County was facing at least 18 misdemeanor counts, each with a maximum penalty of $50,000 and/or one year in jail, which in any just society would have been levied against Parks Director Lenny Rapozo for his entrenched “buck the firds” position and failure to deal with the light attraction problem, though the feds had repeatedly warned him the county was breaking the law.

(Btw, the feds told me they saw the video of mayoral candidate Dustin Barca's close encounter with a monk seal, consider it a “take” and are pursuing it as such.)

The county's probation ended March 8, 2013, and as Al said: “I don't want to see Kauai County be a repeat offender, number one.”

But he didn't get to say much more because both Gary and Ross cut him off with “we've heard all that before.” Never mind educating the public, so they understand the legal ramifications of the issue. The Council is pressed for time. Best to keep the voters ignorant so they are more easily swayed by the political rhetoric.

Like Ross' assertion that “fishermen tell me there are plenty of birds out there in the ocean.” He somehow seems to think it will be easier to get birds off the endangered species list than comply with the law. Uh, dream on.

No, best to keep the public indignant and incited, so they join the clamor for a silly, simplistic solution.

Like Councilman Mel Rapozo's idea for an amnesty period during each night game, just a few hours during the prime evening flight time when the county's stadium lights can kill, harass or distract with impunity.

Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura, worried about her own re-election prospects, deemed the proposal “very creative.”

Let's explore that splendidly creative concept. Say, give all motorists amnesty from speeding tickets and cell phone violations for the period each day when they're commuting. Or amnesty for drunk drivers just after the bars close. No? Aw, come on. It's just for a few hours.

But the feds ain't biting, in part because they don't have to, and in part because the county still hasn't negotiated a take permit, which determines how many birds can be killed or harassed each year, and what it will cost to do that.

Unfortunately, Lenny is involved in those negotiations, and his belligerent attitude may explain some of the delay. He can't seem to understand why the county should have to pay for an annual permit even if it doesn't kill any birds. As Lenny sees it: "I'm not buying car insurance."

The elected officials aren't the only ones pandering to the voters. Council hopeful Felicia Cowden has been positioning herself squarely in front of the TV camera at Council meetings. But as her repeated yawns proved, even she can't feign interest in this blatant political bullshit.

Councilmembers kept saying we all must work together to help the birds – not to protect a dwindling bird population that is unique to Hawaii and an important part of its cultural heritage, but so the night games can resume. 

Well, soon they'll have their chance as they draft a bill aimed at controlling the introduced feral cats that are known to prey upon nesting native seabirds and chicks.

Will the Council have the guts to do what it takes, like approve funds for mass trapping and eradication efforts over the cries of cat-lovers who don't want to see one whisker harmed on the bird-killing ferals? Or support free spay-neuter programs over the cries of island veterinarians who don't want to lose an income source?

The answer will depend not on science or economics or conservation or values or even common sense, but whether the issue surfaces in an election year.

36 comments:

  1. Why did the feds force the county to spend thousands to change the light system at the stadium and other parks, if they won't allow night activities? The feds should reimburse the county if they will continue this ban on night games.

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  2. The elected officials aren't the only ones pandering to the voters. Council hopeful Felicia Cowden has been positioning herself squarely in front of the TV camera at Council meetings. But as her repeated yawns proved, even she can't feign interest in this blatant political bullshit.

    Gotta give her credit for at least being there, and often...but the same can't be said for the other non-incumbent council candidates. And I noticed that Dustin Barca showed up at one of the recent hearings...popped in and out for about 5 minutes total. Too busy surfing, to bother to listen to county business?????

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  3. . . . because it is more politically correct (albeit not enviromentally) to celebrate the 4th with lights, fireworks,shebazz at the stadium, than night games.

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  4. The birds are native.
    The birds are protected by federal endangered species law,
    The cats are from Africa. The football is from east coast USA. Cats and football are not endangered. But they both keep killing the endangered birds.

    In the GMO thing, the anti-Hooser crowd keeps saying "let the Feds regulate us" "We are already regulated by the feds and state - county law is preempted"

    But look at the bird issue. The Feds do regulate that, so the same council members who love federal oversight on GMO, hate federal oversight on endangered species.

    So to me it is all a bunch of unprincipled political hacks, who change positions depending on which of their friends want what. Pandering is the right word.

    One Eight

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  5. Democracy's greatest strength (the ability of the people to remove a bad leader) is also its greatest weakness (the inability to do anything that is necessary but unpopular).

    We are a product of the system we live in. You can't blame them for wanting to stay employed.

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  6. Ross platform has been bringing back night football from day 1. Joan wtf are u talking about, at least he's doing what he said he would do.

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  7. Felicia Cowden (shudder)

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  8. Ross don't need to pander. He is in. Ross, regardless of the comments on his erudition, has Kauai people at heart, all of them, from the crystal gazing NS elite know-everything crowd to the dumb sh*t locals.
    You are correct in the legal issues with violating Fed rules, it is velly velly bad and can cost the County big time bucks.
    Da Hoos is pandering, whilst he be fightin' hard to take local jobs away, by trying to stop big Ag, hating PMRF, Hotels and construction workers, he has to do something to show he might care a little bit about the island's people. Of course, it is baloney, Gary could care less about football or the social significance it has. Gary could care less about locals, period, he has only allegiance to his mainland Organic Food mega-business masters. It's all about money and power, folks.
    Around election time, many people on the Council start thinking about the old time locals, you know the people that just live their lives, raise their kids and go to work everyday. Usually the Council just Panders to the legions of Council testifiers who in most cases, have neither spilled, lost or have real "Blood and Sweat"" on Kauai. But, their persistent wailing and whining has turned a few Council guys to do things that are inherently against the local person. Now all the Council will pretend they care about the little guy...but for some it is too late.
    Felicia cares, but she may be tainted by past behavior. However, she is almost good-looking on camera and that gets my vote.
    Joann is probably out. Gary is big time out. Chock might be in, if he can show what he really is, instead of a Bynum/Hooser clone. It's embarrassing.
    Jay is in. Mel will be the big vote getter, he cares for the people and the budget. Jackpot Bynum may get some sympathy votes, poor thing, but he is out as well. Tim's shameful legacy will live for a long time.

    “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
    ― Winston Churchill

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  9. 3;58 Perhaps he was speaking about you.

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  10. why can't Ross give a damn about us suffering in Waimea from spray drift, etc. as he gives a damn about night football games?

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  11. Ross and Mel have the people's interest at heart and are shoo ins, but the voters are ignorant? If they're ignorant why are they voting for the politicians who care about them?

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  12. 5:13 pm So you believe Tim or Gary or Mason or Joanne or Jay cares about the people of Waimea more than Ross because they passed a shitty bill 2491 that will eventually lose in court and cost the taxpayers millions in attorneys fees for both sides? Go drink some more kool aid.

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  13. 4:32 PM well said !!

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  14. Even if the County could negotiate a take to avoid civil fines, the Council does not seem to get that the County is and never will be immune from a criminal action. Ross' commitment to bring back night games is akin to saying he's committed to breaking the law. What a dimwit! Nevermind though, as he has an army of voters that still remember his glory days in sports and will vote him in on name recognition. He'd be even more popular if he just kept silent. Ever time he speaks, I can't help but think how many teachers just gave him a passing grade so he could keep playing sports.

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  15. @5:13 pm- Are you still suffering from pesticide drift in Waimea? I thought since Bill 2491 passed all the problems would be solved. How can this be? Weve been lied to and taken advantage of. Nothing has changed. And nothing will change. Ross may be a panderer but at least he's not a liar. I think he means well. Whereas people like Gary will do and say ANYTHING to push a bill through that they know damn well will do nothing. He doesnt care if its never enforced, doesnt care if it doesnt help anyone and will cost the county millions of dollars. But Garys tactic worked because it tricked all you guys into supporting him and its tricking you dumb idiots into voting for him and his son.

    Malcom X said it best:

    "Oh, I say and I say it again, ya been had!
    Ya been took!
    Ya been hoodwinked!
    Bamboozled!
    Led astray!
    Run amok!
    This is what He does...."

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  16. 9:23 Dimwit = Barca Hoosers Bynum

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  17. i am not saying i back Hooser, what i am saying is that Ross should have taken more time to look into what's going on with the pesticides, drift, etc. and made some effort to encourage and assist the people who are crying for help. Who says i back GH just because i speak about the need for assistance with the pesticides, etc. Hey, you can all eat gmos like i do, but i am about the dangerous chemicals being used! Don't ASSUME and come to conclusions too quickly!!!

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  18. 9:28--yes, nothing has happened--they keep pushing back the date to begin the reporting of chemicals being used and when they are being used and i have no idea about the buffer zones. In Waimea, the buffer zones won't work for us---the drift is too great! But pretty soon i will be dead and so will the aina, and the most important people who can make changes are in denial or something. Hey, maybe if we start dying of like the Newalls, crash into lights and it can be attributed to the pesticides, we can get Federal, State and County help!

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  19. 11:01
    Minor correction to your math:
    Dimwit = Barca, Kagawa
    Reckless/Dangerous = Hooser, Bynum
    Socialist = Yukimura, Cowden
    Realist = Rapozo, Carvalho, Kanekoa
    Egotist = Furfaro
    Futurist = Kaneshiro
    Fascist = Perry
    Fringes = Brun, DeCosta
    Visionaries = None of the above
    Panderers = All of the above
    Screwed = Voters

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  20. @ July 4, 2014 at 11:50 AM


    Bye! Bye! Enjoy where you're going!

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  21. 9:23 am, you are the "dimwit". Check your facts before you make such uninformed comments. Your comment is offensive to teachers. Ross was good at sports, but if you checked your facts, you'd find that he also excelled in academics. But how would you know that? You're obviously ignorant.

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  22. 12:12 last correction
    You = transplant (go home)

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  23. 12:12 Well done. You forgot to mention Hooser and Bynum's handmaiden, Chock.
    Where does Chock fall?
    Don't forget that all of the Council people who passed the anti-Ag law, are equally responsible for the cultural divide this poorly written and impossible to enforce law has created.
    It takes the County over twenty years to fix a leaky roof and now the County expects to effectively do a complicated pseudo-EIS on pesticides/GMO and go to court at the same time? No can fix roof, but can simplify complicated melanin molecular genetic science, wiki wiki.
    Maybe,
    Chock= Gary's towel boy or Tim's lunchbox monitor.

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  24. Lol at 12:12. Not bad. Here is another version.
    Bynum: Victim gone wild. Damaged by feud with Rapozo and Iseri.
    Kagawa: agreed, dimwit. Really, we just ignore federal criminal law for football?
    Yukimura: torture to watch. In a quarter century still hasn't even got the resource center working.
    Rapozo: KPD sex scandal, voted against plastic bag ban. Tends to vote for corporate interests. Has a pawn shop.
    Barca. Picking fights, GED, surfer, questionable literacy. Perfect.
    Cowden: knows how to grow vegetables, a required skill for a lawmaker.
    Perry: just ask any police officer. 8 years in action and KPD not accredited yet. Attitude on drug war fits in well in Saudi Arabia or Singapore.
    Furfaro: scared placeholder. Had a chance to lead, but blew it.

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  25. The only council member in whom I detect wit, dim or otherwise, is Rapozo.

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  26. Anonymous July 4, 2014 at 11:50 AM said...

    "In Waimea, the buffer zones won't work for us---the drift is too great! But pretty soon i will be dead and so will the aina, and the most important people who can make changes are in denial or something."


    The only thing the Pioneer suit will confirm is that some dust got into the houses at Waimmea. Of course, only a dolt would build or occupy a house down wind from a farm and not expect dust. Thsse people moved there knowing they were down wind of a farm. DUH! What do you expect? All of the tests have revealed there is NO chemical pollution in that dust and it will be further verified in the court's ruling. What you may not know is that there have been several cases on the mainland were residents have objected to neighboring farm dust that the farmers have won. Live with it. Paranoia is a disease you can't blame on the farmers.

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  27. 3:37, you are so smart--how do you know about what gets into the homes in Waimea? You will get people mad when you say people are dolts (whateva that means) for building homes in the valley. There are people who have homes there before the Robinsons and now Pioneer. Most people could tolerate the Robinson's sugar cane fields/harvest, etc.--but Pioneer's practices are way different from sugar cane. And don't go calling all the old folks dolts! Waimea Valley has been home for many since ancient times! Like the old folks would say to those who make trouble "Akua sabe".

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  28. Hooser- Where's the money and power? I want it.
    Bynum- Thank you, folks. I got my money.
    Yukimura- Money is an interesting concept. Money isn't important.
    Furfaro- From my hotel days, I have experience spending money.
    Rapozo- We must watch how we spend money.
    Kagawa- Only spend money on things that help the people.
    Chock- What is money?
    Cowden- Use organic vegetables as an exchange instead of money.
    Barca- I going kick your okole and take your money.
    Al Castillo- We must get opinions from outside attorneys on what is, money.

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  29. Mason Chock is going to be reelected because his baby momma works for the county of Kauai voting office. One for you 3,4,5,6 for Mason, one for you 3,4,5,6 more for Mason. Oh I like this drinking game! hehehe hehehe

    Mason also belongs to the syndicate firefighter slaves. The good ol boys!

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  30. I highly doubt Masons Baby Momma would risk tampering with votes. But I can understand why you would be suspicious. the lack of trust regarding Mason is really his own fault for accepting the position in the first place under the circumstances. Speaking of cheating, if you notice sign placement around Kauai you will notice that the blue and white Hooser signs are illegally placed all over the island and so are the Barca signs. For example: on the backs of street signs, on state land, on telephone poles etc... It's really sneaky because unless you are looking for it or know your not supposed to place them there, you won't really notice. This cheating sign placement says that a) they will do anything to get ahead such as lie and cheat or b) they are ignorant of how to play by the rules. Either way, are these really people we want in office?

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  31. "Don't forget that all of the Council people who passed the anti-Ag law, are equally responsible for the cultural divide this poorly written and impossible to enforce law has created."

    I would not blame the "cultural divide" on the council members who voted for the Bill.

    It has been here for many years before. Just showed up at meetings....and poked its ugly head then.

    Zero Seven

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  32. July 4, 2014 at 9:27 PM: if the facts aren't interesting, lie, lie, lie

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  33. Yeah July 4, 2014 @9:27 PM,.... what a fu(#!ng idiot you are!! This comment section is starting to become like one of those lower denomination troll venues, where people think they're so smart and clever because they come up with what they think are intelligent postings but are really nothing more than ignorant cheap shots against people whom you probably couldn't even hold a conversation with. And Joan, it makes me wonder why you even allow these banal, inane worthless comments in the first place. They're not funny, informative or of any value whatsoever, adding nothing to what I have thought was supposed to be a constructive exchange of thoughts , ideas and solutions.

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  34. Zero Seven -- No, I wouldn't blame the cultural divide on them. They didn't start it. They just expanded it. Like Gary and his lil fistees. So totally NOT local style.

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  35. @ 6:09 PM


    As you have so aptly demonstrated. Mahalo!

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  36. I find today's blog a waste of time. All the negative that is written is coming from political wanna be's and the likes. This type of vitriolic hyperbole is something that would be popular amongst the 12 year olds. Grow up and get a life you turds.

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