tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post2257591027222613990..comments2023-10-17T04:51:08.765-10:00Comments on KauaiEclectic: Musings: Hot AirJoan Conrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172330100788007499noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-64508702791625135682008-08-08T11:16:00.000-10:002008-08-08T11:16:00.000-10:00Oh and when talking about treatment one of the mos...Oh and when talking about treatment one of the most important things is aftercare. Often times when treatment is over the person is not helped to re-integrate and is left without a place to live, a job, even a telephone or transportation so they give up and go back to their old friends and so go back on drugs.<BR/><BR/>Another is treatment on demand, not in six months or whatever.Andy Parxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15398587036690312685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-70880958054620268932008-08-08T11:12:00.000-10:002008-08-08T11:12:00.000-10:00The “blank vote is a no vote” proposal for Kaua`i ...The “blank vote is a no vote” proposal for Kaua`i is absurdly laughable because it was actually a poorly worded passage in the state constitution that led to it. <BR/><BR/>For many it was interpreted as blanks were not tallied in the totals- just yes vs. no like and normal ballot measure. But the SCoHI ruled on the con-con call ten years ago that because the wording said “a majority of ballot cast” was required, anyone who voted on other measures cast “a ballot”- meaning the whole piece of papers or papers that constitute “voting”- and therefore counted toward the total and “yes” has to constitute a majority of total ballot’s cast. Actually the words could be read to mean the word ballot referred to the vote on the measure itself but since the law didn’t specifically say that, the “new” way was to count everyone who pt a ballot in the ballot box.<BR/><BR/>So true to style now the “loophole” is being embraced by manipulative pols and who are trying to codify the mistake into law... just like the ag condo law... kind of like the guy who trips over his shoelaces and then, since he hates to be wrong he says “oh, I meant to do that” and then always leaves his shoelaces untiedAndy Parxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15398587036690312685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-5159496147073353732008-08-07T19:07:00.000-10:002008-08-07T19:07:00.000-10:00A blank vote should be counted as blank vote. By w...A blank vote should be counted as blank vote. By what authority can someone decide to make your vote count as a yes or a no? To do so negates a blank ballot. All that trouble to vote a blank ballot and now they want to change your votes! Might as well stay home and let them call you apathetic. <BR/><BR/>There should be a non-of-the-above vote, and if non-of-the-above was the top vote-getter then the election would be held again with a new slate of candidates and MINUS all candidates beat by non-of-the-above.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-38854907344623778242008-08-07T12:12:00.000-10:002008-08-07T12:12:00.000-10:00Shayleen's Charter Amendment related to Charter Am...Shayleen's Charter Amendment related to Charter Amendments was bad public policy,poorly written and now it turns out illegal under state law that requires County Charter amendments to be decided by a majority of votes cast. The Council yesterday received (killed) the resolution. Shayleen,unrepentant suggested sh would try to change the State law but that is a long shot at best.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-55144151428298424122008-08-07T10:23:00.000-10:002008-08-07T10:23:00.000-10:00mahalo joan for covering so much ground(w/koko and...mahalo joan for covering so much ground(w/koko and your readers). the campaign season is off to a good start. i think bryan's passing could've been the best thing he ever did for kauai's politics(and politicians). this season has already provided much discussion and interest about the critical issues we are facing. combined w/the McCain/Barack race should be a good turnout. like ken taylor said at tuesday's event, 'change is in the air'!'<BR/><BR/>i hope so. i was impressed by some of the responses by the candidates and am glad that maybe we'll see some improvements to our public transit and solid waste systems. i think the flaws in our planning systems were also well addressed . affordable housing issues demand more attention and specifics.<BR/>the connection of it to our quality of life issues like drugs and public safety deserve better focus. not really discussed much at tuesday's show. thanx for keeping up it front and mahalo to the eco-rounder forces to host another great event.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-58056387539586315892008-08-06T19:16:00.000-10:002008-08-06T19:16:00.000-10:00> So how come law enforcement gets all the mone...<I>> So how come law enforcement gets all the money, but prevention and treatment have to scrounge for crumbs? < </I><BR/><BR/>Cops and prisons get funded because they make us feel a long list of emotions -- all of them satisfying, and all of them <I>now.</I><BR/><BR/>We send our blue suited soldiers into the war on drugs; it makes us feel stronger. We imprison those scary Others; it makes us feel safer. We punish them; it makes us feel righteous. We lock them up and forget them; we feel the relief of closure.<BR/><BR/>Prevention and treatment? Pfah. Takes forever, delayed satisfaction, no emotional response, no closure. And worst of all, it requires you get up close and personal with... Them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-86712570804906991322008-08-06T17:16:00.000-10:002008-08-06T17:16:00.000-10:00Yes, you did misunderstand my comment if that was ...Yes, you did misunderstand my comment if that was your interpretation.Joan Conrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00172330100788007499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-35849329560114076682008-08-06T16:27:00.000-10:002008-08-06T16:27:00.000-10:00I guess I misunderstood your comment that making t...I guess I misunderstood your comment that making the process more difficult was OK at the state level, but not for Kaua'i, because the amendments change outmoded practices and implement the will of the people (unlike those statewide amendments that the majority votes for).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-1009075096524439352008-08-06T16:15:00.000-10:002008-08-06T16:15:00.000-10:00So you're saying that the process should be manipu...<EM>So you're saying that the process should be manipulated to get results you like?</EM><BR/><BR/>No, I'm not saying that at all. I'm merely saying the process doesn't need to be made more difficult. I have no problem with requiring a majority of those voting to approve a change in government structure. I do have a problem with manipulating the figures on either side by counting blanks as either yes or no. They should simply not be counted at all because the voter expressed no choice.Joan Conrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00172330100788007499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-23122101656535222302008-08-06T15:42:00.000-10:002008-08-06T15:42:00.000-10:00So you're saying that the process should be manipu...So you're saying that the process should be manipulated to get results you like? Sorry, but while a blank vote is not necessarily a "no" vote, it is most certainly not a "yes" vote. It's not unreasonable to require a majority of those voting to approve a change in government structure, especially, as larry points out, when approval seems to be the default result of charter/constitutional amendments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-74841078225640504202008-08-06T14:22:00.000-10:002008-08-06T14:22:00.000-10:00You definitely have a point when it comes to state...You definitely have a point when it comes to statewide issues, Larry. But on Kauai, at least, our charter amendments are often an attempt to change some outmoded way of doing things, or implement the will of the people when the council has refused to do so (such as property tax reform) or otherwise break through various log jams that work to hamper public participation and perpetuate the good ol' boy status quo.Joan Conrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00172330100788007499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-16114070334842346152008-08-06T11:58:00.000-10:002008-08-06T11:58:00.000-10:00But that is it, charter amendments should be diffi...But that is it, charter amendments <I>should</I> be difficult to approve.<BR/><BR/>It's likely enough that anything that gets on the ballot will pass. Given a few million dollars (chickenfeed to many special interests but hard for grassroots orgs to raise), PR can swing a vote surprisingly easily.<BR/><BR/>Amending the state Constitution has that blank=no provision, and although others may not agree with me, I think it has kept a lot of crap from happening.Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06742098296808508617noreply@blogger.com