Friday, April 27, 2012

Musings: Friday Mix


The mountains were clear this morning, and so was the sky above them, which is why Arcturus stood out so boldly, glowing red as Mars and capturing my attention when the dogs and I went walking.

I happened to turn on KKCR while heading over to the beach yesterday afternoon, and the interview with 2nd Congressional District candidate Tulsi Gabbard unexpectedly caught my attention. I really knew nothing about her, but she was saying all the right things. For starters, she wants to bring the troops home from Afghanistan ASAP, and since she's been deployed twice to the Middle East with the National Guard, she knows how badly war sucks and wouldn't be quick to wage one.

What's more, she'll fight to have GMO foods labeled. And when host Jimmy Trujillo asked about her stance on health care, she spoke of how her brother couldn't afford insurance for his son, who has a pre-existing condition, before saying, “The government has a responsibility to take care of people who don't have a voice, and that's us and our families.”

In the course of 15 minutes, my thinking shifted from, I am not even going to vote this year, I am so disgusted with politics, to wow, she sounds like someone I could support. Shows you just what a dreamer I am, always holding out hope that things might actually change through the political process.

I was brought back to reality when I heard SHOPO will not be endorsing Justin Kollar for Kauai prosecutor. Though they haven't come out officially as backing incumbent Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho, it kinda tells you something when a law enforcement organization blows off the squeaky clean candidate in the race. 

In other news, I just got a copy of the County Attorney's opinion that holds people who operate a transient vacation rental can still claim a homeowner's exemption on their real property taxes. The key is whether it's the taxpayer's “principal home." To use the example in the opinion, someone can rent out their property for three months, and still claim it's their principal residence. But what about renting for nine months? Or six months? And how, exactly, is that principal status determined and — ha ha— enforced?

So I'm left wondering, how is it that the county considers a TVR a commercial property for purposes of assessing trash collection fees, yet it can be treated as a principal, personal home when it comes to property taxes?

Meanwhile, a WESPAC-backed effort has begun to have the Hawaii population of green sea turtles “delisted” as a threatened species, as I reported in Honolulu Weekly.

And finally, though I rapped the LA Times a bit for a recent article on agtourism, the same writer redeemed himself in a foodie blog post about Makaweli Poi — the mill that is striving to keep Hawaiians in the "taro industry"  — that showed he really got it.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tulsi SEEMS to be just great. I know its not fair, but I worry about who her father is, and how much of his wacko she got and is hiding. Maybe none, hopefully. Cause she does seem pretty good.

She, BTW, supports Kollar, I hear. SHOPO not endorsing anyone, --- they don't want to take risk of losing and Kollar/Iseri seems too close to predict (although who knows why, as you say one candidate is squeaky clean and the other is like a broken mean-drunk scandal machine).

Please, Joan....VOTE. It is all us 99% have in a democracy. The bad guys want you to stay home.

Anonymous said...

Tulsi is just another Big City Honolulu type who doesn't understand the neighbor islands' issues! I hate career politicians like that. What ties does she have to Kauai? Nothing! Go away.

Freakin' TVR owners are pissing me off too. TVR's are taking jobs away from hotels, they aren't even paying taxes, and they raise the price of real estate for those who have to live here.

Anonymous said...

Tulsi DOESN'T even live in the Congressional district she wants to serve! There ought to be a minimum residency requirement for anyone who wants to run for office. How many times has she ever been to Kauai? How can anyone like that represent me and my family? I don't think so.

Anonymous said...

Remember the promises made by Obama?

Anyone can say good things and make promises. But who can deliver the "goods"?

I am willing to give anyone that "SEEMS to be just great" a chance.

Career politician? Not yet.

Dr Shibai

Anonymous said...

Why do I associate the Gabbard name with fundamentalist christen views and being against a woman's right to choose?

Anonymous said...

Just cruised Tulsi's website and there is stuff on there about "wearing the armor of God when your fighting the devil ...

That type of talk scares me from people in government. Once a pol starts associating their campaign with God's will, we enter a danger zone. I say beware of pols who would have you believe they are doing the work of God.

Anonymous said...

Would you rather have Mufi?

Anonymous said...

Actually yes

Anonymous said...

OK, so that explains why you're trashing Tulsi

Joan Conrow said...

Just so it's clear, I'm not endorsing Tulsi. I only thought she sounded interesting and worth checking into a bit more.

Anonymous said...

I have reflected on her campaign photo sign and every time say to myself: hmmm, she really looks honest and sure of herself and maybe would be above the political bullying to make her vote a certain way.
I donʻt know what party she is even but would vote for her because we got to have at least ONE honest legislator, right?

Anonymous said...

The god stuff is a red flag for me. Tulsi is not even worth looking into

Anonymous said...

Whoops. I take it all back hearing this stuff about Tulsi.
Guess they are all full of shit.

Anonymous said...

Tulsi is not the only female in the race you know. Esther Kia'aina has way more experience and knowledge. What she doesn't have are the big bucks she needs to win. Take a look at her issues. http://kiaaina.com/the-issues/

Anonymous said...

On Fbook I asked her several times if she would ever consider banning all GMO's in the State. She never posts a response.

Anonymous said...

FYI, SHOPO has already endorsed Shay for Prosecutor. Kollar has no experience to run a department. Please don't try to say that he does. Would you support a 3 year veteran of KPD for the position of Police Chief? I think not. Plain and simple.

Anonymous said...

But how can you support a candidate for Prosecutor who has shown she's 's mentally unstable and has exhibited such behaviors in public? She can't even follow simple rules of courtesy. I observed her at a County Council Meeting (4/20/12) yelling comments from the gallery!
SHOPO can endorse her, but that doesn't mean that their rank and file are bound and obliged to vote for her.

Anonymous said...

Shay has experience mismanaging a department. SHOPO endorses a prosecutor who won't answer questions without an attorney to advise her. Nothing to be concerned about. Happens all the time.

Anonymous said...

OMG,stop nagging about that one incident over and over again. Just a bunch of whining ninnies.

Anonymous said...

Yeah focus on the important stuff like the turnover in her office (18 attorneys and counting), or her appointing a first deputy two years out of law school, or her office engaging in unethical behavior and being scolded by th judge, etc.

Anonymous said...

Now is the time, the freedom of information act requires our Government to provide us information. That could be any emails sent to any public employee or budgetary memo.

This is public money and we all have a right to see that is spend appropriately, and not on special interests or things not properly processed through the enforceable procurement law.

Wise up wise crackers, the public are on to you and your ways.

Anonymous said...

How sad to have someone who, as a council member, would criticize others for not following the rules, and then turns around and acts like the rules don't apply to her. If she cannot obey the law, she lacks the moral authority to be the prosecutor.

Anonymous said...

Does Mufi represent Kaua'i? I do not think so. Tulsi has a long road to separate herself from pops, but she is doing the work, and trying to widen the gap every chance she gets. Please consider her as she also has the best chance to beat Mufi.
Kia'aina would be great. A little skitsie but clearly would work hard. I dont think she has the gift to lead... great number 2 person.

Anonymous said...

Not even the guys who are from here do a good job of representing Kauai!

Anonymous said...

All yee choir whiners should take out your papers to run for office since no one does a good job of representing Kaua`i. Either that, or get on the horn and blast the ears of your representatives! And Joan: If you don't vote in the next election, please don't climb onto your critique pedestal to complain with the rest of the whiners.

Anonymous said...

I think that last Anonymous is correct.....we need better people running for office. We have limited choices with the county prosecutors position to vote for.

Vote for the "lesser of 2 evils"?

But perhaps they (the best and the brightest) are too smart to run, or..... not with the "in crowd" to do so.

On this Island...its not what you know but WHO you know to get elected.

Dr Shibai

Anonymous said...

That Devil David Bissell is at it again, he is trying to give the right to appointed positions puppets voting rights on board committee issues. The Board is already full of cronies now he wants extra leverage. It's like telling the servants to go against their master, would the servants bite the hands that feed them and their families.

David Bissell (Satan) we rebuke you! We rebuke you! Satan Leave Kauai and take your serpents with you. I call for the resignation or firing of David Bissell. Who is with me, anyone else would like this demon to be sent back to wherever it came from.

Read TGI, and Island Breath for details about appointed positions are about to get votings rights.

Anonymous said...

Karma.....always gets the evil in the long run!

You sow what you reap.

Money and Power are false gods that many worship.

It gets them in the end, no doubt about that.

The gates of Hell have a long waiting list.

Anonymous said...

Koller squeaky clean lol...now that's halarious. Joan has taken to tailoring her "musings" to the audience that she can gain comments from. That audience happens to be the only 20 koller supporters on this island, who post as anonymous but are actually joann yukimura, tim bynum, al castillo, mayor carvalho, koller himself, and a host of their cronies.

Anonymous said...

That explains it. And all this time I thought it was Shay's unethical conduct. Shayme on you, Joan. Start posting good things about Shay, like her impeccable manners, her abstaining from drink, her scrupulous adherence to the law, her incredible work ethic, her honesty, her fairness, her efforts to curb unnecessary travel on the County's dime, her management skills, . . .

Anonymous said...

Shayme! Hysterical.

Anonymous said...

If you rent your home you shouldn't get an exemption. Especially vacation rentals.

Anonymous said...

Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!
Shayme!

Anonymous said...

Shaylene and Mel= Shayme
Shaylene and jake= Shayke
Shaylene and Dickie= Shaykie
Shaylene and Kipu Kualii= Shaypu

Anonymous said...

Let's wait for the facts to be made public before we accuse anyone. Shay may have a perfectly good explanation for whatever she supposedly did. We shouldn't judge her actions until we hear her speak.

Anonymous said...

On this prosecutor refusing to ask questions without a lawyer thing..... It probably is her right, however, she is asking for an awful lot of taxpayer money, so its also the council's right not to give it to her if she refuses to answer any questions.

As I understand it, prosecutor office gets all the extra money it asked for, even stonewalling - if council does not vote by tomorrow? Is that right? Council, if this is right, please do't approve a budget for an office that stonewalls you. That would be a betrayal to us taxpayers.

This is not about Iseri or Coller, its just about responsible government. Imagine if the US Attorney General went to congress asking for a big budget increase, and then refused to answer any questions about it before congress, without a lawyer - and congress gave him all the money anyway.

This is what happens tomorrow if council pushes this under again. The right move is to vote AGAINST the requested budget increase - until the questions are answered - period.

Anonymous said...

The above Shays are her cronies and they will vote to approve the OPA budget. The real question is will Jay and Nadine vote for or against the bill. We all know who is in the click of the Good Ol Boys. Tim and Joann will vote NO! I suggest these trolls to vote NO or you can kiss your political career over like Darryl and Kaipo.