Monday, September 17, 2012

Musings: On Self-Determination

I was perusing Facebook and saw a post by Andre Perez regarding Sen. Akaka's last ditch effort to get the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act — aka Akaka Bill — approved before he retires. As Andre wrote:

Fed-Wreck is back on the table minus the language of creating a roll and qualification process BECAUSE... the Abercrombie appointed Roll Commission is already performing that function! So contrary to what the Roll Commissioners have been saying about self-determination, Fed-Wreck appears to have already been pre-determined. Mahalo for showing your true colors, we got yo ass...

Such suspicions are not new. As I reported in the Honolulu Weekly, when the Roll registration was launched in July:

Though some Hawaiian nationals have dismissed the roll process as a tool of the state, [Roll Commissioner Commissioner Naalehu] Anthony is encouraging them to participate. “It’s not our job to make a government,” he says, noting that the Commission will dissolve once the roll is published. “Independence, federal recognition, state recognition–all of these things are up for discussion. But we’ve got to know who is in the pool [in order] to have a discussion.” However, the press release distributed by Abercrombie’s office says the process “will eventually lead to federal recognition of Native Hawaiians.” OHA officials on hand for the launch also seemed to think that federal recognition was the goal, and that it was attainable.

Now, as Andre so vividly notes, the perception that Gov. Abercrombie's administration and the feds are actively directing the process of Hawaiian self-determination has picked up steam with news that Akaka amended his bill to reflect the Commission's work. As the Star-Advertiser reported:

The new legislation drops provisions that created a process to determine who qualifies as Native Hawaiian and enroll them as part of creating a new Native Hawaiian government. A new Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, set up by the Hawaii Legislature, is performing those functions.

By stripping out those sections, Akaka was able to cut the bill down to about 15 pages from an original 60 pages with the hope that Republican opponents would find it more palatable, since it removes the controversy over who qualifies as Native Hawaiian.

Meanwhile, Abercrombie has come out swinging in defense of another one of his proposals that's meeting resistance — the Public Lands Development Corp. In typical Abercrombie fashion, he spent more time trashing opponents than outlining any real merits of the PLDC:

Abercrombie dismissed critics in the environmental, Native Hawaiian and labor communities — including many who want the corporation abolished because of a potential threat to the environment — as the "usual suspects" who used public hearings this summer on the corporation's draft administrative rules to create "conspiratorial hysteria."

Abercrombie said opponents have appointed themselves as the public's voice and the "arbiters over what is appropriate or inappropriate in terms of development."

The article also included comments from Rep. Chris Lee, one of the few legislators to oppose the bill — alas, the Kauai contingent supported it — saying that opponents would likely need to get two-thirds' majorities in the House and Senate to achieve a repeal, since Abercrombie said he would veto a repeal bill.

Despite criticism from citizens who believe, correctly, that the public will little have sway over the actions of the PLDC, Abercrombie is urging people to give it a chance:

"You've got to put it in practice first to see what it is," he said. "Give it a chance. Give it some breathing room and see how it works."

The governor said he doubts critics are interested in improving the law, "because their attitude is, no matter what you do, no matter how you change it, you can't change it good enough to suit us."

"Because the only way that would work, is that you would agree with us in the first place that you've got to pass anything you want to do past us first. We've got the imprimatur first."
"My support? It gets stronger," the governor said. "When I see people out there pushing people around. When I see people out there saying ‘We get to decide.' What do you mean we get to decide?
"The legislators ran for election. I ran for election."
Ummm, except the guv and legislators aren't the ones who will be calling the shots on PLDC decisions. Those will be made by an un-elected board comprised of state agency heads and development interests. And the people, quite rightly, are saying no, we want to have a say on how public lands, Hawaiian lands, are used. Because frankly, we don't trust you.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

You mean, "a few people are saying no."

Anonymous said...

More than a few are saying NO!!!

PLDC SUCKS

Elaine Albertson said...

Mr. Abercrombie...I am not one of the "usual suspects" (which, I feel, is a red herring derogatory term intentionally used to deflect the real focus). Anyone with an IQ equal to room temperature can see the real purpose behind the PLDC, and the inherent dangers to the public interest (that is, the real public, not the developers/bankers). Making dissenters sound like barefoot simpletons will not get you reelected.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the stupidferry all over again! Always minimizing the opposition "small vocal minority". Yhea right. Don't make the same mistake as your predecessor Abercrombie. Arrogance doesn't discriminate between parties as our own representatives have shown. Joan, is the gov on island today meeting w/ the community? If so, good time to voice opposition to PLDC. The only thing politicians understand is numbers, opposition has to be en masse!

Anonymous said...

The gov will be on Kauai on Wednesday (9/19/12) from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Chiefess Kamakahele Middle School.

Anonymous said...

Actually Gov, it really is not true that all the usual suspects are making the fuss. On Kauai, the room was full of regular Kauai people, not the "usual suspects" who watch out for the environment.
Yeah they were there too, but predominately, it was normal working people who don't get involved.
Even if we voted for you, we didn't make you King.Not the gov we'd hope you'd be.

Anonymous said...

Why is the governor going to be at Chiefess?

Anonymous said...

"Listening Session"

Anonymous said...

Every person on Kauai that cares for Kauai needs to be at chiefess and unite to speak up against PLDC tyranny.

Anonymous said...

If the state can't take care of the land, give it back to the people, not the corporations

Anonymous said...

Our public officials need to be reminded that WE THE PEOPLE are NOT the sheeple and YES WE CAN "Sue our public officials each as private citizens for their illegal actions/conduct and collusion... on ALL of the lands that are to be held in trust... KINGDOM LAND, not belonging to the occupier/fake state." These lands have solid royal patents... national patents... deeds that will never, NEVER EVER be abolished, changed or revised as well as other federal and international laws for starters.... Lawyers be DOWN and chompin' at da bit for this one!

Anonymous said...

Wow. Abercrombie is a corroded piece of shit by all standards.
What a fʻg pompous ass - hole.

What the hell does he mean weʻve got the imprimatur?
Who the fʻg hell does he think he is?

Anonymous said...


Sure hope Parx will show up.

Anonymous said...

The thing is:
they need PLDC because theyʻre broke and canʻt pay for basic repairs.
Why? Because besides being stupid and incompetent with tax money and budgets, Lingle broke the bank on a very similar error as this one.

Too bad canʻt take all those millions from dingleʻs campaign fund to pay the state back.

Anonymous said...

Kauai should lend Honolulu some money so they can pay their bills but they gotta hurry up because millions of tax payers dollars goes missing on Kauai like ATM machines or like gas from county fuel stations.

Anonymous said...

KIngdom Lands? What kingdom? The long lost most nobody care about these days kingdom? Paleeze. You need the consent of the governed and I ain't consenting.

Totally agree PLDC is bad news cause it messes with existing rules, regs and planning and only will benefit fat cat interests and give more money to government to mismanage. The legislature should abolish it.

Anonymous said...

Abner Crumby is just lining up his "ducks" so he can retire wealthy.

Anonymous said...

He's like 79 years old. I doubt he's doing it for "retirement"

Anonymous said...

If not for money, then for what?

Power?
Ego?
Wants a statue dedicated to himself?

Anonymous said...

You mean statuette.

Anonymous said...

More of greasing the palms of the GOB to see what they can get because the teamsters want more no bid contracts from they friends in office.

Anonymous said...

Just came from the PLDC hearing.
Abercrombie dissed Joanne Yukimura off the stage when she tried to talk to him.
Mel Rapozo and the rest of them have decided NOT to apply some backbone like the Big Island County Council has done (by passing a resolution to REPEAL ACT 55) instead they are going to pass another one of their meaningless resolutions to ʻamendʻ Act 55.
Either these guys are completely clueless about the laws or they are just incompetent. They should have listened to what Gary Hooser said at the last PLDC meeting since obviously they canʻt understand how deadly the RULES are.
How do you amend something that has no substance to begin with?
Abercrombie said he was very concerned that there might be a hotel built at Kokee and made sure that wouldnʻt happen but Yukimura pointed out to him that there is a hotel in the plans for Kokee after he cut her off.
Abercrombie had the audacity to sit there and tell everyone that the PLDC is for the purpose of new schools; thatʻs not what we saw on a video straight from D.C. when he told members of Congress: "itʻs not about the culture, itʻs about Land and Assets, my friends. Who wouldnʻt want 180,000 acres of Hawaiian land."
Some lady stood up and said that to him and they immediately shut down the meeting.
There was a woman from DOH on the cabinet bragging about what they do to help people but when asked the hard questions like GMO poisoning concerns, she was clueless so was the red-faced Agricultural rep. sitting there.
Then, a little girl named Jordan, accompanied by her mother and father and little brother went to microphone. The mother said Jordan has been denied assistance (she has muscular dystrophy, forgive me if Iʻm wrong I couldnʻt hear what she said)and is in a wheel chair. She was denied BECAUSE her IQ is too high. Little Jordan spoke and she is really intelligent. Her mother challenged the DOH woman and caught her between the left one and the right one. Mrs. Dept of Health didnʻt have an answer.
All of them were shown up for their incompetence and lies and got a Taste of Kauaiʻs No Bullshit Citizenry.