In Hawaii, a dispiriting glimpse of one-party rule

[Geee]

Washington Examiner:

HONOLULU - In Hawaii, there are 25 members of the state Senate. Twenty-four are Democrats. And then there is Sam Slom.

Slom, the lone Senate Republican in the state of President Obama's birth, has represented East Honolulu since 1996. He hasn't always been the only GOP senator; in the last session, there were two. But Republicans fared poorly at the polls in November, and Slom was left alone.

Which means that Democratic bills to increase state spending, to impose new regulations and mandates and to create new government departments are often passed on votes of 24-1. "I represent a point of view that would not be represented," the conservative Slom says, "even if it's just one voice."

There are 15 committees in the Senate. Most Democrats serve on three or four. But to make things bipartisan, Slom -- you may call him Mr. Minority Leader -- has to serve on all 15. That means he spends his days racing from one committee meeting to the next, making sure there's at least one question from a conservative point of view.

Slom's job is to challenge the majority's priorities. Like many states, Hawaii is in a fiscal mess. Yet Senate Democrats have spent extraordinary amounts of time on social issues -- most recently, fast-tracking a civil unions bill -- and on addressing questions like whether dogs can be kept on tethers. "The bill specified the kind of material, size, thickness and length the tether can be," Slom says.

Meanwhile, Slom complains, "We're supposed to be doing the budget, we have a major shortfall of $800 million to $1.5 billion, we have underfunded employees' retirement and health care systems and we haven't done anything in terms of providing new jobs or investment or capital improvement."

[Pepper]

Welcome to the future of America. Will the last man out turn off the CFL?

 

 

'When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic." Ben Franklin

[NCTexan]

and Pepper! said....

 

"Welcome to the future of America. Will the last man out turn off the CFL?"

 

NECN

 

Hawaii considers banning toy gun sales to kids

 

HONOLULU (AP) — A proposal to ban selling toy guns to children is getting a hearing in the Senate.

 

The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee is scheduled to consider the bill Tuesday.

 

The measure would make it illegal to sell toy guns to anyone under 18 years old, punishable by a maximum fine of $2,000 and 90 days imprisonment.

 

Toy guns could include everything from water pistols to BB guns. The legislation doesn't provide a definition for a toy gun.

[clearvision]

Although I think it is still stupid, it implies that what is illegal is selling guns to minors. Not using toy guns. So adults could still buy the toy guns for their kids.