GaryHooser's Blog

The calls keep coming in and I keep encouraging people to “do your research”.

If it’s helpful, I wrote/posted this yesterday “Evaluating The Candidates – 6 things I look closely at.”

But…since so many are asking me, “If you lived in my district, who would you vote for?”

So…because you asked…I did some digging…visited the websites…asked around with friends and extended ohana living on every island…checked endorsements looking especially for those supported by civic advocacy groups such as “Our Hawaii”, HULIPAC (Big Island), the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi, The Patsy Mink Pac, and the “Moho ʻĀina slate”.

*Note – I purposefully have not included any incumbents. “The good guys” now serving in elective office (at all levels), should already have strong name recognition, a track record they can run on, AND they should have started raising campaign money a long time ago.

So, here I go with the deep dive.

I know also for sure, garans ball-barans, I’ll not make everyone happy.

For Governor – I’m still analyzing the various candidates and searching for someone who actually believes climate change is a real existential threat, and who will make energy independence and food self sufficiency a priority. (IYKYK)

In addition, I’m hoping to find a qualified candidate I can support who will demand that the U.S. military clean up the mess they’ve already created, comply with Hawaiʻi’s HRS343 EIS law, AND agree to stop “live fire” training, BEFORE any lease negotiations even start. AND a candidate who will oppose making Hawaiʻi the “Center for Weapons Development in the Pacific”.

For Lieutenant Governor – I’m supporting Rep. Della Bellati and explain my reasoning here: “My choice in the Hawaiʻi Lieutenant Governor’s race”.

For State House Representative

District #2 Holt, Cristina (Tina)
Hilo
I’ve seen Tina in action and she’s a dynamo. She has the uncanny ability to condense the facts, and present the information in a way that cannot be ignored. She’s fearless, she does her homework, and when elected will be a genuine change-maker.

District #3 Keawekane, Kuulei (Kiana)
Portion of Hilo · Keaukaha · Orchidlands Estate · Ainaloa · Hawaiian Acres · Fern Acres · Portions of Kurtistown & Keaʻau
Everywhere I turn, people are talking about Kuulei, her Aloha ʻĀina based values, unrelenting commitment to people and planet, cultural knowledge, and tireless energy.

District #10 Kaho’ohanohano, Ki’i
Portion of Waiehu · Paukūkalo · Wailuku · Wailuku Heights · Waikapū · Hayashi Village
I’ll never forget sitting across from Ki’i, just talking story about life and family. It was prior to her making a decision to run for election, but that conversation has stuck with me. If given the opportunity I’d vote for her in a heartbeat.

District #12 Kuoha, Keoni
Makawao · Hāliʻimaile · Pukalani · Kula · Pūlehu · ʻUlupalakua · Kanaio · Kahikinui
Keoni is someone I don’t believe I’ve ever met in person, but virtually all of my Maui friends and extended ohana are telling me he’s solid.

District #14 Kiakona, Pa’ele
Lāhainā · Kahakuloa · Waiheʻe · Maʻalaea · Olowalu · Lahainaluna · Kaʻanapali · Mahinahina · Kahana · Honokahua
Pa’ele is a guy who’s ready to make change happen, and he has a history and track record of doing just that. We desperately need “braveheart” leaders like Pa’ele, willing to stand up and be counted, AND willing to do the heavy lifting needed to get the job done.

District #19 Pacarro, Kahi
Waiʻalae-Kāhala · ʻĀina Haina · Niu Valley · Kuliʻouʻou
Kahi has demonstrated through his life’s actions, that he’s running for the right reasons and will do the right things when elected. Kahi is surrounded by people in his district who have rallied behind his candidacy, determined to make much needed and long overdue change happen. I like the guy and am supporting him without any reservations, whatsoever.

District #21 Morrow, Jake Takaya
Pālolo Valley — St. Louis Heights — Kaimukī — Maunalani Heights — Wilhelmina Rise —
Jake and I have had several direct, no holds barred, personal, policy, and political conversations. I like him. He’s the real deal and running a hard race against big money established political forces. Let’s help him.

District #26 Fujinaka, Janel S.
Makiki, Tantalus, Punchbowl, and Papakōlea
Quiet but effective is how I’d describe Janel. I met with her a few months ago over coffee and came away impressed by the depth of her commitment to making our community a better place.

District #28 Alves, Nadia
Sand Island · Iwilei · Chinatown
Nadia has the heart, the knowledge, the lived experience, a track record working at the legislature, and is steady as a rock in her commitment to make positive change happen. I know from first hand experience that Nadia Alves is awesome.

District #30 Kealoha, Kekoa O Pololu
Kalihi · Kalihi Kai · Keʻehi Lagoon · Hickam Village
Kekoa is relentless. He will not stop until he and our community, wins. He has a voice and he’s willing to use it, speaking truth to power. Let’s help him take it to the next level.

District #39 Rosenlee, Corey
Royal Kunia, Village Park, Honouliuli, Ho‘opili, and Portion of Waipahu
Corey is a known force with a proven record of leadership. You can know for sure one thing about Corey – When elected, he will not sit down, he will not back down, and he will not be quiet, until Hawaiʻi public schools are the absolute best they can be.

District #42 Paris, Anthony Makana
Portions of Varona Village, ‘Ewa, and Kapolei, Fernandez Village
Makana Paris is for sure the best pick in this race. No question about it. When Makana wins, we will all win. Trust me. I got a good feeling about this guy.

District #45 Kaopua, Kalehua
Waiʻanae · Mākaha
We’ve never met nor even spoke but reading about Kalehua, her roots, her upbringing, the lessons she has learned and now wants to share – has moved me. After talking to friends and seeing her included on other “lists” of emerging leaders running for election to the House – I’m joining also with my support.

State Senate

Senate District #2 Aynessazian, Tanya Yamanaka
Puna
Tanya and I have worked together developing, researching, and advocating community based policy initiatives with the potential to create positive and much needed change statewide. We’ve broken bread, shared laughter, and worked very, very hard together towards common goals. Tanya is a leader among the 8 citizen plaintiffs who recently won a precedent setting court ruling in Acasio v House. Tanya Yamanaka Aynessazian’s presence in the Hawaii State Senate would without a doubt result in a more open government and more community based decision-making. To be clear, she would be there shining a light, for all of us.

Senate District #13 Nakamura, Jordan Kapono
Dowsett Highlands · Puʻunui · Nuʻuanu · Pacific Heights · Pauoa · Punchbowl · Pālama · Liliha · Iwilei · Chinatown · Downtown
Jordan is amazing and he can win. I’ve looked at the dynamics of this race closely and know without any doubt whatsoever that this guy can win. He’s good. Really good. Let’s help push him over the top.

Senate District #14 MacPherson, Christy
Kapālama, ‘Ālewa, Kalihi, Kalihi Valley, Ft. Shafter, Moanalua Gardens & Valley, Red Hill
Kudo’s to Christy MacPherson for being willing to step up and challenge an incumbent who will go down in the history books as one of the strongest voices ever to occupy that big square building. Christy has served her community for the past 30 years working, as a substance abuse counselor for teenagers, survivors of sexual abuse, mothers struggling with issues of addiction, people living with HIV/AIDS, teens and adults coping with mental illness, and families experiencing homelessness. She will bring not just compassion and empathy, but critical solution oriented knowledge gained from working in the trenches.

Senate District #17 Brown, Nani
Portion of Mililani · Mililani Mauka · Waipiʻo Acres · Launani Valley · Wahiawā · Whitmore Village
Yes, I’ve used the words “amazing” and “awesome” probably a few too many times in my description of the candidates I’m recommending . But without any exaggeration whatsoever, Nani Brown is a force of nature. She wears her love for her community on her sleeve and carries a commitment for positive change that is unmatched. Please read this recent Civil Beat story, “Can This Underdog Take Down Hawaiʻi’s Most Powerful Senator?”

That’s it for now. In the next few days, I’ll write about the County races AND the Congressional, AND eventually also cover OHA.

If you’re interested in this stuff…and you would not have read this far if you weren’t 😉

June 30th, Tuesday morning at 9am – Aria Juliet and I are going to dive into the 2026 Hawai’i Primary Election and try our best to break it down. Please tune in to Policy and Politics on YOUTUBE and also streaming on FACEBOOK and check it out. We’ll be doing our best to at least touch upon ALL the interesting races happening in EVERY County AND the State Legislature AND our two Congressional seats AND of course the LG race. Whew! Promises to be a jam packed 90 minutes. See ya then- Tuesday June 30 at 9am. I’ll bring the coffee! AND yes, it will be recorded so the above links will still work…if you happen to miss the live action.

Gary Hooser

No candidate is perfect.

In choosing who receives my vote and my support, I start with these questions:

1) Do the candidate’s values align with my own?
2) What about their prior jobs and life experience?
3) Can I trust the veracity of their actions and words?
4) Is the candidate viable?
5) Are they willing to do the work needed to win?
6) What about “the opposition”?

It starts of course, with values.

We’re all in this together, and putting people and the planet above profits, are foundational values for me.

Others will say, it’s every man for himself, only the strong survive, government is the problem, the free market “invisible hand” is the answer.

When I see someone living in their car, my thoughts go to the fact there’s no legal, safe, or affordable place for them to live or even park their car to sleep. Few jobs pay a living wage, and affordable rentals are nonexistent.

Others will see that same person, in the same exact situation, and say “It’s their own damn fault, they should get a job.” They’ll assume it’s because they’re on drugs, and the answer is for government to sweep them away – out of sight and out of mind.

Ditto on the core issue of government regulation.

Some see protection of health and environment. Others see “impediments to development”.

We each look at the same thing, but yet we each may see entirely different things.

A candidate’s occupation, hobby’s, and leisure time choices are also good indicators of core values.

Do they spend Saturdays testing the waters or cleaning the beach with Surfrider Foundation, volunteering with the FoodBank or homeless outreach programs, or coaching youth sports?

Do they work in real estate, business, banking, law enforcement, construction, or the hospitality industry? Or have they paid the bills in the past via employment in social services, healthcare, education, conservation or perhaps in the nonprofit world?

What about endorsements?

There are of course the construction trades, teachers, nurses, hotel workers, university professors, government employees (HGEA and UPW) and others who endorse candidates. Note: Additional endorsement links will be added in the days ahead.

In addition to labor union endorsements, many of the candidates I’m personally supporting, are being endorsed also by civic advocacy groups such as “Our Hawaii”, HULIPAC (Big Island), the Sierra Club of Hawaii, The Patsy Mink Pac, and/or are part of the “Moho ʻĀina slate”.

Veracity and trust is critical.

Is the candidate trustworthy, or do they too often stray into the realm of hyperbole and B.S.?

Can you take their words and actions at face value, or must they be double-checked?

Are they credible and can they win?

Do they have a purple mohawk? Are they new to the district? Are they unknown, untested, and unfunded, running against a “proven” incumbent with deep roots, strong networks, and lots of money?

Given enough effort, money, and time – all candidates can be considered viable but let’s be real. Does this candidate have any chance at all?

Are they willing to do the work needed to win?

Will they get up early, hold signs on the highway, go home and make fundraising calls, AND then go out and knock on doors and put up signs/banners in the neighborhood?

Or will they stay home immersed in social media, thinking that’s enough?

Who is the candidate running against?

If the opposition is the devil incarnate, the basic voting decision is easy. The question then becomes “How much time, energy, and money” should I be offering in support?

If it’s “sometimes they’re ok, sometimes they’re not” – the decision of whether to support a challenger is more complex.

Personally, I want to elect people who are better than “ok” and am always seeking to support high quality challengers willing to do the work of a real campaign.

Bottom line for candidate evaluation and selection:

Explore the fundamental questions listed above, then “follow the money”.

The campaign spending commission website will tell you who gives, how much, and even their occupation. It also shows the time, date, location, and ticket price of every fundraiser held by the candidate. https://ags.hawaii.gov/campaign/cc/cc-view-reports/

A review of these reports (after July 9 especially) will often tell you more about the values of the candidates than all of the question listed above.

There you have it.

But please, don’t just take my word for it.

Take the time. Do your own digging.

Our democracy and the health of our community will be better for it.

HEADS UP AND MARK YOUR CALENDAR! June 30th, Tuesday morning at 9am – Aria and I are going to dive into the 2026 Hawai’i Primary Election. Please tune in to Policy and Politics on YOUTUBE and also streaming on FACEBOOK and check it out. We’ll be doing our best to at least touch upon ALL the interesting races happening in EVERY County AND the State Legislature AND our two Congressional seats AND of course the LG race. Whew! Promises to be a jam packed 90 minutes. See ya then- Tuesday June 30 at 9am. I’ll bring the coffee! See less

Gary

No candidate is perfect, and each brings to the table their own unique “world view”.

Rep. Della Belatti has come out strongly against government corruption, and in support of increased public participation in our government. Her background is humble and working class.

Her support base includes residents on every island who are at the moment, just trying to survive, pay their bills, and put food on the table. She also has a growing and positive reputation among citizen advocates committed to the support and defense of social justice, environmental protection, and the rights and needs of local working people.

The early and aggressive support of Mayor Kawakami by a SuperPac connected to Pacific Resource Partnership (PRP) demonstrates without question his core support among developers, contractors, bankers, and the big business elite of Hawai’i.

Yes, of course he’s also supported by regular working people, but both his individual campaign fundraising AND his SuperPac support is fueled almost exclusively by big money, big construction, and big development.

My start in policy and politics began on Kauaʻi with a fight to “save Makaleha Springs” some 30 years ago.

My world view was and remains grounded in environmental protection.

Without exaggeration, every year since then I’ve fought tooth and nail against big money and big development seeking to weaken environmental protections under the guise of “streamlining” the permitting process.

We each look at the same thing, but yet see entirely different things.

I look at HRS 343, Hawai’i’s EIS law and see a sacrosanct fundamental environmental protection.

The PRP’s of the world look at this law and see an “impediment to development” and are relentless in their efforts to eliminate this and similar environmental protections, and/or provide an endless array of exemptions.

Ditto to many other areas of our community.

Big business and big development will ALWAYS seek first and foremost to increase profits and limit government regulation. That’s how capitalism works.

Candidates will always work hard to deliver for their base of supporters. And the supporters count on that. After-all, that’s why they offer help, support, and money.

My vote in the Hawai‘i Lieutenant Governor’s race is going to Della Belatti.

Myself, and many others from across the islands are supporting her because we’re counting on her to deliver, and to be the person she says she is.

The same holds true for the PRP SuperPacs, and big money donors who’ve lined up to support Mayor Kawakami. They also are counting on him to come through for them.

Yes, I’m fully aware that as a Kauaʻi resident, voting for someone other than the hometown boy, Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami, will disappoint some of my friends and neighbors.

However, my own personal world view and core public policy values are much more aligned with Rep. Della Belatti’s than any other candidate in the Hawai’i Lieutenant Governor’s race.

So naturally, that’s where my vote will be going.

It seems every day there’s breaking news about government corruption, waste, fraud, abuse, inefficiencies, and incompetence.

It seems every County except Kauaʻi has made the headlines.

A 5 minute internet search using the words “County Auditor discovers, reveals, reports…” quickly brought these 3 headlines to the surface.

In 2023 the Hawaiʻi County Auditor discovered “severe vulnerabilities in internal controls, tracking systems, and administrative oversight regarding how affordable housing credits were distributed and monitored” – resulting in a former Hawaiʻi County housing development specialist being sentenced in federal court to 46 months in prison for taking bribes.

An audit by the Maui County Auditor revealed the Maui County Finance Department failed to collect nearly $17 million in TAT as of June 2022.

The Honolulu City auditor released a report in January that found after five years, the Honolulu Office of Economic Revitalization met less than 40% of its mission to promote agriculture, technology and small businesses.

So far, Kauaʻi County has avoided these headlines.

Whether this is due to our excellent, honest, and efficient County employees, the stellar management of our Council and Mayor, or the fact that Kauaʻi County does not have an Independent County Auditor – we do not know.

And we really won’t know until the day comes when the Kauaʻi Council actually complies with the County Charter, hires a qualified independent auditor, and provides the budget and support for the auditor to do its job.

Yes, we’ve heard and continue to hear, excuse after excuse as to why the Council has failed to comply with the Kauaʻi Charter requirement for an Independent Office of the County Auditor.

Yet, every other County has succeeded in establishing this office, and the results of having an independent auditor conducting regular “performance audits” of the various County departments and programs, speaks for itself.

Waste, fraud, abuse, bribery, and inefficiencies exist in every large organization, government and private.

You can be sure that public assets (equipment, vehicles, tools) are being used inappropriately for private purposes by public employees. You can also be sure there is favoritism in the granting of County permits, and the distribution of County services.

While we do not know the extent of such activity, it is without a doubt occurring in Kauaʻi County at some level.

And there’s also no question that some County operations are over-staffed and some are woefully under-staffed.

Independent audits that review the operations of County government are essential to improve government operations, increase efficiency, save money, and root out the bad actors.

The Office of the Kauaʻi County Auditor, which is required by the Kauaʻi Charter, has been vacant for eleven years.

This means not one INDEPENDENT performance audit of any Kauaʻi County department or program has been conducted for over a decade now.

Yes, there is a required “budget audit” conducted yearly which evaluates the budget, and yes occasionally the Council will request and fund an audit of various operations.

However by definition, these are not INDEPENDENT audits free of political intent or interference, whether real or perceived.

And these audits certainly do not fulfill the requirements of the County Charter.

It’s an election year.

3 of our 7 Councilmembers are asking for our vote and support to be Kauaʻi’s next Mayor.

Each is promising “leadership” and “action” and each has a long list of things they are promising to address.

My hope is the hiring of a County Auditor is high on that list – and will be completed soon, now, before the election.

Other items such as establishing a County Department of Agriculture, curbside recycling, tackling the cesspool/septic/sewer issue, providing increased support to our homeless friends and neighbors, and the debacle known as the Coco Palms Hotel – can also be addressed NOW and need not wait until the election comes and goes.

It’s important I think, to remind all 7 on the Council AND our Mayor, that regardless of what happens on August 8 or November 3rd, they each will remain in office until December 1st – and much work (not just campaigning) can still be done in the coming 5 months.

We did it. 320 of you came through and made it happen.

It’s amazing really. Gives me chicken skin. Another one of those high-five, fist bumps, happy-dance on the table kinda moments.

Thank you my friends. Thank you so, so much.

Because of you and the 320 individuals that took the proactive step of getting involved and offering financial support, the 8 citizen plaintiffs have achieved AND exceeded the $20,000 GoFundMe goal needed to cover the core legal expenses in Acasio v State House of Representatives.

Wish I could reach out and hug every single one of you, or at least send you all personal notes of gratitude. Unfortunately (though it protects your privacy), GoFundMe does not release that individual contact information.

I’ll catch up on the hugs when I see you in person at the next court hearing or victory party!

Because of course it doesn’t stop here.

We pause, reflect, and celebrate the awesome victory, then we take the next steps AFTER we hear from the State House of Representatives who’ve issued no public statements whatsoever.

The court decision is unambiguous.

The State House of Representatives violated the Hawaiʻi State Constitution.
(more legal insights here for those who are interested in “just the facts”)

We assume of course that our lawmakers in the House will now start following the law.

But so far they’ve been totally quiet.

Check out Civil Beat on Sunday 06/21, and read more about “Next Steps”.

I encourage you also to continue reaching out to YOUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE and continue to ask them “Whose side are you on?” – until they respond in writing to you.

AND please SHARE this story with your friends and networks AND ask them to SHARE and yes, ask them to continue supporting the GoFundMe campaign as the 8 plaintiffs roll up their sleeves for the next phase in this ongoing legal battle.

Everyone should know by now, there’s no giving up and no letting up.

A quick recap on this amazing story.

It was early January 2025 and a handful of private citizens gathered at the Capitol for a “Good Governance Caucus” meeting, only to find out the official House Advisory Committee on Rules and Procedures had no plans to hold any public meetings.

Even though their own existing “House Rules” stated clearly that every committee of the House must hold decision making meetings in public AND the fact that the State Constitution says the same thing – the response from House Leadership was “nope” not gonna do that, and “we make our own rules and decide which rules we follow or don’t follow”.

The citizens of course were outraged and hugely disappointed as they were planning specifically to attend the meeting or at least submit testimony to this committee.

I was there and “on the rail” discussing this with various legislators and citizens, and likewise flabbergasted at House Leaderships decision.

Someone asked, “What are we gonna do?” Then another said, “They can’t be allowed to get away with this, let’s call attorneys Lance Collins and Bianca Isaki”.

So we did.

I’ll never forget Lance’s initial response, “This sounds interesting, and I’m interested.”

From there, an informal coalition was formed, 8 citizens who had planned to attend and or testify before this committee, stepped up to be plaintiffs – and a lawsuit was filed.

And on May 29th they/we won.

First Circuit Court Judge James Ashford ruled in Acasio V House of Representatives that the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives violated the Hawaiʻi Constitution when the House Advisory Committee on Rules met in secret and made decisions.

The research, consultations, legal filings and court hearings have stretched out now for 18 months. Lance Collins and Bianca Isaki have donated hundreds if not thousands of hours of legal services directly and with discounted fees. These two are heroes in my book. They have done, and continue to do truly awesome work for so many in our collective community.

The plaintiffs have also donated their funds, paid their own travel to get to court, and do not receive any money from this whatsoever – all funds raised are paid to fulfill direct legal expenses.

I’ve been there as a volunteer, along with many others, from the beginning – and it’s an honor to walk along-side these 8 AND with Lance and Bianca AND now the 320 of you who’ve made this all possible.

Mahalo to all!

Imua.

Gary Hooser

My phones been ringing off the hook (IYKYK) with friends asking, “Who are you supporting for Kaua’i Mayor and Council?”

At a recent “candidate forum” hosted by Malama Kaua’i and HAPA, voters were given a valuable opportunity to see and hear in person many of the candidates.

Of the 18 Council candidates present: Mike Coots, Umi Martin, Jimmy Trujillo, and Trysten Fernandes Caberto all hit the ball hard from my perspective.

Michelle Kaleiohi Correa and Dane Smith also definitely scored points with me.

For those counting, that’s already 6 and doesn’t include my #1 choice, Councilmember Fern Holland who was unable to attend the forum.

And it doesn’t include Councilmembers Bulosan and Kaneshiro both of whom bring valuable institutional knowledge to the table.

Other candidates who stood out and am guessing will wind up in the top 14 on August 8 were Todd Ozaki, Taylor Shigemoto, Keola Kaiminaauao, John Mattos, and Paul Applegate.

James Langtad, John Montemayor, Nelson Mukai, Yelena Okhman, Herman Wilson, and Skyler Workman also deserve a huge mahalo from all of us. They made showing up for voters a priority and should be commended for doing so.

*Note: I’ve included links to those candidate websites that I could locate.

I deeply appreciate every single person who has chosen to be a candidate, and publicly put themselves and their values out in the open for public scrutiny.

To be clear, my bias, and my core political base of values can best be described as that of a Bernie Sanders Democrat. Yes, I know he’s an “Independent”, but he hangs with the Dem’s.

And yes, I understand the Council race is “non-partisan”.

But core values matter.

This is why voters must look closely at a candidates background.

What have they done up until now?

What issues have they publicly championed or opposed in the past? If they’ve not testified, not carried signs, nor written letters or spoken out on issues – Why not?

Who are their friends and associates? Who’s “backing them”?

I strongly encourage everyone to do a bit of homework and make up your own mind.

Visit their websites and see what issues and solutions are front and center. Do they mention environmental issues at all? Do they speak of doing more to support the unhoused? Are they willing to speak openly about “taxing the rich” and those not paying their fair share?

Naturally I have my favorites.

In addition to Fern Holland, I’ve known and worked alongside Council candidate Jimmy Trujillo for at least 20 years. Jimmy was in the water on August 27, 2007 (IYKYK). He’s an avid apiarist, a long time member of KKCR Community Radio, and has a solid history of community involvement. Those facts alone are enough for me.

We each get 7 votes, and for this primary I’m thinking about using all 7.

So now I gotta figure out where my other 5 votes should go.

As to the Mayoral portion of the candidate forum, the common theme at the end was clearly, “Some of the names have been there a long time. They have good priorities but why haven’t they addressed these issues already? Some of the new people are very interesting and have excellent ideas but do they have the experience and capability to do the job?”

Yes, the Mayor runs the County’s day-to-day operations, but the Council can set priorities via tax policy, the passage of ordinances, and budget oversight.

So it’s a valid question to all 3 Mayoral candidates who now serve on the Council – Bernard Carvalho, Felicia Cowden, and Mel Rapozo: “Why during the past 4 years on the Council haven’t you proposed for public discussion and public vote, some of the good ideas and proposals offered up at the forum?”

The other 3 choices for Mayor are:

Megeso-William Denis who also ran for Mayor in 2022 is a 13 year resident of Kauai with a background in business.

Laura Andaya-Lindsey has an administrative/management experience working in community, focused on social services.

Michaela Widener had a refreshing, innovative approach to problem solving, and presented herself with confidence, conviction, and commitment. Made me think of Mamdani.

My choice? It’s still up in the air.

But gonna have to pick someone on August 8th.

The “top two” will then move through to the primary.

There are no perfect candidates.

Please. Do your homework, talk to friends and neighbors, attend the forums, and reach out directly to the candidates – then vote for the person that best represents your values and world view.

As a “Boomer” who came of age during the Vietnam War, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and the Rolling Stones, I struggle sometimes with technology.

I admit it. I don’t always download, upload, or side-load the right app, nor do my passwords always line up nicely.

My personal relationship with most technology is “love/hate” at best, and I resist with all my might giving in to it’s constant demands.

Now, with A.I. virtually taking over everything, I’m fighting back.

I’m mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.

Not long ago, I got an email from the mortgage company, asking about my home insurance. I was told to go to their website, sign in, and upload documents confirming the insurance was current.

Why they just couldn’t call my insurance company for this I do not know.

I responded to the email and received back a “Sorry this email address is not monitored, please go to the website and access your account.”

So, they can send me an email but I cannot reply via email?

I made a note to myself that from then on, I would always send them back an auto-reply saying my email is not being monitored, please go to my personal website, log in, establish an account, and upload their documents.

Not wanting to jeopardize the status of my mortgage, I next tried calling them on one of the 5 telephone numbers listed at the bottom of my mortgage statement.

Of course. I promptly entered A.I. telephone hell.

An hour later I hung up.

I was over it.

Then a crazy idea hit me that sent me rummaging through my desk drawers to find a pen and paper.

Some of you reading this might also have experience using these two items.

Others, I’m sure, are familiar with the phrase “the pen, (and paper) is mightier than the sword (and big business, big government, and big A.I.)”.

Aptly armed, I rolled up my sleeves, tossed down a strong cup of iced coffee (to chill my veins and energize my anger), and began hand-writing the mortgage company a letter on actual paper, in pen, and using CURSIVE.

Trust me on this. They will rue the day they messed with this Boomer.

I wrote a request for a copy of my mortgage, a breakdown of interest rate calculations along with insurance/tax payments, AND asked that a written response be mailed via USPS to me, AND a face-to-face meeting to discuss my account.

My old school rebelliousness was alive and kicking.

When finished, I folded the paper nicely, reached for an envelope. Thatʻs when I stopped as the devil in my ear whispered further instructions.

So I unfolded the letter, tightly crumpled it, opened it, and re-crumpled it in my fist. Next, I somewhat smoothed out the wrinkly paper, only to make a small tear on the top and at the bottom. Very tiny tears. Just enough to get jammed in any machine attempting to scan the letter for A.I. review.

To complete the task, I drove to the post office to put icing on the cake. I mailed my letter with “return receipt with signature” requested.

Rebel satisfied.

It’s been two months now, and I’ve heard nothing back. Neither an A.I nor human-crafted reply. My regular monthly statements all look and feel normal.

I called my insurance company and spoke to a very nice HUMAN lady who told me all is good.

Pen, paper, cursive, written-report request, in-person meeting request, crumple, tear, and return receipt. To me, this was a Boomerʻs Revenge equivalent of the group “Anonymous.”

Remember them? They gained notoriety in the 1990s by organizing the online Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. You know, the attacks that shut down big businesses and government agencies by overwhelming computer systems with online requests.

Now I’m certainly not recommending vandalism or causing harm to any large corporations operated by A.I. and owned by oligarchs who pocket obscene profits by preying on the elderly, the vulnerable, and the technologically unsophisticated.

But this Boomerʻs Revenge tactic could, hypothetically, be used to communicate with health insurance companies denying treatment, government agencies failing to provide appropriate services, or just about any large corporation failing to respect and/or seeking to overcharge and otherwise abuse us old guys.

I gotta wonder, though. What would happen if 40 million victims (young and old) of predatory federal student loans decided to hand-write using pen, paper, AND cursive, to the U.S. Department of Education—requesting a copy of their original loan agreement, and detailed history of payments, charges, and interest computations?

Seriously. If you or your business wants to communicate with me, provide a human being for me to actually talk to. Not a machine. Otherwise, we can exchange notes written on paper in cursive and delivered via the mail.

When the news first broke I sent out “Court Says Hawaiʻi House of Representatives Violated Hawaiʻi Constitution”.

If you’re interested in the fine print and details of such things – I’ve put together below, a broader legal update summarizing in “laymen’s terms” a few key implications of the decision.

If you’re not into “legalese” and just want to help, here are two actions that need your support, today if possible.

#1) Please reach out to YOUR District Representative and ask them basically, “Who’s side are you on?”

As a sample, and to help with messaging, I’ve posted here on my blog, “Helping the 8 citizen plaintiffs: One action that costs nothing, and is HUGELY important”.

#2) The second important action is to join the 276 individuals who’ve contributed an average of $63 apiece in support of the “Protect Open, Honest Government in Hawaiʻi” GoFundMe campaign.

If you’ve already given, mahalo plenty. If not, please help if you can.

I’m not a lawyer (though I did complete a semester at U.H. Richardson School of Law AND I’ve spent 16 years making laws at the County and State level) AND have read the constitution, reviewed the written court record, attended Judge Ashford’s hearing, AND consulted with various real attorneys to better understand some of the most important ramifications of the courts action:

Eight citizen plaintiffs: Former state Sen. Laura Acasio, Kaʻapunialiʻiona Lanikiʻekiʻe Kanaloa Aiwohi, Sergio Josephus Alcubilla III, Tanya Aynessazian, Douglas L. Cobeen, Karen K. Cobeen, Michaela Ilikeamoana Ikeuchi, and Robert Hale Pahia – took the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives to court for holding secret meetings and making secret decisions — and won.

1) This ruling is precedent setting. It’s the first and only time our courts have interpreted the constitutional mandate that “[e]very meeting of a committee . . . held for the purpose of making decision on matters referred to the committees shall be open to the public.” The court interpreted this language to apply broadly to legislative matters.

2) The court’s order only applies to the closed-door legislative committee meeting at issue. However, the ruling is highly persuasive in that it can be relied on in future cases challenging closed-door decision-making activities conducted by State House and Senate committees.

3) The House first argued it has “legal immunity,” and claimed, in essence, that only the House can tell the House what to do, not the court—as in, the House makes and operates under its own rules. The court, however, determined that the legislative branch does NOT have carte blanche authority to do whatever it likes. Legislative actions MUST follow the State Constitution.

4) The House also argued that the House Advisory Committee on Rules and Procedure is an “advisory committee” which is different from purely legislative committees that pass bills which then become law. Shutting down this argument, the plaintiffs succinctly pointed out—and the Judge agreed—that EVERY legislative committee is advisory in nature. Meaning, committees merely advise the legislative “body,” which then accepts or rejects that advice via public votes by the entire House and/or Senate.

5) When requesting a “remedy” to address the Houseʻs secretive conduct, the plaintiffs asked for one thing: a declaration that it was unconstitutional to hold the House Advisory Committee on Rules and Procedures meeting out of the public eye. The plaintiffs could have gone so far as to ask the court to “throw out” the rules decided in that committee meeting. But, because all of last yearʻs legislative activity took place under those rules, such a remedy could have called all of last yearʻs legislative decisions into question. Such a sweeping remedy would be “too disruptive.”

So what happens next?

The political reality is 26 members of the House constitute a majority and this majority will ultimately drive any and all decisions relating to this.

26 or more individual members of the House must unite in their commitment to actively honor the courts decision, follow the Hawaiʻi State Constitution to the letter of its plain language, and fully embrace citizen participation in the legislative process. AND they must ensure House Rules are amended to require ALL members of the House are required to do the same.

Please reach out to YOUR District Representative TODAY – it cost nothing but perhaps 5 minutes of your time.

Sincerely,
Gary Hooser
http://www.garyhooser.com

As a father, grandfather, and uncle – I’d like to have a word with you all.

“You ALL” means family, friends, hanai ohana, and all who are kindred spirits in this journey of life.

While I certainly don’t know everything, I have learned a few things over the years that I’d like to share.

My goal is to help make your path forward a little smoother, your journey up the mountain a little swifter, and the joy and fulfillment of it all perhaps a bit brighter.

First however, you must do something for me.

Please take a few minutes, read the lyrics and listen to the music of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”.

Can you do this now please?

I’ll wait.

Thank you.

As brother Bob says in his opening refrain:

May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young

So, how can I add to this? What wisdom or basic advice does Dad, Pop Pop, and Uncle have for you that can top the words of Bob Dylan?

You are a unique individual with unlimited potential to achieve whatever goal you set your sights on.

Of this I have no doubt whatsoever.

You must set out your goals on paper, develop a plan to get there, stay laser focused, adapt the plan as needed, enroll others to help, and work very, very hard.

Some basic truths of success:

Let go your fear of doing the wrong thing or making mistakes.

Be your authentic self.

Follow your na’au.

Always be truthful in your communications.

When you say you’re going to do something, come through on it.

Your reputation as an honest, truthful, dependable human being – is everything.

Get rid of negative friends, with bad habits.

Drugs and alcohol get in the way.

Surround yourself with those who share your core values.

Asking for help is an essential component for success.

It goes without saying we can accomplish much more when we work with others.

If your goal requires money, then ASK. You will be asking adults. Let them make the decision to tell you yes or no, but if you believe in your mission then ASK.

Remember when you come against a roadblock, there are ALWAYS “work-arounds”.

When faced with a seemingly insurmountable challenge preventing you from reaching your objective, NEVER GIVE UP, but instead seek out other ways to accomplish the same goal.

Thank profusely those who help, and forgive gently those who fall short.

There is no shame in losing.

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming…but who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
― Theodore Roosevelt

So to my friends, family, and extended ohana sorting through the thicket of life (as I am still), remember always:

1) Your potential is limitless.
2) Set your goals, plan your work, work your plan.
3) Ask for help. Help others.
4) Surround yourself with good people.
5) Work hard. Always know there’s a path to victory.
6) Always, Always, Always – speak the truth.
7) When you fall, get up, get back into the ring.
8) Let go of the fear. Be your authentic self. Follow your na’au.
9) Celebrate the wins, reward the work, learn from the mistakes.
10) Drink water, eat right, go out and walk – every single day.

And if you ever need help from Dad, Pop Pop, or Uncle – just call.

Love you all,

Gary

It doesn’t matter what island or district you live in.

Please help and support Nadia for election to the State House District #28 Sand Island · Iwilei · Chinatown.

I’ve known and worked with Nadia Alves for many years and can say without any doubt whatsoever that she is incredibly smart, caring, hardworking, warm hearted, and totally committed to serving and protecting people and the planet.

Nadia Alves is awesome.

She’s running for the Democratic primary in a 5 way race. She’s signed the Our Hawai’i pledge to take no corporate PAC money, and is a Moho ʻĀina endorsed candidate also.

I know from first hand experience that Nadia Alves will be a strong champion – for ALL of us.

Nadia has worked at the State Legislature since 2022 and has the skills, experience, and knowledge to be effective from day one.

She’s committed to fighting against the corruption, and making government more transparent, responsive, and accessible to the people of Hawaiʻi.

Please join me with $28 contribution and help bring a smile to her face and a spring to her step as she goes door to door in the district.

Whether it’s environmental protection, community safety, truly affordable housing, equality and equal treatment for all, or the fundamental premise of a government that puts the needs of working families, keiki, and kūpuna first – Nadia is there and will continue to be there, for us and with us.

It’s time now to show up for her. Please support Nadia Alves and her quest to serve in the State House of Representatives with a $28 donation today.

My hope is to let her know we have her back via our collective ActBlue contributions today, just a few weeks out from the coming “ballot drop”.

Please forward to friends and supporters!

Nadia was not consulted about this ask and she doesn’t know about this message 🙂