Recent poll numbers published by the DailyKos show the Abercrombie/Aiona race in a virtual dead heat. http://www.dailykos.com/polling/2010/10/2/HI-1/11/5ZR4S
How is it possible that a guy like Duke Aiona can even be considered a credible Gubernatorial candidate?
He has absolutely no meaningful experience in government or the private sector.
As lieutenant governor he has totally squandered the past 8 years – accomplishing nothing of any significance whatsoever. Zilch. Kaimu. Nada. Zero. Walang anuman. ‘Ole.
His main claim to fame is being appointed to a judgeship which he then quit, claiming the pay was too low.
Plus, Duke Aiona is a right wing religious zealot. He believes that everyone who does not agree with his particular theology is going to hell. At the present count that would be over 5 billion of us.
Which is why of course that Duke and his friends would like to save us.
You see, Duke is the “righteous one”. Duke has been chosen by God to save Hawaii from burning in hell. Visit the churches hosting the Duke signs out front and they will tell you this. They will tell you that God has sent them a sign, and that Duke has been chosen by God to lead us all down the path to righteousness.
So how can it be possible that 48% of Hawaii residents are ready to elect him as Hawaii’s next Governor? Are people so shallow, so busy and so uninformed that they will vote for him just because he’s young, he’s Hawaiian and he’s pretty? Is it the religious dogma and tea party frenzy of the “new right” that drive his numbers? Has our democracy become so broken and so driven by money, marketing and media that substance matters not at all?
It is on days like this that I wonder. I wonder about the wisdom of our forefathers. I wonder if perhaps our system is broken and in need of radical perhaps revolutionary change. I wonder why more people are not as outraged as I but rather seem content to muck about their lives, accepting and believing that none of this matters anyway.
But then I come to my senses and with some relief realize that this poll does not include the neighbor islands nor rural Oahu, and is only of residents of the First Congressional District – This is the same district that gives us other right wing conservatives like State Senator Sam Slom, Representative Gene Ward…and the same district that has elected and re-elected Congressman Neil Abercrombie for the past 20 years. Go figure.
GaryHooser's Blog 
It doesn’t compute. Unless your rich, a vote for a Republican is a vote against you best interests. If you want banks free to destroy our economy; if you want a tax structure that burdens your children with trillions in debt; if you want to privatize social security, destroy medicare and privatize our public school system; if you want big business free to destroy our environment; if you want a unlivable planet; if you want a country in which the government is free to spy on its people and any decenter is branded a traitor, vote Republican.
Gary, you saw the First CD portion of the poll. They also polled the Second CD, where Neil does (only) slightly better:
http://www.dailykos.com/polling/2010/10/2/HI-2/12/zuHpM
Bill Sager,
I like your comparison. Unfortunately, the national Democrats are running away from the kinds of issues you are saying define them. The Senate (and Obama) COULD have focused public attention on the Bush tax cuts for the rich, but they ran awat from that issue, afraid they would be accused by the GOP of supporting “higher taxes.”
They could have had a very public Senate vote on preserving Social Security. They might’ve even suckered the GOP into filibustering the vote, calling national attention to hte differences. But they ran scared.
A MAJORITY of Americans support the Democratic position on the issues you enumerated. Too bad our Democratic elected officials are too cowardly to stand up and define themselves on the exact list you have provided. They would win. The “enthusiasm gap” would evaporate.
As a practicing non-Christian, I am very concerned about ANY religious zealot being elected into a position in which he/she feels they have the right or obligation to force their dogma or philosophy down the throats of everyone else. What concerns me even more is how ignorant people seem to be of his intentions to do just that. What will be next? People like me being burned at the stake? Look around- this is NOT a Christian nation, nor was it intended to be that- separation between church and state is vital. Thanks, Gary for saying it so well. I hope that more people will see what is really going on here… it is frightening!
This short youtube video confirms my thoughts on Duke Aiona http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUIkBU27YaU