“Gary, you broke my heart! That was cruel!”

This was just one of many messages I received after last week’s column (“Breaking news: Hawaii legislators reject pay raise, call for special session!”)

Other messages contained celebratory emojis and comments that made it clear the reader had not read my piece through to the end.

Clearly, some did not understand it was a spoof — a not-so-funny April Fools’ Day joke gone awry.

Some were angry at being fooled, and responded with messages reading “NOT FUNNY!”

While the great majority “got it,” many did not.

So, to make absolutely clear: The Hawaii House and Senate have, unfortunately, NOT rejected the generous 35% to 48% pay raises proposed by the Salary Commission.

They also have NOT agreed to begin meeting year-round, nor have they announced a Special Session to proactively deal with federal funding cuts impacting health care and public education.

Food and energy self-sufficiency have NOT been called out as top priorities. Legislative leadership does NOT seem particularly concerned about the mysterious $35,000 paid to a still-unknown “influential legislator” (per Civil Beat’s ongoing “Pay to Play” investigative reporting).

Unfortunately, there haven’t been any joint statements from the State House and Senate declaring Hawaii’s support for the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; nor have our lawmakers offered any official support ensuring each person’s right to “due process” under the law, as provided by the U.S. Constitution.

What I wrote last week was, essentially, a “field of dreams” — a short list of meaningful actions the legislature could take, if only it collectively had the political will to do so.

The lesson I learned from this “April Fools” joke gone awry, is a profound one.

It seems that most readers – even those who appear, on the surface, to be cynical about politics and politicians – desperately want and need to believe in the government leaders they’ve elected to serve in public office.

Consequently, many were hugely disappointed when I revealed, at the end of my column, that it was all a bad joke. The leaders they wanted and needed so badly to believe in, the leaders they trusted to take us through these turbulent times, had once again fallen short.

I sincerely apologize to those of you whose hopes were raised so very high, and then dashed upon the rocks.

Those 600 words that I wrote on April 1 were intended to educate and inform readers of the tremendous potential as yet unfulfilled by our state legislature.

The good news: THERE’S STILL TIME. The legislative session is scheduled to end on May 2 sine die, without a definite date or period to resume. This gives us three solid weeks to push for the best outcome possible.

So I implore all of you — cynics and hopeful optimists alike — to reach out and contact your district State Representatives and Senators. Share with them, even if just briefly, your expectations and hopes.

If you believe, as I do, that this is an incredibly bad time for them to accept a 35% to 48% pay raise, please let them know.

Likewise, please share with them your thoughts on political corruption and the “pay to play” culture that seems to permeate our government.

Most of all, please impress upon them the need to support our public schools, Medicaid and Medicare and Social Security and the VA, and the many other critically important programs being defunded by the Trump administration.

Remind them it is their job to lead, and that you are counting on them to do so.

Have you ever raised hell when you’ve been asked to accept the unacceptable?

Make the calls. Send the emails.

Locate the contact info for your district State Representative and Senator here on the Capitol Website.

Or, here is the contact for every State Representative and every State Senator.

Please also email:
Senate President Ronald Kouchi senkouchi@capitol.hawaii.gov
House Speaker Nadine Nakamura repnakamura@capitol.hawaii.gov

Mahalo for taking action!

Gary Hooser
garyhooser.com (https://www.garyhooser.com/)
@garyhooserblog.bsky.social
8 years – Kaua`i County Council

8 years – Hawai’i State Senate – 4 as Majority Leader
Former Vice Chair Democratic Party of Hawai’i
Policy & Politics – Hawai’i and beyond, in real time – Stay informed. Get involved. Make a difference.
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