If the health of our community is measured in terms of “faith and confidence in government” – we have a serious illness in need of immediate attention.

Only 271,345 people or 24% of eligible voters, actually voted in the 2024 Hawaiʻi primary election – the lowest turnout in the state’s 65-year existence. (Office of Elections, U.S. Census, Civil Beat)
 
It gets worse: 568,273 registered voters actually received ballots in the mail, but couldn’t be bothered to open the envelope, place a mark next to their preferred candidates, and walk it out to the mail box.

Clearly the “body politic” is sick.

People are sick and tired of government corruption, legislators taking bribes, “pay to play” campaign spending abuse, SuperPacs spending millions in “dark money”, and a political culture driven by the almighty dollar.

76% of our friends and neighbors are saying, “Why bother to vote at all?”

Blaming the politician is an easy way out.

The truth is, it’s our own damn fault.

Too many of us aren’t willing to take ownership of our core responsibility as citizens.

We are too busy for “civic engagement”. We don’t have time to go to meetings, to make the calls, send the emails, or help candidates.

We have bills to pay, jobs we must show up for, grass to cut, shopping to do, and family and friends to care for.

But somehow we gotta make the time.

It’s not going to get better and our democracy will not get healthier, until we make that extra effort to pay more attention, be more involved, and take ownership of our own local government.

We can beat the big money AND we can create the government we need and deserve. But to get there, we must show up.

This means attending public hearings, sending in testimony, making the phone calls to our elected officials, and VOTING.

It also means making small dollar donations, actively helping candidates who share our values, AND possibly running for office ourselves.

There is a cure for our illness and it is us.

You and me.

We’re all in this together and together we must take action to build the healthy democracy we deserve.

Let’s start the process now.

Let’s each of us take the time TODAY to call our Governor, Dr. Green – (808) 586-0034.
Or email him using his official form.

Dr. Green has the power, literally with the stroke of a pen – to extend the legislative session for up to 3 weeks.

Extending the session even for a few days, will ensure the necessary time is available to pass strong good-governance and anti-corruption legislation into law – THIS YEAR.

There are bills on the table at this very moment addressing directly the “pay to play” culture of corruption that now exists in that big square building on Beretania Street. But those bills have been sidelined.

There are bills that would stop the “two tickets” to a fundraiser charade (IYKYK) – awaiting attention and final votes.

Also sitting in the darkness of some conference room on the 4th floor are bills that would make “failure to report bribery” a crime for elected officials who witness or have knowledge of such conduct – and choose to just look the other way.

The kicker, the plum, and the cherry on top – would be passage of a strong SB2471 – stripping the power and influence from corporate SuperPacs and “Citizens United”.

With the stroke of a pen, a few phone calls, and a meeting or two among those at the top of the political food chain – our Governor could make this happen.

If he truly wanted to, he could ensure the passage of these 4 measures and significantly heal the civic sickness, distrust, and cynicism that currently envelops the entire culture of government and politics in Hawaiʻi.

Waiting still yet another year, for another legislative session, to do a repeat of what’s happened every year for the past few years, is unacceptable.

Please. Today. Right now.

Call Governor Green (808) 586-0034 and leave him a short message. And/Or email his office using this official form.

Ask him to exercise the leadership needed to restore the health of our government.

Ask him to extend the legislative session, bring to the table those key policy-makers in the House and Senate, and pass those bills now sitting in the darkness that will:

1) Stop “pay to play” campaign donations made by government contractors, family members, friends, and board members.

2) Eliminate the “two tickets to a fundraiser” scam that allows legislators to channel donor funds between themselves and bypass donation limits.

3) Make it illegal for elected officials to witness government bribery and just look the other way.

AND ask him to sign into law SB2471 that will eliminate corporate SuperPac “dark money” made possible in the past by “Citizens United”.

When you call, please be polite, professional and concise. When leaving a message, make sure you also leave your name and zip code.

If you call and no one answers and perhaps there’s not even an answering machine, please call back and keep calling back until you are at least able to leave a voicemail message.

Please. Make the call 808-586-0034 or send the official email form.

Your action is the key to restoring the health of our government.

Gary Hooser

P.S. PLEASE SHARE! Time is of the essence, the legislative session is scheduled to close on Friday.