Author Archives: garyhooser

From a local political perspective, all hell will break loose in the 2018 elections.  Either that or the heavens will open up, depending on the lens in which you view the universe. Trust me, 2018 will be an election year unlike any other. If you … Continue reading →

Question: What’s the most important number in the Hawaii State Senate? Answer: 13 There are 25 Senators, 13 is a majority and majority rules.  There are 51 members in the House, thus 26 is the magic number there. Any Senator … Continue reading →

Almost daily someone I run into on the street, at the airport or perhaps at the dog park will lament the demise of civility in public discourse. They often are filled with a deep angst over the tension and sometimes … Continue reading →

Gov. David Ige is a standup-guy. He is as honest as the day is long and a genuinely thoughtful, caring, hardworking governor who puts policy ahead of politics. Am I pleased with his lack of leadership on matters pertaining to … Continue reading →

“Democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…” Winston Churchill to House of Commons 1947. So if democracy is the best form of government, why is it not … Continue reading →

Many longstanding issues facing our community seem to be intractable but of course they are not. What is intractable is reconciling the bold ideas with the political reality. When faced with the political realities of competing interests, inevitably those strategies … Continue reading →

Please join us this coming Sunday July 9 from 5 until 7pm at the Ha Coffee Bar in Lihue (4180 Rice Street) to learn more about the Pono Hawaii Initiative (PHI).  Kauai friends and residents are welcome to join us … Continue reading →

Policy and Politics – Gary Hooser We are living in interesting and some would say dangerous times.  Daily we awake to news generated by a President who appears increasingly unstable; tweeting out angry, disjointed and cryptic messages in the early … Continue reading →

It is critically important that we act now to move the politics & policy needle forward here in Hawaii. To keep the momentum going requires action, leadership and focus.   The Pono Hawaii Initiative (PHI) has been formed to do … Continue reading →

By almost all measures, the 2017 legislative session deserves a report card dominated by “F’s”. Instead of rising to the occasion, the Hawaii legislature is closing its session wallowing in the abyss of failure, well beyond the low end of … Continue reading →