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Transcript of The Pono Press
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 1
Special points of interest:
A recap of TPM’s Panel Discussion
on Page 3.
Have you heard about the Maui
Liberty Network? Check out info on their first episode on Page 4.
New information on Global
Warming on Page 7
In This Issue:
TPM Happenings Pg. 3
Local Issues Pg. 6
National Issues Pg. 7
Community Commentary Pg. 9
S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3
The voice of The TEA
Party Maui In
Support of a
Fiscally Responsible,
Constitutionally
Limited Government
& a Free Market
Economy
V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 6
by Valerie Sisneros
Thanks to the Maui Chamber of Commerce, a few of us from TEA Party
Maui were able to learn more about the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act (PPACA, also known as “Obamacare”) here on Maui. On
September 17th, the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and
HMAA sponsored a forum at the Maui Beach Hotel for interested
business owners and citizens. This forum was over 3 hours long, so the
following is just an overview of information covered. The panel consisted
of members from HMAA, HMSA, HWMG, Kaiser, and the Hawaii Health
Connector. In plain English, these were representatives from the
Insurance Companies, the Administrators, and the Patient Navigators.
They all gave us quite a bit of information and took time to answer
questions from the audience.
As many of us already know, the law itself is over 2,000 pages and the
“subsequent clarifying language and guidance” has exceeded 20,000
pages thus far. We were told the PPACA was not really intended to be
passed as law; it just worked out that way due to politics when the
Democrat-controlled Congress they had finally had enough votes to pass
the law. Paul Kaiser, COO and CPA for HWMG, which is a third party
administrator for HMAA, told us that the only constant in this bill is
change. It was very clear that the information presented was subject to
change, and to change often. This was not very comforting information.
Paul told us that initially there was to be a penalty assessed on
employers who did not properly inform their employees about the new
health care law; however, this penalty has been eliminated. Perhaps
they realized that if the administrators themselves are struggling to
understand the sheer bulk of this disastrous bill, how then, could the
business owners possibly be asked to pass on accurate information?
This law has already been in existence for three and a half years, with
the actual policies, many provisions, and rates going into effect January
2014. The law is to be phased in over the span of 8 years. Any law that
takes 8 years to implement cannot be good for America.
The choice as to whether an employee must insure dependents of
employees up to age 26, is up to the employee, and not mandated. Fifty
or less employees is defined as a Small Employer and fifty plus is a
Large Employer. In 2016, that number will go up to 100. Over-the-
counter medicines that were previously tax-free, will now be taxed. Paul
stated that there will be fewer doctors available, but the hope is that
there will be greater transparency in medical costs and consumers will
be more sensible in how they utilize their health care. Joan Daniely from
(Continued on page 2)
Obamacare Comes to Maui
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 2
Kaiser Permanente reminded us that
Hawaii has had its version of the
PPACA since 1975. Because of
Hawaii’s HPHCA (Hawaii Prepaid
Health Care Act), Hawaii still ranks
as one of the states with lowest
number of uninsured persons in the
nation. She said the coverage
mandated by Hawaii’s existing
health care plan is actually far
better than the coverage mandated
by the PPACA. One new addition
however, is the Individual Mandate,
and of course, as we know, there
are billions of dollars in new taxes
to be levied, and all of the
additional “fees” on top of that.
The list of new taxes is too lengthy
for this article. Joan said there was
no requirement to use the new
insurance “Exchanges” and she
stated that the subsidies available
to those who qualify could be quite
substantial. I noticed that
subsidies are clearly encouraged
on the website and in the
brochures. I used the Subsidy
Calculator on the website to input
my income and the subsidy amount
is quite generous. It would be a
sizeable bill for the American
taxpayer and when multiplied by
the millions who will take
advantage of it, devastating to the
economy!!
At this time, there are only two
insurance carriers participating in the
PPACA Exchange. Those two
carriers are HMAA for Business
plans and Kaiser for Individual plans.
The reason given for the lack of
participation by other insurance
carriers, was the time and expense
required to get onto the Exchange.
More carriers may come on board as
time goes on. Rick Budar, the Chief
Marketing Officer for the Hawaii
Health Connector, said that they
have been working twenty hours a
day to get ready for the rollout of the
PPACA. The Hawaii Health
Connector is the outreach operation
slated to be the main source for
information about the PPACA. On
October 1st, 2013 there are 34 local
organizations that will be sent out to
educate the public and assist in
navigating the new health care law.
They can come to your home and
help you “raise your health literacy”.
There will also be a local Call Center.
There will be considerable
differences in the premium rates
based on age and tobacco use, with
rates being more than 50 percent
higher than non-tobacco users. The
three age categories are from 0 to
20, with a single rate, from 21 to 64,
where rates will vary incrementally,
and 65 and up with a single rate.
There will be a 3 to 1 ratio, meaning
that the rates for the 64 year old
cannot total more than 3 times the
rate of the 21 year old. This means
that every person in your business
and your household will be paying
different rates. There are definite
possibilities that there may be
lawsuits filed for age discrimination in
the workplace. We were told that the
basic objectives for the PPACA is to
make health care available to all,
provide good healthcare, encourage
personal responsibility, and lower
the cost of healthcare, thereby
changing and reforming healthcare
in America. (Of course, we informed
citizens know that good healthcare
has always been available, in the
free market),
I asked the question: Who is exempt
at this time? The answer: The
Individual Mandate does not apply to
illegal aliens, prisoners and those
with religious objections (already
being denied). A big problem the
insurance companies foresee is that
people will enroll only when they
have an immediate need. At this
time, the Individual Mandate, the tax
penalty in 2014 for not having
insurance for more than 3 months, is
$95 or 1% of income, with penalties
going to $650 or 2.5% of income by
2016. Open enrollment will be yearly
from October through December.
Small Business tax credits and
subsidies will only be available to
those purchasing from the
Exchanges, which are the Federal
and State run programs.
The website to enroll in a plan and
get information on the PPACA is
HawaiiHealthConnector.com. You
can even apply for a job as a
navigator on this site. Although in
checking this website, there really is
very little information available, I
guess you need to invite one of
these navigators into your home so
you can find out more. This writer
will be opting out of that interview, as
I value what little privacy and
personal liberty I have remaining. As
a small government advocate, I, like
many others, see this new
mandated healthcare plan as
further erosion of our liberty by this
government now forcing its citizens
to purchase a product whether they
want it or not. All in the continuing
quest by this federal government to
create their leftist utopia.
(Obamacare Comes to Maui, Continued from page 1)
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 3
by Peggy Tillinghast and Kristin Mack
Myles Kawakami spoke at our TPM General Meeting
in July with the message that the most important goal
for conservatives was to win elections, and that we
must form coalitions to accomplish that goal. Because
it takes only 18% of eligible voters in Hawaii to win an
election, by reaching only a small percentage more of
the population we could win seats. As a follow up of
that event, TPM held a Panel Discussion in August
addressing the state of conservatism in Hawaii and
also the topic of how, and if, conservatives can win
elections in Hawaii. Panel members were Myles Ka-
wakami, Pastor Robb Finberg, Tim Means, Joe Kent,
Shereen Seibert, Tim Means, and Kay Ghean. All
panelists identified themselves as fiscal conservatives
who strongly support the three core principles of TEA
Party Maui.
On the topic “Can we win elections?” the discussion
turned to how it seems the natural place for conserva-
tives is in the Republican Party, however some ex-
pressed concern that republicans had a tough time
winning elections in Hawaii, even if they are the better
candidate. It will be a long term effort to educate and
change minds. In the shorter term, we can pressure
those already in office to vote conservative.
Some other important take home points that came
from the panel discussion:
FIND COMMON GROUND and stay away from
dividing issues. We need to avoid labeling people
and instead focus on an issue and get behind it.
Find an issue that resonates with most people.
Politics is complicated but we need to explain
complicated ideas in simple terms. The other
side uses social issues to divide us and we can’t
allow them to be successful. An example was giv-
en of the TEA Party Maui’s founding issue of the
bailouts, which many people could unite in oppo-
sition of.
BE VISIBLE, get involved. Find issues that “set
people’s hair on fire” Pick issues that affect peo-
ple even if they don’t know they are affected yet.
People are only apathetic when they aren’t in pain
so show them they are in pain (their life is less
than it could be). It may be scary to share opinion
in a liberal environment but don’t be afraid of me-
dia, such as local radio and TV.
THINK OF THE TEA PARTY AS A BUSINESS.
Make a business plan with goals and timelines.
Think marketing, advertising, performance as-
sessment and recruitment. Focus on a direction,
plan an activity or step and do it. Focus on a long
term goal so as not to burn out; push a conserva-
tive agenda but find common ground.
CONNECT WITH OTHER TEA PARTIES AND
COALITION GROUPS. Be part of a strong nation-
al movement that can pressure those already in
office to do the right thing. Politicians are not lead-
ers or courageous, they are fearful, always afraid
of losing votes. Look strong, be formidable. The
TEA Party is alive and well and controlling the
message. We need to counter the feeling that
politics is distasteful.
ACTIVISM was emphasized throughout the dis-
cussion. Many in attendance said people used to
be more engaged as activists in the Tea Party.
People like to look back to the re-enactment of
the 1773 Tea Party as a good example. They
stressed not being afraid of discussion with liber-
als or to show up at public meetings and speak
up.
ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUAL ACTION AND HELP
THOSE WHO SHOW INITIATIVE, BOTH INTER-
NAL AND EXTERNAL. Good examples are the
new Liberty Network (page 4) and the Pono
Press. We need to fully support these efforts with
our time and resources.
Overall, TEA Party Maui was satisfied with discussion
generated by the first Panel and look forward to hold-
ing more events in the future to bring conservatives
together to talk about the issues. Thank you to our
willing panelists for stepping up to take a stand and
express their opinions.
TPM Holds an Important
TPM HAPPENINGS
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 4
Valerie Sisneros and Joe Kent are the masterminds
behind a new television show called the “Maui Liberty
Network”. The idea is to create a top ten show about
liberty topics, with a panel of guests. Our first show
is titled, “Top 10 Laws that Hurt Business”. We
researched for a month, talking to business folks all
over Maui about the laws, rules, regulations, and
agencies that make it difficult to survive on our island
home. We then combined our research together to
create an ultimate top 10 list.
The most difficult part about creating a television
show is finding people to be on camera. It takes a lot
of bravery to sit in front of a television camera and
share your opinion, especially when it's about the
government. Many business owners can talk
endlessly about all the government intrusion in their
lives; but those same people will never go on
camera for fear of harming their business. There are
liberty- minded individuals all over the island, but it's
kind of like a secret society.
Luckily, Patrick Brock, and Phil Heath of the
Libertarian party stepped up to the plate, and joined
us on camera for our very first episode on Saturday,
September 28th, 2013, at Kalama Heights in Kihei.
Bill Seaton was gracious enough to operate the video
equipment, and Marylyn Holland thankfully pitched in
at the last minute with scenery and lighting
equipment. Kax from Blastard Studios helped with
the audio equipment and some helpful direction.
“Hello and welcome to the Maui Liberty Network” Joe
Kent began, introducing the program. “Today we're
counting down the top 10 worst laws that hurt
business on Maui . . .” Filming the video took about
three hours, from set up to tear down. We covered
everything from building permits to Obamacare. Phil
Heath did a masterful job at defending the free
market, and Valerie Sisneros provided excellent
research into some valuable topics. In true form, Pat
Brock continued to advocate the Libertarian position
on many issues, and Joe Kent played a balanced, yet
opinionated moderator.
People tuning in will find a high quality show, with
extremely relevant topics. The countdown format will
keep viewers hooked, and the professional lighting,
cameras, sound, and special effects will help ensure
that islanders take our message seriously. Future
episodes are in the planning stages, but we need
your support. It takes quite a lot more time and
money than we first thought to put together a quality
show – and quality is important.
The hope with the “Maui Liberty Network” is to bring
people together from all walks of life to a common
discussion about liberty. Former host of “Take
Liberty” Lawrence Carnicelli is interested in helping
out with the show, along with many other
independents. Valerie spoke to many small business
owners off camera to give us much needed
information and stories. TEA Partiers provide the
passion and constitutional values that help to round
out the program, and Libertarians contribute their
strong economic principles to defend the liberty
message.
America is the place where great ideas prosper, and
there is no greater idea than liberty and free choice.
Whenever people risk their reputations to defend
liberty, Americans rise up to help. Watching the crew
work together on the TV show was amazing. It was a
full crew of TEA Partiers, Libertarians, and
Independents, and it reminded me of the idea that
liberty brings people together.
Want to find out what else was on the list? Maybe
you would like to donate to our cause? Perhaps
you'd just like to watch the show? Well, you can do
all of this at: www.mauilibertynetwork.com
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 5
Do you consider yourself “TEA Party”? Would you like to be more involved in the inner workings
of TEA Party Maui? Would you like to see some of your ideas implemented to spread the word
about smaller government, individual liberty, and free markets? We are looking for a few good
TEA Party men and women to join as leaders in the fight for freedom and positive change. TEA
Party Maui is holding an important election for the TPM BOD (Board of Directors). You are in-
volved with TPM because you care about the future of our nation and know that Hawaii is one of
the most challenging places in the country to voice our core principles. Nevertheless, in the
words of Andrew Breitbart we must "Walk into the Fire"! Having an energetic, engaged, and ac-
tive Board of Directors is imperative to finding strategies for keeping our TPM community ener-
getic and focused, and the public more involved.
The following positions will be open on the TPM BOD, with the new term beginning January
2014: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Member-at-Large. Nominations for candidates
are now open. There is a one year commitment of service, and to be eligible as a candidate you
must agree with the Core Principles and Mission Statement of TPM (found on our website
www.teapartymaui.com), and have attended at least four TPM monthly meetings. TPM BOD
members meet just once a month for a couple of hours to plan and organize the business and ini-
tiatives of the group.
We have pivotal national and state elections coming up and a continuing challenge to make a dif-
ference. Please consider throwing your hat in the ring and volunteer to be on the TPM BOD. Nom-
inations are open starting immediately in September and a decision will be made in December.
We are all aware of the problems; won't you consider taking a more active role in being part of
the solution by being on the TPM BOD? You can help make 2014 TEA Party Maui’s most effective
year yet.
If you are interested or have any questions, please e-mail Valerie Sisneros at
[email protected], or speak with any current BOD member at the general meeting.
“To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.”
Elbert Hubbard (1856 – 1915)
WISE WORDS
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 6
LOCAL ISSUES
Submit your writing to TEA
Party Maui’s newsletter, The
Pono Press!
Calling all Citizen Journalists and
Activists.
The Pono Press needs YOUR
submissions:
Opinions on current local or
national events written by YOU
Interesting facts and figures on
important local and national issues
Your Letters to the Editor
Interesting tales of Maui’s history
Book and movie reviews
Recaps and observations of local
meetings you have attended
Cartoons
Great quotes for our Wise Words
sections
Info about upcoming meetings and
events or other action items for the
TPM community
Please ensure the submission relates to
our core principles of Fiscal
Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited
Government, and Free Markets. If
possible, please limit your submissions to
about 250 words or less.
Email your submissions to
Wednesday, September 25th for
inclusion in the September/October 2013
issue.
Take a little time to contribute and help
us keep the Pono Press interesting and
informative, and see your work in print!
MAHALO from your Pono Press staff
TEA Party Maui is looking forward to hearing Councilmember
Mike White speak on October 10th at our General Meeting
(6:30 pm at Kalama Heights). Mike White is a sixth-generation
kamaāina, born and raised on Oahu. He spent his career in the
travel industry and has been the General Manager of the
Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel for the past 27 years. Mike represented
the seventh district in the State House of Representatives from
1993 to 1998. In 2010, he won a two-year term on the Maui
County Council, serving the residents of Makawao, Ha‘ikū and
Pā‘ia and was re-elected in 2012. He serves as the Chair of
the Council’s Budget and Finance Committee, which deals with
all matters relating to County revenues and expenditures.
Mr. White will speak to TPM about pending County issues such
as:
The Old Wailuku Post Office and the proposed Launiupoko Land Acquisition
State of County Finances & Budget Overview
Fiscal challenges facing Maui County
Mike White to Speak at October TPM
Meeting
Debra Greene, creator of StopSmartMetersHawaii.com will
educate TPM about the problems, health hazards, and
invasion of our privacy arising from Smart Meters and the
proposed Smart Grid here on Maui. This is another “Green” and
“Sustainable” initiative that has a direct effect on our liberty and
our pocketbooks. Standing together to stop the spread of this
dangerous idea is something TPM can be involved in and
actually make a difference, before it’s too late.
Debra has been very proactive in raising awareness on this
issue and has been on many panels, additionally she has given
speeches, engaged in interviews, and has authored many
papers on this important subject.
Please join us to hear Debra speak on Thursday, November
14th at 6:30 pm for our next General Meeting at Kalama
Heights, 101 Kanani Road in Kihei.
Debra Greene to speak in November
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 7
by Jim Wagoner
Within the past week, global warming has received
credit for numerous societal ills. Last week there was
a picture of Oahu’s Kailua Beach in the Star
Advertiser after they had lost much of their sand –
because of global warming. The following day there
was a letter in the Maui News from someone who
was shrill in his contention that global warming is
already here and we need to do something
immediately to quell its coming devastation. And of
course, there is always President Obama ready and
willing to promote on a daily basis the breakdown of
the most successful and prosperous economy ever
devised. The President also understands that global
warming is possibly the biggest fraud ever
perpetrated on mankind.
RELAX! The underlying science of Anthropogenic
Global Warming (AGW) via man made CO2
emissions has been completely destroyed. After
more than 22 years the Global Warming Movement
has provided no supporting evidence for their own
hypothesis – not one scientific fact. The promoters of
AGW are little more than a self-appointed group of 5
to 6 dozen unscientific bullies attempting to provide
scientific acceptability to one of the most dangerous
energy policies devised by the greens, leftists,
progressives, or a frightening anti-energy American
Administration.
Our civic duties are to understand the flawed nature
of these people, their theories, their causes, and
agendas, and see to it that these individuals do not
involve themselves with science at all. Instead, they
are involved with national and international leftist
politics in their most dangerous form.
Harold Lewis is:
Emeritus of Physics, University of California at
Santa Barbara and former Chairman
Former member Defense Science Board
Chairman of Technology Panel
Chairman of DSB study on Nuclear Winter,
Former member Advisory Committee on Reactor
Safeguards
Former member Presidents Nuclear Safety
Oversight Committee
Chairman APS study on Nuclear Reactor Safety
Chairman Risk Assessment Review Group
Co-founder and former Chairman of JASON
Former member of USAF Scientific Advisory
Board, and served in the U.S. Navy in WW II.
Professor Lewis resigned from The American
Physical Society on October 6, 2010. I plead that
you will read a few of his comments found below in
his farewell letter:
“When I first joined the American Physical Society 67
years ago it was much smaller, much gentler, and as
yet uncorrupted by the money flood. How different it
is now. The giants no longer walk the earth, and the
money flood has become the raison d’etre of much
physics research, the vital sustenance of much more,
and it provides the support for untold numbers of
professional jobs.”
“It is of course, the global warming scam, with the
(literally) trillions of dollars driving it, that has
corrupted so many scientists, and has carried APS
before it like a rogue wave. It is the greatest and
most successful pseudo-scientific fraud I have seen
in my long life as a physicist.”
“Your own physics Department would lose millions a
year if the global warming bubble burst. When Penn
State absolved Mike Mann of wrongdoing, and the
University of East Anglia did the same for Phil Jones,
they cannot have been unaware of the financial
penalty for doing otherwise.”
(Continued on page 8)
NATIONAL ISSUES
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 8
“I’m not going to explore at just which point
enlightened self-interest crosses the line
into corruption, but a careful reading of the
Climate Gate releases makes it clear that
this is not an academic question. I want no
part of it, so please accept my
resignation. American Physical Society no
longer represents me.”
America is approaching $17 trillion dollars
of accumulated national debt. A good
guess would be that $5 trillion of that debt
can be traced to energy programs of
substitution and accommodation for hydro-
carbon fuels-- starting with ethanol
followed by greenhouse gases CO2,
methane, and nitrous oxide. As candidate,
President Obama promised, energy prices
“will naturally skyrocket” and we are now
paying ever higher prices for fuels and
electricity at a great cost to We the
People.
(Global Warming, New Information, Continued from page 7)
“There is no way to rule innocent men.
The only power government has is the
power to crack down on criminals. When
there aren’t enough criminals, one makes
them. One declares so many things to be
a crime that it becomes impossible for
men to live without breaking laws.”
Ayn Rand
WISE WORDS
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 9
I put my civic responsibili-
ties in the same order as
Andrew Wilkow of Sirius
XM, The BlazeTV, and
"The Wilkow Majority". I
consider myself a Patriot
first, a Conservative sec-
ond and a Republican third and
the Republican part is provisional
(more on that later).
As someone born at the tail end of
the baby boomer generation, I
grew up believing in American ex-
ceptionalism. My Father and older
Brothers served in the military so
even as the youngest child, when I
came of age I was expected to
serve as well.
I enjoyed my commitment to our
great nation in the United States
Air Force serving most of my en-
listment during peacetime.
Though I pledged to protect our
nation from all enemies foreign
and domestic at the time of my en-
listment, there were no active wars
during my service and I was never
deployed to a hostile environment.
I considered myself fortunate for
that, nevertheless I took that oath
seriously.
As a native of The Bay State I also
inherited great pride in hailing from
the birthplace of the American
Revolution. We took school field
trips to places like The Lexington
Green (site of the ‘shot heard
around the world’), The Bunker Hill
Monument and Beacon Hill (the
site of the original tea party, the
seat of Massachusetts government
and one time British colony). We
walked the Freedom Trail and
knew with certainty that our gov-
ernment had limits, checks and
balances and was designed by
great men (and women) who val-
ued liberty and naturally distrusted
government. The American Revo-
lution, the Declaration of Inde-
pendence and the US Constitution
were taught thoroughly when I
went to elementary school.
I knew I would vote - it was my civ-
ic duty after all - yet when it came
time to register I was uneasy about
choosing a party. My family mem-
bers all enrolled as Democrats but
since I turned eighteen while serv-
ing in the United States Air Force
with Jimmy Carter as my Com-
mander-in-Chief, choosing Demo-
crat seemed unnatural. Politics
was not terribly interesting to me at
the time so I checked 'un-enrolled'
in the party affiliation section of the
new voter registration card. I re-
mained so for many years.
That is the backdrop to my recent-
ly found activism. By the time my
life had wound through military
service, marriage, children and
career, civic complacency had set
in. As my children grew I face-
tiously imparted Gwen's Axiom to
them: 'In any given general popu-
lation, 90% of people present are
either: not very smart, not terribly
educated or simply not engaged'. I
freely admitted that the axiom was
contrived. I plucked it out of thin
air. In addition to the un-
intended consequence of
unfortunately propagating
some my own cynicism, it
was my attempt at chal-
lenging my children to be
active participants in the
world around them. When a line of
people were marching toward the
door, we were the few who noticed
the second door and headed for it.
Cynical but pragmatic. The think-
ers run the show.
After the events of September 11,
2001 and by the time Massachu-
setts Senator Edward Kennedy
passed away in August of 2009,
my contempt for the irresponsibility
of our elected officials had reached
a turning point as a patriot and a
citizen. Having visited the site of
the original tea party many times,
taken a constitutional oath and
having worked my tail off most of
my life as a responsible parent, I
could no longer remain compla-
cent. I decided it was time for ac-
tion. I joined the Twin City TEA
Party, The Worcester TEA Party
and yes, The Boston TEA Party.
Then I joined the Republican Par-
ty. Initially the thought of joining
either of the major political parties
left a sour taste in my mouth since
BOTH parties have failed us badly
over the years but I knew it was
time to stand up and be counted.
Responsible citizens can no longer
just vote. I was compelled to act.
As a new activist, I held signs,
made phone calls, became a poll
watcher, and lobbied politicians on
(Continued on page 10)
COMMUNITY COMMENTARY
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 10
Beacon Hill about issues important
to me and my family. I joined multi-
ple political campaigns, managed
three websites and volunteered to
chair my local ward committee. I
learned a lot. A lot about politics, a
lot (more) about people, and a lot
about frustration. When Scott
Brown won the special election for
'the Kennedy Senate Seat' I was
ecstatic. It really did seem individu-
als could participate in and influ-
ence government and it seemed
the whole country recognized it. It
really seemed to work! Wow, I be-
came the Pied Piper of activism. I
“friended' everyone on Facebook,
preached in line at the grocery
store, and tried to recruit many of
my friends. Thankfully, most of my
friends are kind, wonderful, indul-
gent and understanding folks and
remain my friends today. Needless
to say the 'pink cloud' has worn off
and the reality of our America today
is plainly in sight. The election of
BHO (twice!!) and concurrent de-
feats of my state's candidates
brought home the reality of just how
unresponsive and corrupt our politi-
cal system has become.
I have seen the Democrat Party
pour millions of dollars and ship
BUS LOADS of out-of-state activ-
ists into Massachusetts (more than
once) to canvas neighborhoods in
successful bids to get the likes of
Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey
elected to the US Senate thwarting
the will of the people.
Prior to the 2012 presidential elec-
tion, as a voting republican caucus
member in Massachusetts, I voted
for new Republicans to be dele-
gates to the national convention,
then watched as they were quietly
nullified (on technicalities) and re-
placed by party regulars behind
closed doors. I nearly quit the par-
ty. I was furious that GOP leaders
pulled those shenanigans despite
claiming to welcome new conserva-
tives into the 'big tent' of the new
republican party. But I didn't quit.
Instead, I insisted that the Leomin-
ster Republican City Committee -
MY COMMITTEE - formally de-
nounce the GOP leaderships ac-
tions in writing. I also continued in
the party and vociferously incited
party attendees to call for two re-
votes when it came time to elect a
new GOP President in Massachu-
setts. The grassroots candidate
that many of us supported still did
not prevail but THEY HEARD US
and now he is part of the GOP
leadership coalition in Boston and
the GOP in Massachusetts is listen-
ing acutely to the new folks in the
tent...
Now I find myself on Maui following
my heart, my soul, and opportunity.
I am very pleased to be a recent,
permanent, transplant to Hawaii.
As such, logically of course, I knew
I must seek out like-minded patriots
and plug in. After all, as a New
England Patriot (never thought I
would use that phrase in a sen-
tence - especially referring to my-
self) in Maui my civic duty has not
changed, has it?
Imagine my pleasure on attending
my first TEA Party Maui meeting on
July 11 where Myles Kawakami
happened to be the guest speaker
and talked of coalition building. He
clearly elucidated what I agree is
the reality that most Americans are
not progressive left wing extrem-
ists. He spoke of finding overlap
between the various factions of
those right-of-center groups that
have been effectively demagogued
by the left and a collusive media.
His premise, that a majority of
Americans are patriotic but have
not yet found the catalyst to come
together in an effective way, and
that the left has become ever-more
effective and adept at dema-
goguing and manipulating low infor-
mation voters is something we all,
as patriots, must believe and take
to heart.
Mr. Kawakami is right when he as-
serts that the best vehicle for coali-
tion building among those right of
center is the Republican Party. My
reasoning when I joined the party
was that there are only two viable
parties and anyone hoping to affect
change would necessarily need to
affiliate with one or the other. I am
still uneasy saying I am a Republi-
can. I am a Patriot first and ulti-
mately libertarian. Both parties are
bloated and corrupt but now the
Republican Party is MY PARTY
and I am taking it back! We all
need to take it back - together. We
must all become thinkers. We must
all REMAIN engaged. We must all
believe that most Americans still
share more traditional values than
the special interests that have been
used to divide us as a people. We
must all continue to clarify common
values amongst ourselves, foster
activism, support new leaders, and
hold current officials accountable.
Being in Hawaii is a new experi-
ence for me. Patriotism here has a
different flavor. There are other
sensitivities. Ultimately, however, if
the sensitivities of any group are to
be addressed we must first reclaim
our Republic. Party affiliation is
also ultimately irrelevant. After all
the life of our identity as Americans
must also be perpetuated in right-
eousness. We must all be Pono.
We must all be Patriots first…..
(My Patriot Story, Continued from page 9)
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 11
by Kurt Hanson
The Liberty Amendments by best-selling author and
radio talk show host Mark Levin could not have come
at a more critical time. As the circle of liberty shrinks
under an ever-expanding Federal leviathan, this pres-
cient book offers 11 Amendments aimed at restoring
the American Republic. The book spells out in plain
English the rationale for each proposed amendment
backed by constitutional history.
His proposed amendments will:
Establish term limits for members of Congress
and Supreme Court Justices
Repeal Amendment 17, which established direct
election of United States Senators by popular
vote and took the states out of the decision-
making process in Washington.
Allow a Congressional supermajority to override
Supreme Court decisions
Strengthen private property rights
Grant states the power to override a federal stat-
ute by a three-fifths vote.
Grant states authority to directly amend the Con-
stitution
Limit federal spending and taxation
Protect the vote
In the words of Levin, we are “unmoored” from the
Constitution, but the framers, those great men of vi-
sion, knew this day would come and have thrown us
a lifeline from two centuries ago in the form of Article
5 of the Constitution. It provides two methods to
amend the Constitution, and the one championed by
Levin is the state convention process:
“The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses
shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments
to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legis-
latures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a
convention for proposing amendments, which, in ei-
ther case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes,
as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legis-
latures of three fourths of the several states, or by
conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the
other mode of ratification may be proposed by the
Congress; provided that no amendment which may
be made prior to the year one thousand eight hun-
dred and eight shall in
any manner affect the first
and fourth clauses in the
ninth section of the first arti-
cle; and that no state, without
its consent, shall be deprived
of its equal suffrage in the
Senate.”
Contrary to belief, the state
amendment process does not
allow an overhaul of the Con-
stitution by some out-of-
control convention. As Levin
writes in the first chapter, “I was originally skeptical of
amending the Constitution by the state convention
process. I fretted it could turn into a runaway caucus.
As an ardent defender of the Constitution who re-
veres the brilliance of the Framers, I assumed this
would play disastrously into the hands of the Statists.
However, today I am a confident and enthusiastic ad-
vocate for the process. The text of Article V makes
clear that there is a serious check in place. Whether
the product of Congress or a convention, a proposed
amendment has no effect at all unless “ratified by the
Legislatures of three fourths of the several States or
by Conventions in three fourths thereof. . . .” This
should extinguish anxiety that the state convention
process could hijack the Constitution.”
Of all Levin’s proposed amendments, the one on
term limits I feel would stand the best chance of ratifi-
cation. This is one proposal that would cut across
party and ideological lines and appeal to all Ameri-
cans - accept those in power. What better way to
start the process to restore the Republic than dimin-
ishing the power of the ruling class?
Levin has penned a revolutionary blueprint, but it is
We, the People, who now need to reclaim what is
ours, the Constitution. Resources:
www.marklevinshow.com
Mark Levin "The Liberty Amendments" - Sean Hannity Special
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJdwc3q5s0o
The first chapter of The Liberty Amendments
http://citadelcc.vo.llnwd.net/o29/network/Levin/hosted_files/
LibertyAmendmentsCh1.pdf
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 12
In the movie “Lean On Me”, Principal Joe Clark
said, “Forget about the way it used to be. This is not
a democracy. We are in a state of emergency, and
my word is law!”
It certainly was. He fired teachers and expelled kids.
He was the ultimate, tough principal. But in the end,
East Side High School was much better for it.
If I were a
principal of a
school, I would
be the toughest
principal around.
Just like Joe
Clark, I'd carry a
baseball bat
with me wherever I went. When the teachers
showed up on the first day, I would give them a
speech.
“Look, I'm not going to tell you how to do your job.
I'm not going to waste your time with boring meetings
and tell you all the rules and regulations. All I'm
going to do is watch you teach. And if you teach
well, then you'll get a raise. But if you teach poorly,
then you'll be fired. Now get to work!”
Obviously, any principal that did this today would be
thrown in jail. Principals have their hands tied behind
their back. They have to make us teachers sit in
boring meetings. They have to waste time worrying
about all the hundreds of new regulations that the
state comes up with, year after year. And they are
not allowed to fire anyone without going through an
exhausting nest of government rules.
Today, education reform is from the top down, with
the higher-ups always trying to control what the lower
-downs are doing. The big wigs spend enormous
resources conjuring up a thousand rules, and
teachers have to memorize it all. Rules to make sure
a teacher doesn't just sleep on the job. Or abuse
kids. Or teach the wrong material. And all these
rules do is slow us down.
But a good teacher knows they shouldn't sleep on
the job. Good teachers already know how to make a
safe learning environment. They know how to teach
the best material, and make students feel welcome.
Good teachers work their butt off, and good
principals do everything they can to keep those
teachers.
This year, there is a big reform going on in Hawaii.
Every teacher will get observed two times a year by
the principal. Lots of teachers are worried. “We're
used to being observed once every five years. This
is too much!”
But, I don't think it's enough. If I were a principal, I
would try to observe every teacher, every day. It
wouldn't be that hard to just walk around to every
classroom, one by one, and watch them teach for a
while. You could
get to every
classroom in a
day or two.
The reason it
takes principals
so long to
observe is
because they need to let each teacher know they're
coming weeks in advance. This gives the teacher
lots of time to prepare a really good lesson, and to
tell the kids, “Be really good tomorrow!” Then, when
the principal comes, he needs to fill out his
observation
on a special
government
approved
form, and
input it into a
special
website.
And then sit
in on a pre-
observation interview, and a post-observation
interview, with the teacher. It takes forever!
But is it really so far fetched to imagine a principal
with more power? Maybe he could stop in a
classroom without telling the teacher, and just jot
down some notes for himself? Perhaps there was
something about the lesson that didn't really fit on a
form. Maybe it was the energy, or the magic that the
teacher had, or the enthusiasm that the kids had, or
the progress they made, or something, I don't even
know how to describe it, but it sure as heck could
never fit on a government mandated form. And what
if the principal just jotted down “Give this teacher a
raise, before the school down the street does”?
Of course, there are all sorts of objections to this.
Principals with power? Then they'll run mad with
power! The principal could just lower everyone's pay
(Continued on page 13)
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 13
to $1 an hour! Or they could just fire everyone!
But, so what? So what if a principal went crazy and
fired everyone? So what if a school failed? When
bad schools fail, that's a good thing. But today, bad
schools never fail. They just go on forever.
When principals are powerless, as they are today,
then they have to act very nice. They have to smile a
lot and be friends with the teachers. They need to be
very persuasive and try to convince teachers to
perform well through their own charisma. Teachers
love these kinds of principals. But I feel sorry for
them. Even the most charismatic principal could
never fix education without the power to hire and fire
at the drop of a hat.
Many people blame teachers when it comes to our
failing education. But I don't think teachers are the
enemy. I don't even think principals are the problem.
The real problem is the lack of freedom for teachers
to do what they want, and principals to do what they
want. A free market approach to education seems
scary, because we're so nostalgic about the way we
were raised. But when we were raised, principals
had more power. Today, they're nearly powerless.
Give the power to rule their school back to the
principals. Some teachers will fail and others will
succeed. A really great teacher might be worth
double what a mediocre teacher is paid. Good
schools could be worth lots of money and provide
scholarships to poorer students who aimed for better
grades. Teachers could try innovative ideas that
didn't fit within the government model. Parents could
chose the schools they like best. Bullies would cost
more money, so schools and parents would crack
down on them. There are all sorts of benefits that
could come from the free market of education.
Principals with power. Teachers with freedom.
Parents with choices. And students with a brighter
future.
(Power to the Principal, Continued from page 12)
Pono Press, September-October 2013, Page 14
For more info, please see our
website:
www.teapartymaui.com
Or give us a call:
(808) 214-2859
To contact the editor email:
Pono Press
TEA Party
Maui
TEA Party Maui is
an active grassroots
organization based
on the island of Maui,
Hawaii.
Our mission is to
attract, educate,
organize, and
mobilize our fellow
citizens to secure
public policy
consistent with our
three core values:
Fiscal Responsibility,
Constitutionally
Limited Government,
and Free Markets.
Upcoming TEA Party Events October Monthly General Meeting: Thursday, October 10th at 6:30 pm at
Kalama Heights Garden Room. Located at 101 Kanani Road in Kihei. Coun-
cilmember Mike White will be speaking about local budget issues.
November Monthly General Meeting: Thursday, November 14th at 6:30 pm
at Kalama Heights Garden Room. Located at 101 Kanani Road in Kihei. Debra
Greene will be speaking about Smart Meters.
October Freedom Friday is October 25 @ 6:30 pm. Saeng’s
Thai Cuisine in Wailuku Town, 2141 West Vineyard Street
More events will be coming for 2013! Please check out the
website www.teapartymaui.com to get involved or call us at (808) 214-2859.
Community Meetings We encourage you to stay on the pulse of the issues by attending Community
Meetings listed on the Maui County website: www.co.maui.hi.us
For information on contacting your Congressmen and Congresswomen; order
your U.S. Congressional Directory from www.c-span.org
Another way to be informed about upcoming legislation and to follow proposed
bills through the process is to go to the Hawai'i Public Access Room through
the following link: http://hawaii.gov/lrb/par/
Pono Press Staff Editor: Kristin Mack
Assistant Editor: Valerie Sisneros
Proofreaders: Lee and Rosemary Aldridge
News and Contributing Writers: Joe Kent, Jim Wagoner, Gwen Meunier, Kurt Hanson, Valerie
Sisneros, Peggy Tillinghast, Kristin Mack
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The articles, links and opinions contained in this newsletter belong to the owners and
writers and do not necessarily express the opinions of the TEA Party Maui. Although
every effort is made to publish only researched information, we cannot certify accuracy
of all material published.
The TEA Party Maui is organized as a non-profit corporation under the laws of the
State of Hawaii and is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization under Section 501(c)4 of
the Federal Internal Revenue Code. Donations to support our mission are not tax de-
ductible.
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explore, and help bring to light, newsworthy items of local and national interest
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