Disappeared News

The spin machine has been set in motion to convince legislators to hold a special session to bail out the Governor's mistakes. Legislators are being pushed to justify the failure of the state (at several levels) to enforce important laws already on the books.

State legislators were used once before on this issue, they shouldn't allow themselves to be used again. That's just what will happen if they succumb to propaganda and pass unwise legislation to save the Superferry and the Governor from their earlier mistakes.

Lawmakers should anticipate that there will be further lawsuits and that whatever they do will be challenged anyway. Why go over to the dark side and become part of the problem instead of the solution?

No one earns points voting against whales, particularly if the ferry should hit one as a result of their new law.

House and Senate leadership may be inclined to do the ferry investors a favor. Nevermind what Kauai, Maui or Big Island residents might want. Nevermind that Hawaii's environmental laws were passed to protect us from exactly the threat we are now witnessing.

Looking at this morning's press coverage, it's clear that the media are either buying the Governor's message or that they are complicit in the propaganda.

As you read the articles, consider:

The judge has issued a permanent injunction, which is more than just an "opinion." The law was not followed and must be. "Opinion" is kinda weak, don't you think?

It would be good to question Sen. Hanabusa's statement that "there is great public sentiment in favor of Superferry." As we've noted before, the polls have been rigged by including large numbers of uninvolved people to swamp the responses of those who are affected.

I laughed when I saw the breakdown by age and income of all the people who will likely never ride the ferry. It makes it all look so scientific. Peel away the erudite verbal haze and it's just propaganda. Legislators needn't be statisticians to understand the bias. Or is it that they are looking for some support for a bailout vote?

Lawmakers who vote to exempt the Superferry would be setting a bad precedent. If the operators make money, perhaps a "MiniFerry" will want to compete with them one day. How could the state justify not granting another exemption? It's a slippery slope to killing our environmental protection laws. I know Sen. Hemmings would be pleased:

"It is the Legislature's responsibility to write clear and fair laws concerning the environment that would preempt errant judicial decisions," Hemmings said.

Well, that's why he's stuck in the minority party, I guess. The judge's decision happens to agree with the law that the Legislature passed.

Any attempt to weaken the law should be stopped now. It will be hard to put protections back later, particularly with the current administration in power.

The Advertiser reveals its bias in its editorial today:

If a session convenes, lawmakers should spend their time understanding how the case unfolded and collaborating with the administration on how to proceed in the best interest of the state.

How about respecting the law and judicial decisions instead of "collaborating with the administration?" How about understanding and proceeding in the best interests of the people instead of the state?

Hey, those are their words, not mine.