Disappeared News

Eric's critique of APEC was also, surprisingly, carried by the Star-Advertiser. It's unfortunate the paper did not publish enough peices critical of APEC prior to the event. It would have helped prepare public opinion and drummed up more attendance at the many excellent community events like the Moana Nui talks.

The political leaders I talked to in advance of APEC were uniformly uninformed about the possible downsides of the event, except perhaps concerns over clashes at demonstrations and suppression of free speech. Now that the event has passed, we should continue pressure, demanding there be an honest post-event cost-benefit analysis. You know, the kind of things a business might do after a major campaign they had been involved in?

Brian Schatz, Neil Abercrombie, Mayor Carlisle and councilmembers Tulsi Gabbard, Stanley Change, in particular, have come across as slavish lapdogs for the Asia-Pacific corporate elite. Today's paper informs us the hotels made good profits from the event, but was that ever in doubt? What is left unanswered is whether the the rest of us, as small business owners, consumers, residents, etc., essentially paid for those profits out of our pockets. To what extent did APEC represent a transfer of money from other small businesses, the city and state into the pockets of the hotel owners?

Abercrombie, Schatz, Gabbard ,etc., refuse to discuss this angle, preferring to gloss over such complaints with "pie in the sky when you die" promises of future, longterm benefits. A claim which is difficult to ever prove or disprove. At least they were able to feel super-important while in the company of the Asian corporate bigwigs. (OK, I confess. I would lose my critical judgment if I were allowed to party wqith some of today's most attractive, intelligent actresses. I guess that is kinda what it is like for those who suck up to power rather than beauty.)