Posted on: Saturday, May 9, 2009
Capitol musings take front and center
By David Shapiro
Sorry to stick you with a column about nothing but doings at the Capitol, but I couldn't get my mind out of the gutter as I did my "flASHback" on the week's news that amused and confused:
Weather forecasters were surprised when a blanket of haze hung over the Islands longer than expected. They had no way of knowing the Legislature would extend its session.
Legislators set a somber tone as they prepared to adjourn, saying costs are up, revenues are down and the public will have to suffer. The good news is they keep their big pay raises.
Gov. Linda Lingle and the Legislature took off the gloves in their budget fight over tax increases vs. public worker pay cuts. The only thing it proved is that both sides have dirty hands.
Lingle accused lawmakers of giving government workers a "false sense of hope" that they won't have to share in budget cuts. She's right. Their real hope comes from knowing she'll be gone in two years.
Democrats killed Lingle's highway modernization program, her "recreational renaissance" and her broadband initiative. She kept her dignity until the guy with the rainbow hair and the John 3:16 sign showed up at her veto-signing extravaganza.
The Senate briefly revived the civil unions bill for gay couples, but quickly killed it with amendments. Did anybody really think anything civil would happen this session?
After failing to accomplish much that was helpful in the secular world, lawmakers turned to religion and passed a resolution declaring Islam Day in Hawai'i. If there's any poetic justice, voters will celebrate by turning the next election into a jihad.
The seven-member Senate faction led by Ways and Means Chairwoman Donna Mercado Kim and Majority Leader Gary Hooser held a joint fundraiser in Waikiki at $150 per lobbyist. Gosh, so many feeding at the trough at once could launch a new strain of flu.
Rep. Marcus Oshiro, lead budget writer in the House, lamented that nobody will likely tell him, "Good job, Marcus." He'll have to be content with the ones who tell him good riddance.
And the quote of the week ... from Sen. Donna Kim on public criticism of tax increases: "To our critics, I would like to say, 'Please come and walk in our shoes for 60 legislative days.' "
Very funny. After saying that, she was in Waikiki hitting up power brokers for campaign donations to make sure it doesn't happen.
