Senator Standing Down

In his last form letter response to his constituent who fires off letters and emails to the Senior Senator of Hawaii with some regularity, Senator Daniel Inouye took a very defensive position defending his long history of filtering earmarks to his state. His December 17th letter outlined numerous projects funded with earmarks.

• The East West Center
• Preventing the extinction of the “Monk Seal”
• Establishing the Rural Economic Transition Assistance Hawaii program as an alternative agricultural enterprise to replace the dying sugar industry
• Establishing the Barbers Point Harbor Facility which serves the development of Ewa and adjacent areas, like Kapolei
• Maui Supercomputer Center
• Pacific Basin Agriculture Research Center
• Imiloa Astronomy Center
• Preventing the demise of Pacific Middle Range Facility
• The Restoration of the Island of Kahoolawe
• Native Hawaiian education programs, cultural programs and health programs

Mr. Inouye argued that he has always believed that Hawaii is a very unique state, with special needs. Without earmarks many of Hawaii’s crucial programs would go unfunded. (I need to look up the definition of crucial). Obviously, without earmarks many of these programs would go unfunded.

In a state that defines itself as independent and desires to be self-sustaining, Hawaii citizens have long drank from the trough of the federal government and the citizens of all other 49 states. I’ve been to all but a handful of states and know that each is unique. However, none are more exceptional than the whole, the United States of America founded on the principles of freedom, defined as a smaller, less intrusive government.

Mr. Inouye, the self-proclaimed King of Pork titled himself, “Number one earmarks guy in the US Congress.” And without retracting their outstretched hands, the citizens of Hawaii reelected him last November. Shameful disgrace.

But the good news is Mr. Inouye has finally caved to pressure. Sadly, not pressure from me or his other concerned constituents, but from his congressional peers.

The handwriting was on the wall. Many funded programs in Hawaii had begun preparing for the loss of the gravy train.

One such company suffering from the loss of fund is Oceanit, a company developing a traffic control system for space junk. The company says it will develop the technology anyway, just not as fast. Probably because the commercial demand is zero. I would love to here Senator Inouye’s rationale for this program.

Yes, it can be argued that every program has a benefit. An employment opportunity here or there, a lesson plan for letting kids know meth-labs are not our friends and monk seals are cute, but if we can’t cull the wants from the needs and prioritize the “crucial” from the “niceties”, we’ll never be able to address the core fiscal issues that face this county.

Let’s hope Hawaii can be a little smarted in 2012 when Senator Akaka is up for reelection.