Two Events, Two Reactions

Two weeks ago while I rode on my scooter through town, I had the driver of a huge white Ford pickup ride so close behind me I could feel the heat coming out of the engine. Speed limit is 15 mph and that was what I was doing. If you need to get through Kona fast, think twice, because it doesn’t happen.

On this day a cruise ship was in harbor. Foot traffic was heavy, with pedestrians dropping off the sidewalks and crossing the street wherever and whenever they saw a gap in the line of cars snaking between the tourist shops.

Every time traffic halted the pickup driver brought his monster truck right up on me and revved his engine. The only thing I could see in my mirrors was silver grill and the Ford emblem. At an intersection cars were backed up far enough to block off the merge to the left turn lane. However, there was enough room to slip through on my scooter. I thought I would lose the jerk, but he veered out into the oncoming lane and got back on my tail.

I turned and he followed in close pursuit, laying on the horn as we came through the intersection. I gunned the engine to 25 mph, the speed limit and he stuck to me like a bad reputation. At the next intersection he got in the right turn lane. As he passed he felt compelled to share his limited vocabulary.

Now I was pissed. For one brief moment I decided to pursue this jerk. But for only a moment. What was I going to do? Throw my helmet at him? Then what?

I was on my way to the pool. When I arrived every lane was full. Unusual, but I needed the wait time. I was shaking furious. I tried to calm down. I prayed to calm down. I swam to calm down. I prayed some more. Even told God I forgave the idiot, but I knew I hadn’t. Of course, He knew that too. That afternoon I went on Craig'slist and ranted. (I've never done that.) I was a mess, thinking this guy in his rage, could have killed me.

Now when I ride in town I’m looking for white Ford pickups. I also have forgiven him and prayed that he got safely to where he was going and that he too calmed down.

Yesterday, car nearly sideswiped me when the driver pulled from the driving lane to the turn lane where I was. This time I was in a rental car. The driver decided to turn left at the last minute. He was very startled to hear my horn blast a warning that we were on a collision course unless I hit the brakes and he pulled out of the turn. Fortunately, on a very busy road, no one rear ended us.

The older driver was upset. He kept apologetically shaking his head and looking at me in his side mirror. We waited for the oncoming traffic to clear and then proceeded through the intersection. He pulled over. I passed by and tried to give him a quick, “Oh, well” glance.

I was never upset, but couldn't figure out why. Until now.

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.