Hawaii

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Contents

Introduction

A Republican Governor

Hawai'i is the state of aloha. It is a blue state from a voting history perspective. Hawai'i was the first state in the union to ratify the Equal Rights Ammendment, to allow abortions, pass a pre-paid health insurance law and pass a statewide zoning law. On the other hand, there may be a reaction to an entrenched "old-boy" network of Democrats, as evidenced by the election of Hawai'i's first Republican governor in 50 years, Linda Lingle. This happened despite the fact that Hawai'i has a Democratic controlled legislature and an entirely Democratic delegation to Congress.

An idealistic focus has been lost over the years by the Democrats due to complacency. That is part of the reason for the Republican gain of Hawai'i's top administrative position. That generation of Democrats who felt "left out" of the political process when Republicans held sway in Hawai'i long ago, are fading away.

The newer generations having benefitted from the fruits of economic growth and equality, are more intent on contemplating their survival in a state where the cost of living is high and rising (or moving to the mainland). They are less apt to see a need to fight for a 'democratic' political cause. Those inmigrants from out of state, meanwhile, tend to be more conservative.

Democrats have been the source of a string of political corruption and mismanagement stories over the decades creating voter disgust and low voter turnout. The Bush/Kerry presidential race, however, created high voter interest in Hawaii, bringing democrats out to the voting booths and Republicans lost seats in the state legislature as a result.

Republicans in 2004 and 2005 have had their own series of political 'mistakes'. (see Brian Blundell, Galen Fox, Beverly Wolff Harbin and Dalton Tanonaka)

Democratic Revolution

The Democratic Revolution of 1954, when Hawaii's territorial legislature turned Democratic overnight, was the result of a politics of resentment. The politics and economy of pre WWII Hawai'i was dominated by an oligarchy of sugar, pineapple and related plantation companies popularly called the 'Big Five'. The revolution was an effort by newly unionized workers and college educated postwar ethnic American vetereans, in large measure due to the GI Bill of Rights, to correct the injustices of a plantation economy. In a cathartic liberal political convulsion, a heady idealism prevailed in the 50's and 60's, not likely to be seen in Hawai'i again.

Demographically Unique

There is no ethnic majority in Hawai'i. Today, approximately 22% of Hawai'i’s population are Caucasians, 19% are of Japanese ancestry, 19% Hawaiian or Part Hawaiian, and 13% Filipino. Racism is a concern in an ethnically diverse state of Hawaii, and "traditional Values" are strong (albeit from a wide and divergent range borrowing from all Pacific cultures).

Simple Governmental Structure

Hawai'i has a uniquely simple governmental structure: a state government and five counties, there are no municipalities. County bodies are a peculiar mix of municipal and county, since county executives are refered to as “ Mayors” , and the Island of Oahu is officially named, the "City and County of Honolulu” .

Hawai'i’s centralized state government is unique, a legacy of Hawai'i’s history as a kingdom. Hawai'i has a statewide school system, state hospitals, state airports, state harbors, state libraries, statewide zoning and even a state-owned football stadium. There is a state income tax, state excise tax, and a state hotel room tax. The Counties must rely on real property taxes, user fees, and various state transfer payments.


Federal Government

Legislative Branch

Judicial Branch



Hawaii State Government

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

Judical Branch

Hawaii State Constitution


Federal/State Entities Regarding Native Hawaiians


County Governments of Hawaii


Past officeholders

Past federal officeholders

Past State and Territorial Governors and Lt. Governors


2006 Political Parties in Hawaii


Elections

Results


Discuss Hawaii

  • Discuss Hawaii -- Links to sources of news/political information and pundits, links to sources of economic info, a blog list, environmental groups, newsgroups and other Hawaii sources. You are invited to refine and expand the list. (see this page).


Hawaii current topics

  • Hawaii current topics -- An evolving list of areas of concern in Hawai'i, lists that are awaiting transformation into dKosopedia articles, which you are invited to start/expand (see this page). It is presently a 'filing cabinet' of links to newspaper/magazine/blog articles in chronological order under appropriate headings of interest.


History

Sources on Contemporary Hawaiian Politics

  • Lawrence Fuchs. 1961. Hawaii Pono. New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich Publishers. (Well researched book on the contributions of each of Hawaii's main immigrant communities (Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino) made between 1893 to 1959, and a good primer to understanding Hawaii's present political fabric.
  • Tom Coffman. Catch a Wave: A Case Study of Hawaii's New Politics. (Good followup to Hawaii Pono.
  • Tom Coffman. The Island Edge of America: A Political History of Hawaii. (See the Star-Bulletin review)
  • Dan Boylan and Michael T. Holmes. John A. Burns: The Man and His Times. (See the Star-Bulletin article).
  • Samuel P. King and Randall Roth. Broken Trust: Greed, Mismanagement and Political Manipulation at America's Largest Charitable Trust.

Sources on Hawaiian Political History

A Compact History of Hawaii

See also

v·e·d

Hawaii

President: 2004, 2008

Congress: Sen. Dan Inouye,Sen. Daniel Akaka, Rep. Neil Abercrombie, Rep. Mazie Hirono, HI-01, HI-02

State: HI-Gov, Hawaii State Legislature, Hawaii presidential, senatorial and gubernatorial election results 1988 - 2006, Hawaii elections, 2008

Counties: Hawaii County, Maui County, City and County of Honolulu, Kauai County,

v·e·d

United States of America

Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming

Party Control By State

Non-States: District of Columbia | American Samoa | Guam | Northern Mariana Islands | Puerto Rico | Virgin Islands

Branches of Government: Executive Branch | Judicial Branch | Legislative Branch:
110th United States Congress (composition) | Senate Committees | House Committees | List of Congressional Districts

Democrats: DNC, DSCC, DCCC, Young Democrats of America, College Democrats of America

Activist organizations: Democracy for America, USDemocrat Network, Progressive Democrats of America, Progressive States, Progressive Majority

Important U.S. elections: United States presidential election, 2004, United States elections, 2008

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