by Gary Hooser
If the health of our community is measured in terms of “faith and confidence in government,” we have a serious illness in need of immediate attention.
There were 839,618 Hawaii residents registered to vote in 2024.
Only 271,345 or 32.3% actually voted in the 2024 primary election.
568,273 or 68% received ballots in the mail, but couldn’t be bothered to open the envelope, place a mark next to their preferred candidates, and walk it out to their mailbox.
Clearly, the “body politic” is sick.
People are sick and tired of government corruption, legislators taking bribes, “pay to play” campaign spending abuse, SuperPacs spending millions in “dark money,” and a political culture driven by the almighty dollar.
68% of of our friends and neighbors are saying, “Why bother to vote at all?”
The cure for our civic illness is the same as for any other malady.
We need to eliminate the root cause.
It is our own damn fault that we are sick.
Blaming the politicians is an easy way out.
The truth is that too many of us aren’t willing to take the time.
We are too busy for “civic engagement.” We don’t have time to go to meetings, to make the calls, to send the emails, or to help candidates.
We have bills to pay, jobs we must show up for, grass to cut, shopping to do, and sometimes family and friends to care for.
Cry me a river. Too bad, too sad.
We gotta make the time.
It’s not going to get better until we put on our big girl/boy pants and make the extra effort to pay attention, be involved, and take ownership of our own local government.
We can beat the big money, AND we can create the government we need and deserve. But to get there, we must show up.
This means attending public hearings, sending in testimony, making the phone calls to our elected officials, and VOTING.
It also means making small-dollar donations, actively helping in the campaigns of candidates who share our values and concerns, and possibly running for office ourselves.
There is a cure for our illness, and it is us.
You and me.
We are all in this together, and together, we must take action and work together to build the healthy democracy we deserve.
Let’s start the process now.
Let’s each of us take the time TODAY to call our Governor, Dr. Green – (808) 586-0034.
Dr. Green has the power to bring all of our government leaders together and to extend the legislative session or call a special session if necessary to ensure key good governance and anti-corruption legislation is passed into law… THIS YEAR.
There are bills on the table at this moment that could stop the campaign donation “pay to play” culture of corruption that now exists in that big square building on Beretania Street. But those bills have been sidelined.
There are bills that would stop the “two tickets” to a fundraiser charade (iykyk) – also awaiting attention and final votes.
Also sitting in the darkness of some conference room on the 4th floor are bills that would make “failure to report bribery” a crime for elected officials who witness or know such conduct.
The kicker, the plum, and the cherry on top – would be passage of a strong SB2471 – stripping the power and influence from corporate SuperPacs and “Citizens United.”
With the stroke of a pen, a few phone calls, and a meeting or two among those at the top of our political food chain, our Governor could make this happen.
If he truly wanted to, he could ensure the passage of these 4 measures and significantly heal the civic sickness, distrust, and cynicism that currently envelops the entire culture of government and politics in Hawaii.
Waiting still yet another year, for another legislative session, to do a repeat of what’s happened every year for the past few years, is unacceptable.
Please. Today, right now – call Governor Green, tell him we need his help.
GARY HOOSER is a former Hawaiʻi State Senator and Majority Leader.
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