The Status Quo Has Got To Go.

     It really is quite amazing at the amount of progress our state has made given the amount of corruption that we have here. When I speak of corruption though, I refer to the subtle and almost undetectable type of corruption that occurs the moment moral courage fails in the light of a conflict of interest. The sort of thing that happens everyday when a friend, a family member, or a business partner asks you to make them more important than doing what is right.

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     We have many different cultures here in Hawai'i from many different countries. Every single one of them has their own unique sense of family, loyalty, and respect. Those loyalties usually end up leaking into office with whomever gets elected. And very quickly, what should have been an elected person who's loyalty is to the islands and its people, ends up being a person that gives into favors, money, favoritism, and pet projects instead of serving the greater good.

     Sure we have regular corrupt individuals. They aren't hard to find, just follow the money and wealth. Remember, getting into government does not make you rich. And yet how many have done just that?

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     This ties right into elections. We need fair elections in which money and name recognition does not create the winners. We also do not live in a monarchy in which one can just announce who should succeed them. Elections should be about ideas that solve our problems to move us forward and progress. And yet they are anything but that.

     Some Ideas

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• We need to create term limits so that we can end career politicians. While you can make a career working government jobs, holding political office and jumping from office to office should not be a career move. Why? Because then it becomes about winning elections to maintain power and influence instead of representing the people. If you are running for office with the sole motive to win at all costs, you aren't running to represent anyone but yourself. (and your donors) 

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• No more unopposed elections. For every office there must be at least two people to choose from. If there is no second person, the election for that seat will be postponed until someone else signs up to run. There should never be a free pass to office.

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• All elections should be publicly funded. No more he or she who raises the most wins.

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• All candidates  should be afforded ample screen, ad, and interview time. The state should sponsor all candidates equally with equal chances at being heard and interviewed so that the populace is well informed at what their choices are. It is the responsibility of the state to see that the populace is not only well educated but also well informed. It should be no different with elections.

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• There should be a debate system in place as well as a thorough interview process for the public to see and hear. Relying on political parties, big media, PAC's, Super PAC's, and other special interest groups, invites corruption, favoritism and opens the doors for candidates like Donald Trump.

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     It is important to remember that no matter how you feel about the ideas you see above, that it is our current system that has allowed people like Donald Trump and worse into office. We must change our rules and processes, see how effective they are and then work to improve them. We can not be afraid of changing things, trying new things, and seeing if they work. Our islands and planet will either suffer more or be alleviated by who we elect. In order to elect differently and new, we must change and try something new and different otherwise our results will always be the same.