Download - The Pono Press Nov-Dec 2013
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 1
Special points of interest:
TPM at the Senior Fair Page 2.
Debra Green gave an interesting talk to TPM. More info on Page 3.
Have you seen the Maui Liberty Network episode on the Second Amendment? Check out info on their second episode on Page 4.
Book review of Freedom and the American Future on Page 9.
Public Education in 2013 by Jim Wagoner... Don’t miss it on Page 11.
Decision Points by George W Bush! If you haven’t read it yet check out the review on Page 12.
Heard of the Bitcoin? Learn more from Joe Kent on Page 12.
In This Issue:
TPM Happenings Pg. 2
Local Issues Pg. 8
National Issues Pg. 9
N o v e m b e r - D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 3
The voice of The TEA
Party Maui In
Support of a
Fiscally Responsible,
Constitutionally
Limited Government
& a Free Market
Economy
V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 7
by Lee Aldridge
TEA Party Maui welcomed Councilmember Mike White at our October
monthly meeting. Mike White is a sixth-generation kama’āina, born and
raised on Oahu. He spent his career in the travel industry and has been
the General Manager of the Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel for the past 27
years. Mike represented the Seventh District in the Hawaii State House
of Representatives from 1993 to 1998. In 2010, he won a two-year term
on the Maui County Council, serving the residents of Makawao, Ha‘ikū
and Pā‘ia and was re-elected in 2012. He serves as the Chair of the
Council’s Budget and Finance Committee, which deals with all matters
relating to County revenues and expenditures. Mike spoke to TPM about
pending County issues such as: the Old Wailuku Post Office, proposed
Launiopoko land acquisition, state of County finances & budget overview,
and fiscal challenges facing Maui County
Mike did cover these subjects, but he also spoke about a great deal more
than just these topics for the nearly 80 minutes that he held court front
and center of the TPM audience. Of course the time also included a bevy
of questions from the audience. Mike came armed with interesting facts,
some of which include that between 2001 and 2011, Maui County has
experienced only a 3% growth of jobs in the private sector while there
was a corresponding 27% growth in the public sector (County)
employment during that period. Commensurate with the job growth
numbers for the same span of 10 years, private sector wages grew by
36% while public sector (County) wages increased by a whopping 97%.
It was not clear whether or not these numbers were adjusted for inflation;
but nevertheless the comparison of wage growth between the public and
private sector demonstrates that true economic growth is all but stagnant
on Maui. The more depressing news is that the County estimates a long
term budget shortfall which is illustrated by the fact that an estimated
$6200 in taxes and fees per resident is required for future County
expenses, yet only $750 is actually collected per resident. This revenue/
expense imbalance can only mean either a hefty increase in taxes
(primarily property taxes) in the future, or a substantial decrease in
(Continued on page 2)
County and Budget Issues Covered
by Council Member Mike White
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 2
by Marty Foit
TEA Party Maui host-
ed a table at the 40th
Annual Senior Fair at
the War Memorial
Gym in Wailuku on
Saturday, October 26,
2013. This was the
second consecutive
year that TPM was there and it appeared to be another
great success. Despite not being an election year, there
were still a reported 88 “vendors” at the Fair.
TPM Event Chair Marty Foit, Bill Doyle, and Bill Seaton
arrived at 6:00 AM to set up at the same spot as last
year. It was an excellent location with a lot of foot traffic
just outside one of the main entrance/exit doors. The
TEA Party Maui Banner was stretched out in full view
between two large American Flags set up on each side
of the table festooned with other red-white and blue ban-
ners and ribbons, rendering it the most patriotic looking
table at the Fair.
David Deuter, Bill Doyle, Tim Means, and Bill Seaton
spoke with most passers-by and presented them with
“God Bless America” flags, pocket Constitutions and the
new TPM tri-fold brochure about how ObamaCare af-
fects Seniors and Medicare Benefits. People also
helped themselves to the stash of goodies in the candy
bowl, TEA Party Maui pens, and other informational
handouts. David Deuter brought along very good articles
from some great sources to arm the public with accurate
information on ObamaCare. A majority of the fairgoers
who passed by the booth acted civilly, if not favorably,
while approximately 200 people actually stopped to talk
and/or take handouts, candy, pens, etc.
TPM also wishes to acknowledge and thank other partici-
pants including: Rosemary and Lee Aldridge who
worked hard to research, design, and print copies of the
tri-fold brochure entitled "Affordable Care Act: What it
means for Seniors and Medicare". Also, Michael Hack,
Bonnie Seaton, and Valerie Sisneros who were all at the
table and/or involved one way or another with the prepa-
rations and event. TPM will favorably consider partici-
pating in this event again next year, as it will no doubt be
a larger and more significant event given the November
2014 mid-term elections.
TPM Participates in the
TPM HAPPENINGS
County expenditures and services. Yet, when asked if
the County Council recognizes this dilemma and that
they need to treat the peoples' money as if it is their own,
Mike frankly stated that for many in government it is too
easy to spend other peoples’ money. Mike also spoke
about the issues revolving around the old Wailuku post
office and how the Council has a fiduciary responsibility
to pursue the matter. There has definitely been a
violation of the County Charter inasmuch as there was
never any Council approval for the demolition of the
building and the responsible party in the County
administration is at risk of losing their job over the
incident. TEA Party Maui wishes to express its heartfelt
appreciation to Mike White for an interesting and highly
informative evening with this frank and forthright Maui
County Council member.
(Mike White talks with TPM, Continued from page 1)
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 3
by Valerie Sisneros
Debra Greene, PhD of
StopSmartMetersHawaii.com spoke
to TPM about the Smart Meters
project that has been in various
stages of implementation across the
nation. Many of us have been
concerned about this Grand Scheme
to make us more “sustainable”, and
in hearing Debra’s presentation it is
clear that this concern is well
founded. She talked to us at length
about the cost increases, privacy
invasions, security threats, safety
issues, health concerns, and the
global agenda/the Global Grid.
She began by informing us about
Electromagnetic Radiation/EMR, and
Radio Frequency Radiation/RFR. In
the last 75 years, the amount of
EMR has increased one quadrillion
times from just 2003 to 2007
worldwide.
The history of Smart Meters began in
2007 when both houses of congress
and President Bush approved the
Energy Independence and Security
Act. In 2009, the government began
subsidizing this Smart Grid
Modernization Project, which started
with taxpayer funding of 3.4 billion
dollars and has so far increased to
over $11 billion. At this time, 25
states participate in this project, and
the goal was to quickly rollout 18
million Smart Meters in the U.S.
Currently there are over 36 million
smart meters installed in the U.S.
That is one in every three
households!
Smart Meters operate in the
microwave frequency range and they
are 2-way communication devices
that send and receive information.
They can definitely be classified as
surveillance devices. They are part
of a Home Area Network with an
interactive website showing how
much energy you are using, what
devices use
more than
others, and
time of day
use, etc.
They also
interact with
Smart Appliances, which can be
programmed to be turned off and on
at certain times. The utility
companies can also turn off our
appliances if they see fit. We were
shown a diagram of the Advanced
Meter Infrastructure from the utility
companies. It looked very simple
and harmless, showing just your
Smart Meter communicating with the
utility company and giving you both
the information about your energy
usage. In actuality, it is much more
complicated and invasive. Your
Smart Meter is also communicating
with the neighbors’ Smart Meters,
which makes the data delivery
extremely vulnerable to petty
hacking and even worse, opens up
the grid to cyber- attack. Even
worse is the fact that our data can be
analyzed, permanently stored, mined
for government agencies, and sold to
marketing companies. This allows
the ability to monitor many of our
daily habits for use as they see fit.
Our electricity and our appliances
can be shut down remotely, at will.
The pilot project in Maui Meadows
started in 2012, with the hopes of
getting 200 volunteers to participate.
There were around 112, but some
have since dropped out and there
are presently around 95 participants.
According to Debra, many of our
water meters have been replaced
with this Smart Meter technology
without our permission, or
knowledge. Kauai has a utility co-op
and there was actually mandatory
installation of tens of thousands of
these meters. After a federal
injunction and major protests, people
were allowed to opt-out. However
they are required to pay a monthly
fee and a one-time opt out fee. On
Oahu in 2007, HECO installed
around 9,400 meters as a pilot
project, which did not go well.
Presently, there are still about 4000
meters in use. On Maui, we are
vigorously propagandized about the
need to have Smart Meters in order
to have a “sustainable grid” and to
be able to integrate sustainable
alternative energy sources.
There appears to be a mania to get
these meters installed as fast as
possible, which amplifies the cost to
the consumer. There is zero energy
savings, and these meters actually
use more energy than the older
analog meters. Monthly costs are
soaring after Smart Meters are
installed, energy bills are flawed, and
10,000 households surveyed had an
80% increase in the monthly bills.
Smart Meters are part of a Global
Agenda. The stated mission of the
Global Smart Grid Federation and
the International Smart Grid Action
Network is “to support rapid
implementation of Smart Grid
technologies and create a
mechanism for multi-lateral
government to government
collaboration to advance the
development and deployment of
Smart Grid technologies”. The
global agenda is the massive
collection and centralization of
personal data. In the last year there
have been almost 100 million meters
shipped worldwide, with the
estimate of 73 billion meters by
2020. The U.S. had the most meters
due to the stimulus (taxpayer) money
devoted to this project, but China is
now getting ahead. Planned overall
spending on this global agenda is to
(Continued on page 4)
Debra Greene Informs TPM About Smart Meters
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 4
Gun Control and the Second Amendment By Joe Kent and Valerie Sisneros
Hawaii has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the
United States. The Maui Liberty Network wanted to
inform the public about this important topic, so we were
happy to be able to sit down with Mark Redeker, owner
of Maui Ammo and Gun Supply to talk about Hawaii’s
gun laws, gun control, and the Second Amendment.
How much do you want the government to be involved?
Do you like zero control? Should there be some
government oversight? These were some of the tough
questions that Mark Redeker, Valerie Sisneros, and Joe
Kent discussed this month for our one hour TV show,
which will be broadcast on Maui's Akaku Public Access
TV and Na Leo Public Access TV on the Big Island.
Valerie started off by reading the Second Amendment
which states, “ A well regulated militia being necessary
to the security of a free state, the right of the people to
keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” Joe Kent
asked, “Should we ban guns, or should we keep them?
It's in the Constitution, but do we really need the Second
Amendment?” Valerie answered, “Contrary to popular
belief, this right has nothing to do with hunting. It is the
founders ensuring the right of the people to protect
themselves from a tyrannical government so that the
people can remain free. Mark, what do you think?”
Mark went into the history of it, saying, “Attempts to limit
the Second Amendment started way back in the early
1800’s. Year after year, decade after decade, basically
century after century there have been attempts at
modifying this 27 word law.”
Throughout the episode, we discussed school shootings,
assault rifles, federal controls, violent video games, and
the gun laws in our state. Each topic kept coming back
to the question of how much gun control there should be.
Mark had interesting stances on the issues, favoring a
uniform federal gun control law over state controls,
because of the
confusion
when
transporting
firearms
interstate.
Valerie
countered that
the federal government is too big and powerful, and that
it should remain an issue for the states to decide. Joe is
for zero government control, stating that laws just keep
guns out of the hands of the good guys. It was
interesting that even between just three freedom-loving
individuals, there could be such a wide variety of
opinions.
We concluded with a discussion of government tyranny.
Joe played the devil's advocate by asking, “Obama is
President, we live in the year 2013, we can't even
imagine the government taking our guns away. Would
the government ever do that?” Val answered, “Between
1911 and the 1990s, there were nine countries, I know
you're talking about America, but there were nine other
countries; Turkey, Soviet Union, China, Germany,
Cambodia, Guatemala, China again, Uganda, Rwanda
where almost two hundred million people total were
unable to defend themselves because they were
disarmed by the government. They were rounded up
and exterminated. It sounds hard to believe, but it has
happened time and time again throughout history. This is
so important because most of the people in those
countries never saw it coming.
We should be thankful that we live in America where we
are allowed to own guns, but never give up the fight to
keep our freedoms.
You can watch the episode online at:
www.mauilibertynetwork.com.
be 50 billion dollars by the year 2015.
Why are these meters being forced on us? Agenda 21.
Smart meters are an integral part of Agenda 21, the UN
plan for the global control of population behavior and
massive data collection. This is all currently being
accomplished at the local level, and done under the
guise of the sustainable development of every city,
county, state, and nation in order to enable a sustainable
future with sustainable energy. ICLEI, the International
Council for Local and Environmental Initiatives has
about 450 members in 46 states in the US, and over
1000 members worldwide. For more information, Debra
recommends reading the book: Behind the Green Mask:
UN Agenda 21 by Rosa Koire. She also recommends
viewing the documentary: Take Back Your Power at
TakeBackYourPower.net.
There is opposition. There have been repeated
complaints of 4th amendment violations, and the meters
are known to be dangerous, invasive, unlawful, and
harmful. All eyes are on Hawaii for sustainability projects
because of our endless sun and wind. TPM is grateful
to Debra Greene, PhD for her knowledge and passion
about this ill-advised endeavor to take away yet more of
our precious freedom.
(Debra Greene, Continued from page 3)
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 5
A TEA Party Refresher by Valerie Sisneros
With 2014 just a few weeks away, and with the knowledge that another one of the most important mid-term elections
in our lifetime is ahead, it seems like a good time to remind ourselves about the mission, guidelines, and goals of the
TEA Party. We are all familiar with the three Core Principles, but the following is some good information that will
hopefully keep you inspired and active in the coming year. We hear constantly from the President, and the
Democrats, that they won the election in 2012. Yes, we know, however, in contrast to what we hear almost daily,
this does not mean that we lay down and accept every one of the ideas, bills, and candidates being proposed by the
Progressives. Our mission is more important than ever to regain our rights and restore a Constitutionally Limited
Government to this great country. Please peruse the following information so that you can continue to do your best
to be involved in helping the TEA Party movement reach these goals in 2014.
Our Core Values
Fiscal Responsibility: Honors and respects the freedom of the individual to spend the money that is the fruit of
their own labor. A constitutionally limited government, designed to protect the blessings of liberty, must be
fiscally responsible or it must subject its citizenry to high levels of taxation that unjustly restrict the liberty that our
Constitution was designed to protect. Runaway deficit spending, as we now see in Washington D.C., compels
us to take action. The increasing national debt is a grave threat to our national sovereignty and the personal and
economic liberty of future generations.
Constitutionally Limited Government: We, the members of TEA Party Maui, are inspired by our founding
documents and regard the Constitution of the United States to be the supreme law of the land. We believe that it
is possible to know the original intent of the government our founders set forth, and we stand in support of that
intent. Like the founders, we support States' Rights for those powers not expressly stated in the Constitution. As
the government is of the people, by the people and for the people, in all other matters we support the personal
liberty of the individual, within the rule of law.
Free Markets/Individual Liberty: A free market is the economic consequence of individual liberty. The
founders believed that personal and economic freedom were indivisible, as do we. Our current government's
interference distorts the free market and inhibits the pursuit of individual and economic liberty. Therefore, we
support a return to the free market principles on which this nation was founded, and oppose government
intervention into the operations of private business.
Our Operating Guidelines (abridged)
1. TPM is proud to be a part of the larger TEA Party Movement.
2. TPM is focused on the importance of education and seeks to expand public understanding of the Declaration of
Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and free enterprise economics.
3. TPM will seek to conduct educational programs that are consistent with our mission and purposes.
4. TPM will work with other organizations on advocacy projects when such projects are consistent with our mission
and purposes.
5. TPM welcomes all who support our mission and purposes regardless of partisan affiliation. We do not support or
oppose political parties. We simply seek to hold elected officials accountable to their oaths of office.
6. The focus of TPM is policy, not politics. When a public official supports the Constitution and the principles of
liberty and limited government, they are worthy of our praise. If they do not, we will seek to hold them accountable.
7. TPM will not support or oppose candidates for public office solely based on party affiliation, but rather on the
candidates’ pledge to support the TPM Core Values.
8. TPM rejects the idea that we should throw all existing officeholders out of office. There are those who hold office
who serve the public well, and we should exchange information and ideas with them to shape legislation.
9. TPM seeks to involve all those who wish to work constructively with us to advance our mission and purpose. We
encourage volunteers to choose an area of interest on one or more of our committees and work with us in the fight
to restore our Constitution and bring fiscal discipline to our government.
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 6
2013 TEA Party Maui Speakers in Review
Tea Party Maui hosted a number of interesting and informative guest speakers in 2013. Each speaker was selected on the basis of our 2013 TPM goal of building coalitions, while also keeping in mind the purpose of providing our membership and guests with a rewarding informative and educational experience. The following is a month by month
listing of the 2013 guest speakers and their discussion topics.
February TPM Monthly Meeting
Speaker: Bob Williams, President of State Budget Solutions, also Founder and Senior Fellow of the Freedom
Foundation, a public policy organization in Olympia, Washington.
Topic: Understanding the Fiscal Cliff
www.statebudgetsolutions.org
March TPM Monthly Meeting
Speaker: Mark Redecker, owner of Maui Ammo & Gun Supply, and former police officer.
Topic: The 2nd Amendment and the Right to Bear Arms in Hawaii.
April Special TPM Meeting, April 13th
Speaker: Matt Kibbe, President and CEO of FreedomWorks and Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Austrian
Economic Center in Vienna, Austria.
Topic: How the TEA Party Movement has morphed from a Grassroots Uprising to a Real Paradigm Shift.
April TPM Monthly Meeting
Speaker: Joe Kent, Secretary of the Maui Libertarian Party
Topic: What is a Libertarian?
May TPM Monthly Meeting
Speaker: Simon Russell, local farmer, Vice President of the Maui Farmer’s Union, and candidate for State House of
Representatives/District 13 in 2012
Topic: Maui Farmer’s Union and Sustainability of Local Food Production.
June TPM Monthly Meeting
Speaker: Sam Slom, Hawaii State Senator (R), Minority Leader, 9th District O’ahu, President/Owner, SMS
Consultants, and President/Executive Director, Smart Business Hawaii.
Topic: No Consequences for Bad Government Behavior in Hawaii
July TPM Monthly Meeting
Speaker: Myles Kawakami, owner of Hawaiian Carpet One & Ceramic Tile, member of the International
Transformation Network, Transformation Hawaii, and Grace Bible Church Maui, and Board member for the Chamber
of Commerce Maui.
Topic: The Conservative Coalition - Small Business Owners, Traditional Church Congregations, and Various
Conservative Leaning Special Interest Associations.
August TPM Monthly Meeting
Panel Discussion: Panelists; Pastor Robb Finberg, Kay Ghean, Myles Kawakami, Joe Kent, Tim Means, and
Shereen Seibert.
Topic: The State of Conservatism in Hawaii
October TPM Monthly Meeting
Speaker: Mike White, Maui County Council Member representing Makawao, Hai’ku and Paia.
Topic: County issues: Old Wailuku Post Office, Proposed Launiopoko Land Acquisition, State of County Finances &
Budget Overview, and Fiscal Challenges Facing Maui County.
November TPM Monthly Meeting
Speaker: Debra Greene Ph.D., creator of StopSmartMetersHawaii.com
Topic: Smart Meters; Unhealthy, Unsafe, Expensive, and Invasive.
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 7
By Rosemary Aldridge
This May, TEA Party Maui (TPM) became a participant in
a lawsuit filed against the IRS. We are represented pro-
bono by the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).
We are one of about 41 tea party groups in 22 states that
have experienced delays of up to three years, in the
quest for tax-exempt status with the IRS. While some,
like TPM, finally did receive tax-exempt status, the
applications of many others are still pending, more than
three years after their submittal. ACLJ has told us that
this lawsuit may well take years to settle, and
furthermore, they listed five reasons (below) why they
believe the depth and breadth of this scandal will not be
fully revealed anytime soon.
First, many groups are still fighting the IRS to obtain this
status.
Second, the wrongdoing goes to the highest levels of the
IRS, even involving the Federal Election Commission and
even far greater misconduct than initially disclosed. The
IRS not only targeted groups for unlawful review, it also
illegally disclosed donor information to a friendly, liberal
media, and has engaged in a pattern of retaliatory audits
– and that’s the tip of the targeting iceberg
Third, IRS scandals are now widespread. The targeting
scandal has placed the IRS under unprecedented
scrutiny, and – quite frankly – the IRS is showing that it’s
not only partisan, it’s corrupt, incompetent, and mean-
spirited.
Fourth, this scandal goes straight to the top. New
evidence seems to indicate that President Obama’s
fingerprints are all over the IRS Tea Party scandal.
Fifth, the IRS targeting scandal is directly relevant to the
mother of all policy disasters, Obama Care. With the IRS
set to function as Obama Care’s enforcement arm, every
story of corruption, incompetence, and malice casts doubt
on the IRS’s ability to faithfully and lawfully discharge its
responsibilities within our health care system.
At this point, the IRS and Obama Care scandals are now
dependent and self-reinforcing. Scandal in one area
undermines confidence in the other, and the
Administration is now in the position of explaining to the
American people not only why it can be entrusted with
directly managing one-sixth of the American economy
when they can’t even build a functioning website, but also
why the government’s most corrupt agency should
enforce Obama Care mandates.
Some commentators have called the disastrous Obama
Care rollout President Obama’s “Hurricane Katrina
moment” – the moment when perceived government
incompetence bursts out on the national stage in a way
that no American can ignore. But in this case, the
Administration’s “Katrina moment” is amplified by its
Nixon characteristics – the malicious use of government
against political enemies. And just as Americans cannot
and will not ignore the Administration’s destructive
incompetence in the health care arena, they will not
ignore the Administration’s malicious actions against their
conservative fellow citizens.
The IRS scandal is not going away. It’s too important –
too consequential – to the health of our Republic.
Instead, the national response to the scandal must be
clear and unequivocal, sending a message to this (and
future) presidential administrations:
The government belongs to the people, not the President,
and it must never be turned against the people to serve
the President’s (or any) political agenda.
by Rosemary Aldridge
Lee and Rosemary Aldridge (Treasurer, TPM) received a
letter from Hillsdale College this summer which had been
sent to all of their Imprimus publication subscribers. In it
was a detailed plan of Hillsdale’s Hawaiian Liberty
Endowed Scholarship which was initiated through a
matching grant by an anonymous donor in Hawaii. The
purpose of this scholarship fund is to provide a deserving
student from Hawaii the chance to study a very rigorous
academic program in Constitutional Government at
Hillsdale College. A unique component of the
Scholarship Program includes summer internship at the
Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitution Studies and
Citizenship in Washington, D.C., or in the home office of
Senator Sam Slom, friend of Hillsdale College.
This was an opportunity TEA Party Maui could not pass
up, as it would not only possibly provide a worthy and
qualified student from Maui the chance to attend a
nationally renowned conservative university but also
serve to demonstrate that TEA Party Maui puts its
donations to work for the best of conservative causes.
The Board of TEA Party Maui pledged $1000 to Hillsdale
College towards their goal of raising $178,000 in
matching funds. If you or anyone you know is personally
interested in supporting this endeavor, please be advised
that Hillsdale College is accepting pledges from
individuals and/or organizations through August 2014.
Please email Rosemary Aldridge at
[email protected] for more info about this initiative.
TEA Party Maui in Lawsuit Against the IRS
TPM and the Hawaiian Liberty Endowed Scholarship
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 8
LOCAL ISSUES Submit your writing to TEA Party
Maui’s newsletter, The Pono Press!
Calling all Citizen Journalists and Activists.
The Pono Press needs YOUR submissions:
Opinions on current local or national
events written by YOU
Interesting facts and figures on
important local and national issues
Your Letters to the Editor
Interesting tales of Maui’s history
Book and movie reviews
Recaps and observations of local
meetings you have attended
Cartoons
Great quotes for our Wise Words
sections
Info about upcoming meetings and
events or other action items for the TPM
community
Please ensure the submission relates to our
core principles of Fiscal Responsibility,
Constitutionally Limited Government, and
Free Markets. If possible, please limit your
submissions to about 500 words or less.
Email your submissions to
Wednesday, September 25th for inclusion in
the September/October 2013 issue.
Take a little time to contribute and help us
keep the Pono Press interesting and
informative, and see your work in print!
MAHALO from your Pono Press staff
By Jim Wagoner
Our Tea Party organization seldom mentions programs or speakers
more than one month in advance. Such a practice tends to dilute or
minimize the awe factor of the speaker caught in between. However
January 9th 2014 is going to be something special for us. Dr. Keli’I
Akina, President of Grassroot Institute and Dick Rowland, Chairman
and Founder of Grassroot Institute will be our speakers. Their principal
theme will be finding the means to exempt Hawaii from the Jones
Act. As Senator Sam Slom said, the Jones Act will be on the front
burner this year with the passing of Senator Dan Inouye. Mark your
calendar and don’t miss this one. Mr. Rowland and Dr. Akina
together. Awesome!
Dr. Keli’i Akina from Grassroots Institute will
be speaking in January
Submitted to Maui News October 27, 2013
It is amazing to me that the over the top rhetoric aimed at the TEA Party
can possibly be conceived as any more than flat out propaganda from
an administration and political party that does not tolerate any
opposition to their beliefs in the arena of ideas. As an informed citizen
involved in the TEA Party since the end of Bush’s term, I am saddened
by this behavior in a formally free society that allowed free speech and
opinions. Now those opinions are only welcome if coming from the far
left side of the spectrum. I will never understand why opposition to Big
Government takeover in every area of American life should be
considered tactics of “terrorists”. Why expecting fiscal responsibility
from our government should be equal to “strapping bombs to our
chests”. Why supporting the rights of the individual should be
considered “holding Americans hostage”. Yes, elections have
consequences, but demonizing and degrading half of the American
people who are not True Believers of the progressive agenda should
not be the accepted form of debate in America. We should be debating
ideas, not trying to destroy the opposition.
Valerie Sisneros, Haiku
Letters to the Editor
“The more the plans fail, the
more the Planners plan”
-Ronald Reagan
Obamacare is unworkable, unaffordable, insanely complex,
administered by the most inappropriate bureau, the computers involved
in the system have been judged by McAfee as eminently hackable; (an
identity thief’s dream)--and unwanted by a majority of Americans. We
need to reduce, not add to the army of costly paper shufflers and pencil
pushers in unproductive "make work" jobs in the Federal government.
The arrogance of D.C. liberals must end. Their constant attacks on our
Constitution must end. The slide into their Marxist, totalitarian hell must
end. Their calculated efforts to drive us into penury must end. The very
survival of the Republic is at grave risk from these people today.
Richard Mealey
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 9
by Rosemary Aldridge
" f destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its
author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live
through all time, or die by suicide.” Abraham Lincoln
A Free People’s Suicide was, I believe, written for our
time in history and should be read by everyone who
cares about America’s survival. Os Guiness states that
the freedom America says it loves could be lost if we do
not understand the real meaning of freedom. Freedom is
highly prized in the world due to the influence of America,
and yet in America, it has morphed into something far
from the original intent of the founders. Freedom is
popularly viewed as every multiplying liberation
movement, unlimited possibilities, unhindered creativity,
unrestrained choice. However, this is not how Os defines
what freedom means: he speaks of negative freedom
and positive freedom.
The explanation he gives for negative versus positive
freedom is essential to understanding his thesis. Os
states that Americans focus almost exclusively on
negative freedoms which are freedoms from constraints;
when real or positive freedom is the freedom that results
from cultivating virtue and faith. Negative freedom alone
is unsustainable. Positive freedom depends on the
character of the rulers and the ruled alike and upon the
trust which exists between them. Os Guinness writes:
“Leadership without character, business without ethics
and science without human values - in short freedom
without virtue - will bring the republic to its knees.”
Os explains the interrelated principles which our country
was built on by using something he calls “The Golden
Triangle”. The three points of this golden triangle are
comprised of freedom, virtue and faith. He makes the
point that all three are dependent and related to each
other. Freedom needs a virtuous people and a virtuous
people need faith. He does not insist that it is
necessarily Christianity but he also makes the point that
it can not be Islam because of the latter’s failure to come
to grips with freedom of conscience.
Without an American
revival of these
principals, there will be
a decline that will be,
in the author’s words,
a “long time coming,
and so much so that
no one believes it will
ever come and
therefore does not
matter”. But as the
story of empires from
Rome to the Soviets
demonstrates, when
the end comes it is
often sudden,
shocking and
irreversible.
As Os points out: free societies are rare and transient
and we (America) may not survive if we abandon the
foundation set forth by our founders. The American
experiment in freedom is at risk and the ultimate threat to
our republic is the American people itself. In Os’ own
words: “The problem is not wolves at the door but
termites in the floor”.
Os Guiness gives us the following four areas we need to
work on:
1. America must “strongly and determinedly” restore civic
education
2. America must “strongly and determinedly” rebuild its
civil public square
3. America must “strongly and determinedly” reorder the
grand spheres that make up American society and its
powerful cultural influence in the world
4. Americans must restore the integrity and credibility of
the faiths and ethics of the citizenry
Os Guiness was born in China, raised in England but an
obvious admirer of America. As an author of many
books and a social critic from a distant shore, I believe
(Continued on page 10)
NATIONAL ISSUES
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 10
his reflection on the strengths and problems America
faces are insightful and accurate. I need to warn
potential readers though that where he delves into
American foreign policy early on in the book, I
detected in some of his comments and analysis a
tendency toward viewing America today as an
imperial power. However, his bias or weakness in
this area was more than compensated for in the
remainder of the book where he was clear and
emphatic in dealing with his prime thesis.
“Let your choice be known, and let it be followed
through with courage and resolve. Your hour has
struck. Your challenge lies before you, and God and
the world and history await your answer.” These are
Mr. Guiness’ last words in this book and a good
summary I believe of where America is today. The
American people and the world should be praying
that America gets this right.
Eric Metaxas, host of Socrates in the City with author and
social critic Os Guiness on the topic “A Free People’s
Suicide.” http://vimeo.com/49954525
(Book Review, Continued from page 9)
Inspired by the Kona Tea Party and their “Kona Beer
Parties” which were monthly social gatherings at a local
Kona pub, TEA Party Maui initiated a new monthly social
event in 2013. Beginning in April, TEA Party Maui invited
all its member, friends, and supporters to get together at
an appointed pizza parlor, café, or restaurant on the last
Friday (6:30 PM) of every month for an evening of good
food, intelligent conversation, and general merriment.
There was no specific agenda, no planned speeches, and
no TEA Party business; just small talk and the talk story
camaraderie of fellow conservatives.
In April, the first designated meeting place was Pizza in
Paradise, Kahului. Then in May, everyone met at
Gionnoto’s in Wailuku. This was followed by Saeng’s Thai
Restaurant, Wailuku (two separate occasions), Café Ole
at the Dunes Maui Lani Golf Course (also two different
times), and Fabiani’s, Kihei, the end of October. Because
of the proximity to holidays such as Thanksgiving and
Christmas, no events were scheduled for November or
December.
Originally referred to as “Pizza Friday’s” because the first
two gatherings were held at pizza parlors, the name was
later changed to “Freedom Fridays” when venues other
than pizza parlors were chosen for the meetings.
Regardless of the name, attendees all voiced their
opinions that the events were all very enjoyable and
stimulating gatherings. TEA Party Maui is looking forward
to a re-initiation of these events in 2014. Keep an eye on
our TPM web site and be on the lookout for our Constant
Contact emails for an announcement of the first Freedom
Friday in 2014!
Freedom Fridays...It’s Not Simply Politics as Usual
“The power under the Constitution
will always be in the people. It is
entrusted for certain defined
purposes, and for a certain limited
period, to representatives of their
own choosing; and whenever it is
executed contrary to their interest, or
not agreeable to their wishes, their
servants can, and undoubtedly will,
be recalled .”
-George Washington
WISE
WORDS
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 11
by Jim Wagoner
The public school system throughout
the United States continues to be an embarrassing humiliation to all who care about the history and future of our great country. Early this month, Education Secretary Arne Duncan hailed this year's National Assess-ment of Education Progress (NAEP) as making progress. The NAEP is known as the nation's report card and our Secretary of Education read the results as being "encouraging". Student scores on the test, which is administered every two years to a sample of schools in all 50 states, have barely budged since 2011. Av-erage fourth and eighth grade math scores improved one point on a scale of 0 to 500 while fourth grade reading scores were flat. That is nothing to brag about Mr. Secretary. It is known that the Teacher's Union is the powerhouse and holder of the purse among Public Employee Un-ions. It is no coincidence that union-ized educators project an over-whelming presence at the Democrat-ic National Conventions. They have the power and are not bashful about using it. In spite of their power, they are getting some pushback from vari-ous political sectors. AND, the pushback is being reflected by supe-rior grades and education. Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin removed the teachers "Right to Work Law". Governor Chris Christi of New Jersey set a higher standard for teachers to qualify for tenure. Subsequent to hurricane Katrina, Governor Bobby Jindal made a promise to the people of New Orleans that they could send their kids to the school of their choice. The Louisiana legislature voted to take over New Orleans's failing school district, effectively firing 7,500 teachers and school workers. In place of most of these schools, charter schools were established.
Not all charters have made dramatic progress, but there has been a no-ticeable uptick in the quality of edu-cation since the city has embraced school choice. Yes,Yes,Yes. Some-thing good is happening to public schools. Washington D.C. gives us an excel-lent example of that good. We have heard about Michelle Rhee and her brief tenure as chancellor of the Washington D.C. Public Schools in 2007. Her domain consisted of 40 thousand students, 123 schools, and the worst performing school district in the United States. Her first order of business was to implement a rigor-ous teacher evaluation program that placed a heavy emphasis on student learning. After the initial review, she fired several thousand teachers who did not have proper credentials to teach. As expected, the teacher's union went bananas. Shortly after President Obama took office in 2009, she was fired. However, Michelle Rhee was not forgotten, and her cre-dential program lives on. Between 2010 and 2012, an additional 4% of the District's teachers were dis-missed for being ineffective. In the latest NAEP report card, Washington D.C. led the nation in student pro-gress. Average reading scores jumped five points in the fourth grade and six points in the eighth grade. The percentage of students scoring at or above "basic" in math rose by six points in both grade levels. Other states that have led in school reform also exhibited measurable progress in the NAEP. Indiana, which removed its cap on charter school enrollment, expanded vouch-ers and instituted merit pay in 2011, then demonstrated the third highest growth in the NAEP test scores in 2013. Also making large strides was Ten-nessee, where reading scores had
plateaued between 1992 and 2011. One glaring problem was that teach-ers were evaluated only twice every ten years, and collective bargaining agreements prevented the state from requiring higher accountability. In 2011, Governor Bill Haslam and the GOP legislature eliminated collective bargaining for teachers, which gave local districts the whip hand to change teacher contracts. The state also established a new evaluation system that weighs student achieve-ment; increased from three to five years of service before teachers get tenure; and linked pay and job secu-rity to performance. The results have been astonishing! The share of fourth-graders performing at or above "basic" in reading increased from 60% to 67%, while the percent-age rated proficient in math rose by 10 points. Tennessee fourth-graders, who have historically trailed their national peers by five to seven points, closed the gap in both sub-jects. The climb in test scores began with former Governor Jeb Bush who took the Florida school system from a rat-ed "bottom 5" to a "top 3" during his eight years in office. Florida public schools continue with their academic excellence. It stands to reason that Washington D.C. and the states of Tennessee, Indiana, Louisiana, and Florida are excellent case studies that could be utilized to enhance stu-dent achievement reform. Unfortu-nately, here in Hawaii, education is still going south.
“It stands to reason that Washington D.C.
and the states of Tennessee, Indiana,
Louisiana, and Florida are excellent case
studies that could be utilized to enhance
student achievement reform.”
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 12
by Bill Doyle
Since leaving the Office of The President almost five
years ago, President Bush has concentrated his efforts
on leading the George W. Bush Presidential Center on
the campus of Southern Methodist University and writing
his 2013 best-selling "Decision Points"—which takes the
reader inside the mind and times of the man and the ma-
jor events of his very consequential presidency. He
takes the reader on a fascinating journey from the Texas
Governors' Mansion to the White House, and provides
some very illuminating illustrations of the influences and
people that inform his decisions and how those decisions
are shaped and the courses they take to determine the
final outcomes.
The book also provides an interesting look at his (and
Laura's) family background, their relationships and that of
their daughters, friends and associates and gives the
reader a true sense of just who they are. Told in the first
person, with a great collection of old photos and histori-
cal references, it captures the life and times of the man
who served eight critical years as our
president and awoke each morning
after September 11, 2001 with an
overriding mission to secure America
and the American people from such a
tragic event ever occurring on our soil
again.
Marty and I found ourselves in Texas
a couple of months ago on other busi-
ness and made the effort to travel to
Dallas and visit the the George W.
Bush Center. It was a very moving experience and al-
lowed us to gain a better understanding of the myriad
activities, issues and crises that present themselves
each and every day and intrude in such unexpected
ways on the presidential agenda. We were so glad we
took the time to make the trip and reading "Decision
Points" provided additional background and clarity into
the significant and consequential events of those years--
and I highly recommend adding it to your library.
by Joe Kent
About a year ago, I was at a Ron Paul rally, and I
saw a little booth with a bunch of people crowding
around it. Tiny little coins with holograms were
being sold for about $20 each, called “Bitcoins”. I
immediately thought it was some kind of scam, and
kept walking.
Then, last May, I heard about it again. The price jumped
up to $100. As of this writing (November 2013), the price
has jumped to $900, and it's still rising.
What are bitcoins, and why are they becoming so
valuable?
Well, a bitcoin is virtual money. There have been lots of
attempts at virtual money over the years. First there was
e-gold which was a complete failure. The problem with e-
gold was that it could be inflated. Much like the Federal
Reserve can print more money, programmers could just
program more e-gold. It was a scam from the beginning,
and it flopped.
But bitcoin is different. With bitcoin, everybody can see
the code – it isn't hidden. And the code says that there
can only ever be 21 million bitcoins. It can never be
inflated.
Beyond that, bitcoins behave just like money. They're
easy to carry around (it works with your smart phone).
And they can be
transferred easily from smart phone to smart phone.
More and more businesses are beginning to accept
bitcoins for payment. Already at a Subway chain in
Canada, you can buy a sandwich with your bitcoin.
Should you buy bitcoins? Well, that depends. Right
now, the virtual currency market is like the wild west. Wild
swings can make the price jump from $600 to $900 in a
matter of minutes. Also, there might be problems with the
currency. Although no one has discovered any problems
(it is so far, invulnerable to hackers), there could be
problems in the future.
Finally, the government is skeptical about bitcoins. A
virtual currency means that the government can't tax it. It
can't control it, and it can't inflate it. And the strength of all
governments rely on their ability to control the money.
Last week there was a hearing on capitol hill about
bitcoins. Politicians debated endlessly about what should
be done about the virtual money. Can we regulate it? Can
we control it? Should we ban it? But at the end of the day,
the politicians didn't see it as enough of a threat. Besides,
many of them had already bought bitcoins themselves.
Will bitcoin be the currency of the future? Who knows? All
I know is, it's a neat experiment in a truly libertarian
currency. A currency of freedom.
Pono Press, November-December 2013, Page 13
For more info, please see our
website:
www.teapartymaui.com
Or give us a call:
(808) 214-2859
To contact the editor email:
Pono Press
TEA Party Maui
TEA Party Maui is an
active grassroots
organization based on the
island of Maui, Hawaii.
Our mission is to attract,
educate, organize, and
mobilize our fellow citizens
to secure public policy
consistent with our three
core values: Fiscal
Responsibility,
Constitutionally Limited
Government, and Free
Markets.
Upcoming TEA Party Events December Monthly General Meeting: Thursday, December 12th at 6:30 pm at
Kalama Heights Garden Room. Located at 101 Kanani Road in Kihei. Announce-
ment of 2014 TPM Board of Directors and Holiday Potluck dinner
January Monthly General Meeting: Thursday, January 9th at 6:30 pm at Kalama
Heights Garden Room. Dr. Keli’i Akina and Dick Rowland from Grassroots Institute
of Hawaii join us to talk about the Jones Act
Freedom Friday is cancelled for November and December for
the holidays. January location TBA
More events will be coming for 2014! Please check out the web-
site www.teapartymaui.com to get involved or call us at (808) 214-2859
Community Meetings We encourage you to stay on the pulse of the issues by attending Community
Meetings listed on the Maui County website: www.co.maui.hi.us
For information on contacting your Congressmen and Congresswomen; order your
U.S. Congressional Directory from www.c-span.org
Another way to be informed about upcoming legislation and to follow proposed bills
through the process is to go to the Hawai'i Public Access Room through the follow-
ing link: http://hawaii.gov/lrb/par/
Pono Press Staff Editor: Kristin Mack
Assistant Editor: Valerie Sisneros
Proofreaders: Lee and Rosemary Aldridge
News and Contributing Writers: Jim Wagoner, Joe Kent, Rosemary Aldridge, Valerie Sisneros, Bill Doyle, Richard Mealey, Lee Aldridge
TPM Logo Design: Maui Custom T-shirts
The articles, links and opinions contained in this newsletter belong to the owners and
writers and do not necessarily express the opinions of the TEA Party Maui. Although
every effort is made to publish only researched information, we cannot certify accuracy
of all material published.
The TEA Party Maui is organized as a non-profit corporation under the laws of the State
of Hawaii and is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization under Section 501(c)4 of the Fed-
eral Internal Revenue Code. Donations to support our mission are not tax deductible.
The Pono Press is a voluntary effort to spread information about TPM happenings
and also to educate the public about our core principles. We strive to explore and
help bring to light newsworthy items of local and national interest which relate to
these principles. With the help of our outstanding contributors, we are able to offer
insight and perspective on these issues. If you have knowledge of, or interest in, any
particular subject area or issue (local or national) and would like to help us educate
others, please contact us at: [email protected]. At this time we are
looking for submissions about education, county and state budgets, the Second
Amendment, land use, and transportation. We appreciate all of our contributors.
Mahalo!
