Former Council Member Rod Tam’s Ability to Collect Unemployment Shows Government Protects Its Own

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Former Council Member Rod Tam is sentenced for theft crimes, but still collects unemployment from the state after being termed out of office in January 2011
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Former Council Member Rod Tam is sentenced for theft crimes, but still collects unemployment from the state after being termed out of office in January 2011

BY RICHARD O. ROWLANDRod Tam’s ability to collect unemployment for at least a year after being termed out of office in the Honolulu City Council in 2010 and losing the 2010 mayoral election is a great example of government action almost always being a blunt, careless instrument.

It is blunt because it is imprecise and unfocused.

It is careless because the intent of the law is ignored.

The law simply cares not at all what the public wants.

But the public is supposed to be the boss.

You and I are being ripped off by the very people who are supposed to serve us.

This benefit to Rod Tam, who was sentenced last week to two days in jail and more than 300 hours of community service for stealing $15,000 from the taxpayers and breaking campaign spending,  is utterly immoral but at the same time probably quite legal.

Government contrives to protect itself and its friends.

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  1. Legal. Government also protects the people with instituting Weed and Seed programs in the Community in places like Fort Street Mall, meeting repeatedly with small businesses and reluctant owners in the area over breakfast and lunch meetings to iron out the understandings of how the program works, who to call, when to call, especially pertinent to Chinatown vendors that are deluged with drug and alcohol abusers in their midst while reluctant to take action. Thank you Rod for stepping up to the plate and taking care of this. Many can walk safely along Fort Street mall today and everywhere in Chinatown because you took the time to establish this program.

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