BY MAUI MAYOR ALAN ARAKAWA –This letter is in response to recent comments disparaging U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye.
For anyone to say that a man like Senator Inouye is out of touch, only proves that it is they who are completely out of touch with reality.
In Maui County Senator Inouye has supported the high tech industry by funding the Maui High Performance Computing Center, expanded educational efforts at the University of Hawaii Maui College, helped push for a $300 million Advanced Technology Solar Telescope on Haleakala, protected our natural resources at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge and pushed for clean energy through federal grants.
Senator Inouye is a man to be respected and honored, and does not deserve being the brunt of political posturing just so someone can make their point during a televised debate.
To do so belittles not just Senator Inouye but everyone this man has ever helped. I would have hoped that our elected officials and former elected officials knew better.
When over two thirds of over 3,000 respondents to an Advertiser poll asking “Was Cayetano rude to Inouye?” answer “No”, it would appear Maui mayor Alan Arakawa is the one “out of touch with reality”, especially the facts. No one questions Inouye’s invaluable contributions to our State and nation. As a decorated WWII hero, loyal citizen and senator, he is well-known and revered.
But most would point to Inouye’s inflammatory challenge, “It would take WWIII to stop rail!” as the start of the “political posturing”. He could only be calling out Cayetano’s hui and supporters who unite in opposing rail.
Arakawa’s comments attempt to belittle governor Cayetano, who the large majority of Oahu’s citizens support and agree with. Perhaps the good Maui mayor could contribute an article on why Senator Inouye is NOT out of touch on rail and be more specific on just WHO he is referring to as “they are out of touch?!
Online polls are bogus. Whomever has more people with nothing better to do will win. You just dump your cookies and vote over and over and over. The poll proves nothing, but nice try. We watched you guys kick it into gear at about 11:30…you’re not fooling anyone.
Ben sets the tone for his campaign and his little army of blog commenters follow his lead. Read and judge these recent offers for yourself and decide who is being disrespectful. Bear in mind these nameless, faceless little charmers are talking about an American war hero and a ranking U.S, Senator:
Slick1: It’s about time someone puts Inouye in his place. Who does he think he is? I’m glad Cayetano speaks up. He’s the mayor for me.
False: Sorry Senator Inouye, you don’t look like us anymore. You don’t talk like us anymore. You don’t sound like us anymore. You don’t know us anymore. You live over there and you act like over there. Just not locally connected anymore.
OB1NONO_ME: Ben tells the truth – which may be offensive to snake oil salesman.
Mistash: Danny (aka Let’s Go Vegas), your skills are better suited to watching TV with the volume on high. Please pass him the Pringles and Soda Pop.
Maneki_Neko: I can’t wait for the next “Imua Rail” TV commercial that has Dan riding the rails, gumming his okazu and telling us it’s good for our future.
Loquaciousone: The fact that grandpa backs lazy hazy mazie is a perfect example that grandpa needs to go to bed.
Wadat: Oh boy these pro railers are WACKO. If uncle Dan can’t take a little tough talk then WTF is he doing as a politician ???
loquaciousone: Time for grandpa to go to bed.
Highinthesierras: Right, The King of Pork has had his day, but he no longer is the dictator of all things in Hawaii. Cayetano for Senate, US that is!
Lee1957: Sounds like Dan lost his big boy pants, time to move on.
Loquaciousone: Car liar is irrelevant because he’s already shown that he’s incapable of running anything except a hot dog wagon. Cold wall has no chance against the bulldog. He has as much chance of beating Cayetano as taking down Pacquao [sic] in the ring. THE RAIL IS DEAD! All hail THE RAIL IS DEAD.
I agree Keith, jayz43 is a little Cayetanoite, probably on his campaign staff paid to troll websites and protect their bosses interests, maybe on loan from the governor. Arakawa is a member of the GOP but he will call BS if he sees it, even if it means propping up a D like Inouye. Why else would you call out Inouye on a televised debate but to get some headlines and some media mileage. Political grandstanding pure and simple.
Mayor Arakawa,
It’s easy to spend money that is not yours. Inouye did just that for your county, as well as for the entire state all the decades. He had a big hand in pushing the national debt to $16 trillion, which is now over 100% of the GDP.
He should be spending his time helping to construct a responsible budget for the nation, and pushing pro-business, pro-growth policies for this nation.
He should be doing everything possible to avoid the European disease of socialism, displayed in all its “glory” in Greece, Spain, Italy, etc.
Greece will probably “fall off the cliff” by the end of the year, out of the Euro and back to the Drachma, with little hope of ever getting outside investment or loans for many, many years.
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