Making Waves: A Hawaii Perspective on Washington Politics by Daniel de Gracia
Published 10:04 p.m. May 6, 2012 -Communities @WashingtonTimes.com
HAWAII, May 7, 2012 – Forget the Etch-a-Sketch meme. Last week, Senate Appropriations Committee chair Dan Inouye (D-HI) reacted with offense when candidate for Honolulu mayor and former Hawaii Governor Ben Cayetano suggested during a debate that the senior senator should meet with constituents at McDonald’s.
“Senator Inouye is at the 30,000 foot level, dealing with national and international affairs,” Cayetano remarked. “The senator should take time to go down to McDonald’s, talk to the retirees who go there to eat breakfast because it’s cheap.”
In response, a spokesperson for Inouye told local Hawaii media that the senior senator was “deeply offended by the statements and negative tactics attributed to Governor Cayetano” and went on to say “In serious times there is no need for personal attacks.”
But what’s so offensive about being told to meet with average voters in a friendly setting like McDonald’s? Has political correctness really reached the point in Washington that suggesting a little constituent time with the people is considered a personal attack?
Senator Inouye is a fine and respectable man whose service of duty to the United States is unparalleled. However, he is also big-time player in pork barrel politics. He brings home the bacon and we eat it, but at what cost? He is a part of the same system that has brought our national debt close to 16 trillion dollars. And he is a part of the same system that wants to force this rail system on us. It doesn’t seem to matter that the project will not do what it is supposed to do and will be one more nail in our financial coffin. He brought it home, so now I guess we have to eat it. I doubt he is deeply offended over the McDonald’s remark. He’s probably more upset that someone is disagreeing with him on this rail project.
Aloha !
Kevin’s last sentence above says it ALL !
Imua !
Paul
Good letter.I secsupt (with nothing to back it up other than my own cynicism) that there is some defense contractor or other contributor to Inouye that HALO would take business from.Over the years I have called Inouye’s office more times than I can begin to count and not one single time have I ever been able to get an answer on anything. Likewise, after calling, when I get a written response several weeks later, all it contains is an outline of the issue and the assurance that he will monitor the situation keep my views in mind yada yada yada.
The political and military record of Sen Daniel Inouye is clear; he is an American and Hawaii hero. His record of service for Hawaii is unmatched.
Being an outstanding leader does not make Sen Inouye infallible. Like the rest of us, he is human and makes mistakes. His analysis on Rail is flawed, at best.
Sen Inouye was not insulted by Governor Cayetano. With regards to the Senator, Governor Cayetano used metaphors and did not dish out any insults; and Senator Inouye knows that.
The real insult is the back-handed attempt at political theater, staged by an insider-group of players whom, by and large, stand to benefit financially if the Rail Project proceeds. Basically, this is the play: attack Cayetano by any means possible, discredit him, and drive wedges between voters and the Governor. Dan Inouye was not insulted by Ben Cayetano. Special interest supporters of Rail are scamming the voters with cheap, sleazy, hack jobs like this.
They can’t defeat Ben Cayetano with truth, facts, and reason. Special interest gangs like the Pacific Resource Partnership are depending on distortion, drama, and deception to steal this election.
Talk about a railroad job.