The people have decided. Now we need to execute.

[Peter Kay]

One of the characteristics of great companies is that the management team engages in spirited debates over key issues and may fervently disagree with one another but once the CEO makes the decision, everyone falls in line and works together as hard as they can to execute the choice as successfully as possible.


This campaign was an amazing experience for me personally as I saw both sides work so hard and so skillfully to put forth their case to the public. It was a great, spirited debate. The “management teams” fought valiantly in their causes.
And last night, the ultimate CEO, “We the People”, made its decision: Barack Obama is our President, Mufi Hannemann is our mayor, we will have rail in Honolulu, and we won’t have a ConCon.


I was on the opposing side for all of these issues and last night my tweenage daughter who was my “buddy” in these elections looked to me as she saw the same numbers I was seeing. I could tell she was waiting to see how I was going to react to losing and what I was going to say. This is what I told her:


“Honey, you are seeing what really makes America great. We fight hard for what we believe is right and then we let the people decide. And now that the people have decided, we are going to support our new President and our Mayor and work as hard as we can to continue making this the greatest country on earth. I’m really, really proud to be an American.“


We The People have decided. It was a hard-fought battle and I’m glad the decision has been made. I personally will do my part as a good citizen of this great nation and precious state to support our leaders. Each of us has a personal choice to make: either continue fighting and see the decisions of our leaders fail or work hard together to make their decisions succeed to help us all. I personally choose the latter and will hold off until the next election to again pick sides. In the meanwhile, I’m going to fall in line and help get the job done in whatever way I can. Congratulations to our President Elect Barack Obama, Mayor Mufi Hannemann and my good friends on the No to ConCon issue for their significant victories.

[Peter Kay]

Thank you Kent! You have summarized what this site was really, really all about and that is to Learn, Discuss, and Decide and I'm really happy you feel it did that!

[Kent Fonoimoana]

Aloha Peter,
Thank you for providing another forum for folks to comment, opine, or learn about the con con issue. When I first registered on this site, I was open to the idea of holding a con con to make positive changes that could help many. But due to some of the comments expressed here, I decided that it may not be the best thing to do and I declined to support con con. I do not feel that I fooled by any politicians, ads, news reports, or any other outside influence. I felt that of all the issues and races on the ballot (other than President), con con was the most important issue to consider. I, and many like me, came to our decision after much debate, discussion, and soul searching.
I agree with others that improvements in many areas are needed, but I was not willing to risk losing ground on issues that others have worked hard to achieve.
Peter, you have done a great job as moderator and you provided a great service to those who wanted more information on con con. Mahalo to you!

[Curtis Muraoka]

Lynn Finnegan, House Minority, and Kirk Caldwell House Majority were on KHON this morning discussing what happened with Con Con. Finnegan cited the big money advertising, but Caldwell countered that the People are smart and cannot be fooled by simple advertising.

But we all know what big money advertising can accomplish. The Tobacco Industry is proof.

I'm with Finnegan on this, and at the risk of sounding like sour grapes, the People were indeed fooled. Caldwell, lawyer that he is, was glibly able to pat the voters on the back in a positive fashion for voting NO.

Yet, it is the American Way.

I still believe sincerely that ours is the high road. However, we cannot lose hope and let this result make us turn and walk away. Rather, we must glean the positives, and move quietly forward with other vehicles in mind.

My one driving focus is the future of public education. The notion of choice is woefully lacking in the DOE. The one-size-fits-all view of schools and classrooms is there simply because our constitution demands it. That must change, and so far the legislature has not shown the will to do so.

Our standing nationally in money spent per pupil relative to test scores indicates we can do much better. As long as there is no public school choice, we cannot improve.

I've stated previously that education should be both model and mirror of society. The "one system" education mindset of our constitution is not democracy modeled. It is more like an unchecked monopoly.

We might let the Hawaii Alliance mostly win, but not on education. There is too much at stake.

[Peter Kay]

Great comments from you all. Emil, I especially appreciate what you have to say because you came from a socialist/communist country. You KNOW what it's like, first hand, with strong socialism. I pray we'll never learn that message.

Gordon, I totally agree that we should never lay down. Nor do I plan on turning off my civic duty for 2-4 years. I chose my words carefully. Working hard together to make decisions succeed can and does include respectful dissent and input along with the process. I feel that doing otherwise is truly UnAmerican.

[Gordon Becker]

Thank you Peter for a valiant effort and for sharing your reaction to the election and your comments to your daughter, You deserve a rest but not for four or even two years. The public is not served by giving absolute or unquestioned power to elected representatives, nor by witholding honest disent from any issue. And elections are not the only, nor even the mst important times for citizens to organize and express their opinions. Although I disagree with you on the choice of President, and expect great things from Obama, I believe that it will be a loss to all of us if you do not continue to use your ability to get people communicating and involved in political issues.
But even now as I encourage you to stay in the arena, I am dropping out and planning on simply enjoying whatever happens here in Paradise surrounded by uninformed. often selfish and greedy and power hungry voters.
We humans are indeed strange creatures.
Isn't it wonderful that we come in so many different shapes and sizes and personalities, and gifts
Thank you again Peter for the work you let me share in.

[Emil Svrcina]

I believe, that we people in general do more to avoid pain than to gain pleasure.

Obviously we here in Hawaii are not overtaxed enough, denied freedoms enough, ignored by elite enough, engineered out of our cars enough, lines in stores and doctor's offices are not long enough, there is not enough scarcity of energy nor food ... life with our Hawaiian Status Quo establishment is simply not painful enough.
As our new old mayor arrogantly stated after his primary election - his results then were just "delay of the inevitable". Scared sheeple proved him right again so he can now build The Rail monstrosity with clean hands like Pontius Pilate.

Thank you Peter for your kind and gentle nature in handling 2008 Election results. I also always expect the best in my life and try to be ready for the worst.

Well God help us all, so some of us are not forced one day to either "fall in line" or fall 6 feet under (the line) for good by some kind of in the name of "change" newly instituted all powerful state police.
Lets do all we can to keep American Dream alive. It is so precious and so worth it in today's world. USA must shine again for all people on this planet! "Yes it can!"

God bless you and your family. God bless USA!

[Peter Kay]

Onward until the next election! :)

[Miles Ino]

Peter, thank you for providing this important venue. I share your disappointment in the results of the election. However, my voice has been heard and I am grateful for that. Mahalo and God bless.

[Puna guy]

Mahalo nui loa Peter, I agree with Daniel de Gracia II, we live in a participatory republic who just reacted to a series of disasters in the country that got blamed 100% on the incumbent president. The voting public has spoken whether or now we agree as individuals on the topics before us, we in the opposition need to be logical in picking apart their ideas.

We will all need to strongly consider the philosophy of 'ol T.R. and what he said in his speech at the Sorbonne April 1910:

"To say that the thriftless, the lazy, the vicious, the incapable, ought to have reward given to those who are far-sighted, capable, and upright, is to say what is not true and cannot be true. Let us try to level up, but let us beware of the evil of leveling down. If a man stumbles, it is a good thing to help him to his feet. Every one of us needs a helping hand now and then.

But if a man lies down, it is a waste of time to try and carry him; and it is a very bad thing for every one if we make men feel that the same reward will come to those who shirk their work and those who do it. Let us, then, take into account the actual facts of life, and not be misled into following any proposal for achieving the millennium, for recreating the golden age, until we have subjected it to hardheaded examination. On the other hand, it is foolish to reject a proposal merely because it is advanced by visionaries.

If a given scheme is proposed, look at it on its merits, and, in considering it, disregard formulas. It does not matter in the least who proposes it, or why. If it seems good, try it. If it proves good, accept it; otherwise reject it.

There are plenty of good men calling themselves Socialists with whom, up to a certain point, it is quite possible to work. If the next step is one which both we and they wish to take, why of course take it, without any regard to the fact that our views as to the tenth step may differ. But, on the other hand, keep clearly in mind that, though it has been worth while to take one step, this does not in the least mean that it may not be highly disadvantageous to take the next.

It is just as foolish to refuse all progress because people demanding it desire at some points to go to absurd extremes, as it would be to go to these absurd extremes simply because some of the measures advocated by the extremists were wise."

[Peter Kay]

It was theraputic for me to get this out.