• Talk, talk and more talk Talk, talk and more talk The latest trend in Hawai’i politics is talk, talk and more talk. Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona are holding community “talk story” meetings on Kaua’i and
• Talk, talk and more talk
Talk, talk and more talk
The latest trend in Hawai’i politics is talk, talk and more talk.
Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona are holding community “talk story” meetings on Kaua’i and across the state.
Mayor Bryan Baptiste probably inspired the top state executives through his “Ka Leo” community meetings on Kaua’i.
The idea is to get the community involved and to give an open platform to local residents where they can express their opinions, provide ideas to solutions to problems and hopefully a place where some of those problems can be solved without additional government action.
Some of the Ka Leo meetings have become specialized, focusing on one topic, such as the Westside meetings that are working on solving beach access disputes over recreational access to the Pacific Missile Range Facility.
While Lingle, Aiona and Baptiste are all Republicans, and “talk-story” gatherings go back to the days of ancient Hawai’i, this trend is continuing with “talk-story” meetings held by Democratic legislators. Kaua’i’s State Sen. Gary Hooser is holding his own to gather input on what bills to introduce in the coming session of the Legislature.
House Finance Chairman Dwight Takamine and Education Chairman Roy Takumi are on their way to Kaua’i tomorrow for a “talk-story” session they’re call “Lawmakers Listen” at King Kaumuali’i School in Hanama’ulu.
A political analyst in Honolulu is saying the Democrats are copying Lingle’s style, according to a report from the Associated Press in today’s news section of The Garden Island.
However, House Speaker Calvin Say, who is related to the Hanalei Say family and worked in the taro fields on the North Shore as a youth, is saying the meetings are only the Democrats’ way of going back into the community to listen to what local residents say.
While this openness is welcome, and a major change from the days when lobbyist had a better chance of being heard then your average voter, the meetings might end up being more public relations moves by both the Democrats and Republicans, if no action or change comes about as a result of the gatherings.
Both sides need to publish a list of the problems brought up, or suggestions made, with a statement on what action was taken and what results came about.
