“Publicly funded Clean Elections, Rules Reform to increase transparency and accountability, and tightening campaign spending laws are all worthy goals,” will be the refrain from almost every state legislator in the building.
However when pressed, many will then say, “There’s no money, the proposals are impractical and difficult to implement, and there’s probably not enough support (votes) to pass them this year.”
“Keep working on it, form a task force, conduct a study, and maybe come back next year with a pilot project,” will be the friendly encouragement offered.
You of course listen politely, then respectfully point to several states that have already implemented Clean Election programs. You suggest further that following their model and learning from their experience shouldn’t be that complicated. You point out if passed in 2025 significant funding would not be needed until 2028 and in any case, Hawaii has over $1.5 billion sitting in our rainy day fund.
You might then pivot to reforming the internal House/Senate rules, which can be done at zero or minimal cost. Suggesting perhaps, if more time is needed, additional “recess” days can be added, and duplicate bills can be combined. In fact, there are many ways to achieve the desired outcome of more transparency, more accountability, more public participation.
Request they review how other states (with similar “session days”) manage to require hearings and public votes, and amendments in writing — prior to the votes.
Point out the inappropriateness of legislators transferring thousands of dollars donated to their campaign into the bank accounts of other legislator’s campaigns.
And yes, remind them yet once again about fixing the law allowing officers and family members of government contractors to give money directly to the campaign of legislators who introduce and support bills funding these same government contractors.
The “Good Governance” initiatives being proposed this year (and every year) reduce the power and thus increase the political vulnerability of sitting legislators. Therein lies the problem. Incumbent legislators like their jobs and their power.
I get it.
Passing “Clean Elections” will reduce the power of big money and result in greater competition on election day. Fewer incumbents will run unopposed.
Most of us believe competition at the polls is a good thing, and getting money out of elections is a valuable and worthy goal.
Increasing transparency and accountability by reducing the current unilateral power of Committee Chairs to “kill bills” in the dark behind closed doors, without a public hearing or a public vote — is an obvious positive step in the right direction but will be vehemently opposed by those who now hold that power.
Ditto to tightening rules governing campaign donations between legislators themselves, and from the officers and family members of government contractors who directly benefit from the actions of those legislators.
Those in power are afraid of losing it.
Even those legislators who “mostly vote the right way” will tell us privately, “If we pass these things, it will force me to take controversial votes and help Republicans. It’s much better to kill these things in private.”
When pressed on increasing public participation, they’ll often respond, “Public meetings take up way too much time. I do my research and don’t need to spend hours and hours listening to ill-informed members of the public who don’t understand how things work around here.”
Bottom line: Those of us who believe increasing transparency and accountability, and reducing the influence of money in politics are fundamental to improving our Democracy — must work harder to overcome the self-serving nature of recalcitrant incumbents who think they know it all.
2026 cannot get here quick enough.
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Gary Hooser served eight years in the state Senate, where he was majority leader. He also served for eight years on the Kauai County Council. He presently writes on Hawaii policy and politics at www.garyhooser.blog.
