Island Voices
Republican Party work defies old stereotypes

By state Rep. Joe Gomes
Republican from the 51st House District (Waimanalo, Keolu Hills, Lanikai)

John White, President of the Young Democrats of Hawai'i, writes in his Aug 8 letter, "Political involvement among the younger generations has been mediocre at best and abysmal at worst."

Predictably, Mr. White's letter offers nothing to encourage the "young man" to whom he was responding to get involved. Neither does Mr. White nor the Democratic Party of Hawai'i provide hope, promise or any good reason why the "younger generations" should get involved. Instead, Mr. White relies on tired and self-serving stereotypes used to characterize some bigoted people who called themselves Republican decades ago.

First, all people, young and old, can take heart in the recent accomplishments of the Republican Party of Hawai'i.

Last November, the voters of Hawai'i elected 19 Republicans to the state House (and three to the state Senate).

Here's just a sampling of what the voters received in return:

• The first override of a gubernatorial veto in the state's history and a return of power to the legislative branch.

• The right to privatize public services that will result in significant improvements and efficiencies in the delivery of government services.

• Major civil service reform and vastly better control over the state's employee health care costs.

• Public disclosure — for the first time in the state's history — of the Legislature's "budget books" before the budget process was finalized.

None of these historic changes would have occurred if the voters did not elect 19 Republicans to the state House. But our work is far from over:

We must — and will — reform our schools.

We must — and will — turn our economy around by reducing unreasonable regulations and replacing the negative "better not" attitude prevalent in state government circles with a positive "can do" attitude.

If you are young or old or anywhere in between, join us.

Help us help you make Hawai'i what we all long for: first rate, not last place.

Finally, for an unfortunate and disturbing example of an "ethically challenged" political party sick with corruption, look no further than convicted city councilman, Democrat Andy Mirikitani.