2001 was rough for beleaguered Democrats
By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Capitol Bureau Chief
It is difficult to imagine what more could have gone wrong for Hawai'i's Democrats this year.
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Gov. Ben Cayetano, the titular head of the party, brawled with a major chunk of his own political base during the teachers' and university professors' strikes in the spring.
Gov. Ben Cayetano calls on the Legislature to "show something."
Then the Legislature infuriated members of the other public employee unions by passing bills to privatize government services and limit the amount the state will pay for health benefits.
Two well-known Democrats were convicted of crimes. Others got caught up in minor and not-so-minor personal intrigues.
Then came the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, then the war, then the anthrax scares and dengue fever — all combining to clobber Hawai'i's $10 billion tourism industry.
All of these events are shaping the path to the 2002 elections, when the Democrats will confront what appears to be the most organized and energetic Republican Party the state has seen in decades. At stake is almost every major political office in the state, including that of the governor.
"While they're having their own problems, it's coinciding with us having this very cohesive, big buildup," said Hawai'i Republican Party Chairwoman Linda Lingle, who is running for governor. "It's the two things happening at the same time that's going to make our chances so good in 2002."
Cayetano said Democrats in the Legislature are "at risk," and suggested they need some spectacular accomplishment such as an "education Marshall Plan" to stay in power this year.
"These guys don't seem to have a clue, and they've got this session to deliver, because I don't think, if they don't show something this session, that all the 'change' rhetoric is going to make that big of a difference in the campaign," Cayetano said.
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But other Democrats said they don't believe the party is headed for a disaster.
Former state Sen. Marshall Ige is accused of inaccurate campaign spending reports.
Lorriane Akiba, chairwoman of the Hawai'i Democratic Party, said there were positive developments in the past year, including a transition in leadership that elevated her as party leader and ushered younger Democrats into the party.
The terrorist attacks awakened the voters to the importance of "social safety-net issues," such as unemployment benefits, help for out-of-work homeowners, and other social service issues, she said. Hawai'i Democrats excel in those areas and demonstrated strong leadership there, she said.
"People have a renewed sense of looking to government to do what it needs to do in a time of crisis, and the Republicans in fact had the wind knocked out of their sails because they were riding on the anti-government sentiment," she said. The solid showing of Democrats nationally in elections this year was proof of that trend, she said.
The Democratic Party demonstrated surprising creakiness in the 2000 elections, losing the Big Island mayoral race and allowing the state GOP to gain seven seats in the state House.
It was Cayetano who predicted the difficult 2000 election would provide impetus for the party to pull together for 2002.
Five months after Cayetano prescribed unity, his administration was locked in strikes with the teachers and university professors. Any lingering bitterness over the strikes could hurt the Democrats because teachers, in particular, have a history of canvassing neighborhoods and working phone banks in support of Democrats, although the union has endorsed some Republicans.
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Cayetano said the ire of the union members was directed mostly at him, which means little harm will come to Democratic candidates next year. He also said the teachers emerged from the dispute with hefty pay raises, and Cayetano and Akiba said union leaders and members understand it is still the Democrats who are most concerned with the interests of working people.
Former City Councilman Andy Mirikitani was convicted of taking kickbacks from employees.
Joan Husted, executive director of the Hawai'i State Teachers Association, said the political fallout from the strikes landed well outside of the union movement. The public watched the teachers' strike with alarm, and concluded it was proof of "a failure of the powers that be to support public education and their teachers."
Husted said she believes that the Democratic Party is in trouble.
"I think that the Democratic Party, which galvanized this community with very strong leadership and very creative ideas, just seems to have run out of steam," she said. "I haven't heard a creative idea frankly out of either the Republicans or the Democrats."
Husted is convinced that teachers and other voters are hungry for effective solutions to the state's problems and predicted they will vote for anyone in any party who has the goods.
At the Legislature, Democrats in the House and Senate pushed through bills this year to allow privatization of public services and to cap the amount the state will pay for public workers' health benefits, steps that worried other public workers.
Wayne Yamasaki, deputy director of the Hawai'i Government Employees Association, said he doesn't blame the Democratic Party for those measures, but union leaders felt there was a "lack of honest dialogue" between leaders at the Legislature and the unions.
"It seems to us that we were open in our discussions with them, but yet things were done that caught a lot of us off guard and not even aware of what was going on up there," he said. "I think that's basically what has gotten most of us upset about this past session."
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Yamasaki said HGEA will propose amendments next year to make the measures more palatable to the unions, and the union's relationship with Democrats at the Legislature may change depending on the outcome.
Lorriane Akiba says people look to Democrats in times of crisis.
Akiba and some other Democrats take a different view of the Legislature's health fund and privatization bills, arguing they represent progressive and important efforts at government reform.
"It wasn't just listening to one special interest group or another. They tried to field a compromise that addressed government reform issues while also providing a balance there," she said. "Now, not everyone may be happy with those, and they may need further adjustments ... but (the Democrats) were able to look at new solutions."
There were unusual numbers of Democrats accused of ethical violations and two who were convicted in criminal cases in 2001.
Former City Councilman Andy Mirikitani was sentenced to federal prison for taking kickbacks and extorting money from his employees. Former state Sen. Marshall Ige pleaded no contest in March to a misdemeanor charge of filing inaccurate campaign spending reports.
Ige also faces felony theft, money laundering and attempted tax evasion charges in an unrelated case, which is scheduled for trial later.
City Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura called a press conference to admit he lied about whether he had been drinking before he was involved in a hit-and-run accident involving a parked car, although Yoshimura said he had only one drink. State Rep. Nobu Yonamine, D-35th (Pearl City-Pacific Palisades), pleaded guilty to drunken driving.
Councilwoman Rene Mansho paid a $4,000 fine to settle a complaint that she violated state campaign spending laws, and agreed to pay another $40,000 to settle other allegations she violated the city ethics code by misusing her staff and city resources.
Even Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris was dogged for much of the year by a Campaign Spending Commission investigation into donors to his 2000 campaign. The commission found no fault with Harris, but fined several contributors donating more money than the law allows.
None of this reflects badly on the party itself, or will hurt other Democratic candidates, Akiba and Cayetano said.
"It may be a reflection of the individual and some mistakes they made as a human being, but this is not a reflection of the party, and to the extent people have made mistakes or violated the law, as a party we've always taken the position they should be held accountable and be responsible for their actions," Akiba said.
Akiba said there is a the "new generation" of Hawai'i Democratic leaders, including herself, and that will result in more contested primaries. Democratic incumbents who step over the line may find themselves replaced by other Democrats if the voters want a change, she said.
"I guess campaign consultants can put a spin on anything, but ultimately I think Hawai'i's people have the ability to sift through the smoke and mirrors to decide with their hearts and minds which candidates will represent their best interests," Akiba said.
"It's my belief that Hawai'i Democrats have that heart, have that courage and have the vision which Hawai'i's voters will identify with."
Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.
