By Jerry Burris
Advertiser Editorial Page Editor

Gov. Ben Cayetano has been making the rounds recently, expressing his displeasure with the 2002 Legislature for its failure — among other things — to fully embrace his prescription for our economic recovery.

"These guys just don't get it," he complains.

Cayetano says that a massive public-works program, focused on rebuilding our education infrastructure, is the key to Hawai'i's short-term and long-term economic recovery.

But lawmakers, he complains, seem fixated with the idea of giving lavish tax credits and help to two old standbys: construction and tourism. Nothing wrong with those two industries, he says, but boosting what is already well-established is hardly new thinking.

The governor is not alone in feeling that the Legislature has once again failed to come up with the next Big Idea. Many critics say all they see is more caution, more of the same old thing.

The criticism may be premature, in that the session is not yet over. And we can't forget that two of the biggest "Big Ideas" of the last session emerged at the final moment: Reform of the public employee health insurance system and opening the way for privatization of state services.

So it's possible that something major looms in a Capitol cloakroom somewhere. One possibility is campaign reform, which appears to have surprising legs this year. Certainly the big-money people who would find themselves restricted by tough new contribution laws are concerned.

While most people want the Legislature to pull off a surprise and pop out a vote-getting, constituent-pleasing Big Idea, there are at least a handful of folks who might be at least half-hoping that nothing will happen and the session will fizzle: Our candidates for governor.

Why would a candidate for governor want the Legislature to go home empty-handed? Simple: It clears the way for them to be the primary purveyor of the next Big Idea.

Think of it. If the Legislature does something sweeping and surprising, then the job of the gubernatorial candidates will be to say "me too," or criticize the idea. Either way, they are followers, not leaders.

But if the Legislature flops, then the candidates have an ideal situation: They have something to run against — the "do nothing" Legislature — and an opportunity to promise big things if they are elected.

There's no incumbent governor to run against this year. And there's not even a proxy incumbent because Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono is running for mayor.

So the next best thing is the Legislature.

Like any citizen, the candidates for governor certainly want their Legislature to do a good job. But as politicians and candidates, they have every reason to hope — at least a bit — that the Legislature will boot it so they can board their white horse and ride to the rescue.

Reach Jerry Burris through letters@honoluluadvertiser.com.