EDITORIAL
Change means little without real specifics

Republican Linda Lingle has been using the word for several years now, primarily to focus on the possibility that government in Hawai'i might "change" from one controlled by Democrats to one that has a Republican in charge.

State Rep. Ed Case used the word to differentiate himself from the style and approach of the Democrats who have held power all these years. It was a good enough signal to propel Case to within a hair's breadth of winning the Democratic primary.

And the winner of that primary, Mazie Hirono, is now using the word in the context of "responsible change." She also reminds voters that the Democrats have brought change, in the form of a better life, to generations of Islanders.

However one cuts it, it is clear that everyone will be running on a platform of change.

But here's the issue: It is easy to define what we will change "from." It will be much harder for the candidates to be clear about what they will change "to."

That is, the voters deserve far more than a promise that things will be done differently around here if Candidate A or Candidate B gets elected. What they will ask for is specifics on how things will be different.

If changes are needed in our public school system, what will they look like in practice and how will we pay for them? Does the system need more money? If so, where will it come from? Is governance of the current statewide system the main problem? If so, what would a new governance system look like and how would the candidate make those changes happen?

If changes to our economy are needed, what are they, specifically? Yes, we need to diversify, but to what? And what, precisely, can a governor (or government) do to diversify the economy?

If resolution is needed on the issue of Hawaiian entitlements and programs and self-determination, where will that resolution come from? How involved should the state government be in these issues, and if it should be involved, what would that involvement look like in practice?

Even in terms of style of administration, the voters will want specifics. The candidates will each promise to bring the best and brightest to the Capitol to work in the next administration. That's expected.

But without naming specific names, what qualities are they looking for in an administration? What skills or talents might now be lacking that the next administration could bring to bear?

You get the picture. We all want change, but it is up to the candidates now to define that change in terms that will paint a lucid, specific picture of what the next state administration will be.