COMMENTARY
Rebuild trust, leader tells Democrats
By Alex Santiago
The Democratic Party of Hawai'i is alive and well. We are growing, evolving and moving forward. As newly elected chairman of this great and proud political party, I look forward to working with other Democrats to meet the many challenges ahead.
No question we have suffered some major setbacks in recent years. But the future of our party is what we must focus on today. By doing so, we will also be focusing on the future of Hawai'i and all of its people. We will be building on our strengths, traditions and accomplishments while focusing on future goals.
SANTIAGO
We still believe that most of the people of Hawai'i are Democrats at heart. It is up to us now to galvanize and recapture that spirit.
I must admit to some apprehension when I contemplated reentering the political arena after having retired from an elected post as state representative for O'ahu's North Shore district. Certainly, I was aware of the many problems we faced (and are facing) as a party in this time of historic changes at the local as well as national and international level.
More important, however, I felt a sense of responsibility that is shared by many Democrats to serve and contribute to rebuilding this great party. We share a sense of obligation to work within our party structure to make it stronger, rather than change to another party, as some have chosen to do.
In taking on this challenge, we see a tremendous opportunity to serve as a bridge to redefine our party and become more relevant to the people of Hawai'i and future generations.
There is no doubt that times are changing and that our party also must change, including how we relate to the public and our members. We must learn to listen better and reconnect again with the people.
We are therefore recommitting our energies to the grassroots efforts that served us so well in the past. We are also committed to putting to rest the notion that an entrenched political machine controls candidates and supporters. There is no machine. Today there are only committed people wanting to contribute to making Hawai'i a better place for themselves, their families and all the people who live in this great state.
We also face the challenge of demonstrating the relevance of the Democratic party to our longtime members and new generations of Democrats, as well as to our business community, organized labor and even some of the elected officials who are the standard bearers of the party's ideology.
While some have retreated from involvement, I am convinced we can reconnect with our traditional constituencies and emerge stronger than ever. To do so, we must once again define and clearly communicate our values and our selves. We must regain the trust of the people of Hawai'i and overcome the negative image some associate with the Democratic party because of the behavior of some high-profile elected officials. The integrity of the party is, and shall remain, intact.
As we do these things, however, we also will remember to hold firm to our commitment to put people first. This philosophical cornerstone and all that it stands for must remain unchanged.
As we move forward to face the many challenges that lie ahead, we will remember those things, good and bad, that have contributed to our development.
The Democratic Party is growing, evolving and very much alive. We are committed to creating a better Hawai'i and look forward to productive dialogue with the people of our state. I am proud of the accomplishments of the Democratic Party, and I am proud to be a Democrat.
Alex Santiago is chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i.
