Election Season in the Home Stretch

The election season is rapidly winding down to a huge climax on November 4 when millions of Americans throughout the nation and Hawaii finally cast their ballots for various candidates and issues. Supporters of Mayor Mufi Hannemann and his opponent Councilmember Ann Kobayashi were out in force yesterday sign waving along Bethel Street in Downtown Honolulu hours before a live televised debate was broadcast from the nearby Hawaii Theater on KGMB TV.

Along with the mayoral candidate supporters were sign wavers from both "Stop Rail Now" and "Go Rail Go", two groups dynamically opposed to each other on the thorny and expensive issue of fixed rail transit.

As the election week winds down, most people have probably made up their minds on who they will vote for. This is how I will be voting in this election:

• U.S. President & Vice President - John McCain / Sarah Palin - This goes against the grain of most people in Hawaii, but for me this choice lies mainly in ideology, party loyalty and the fact that this ticket is fiscally as well as more socially conservative. Plus they are pro-life, strong on less taxation, support a strong national defense & security posture and upholding second amendment rights.
• Honolulu Mayor - Ann Kobayashi - I am reluctantly supporting her candidacy over the incumbent. This is a vote against Mufi because I just simply don't like the train. I am not crazy about Ms. Kobayashi's fixed guideway proposal either, but I think she will listen and perhaps be open to other options. She also has the support of the person I wanted for mayor, Dr. Panos Prevedouros.
• City Charter Amendment - Steel Wheel on Steel Rail System - Everyone knows I am an opponent to fixed rail and I will be voting NO on this expensive proposal. Stop Rail Now!
  
• Constitutional Convention - I don't like the cost projections for this as I don't know who to believe. But if we can spend $30 million on convening the Hawaii State Legislature every year, I guess spending $10 million and hopefully not too much more on this will bring needed change and long term savings to taxpayers, responsible fiscal and social policy to the State as they amend the constitution. So for me the Con-Con will be a YES vote.

The outlook for November 4 is quite grim if you are a fiscal and social conservative in Hawaii or anywhere else. I think Barack Obama will probably win the Presidential election which will be a major fiscal and social setback for the nation as we head into the future with his vision of a socialist utopia. It is likely that Mayor Mufi Hannemann will win the his seat again, which will in turn bring us his extremely expensive choo-choo train.

I am not very optismistic about America's future as our nation makes a swing to the left. Our traditional values and freedoms are at stake. Higher taxes and blatant socialism may be in our future. Hold on to your wallets and pray that a miracle will happen to stop all of this. Go out and vote.

Photo captions: Stop Rail Now volunteers and Ann Kobayashi supporters join Mufi sign wavers along Bethel Street in downtown Honolulu yesterday.