Marshall responds to Janice

Aloha Janice,
You make many valid points about our county government and solutions. I
believe that we are building the Tower of Babel in many discussions on the topic.
My personal opinion (from the idiot who backed the present D7,8,9 candidates
and is doomed to eternal hell) is that there are two separate issues/discussions
that get lumped in error . The first is the unfairness and often incompetence of
county government to provide for the welfare and public safety outside of Hilo.
I agree completely that part of the solution to this is to get better candidates,
and await the decade when gerrymandering can no longer let the Hilo bloc
rule as they wish.
But there is a second point, and this idiot believes that this is the only point
on which political subdivision should be debated: Is Hawaii county too large
geographically to be efficiently governed from a single county seat with members
who live 100 miles or more from the locations they govern, even if 9 Mother Teresas were
on council and Ghandi were mayor?? In this context, is
a suggestion to make smaller political divisions a 'haole' concept? I have been
to Asia,Africa, Oceania, Europe. They all make political subdivisions for government. The old Soviet Union was centralized, and this was the reason for
disintegration, revealing a group of nations 50 years behind the times. Political
subdivision for responsiveness to local needs is an international reality going
back hundreds of years, and across all ethnic groups.It should not be viewed as
shocking or revolutionary-nor attributed to a single ethnic/cultural group.Common
sense and practicality is international.
The continental US does not consist of DC period. There are states, counties,
cities and villages with governing authority. Yes, people have family spread in
many states, yet they are still family, don't fight each other because of county
or state of residence, and most all who are citizens still consider themselves
to be US citizens- even if, you'll forgive the vulgarity, they live in Texas. If smaller
political divisions were made in Hi. county- two or more counties, or a single county government with incorporation of districts with some governing authority- the political
lines would not cause the island to split along these lines and drift into the Pacific,
each division in a different direction. Families would drive from one division to another
never noticing, unless a district line sign happened to be posted along the highway.
The Hilo people would be happy not having to listen to the whining of the west Hi.
folk, and much friendlier interisland relations might result. We would all still be Hawaii
state residents, and US citizens. All those 'Hawaii County' tee shirts might need revision,
but we could face that.
My expectation is that you will be completely vindicated on your comments on participation: we'll have an endless line ready to complain, very few willing to work.
Maybe we can get Mr. Abramoff to come give us some pointers! Short term, I agree
with you- we really need to try to get candidates in D7,8,9 (and 1) who will vote
according to campaign stands and intelligently.
Take these comments with a grain of salt- this guy backed D7,8,9 council members
(any forgiveness for wisdom in backing Gimpel and Jacobson as well?)
Best wishes for the new year- Marshall