Thursday, March 28, 2024
More
    Home Blog Page 1934

    Democrats Prove They Have No Intention of Meeting Public's Mandate for Change-Opening Day Promises Ring Hallow

    0

    “Malia Lt Blue top Image”

    Opening day of the 2003 Hawaii Legislative session, Democrat leaders in the House and Senate, taking a page from Republican Gov. Linda Lingle’s 2002 campaign for governor, called for “change” and “a new beginning.”

    House Majority Leader Scott Saiki in his speech claimed Democrats running for office in 2002 had walked hundreds of miles and talked to thousands of constituents who said they wanted “change.”

    “We get it,” Saiki adamantly repeated as he called for reform in campaign spending laws, a more honest government and a stronger public school system.

    House Speaker Calvin Say also called for “change,” and said the days of asking “what’s in it for me” are over. He presented the House’s 15 Republican and 36 Democrat members with a gift — a bamboo shoot — symbolizing “what they could accomplish together.”

    “The bamboo plant is an ancient Chinese symbol of strength and good fortune. The empty center of the stem represents a virtuous person with an open mind. The bamboo thrives because it is flexible. I hope we can be like this too — flexible, but strong,” Say said. Flexible, strong, open-minded, he said.

    Across the Capitol in the Senate, Democrat Senate Pres. Robert Bunda talked of building a “stronger, more prosperous community.”

    “We must be bold, we shouldn’t be afraid to offer proposals that may seem too daring or far-reaching. We mustn’t hesitate to share ideas, to suggest the seemingly impossible, to resurrect discarded notions, or to seek new ways of doing what we’ve always done. I would argue that it’s our obligation as legislators to do so, and I know the Senate, with the decisive leadership of our committee chairs, will be at the forefront of these efforts,” Bunda said. He stunned his audience and fellow Democrats when he proposed resurrecting the dead and discredited fixed rail transit proposal.

    They each pledged to find a way to work together with Lingle, the first Republican governor in 40 years and the first-ever woman in that office.

    So far this session, these words from the state’s Democrat lawmakers have echoed hollowly throughout the state Capitol.

    Yesterday, during the second crossover or exchange of bills from one House to the other, they proved they did not mean a word they said Jan. 15, 2003, opening day of the session, possibly with the exception of the hostile anti-Bush, anti-Republican remarks Say made near the end of his speech, when he used the same old tired argument, pointing to the Republicans as only helping the “very rich.” This followed Say’s statement that he was not concerned Lingle was a Republican.

    In fact, the majority of Democrats through their votes, floor speeches and endorsement of bills, proved once again they have no new ideas or lack the courage to act on them, and that they do not truly want to help the economy or the business community, reform education or close campaign finance legal loopholes that allow rampant and wide-spread abuse by politicians wanting contributions and businesses seeking government permits and contracts.

    They proved they have no understanding of the free-market, how business works, how prosperity is created, how people are raised out of poverty instead of becoming more reliant on government subsidies, and how to fix the economy they say they so desperately want to improve.

    Bunda so much as admitted this when almost bewildered he said in his speech that “we are facing the same fiscal realities that have dogged us for so long.”

    ”Improving The Economy”

    Rather than helping to free business people, the creators of wealth, of burdensome regulations, taxes and mandates — the triangle that strangles business and gives Hawaii the worst-in-the-nation business climate ratings — Democrat legislators predictably are making the situation much, much worse by proposing to substantially raise taxes and attempting to add mandates and regulations.

    In the Senate, Democrats, with a few exceptions, voted to raise Hawaii’s taxes by $430 million through three proposals, including a 12.5 percent increase in the general excise tax ($180 million); a 7-year plan that imposes a monthly tax on anyone with business interests, land ownership or residency in Hawaii to fund a socialist long-term care government fund ($100 million +); and to give the Honolulu City & County the right to tax anyone purchasing goods on Oahu an additional 1 percent sales tax in addition to the 4.5 percent general excise tax they increased ($120 million).

    Sen. Gary Hooser, D-Kauai, who touts the fact that he is a small business owner with 14 employees, praised the general excise tax increase, which will result in $180 million more in tax revenues, $120 million Democrat senators promise will be used to fund the education system. Hooser said the money is needed to fund the education system and anyone not supporting the increase is turning their back on the children of Hawaii.

    “Some of us are saying education is not a priority,” he said while glaring at the Republican minority next to him who voted against the general excise tax increase. “Yes it will raise the cost of living, but businesses will not flee our shores and the economy will improve just like it always does. I wish we were not raising taxes, but the alternatives are worse.”

    Sen. Sam Slom, a Republican representing the East Oahu district, who also is president of the small business advocacy organization, Small Business Hawaii, says Hooser is dead wrong. Businesses have fled the shores and the economy has not improved for more than a decade, Slom says.

    “For three straight years we led the nation in bankruptcies, and not a day goes by that we don’t read or hear about a benchmark family business being forced to shut down because of the high cost of taxes, mandates, regulations or a combination of all three,” Slom says.

    And not only have the businesses fled, other business owners and investors considering starting a business in Hawaii won’t come to the state because the business climate is so bad and the education system is so poorly managed, something Slom says will not be fixed with more money, rather decentralization, more power to parents and teachers and better management.

    “The very people that will be hurt by this tax increase will be the children, something Sen. Hooser certainly does not understand,” Slom says.

    Hooser claimed ignorantly on the Senate floor that the general excise tax increase will add just 2 cents to every plate lunch and arrogantly claimed the increase will have little impact on the people of Hawaii, except the rich people who he says are buying Lexus cars and who are complaining most about the $250 he estimates will be attached to the purchase of such a luxury automobile.

    Lowell Kalapa, president of the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, also says Hooser is dead wrong in his assessment of the impact of the tax increase. The poor and the economy will be hurt by this general excise tax increase, and the impact of the tax will be much higher than just 2 cents on a plate lunch, Kalapa says.

    Kalapa says Hooser is taking a micro rather than macro view of the economy — seeing just the money the government will get, rather than the $180 million that will be sucked out of the economy.

    He says the tax will hurt the poor the most. “Any transaction tax is a regressive tax and hurts the poor the most because they spend almost 100 percent of their budget on food and rent, while for the

    Democrats Prove They Have No Intention of Meeting Public’s Mandate for Change-Opening Day Promises Ring Hallow

    0

    “Malia Lt Blue top Image”

    Opening day of the 2003 Hawaii Legislative session, Democrat leaders in the House and Senate, taking a page from Republican Gov. Linda Lingle’s 2002 campaign for governor, called for “change” and “a new beginning.”

    House Majority Leader Scott Saiki in his speech claimed Democrats running for office in 2002 had walked hundreds of miles and talked to thousands of constituents who said they wanted “change.”

    “We get it,” Saiki adamantly repeated as he called for reform in campaign spending laws, a more honest government and a stronger public school system.

    House Speaker Calvin Say also called for “change,” and said the days of asking “what’s in it for me” are over. He presented the House’s 15 Republican and 36 Democrat members with a gift — a bamboo shoot — symbolizing “what they could accomplish together.”

    “The bamboo plant is an ancient Chinese symbol of strength and good fortune. The empty center of the stem represents a virtuous person with an open mind. The bamboo thrives because it is flexible. I hope we can be like this too — flexible, but strong,” Say said. Flexible, strong, open-minded, he said.

    Across the Capitol in the Senate, Democrat Senate Pres. Robert Bunda talked of building a “stronger, more prosperous community.”

    “We must be bold, we shouldn’t be afraid to offer proposals that may seem too daring or far-reaching. We mustn’t hesitate to share ideas, to suggest the seemingly impossible, to resurrect discarded notions, or to seek new ways of doing what we’ve always done. I would argue that it’s our obligation as legislators to do so, and I know the Senate, with the decisive leadership of our committee chairs, will be at the forefront of these efforts,” Bunda said. He stunned his audience and fellow Democrats when he proposed resurrecting the dead and discredited fixed rail transit proposal.

    They each pledged to find a way to work together with Lingle, the first Republican governor in 40 years and the first-ever woman in that office.

    So far this session, these words from the state’s Democrat lawmakers have echoed hollowly throughout the state Capitol.

    Yesterday, during the second crossover or exchange of bills from one House to the other, they proved they did not mean a word they said Jan. 15, 2003, opening day of the session, possibly with the exception of the hostile anti-Bush, anti-Republican remarks Say made near the end of his speech, when he used the same old tired argument, pointing to the Republicans as only helping the “very rich.” This followed Say’s statement that he was not concerned Lingle was a Republican.

    In fact, the majority of Democrats through their votes, floor speeches and endorsement of bills, proved once again they have no new ideas or lack the courage to act on them, and that they do not truly want to help the economy or the business community, reform education or close campaign finance legal loopholes that allow rampant and wide-spread abuse by politicians wanting contributions and businesses seeking government permits and contracts.

    They proved they have no understanding of the free-market, how business works, how prosperity is created, how people are raised out of poverty instead of becoming more reliant on government subsidies, and how to fix the economy they say they so desperately want to improve.

    Bunda so much as admitted this when almost bewildered he said in his speech that “we are facing the same fiscal realities that have dogged us for so long.”

    ”Improving The Economy”

    Rather than helping to free business people, the creators of wealth, of burdensome regulations, taxes and mandates — the triangle that strangles business and gives Hawaii the worst-in-the-nation business climate ratings — Democrat legislators predictably are making the situation much, much worse by proposing to substantially raise taxes and attempting to add mandates and regulations.

    In the Senate, Democrats, with a few exceptions, voted to raise Hawaii’s taxes by $430 million through three proposals, including a 12.5 percent increase in the general excise tax ($180 million); a 7-year plan that imposes a monthly tax on anyone with business interests, land ownership or residency in Hawaii to fund a socialist long-term care government fund ($100 million +); and to give the Honolulu City & County the right to tax anyone purchasing goods on Oahu an additional 1 percent sales tax in addition to the 4.5 percent general excise tax they increased ($120 million).

    Sen. Gary Hooser, D-Kauai, who touts the fact that he is a small business owner with 14 employees, praised the general excise tax increase, which will result in $180 million more in tax revenues, $120 million Democrat senators promise will be used to fund the education system. Hooser said the money is needed to fund the education system and anyone not supporting the increase is turning their back on the children of Hawaii.

    “Some of us are saying education is not a priority,” he said while glaring at the Republican minority next to him who voted against the general excise tax increase. “Yes it will raise the cost of living, but businesses will not flee our shores and the economy will improve just like it always does. I wish we were not raising taxes, but the alternatives are worse.”

    Sen. Sam Slom, a Republican representing the East Oahu district, who also is president of the small business advocacy organization, Small Business Hawaii, says Hooser is dead wrong. Businesses have fled the shores and the economy has not improved for more than a decade, Slom says.

    “For three straight years we led the nation in bankruptcies, and not a day goes by that we don’t read or hear about a benchmark family business being forced to shut down because of the high cost of taxes, mandates, regulations or a combination of all three,” Slom says.

    And not only have the businesses fled, other business owners and investors considering starting a business in Hawaii won’t come to the state because the business climate is so bad and the education system is so poorly managed, something Slom says will not be fixed with more money, rather decentralization, more power to parents and teachers and better management.

    “The very people that will be hurt by this tax increase will be the children, something Sen. Hooser certainly does not understand,” Slom says.

    Hooser claimed ignorantly on the Senate floor that the general excise tax increase will add just 2 cents to every plate lunch and arrogantly claimed the increase will have little impact on the people of Hawaii, except the rich people who he says are buying Lexus cars and who are complaining most about the $250 he estimates will be attached to the purchase of such a luxury automobile.

    Lowell Kalapa, president of the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, also says Hooser is dead wrong in his assessment of the impact of the tax increase. The poor and the economy will be hurt by this general excise tax increase, and the impact of the tax will be much higher than just 2 cents on a plate lunch, Kalapa says.

    Kalapa says Hooser is taking a micro rather than macro view of the economy — seeing just the money the government will get, rather than the $180 million that will be sucked out of the economy.

    He says the tax will hurt the poor the most. “Any transaction tax is a regressive tax and hurts the poor the most because they spend almost 100 percent of their budget on food and rent, while for the

    The Hijacking of 'Aloha'-Saddam Hussein Does Not Deserve To Have Good Will of Hawaii's People, Legislature

    “David A. Pendleton Image”

    Recently the majority party in the Hawaii state House of Representatives passed House Resolution 164, House Draft 1, “reaffirming the value and meaning of aloha in the face of Military action against Iraq.”

    The word “aloha” has a great variety of meanings, and I deeply believe in the value and meaning of aloha.

    I also know what aloha does not mean. Aloha does not mean standing by idly in the face of evil, acting passively when the defenseless need defense, or doing nothing when action and intervention are essential.

    Unfortunately, Democrats in the House chose to use the word aloha as part of their political ploy to make a pacifist statement about the war and to condemn those who support military intervention.

    The House Resolution says that “the history of Hawaii is replete with examples of courageous leaders who overcame the temptation to engage in war

    The Hijacking of ‘Aloha’-Saddam Hussein Does Not Deserve To Have Good Will of Hawaii’s People, Legislature

    “David A. Pendleton Image”

    Recently the majority party in the Hawaii state House of Representatives passed House Resolution 164, House Draft 1, “reaffirming the value and meaning of aloha in the face of Military action against Iraq.”

    The word “aloha” has a great variety of meanings, and I deeply believe in the value and meaning of aloha.

    I also know what aloha does not mean. Aloha does not mean standing by idly in the face of evil, acting passively when the defenseless need defense, or doing nothing when action and intervention are essential.

    Unfortunately, Democrats in the House chose to use the word aloha as part of their political ploy to make a pacifist statement about the war and to condemn those who support military intervention.

    The House Resolution says that “the history of Hawaii is replete with examples of courageous leaders who overcame the temptation to engage in war

    Government Should Act Like The Rest of Us – Cut Spending When Times are Tough

    0

    “Dick Rowland Image”

    When a business or a family gets into financial difficulty, the typical reaction is to cut spending. Then, if income still fails to meet expenses and there is property owned, the obvious solution is to sell or mortgage said property. Such happens all the time.

    Not our governments. The State and City/County governments are all hurting. Each of them owns underutilized or even unproductive property in vast amounts. But do they put it on the market? No. They want to raise your taxes. They bought the property with your (or your parents) money. Now they are broke and they want to raise your taxes to keep it.

    Reason Foundation Policy Study #303, March 2003 “Tapping Public Assets: Frequently Asked Questions about Selling or Leasing Infrastructure Assets” has just been released. You or your legislator can get it at https://www.rppi.org

    Remember, an increase in taxes is the same as a cut in pay. Tell them to sell something before they punish you further.

    ”’Richard O. Rowland is president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii and can be reached at:”’ mailto:grassroot@hawaii.rr.com

    Joe Bob's America: Job Wanted, Jihad-ready

    NEW YORK, April 7 (UPI) —

    Dear Potential Employer:

    I’m looking for new challenges after spending the last 10 years in a high-profile public relations position with an international celebrity. (I would prefer that you don’t contact him at the present time, as he doesn’t know I’m considering a new situation.)

    I’ve collaborated with some of the world’s most expert makeover artists and special effects makeup personnel to create Disneyworld-quality theatrical illusions, most often working with a paintbrush mustache, thick Groucho Marx eyebrows, a black beret, and khaki uniform with yellow epaulets. As you can imagine, I know how to turn heads!

    At present I specialize in Third World military dictators, but my extensive experience in street theater has made me adaptable to any situation or character. Vast crowds have wept at my ability to command attention and hold it. I have no doubt that, with the right promoter, we could capitalize on this by perhaps passing a hat or asking for donations prior to my big finale, which my writers refer to as the “Call to Jihad.”

    Ideally I would like to relocate to a country with a tradition of sidewalk drama — perhaps Washington Square in New York City, or Trafalgar Square in London — as I have recently become overexposed to the public in my home country. However, I would also consider a staff position with a novelty talent agency. I’m very good with children, having worked many parties at the finest madrassas.

    Despite my vast experience, I’m willing to accept an entry-level position and “pay my dues,” as the dues in most Western countries with a tradition of performance art are less costly than the dues I have already paid here. I would be ideal as a “greeter” at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, for example, as the Baghdad and Mesopotamian themes are very familiar to me, and I would be able to give the gamblers an effortlessly authentic feeling of what it is like to actually enter Baghdad and be hailed by a military viewing stand. I am checked out on an AK-47 and side arms and could double as casino security if need be.

    My work over the past decade has left me ample free time to develop other characters, as well as a one-man show I call “Meet the Boss!” in which I perform letter-perfect speeches of famous strongmen throughout history. My Ivan the Terrible features an Old Russian accent, and my Fidel Castro can be done in either English, Spanish, Arabic or a trilingual version for advanced university students.

    Because of restrictive “non-compete” contractual arrangements, my stage work has been in abeyance for the past few years, but in my youth I was a second male lead at several of the most prominent theaters in Assyria, the Levant, and the Hejaz, as well as an innovative fringe theater in Damascus. I was singled out for my Laertes at the Ben al Birra oasis in Arabia, where several critics said I should be awarded the seasonal goat. (Alas, it went to my colleague Ali el-Sharif, whose Polonius was a bit too broad for my taste.)

    Unfortunately, at a certain point in my career, I became typecast. As you know, we live in a youth culture, and once I was perceived by casting directors as suitable for middle-aged character work only, I had trouble getting them to put aside prejudice and understand that much of my preparation had in fact made me ideal for Beckett, Ionesco, Sartre and the other exemplars of existential theater, as I had internalized the ability to portray meaninglessness and ennui in any theatrical environment.

    I had the secondary disadvantage of being, at an early age, earmarked for antagonist, heavy, or so-called “bad guy” portrayals, which I attribute to short-sighted views of actors who appear mainly in military garb. A more broadminded appraisal of my work would reveal that I am equally suited for benevolence, and would in fact be able to essay a department-store Santa Claus with only slight adjustments to my midriff. When you review my portfolio, please note the crinkly eyes.

    This is not to say that I would refuse roles assumed to be stereotypically totalitarian. I am a workhorse and a trouper, and would welcome the occasional prison warden or crazed terrorist portrayal. What I’m saying, though, is that, having conquered this area of the arts, I would like to expand into, at the very least, disreputable leads — something along the lines of Iago or Scrooge. (I would prefer not to attempt Shylock at this point, however.)

    In other words, I’m ready to cross new frontiers. Preferably I would begin with the Syrian frontier, as I need to stop in Damascus to acquire new headshots and to update my resume. Your help in acquiring the necessary visas would also be appreciated, although I have access to several passports which display a variety of dramatis personae.

    In short, I’m a versatile non-union performer who has appeared before millions and simply needs the right agent to take advantage of my unique background. I’m willing to relocate any time within the next 24 hours.

    Thanking you in advance …

    ”’Joe Bob Briggs writes a number of columns for UPI and may be contacted at:”’ mailto:joebob@upi.com ”’or through his Web site at:”’ https://www.joebobbriggs.com ”’Snail mail: P.O. Box 2002, Dallas, Texas, 75221.”’

    Copyright 2003 by United Press International. All rights reserved.

    Joe Bob’s America: Job Wanted, Jihad-ready

    NEW YORK, April 7 (UPI) —

    Dear Potential Employer:

    I’m looking for new challenges after spending the last 10 years in a high-profile public relations position with an international celebrity. (I would prefer that you don’t contact him at the present time, as he doesn’t know I’m considering a new situation.)

    I’ve collaborated with some of the world’s most expert makeover artists and special effects makeup personnel to create Disneyworld-quality theatrical illusions, most often working with a paintbrush mustache, thick Groucho Marx eyebrows, a black beret, and khaki uniform with yellow epaulets. As you can imagine, I know how to turn heads!

    At present I specialize in Third World military dictators, but my extensive experience in street theater has made me adaptable to any situation or character. Vast crowds have wept at my ability to command attention and hold it. I have no doubt that, with the right promoter, we could capitalize on this by perhaps passing a hat or asking for donations prior to my big finale, which my writers refer to as the “Call to Jihad.”

    Ideally I would like to relocate to a country with a tradition of sidewalk drama — perhaps Washington Square in New York City, or Trafalgar Square in London — as I have recently become overexposed to the public in my home country. However, I would also consider a staff position with a novelty talent agency. I’m very good with children, having worked many parties at the finest madrassas.

    Despite my vast experience, I’m willing to accept an entry-level position and “pay my dues,” as the dues in most Western countries with a tradition of performance art are less costly than the dues I have already paid here. I would be ideal as a “greeter” at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, for example, as the Baghdad and Mesopotamian themes are very familiar to me, and I would be able to give the gamblers an effortlessly authentic feeling of what it is like to actually enter Baghdad and be hailed by a military viewing stand. I am checked out on an AK-47 and side arms and could double as casino security if need be.

    My work over the past decade has left me ample free time to develop other characters, as well as a one-man show I call “Meet the Boss!” in which I perform letter-perfect speeches of famous strongmen throughout history. My Ivan the Terrible features an Old Russian accent, and my Fidel Castro can be done in either English, Spanish, Arabic or a trilingual version for advanced university students.

    Because of restrictive “non-compete” contractual arrangements, my stage work has been in abeyance for the past few years, but in my youth I was a second male lead at several of the most prominent theaters in Assyria, the Levant, and the Hejaz, as well as an innovative fringe theater in Damascus. I was singled out for my Laertes at the Ben al Birra oasis in Arabia, where several critics said I should be awarded the seasonal goat. (Alas, it went to my colleague Ali el-Sharif, whose Polonius was a bit too broad for my taste.)

    Unfortunately, at a certain point in my career, I became typecast. As you know, we live in a youth culture, and once I was perceived by casting directors as suitable for middle-aged character work only, I had trouble getting them to put aside prejudice and understand that much of my preparation had in fact made me ideal for Beckett, Ionesco, Sartre and the other exemplars of existential theater, as I had internalized the ability to portray meaninglessness and ennui in any theatrical environment.

    I had the secondary disadvantage of being, at an early age, earmarked for antagonist, heavy, or so-called “bad guy” portrayals, which I attribute to short-sighted views of actors who appear mainly in military garb. A more broadminded appraisal of my work would reveal that I am equally suited for benevolence, and would in fact be able to essay a department-store Santa Claus with only slight adjustments to my midriff. When you review my portfolio, please note the crinkly eyes.

    This is not to say that I would refuse roles assumed to be stereotypically totalitarian. I am a workhorse and a trouper, and would welcome the occasional prison warden or crazed terrorist portrayal. What I’m saying, though, is that, having conquered this area of the arts, I would like to expand into, at the very least, disreputable leads — something along the lines of Iago or Scrooge. (I would prefer not to attempt Shylock at this point, however.)

    In other words, I’m ready to cross new frontiers. Preferably I would begin with the Syrian frontier, as I need to stop in Damascus to acquire new headshots and to update my resume. Your help in acquiring the necessary visas would also be appreciated, although I have access to several passports which display a variety of dramatis personae.

    In short, I’m a versatile non-union performer who has appeared before millions and simply needs the right agent to take advantage of my unique background. I’m willing to relocate any time within the next 24 hours.

    Thanking you in advance …

    ”’Joe Bob Briggs writes a number of columns for UPI and may be contacted at:”’ mailto:joebob@upi.com ”’or through his Web site at:”’ https://www.joebobbriggs.com ”’Snail mail: P.O. Box 2002, Dallas, Texas, 75221.”’

    Copyright 2003 by United Press International. All rights reserved.

    Watergate Files go to University of Texas

    0

    AUSTIN, Texas, April 7 (UPI) — The University of Texas announced Monday it has acquired the Watergate papers of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein with $5 million in private donations.

    Under the agreement, most of the archive will be available to the public within 11 months, with a limited number of items remaining sealed until the deaths of sources, such as those that might identify “Deep Throat.”

    “Deep Throat” was a key source inside the Nixon Administration used by Woodward and Bernstein. They were the first reporters to link a 1972 break-in at Democratic National Headquarters and the Nixon White House.

    The Woodward-Bernstein Watergate Archive will be established UT’s Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center in Austin. The center already contains the collections of some of the 20th Century’s most famous writers, including Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Evelyn Waugh and Graham Greene.

    Woodward and Bernstein are creating a $500,000 endowment to enhance the study of Watergate, journalistic ethics and the contents of the archive, which in raw form fills more than 75 file-drawer-sized boxes.

    UT President Larry Faulkner thanked the foundations and individuals who put up the $5 million to preserve what he called “an American historical treasure” and he vowed to protect the confidential sources as outlined in the agreement that took more than a year to negotiate.

    “Through the very principle of this acquisition, we affirm the importance of the essential practices of a free press, particularly the protection of sources, to a constitutional society. We also affirm the central importance of ethical leadership,” he said. “Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein have taught more than one generation already, and through their lasting tie with The University of Texas at Austin, will teach generations more.”

    More than three decades have passed since the Watergate reporting, which at its outset was attacked by the Nixon White House and even other journalists. This was one of the reasons Woodward and Bernstein wanted to open their files.

    “We felt it is finally time to make the basis of our work available to everyone,” Bernstein said. “Our partnership with the university will allow most of the material to be made public within a year.”

    Woodward noted, “Our Watergate reporting for the Post, and our two books, were the subject of substantial controversy at the time. Over the last three decades the emergence of the historical record has demonstrated the validity of our work, but not always what it was based on. A full disclosure of all our files and material will add to the understanding of the Watergate era and help pinpoint how we were able to obtain information and who precisely helped us.”

    Woodward said the Ransom Center will ensure that the full record will eventually be available “while guaranteeing that the pledge of confidentiality to sources will be maintained throughout the lifetime of those sources.”

    The reporting of Woodward and Bernstein helped earn The Washington Post the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.

    The $5 million purchase was made possible through private gifts from foundations and individuals. They included the Cain Foundation, the Hobby Foundation, the Knight Foundation, the RGK Foundation, the Meadows Foundation and Lynn T. and Russell E. Dealey, Christopher Harte, Lee and Joe Jamail, Audre and Bernard Rapoport, and Judy and Charles Tate.

    Copyright 2003 by United Press International. All rights reserved.

    Grassroot Perspective – April 9, 2003-Antitrust: The Case for Repeal; Why Do We Regulate Insurance?; Observations on Russia; Role of Religion in Early Business Solutions

    0

    “Dick Rowland Image”

    ”Shoots (News, Views and Quotes)”

    – Antitrust: The Case for Repeal

    By Robert A. Levy

    Cato Institute

    Issue: February 2003

    More than 30 years ago, Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan
    described U.S. antitrust laws as a “jumble of economic irrationality and
    ignorance.” That assessment is especially applicable to today’s
    information-driven, high-tech economy. CONTACT: Cato Institute, 1000
    Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20001, 202/842-0200, fax
    202/842-3490, https://www.cato.org

    – Why Do We Regulate Insurance?

    By Wayne T. Brough, Ph.D.

    Citizens for a Sound Economy

    Issue: February 2003

    With technology and the marketplace in a state of flux, regulators are
    re-evaluating the role of prior approval regulation. These efforts
    should be encouraged; replacing the current system with a more
    competitive system adds the flexibility necessary to respond to changing
    market conditions and provide consumers better services at better
    prices. CONTACT: Citizens for a Sound Economy, 1900 M Street NW, Suite
    500, Washington, DC 20036, 202/783-3870, fax 202/783-4687, email
    cse@cse.org, https://www.cse.org

    Above articles are quoted from the Heritage Foundation, The Insider
    2/2003, https://www.heritage.org

    – Below is a letter to the editor of the Hawaii Tribune Herald submitted
    by our friend Bill Hastings. It speaks for itself. And yes, Robert
    Hastings is aka Bill Hastings.

    Dear Editor:

    My friend, Ed Clark, writes (April 3), “We come from different
    cultures. …” After reading his letter, I concluded we must live in
    parallel universes. I would like to respond to a few of his comments.
    He blames the Bush administration for creating our current economic
    problems. I remember distinctly the comments of some of the pundits
    during those long weeks of November 2000 while we awaited the conclusion
    of the Presidential election. Several said, “Whoever wins may be sorry,
    as he will be blamed for the coming economic problems.” The downward
    economic trend was apparent by the time Bush took office — he didn’t
    create it. His administration was hardly responsible for the Enron and
    Worldcom debacles. The corporate accounting fiascos that came to light
    early in his administration largely occurred before Bush took office.

    Ed writes: “We continue to lose as the wealth of this nation is
    transferred from public to corporate control . . . .” Am I missing
    something here? Since when has the wealth of this nation been under
    public control? Some might wish it so; but last I checked, we still, by
    and large, believed in private property and a free enterprise system.

    “Tax money of the working poor is bestowed upon the least in
    need”? The working poor don’t pay federal income tax — only their
    contributions toward their own social security and Medicare benefits.
    The bottom half of all taxpayers only pay about 5 percent of the total federal
    income tax collected. That ought to pretty well cover the “working
    poor.”

    Ed and others have complained that the feds are not making
    sufficient funds available to the states to fund state programs. This
    is used also as an argument against the proposed federal income tax
    cuts. I don’t get it. If the IRS takes less in income tax from us,
    doesn’t that leave us more money with which to pay state taxes? Since
    when is it the responsibility of the federal government to raise state
    revenues? Or maybe the state Legislatures prefer to ask Uncle Sam for
    money rather than justify raising taxes from their constituents. In the
    end, whether we pay it to Washington or to Honolulu, it all comes out of
    the same pockets.

    Ed complains that we haven’t been told what the war in Iraq will
    cost. Would he decide whether and when to fight based upon the budget? I guess we could then afford a cheap war, but not a more expensive one. Interesting concept. I rather thought we went to war when we couldn’t
    afford not to — and not necessarily in terms of dollars.

    Finally, Ed complains that the “government is unwilling to hear
    the pleas of the people.” I find it refreshing that we have an
    administration that leads. And while Bush may be ignoring some pleas,
    he does seem to have the support of a substantial majority. It’s hard
    to be in the minority. I know. I was there for a long time.
    Sincerely,

    Robert Hastings

    Kamuela, HI, 885-6842

    ”Roots (Food for Thought)”

    – Observations on Russia

    Perspectives on Liberty

    By Jon Utley, Atlas Senior Fellow

    In Russia, believers in free markets are called “liberals,” in the
    European sense of the word, and supply-siders are called
    “ultra-liberals.” Many of the “ultras” sprung from a key group of 18
    young economists who visited Chile in 1992 to learn from those who
    implemented that country’s successful free market reforms of the 1980s.
    Interestingly, it was at an Atlas workshop in Munich in September 1990
    that Vitali Naishul (Institute for the Study of Russian Economy) was
    introduced to a number of Chileans and other Latin Americans that
    resulted in this meeting. My trip to Moscow last December, organized
    with the assistance of Boris Lvin, Senior Advisor to Russia’s Executive
    Director at the World Bank and a long time Atlas ally, is part of
    Atlas’s continuing efforts to build links with advocates of free markets
    and the rule of law in Russia, and to emphasize the helpful role that
    can be played by public policy institutes.

    Organizations of Note

    There are several new and existing organizations doing fine work in
    Russia to spread market-oriented ideas. Through Vadim Novikov, a Russian
    student who visited Atlas last October, I met Alexander Kouryaev, an
    important publisher and distributor of freedom books in Russia. Kouryaev
    also translated Ludwig von Mises’ Human Action. With Novikov, he is
    working now to found a new Mises Institute in Moscow. Another important
    figure in the Russian free market scene is Yevgueny Volk, the Heritage
    Foundation’s representative there, who was a speaker at Atlas’s 2nd
    Annual Liberty Forum last year. Volk, together with other key Russians,
    has founded the Friedrich von Hayek Institute (www.hayek.ru) in Moscow,
    which will disseminate and promote Hayek’s ideas in Russia and perform
    research in the theory and practice of neoliberal policies, a free
    market economy and the rule of law. Other leading Russian free marketers
    whom I visited included Yuri Kuznetsov who has written for Mises
    Institute (Alabama) and has translated works of Murray Rothbard and Hans
    Hoppe. Another important group that I contacted was the Moscow Public
    Science Foundation (www.mpsf.org), which supports new think tanks as
    well as publishing economic studies. I also had the opportunity to
    attend a ceremony with top Jon Utley is pictured with Alexander
    Kouryaev, who holds his translation of Mises’ Human Action.

    Russian officials and scientists at the Russian Academy of Sciences
    giving an honorary membership to Congressman Curt Weldon (R-Pa). Mr.
    Weldon spoke about his many friends and visits in Russia and how Russia
    was progressing towards freedom and prosperity. He recognized Edward
    Lozansky, President of the American University in Moscow and Russia
    House (Washington, DC), for promoting his membership.

    Inside the Kremlin

    Late one evening during my visit, I met inside the Kremlin walls with
    Putin’s chief economic advisor, Andrei Illarionov. He is one of the
    extraordinary young men leading Russia: a dedicated supply-sider and key
    figure in the Russian reform movement, who has actively attended
    meetings hosted by Atlas, the Fraser Institute, and other
    market-oriented organizations. In our conversations, Illarionov argued
    that Russia could reach 10% annual growth if it just cut negative
    government interference in the economy and deregulated monopolies. He
    described how the rules of the European Common Market pose a threat for
    being too restrictive; for instance, Estonia had to modify certain
    economic freedoms to obtain membership. Illarionov openly fights big
    government interests and is immensely respected.

    Russia, Then and Now

    My first flight into Moscow was in 1988. The first vision of the city
    was that of the ubiquitous apartment buildings rising suddenly from open
    fields. Today, there seem to be hundreds of miles of suburbs spreading
    out from Moscow in nearly every direction. While the rest of Russia lags
    behind, other regions are prospering from trade and production of
    certain minerals and agriculture. Russia is exporting wheat again for
    the first time since 1914. Above all people have hope for a better
    future. “Today, no one’s worried about politics; people just want to
    make money,” said a Russian immigrant – now a New York investment banker
    – on my Aeroflot flight returning from Moscow. “Before, everyone was
    worried about the government: Would the Left come back? Would the Duma
    [Congress] block reforms? What about NATO? What about the war in
    Chechnya? Now they just say: ‘Putin will take care of it. Putin will get
    re-elected in 2004. Putin is doing the reforms as fast as possible.'”
    His comments were similar to others I had heard. Small businesses in
    Moscow seem to thrive, but medium-sized enterprises suffer from masses
    of regulations, fees and taxes which severely hurt chances for greater
    economic growth and prosperity. The Duma Russia’s Congress) has called
    for a comprehensive correction of the myriad regulations and laws which
    effect business and plans, but many vested interests in the bureaucracy
    oppose them. Many small businesses now prefer the status quo that they
    know to a possibly competent government and efficient tax collectors.
    (Many in the West fail to appreciate how difficult it is to root out
    corruption, when small businesses view bribes as a form of insurance.
    Corrupt officials on the take have a vested interest in seeing their
    “clients” remain in business.) Victor Agroskin, another key supply-sider who works with Anatoly Levanchuk to edit an online Russian think tank publication,
    www.libertarium.ru, explained to me how the bureaucracy shook down
    businesses. Many laws were only edicts issued by certain government
    departments and not published or even known by much of the public.
    Requirements were only known to the inspectors. Regarding foreign
    policy, I was told that Russians, by and large, regret the 1996 killing
    of Chechen leader, Dzhokar Dudayev, because there is now no leader to
    negotiate with. The rebellion has split up into fractional parties, none
    of which have authority over the others. I also asked how Russians felt
    about the U.S. Air Force in Central Asia and NATO expansion. The Moscow
    Times reported that there were Norwegian, Danish and Dutch F-16’s at the
    Kyrgistan air base -presumably representing NATO. The answer was always
    that Russia’s military was concerned, but that most Russians didn’t
    care. They constantly answer, “Putin knows what he’s doing, if he’s not
    concerned then it’s alright for Russia.” Arcadi Murachev, who works with
    free market institutes in other former CIS nations and runs the Krieble
    Institute office complex, where many freedom think tanks have their
    offices, said that Russians were content that the U.S. was fighting
    Moslem terrorists and that this was helping Russia too. However, most
    Russians suspect economic interests are behind U.S. plans to attack
    Iraq. With USIA no longer funding libraries and information centers in
    Russia, Atlas investors should consider working with Atlas and its
    allies in Russia in order to encourage greater progress toward classical
    liberal ideas in this crucial country.

    – Role of Religion in Early Business Solutions

    A World of Ideas

    By Leonard P. Liggio

    During the coming season of Passover and Easter, it is useful to examine
    the relationship between religion and economics. Several think tanks,
    including the Minaret of Freedom (founded by Dean Ahmad), Toward
    Tradition (founded by Rabbi Daniel Lapin), and the Acton Institute for
    the Study of Religion and Liberty (founded by Father Robert Sirico) are
    engaged in this work. On the back cover of this Investor Report, we
    share early correspondence about plans for the development of Acton, for
    which Alex Chafuen and I became founding trustees.

    In this column, however, I would like to focus attention on one
    particular example of recent scholarship that has contributed to our
    understanding of the rise of modern economic institutions. Professor
    Avner Grief (Stanford University), a recipient of a prestigious
    five-year fellowship from the MacArthur Foundation, has identified how
    the problem of agency — creating trust among unfamiliar partners — was
    overcome to enable a vast expansion of international trade during the
    eleventh century.

    Professor Grief’s scholarship has centered upon the Geniza documents,
    commercial agreements among Jewish merchants in Cairo from the 9th to
    13th centuries AD. Since the name of God was stated in these agreements,
    they took on sacred status and could not be destroyed. These papyri were
    deposited in the storeroom (geniza in Persian, derived from the Arabic
    word kanz for treasure) of the Old Synagogue of Old Cairo, then were
    removed unsystematically in the late nineteenth century, and ended in
    five great collections and other smaller ones.

    These documents show that the Jewish merchants of the period, called
    Magrabi (or western) traders, were doing business with the emirates of
    Tunis and Palermo (to the west) and Baghdad, Aden and India (to the
    east). In the words of Avner Grief: “The geniza contains more than one
    thousand documents which reflect the eleventh-century Mediterranean
    trade. These documents depict this trade as free, private, and
    competitive. The authorities’ stance with respect to international trade
    reflected the tolerance and liberalism that characterized the period.
    Moslem rulers, especially the Fatimids (who ruled North Africa, Sicily,
    Egypt, and Palestine), sought to promote trade and no official
    restrictions fettered migration or the transfer of raw material,
    finished goods, or money across the Mediterranean. Both transportation
    and mail delivery were competitive and largely private, and shipping was
    available even to a small merchant, who could rent storage space on a
    ship. The trade within each trade center was free and competitive, with
    many buyers and sellers interacting in bazaars and storehouses, where
    they negotiated and competed over prices, using brokers, open-bid
    auctions, and direct negotiations.”(1)

    But how did this trade take place, given the problem of agency – the
    risk that one partner in the enterprise would disappear with goods or
    money? It was common at the time for an older partner to contribute 2/3
    of the capital for a trading venture, with ayounger partner contributing
    1/3 as well as his time and trouble to travel abroad. The simplest
    solution, even today, is to limit one’s financial partners to one’s own
    family.

    The Geniza documents show that Maghribi traders used the common bond of
    shared religious and family ties to expand the circle of agents with
    whom they could trust in trading ventures. Often the younger partner
    selected, was, when not a son, a nephew. Since the younger partner was
    tied so closely to the capitalist by synagogue and family bonds,
    defection was made very costly and permanent, as one could not ever
    return to one’s community whether in Cairo or where ever Maghribi
    traders resided.

    There are seven thousand self-contained Geniza documents, mostly written
    in Arabic with Hebrew letters. Many are partnerships or contracts made
    in a formal declaration; others are rabbinical court cases adjudicating
    disputes. The most accessible source of these documents is the
    six-volume collection, A Mediterranean Society: The Jewish Communities
    of the Arab World as Portrayed in the Cairo Geniza, edited by the late
    S. D. Goitein (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1967),
    reissued in paperback in 1999. Goitein notes that:

    “…the most common type of literature found in the Geniza, the
    so-called responsa, or “answers” of authoritative scholars on questions
    of religious, legal, or general character addressed to them. The
    responses and their Muslim counterparts, the fatwa’s, or opinions of the
    muftis, were collected in books, which, in Judaism and Islam, fulfill a
    role similar to collections of cases and decisions of high courts in
    English and American law …the responsa of Moses Maimonides
    (1135-1204)(2) and his son Abraham (1186-1237)… [were actually] legal
    decisions in the Geniza synagogue” (S.D. Goitein, A Mediterranean
    Society, pp. 13-14).

    The enduring importance of religion in economics remains a fruitful area
    for study. In medieval open society, markets flourished on the basis of
    personal and family reputation. From credibility to global brands,
    personal judgments determine the failure or success of an enterprise.(3)

    (1) Avner Grief, “Reputations and Coalitions in Medieval Trade: Evidence
    of the Maghribi Traders,” The Journal of Economic History, Vol. XLIL,
    no. 4 (Dec., 1989); reprinted in Daniel Klein, ed., Reputation: Studies
    in the Voluntary Elicitation of Good Conduct (Series in Economics,
    Cognition and Society, edited by Timur Kuran), Ann Arbor, Michigan,
    University of Michigan Press, 1997, p. 140.

    (2) Moses Maimonides was born in Cordoba, Spain, and spent much of his
    life in Cairo where he served as physician to the Sultan, Saladin, who
    replaced the Fatimids. As a renowned scholar, one who acknowledged his
    philosophical debt to Aristotle yet strove to preserve and order Jewish
    learning with respect to the divine law, he had a great influence on
    medieval thought.

    (3) For a contemporary example, regarding how rabbinical courts and
    exclusion animate relations among New York’s Jewish diamond dealers, see
    Lisa Bernstein, “Opting out of the Legal System: Extralegal Contractual
    Relations in the Diamond Industry,” Journal of Legal Studies (vol. 21,
    1992, pp. 115-57).

    Above articles are quoted from the Heritage Foundation, Atlas Investor
    Report Spring 2003, www.atlasusa.org

    ”Evergreen (Today’s Quotes)”

    “Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwell upon, and
    the deeper it sinks into the mind.” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge

    He who hesitates… “Do not wait for ideal circumstances; they will
    never come; nor for the best opportunities.” — Janet Erskine Stuart

    ”’Edited by Richard O. Rowland, president of Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. He can be reached at (808) 487-4959 or by email at:”’ mailto:grassroot@hawaii.rr.com ”’For more information, see its Web site at:”’ https://www.grassrootinstitute.org/

    From Drinking to Drug Use

    0

    “Suzanne Gelb Image”

    ”DUI – When Do People Learn?”

    Dear Dr. Gelb:

    My girlfriend got in trouble with the law last year for a DUI. She’s from a well-off family and now it’s all taken care of. But I see her drinking again and taking too many risks. I’m afraid she’ll get into trouble again. Why don’t people learn?

    Reckless

    Dear Reckless:

    Unfortunately a lot of young people reach an age of rebellion and want to try and indulge in the things that the grown ups are allowed to do. There is also a natural curiosity to taste the fruit of the so-called “No-No’s.” Many of us live through this phase unscathed and come to our senses soon enough so that we do not harm ourselves or others as we mature and begin to take the responsibilities of our social behavior more seriously.

    One effective approach that can turn a young mind around is consequences that are stiff enough to motivate the rebellious individual to choose a more appropriate behavior. Many children continue to behave recklessly because either there are no consequences, or those that do exist are not strong enough to motivate the person to choose a more appropriate behavior. I am aware of one young woman who did not even take the consequences of a DUI and related offenses seriously as she casually (but defensively) remarked, “even if I have to go to jail, I get three hots and a cot, and probably a color television to sit and watch and contemplate the mischief that I can try to get away with when I’m released.” I think I have shared enough.

    ”Addicted – When Do Parents Let Go?”

    Dear Dr. Gelb:

    My teenager has been in and out of rehab and therapy for drug addiction for quite some time. I have done everything I can to support him, but he is still up to his old tricks and is not serious about changing his ways. It’s hard for a parent to think of giving up on their child, but I think he really isn’t interested in having me in his life. Nothing I do seems to help. Is it time to bail out and wait for him to reach out if we are to have any kind of relationship?

    Dedicated Mom

    Dear Dedicated:

    Parental love and the sense of responsibility one feels for bringing a life into the world are deeply ingrained. I truly wish I had an answer for you. I could admonish you and the father and suggest things you could have done from the moment your child was born that very possibly could have changed the course of behavior. I don’t believe you need that now because it could sound like a scolding. Now we can only pray that since his behavior has grown beyond your control, that you support the authorities in taking whatever action necessary in an attempt to rehabilitate him. We can hope that he may return to you some day and thank you for the tough, steadfast stand you took. Good luck.

    ”’Suzanne J. Gelb, Ph.D., J.D. authors this daily column, Dr. Gelb Says, which answers questions about daily living and behavior issues. Dr. Gelb is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Honolulu. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and a Ph.D. in Human Services. Dr. Gelb is also a published author of a book on Overcoming Addictions and a book on Relationships.”’

    ”’This column is intended for entertainment use only and is not intended for the purpose of psychological diagnosis, treatment or personalized advice. For more about the column’s purpose, see”’ “An Online Intro to Dr. Gelb Says”

    ”’Email your questions to mailto:DrGelbSays@hawaiireporter.com More information on Dr. Gelb’s services and related resources available at”’ https://www.DrGelbSays.com