Kudos To GOP’s Caucus Idea

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Wednesday - May 06, 2009

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Big Island Republicans voted unanimously last month to change our Primary Election from “open” to “modified-closed,” and to shift from presidential nomination at the state GOP convention to a caucus similar to the Democrats’.

The state rules committee then okayed taking up the caucus idea but turned thumbs down on going for a change in the primary.

In our open primary, you get to vote without any party membership. But primaries are party affairs. Parties picking their nominees for the general election. Why should non-party folks have a say?

The Big Island proposal for the modified-closed primary would have allow voting only by party members and those registering as independents.

The Hawaii GOP nominates its presidential pick at its state convention. Democrats do precinct caucus voting by party members only. That’s the right way to do it.

Why don’t we enact a state late-spring primary for local offices and president? Our local primary-in-September and general-in-November rushes us to judgment.

We’re stuck for 2010. Can’t change the Constitution this year. But for 2012? We’d amend the Constitution in November of 2010.

The ImpeachMufi.com citizens group is dead-on-arrival but, hey, we’re all entitled to a brush with silliness.

Its petition alleges that Mayor Hannemann is impeachable because he misled voters about the rail project. The anti-Mufi leader seems to be Eric Ryan, a Republican on the outs with his own party.

Of course, if there ever were 5,000 registered voter signatures (unlikely), by that time Hannemann will not be mayor. He’ll be in the 2010 run for governor against Neil Abercrombie.

We have a resign-to-run law here.

You hate gambling? Check out these Census Bureau figures - in millions of dollars - on yearly income for smallish states that have lotteries:

Vermont, $98; South Dakota, $578; Louisiana, $334; Iowa, $220; Kentucky, $696, and Idaho, $120

Rather have more taxation or a little bit of gambling?

The best new drink invention is the Madame Vu Mai Tai at Duc’s Bistro on Maunakea Street. This clever clove-ginger rum concoction is going to change people’s expectation of the popular drink forever.