The political parties have changed over the years. The Democratic Party of JFK days would be considered moderate Republican. The Democrats have moved left to support socialism and the Republicans have moved right to strict evangelical conservatism. There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of middle ground.

This is clear in the divide that abounds our Congress. Both in the Senate and the House the Democrats all too often vote as the leadership desires. The Republican Party at least has some representatives and senators that will vote their minds and the will of their voters. Although few in numbers, they at least have some that will not go along with the main party leadership.

We in Hawaii need to quit being “sheep” by just voting Democratic. We need to elect our officials regardless of party but with this one important caveat: They must do what is right for our state and people regardless of what the political party they belong to.

Let me give you some examples of what I am talking about.

Both of our U.S. senators are from the Democratic Party. Recently Sen. Brian Schatz co-authored a bill referred to as the “Ballast Water Dump” Bill. Co-authored means he helped write it.

When it came to a vote in the Senate, Schatz and Sen. Mazie Hirono voted against the bill as did all other Democrats. This bill would have been good for Hawaii as it would help to preserve our harbors and island from dumping invasive species close to our shores.

Later it became known that both of our senators had received campaign money from the shipping industry. Considering that the Democratic leadership decided to vote against the bill, could the campaign donations to our senators have been the reason they didn’t vote for it?

Why Not Work With Trump?

Recently the president signed an executive order cancelling the waiver Hawaii had (the only state to have it) that allowed billfish to be sold. I have to ask, where were our senators when this was happening? It never made the news until recently — did you hear about it?

Maybe if they didn’t join the Democratic-hate for the president they could have worked with the president to keep it. You can’t do that when you are in a hate group. That’s politics. Going along with the “party” is not always the best for Hawaii.

Now, the latest from our Democratic senators is disgusting. Senator Hirono stood and told the men of the world, and Hawaii, to “just shut up and step up,” in her quest to derail the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. She also insisted that Kavanaugh is guilty just by the accusation regardless of the proof.

Going along with the “party” is not always the best for Hawaii.

Her position now is the rule of law of “innocent until proven guilty” has been tossed aside and that all men are guilty. After her national television appearance defending Christine Blasey Ford, she sent a letter to supports for donations to her campaign. She later retracted and said it was a mistake. Was it really?

In 1992 when then-Sen. Dan Inouye was accused by nine women, Hirono had nothing to say. Why? Because he controlled her career and because she knew she would never recover politically from supporting his accusers. Why now? With the #MeToo movement Hirono is playing to the female voters. She is up for re-election. Schatz just followed the rest of the “sheep” of the Democratic Party.

Our Hawaii judges are appointed by the governor. Don’t you think that federal senators have some clout with those judges? Men, do you want to take a chance that Hirono has influenced the local judges if you are accused, especially of sexual misconduct? Remember “guilty until proven innocent” coming from Hirono’s lips.

I don’t care if you vote for either party or an independent. What have you to lose to not be a “sheep” and just vote Democrat? Vote for someone that holds your views and will do what is right for Hawaii.

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