Did you every watch "Professional" Wrestling? If you did you're probably aware the fix was in long before the fight, long before the match was even scheduled. Wins and losses were carefully orchestrated to keep the public interested. Can't have a single winner all the time, nor an over-and-over loser. Who would watch? Not unlike professional sports - hence the trades and drafts to keep all the teams relatively competitive - again, can't have one bracket of winners and another bracket of losers. Have to mix it up.
So what does that have to do with politics? The fix in in. More crooked than professional wrestling or professional sports. Here's an example. A Representative's constituents make noise about wanting this or that legislation. That desire/need is FIRST evaluated against the party's political agenda. If it fits, it has a chance, if it doesn't fit or it may alienate other voters, it has to go. But how does the Representative make the constituent "think" they're being supported while at the same time keeping the Party happy? The introduce a Bill that addresses the constituent's need/desire, and then with a "wink-wink-nod-nod" ensures that the Bill never sees the light of day. That's accomplished by running it through endless committees - all of which may approve the Bill - but at the end they run out the clock. The Bill doesn't come to the floor for a vote, usually just dying in one of the endless, and endlessly useless, committees.
So, you may ask, is this the case for EVERY Bill/Measure and EVERY Politician. Simply, No. Not EVERY Bill/Measure, not EVERY Politician, not EVERY time. But, Yes, it happens far, far more often than anyone of us would realize. The remedy? Be vigilant, track legislation, know how your Representative is voting and whether they're voting in YOUR interest. Email them, call them - it's the ONE TIME this website will ever say "Be Noisy." Let your voice be heard, and heard loudly and often.
Let's look at a couple of those from 2021 and how they are faring. Please bear in mind that the 2021 Legislative Session is Pau on 29 April. Any Bill/Measure not passed simply dies.
Measure: HB508 HD1
Measure Title: RELATING TO FIREWORKS.
Report Title: Fireworks; Penalties
Description: Increases the fines associated with the illegal use of consumer fireworks and display fireworks, articles pyrotechnic, and aerial devices outside of the times permitted by law. Effective 1/1/2050. (HD1)
Introducer(s):CULLEN, AQUINO, TAKAYAMA, TAKUMI, YAMANE
STATUS:
So what does that have to do with politics? The fix in in. More crooked than professional wrestling or professional sports. Here's an example. A Representative's constituents make noise about wanting this or that legislation. That desire/need is FIRST evaluated against the party's political agenda. If it fits, it has a chance, if it doesn't fit or it may alienate other voters, it has to go. But how does the Representative make the constituent "think" they're being supported while at the same time keeping the Party happy? The introduce a Bill that addresses the constituent's need/desire, and then with a "wink-wink-nod-nod" ensures that the Bill never sees the light of day. That's accomplished by running it through endless committees - all of which may approve the Bill - but at the end they run out the clock. The Bill doesn't come to the floor for a vote, usually just dying in one of the endless, and endlessly useless, committees.
So, you may ask, is this the case for EVERY Bill/Measure and EVERY Politician. Simply, No. Not EVERY Bill/Measure, not EVERY Politician, not EVERY time. But, Yes, it happens far, far more often than anyone of us would realize. The remedy? Be vigilant, track legislation, know how your Representative is voting and whether they're voting in YOUR interest. Email them, call them - it's the ONE TIME this website will ever say "Be Noisy." Let your voice be heard, and heard loudly and often.
Let's look at a couple of those from 2021 and how they are faring. Please bear in mind that the 2021 Legislative Session is Pau on 29 April. Any Bill/Measure not passed simply dies.
Measure: HB508 HD1
Measure Title: RELATING TO FIREWORKS.
Report Title: Fireworks; Penalties
Description: Increases the fines associated with the illegal use of consumer fireworks and display fireworks, articles pyrotechnic, and aerial devices outside of the times permitted by law. Effective 1/1/2050. (HD1)
Introducer(s):CULLEN, AQUINO, TAKAYAMA, TAKUMI, YAMANE
STATUS:
So as the legislature returned from mandatory 5-day recess on 4 March, this Bill - which increases fines for illegal fireworks use, is still in committee. (Note: we had inadvertently and incorrectly previously (and in our email) said "adjourned 4 March." It should be as now written "returned from mandatory 5-day recess on 4 March.)
If this issue is important to you, let your Legislator/Representative know ASAP. A list of Representatives and their Contact information can be found here: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/members/legislators.aspx?chamber=H
Next up:
Measure: HB1246 HD2
Measure Title:RELATING TO FIREWORKS.
Report Title: Fireworks; Fireworks Control Law; Air Pollution; Noise Pollution; Civil Penalties; Violations; Citations
Description: Specifies that certain violations of the Fireworks Control Law shall be considered an activity that causes air pollution under the Hawaii Air Pollution Control Act and a violation of noise control rules under the Hawaii noise pollution laws, and punishable by civil penalties and subject to citations under those respective laws. Effective 1/1/2050. (HD2)
Introducer(s):JOHANSON, AQUINO, BELATTI, BRANCO, CULLEN, DECOITE, ELI, HAR, HASHIMOTO, ICHIYAMA, ILAGAN, KITAGAWA, B. KOBAYASHI, LOPRESTI, LOWEN, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, MATSUMOTO, MCKELVEY, MIZUNO, MORIKAWA, NAKAMURA, NAKASHIMA, NISHIMOTO, PERRUSO, QUINLAN, TAM, TARNAS, TODD, WILDBERGER, YAMANE
STATUS:
If this issue is important to you, let your Legislator/Representative know ASAP. A list of Representatives and their Contact information can be found here: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/members/legislators.aspx?chamber=H
Next up:
Measure: HB1246 HD2
Measure Title:RELATING TO FIREWORKS.
Report Title: Fireworks; Fireworks Control Law; Air Pollution; Noise Pollution; Civil Penalties; Violations; Citations
Description: Specifies that certain violations of the Fireworks Control Law shall be considered an activity that causes air pollution under the Hawaii Air Pollution Control Act and a violation of noise control rules under the Hawaii noise pollution laws, and punishable by civil penalties and subject to citations under those respective laws. Effective 1/1/2050. (HD2)
Introducer(s):JOHANSON, AQUINO, BELATTI, BRANCO, CULLEN, DECOITE, ELI, HAR, HASHIMOTO, ICHIYAMA, ILAGAN, KITAGAWA, B. KOBAYASHI, LOPRESTI, LOWEN, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, MATSUMOTO, MCKELVEY, MIZUNO, MORIKAWA, NAKAMURA, NAKASHIMA, NISHIMOTO, PERRUSO, QUINLAN, TAM, TARNAS, TODD, WILDBERGER, YAMANE
STATUS:
So as the legislature returned from mandatory 5-day recess on 4 March, this Bill - which increases fines for illegal fireworks use, is still in committee. (Note: we had inadvertently and incorrectly previously (and in our email) said "adjourned 4 March." It should be as now written "returned from mandatory 5-day recess on 4 March.)
If this issue is important to you, let your Legislator/Representative know ASAP. A list of Representatives and their Contact information can be found here: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/members/legislators.aspx?chamber=H
Our MUCH Mahalos to contributors on Legislative Activity: Jinan Banna and Team! They do great work in keeping us informed!
If this issue is important to you, let your Legislator/Representative know ASAP. A list of Representatives and their Contact information can be found here: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/members/legislators.aspx?chamber=H
Our MUCH Mahalos to contributors on Legislative Activity: Jinan Banna and Team! They do great work in keeping us informed!