(c) Copyright 2005-2006, Kenneth R. Conklin, Ph.D. All rights reserved
On this page is the history of the Hawaiian Government Reorganization bill (formerly known as the Hawaiian Recognition bill; always known informally as the Akaka bill) during the 109th Congress (January 2005 to December 2006). In the Senate the bill is S.147 as amended; in the House the original version, dormant since it was introduced, is H.R.309
Items are listed in chronological order; therefore, scroll down to the bottom for the latest news.
For a thorough history of the Native Hawaiian Recognition bill from its birth in February 2000 through the present, exposing the pattern of stealth and deception in creating the bill and trying to pass it, see:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/Akakahistory.html
For the complete history of the Akaka bill in the 108th Congress alone (2003-2004), including all versions of the bill's text, and news coverage of political activity related to it (a total of perhaps 200 pages plus links to additional subpages), see:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/AkakaHist108thCong.html
For a short history focusing on the stealth tactics during the 108th Congress, see:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/AkakaStealth20032004.html
IN THE SENATE FOR 2005 THE BILL WAS FAST-TRACKED BY SENATORS INOUYE AND AKAKA BECAUSE OF AN AGREEMENT THEY EXTORTED FROM THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP TOWARD THE END OF 2004. REPUBLICAN LEADERS AGREED TO REFRAIN FROM BLOCKING THE BILL DURING 2005 AND TO ALLOW THE BILL TO BE RESOLVED ON THE SENATE FLOOR NOT LATER THAN AUGUST 7, 2005. FOR DETAILS OF THE HISTORY AND CONTENT OF THAT AGREEMENT, SEE THE CLOSING REMARKS AT THE BOTTOM OF
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/AkakaHist108thCong.html
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During the years 2000 through 2004, Congressional supporters and opponents of the Akaka bill flew below the radar, fighting through use of subtle parliamentary maneuvers rather than open conflict. In the House, Representative Abercrombie was able to pass the bill in 2000 (when nobody knew anything about it) by placing it on the calendar of non-controversial bills to be passed by unanimous consent on a voice vote under suspension of the rules at the dinner hour when only about ten Representatives were present on the floor. For four years thereafter, the bill was routinely passed out of committee but never came to a vote. In the Senate, Hawai’i Senator Inouye used his powerful position as chairman or ranking member of the military appropriations subcommittee to hide the Akaka bill in the form of a single sentence deep inside enormous appropriations bills, where Republican opponents then discovered it and forced its removal. Republican Senator Kyl successfully blocked the bill from coming to a vote on the floor by exercising a Senator’s privilege of placing a "hold" on it. During the 106th, 107th, and 108th Congresses (2000 to 2004) the blll never passed the Senate, but always came within a whisker of passing (by stealth) during the final few days of 2000, 2001, and 2004.
But in 2005 things will be very different, at least in the Senate. That's because in 2004 Republican leaders in the Senate were forced to make an agreement to stop blocking the bill in 2005, in return for an agreement from Senators Inouye and Akaka to stop interfering with about two dozen important bills in 2004 by trying to insert the Akaka bill into them. Everyone expects there will be fireworks in 2005 in the Senate.
Because of expectations that 2005 will be a decisive year for the Akaka bill, substantial political maneuvering took place toward the end of 2004 and in January of 2005, before the bill was formally introduced in the Senate and House.
In Hawai'i, the leaders of the state legislature's House of Representatives decided to create a new Committee on Hawaiian Affairs to handle all legislation focused on "Native Hawaiians" in order to be prepared for a smooth transition "when" the Akaka bill passes. Ethnic Hawaiian activist Representative Sol Kaho'ohalahala was designated to be Chairman of that committee (although he then resigned from the House before the House convened in order to accept a different position as Chairman of the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission).
Newly elected Illinois Senator Barack Obama (Democrat) spent about two weeks visiting family members in Hawai’i during the Christmas holidays. The Hawai'i Democrat Party hosted a fundraiser at which he was the featured speaker. Senator Obama grew up in Hawai'i, and maintains close ties with family members here. Hawai'i politicians are calling Obama "Hawai'i's third Senator" and expect him to support the Akaka bill and other legislation pushed by Senators Akaka and Inouye.
As the United States Senate was just about to convene in Washington, Senator John McCain (R, AZ) announced he opposes the Akaka bill. His opposition is important because he is the new Chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, replacing Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell who retired. Senator Campbell had favored the bill. A committee chairman can sidetrack or kill a bill without even bringing it to a vote. Thus there was great consternation among Akaka bill supporters, who wondered whether Senator McCain would block the bill despite the agreement from 2004 by other Republican leaders who pledged not to do so. In the end, Senator McCain said he would not block the bill if the committee members decide to support it.
All these events took place before the Akaka bill was formally introduced in Congress.
Click on the link below to read approximately 30 pages of news reports about these 3 events preliminary to the opening of the 109th Congress:
(1) Creation of a new Committee on Hawaiian Affairs in the Hawai'i House of Representatives in anticipation the Akaka bill will be enacted into law by Congress;
(2) The visit of Illinois Senator Barack Obama to Hawai'i for two weeks in December and the description of him as "Hawai'i's Third Senator";
(3) Senator McCain's announcement that he opposes the Akaka bill, together with the consternation that caused among Akaka bill supporters (especially because he is the new Chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee)
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/AkakaPrelimHist109Cong.html
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History of the Akaka Bill From January 25 to March 10, 2005 -- bill introduced; McCain opposed but will not block it; Senate Indian committee hearing; committee amended bill and approved it
Here is an outline of some of the major events to be covered in this segment of the Akaka bill history (about 35 pages of detail):
January 25: Bill introduced in both House and Senate
January 27: Senator McCain announces he will not use his power as committee chairman to kill the bill.
March 1: Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs holds a hearing (audio/video download available)
Governor Linda Lingle lobbies Senators
March 9: Senate Indian committee holds business meeting and approves Akaka bill with amendment
FOR DETAILS ON THE ABOVE TOPICS (AND MORE), GO TO:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaHist109Jan25Mar102005.html
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History of the Akaka Bill From March 11 to June 21, 2005 -- lobbying for Republican votes; Bruce Fein essays into Congressional Record twice; "Kau Inoa" racial registry less than 5% after 17 months
Here is an outline of some of the major events to be covered in this segment of the Akaka bill history (about 35 pages of detail):
Lobbying for support from Republican Senators and President Bush, by Republican Governor Lingle, Democrat Senators Akaka and Inouye, OHA trustees, and others.
Who is to blame for sluggish progress: Lingle, or Hawai'i's Democrat Senators and Congressmen?
March 17: Bruce Fein 3 major essays entered into Congressional Record by Senator Kyl (R,AZ) as he announces his continuing opposition to the bill.
March 31: Hawai'i state Legislature "informational briefing" by Inouye, Abercrombie, and Case, during Congress' Easter recess
April 17: Senator Kyl demands 45 hours of time on the Senate floor to debate the bill.
April 24: Honolulu Advertiser editorial calls for Congressional hearings to be held in Hawai'i so local people can testify before the bill moves forward. (this idea was ignored).
April 26: "Chief Maui Loa" of the "Hou Band of Native Hawaiians of the Blood" published "An Open Letter to the White House: native Hawaiian sovereignty" in the nationally circulated journal "Indian Country Today" at:
http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096410836
The basic concepts in this document were published as a paid advertisement in the form of a two-page spread in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin (print edition) on April 26, 2005. A photo image of that ad can be seen at:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/MauiLoaAkakaAd.jpeg
May 16: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs finally issues its committee report to accompany the bill.
May 20: Amended Akaka bill text finally published on Library of Congress website (amended bill had been approved by committee on March 9)
May 31: "Kau Inoa" racial registry has only 18,000 signatures (less than 5% of those eligible) after 17 months of intensive and expensive advertising and outreach.
June 1: Bruce Fein publishes 49-page booklet "Hawaii Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand" which includes point-by-point rebuttal of Apology resolution of 1993 and of major provisions of Akaka bill.
June 14,15,16: Fein essay entered into Congressional Record by Senator Kyl in three installments
June 21: Senator Akaka whines about Bruce Fein on Senate floor
FOR DETAILS ON THE ABOVE TOPICS (AND MORE), GO TO:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaHist109Mar11Jun212005.html
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History of the Akaka Bill From June 22 to July 16, 2005 -- intense public relations campaigns; McCain announces support for bill; Grassroot Institute survey of all Hawai'i households shows 67% oppose Akaka bill; ethnic Hawaiian opposition to bill; Kyl announces plans for amendments; Department of Justice files objections; House Judiciary sets hearing on unconstitutionality
This was a period of intensive public relations campaigns by opponents to the Akaka bill, plus release of a document from the U.S. Department of Justice identifying major objections to the bill, plus the announcement of a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee regarding the bill's (un)constitutionality. The U.S. Senate is scheduled to begin floor debate on the Akaka bill beginning Monday July 18 and continuing intermittently until a roll call vote perhaps on Wednesday.
Here is an outline of some of the major events to be covered in this segment of the Akaka bill history (about 35 pages of detail):
June 22: U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee issues a 13-page report blasting the Akaka bill; Lingle, OHA, Inouye, Akaka, Abercrombie, Case, and local newspapers respond.
June 28: Senator McCain announces he will vote in favor of the bill.
July 5: Grassroot Institute of Hawai'i publishes results of a telephone survey of 10,000 Hawai'i households showing that 67% of those who responded to the question oppose the Akaka bill, and 45% will be less likely to vote for any politicians who support the bill. Supporters of the bill attack the survey.
July 7: Constitutional law expert Bruce Fein, repeatedly published in the Congressional Record, challenges Governor Lingle and/or Attorney General Bennett to a public debate (no reply).
July 7: Ethnic Hawaiians opposed to the Akaka bill attend OHA board meeting to demand that OHA provide funding for theim to get their concerns expressed, equal to the funding OHA has spent on lobbying for the bill (millions of dollars).
July 12: Senator Kyl announces plans to introduce an amendment to require approval of the Akaka bill by a majority of Hawai'i citizens; and other undisclosed amendments.
July 13: Assistant Attorney General William Moschella releases a list of Department of Justice objections to the Akaka bill.
July 14: It is announced that the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution will hold an oversight hearing entitled: "Can Congress Create A Race-Based Government? -- The Constitutionality of H.R.309/S.147". This hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 19, 2004, at 2:00 p.m. in Room 2141 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Testimony to be presented by Honolulu attorney H. William Burgess available on webpage. Bruce Fein will testify, and also Hawai'i state Attorney General Bennett.
July 15: The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii announces that the survey previously based on 10,000 households was expanded to include all the rest of Hawai'i's 290,000 households, and the results are still essentially the same as before: 67% of those who answer the question oppose the Akaka bill, and 45% would be less likely to vote for any politician who supports the bill. A 33-page document (available for download) was also released that is presumably the testimony to be given by Mark Bennett on Tuesday at the House Judiciary subcommittee: "Position Statement of the Attorney General of the State of Hawaii -- S.147 (The 'Akaka Bill') Is Constitutional."
FOR DETAILS ON THE ABOVE TOPICS (AND MORE), GO TO:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaHist109Jun22Jul162005.html
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History from July 17 through July 31:
The week starting Sunday July 17, 2005 was the most intense period of activity on the Akaka bill since the bill was first introduced in summer 2000. Everyone expected a highly incendiary debate would take place on the Senate floor to be followed by a roll-call vote, with everything wrapping up perhaps Wednesday. A large delegation of activists and lobbyists from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, etc., many wearing "Hawaiian-style" clothing, went to Washington to pack the Senate visitor galleries and to lobby in the Senate office building. But The Akaka bill met one roadblock after another in the Senate, including new holds placed on the bill by at least 6 different Republican Senators, and threats by Akaka and Inouye to file a cloture petition. Also, on Tuesday July 19, a hearing on the Akaka bill's (un)constitutionality was held by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary, subcommittee on the Constitution. Senator Kyl took the very unusual step of a Senator submitting his own testimony to that House subcommittee. By the end of the week the Akaka bill was completely bogged down in secret negotiations among attorneys for Akaka, Inouye, the Department of Justice, and Republican opponents to the bill.
On Monday July 25, the Akaka bill still had not been brought to the floor and was not scheduled for any floor time. Senator Akaka appeared live for a ten minute segment on National Public Radio, followed immediately by a ten minute segment with opponent H. William Burgess. From Monday through Thursday there was no mention of the Akaka bill on the floor of the Senate. Finally, at the end of the day (evening actually) on Friday July 29, the last day for the Senate to be in session until September 6, Majority Leader Senator Frist filed a cloture petition for S.147 and announced that a vote on that petition will be the first order of business at 5:30 PM on September 6, 2005 when the Senate returns from its summer recess. The usual requirement for a quorum call prior to a cloture vote on September 6 was waived by unanimous consent. The filing of the cloture petition including Senator Frist's signature fulfills Senator Frist's commitment from 2004 to bring the bill to the floor of the Senate not later than August 7 of 2005. It is unclear whether Senator Frist feels his commitment would also include voting in favor of cloture, although his commitment clearly does not include voting for the bill itself.
Here is an outline of some of the major events covered in detail (more than 100 pages of detail just for the one week of July 17-23, followed by an additional 30 pages for the week from July 24-29 including text of the Congressional Record related to the cloture petition and schedule for September 6):
Sunday, July 17: The stage is set for Senate floor debate starting Monday. Some amendments are expected to accommodate Department of Justice objections and concerns of some Republican Senators.
Monday, July 18: Wall Street Journal opinion column by John Fund expresses conservative concerns over the Akaka bill's unconstitutionality and social consequences. Newspaper reports a public opinion survey that polled every household in Hawai'i showing that 2/3 oppose the Akaka bill.
Monday night and Tuesday, July 19: Republican roadblocks prevent floor debate. At least one Republican Senator placed a hold on the bill despite a commitment last year from the Republican leadership to bring the bill to the floor. Main concerns are gambling, racial separatism, the need for a vote by the people of Hawai'i, and unconstitutionality. Racial registy continues effort to enroll members (only about 5% signed up after 19 months of massive advertising and outreach). Honolulu newspaper editorialize in favor of the bill (again and again over the years!). Hearing held Tuesday in House Judiciary Committee, subcommittee on the Constitution regarding the unconstitutionality of the Akaka bill, is covered in Wednesday's material which includes newspaper coverage of the House subcommittee meeting plus links to Senator Kyl's testimony to this House subcommittee, and a link to a webpage containing testimony by Aloha For All president H. William Burgess, Constitutional law expert Bruce Fein, and Hawai'i Attorney General Mark Bennett and links to listen to playback of the entire two-hour hearing.
Wednesday, July 20: Honolulu Advertiser reports bill will have floor debate before August recess. Group of ethnic Hawaiians gathers petition signatures (already 1,000) and holds rally at 'Iolani Palace opposing Akaka bill. Newspapers report on Tuesday meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, subcommittee on the Constitution (see description just above here); Intensive meetings between senior aides to Senators Akaka and Inouye, with Department of Justice officials and various Republican Senators.
Wednesday night, July 20 through Friday, July 22: Newspapers report Senate debate doubtful this week! Inouye/Akaka getting frustrated. Hawai'i Senators begin talking tough, about cloture motion. More reports about ethnic Hawaiian rally at 'Iolani Palace opposing the Akaka bill, and also demanding hearings be held in Hawai'i. "Hope dims for Akaka bill." More reports about possible cloture motion. Hawai'i Senators say they think Republicans are using "rolling holds" whereby another Senator places a hold on the bill whenever a previous hold is removed under pressure; Hawai'i Senators accuse Republican leadership of reneging on the deal last year to bring the Akaka bill to the floor for a debate and vote before the August recess. On Friday evening Senator Akaka threw out the first pitch in a Washington Nationals' baseball game against the Houston Astros, at a game featuring pregame hula entertainment and Hawaiian-style tailgate parties; Senator Akaka's shirt featured the Hawaiian flag alone -- a symbol regarded in Hawai'i as an endorsement of secessionist sentiment.
Saturday, July 23, 2005: Opposition to the Akaka bill in the House of Representatives began to grow, as members of the Republican Study Committee began gathering signatures on a letter to Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader DeLay asking them to kill the bill.
Monday, July 25, 2005: A Honolulu TV station quotes Senator Akaka saying he "is confident something would happen Monday." But in fact there was no mention of the Akaka bill on the Senate floor throughout all of Monday; and the schedule for Tuesday, announced at the end of Monday's session, also made no mention of the Akaka bill. Meanwhile, on Monday the National Public Radio network broadcast an hour-long live program entitled "Hawaiian Sovereignty, Entitlements & the Akaka bill" including a 10-minute segment with Senator Akaka himself arguing in favor of his bill, followed by Honolulu attorney H. William Burgess, head of Aloha For All, opposing the bill. The "Hawaii Nation" media release about this radio broadcast is provided, and includes a link to the audio file from the radio station.
Tuesday, 26, 2005: A defense authorization bill remained the focus of floor action in the Senate early in the day. However, a cloture petition was filed by 65 Senators -- not on the Akaka bill -- but on a piece of gun liability legislation! The cloture petition forced a period of up to 30 hours of immediate debate on the gun liability bill, to be ended with an immediate vote on the gun bill. The Akaka bill was never mentioned. At the end of the Senate session for Tuesday, when the agenda was announced for Wednesday, there was also no mention of the Akaka bill. However, the Honolulu newspapers continued to report that Senator Akaka intends to file a cloture motion on the Akaka bill and to get floor action before the end of the week.
Wednesday, 27, 2005: Hawai'i newspapers reported that an agreement has been reached among the Republican leadership and the Hawai'i delegation to file a cloture petition late in the week, perhaps to be voted upon on Saturday if the Senate extends its session; but that actual substantive debate is deferred until the Senate returns from its summer break after Labor Day. Meanwhile, throughout Wednesday the Senate spent the entire session debating the gun liability bill, except for brief interruptions to pass some non-controversial bills by unanimous consent on voice vote.
Friday, July 29, 2005: Ken Conklin reporting based on watching the Senate live on C-SPAN. During the final few minutes the Senate was in session before the August recess, Senator Frist officially announced the filing of a cloture petition on the Akaka bill, followed by a cloture petition on H.R.8, a bill to permanently abolish the "death tax." By unanimous consent, it was agreed that those two cloture petitions would be the first two items of business, in that order, when the Senate resumes on Tuesday, September 6, at 5:30 PM Washington time. By unanimous consent, those cloture petitions will be voted on without the usual preliminary quorum call. Thus, 60 votes will be needed to invoke cloture and overcome the holds on the bill, regardless of how many Senators are present. Senator Frist also stated that if cloture passes, there will be a period of uninterrupted debate until debate is finished (or the 30 hour time limit expires) and a vote is taken. Senator Akaka gave a six-minute speech about the bill. The Senate adjourned until September 6.
Relevant newspaper articles from Friday through Sunday are provided.
The full text of the Congressional Record including the filing of the cloture petition and Senator Akaka's short speech, are posted at the bottom of this webpage.
FOR DETAILS ON THE ABOVE TOPICS (about 130 pages of detail), GO TO:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaHist109Jul17Jul312005.html
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HISTORY FOR AUGUST 1 THROUGH AUGUST 31 (most items), 2005
The month of August 2005 saw an enormous amount of activity related to the Akaka bill, at nearly the same pace as the previous two weeks. That's despite the fact that Congress was on vacation for the entire month! There are approximately 200 pages of details below; mostly news reports and published commentaries; in chronological order.
A court decision regarding Kamehameha Schools admissions policy raises legal and political questions about the effect of this ruling on the Akaka bill; while supporters and opponents of the bill are getting ready for the Senate showdown expected September 6.
On August 2, 2005 the 9th Circuit Court handed down a ruling that Kamehameha Schools' racially exclusionary admissions policy is illegal.
What does that have to do with the Akaka bill?
The legal impact on the Akaka bill might be to call attention to the fact that ethnic Hawaiians are currently treated by the courts as a racial group, not a political entity. Those who favor the Akaka bill say this is an important reason to pass the Akaka bill, to "clarify" that "Native Hawaiian" is indeed a political entity; and that passing the Akaka bill would stop courts in the future from making what they call an immoral decision. Those who oppose the Akaka bill say that racial separatism in Hawai'i has already gotten way out of hand, and the Akaka bill must be defeated in order to prevent further balkanization.
Perhaps the most important impact of the Kamehameha decision on the Akaka bill is psychological. A huge rally by 20,000 red-shirt protesters on the Saturday following the decision opposed the court decision and defended the concept of racial separatism. Those who favor the Akaka bill hope the protest will show Congress the widespread support for racial separatism and therefore for the Akaka bill which would further empower it. Those who oppose the Akaka bill hope the protest will call attention to the danger of the fascism growing in Hawai'i
For full coverage of the Kamehameha decision and protests (about 120 pages), see:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/kamschool2005.html
Some of the newspaper articles copied on the above webpage are directly relevant to the Akaka bill, providing legal or political connections between the two issues. Those articles, or excerpts of them, are copied on the following webpage, along with articles describing preparations for the expected September 6 Akaka bill showdown.
Later in the month there were numerous articles about the Akaka bill published in newspapers of national circulation, as well as in Hawai'i newspapers. There were two public, televised debates on O'ahu, and a symposium at the Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C. featuring UH Professor Emeritus Rubellite Kawena Johnson. It was a very exciting month. September will be even more exciting!
HERE IS A SHORT TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR ABOUT 210 PAGES OF DETAILS FOR AUGUST, 2005.
August 2, 2005 the 9th Circuit Court handed down a ruling that Kamehameha Schools' racially exclusionary admissions policy is illegal. Many news reports and commentaries were published on August 3, some of which explored the relationship between that court decision and the Akaka bill. Some say passing the Akaka bill would provide a shield against lawsuits such as Kamehameha; others say there is no direct connection.
August 14, 2005: Patricia Zell describes political and legal rationale for Akaka bill (she spent 25 years as staffer on the Senate Indian Affairs committee and was chief counsel to Senator Inouye). Several newspapers gang up to "expose" the Grassroot Institute of Hawai'i, and Hawaii Reporter on-line newspaper, which have been increasingly effective in fighting the Akaka bill.
August 14 and 15, 2005: Several Hawaiian independence activists write that an independent nation of Hawai'i would be able to protect Kamehameha Schools, since U.S. law could not be used to attack it. Authors include Anne Keala Kelley, J. Kehaulani Kauanui, Noenoe K. Silva, and Jon Kamakawiwo'ole Osorio
August 16: Former U.S. Senators Slade Gorton (R,OR and Hank Brown (R, CO) write in the Wall Street Journal to oppose the Akaka bill and to rebuke Senator Inouye for breaking his pledge to them on the Senate floor in 1993 when debating the Apology Resolution. Inouye had pledged that the Apology resolution would not be used to promote secession or special race-based rights or communal land tenure.
August 16 (reported in an August 17 article) Senator Akaka appears on a National Public Radio program and admits that the Akaka bill could lead to independence for Hawai'i. AKAKA: "It creates a government-to-government relationship with the United States." KASTE: Democratic Senator Dan Akaka, himself a native, wants Congress to let Hawaiians re-establish their national identity. He says his bill would give them a kind of legal parity with tribal governments on the mainland, but he says this sovereignty could eventually go further, perhaps even leading to outright independence. AKAKA: "That could be. As far as what's going to happen at the other end, I'm leaving it up to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren." And in the same radio program, independence activist Bumpy Kanahele joyfully proclaims that the Apology resolution indeed lays a legal basis for independence because the Apology is a confession of a crime under international law.
August 17: Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh has a nationally broadcast talk-radio program for three hours each day, heard by millions of loyal fans. On August 17 he spent considerable time lambasting the Akaka bill. Full transcript provided.
August 18-20: The Statehood Day holiday (formerly Admission Day) was not celebrated by any Hawai'i politicians. That neglect prompted publication of an article by Malia Zimmerman: "Happy Birthday, Hawaii - Some of Us Still Remember" expressing sadness coupled with smouldering anger. A number of hostile responses from anti-American Hawaiian activists were also published a few days later. Meanwhile, on Maui, an independence activist who also supports the Akaka bill held an anti-Statehood rally.
August 18-20, Senator Akaka tries to backtrack away from independence; but several commentators blast him in the national media -- John Fund in the Wall Street Journal: "Thirteen Stripes and Forty-Nine Stars?" Rich Lowry, editor of the National Review: "Manifest Destiny In Reverse"
August 21: Indian law attorney Charles Wilkinson (hired as a lobbyist by OHA at the expense of the Hawai'i government) publishes an article claiming that court decisions in the tribal restoration of the Menominee Tribe, and in the Lara case, make it clear that the Akaka bill is not unconstitutional.
August 22: The League of Women Voters announces that there will be two public debates on the Akaka bill -- the first genuine public debates in all 5 years the bill has been in Congress. Bruce Fein will be the only speaker who opposes the bill while favoring the continues Statehood of Hawai'i. His opponents are an independence activist (who opposes the bill but wants Hawaiian independence); and the attorney for OHA and the Attorney General of the State of Hawai'i, both of whom favor the bill.
Also August 22: Senator Inouye issues public statement denying that the Apology resolution of 1993 lays the groundwork for the Akaka bill (despite the obvious fact that the Apology bill is cites several times in the Akaka bill as a rationale for it!)
August 23: News reports and comments about the televised Akaka bill debate that had been taped in a TV studio and then broadcast the previous day.
August 24: Governor Lingle announces that agreement has been reached between the Bush administration Department of Justice and OHA and the State of Hawai'i regarding DOJ objections to the bill that were previously published. Also, American Indians issue warnings to Native Hawaiians about the bad consequences of federal recognition.
August 26: Pacific Business News reports on the megabucks being spent by OHA for advertising and lobbying for the Akaka bill.
August 27: Andrew Walden (publisher of Hawaii Free Press) describes how the Akaka bill is being used as a vehicle to establish an Indian reservation for a "broken trust" (Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate)
August 28: Gail Heriot, Professor of Law at San Diego State University, publishes an outstanding article in the San Diego Herald-Tribune describing the bill clearly and explaining why it is dangerous to Hawai'i and to all of America: "Trouble from Paradise: Hawaii's Divisive Racial Politics Hits the National Agenda"
Also August 28: Jerry Burris of the Honolulu Advertiser writes a lengthy commentary describing the bias of the Grassroot Institute's survey on the Akaka bill, and also slightly criticizing the OHA-commissioned poll. He points out that the polls produced dramatically opposite results corresponding to the views of the sponsoring organizations. But he fails to propose the obvious solution -- just put it on the ballot!
Also August 28: 800 people pre-registered for the upcoming convention of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, including lots of Indian tribe and Alaska Native representatives; and an exposee of OHA's clear acknowledgment on its own website that the Akaka bill could lead to independence.
August 28-30: The Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C. held a symposium on the Akaka bill on Tuesday August 30, which included UH Professor Emeritus Rubellite Kawena Johnson (descendant of Kamehameha the Great who opposes the Akaka bill). Announcement of the event was published August 28, and includes link to download the audio-video file. Senators Akaka and Inouye were invited, but declined to appear. Also on August 30, OHA broadcast an hour-long TV infomercial pushing the Akaka bill (opponents were definitely not invited!)
August 27 and 28 a Little League team from 'Ewa (O'ahu) won the American championship and then the World Series. There was a great outpouring of multiracial goodwill and patriotic shouts of "USA! USA!." Some letters to editor were published August 30 about the patriotism and multiracial goodwill.
August 31: Constitutional law scholar Bruce Fein published a commentary ripping apart the analysis of Charles Wilkinson (August 21) which had claimed that the Menominee and the Lara cases had proved that the Akaka bill is constitutional.
Also August 31, Honolulu Advertiser columnist David Shapiro says it is dishonest and a "Big Lie" to claim that the Akaka bill could lead to Hawaiian secession. But the pro-independence comments of Anne Keala Kelley from the public debate are published in Hawaii Reporter.
Also August 31 is a news report of a speech made by Senator Akaka to the Honolulu Rotary Club in which he claimed that failure to pass the Akaka bill will cause the State of Hawai'i to lose tens of millions of federal dollars currently being received for ethnic Hawaiian entitlement programs. And writer Grant Jones ridicules Governor Lingle as a RINO (Republican in name only).
Some items from August 31 are on the September webpage because they look forward to and profide background for events early in September.
FOR DETAILS OF AUGUST NEWS RELATED TO THE AKAKA BILL (about 210 pages of detail) GO TO:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaHistAug2005.html
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HISTORY FOR AUGUST 31 (some items) THROUGH SEPTEMBER 15, 2005. Some August 31 items are included on this page because they look forward to September; other August 31 items are on the August page.
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, for August 31 through September 15 (about 155 pages of details).
POSTPONEMENT OF AKAKA BILL DUE TO HURRICANE EMERGENCY WAS FALSELY AND PREMATURELY ANNOUNCED AT ETHNIC HAWAIIAN CONVENTION IN WAIKIKI AUGUST 31 AND SEPTEMBER 1 (APPARENTLY AKAKA WANTED POSTPONEMENT AND WAS SEEKING IT); DECISION TO POSTPONE BOTH AKAKA BILL AND DEATH TAX REPEAL CLOTURE PETITIONS WAS MADE BY REPUBLICAN MAJORITY LEADER SENATOR FRIST SEPTEMBER 5; SENATOR AKAKA NOTIFIED LATER SEPTEMBER 5. On Wednesday August 31 and Thursday September 1, 2005, an unpublished rumor began circulating that the Senate cloture vote set for September 6 has been postponed for two weeks due to the emergency in New Orleans from the flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina. An announcement of the postponement was made at the annual convention of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (umbrella organization of large institutions seeking passage of the Akaka bill to protect their federal grants). Apparently Senators Akaka and Inouye were requesting a postponement and released the announcement on their assumption the postponement would occur. However, on Sunday September 4 both Honolulu newspapers did not mention the rumor and both published articles saying the cloture motion would be held on Tuesday Sept. 6 at 5:30 PM Washington D.C. time (as scheduled by unanimous consent just prior to the Senate's adjournment for the August recess). On the other hand, Hawaii Reporter on September 4 published an article that "inside sources" say the postponement is likely "for at least a few weeks." And finally, on Tuesday September 6 both Honolulu daily newspapers published news reports that the cloture petition and possible floor debate have been postponed indefinitely. According to the news reports, the decision to postpone was made Monday afternoon and Senator Akaka was notified when he arrived in Washington later on Monday.
On Wednesday August 31 the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco handed down its long-awaited decision in the Arakaki#2 lawsuit. The decision was reported briefly in "breaking news" announcements on the websites of both the Honolulu Advertiser and the Star-Bulletin on Wednesday, and then there were numerous lengthy news reports and editorials on Thursday September 1. Most commentaries pushed the Akaka bill as a way to overcome court decisions like the 9th Circuit Court decisions in the Kamehameha and Arakaki cases. (about 20 pages just for September 1)
Also on August 31 and September 1, an article opposing the Akaka bill was published by Linda Chavez, President, Center for Equal Opportunity. Articles were also published opposing the bill by Elaine Willman, and Don Newman. (about 10 pages for these three opinion pieces)
September 1, 2005: Lengthy interview with Hawaiian activist Bumpy Kanahele regarding why he opposes Akaka bill.
September 2, 2005: "The Economist" (of London) poked fun at the Akaka bill "SURF, SUN, AND SECESSION? -- A daft proposal for racial separatism approaches the Senate" Also, Kristina Rasmussen, Government Affairs Manager for the 350,000-member National Taxpayers Union, published an article in "Human Events" magazine entitled: "Move Over Kilauea -- 'Native Hawaiians' Legislation Threatens Fiscal Eruption" Also, an excerpt was published in Hawaii Reporter taken from Elaine Willman's book: "Going To Pieces - The Dismantling of The United States of America; Perspective from a Native American on a Lack of Homeland Security on Tribal Lands; How Hawaii Senators are Involved"
About 45 pages of details for September, to this point.
September 3: Report of Maui Community College debate; but the only debaters were Hawaiian sovereignty activists who disagree over whether the best way to get more goodies for ethnic Hawaiians is by means of the Akaka bill or by means of independence. As so often happens, nobody was allowed to present the viewpoint of unity and equality.
September 4: Honolulu Star-Bulletin article says there could be trouble getting enough Democrat Senators on the floor for the Tuesday cloture vote because of Hurricane Katrina. Commentary in the Honolulu Advertiser by OHA attorney Robert Klein claims Supreme Court nominee Roberts, a conservative, would uphold the Akaka bill's constitutionality because of the positions he took when he represented the State of Hawai'i in the Rice v. Cayetano case. Commentary by Bruce Fein repeats reasons why the Akaka bill is unconstitutional and would be bad public policy. Hawaii Reporter article says inside sources say the cloture vote is likely to be postponed "several weeks."
September 5, 2005: Washington Times commentary by Frank J. Gaffney Jr., president of the Center for Security Policy and a columnist for The Washington Times; and a very strong letter to editor by George Berish. Commentary by Ed Feulner, president of The Heritage Foundation. Commentary by David Freddoso in "Human Events" magazine. Lengthy commentary by Wes Vernon in "Renew America."
September 6, 2005: The Congressional Record for September 6 for the Senate shows that the first item of business was unanimous consent to VITIATE (cancel) the Akaka bill cloture petition (actual language of the Congressional record provided). Both Honolulu daily newspapers report the Akaka bill cloture vote and possible debate has been postponed indefinitely, due to the Senate's need to deal with the emergency caused by Hurricane Katrina. Both newspapers also report a small press conference on the grounds of 'Iolani Palace on Labor Day where leaders of Hawai'i's largest labor unions gave their support to the Akaka bill. Edward Hudgins, Executive Director of the Objectivist Center (think tank) publishes article: "Fascism in a Lei." Expecting that the Akaka bill would come to the floor of the Senate, an advertisement was published in the morning edition of the Washington Times by Chief Maui Loa of the Hou band of Native Hawaiians of the Blood, opposing the bill. That advertisement is posted in chronological order.
About 90 pages of details for August 31 through September 6.
September 7, 2005: Excellent article by Samantha Young (Stephens Media Group) in "West Hawaii Today" describes how the Akaka bill got postponed, and how the delay is being used by the Hawai'i delegation to rewrite the bill in collaboration with the Department of Justice. Governor Lingle is lobbying both the Senate and the House while she is in Washington. Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports that Governor Lingle exercised her right as a sitting Governor to go onto the Senate floor to speak with Senators during recesses to lobby for the Akaka bill. Both the Star-Bulletin and Advertiser quote Lingle as estimating the bill's postponement as 2 or 3 weeks. Advertiser editorial (again!) urges passing the bill to fend off court challenges to racially exclusionary government programs. Elaine Willman, Chair of Citizens Equal Rights Alliance, published "Battered Communities" describing non-Indian communities living inside or near Indian reservations as being like battered spouses, who often seem too timid to stand up for their rights; and she asks whether government officials in Hawai'i are like that. John Fulton Lewis, executive editor of the Reservation Report, compares the Hawaiian homelands and Akaka bill to South African apartheid. Jack Kelly, editor of The Green Flash News, reports a rally at the Hawai'i Legislature by Native Alaskans and Native Hawaiians in solidarity with each other to oppose the Akaka bill (the Native Alaskans are angry with Hawai'i Democrat Senators Inouye and Akaka who voted in favor of opening the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, in retirn for Alaska Republican Senators Stevens and Murkowski voting in favor of the Akaka bill).
September 8: RightMarch, the conservative mirror image of the left-wing MoveOn, put out a nationwide e-mail alert to oppose the Akaka bill. Honolulu Star-Bulletin editorial -- "Vote on Akaka Bill should not be cast aside forever." Chicago Sun-Times, other newspapers, and ABC News report that Governor Lingle is lobbying U.S. Senators telling them that it is ridiculous to say the Akaka bill would lead to the secession of Hawai'i from the U.S. The National Center for Public Policy Research publishes its report # 532, entitled "Proposed Race-Based Government for Hawaii Would Create Trouble in Paradise."
Friday, September 9: Forbes Magazine's "Dunce of the Week" feature singles (doubles) out "Dunce(s) Of The Week: Daniel Akaka and Linda Lingle." Samantha Young, Stephens Washington Bureau, reports about Governor Lingle lobbying in the Senate, and says "Most of the dozen senators she spoke with were unaware that Hawaiian homelands were scattered throughout the state, Lingle said. Most thought the land would be similar to a tribal reservation." Letters to editor say that the Akaka bill would not protect race-based programs from legal attack; and that the apology resolution of 1993 (apologizing for U.S. help in overthrow of the monarchy) is blown far out of proportion because there has never been a U.S. apology for a real and major military invasion of Mexico which seized huge amounts of territory now known as Texas and New Mexico.
About 130 pages of details through September 9.
September 11: Senator Inouye, "Hawai'i's craftiest vote-counter", says if the Akaka bill comes up for a vote on a Monday or Friday, it could have trouble getting enough votes. He also says there might not have been enough votes if it had come to the Senate floor last week. Republican opponents are making the bill into a national issue, whereas Akaka/Inouye have trouble getting people outside Hawai'i to know what it's all about.
Also September 11: Hawaii Reporter republished most of the text of the September 8 action alert previously sent out by RightMarch.com (see below for details).
September 12: Article in Investor's Business Daily: Paradise Lost
September 13, 2005: Honolulu Advertiser helps Kamehameha Schools publicize its slick "executive summary" of a new 450-page book (to be released in the future) containing mostly old data purporting to show that ethnic Hawaiians are at the bottom of most indicators of social and financial well-being. The idea is to use victimhood statistics to prove that the Akaka bill and Kamehameha Schools' racially exclusionary admissions policy are needed as some form of affirmative action. Also, a lengthy letter to editor says the Akaka bill certainly does threaten the possibility of secession for Hawai'i, contrary to an earlier column that had labeled such claims a "big lie."
September 15: An important article debunking "Native Hawaiian" victimhood statistics was published in Hawaii Reporter. Such statistics are often used to justify demands for reparations and political sovereignty. Also, a more detailed version of the Advertiser LTE from September 13 was published in Hawaii Reporter; including photos of anti-American signs pushing secession.
For details of August 31 (some) through September 15, 2005 news reports and commentary, about 155 pages of detail, see:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaHistSept2005.html
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HISTORY FOR SEPTEMBER 16 - 30, 2005
AKAKA ANNOUNCES NEW VERSION OF BILL FOLLOWING NEGOTIATIONS WITH DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, GIVING IMPRESSION IT IS AN AGREEMENT RESOLVING ALL DOJ CONCERNS. However, DOJ LATER ISSUES A STATEMENT THAT IT CONTINUES TO HAVE MAJOR CONCERNS OVER THE (UN)CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE AKAKA BILL. Have our federal delegation and our Governor been lying to us about alleged agreement with DOJ?
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER (about 90 pages for September 16 - 29; no publications on September 30)
SEPTEMBER 16: SENATOR AKAKA ANNOUNCED THAT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED AMONG THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, SENATORS AKAKA AND INOUYE, AND OFFICIALS OF THE STATE OF HAWAI'I. THE AKAKA BILL WILL BE AMENDED TO INCORPORATE THE AGREEMENT. Summary of new version of the bill by Senator Akaka, text of new version available for download, comments by Hawai'i Senators and Representatives. Also a news report about obstruction by OHA and other state agencies stonewalling a freedom of information demand to disclose how much money has been spent lobbying the Akaka bill.
September 17: Advertiser and Star-Bulletin describe the new version of the Akaka bill.
** Note that the substitute bill has not yet been formally introduced in the Senate. That might not happen for quite a while. This could be a "trial balloon." FURTHER CHANGES ARE POSSIBLE BEFORE THE AMENDED BILL IS FORMALLY INTRODUCED.
September 18: Commentary in The Washington Times by Rubellite Kawena Kinney Johnson, Professor of Hawaiian Language and Literature, and a Living Treasure of Hawai'i. Also, editorial cartoon showing Senator Akaka having cut many pieces off his bill and wondering whether the small portion remaining is now ready to be passed.
September 19: Commentary entitled "Akaka bill -- Failure in Congress may spell violence" by Rod Ferreira. He is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the umbrella organization of powerful racially exclusionary institutions seeking passage of the Akaka bill to protect their organizations against 14th Amendment equal protection lawsuits. He is a frequent contributor of columns and news reports in "Ka Wai Ola O OHA", the monthly newspaper of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. He is also President of the I Mua Group of Kamehameha Schools Alumni Associations. Ferreira's commentary is a thinly-veiled threat. Give us what we want "or else." The threat must be taken seriously because it is made by someone so highly placed among the Hawaiian racialists; but it also shows that Akaka bill supporters sense defeat and are getting desperate.
About 30 pages of details for September 16-19
September 20: Honolulu Advertiser editorial "Akaka amendments preserve bill's intent" The Maui News editorial: Akaka bill is a reasonable compromise, and "Once the Akaka Bill is passed, and signed by the president, it can always be amended in the future." Advertiser columnist Lee Cataluna deplores the fact that supporters of Kamehameha Schools and of the Akaka bill feel compelled to stereotype ethnic Hawaiians as the dregs of society in order to solicit sympathy and political support for race-based programs.
September 21: Alfred "Chip" Pili'aloha, GS-11, DAF, who is with the 835th CS/SCXI RMTP Office at Ramstein U.S. Air Force Base (Germany), asks: "If Hawaii Suceeds from the Union, So What? What are the Akaka Bill opponents afraid of?" Well-known conservative writer Phyllis Schlafly published an article in "Human Events" entitled, "With Racist Proposal, Does Hawaii Plan to Secede from U.S.?"
September 22: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ISSUES A STATEMENT THAT IT CONTINUES TO HAVE MAJOR CONCERNS OVER THE (UN)CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE AKAKA BILL. "The administration appreciates the work of the Hawai'i delegation to address some of the concerns raised by the Justice Department but there are substantial, unresolved constitutional concerns regarding whether Congress may treat Native Hawaiians as it does the Indian tribes, and whether Congress may establish and recognize a Native Hawaiian governing entity," said John Nowacki, a Justice Department spokesman. "As the Supreme Court has stated, whether Native Hawaiians are eligible for tribal status is 'a matter of some dispute' and 'of considerable moment and difficulty.' "
Also September 22: IMPORTANT ARTICLE BY MALIA ZIMMERMAN, EDITOR, "HAWAII REPORTER" entitled: "DOJ Blows Hole in Akaka Bill Public Relations Campaign -- Justice Department Still Not Convinced Akaka Bill is Constitutional; Momentum Turning Against Akaka Bill Passage." The article shows that the Hawaii Delegation was lying when they said agreement has been reached with the Department of Justice; and the article reviews some important publications showing that momentum is turning against the bill.
September 23: Cartoon in Honolulu Advertiser shows the Akaka bill in a rowboat sinking in floodwaters surrounding the U.S. Capitol.
About 60 pages of details for September 16-23
Sunday September 25, 2005: Honolulu Advertiser editorial urges Akaka bill supporters to develop a backup plan to protect ethic Hawaiian race-based benefits in case the Akaka bill fails. Advertiser commentary by Charles Wilkinson (mainland Indian law expert hired by OHA) says the proposed amendments to Akaka bill, acknowledging sovereign immunity for the federal and state governments, will not interfere with negotiating a settlement of land and money. Honolulu Star-Bulletin features two commentaries: Tom Coffman (historian who researched overthrow and annexation and helped produce propaganda films favoring independence) says proposed amendments make Akaka bill even worse than before and warrant junking the bill; William Meheula (attorney representing OHA on ceded land issues) says proposed amended Akaka bill allows negotiations over land and jurisdiction and is therefore better than the current status quo. Maui News editorial says "It appears it will take the second President Bush to clear away nettlesome objections from the Justice Department and get the Akaka Bill passed for the benefit of everyone who lives in Hawaii." New webpage: Akaka Bill Controversy Draws Congressional Attention to Illegal "Native Hawaiian" Entitlements -- House Republican Study Committee Proposes Killing $40 Million Per Year
September 27: Article in "Indian Country Today" summarizes changes in Akaka bill language which Senator Akaka said he negotiated with Department of Justice (but has not yet actually introduced in the Senate).
September 28: Honolulu Advertiser article says "Native Hawaiian" population expected to more than double by year 2050. Published analysis by Ken Conklin notes that if Akaka bill passes, the U.S. will therefore be stuck with an Indian tribe having nearly a million members dependent on the federal dole. Article quotes Lilikala Kame'eleihiwa urging "Native Hawaiians" to double their population in only 20 years instead of 50, in order to become an absolute majority sooner. Webpage contains extended analysis, noting the Nazi "Lebensborn" program under which Aryan women were expected to make babies with SS men, the pregnant women then living in special buildings and their babies adopted by Nazi political operatives.
Also September 28: An amendment to the Akaka bill was formally introduced on the floor of the Senate by conservative Republican Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas. But why did media ignore this for a week? Why did Senator Akaka not yet officially introduce his own alleged revision of Akaka bill published on his Senate website 3 weeks previously accompanied by great publicity? An article published in Hawaii Reporter by Ken Conklin on October 5 (a week later) was the first publication to take note of the amendment. Conklin's article discusses these questions, and includes the text of Senator Brownback's proposed amendment. See:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaBrownbackIndianApologyAmend092805.html
September 29: Honolulu Star-Bulletin commentary by retired federal magistrate judge Joseph Gedan opposing Akaka bill. Maui News letter to editor by Ken Conklin pointing out that Akaka, Inouye, and Lingle have been derelict in their duty to protect the State of Hawai'i when they originally failed to put into the Akaka bill the protections later demanded by Department of Justice regarding civil and criminal jurisdiction and non-interference by the tribe with military activities.
Also September 29: A Hawaii Reporter review of state campaign spending records reveals Oklahoma Republican congressman Tom Cole lobbying for the Akaka Bill in the U.S. House on Gov. Linda Lingle’s behalf is a partner in a political consulting firm that was paid more than $150,000 by Lingle during her past two campaigns for governor.
Also September 29: An apology for the overthrow of the monarchy by the United Church of Christ, which was then used as a basis for the apology resolution passed by Congress in 1993, was based on a false premise that the church was a co-conspirator in the overthrow. So says James I. Kuroiwa, Jr. , a former Moderator of a United Church of Christ Church in Honolulu Hawaii, who provides evidence of the deceptive way the church's apology was engineered.
FOR DETAILS OF SEPTEMBER 16-30, 2005, SEE:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaHistSept16302005.html
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HISTORY FOR OCTOBER, 2005 -- White House raises concerns over treating ethnic Hawaiians like Indian tribes in military contracting preferences; conservative Senator Brownback (R,KS) officially proposes amendment; ethnic Hawaiian group stages 24-hour sit-in at OHA headquarters to protest Akaka bill; group of native Hawaiians with 50%+ native blood quantum file lawsuit against OHA for improperly spending ceded land revenue to lobby for Akaka bill; Former U.S. Supreme Court Nominee Harriet Miers Advised President Bush on Akaka Bill as shown by Her Senate Questionnaire
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
October 1: Stephens Media News Washington Bureau reports that the White House raises concerns over treating ethnic Hawaiians like Indian tribes in military contracting preferences. The Heartland Institute (Chicago), in its nationally circulated "Budget and Tax News", reports on the dangers of the Akaka bill.
October 3: (1) Washington Times Editorial: "Separate but equal, Hawaiian-style" notes that the Akaka bill's alleged purpose of reconciliation and healing does exactly the opposite by promoting racial separatism in the interest of overturning the February 2000 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Rice v. Cayetano, and protecting race-based programs. (2) Honolulu Advertiser article about "Operation Offset": a proposal by the U.S. House Republican Study Committee, that would cut $40 Million in "Native Hawaiian" programs as part of a long list of program cuts to make up for huge expenditures related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Advertiser article notes that the high profile of the Akaka bill has raised the visibility of "Native Hawaiian" programs and the fact that they are race-based.
October 4: Star-Bulletin says: "Last week, the Bush administration's Office of Management and Budget cited Justice Department questions about the constitutionality of native Hawaiian program funding in the military appropriations bill, H.R. 2863."
October 5: An amendment to the Akaka bill was formally introduced on the floor of the Senate by conservative Republican Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas on September 28, but nobody noticed until October 5! Why did media ignore this for a week? Why did Senator Akaka not yet officially introduce his own alleged revision of Akaka bill published on his Senate website 3 weeks previously accompanied by great publicity? An article published in Hawaii Reporter by Ken Conklin on October 5 was the first publication to take note of the amendment. Conklin's article discusses these questions, and includes the text of Senator Brownback's proposed amendment. See:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaBrownbackIndianApologyAmend092805.html
October 6-7: A 24-HOUR (OVERNIGHT) SIT-IN TOOK PLACE AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF OHA (OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS) FROM 10 AM THURSDAY OCTOBER 6 THROUGH 10 AM FRIDAY OCTOBER 7. THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THE SIT-IN WAS TO PROTEST OHA SUPPORT FOR THE AKAKA BILL AND TO DEMAND THAT OHA WITHDRAW THAT SUPPORT. FOLLOWING ARE NEWSPAPER AND TELEVISION REPORTS ABOUT THAT EVENT, PLUS A PUBLIC STATEMENT ISSUED FRIDAY BY "HUI PU", THE GROUP THAT STAGED THE SIT-IN.
October 8: Honolulu Star-Bulletin editorial takes note of anti-Akaka-bill protest at OHA but says (for the bazillionth time) that Akaka/Inouye should continue pushing the bill because most people support it (but if most people support it, then why does Star-Bulletin feel it's necessary to keep publishing such editorials?). Maui News letter to editor from OHA Administrator Clyde Namu'o responds to part of Ken Conklin's letter of September 29; Namu'o says Congress should pass Akaka bill and let courts decide its (un)constitutionality; also Native Hawaiians are the only group of indigenous people not yet given federal recognition (see reply by Conklin on October 12)
October 12: Maui News letter from Ken Conklin responds to OHA Administrator Clyde Namu'o's letter of October 8.
October 14: (1) Bureau of Indian Affairs denies federal recognition to 2 Connecticut "tribes" -- implications for Akaka bill. (2) Group of native Hawaiians with 50%+ native blood quantum file lawsuit against OHA for improperly spending ceded land revenues to lobby for Akaka bill (ceded land revenues are earmarked by law for 50%+ native Hawaiians, and Akaka bill would dilute the blood quantum down to one drop).
Also October 14: A series of three articles was published in the Minnesota Daily regarding Kamehameha Schools and the Akaka bill. The articles were published October 10, 14, and 28 and are gathered at October 14 because that was the article that raised the issue of Minnesota Senator Mark Coleman supporting the Akaka bill and speculated Coleman's support is for reasons similar to those stated in the October 10 article for supporting Kamehameha Schools racially exclusionary admissions policy. Kamehameha's official spokesman Kekoa Paulsen replied on October 28 defending both Kamehameha and the Akaka bill.
There was no news about the Akaka bill between October 14 and October 21
October 21: The Maui News published an editorial commentary pointing out that the State of Hawai'i, with the help of the U.S. Navy, has long pledged that the entire island of Kaho'olawe (formerly a Navy practice-bombing target), will be turned over to a sovereign Native Hawaiian entity as soon as such entity achieves federal recognition (Congress previously appropriated $400 Million to clean up ordnance on the island, as part of that agreement). Furthermore, in September 2005 the State of Hawai'i acquired 25,856 acres of land in Puna (with OHA contrinuting a small portion of the purchase price) and has turned over management of the entire parcel to OHA with the understanding that the parcel will eventually be turned over entirely to a sovereign Native Hawaiian entity. Congress approved the funding through the U.S. Forest Service for that land to be given to the state. Thus, it appears the federal government is already acknowledging there will be a sovereign Native Hawaiian entity even though the Akaka bill has been stalled in Congress for more than 5 years.
October 22: Honolulu Advertiser reports "Akaka bill remains on back burner"
October 23: Honolulu Star-Bulletin letter to editor, responding to editorial of October 8 (!!) questions why this newspaper publishes so many editorials supporing the Akaka bill if the newspaper truly believes the OHA surveys purporting to show that most people support the bill. Letter says a ballot vote would be the best survey.
October 25 article in Hawaii Reporter says it would be dangerous to forget about the Akaka bill, even though at the moment nothing seems to be happening. Forgetting about the bill would allow the bill's supporters to return to the stealth tactics used previously. Also, without the great attention to the bill during July, the bill would not have been amended and thus might have been passed with the very bad consequences the amendments are designed to avoid. [But note from Ken Conklin: the bill has not actually been amended!! Akaka has put proposed new language for the bill on his website, but had not yet actually introduced the amended version even though many weeks have gone by since he announced the "amended" version.]
October 27: Earl Arakaki writes in Hawaii Reporter "Navajo Nation Demands $440 Million for Pipeline Right-of-Way; Hawaii Ratepayers Could Face the Same Situation if the Akaka Bill Passes"
October 28: Attorney H. William Burgess circulated an announcement to the Aloha For All group he heads, showing that on October 26 Senator Jeff Sessions (R,AL) proposed an amendment to an appropriations bill that would eliminate funding for the University of Hawaii School of Law for a Center of Excellence in Native Hawaiian law. Mr. Burgess believes Senator Sessions introduced the amendment because Sessions is concerned the money would be used to support the Akaka bill and race-based government programs which are contrary to law.
Also October 28: "Former U.S. Supreme Court Nominee Harriet Miers Advised President Bush on Akaka Bill. Her Senate Questionnaire Confirms She Reviewed the Bill With the President, But Miers Would Not Disclose Her Advice on Whether or Not to Support the Controversial Measure." The fact that President Bush was actively discussing the Akaka bill is very significant, as this Hawaii Reporter article explains.
October 30: Hawaii State Legislature Hearings on How to Circumvent Court Decisions Unfavorable to OHA and Kamehameha Schools, October 2005 -- webpage published October 30, 2005 includes news reports, analysis, and some of the testimony presented during 8 hearings on 5 islands during a period of 9 days as Hawai'i Senate and House committees on Hawaiian affairs held community meetings to discuss what laws the Legislature might pass to negate or circumvent decisions by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court in the Arakaki and Kamehameha lawsuits; hoping to prevent damage until the Akaka bill passes (they hope!). See:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/HawnAffrsLegislHrngOct2005.html
October 31: Elaine Willman writes in Hawaii Reporter that evidence of why the Akaka bill should be defeated can be found in the monthly newsletter of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, where anti-American content is routinely published, at the expense of the treasury of the State of Hawai'i.
FOR DETAILS OF ALL THE NEWS FROM OCTOBER 2005 (About 65 pages of details), SEE:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaHistOctober2005.html
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HISTORY FOR NOVEMBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 2005
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
November 1: Honolulu Advertiser commentary by attorneys H. Christopher Bartolomucci and Viet Dinh arguing that Congress does have jurisdiction under the Constitution to create a government for ethnic Hawaiians. Hawaii Reporter article by Ken Conklin reporting on 8 joint hearings on 5 islands in 9 days by two committees of the state Legislature to discuss how the Legislature might circumvent the Arakaki and Kamehameha decisions by the 9th Circuit Court, while waiting for the Akaka bill to pass.
November2: Two Hawaiian Civic Clubs proposed a resolution opposing the Akaka bill, but by a vote of 146 to 39 the parent Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs voted to continue its support of the bill.
November 12: Honolulu Advertiser reports that Governor Lingle and several OHA trustees will in Washington D.C. lobbying for the Akaka bill with leaders of the House of Representatives around November 16-18. They hope the bill can pass the Senate this year, possibly through the use of a cloture petition around the time of their visit. But it's very unlikely there would then be time to pass it in the House.
** Note from Ken Conklin: The article says (incorrectly) that a bill must pass both chambers during the same calendar year to be enacted. But if that theory were true, then the obvious reason for lobbying the House when time is running out would be to ask the House leadership to pass the bill on a voice vote without debate, perhaps on the calendar of non-controversial legislation as was done in a stealth maneuver by Representative Abercrombie on September 26, 2000. For an analysis of what might be happening behind the scenes, see:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaCurrentStatus111105.html
November 13: Hawaii Reporter article by Ken Conklin says the remainder of year 2005 is a very dangerous time for opponents of the Akaka bill. Article reviews stealth tactics of previous end-of-year times, and offers conspiracy scenario for 2005.
November 14: Two letters to editor in Honolulu Advertiser eloquently put forward the independence activist view that Hawai'i is currently under U.S. (hostile) occupation. Hawai'i remains sovereign and independent because annexation never took place; hence Akaka bill is bad because it would turn citizens of sovereign independent nation into an Indian tribe under U.S. occupation.
November 16: Samantha Young, of the Stephens Media Group, has an article in West Hawaii Today newspaper reporting Governor Lingle and OHA trustees visit to Washington. Young says Senator Ensign of Nevada (who placed a hold on the bill in July over concerns about gambling) feels the gambling issue still is not resolved, even with the new language allegedly to be offered by Senator Akaka. Senator Frist, majority leader, could not be reached for comment regarding Senator Inouye and Akaka statements that they constantly press him and other Republicans for a vote on the bill.
November 18: Honolulu Advertiser quotes Senator Akaka saying that a vote on the Akaka bill is unlikely before the end of 2005, but he constantly pressures Majority Leader Frist to schedule it.
Also November 18: A nationally syndicated article by Victor Davis Hanson explains that the recent rioting in France by ethnic Arabs from France's former North African colonies can be explained by French racial exclusivity in social, economic, and political realms, resulting in ethnic balkanization and actual inequality despite claims of a colorblind society. By contrast, the U.S. takes equality seriously. But tensions exaccerbated by Hispanic and Black identity politics in America threaten to balkanize our society, leading us toward a social breakdown comparable to France, unless we return to our root policy of aggressive assimilation and inclusiveness. An addendum by Ken Conklin links to a webpage discussing the same issue in relation to Hawaiian racial separatism and ethnic nationalism, and the Akaka bill.
November 19: Honolulu Star-Bulletin publishes a news note closely similar to the one in the Advertiser of November 12, including the same false concept that a bill must pass both the House and Senate during the same calendar year in order to be enacted. Ken Conklin not-for-publication letter to Star-Bulletin editors notes that both newspapers published the same error, presumably from the same biased source, and need to strengthen their journalistic standards.
November 23: Honolulu Advertiser columnist Dave Shapiro takes note of an award of house lot leases by the Department of Hawaiian Homelands, and argues that the Akaka bill is necessary to protect that program against court challenges.
November 28 issue of "Newsweek" contains an article linking White House chief of staff Karl Rove to Washington lobbying firm Patton Boggs and the payment of $400,000 by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to Patton Boggs to lobby for the Akaka bill. The implication is that Rove may be improperly using his influence with the President to lobby on behalf of Patton Boggs clients, including lobbying for the Akaka bill, in return for money and legal representation for himself regarding the investigation of CIA leaks involving Lewis "Scooter" Libby. The "Newsweek" article, and Ken Conklin's comments about it, are on the following webpage:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaRovePattonBoggsNewsweek112805.html
November 29: Non-ethnic-Hawaiian writes letter to editor saying "Hawaiians on both sides of the Akaka bill discussion ultimately want the same thing — they want their kingdom back. From what I have observed of politically active descendants of Hawaiian citizens, they look forward to the day when they can elect a king or queen again. Some see the Akaka bill as a step in that direction; others fear that it will impede progress toward their goal, but, make no mistake, that goal is independence. This is a political issue, not a racial issue.
December 4: Honolulu Advertiser publishes a news report about lawsuits by foreign governments demanding repatriation of ancient artifacts from American museums. Advertiser editorial board member publishes commentary connecting that news report to NAGPRA issues in Hawai'i. One unstated implication is that passing the Akaka bill would allow ethnic Hawaiians to establish a governing entity to resolve disputes among members and then speak with one voice on behalf of the tribe as a whole. Thus, an Akaka tribe could operate with legal standing comparable to like foreign governments, filing lawsuits against museums to demand repatriation of artifacts.
December 5: Beltway Blogroll (a web log devoted to reporting on other blogs and the role they are playing in politics) published an essay describing the Akaka bill and the influence of various blogs in bringing attention to it.
December 8: Haunani Apoliona gives annual speech "The State of OHA and the [ethnic] Hawaiian Community" to an audience of 300 at Kawaiaha'o Church. She says there's a conspiracy to demolish racial entitlements through lawsuits; the lawsuits are headed for success; OHA has been doing great work helping ethnic Hawaiians; and the only way to save the entitlement programs is through "nation building" and the Akaka bill.
On December 22, 2005, as the Senate was preparing to go on recess until January 18, Senator Akaka issued a statement saying that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid have pledged to work to bring the Akaka bill to the Senate floor in 2006.
December 30, 2005: Hawaii Reporter article says the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will hold a hearing on January 20, 2006 in Washington D.C. to hear testimony supporting and opposing the Akaka bill. A note by Ken Conklin reviews the report of the Hawaii Advisory Committee to the USCCR from the forum held in Honolulu in September 2000 -- the report favored the Akaka bill and also favored the concept that ethnic Hawaiians have a right to force the secession of Hawai'i from the United States.
FOR DETAILS OF ALL THE NEWS FROM NOVEMBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 2006 SEE:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaHistNov1toDec312005.html
===================
HISTORY FOR JANUARY 1, 2006 THROUGH APRIL 30, 2006 -- U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS HOLDS FORUM IN WASHINGTON D.C.; ABRAMOFF SCANDAL IMPLICATIONS FOR AKAKA BILL; MORGAN REPORT (1894) BLOWS HOLE IN APOLOGY RESOLUTION (1993); AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION RESOLUTION SUPPORTS AKAKA BILL; RESOLUTION IN HAWAII LEGISLATURE DEMANDING PLEBISCITE ON AKAKA BILL (FAILS); TIME MAGAZINE CALLS SENATOR AKAKA ONE OF THE 5 WORST SENATORS
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
January 4, 2006: The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will meet in Washington D.C. on January 20 to hear various views on the Akaka bill.
January 7: Star-Bulletin editorial says the Forbes Cave controversy "amplifies the fact that there is no established Hawaiian entity through which claims under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act can be resolved other than the federal court. Passage of the Akaka bill, which would recognize a legal and political governing unit for Hawaiians, could move Hawaiians toward a policy for repatriation. However, the bill has stalled in Congress, and even though Hawaii's leaders in the U.S. Senate are optimistic about its approval this year, the conflict about the artifacts could raise concerns in Washington."
January 9: "Abramoff Implications for the Akaka bill" article in Hawaii Reporter (on-line) explains that the Akaka bill would virtually guarantee huge scandals in Hawai'i over campaign financing because a federally recognized Akaka tribe would not be subject to campaign spending limitations imposed by either the federal or state governments.
January 12: Honolulu Advertiser article: "Conference helps soften opposition to Akaka bill" -- A conference sponsored by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, brought together American Indians, Native Alaskans, and ethnic Hawaiians at Hilton Hawaiian Village for three days to share cultural and political information.
January 15: "Morgan Report is public at long last" (808-page report of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, of 1894, shows the U.S. neither caused nor assisted in the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. The Morgan Report discredits the Apology Resolution of 1959 which is at the core of the Akaka bill).
January 18: Hawaiian independence actvist says the Advertiser article of November 12 was mistaken in saying "Conference helps soften opposition to Akaka bill"
January 19: "Morgan Report Has Implications for Akaka Bill and Hawaiian Sovereignty" article in Hawaii Reporter by Jere Krischel and Kenneth R. Conklin.
January 20-21: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights holds a forum at its Washington D.C. headquarters about the Akaka bill, hearing from supporters and opponents of the bill.
January 25: Senator Akaka, running for re-election, says if he loses to Congressman Ed Case the Akaka bill will be in trouble (even though Case is also a strong supporter of the bill). That's because Akaka says some commitments by other Senators to support the bill are personal commitments to Akaka that would not transfer to Case [perhaps Case opposition to oil drilling in ANWR is what Akaka has in mind?]
January 25 article inHawaii Reporter containing the testimony of H. William Burgess before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, in opposition to the Akaka bill.
Honolulu Advertiser editorial cartoon shows Senator Akaka referring to his dog labeled "Akaka bill" and saying "He answers to me!"
January 26: Honolulu Advertiser editorial "Akaka bill needs push in House and Senate" says bill is languishing; Akaka and Case should compete to pass it in their respective playing fields (Senate and House). Hawaii Reporter Grassroot Perspective essay discusses Indian tribal sovereignty as fostering balkanization and racial conflict over taxation, regulation, and so-called "sacred plance."
January 27: Hawaii Reporter article containing the testimony of Robert Fukuda regarding the Akaka bill, delivered to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
January 29: Akaka vs. Case in U.S. Senate Democrat Primary: Newspaper articles review candidates' positions on the Akaka bill, oil drilling in ANWR, and other issues. Richard Rowland of the Grassroot Institute once again points out Congress will be deciding whether to carve up Hawai'i even though nobody is asking Hawaii voters to vote on the Akaka bill
February 1: OHA Trustee Oswald Stender gives reasons for supporting the Akaka bill, and attacks Robert Fukuda's essay of January 27.
February 6: Letter to editor: "Sen. Akaka suggests his controversial federal recognition bill won't pass if he is not re-elected. Sounds like a great reason to vote him out of office."
February 14: American Bar Association passes a resolution supporting the Akaka bill
February 16: Robert Fukuda, "Taking Issue With the Race-Based Direction of the Akaka Bill" replies to Oswald Stender's article of February 1.
February 18: Honolulu Star-Bulletin editorial: ABA resolution gives boost to Akaka bill; need to bring it to the floor in Senate; Akaka's failure to do so despite his seniority is legitimate political issue
February 21: Letter to editor aserts that the ABA resolution favoring the Akaka bill should put to rest any claims that the bill is unconstitutional.
February 22: Two letters to editor have interesting juxtaposition: one cites ABA resolution supporting Akaka bill as federal recognition of an "indigenous" people; other (by an "indigenous" ethnic Hawaiian) warns that claims to racial supremacy and communal rights based on alleged indigeneity is harmful to society and reminiscent of Hitler and Stalin.
February 25: Honolulu Star-Bulletin article praises 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision to hold an en banc review (15 judges) of its 3-judge decision regarding the kamehameha Schools case, because now there is less worry that the Akaka bill might not pass in time to save the segregated admissions policy.
March 7: Commentary in the student newspaper of the University of Hawai'i says the Akaka bill is bad for people who are not ethnic Hawaiians because it discriminated against them; and bad for ethnic Hawaiians who would like Hawai'i to be restored to independence. Cartoon shows both groups beating up on Akaka bill.
March 9: Washington D.C. reporter says Hawaii Congressman Ed Case held a "talk story" informational briefing in Washington for people from Hawaii who are living there. But only 6 people came, in addition to Representative Case and 5 of his aides! Case said Senate majority leader Frist has given a pledge there will be consideration of the Akaka bill early in 2006, but no firm date has been set. Case also expressed concern about the House Republicans trying to cut back racially exclusionary programs benefitting ethnic Hawaiians.
March 11: Letter to editor says the American Bar Association support for the Akaka bill is misguided. "In 1920, Congress did exercise plenary power over Native Hawaiians when it set the blood quantum rule recognizing the nearest kinship group having 50 percent and more aboriginal blood. Congress does not recognize immigrants as Native Americans or Native Hawaiians. An immigrant cannot be native. ... The most unjust, despicable lies imaginable are being promoted in an unethical lobbying effort seeking to gain undeserved sympathy for lineal descendants of immigrants."
MARCH 17, 2006 -- RESOLUTION INTRODUCED IN THE HAWAII LEGISLATURE ASKING CONGRESS TO AMEND THE AKAKA BILL TO REQUIRE THAT IT MUST BE APPROVED BY A VOTE OF ALL HAWAII'S PEOPLE BEFORE IT CAN BE ENACTED, AND ALSO ASKING THAT THE AKAKA BILL BE REJECTED BECAUSE IT IS BAD PUBLIC POLICY.
March 22: Honolulu Advertiser columnist Dave Shapiro notes that Senator Akaka has claimed ownership of the Akaka bill as a reason why he should be re-elected; but that his claim could backfire because the bill has been stalled in the Senate for several years. Shapiro says using the Akaka bill as a campaign issue might backfire against Akaka due to his poor performance in getting it passed. [But Shapiro is assuming Hawai'i's people support the bill. What Shapiro ignores is that the majority of Hawai'i's people probably oppose the bill and might therefore vote against the Senator precisely because he claims ownership of it!]
March 23: Earl Arakaki (lead plaintiff in the Arakaki#2 lawsuit to dismantle OHA and DHHL) has a letter to editor thanking state Senators Slom and Trimble for introducing legislation to ask voters on the ballot whether they support or oppose the Akaka bill.
March 31: Cliff Slater, occasional columnist for the Honolulu Advertiser, risks that relationship by publishing an article in Hawaii Reporter criticizing the Akaka bill (perhaps the Advertiser, a strong supporter of the Akaka bill, rejected Slater's article). "Akaka Bill Will Negatively Impact Hawaii's People --
U.S. Civil Rights Commission Should Recommend its Defeat in Congress"
April 9: John Dendahl of New Mexico describes the Akaka bill as a contributor to the balkanization of America, illustrating by giving details of the negotiations between the Navajo tribe and the natural gas company for royalties for renewal of the agreement that allows a 50-year-old pipeline to travel across Navajo lands.
April 12: Congressman Ed Case, running against Senator Akaka, campaigned on Maui at a convention of the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce. He reaffirmed his support for the Akaka bill, but said it will be very hard to get time on the calendar in the Senate. He described various kinds of opposition to the bill, and the huge amounts of money Congress has sent to Native Hawaiians over the years.
Mid-April: Time Magazine identifies Senator Akaka as one of the five worst Senators, and tells why.
April 20: Honolulu Star-Bulletin humor columnist Charled Memminger cites the Time Magazine article about Senator Akaka, and further lampoons him.
FOR DETAILS OF ALL THE NEWS FROM JANUARY 1, 2006 THROUGH APRIL 30, 2006 SEE:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaHistEarly2006.html
===================
History of the Akaka Bill during May 2006 -- U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS PUBLISHES LENGTHY REPORT URGING CONGRESS TO REJECT AKAKA BILL AS RACIST AND DIVISIVE; LOCAL HAWAII NEWS REPORTS ARE STRONGLY BIASED AGAINST USCCR REPORT; SENATOR LAMAR ALEXANDER TRASHES AKAKA BILL; AKAKA SAYS HE'LL SPEAK ON SENATE FLOOR EVERY DAY TO CORRECT MISPERCEPTIONS AND TO DEMAND FORMAL DEBATE AND VOTE; AGREEMENT TO SCHEDULE AKAKA BILL FOR SENATE FLOOR ACTION IN EARLY JUNE; GRASSROOT INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW HAWAII SURVEY SHOWING 2-1 OPPOSITION TO AKAKA BILL PLUS DESIRE FOR BALLOT VOTE IN HAWAII BEFORE CONGRESS CONSIDERS THE BILL; ROLL CALL MAGAZINE DESCRIBES MASSIVE LOBBYING; NEW BILL S.3064 INTRODUCED
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
May 1: Honolulu Advertiser publishes article by its Washington Bureau reporter saying the Akaka bill might get a Senate vote sometime in May, but there are many things standing in the way. Senator Frist says he might schedule floor time around the same time a bill to permanently repeal the estate tax is heard. Senator Kyl says he would vote for cloture to bring it to the floor, but Kyl will introduce several amendments. Also May 1: Senator Akaka introduces new legislation to provide federal support for immersion schools for indigenous (Indian, Alaskan, and Hawaiian) languages. [His ability to introduce a new bill shows he has no problem getting floor time; and raises questions why he has not yet introduced a substitute version of the Akaka bill he publicized 8 months ago.]
May 2: Two articles in Hawaii Reporter describe big bucks being spent on Washington D.C. lobbying for the Akaka bill and other race-based programs, by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.
May 3: Honolulu Advertiser publishes some details from the anticipated report of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, strongly opposed to the Akaka bill. The report is expected to be approved by the USCCR at a meeting on May 4. Portions of testimony from Ken Conklin describe how the Hawaii Advisory Committee forum in 2000 had been created as a propaganda circus to favor the Akaka bill.
May 4: Honolulu Advertiser editorial says USCCR has taken an ill-informed view in opposing the Akaka bill, and the bill deserves to be heard on the Senate floor. Associated Press article, published in Honolulu Star-Bulletin, reports Akaka Bill backers say the real bias is in the USCCR report and not in the Akaka bill; and USCCR objections could block a Senate vote.
May 5: Honolulu Advertiser reports USCCR decision to oppose Akaka bill; but Advertiser article focuses on negative commentary about the USCCR report and provides almost no details about what the report said.
** IMPORTANT: May 5: U.S. Civil Rights Commission draft report becomes available on the internet. Readers can judge for themselves whether the comments of Inouye, Akaka, and Maxwell are valid. Download the USCCR report at:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaUSCCR2006.html
May 7: Honolulu Star-Bulletin editorial trashes the USCCR report and urges Akaka bill be passed; see May 8 Hawaii Reporter article or webpage above for point-by-point rebuttal. Also, Honolulu Advertiser letter to editor by OHA chair Haunani Apoliona says thanks for Advertiser editorial of May 4 urging Akaka bill be passed.
May 8: Senator Lamar Alexander (R, TN) major statement on the floor of the U.S. Senate opposing the Akaka bill. Also, Ken Conklin published lengthy point-by-point rebuttal to Star-Bulletin editorial of May 7. Also, Senator Akaka, hearing of Senator Alexander's floor speech, took to the floor of the Senate himself to announce that he will speak about the Akaka bill on the Senate floor every day until the bill is placed on the calendar for formal debate and vote. Opponents of Akaka bill then created a webpage to provide point-by-point fact checking and rebuttal of Akaka's speeches.
May 9: Hawaii Reporter article attacks the way Akaka bill supporters constantly say that any report contrary to their viewpoint is "biased." West Hawaii Today (Kona) newspaper provides a balanced report on the May 8 skirmish between Senators Akaka and Alexander regarding the USCCR report.
May 10: Honolulu Star-Bulletin cartoon by Corky shows zombie-bored Senators with someone saying to Senator Frist: "Oh, schedule the Akaka bill already; now he's started singing the Hawaiian Wedding Song every day."
May 12: Press release from Senator Akaka announces that a cloture petition for the Akaka bill will be filed the first week in June [60 Senators would be required to force the bill to be considered on the Senate floor.] Star-Bulletin editorial says Akaka's daily speeches might be successful in getting the bill passed. Political commentator John Dendahl, of New Mexico, compares the balkanization being created by illegal immigrants with the balkanization that would be created by the Akaka bill, and Dendahl urges that everyone be treated equally under the law.
May 13: Honolulu Advertiser provides details of lobbying for the Akaka bill, including OHA officials meeting with Senator Frist and using OHA's propaganda film portraying ethnic Hawaiians as "indigenous." Also, a commentary in Honolulu Star-Bulletin explores the "findings" of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights that were deleted from the final report in a bow to political correctness.
May 16: Andrew Walden, in Hawaii Reporter, explains that the Akaka bill is a license for corruption that would allow the large Hawaiian institutions, such as Kamehameha Schools and Sandwich Isles Communications, to be sheltered from federal and state law; similar to the corruption of Indian tribal businesses. Also, Ken Conklin publishes letter in the Maui News describing new webpage of point-counterpoint for Senator Akaka's speeches.
May 17: Hawaii Reporter published a "Brief Response" previously sent by State of Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in response to its draft report on S 147. A reply by Jack Schneider is entitled "Attorney General Fails People of Hawaii on Akaka Bill Issue." A point-by-point rebuttal to Mr. Bennett's comments was also made available on a webpage. Article in Indianz.com describes the USCCR report on the Akaka bill.
May 18: Both Honolulu daily papers publish articles describing lobbying for Akaka bill by Governor Lingle. Letter to editor favors having debate in Senate to expose "illegal annexation" of Hawai'i. Letter by head of Hawaii Advisory Committee to USCCR laments that the local group was not heeded.
May 19: Letter to editor publicizes webpage providing fact-checking of Senator Akaka's speeches and webpage summarizing what's bad about the Akaka bill. Article in "Asian Week" says the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights got it all wrong about the Akaka bill, and that whites should not be a protected class.
** About 100 pages of detail for May 1-19.
May 20: Both Honolulu newspapers report a press release that Governor Lingle will go to Washington to lobby the Senate for the Akaka bill, at the request of OHA and Senator Akaka. Lingle expects to be in Washington June 5 and 6, and a cloture petition is expected to be filed on June 6.
May 22: The Honolulu Star-Bulletin published a cartoon by Corky, showing Governor Lingle going down a dark staircase to the U.S. Senate catacombs to see what happened to the Akaka bill.
May 23: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii releases results of a survey that phoned all households, and found overwhelming majorities opposed to the Akaka bill and wanting there to be a vote on the ballot in Hawai'i before Congress considers the bill. Webpage examines conclusions of two Congressional reports (Morgan Report of 1894 and Native Hawaiians Study Commission of 1983) which make clear that the U.S. does not owe political sovereignty or race-based group rights to Native Hawaiians.
May 24: Roll Call (magazine which tracks legislative activity in Congress) reports massive lobbying for the Akaka bill by OHA and various large institutions, and strong opposition from grassroot organizations in Hawai'i and conservative think tanks such as Heritage Foundation. National Review Online editorial calls the Akaka bill terrible but warns that it might pass because of some Republican defections.
May 25: Letters to editor by Earl Arakaki and Stephen Aghjayan call the Akaka bill an assault on the unity of Hawai'i's people and the Constitution, and demand a vote by Hawai'i's people before Congress considers it. Article in Hawaii Reporter quotes U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Vice Chair Abigail Thernstrom discussing blacks in America and how we are "segregating the races into political homelands that amount, in truth, to nothing short of a system of political apartheid." -- article applies that to the Akaka bill.
THURSDAY MAY 25: A NEW VERSION OF THE AKAKA BILL IS INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE, IN PREPARATION FOR A CLOTURE PETITION TO BE FILED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MEMORIAL DAY RECESS. THE NEW BILL NUMBER IS S.3064. THE BILL'S TEXT IS AT:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/Akaka109S3064PCS052606.html
Friday May 26: The Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C. holds a noontime forum on the Akaka bill, featuring Senator Lamar Alexander. A recording of the 35-minute forum can be downloaded from:
http://www.heritage.org/press/events/ev052606a.cfm
Also Friday May 26: The new Akaka bill S.3064 was given a "second reading" and placed on the calendar in the Senate, in the closing moments before adjournment for the 9-day Memorial Day recess.
May 28: Star-Bulletin publishes Associated Press article describing "seven year struggle" to get federal recognition of "Native Hawaiians as an indigenous people." Honolulu Advertiser commentary by former Governor George Ariyoshi supports Akaka bill. Letter to editor provides evidence that Governor Lingle was mistaken in her letter to Congress when she said it is silly to imagine the Akaka bill might lead to secession.
May 29: Chicago Tribune publishes lengthy article providing fair and balanced explanation of Akaka bill pros and cons, and the political situation in Hawai'i and in Washington D.C. Honolulu Advertiser report on the Hawaii Democratic Party convention says that some politicians raised concerns that people of Japanese ancestry are worried that if the Akaka bill passes they will be deprived of the benefits of land and resources that pass out of State control and into the control of the Akaka tribe.
May 30: (1) Governor Lingle and 5 of 9 OHA trustees will lobby the Senate on the Akaka bill. A cloture petition is expected to be filed on Tuesday June 6, with a vote on cloture on Thursday June 8. (2) Major article in the "Weekly Standard" [a nationwide conservative magazine] entitled "The Natives Are Restless -- Racial politics, Hawaii style" reviews Hawaiian history, the apology resolution, the fact that Native Hawaiians are widely dispersed and fully assimilated, and notes that the Akaka bill seems to have enough votes to pass the Senate. "Which means, barring a presidential veto, Native Hawaiian sovereignty may soon be a reality. Get ready for the lawsuits, if not the casinos." (3) Boyd Mossman, OHA trustee, defends Akaka bill against some criticisms. (4) Jim Marino, a California attorney, describes balkanization and some tribal excesses. (5) Elaine Willman, a city council member in Toppenish WA, and national chair of Citizens for Equal Rights, discusses balkanization and Akaka precedent for Mexican-Americans. (6) Tom Macdonald, resident of Kane'ohe, provides evidence that Governor Lingle was wrong when she claimed that it is silly to imagine the Akaka bill fosters the secession of Hawai'i from the U.S.
May 31: (1) Linda Chavez, President of the Center for Equal Opportunity, writes an article in the Jewish World Review chastizing Republican Senators for abandoning the principles of Ronald Reagan in regard to immigration and especially in regard to the Akaka bill. She calls the Akaka bill a "reconquista of Hawaii" and a creation of group rights for a new victim class. (2) Ed Feulner, President of the Heritage Foundation, article in The Chicago Sun-Times rips the Akaka bill. "'E pluribus whatever' hardly a unifying national motto." (3) Ken Conklin, article in Hawaii Reporter, asks "What Does the United States Owe to Native Hawaiians?" and describes two reports to Congress which clearly say the answer is "Nothing more nor less that what is owed to every other U.S. citizen" (the Morgan Report, 1894, and the Native Hawaiians Study Commission report, 1983). (4) Paul Smith, a Hawai'i Republican, notes that Governor Lingle was out of step with her party when she allowed a massive tax increase to support building a fixed rail transit system; and out of step when she supports the Akaka bill. If Congress rejects the Akaka bill because of Republican opposition, Lingle will have trouble reconciling her "Republican" label.
FOR DETAILS OF ALL THE NEWS FOR MAY 2006 (about 175 pages) SEE:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/AkakaHistMay2006.html
===================
HISTORY OF THE AKAKA BILL DURING JUNE 2006 -- Major conservative media blast Akaka bill; cloture petition filed June 6, debated June 7, further debated and then defeated June 8; complete transcripts of 4 hours of Senate debate and vote; post-mortems; OHA announces "Plan B"
FOR ACCESS TO EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE FOR JUNE 2006 (including news reports and commentary for the entire month, transcripts of 4 hours of Senate debate on cloture motion, cloture vote results, and Plan B) SEE:
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/AkakaHistJune2006.html
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS FOR JUNE 2006, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
June 1: (1) National Review editorial by Alston Ramsay describes the "bastardization of history" underlying the Akaka bill, and says "Bad history inevitably makes bad law." (2) Washington Times editorial says the Akaka bill "is an attempt to legalize and codify what the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in 2000: a race-based government" and concludes "The Akaka bill subverts the ideal of equality without racial distinction toward which America strives. Mr. Akaka's legislation should not have proceeded this far, and deserves to be firmly defeated." (3) Tim Chapman of Townhall.com calls the Akaka bill "An unconstitutional act." He says "winning this floor fight will be critical because of how dangerous the Native Hawaiian bill is." (4) Barb Lindsay, national director of One Nation United, describes problems faced in other states where tribes have casinos and businesses.
June 2: (1) The Wall Street Journal has an editorial "The Akaka State? A recipe for Balkanization heads for the Senate floor." The conclusion: "Republicans this week have a chance to get one right by keeping an unconstitutional bill from reaching the floor of the Senate." (2) Akaka Bill -- OHA flier "The Time is Now" mass-mailed May-June 2006 -- Comments and Corrections
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/AkakaOHATimeIsNow060106.html
June 3: (1) Robert Novak reports on high-profile Republican lobbyists hired by OHA to lobby for Akaka bill; (2) Letter to editor by some Filipino groups supporting Akaka bill; (3) Letter to editor by H. William Burgess condemning Governor Lingle as a traitor to the Republican Party and to Hawai'i's people
June 4: (1) Objective and balanced news report from Advertiser's Washington bureau describing the political situation in the Senate regarding the Akaka bill, the possibility of amendments, lobbying, concerns over unconstitutionality, conflict between protecting unity and celebrating diversity; and brief history of the bill; (2) Advertiser report that both supporters and opponents want the bill to come to the floor; (3) lengthy commentary in Advertiser by Cliff Slater pokes holes in the Native Hawaiian victimhood claims, links corruption of mainland tribes with corruption of Bishop Estate; (4) Advertiser editorial supports the bill; (5) University of Hawaii President supports the bill (but only asserts cultural preservation as his reason)
June 5: (1) Duncan Currie, reporter for The Weekly Standard, publishes lengthy review of Hawaiian political history, and concludes: "The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act remains a noxious affront to E pluribus unum, and to anyone who gives a fig about colorblind justice and equal protection. As the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights concluded last month, it deserves an emphatic rejection--if not from the Senate or the House, than from President Bush."; (2) John Fund, in the Wall Street Journal, asks "Will the Senate impose race-based government on Hawaii?" He concludes "But the Akaka bill is not just another special-interest boondoggle. It too important not to have senators give it the most exacting scrutiny. Creating a race-based government in Hawaii would create a dangerous precedent that could lead to ethnic balkanization on the mainland too."; (3) Mary Katharine Ham, of Townhall.com, describes her conversations with Native Hawaiians who complain the nobody is asking them what they really want. Ham concludes "This "Hawaiian issue" will become a national issue this week. The Akaka bill's attempt to create a race-based government is antithetical to American values. If the Senate knows that the people of Hawaii—even native Hawaiians—believe that, then maybe we can indeed avoid a bad situation." (4) The black leadership network Project 21 issues press release citing U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report and expressing concern that the Akaka bill conflicts with America's "melting pot" philosophy.; (5) Elaine D. Willman, the National Chair for the Citizens Equal Rights Alliance (CERA), says "The Akaka Bill is wrong on every level. Tell Congress to make this nightmare go away."; (6) Wes Vernon, Renew America, "Dismantling of the United States: Happening right before our eyes" discusses the balkanization produced by Mexican immigration and Akaka bills; says it's almost as though these two Senate bills could be imagined to be linked as a conspiracy to dismantle America.; (7) National Review reruns "A Race-Based State -- Hawaii wants a segregation that would boggle your mind."
June 6: ** NOTE: A cloture petition was filed on June 6 and that cloture petition will be debated on June 7 and voted June 8. However, the cloture petition is for the older version of the Akaka bill S.147, not the newer version S.3064 that was recently introduced. This peculiar development might mean that S.3064 was merely a decoy. (1) "The Hill" discusses Senator Frist's strange mingling of conservative and liberal bills this week. "Frist has also brought a skunk to what otherwise would be a conservative garden party by also scheduling the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act. ... Aides to conservative senators say they are discussing ways to tie the bill up on the floor, possibly by offering anti-abortion amendments. But, nevertheless the bill has a good chance of passing, and if it does it will likely be with the support of almost every Senate Democrat and a minority of the Senate Republican Conference."; (2) Tim Chapman, Townhall, reports outcome of cloture is very much in doubt; (3) Peter Kirsanow, member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, published article in The National Review entitled: "A Pandora’s Box of Ethnic Sovereignty -- Race-based Hawaii, an island we don’t want to travel to."; (4) Honolulu Advertiser reports about OHA and state officials lobbying the Senate; (5) Honolulu Star-Bulletin commentary by group of ethnic Japanese supporting Akaka bill; (6) Ken Conklin webpage "Akaka Bill Endorsements by Ethnic Spokespersons"; (7) Advertiser breaking news reports schedulingof debate on cloture petition; (8) Heritage Foundation Center for Legal and Judicial Studies issues report entitled "The "Native Hawaiian" Bill: An Unconstitutional Approach in Furtherance of a Terrible Idea"; (9) Eagle Forum nationwide call to action
FOR DETAILS OF NEWS AND COMMENTARY FOR JUNE 1-6 ALONE (ABOUT 90 PAGES), SEE
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/AkakaHistJune1-62006.html
June 7: (1) Honolulu Advertiser reports events in Washington, lobbying, Senators Brownback and Collins undecided. "But opponents also have been lobbying against the bill and two leading opponents — Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and John Cornyn, R-Texas — are holding a news conference today. They will be joined by Native Hawaiians who are against the bill, and Gerald A. Reynolds, chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, which recommended that Congress reject the bill."; (2) Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports events in Washington; (3) Washington Times reports about some ethnic Hawaiians opposed to Akaka bill and some information (partly wrong) about Hawaiian history; (4) Article in Hawaii Reporter by Ken Conklin regarding inappropriateness of ethnic group spokespersons endorsing Akaka bill; (5) Grassroot Hawaii senior policy analyst provides neutral descriotion of whatthe Akaka bill would actually do based only on what it says, but then says Hawai'i's people deserve a vote on it because it is so important; (6) New York Times editorial entitled "A Chance for Justice in Hawaii" says poor downtrodden ethnic Hawaiians deserve political recognition because the U.S. heped overthrow the monarchy, and the Akaka bill would not lead to balkanization or Zimbabwe-style land grabs.; (7) Rebuttal to New York Times editorial, by National Review (online); (8), (9), 10) Advertiser and Star-Bulletin "breaking news" articles describe Senate floor debate and what comes next; also describe a 30-minute protest against the Akaka bill by ethnic Hawaiians at 'Iolani Palace, in which 10 people took over the throne room while supported by 20 more outside; (11), (12) Ken Conklin essay and Honolulu Advertiser breaking news regarding letter from Department of Justice to Majority Leader Frist saying "The Administration strongly opposes passage of" the Akaka bill. Conklin essay includes full text of DOJ letter with link to photo of official letterhead.
June 8: (1) Malia Zimmerman of Hawaii Reporter quotes Professor Rubellite Kawena Johnson, "who is 50 percent Hawaiian, says she is one of many Hawaiians who have grave concerns about the political and cultural direction Hawaii's top leaders are taking. Ms. Johnson feels a profound sadness because a handful of radical groups with "hate in their hearts," are pushing for sovereignty, secession and a return to the Hawaiian monarchy. Zimmerman describes DOJ letter, lobbying in Washington by Republican state Senator Sam Slom and by ethnin Hawaiians opposed to the bill; (2) Published copy of a deeply personal "Dear John" letter sent to Sen. John McCain by one of his good friends and a fellow prisoner of war in North Vietnam -- Jerry Coffee, a longtime resident of Hawai'i; (3) and (4) Honolulu Advertiser describes opposing viewpoints, including ethnic Hawaiians opposing the Akaka bill, and lobbying efforts on both sides; (5) Honolulu Star-Bulletin describes yesterday's takeover of Iolani palace by ethnic Hawaiians protesting the Akaka bill; (6) Star-Bulletin describes opposing viewpoints in Washington; (7) and (8) Advertiser and Star-Bulletin breaking news report the defeat of the cloture motion.; (9) Link to webpage providing cloture vote yeas, nays, and analysis; (10) KHON TV 6 PM news report: "What's next for native Hawaiian programs" ""If there isn't something like the Akaka Bill if there isn't a federal recognition of Hawaiians in a political sense, I think it's inevitable that the programs that favor Hawaiians in one way or another are going to be ruled unconstitutional," says UH law professor Randy Roth.; (11) KHON TV 7 PM news report: Quotes from Senators Akaka and Alexander; (12) Hawaii Reporter: "Akaka Bill Now 'Deader than Dead' Despite Putting on a Happy Face About Today's Failed Cloture Vote on the Akaka Bill, Republicans Say the Bill Will Never Pass This Session or Any Other While Republicans Dominate the Senate; New National Awareness on the Implications of the Controversial Legislation Stopped it in Its Tracks; Those on the Losing End Chipped Away Their Political Capital"; (13) Senator Akaka says "Majority of U.S. Senate Supports My Akaka Bill"
Top: Honolulu Advertiser cartoon, June 9, 2006, Adair
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/misc?url=/misc/zoom.pbs&s=M1&Dato=20060609&Kategori=OPINION04&Lopenr=60608004&Ref=AR
Middle: Honolulu Star-Bulletin cartoon, June 9, 2006, Corky
http://starbulletin.com/2006/06/09/news/corky.html
Bottom: Honolulu Weekly cartoon, June 7, 2006, Pritchett (how did he know the bill would fail in a vote on June 8, at the time he created his cartoon in time to publish it in a newspaper that hit the streets on June7 ? The Moschella letter was not even made public until June 7 at 7:15 PM EDT!)
June 9: (1) Washington Times reports defeat of cloture and quotes various Senators and Hawaii politicians; (2) Kona Hawai'i newspaper quotes Inouye -- 'It's over. It is unrealistic to pursue this.' and quotes numerous other Senators and Hawaii politicians; (3) Same Kona newspaper, same datem, different reporter says ""It would be premature to pronounce the Akaka bill dead. There is always tomorrow," Inouye said later in a statement. "; (4) Honolulu Advertiser editorial says "It's time for Plan B"; (5) Star-Bulletin editorial: "Akaka Bill's defeat imperils programs" stressing the Moschella letter; (6) Human Events Online has a strongly worded article by Senator Lamar Alexander "Senate Halts Effort to Dismantle U.S." celebrating the defeat of the Akaka bill, and providing a link to a map of a balkanized Hawai'i; (7) Lingle resolute after bill dies -- Despite the failure of the Akaka Bill in the Senate, the governor seeks other options to accomplish its goals. "Now someone will go in and say, 'Look, they couldn't get federal recognition. That proves that these programs are race-based and therefore illegal,'" she said.; (8) Advertiser Washington reporter says "While the long-stalled Native Hawaiian bill suffered a blow yesterday, with the Senate rejecting an effort to bring it to the floor, supporters vowed to keep up the battle.
"I'm going to continue to work on this," said Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, D-Hawai'i, chief sponsor of the bill. "If we don't bring it up again this year, I'll be here next year and offer the bill again."" -- "Regretfully, the (Native Hawaiian) bill can go no further in this Congress, thanks to the 11th-hour intervention and fear mongering by the Bush administration and his Department of Justice," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev." Congressman Abercrombie, referring to the Moschella letter, said "the letter was a legislative blow in that supporters, including Republican Gov. Lingle, had long sought a White House position on the issue but it showed up only on the eve of the Senate vote, leaving little time to respond. "It's as much a kick in the teeth of the governor as it is to those of us who were trying to pass the legislation in the Congress"" Review of pro and con arguments; (9) Hawaii Tribune-Herald (Hilo) reports about a pure-blood Hawaiian, Robert Keliihoomalu, a member of the House of Nobles with the Kingdom of Hawaii, who is an independence activist who says defeat of the Akaka bill is irrelevant; (10) Advertiser article says defeat of the bill will hurt Akaka's prestige and re-election chances, but won't affect Inouye; review of the major events in the history of the Akaka bill; (11) Lengthy set of Q & A about what would be the consequences of the Akaka bill; (12) Advertiser article reports the reactions of Hawai'i politicians and activists; (13) Advertiser provides lengthy series of quotes from various people supposedly representing the "man on the street", but the people selected were mostly pro-Akaka activists or independence activists, who might not be recognized as such by the general public; and a disproportionately high percentage of ethnic Hawaiians, -- i.e., the Advertiser is trying to skew public opinion. (individual respondents "outed" by Ken Conklin); (14) Advertiser columnist Lee Cataluna uses Hawaiian legend to describe Akaka bill progress over the years -- legend of a woman repeatedly killed by her husband who repeatedly came back to life, only to be killed again.
====================
** A CLOTURE PETITION WAS FILED IN THE SENATE ON TUESDAY JUNE 6. THE CLOTURE PETITION WAS DEBATED JUNE 7; AND FURTHER DEBATED AND THEN DEFEATED ON THURSDAY JUNE 8. THE TRANSCRIPTS FROM THOSE DEBATES HAVE BEEN COPIED FROM THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WEBSITE AND PLACED ON A DIFFERENT (USER-FRIENDLY) WEBPAGE HERE:
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/AkakaHistJune2006SenateActionCongRec.html
Akaka bill yeas and nays for the cloture motion vote of June 8, 2006 (56 yea, 41 nay, 3 not voting) are displayed here:
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/AkakaClotureVoteStats060806.html
AKAKA BILL HISTORY FOR THE THREE CRUCIAL DAYS OF JUNE 7, 8, AND 9 OF 2006-- NEWS REPORTS AND COMMENTARIES, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. JUNE 7 (Akaka bill cloture petition debate), JUNE 8 (more debate, and then the defeat), JUNE 9 (grieving the loss, analyzing it, wondering what comes next) [about 130 pages of news and commentary for June 7-9 alone]
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/AkakaHistJuneStartJun72006.html
June 10: (1) Kamehameha Day annual celebration; Kamehameha brought unity to Hawai'i; Honolulu Advertiser prints comments of ethnic Hawaiians saying they need to come together in unity (** Comment by Ken Conklin: but what about having a unified State of Hawai'i without ethnic separatism?); (2) West Hawaii Today explores consequences of Akaka bill defeat for the election battle between Akaka vs. Case; Ken Conklin quoted as saying Case should switch positions to oppose Akaka bill and thereby give voters a choice.
June 11: (1) New York Times, which editorialized in favor of Akaka bill on Wednesday June 7, now tries to provide "fair and balanced" news report: "Hawaiians Weigh Options as Native-Status Bill Stalls" quoting Senator Akaka, Kamehameha Schools, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, H. William Burgess (Aloha For All), Richard Rowland (Grassroot Institute), and mentioning the Kamehameha Day celebrations; (2) Honolulu Advertiser courts reporter analyzes effects of Akaka bill failure on lawsuits against race-based entitlements, including quotes from the attorneys; (3) Advertiser reviews history of Hawaiian sovereignty movement and quotes various activists saying Akaka bill is not the right vehicle but helped raise awareness of the issues; (4) Advertiser cartoon shows a small Senator Akaka holding his bill, speaking to a huge statue of Kamehameha The Great draped in flower lei(s) for Kamehameha Day, saying "I tried"; (5) Advertiser editorial page editor analyzes impact of Akaka bill failure on the election confrontation between Akaka and Case, and effect on Lingle. Article concludes "The task ahead is to move beyond federal recognition of Hawaiians to the larger issue of Hawaiian self-determination and the myriad programs that focus on Hawaiian betterment, from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and various federal health and educational programs to Hawaiian Homelands itself. Candidates who have clear ideas and answers to these issues will find themselves far ahead of the pack as the 2006 election rolls around." (6) Star-Bulletin political analyst says defeat of Akaka bill is likely to help Akaka win re-election. "Observers and politicians already are saying off the record that the Hawaii Democrat now is free to blame the Republicans for his bill's defeat. Rep. Neil Abercrombie has spent years defining the Akaka Bill opponents as "racists," so it will not be hard to heat up the campaign year rhetoric and GOP bashing. Akaka also can use the summer and fall stump time to talk about what might have been if his bill had passed. In doing so, he will be free to gloss over the measure's controversial issues, which have multiplied as publicity rose about the bill." (7) Powerful commentary by Kaleihanamau Johnson entitled "Hawaiians must resist politics of dependency" describes her ten-year residence in Venezuela and how the same theories of cummunal land ownership endorsed in the Hawaiian apology resolution and proposed in the Akaka bill have devastated the economy and the people's sense of pride. "The Akaka Bill is written to create a dependent class of an unprecedented multitude, to politically and racially divide us, steal our freedom by not recognizing private property and subject the people of Hawaii to socialized living in perpetuity. It is not a just settlement but the beginning of a great conflict." (8) 4 letters to editor pleased the Akaka bill was defeated
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Honolulu Advertiser editorial cartoon by Dick Adair, Sunday June 11, 2006. Original URL:
http://vh10018.moc.gbahn.net/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Avis=M1&Dato=20060611&Kategori=OPINION04&Lopenr=60610002&Ref=AR&border=1&MaxW=455
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June 12: (1) Hawai'i state senator Sam Slom (R, Hawaii Kai) went to Washington to lobby against the Akaka bill last week. In a lengthy essay he provides inside information, including that there were Democrat Senators who would have voted against the Akaka bill if it had survived cloture. Slom says Hawai'i's people need the right to vote on such far-reaching legislation before it goes to Congress; (2) Lei-draping of the Kamehameha statue in the rotunda of the Capitol in Washington D.C. (an annual event for Kamehameha Day). Rally cry at lei draping: 'We are not deterred'; (3) Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund: "Aloha, Akaka -- A serious challenge to Hawaii's octogenarian junior senator."; (4) Garden Island News (Kaua'i) reports two state Legislators representing Kaua'i regret failure of the Akaka bill in the Senate, and there could be trouble ahead for OHA, DHHL, and Kamehameha Schools.; (5) Agape News (a "Christian" newspaper) says Frank Gaffney of the Center for Security Policy is among those critical of the legislation. He cites what he sees could have been detrimental impacts on the nation as a whole. "The effect could be to enable this new race-based government to decide that it wants to opt out of the 50 states of this union, taking with it not only the wonderful tourist sites of Hawaii but also the strategically critical military facilities," says the Center president."; (6) KPUA TV (Hilo) has Associated Press report that "Hawaiians in Nanakuli reflect tepid support for Akaka bill"; (7) Two letters to editor are pleased the Akaka bill failed. One of them describes how the fabric of America and fabric of Hawai'i are woven of different strands, and it's a bad idea to pull some of those strands apart from the rest.
June 13: (1) IMPORTANT ARTICLE IN "THE HILL" (reporting news of Congress) DESCRIBES BEHIND THE SCENES VOTE-TRADING AND LOBBYING ON AKAKA BILL DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS; (2) Malia Zimmerman, Hawaii Reporter: "So the Battle Continues -- Republican Co-Sponsor Avoided Heavy Lifting for the Akaka Bill; Civil Rights Commission, President, Gives Akaka Bill One-Two Punch Right Before the Vote; Attendance at Pro-Akaka Bill Capitol Rally "All Telling"; Not All Democrats Supported Sen. Akaka, Sen. Inouye in Their Bid for the Native Hawaiian Recognition Act S. 147; Fight Over OHA Funding Not Over, Despite Yesterday's Supreme Court Ruling"; (3) Garry Smith, in Hawaii Reporter, says "Hawaii Embarrassed by Akaka Bill Fiasco, Time to Move On."
June 14: (1) Honolulu Advertiser: "Inouye Pitches New Native Bill" news report says Senator Inouye is not going to try to pass the Akaka bill during the remainder of this year, not even by stealth [!!!]; but instead will introduce a new bill to protect Hawaiian racial entitlement programs. "According to a memorandum prepared by Inouye's office, the Senate has appropriated more than $1.2 billion for Native Hawaiian programs over the past 26 years." [article provides category breakdown]; (2) Advertiser columnist says creative new approaches are needed for protecting race-based programs, and any attempt at more far-reaching sovereignty must be initiated by a united front of ethnic Hawaiians; (3) Advertiser letter to editor by Ken Conklin says failure of Akaka bill gives all Hawai'i a chance to honor Kamehameha's greatest achievement -- unity. Politicians should stop scrambling to find new ways to promote racial separatism; (4) New webpage takes note of Inouye's intention to file new legislation as some sort of Akaka-lite Plan B to protect race-based prpgrams, and provides arguments against it. See:
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/AkakaPlanBjune2006.html
June 15: Leon Siu (Hawaiian entertainer) says the Supreme Court's vacating of the Arakaki 9th Circuit decision shows that the Akaka bill was not essential to protect Hawaiian programs; letter to editor laments that more huge fees for lobbyists are in the future as politicians plan to try for more legislation; letter by head of Kaua'i Democrat Party blames Republican Governor Lingle for failing to get President Bush to support Akaka bill.
June 16: (1) Honolulu Advertiser editorial "Hawaiian programs benefit whole society" concludes, "As for the race question, the courts have long recognized that extraordinary situations (slavery is the predominant example) call for extraordinary remedies. The task ahead for Hawaiians and those who support them is to convince the courts and policymakers that this, too, is an extraordinary situation demanding extraordinary remedies. (2) Article in Indian Country Today says Akaka bill failed because Bush administration leaned on Republicans who might otherwise have voted for cloture, and because of such secret maneivers, Inouye/Akaka feel justified on not discussing their plans to revive the bill.; (3) James Houston op-ed in Los Angeles Times tells his version of U.S. overthrowing Hawaiian Kingdom, Hawaiian language illegal, 1993 apology resolution, and says "The banner of colorblind pluralism can come in very handy when someone is asking the government to acknowledge rights that have been withheld along ethnic lines since the end of the 19th century."
June 17: Letter to editor says let's give up the Akaka bill idea, because even proposing it has been divisive.
June 18: Honolulu Star-Bulletin weekly Hawaiian language column says kanaka maoli (ethnic Hawaiians) are not Americans, and it is wrong for America to pass legislation determining their future. Commentary by OHA trustee Oswald Stender tries to respond to criticisms of the Akaka bill made by Republican Senators, and by Arakaki, Burgess, Conklin, Johnson, Twigg-Smith, and others -- "I say again that this is not a racial issue but rather about the survival of a race -- the Hawaiian race."
June 20: Honolulu Advertiser reporter (or is he a columnist in disguise?) Gordon Pang describes some ethnic Hawaiians who are desperately needy, and some race-based programs that are helping them; and then describes opposing views on whether race-based programs are legally and morally right; and then once again Gordon Pang beats the drum for the new bill Senator Inouye is writing to protect race-based programs.
June 21: OHA trustees and OHA head administrator "set the record straight" that Republican Governor Lingle was very helpful and aggressive lobbying Republican Senators and Republican President Bush on the Akaka bill, and the effort to pass the bill is bipartisan.
June 22: (1) Haunani Apoliona (OHA chair) commentary says failure of the cloture vote was setback but not a defeat. OHA is determined to protect (race-based) assets and race-based control of them; [Apoliona published a letter and a longer commentary on two consecutive days in the Honolulu Advertiser, violating a clearly-stated policy of that newspaper to limit any individual to one such item per month] (2) OHA trustee Boyd Mossman blames opponents of race-based programs for the fact that OHA spends megabucks to lobby for the Akaka bill and to defend lawsuits; (3) Star-Bulletin editorial says failure of Akaka bill makes it harder for Kamehameha School to defend its race-based admissions policy in court, and editorial offers some possible legal theories for defending it; (4) Letter-to-editor says "Base entitlements on need, not ethnicity."
JUNE 23: (1) OHA VERSION OF PLAN B -- TRIBAL RECOGNITION BY STATE OF HAWAII TO CONSOLIDATE ASSETS UNDER RACIALLY EXCLUSIONARY CONTROL, AND AS STEPPING-STONE TO FEDERAL RECOGNITION. Hilo and Kona newspapers describe OHA concept. The idea is to use the Kau Inoa signup registry to create an elected "government"; then transfer to the new "tribe" all land and money currently under control of OHA, DHHL, and other state and federal government sponsored programs; then have the new entity apply for federal recognition.; (2) Article in Asian Week (leftist weekly journal headquartered in San Francisco) says Bush torpedoed Akaka bill that would have provided federal recognition to indigenous humans of Hawai'i, while also signing an order to protect indigenous seals by establishing the enormous Northwest Hawaiian Islands National Monument, a sanctuary of 140,000 square miles. "After shafting Native Hawaiians in their quest to seek official recognition through the Akaka bill, Bush simply needed something good enough to appease folks troubled by his racist stand on indigenous people. Out of political expediency, Bush became a seal hugger. The seals and fish and turtles were his shield to ward off any fallout from the Akaka bill."
June 24: Honolulu Advertiser, a day after the Hilo and Kona newspapers, published a description of OHA's Plan B.
June 25: Article in Utah newspaper describes an ethnic Hawaiian lady weeping that she never learned Hawaiian because she wasn't allowed to speak it, and she is greatly saddened that the Akaka bill failed because she thinks it's needed to help Hawaiian culture and Kamehameha School survive. The article specifically points out that both Utah Senators are Republicans who voted against cloture, Senator Hatch had previously been a co-sponsor of the bill, and there are at least 3,642 ethnic Hawaiians in Utah.
June 28: Leadership Conference on Civil Rights publishes article entitled "'Akaka Bill' Key to Preserving Culture, Native Hawaiians Say"
June 29: Letter to editor by Robert B. Robinson, retired chairman and president, Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i, says ethnic Hawaiians would be harmed by making them like an Indian tribe, and that assistance should be based on need rather than race.
June 30: Earl Arakaki pokes fun at the new Akaka "Plan B"
For DETAILS OF AKAKA BILL HISTORY FOR JUNE 10-30, 2006 alone -- aftermath of cloture defeat; politicians work to dream up Plan B to protect race-based institutions and programs -- about 130 pages -- see:
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/AkakaHistJuneStartJun102006.html
FOR ACCESS TO EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE FOR JUNE 2006 (including news reports and commentary for the entire month, transcripts of 4 hours of Senate debate on cloture motion, and cloture vote results; and Plan B) SEE:
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/AkakaHistJune2006.html
==================
HISTORY OF THE AKAKA BILL FOR JULY 1, 2006 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2006
** In June 2006, immediately following defeat of the Akaka bill cloture motion, OHA began planning to implement the process of nation-building even without federal recognition. The result would be a state-recognized ethnic Hawaiian governing entity to which the state would then transfer huge areas of land, hundreds of millions of dollars, and political power. OHA's "Plan B" was contained in a confidential memo leaked to the press, and has been the focus of numerous published news reports and commentaries which are NOT compiled below but instead are compiled on a separate webpage devoted to Plan B at
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/OHAplanBmemojune2006.html
** In addition, OHA has actually begun building its "nation" by gaining title to large land parcels, planning a headquarters (national capitol?), and considering purchase of a television station. News reports and commentaries about the growth of the "evil empire" are NOT compiled below but instead are compiled at:
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/EvilEmpireOHA.html
The monthly newspaper published by the State of Hawai'i Office of Hawaiian Affairs has a circulation of more than 60,000 copies, mailed free of charge to subscribers at state government expense. The newspaper for July 2006 contains the first "official" reaction of OHA to the defeat of the Akaka bill cloture petition on June 8. Important news reports were published on pages 10 and 11; and important commentaries by several OHA trustees were published by Apoliona p. 17, Carpenter and Dela Cruz p. 18, Stender and Mossman p. 19. The entire newspaper for July 2006 can be downloaded from
http://www.oha.org/cat_content.asp?contentid=568&catid=51
July 1: Webpage compiling press releases and news articles about a U.S. Census report issued the last week of June showing that businesses owned by ethnic Hawaiians are booming, and are being created at more than triple the rate of businesses owned by other ethnicities.
July 4: (1) Honolulu Advertiser: "Sovereignty support eroding" reports results of a poll it commissioned. The poll began on the same day when the Akaka bill failed to survive a cloture motion on the floor of the U.S. Senate, which was also immediately after a blitz of TV, radio, and newspaper ads by OHA supporting the Akaka bill. Great timing by a newspaper that repeatedly editorializes in favor of the Akaka bill! And still the newspaper was forced to report "Sovereignty support eroding." (2) Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, apparently on summer vacation in Hilo, writes about "The Disconnect Between Hawaii & America", especially regarding political support for things that are illegal under American law including Kamehameha Schools admissions policy, the Akaka bill, and a law requiring state residency to apply for state or local government jobs.
July 6: Honolulu Advertiser reports "Akaka says he still thinks Native Hawaiian measure can pass" (He was quoted while filing nominating papers in Honolulu to run for re-election to the Senate).
July 12: Jerry Coffee, Republican, has filed papers to run against Dan Akaka for the U.S. Senate. Coffee was a prisoner of war in Viet Nam for 7 years, along with Senator John McCain, and is a personal friend of McCain. Coffee is a strong opponent of the Akaka bill, and wrote a letter to McCain pleading with him to oppose the Akaka bill, shortly before the cloture vote of June 8. During the cloture debate, McCain made a statement, in the Congressional Record, that he was voting in favor of cloture to fulfill an agreement made two years previously, but would vote against the bill if it survived cloture. Provided below are two news reports about Coffee's candidacy, plus links to Coffee's letter to McCain and McCain's statement of opposition to the Akaka bill. [Unfortunately, on August 7, while traveling in Texas, Jerry Coffee suffered heart problems requiring emergency bypass surgery. He thereafter suspended his campaign; thus, it appears there will not be any credible candidate opposing Senator Akaka who opposes the Akaka bill.]
July 15: London Daily Telegraph article "Defiant Hawaiian unfurls the flag of freedom" glorifies Bumpy Kanahele's secessionist movement and Dan Akaka's apartheid proposal.
July 28: Garry Smith notes that politicians in Hawai'i are avoiding any mention of the Akaka bill in their campaign speeches, websites, and printed materials. He guesses they are embarrassed by their earlier votes and lobbying activities that supported the bill.
July 31: Honolulu Advertiser reports that ALL 13 candidates for the open U.S. House seat (being vacated by Senate candidate Ed Case) support the Akaka bill or some sort of federal legislation for federal recognition of an ethnic Hawaiian entity. The only one supporting placing the issue on the ballot for Hawai'i voters is Republican primary election candidate Bob Hogue.
August 2: Powerful essay by Rockne Johnson, "Libertarians and Hawaiians", republished by Hawaii Reporter with author's permission, taken from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin of 1980. At that time, of course, the Akaka bill was not yet created, but a powerful movement was underway demanding Congressional legislation to provide "reparations" to ethnic Hawaiians for the 1893 overthrow of the monarchy.
August 8: Senator Dan Akaka, an ethnic Hawaiian, has a primary election opponent, Congressman Ed Case, who has no Hawaiian native ancestry. Therefore it might be assumed that ethnic Hawaiians would be likely to vote for Senator Akaka. On August 8 a webpage was created containing a memo accusing Case of being anti-Hawaiian. The memo is notable because it was written by an ethnic Hawaiian attorney who has been President of the Native Hawaiian Bar Association and who represents the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in lawsuits against the State of Hawai'i asserting racial rights to government land. The memo is also notable because it is being circulated by a leader of Kamehameha Schools alumni who is generally recognized as a proxy spokesperson for that institution. Since the ethnic Hawaiian establishment is now attacking Ed Case and is clearly supporting Dan Akaka, there is no reason why Ed Case should continue trying to curry favor with that institutional establishment; thus, Case has an opportunity to step forward and oppose the Akaka bill (which is opposed by about half of all ethnic Hawaiians and 67% of the population as a whole). For analysis, and full text of the memo, see:
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/HawnEstabAttacksEdCase.html
August 25: Letter to editor: "Racial bill's supporters should be voted out"
August 27: Honolulu Advertiser profile of Senator Akaka's background and accomplishments (or lack thereof) includes analysis that he is criticized as being ineffective in obtaining and maintaining support for the Akaka bill.
August 30: Letter to editor by Stephen Aghjayan: "While the Akaka bill failed by four votes this last time around, that procedural cloture vote count does not tell the whole story. A number of Democratic and Republican senators who voted with Akaka on the cloture vote said they would not have voted for the bill's final passage. Included on this list is Sen. Jon Kyl, Sen. John McCain, Sen. Ted Kennedy and undoubtedly many others. They all felt that the bill was unconstitutional. I have to believe that Sen. Dan Akaka and his staff must have known they did not have the votes to move the bill forward. They also must know that they will not have the votes to pass the bill after the election even if the Democrats control the Senate."
August 31: Televised hour-long debate between Senator Akaka and Congressman Case -- portion of debate transcript consisting of one question regarding the Akaka bill, and their answers.
September 11: Candidate profile of Bob Hogue, running in Republican primary for open seat in U.S. House of Representatives. Hogue is the only candidate (among 10 Democrats and 2 Republicans) who favors allowing Hawai'i's people to vote on whether the Akaka bill should pass or be implemented. Former candidate Jerry Coffee, who strongly opposed the Akaka bill, withdrew from the contest after emergency heart surgery.
September 12: Candidate profile of Quentin Kawananakoa, running in Republican primary for open seat in U.S. House of Representatives. Kawananakoa strongly favors the Akaka bill. He has great wealth, and is often called "Prince" because he is a descendant of the heir-apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawai'i.
September 20 and 21: In the Republican primary contest for an open seat in Congress, Quentin Kawananakoa accuses Bob Hogue of aligning himself with conservative Republicans who oppose the Akaka bill. Hogue replies that he favors federal recognition, but that if the proposal is to make fundamental changes in the structure of government in Hawai'i, then all the people of Hawai'i should have the right to vote on it.
September 21: In the Democrat primary contest for U.S. Senate, challenger Ed Case (who is white) says that incumbent Senator Dan Akaka's aggressive courting of ethnic Hawaiian support has become "incredibly polarizing and divisive. ... Should we elect Sen. Akaka to the Senate just because he is native Hawaiian? I don't believe so, any more than I should be elected to the Senate because I am white," Case said.
September 29: Governor Linda Lingle and her Democrat opponent, Randall Iwase, appeared before the 5th annual convention of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. Both pledged strong support for the Akaka bill to protect race-based programs against legal attacks. Iwase blamed Lingle for failing to persuade her fellow Republican President Bush to support the Akaka bill or at least to remain neutral. Lingle said OHA knows the bill would never have gotten as far as it did without her active lobbying efforts.
October 6: Letter to editor by Wilbert Wong calls Akaka bill racist and says it would cause great dissention in Hawai'i; run-up to gubernatorial debate describes Lingle as proud of President Bush for proclaiming the Northwest Hawaiian Islands National Monument, but very disappointed in Bush for his last-minute opposition to the Akaka bill.
October 7: Excerpts from news report on the gubernatorial debate between Governor Linda Lingle (R) and challenger Randall Iwase (D). Iwase notes that Lingle claims to be close to President Bush, but Bush torpedoed the Akaka bill and then within a week afterward he proclaimed the Northwest Hawaiian Islands national monument. Iwase speculates that Bush created the monument as a consolation prize, but Lingle says there was no connection.
Sept-Oct 2006 edition of New Zealand Maori-oriented news magazine gives excellent description of Hawaiian independence activist opposition to Akaka bill, giving the activists great credit for blocking the bill; while barely mentioning the strongest opposition, which came from conservative Republican Senators and Hawai'i defenders of unity and equality.
October 13: OHA Administrator Clyde Namu'o responds to October 6 letter from Wilbert Wong which had called the Akaka bill "racist" and said it would cause "great dissention" in Hawai'i.
October 18: Honolulu Advertiser publishes article headed "Federal recognition at forefront for OHA races" saying that the Akaka bill and OHA's proposal for a state-recognized tribal government are the main issues in the election contests for seats on the board of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Advertiser also publishes a related article "What the candidates say about a primary issue facing OHA."
October 29: (1) Martha Ross, Washington D.C. bureau chief for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, publishes lengthy commentary saying "Recognition would bring Hawaiians justice, not special treatment"; (2) Honolulu Star-Bulletin election voter guide special section on OHA, says "Making the push for Hawaiian self-governance to supercede future legal entanglements will be a major mission for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which has five open spots among its board of trustees ... with 23 candidates overall. ... Chief among the concerns for the new board is the ongoing threat of lawsuits challenging the agency's constitutionality"; (3) Letter to editor asks voters to vote for OHA candidates Bumpy Kanahele and Jackie Burke because they oppose Akaka bill.
October 30: Gallup New Mexico newspaper runs lengthy article based on Arizona Democrat Party webpage about Republican Arizona Senator Jon Kyl's record on Indian issues, saying Kyl's senior policy analyst Joe Matal worked closely with "anti-Indian" organization One Nation United to defeat the Akaka bill.
November 8: Boyd Mossman, who was re-elected as OHA trustee, says his top priority is to pass the Akaka bill; and he is confident newly elected trustee Walter Heen also supports it.
November 10: Both Honolulu daily papers report that Senator Akaka will re-introduce the Akaka bill next year, with the same language as the bill had this year; and he expects the bill to pass easily because the Democrats will control both House and Senate. (But it was unclear whether the bill's language will be the S.147 on which cloture was attempted, or the abortive decoy S.3064 introduced days before the cloture vote as an alleged compromise with the Department of Justice)
November 11: Honolulu Advertiser front page large-type headline for today says: "Renewed hope for Akaka bill" -- despite the fact that a shorter article the previous day had reported similar information, and despite the fact that there is no urgent news event other than the election results from four days previously.
November 14: Honolulu Star-Bulletin editorial jumps onto the bandwagon started by the Advertiser -- editorial notes that the Democrat takeover of Congress will make it easier to overcome Republican obstruction of the Akaka bill; editorial gives some faux legal arguments, such as "Although the Akaka Bill is indeed race-based, Congress has broad authority to determine and grant sovereignty to indigenous societies, such as Indian tribes."
November 15: (1) Advertiser columnist commentary says OHA should move forward with Plan B, because there is no guarantee Congress will pass the Akaka bill despite the new Democrat majority; (2) Letter to editor says Akaka bill needs full disclosure to Hawai'i people and should be voted on the ballot; (3) Star-Bulletin editorial cites Census statistics reported yesterday as evidence that ethnic Hawaiians need the Akaka bill to protect race-based government handouts.
November 18: (1) OHA announces Hawaiian nation-building meeting; (2) The Press-Enterprise (Serving inland Southern California) published a news report about an OHA-sponsored conference at University of California Riverside focusing on the Akaka bill, including signup for the racial registry Kau Inoa.
November 19: Two commentaries in Star-Bulletin question the legitimacy and interpretation of ethnic Hawaiian victimhood data recently published. (1) Hamilton McCubbin, former CEO of kamehameha Schools, notes that all ancestries should be honored, and it's demoralizing to portray Hawaiians as helpless victims; (2) John Goemans, attorney who represented Rice in Rice v. Cayetano, notes that 90% of ethnic Hawaiians have less than 50% native blood, and the victimhood statistics seem to indicate that even a small fragment of the Hawaiian gene is enough to make Hawaiians "victims of a cruel fact of biology."
November 20: Honolulu Advertiser business section has interview with Beadie Dawson, owner of multimillion dollar Dawson Group (construction) -- Dawson is a major player in pushing the Akaka bill, and in the past has described herself as suffering on account of being ethnic Hawaiian.
November 25: President Bush had a layover in Honolulu on his way home after a visit to Asia. He met with the troops, and had conversations with Governor Lingle; but she reports there was no discussion of the Akaka bill despite (or because of) the fact that Bush torpedoed the Akaka bill in the Senate in June.
November 27: Honolulu Advertiser investigative reporter says OHA spent millions of dollars lobbying the Akaka bill, and provides spreadsheet for 2003 to 2006 showing that OHA lobbying was more than 4 times as much as any other Hawaii institution.
November 30: Letter writer asks: Would passage of the Akaka bill pave the way for legalized gambling?
December 3: OHA Administrator Clyde Namu'o published a commentary in response to investigative reporter Jim Dooley's news report of November 27 regarding OHA's massive lobbying expenditures.
December 4: Senior Policy Analyst for Grassroot Institute publishes commentary: "The High Stakes of the Akaka Bill"
December 6: On December 5 the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals handed down an en-banc decision by a panel of 15 judges. By a vote of 8-7 they reversed a previous 2-1 ruling and upheld the racially exclusionary admissions policy of Kamehameha Schools. Some commentators, including Senator Akaka, believe this decision could have implications favorable to Congressional passage of the Akaka bill, because some of the 8 judges in the majority said the category "Native Hawaiian" is not only racial, but also political.
More December 6: A major speech by Haunani Apoliona, Chair of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, included lengthy commentary on OHA's plans for pushing very hard to pass the Akaka bill in 2007; and for enrolling 200,000 ethnic Hawaiians on a racial registry as part of "nation-building"
December 7: A press release strongly opposing both the Kamehameha Schools court decision and the Akaka bill was published by Project 21, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization of politically conservative African-Americans.
December 9: Letter to editor says Akaka bill and Kamehameha Schools admissions policy are Hawaiian tribalism. Both of them pit one racial group against others; and both are unconstitutional.
December 9: The 109th Congress adjourned permanently, without passing the Akaka bill. The 110th Congress is scheduled to begin on January 3, 2007; and undoubtedly the Akaka bill will be introduced in January or February and the war will begin again soon thereafer.
December 12: Letter to editor looks to 110th Congress to pass Akaka bill; says that even though the bill might not be perfect, we should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
December 18: Honolulu Advertiser weekly "Hot Seat" one hour live on-line interactive blog features OHA Chair Haunani Apoliona answering questions. Complete transcript is provided. Most questions focused on the Akaka bill, and the racial registry, and what would happen if ...
December 19 and 20: Illinois Senator Barack Obama visits Hawaii for his annual Christmas visit with his family (he grew up in Honolulu, and the media have called him "Hawaii's third Senator.")
FOR DETAILS OF JULY 1, 2006 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2006 (about 170 pages), SEE:
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/AkakaHistJuly2006.html
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THIS IS THE END OF AKAKA BILL HISTORY FOR THE 109TH CONGRESS.
TO CONTINUE TO THE 110TH CONGRESS (JANUARY 2007 THROUGH DECEMBER 2008), SEE:
https://www.angelfire.com/planet/bigfiles40/AkakaHist110thCong.html
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