Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 2, 1 August 1994 — For political candidates [ARTICLE]

For political candidates

opponents will not be allowed to 'hide.'" They also believe that the Advertiser and KHON's involvement will keep the issue to the fore by providing thoughtful and indepth coverage. According to Roth, "We insisted that media not control POP '94, but facilitate coverage. I think that they were hesitant about it until they attended the conference." He indicates that KHON plans interviews of candidates by POP '94 supporters. The panel will ask the questions developed at the conference and as many follow up questions as they like. KHON will air the interviews in five- to seven-minute segments on the evening news. "Candidates will have to answer succinctly and directly," says Roth, "because they don't want to be edited." The type of coverage the Advertiser plans was not final at press time, but Roth hopes they will do the print equivalent of the television coverage, complete with question-and-answer format. In general, conference attendees compared the event to town hall meetings and frequently mentioned their pleasure that its purpose was the empowerment of "average" citizens rather than speeial interests, power blocs and power brokers.

Roth said he was very pleased about the conference. "I was delighted to see so many people there," he said. "Although not as diverse as I had hoped, it was reasonably diverse. And people seemed to feel very good about being there. They seemed to feel that what they were saying was being listened to and made a difference." Ka Wai Ola O OHA here reprints the questions asked to be used by our readers as a guide to monitoring and participating in the upcoming election. Roth says, "We're not proprietary about these questions. We hope everyone will use them when they have an opportunity to talk to candidates. They should ask the ones that feel important to them and whatever follow up questions they want. Keep at it 'till the candidates speak to the issues." The working groups who developed the questions began with a large set of questions that they were instructed to narrow to five of major importance. The five questions thus reflect the top choices of the working groups and are listed in that order accordingly. You'll notice that frequently a question is really several. Group participants tended to group questions under specific issues and occasionally follow-up questions were needed to ensure candidates answered fully. In the case of the topics of education and elections/ethics, participants exercised their self-determination and exceeded five questions; in the area of economics, they did less. Finally, if you want to work with POP '94, contact: Randall Roth 956-7386 25 15 Dole Street, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822.

ENVIRONMENT 1 . Citizen Suits. Do you support legislation similar to the federal Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act whieh would authorize citizens to bring suit to enforce all environmental laws already on the books? 2. Funding Enforcement. What creative measures would you take to ensure sufficient funding is available to enforce environmental laws already on the books? 3. Top Environmental Issues. What are the three top environmental issues on your agenda? How do you plan to be accountable? 4. Limit People, Cars? Would you consider revising the Constitution to limit population and cars? How ean the environment be cleaned up and maintained if our population continues to grow? 5. Mandatory Recycling. What are your views on encouraging or mandating recycling? GENERAL WELFARE 1. Diversity and Harmony. What would you do to promote a balance between cultural diversity and commonality or community harmony? 2. Social Services. How should we reallocate resources to enhanee delivery of needed social services? How would you measure the results? 3. Welfare System. What changes to the welfare system, if any, including privatization, should be made to promote self-sufficiency? 4. Crime, Victims' Rights. How would government work with the eommunity to unite with law enforcement to curb crime and support victims' rights? 5. Family Planning. What is government's proper role in family planning and reproductive ehoiee, if any?

HEALTH 1. Nursing Home Care. How would you address the state's growing long-term care crisis and would you support tax-based programs? 2. Health Bureaucracy. How would you encourage collaborative e£forts at the cabinet level (Departments of Health, Education and Human Services) to enhanee heahh in Hawai'i? Across agencies? Between agencies and nonprofit organizations? 3. Health Costs. What do you think are major causes of the escalation of health care costs? List this. What would you do to lower costs? 4. Government's Role. How do you understand the role of government in heahh care? How would you address that role without increasing the size or cost of government? 5. Freedom to Die. What's your position with regard to ehoiee in dying?

ELECTIONS AND ETHICS 1 . Corruption. What is your detailed plan for correcting corruption in government? Will you sign a contract requiring your resignation if you don't do this? 2. Open Government. What specific steps would you take to encourage open government and citizen participation? 3. Initiative/Referendum/Recall. Will you support A. statewide initiative; B. land use initiative; C. referendum; and D. recall? 4. Special Interests. How have you, in your campaign, separated yourself from special interest money? 5. Campaign spending. What steps would you take to reform campaign financing in Hawai'i? Will you disclose all contributions (anything of value), including assistance and labor? Are you in favor of maximum public financing of campaigns? 6. Public Confidence. What is the most important factor in restoring confidence in the election process?

SELECTED QUIRKY QUESTIONS A brief barometer to puhlie opinion of politics A gauge of loeal cynicism 1. Why should we trust you? Why should we leave the state in your hands? 2. List five areas in whieh the government should do nothing. 3. Where did you send your children to school? 4. Where do you suggest I go if I can't live in Hawai'i? 5. If you've ever had a gardener, housekeeper, or nanny, have you paid their Social Security taxes?