By Thomas Madison
Here is the problem with the Hawaiian independence movement, as I see it. Many of those clamoring for Hawaiian independence don’t truly understand the implications of that which they are seeking.
- Under current US law, Hawaiian natives and anyone else may own property in Hawaii. Property ownership is a beautiful thing, and certainly Hawaiian natives should be and are eligible to own property in Hawaii. Under the “kingdom” concept private property ownership could disappear. It depends on the mood of the eventual junta, or monarch, that fills the void of US governance.
- Those screaming for a return of the Hawaiian Kingdom apparently don’t understand what a kingdom is. It is a dictatorship. Everything, all land, all property, and even the people belong to the king (or queen). Land and property by residents can only be acquired at the pleasure of the monarch.
- Hawaii is a net loss to the American people in terms of federal funding received as a percentage of federal taxes paid. In fact, Hawaii is among the leaders in net loss states, at #6, as per the table, below. What that means is that Hawaii receives more money from the federal government than it pays in federal taxes (nearly 50% more). That shortfall must be made up somewhere, and Hawaii residents are already taxed to the breaking point. Likewise, Hawaii’s captive tax generating machine, tourism, is taxed egregiously, just under 14% in state taxes for a hotel room. By the way, Hawaii leads the US in welfare payments, recipients receiving $60,000 in annual benefits, by far the largest amount of any US state.
- Hawaii’s #2 industry is federal contracting. What happens to that when the US pulls the plug? Something to consider very carefully. Hundreds of thousands of Hawaiians may find themselves without a job. Who pays that unemployment if the US is not there with its generous benefits?
- Security. Where does it come from and who pays for it? Hawaii is bristling with US security installations. All of the armed services have significant infrastructure and facilities in Hawaii. What if congress decides that since it no longer has an interest in Hawaii, it is goin to relocate its bases to other parts of the Pacific, like Guam? Without direct US security involvement, Hawaii becomes Samoa. The Philippines learned that valuable lesson when it kicked the Americans out in 1992, and have been begging for the US to return ever since.
The moral of the story is…. Watch what you ask for. You may very well get it! Hawaii and the United States have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship for over a century. Is it really wise to throw that away?
Click image to enlarge….
From Warner Todd Huston, Publius’ Forum
The Obama administration seems to have made the first steps toward eliminating the state of Hawaii by creating a sovereign nation and giving it back to native Hawaiians. To that end, this latest move essentially set up a racist voting scheme that allows only native Hawaiians to vote in an upcoming election.
On Friday a federal judge in Hawaii ruled that a race-restricted election to choose delegates to draft a new government for Hawaii can go forward despite that the elections are only open to residents who are racially related to ethnic Hawaiians.
On Friday U.S. District Court Judge J. Michael Seabrightinsisted that the election was a “private poll” and therefore not an official government entity–quite despite that the work of the election could eventually become the state’s new government.
It is also a ruling that flies in the face of the fact that the election is funded by over $2.6 million in state funds via a grant from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
This election idea began in 2011 when the state passed a law recognizing ethnic Hawaiians as the “first people” of the state and promised them the right to self governance.
The Obama administration jumped into this absurd situation by filing a friend of the court brief supporting the racially discriminatory separation movement and insisting that the election should take place.
Obama insists that the Hawaiian nativist movement is somehow like an American Indian tribal organization, but that characterization is not exactly the right comparison as the native Hawaiian movement wants to eliminate American control over the whole state of Hawaii, not carve an enclave out of its territory.
Essentially, Obama is agreeing with that and wants to cede control of the Hawaiian Islands back to the native peoples.
But there is a major problem with Obama’s plan to let ethnic Hawaiians vote away American control over the Islands. It wouldn’t be legal no matter what they “vote.”
As J. Christian Adams notes, to be legally recognized, the native Hawaiians would need an act of Congress, not a mere vote.
“Here’s a start,” Adams wrote last week, “Congress never passed a law to treat native Hawaiians like an Indian tribe like that pesky Constitution requires. Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 clearly gives Congress alone the power to answer questions related to the status of an Indian tribe. Congress has repeatedly rejected efforts to treat native Hawaiians like good old fashioned stateside Indians.”
Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, said decried the situation saying, “the Constitution still applies to the State of Hawaii. It is shameful that it has taken a federal lawsuit to remind both Hawaiian officials and the Obama administration about the rule of the law.”
So, not only is the Obama administration supporting a racist “election” it is also supporting one that violate the U.S. Constitution.
