• Negative campaigning Negative campaigning By Rep. Mina Morita I am appreciative that The Garden Island held a candidates forum several weeks ago. It is unfortunate that more community forums and debates were not held. Negative pieces being sent out
• Negative campaigning
Negative campaigning
By Rep. Mina Morita
I am appreciative that The Garden Island held a candidates forum several weeks ago. It is unfortunate that more community forums and debates were not held. Negative pieces being sent out by the Hawaii Republican party and my opponent were meant to trigger a visceral reaction appealing to the voter’s fears and lack of information. I strongly believe more forums or debates could have contributed to educating voters and would reveal how shallow and unfounded these attacks are.
Furthermore, these attacks come during the last two weeks of the campaign where there is little time to respond with the facts. Here is an example of how absurd these attacks really are. In 2003 Governor Lingle, in her attempt to balance the budget, directed that $3 million for restroom supplies be cut from the State budget. In 2004 it took Legislative action to appropriate $1 million to correct the resultant toilet paper shortage in our schools. In this negative campaign piece I get blamed for the toilet paper shortage.
Especially in the discourse of public education, the Governor, Hawaii Republican Party and my opponent need not denigrate the efforts of those individuals and organizations who do not support local school boards. Non-supporters of local school boards have been asking for the evidence linking local school boards to improved student performance before we sink scarce resources in that direction. Simply put, there is no link and there is no need to move in a direction that creates 84 more politicians and another level of bureaucracy. But more importantly, we need to promote civility to tackle the diverse viewpoints and challenging problems we face as an island community. The political divisiveness we are experiencing on a national level need not happen on Kaua‘i. We can, and must, set the example to change this destructive national, and now statewide, path.
State Rep. Hermina “Mina” Morita is a candidate in the State House, District 14 (East & North Kaua‘i) race.
