How Do You Solve A Problem Like Hawaii?

Like a lot of pork barrel projects (earmarks), they exist for no other reason than that they can get the federal funding for it -- while the very real problems of Hawaii run out of control.

It was the same thing with the previous city ferry operation -- it existed for no other purpose but to sop up the federal funding, and as soon as it was over, they packed and left -- meanwhile, the problems of Hawaii soared out of control!

The major justification for any project is that they can get the federal funding -- regardless of whether it addresses the real problems in Hawaii, which are neglected and soar out of control if they can't.

The only real reason for government is to solve real problems a community faces -- and not just to create high-paying jobs for government workers (themselves).

Thus, a very distinctive culture has evolved in Hawaii in which the only reason people do anything is to get the money as an end in itself -- and not to address and solve any real problems.

That's also why there is no (manufacturing) industry -- because that would mean to create something real and useful that people all around the world would want to buy.

Instead, the only "thing" manufactured, is this illusion of a "paradise" while people are working 2-3 jobs to barely survive -- because they are convinced that they live in paradise. The newspapers will even publish, as they did today, that such a life is the least stressful anywhere in the country -- rather than the reason each day now, there is some bizarre and tragic occurrence because another lifelong resident of paradise has snapped.

Creating more illusion is obviously not going to be the solution but that people have to come to grips with themselves -- and realize what they are doing and why things don’t get better, and in fact, nothing seems to be connected and related to anything else that makes sense anymore. The experience of its citizens have become a meaningless hodgepodge of special interest lobbying of the moment -- to secure as much money for their trade association (ohana) as possible.

To these ends, the information and media sources and distribution have become hopelessly corrupted and manipulated, so that the truth is simply who is the most ruthless and persevering a perpetuating their own lies -- without conscience, until the next pot of money is brought in.