The World of Mufi, Feb. 2007
Welcome to the world of Mufi. Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann is on a roll. If you want to see the future of Hawaii politics, look no further than the big corner office at City Hall.
As a candidate for mayor, Mufi pledged that he would govern in a fiscally prudent manner after years of “extravagant” spending on sexy feel good projects by Jeremy Harris. Hannemann’s campaign mantra was: do we need it, can we afford it, can we maintain it. It worked. Along with a helpful last minute web story on Duke Bainum’s wife (delivered ironically by Sen. Sam Slom’s girlfriend), Hannemann won his election as mayor in 2004 by just a mere 1% of the vote.
With a narrow majority and a mandate for fiscal restraint, Publis is impressed at the way Hannemann managed to break pretty much all of his promises, get everything he wants and remain very popular.
As soon as he got into office, Mufi immediately rammed through what even his supporters say is the largest public works project in Hawaii history. You have to give credit to Mufi, he convinced a reluctant legislature to authorize Hawaii’s largest tax increase. Then, one would normally think Gov. Linda Lingle would stand up to Mufi, but she too knuckled under and gave Mufi what he wanted with a rail tax increase. Finally, the City Council just stood by in awe and gave Mufi pretty much everything he wanted on rail.
Topping all of that off, after having his way with rail, the mayor then got councilmembers to dump his arch nemesis, Donovan Dela Cruz as Chair of the Council. It was as if the council not only decided to give in to Mufi, but even paid for dinner, brought the condom and cleaned up afterward too. Now if Hannemann can just find a way to muzzle Councilmember Charles Djou he can get total control over what is rapidly becoming his personal fiefdom at Honolulu Hale.
But let’s not stop there. Hannemann has produced record breaking budgets. He has yet to produce a City budget smaller than any of Harris’ so-called “extravagant” budgets. Hannemann has also repeatedly stood for raising taxes and lashes out at councilmembers who bring up ideas for cutting real property taxes.
Everyone says Hawaii politics stinks. But no one seems be able to smell the 50 million gallons of raw sewage that was dumped on Waikiki beach on Hannamann’s watch. (Former Kauai Mayor Mary Anne Kusaka must wish she was drinking what Mufi is taking after reading the Kaloko Dam report.)
Yet it is clear the people (or at least the press) love Mufi and no one cares about his campaign promises. The news media? Publis gives credit to former KHON reporter and Hannemann press secretary, Bill Brennan, for getting the press to kowtow to the mayor’s message. Watching the local media question Hannemann is like watching the China People’s Daily scrutinize the communist party general secretary in Beijing. It is as if reporters have come to believe Hannemann walks on water. (Publis even heard through the grapevine that there was a prayer/Mufi-love-in service at Kawaihao Church a few weeks ago. Apparently the theme of the service was to pray for the holy trinity of God, Jesus and Mufi. With the mayor on his A-game, Publis wouldn’t doubt if Hannemann asked why he was ranked third in the prayer order.)
Even better for us Democrats, however, Mufi is the first local Dem to actually cow Hawaii’s normally savvy governor. In a food fight over the homeless, Hannemann pushed Lingle to take a look at this issue by kicking out a bunch of homeless people from Ala Moana Park in the pouring rain. Mufi then even mocked the governor by singing to her on the phone in front of reporters from his mayoral office that she won’t return his calls. Yes the mayor intimidates people (can we say bully?), but even Lingle just stands there, takes it and the people are applauding.
Hannemann has defined himself as the guy who gets things done his way. He is the man who can make you the offer you can’t refuse. (Ask new Council Chair Barbara Marshall.) If you need something, forget about talking to the legislature or the governor, talk to the big man, Honolulu’s new godfather - Mufi.
Who’s the most powerful politician in Hawaii? OK, Dan Inouye. But, who’s the second most powerful? Publis hands that title, for today, to first-term Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann. Publis cautions, however, before Hannemann gets too comfortable with being the crown prince of Hawaii politics, just remember that Jeremy Harris (and Frank Fasi before him) at different points looked as powerful as Mufi does today. (Also don’t forget that the mob boss usually gets whacked by the end of the movie.) But for today, Publis extends a warm aloha greeting to all Hawaii residents to the Kingdom of Hannemann. Long live Mufi (for now)!
Pau,
Publis
Be sure to visit all of the blog posting for Publis at: http://hawaiipublis.blogspot.com/
Welcome to the world of Mufi. Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann is on a roll. If you want to see the future of Hawaii politics, look no further than the big corner office at City Hall.
As a candidate for mayor, Mufi pledged that he would govern in a fiscally prudent manner after years of “extravagant” spending on sexy feel good projects by Jeremy Harris. Hannemann’s campaign mantra was: do we need it, can we afford it, can we maintain it. It worked. Along with a helpful last minute web story on Duke Bainum’s wife (delivered ironically by Sen. Sam Slom’s girlfriend), Hannemann won his election as mayor in 2004 by just a mere 1% of the vote.
With a narrow majority and a mandate for fiscal restraint, Publis is impressed at the way Hannemann managed to break pretty much all of his promises, get everything he wants and remain very popular.
As soon as he got into office, Mufi immediately rammed through what even his supporters say is the largest public works project in Hawaii history. You have to give credit to Mufi, he convinced a reluctant legislature to authorize Hawaii’s largest tax increase. Then, one would normally think Gov. Linda Lingle would stand up to Mufi, but she too knuckled under and gave Mufi what he wanted with a rail tax increase. Finally, the City Council just stood by in awe and gave Mufi pretty much everything he wanted on rail.
Topping all of that off, after having his way with rail, the mayor then got councilmembers to dump his arch nemesis, Donovan Dela Cruz as Chair of the Council. It was as if the council not only decided to give in to Mufi, but even paid for dinner, brought the condom and cleaned up afterward too. Now if Hannemann can just find a way to muzzle Councilmember Charles Djou he can get total control over what is rapidly becoming his personal fiefdom at Honolulu Hale.
But let’s not stop there. Hannemann has produced record breaking budgets. He has yet to produce a City budget smaller than any of Harris’ so-called “extravagant” budgets. Hannemann has also repeatedly stood for raising taxes and lashes out at councilmembers who bring up ideas for cutting real property taxes.
Everyone says Hawaii politics stinks. But no one seems be able to smell the 50 million gallons of raw sewage that was dumped on Waikiki beach on Hannamann’s watch. (Former Kauai Mayor Mary Anne Kusaka must wish she was drinking what Mufi is taking after reading the Kaloko Dam report.)
Yet it is clear the people (or at least the press) love Mufi and no one cares about his campaign promises. The news media? Publis gives credit to former KHON reporter and Hannemann press secretary, Bill Brennan, for getting the press to kowtow to the mayor’s message. Watching the local media question Hannemann is like watching the China People’s Daily scrutinize the communist party general secretary in Beijing. It is as if reporters have come to believe Hannemann walks on water. (Publis even heard through the grapevine that there was a prayer/Mufi-love-in service at Kawaihao Church a few weeks ago. Apparently the theme of the service was to pray for the holy trinity of God, Jesus and Mufi. With the mayor on his A-game, Publis wouldn’t doubt if Hannemann asked why he was ranked third in the prayer order.)
Even better for us Democrats, however, Mufi is the first local Dem to actually cow Hawaii’s normally savvy governor. In a food fight over the homeless, Hannemann pushed Lingle to take a look at this issue by kicking out a bunch of homeless people from Ala Moana Park in the pouring rain. Mufi then even mocked the governor by singing to her on the phone in front of reporters from his mayoral office that she won’t return his calls. Yes the mayor intimidates people (can we say bully?), but even Lingle just stands there, takes it and the people are applauding.
Hannemann has defined himself as the guy who gets things done his way. He is the man who can make you the offer you can’t refuse. (Ask new Council Chair Barbara Marshall.) If you need something, forget about talking to the legislature or the governor, talk to the big man, Honolulu’s new godfather - Mufi.
Who’s the most powerful politician in Hawaii? OK, Dan Inouye. But, who’s the second most powerful? Publis hands that title, for today, to first-term Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann. Publis cautions, however, before Hannemann gets too comfortable with being the crown prince of Hawaii politics, just remember that Jeremy Harris (and Frank Fasi before him) at different points looked as powerful as Mufi does today. (Also don’t forget that the mob boss usually gets whacked by the end of the movie.) But for today, Publis extends a warm aloha greeting to all Hawaii residents to the Kingdom of Hannemann. Long live Mufi (for now)!
Pau,
Publis
Be sure to visit all of the blog posting for Publis at: http://hawaiipublis.blogspot.com/
posted by HawaiiPublis at 11:47 AM
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