Kupuna Caucus / Joint Legislative Committee on Aging in Place—joint meeting, September 5, 2008

The Joint Legislative Committee on Aging in Place will meet together with the Kupuna Caucus on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room 229 of the State Capitol, to receive reports and updates on the following agenda items:

1. Universal Design – Bonnie Osaki, Graham Builders,  Joan Riggs, Chaminade University
2. Case Management – Donna Schmidt, Case Management, Inc. , Sara Suzuki, President of the Case Management Council   
3. Kupuna Care Program – Executive Office on Aging
4. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Task Force Update
5. Family Leave Working Group Update

A Kupuna Caucus agenda and RSVP form can be downloaded here, and a meeting notice is at: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/hearingnotices/JLCAIP_09-05-08_.htm.

(I probably shouldn’t mention this, but if you forget to RSVP, come anyway… but RSVP if you can, because Sen. Chun Oakland’s staff often bring snacks and you want yours, right?)

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Task Force meeting--Friday, September 5, 2008

Senate Bill No. 2830, enacted as Act 220, established a grandparents Raising Grandchildren Task Force to focus on the needs and issues of grandparents raising grandchildren (GRG).

The Task Force will meet on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 11:30am in Room 224 of the Hawaii State Capitol.

Anyone may attend, and if you’re interested, there is a meeting notice with an agenda and more details available for download here.

August 25 Meeting: The Unholy Trinity Plus One: On Governing the End of the World as We Know It

Click here to listen.

Prof. James Dator

“For years, I have been asking people in Hawaii to consider one of four "alternative futures" that I have constructed for them. Interestingly, the one that most people here tell me they like… Hawaii as a community frozen in time when things were about as good as they could be for most people living here--the late 1950s and early '60s.

How is it possible since all dominant forces are pushing for endlessly more of everything--tourists, hotels, big box stores, McMansions, and economic "growth" in general?

The answer may lie in what I call "The unholy trinity, plus one." I use the phrase to capture the combined influence of three processes that are often considered separately. Someone focusing on one is unlikely to pay attention to the other two. Indeed, solutions to the one are often expected from the other two. But, all three are in crisis together and must be viewed together--along with something else: the "plus one" in my title.

The unholy three are:

--"Peak Oil"--that we may in essence "run out" of oil before equally abundant and cheap energy sources come on line. And Hawaii is almost totally dependent on cheap oil for everything it does now.

--"Climate change" and all the other many environmental problems we have been neglecting, and making worse, for so long.

--And "global economic collapse" of the debt-driven Ponzi scheme we call an "economy."

Many of us expect the federal government to help solve these problems--by sending everyone $300 so we will go shopping and keep the economy going, or by investing in energy R&D. Yet, our Government can't help because of 20 years of bad-mouthing (neo-conservatism has convinced us that all government is bad), downsizing, privatizing, outsourcing, and debt, each of which were intended to drive nails into the coffin of effective government. Massive debt is the final nail. Our huge national debt was incurred on purpose. It is not an unfortunate consequence of policies. It is the intent of those policies to destroy effective government so as to leave everything up to private and not public forces-- of such profiteers as Blackwater, Battelle, Halliburton, et al.

Conclusion: It is far too late to prevent the consequences of the Unholy Trinity, Plus One. We can only deal with them, and thus look forward eagerly to Hawaii being the best little backwater on the planet. Many people say they want such a Hawaii. Now is our chance. We all must learn how to live with grace and purpose with far less energy and consumer goods.”

Apply for your Stimulus Payment

24,000 IN HAWAII HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR STIMULUS PAYMENTS

Senator Daniel Akaka, speaking before a community audience on June 26, at Moiilili Community Center, said his goal was to decrease the number to zero. Most likely those not applying are people whose income is low enough to not pay federal taxes and veterans. However, they are eligible if they have had $3,000 of work income and/or Social Security, veterans disability compensation, pensions or survivors’ benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2007.

The deadline to apply has been extended until October. All you need is to fill out an IRS form 1040A and write” Stimulus Payment” at the top. The AARP information office at has the forms and will help completing them. They are located at 1199 Dillingham Blvd, A106, tel. 843-1906. Hours 9:30 –1:30.

August 25 Program: The Unholy Trinity Plus One: On Governing the End of the World as We Know It

Monday, August 25, 2008

11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Miyama Main Hall, Harris United Methodist Church
Nuuanu Ave. and South Vineyard Blvd.

Ample parking - driveway off Nuuanu Ave.

AGENDA:

11:30 Luncheon: Assorted pizzas, Salad, Drinks, Dessert by Eloise $5.00 Donation

11:45 Welcome: Introductions and remarks, Larry Geller, President

12:00 Program: James Dator,Professor, and Director of the Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies Department of Political Science University of Hawaii at Manoa: "The Unholy Trinity, Plus One: On Governing the End of the World As we Know It". Dealing with wrenching challenges ongoing and emerging for all of us in Hawaii, and the brighter futures they might enable us to have, if we acknowledge and deal with them appropriately, and the gloomy futures if we do not.

12:45 Questions and Answers

1: 00 Adjourn