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Political File
News, notes and anecdotes on
government and politics
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Akaka and Case equal in voting support for Bush
Rep. Ed Case spent much of the primary election being labeled a "Democrat in name only" by his Democratic opponents. Specifically, supporters of Sen. Dan Akaka said Case supported Republican President Bush.
Now a study done by the Congressional Quarterly shows that Case and Akaka both supported Bush 50 percent of the time in 2006.
In 2005, the survey done of all incumbent House and Senate members showed that Akaka supported the president 40 percent of the time while Case supported Bush 48 percent.
Inouye supported Bush 49 percent of the time in 2006 and 44 percent in 2005.
Rep. Neil Abercrombie, however, was never a friend of the president. He supported Bush 17 percent of the time this year and just 15 percent in 2005.
The scores by the Congressional Quarterly were for votes that clearly matched a stated presidential position, based, the magazine said, "on the judgment of the editors of Congressional Quarterly."
So far this year, the president's position was clear on just 35 of 515 House votes and on 60 of 263 Senate votes, according to the respected Washington publication.
3 constitutional ballot measures get air time
Confused by all those amendments to the state Constitution?
Hawaii Public Radio is sponsoring a one-hour live debate on the three of the five amendments tonight from 7 to 8.
The debate will focus on Question One, regarding the appointment of University of Hawaii regents, Question Three, on the mandatory retirement age for judges, and Question Four, which defines continuous sexual assault crimes against minors.
Panelists include Mark Bennett, attorney general; Peter Carlisle, city prosecutor; Susan Arnett, deputy public defender; Jon Van Dyke, UH law professor; Frank Boas, UH Foundation; and Kitty Lagareta, chairwoman of the Board of Regents.
The debate will also be featured on the HPR Web site, www.hawaiipublicradio.org, and will be hosted by Chad Blair, public radio political reporter.
