WHAT if you had an election and the result was a bitter debate about whether or not the election counted? Instead of discussing the merits of the winners or losers, studying new action plans or reviving hopes for a better day, what if the election's aftermath was another round of catcalls, jeers and cries of "Who elected you?"? Electing Hawaiian
convention delegatesThat seems to be the problem coming up this weekend as native Hawaiians vote for delegates to a Hawaiian convention.
With 156 candidates and more than 100,000 people eligible to vote, the election is no small matter. But observers will have a difficult time explaining the results.
Already a coalition of native Hawaiian groups has risen to protest the planned election and convention.
Members of the Kupono Coalition last month said the weekend election is the result of a flawed vote in 1996, when a majority of the native Hawaiians eligible to vote on the question of whether or not to have a convention opted out of voting altogether.
The coalition wants to hold a summit meeting in the spring, while supporters of the weekend election want the delegates to decide on the framework of a convention to answer the questions of native Hawaiian representation.
Should Hawaiians attempt to restore the monarchy, try to set up an independent nation or form a nation within the United States, according to the model used by Native American tribes?
Awaiting some guidance in Washington is Sen. Daniel Inouye and the rest of Hawaii's congressional delegation.
Inouye, who has counseled patience in the past, says that he supports native Hawaiian rights and issues, but he isn't going to push his own agenda.
What he wants is a clear signal from the native Hawaiian community. Anything else would be presumptuous and an invitation to disaster.
Inouye certainly isn't indifferent to the dilemma. In just the last year Inouye has wangled millions in federal funds for native Hawaiian issues. He got $24 million for native Hawaiian health-care issues.
He is hoping for a precedent-setting bill that would provide special housing funds for Hawaiians. It would be similar to the federal aid now received by Native Americans and Alaskans.
The same bill was introduced last year and dropped in the Senate as Congress rushed to finish.
If Inouye is waiting for signals from Hawaii, the Hawaiians hoping for some state or federal justice must realize that we have a congressional delegation surviving on the clout of one man: Dan Inouye.
Sen. Dan Akaka is a valuable asset and can make the case for change better than most in Washington, but when it comes to delivering the votes, it will be up to Inouye.
HAWAII, however, will not have Inouye forever. There is only a finite amount of time for Inouye to move Hawaiian legislation through Congress.
As it stands, there may not even be enough time for a dramatic overhaul of the native Hawaiians' relationship with the federal government. It is assumed that most of this year will be consumed by the impeachment debate and vote.
As the saying goes: "Do the math," and then figure out what this weekend's election brings to the sum.
Richard Borreca reports on Hawaii's politics every Wednesday.
He can be reached by e-mail at rborreca@pixi.com