When Richard Nixon was president, he was confronted by businessmen livid about Environmental Protection Agency regulations. Nixon was no environmentalist, but he didn't like to be pushed around. He reportedly responded, "Well, if you don't like the EPA on your back, I wonder how you'd like the IRS up your a--." Governor to Senate:
Take that!Gov. Ben Cayetano's appointment of Earl Anzai to replace the rejected Margery Bronster as attorney general sent a very similar message to the state Senate.
Yeah, we've all said a thousand times that our state has so many problems that we don't have time for political games. But sometimes a move is so splendid in its audacity that it raises the political vendetta to an art form that demands appreciation.
This was the most delicious political face job since Frank Fasi bulldozed the parking spaces of his City Council opponents while they slept. Beyond revenge, it was a strong statement of the governor's policy intentions.
The appointment of his old friend and political soul mate made clear that Cayetano won't bow to Senate attempts to curb the Bishop Estate investigation and his pursuit of civil service reform -- the key issues that led the Senate earlier this year to oust Bronster as attorney general and Anzai as budget director at the behest of public employee unions, targets of the Bishop investigation and other special interests.
For revenge, the governor left senators squirming with the choice of confirming an attorney general they just voted down for budget director or rejecting Anzai again and renewing public outrage over their catering to vested interests.
Those who partied over the failure of the earlier Bronster and Anzai nominations must be suffering serious delayed hangovers. Colleen Hanabusa, the freshman senator who ignited the Bronster controversy, says she can't figure out whether Cayetano is thumbing his nose at senators who voted against Bronster and Anzai or giving them the finger. The guess here is that the governor's contempt rises to the latter.
The Senate's predicament is that it has no rational basis for rejecting Anzai for attorney general. By most accounts, he's honest, a straight shooter and a competent attorney.
His longtime ties with Colbert Matsumoto, the court-appointed master who was so instrumental in bringing down the Bishop trustees, assures the public that he'll see that investigation through. Yet Anzai also has the endorsement of Michael Green, attorney for Bishop trustee Lokelani Lindsey, indicating he's capable of investigating without malice.
Civil service reform should become the signature issue of Cayetano's remaining time. Anzai has spent the last four years struggling to balance the state's budget in a slumping economy. Who knows better how out of whack and costly the current civil service system is? Who better to find a legal basis for bringing the state's relationship with its employees back into balance?
Cayetano has created a whole new set of political problems for weak Senate leaders who are clinging tenuously to power. The governor has made no secret that he thinks the Senate needs fresh blood and new leadership. This shows he intends to be aggressive in helping that along.
Expect to hear a lot more whining from the Senate leaders about how Cayetano disrespected them. He was only reflecting public sentiment.
Instead of continuing their petty squabbles with the governor and among themselves, senators would be well advised to pay more attention to doing something good for the people if they want to regain respect.
David Shapiro is managing editor of the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached by e-mail at editor@starbulletin.com.
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