When the 2003 Hawaii Legislature convenes Jan. 15, it will be a whole new political ball game with some major role reversals, breaking a pattern that has existed for four decades. Lingle’s influence shifts
dynamic of Legislature
OHA appeals to hold rally at Legislature's opening
By Bruce Dunford
Associated PressA minority of dissidents will become a minority of advocates, and a majority of advocates will become a majority of dissidents, thanks to the election of Linda Lingle, Hawaii's first Republican governor in 40 years.
While the Democrats retain solid control in both the House and Senate, they will no longer be reacting to and refining the work of an executive of their own party and general political philosophy.
Even with only five Republicans in the 25-member Senate, Lingle's agenda "is going to ring strong in here," said Senate President Robert Bunda (D, Wahiawa).
Bunda said his party should "not play games, but try to make it so we do the right things."
"With the GOP being in charge up on the fifth floor, I think it puts the pressure more on the minority Republican senators and representatives," he said. "They are going to have to change their thinking tremendously from the loyal opposition, if you will, attitude to advocating what the governor is wishing the Legislature to do."
"I think the majority could find themselves turning around and becoming the loyal opposition," Bunda said.
The Republicans agree.
"There's a tremendous new dynamic, and I don't think a lot of people in this building, including the media, are cognizant of it," said Senate Minority Leader Fred Hemmings (R, Waimanalo).
"In the past they built a budget in the executive branch of government and brought it to the legislative branch of government, and like-minded people" authorized state spending at a growth rate three times faster than the state's economy, he said.
When Lingle's department heads now go before the Legislature, they will be looking for ways to reduce spending and make government more cost-effective and accountable, Hemmings said.
"We now work for the governor," said Rep. Galen Fox (R, Waikiki), leader of the 15-member GOP minority in the 51-member House. "Our effort will be to implement a program that she sold statewide" and has become popular around the state, he said.
"She ran on a clear platform to fix the economy, to fix the schools and operate in a more open and honest fashion, and part of that agenda is going to include legislation and we're behind it," he said.
The change in thinking is just beginning to sink in, Fox said.
Fox said he expects the Democrats to resist changes being proposed by Lingle, "but on the other hand they are capable of looking at the headlines and the election results just as much as we are. The people voted for change. That was clearly the theme of the election."
The Republicans lost four House seats in the general election and no longer have the one-third minority needed to recall bills from committees to force a vote, a practice that antagonized the Democratic leaders for the past two years, prolonging some daily sessions for hours.
"Now it's simply a matter of executing a program that has been ratified by the people with their election of Linda Lingle," he said.
