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Hawaii’s political integrity, economic outlook, and public services formed the agenda of this 1993 program, which brought together A.A. “Bud” Smyser, a contributing editor of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, and Herb Cornuelle, former chairman of the Campbell Estate. The question at issue was whether Hawaii’s governing institutions had become so compromised by cronyism and electoral fundraising pressures that effective reform remained possible. Smyser identified three paramount challenges: the need for moral leadership to address corruption, a leaner and more competent public sector, and the preservation of the Aloha Spirit, which he saw as under pressure from population growth. Cornuelle argued that businesses dependent on government permits were too fearful of retaliation to criticize publicly, rendering civic oversight nearly impossible. Both agreed that government employment had grown far faster than the general population and should be constrained. On education, Smyser called for stronger leadership at the Department of Education, removing principals from the union, and introducing a schools-of-choice system. Cornuelle estimated the economic downturn would last four to five years; Smyser worried that unemployment might breed ethnic bitterness rather than constructive change. The question of Native Hawaiian sovereignty was raised but described by both guests as too complex for quick resolution.
Transcript
Read or download the full transcript (.txt). Speaker labels were assigned automatically and may contain errors.
Companion newspaper commentaries
Commentaries by the guests, published in The Honolulu Advertiser around the broadcast.
