Oh, You Mean That Bill?

A Mazie Hirono for Governor TV ad highlights her efforts to repeal an act that criminalized improper disclosure of medical records (which was well intentioned, but so poorly written it put insurance and medical companies into a tizzy). It was a bad idea, a financial disaster. "No one was willing to help but Mazie Hirono," the ad says.

Which is all good and fine, except for one small detail: It was Mazie Hirono who signed said bill into law.

A piece in the The Honolulu Advertiser lays it all out for us.

The Woman Who Would Follow Ben did indeed lead the charge in 2000 to delay implementation — and then the ultimate repeal in 2001 — of the law. But the problem is that on June 23, 1999, it was Hirono (filling in for Ben) who approved it. Not only that, but her press releases at the time hailed it as something good for patient privacy, even noting that the bill took four tries to get through the Legislature.

Of course, Hirono rightfully observes that when the bill came to her chambers, no one had any idea the mess it would create. It passed nearly unanimously in both the House and Senate, and she was just applying the rubber stamp. Even so, I find the perceived flip-flop kind of funny.

Though honestly, I'm not really sure why Hawaii has the office of Lt. Governor.

Comments

Maybe the office of the Lt. Governor should be renamed "Governor-in-Training".

This is a hilarious turn, but Mazie can easily put positive spin on it. No politician is immune to errors in judgment--but not every politician will admit the error and do something to fix it.

Unless you're talking about something career-damaging, such as the TaliVans this year.

I'd better not hear anything from any media source about any election "heating up." Nothing--and I mean NOTHING--looks like it's going to be even remotely interesting this year, and maybe that's a good thing.

Because "heating up" and "interesting" usually imply sleazy politics in Hawaii, and I've just about had enough.

There must've been something weird in my coffee this morning, because when I re-read this article and saw the reference to "The Woman Who Would Follow Ben," I had to restrain myself from making a crack about Mazie being offered to pose for Playboy...

In any case, give me "absurd" and "hilarious" over "interesting" and "heated" any time. (This coming from someone who can actually prove that people did vote for Bu La`ia.)

Regarding "Governor in Training":

I've been grousing about the implications in Mazie's ads ("Tried. Trusted. Ready." or whatever the first two words are). To me, the implication of the word "ready" is just that..."I've been serving as Lt. Governor while waiting my turn, and now it's here." I get the impression the Democrats really do believe it's their divine right to occupy the Governor's office; for their sake, I hope I'm the only one who reads it that way.

no blame me! I wen vote fo Bu! :)

Vote LINDA LINGLE! Keep that Hazy Mazie out of office! First she wants to run for governor, then mayor, then back again??? HUH??? HAZY MAZIE I SAY!!!

It all still sucks.

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