Tag Archives: Hawaii

Police State, States Rights

Hawaii Governor Signs Bill Banning Adults Under 21 from Using, Buying Tobacco Products

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On Friday, Hawaii Democratic Governor David Ige signed a bill into law which prohibits businesses from selling tobacco products to adults under the age of 21. Also, under the law, individuals below 21 years of age who are caught using or possessing tobacco products will face first offence fines of $10 and penalties of $50 or community service for additional offences.

“Raising the minimum age as part of our comprehensive tobacco control efforts will help reduce tobacco use among our youth and increase the likelihood that our [children] will grow up tobacco-free,” read a statement by Governor Ige, according to US News & World Report. “This allows us to put one more impediment to people smoking too much,” said Ige.

The new law takes effect on January 1 of 2016 and applies to e-cigarettes in addition to traditional tobacco products.

Democratic State Representative Angus McKelvey, an opponent of the bill, told The Associated Press, “I can’t stand cigarette smoking. It’s disgusting. But to tell somebody you can go and fight for your country and get killed but you can’t have a cigarette, that’s the thing. You can enter a contract. You’re an emancipated adult in the eyes of the Constitution but you can’t have a cigarette anymore.”

Truth in Media reported earlier this month that a similar proposal is under consideration by the California General Assembly. Most US states aside from Alaska maintain a minimum smoking age of 18, except for Utah, Alabama, and New Jersey, where it is 19. Reuters notes that cities and counties including New York City and Hawaii County have previously raised the minimum legal smoking age to 21.

The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids claims that, on average, 1,400 people die of tobacco-related causes of death each year in Hawaii. A 2014 US Surgeon General report cited the fact that adult smoking rates in the United States have plunged from 42% in 1965 to 18% in 2012.

Politics, US

Police urge lawmakers not to end law allowing them to have sex with prostitutes

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HONOLULU, March 23, 2014– Hawaii police are urging state legislators to maintain a law that allows undercover police to have sex with prostitutes during investigations.

According to the Associated Press, the move by police officials has sparked a fierce debate.

Police officials claim they need to be exempt from prostitution laws so that they may catch criminals in the act by having sex with prostitutes themselves.

Police will not say how often, or even if, they have used the provisions allowing them to have sex with prostitutes. They assured legislators that internal policies were in place to prevent officers from “abusing the power”.

Expert Derek Marsh says the exemption is “antiquated at best” and that police can easily do their jobs without it.

“It doesn’t help your case, and at worst you further traumatize someone. And do you think he or she is going to trust a cop again?” asked Marsh, who trains California police in best practices on human trafficking cases and twice has testified before Congress on the issue.

The Hawaii bill cracking down on prostitution was originally written end the sex exemption for officers on duty, but was amended to restore that protection after police provided testimony. The amended bill has passed the state House and went before a state Senate committee Friday.

Hawaii’s law allowing police to have sex with prostitutes is simply another illustration of how police officers are placed above the law.

Follow Michael Lotfi on Facebook and on Twitter.

Politics, US

Hawaii state legislature calls for Art. V convention: Add Obamacare to the Const.

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HawiiiTypically the call to change the Constitution comes from those on the left wishing to include healthcare, abortion, gay marriage and other issues as constitutional rights. Those on the left also hope to wipe out the Second Amendment through the convention process. However, a recent surge of conservatives have been calling for a constitutional convention.

Lawyer and radio host Mark Levin is perhaps most well known conservative calling for a convention. Levin has promised his listeners countless times no danger in calling for an Article V convention exists. However, the state of Hawaii is proposing some amendments, which would quite literally destroy the Republic.

In 2012 the state of Hawaii passed a resolution in pursuance to an Article V convention. The resolution makes the following demands for changes to the U.S. Constitution:

“(1)  A declaration of the constitutionality of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including the individual mandate requiring the purchase of health insurance;

     (2)  An amendment to Article I, Section 5, to prohibit the super-majority cloture requirement under Rule 22 of the United States Senate for ending floor debates and filibusters, to facilitate a more reasonable voting standard for cloture;

 (3)  An amendment abolishing the electoral college established under Article II, Section 1, and providing for the direct election of the United States President and Vice President by voters; and 

     (4)  An amendment to Article II, Section 2, Clause 2, to require that Senate confirmations of appointments of officers of the United States be made by a simple majority vote within sixty days of the nomination…”

If ratified, all of the above amendments Hawaii has proposed move the country towards a direct democracy and away from a republican form of government.

Follow Michael Lotfi on Facebook & on Twitter: @MichaelLotfi