It is that time again and while every General Election we are told that it is the most important election in our life, I can’t help but feel that this year is the most important election in my lifetime.
2020 has been a tumultuous year with society falling apart, the media losing all credibility, and a global pandemic threatening the people’s health and economy. In Hawaii, homelessness has become an unsolvable problem that began to peak at least 10 years ago. The government’s inability to recognize the direction their policies were taking us has led us to a place where homelessness must be accepted. The ever-increasing cost of property and rentals combined with other essentials have made it extremely difficult to make ends meet for most people. The amount of corruption and ineptitude in government and public service is staggering as indicated by the annual government audit reports, out-of-control rail costs, the federal indictments of the Kealohas and State Prosecutor. And to top it all off, we have a global pandemic that has our government shutting down access to public spaces and businesses.
This election will also decide where we go as a nation as well. There are so many large problems that will affect every single one of us in ways that we have not seen in several generations. I cannot remember a time in my life where we have relied on our local and federal government for so much. Not just for economic support, but for guidance on how to safely live our lives. The leaders we have elected in the past have been more administrators than leaders. Confidence in both local and federal representatives is at an all-time low. The people I have spoken to are relying on their friends, family, and neighbors more than ever because who else can they count on for transparency and expertise?
The true leaders and experts are in our communities. The people who will help us get through these difficult times are in our communities. It is about time we all realize that no matter who wins this election, we will have to rely on ourselves and our communities more than ever. Government is broken and the pandemic has shown us just how broken it has become. For me, this election is less about choosing candidates who will solve our problems and more about who we can count on to get Government working for us once again. In the end, we will need a working government to get this country back on track so we all can resume our pursuit of the American Dream.
