The Corner at National Review posted an article yesterday about the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act sponsored by Daniel Akaka. Senator Akaka has been trying to get this piece of legislature passed since 1999. On Friday afternoon, the Republicans were told there would be a markup on this bill, but the Republicans have not seen the bill yet. The rumor is that the bill will be put into the Defense Appropriations Bill that will be passed before the end of this legislative session. This would avoid a full debate on the bill.
The bill essentially says that in order to participate in the government of Hawaii, a person must be a native Hawaiian--not someone who simply lives there. People of Hawaiian heritage living in other parts of the US would be allowed to participate in the government of Hawaii if they met the bloodline requirement.
According to the article:
"The most pernicious outcome is perhaps the only one that is assured: The governing entity would lead to a permanent hereditary caste in Hawaii, where natives--defined however the interim government chooses to define them--enjoy at least some rights that non-natives do not. Tax-exempt status and immunity from Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations are two possibilities."
The bill itself is awful. Among other things, the bill is racist, but aside from that, to sneak it into a defense bill to avoid debate is just wrong. All Americans are allowed to vote and to hold office in our country. To make government participation dependent on heredity is not in keeping with the founding documents of this country.
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