It’s Fair to Debate If Biden Stays in The Race Or Not Un-
til the National Convention, Unique Circumstances Call for Unique Problem-solving
June 28, President Joe Biden delivers arguably the worst performance in presidential debate history. July 13, former President Donald Trump survives an assassination attempt. There’s nothing normal unfolding as the presidential race enters this last critical stretch.
Arguably it never has been normal these past months. To begin, the American electorate have been feeling discontented with either choice, Trump or Biden, for different reasons. One is a former president, impeached twice and criminally charged. The other’s mental feebleness has been kept hidden until his condition was finally exposed for all to see in a national debate. Don’t believe your lying eyes and ears, handlers are still telling voters, insisting that it was a one-off night.
Whether Biden is up for the job or not is arguably not as consequential as perception; and Biden’s diminishing mental acuity perception will not go away. Just look at the polling in the last months.
Forget national polling, the battleground states are where it matters
Biden has been behind Trump in the battleground states (where elections are won) not just after June 28, but prior to it. Furthermore, his approval rating has been under 40% and historians say no incumbent president seeking reelection with an approval rating of under 40% with only a few months left in an election year has ever won.
On top of Biden’s dismal polling numbers in critical swing states at this very moment, no one knows how it could drop further after Trump’s assassination attempt. Picture the juxtaposition. You have a searing image of a candidate narrowly escaping death, blood dripping down his face from a bullet wound, pump-fisting “Fight” like a warrior in the MCU. Then contrast that with the other candidate, walking like he’s balancing on a tightrope, mistakenly referring to Zelensky as Putin and Harris as Trump among other embarrassing gaffes, then admitting that he needs to be gone to bed earlier and not schedule anything after 8 p.m. How can this new, searing juxtaposition does not widen the gap in Trump’s favor
Let’s not lose perspective of what the Office of the Presidency really is. It’s not just a figurehead job.
It’s worth emphasizing over and over that the presidency of the U.S. is the most demanding and consequential job. This is why mental and physical fitness is an issue that will not go away for Biden. The holder of the Office of the Presidency is responsible for not just the most powerful nation in the world, but the U.S. President’s actions also have global impact. Yet, because of politics, perhaps compassion even for the elderly, we are in a situation of lowering our qualification standards as if the job for presidency is any low-level executive position to fill. This cannot be the attitude to take.
Most politicians in the Congress are already veterans in politics, having come from state assemblies and legislatures previously before making the vertical leap to the hig-
FROM THE PUBLISHER
WPublisher & Executive Editor
hen the temperature of water rises eventually it reaches a boiling point. On July 13 we’ve reached that boiling point with the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. For the first time in decades since President Ronald Reagan, there hasn’t been an assassination attempt on a U.S. President. Trump is not a sitting president, but a former one seeking a second term and someone who has never left the public-political sphere since 2016. Political violence is a sad and dangerous reality at this time, and I wanted to begin my letter from the publisher with a strong message that there is no place for violence in politics. It’s not who we are as Americans. It’s not democratic and it must stop. We encourage healthy debates, not caustic, demagogic rhetoric that pits Americans against each other as enemies.
On that note, for our cover story this issue we report on the healthy debate among Democrats of whether President Joe Biden should step down from his reelection bid to allow for another candidate to run for office. This has been the dominant topic in the current news cycle until the assassination attempt on Trump that shocked the nation. HFC associate editor Edwin Quinabo reports on what some members in our Filipino community think about possibly replacing Biden. Reflecting the national opinion on this topic, similarly, members of the Filipino community are also divided. Read what some in our community have to say.
We have several articles on the same topic in our regular issue and in our special Primary Elections issue supplement. In our regular issue, HFC columnist Emil Guillermo contributes “The Aloha Moment in Politics; And Biden’s Inflection Point.” In our supplement -- HFC columnist Elpidio Estioko submits “Trump Speeding Up Momentum for Second Term, Biden Doing Damage Control” and Adrian Kresnak writes “Biden is Fit to Run for President. He’s Already Doing It Well.”
As we normally do in our Primary Elections, we present a list of Filipino Americans running for office. HFC editorial assistant Jim Bea Sampaga once again has been tasked to write this supplement cover story that takes weeks to compile and write. Our readers will find that there are familiar and new Filipino candidates who share their background and platform in the article. Of note, our HFC columnist Atty. Emmanuel Tipon in running for U.S. Senate. We commend all candidates for participating in the democratic process and their passion for our community. Thank you to all the candidates who participated in this valuable information-sharing for our readers. We wish them all the best of luck.
We know that political representation is one expression and measure of community empowerment. This was the topic of our last issue’s cover story. HFC contributor Federico V. Magdalena and HFC contributing editor Belinda A. Aquino pick up on this topic in their co-authored article “Empowering Hawai’i Filipinos: Quo Vadis?”
Lastly, our staff prepared an informative article “Your Ballot Is on The Way: 2024 Primary Election Voting Guide” that covers voter eligibility, mail-in and in-person voting. The 2024 election will be the third time Hawaii is conducting mail-in ballots. Find out about the process and important deadlines.
Be sure to read our other interesting columns and news. Visit thefilipinochronicle.com to get your free digital copy of the Chronicle. Thank you to all our supporters and readers. A special mahalo also to our advertisers that helped to make this 2024 HFC Elections Supplement possible. Until the next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!
hest levels of government. They believe from their experience much of the work is done by those who they select as staff and the various supporting governmental agencies and departments.
This is why, in part, establishment Democrats can in good conscious (but will not say publicly) support Biden. This is why Schumer, Jeffries, Pelosi and Obama can in good conscious endorse Biden even now. But they are
(continue on page 2)
Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.
Publisher & Managing Editor
Chona A. Montesines-Sonido
Associate Editors
Edwin QuinaboDennis Galolo
Contributing
Editor
Belinda Aquino, Ph.D.
Design
Junggoi Peralta
Photography
Tim Llena
Administrative Assistant
Lilia Capalad
Editorial & Production Assistant
Jim Bea Sampaga
Columnists
Carlota Hufana Ader
Rose Cruz Churma
Elpidio R. Estioko
Willie Espero
Perry Diaz
Emil Guillermo
Gary Hooser
Arcelita Imasa, M.D.
Seneca Moraleda-Puguan
J.P. Orias
Charlie Sonido, M.D.
Emmanuel S. Tipon, Esq.
Contributing Writers
Clement Bautista
Edna Bautista, Ed.D.
Teresita Bernales, Ed.D.
Sheryll Bonilla, Esq.
Dr. Dylan Bothamley
Serafin Colmenares Jr., Ph.D.
Linda Dela Cruz
Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand
Amelia Jacang, M.D.
Caroline Julian
Max Levin
Raymond Ll. Liongson, Ph.D.
Federico Magdalena, Ph.D.
Matthew Mettias
Maita Millalos
Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D.
Renelaine Bontol-Pfister
Seneca Moraleda-Puguan
Mark Lester Ranchez
Jay Valdez, Psy.D.
Glenn Wakai
Amado Yoro
Philippine Correspondent:
Greg Garcia
Neighbor Island Correspondents:
Big Island (Hilo and Kona)
Grace LarsonDitas Udani
Kauai
Millicent Wellington
Maui
Christine Sabado
Big Island Distributors
Grace LarsonDitas Udani
Kauai Distributors
Amylou Aguinaldo
Nestor Aguinaldo
Maui Distributors
Cecille PirosRey Piros
Molokai Distributor
Maria Watanabe
Oahu Distributors
Yoshimasa Kaneko
Shalimar / Jonathan Pagulayan
Advertising / Marketing Director
Chona A. Montesines-Sonido
Account Executives
Carlota Hufana Ader
JP Orias
Political Violence Must Be Condemned by All Americans, We Are Thankful That Trump Was Not Seriously Harmed
Politics must never be so toxic that it leads to violence. The attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump must be condemned by all Americans, no matter which side of the political spectrum we stand.
There is no space for violence in politics. Actually, this should be true for all forms of violence and not just political violence.
For the same reason as humans, we are torn emotionally when mass shootings occur or when wars are ongoing in other parts of the world, as decent human beings, we are saddened that an attempt at Trump’s life occurred.
We mourn the loss of an innocent life taken at the rally in Pennsylvania and pray
wrong to assume the president can be just a figurehead as perhaps it is in lower offices. And most Americans are right to demand more than just a figurehead.
Democratic in-fighting is still fine up until the Democratic National Convention
Unique situations demand unique problem-solving. It’s for the good of the Democratic Party that they engage in a healthy debate this late in the election. Remember there is historical precedence for an open convention for a new candidate to step in. There is already a mechanism in place for it.
It’s clear Democrats seeking the opportunity to front a new candidate – one who could have a better chance at beating Trump – will not suddenly abandon their fight in a week or two.
After the Democratic National Convention, however, it is at that moment when party infighting must end, and Democrats must stand united. We are
for the recovery of all those injured.
Violence does not happen in a vacuum
It’s also important to recognize that usually violence does not just happen spontaneously. The political climate in the past few years has elevated from division to hatred and a fear of fellow Americans who belong to the other party.
Trump should take this assassination attempt as a warning that the undercurrent of violence in his campaign messaging to his followers – constant reference to fellow Americans as enemies – is dangerous.
There is data that correlates an alarming connection between Trump’s political rise and the increase in political violence in America.
not there yet.
In-fighting is a natural and innate feature of the Democratic Party because it’s a broad and diverse coalition. Until that time when delegates officially make their vote, it’s in the best interest for the party that Democrats on both sides be allowed to speak freely without suppression. Healthy debates must and should be encouraged.
What establishment Democrats and the Democratic National Committee did wrong was thwart real competition. The Primary should have been a rigorous and robust process with multiple candidates stepping forward. That did not happen so Democrats are in this 11th hour divided on a candidate.
Biden deserves due respect, bow out now and that would be your legacy
Certainly, President Biden has achieved accomplishments in his long career serving our nation. He de-
According to Capitol police in 2016 when Trump was not in office there were fewer than 900 threats against members of Congress. In 2017, after Trump’s first year in office, that figure quadrupled. The numbers continued to rise each year of his presidency and peaked at a whopping 9,700 in 2021.
In 2022, the first full year of Biden’s term, the numbers went down to 7,500. The trend started to reverse. Data
serves respect and gratitude for his decades of service. The most honorable thing to do is for him to step down and enjoy his legacy. One among them, is that he was the man who saved our country from Trump winning a second term.
Biden should be reminded that there are other accomplished presidents who did not seek a second term like President Lyndon B. Johnson who arguably had a far more accomplished record in his first term than Biden in terms of legislative achievements. LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and boosted Medicare and Medicaid.
But if Biden continues his denial of the polls and risks his legacy leading to a second Trump victory –history will not be kind to Biden, to say the least, especially if as most are predicting, Trump tears down many of the fundamental pillars most Americans hold close to their heart.
for 2023 has yet to be made available.
We can also look to the Capitol riots of January 6, 2021. Remember that five lives were lost that day. And that should have been enough for Trump to have learned then that the undercurrent of violent speech can have deadly consequences.
Some Democratic Party politicians are also to blame for today’s toxic political climate.
American media – mainstream and independent – also have and do play a malignant role in fostering extreme division that could influence mentally unstable individuals to hyperfocus on a danger that’s outsized to reality, and influence that individual to act on this paranoia.
Lower the climate of hostility
The responsible action to take now for Trump, some Democrats and a few media outlets peddling toxic division is to lower the hostility. There is no need to heighten fearmongering to win an election. Unfortunately, fearmongering has too often become the go to in campaigning because it works. Selling voters on the issues or a platform is not as effective as selling fear. But as voters, we can reject that and punish with our votes those who take negative campaigning – those clearly hateful and demagogic – to a dangerously next level that opens the door to violence.
We are thankful that Trump is safe. Whether he’s learned from this tragic incident, we have yet to find out.
Democrats Panic Over Biden’s
Electability, Filipinos Express Mixed Opinions on Biden and the Issues
By Edwin Quinabo
Pressure is mounting for President Joe Biden as a growing chorus of fellow Democrat party-power brokers, voters and donors are calling on him to step down from the presidential race.
The situation is fast-paced and fluid. Some politicos are predicting Biden could exit the race anytime this week July 15-20 as the window closes to front a replacement candidate before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago scheduled for August 19-22. The general election is on November 5, about four months away for Biden or his replacement to score a comeback victory.
As of this Sunday, July 14, the president has said he has no intention of stepping back from his bid for a second term — even though some in his party have asked him to reconsider.
Biden told Democratic lawmakers that he had received 87% of the votes in the primaries and had almost 3,900 delegates. “I’m the nominee of this party because 14 million Democrats like you voted for me in the primaries,” he said during a rally in Detroit on Friday July 13.
A defiant Biden said, “You made me the nominee. No one else. Not the press, not the pundits, not the insiders, not the donors. And I’m not going anywhere.”
There has been increasing speculation about the president’s mental health due to his lethargic and oftentimes confusing debate-showing on June 28 that had political analysts on mainstream media reporting widespread panic among donors. Reporters said donors were calling in to express their uncertainty that Biden could win in the general and floated the idea of a replacement candidate.
Biden Supporters
On Monday, July 9, Biden issued a timely statement before Congress reconvened affirming that he was staying in the race. The next day as lawmakers returned from break, in the morning before holding caucus to hear from colleagues, the Democratic establishment – Senate President Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem
Jeffries, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi –all indicated that they were sticking with Biden in whatever he decides.
Leaders from the most powerful Democratic caucuses -- Rep. James Clyburn of the Black Caucus and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of the Progressive Caucus –both offered their strong support for Biden.
“The conversation should focus on the record of this administration … and let Joe Biden continue to make his own decisions about the future,” Clyburn said. “If he decides to change his mind later on, then we will respond to that.”
Ocasio-Cortez told Capitol reporters, “Joe Biden is our nominee, he is not leaving this race, he is in this race, and I support him.”
Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Gavin Newsom of California have been defending Biden’s candidacy since the night of the presidential debate.
“One thing we know about our president, Joe Biden, he is a fighter, and he is the first to say, ‘When you get knocked down, you get right back up,’’’ Harris said. “So, we will continue to fight. We will continue to organize. And in November, we will win,” said Harris while addressing a conference of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander voters in Philadelphia.
In the spin room following the debate, when asked about a rumbling of Democrats possibly open to replacing Biden as the party’s nominee, Newsom said “I will never turn my back on President Biden. I don’t know a Democrat in my party that would do so.”
Those calling for Biden to step down
As of Friday July 12, a small but growing number of Democratic members of Congress — about 20 — have publicly called on the President to withdraw from the race, including Hawaii Rep Ed Case (District 1).
“Difficult times and realities require difficult decisions,” Case wrote in a statement released on July 11. “This is one of those times, realities and decisions. My guidepost is what is the best way forward for our country. I do not believe President Biden should continue his candidacy for re-election as President. This has nothing
to do with his character and record. If it did, there would be no decision to make.”
The other Hawaii delegation to Congress had not issued statements on Biden as of Sunday, July 14.
The New York Times reports that Democratic donors froze a staggering $90 million in donations destined for Biden, saying it would not be released as long as Biden is in the race.
Actor and major Biden donor and fundraiser George Clooney added his voice to calls for Biden to leave the presidential race. Just weeks ago, Clooney co-headlined a fundraiser that brought in for the Biden campaign a record single-night haul of $30 million.
Clooney said in a New York Times opinion piece that he loves Biden, but the party would lose the presidential race as well as any control in Congress with him as the nominee.
“This isn’t only my opinion; this is the opinion of every senator and congress member and governor that I’ve spoken with in private,” wrote Clooney.
Capitol reporters say there are many lawmakers on the Hill who have strong reservations of Biden’s candidacy but have not come forward, confirming Clooney’s statement alluding to widespread opposition to Biden running for reelection.
The most vocal voices calling for Biden to step have come from editorial boards of media across the nation, pundits and democratic strategists.
Democratic strategist James Carville believes Biden will “make the right decision” – and drop out of the race. He said, “50 million people saw that so-called de-
COVER STORY
(Democrats.....from page 4)
bate. Everybody knows what’s going on here. ... We’ve seen our parents go through it, our grandparents, our aunts and uncles and neighbors and relatives. This is all a matter of time. I’m just telling you it’s inevitable,” the strategist told Cuomo. “He will come to the conclusion. People will get the message to him. He will understand. His family will understand. They’ll pray on it, and they’ll make the right decision.”
The only traditionally influential group in the Democratic party that has yet to voice a public opinion on Biden staying in or not is organized labor.
What the polls and Biden approval ratings say
After a week ago from saying it would take the “Lord Almighty” for him to drop out of the race, in a Q&A segment during the NATO summit press conference held on July 11, the 81-year-old president said he would leave the 2024 race for the White House if polls showed there was “no way” he could win.
But politicos say Biden is dismissive of his poor polling, and neither his closest advisors believe in his bad poll numbers. In a CNN interview, confronted with his lingering bad poll numbers, Biden said “The polling data has been wrong all along. How many – you guys do a poll at CNN. How many folks you have to call to get one response?”
NATIONAL POLLS. While Biden is behind within the margin of error in a few credible national polls like Marist College, Ipsos, Emerson and Morning Consult, political experts say those national polls don’t matter as much as or at all compared to those of battleground states where Biden trails in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. They also say national polls have a 5-7% Electoral bias that is not factored in the poll or margin of error, meaning that in order for a candidate to truly be ahead, that candidate must be leading at least by 5-7%.
BATTLEGROUND STATES POLLS. In the latest NYT July 13 poll of seven battleground states (North Carolina included) the results show: Wisconsin, Trump up 48%-45%; Michigan, Trump up 47%-45%; Pennsylvania, Trump up 48%-44%; Arizona, Trump up 48%-43%; Georgia, Trump up 49%-43%; Nevada, Trump up 49%-43% and North Carolina, Trump up
48%-43%. Pollsters say the winner of the 2024 election would likely have to win four of these swing states.
Ex-Obama advisor and CNN political analyst David Axelrod said, “He [Biden] really needs a royal flush to win this race. The president’s been behind for 10 months, consistently in this data. [According to] deeper data that the analytics people look at, he is now behind in all the battleground states and in some cases, well behind, beyond the margin of error.”
Axelrod adds, “So, yes, of course he can win, anyone can win. But given the stakes, and I think this is what those Democratic officials are thinking, given the stakes, the fact that he can win is not a persuasive argument. The question is: what are the odds that he would win, and would we have a better chance with someone else? That’s the question everybody is pondering.”
APPROVAL RATING
NUMBERS. Analysts say arguably the most revealing data that Biden will lose is in his approval rating. They say no incumbent president with a low approval rating below 40% has ever won reelection. In reputable polls from YouGov, Ipsos, Emerson College, Redfield & Wilton Strategies and Gallup – all of them show Biden’s current approval rating is under 40%.
Reviewing Gallup polling of past presidents seeking reelection in the month of June on election year, about this time, here were the approval ratings of presidents who won reelection: Barack Obama 46%, George W. Bush 49%, Bill Clinton 55% and Ronald Reagan 54%. The approval ratings for presidents who lost reelection in the same period were Donald Trump 39%, George H.W. Bush 37% and Jimmy Carter
“I’m the nominee of this party because 14 million Democrats like you voted for me in the primaries. You made me the nominee. No one else. Not the press, not the pundits, not the insiders, not the donors. And I’m not going anywhere.”
– President Joe Biden, during a rally in Detroit on Friday July 13.
34%. Gallup’s June 2024 approval rating for Biden is 38%, well below presidents who won reelection, and even lower than Trump’s in June 2020.
Hawaii and Filipino community’s opinion of Biden staying in the race and the issues
Besides U.S. Rep Case, three former Govs. John Waihee, Ben Cayetano, and Neil Abercrombie called for Biden to withdraw from the race. The governors wrote in a joint statement, “What is now known as The Debate was a moment of truth—a moment not of revelation but rather confirmation of what has been apparent for months—The President’s obvious physical decline and increasing difficulty in communicating clearly and cogently.”
Gov. Josh Green has appeared on CNN stating his support for Biden. Green, a medical doctor, said he believes Biden was ill and exhausted from traveling to Europe before the televised debate.
Federico Magdalena, Ph.D., of the Asian Studies Program and Center for Philippine Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said he was a Biden supporter in his first run at the presidency. “I used to support Biden, but not anymore. He is unfit to serve a second term. Biden should reconsider running for president. His health is frail and leads him in making indecisive actions.”
He said, “Trump looks like the winning guy based on the surveys. I think Biden can no longer instill confidence among Democrats, many of whom started junking him. His speaking ability is no longer as sharp as before. The more he opens his mouth, the more he embarrasses himself before an audience. I cannot blame anyone who says Biden is down,
“Biden has been good for the country. The economy has been doing great, unemployment is down, the crumbling infrastructures are being fixed, Medicare and Medicaid are protected for now. I would support any decision as to whether he steps out of the campaign or stays. The country would be more stable under the Democrats. Trump has publicly said he will be a dictator on day one and even in that short time he can wreak havoc to our democracy. His presidency will be focused on retaliation against his perceived enemies. I sincerely hope the American voters will make the right decision.”
– Nieva Elizaga, Retired Office Manager, Honolulu
though he says nobody has told him that he’s losing the race. I don’t think he can beat the polls. There are reporting each day of his deteriorating performance.”
Biden on the issues, Magdalena said, “He has put in place a better alternative program than the Obamacare. If he institutes more stimulus support and other ameliorative measures for the poor Americans, he may earn their confidence and votes. On foreign policy, he should stop heavy spending of taxpayers’ money to the Ukraine war and the Israeli-Hamas conflict of extermination and give Netanyahu a final warning to stop the brutal war against Palestinians who have already suffered enough.”
Asked if another Democratic candidate comes forward to challenge Biden, would you be open to support that candidate, Magdalena said, “It depends on who replaces Biden. Harris is a weak leader who cannot inspire the average American.”
Unlike Magdalena who said his support for a Democratic candidate depends on who would replace Biden, Nieva Elizaga, Honolulu, re-
tired office manager, said she will support anyone who runs against Trump.
A registered voter, Elizaga also supported Biden in his first run for president. She said of Biden on the issues, “Biden has been good for the country. The economy has been doing great, unemployment is down, the crumbling infrastructures are being fixed, Medicare and Medicaid are protected for now.”
She adds, “I would support any decision as to whether he steps out of the campaign or stays. The country would be more stable under the Democrats. Trump has publicly said he will be a dictator on day one and even in that short time he can wreak havoc to our democracy. His presidency will be focused on retaliation against his perceived enemies. I sincerely hope the American voters will make the right decision.”
Judy Ilar, Oahu resident, political Independent, is not a Biden supporter and believes all his policies have failed the American people. “I think it’s over for Biden. I have no doubt that the Democrats want to plead the 25th Amendment (continue on page 6)
(COVER STORY: Democrats....from page 5) on Biden and put Michelle Obama in [to replace him].”
On the issues, she said, “Interest rates during Trump was less than 3%. Biden’s presidency doubled the interest rate. On immigration, allowing an open border endangers our nation. Open borders also put innocent lives at risk for human and child trafficking. Also, there was no war during President Trump. There are wars with Biden and China is causing unrest in Asia. The Biden administration is spending billions of dollars towards these wars while Maui fire victims received a one-time $700.
Reynaldo Cordero, Kalihi, retired security guard, Republican, said Biden would lose in the general election. “He’s not mentally fit. Maybe if another candidate takes his place, that person might have a better chance. I want Biden to stay in the race so Trump is guaranteed to win.” On the issues, Cordero said, “Biden spends too much on wars. All he talks about is Trump is bad for the country, but he’s not running on anything else. What are his plans? Not much is being said. It’s only about giving away American tax dollars to foreign countries.”
Vilma Salvador, Kapolei, Democrat, also voted for Biden in 2020 but wants him to step down. “I cannot vote for Biden because of his com-
plicity in Israel’s destruction on Gaza, and not because of his diminishing mental fitness. I would never vote for Trump and was intending to vote for a third-party candidate. But if Biden is replaced, I can in good conscious support the Democratic Party again, as I always do.”
She adds, “Outside of the war, Biden has done things that I like. He delivered on boosting infrastructure. He’s done what no president has done in beating Big Pharma on lowering prescription drug prices. He’s protecting Medicare and Social Security. But he hasn’t done enough on inflation and securing our southern border.”
Devina Telan Robillard, Kailua, retired nurse educator, Democrat also has been a Biden supporter over the years. But she is conflicted about his second run. “Perception is important. At 70, I’m right there in physical and mental state like Biden. I feel diminished in strength and sharpness, but experience comes with age and can be just as important as strength. I am afraid that most of our electorate may not recognize this asset and Trump will win. I am conflicted about him stepping down. But for the sake of winning our cause, he should. At the same time, I know he still has what it takes [to lead our nation].
Robillard told the Chronicle she would support anyone against Trump. On the issues, she said, “Bidenomics is working. Inflation is down. On foreign policy, this is Biden’s best suit, but I am conflicted with the Israel-Palestine issue. It has been a problem plaguing us since the aftermath of WWII and it will not go away easily. As a woman, reproductive rights are very important to me. Women should vote for control over their own body and mind.
What Biden must do if he stays in the race
Mainstream media pundits are mostly in consensus that going forward Biden must ramp up his visibility and schedule more town halls, rallies and do more unscripted speeches. In the Q&A segment of the NATO Summit presser, Biden did a few gaffes like mistakenly calling Vice President Harris, Vice President Trump. But most pundits say that performance was good enough to buy Biden more time. And the longer he is able to be the front man with the support he currently has from key backers, the more likely it would be logistically impossible to replace him.
Democratic strategist also say Biden needs to offer at least one major policy for Democrats to get excited about besides fearmongering
of a possible Trump dictatorship. During Obama’s reelection campaign, he promised to defend Obamacare, which was then still tenuous, and Republicans had vowed to undo. Bill Clinton promised Universal Healthcare even though he was not able to deliver it. Still, historians say it got Democrats excited enough to go to the polls for his reelection. Politicos say Biden is missing that one major incentivizing policy.
Democratic strategist Carville said Biden is slipping among two key traditionally strong Democratic groups –Black and young voters. He mentions a policy that would specifically get these two sectors, along with Hispanics, excited about is raising the federal minimum wage because these groups are economically struggling and believe their financial situation hasn’t changed for the better in the last four years. Labor unions, another major sector of the Democratic Party coalition, also have been calling for a federal minimum wage increase. Increasing confidence among voters in Biden’s mental fitness and offering a major policy carrot would go a long way for Biden. Two areas politicos say Biden is on the right track are promising to strengthen reproductive rights, specifically in protecting access to the abortion pill, and protecting
the nation’s democracy.
Politicos also say Biden must broker a ceasefire in the Middle East as soon as possible, before universities and colleges resume classes in the Fall. If the war on Gaza persists into the Fall and students are protesting nationwide as they did in the Spring, the optics alone would deflate any late gains Biden would have mustered, if any, politicos say. Pundits believe it’s likely that efforts to replace Biden will continue for weeks and begin to fizzle each week leading into the Democratic National Convention.
Assassination attempt on Trump’s possible impact
The July 13 assassination attempt on Trump could further move the needle on polls in favor of Trump. The optics of Trump narrowly escaping death by inches, pumping his fist in defiance, and saying “Fight, Fight” repeatedly is as dramatic a scene straight out of a movie. It also feeds into the narrative Trump has been pushing – that he’s the persecuted ex-president. Will it draw in sympathy votes among independents? No one knows what’s to come in the aftermath of the shooting, nor of the other quake-moving pieces since June 28. The 2024 election saga continues.
By Emil Guillermo
homas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, is the man the FBI has identified as the one who fired the shots at that Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in what law enforcement is calling an “assassination attempt.”
TSome news organizations will choose not to say the name of the Trump rally shooter, thinking that doing so would only glorify the culprit.
But Thomas Matthew Crooks is a major part of what happened on Saturday, July 13.
To keep him anonymous is to censor a key fact in this story. We can’t fail to acknowledge what he did.
It was Thomas Matthew Crooks’ shocking actions that sobered America.
We’ve been drunk with ideology and divided for too long.
The Shooter
Crooks was a registered Republican, according to voter records, but so young he’d never voted, according to reports.
Three years ago he made a $15 donation to ActBlue, a political action committee that supports Democratic politicians. The extent of his political activity isn’t known.
But from public photos, he appeared like a clean-cut white kid from a Pittsburgh suburb. Not some radical left winger.
Nothing has been reported about his mental health state. More will be known soon.
What we know at this point is what he’s left us.
Crooks is a reckless firearms owner (shooting into a crowd?) and not very skilled. His shots grazed the former president’s ear, shot and killed at least one person, wounded two others, and stunned everyone around the nation no matter what their political beliefs.
The Aloha Moment In Politics; And Biden’s Inflection Point
This isn’t supposed to happen in America, where the Constitution gives us the path to solve our differences. The First Amendment gives us free speech and the right to gather and express ourselves, which leads to debate.
It doesn’t lead to gunfire.
Not in a land where politics is decided by the vote, and our voices are heard loudly by our ballots, not bullets.
Quickly after the shots were heard, the FBI reported that Crooks had been “neutralized.”
That’s the euphemism used to indicate Crooks was killed physically and the threat was abated. Gone.
The shooter may have been neutralized, but was America?
This is the opportunity to condemn the shooter and stand up as one country, neutralized from our own divisive politics, and united against the senseless use of gun violence in this country.
Politics can be a matter of life and death, but that isn’t supposed to be literal.
I dare say, after the July 13 shooting, I have never rooted for Donald Trump to live like I did those first few hours after the shooting. He’s an American just like all the rest of us.
President Biden might have said it best. Both the president and Trump reportedly spoke last night for the first time since their June 27 debate. They don’t speak often, but it was important that they did on July 13.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence, it’s sick, it’s sick,” said President Biden at a news con-
ference.
“It’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this, we cannot condone this.”
We can’t. Because we don’t have to go back to the assassination attempt of President Ronald Regan in 1981 to decry domestic political violence in this country.
Think about the right-wing intruder who on October 28, 2022, went after Democratic Speaker emerita Nancy Pelosi, and then used a hammer to attack her husband Paul Pelosi.
David De Pape was convicted on assault and attempted kidnapping charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Political violence is a serious matter in the U.S. We saw it on January 6, 2020, with the insurrection of the capital, which ironically, was instigated by Donald Trump.
Let’s use this unfortunate assassination attempt as a signal that it’s time to heal the country from its divisiveness.
Reaching out. Working together. That’s what this moment is for.
We must quickly condemn all those who will use this as an opportunity to instead to fan the flames of division. It’s already on social media.
The images from the scene of blood and the flag are emotionally charged and shouldn’t be used politically to give an advantage to one side or another.
Let’s hope the assassination attempt isn’t misused to divide us. It’s a reminder that politics can use a little aloha
right now.
Thomas Michael Crooks was the shooter. And we all condemn his actions, as Americans together.
Biden’s Age
Joe Biden in fine fettle would say, “Look folks, we have reached an inflection point…”
But what kind of fettle is Biden in today? Aging for sure, but it’s not a crime to grow old in America.
If we apply the president’s favorite rhetorical metaphor to his current crisis, is the geometric curve of his presidency headed upward? Downward? Or is he stuck in the mire of the public’s anxiety?
Because that’s the question: Is Biden strong enough to beat Trump and preserve our democracy? Or is the public’s alarm about his increasing verbal imperfections—a result of age—greater than it deserves to be?
Just whose anxiety over aging matters most, ours or his?
After more than two weeks, Biden has yet to extinguish all the questions about his ability to lead the country into the future.
Hawaii’ Rep. Ed Case has come out against Biden running again. It’s Case’s style. Recall how years ago he wanted to stop an aging Sen. Akaka from running again.
But Case is in the minority here. Fewer than 20 of 212 have taken a public stand against Biden.
The president’s age, his mental capacity, and his ability to communicate without stumbling are all legitimate concerns.
But a stumble here and there shouldn’t be a game-breaker. He’s still better policy-wise than Trump.
Still, the misspoken moments have happened often enough to make one wonder if the president is in tip-top shape, more so mentally than physically.
What we are dealing with
is a man who is aging, but not necessarily to the detriment of our country.
If aging were a felony, Biden would have 81.
But in this race, only Trump has 34 real felony convictions.
That’s what keeps a Biden candidacy viable.
Pelosi Keeps The Debate Alive
Unfortunately, just when all the leaders were in line, the talk didn’t stop.
Recently, Nancy Pelosi went on MSNBC and her foot wasn’t in her mouth–it was keeping the discussion door open, all the while being supportive at the same time.
“It’s up to the president to secide [sic] if he is going to run,” Pelosi said, flubbing the word “decide.”
“We’re all encouraging him to make that decision…I want him to do whatever he decides to do. And that’s the way it is.”
Within hours, the New York Times published an op-ed from Hollywood celeb George Clooney, which signaled that this was the time to air private thoughts publicly.
Clooney was with Biden for a fundraiser just weeks ago but now wrote:
“It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser was not the Joe “big F— ing deal” Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”
A showbiz star breaking ranks may be enough to allow politicos, in the “showbiz for ugly people,” to have the courage to speak their truth. Some did.
Maybe those closest to Biden will help him see that this time things have changed. Starting with Biden himself. Frankly, if I were Biden, I would tell the public that aging isn’t a crime. An older person can still do the job. This isn’t the 400-meter relay, where Biden is running the anchor leg.
U.S. President Joe Biden
FEATURE
Empowering Hawai’i Filipinos: Quo Vadis?
By Federico V. Magdalena and Belinda A. Aquino
Empowermenta single word desired in multicultural Hawaiʻi. For Filipinos, acquiring it will contribute to their social, economic, political, and cultural advancements in the Aloha State. They can significantly enhance their status and influence through political participation, economic opportunities, historical understanding, and community cohesion. Here is our take:
1. Political advancement
In Hawaiʻi, Filipinos lag, initially at least, in political participation. While they have achieved some success in it, more action is still desired to translate
numbers to an empowered community.
Political representation: When the first Hawaiʻi legislature opened after statehood, only one representative, Pedro de la Cruz, was elected from the community in 1959-62. Another representative, Rudolph Pacarro, entered the list the following year. Recently, Filipinos began to catch up.
Numbers grow: Ten years after, Filipino representatives tripled. Two more were added after twenty years, making the total to eight. However, this number remained constant until 2024 – eight out of 51 or 13% of the current Filipino population of 367,525. Filipinos, however, were over-represented in the Honolulu City
Council, while in the Senate their numbers matched the Hawaiʻi population at 24% at six out of 25 elected in 2024. The state has also had a Filipino governor (Ben Cayetano), two Senate presidents (Robert Bunda and Donna Mercado Kim), and two mayors (Lorraine Inouye. and Eduardo Malapit). However, no Filipino has yet been elected to the US Congress.
2. Economic Opportunities
Though the largest Asian group in Hawaiʻi today, Filipinos still grapple economically. Economic empowerment is another critical factor for them.
Stable employment, entrepreneurship opportunities, and financial resources will significantly impact their social mobility. Filipinos achieve little success in the professions, managerial posts in the hospitality industry, and construction. Tapped to the maximum, these will contribute to their economic advancement through their labor and innovative ventures.
However, challenges have continued in wage disparities, limited career opportunities, and low business ownership. Filipino entrepreneurs other than momand-pop vendors are visibly scarce.
To achieve economic em-
powerment, several strategies can be pursued: Promote Entrepreneurship: Supporting Filipino-owned businesses through mentorship programs, access to capital, and networking opportunities can foster economic independence and wealth creation within the community. Thus far, Filipinos are highly represented in the health industry, notably homecare and caregiving.
Workforce Development: Investing in education and skills training tailored to the needs of emerging industries can enhance Filipinos’ competitiveness in the job market. Programs that promote career advancement and leadership development are crucial for breaking barriers to higher-paying positions. Kudos to Melody Calisay for working on this matter!
Higher Education: This is the picture of higher education among Filipino youth. At the University of Hawaiʻi, they are just 14 percent of the total. They are visibly underrepresented at UH Mānoa and UH Hilo, said Jon Okamura and confirmed by the UH Pamantasan Council in 2022. Pamantasan also reported that the tenured and tenure-track Filipino faculty at the UH System is 4.2%, cut to half (2.5%) at UH Mānoa.
3. Historical Context
Understanding and appreciating Filipino history in Hawaiʻi is a must.
History fosters solidarity, resilience, and a collective sense of identity that binds a group and connects it to the homeland leading to empowerment.
Sakada: A cursory review of the historical context is crucial in empowering Filipinos. The Filipinos in Hawaiʻi date back to 1906 when 15 Ilokano laborers
(sakadas) came to work in the sugar and pineapple plantations. Over the decades, this historical foundation has shaped the community’s identity, challenges, and achievements.
Heritage: Island Filipinos have a rich heritage of resilience and adaptability. They have navigated through periods of labor exploitation, discrimination, and cultural assimilation. However, their contributions to Hawaiʻi economy and culture are undeniable. History acknowledged and celebrated, Filipinos can reclaim a sense of pride and identity essential for empowerment.
Utilizing history: Historical consciousness and its appreciation provide a platform for advocacy and policy-making. Understanding past injustices helps address current education, healthcare, and employment disparities, as pointed out by Jon Osorio. Organizations and community leaders can leverage this knowledge to demand equitable treatment and resources for Filipinos. For instance, historical grievances can inform initiatives for inclusiveness in law and justice, access to education, and political representation.
4. Community Cohesion
Community cohesion plays a pivotal role in empowering Filipinos in Hawaiʻi.
Strong social networks, cultural institutions, and civic engagement foster solidarity, and increase political influence. Keen observers lament that unity is lacking among Filipinos.
Filipino community organizations are hubs for cultural advancement, social services, and advocacy. These organizations address community needs, promote civic participation, and pre-
LEGAL NOTES
Special Powers of Attorney
By Sheryll Bonilla, Esq.
pecial powers of attorney (SPOA) are different from durable general powers of attorney.
SThe latter grants authority for a wide range of areas, while special powers of attorney are for specific purposes. The two common types of SPOA relate to real estate and children.
The real estate SPOA is usually used when a person will be out of the country when it’s time for a house to be sold or bought. It authorizes an agent present in the country to sign the conveyance and/or finance documents for the person.
The document spells out the authority the principal grants to the agent with respect to that property. The
exhibit attached to the SPOA contains the full legal description for the property involved.
Because the SPOA will be used in another country, the principal must obtain an apostille which is then attached to the document.
The apostille is an official government document that affirms that the power of attorney and notarization are legitimate, and can be recognized outside the country where it was executed.
A second type relates to children.
When a child goes on school breaks to live with grandparents who are in another state, the parent executes an SPOA so the grandparent can enroll the child in summer camps or programs, or if an emergency arises, the grandparent is authorized
to consent to medical treatment. The SPOA includes the dates when the grandparents’ authority is effective.
Another time this special power of attorney for children is used is when a relative accompanies a child on a trip while the parent stays home, perhaps because the parent has to continue working.
For example, the grandparent may be visiting the Philippines and wants to take the grandchildren “home.”
The parent executes a special power of attorney so the grandparent has the authority to travel with the grandchildren, take the child through immigration and customs, and if needed, make medical decisions, and so on.
The SPOA includes the dates when the grandparents’ authority is effective and the
specifics on the travel for the child and her accompanying relatives.
A third instance where a parent might execute a special power of attorney is to prepare for incapacity.
The parent authorizes a person or persons she trusts to take care of her children in case she becomes temporarily incapacitated and the other parent is not available to take care of the children. By law, this type of special power of attorney expires one year after the
date it is executed. The parent can choose to execute a fresh SPOA each year “just in case” something awful happens that renders the parent temporarily unable to care for his children.
Each child must have their own SPOA because it goes into that child’s medical, school, or other records.
We hope this helps you prepare for situations where a special power of attorney might be applicable and helpful for your circumstances.
* The information provided in this article is not legal advice. Publication of this information is not intended to create, and receipt by you does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
By Elpidio R. Estioko
istinguished four-term Congresswoman from Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard met with the Asian American community in San Francisco last June 18.
DGabbard was a 2020 presidential candidate, a combat veteran with three deployments to war zones in the Middle East and Africa, and a New York Times bestselling author of For The Love of Country.
According to my friend Joel Wong, Gabbard met with several dozen Asian American leaders in the San Francisco Bay Area for an exclusive meet-and-greet luncheon.
serve cultural heritage, as suggested by the following:
Cultural Preservation: Celebrating Filipino heritage through festivals, language programs, and arts initiatives fosters cultural pride and intergenerational bonds. These are platforms for sharing traditions, stories, and values that bind the community. FilCom Center promotes them through Filipino Fiesta and other cultural presentations. United Visayan Club organizes free Filipino language classes during the summer, while the Knights of Rizal-Aloha Chapter conducts youth leadership training on Jose Rizal.
Social Support Networks: Building a strong
Hawaii’s Tulsi Gabbard Meets With Asian Americans in the Mainland
In Wong’s DingDingTV article, he wrote:
“Gabbard’s criticism focuses on the current administration and the Democratic Party, which she believes have strayed from their original values and are now endangering American freedoms, values, and democratic principles.”
During the meeting, Gabbard proposed several strategies in defending constitutional rights and democracy in the country: Unity and Collaboration, Outreach and Inclusion, Political Engagement, Reflection on Sacrifices, and Hold Leaders Accountable.
In a similar event, The Asian American Stories project of the Silicon Valley Community Media received a Certificate of Recognition from the United Chinese Americans
support network through community centers, religious institutions, and social clubs enhances resilience and provides resources during times of need. These networks offer emotional support, mentorship, and access to essential services.
Civic Engagement: Encouraging participation in voter registration drives, and advocacy campaigns empowers Filipinos to influence policy decisions that affect their lives. Active involvement in civic affairs ensures their voices are heard and their interests represented.
Conclusion
Filipino empowerment in Hawaiʻi draws strength
(UCA) at their 2024 Chinese American Convention held in Washington, D.C. between June 27 and 30.
The Asian American Stories project was spearheaded by DingDingTV Host Diana Ding and was launched last year with the awarding ceremonies held early this year.
The project’s First Place
Winner (Youth Category) in the Asian American Stories 2024 Video Content Sylvie Nguyen traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the UCA conference.
The event, titled Embracing Civil Rights Movement Of Our Time, is the largest Chinese American community get-together of its kind that engages in an open and civic platform for everyone interested in serving the community.
This year, the Convention had five distinct tracks: National Youth Conference; National Mental Health Summit; AAPI Political Action Summit; Community Building and Civic Engagement; and Entrepreneurship and Career Growth.
The event’s formal program ended with an Awards
Gala Dinner on June 29 with the Joe Wong Show. On the next and last day, UCA worked with other national civil rights organizations and organized a Walk on the National Mall to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, with a rally in front of the majestic Lincoln Memorial.
With Gabbard’s insights, the Asian American Stories project is just the right medium for us. Asian Americans can connect with the community and attain accountability, community involvement, and service to the community.
ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO was a veteran journalist in the Philippines and a multi-awarded journalist here in the US. For feedbacks, comments… please email the author at estiokoelpidio@gmail.com
from the confluence of political participation, economic opportunities, historical consciousness, and community cohesion.
Recognizing the importance of these factors is crucial in achieving empowerment.
Empowered, they can assert their identity, improve their quality of life, and contribute more to the State’s diverse society through these factors.
Addressing systemic barriers will promote entrepreneurship, create role models, and nurture leadership. These will help Hawai’i Filipinos realize their full potential and secure a brighter future.
FEDERICO V. MAGDALENA, PHD, was an Associate Specialist and Assistant Director of the Center for Philippine Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
DR. BELINDA A. AQUINO, PHD, is the founding director of this Center and an Emeritus Professor at UH. The authors acknowledge insights drawn from ChatGPT by OpenAI in conceptualizing this article. However, the responsibility for the content lies with the authors. (FEATURE: Empowering ....from page 8)
Hawaii Law to Regulate AI Deepfakes in Election Campaigns
On July 3, Governor Josh Green signed a new law to regulate deepfakes generated by AI used in political campaigns. The law is effective upon approval and is vital in the upcoming August 10 Primary Election.
Hawaii is the 13th state to establish legislation on regulating AI use in the elections.
“This landmark legislation prohibits the distribution of deceptive and fraudulent deepfakes during election periods,” said Ha-
waii State Representative Trish La Chica.
“While artificial intelligence holds tremendous potential for innovation, the threat posed by manipulated media cannot be underestimated. Deepfakes can distort our perception of reality, harming not just political candidates but any individual targeted by this technology.”
The new law prohibits the reckless distribution of deceptive media generated by AI. Criminal penalties will apply to offenders.
Tulsi Gabbard
HAWAII-FILIPINO
New Task Force Established to Tackle Illegal Gambling in Honolulu
The Honolulu City Council’s new Resolution No. 24-143, CD1, FD1 is establishing a new task force to address the issue of illegal game rooms in Honolulu.
The task force will collect and review data on illegal gambling activities such as their methods, locations, associated criminal activities, and the effectiveness of current enforcement policies.
The group will also generate new strategies to present to the new legislation and community meetings to actively combat illegal game rooms and preserve public safety.
“Until recently, there were over 100 illegal game rooms on O‘ahu, each of them bringing violence and drug abuse into our communities near our families,”
said Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam who co-introduced the resolution with Council Chair Tommy Waters.
“This isn’t an issue that can be solved tomorrow. It needs to be solved today. The council’s illegal game room package is one part of this solution. This task force is another. It brings together everyone who can make a difference.”
The task force will have representatives from the Honolulu Police Department, the Department of Planning and Permitting, and the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Corporation Counsel, and Office of Council Services, along with two members of the public appointed by the City Council.
“This is about protecting our neighborhoods and ensuring our residents feel safe.
By bringing together experts from law enforcement, city planning, and legal prosecution, we can develop robust strategies to shut down these operations for good,” said Council Chair Waters.
The task force will present its findings, recommendations and strategies to the City Council within 90 days from its inception in mid-July to improve the ways the city can prevent and deter illegal gaming rooms.
Moreover, the signing of SB2197 (now Act 249)
expands the scope of “advanc[ing] gambling activity” which will now include different forms of material aid to gambling activities such as maintaining equipment and managing financial operations.
“This legislation is a much-needed one, to help protect our neighborhood from crimes that directly affect the safety and lives of our residents,” said Kathleen Lee, Chair of the Ala Moana/Kaka‘ako Neighborhood Board.
“We appreciate the collaboration of our state and city/county officials to hold those who perpetuate the existence of illegal game rooms that don’t belong where we live.”
Councilmember Dos Santos-Tam said this will advance the crackdown on illegal game rooms.
“For far too long, landlords have used a technical-
ity in the law to get away with renting to game room operators and evade punishment,” he said.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community. I applaud the Governor and the Legislature for their action to help us with enforcement, and hope that next session they’ll extend this act beyond 2029.”
BOOK REVIEW
The Power of Everyday Politics— How Vietnamese Peasants
Transformed National Policy
By Rose Cruz Churma
This book was first published in 2005 by Cornell University.
The idea that ordinary people’s everyday behavior can impact national policy sounded so intriguing, but this topic is relevant as it will give focus to the upcoming election.
This book describes the history of local resistance that changed national policy on collectivized agriculture in North Vietnam. It gave voice to the farmers who made change possible—not through open opposition but through individual, unorganized behavior.
Based on extensive research in Vietnam’s National Archives and the Red River Delta countryside, through interviews and interactions with the folks in that area, the author describes the “formation of collective farms in northern Vietnam in the late 1950s, their enlargement during wartime in the 1960s to the 1970s, and their col-
lapse in the 1980s,” as described in the book’s cover.
The country’s national government eventually changed the system of collectivization because it was compromised and diminished by the activities of the villagers—thus it can be said that the villagers themselves initiated the dissolution of collective farms in favor of family farms: national policy simply followed what was being practiced.
“Everyday politics matters. That, in a nutshell, is a critical conclusion to draw from this book…Collective farming, a major program of the Communist Party government collapsed without social upheaval, without violence, without a change in government, without even organized opposition,” writes the author in the first paragraph of the book’s last chapter.
The villagers practiced forms of everyday resistance, a specific type of everyday politics.
Their lackadaisical work in the collective farms con-
trasted with well-tended crops in their own gardens and household plots, some even venturing into making handicrafts and practicing other family-centered economic activities (such as buying and selling)—usually at the expense of resources that were supposed to go into the collective farms.
According to the author, the power of everyday politics is not unique to Vietnam. He believes that everyday activities that don’t conform to the behavior required by authorities may carry considerable political weight.
In his earlier book Everyday Politics in the Philippines: Class and Status Relations in a Central Luzon Village (1990, University of California Press), the author shows how everyday politics reflect the conflicting beliefs about what is fair, who has rights, and how resources should be distributed—and
describes “a highly nuanced and fascinating portrait of political relationships among villagers.”
However, unlike the situation in Vietnam where the impact of everyday politics was manifested in the policy change on collectivization, policy changes on the national level in the Philippine setting were not as clear-cut.
In this study, the interviews with the farmers occurred in the 1970s before land reform was implemented fully.
However, in the book’s Appendix A where the author described his methodology, he went back to the village in 1985 and found out that about one hundred poor landless families took over a wealthy landowning family’s fields—a seemingly organized action that stemmed from years of everyday resistance from individuals and small family units.
How can the power of everyday politics be translated into action that matters in today’s political landscape, particularly in the Filipino community where there is little interest in civic engagement?
The most basic of civic engagements is voting and from the statistics derived from the last election, Hawai’i traditionally has the lowest turnouts, noting that lower Kalihi (known as a Filipino enclave) registered the
(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: The Aloha....from page 7)
I’d tell people not to relate Biden’s situation to their own guilt in dealing with aging loved ones. He’s not your father who you just took away the keys from.
Don’t be an ageist. And don’t take away his teleprompter. Would you take a wheelchair away from someone who couldn’t walk? Tell a person to read without their glasses.
Biden has already been cleared three times by a neurologist and says he’d take another test.
But he’s right. He’s tested every day he speaks as president.
If Biden can do the job, half a Biden as president, who will preserve rights and our democracy, is still better than a whole Trump, who wants to be a dictator.
lowest turnout at 30%.
Perhaps the key is to show concrete examples of how everyday politics in the local context can be translated into agents of change. The sentiment is that, as ordinary people, we have no voice, we don’t matter.
We need to look for examples in our recent history where acts of ordinary citizens have been translated into measurable gains. These minor triumphs should be told in accessible storytelling by those who lived it or had a part in making it happen
The author, Benedict J. Tria Kerkvliet is a retired professor of political science at the University of Hawaii in Manoa (UHM). He also was a professor and head of the Department of Political Science and Social Change at the Australian National University.
Aside from the two books mentioned in this book review, he also wrote The Huk Rebellion: A Study of Peasant Revolt in the Philippines. He continues to do research and is writing his next book.
ROSE CRUZ CHURMA established Kalamansi Books & Things three decades ago. It has evolved from a mail-order bookstore into an online advocacy with the intent of helping global Pinoys discover their heritage by promoting books of value from the Philippines and those written by Filipinos in the Diaspora. We can be reached at kalamansibooks@gmail.com.
It’s something that Biden remains defiant, not giving in to any age shaming. He’s the president who’s earned the nomination. And our respect. Biden will let us know when we’ve reached the inflection point.
EMIL GUILLERMO is a journalist and commentator. His talk show is on www.amok.com.
For A Better Life
By Seneca Moraleda-Puguan
here’s this lady wearing hijab with a tired but smiling face I always see in our neighborhood.
TI’ve seen her, her husband and four children, in our commune’s “apero” (get-together) to welcome new people in the neighborhood. I always see them on the bus.
And just recently, in my son’s free French class sponsored by our canton, there she was again with two of her kids. Her daughter is in the same class as my son.
I was hesitant to approach at first but I needed to have my two franc coins split into two one-franc coins, and she was the only one who had coins in her wallet.
From then on, we would walk together going home because we ride the same bus number. We would have conversations as we walked to the bus stop.
With our limited knowledge of French, and with her very limited understanding of English, we would try to share our lives and stories with each other.
We would bring out our phones for translation. She would translate from Persian to English, and vice versa for me.
I asked for her name but I couldn’t pronounce it. She asked for mine too, but I’m sure she forgot it. But one thing I knew about her was that her family fled Afghanistan and moved from one country to another until they found refuge here in Switzerland.
They are “Provisionally Admitted Foreigners” or holders of Permit F which grants asylum to citizens of countries with ongoing conflict.
With only a few words uttered: “montagne”, “three babies”, “difficile”, I came to understand that they had to go to the mountains with their first three children to seek a better life somewhere and flee from the terror of her country.
She said it was very difficult. And I can only imagine.
Though they have freedom here in Switzerland, this doesn’t mean their lives are now easier.
Since both she and her husband don’t speak French fluently yet, despite being here for one year and six months already, it’s difficult for them to find work.
They depend on social welfare and support from charities. Living in one of the most expensive countries in the world, it must be very
MAINLAND NEWS
challenging to live from day to day with what she says, “petit money”... little money.
“You, Colombia?” she asked. I said I was from the Philippines.
“In the Philippines… good?” I explained to her what my country is like. And she was amazed that there is no war where I come from.
She also asked me if my family was being supported by the Caritas charity. When I said no, she was shocked. She asked if my husband was receiving a salary, and she was surprised because she thought we were also refugees.
She asked if my husband speaks French, and I said no. She was in awe that my husband found work without learning the language. Maybe, the many Asians she knew also sought sanctuary in the neutral country we are in right now.
Yes, her family is just one
Consumer Resource Amid Healthcare Data Breach
Change Healthcare, a unit of UnitedHealth Group, Inc., was hit by a data breach/cyber attack in February, exposing Americans’ sensitive health and personal data to the dark web where cybercriminals buy, sell, and track personal information.
Change Healthcare is the nation’s biggest electronic data clearinghouse where
tens of thousands of providers, pharmacies, and insurers use its technological infrastructure to verify insurance, confirm pre-authorization of procedures or services, exchange insurance claim data, and perform other administrative tasks essential to the delivery of healthcare. Currently, the actual number and identity of affected patients are unknown.
of the many displaced families looking for a safe haven in Switzerland. Here in this nation, they are free to roam.
Their children are given free education. They are being supported by the government. This country gives them a home that was taken away from them by the people they call their own, and leaders who are not able to protect them.
Every day, when I bring my son to his class, I look forward to seeing my Afghan friend. Even if we struggle to communicate with each other, there’s this special bond that has been created between us.
Ever since I met her, I was inspired to pray for her and her family… that God will provide for them every single day, that they will find healing and peace where they are right now, and that they will realize that they are not alone and there’s always help that is available.
I pray that they may experience His goodness in their lives.
Knowing her and seeing her family also humbled my heart. It made me grateful for the peace and freedom that I get to experience in the many places God has brought my family and for God’s overflowing provision, favor, and faithfulness to us.
On our way home today,
before we parted ways, she asked me about our family’s plan for summer. I told her we would be going around Switzerland.
I asked her about their plans. She said they couldn’t go out of Fribourg. With a family of six members, they couldn’t afford to take the train to go to Zurich or even the neighboring canton, Bern.
“Petit money”, as she would always say. My face smiled but my heart broke. I wish that they get the chance to see the many beautiful places my family gets to see. Hopefully, someday.
I hope both of us get to learn French pretty soon. I can’t wait to learn more about her and share more stories with her. I am eager for our children to become friends.
I pray that through my life and our friendship, she will find encouragement and hope. It must have been a very difficult decision to leave their families and friends behind, not knowing if they’ll ever have the chance to see each other again.
Soon, I plan to invite her family for a meal with my family so that they may know here and now, that they are welcomed and accepted; and that in this place, they will have friends and family.
They too, like every one of us, deserve a better life.
To support their clients, Change Healthcare offers all Hawaii residents who believe they may have been impacted, free credit monitoring and identity theft protections for two years.
For more information, visit changecybersupport. com or call 1-888-846-4705. To connect with Change Healthcare, call 1-866-2625342.
HAWAII WORKERS CORNER - ILOKO
Panagtakaw Iti Sweldo (Wage Theft)
By Hawaii Workers Center Staff
i wage theft, panagtakaw wenno panangswitik iti suweldo, ket ti saan a panagtungpal dagiti employer a mangbayad kadagiti empleyado da iti umno a gatad ti nagbannoganda.
TAdu ti porma a pakaaramidan daytoy, kas iti saan a panangbayad iti overtime, saan a panagsurot iti nainkalintegan a kababaan a suweldo, saan nga umiso a panangklasipika kadagiti trabahador, panagkupit iti tip, ken panagbayad iti sweldo iti cash wenno tay kunada nga under the table tapno liklikan ti panagbayad iti buwis.
Dagitoy nga imoral ken iligal nga aramid ket dakkel a dis-bentahe ken risgo kadagiti empleyado, nangnangruna kadagiti nababa-ti-suweldo na, saan a kameng ti unyon, ken dagiti immigrante/migrante a mangmangged.
Ditoy Hawaiʻi, ken iti dadduma pay a paset ti US, mapaspasamak ti wage theft iti agdama a panawen ken maysa nga kritikal nga isyu dagiti mangmangged.
Idi napan a tawen, 2023, ti Department of Labor (DOL), ket nakakolekta iti $144M iti back wages para iti 114,656 nga empleyado iti intero nga US.
Idi Pebrero ita a tawen, ti DOL ket natakwatanna ti L&L restaurant idiay Maui ket nagswitik iti $134K iti tip, bayad ti overtime, ken multa. Daytoy Hunyo met laeng, ti H.K. Construction ket nagbayad ti $143K iti 43 a mangmanggedna.
Idi Hunyo 21, 2024, inwaragawag ti DOL a kalpasan ti imbestigasyonda, dagiti makinbagi ti dua a Max’s Restaurant iti Hawaii ket saan a nagbayad dagiti kitchen staff iti maiyannatup bayad iti overtime a trinabaho dagitoy.
Maysa a panaglabsing daytoy iti Fair Labor Stan-
dards Act. Segun iti daytoy a linteg, ania man nga oras sobra ti 40 nga oras iti maysa a lawas a trababo ket mabayadan kas overtime, a maysa ket gudua a daras iti regular a suweldo.
Ti Hawai’i Workers Center ket nakita na daytoy a possible a panaglabsing iti linteg iti pannagorganisa na iti intar ti mangmangged. Naiyasasideg daytoy nga isyu dagiti mangmangged iti DOL tapno mailaban ti karbengan ken kalintegan da. Nakita ti DOL nga iti naglabas a taw-tawen, ti Max ket binaybayadan na dagiti kitchen staff iti naikkeddeng a suweldo ken inlaksidna ida iti pannakabayad iti overtime, uray no adu nga oras iti trinabtrabaho dagitoy sobra ti 40 nga oras.
Natakwatan pay ti imbestigador ti DOL nga impalubos ti makinbagi iti Max nga agala ti manager iti paset ti tip dagiti servers. Maiparit iti linteg Federal a dagiti employer wenno dagiti manager ket agala manipud iti tip dagiti empleyado para iti
Magandang Umaga
By Joe Bisicchia
his poem is dedicated to my many beloved Filipino neighbors, co-workers, and friends here in New Jersey. The Garden State is blessed to be home to a significant Filipino population. They share a common thread, that of humble service to our shared community. I am fortunate to work with many in the healthcare field, but they are also gracious clergy and public servants without which New Jersey would not be the same. Filipinos are good people known for being caring, hardworking, and generous. I felt inspired to write of their homeland in honor of their contribution to our quality of life.
STet to rise in Manila, beyond the beam of a new day, distant over the faraway hills, you sense a future, a future that is from the past, a future that is bonded to the present. Sun always reaches near as the high air of Tagaytay or beaches of Boracay or Palawan.
It is a new rising again for you, mga bata ngayon, and sure as belief, sure as Love exists, sure as the certainty in this newness, by merciful gift is you. And this new day.
Let us all see despite life’s periodic darkness, despite death’s sleep, you are evidence of Love made to be forever alive, forever loving, made of love, by Love, to be it.
ania man a rason. Agdagup 23 nga empleyado (agdama ken uray dagiti immikkaten) ti Max ket naka-awat iti $153,885 a bayad dagiti overtime da, kapada a gatad $153,885 ti naala da kas liquidated damages wenno tay makunkuna a danyos perwisyo idiay Pilipinas.
Kasta met a namulta daytoy iti $8,418. Amin dagitoy ket gapu iti awanan annad wenno nadawel a kagagalad ti panaglabsing na iti linteg.
Tapno makita ti kinaseryoso ti kastoy a panaglabsing, iyarig tayo daytoy iti dadduma a tipo ti panagtakaw.
Agtakaw ka iti tinapay nga aggatad iti $7.99 kas pagarigan, ti makinbagi iti tiendaan ket isaklangnaka iti theft masya a class c felony a mabalin a madusa iti 5 a tawen a pannakaibalod.
Iyarig mo ti gatad ti natakaw a suweldo. Saan a patas. Agpada a panagtakaw.
Agpada a mapasubli ti natakaw, dua a kaso nga agpada ti galad na ngem agdu-
ma ti dusa. Agtakaw ka iti banag, maibalod ka, agtakaw ka iti suweldo, mamulta ka laeng. Iti panagtakaw iti suweldo, adu a pamilya dagiti empleyado ti mapapaidaman.
Kuna ni DOL Honolulu Wage and Hour Division District Director Terence Trotter, “Adu nga makinbagi kadagiti restaurant ditoy Hawaii ken dadduma a paset ti pagilianti agtultuloy nga manggungundaway kadagiti trabahador da ken ipaidam kadakuada dagiti nagbannogan da a suweldo.” Igutigot mi kadagiti mangmangged, ammuaen yo dagiti karbengan ken kalintegan yo. Basaen yo ti kolum ti HWC iti Filipino Chronicle wenno umay kayo makiinnadal kadakami maipanggep iti kalinteganyo.
Makontak dakami ditoy opisina ti Hawai’i Workers Center iti 1545 Linapuni St. KPT Tower B, Ste 112. Kasta met iti hiworkerscenter@ gmail.com ken iti website mi www.hawaiiworkerscenter. org.
You are not lost in a dream. You are here. Surely for such a reason, para mahalin like everyone else all around you.
Ang Diyos ay pag-ibig, sure as sun upon your face, one by one by one of every face, yet another good morning upon Makati.
JOE BISICCHIA is an Honorable Mention recipient of the Fernando Rielo XXXII World Prize for Mystical Poetry. The New Jersey writer also has composed hundreds of individual works that have been published in over one hundred publications. To see more of his work, visit widewide.world.
POETRY
LET’S ZUMBA | Filipino Community Center | Every Monday starting January 8, 2024 at 6:15pm | FilCom Center, Consuelo Courtyard, 94-428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | Need to unwind in movement and dance after a long workday? Join the community as we Zumba through the evening. Only $5 per class. Proceeds go to support these program-types for FilCom Center.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
31ST ANNUAL PISTAHAN PARADE AND FESTIVAL | The Pacific Community – SPC, Gravitas Pasifika | August 10-11, 2024 | Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco, California | The Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE) of the rich tapestry of cultures and ethnic communities of the San Francisco Bay Area through its promotion of Filipino American art, music, film, dance, cuisine, history, and more. FAAE celebrates its ancestral heritage and contemporary
BIBLE REFLECTIONS
traditions, broadening awareness and understanding of Filipino history and culture. For more information on the festival, visit www.pistahan.net.
OHANA MEDICAL MISSION’S MASQUERADE BALL | Saturday, October 26, 5:00-11:00pm | Tapa Ballroom, Hilton Hawaiian Village | A Charity Ball with Grand Parade of Masks, fabulous prizes, sumptuous foods and dancing. For details and reservations, please contact JP Orias at 808-518-8929
A Reflection On A.W. Tozer’s Book
“The
Knowledge of the Holy”
By Bermie Dizon
This caught my attention when A.W. Tozer wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about what God thinks is the most important thing about us.”
In a way, Tozer is saying
that the way we see God is like a mirror reflecting who we are.
When we imagine God as loving and caring, we say, “I believe in kindness and compassion.”
On the flip side, if we see God as strict or punishing, it might mean we enjoy it when our enemies suffer.
Our concept of God is
PHILIPPINE NEWS
like a snapshot of our deepest thoughts and feelings.
When we see God loving us unconditionally and even sending his son to die for our sake, are we not compelled to love him back and love others?
How do you see God? This is important because it will determine who you are and how you behave.
NYMWPS , Youth Group Urges Pres. Marcos to Declare July 12 as the West Philippine Sea National Day
By HFC Staff
On July 12, 2016, the Philippines achieved a historic victory at the Arbitral Tribunal regarding our sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea.
Dr. Celia Lamkin, founder and global chairperson of the National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea (NYMWPS), said of this ruling in 2016:
“The victory of our West Philippine Sea is the victory of every Filipino.”
This landmark ruling not only affirmed our country’s territorial claims but also served as a testament to the resilience and determination of the Filipino people in defending our sovereignty.
NYMWPS is a peaceful, non-partisan, and transglobal organization that has been advocating for the preservation of Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity since 2015.
The organization sent a letter dated July 8, 2024, to Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., that urgently requests him to declare July 12 as the “West Philippine Sea National Day” as a symbol of national pride and sovereignty of our beloved Philippines.
“In light of this monumental event, we are respectfully requesting your esteemed office to declare July 12 as the “West Philippine Sea National Day” and designate it
as a national holiday,” says Lamkin.
“Commemorating this day annually will not only honor our victory but also serve to remind every Filipino of the importance of our territorial integrity and the rich natural resources within our maritime boundaries.”
The organization explained that celebrating “West Philippine Sea National Day” will foster a greater sense of national unity and pride.
It will educate our citizens about the significance of this ruling and encourage the continuous defense of our territorial and sovereign rights.
Moreover, incorporating this important date into our national calendar will solidify our commitment to safeguarding our sovereignty for future generations.
“These educational initiatives will undoubtedly empower our youth with knowledge about their heritage and the importance of our maritime domains.”
Maverick Paul Bersalona, NYMWPS
National chair said:
“We are confident that under your leadership, we can continue to uphold and defend the sovereignty of the Philippines and sovereign rights in our West Philippine Sea.”
Lamkin concluded:
“By commemorating July 12 as a national holiday, we celebrate not only a legal triumph but also our collective strength and unity as a nation.”
Consider this: When we pray or talk to God, it’s not just about asking for things.
It’s also about revealing what’s important to us. If we pray for strength, it shows that we value resilience.
If we ask for guidance, it tells a story about our desire for direction and purpose.
But here’s the interesting part – sometimes, our understanding of God can also show our struggles.
If we picture a distant or indifferent God, it might be a sign that we feel isolated or disconnected.
Our concept of God can
be a roadmap to our emotional landscapes.
So, let’s think about the God we believe in. And what does that say about us?
BERMIE DIZON is a retired pastor of Grace Communion International at Glendora, California, and a former writer for USA Tribune for 9 years.
