Mazie Hirono in 2012 Hawaii Senate Debates
On Homeland Security:
Sensible compromise needed on $50 billion military cut
Lingle pressed Hirono on her vote that helped set up the so-called "fiscal cliff" scenario set to take effect in January if Congress can't reach a compromise on spending cuts and tax hikes. Lingle said Hirono shouldn't have supported cuts of $50 billion
per year to the military as part of the deal, because the cuts would have crushing effects in Hawaii given the large military presence here. "We can't do a pivot if we're cutting $50 billion" per year in defense, Lingle said.Hirono said Congress was
right to raise the debt ceiling and needs to reach sensible compromise to avoid the deep cuts planned but said Republicans are holding things up because they're not willing to allow taxes to go up for the wealthiest Americans. "We now have a Congress
where people are perfectly fine sending our country over the economic cliff," Hirono said. Hirono concluded that nobody's talking about weakening national defense, but the Tea Party has said the US should worry more about itself than other countries.
Source: Reuters on 2012 Hawaii Senate debate
Oct 20, 2012
On Principles & Values:
OpEd: Missed twice as many votes as average Congress member
The former governor accused the congresswoman of doing little to help the state: "Your entire record of missed votes is twice that of your typical congressional colleague.
How can you look our citizens in the eye and claim that your poor attendance and lack of results reflect the local value of hard work?" asked Lingle."This is yet another misleading attack on the part of my Republican opponent," responded Hirono.
Source: KITV coverage of 2012 Hawaii Senate debate
Oct 17, 2012
On Environment:
Visit the USA Bill: attract 300,000 Chinese by easier visas
Mazie Hirono focused the majority of her comments on her Visit the USA bill which would ease visa requirements making it easier for the Chinese to spend their money here in Hawaii. "China, now that is a huge market: 54 million Chinese are traveling all
across the world, fewer than a million of them come to our country. Why? Because our visa process is so difficult," said Hirono. "We can attract some 300,000 Chinese visitors, $600 million spent in our economy, creating 6,000 jobs."Opponent Ed
Case agreed it's a good idea but claims he's better suited to get it passed. He criticized Hirono for taking so long to introduce it and getting relatively few in congress to support it.
Hirono responded saying there is a lot going on. "Right now there is an election that we need to get through but it's going to have bipartisan support," said Hirono.
Source: Hawaii News Now coverage of 2012 Hawaii Senate debate
May 30, 2012
On Technology:
$6 million for new security screening at Hawaii airports
Hirono touted her efforts to land $6 million for Hawaii airports. She says the money may be used for three new security screening machines at Kahului Airport. "Our airports need to be maintained they need to be modernized, that's part of our tourism
economy. In a bipartisan way I pushed for an amendment to the FAA bill that will bring $6 million more to Hawaii's airports," said Hirono.
Source: Hawaii News Now coverage of 2012 Hawaii Senate debate
May 30, 2012
On Corporations:
US Chamber of Commerce does not reflect business community
Linga Lingle's campaign manager criticized Democrat Mazie Hirono for criticizing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsement this week of the Republican candidate. Excerpt from Lingle's press release: "Mazie's team called the organization 'a powerful
right-wing mainland special interest group.' This charge is disingenuous and even laughable coming from Mazie, considering just a few months ago she proudly touted to the people of Hawaii that the
Visit USA Act which she co-sponsored was backed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce."Hirono's campaign issued this statement in response: "We welcome the debate over who is best positioned to work with
President Obama, help grow our economy, and create jobs. It is clear that the US Chamber of Commerce does not reflect the entire business community here in Hawaii."
Source: Honolulu Civil Beat on 2012 Hawaii Senate debate
May 10, 2012
Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018