Daniel Akaka in Hawaii 2006 Senate Debate

On Civil Rights: Opposed the Patriot Act renewal on civil liberty grounds

I voted aye when congress authorized the PATRIOT Act the first time. That bill granted limited powers, and I voted for it. But I opposed the second PATRIOT Act, because I felt they were being overrun by the administration. National security must be a priority of the US government. However, civil liberties are equally important, and the reauthorized PATRIOT Act failed to provide checks against abuses against civil liberties, and the Bush administration I feel abused the PATRIOT Act. Source: 2006 HI Senate Debate on PBS Hawaii Aug 31, 2006

On Energy & Oil: Offered hydrogen and ethanol bills for energy independence

Q: What can the government do to help with the energy costs?

A: We must work towards weaning our dependence on foreign oil. I've done this by crafting and offering and passing bills to change this. One is a hydrogen bill that will bring about research and development. Another is a bill for natural gas that's called methane hydrate. These are efforts to help the future in getting out of oil and being self sufficient. I've put in $86 million in projects to convert sugar cane into ethanol.

Source: 2006 HI Senate Debate on PBS Hawaii Aug 31, 2006

On Health Care: Advocate for expanding and improving Medicaid and Medicare

The majority in Congress has cut and weakened existing safety net programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. And I have fought these changes and will continue to advocate for expanding and improving Medicaid and Medicare to meet the health care needs of all people. And to do that, we must take steps to help reign in health care costs without reducing access in an attempt to keep coverage affordable for employees and individuals. Source: 2006 HI Senate Debate on PBS Hawaii Aug 31, 2006

On Social Security: Social Security privatization is a risky investment scheme

I oppose Bush's privatization proposal. It turns a guaranteed benefit into a risky investment scheme. Social Security has served as an important safety net for a long time, and I view the continuation of this program as a top priority. What's happening now with the Bush administration privatizing the bill, privatization will not address Social Security-term fiscal challenges, which is a problem. And social security is something that we really need and need to continue to fund over the years. Source: 2006 HI Senate Debate on PBS Hawaii Aug 31, 2006

On Tax Reform: The Bush tax cuts helped the richest, not those in need

Q: Do you favor making the tax cuts permanent?

A: We cannot make tax cuts permanent. Already this year it's projected that we will have a deficit of $600 billion. And this will be passed on. We have to borrow money from China and now Japan as well. The Bush administration took us from a surplus to a multi-trillion dollar federal deficit, and government should be taking care of those in need help the most and not take care of the richest.

Source: 2006 HI Senate Debate on PBS Hawaii Aug 31, 2006

On War & Peace: Call for troops withdrawal from Iraq by July 2007

Q: What strategy do you have for America in Iraq?

CASE: First, a government in Iraq that can govern, and a police & a military that can provide security. The government is in place. The police and military, according to the leaders of Iraq, are within 6 to 9 months of being in place. At that point, it would seem to me that our way forward to disengage was there. But we cannot withdraw unilaterally, unconditionally, & on a firm timetable, and expect that there are not going to be negative consequences.

AKAKA: In Oct. 2002, I was one of 23 Senators who opposed the authorization of force in Iraq. Because I felt that Bush's proposal did not have correct information. I was on a committee that was studying it for two years, and we did not find any Weapons of Mass Destruction there. I was looking for a post-war strategy. It wasn't there. Now I'm calling for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq by July 2007. We must put pressure on the Iraqi government to take responsibility for its own security.

Source: 2006 HI Senate Debate on PBS Hawaii Aug 31, 2006

On War & Peace: No need to resort to a draft; better recruitment instead

Q: Do we need a draft?

AKAKA: [We need] a recruitment program that would interest our young people. We do have a recruitment program that has been able to meet the needs of our troops. We also need to have a program to attract these young people to the military and to retain them. I've been working on a program to recruit, retain, and also to have a retirement program for the military that might interest young people in looking at their lives and the lives of their family. So with all of this, I feel that we'll be able to attract the young people we need without resorting to a draft.

CASE: In some of the Armed Services the recruiting is okay, in some it is more of a problem, and that is the reality of what we face. Let me be real clear, we don't need a draft today. I don't support a draft today. We don't have to enter into a discussion of the draft. But we do have to confront the reality of an all-volunteer military, which has been incredibly stretched by our engagements oversees.

Source: 2006 HI Senate Debate on PBS Hawaii Aug 31, 2006

The above quotations are from 2006 Hawaii Democratic Primary Senate Debate: Sen. Daniel Akaka vs. Rep. Ed Case, at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, on PBS Hawaii, Aug. 31, 2006. Click here for a profile of Daniel Akaka.
*Daniel Akaka on other issues:*
Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families Foreign Policy Free Trade	Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Jobs Principles Social Security Tax Reform Technology War/Peace Welfare
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