Aloha, Friend. I hope you and yours had a great Thanksgiving and are looking forward to the rest of the holiday season.
I return to Capitol Hill tonight for an intense few remaining weeks of 2023 addressing critical issues facing our Hawai‘i, country and world. As I do so, I want to share what you told me in my anonymous online survey on current issues and my performance from my last e-newsletter (Your Turn/What Do You Think?) here.
I deeply appreciate the thousands of responses to my survey, not only the answers to each question but the individual comments, all of which I read. These responses are invaluable guides for my actions and decisions in Congress, and assist me greatly in reviewing my performance to date and confirming areas for further focus and improvement.
Below are the straight results, after each of which I provide some quick comments. There is much more on my actions in these and other areas at case.house.gov, and I welcome your further questions and comments at [email protected].
What’s most concerning you now? (Please choose no more than five).
(Top fifteen answers)
| Inflation/cost of living | 43% |
Crime/public safety/gunviolence | 41% |
Environment/climate change | 33% |
Political division/polarization/gridlock | 32% |
Federal spending/budget deficits/debt | 31% |
| Border security | 31% |
Social/Security/Medicare/kupuna | 30% |
| Israel-Hamas conflict | 27% |
Roe v. Wade/abortion/right of choice | 24% |
Economy/business/jobs | 22% |
Other/comment (esp. housing) | 22% |
| Civil rights and justice | 20% |
| Health Care | 19% |
Education/child care/keiki | 17% |
Maui disaster/other wildfire risks | 16% |
(Each of these issues and the several others mentioned are critical components of our overall national agenda. I have taken action on each of them (see case.house.gov), and welcome this confirmation that we’re on the same page as to the challenges and opportunities we must continue to address.)
How much are you being affected by inflation and higher costs of living?
| Somewhat affected | 53% |
| Seriously affected | 40% |
| Not Affected | 7% |
(Although inflation itself is back down to close to pre-COVID levels, that hasn’t reduced the sharp price increases of the past few years and the consequences to most of us, as reflected in answers to the next question. Reducing not just inflation but the costs themselves must continue as one of our top priorities at all levels of government).
If you are being affected by inflation and higher costs of living, which are
affecting you most? (Please choose all that apply.)
| Food | 83% |
Household goods and supplies | 59% |
| Utilities/electricity | 54% |
Transportation/auto/gas | 52% |
| Housing/rent | 38% |
| Health Care | 34% |
| Recreation | 13% |
| Other/comment | 11% |
| Education | 9% |
(These all reflect national trends, but all are made worse by our Hawaii’s own situation. Solutions must focus not just on national but on specific state and local causes.)
What are your views on our country’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?
Current approach (defense and humanitarian aid but no troops is adequate | 40% |
| Increase aid to Ukraine for defense and humanitarian needs | 27% |
| Decrease U.S. aid to Ukraine | 25% |
| Increase U.S. aid for humanitarian, but not defense needs | 5% |
| Deploy U.S. troops to Ukraine to assist in Ukraine’s defense | 2% |
(It remains just as true as it did almost two years ago that Russia’s unjustified, unprovoked and criminal war on Ukraine cannot be allowed to succeed, and that any success by Russia will have very negative consequences not just for Ukraine but for the world including our country. I thus agree with most that we must continue if not increase our aid, while assuring that our friends and allies especially Europe do their fair share.)
Which one of the following best states your views on the Israel-Hamas conflict?
| I support a ceasefire (an indefinite cessation of military operations) | 33% |
| I support Israel’s current efforts against Hamas | 30% |
I support Israel’s current efforts against Hamas, with humanitarian pauses (time and space-limited pauses in military operations for humanitarian purposes) | 29% |
| I oppose Israel’s current efforts against Hamas | 8% |
(Please see my combined comments after the next question.)
How should the U.S. respond to the Israel-Hamas conflict? (Please choose all that apply)
| Support continued U.S. efforts with other countries to provide humanitarian assistance | 61% |
| Support continued U.S. military assistance to Israel | 39% |
Other/comment: | 22% |
| Oppose continued U.S. military assistance to Israel | 21% |
| Oppose continued U.S. efforts with other countries to provide humanitarian assistance | 4% |
(As reflected in these results and the many comments, the current tragic Israel-Hamas war, the broader Israel-Palestinian and Middle East issues, and our country’s role in all are very difficult and divisive issues on which reasonable people including my constituents disagree, often deeply and passionately. I have responded in detail to thousands of constituent communications especially since the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, and welcome your own input to [email protected] so that I can provide a fuller response. But in short, as I believe these results and comments reflect: (1) I agree with the current time-limited pause for hostage release and humanitarian aid and would support further specific pauses that do not allow Hamas to regroup; (2) the many comments and my other constituent communications are clear that a “ceasefire" means different things to different people, but if it means a permanent cessation of military hostilities that allows Hamas to survive and regroup and attack again, I do not believe that is acceptable; (3) I agree with supporting continued U.S. humanitarian assistance partnerships and military assistance to Israel; and (4) we, our country and world, cannot turn away from the plight of the Palestinian people and must refocus on a realistic and permanent two-state solution.)
How do you rate the federal government’s response to the Maui wildfire disaster?
| Positive | 34% |
| Neutral | 30% |
| Negative | 14% |
| Very Negative | 13% |
| Very Positive | 9% |
(Having devoted my office’s efforts since August 8th to the tragic Maui wildfires, and especially to the federal government’s response, my own views are positive with a lot of work still to be done over several years. I especially appreciate the constructive comments on how the federal government can improve its response.)
How do you rate my overall performance as Hawaii’s U.S. Representative (with 10 being highest and 1 being lowest)?
| 8 | 20% |
| 10 | 18% |
| 9 | 15% |
| 7 | 12% |
| 5 | 10% |
| 6 | 7% |
| 1 | 7% |
| 3 | 4% |
| 4 | 4% |
| 2 | 3% |
(I’m very grateful for the mostly positive ratings and comments, as they reflect that we’re on the right track. But I’m fully focused on where and how we can continue to improve our performance, especially for those who did not rate it positively, and especially appreciate the many constructive comments on how to do so. There were some comments wanting more information, communication and interaction. I try hard to keep my constituents informed on my actions (see case.house.gov) and to stay in touch through this e-newsletter, frequent talk story community meetings (I’m doing another round in January; details upcoming) and other means, but I’ll keep looking for other opportunities. Otherwise there was no one common area for improvement; it was mostly about specific issues on which folks disagreed, or about wanting me to be (for some) more or (for others) less partisan. I take very seriously differing views on specific issues, levels of partisanship and other areas that result from the fact that I represent a very diverse constituency of over 700,000 Hawai‘i residents. I hope and believe that overall I fairly represent my constituents, and will continue to seek out and welcome all views to improve my representation.)
What is your general political philosophy?
| Moderate | 31% |
| Lean Liberal | 18% |
| Strong Liberal | 15% |
| Lean Conservative | 13% |
| Strong Conservative | 8% |
| Prefer Not to Answer | 15% |
(I've never been one for labels as I believe they are far too simplistic and
rigid, don't explain views on specific issues, and don't fully account for
diverse views any one of us has, much less my constituency of over
700,000 residents. But I agree that these responses do fairly reflect the
mainstream of my own very diverse constituency, and remain committed
to listening to all of my constituents regardless of general philosophy.)
As always, I deeply appreciate your consideration and assistance as we all
work to find the best way forward for our country and Hawai‘i. For more
information on my efforts, and how we can help you, please visit my website at case.house.gov. If I can help you and yours with your own questions and needs, email us at https://case.house.gov/contact/, or call us at (808) 650-6688.
