Abercrombie interview, part 4


Here's part 4 of the interview with Rep. Neil Abercrombie re the Akaka bill in Indian Country Today. (See Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3)

He says every poll ever done shows overwhelming support for the Akaka bill. There's been one poll that I know of done by OHA, which was not an independent poll but rather set up to achieve results consistent with OHA's predetermined position, with questionable wording and methods. (The Star-Bulletin's online poll, though not scientific, showed 3-1 against the bill.)

He says: "I don't know if there are 100 people in the state who want to restore the kingdom. But I guarantee you that at any given hearing, 99 of those 100 will show up to testify." I bet I can find 100 people right here in Hana who support independence, and the population is only a couple thousand! Interesting that he is acknowledging that hearings were overwhelmingly against the bill, and for independence, but tries to minimize and dismiss this by some speculative notion that those for independence turn out for hearings and those for the bill don't. Hmm, maybe the hearings were overwhelmingly against the bill because those who bother to inform themselves about it end up against it?

He then says the support may wane over time and asks: "Are there 1,000 people in the state who even know what's in the bill? For all practical political purposes, it's quite clear that the overwhelming majority of people are for it in the sense that they don't know anything that would make them be against it."

Aha. That's about as clear as the near shore ocean after some illegal grading and a big rain. But he's basically saying that most people don't know anything about it, and most are for it because they don't know anything about it. And the more they learn about it, the less they are for it.

Yup. Seems he managed to get that right in spite of himself.


Posted: Tue - April 12, 2005 at 10:58 PM    
   
 
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Published On: Dec 27, 2005 10:12 PM
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