Colleen Hanabusa’s brief tenure in Congress has been notable mostly for the brazen loyalty she’s shown to defense contractors and her unequivocal support for more military spending.Since taking office in 2011, representing Hawaii’s First Congressional District, she’s compiled one of the worst voting records on war and peace of any Democrat, according to ProgressivePunch.So, to anyone who’s been paying attention to her career, it was galling to see two of the best journalists in the country fawn over Hanabusa’s supposed efforts to promote peace during a June 20 Democracy Now! broadcast. It’s not often that Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez get fooled, especially by a Member of Congress. But that’s what happened in this case.Last week, Hanabusa introduced an amendment to express the unremarkable view that the Congress would oppose President Obama violating the War Powers Resolution in Iraq. How unremarkable? The amendment received about a minute of discussion, featuring only Hanabusa and conservaDem Congressman Pete Visclosky, and was passed on a voice vote. Visclosky, while expressing support for the amendment, acknowledged it seemed superfluous. (Doesn’t the Boehner Congress oppose President Obama doing almost anything on any issue?)Proving that military-contractor cash can’t buy competence, Hanabusa’s campaign to oust progressive Democratic Senator Brian Schatz has been a bumbling, scandal-laden production. The campaign’s communications director was forced to give up his job as a Time Warner lobbyist (presumably temporarily), and her congressional staff was caught coordinating policy and politics with Big Pharma.But in one flash of brilliance, the Hanabusa campaign was able to use her amendment-- which even she described on the House floor as “simple”-- to get some in the national progressive media to portray her as a peacenik last week.Hanabusa’s amendment was passed on the evening of June 19, and she appeared on Democracy Now! during the morning of June 20. But what Goodman and Gonzalez apparently didn’t know is that Hanabusa spent the afternoon of June 19 appearing before the Kissinger- and Cheney-affiliated Center for Strategic and International Studies advocating for increased military spending.According to SourceWatch, CSIS has long been “seen as a think tank where right-wing ‘officials-in-waiting’ could wait until their next appointment in government.” Henry Kissinger is a CSIS trustee and counselor and has a position named after him. Dick Cheney was on the CSIS advisory board and Military Forum and has collaborated on many projects with CSIS. While Vice President, Cheney spoke at CSIS’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2002, albeit from an undisclosed location. CSIS also last week provided a forum for former Bush Administration officials (including Deputy CIA Director Stephen Kappes) and Iraq invasion backers to take potshots at the Obama Administration’s handling of Iraq.CSIS is home to real-life masters of war. Ironically (and disgustingly for those who know the record), the outro music for Hanabusa’s interview with Goodman and Gonzalez was Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War.”Less than 24 hours before being interviewed on Democracy Now!, Hanabusa told the Pentagon brass and defense contractors in the CSIS crowd exactly what they wanted to hear. She was joined by Congressman Randy Forbes (R-VA), her frequent collaborator, in an hour-long talk, moderated by Michael Green, a National Security Council staffer under President George W. Bush. Here’s some of what she had to say:
• She advocated for worldwide dominance by the U.S. Navy.• She said she’s “always agreed” with Forbes (one of the biggest Pentagon spenders in Congress) on the need to maintain and expand the Navy’s fleet of submarines and aircraft carriers.• After she made a lengthy statement on the increased need for military weaponry, Forbes stated: “Let me just ditto everything Colleen just said. I’m on the exact same page with her.” He then talked about the military risks from China and North Korea, said he’s “very concerned” about the sufficiency of the Pentagon’s resources, and went on a lengthy tirade against the Obama Administration’s supposed weakness, with Hanabusa nodding and apparently concurring. No one mentioned the current level of U.S. military spending compared to the rest of the world.• She then talked about fears arising from China’s military. Naturally, Forbes replied in concurrence. “I 100-percent agree with Colleen.” With no sense of irony, he said China’s military spending should be regarded as aggressive behavior: “What are they planning to do with these capabilities?” He added that the U.S. needs “a bigger Navy.”• Almost apologetically, Hanabusa acknowledged the country is “war weary,” and “unfortunately” some segments of the public associate increased defense spending with war. She noted humanitarian assistance is popular, which provides a marketing opportunity for the military. Though the public doesn’t want war, it does want security-- which she said was “almost schizophrenic.”Her talk at CSIS-- in contrast to her talk with Goodman and Gonzalez-- is in alignment with her record.
Hanabusa was first elected to Congress in 2010. In the campaign, she supported tens of thousands troops being sent to the Middle East.Shortly after taking office, the House was presented with a budget alternative from the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which included cutbacks to some weapons programs. Hawaii Members of Congress-- including Neil Abercrombie, Patsy Mink and Mazie Hirono-- have had a tradition of supporting the CPC annual budget. But Hanabusa joined former Blue Dog Congressman Ed Case in defying that tradition. She’s now voted against the CPC budget all four years she’s been in Congress.She currently chairs the National Security Task Force of the self-described “centrist” New Democrat Coalition, a pack of corrupt, Wall Street-owned Democrats from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.Her Senate campaign has sent emails touting her Pentagon spending and attacking liberal critics. One email was entitled “Defend Hawaii’s economy” and stated:
On the House Armed Services Committee, Colleen has worked with her colleagues across the aisle to create jobs in Hawaii by investing in military construction . . . and introducing legislation to maximize the economic benefits of the U.S. pivot to the Asia Pacific.
Her campaign has consistently disparaged liberals, such as the peace advocates supporting Senator Schatz. The Schatz campaign accurately made the point that Hawaii voters usually favor progressives, and the Hanabusa campaign immediately attacked the entire progressive community (including “D.C. insiders” like Sherrod Brown and Elizabeth Warren, who are supporting Schatz):
Our opponent, Brian Schatz, just sent around an insulting memo, attacking our campaign and arguing that his support from Washington D.C. insiders makes this race a done deal.He also offered divisive theories about Hawaii voters, arguing that the ideology of a single group of voters will trump the broad coalition of interests that has made Hawaii the warm, inclusive place we all love.We need to respond by demonstrating that our supporters are committed to taking on Schatz and his Washington D.C. political backers.
Another Hanabusa email was titled “Bipartisan experience.” Indeed, she has always had a cozy relationship with Republicans. For many years, she’s had a friendship and local radio show with notorious Sam Slom (the only Republican in the Hawaii state senate). In Congress, she’s joined the China Caucus, chaired by Forbes, and the Unmanned Systems Caucus, chaired by Republican warmonger Buck McKeon. She might be the only Democrat who’s ever bragged about co-introducing war-oriented legislation with both the LGBT-hating Forbes and the chronically insensitive and sexist McKeon.Unsurprisingly, FEC reports show Hanabusa has done well with fundraising from the Military Industrial Complex, as reported by local press:
Hanabusa reports collecting more from defense contractors since she entered the Senate race-- she’s on the Armed Services Committee-- while Schatz is drawing cash from energy and environmental political committees
Recent polling shows Hawaii voters aren’t strongly supporting Hanabusa’s brand of centrism or bipartisanship. Her affiliation with the New Democrat Coalition in particular appears to be a tactical error in progressive Hawaii-– but it’s a natural fit for her because the New Dems are more hawkish than the rest of the Democratic caucus. Hanabusa has been trying to downplay the affiliation. But there she is, second from the right, in the New Dems’ Twitter profile picture.After perusing recent press releases on Hanabusa’s congressional website for just a few minutes, it’s clear where her priorities and sympathies are:Hanabusa Votes to Approve Defense Appropriations Act (June 20)Excerpt:
Provisions in the bill … include:• Builds two Virginia class subs and provides funding for two DDG-51 vessels …• Rejects the Obama Administration’s plan to retire 11 cruisers …
U.S. Reps. Hanabusa, McKeon, Forbes Introduce Asia-Pacific Strategy Bill That Includes Provisions for Hawaii (April 28)Hanabusa Troubled by Constraints on FY15 Defense Budget (March 7)
This may hamper our readiness and capability, and could compromise our nation’s security… [T]he proposal to mothball 11 cruisers will only exacerbate the existing shortfalls in the Navy… It remains my hope that we can address deficiencies to the defense budget.
Senator Schatz, meanwhile, according to ProgressivePunch, has a perfect score on war-and-peace votes and is the second-most progressive Senator overall. Of course, he’s been endorsed by Blue America, and could use assistance with the August 9 primary quickly approaching.