Why I Would Make the Best Governor – Neil Abercrombie
As the primary season closes, a sense of reflection on the kindness, encouragement and generous support given to our campaign is foremost in my mind.
For fifty-one years, since I arrived at the University of Hawaii, I have been touched by so many people who have taught me so many lessons about service and honor and aloha.
And for over a year and a half in this campaign for Governor, the people of Hawaii have included me in a conversation about where Hawaii has been and where we need to go.
The people of Hawaii are ready, right now, to move in a new direction. We have the talent, the opportunities, and the determination right now to create the kinds of jobs that will keep our children here at home; to overcome the economic and environmental perils of fossil fuels; to bring about an agricultural renaissance where we grow our own food and sustain our rural communities; to make public education a source of public pride and a window to a prosperous future.
We want to feel confident again in our government; to know that our hard earned tax dollars are being spent wisely in a way that reflects our common values. We understand that government can鈥檛 do everything, but we expect it to do what it is supposed to do, and do it well.
Most importantly, we want to change politics in Hawaii. Leading by example we can end the cynicism and demoralization generated by modern politics. We don鈥檛 want elections to be all about individual political agendas, angling for votes and pitting us against each other. This is not what Hawaii is about. This is not what the people of Hawaii tell me they want.
Ours has been and is a campaign of many different people, each taking responsibility, each exercising leadership, each with a voice and pouring time and energy into something bigger than themselves. We are reaching out and listening to each other with respect. We are reconnecting with old friends and making new friends. And in the process, we are rediscovering our common hopes and dreams.
We built this effort to answer a question: Can a positive, grassroots and netroots campaign of everyday people鈥攆ocused on issues and open to all鈥攐vercome the powerful interests that want to preserve the status quo?
On Saturday, the voters will answer that question.
In the end, I think this campaign will succeed. And in the end, the way we are campaigning is the way we can change Hawaii. It鈥檚 going to be people centered. We need not agree on every single issue, but that won鈥檛 stop us from moving forward together toward a vision of a new day in Hawaii.
