Name on ballot:

Jonathan Ho’omanawanui

Running for:

U.S. House – District II

Political party:

Aloha Aina Party

Campaign website:

www.jhoomanawanui.com

Current occupation:

Accredited Service Officer

Age:

56

Previous job history:

Liquor Control Officer

Previous elected office, if any:

Current VFW Western Conference Chairman

Please describe your qualifications to represent the people of Hawaii.

I am Soldier a veteran of the United States Army. I sacrifice my commitment to the highest office in the State of Hawaii. It has no room for beginners to learn their way around. Training wheels and baby steps is not who you want to Represent the peoples of Hawaii. I have earned my connections in Washington DC. We need to hit the ground running and vote for a Strong Leader. I am a Leader. My TRAITS are: Bearing, Unselfishness, Integrity, Loyalty and Dependability. I have an Undergraduates Degree In Communications with an Emphasis in Leadership and a Master’s of Science Degree in Criminology. I have studied 7 disciplines: Political Science, Religion, Statistics, Psychology, Sociology, Biology and Economics.

I have the experience. I advocate for 1.7 Million Veterans annually in Washington DC. Our team is highly respected in Washington DC. Our organization testifies before congress. I have visited all the Representatives of Hawaii in DC to include: Tulsi Gabbard, Mazie Hirono, Brian Shatz as well as Colleen Hanabusa.

Along with my staff we have lobbied to pass and propose issues we believed to be important to our women and men of the United States Armed Forces. As a matter of fact, ACT 299 was proposed and passed recently, allowing Vietnam Veterans after 55 long years to file for compensation and benefits.

Currently, I am an Accredited Service Officer. I represent Veterans in the Courts of Board of Veterans Appeals. Between 2019-2020, I was responsible for 9.4 Billion Dollars in compensation and benefits awarded to veterans and their families and I have signed 35% more Powers of Attorney’s within a single year. I have volunteered since 2010 and have accumulated approximately 41,975 hours of community service equivalent to $209,875 dollars.

2012 elected Chairman of the Kauai Veterans Council.
2013 appointed surgeon VFW Dept. of Hawaii.
2014 appointed Judge Advocate VFW DOH.
2015 elected Junior Vice Commander VFW DOH.
2016 elected Senior Vice Commander VFW DOH.
2017 elected Commander/Chairman VFW DOH.
2018 elected to serve as a Western Conference Chairman, making me a spokesperson for 16 States.
2018 elected Treasurer VFW National All-American Committee.

Lastly, I gained experience running in District 14 on the island of Kauai competing with Ohana Derek Kawakami the current Mayor.

What will be your top priority if elected?

First we need a budget and that realistically we don’t have. The ideology is to fix the problem within a year. We cannot depend on Transient Accommodations Taxes. Tourism may no longer benefit Hawaii in the long run especially with an ongoing virus like COVID19 and people out of work. The minimum wage cannot help with rebounding our economy Who is to say the virus will dissipate and how many years will it take. We need to remove ourselves from the stigma of tourism being the money making machine. We need to think more innovative along the progressive lines.

Our economy cannot rebound especially when we are in dire need. Hawaii and its residents don’t have anymore money to poor back into the current system. I have heard many politicians say the “System is Broken” but not do anything because they did not have a plan or and ideology to propose. Our grandchildren will not be able to afford Corporate Hawaii if we continue forward. The only way is to raise taxes. By the weeks peoples of Hawaii are moving away, because they can no-longer afford living here. In one aspect the DHHL needs revisions now look! the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the wait-lists to compensate those on the waiting list. The homes are not affordable per se.

I challenge all representatives of Hawaii to stand firm on my proposal. Do not think negatively the logistics and details will come to flourish when we fix the Tax issues that are coming. In order for us to stop raising taxes in Hawaii we need incentives for a fixed income peoples as well as the prominent.

“I will propose a 5 year Lottery pilot program”

There will be no gambling machines on any premises. Just Scratch tickets and dollar lottery tickets sold at a specified place or Gas stations. Billions of dollars is the incentives. Winners will pay taxes on the winnings. If a homeless wins they can afford a home. So many great things can come in five years. Then we take an assessment every year and make a comparison. Is it beneficial to make it permanent. If not we tried to fix our tax issues.

Keep in mind, studies show that States that have this system is not struggling with tax issues. This is only a temporary plan not a permanent plan. The monies will help with maintaining jobs. People don’t have to work longer hours and two to three jobs just to get by. I don’t know about you but currently I make $1300 dollars a month doing service officer work. We should be spending more time with our families and not working around the clock. The Rail can be fixed, less people on the roads, highways and roads can once again be maintained. The monies don’t have to prioritized to the “Squeaky wheel gets the meal” analogy.

If we are worried about corruption and crime it has been going on in Hawaii for decades at the highest levels. Furthermore I want a Sustainable Infrastructure, Public to be safe, Maintain VA benefits and take care of our elderly and affordable homes for all peoples of Hawaii.

As Hawaii and the nation face the COVID-19 pandemic, what more can Congress do to protect residents’ health?

At any level we all need to practice hygiene. We cannot slow down and be more careful if we are out working two or three jobs to make ends meet. At the same time more children are going to seek homeschooling.

Avoid large crowds, concerts and minimize going places unnecessarily. There’s so many things to look out for. Congress can propose laws on businesses making sure they are in-compliant to Rules and Regulations as well as Ordinances. It is not an easy task. The collaborative efforts must come from not only businesses but family responsibility. Making sure ourselves and Children are not infected and passing the virus on.

Congress can educate and make people aware of the current affects of COVID19.

What more can Congress do to help residents who have been economically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?

Each State depending on resources will have to figure out how to pour money back into their own current economy. Jobs are seeking workers but at the same time they are just getting by. We have never planned for COVID19. This infiltration is being transferred by human beings.

We have to adopt other means of making money for every community. The ideal way is to issue stimulus checks but that is a temporary fix. Encourage more workers to work out of their homes minimizing traffic, road maintenance, less doctor visits and so many other benefits.

How should the federal government deal with its increasing budget deficit as it spends hundreds of billions on coronavirus-related aid and expenses?

Increase revenue or decrease spending.

If elected, what can you do to help ease the deep divisions and inequities in American society that have come to the forefront in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd?


From my perspective all lives matter. The incident in profiling is history in a making. However, education, training and cultural awareness should be taught in every home. Many have histories of criminal activities that were done to their families or to a culture that does not let these hatreds go too easily. We all carry experiences that are good or bad. The items or incidents come up or are being revisited both physically and mentally. And some are able to harness their thoughts and some cannot forget.

Rodney Kings issue. What did we do to stop the brutality. How can we get rid of the “Us and Them” analogy. Or the Blue Line that separates us from authority. Its not a one size fits all situation. However, train our officers on the “Use of Force or Elevation of Force.” Send an experience officer with a non experience officer on beats. Train monthly, have incentives in place for diffusing a situation, change our hot shot attitude because we carry a badge and gun, encourage our subordinates that they can do the right thing, pay them well, promote the officer, work with different scenarios, mandatory psych evaluation quarterly, listen to the officers family issues that could affect his/her performance, educate, minimize overtime, monitor stress levels, teach, coach and mentor the officer. Place the officer in regions that he can handle until he builds confidence in himself. There’s plenty of work where the department can place officers where they fit. If we are not caring then the officer does not care it is reciprocal.

Build a trusting relationship and encourage camaraderie. Again this style may not work in different cities and States. Sometimes no matter what we do we cannot help the situation at hand. Good leadership helps though. Bottom-line culture brings diversity and diversity brings creative thinking and we must learn to accept other cultures.

Do you support reforms to policing in the United States? If yes, please explain what reforms you support.

Below are the four policing reforms of the United States.

Justice in Policing Acts 2020
George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act
Ending Qualified Immunity Act
Executive Order of Safe Policing for Safe Communities

I support everyone of those police reforms. It is not a one size fits all, however, it is the beginning of police reform within our Nation. It is the provisions to improve accountability, training, misconduct, use of force, removing and insulation that protects officers from violating the rights of people and managing early warning signs that may require intervention.

These are the stepping stones of better police practices. Keep in mind that laws need to be revised to prevent conflicting situations in the court of law. The details can be adjusted as we enforce these new reforms.

What specific policies should Congress enact that would help mitigate the affects of sea-level rise and climate change?

Sustainable Infrastructure: Is caring for the Land, Air and the Ocean.

For me science is a theory that brings us closest to the facts. I like the holism or holistic view of our environment. Global climate can be prevented, but the changing of the elements is controlled by higher powers. Purging, cleansing and the rise and fall of our sea level again comes from above.

This is something worth keeping an eye on. Flooding is evident.

Is there anything more that you would like voters to know about you?

I thank the divine father and son for his guidance in this race. I will always place the people above and beyond my own expectations & agenda. I may not be the most popular candidate in the House; however, I will continue to press forward believing it is the peoples votes that put me here in Congress. I ask that if you believe in my platform, please visit my website www.jhoomanawanui.com to donate and help me win this campaign as your Congressman for District 2. I have no endorsements from major businesses and rather be the spokesperson for all peoples of Hawaii.