Gov. Linda Lingle, speaking tonight to a rally for Republican candidates at state GOP headquarters, outlined an issue Republicans will likely use against Democrats
in November.

Majority Democrats in the state Legislature, over the governor’s veto, passed a bill into law expanding a cargo fee to raise money for invasive species inspections. The fee will apply to all imported cargo entering the state.

Democrats argued that the expanded fee was necessary to deter the spread of invasive species, which they described as the single greatest threat to the state’s economy and environment.

Lingle said her administration is already spending record amounts to combat invasive species. The governor said Republican candidates should frame the issue around higher consumer costs, not, as the Democrats will, as about protecting against invasive species.

The governor’s said Democrats overrode her veto despite warnings about higher costs:

That kind of arrogance is why your candidacy is so important.

Someone has to hold them to account for the decisions that they make. Someone has to be walking door-to-door and saying to every voter in your district, “Do you know that my opponent voted to make your food bill even higher than it already was?”

And bring them a copy of that bill. These are facts. Everyone knows about it, but they don’t put it in these terms. They just talk about a new fee. They talk about invasive species.

It’s up to you as you walk door-to-door to put it in words that an average person can relate to. And what everyone can relate to is the cost-of-living that they’re dealing with.

Traditional private school loyalties in Hawaii will dissolve soon as prominent ILH alums turn out to mobilize local support behind U.S. Sen. Barack Obama who will be in the islands this month.

A fundraiser will be held for Obama August 12 at the Kahla Hotel and Resort.

For a $2,300 donation, you gain access to the general reception while $10,000 allows you admission to a private reception that Obama will attend.

At the reception, Walter A. Dods Jr. (St. Louis School ‘59) will introduce Mayor Mufi Hannemann (Iolani School ‘72) who will introduce U.S. Sen. Obama (Punahou ‘79).

Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s Web site utilizes the exact same template that Obama’s does.

CHICAGO_Sen. Barack Obama looked tired.

“Not enough sleep. I’m going back and taking a nap after this,” said the Illinois Senator told CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux on Sunday.

Hours after returning to his Chicago home following a whirlwind world tour that took him through Iraq, Afghanistan, and Europe, Obama showed up at the McCormick Place convention center to speak to more than 1,500 journalists gathered for the quadrennial UNITY Journalists of Color convention.

Sen. John McCain was also invited but elected to attend an event in Ohio with Lance Armstrong instead.

The closest Obama came to mentioning his Hawaii roots, was to cite the July 13 attack of a remote U.S. outpost in Afghanistan that killed nine U.S. soldiers including Damien Memorial School alumni 1st Lt. Jonathan Brostrom.

“In Afghanistan, things are worsening,” said Obama.  “We visited there after a raid on a U.S. outpost resulted in nine of our soldiers getting killed.   We’re going to need more troops in Afghanistan and more cooperation from the Pakistani government.”

Obama touched on an array of issues, including the housing crisis, the public’s perception of his ethnicity, gas prices, and a flailing economy.

Asked by Malveaux if he felt his world tour was “audacious” Obama backed his play.

“I basically met with the same folks that John McCain met with after he won the nomination. He met with all these leaders.  He also added a trip to Mexico, a trip to Canada and nobody suggested that was audacious,” said Obama.

“People assumed that what he was doing was talking to world leaders that we may have to deal with should we becoome president. That’s part of the job I am applying for. I was puzzled by this notion that somehow what we were doing was different from  Sen McCain.”

“Now I admit we did it really well but that shouldn’t be a strike against me,” said Obama, to loud applause. “If I was bumbling and fumbling through this thing I would have been criticized for that.”

The Obama campaign declined several Advertiser requests for an interview.

Several staff writers from The Honolulu Advertiser attended the convention and watched his speech Sunday.

Sports writer Wes Nakama, a graduate of Iolani School, took the high road and shook Obama’s  Punahou hand as he made the rounds and offered up an “Aloha Senator.”

When Gov. Linda Lingle announced in June that she was restricting general-fund spending by the executive branch by 4 percent across-the-board this fiscal year, she said she had sent letters to state lawmakers, the Judiciary and the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs urging fiscal restraint.

Turns out she was specific. In letters to state House and Senate leaders, she asked them to trim their budgets this fiscal year by 4 percent.

From one of the letters:

The seriousness of the current fiscal condition requires that I share these concerns with you and request your assistance in ensuring the fiscal solvency of our State by controlling the general fund expenditures under your jurisdiction.

It is hoped that all branches of State government will do their part in exercising fiscal restraint and curtailing their expenses in consideration of the State’s financial circumstances.

A 4% restriction on your FY09 expenditures would be a prudent start. Our collective actions at this time will preclude the necessity of having to consider more drastic alternatives later.

Staff for House and Senate leaders said they are taking Lingle’s recommendation under consideration and are looking for ways to reduce costs.

Meanwhile, state Sen. Will Espero, D-20th (`Ewa Beach, Waipahu), asked House and Senate leaders this week to consider the idea of a four-day work week pilot project at the state Capitol.

The pilot, he said, would involve four 10-hour work days a week between October and the end of December. Espero said the pilot could provide information on whether a four-day week would save in electricity and gasoline costs. He doubted, however, that a four-day work week would be practical after January as staff and lawmakers prepare for session.

From Espero’s e-mail to leadership:

The concept of a four-day work week has been in the news and is being considered by the Governor. I believe the State Capitol would be a great place to see how a four-day work week would affect state employees, the general public, government services, and some of the issues that may arise from this pilot.

We are a small microcosm of state government, but here is an opportunity for us to take a lead on this issue.

Update: The Lingle administration announced this afternoon that the state Department of Human Resources Development will conduct a four-day work week pilot project between August 4 and the end of October.

The department, during the pilot, will be open from 7:15 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and closed on Friday.

Some state House staffers on edge over the fate of state House Majority Leader Kirk Caldwell, D-24th (Mänoa), are keeping a sense of humor.

One staffer, knowing that Duke Bainum — Caldwell’s rival for a Honolulu City Council seat — got his nickname from legendary actor John Wayne, has come up with a list of Wayne movie titles, videos and documentaries that may capture the current situation.

Here are the Wayne movie titles. Insert your own punch lines:

“The Drop Kick”
“The Deceiver”
“Two Fisted Law”
“The Big Stampede”
“The Lawless Frontier”
“Conflict”
“Idol of the Crowds”
“Without Reservations”
“3 Godfathers”
“Trouble Along the Way”
“The High and the Mighty”
“The Longest Day”
“The Greatest Story Ever Told”
“True Grit”
“Cancel My Reservation”

Our pick?

“The Duke Lives On”