Name on ballot:

Steve Tataii

Running for:

U.S. Senate

Political party:

Democrat

Campaign website:

Google Steve Tataii

Current occupation:

Independent Conflict Resolution Consultant

Age:

72

Previous job history:

Language professor, Heavy Equipment Engineer, Vocational Specialist, Freelance Lawyer.

Previous elected office, if any:

No answer submitted

Please describe your qualifications to represent the people of Hawaii.

As a citizen of Hawaii living in Honolulu since 1976, I have taken part in many community activities, and run for public Office since 1988 to tackle with hard to solve issues aiming to improve our lives in Hawaii, but also experienced on the national, and international levels.
My initial plans if elected to Office on the State level have been to enhance our diversified Agricultural products to benefit from fresh fruits and vegetables grown right here; to bring back our ancient successful Hawaiian Fish Ponds techniques (loko ‘i’a), secondly, having been riding bikes for 34 years; I had a keen interest in creating safe Bicycle lanes in Honolulu urban and rural areas, having seen Europe’s achievements in this area in 1989; thirdly to improve native hawaiian rights in language, land, education, and culture, but enhance education qualities and school facilities for all citizens.

What will be your top priority if elected?

As a Political Science and Math Graduate, and Veteran, I have had extensive studies and experience in how wars can have devastating consequences on people caught at the crossfire, and have learned a lot in how warmonger mentalities operate especially effecting stateless nations with no modern weapons facing mighty militaries unable to defend themselves being constantly attacked by invader ruling Tyrant regimes, which can be invitation to another World War effecting all nations.
My priority other that our state issues as mentioned earlier is to educate the Senators and Congress on working effectively to provide quick solutions to end conflicts around the world before its impacts are felt in our home states, causing price hikes and inflations, studying the credible news developments in their region, speaking 6 languages to help me get the key facts needed to work on solutions.

Inflation has battered the U.S. economy in nearly all sectors. What can Congress do to help bring prices down and to help Americans cope with the rising cost of living?

This is a serious problem as I began discussing it in previous question, and requires timeline strategies to create solutions. A US Senator must first of all have that skill and be a multi-task leader to keep the priorities active, but most of all be consistent in those problem solving activities because ongoing sensitive undertakings must be fully and as I said “constantly” dealt with or news making “one shot” speeches to get attention won’t work.
As I see it now, the current Ukraine-Russia war has been causing inflation and chaos on two major levels, which are heavy costs of weapon and supplies being sent to keep the war going, and also taking the focus away from our war against terrorism in Syria and Iraq considerably, causing huge death and destruction to the natives of those areas almost never being covered in our mainstream media.

What is your position on the Jones Act, which supporters say protects the U.S. shipping industry but opponents say unnecessarily inflates shipping prices and the subsequent costs to Hawaii consumers?

I have carefully answered this question in my previous runs for Congress and my answer has not changed, so, let’s wait until I have been elected into office.

What, if anything, should Congress do in response to the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs Wade?

States are now making their own individual decisions and that’s at least good news for Hawaii.
As for Congress, well, this and many other issues have to be revisited ones I’m in Office.

Now that Roe vs. Wade has been overturned, some advocates say other civil liberties previously upheld by the Supreme Court will be vulnerable, including same-sex marriage. Do you agree and what, if anything, should Congress do in response?

My answer to this question is similar to the previous one, and I believe overreacting to these social issues can actually lead to undesired consequences, so, again, this is a hypothetical question, and I don’t see Supreme Court in a big hurry to take those kind of decisions soon.

What should Congress do to reduce gun violence and mass shootings in America?

We are facing an increase in Gun Violence and Mass Shooting in America, and must find doable approaches to uproot the problem rather than superficial ways. The issue starts with quality education at early stages, and effective monitoring of troubled kids and adults, requiring rehabilitation and mental health treatments long enough to bring them back into normal communities.
Certainly, one area of my studies is to identify the “urban terrorist characters” with their possible outside inspirations we witnessed around 2010-2015 or so, which has now been largely contained by the North and East Syrian Kurdish Fighters giving over 12,000 sacrifices, while they have captured and hold 56,000 terrorist in detention camp and prisons.

What is the best strategy to break through the political gridlock in Congress?

The best way is to have the best model proposal for any given matter, but as a Democratic US Senator I would also try to discuss hard to solve issues with other parties and mainly willing to bipartisan work as well in order to come up with the best solutions.

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

I have to review the accomplished work and studies by Senators and members of Congress in those areas before giving you my answers on those two issues, and I believe once I am a serving US Senator, will be able to make the best decisions and who knows; solutions to work on “Scientific” ideas after looking at the conclusive studies, but again my main areas of knowledge is in ending Wars and Human Rights Violations, foreign and domestic terrorism, while keeping in contact with Hawaii’s issues of which need to be enhanced on the Federal Level.

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

I am running foe US Senator position, because I would have been in that seat in 2012 after getting favorable words from my last meeting with our late US Senator Akaka on June 1, 2012 home visit in Nu’uano. Blessed his soul, late Senator Akaka in the presence of two of his Ohana members witnessed before us, and knowing my background, told me I am the best choice and would be select me to take over his job now that I am retiring, and stop work, but told me to file my nomination papers in the 2012 elections by June 5, 2012. After I received nearly 76 signatures, and needed only 25 registered voters signatures; suddenly election staff told me several of them had only last 4 digits of their SS number, and only 23 are good. So, whatever the plot was, again, it appears Neil Abercrombie managed to block my chance to go to Congress for the third time, after two other elections in 2002 and 2008. I was exhausted, and with no attorneys did not file another law suit like those other two elections, when I painstakingly represented myself, so I am running now to reclaim my stolen chance for this seat in 2012, when I would have been serving in this seat starting in June 2012 all the way to January 20, 2013 for at least over 8 months, and serve the rest of the term provided if I could win in 2012 Nov elections with some seniority, so I ask for your votes in this Primary, so I can reclaim my lost chance and fulfill the promise given to the wishes of our Legendary blessed late Senator Akaka.
Mahalo
Steve Tataii