THE CHOICE IS CLEAR: ONE U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE WILL FIGHT FOR HAWAII VALUES AND WORKING FAMILIES WHILE THE OTHER WILL FIGHT FOR THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN AGENDA
 
DEMOCRAT MAZIE HIRONO Fighting For Hawaii Values and Working Families
OR
REPUBLICAN LINDA LINGLE Siding With The National Republican Agenda
Obama v. Romney
STANDING WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA TO CREATE JOBS
Mazie Hirono is proud to support Barack Obama for president and will work with him to get our families working again and keep our country moving forward.
OR
A CO-CHAIR OF THE ROMNEY-RYAN CAMPAIGN
Republican Linda Lingle is “very proud” to be a co-chair of the Romney-Ryan campaign — working against the re-election of Hawaii’s island son, President Barack Obama.1
Senator Inouye
PARTNERING WITH SENATOR INOUYE TO STRENGTHEN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
Mazie Hirono will partner with Senator Inouye in fighting to strengthen our local communities by investing in infrastructure, education, and health care programs.2
OR
1 OF 4 VOTES REPUBLICANS NEED TO CONTROL THE SENATE WHICH WOULD STRIP SENATOR INOUYE OF THE POWERFUL APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIP
Republican Linda Lingle would help Republicans be one vote closer to taking control of the U.S. Senate, which would remove Senator Inouye from his chairmanship of the powerful Appropriations Committee — a risk Hawaii can’t afford.3
Budget Priorities
KNOWS WE NEED A BALANCED APPROACH WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET
Mazie Hirono knows it will take a balanced approach and a collaboration of the public and private sectors to get our economy moving again but we cannot balance the budget on the backs of veterans, women or seniors.4
OR
GIVES REPUBLICAN PAUL RYAN “CREDIT” FOR A BUDGET PROPOSAL THAT WOULD END MEDICARE AS WE KNOW IT
Republican Linda Lingle says her choice for vice-president Paul Ryan “deserves credit” for his budget proposal — a budget proposal that would end Medicare as we know it, and slashes vital education, training, employment, and social services programs.5
Bush Tax Cuts
THINKS BUSH TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHIEST SHOULD EXPIRE
Mazie Hirono supports letting the Bush tax cuts for the top 2 percent expire, a move that would yield $830 billion over ten years.6
OR
SAYS BUSH TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHIEST SHOULD BE MADE PERMANENT
Republican Linda Lingle supports making the Bush tax cuts permanent. Lingle said the Bush tax cuts didn’t disproportionately help the wealthy.7
Civil Rights
A STRONG SUPPORTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Mazie Hirono believes strongly in marriage equality. Hirono is an original cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the portions of DOMA that bar federal recognition of same-sex marriages. Hirono is proud to have the endorsements of the Human Rights Campaign and Equality Hawaii.
OR
VETOED CIVIL UNIONS; OPPOSES SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
As governor, Republican Linda Lingle vetoed a bill legalizing civil unions, and stated, “I have been open and consistent in my opposition to same-gender marriage.”8
Education
A NATIONAL EDUCATION ADVOCATE
Mazie Hirono is a leading advocate for quality early education. She is committed to making sure our keiki have the skills they need to succeed in school and in life. Hirono was named a Pre-K Champion from a national education group due to her leadership to expand pre-school availability, increase training and standards, and expanded loan forgiveness programs for those who choose to become an early childhood educator.9
OR
OVERSAW “FURLOUGH FRIDAYS”
On Republican Linda Lingle’s watch, “Furlough Fridays” gave Hawaii the fewest school days in the country. Parents were arrested when they came to her office to voice their concerns. Now she’s giving her Republican VP pick Paul Ryan “credit” for his budget plan that slashes education spending by 33% and would eliminate Pell Grants for one million students over the next ten years.10
Energy
BUILDING A STRONGER, MORE SUSTAINABLE HAWAII
Mazie Hirono has a plan to build a stronger, more sustainable Hawaii that will reduce our dependency on imported food and oil by ending the tax giveaways to Big Oil companies, investing in clean energy jobs and technology, and growing more of the food we eat here at home. Mazie Hirono opposes offshore oil drilling.11
OR
SUPPORTS PHASING OUT RENEWABLE ENERGY TAX CREDITS AND EXPANDING OFFSHORE DRILLING
Republican Linda Lingle once championed the creation of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, but now says a similar standard shouldn’t exist for other states and now wants to phase out tax credits for renewable energy. Lingle sides with national Republicans in support of expanded offshore oil drilling.12
Health Care
FOUGHT TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS
Mazie Hirono supports the Affordable Care Act that is already providing benefits to millions of kupuna, women, and young people. Hirono worked to protect Hawaii’s unique Prepaid Health Care Act. Since ACA passed, Hawaii seniors have saved more than $15 million on prescription drug costs.
OR
WILL VOTE TO REPEAL PRESIDENT OBAMA’S HEALTH CARE REFORM
Republican Linda Lingle sides with national Republicans and has pledged to repeal President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, a move that would add $109 billion to the deficit.13
Social Security and Medicare
WILL HONOR COMMITMENTS MADE TO OUR KUPUNA AND STRENGTHEN SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE
Mazie Hirono will work to strengthen the program that provides benefits to more than 166,000 retirees in Hawaii. Hirono opposes raising the retirement age for Social Security. Hirono opposes all plans to end guaranteed Medicare coverage. She recognizes that privatizing the program would not only increase costs for seniors, but also eliminate the health security and quality coverage that Medicare currently provides.14
OR
LIKE OTHER NATIONAL REPUBLICANS, SUPPORTS RAISING THE RETIREMENT AGE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY AND TURNING MEDICARE IN TO A VOUCHER SYSTEM
Republican Linda Lingle supports raising the retirement age for Social Security. Lingle supports a “premium-support” (voucher) system — a plan also supported by national Republicans that would end the Medicare guarantee for more than 197,000 people approaching retirement here in Hawaii, could increase out of pocket costs by $5,900 and lead to diminished access to quality care.15
War in Iraq
OPPOSED THE WAR IN IRAQ
Mazie Hirono supports our troops and military families but believes we should have never gone in to Iraq in the first place.16
OR
SUPPORTED PRESIDENT BUSH’S WAR IN IRAQ
Republican Linda Lingle called President Bush “the greatest president ever” and was a “vocal supporter” of the war in Iraq.17
A Woman's Right to Choose
WILL ALWAYS FIGHT TO PROTECT A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE
Mazie Hirono believes strongly that women should be able to make their own decisions regarding their reproductive health. Hirono has a 100% rating from NARAL and is endorsed for U.S. Senate by NARAL, Planned Parenthood, and EMILY’s List.
OR
VETOED BILL THAT REQUIRED HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE CONTRACEPTION TO RAPE VICTIMS
Republican Linda Lingle claims to be pro-choice, but as governor, Lingle vetoed a bill requiring hospitals to provide rape victims contraception.18
Clean Air and Clean Water
KNOWS WE NEED TO FOCUS ON JOB CREATION NOT IDEOLOGICAL ATTACKS ON THE CLEAN AIR ACT
Mazie Hirono knows we need to focus on creating jobs, not waging ideological attacks on the Clean Air Act. Attacks on environmental laws like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts will continue to erode the protections we have.19
OR
LIKE ROMNEY, WANTS TO END EPA REGULATION OF GREENHOUSE GASES
As governor, Republican Linda Lingle signed a letter to Congress calling for an end to EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions — a position supported by Capitol Hill Republicans and Mitt Romney.20