 Aloha and welcome to Ehana Kako. We're here every week on the Think Tech Hawaii Broadcast Network. I'm Kili Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute. Well, anyone who's been watching the political scene since 2016 knows that there has been a Republican sweep throughout the nation. We've become a red nation in terms of the United States Senate, the United States Congress, and the president of the United States. All across the nation, in terms of their number of members, except in one place, the state of Hawaii. The state of Hawaii has become bluer than it already was. The state of Hawaii lost its only senator who was a Republican, and one member of the House of Representatives, and recently another member of the House of Representatives who was a Republican became a Democrat. So in the state of Hawaii, our state house, our state Senate, our governor's mansion, our unions, and the powers would be our Democrat. Now, what does that portend for the state of Hawaii? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? You know, many of the friends of mine who are Democrats are not jumping up and down triumphantly. There is a lamenting of the absence of a two-party system, something that is robust and makes both parties in the political arena even better. And in that light, the Republican Party and its losses in Hawaii have been the subject of media both at a national level and locally. Here today with us is the United States Congressional Candidate for the Republican Party of Hawaii in 2016 who ran for Mark Tekai seat. She's also involved in party organization, and she's going to give us her insights today as to where the Republican Party is and where it's going. So please welcome to the program Colonel Shirlene Ostrov. Shirlene Aloha, Kelly, thanks for having me on the show. Well, really glad to have you here. I admire your Madeleine Albright type brooch over there. Thank you. Is that a special brooch? It is. It's an hand brooch from Washington, D.C., and I, thanks for noticing. And I believe those are the ones, well, that's where Madeleine Albright actually got many of her broaches. Well, you've served as a full Colonel in the United States Air Force. Yes. You're in a business as a CEO yourself. Yes, sir. My goodness. Well, why did you throw your rink into the hat and run for a Congressional seat in 2016? You know, just like so many of us, looking at the political scene, we wanted change. I think, well, from my perspective, having lived all over the country, I experienced a lot of different political majorities from where I lived. And once I got back to Hawaii, I just noticed there was a real lack of Republican representation in government. And so as the 2016 election came on, and I noticed that Mark Takai's open seat was going to be unchallenged by another Republican. I couldn't let that stand. It's probably the military in me to take on a mission to ensure that there was the proper representation. And that was quite a mission. That's a huge mission. And you came to that really with more of a national or a nationwide understanding of what the Republicans stand for. And it seems as though you had that branding with you before you came back to Hawaii. What exactly attracted you to align yourself with the Republican Party? Well, when I left Hawaii to go to university and then onward to my military career, I actually believed that most people from Hawaii thought like I did. Our cultures are conservative by nature, the way we approach politics, hard work, self-reliance, and all of that. I believed that most people thought like I did. So watching the Hawaii political scene from afar with great interest, and then coming back to make Hawaii my permanent home, I noticed a huge shift in thinking. And therefore, it really motivated me to get back to what I believed is the core values of our Hawaii community. Again, the conservative cultures that make up our melting pot of Hawaii. Well, now you obviously have seen what has happened with the Republican Party across the nation and the growth in numbers, the acquisition of both houses in Congress and so forth. But the opposite move here in Hawaii, where we've become bluer than blue, what are your thoughts about that? Why do you think that's the case? You know, I think that there's a challenge that there's a failure of the Republican Party, at least in recent years from when I've been watching it with great interest, to communicate and challenge issues that affect our community every day. Things like soaring taxes and increasing regulations on small businesses and an economy that can't provide for jobs for like my own children and grandchildren to come back and make Hawaii our permanent home. When you talk about a failure of communication, obviously that leads to the perceptions that people in the general public have about the Republicans. What do you think those perceptions are? Well, I think most people see Republicans in the old school lens of the unions are one party and the people of Hawaii are one party and the other party is by the ruling class. And I think that people without the proper education and engagement and constant communication of what Republican values are in this state, people are going to go with that. And the unions are great organizations for our community, but they're happy to ensure that those misperceptions are perpetuated. Well, maybe 63 years ago it was the case where the ruling party, more or less, and that the party of the people that emerged and brought us the unions was the Democratic Party, the party that brought together ethnic groups and so forth. Yes. But today, how true would you say that image is? Well, again, I wouldn't think that that's true at all. Now the image, I think the perception is certainly there. I have to say that as a Filipino-American daughter of immigrants, I don't see too many people like me who stand up and say they're Republicans. On the same note, I believe that almost everyone who is like me shares my very conservative values. And so there's a disconnect there in the political scene from what people believe in faith-based groups and other conservative organizations. And that's the link that we have to close. Well, let's get into that then. Tell me what it is that you and or Republicans actually stand for. Let's say we clear the table completely of perceptions and so forth and start from scratch. What would be one first piece of that that you stand for? I think hard work and self-reliance clearly is a hallmark of our message that needs to be articulated throughout the community. And again, if you look at even if you look at groups throughout the minority groups throughout the community, they believe in the same thing. It's I talked to my Filipino friends and relatives. They believe that that's our culture. And yet it's not connecting politically. So things like that things like security and national defense, national security, strong immigration. Ironically, most people I'm the daughter of immigrants. And most immigrants believe in a very strong immigration system that people cannot cut in line and take advantage of a weak system. So it's all very ironic that the very values that people believe internally do not translate very well on the ballot. What I hear you saying is that the things that the Republican Party authentically stands for are things that a majority of people in Hawaii actually do believe and stand for. Earlier you said that most people in Hawaii are conservative. Let's take that word and parse it out. In what way do you think that most people are conservative? Or even let's not use the word at all. Let's talk about what you mean by that. So I believe that people want to have a say in how they are governed. I believe that people want to make sure that we address the constant interference of government in our lives. And I think that people want to have want to address the issues from a much more an approach that doesn't depend on the government. That maybe some of these some of these challenges could be taken on through the business community or volunteer organizations or faith-based organizations as a solution rather than encumbering the federal and state government or even the county governments with having to figure out the solutions of problems that we feel that we could handle in a totally different way. So you're talking about having a robust economy built upon hardworking people here in Hawaii as the basis of our strength our prosperity rather than going to Washington all the time seeking absolutely. Well you know that's a strong message at a time now when we see that because of the economy and the new federal administration that cut they're going to be cuts to federal handouts to Hawaii. Yes. Our economy here in the state itself is challenged so that our government isn't able to provide enough. Yes. What message do you bring for building the economy? Well I think that you know there are people who want to have their small businesses and their stake in in the piece of Hawaii and again these incredible taxes that are going to suffocate us and increasing regulations on small businesses discourage people actually from being able to grow the economy and their own economy which I think is key in in these solutions. If we get these taxes under control and if we talk about decreasing regulations for our small businesses I believe that this growth and ingenuity and entrepreneurship will directly translate to helping to solve the issues that are plaguing our community today. Well many of the values you talk about I think are embraced by most people in Hawaii like most small businesses in Hawaii whether you're a Democrat or a Republican if you're a business owner you don't want to have more taxes on you you don't want to have more regulations on you want the government backing you and you don't want big business so to speak to be getting advantages that marginalize you but what I suspect you believe is that there needs to be a party that advocates for that there needs to be a party for that that advocates for that little guy absolutely and I think that there's that's what's missing that communication that message where small business owner can look at two parties and say well this actually represents me better what they're seeing now is a very prolific one party and another party that doesn't come out and say strongly what they stand for and therefore it doesn't translate challenging the political status quo. Well we talk about two party system and in the ideal world of a pure two-party system yes the balance is 50-50 50% one party 50% we're not even close to that we're like 98% to 2% in terms of public officials maybe even 99% in terms of power holders throughout the state and a 1% for the opposition party without touting the virtues of being Republican why is it important to have a stronger second party not even 50-50 maybe even 30-70 well what why is that so important well I think that anybody would tell you and friends who are Democrats will tell me that that challenge and that professional tension is needed in order to have the best ideas as they say iron sharpens iron and there is no political discourse when there's only one party coming up with all the ideas it is important for us to have the opposition voice in order for everyone to benefit from the best policies possible so a strong two-party system is actually good for everybody absolutely thank you for sharing a bit about why you're in politics and what Republicans stand for and what the message really is when we come back from a break would you be willing to share what your vision is for going forward in and dealing with the managing the image of the Republicans and providing the substance of Republicans in a two-party system it would be my pleasure alright my guest today is Colonel Shirlene Ostrov who ran for Congress in 2016 and is now involved in helping to organize the Republican Party for its future I'm Kili Iakina on Think Tech Hawaii's Ehana Kako we're going to take a quick break don't go away I'm Carol Mon Lee and I want to welcome you to our newest series called Education Matters where we will explore education related topics that touch everyone not just formal programs in K-12 and higher education but also broader issues and information that affect our community. Aloha my name is John Waihei and I used to be a part of all the things that you might be angry at I served in government here and may have made decisions that affects you so I want to invite you in I want to invite you in to talk story with me and some very special guests every other Monday here at Talk Story with John Waihei come on in join us express your opinion learn more about your state and then do something about it Aloha. Welcome back from that quick break you're watching Ehana Kako here every week on the Think Tech Hawaii broadcast network I want to say mahalo to J. Fiedel and all the great staff the wonderful team the board members and the whole community that brings Think Tech Hawaii to the world every week Think Tech produces about 35 hours of original content broadcast from downtown Honolulu and it goes all the way across the world we like to say at the grassroots Institute Ehana Kako which means let's work together because think of the terrible alternative if we don't work together so let's work together for a better economy government and society somebody who's committed to that is Shirlene Ostrov Colonel in the United States Air Force CEO of a small business here in Hawaii and highly involved in politics not as an office holder but someone who did run for US Congress and now wants to take on reforming or reshaping and giving great vision to the Republican Party so we're back again with Shirlene Shirlene you know you're aware of the negative press the Republican Party has received yes and specifically the Hawaii Republican Party even in national news that has written about the Hawaii Party and locally it's been called irrelevant it's been called outdated not in touch with the people and why would anyone want to be part of it and let me just ask you why do you commit yourself to the remaining part of the Republican Party that's a great question I think that it is unfortunate the inaccurate picture painted of the Republican Party so you take you take issue with what's being reported in the press with what's being reported in the press in great unfortunate incidents that led to the defection of one of our of our minority leader our former minority leader representative Beth Fukumoto absolutely changing parties but unfortunately on the way out painting a very unfortunate and inaccurate picture of the Republicans being racist and sexist now I was talking with you a little bit earlier about this and you didn't take exception to her right to change party absolutely not her right to stand up for a view contrary to her party or any of that your concern was very specific with something that you believe that she has asserted about the Republican Party and what is that that that the Republican Party is in its core racist and sexist and doesn't allow for this independent thought quite frankly again I wish her the best but she she had that inaccurate picture in her mind and therefore could not lead the party as a minority as our minority leader I wish her the best and again it's unfortunate that she perpetuated a very inaccurate view of the party so I don't mean to put this in a need to respond to a negative way but how then would you characterize the party if the party is not racist or sexist what would your response be our party is inclusive as recent the recent election shows the recent election cycle and the election of President Trump shows I think our party is inclusive and our party is understanding the underlying problems that Americans face so it's not necessarily engaged in sound bites and and it's it's going after the core values which are the underlying problems that are pervasive in our not just our political system but plaguing all Americans today now in terms of representation in the party currently now in the moving on of Beth Fukumoto out of the position of minority leader by the vote of the minority members in the house another Beth is a minority woman yes Andrea Topolo who has replaced her in the house as minority leaders a minority woman yes and you are a minority woman yes is this just narrow representation or does this speak for the party as being a party of inclusiveness I think it speaks to the party as a part of inclusiveness remember the chairman of the Republican National Committee is a woman Rana Romney and I believe Andrea Topola is doing a great job as a millennial Polynesian woman and she her job is she needs to stay and do the great job she's doing on the floor in legislation and concentrate on getting that very important legislative agenda to counter the Democrats yes now you've taken seriously we're working to help build the Republican Party in Hawaii I have and you've recently made it an announcement what is that I have I am privileged to be able to run for the chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party now that is going to take place when the election the election will take place at our state convention on May 13th on Kauai and that's when all of our all of our Republican delegates come together and choose the next leadership of the party well maybe this is an appropriate time then to ask well what are the next steps required for the Republican Party to gain ground here in Hawaii in order to defy those reports in the media that it's irrelevant and it has no impact absolutely I think the first thing we need to do is start a very serious ground campaign I think that we need to use the Republican National Committees as our model for success in 2012 after the President Obama election party leaders came together and did a post-mortem and what they did was they created a 365 day a year party that used the best digital data systems to look at the population and decide where they could possibly make a difference they went there boots on the ground communicated all those values of self-reliance security hard work that's the hallmark of the Republican Party and that's how the election map turned red so that was a significant factor in the victories that were absolutely November 2016 yes so what is it that they did that you can import here to Hawaii well they've already committed to importing that digital and data system all right and again engaging the business community and many business leaders have already approached me and said we we are committed to help you raise the funds to bring the party back financially which is incredibly important and then secondly I'm having a brand where volunteers would come out and help us and attract the best and brightest to run for office now you talk about volunteers and you mentioned millennials earlier yes this this state didn't vote for president Trump nor for madam secretary Hillary it voted for Bernie Sanders yes what are your thoughts about being able to capture the hearts and minds of the the many Bernie Sanders supporters many of whom are of the millennial generation you know that's a that's a great question but I do believe that engagement with these young people who are very smart and we underestimate the millennials they love to engage I'm raising I have twin 16 year olds who are going to be seniors in high school we have this discussion with them and their friends all the time and then our colleagues who have college age kids they love to hear why the republican brand is better for them in the end they just have to be told engaged and communicated with often and quite frankly we have to communicate with them in the way they respond best social media and things like things like that is how they respond best so that whole network of communication efforts is my first and foremost my priority how do you navigate the fact that here in hawaii the populace doesn't come out rallying around president trump the way they rallied around president obama there's a brand issue here and i'm not talking so much about policies of president trump or the republican policies per se but given that that brand issue here in hawaii how do you navigate around that as you're trying to build a party that attracts many people to it well i think that the party does have a branding problem and the inclusivity the mission of inclusivity will improve that quite frankly i think that people want to see a party that would represent and so people i'm a local girl born and raised here in hawaii they can see themselves in me and therefore can listen very easily or much easier to a difference in ideas if they feel like hey she was born and raised in the pineapple fields in melalani and therefore she she knows what we're she's talking about from from my perspective give me a a glimpse of the party now what are some of the challenges that the party organization itself is facing some of that has it become subject of news in the media and so forth and i i don't want to take a focus away from the mission of the republican party but if you're running for chair you're going to have to face some challenges love to know what those are and what your solutions are the party is is unfortunately terribly unorganized as we see in this season where we should have organized precincts and districts we have seen a very haphazard approach to it and in fact we still have districts and precincts that are entirely unorganized that focus has to come back organizational organizational methods raising funds communication and outreach and engagement in the communities is what's important and quite frankly someone getting in front and confronting that the agenda from an opposition point of view in a very credible and legitimate way i would think based upon what you've said today you've got two levels of challenge you just what you've mentioned you've got the party itself a party problem but an even bigger problem and that is the place of the republican party in the broader society yes a political problem so to speak what are your thoughts on how to transfer how to uh face that challenge the political challenge that the party has so the political challenge will have to be addressed only after we organize properly there is quite frankly uh we have to get our house in order and that first and foremost is uh the business at hand transparency communication and governance proper governance in order to give confidence to donors volunteers republicans independence and those who are looking at the agenda to have confidence that this is some this is an organization that can truly represent me and then as we get more people into this bigger tent we can attract the best and the brightest to run for office and that will translate to better policies it's a system where it's not going to happen overnight uh we've got we we have to know that this is going to be uh we're in it for the long call what are the strengths that you bring to this challenge of getting ready for the long call of being able to get the house in order so to speak in order to move on with the mission of the republican party so i have um formal education like a bachelor's in political science and mba uh masters of science of organizational management that directly translate to helping the party not to mention two plus decades of leading large organizations globally with with the same challenge so i have uh the education the experience and now the desire and the ability to put a team together to strengthen the party and that's a key i know i can't do this by myself we've already put together a team of people who share that same vision good to hear well it's about leadership and i thank you for devoting your life to leadership thank you very much sir our guest today shirlene austroff kernel in the us air force the ceo here in hawaii is somebody who believes that it's important to get involved in the political system and make a difference we take our hat off to her for that and we'll see you next week i'm kelly akina on a hana kakou on the think tech hawaii broadcast network aloha