Republicans are for higher education, just don't want to raise taxes to pay for it.  Higher minimum wage equals job loss. You can site studies, but the fact is jobs are lost. Example: McDonalds  replacing counter help with kiosks in cities that have recently raised minimum wage. Lower rents and mortgages? Who is going to pay for that?  Dems love to spend other peoples money.  Education? Why does it seem that the experts cited for technical reasons seem to be from the mainland or foreigners? I have nothing against either, but is there no one educated in Hawaii that can do those jobs?  Doesn't seem so.  Excise tax?  Hawaii residents don't complain about much at all. If they did they wouldn't keep electing the same people. And don't tell me that no taxes on food, and  medical bills would not lead to money being spent on other things thus improving the overall economy and leading to more jobs. But tax cuts to Dems?  They even want to change the law that requires excess taxes to be returned