You read that right. Hawaii, a usually stalwart Democratic state, has put its first Republican into Congress in a very long time. Yes, in Obama’s old district when he lived there.

The Czar has had the opportunity to hear Rep. Djou speak. Keep your eyes on this guy. He bodes well for the GOP’s slow realization that the candidates they need should be not-another-old-white-guy types who try to court the center. Djou leans far right, and does not apologize for hit. He is resoundingly anti-tax, and has a long-term goal of revamping the US income tax system to a much simpler and inexpensive arrangement. And he is big on deregulation to keep the free markets booming and job happy. He also resists attempts by the Democrats to get bogged down in their pet topics during debates, instead deflecting the arguments back to what he wants to talk about. The opposition hates not being able to steer the discussion to their talking points.

Mind you, he is filling a vacancy, and must endure a general election in November, 2010. With luck, he will hold it all together and impress voters on the need to re-elect him for the full term.

The President’s sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng is a registered voter in that district, and oddly refused to reveal for whom she voted, saying “I think generally we need to remember we are one ohana and as long as we participate and vote we will work it out and find a good solution in whoever is elected.” You will remember these as the opening lines of Lilo and Stitch.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.