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Posted: Monday, June 4th, 2012 8:51 AM HST

Case stumps for votes during West Hawai`i swing

By Ken Hupp - 67AM KPUA News

U.S. Senate candidate Ed Case just wrapped up a two-day campaign swing through West Hawai`i, where he told voters that the upcoming election is important to the future of our state and country. The Democratic hopeful discussed a wide range of issues with voters and later with KPUA News. The former congressman said any discussion on jobs and the economy has to begin with tourism, which accounts for about 25 percent of the state’s economic activity. He believes the key to maintaining Hawai`i’s competitive edge is to continually make it easy for visitors to come here. “Travelers that have a hard time getting here, getting flights, getting out of the countries that they are in and getting through customs tend to go somewhere else,” Case said. “There’s lots of other countries that are our competitors now. But we know that if its easy for them to get here, they want to come to Hawai`i first.” Case identified easing of Visa restrictions, streamlining immigration procedures and more direct flights as steps that could increase visitor traffic. On the issue of health care,Case predicted even greater shortages of Medicare providers unless we increase reimbursements to providers and simplify their paperwork. “When you take the combination of the paperwork of Medicare and the fact that the providers are not being paid fairly for their services, they’re not staying with Medicare,” Case said. “And that’s creating a crisis for us.” Case also said the primary election between himself and Congresswoman Mazie Hirono needs to be decided in the arena of ideas, not on identity politics. He called for more joint appearances to provide an adequate opportunity for voters to make a side by side comparison.