Read all about it: Tulsi Gabbard says she has sent her debut book, “For Love of Country: Leave the Democrat Party Behind,” to the printers.

The Amazon blurb for the book, which will be available April 30, reads in part, “Tulsi Gabbard was the rising star of the Democrat Party. But the growing wokeness, fomenting racism, and intolerance were more than she could stomach, and she left. This is her story and a call to action to Americans who love our country and cherish peace and freedom.”

The Sunshine Blog is very intrigued to see what Gabbard, a former member of the Honolulu City Council, the Hawaii Legislature and our congressional delegation, will have to say about her former party and colleagues. Civil Beat reported way back in 2018 that Gabbard was writing a book, but it never materialized.

In the meantime, Gabbard’s rightward journey continues with a fundraising event at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort next month.

And on Saturday she polled at 9% in a straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference, just ahead of House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) but behind South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

To truly appreciate Gabbard’s political flexibility, The Blog recommends reading a Civil Beat story from 2012, “Tulsi Gabbard’s Leftward Journey.”

An emergency resurrection: Just 10 days or so ago it seemed a House bill preventing a mayor or governor from suspending electronic media transmissions during a state of emergency in Hawaii was dead on arrival at the Legislature. It was not heard before an internal deadline passed and a Senate companion went nowhere.

But House Bill 2581 lives on, having been “re-referred” from two House committees to just one on Feb. 15, meaning only one committee needed to hear it. That committee, Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, passed HB 2581 on Thursday.

Electronic media, according to the bill, could include not only all radio and television broadcasts “but also could potentially include text messages, emails, and posts to social media platforms.” Suspending them would “restrain lawful free speech and publication” and violate the First Amendment.

The bill’s supporters include Hawaii County Councilwomen Ashley Kierkiewicz and Susan Lee Loy. The Big Island has seen more than its share of emergencies, most notably the Lower Puna volcanic eruption in 2018.

“We all know from experience that the public requires more information, not less, in times of emergency and crisis,” Lee Loy testified.

And Chris Leonard, president of the Hawaii Association of Broadcasters, pointed out that during the Maui fires “mostly all internet, phone and wireless service failed, while broadcast stations remained available for use by emergency management officials.”

Hey, hey, RFK: The presidential campaign of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has submitted 862 signatures of Hawaii voters to put the independent candidate on the 2024 ballot. The We The People party will nominate Kennedy as its presidential candidate, according to a press release.

The Office of Elections confirms that it received the signatures last week. If no other political parties file an objection by March 21, We The People will qualify for the Nov. 5 general election. The party says Kennedy is already on the ballot in Utah and has the signatures to be on the New Hampshire ballot.

The scion of the Kennedy clan who holds many controversial views on a range of topics visited Lahaina to see the fire damage in January and also held a rally on Oahu.

Jack of all trades: Dr. Jack Lewin was director of the Hawaii Department of Health during the Waihee administration (1986-1994). A charismatic and ambitious fellow, he lost to Ben Cayetano in the Democratic Party primary race for governor in 1994.

Lewin later followed opportunities on the mainland, including recently as principal and founder of Lewin and Associates in New York City and as chair of the National Coalition on Health in Washington, D.C.

The Blog brings up Lewin because Gov. Josh Green has nominated him to be the administrator of the State Health Planning and Development Agency, which works to help access health care services.

Lewin’s confirmation hearing is set for Friday before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.