Perhaps the peace-and-love spirit of Thanksgiving led two politicians important in the creation of the Public Land Development Corp. to temper their attitudes toward the people who disagree with them.

Or perhaps a light bulb went off in their heads with the realization that bashing and dismissing their opponents wasn’t working well and that listening to what people had to say might be the better way to go. At least for the time being.

First up to the plate was Donovan Dela Cruz, the senator often described as one of the driving forces behind the law who up until last week had fiercely defended the agency.

Dela Cruz hasn’t exactly lined up with the ranks of PLDC opponents, but said he will put repeal of the turkey of a law on the table.

His ire is focused on a side issue. He’s frustrated and annoyed because the five-member, slowpoke PLDC board has gone a whole year without organizing itself and developing an “operational strategy.”

That’s not quite true. The board did assemble a set of rules for its functions and took them out for an interisland tour last summer, but by then, people had had time to look over the law and didn’t like what they saw.

Had the board moved as quickly as House leadership did last year when passing the PLDC bill — shortening the 48-hour public notice requirement on the measure to less than three hours — the agency may not have ticked off Dela Cruz.

Whatever the case, the senator says he is now open to the law’s repeal.

Just after turkey day, Gov. Neil Abercrombie called a PLDC time out, asking the agency to put a hold on work for its revised draft of rules.

The new rules got a hearing on Oahu, but in a move disrespectful to neighbor island residents, the agency had no plans to take the sequel on the road, perhaps because the councils of all three counties had passed resolutions calling for the law’s repeal.

Abercrombie two months ago argued that talk of repeal was premature, saying the law should be put in practice first to see how it works, which would be akin to throwing a cat into the ocean to see if it can swim. 

At that time, the governor also took swings at PLDC opponents, calling environmental groups and Native Hawaiian representatives, among others, the “usual suspects” who demand their “imprimatur” be on every piece of legislation.

“When I see people out there saying ‘We get to decide,’ what do they mean?” he said. “The legislators ran for election. I ran for election,” he added, suggesting that they are the ultimate deciders, forgetting that he got his job with votes from many of the people who question PLDC’s value.

Someone must have reminded him, though. Post-Thanksgiving, the governor said he will listen to what the “usual suspects” have to say.

He and Dela Cruz have sought to focus discussion on the agency’s procedures and operations when the law is at the center of conflict.

Abercrombie’s newfound consciousness, however, still turns on rules. Even so, it is a good start.

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Cynthia Oi can be reached at coi@staradvertiser.com.