• How the Grinch tried to steal Christmas in Kilauea • Don’t make rash decisions • Questioning support • Mutual support for consumers and merchants How the Grinch tried to steal Christmas in Kilauea Kilauea is an awesome community and
• How the Grinch tried to steal Christmas in Kilauea
• Don’t make rash decisions
• Questioning support
• Mutual support for consumers and merchants
How the Grinch tried to steal Christmas in Kilauea
Kilauea is an awesome community and we are honored to be a part of it! Last night’s Holiday Program at the Kilauea Gym was one of the best yet thanks to many helpful community members, and one in particular, BILL TROUTMAN. When the KCOP (Kilauea Community Outreach Program) chose not to sponsor this year’s holiday program, knowing the longstanding tradition and its value to our community, Bill sought to make it happen with support from Kilauea School’s PTSA. AND, WHAT AN AWESOME JOB HE DID!
Mayor Baptiste, Rep. Mina Morita, Sen. Gary Hooser, Councilman Jay Furfaro, along with other esteemed kupuna and community members, were there to give honor to Auntie Mabel Panquites, for 60 years of loving devotion and service to the Kilauea community. It was a joy to still be able to sing songs with elders and youth alike which conveys the true meaning of Christmas!
However, like a poor rerun of the Grinch movie during clean-up, a few KCOP members chose to mar this incredible evening that had blessed many, by sending police officers to arrest Bill for “allegedly” illegally obtaining the KCOP decorations used only for this event each year. Fortunately, the truth did prevail since Mr. Troutman WAS GIVEN PERMISSION to obtain the stored decorations, thus the decorations WERE NOT STOLEN BY HIM as stated by these false accusers. We might add that these same KCOP members were also recently involved in usurping a KNA (Kilauea Neighborhood Association) decision to allow the Kilauea Video to move to another location in Kilauea by sending a letter of opposition on KNA letterhead to the Planning Commission!
ENOUGH ALREADY! When will we as a community say that we’ve had enough of this type of “leadership”? When will these “leaders” rise above this pettiness and strife and work for the common good of our community? WHERE IS THE ALOHA IN ALL OF THIS?
We do wish to give thanks for and honor the other KNA/KCOP members who we’re sure were unaware of this shameful action and who continue to serve our community with outstanding leadership, programs, and events. And to Bill, we give our heartfelt thanks for your diligent and accomplished efforts year round for our Kilauea community.
And like the Grinch whose heart grew in the end, we pray for the hearts of those who tried to steal our Kilauea Christmas … that their hearts would be changed as well.
- Sue Saldana and Sue Keller
Kilauea community members
Don’t make rash decisions
Regarding “Doc” Smith’s decision to “vote Democrat” next year (TGI 12/17), hold on a sec, here, Doc. We’ve spoken before, and you didn’t impress me as one to make rash decisions. But maybe I was wrong?
Most of your reasons seem to be economic ones. I know the old saying that “everyone votes their wallet,” but that’s only partially true today. And the assertion that “W” has increased the budget is actually incorrect. It’s Congress who writes the budget. There’s no question that not only have the Republicans been guilty of adding unnecessary and outrageous pork (as in the transportation bill), but Bush has not vetoed a bill since he’s been in office, and he (and they) have raised the ire of conservatives because of that. But let us consider some other facts, too.
The Republicans, having gotten the message from their constituents, are attempting to pass budget reduction bills. Guess who’s opposing them. The Republicans are trying to make the Bush tax cuts, which all honest economists agree are largely responsible for the recovery of the economy Bush inherited (exacerbated by 9/11). Guess who’s opposing them? Unemployment at it’s lowest rate in years, including the Clinton ones; we have the strongest economic rate of growth in years, including the Clinton ones; new job creation at it’s highest level in years, including the Clinton ones; the deficit is 2.6 percent of the GDP, lower than at anytime in the Clinton years (don’t forget that “surplus” was on paper only, and that was a PROJECTED surplus). Under FDR, during WW2, the deficit was 25 percent of GDP.
I’m happy for you, Doc, that your tax burden is “nil,” but do you really believe that if Al Gore had won in 2000, the rest of us would have received tax cuts? Or, that there would not have been an increase in spending, as well? Can you show me any time in history where the democrats, when they were in control of the budget process, that spending was either reduced, or frozen, or that we were given REAL tax cuts?
Questioning support
According to the July 21, 2001, TGI, four committee members, Rezentes, Lanphier, Lewis and Seielstad, “… listed 17 reasons for their backing of the county as owner and manager of what is now Kauai Electric.”
The other four members of Mayor Kusaka’s governance committee backed KIUC. Mr. Lanphier is proud to identify himself as a member of that committee (TGI 11/28/05); but, doesn’t identify himself as a member (re: TGI 5/6/04) of Ohana Kauai (OK) as his letter continues on to join the stealth campaign of weekly praise and outrage letters to the FORUM by alternating OK members. The OK Charter Amendment is always referred to as “the will of the people” rather than “the meataxe, right wing, stealth, political initiative, imported from California.”
The miniscule, but noisy, right wing of Kaua’i is well represented in OK. If you doubt that for a second, consider that the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) is representing them now.
A founding member of PLF is Ed Meese, Reagan’s disgraced Attorney General. PLF specializes in fighting environmental laws in favor of corporations, particularly those involved with Big Oil, nuclear power, and agribusiness. Major clients are Fluor Corp. and Exxon. Rightwing billionaire Joseph Coors has provided funding for the PLF and several other ultraconservative copycat legal foundations like Northwest Legal Foundation. He not only outsources his legal strategy in a manner that duplicates and diversifies his strategic approach to using the courts but, he can deduct his donations (fees) from the taxes he pays.
Ask why this intensely political legal group is supporting OK’s political initiative. They wouldn’t be doing it if it didn’t fit their agenda.
Mutual support for consumers and merchants
In the Saturday, Dec. 17, Forum, Tommy Thompson’s, “Strong supporter of local merchants.” I certainly appreciate your appropriate explanation that I had hoped would follow. It is for these very reasons that the Forum and Opinion pages are provided in so many respected newspapers so that we have the opportunity to share our views. Had you taken the time to submit your life story, short of a financial statement in the first place, or provided a more focused view of what was troubling you, perhaps my reply would have taken a different tone as well. So much of our lives and what we are immersed in is based on “perception.” You attempted to express yourself in the position of the consumer. I simply expressed myself in the position of the merchant. It is certainly apparent to me that had you taken the time in the first place to express yourself as well you had in your second letter to the Forum, you would have more successfully reached an audience of readers that would have taken note. All said and done, I once again commend you on your successful second attempt to make more clear to all of us what ails you. Between the two of us, I do believe we have certainly done more good than not at raising our Island’s awareness of the rising costs of goods and services and to realize the importance of thinking twice before we consider the sources from which we make our purchases, regardless of their necessity or luxury!
I, as you have commented, have and will continue to remain steadfast at protecting the Island of Kauai and what we have all come to know and enjoy as our home. A great deal of our precious Island does so dearly rely on maintaining its independent financial self support which we can control if we so choose. So many of us have failed to realize our freedom of choice and the importance of taking responsibility for our actions!
