• No Superferry for Kaua‘i • Strawman arguments • Problems for Sen. Hooser • Problems for Sen. Hooser No Superferry for Kaua‘i Aloha, Governor Lingle, On behalf of myself, my children, and thousands from Kaua‘i whose voices have been silenced.
• No Superferry for Kaua‘i
• Strawman arguments
• Problems for Sen. Hooser
• Problems for Sen. Hooser
No Superferry for Kaua‘i
Aloha, Governor Lingle,
On behalf of myself, my children, and thousands from Kaua‘i whose voices have been silenced.
The Superferry is a serious threat to Kaua‘i, and our future quality of life. Damage will be irreversible. National Geographic calls it a “monster megastructure”. Ferrys are good for connecting cities like England (59 million people) to Ireland (2 million), or Seattle (600,000) to Vancouver (723,000). Not for moving O‘ahu (700,000 vehicles) to Kaua‘i (60,000 vehicles).
The Superferry is simply too big for Kaua‘i. Bringing 288 cars daily or 80,000 vehicles annually Kaua‘i does not have the security or infrastructure to handle! O‘ahu has freeways and huge highways. Kaua‘i has one two-lane road. Uncrowded fishing, hunting, surfing, ‘opihi, throw net, maile, limu kohu, mokihana will all be pau soon! We love our ‘ohana from O‘ahu. They know they can visit anytime by air. Honorable Governor, you have the power and know how to stop the Superferry from servicing Kaua‘i. There’s got to be a way to obtain federal highway funding without ruining Kaua‘i for good. Your decisions will be your legacy. I remain peaceful but observant.
Aloha Kaua‘i,
Wallis Punua
Born and raised on Kaua‘i, concerned business and community leader.
A call to the wild
The voices are loud and getting louder on every side of the fence. I can barely hear myself think — whether it’s a cockroach race or super duper store. a boat, or some fallow ag land society, vacation rental subdivision, or the dreaded property tax fiasco … the times are a changing and yet they remain the same.
If there is no change to the general plan update, the bulldozers will be down the street, up the block and around the bend with no place to park but in your yard. and the dust will be all that whispers in the wind. And the county bird will be the CRANE.
Foresight and change comes in so many ways … waving fists, waving signs,or waving on the side of the road. We are entering an election year. We need to reassess what we leave behind. Because we as parents and guardians have an ultimate responsibility to leave things in a better state than how we find it and a responsibility to grow a next generation to be better than ours so we may perpetuate.
Kaua‘i has the lowest voter registration, and the lowest voter turnout of any county in the state, and of any state in the “UNION” … if you truly wish for change, our island needs a better blueprint and better stewarding … and in doing so do not compare Kaua‘i to O‘ahu, Maui or somewhere else … compare it to how you wish to live it, love it and leave it behind … just do not leave it alone. This island deserves more … how about you?
Andy Melamed
Hanalei
Strawman arguments
Gordon “Doc” Smith’s recent letter is a useful example of a classic propaganda / dishonest debating technique. He lists 14 ideas he considers outlandish or impossible and attributes them to the Democratic Party.
He adds in strawmen such as “tax only the rich” or “no firearms” or “no drilling for oil in America,” things far beyond the reality of the Democratic position. By knocking down the strawmen, he pretends to have knocked down the real opponent and declares victory. Pretty silly really.
One could just as easily argue that the Republican party stands for:
1) Minimizing taxes on the rich and handing the bill for their spending to later generations
2) Making voting for seniors and people of color difficult in order to exclude Democratic party voters
3) Working with the Jack Abramoffs of the world to take bribes to achieve the goals of big business interests
4) Take a go-it-alone approach to world problems leaving us isolated in the world community.
5) Denying equal rights to Americans based on sexual orientation.
The only difference is, these items are not exaggerations. There’s no real need for it.
Using the Limbaugh/Fox News (sic) list makes it clearer the Republicans are dinosaurs destined to become a marginal party of angry old white men.
Dave Camp
Aliomanu
Problems for Sen. Hooser
I have some ideas for Gary Hooser that should be resolved (Let us know your big ideas, Guest Viewpoint, TGI 9/27) before he ventures on new ones. The only problem is, they aren’t so big and they should be considered common sense.
My first idea would be to alleviate the traffic congestion on the Westside. Why not utilize the tunnel that runs through Koloa/Kipu and make a bypass road, so the Po‘ipu/Koloa residents will not have to intersect with Kaumuali‘i Highway until they are much closer to Lihu‘e town. Maybe the State will even kick in some money and make the exit intersect with the Kaua‘i Humane Society. They could put up a traffic signal, so the Humane Society patrons won’t have to risk life and limb trying to exit.
I know Kapa‘a also has a traffic problem; but at least you guys have the “temporary” bypass and contraflow lanes. By the way, can anyone tell me exactly what “temporary” means? I would think after 15 or more years, then it no longer should be called “temporary.”
How’s about another idea of affordable housing? There’s talk of a project coming up in Hanama‘ulu. However, the developer has informed me that they jumped the gun and the project won’t be starting until probably late 2009 or early 2010. Where is Kaua‘i’s workforce supposed to live until then?
Another idea I know everyone will benefit from is lowering the gas taxes and allowing us to purchase gas for under $3 a gallon. What about abolishing tax on food? Just think, affordable food prices may mean you get to feed your family for the whole month.
I’m thinking these are some good ideas; but maybe they should be put under the “Dream” category instead.
Francine M. Grace
Kalaheo
