• There’s no corporate conspiracy • Why not resign? There’s no corporate conspiracy While I usually agree with Juan Wilson, and he is certainly a champion of Kaua‘i, his “Time is Better Than Money” article of Jan. 27 leaves out
• There’s no corporate conspiracy
• Why not resign?
There’s no corporate conspiracy
While I usually agree with Juan Wilson, and he is certainly a champion of Kaua‘i, his “Time is Better Than Money” article of Jan. 27 leaves out a very important point. While bad mouthing Goldman Sachs and Bernacke as contributing villains and devious propagators of our current economic downturn might be satisfying in some respects, it is not the whole story. Contrary to the “big business” paranoia that consumes the left in this country, there is no vast corporate conspiracy to bring down our economy. On the contrary, businesses thrive in good economies and want stability for the American people as much as anyone. To a degree, if the business is traded on the stock market “it is us.” We are all culpable for the depth of this downturn and it’s time for us to do what is most uncomfortable when pointing the “blame” finger.
Look in the mirror.
There’s an old adage that says “what goes up must come down.” From the early 1800s the U.S. economy has gone through cycles of growth. The average cycle for over a hundred years has been five to seven years of positive growth followed by one or two years of a “correction.” Until last year our country had experienced 15 years of unprecedented positive economic growth. The Internet, tech boom, low interest rates and real estate fever have all contributed to an unsustainable growth for our economy. We are now going to go through a “correction,” and possible recession, to pay for our excesses.
Who’s to blame?
Those who think government is the savior of its “spoiled” citizens and doesn’t allow individuals to fail because of their own bad economic decisions, and every man or woman in our society who treated the roof over their heads as if it were a magic tree through which they could grow money for their own selfish and greedy consumption. Any “stimulus” BandAid created by politicians to bail out the losers will only delay the inevitable. The cycle will run its course and the piper will be paid. We will have to tighten our belts for the next few years because we deserve it, and hopefully we’ll learn from it. But have no fear, America, and get ready. The sun will shine again, and new wealth will be created by those who are prepared to take intelligent and calculated risks with the money they’ve actually worked for.
Gordon Oswald
Kapa‘a
Why not resign?
About 20 minutes into the Jan. 28 meeting of the Charter Commission the chairman, Jonathan Chun, recused himself for an unspecified period of time. He said that he had received an e-mail raising the question as to whether he was in violation of Charter Section 20.02D, which prohibits any officer of the county from appearing on behalf of private interests before any county board, commission or agency, and added that he would take the matter to the Board of Ethics.
Why did Chun not simply resign from the commission instead of recusing himself and casting a cloud over the commission’s ability to do its job? The charter provision is clear and unambiguous, and in my opinion Chun’s violation of the provision is also clear. For example, I believe the record will show that while serving as chairman of the commission he appeared before the Planning Commission in November 2007 representing a developer and before the council in December 2007 representing the Kaua’i Board of Realtors.
Section 20.02D is a part of the county’s code of ethics. Violating the section provides grounds for both misdemeanor and impeachment charges and for a person’s removal from a board or commission by the mayor and council.
I believe that many in the community, rather than pursuing punitive measures, would prefer for Chun to resolve the situation by resigning from the commission.
Am I too old-fashioned when I suggest that the public interest is paramount in this case, that an honorable act of resignation best serves the public interest, and that if Chun fails to resign the mayor and council should remove him from the Charter Commission?
Horace Stoessel
Kapa‘a
