•Empty platform •Put energy bills into plastic bags Empty platform To build a political platform based purely in opposition to someone else is like filling a balloon with hot air. Once it’s popped, there’s nothing there. Case in point: Sen.
•Empty platform
•Put energy bills into plastic bags
Empty platform
To build a political platform based purely in opposition to someone else is like filling a balloon with hot air. Once it’s popped, there’s nothing there.
Case in point: Sen. Gary Hooser — a man who shows he is constantly full of hot air.
Hooser — who is campaigning for statewide office — recently spoke in a derogatory manner to news media about Gov. Lingle’s six-plus years in office.
To the contrary, I think most people will agree that she has achieved a great deal in her nearly seven years as governor.
Because of decisions she has made and actions she and her Cabinet have taken, thousands of homeless are in transitional shelters; native Hawaiians are receiving homestead leases at a faster pace than ever before; businesses are paying millions less in fees, assessments and unemployment insurance taxes; the number of children in foster care has declined by 50 percent; and Hawai‘i has taken significant steps toward a clean energy future.
This affirmation of the public’s support was seen in the governor’s win of all 51 legislative districts in her 2006 historic re-election.
The public needs to begin asking what naysayers like Sen. Hooser actually stand for. What meaningful legislation has he sponsored during his tenure in office? His constant politicizing and blatantly political statements offer nothing but a disservice to the people of Hawai‘i.
Lenny Klompus, Governor’s communications senior adviser
Put energy bills into plastic bags
In response to Coco Zickos recent articles I wish to complement her on her work including her latest on the energy bills awaiting Gov. Lingle’s signing or vetoing.
She presents the news in a straightforward, non-biased manner reminiscent of journalism of the past. She reviewed the issues, quoted the sources and refrained from introducing rightwing or leftwing editorial interpretations.
Responding to a letter written by Anita Cook entitled “Ban plastic bags now,” her second attempt to rid Kaua‘i of a precious natural asset, I’d like to point out that when most people address this plastic bags issue they do not recognize their value.
They are convenient yet they do turn into garbage, like everything else we ship to Hawai‘i. What people do not realize is that garbage is a source of natural assets to be reused and that plastic bags were made from petroleum and can be recycled back into petroleum. Yes, there is a process waiting to come to Kaua‘i that can turn all of the plastics in Hawai‘i, 1-categories 1-7, back into crude oil which can then be refined into diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, asphalt, bunker oil, all of which would be produced and utilized here on Kaua‘i or in Honolulu, all depending on the will of the people.
Every bit of imported products are made of natural elements combined together to make some kind of useful product that will eventually turn into garbage someday and can be recycled into a new form of a useful product. The technology, technicians, equipment, financing and desire are waiting to come to Kaua‘i or Honolulu. The only thing preventing it from coming to our island state is the lack of political will.
Our present day “self-seeking” politicians are so wrapped up in “self-seeking” ambitions and agendas that they are blinded by greed. Only the will of the citizens can make real solutions to preserve our beautiful island environment and rid us of the real problems of solid waste and expensive energy. To make these negative issues vanish citizens must demand that such technologies be welcomed into our community now rather that being blocked from coming to Kaua‘i or Hawai‘i for another 10, 20 or 30 years. Jobs will be provided now.
In the past 10 years Kaua‘i’s County Council and Mayor’s Office has proven itself incapable of resolving our island’s waste and energy disasters. Examples: Kekaha Landfill and the highest electric bills in the nation. It appears the only aloha for solving these problems is a lot of hot air in lower case.
There is no need to wait to achieve sustainability. It can begin happening rapidly within three to four years and cost the residents not 1 cent. But our past and present local governing bodies are unwilling to listen, with one exception: The only government officials that may appear willing to listen to a positive solution to our waste and energy problems are our newly elected Mayor Carvalho and a couple of council members.
The mayor has yet to indicate which direction he is willing to travel in resolving these issues. I do hope he, and others, will contact this writer so that we can at least present an immediate viable solution to these damaging and divisive issues. Otherwise, do place the present energy bills into plastic bags and wait for them both to biodegrade because it will not be resolved if left up to “self-seeking” politicians. By then, the entire island should be littered with overflowing landfills.
John Hoff, Lawai
