• Be vigilant • The best of the worst• Let the sun shine Be vigilant Today, I received another e-mail informing me of three more robberies in our area. It seems to be happening in the middle of the day
• Be vigilant • The best of the worst• Let the sun shine
Be vigilant
Today, I received another e-mail informing me of three more robberies in our area. It seems to be happening in the middle of the day even when people are home; we are being watched by people who want what we have. They seem to know when it is a good time to hit our homes. They are very brazen, and that is what concerns me the most. I drove around my block today and in two stops, one gentleman told me he was broke into twice. I drove down the street and a young man told me that his uncle had motorbikes stolen right out of his garage when he was close by. Another friend left his house, was gone 30 minutes and his house was robbed. So yes, they are casing the area. We have a neighborhood watch but that does not mseem to matter. I hope we all keep our eyes and ears open, and let’s catch these robbers before something deadly happens.
Donna Perlman, Kapa‘a Homesteads
The best of the worst
I have seen many presidents of these great United States come and go. Not always, but typically, I have been disappointed with their political platforms. This time around is no different — perhaps the worst yet.
A little bit ago, our current president and a former president were bragging about the death of Bin Laden. I suggest we all be careful of this “success;” we may have awakened a sleeping giant.
Now, as of the other day, same-sex marriage reared its ugly head to be the hot topic. Really. Do politicians and the news media feel that two guys or two gals in love is worth worrying about more than gas prices, which are out of control, or our unemployment rate, as being a viable political platform?
As far as gas prices: Regardless of how far you may drive your car, we all are paying too much at the pump. Everything from apples to automobiles are costing more for the citizens of the U.S. due to these staggering fuel prices. This is what our country’s leaders should be concerning themselves with. Think about it.
As for employment, should Hawai‘i taxpayers pay for a rail system in O‘ahu we don’t need just to give high school dropouts a job, or would the $100 billion be better spent in our state’s educational system to reduce our dropout rate? Think about it.
Addressing same-sex marriage as an issue, rather than dealing with what is really bringing our country down, is an insult to the American citizen. I suggest we vote for the best of the worst, and have a president who will bring this great country back to its stronghold and not concern themselves with petty issues, but rather the ones that matter to all of us the most.
Ask yourself how your tax dollars are being spent, then ask yourself who is spending your hard-earned dollar. Think about it.
Steve Schibye, Puhi
Let the sun shine
I seem to have failed to witness the public mandate asking the Kaua‘i County Council’s members to address the length of their term in office. Other than from elected, or past-elected officials, what segments of the public express an interest in increasing Council terms to four years? Continuity, as is correct in civics, in part is the function of Council Services. I don’t believe four-year terms serve the public more than they serve the political interests of the incumbent. I do not subscribe to the political theory that we “need” a core group of leaders, an oligarchy, running this county; rather, I believe that there are many citizens with sufficient life experience to adequately perform the duties of all elected officials. The House of Representatives of the United States is entirely re-elected every two years. It is the failure of the county to invest in transparency and to promote openness which has lead to an un- and often misinformed public. The reason incoming council members know so little about the process of how the county functions is that this lack of transparency and obstruction of sunshine prohibits understanding. The policy that the public can not email but must either write and mail a letter or attend in person board and commission meetings is an example. Every policy decision and choice made in executive session, or in secret within the administration without public discussion, is an information void — a black hole sucking up the public’s ability to be informed. Increasing term lengths does nothing to promote public information, and political science posits that longer terms provide algebraic advantage to the incumbent. Four-year terms are not the answer to the problems associated with freshmen getting up to speed. Getting freshmen up to speed faster is the answer, part of which lies in greater public transparency and sunshine.
Lonnie Sykos, Kapa‘a
What’s in a marriage?
Gay marriage is something people will support in small talk but not in the privacy of the voting booth. President Obama went too far this time in support of gay marriage.
There are close to 40 states (39) that do not allow gay marriage, and the states that allow civil unions were mostly close nail-biter elections.
I do not believe in gay marriage, or heterosexual marriage for that matter. Why are the gays so intent on an institution that ends in divorce more times than not?
Marriage is defined as a union between a man and woman, not a man and a man, or a woman and a woman. Gay marriage needs to be called something different; in the past I have suggested “Garriage.”
I believe President Obama has sealed his fate as a one-term President. I voted for him, named my dog after him and will vote for him again. However, his recent endorsement of gay marriage may be the politically correct thing , but it’s not what the majority will tolerate.
Gay marriage will be Obama’s coup de grace.
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa’a
