• Alternate roads give drivers a choice • Abortion is unconscionable • Stop poisoning the air • Support for the Fair Tax Act Alternate roads give drivers a choice I take great exception to anyone saying that this multi-million dollar
• Alternate roads give drivers a choice • Abortion is unconscionable • Stop poisoning the air • Support for the Fair Tax Act
Alternate roads give drivers a choice
I take great exception to anyone saying that this multi-million dollar bike path will somehow magically take vehicles off our roads.
I helped build the miles of path that parallels much of our highway around the island, but for lack of use, it has been narrowed in places for highway expansion.
So now, we are spending millions of tax dollars — federal, state or local — to duplicate a mistake.
I take pride in my vehicle and will remain one of the 99 percent who use it for commuting.
We desperately need more alternate roads on Kaua‘i, not more multi-use paths. In his letter to the Forum on Jan. 6, Mr. Riggins may feel that “most” people on Kaua‘i do not want alternate routes for travel. But let him quiz those motorist who are bumper to bumper in traffic (west or Eastside of the island) every day and get some factual options.
Some members of our council keep pushing for more bikes, bus and walking travel to alleviate traffic. But isn’t it ironic that they, and other proponents of this form of travel, use their vehicles for transportation: “Do as I say but don’t do as I do.”
Sadly, those in the minority scream the loudest and are heard the most. But take a real poll of the masses (the 99 percent who drive) and see why they use, need and love their vehicles and will continue to use them.
Joe Rosa
Lihu‘e
Abortion is unconscionable
I must respond to the Editorial Roundup article about the 40th anniversary of Roe vs, Wade (TGI, Jan. 24). It is obvious the writers of this article believe women have a constitutional right to kill their babies!
I totally agree that women should always have a right to make decisions concerning their health. As for having a child, that is another decision entirely. But the decision whether or not to have a child needs to be made before conception, not waiting until after there is a heartbeat. Check the facts folks. Most abortions are performed because of convenience.
On the 40th anniversary: I would like to mention another number — 55,000,000 babies since 1973 who never got to say “I love you, mommy!” To put that into perspective, that number equals the entire population of Hawai‘i, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada combined.
As a believer that every life is a precious gift, I find it unconscionable that we as a nation can view abortion as acceptable behavior. And closer to home; I am a new resident to this island, but it hasn’t taken me long to understand how important “‘ohana” is to the people of Hawai‘i. I can’t understand the connection between ‘ohana and the accepted practice of our young mothers ending the life of their child.
Laws, however, are not the answer. The answer lies in changing the hearts of people. Life is precious and should be treated as such from the beginning, not just from birth.
Jan. 22 is a very sad day for our country and will remain so as long as this mass genocide is allowed to continue.
Dave Stokley
Kapa‘a
Stop poisoning the air
Dear Mr. Booth, you can probably make an ant hill out of the total empathy you shared in your opinion. If you are being funny it doesn’t work. My grandson was an ant hill close to death due to poison toxic smoke. That is what smoke is, Mr. Booth, it is a poison. The article was a bit lengthy and there were several situations that were addressed, but the main topic was about air and the air we breathe. Air should be free, fresh and clean.
In our situation fresh air is being stolen from us. When our neighbor burns we have to close up our house, turn on air purifiers. That is not right. We are asking for alternatives, gas and electric burn clean.
Maybe you will understand if I ask you some questions.
When you go to the beach do you swim in fresh water or polluted water?
When you turn on your tap to drink water do you want to drink fresh water or polluted water?
When you eat corn do you want fresh corn or GMO corn?
When you sleep at night do you want to breathe fresh air or polluted air?
When you want to feel cool trade winds blowing through your house do you want those cool trade winds or smoke from a chimney stack?
When you want to swim in the river is it clean or dirty?
My point is, someone else is forcing us to breathe poison, and we want to change that.
Neil MacDonald
Kapa‘a
Support for the Fair Tax Act
Poverty should never be the goal of a government tax structure, yet our income tax is designed to keep working people poor. Hidden corporate taxes raise the wholesale cost of goods and services while the 7.65 percent payroll tax ensures less take-home pay for buying goods and services.
Although the wealthiest avoid paying federal income taxes thanks to deductions, their investment capital needed for job creation is forced overseas to avoid capital gains taxes. Not only do the working poor get poorer and the wealthy shift capital overseas, our industries can’t compete in global markets. Capital gains taxes are 11.5 percent higher than the average tax rate for the 34 nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). And with our corporate tax being the highest in the world, there is little incentive for foreign investment to come to the U.S.
A consumption tax, The Fair Tax Act of 2013, filed in the House Jan. 3 with a record number (53) of first day co-sponsors, ends personal income taxes, business income taxes, payroll taxes, capital gains taxes, estate and gift taxes and alternative minimum tax. It generates equal tax revenues while creating jobs. Learn more at www.fairtax.org.
Beverly Martin
Fulton, Mo.
