Letters to the Editor
True campaign reform is equal media access
It's pretty obvious that most elections are "bought" by the candidates with the most money. If you can afford it, television ads are the most effective in creating name and face recognition among voters.
Most campaign reformists concentrate on limiting the amount of donations by an individual or group, but there is no limit on how much in campaign donations a candidate can collect.
The most equitable and fair way to ensure equal media access and exposure would be to limit the amount that can be spent on any campaign for political office. So I propose that we enact a law for campaign spending limits.
Campaign spending limits would mean that no one can spend over a certain amount and that way, unless a candidate has a lot less money than his rivals, the playing field would be more level.
Politicians and their "friends" would have to get more creative with how they spend their precious campaign dollars. And there wouldn't be the obscene spending and donations that favor those in power.
Are there any politicians brave enough to add campaign spending limits to their agenda? We'll keep the light on for ya.
Val Loh
City change orders shouldn't cost so much
I have been in the design and construction field for over 40 years, and it is definitely not possible that change orders in city construction projects could consistently equal a third of the contract, unless ... It must be more than just incompetence, but what?
Strange, too, is the fact that the most obvious project's extra funds appear from nowhere and quickly. What about the ones that aren't in the public's eye?
The second money item is the continuing indebtedness. I have always estimated that it costs about 10 percent of the construction cost, per year, for maintenance and personnel, but that does not include an equal amount for debt retirement.
I believe that most of the city's "popular" Vision projects will be paid for in the next generation. If not maintained properly, they will fall into disrepair, be abandoned, razed and then rebuilt, such as 'A'ala Park.
What a legacy to pass on to the next generation.
Ted Green
Wouldn't you want to have safer flights?
Regarding the Aug. 20 letter by Robert Kam, "Check-in at airports getting out of hand": Kam states, "Until this security check-in cools down, we are omitting our air travel rather than going through all that hassle." Essentially he is saying that he does not want to fly until the flights are less safe.
Huh? What did I miss? I was under the impression that the Honolulu security screeners are doing one of the best jobs in the country, that they are doing a great job in ensuring a safe flight for us. Wouldn't I want to fly knowing that?
The only thing I take from his letter is that he must not have regard for the safety of himself or others.
David Bell
Waimea, Big Island
'Real men' column wrong, embarrassing
After a long donation at the Blood Bank, the last thing I need to feel is sick, but then I read Michael Tsai's Aug. 19 column, "Real men and fashion-conscious alcoholic drinks don't mix." I was embarrassed, angry, shocked and felt ridiculous knowing that he is a part of the same gender that I am.
To suggest that my masculinity is dependent on whether or not I drink a beer instead of a mixed drink is laughable.
This kind of measuring what it takes to be a man needs to stop. The wrong message is sent everywhere. His story implies, in essence, "Girly drinks are inferior to beer just as women are inferior to men, and a man drinking a girly drink is no kind of man to be around."
If you don't think that is how his column reads, ask a woman — she'll tell you more than this letter does.
Quinn R. Allen
'Ewa Beach
Lap-dancing crackdown isn't worth the effort
Five years ago, Carl Richie went to jail for running a lap-dancing operation on Kaua'i. Both Honolulu dailies, the public and even our prosecutor raised questions about this event. No one in Hawai'i seemed to agree with the judge on Kaua'i that lap dancing was a crime. Yet Mr. Richie spent two years in jail while a group of three community activists worked to have him released.
Since then, several clubs on O'ahu have been closed down, with legal proceedings brought against people involved in this supposed evil.
Our law enforcement community has a lot of serious problems to deal with without being burdened with enforcing the moral code of a small segment of our community.
I challenge those in government who want to continue to harass these clubs to put their views to the test established for criminal convictions by allowing a randomly selected jury to hear arguments pro and con and rule unanimously that we should continue with this idiotic crackdown.
Tracy Ryan
Libertarian candidate for governor
Process isn't working
Why do we have a design and public review process for new schools, like the Mililani Mauka II? What is wrong with the design of the last school we built? Why have a public review when the state does not incorporate the wishes of the community?
Randy Prothero
Mililani
'Dream Team of Waipi'o' had many who helped
Reflecting on this trip, we've had so much support and aloha from the people of Hawai'i.
What I would like to do is use this space to thank all of the people who helped coach our team. First are our dugout coaches, Delbert Macanas and Gordon Oshiro. Delbert called all the pitches and helped with the infield. Gordon took care of the outfield and charted the opposing hitters. They both scored every team we played.
I was blessed to have two pitching coaches, Clem Hew and Richard Ogomori, who spent time teaching the kids different pitches and proper mechanics. Fred Higa came out and helped with the hitting.
Two parents, Marcus Moises and Ken Jones, stuck with me from the beginning of practice to the Little League World Series, helping in whatever way they could.
We had batting practice pitchers come every day, giving the boys hundreds of swings. Some who came frequently were Grandon and Grant Costa, Derrick Kim Seu, Scott Yasumoto, Pono Moises and Jayson Kirza.
There were so many boys helping this team that if I named them all it would take the whole page. That is how this team got better: because of the support of all the people who came out to help. They were the ones behind the scenes that actually made this team the "Dream Team of Waipi'o."
Clyde Tanabe
Coach
