Letters to the Editor
New Democratic ideas are digging us in deeper
Once again, young Democrat House Representative Brain Schatz has displayed his inexperience on campaign reform. Banning political contributions from any legal entity conflicts with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Buckey vs. Valeo protecting political free speech.
Haven't we seen enough makeshift populist legislation challenged and struck down by the courts?
While Schatz defends this bogus reform, we the people are being subject to the largest Democratic tax schemes ever to hit these shores, namely the Tallivan speed cameras and the CarePlus Ponzi Scheme (One-Year Short-Term-Care program).
Insurance designated to protect citizens against future hurricane losses now may go to the infamous General Fund. The government retirees' pension fund loses $1 billion and remains subject to be raided once again by the Democrats to balance an increasing state budget.
If Rep. Schatz is part of the new breed of Democrats trying to lead Hawai'i, then rest assured that the light at the end of the tunnel is really a train coming. Auwe!
Deron Akiona
Kailua
Quarantine expenses are getting out of control
As a dog owner and breeder, I am appalled to learn that Sen. Jan Buen's Resolution No. 78 calls for yet another risk analysis study to be conducted and submitted to the Legislature in 2003.
She successfully killed SB 2267. Is she now trying to make us go away by delaying this issue yet another year?
We had two dogs come through quarantine in the past four years. At that time, the cost for 30 days was only $285 and the 120 days was $855. Over two years later, we brought in another dog and found that the cost of the 30-day quarantine had jumped 130 percent, making it $655.
We feel like prisoners here in Hawai'i. This is not the Aloha State when our pets are treated like common criminals and owners are held hostage.
The new study conducted by Dr. Holck shows Hawai'i's citizens would be safer from rabies under the new proposal. The risk would be 2.4 cases per thousand years under the most conservative assumptions. Under the current regulations, 3.8 cases are projected.
The time for change is now, not another 90 years from now.
Jennie Wolfe
Mililani
It's now up to Aloha to introduce change
I, for one, think the decision not to pursue the merger between Aloha and Hawaiian airlines was a good one for both companies and for the public. We definitely could not afford a monopoly in Hawai'i that would control our air transportation.
However, I do want to see Aloha survive, and realizing that it is the underdog in this situation, I have a couple of humble suggestions for Aloha:
- Undercut your competition. Airlines like Southwest have done a remarkable job in providing affordable air transportation because they have cut their costs and, similar to Aloha, fly to non-major airports.
- Distinguish your company. Many airlines, like Virgin Atlantic or Southwest, cater to specific demographics by providing amenities or services to capture their audience. For example, SWA caters to commuting business people, and one way they do this is by facing seats toward each other so passengers can have business meetings.
Virgin Atlantic uses its strong youth influence (derived from its Virgin Records music audience) and even offers video games onboard. Furthermore, it offers special rates for students and supports charities. Its Web site even talks about how to travel healthy. This shows it cares.
We have strong community sentiment and support (look at our unions). If you offer special rates to nonprofits, charitable organizations, police and firefighters, etc., you will develop a strong community presence, and people want to support an airline that has good rates and truly shows aloha.
John Leong
What's wrong with health plan sunshine?
Cliff Cisco's March 13 letter to the editor warns the public about the danger of regulation of health plans by the state Insurance Division.
Legislators and the public must be very clear about how consumers feel about this matter. Large associations like HMSA have huge budgets for public relations, giving them access to the press and legislators who will ultimately decide the fate of two important bills (SB 2302 and HB 1761). Consumers have only their voices to protest and limited access to legislators to express their point of view.
HMSA is a near-monopoly and pays no state taxes because it is a mutual-benefit society. Yet members are in the dark about how their premium money is used and how their rates are calculated. HMSA has used some of the profits from investing members' money to form for-profit subsidiaries. The bills make HMSA take investment income into account before increasing rates.
Right now, HMSA increases rates if it spends more than it collects in premiums, even if its investment income is more than enough to cover the loss.
A burning question remains: What is wrong with sunshine and with making HMSA use investment income to benefit members? After all, the members' money was used to earn the income. What is there to hide if, as HMSA claims, rates are fair and equitable? The fact that healthcare costs are rising astronomically may well justify continuing rate increases. Why do the facts that would answer this question need to be a secret matter?
Genuine oversight would tell us the truth.
Ruth Ellen Lindenberg
President, Kokua Council
Resign-to-run law triggered by filing
The recent ruling by Judge Sabrina McKenna is quite puzzling. As I read The Advertiser, the question was, "what triggers the resign-to-run law."
For the past 20 years, the "trigger" was the filing of nomination papers with the proper agency. Everything else that precedes the action is rumor, speculation and just plain old politicking.
However, now you are required to file an organization report with the Campaign Spending Commission. And for some reason, the judge ruled that filing an organization report is equivalent to filing nomination papers, which would require Mayor Harris to send in his resignation when he filed the organization report. But, the simple filing of an organization report does not make you eligible as a candidate for office.
Harris is not eligible to be a candidate yet. When he does file nomination papers and they are duly accepted, he then will be eligible to run for the office of governor, and his resignation should be filed the minute that determination is made.
It seems to me that existing election laws are sufficient to handle the resign-to-run mandate of the Constitution.
R. Medina
Wailuku
'Military intelligence' editorial was off base
Your "Military intelligence — a contradiction in terms" editorial admits that the facts on Operation Anaconda are still not well known and that there are different views emerging from the military, allies and reporters. The editorial also admits that this is nothing new — "the fog of war," you say.
So why your premature "rush to judgment" on this operation and the proactive, pre-emptive war of which it is part? And why the bashing of military intelligence? Perhaps you do not realize that your editorial stinks of knee-jerk bias, not careful and thoughtful editorial opinion.
Please permit me to also suggest that media disparagement of military intelligence is like the kettle calling the pot black. Inaccurate media reporting on military matters is an epidemic, partly because the media tends to rush to print with a sensational story or editorial rather than dig deep for the facts and thoughtfully analyze them, partly because reporters and editorial writers generally have little military experience and understanding, and partly because of the anti-military bias, evidenced by your editorial.
The classic example of media mis-reporting and misinterpretation is the 1968 Tet campaign in Vietnam. Contrary to what was reported at the time, it was a military disaster for the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army forces. This fact is now well established and documented, and I refer you specifically to "Big Story" by Peter Braestrup, who was Saigon bureau chief for The Washington Post during Tet. His book examines thoroughly how the press could get it so wrong in what is a classic study of media-military relations.
The book was given the 1978 Sigma Delta Chi award for research in journalism. It should be mandatory reading in all journalism schools and by media reporters and editorial staff. It might encourage your editorial staff to be more responsible when commenting on Afghanistan and the War on Terror. You guys are not omniscient.
Robert Warner
Catering to homosexual tourists is a mistake
Jeff Tidwell offers us some very interesting statistics in his March 13 letter. He tries to convince us that the HVCB should start to market Hawai'i as a favorite vacation destination for lesbians and gays.
It is true that gay and lesbian travelers are wealthy and Hawai'i businesses would stand to make a lot of money from these tourist dollars. But at what cost?
Hawai'i is now viewed as a favorite tourist destination for families.
Many newlyweds, senior citizens and families with children see Hawai'i as a tropical paradise where they can come for a week or two to enjoy the unique culture and incredible beauty of these Islands.
If we started to cater to the gay market, it would negatively impact our tourism base. Take, for instance, how the beautiful beaches at Queens and Diamond Head are now full of homosexuals. I am certain that no family with children would feel comfortable spending time at these beaches.
So Mr. Tidwell is right in calling for the HVCB to make a choice. We must decide if we are going to be a family destination or a gay and lesbian destination.
Jean Polly
Taking responsibility isn't his strong suit
Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris has a strange view of personal responsibility.
It only took him 98 days after being elected mayor to declare his candidacy for governor. Yet he claims in a March 13 interview that it would be irresponsible to resign now to focus on his campaign for governor because issues such as the city budget, mass transit and Vision team projects are at critical stages.
One can only surmise that, if elected governor, he would at least wait his magical 98 days before announcing his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.
Harris' irresponsibility should not be confused with any commitment he makes to his constituents.
Joanne Ralston
Kapa'au, Big Island
Home-based tattoos flirting with danger
Many years ago, Pamela Anderson shared tattoo needles with her then-husband, rocker Tommy Lee, when she received her barbed-wire tattoo. As a result, she now has the potentially fatal liver disease hepatitis-C. She's wealthy and famous, yet she willingly shared tattoo needles. Go figure.
I simply cannot understand why anybody would choose to get tattooed or body-pierced at any place less than a reputable establishment monitored by the state Department of Health.
What's especially worrisome is that people would rather save a few bucks and hire artists and piercers who work out of their homes or make housecalls. Besides being illegal, the risk of cross-contamination and spread of blood-borne pathogens is much greater with home-based tattooing.
You never know where the needle has been before you.
Jerry DeGuzman
Sudden Rush Tattoo and Body Piercing
Abstaining from voting is not a logical choice
Voting is serious business. Being so low on the national scale is a shame for Hawai'i.
One letter to the editor suggested making voting mandatory. Another suggested that the lack of confidence in public officials turns people off.
Neither view should be taken seriously. Abstaining from voting further serves to deny your voice in governance and allows the entry of candidates opposed to your views. This is not a logical choice.
The jury pool is drawn randomly from lists made up of voter registrants, driver's licenses and others. Many are loath to serve on a jury and give excuses like transportation, parking downtown and inconveniences to their daily lives. At times, employers are not too happy.
The system improved somewhat when people not chosen for duty the first day were released of their responsibility. Thus voter registration was not too popular, and the numbers translated directly to low voter turnout.
Leonard K. Chun
In search of a leader
Regarding the March 19 Island Voices commentary by Jim Shon: It sounds as if you're the leader you describe. I've been waiting for someone like you for a long time. Give me a reason to vote for the best candidate, not the "lesser of two evils." Is it you?
Alicia Maluafiti
'Ewa Beach
