Letters to the Editor
Stadium flunked common sense test
"ThunderStix ... pose a safety risk?" Puhleeeze! Is "Aloha" Stadium all that much more a magnet for terrorists than Anaheim Stadium? Or are the stadium "powers that be" actually just worried about our hearing?
Come on, think! How's about we just offer the Stadium Authority a bigger slice of the profits? Or better yet, tell everybody that it was really stadium manager Eddie Hayashi's idea all along ... yeah, that should do it. When called for confirmation, he can just "not return messages left at his office." As (a version of) the old saying goes, "If common sense is so common, why can't those guys use theirs?" Noise, when you're trying to sleep, is bad. Noise, at a football game, can help the home team. Help us help the home team. Please?
Brian Emmons
Cleanliness of city apparent to visitors
My husband and I just returned from Waikiki. We were impressed with the cleanliness of the city, the friendliness of the people and so many things to do.
When we found we were driving in the wrong lane to make a turn, the other drivers graciously allowed us to change lanes. There was very little horn-blowing.
The buses were clean, and the automatic display of the next stop, in the front of the bus, was very helpful.
Many people complain that Waikiki is "too commercial," but there are many wonderful ethnic restaurants in which to eat. Just a short drive away are many beautiful beaches.
On our last visit there, four years ago, my husband ended up in Queen's Medical Center, where he received the best care ever.
O'ahu is our favorite vacation spot, and we look forward to returning for the sixth time.
Beverly Russo
Massapequa, N.Y.
If project completed, why no home games?
I appreciate the clarification on the completion of the Campbell High School football field projects by State Comptroller Mary Alice Evans. What I don't understand is how she can say the project was completed but does not address the fact that the field was still not approved for Campbell's football team to play its complete home schedule in 2001 and 2002.
I would appreciate it if Evans would explain why parents and community members were inconvenienced by not having home games played at home. The fact still remains that the field was not ready by the football season for the last two years. Evans' letter is an example of skating around the issue.
This is why common folks get so upset. Give us a straight answer. The fact remains that the projects affected the condition of the field and Campbell could not play at home.
Tesha H. Malama
Old-boy network still alive in the Legislature
I call your attention to the professional politicians and their statements on TV about how they were now all for integrity and honesty and the fact that the public did not believe them. These same politicians, many of whom have never had a real job in their lives but are convinced that they know more than we working people of Hawai'i about Hawai'i's economy, are still in power.
Unfortunately, nothing has changed. Democrats still control the Legislature because the people forgot to vote for those Republicans who had turned the searchlight on the backdoor deals that have been the Democrats' trademark for years. The "smoke-filled-room deals" will start again.
Also, Republicans no longer have enough votes in the House to force the openness that we had for a short time. Anyone can see right now that Linda Lingle will not be able to pass most of the laws and changes she wants and Hawai'i should have because the old-boy network is still very much alive and well.
The voting public is now starting to understand that these second-generation politicians and old incumbents — this self-appointed ruling elite — are not what Hawai'i needs any more. Hawai'i needs term limits badly. Those still in the Legislature should be sent home to find real jobs — although they won't need them, thanks to the fantastic retirement they have voted for themselves.
It was great to see a few of the politicians get dumped — the ones who claimed to be red hot for change but who have been in the Legislature for the last 20 to 30 years and have done nothing to change it.
The question Democrats were not able to answer was, "Why didn't they fix the problems while they had complete control for the last 40 years?" That question will still apply. Our state is still last in every category that counts — except taxes.
Don McDiarmid Jr.
Kailua
Lingle can talk change, but can she realize it?
Linda Lingle seems to have a lot to say about the administration of Gov. Cayetano and continues to complain about what he has done for the state. I would think that she should have better things to do than complain about his term in office.
She has four years to change things in Hawai'i — to make things better for those who live and work here. She has a strongly Democratic Legislature she will have to deal with. She will be put under a microscope, and everything she does will be examined very thoroughly. She has a lot to accomplish and little time to do it all.
What will happen is that in four years, when she isn't able to keep all her promises, people will complain about her just as she is complaining now. They will let her know that after four years, a Republican cannot handle running the state and a Democrat will be elected to replace her. She will have had her chance, and all her talk will not get the job done.
Lingle can complain and talk change. Can Lingle make change? In four years, we will see.
File Keliiaa
Wai'anae
Now I think I'll stick around for four years
The house was going up for sale, the movers had been picked. I was not going to spend another four years living under the yoke of the Democratic Party in Hawai'i. I have been doing that since I got here in 1962.
I was looking forward to that house in Montana ... but now I think I'll stick around for four years, just to see how this state can be turned around and brought into the 21st century.
My, my, even the air smells sweeter.
Deane Gonzalez
Hawai'i Kai
Akiba should resign her Democratic post
For the good of the state Democratic Party, I call on its chairwoman, Lorraine Akiba, to resign.
After the election debacle in the governor's race, she has lost both her credibility and effectiveness.
If Walter Heen, her predecessor, was made to "fall on his sword" after the 2000 election, how can Akiba remain after this election's decisive outcome?
Lee Black
Add dedicated rail to Lingle's idea
I think the new governor's idea of adding a tolled second deck to our existing freeways is a great idea, but let's go one step better and add a dedicated rail system, too.
The rail system would make most of the stops at major off-ramps, and people would know where the transit system would make its runs.
When people see rapid transit trains whiz by while they and their cars are stuck in traffic, it will sell itself as the best means of getting around the island.
Dick Yamagami
GOP had opposed Lingle's new ideas
It's extremely disturbing to find that the "New Beginning" is filled with old ideas. Worse, these are ideas that were proposed by Democrats and strongly opposed by Republicans.
To set the record straight, the idea for a double-deck freeway was proposed during two legislative sessions, 1994 and 1996, with a small discussion during the 1995 session. Of course, this was easy prey for the Republicans because, in a veiled appeal to the environmental vote, they claimed this "would ruin Hawai'i's environment and natural vistas."
Furthermore, the idea to toll drivers using the freeway was proposed in the past and received immediate criticism from the Republicans in office; these types of tolls and fees were always condemned by Republicans as "just another tax."
It is disheartening for the same media that provided negative coverage of these issues and ideas in the past to now support them to justify their endorsement of Linda Lingle. And, it is even more disappointing to find that after all of Linda Lingle's promises of "change," her first plans end up being regenerated ideas — ideas that she and the Republican Party opposed vociferously.
The public should have asked for details of her plans for change before electing her; instead, they were caught up in a flashy marketing campaign that was designed to buy votes and take the heat off the real issues at hand.
I wish Governor-elect Lingle a lot of luck because paying for her promises is going to take more than a marketing blitz.
B.K. Frank
Evan Dobelle showed incredible obtuseness
UH President Evan Dobelle has exhibited incredible obtuseness by having publicly endorsed Mazie Hirono for governor. " 'Tis better to remain silent and thereby risk being regarded a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt!"
Dobelle knew full well that UHPA endorsed Linda Lingle. He should have just shut up. Why create discord?
Dobelle should be doing everything possible so all his constituents feel they're all paddling the same canoe. The UH Board of Regents should put him on "probation" or administrative leave for incredible obtuseness.
If the BOR approved Dobelle's decision to endorse Hirono, the BOR should put itself on probation. If the BOR didn't know beforehand that Dobelle was going to endorse Hirono, our university has a major internal communications problem.
Where does the buck stop?
Alan T. Matsuda
Lingle set the bar low with Soo endorsement
As a former federal government employee, my eyebrows went up when UH President Dobelle declared his support for Mazie Hirono. But no more so than when Fire Department spokesman Richard Soo declared his support for Linda Lingle.
I suspect that by most standards, the latter represents the greater transgression of the injunction laid on public employees to maintain some distance from the political process.
Lingle won the election. Wouldn't it have been a more auspicious "New Beginning" for her not to focus on an incident that evokes memories of her own involvement in setting the bar low in Hawai'i on this issue and thus raises questions about her judgment?
Patricia Kim
Gabbard took time to visit with voters
I am a resident of 'Ewa Beach and have seen a lot of politicians in my day. But I have never seen an elected official as motivated and enthusiastic as Mike Gabbard.
I was so impressed that he took the time out of his day to actually visit me at my house during his campaign — to introduce himself and talk story. You can tell that Gabbard actually cares about people, and I am sure that he will make an excellent City Council member.
David Sakata
'Ewa Beach
Shame on the ACLU
The ACLU's threat to sue in order to overturn the Election Day decision on constitutional amendments Nos. 2 and 3 is bizarre. When it doesn't get its way, it uses the courts to try to overturn Hawai'i's electoral process. Shame on the ACLU.
Bob Hampton
Complainers, non-voters should try harder
To the winners of the elections: Congratulations and best wishes.
To the candidates who didn't win: Thank you for your efforts; you deserve congratulations for being a big part of our democracy.
For those who criticize all the candidates and those who didn't vote — try better next time.
Mike Gerry
Kula, Maui
Appropriate message
Here's an idea for a bumper sticker now that the election is over: I Voted for Charles. Djou?
Mike Lynch
'Ewa Beach
Do the work at night
Can't the work along Kalaniana'ole Highway at Makapu'u be done at night? Granted, it would be more expensive, but think of the jobs and businesses in and around Waimanalo it would save.
Ted La Fore
