Letters to the Editor
Some investors would be free of all taxes
A Jan. 10 Advertiser editorial correctly points out that the "Bush tax cuts boost the rich — and deficit." The boost is greatest for the richest whose income is entirely from stock dividends. They would be totally exempt from taxation.
Under the Bush plan, such people would not only be free of federal taxes but also might not pay any taxes on their estates. If current estate taxes are abolished, their heirs would gain untaxed billions of dollars.
The Bush tax plan greatly benefits the very, very rich. All of the rest of us will have bigger national deficits.
Jerome G. Manis
Concentration of wealth threatens a plutocracy
Kevin Phillips reports in "Wealth and Democracy" that the richest 30 families and individuals in 1982 possessed wealth (as defined by assets minus liabilities) ranging from $500 million to $8 billion. This same group of 30 in 1999 had total wealth ranging from $7 billion to $85 billion.
The Census Bureau omits these folks. They say it would be a violation of privacy to report them, as the Super Rich would be so easy to locate.
How many people do you know who experienced an over tenfold increase in wealth in that same 17-year period?
This same group of 30 now owns 46 percent of all U.S. wealth, making this the Second Gilded Age — the first time in over 100 years that wealth has been so concentrated. If President Bush has his way, he'll hand over another $1 trillion in tax cuts to these people.
As the saying goes, "A rising tide sinks many boats."
Our democracy is indeed in crisis. Let us not become a plutocracy — a nation under the rule of money rather than people.
Derek Bishop
Na'alehu, Hawai'i
School drug testing isn't the best answer
The Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawai'i applauds Sen. Robert Bunda's passion in proposing school drug testing as a means to combat substance abuse among our youth. However, the cure may be worse than the disease.
Putting the responsibility on the schools for drug testing will further burden teachers and administrators already struggling with our children's academic achievement and personal development.
Further, the cost of drug testing may deflect monies better spent on after-school programs with proven drug-prevention results.
And random drug testing raises constitutional issues that will be challenged for a long time.
A cost-effective strategy is parents and other family members who take the time to find out what their kids are doing and with whom. We can do a better job of supporting our families.
Let's be anti-drug and not anti-kid.
Alan Shinn
Those against war with Iraq must speak out
The Advertiser is to be complimented for publishing the incisive article by Keith Haugen in the Jan. 5 Island Voices, "Peace on Earth? Go tell that to the president."
I fervently wish that our president, and those directing his thinking, would ask themselves the questions Mr. Haugen poses before rushing headlong on the disastrous path they seem determined to follow.
True, the United States is a wonderful country and all of us who are its citizens are blessed to be living here. But loving this country does not require that we follow our leaders obediently and without question. By definition, being an American means that we can and should speak out when our leaders are, in our opinion, leading us into disaster.
Those of us who are strongly opposed to a pre-emptive war against Iraq must make our voices heard — and hope that someone listens.
Sylvia Baldwin
Kailua
Anti-war protesters were clearly in control
I believe the results of Saturday's demonstration were misinterpreted. What I find important is that in Washington, 36 people demonstrated in support of this president.
Even if you use the low figures for the demonstration, they were obviously overshadowed by the anti-war people, who were clearly in control.
When I was in Washington during the October protest, I came across some supporters of the president. They were pathetic standing in an ocean of people who were just saying no to this president.
Erick Peter Ehrhorn
Shouldn't women be included in new draft?
In his Jan. 12 commentary, "The Rising East," Richard Halloran, former New York Times correspondent, addressing the specter of war, states that "advocates of the draft contend that young men should be compelled to serve." His treatment of the draft question omits all mention of an important segment of draft-age youth.
Responding to the influence of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Service and other advocates, the armed services have — since the ending of the draft three decades ago — opened up an astonishing number of careers in combat arms and related areas that can put service women in harm's way alongside their male comrades. Such a development raises an obvious question: If the draft is ever reinstated, shouldn't it include young women as well?
Also of interest is Halloran's observation that 16 million of the pampered "Cry Baby Boom elite" successfully escaped the draft when the call to arms came to their generation. What a rebuke to their parents, the heroic "greatest" generation that brought them into this world after winning two come-from-behind victories (the European Theater of Operations and the Pacific) in World War II.
Imagine a generation of quiet, courageous heroes juxtaposed against a cohort of pampered, preachy, pretentious ingrates. Winners and whiners — what a contrast.
Thomas E. Stuart
Kapa'au, Big Island
Overuse of fireworks must be addressed
On Dec. 31, I was in my home in a quiet residential area of O'ahu with all my windows and doors shut tight and locked. Still, by 10 that evening, I started coughing and had difficulty breathing from all the heavy smoke seeping in.
On 364 days of the year, I am protected by laws against noise pollution and smoke pollution, but not on the last day of the year. One of your readers has called me a selfish fuddy-duddy, and yes, I am a selfish fuddy-duddy for wanting to be able to breathe while he has "fun."
On behalf of myself and thousands of others on this island who are worse off than I am, I would like to object to the overuse of fireworks on New Year's Eve while the others just suffer in silence.
E. Shaffer
Kapolei
Some general advice for council members
As a City Council candidate in the general election, I spent a year studying the issues and talking to thousands of people. Here are some conclusions that may help the new council members and their constituencies:
- The budget is the most important issue, but it is the 2005 and 2007 budgets, not the 2003 budget, that are important. Both the mayor and the council have ideas, and working together can get a balanced budget this year. It is the infrastructure, the debt service and the economy that must be addressed for 2005, 2006 and 2007.
- BRT should not be stopped and should not be approved as it is now. Grabbing federal transit dollars is not the issue. The issue is transportation. Everyone needs to get where they want to go. A billion dollars to get from Kapolei to Waikiki doesn't help us going from Makiki to Kalihi to Iwilei or the zoo.
Listen to the people, not the planners, and use a broad and imaginative approach.
- The most difficult issue before the council is leasehold conversion. There is a compromise that can satisfy both sides, but it will take a lot of work. Do the work and don't let the courts solve it.
- Ethics is an issue. It was supposed to be critical in the last election, but did not seem to make a difference. I sense what has changed is that the citizens are much less willing to forgive mistakes by their government officials. It was four strikes and you're out, but it's now two strikes and you're out.
Doing the right thing will cost you votes; do the right thing anyway.
John Steelquist
Proposed DOE cuts aren't acceptable
After reading the story about the DOE cuts, I am outraged as a parent. Is it really necessary to take away from the already poorly funded schools?
My children don't even have a playground, and now their A-Plus might be cut. I would like to know where my children are going to go and who's going to pay for it. I, for one, can't afford to pay a whole bunch of money for after-school care.
The schools need all the money they can get. Find other ways to trim the budget, but leave the schools alone.
Susan Flater
Lottery is preferable to tax hike, program cut
This past week we have heard a lot of talk about raising the gas tax to bringing back to life the rapid transit system. You know, I voted this time for change and I hope we get it, but I think I might have a solution to most of the problems for the budget committees that have to try and figure out where the state and counties alike will get their funds this time around.
Here's a word that might work: lottery. That's right, lottery. Of the 50 states, there are 31, count them 31, that have lotteries. What's up? Get with the times, Hawai'i.
I am tired of hearing we might have to raise taxes or cut out programs. Hello, it's right in front of us. Let's do it.
David Ho
Beware the poisonous bufo toad
This is a heartfelt, public thank-you to the Hawaiian Humane Society for its excellent Animal Companions article on Jan. 12 concerning protecting our pets from the poisonous bufo (cane) toad. The information provided in the article may well prevent other dog owners from going through the horrific experience our family went through last November.
One of our two adult Jack Russells killed a bufo toad on our lighted patio hours after dark, following a day of heavy rain. When we called the dogs inside, one did not come in, and we found her lying on the lawn having seizures. Upon seeing the dead toad, we rushed her to our vet, Dr. Rod Pearson of Family Veterinary Clinic, who, along with his staff, performed miracles to save her.
We were lucky. First, we had zero information about the toads other than a warning from a friend upon moving into our neighborhood some 16 months earlier to "watch out for poisonous frogs." We were unaware of the ideal conditions for bufos to show up in our yard. We now know that even though we have a fenced yard, a bufo the size of a softball can squeeze through the smallest openings.
Second, we did not know that there are first-aid procedures that we should have performed immediately after our pet bit the toad.
Third, our veterinarian's office was open late into the evening.
Once we knew our Gilley would survive, we shared everything we had learned with the 100-plus families in our neighborhood. Still, there are too many dog owners (newcomers to Hawai'i, especially) who are unaware of bufo toads. We suggest that the pit-stop all pet owners must make upon entering the state (a.k.a. quarantine) disseminate information, as well as all veterinarians who receive new clientele.
We have two comments on the otherwise thorough Humane Society article. One, take precautions even if you have not seen bufos in your yard. We had never before seen one, and it only took one to nearly end our precious dog's life.
Two, take the time today to investigate all the veterinarians near you to make note not only of their business hours, but to get exact directions to their locations. We had no time to go through the yellow pages or to wait for a vet on-call. In fact, we did not even call our vet until we were in the car and on the way, arriving about 15 minutes from the time she had been poisoned, nearly too late.
Laurie Ferrell & Family
Makalapa Housing, Pearl Harbor
