I would ask of Pam Lee Smith of 'Ewa Beach (Letters, July 7), as well as Gov. Lingle and all the rest of those who feel that funding for the arts is a nonessential luxury — what is the purpose of education?

When our public schools are churning out students who cannot read or write decently, cannot do math without a calculator, do not know basic history or understand the fundamentals of science (ever watch "The Tonight Show's" "Jaywalking"?), what then exactly is the goal of sending children to public school — free baby-sitting?

If the arts are to be considered a mere frill, what will the creative outlet of the students become? We already know that answer, if we have eyes: graffiti, doodling, vandalism.

It seems clearer than ever that the goal of the GOP is in dividing our country into two Americas — one privileged, the other burdened. Here's a dark thought: How will the upper class ultimately manage the barbarians they seem to want to create? Think about that for a while. Sadly, it seems fewer students every year have even heard of George Orwell.

The coming presidential election will determine how many American voters can continue to be fooled by this administration's so-called "family values" and "compassionate conservatism" lines.

'A Grateful American' made veteran's day

When I returned to my car in Kaimuki after lunch Wednesday, I found a beautiful card with a flag of the United States on my car.

The card read: "Aloha! I saw your veteran license plate and want to thank you for service and commitment to our great country. Thanks to fine people like you, we can enjoy our freedom. May you and your family be blessed with great health and happiness. (Signed) A Grateful American"

I cannot fully express my sincere appreciation to this wonderful, thoughtful person for taking the time to make my day. I wish I could thank him in person to let him know how much this means to me.

My wish is that every veteran, and all our current service members serving our great country, will also learn firsthand the wonderful feeling of being appreciated. I know I will not miss any opportunity to say thank you to them when they come home.

I am also "A Grateful American" and Vietnam veteran and proud to have had the opportunity to serve.

Don't blame Doolittle for bombing Tokyo

So Leonard Pitts Jr. is disappointed that America sinned during World War II when Jimmy Doolittle and his crew bombed Tokyo and killed a bunch of civilians.

Has Lenny ever taken history in school? I'd like to enlighten his memory for a nanosecond to see if he can recall a date, such as Dec. 7, 1941. If my memory serves me correctly, the Japanese pilots raised "holy hell" on an island by the name of O'ahu, which started the war in the Pacific.

Oh yes, Jimmy Doolittle and crew only spent "30 seconds over Tokyo" — a lot less time than the Japanese bombers and fighters spent on O'ahu.

Hawai'i has a link to 'Fahrenheit 9/11'

I hope everyone goes to see Michael Moore's movie "Fahrenheit 9/11." Those who doubt its veracity are welcomed by Moore to investigate; he affirms he has checked all his facts.

But in Hawai'i, there is a critical subtext in the film for us to pay attention to. Several frightening minutes focus on a powerful multinational corporation, the Carlyle Group. Please be aware (and beware!) that this corporation is the owner-to-be of Verizon Hawaii — unless the FCC or the Hawai'i PUC blocks the sale. Community opposition can influence these decisions.

Lili'uokalani should be honored on $50 bill

The Federal Reserve recently redesigned the $50 bill, but it still features a three-quarters profile of Ulysses S. Grant. I suggest a real improvement on this design: the portrait of Queen Lili'uokalani.

The last queen of Hawai'i should be honored on U.S. currency for many reasons. She was deposed as queen by the U.S. government (she was ordered to resign/abdicate) and she was put under house arrest, which was in violation of the standards of international law. Lili'uokalani always believed that the United States would realize its injustice and one day restore her to the throne, which was legally hers.

The $50 bill could represent our 50th state.

Ala Wai, golf courses need private operators

The sad state of affairs at our ailing Ala Wai Harbor and public golf courses has the same root cause: They are run by "public workers" who have little accountability and no motivation to compete.

The U.S. Park Service has profitably leased public golf courses for decades on the real estate it controls around Washington, D.C. It's brought great upgrades to previously derelict public facilities (sound familiar?) while not costing the public money. Heck, they make money on those courses. When was the last time the Ala Wai Harbor contributed to our state's bottom line?

An acceptable, finite lease to private operators could solve the wasteful embarrassments at Ala Wai and Makalena without costing all of Hawai'i taxpayers' money. Why does the public pay for things that can pay for themselves if the government just gets out of businesses that it has no need to be in? Roads and public safety are important, necessary public duties, but the caddyshack and dockmaster are not.

Those omnipresent signs are here again

The season of the political signs is upon us in all of its glory. Posted signs, posted banners, sign-waving — love them, hate them, I don't really care; whatever your attitude, they are here to stay for a while.

We will have the signs with us until at least into September and the primary election; we will then get some relief as some of them come down, but the rest will be with us until the general election in November.

This brings us to the battle of the signs. Some will disappear because they are placed on forbidden ground (public easements, traffic signs, utility poles, etc.) and the city maintenance workers will do their job and remove them. Others will disappear off private property; this is not done by the candidates or their election committees but by overzealous supporters who think they are doing a good deed.

In reality, they are causing their candidate a huge headache. Please don't touch any sign if it is not on your property. Candidates all deserve to be heard and seen, and we should be voting for them on their merits, not on whose sign comes up missing, especially if we did not see who removed the sign.

Who knows, maybe it was those mischievous menehune playing their tricks again. Just be sure to vote.

Sharon McCarthy | Hau'ula

No need to worry about inflation yet

At the end of the Tuesday editorial "Inflation: crying wolf or too late already?" the term "fiscal policy" is inappropriately used.

There is only one type of policy at the Fed's disposal, and it is monetary policy. Fiscal policy is our government's manipulation of taxation and government spending. Monetary policy is what Alan Greenspan and the Fed use to affect economic prosperity and inflation by manipulating the money supply.

What kind of job is Greenspan doing? Did he allow inflation to build up for too long? No one is sure, but what is undeniable is the burgeoning current account deficit (the amount we owe other countries as a result of buying more of their products than they buy of ours).

If Greenspan continues to inflate our money supply, it will devalue the dollar. Foreign countries will buy more of our goods, and we will buy fewer of their goods. This will increase aggregate demand and will decrease the current account deficit. Because American services will also be cheaper to foreign countries with a weak dollar, outsourcing issues will become less severe as American labor becomes more competitive. American standards will increase.

When the current account is zero, I will start worrying about too much inflation.