Letters to the Editor

How much tourism can communities take?

Regarding your June 3 article "State views sustainable tourism": I think it is time we as residents of Hawai'i look at the tourist industry too and ask, how much tourism can our communities handle?

The fact that a panel recommends that counties legalize and regulate vacation rentals and bed-and-breakfasts shows that it doesn't care about the impact on our community but cares about promotion of more tourism into places that used to be for families raising children. I applaud Sen. Fred HemmingsÊfor looking at this issue and asking, how much tourism is too much?

When was the last time you went to Hanauma Bay? Have you tried to paddle out to the Mokulua islands lately? These are just a couple of Hawai'i's resources that are becoming unavailable to the local people due to the overcrowding from tourist use.

We have something so special here in Hawai'i, and it is wonderful that we can share it with the world, but we really aren't sharing it because it is not sharing if you don't get a turn, too.

No Child Left Behind is indeed workable

The federal No Child Left Behind law is designed to create a framework for educational reform, but Hawai'i chooses its own course ("Federal 'No Child' law cannot fit all cases" editorial, May 25).

Every state in the nation has the flexibility to determine the skills students should learn in each grade level and to design the assessments that determine if students have acquired grade-level skills. This does not mean all students must learn at the same level. Rather, the law is intended to provide information to its citizens about whether students are receiving a grade-level education, or if they need more help.

To support our efforts, the federal Department of Education has provided increased flexibility along with accountability for results.

Criticisms that the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is an "unfunded mandate" can be laid to rest. The General Accounting Office, the independent, investigative arm of Congress, as well as several other organizations that do not lobby the federal government for increased spending on education, recently confirmed that the law is workable.

In a recent report, the GAO found No Child Left Behind "did not meet the UMRA's (Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995) definition of a mandate because the requirements were a condition of federal financial assistance"; and "any costs incurred by state, local or tribal governments would result from complying."

No Child Left Behind is good for Hawai'i's students, but that doesn't mean it will be easy. Make no mistake and make no more excuses. This can be done.

Big trucks should have tire shields

Large trucks are dangerous on the freeway. On June 4, I was on the H-1 going west. There was a large cement truck in front of me, and it kicked up a rock and cracked my windshield. This has happened to me twice this year.

Trucks should have some kind of shields for their back tires that would block all the rocks that they send flying. Sooner or later, they will hurt someone.

What if I had my driver-side window down, and the rock flew at an odd angle and hit me in the face and I lost control of my car, causing a multiple-car accident?

Blame the Democrats for raiding the funds

Your historical and recent warnings about the employee retirement system funding would have more influence if you used correct terminology in placing blame on the parties whose actions resulted in those raids on the ERS funding.Ê

Your editorial identifies "lawmakers" as those who have raided the ERS. Well, to be precise, the Democratic lawmakers have raided the retirement fund.

Can you cite a single instance where a Republican or Green Party lawmaker made the difference in the vote to raid the ERS or, for that matter, any fund — e.g., the highway maintenance fund? Our Legislature is dominated by Democrats, and the recent session even included veto overrides when the Democratic lawmakers did not get their way.

When commenting on legislative happenings, you would do better for the voters if you pointed out the problem and identified those who created the problem. To do otherwise hides responsibility and works against an educated electorate.

By the way, your commentary and news on the recent HGEA wage increase (passed, over the veto of the governor) did not mention once the impact such a Democratic increase would have on future retirement benefits. If the retirement fund is currently underfunded, just imagine the underfunding after the full impact of the recent wage increase takes effect.

Is it too much to ask a newspaper to be thorough and consistent in its editorial and news reporting? Or is it possible that the editorial page writers simply go forward with their agenda and never read or analyze general news reports?

President-bashing is getting out of hand

Quick, somebody call a repairman! The Honolulu Advertiser is broken. It seems to be stuck on "spin" cycle, and it's making me nauseous.

I know, it's an election year and the paper wants to help a liberal Democrat regain power in Washington. But this daily merry-go-round of editorials and columns crafted for the sole purpose of bashing President Bush is off the reservation — even for The Advertiser.

For example, one day the UH's left-leaning Robert Perkinson likens our commander in chief to a "war criminal" (June 1). The next day The Advertiser's resident liberal columnist, David Shapiro, charges the president with "dishonesty and incompetence" (June 2).

What an utterly shameless display of partisan politics. And so weakly disguised as impartial news analysis, too. I bet Ted Kennedy would be proud to know The Advertiser is using a page from the "Character Assassination" chapter of the Democrat playbook.

It's definitely time to call in the "spin" cycle repairman. Perhaps he can install that new "fair and balanced" module. I hear it works quite well. As a matter of fact, a cable news network is putting it to good use, and they're now No. 1 in the cable news business.

We must be advocates for fighting soldiers

Thank you for printing the June 4 commentary by Andrew Exum, "For some soldiers, the war never ends."

As a survivor of combat in Vietnam, I recall "accidental" stop-loss incidents that may be of value to examine. A tour of duty at that time was either 12 months or, in the case of the Marine Corps, 13 months. The individual rotation date home was not only personal salvation but facilitated by administrative offices with great efficiency. Why? Because of the draft, new bodies were always replacing those of us who made it through a tour.

Of course, war is chaos and cannot be scheduled. There was no greater fear and tragedy than to be accidentally held over and killed after our designated rotation date back home. When such an event occurred, families and congressional representatives often initiated an investigation.

Who represents our young men and women in harm's way in this current catastrophe? Where are the advocates for common sense and acknowledgement of a job already well done? What will happen to the faith of these young people when they return to a country that did not care enough to intervene on their behalf?

We need an antidote to dangerous driving

Returning from a relaxed North Shore day, I experienced three cars hurtling toward us in excess of 100 mph, passing around all vehicles as if no accident could occur. Plus, one van and car moved in front of each other and slammed on brakes, over and over in a rage or game.

I'm afraid for my 16-year-old's safety when he gets his license this year. My auto insurance went up, and they tell me it's due to Hawai'i's accidents.

Please — what is really being done about our freeway speeding and racing? The "Click It or Ticket" campaign is good. May we get something to stop this horror on our highways?