HEALTHY START

SAD DAY FOR PROGRAM THAT AFFECTS FAMILIES

As the previous director of an agency that administers Healthy Start, the recent news of Gov. Lingle's decision to completely de-fund Hawai'i's Healthy Start program, a statewide effort aimed at preventing child abuse and neglect, brought back many memories. One memory is especially timely and noteworthy.

When her husband was a candidate for president, Sen. Hillary Clinton, now nominee for secretary of state, visited with a group of Healthy Start mothers. As she comfortably sat with the mothers, she asked them, "What has made a difference in your lives?"

One of the mothers responded by telling Hillary that she had one child before she received Healthy Start services with her second child.

She had known that babies needed to be fed and cleaned, but that she had no idea that infants needed to be talked to, played with, held, read to, or basically stimulated — all things essential to healthy growth and cognitive development. Her first baby had simply lain in the crib most of the day and night.

It is often so difficult to appreciate the value of prevention programs, particularly those for our most vulnerable citizens who cannot speak up for themselves. What a sad day for the many families receiving Healthy Start services.

HO'OPILI

NEW NEIGHBORHOOD A MODEL FOR DEVELOPMENT

New neighborhoods have sprung up all over Leeward O'ahu. Seemingly, with no planning — no connectivity, one way in and out, no parking, no schools, no open spaces, no concern for traffic. Ho'opili will be developed over a number of years. It provides for multiple ways in and out, pedestrian traffic, neighborhood shopping, a combination of high-end and affordable housing and much more. It is leading the way in Hawai'i by being the first development to take advantage of our coming rail system.

It's enticing to want to leave things "as they are" and stop development. There is a part of me that also laments the continuous growth. But I have come to recognize that tendency as selfish. What of our children? Where are they to live, work and play? Should we just buy them one-way tickets to the Mainland? Must they live three or four generations to a household?

Through the Kapolei Foundation scholarship program, we have had the opportunity to work with many Leeward students — great kids who, given the chance, will do our state proud. Let's keep them at home. Let's provide places for them to live, work and play. Let's create opportunities for them. Let's work with our developers instead of fighting them. Let's open our eyes and see Ho'opili for what it truly is, a model for future development.

ECONOMY

CONSERVATIVES SHOULD BE ONES TO APOLOGIZE

David Arakaki's (Jan. 15) letter stunned me. He claims that Obama should apologize because Democrats are responsible for the current economic meltdown. I was stunned because I vividly remember the day our economic nightmare began. A conservative Republican senator, Phil Gramm of Texas, had successfully driven through Congress a bill deregulating the banking industry. And, in one of the biggest mistakes ever made by an American president, Clinton signed it into law.

Before the ink was dry, we began to see mortgage vehicles never before seen; no money down, 125 percent of appraisal, deferred interest, deferred principle, and a dizzying array of variable interest rate mortgages. Yes, Mr. Arakaki, Republican Sen. Phil Gramm gave birth to the housing bubble.

There is no need for Mr. Obama to apologize for something done by the man who likely would have been McCain's Treasury secretary should McCain have won.

It's the conservative mantra of "deregulation" that did us in. The apology should come from conservatives everywhere.

HEALTHCARE

HELP SUPPORT PASSAGE OF UNIVERSAL CARE

Your editorial (Jan. 11) has a great quote — "healthcare is among the most essential of government services." I agree totally. My concern is your implied reference to healthcare as synonymous with physician (medical) care. To reference the uninsured, reimbursement increase, access to care in rural areas, and tort reform is to equate medical care (physicians/hospital) with healthcare. Health Care for All Hawaii has been working for years on providing universal healthcare to all in Hawai'i. A.Q. McElrath was the founder of the organization and several legislators are support members.

To see what a "government" plan for all residents of Hawai'i would look like, go to www.healthcareforallhawaii.org. A bill to establish universal care will be introduced in the House and the Senate this legislative session. We encourage everyone to support the bill, testify at the hearings, and become a member of the organization.

LEGISLATURE

REDUNDANCY A THEME IN OUR GOVERNMENT

In her self-serving Jan. 15 op-ed piece, Sen. Hanabusa writes, not once, but twice that we need "true facts." Are those opposed to "false facts," senator? All facts are true, otherwise they are not facts.

This redundancy is symbolic of the redundancy of our bicameral Legislature meeting annually. Had outside union money not defeated the ConCon, we could have a unicameral government like Nebraska and meet every other year like Texas and Oregon. Just think of how much less mischief would be caused.

But there are no "free gifts" at our Legislature; We always get the opposite, the kind you have to pay for.