LEGISLATIVE RACE

'EWA NEEDS SENATOR WHO WILL TACKLE ISSUES

Mike Leidemann's story about the traffic in 'Ewa (Sept. 4) barely touched upon the problem.

Since 1990, when I saw the master development plan for our area, I've been pushing for more roads, parks and schools. There are still several old cane roads in our district. We need to designate them as roadways now, or developers will build on them.

In August, I attended the 'Ewa Neighborhood Board's candidate forum. There were six candidates there. When asked what the main priority is for the district, we all said it was traffic.

When it was my turn, I looked at the rest of the candidates and asked where they have been the last decade? I was especially looking at Sen. Will Espero, who has been in office for the past seven years. He has not come up with an original plan to ease traffic congestion.

I worked for Rep. Rida Cabanilla the past legislative session as her legislative analyst. Rida put in a request for CIP funds to do the studies on the cane roads. We need a senator who will do the same.

SENATE RACE

ANOTHER AKAKA TERM RISKS HAWAI'I'S FUTURE

Your endorsement gave Sen. Dan Akaka the nod over Rep. Ed Case in terms of benefiting Hawai'i, yet was silent about Time Magazine calling him ineffectual.

You acknowledged Akaka's absences mentally, but you trumped that by citing pork barrel politics.

I agree with pork politics, but disagree Akaka can get it. Pork comes when a senator has significant seniority, plus an all-star staff and that's not obvious here (a top-top-drawer staff feeds off a senator's power and Akaka rates below-average).

Your endorsement of Akaka cited his being a champion of Hawaiian values, yet was silent in citing evidence. I remember Akaka in 1997 endorsing the humongous salary levels of Peters, Lindsey, Wong, Jarvis, the old KSBE trustees.

I'm Hawaiian, and supported Case's 1995 bill to limit the fees (and power) of the old KSBE trustees. You can question his politics, but not his integrity. Or compassion.

Another Akaka term risks mortgaging our future for the present. Plus it denies a good guy a good chance to do good.

HAWAI'I SHOULD KEEP SENIORITY, INFLUENCE

Isn't it too late to be considering Sen. Dan Akaka's age? This had to be a consideration when he first ran for the Senate, since we knew he was close in age with Sen. Daniel K. Inouye.

I guess the malihini who weren't around when we first voted the senator into office aren't aware of his prior contributions. There's a bunch of literature on his accomplishments.

Granted, it'll take a lot of reading and they have been incremental, but isn't that what happens in politics "as the wheels of government grind exceedingly slow."

The kama'aina have been privileged in noting these contributions for more than 30 years.

I say keep the seniority and influence, and face the consequences when we come to that bridge.

We may be fortunate enough to elect a 30-40-year-old rookie at that time, and she/he can rebuild the seniority for that era.

CASE IS RIGHT MAN AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR D.C.

I have been reading most letters to the editor in support of Sen. Dan Akaka.

While Rep. Ed Case may not be perfect, he is the right man at the right time, which is now. While I agree Senator Akaka is a very nice man, he is to old for the job.

His PBS debate showing was disappointing at best, and demonstrated his ability to think on his feet is nonexistent.

Senator Akaka voted to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which has a reserve of six to seven months only. Corporate average fuel economy standards increased by just a few miles per gallon would eliminate the need to drill there.

It is time for new ideas.

For your own sake, vote for Representative Case.

AKAKA ACCOMPLISHED MUCH AS CONGRESSMAN

Is Rep. Ed Case a better choice than Sen. Dan Akaka to be our U.S. senator?

Akaka used to have Case's current job as U.S. representative for the 2nd District. While serving as a U.S. representative, Akaka was instrumental in commercializing NASA to make it financially stable. He also guaranteed the $20,000 redress payments to the families of the wrongly interned Japanese-Americans through the Japanese American Civil Rights Act.

He obtained funding to complete H-3. Akaka did not abandon his elected post to run for the Senate. Akaka was appointed to the Senate in 1990 to temporarily serve in place of the late Sen. Spark Matsunaga. In the last 16 years, Akaka has been re-elected three times to the Senate by the voters of Hawai'i.

We know what Akaka accomplished while he was in Case's shoes. Has Case done anything comparable to these accomplishments? He is insulting our intelligence by asking us to believe that his barely having four years of experience in Washington makes him a better choice.

CASE'S SUPPORT FOR WAR TURNS AWAY THIS VOTER

Sen. Dan Akaka's appeal is his warmth and heart. Rep. Ed Case is attractive to educated voters who feel more comfortable with his grasp of fact and ability to communicate.

But Case's continued support for the foolish Iraq war will turn away voters like myself. It is astounding that our "leaders" don't understand international bullying creates more enemies and compounds the terrorist threat.

GOVERNOR'S RACE

AILA HAS QUALITIES TO GET ISLES BACK ON TRACK

I would like to express my strong support for William Aila Jr.'s candidacy for governor of Hawai'i.

I firmly believe that William possesses the qualities we need to get Hawai'i back on track to be the Hawai'i it should be.

William is a man of the people, one of us. He wants what we want and he is as passionate about it as we are.

He is a hands-on leader who works well with others to find solutions to our most pressing problems. One of his prime interests is solving the issue of affordable housing.

I admire William's thoughtful and creative intelligence, his quick grasp of issues, his receptivity and openness, his ability to bring people together, his willingness to act on his beliefs, and his strength of character. Most of all, I am impressed by his honesty and integrity.

William is not your usual politician, but he has been active in the community for a number of years and is a quick learner, with a lot of good ideas.

He would make a very good governor, if not a great one.

LINGLE WRONG TO PUSH FOR VOTES FOR COFFEE

I find it very disturbing that Gov. Linda Lingle is encouraging Republicans to vote for Jerry Coffee for U.S. Senate in the primary election when he has already dropped out of the race.

For her to declare that she wants her party to choose a new candidate to run against whoever wins the Akaka-Case campaign is inappropriate.

Neither the governor, nor the Republican Party should be choosing sides in a contested primary, particularly if they are pushing a candidate who is no longer running.

LINGLE CAMPAIGN FUNDS COLLECTED OVER 4 YEARS

What is the problem with the amount of contributions Gov. Linda Lingle has collected for her re-election campaign? What is wrong with how she is spending those contributions to further her campaign? David Shapiro raised those questions in his Honolulu Advertiser blog.

It costs money to run a credible campaign. Candidates who want to run a first-rate campaign do not start raising money a few months before an election. The majority of the governor's campaign contributions have been collected over the past four years.

To be attentive to the concerns of the entire state, Governor Lingle has invested in grassroots operations throughout Hawai'i. She opened five campaign headquarters on Neighbor Islands.

To the casual reader of the Shapiro blog, it would appear that an inordinate amount of money has recently been collected, is on hand and now being spent. That is not the case, it has taken over four years to collect the money and the $3 million expenditure he questions has been spent over the same four-year period.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BOE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR FAILURE

The Hawai'i public school system is a failure. The Board of Education — as well as the Legislature and successive governors — have failed their constituents, students, parents and taxpayers.

How can your paper in good conscience recommend candidates for the BOE who presided over this disaster?

Public education in Hawai'i needs nothing short of a revolution. And it must start by not re-electing past or current members who bear much responsibility for the sorry state of public education in Hawai'i today.

Please don't patronize us by ignoring this fact.

2ND DISTRICT

READERS WEIGH IN ON THE BEST CHOICE FOR CONGRESS

HOOSER UNDERSTANDS NEIGHBOR ISLAND ISSUES

Finally, Dave Shapiro has asked the question: "Does living in the 2nd Congressional District matter?" It sure does!

Yes, Patsy Mink served us bravely and well despite not living in the district. Yes, Ed Case moved into the district after getting elected. But now we have the incredible opportunity to elect someone who isn't just moving here to be geographically correct. We have someone who has been our neighbor; who has been caught in traffic, not as an occasional visitor, but as a resident; someone who has helped improve education, helped Hawaiian parents get their children to immersion programs; advocated for the homeless; fought for better healthcare; struggled with what we struggle with as small-business owners and is passionately against the war.

Gary Hooser has been our voice for eight years. He should be our voice in Congress.

MENOR HAS SHOWN HE PROTECTS CONSUMERS

We need someone in Congress who will stand up for consumers and take on the oil companies.

In the race for the Congressional 2nd District, there's only one candidate who has demonstrated the courage to do so.

Ron Menor has shown he will do what it takes to protect consumers from the gouging practices used by big oil companies.

Even though the gas price cap was controversial and it was an election year, he stood up to the oil companies' lobbying and public relations campaigns. He didn't cave in to their pressure tactics.

Now, we can see he was right, and the gas price cap saved Hawai'i's consumers millions of dollars. We need Ron Menor's integrity, commitment and experience in our nation's capital. He deserves our vote.