WIRETAP BILL

AMERICANS OPPOSE RETROACTIVE IMMUNITY

George W. Bush says that the FISA law is an outdated relic that hasn't been changed since it was first passed in the late 1970s. This is not true — the FISA act has been updated no fewer than five times since Sept. 11, 2001. Congress has agreed to pass a new improved version of the FISA act, but it does not include immunity for the telecoms, so President Bush vowed to veto the measure.

George W. Bush says that if the telecom companies are not granted retroactive immunity, our government will have no way of compelling the telecom companies to provide evidence for future investigations.

This is also not true — the whole purpose for issuing warrants under FISA is to legally compel private individuals and private industries, including the telecom companies, to cooperate with government investigations.

George W. Bush says that no laws have been broken by his administration or the telecom companies. If this is true, there is no need for a grant of immunity. You don't need immunity if you haven't broken the law.

An overwhelming majority of the American public opposes granting retroactive immunity to the telecom companies. Isn't it time for the Congress to catch up with their constituents and get back to representing the will of the people?

MAINTENANCE

DOT NEEDS TO ADDRESS WEEDS, DEBRIS ON H-1

Does anyone driving to and from East O'ahu notice the weeds and debris along the H-1 medial strips? Does anyone else notice the waist-high weeds along the side of the freeway — uncut for months?

Does anyone else see the tree roots and branches protruding from the rock retaining walls on the side of the freeway that are destroying the integrity of those walls?

Does anyone from the Department of Transportation ever drive this part of the freeway and notice it? I am sure the tourists do.

'IOLANI GRAD

PROUD OF BASKETBALL PLAYER DERRICK LOW

I just want to write that I as a parent am extremely proud of Derrick Low and his accomplishments.

I have followed him from his high school basketball days at 'Iolani, and was never prouder of him than when I saw him walking a picket line with his father when our transit system was on strike.

It's a testament to his father, who has raised a great young man.

It gave me chicken skin when I saw Ken Low pump his fist in the air during Derrick's senior game.

Thank goodness for people like Clyde and Sandy Hirata, who were also there for Derrick and the Low family. It's the Hawai'i way.

I look forward to following Derrick's career should he decide to pursue basketball. Here in Hawai'i he is most definitely our pride and joy.

TRAFFIC

ABUSE OF HOV LANE RAMPANT ON FREEWAY

There I was sitting in town-bound H-1 traffic on a recent Tuesday morning with thousands of my closest friends and wondering why the state maintains a diamond lane.

With nothing better to do, I started counting the cars with only one person in them that were traversing the so-called HOV lane. Out of 20 cars, 18 had only one driver (unless these 18 cars all had babies sitting in the backseat).

While the majority of drivers stay out of the HOV lane if they don't have two or more riders, the ones who violate the rules probably know it's rare that they will be pulled over and ticketed.

Let's face it, HPD doesn't have the manpower to constantly monitor H-1.

My suggestion is to either start enforcing the lane and use those $200 fines to improve the roadways or stop wasting state dollars on maintaining the signs and painting the diamonds on the roadway.

Just open up the lane to all traffic. Until HPD can enforce the lanes consistently and the threat of getting a large fine becomes a reality, the abuse will continue.

EGG-THROWING INCIDENT

JERVIS DID WHAT MANY HAVE WANTED TO DO

I can't say that Gerard Jervis did the right thing, but he sure acted out what many people felt and wanted to do.

Even though many would not go to that extreme, he did everyone a favor by bringing attention to serious problems within our community and the never-ending frustrations we all feel about neighborhood punks.

The same goes for loud motorcycle mufflers and guys trying to set off car alarms every time they drive past your home.

I hope the court system handles Mr. Jervis in the most fair manner possible, taking all things into consideration.

But what I'm most interested in is how we administer a punishment to fit the crime of the perpetrators. At the very least, I would expect community service, requiring them to clean and repair the messes they've made, provide financial compensation and perhaps the embarrassment of standing on the side of the road wearing a chicken suit and a sign identifying their crime.

ELECTION

LET SUPERDELEGATES VOTE THEIR CONSCIENCE

In February, an old friend and I argued Obama vs. Clinton over bowls of pho. I suggested if he compared the two on paper, subtracting Barack Obama's charisma and oratorical skills, that he couldn't claim Obama had better qualifications. My brilliant friend was silent.

Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island resisted Obama's momentum. Did voters develop buyer's remorse? Did SNL's parodies of the media's fawning over Obama promote some unprecedented scrutiny?

The press and pundits have repeatedly counted Hillary Clinton out. Some seem apoplectic, demanding she quit the race ASAP.

Yet, Clinton is a fighter. She's intelligent, articulate, compassionate and personable. As first lady she didn't bake cookies —she fought for healthcare reform. She traveled to more than 80 countries, working with international leaders. Later, she received high praise as a senator.

Obama's camp wants Clinton to surrender. Ironically, Obama is compared to JFK, yet it was the superdelegates who gave the nomination to JFK at the 1960 convention.

The fact is that neither of these gifted candidates can win without the superdelegates. Let the voters vote across the land, and the superdelegates vote their conscience.

As Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean remarked, whatever happens during the primary season is patty-cake compared to the general election.

CAMPUS VIOLENCE

WE OWE IT TO OURSELVES TO FIX PUBLIC SCHOOLS

As a huge proponent of public schools, I am the first to admit that Hawai'i's are broken.

Your article on violence in our public schools was disturbing. This level of violence would not be allowed in any business setting. It probably would not be tolerated in prison. And yet, we subject our children to this on a daily basis. Shame on us!

Almost 40 percent of middle-school children report being physically threatened in the past month. No wonder 7 percent skip school in fear. A direct result of problems in public middle schools can be seen in Hawai'i's high ninth-grade dropout rate.

Private school is an option for some, but not all families can afford this. And parents should not be forced to choose between spending thousands in tuition or giving their child a poor education, in an unsafe environment.

If we do not educate all our keiki, we run the risk of having to subsidize them, in terms of welfare, unemployment, underemployment, drug rehabilitation and eventually prison. The greatest threat to our society is the adult result of uneducated and undereducated children.

I know many in the Department of Education, and I have tutored public school children. I know that teachers want to teach and that students want to learn. We owe it to ourselves to fix the system.

Ending violence in schools is just a beginning. We need to fully fund charter schools, deflate the bloated Board of Education, support local governance of the school system and make those in charge accountable.

EDUCATION

MATH NOT CORRECT IN LETTER ON DOE BUDGET

Department of Education fiscal officer James Brese demonstrates the challenges faced by the public school system.

I may be just a teacher, but I always taught my students to check their math work carefully.

In his March 10 letter to the editor Mr. Brese stated that the total DOE budget was $2.4 billion. He goes on to state that "the bulk of the budget, representing 72 percent or $1.5 billion, is spent by schools."

When I do the math, and check my work, I find that $1.5 billion is 62.5 percent of the budget. If he'd like to provide us with the missing 9.5 percent from his calculation, I'm sure that the classrooms of Hawai'i public schools would appreciate the balance of $228 million.That is nearly $1 million per public school.

Please take that out of administrative salaries until they show competence by passing the HSA and a thorough fiscal audit.

ELECTIONS

CAMPAIGN FUNDING REFORM SHOULD GET TRY

The Legislature has a great opportunity to reform the campaign contribution system and remove the influence of moneyed interests who can bankroll the candidates of their choice.

HB 661 would create a comprehensive system of public funding for candidates who show grassroots support by gathering large numbers of small contributions.

This is a tested concept, tried and proven in several other states.

Let's give this important reform a try so that a candidate's message is more important than the money behind it.