Editor’s note: In honor of Election Day, we’ve doubled the amount of space allotted for “Your Views.” In addition, all of today’s letters are about the election.
Building better keiki
Recently, I saw a campaign ad for re-electing our current mayor, Billy Kenoi. The comment that caught my attention was: “Every parent’s wish is to leave a better island for our kids.”
While I am writing neither to endorse the mayor’s re-election or his opponent, I must say that it is far more important that we give our Hawaii Island the kind of kids it deserves.
Wouldn’t it be nice to know that our kids will malama this island better than the adults have up to this point? Our island, Moku O Keawe, deserves future generations that will respect and honor it.
Manu Josiah
Hilo
A good proposal
Contrary to the Tribune-Herald’s recent recommendation, voters should consider voting “Yes” on constitutional amendment Question No. 1, which authorizes the state to issue special purpose revenue bonds for dams and reservoirs.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources supports this amendment, as do I. If passed, this helps the state to ensure that dams and reservoirs throughout the state are properly cared for, structurally sound and well-maintained.
Most important, the private owners of the dams and reservoirs are the ones who apply for the program and who pay the debt service on the bonds. The state and the taxpayers do not pay to support the bond sale for this purpose.
The state Constitution currently allows only limited kinds of facilities to be funded through the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds, such as hospitals, private schools and low to moderate government housing. This amendment would add dams and reservoirs to that category.
We can’t afford to let our dams and reservoirs deteriorate from lack of proper maintenance.
Not only do our farmers and agriculture industry benefit from a good water system, but most will recall that there was a serious accident and loss of life due to a dam breach on private property on Kauai in 2006.
It’s critical that we help private owners and work together to fix and maintain our dams and reservoirs. It’s important that people vote “Yes” on Question No. 1.
State Rep. Clift Tsuji
Hilo
Skewed priorities?
Your federal government has spent millions of dollars to send a machine 352 million miles to Mars to collect and analyze rocks and dirt.
Meanwhile, here in our country, an untold number of seniors cannot afford drugs they need; hundreds of our bridges and highways need serious repair; people in every major city (and many small ones) are living in cardboard boxes; we’re leaving an unimaginable amount of debt to our children and grandchildren (and probably great-grandchildren); gasoline is over $4 a gallon; our standard of living is either stagnant or falling; our educational system is approaching Third World status; people are dying every day on organ transplant waiting lists, etc.
Our politicians (and the national media) are trying to convince us that things are looking up. Is it possible, my fellow voters, that we’ve been sending the wrong people to the U.S. Congress?
Don Weeks
Pahoa
Honor them
One of the many results of our young men and woman who join the military is to protect our freedom. One freedom we take for granted is our right to vote. I know it is too late for many, but I hear from many registered voters who choose not to vote because they don’t like the candidates, or if it’s just inconvenient.
By not voting, you are desecrating the memories and sacrifice those soldiers made, especially those who died protecting your rights. By voting, you are thanking our veterans for their service and honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
They gave their lives. All YOU have to do is participate in the election process.
Voting doesn’t seem like a sacrifice when you think of all the men and woman who died protecting your right to vote.
Raymond Romeaux
Keaau
Not too old
This is in response to Mike Middlesworth’s letter on Nov. 1 regarding Harry Kim’s age.
Mike, shame on you! Many politicians in this country, including our senators from Hawaii, are well into their 80s and still serving this country.
We are very fortunate to have them share and utilize their expertise and knowledge for the benefit of all, rather than just “going out to pasture.”
Age is an individual judgement, and if Harry feels he is up to the job, let him go for it. I’m only a few years behind him, and I intend to have the same attitude when I arrive at that age as I did 20 years ago.
James Lehner
Pahoa
Age is an asset
A letter writer brought up Harry Kim’s age, as if it was a strike against him.
Let me remind everyone that some of our greatest political leaders are older than 70 (Sens. Dan Akaka and Dan Inouye).
Those of us who have been around a while know that age and experience are an asset, not a liability, when it comes to politics.
A. Yamamoto
Hilo
A game of angles
Dear (columnist Dana) Milbank: No one has mentioned the camera angle from which the first of the recent presidential debates was taken.
The commentaries thereafter saw an Obama who devoted most of his attention to the audience and the moderator.
That the camera angle was biasing the audience’s impression hit us strongly. We returned after about a month of visiting family in Denver and in Durango, Colo. We were impressed that almost all of our TV fare — hotel and family homes — bore hours of negative news, commentaries and innuendos damning Obama and extolling the virtues of Mitt Romney.
Camera-angle imposes a subtle bias under such circumstances. Camera crews are aware of such tricky business and of the biases of their employers.
Marlin Spike Werner
Hilo
Women’s issues
Vernon King, in response to a letter written by Charlotte Phillips, wrote about why he thinks the country should support Republican Mitt Romney (Tribune-Herald, Your Views).
To counter Ms. Phillips’ assertion that President Obama is more supportive of women’s issues, particularly that over the right to equal pay, he addresses the subject of women’s health issues.
In his letter, King asserts, “although women’s health is a very important subject, it is not the real issue facing women.”
First, Mr. King, I do not need you to tell me what issues are real or important to me. Health is important to me (and the women I know) because having adequate health care and access to birth control allows us to work.
In other words, the only way we can get out into the work force is if we have the support of proper health care behind us.
I know I am not going to change your mind. I already know where you stand. In the end, it is a choice of ethics and personal convictions. Do you think it is all right to discriminate against certain Americans and deny them health care or civil rights?
If you agree with this or can overlook these key stances held by Mitt Romney, go ahead and vote for him.
Sherri Fujita
Hilo
