Higher energy costs
Hold on to your wallets. Results of the elections: Our U.S. Senate has now become more liberal, with the new senator. Our representatives are now as liberal as it gets.
During their campaign, none of these candidates mentioned cutting spending. Spending increases cause either greater debt or higher taxes.
During their campaigns, the candidates referred to weaning us from foreign oil. They, however, stated that they will not pursue local oil, natural gas or U.S. coal as an inexpensive source of energy that is not dependent on foreign sources. They mentioned alternative energy, which costs at least four times as much as the above mentioned sources. That means higher energy costs. Just what we need.
Bob Dukat
Pahoa
The scenic eyesore
A recent stop at the Wainaku scenic point was an embarrassment to this island. I couldn’t enjoy the 15 minutes spent there to have a little snack with my family. There were five carloads of tourists there upon our arrival, all trying to enjoy the beautiful scenery between the tall grass and trees.
An elderly man wasn’t able to take pictures because of the ugly unkempt grass that was blocking the view of the blue ocean and Hilo coastline, so he struggled to climb the stonewall with the help of his elderly female companion. He took pictures, then handed the camera to the woman so he could get off the wall. I cringed with fright that he might fall and injure himself.
Fortunately, he got down unharmed. Then four more cars of tourists arrived, and they quickly got out of their cars and climbed onto the stonewall to enjoy the view and take pictures. Is that the purpose of the stonewall? Who is responsible for maintenance of the area? Isn’t the scenic point there for people to enjoy the beautiful scenic view without overgrown grass and trees obstructing the view?
I felt embarrassed as a local person sitting there watching the island visitors putting themselves at risk for injury, just to enjoy our wonderful island. Hawaii is lucky to attract visitors to come here to enjoy our natural beauty. We want visitors to continue to come, so let’s give them a positive experience so they return.
Veronica Kitayama
Pepeekeo
Legalize it?
Should Hawaii legalize pot? Colorado and Washington State both just did. Massachusetts and Montana are also going that way.
How much tax revenue will they receive? Hundreds of millions of dollars. How much would legalizing pot save U.S. taxpayers? Around $10 billion wasted every year on trying to stop something that many American’s are going to do no matter what.
I do not smoke pot; I do not drink alcohol. But if I were to judge which is worse, then I would say that alcohol is far worse than pakalolo.
Drunk drivers, people getting into fights and husbands and fathers abusing wives and children. Smoking pot seems to mellow people out.
Alcohol is man-made, but pot is a natural plant, so God made pot, but God did not make alcohol.
How much tax revenue would Hawaii get as a result of legalizing marijuana? We would have revenue surpluses that would never end.
We could give Hawaii’s children the same five-day school week that every other industrialized country has, so that they would benefit from a full education instead of what they are currently getting stuck with.
We could use the revenue for infrastructure. We could create jobs. We could fix many of our current problems — just by legalizing what people are always going to do anyway. And maybe that would help cut down on harsher drugs, because people could get pot cheaply and easily instead of getting easier to find “ice” or crack.
Think about it objectively.
Dennis Chaquette
Keaau
Step aside, Kenoi
In drag racing, adjustments are often made to record runs in order to reflect the advantage of lower elevation. Air is denser at sea level, and comparing a record run at sea level to one made at higher elevation is considered unfair. So an adjustment is made to allow for the advantage of a run made in denser sea-level air.
I’d suggest that a similar adjustment should be made for our recent mayoral election. There is no question that, entirely aside from the issues, money and marketing buys votes. Billy spent 10 times as much as Harry, yet won only by a 1 percent squeaker. I’d suggest that, when adjusted for this vast difference in the density of campaign spending, Harry has easily won this election.
I’m hoping that Billy Kenoi will do what is only fair here and step aside. He didn’t really win when the playing field is appropriately leveled. Short of this magnanimous gesture, Billy should at the very least now openly and publicly accept Harry’s wise counsel. It is the obvious will of the people.
Robert Keith Lee
Hilo
