What shenanigans! If there are still "tons" of work to be done, why are many legislative staffers reporting that the session has been the most relaxed in recent history?
Let's face it, Souki is conniving to extend this legislative session in order to sneak through another attempt at passing a constitutional amendment to ban same-gender marriage. He wants to extend the session, at taxpayers'expense, during a year when residents have been forced to tighten their belts and services have been cut to the breaking point.
Souki's job should be focused on reviving our state's economy and protecting its resources. This is the exact type of deception that is at the heart of public mistrust of politicians.
Pat Lafleur
Sure, Harris scored high on the Star-Bulletin's popularity poll. But Harris doesn't have to make many hard decisions, like Ben Cayetano does every day. And being mayor is not as hard as being governor.
When Harris does have to make a choice, he wants it both ways. He orders firefighters to search for lost hikers weeks after they are missing. Then, when something goes wrong and the helicopter crashes, Harris blames hikers for having been in the mountains in the first place.
George Bush and Pat Saiki both had huge approval ratings in the polls long before the elections. Where are they today?
Ben Cayetano has never lost an election - not when he first ran for the House from a district where party pros said he didn't stand a chance, not when he ran for lieutenant governor against the party's "establishment" candidate, not when he started way behind in the polls in the race for governor.
Why? Because Cayetano tells it like it is, even when voters don't want to hear it. He makes hard decisions on what's right for all the people, not what will get him re-elected next time around.
In the end, voters choose the candidate they trust to do the tough job, not necessarily the one who's ahead in the polls.
James A. Tamura
Merrie Monarch has many facets, one of which is to provide exciting entertainment for observers. But more importantly, Merrie Monarch serves as a catalyst for all to remember, preserve and cherish the Hawaiian culture. I doubt Lum Ho created his dances with that in mind.
Lum Ho's creativity isn't demeaning, it's just that Merrie Monarch isn't the place for it. If the judges had rewarded him, eventually there'd be people swinging from the roof in a bird "dance" or blinking lights on headdresses representing the eyes of Pele.
Whenever there were dramatic movements or bright costumes, the crowd roared. Yet during traditional dance, with finely tuned dancers in perfect precision, the crowd was quiet. It seems people need to educate themselves on what makes good hula.
Maybe another night should be added for "progressive" dance or another festival could be created with more liberal rules - but leave the kahiko and auana alone.
Richard Powell
Some of the writers continue to disseminate misinformation by claiming that children raised by gay or lesbian parents turn out abnormal. The perpetuation of these falsehoods by these writers are then used to deny gay and lesbian couples equal rights. There have been many studies done on children raised by gay/lesbian families that show they mature to be some of the most well adjusted people in the world (for example, Steve Forbes).
The fact is these families exist and they need the legal protection of the basic human right of marriage. Inheritance rights, custody issues, insurance issues, Social Security benefits, etc., cannot be addressed without legally recognizing these families.
L.D. van Broekhuizen