I hope that Governor Cayetano is right in saying that President Clinton will sign the bill only because he knows that the ban on benefits to immigrants is illegal, and that he intends to rectify the situation after the election.

I applaud Governor Cayetano's proposed challenge to the constitutionality of this bill despite how unpopular such a position may be among mainland politicians. This law would put a million more children into poverty and leave the rest living in fear.

In challenging this misguided effort, Hawaii is again leading the way toward appreciating the strength of diversity and working toward a future that benefits all our children.

Let's hope the next election brings us a U.S. Congress that also will have that kind of courage, character and foresight.

Dell Salza
Kailua

After being seated, however, we were informed of a two-drink minimum. We were then charged $9 (before gratuity) for a cup of coffee and a soft drink. The parking charge turned out to be $3.

Granted, in the larger scheme of costs in Hawaii, these are relatively inconsequential items. But these travesties tend to add up and contribute to undermining the overall experience of coming to Hawaii.

These actions tend to discourage visitors from returning, or from encouraging others to visit. They make it less desirable for local citizens to support or even think kindly about our No. 1 economic engine - tourism.

We all need to rise up and indicate that this kind of behavior is bad business and will not be tolerated! If we want our visitor industry to prosper, we need to rout out such disingenuous and unfair practices.

Then we can all more fully enjoy the excitement and vitality of Waikiki.

Dick Morris

This is a paradox. Unfortunately, our truth falls more into the plantation mentality of yesteryear than into the empowering energy of a new millennium:

We need a communications school with strong departments in film, music multimedia and television production.

The least expensive and most effective way to bring preferred tourists to Hawaii shores is to export our culture to them over the airwaves. An island travelogue videotape broke all records on a recent QVC home shopping network.

We should have a weekly television show featuring our musical stars and comedy and dance troupes, and broadcast it from the new Hawaii Theatre to the mainland U.S., Canada and Japan.

Our recording industry is on the verge of either imploding from the lack of full-time work for musicians, or exploding into quantum profitability as the energy of their music expands around the globe. Again, we have the talent and capital to detonate the explosion.

Entertainment is the number one export industry of the United States. Only when Hawaii's bankers and politicians realize the profitability of supporting creativity will we be released from the yoke that has crippled this state since the overthrow.

Brad Smith
Waialua

So far there has been no proof to support any allegations about President Clinton, just a lot of mud-slinging. He has conducted himself as president in the most dignified manner about all this.

Whatever he was supposed to have done in Arkansas as governor does not compare with his actions as our nation's leader. Hillary forgave him long ago, and she is the one who counts here.

Elisabeth I. Kim
Mililani