The interference by a meddling federal judge, David Ezra, into our state matters -- with no federal question being involved -- is unprecedented in our nation's history. Ezra's Con Con ruling
benefits right wingIf Ezra is successful in forcing Hawaii to hold a constitutional convention, make no mistake about it: The Con Con will be anti-women, anti-union, anti-environment, anti-Hawaiian, anti-liberal, anti-student, anti-immigrant, anti-gay, anti-Democrat, anti-minority and anti-public servant.
The Con Con is viewed by the "hard right" as a tool to mold our state's Constitution into a new one of their own image and liking, complete with all the exclusionary and hateful rhetoric and ideas they have been espousing.
Martin Rice
First Vice Chairman
Democratic Party of Hawaii
Kapaa, Kauai
Neil Abercrombie has done it again. Recently, Abercrombie supported legislation to build a tunnel under the present Sand Island bridge. The cost: more than $250 million (to start with). Sand Island tunnel
is Abercrombie boondoggleThe beneficiaries of this project are three big shippers: Matson, Sealand and Chevron. There will be no reduced costs in shipping for the average consumer.
The big three shippers will see some small reduced costs in their expenses in not having to turn their ships around in order to head back out of sea. But the big beneficiary will be Abercrombie, as he heads into the 1998 elections.
Garry Smith
Ewa Beach
Why do people insist on labeling Hawaii's business climate as anti-business? Painting such a one-sided portrait is unfair and self-defeating. Hawaii doesn't deserve
anti-business rapWhere else but in Hawaii do businesspeople find the friendliest property tax in the nation? Hawaii's low rates allow business people to save millions on business properties and homes. Low property taxes have even created and maintained Hawaii's powerful land monopolies.
Even more pro-business is the mayor's proposal to replace this somewhat equitable tax with a (higher) sales tax that would shift the burden from the rich and the business community to the tourist and lower-income taxpayers, who will have a greater part of their income subject to the sales tax.
No state could match Hawaii's speed and helpfulness when Continental Airlines needed a new maintenance facility. And remember, it was government, not business, that combated Disney, not Florida, for the Pro Bowl.
And where else does the Legislature cater to trial lawyers and insurance companies rather than meet the public's need for low-cost car insurance?
By painting the economic climate a biased black, business succeeds only in scaring investors and slowing its recovery from the hard times faced by all segments of Hawaii's community.
Richard Y. Will
William Burlingame Sr., a retired military officer, complained in a July 10 letter that few of his neighbors in Mililani flew the American flag on the Fourth of July. He concluded that "only 3 percent or less of the residents in Mililani Mauka give a damn about the importance of celebrating the birth of their country." Flying the flag
isn't a sign of patriotismWhat an outrageous idea! I have two comments:
Hawaii, being the 50th state, has less history/heritage regarding the Fourth of July than perhaps on the East Coast, where indeed you see more flags flying and fireworks demonstrations than in states such as California or Arizona. But does this mean that "younger" states have less patriotism?
Kate McIntyre
Same-sex archive
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