Anti-terror nonsense must be stopped
Who makes all these regulations to prevent terrorism? Now they are suggesting that everyone should take a lie detector to board a plane. I thought taking off my shoes for inspection was going too far. Next I wonder if they will ask you to take off your clothes!
Gone are the days when you had to go to the airport a half-hour ahead of time. Now it's two hours, and soon it will be four hours. Who knows, someday it might take a whole day!
We need someone who will make more sensible options and improve the situation instead of making it worse. President Bush should take a commercial flight, and then see what he says. Maybe he will make some excuse and say it's for the fight against terrorism. We need a better leader.
Francis K. Ibara
Kahului, Maui
Middle class won't mind supporting rich
Though Hurricane Katrina has distracted us with sentimental concern for the suffering evacuees, the nation can't afford to allow this unfortunate catastrophe to divert our attention from our really suffering citizens -- our 400 billionaires. Their welfare is President Bush's top priority. Accordingly, he wants to abolish the estate tax.
Estate taxes affect only 1.2 percent of U.S. estates, but this minority, some 30,000 in 2003, constitutes the most important members of U.S. society. The wealthiest heirs will never have to work. But some in the less wealthy categories, inheriting only $5 million or so, might conceivably be forced into the job market. Bush is working hard to avert this social calamity.
Let's all get behind abolition of the estate tax. It will only cost the U.S. Treasury $280 billion from 2011 to 2015. That piddling sum can easily be covered by a surtax on middle-class Americans. They'll be glad to sacrifice for the deserving rich.
C.W. Griffin
Honolulu
Officials' kids belong in public schools
How to solve all the Department of Education's problems: Pass one law requiring the children of every elected official and government appointee to place his or her own children in public schools. No exemptions. No excuses.
Suddenly, the public schools will rival Hawaii's private schools.
Dave Reed
Honolulu
Driving tests shouldn't be backed up so far
A friend of mine needs to take a road test for her driver's license here in Hawaii. The first appointment available is Feb. 6. Her alternative is to get in line at 9 p.m., wait all night and hope for a walk-in appointment the next day.
I called California and asked for the first available appointment in a city in Orange County. The answer: Dec. 7. Has our Department of Motor Vehicles considered looking into how other states make this required service workable for their citizens?
Sue Green
Kailua
National TV needs edgier programming
Matt Levi and I and everyone involved in "The Levi Report" thank the Star-Bulletin for its
Nov. 18 story. However, I am concerned about errors in the story. Edgy is not a nickname. Had I the opportunity to adopt one based on my personality quirks, perhaps I would have been Sneezy or Grumpy, but I have to thank my parents for gifting me with Edgy.
More important, I did not say "local TV news is all the same." What I do see as a common trait is a determined effort to cover the issues that matter to the community with ever-diminishing resources.
I did say that national television programming has become homogenized. "The Levi Report" is an anomaly for any station. KHON2 and Rick Blangiardi were willing to push beyond conventional limits with Hawaii Medical Services Association and Kau Inoa as title sponsors.
There is no shortage of interest among viewers for timely information about their community. Such programs might upset our view of Hawaii, but ignoring problems does not make them disappear.
Edgy Lee
Honolulu