Democratic Party missed the point
The Democratic Party of Hawaii participated in an exchange of campaign contributions with a mainland candidate. When it was discovered, the Democrats stated they did not understand why there was "fuss" and "uproar." The party says it has since returned the contribution.
But the "fuss" and "uproar" occurred because such an exchange of campaign contributions is illegal. Returning the money does not change what happened.
The Federal Elections Commission should investigate the Democratic Party of Hawaii. Then we will have the answers to important questions: Was it the only time the party engaged in this activity? Or was it the only time it was discovered?
Anne Sabalaske
Honolulu
Bush might be OK on surveillance, after all
The Feb. 27 issue of National Review explains why the Bush administration decided to bypass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court in monitoring foreign communications with persons in the United States.
The Patriot Act was designed to break down the artificial wall former Attorney General Janet Reno had erected between intelligence investigators and criminal investigators, one of the practices that enabled the 9/11 terrorists to escape detection. However, the FISA court refused to accept Congress' revised standards and ordered the "wall" rebuilt.
The Justice Department took the case to the FISA Court of Review, and asked whether the judicial branch had the power to overrule Congress and tell the executive how to conduct investigations. In 2002, the court ruled that the executive branch had "inherent authority" to conduct warrantless surveillance and that the courts had trespassed on executive efforts to foil foreign agents. The Supreme Court refused a review.
In the words of the National Review article, "If the FISA Court of Review is right, (Bush) has the Constitution on his side."
Duane White
Honolulu
Correa not inspiring leader of HPD
I have a relative who just graduated from the Honolulu Police Academy. Months back, I was invited to attend Family Day activities to meet and greet the training staff at Ke Kula Makai. I was deeply impressed with the technology and training my nephew was about to receive. I found the staff to be courteous, respectful and knowledgeable.
That feeling ended when Honolulu Police Department Chief Boisse Correa began to speak. In one sentence, he stated that my nephew, along with the rest of the men in the class, would become jaded, cynical and that they would all end up cheating on their wives within five years! What a stupid thing to say! I have never heard such nonprofessional things said in my entire life. Is this the man we really want running our great police department?
It is high time the mayor gets involved and remove this chief from power. What are they waiting for? One 22-year Waikiki veteran told me that morale it is at an all-time low. Enough said. Remove the chief already.
Steven J. Sloan
Honolulu
Stop building where it lacks infrastructure
Why do we want to still build when we can't even repair our existing infrastructure or provide adequate housing for all our service personnel who cater to the tourists and the wealthy?
If we go on and build until we can't see anyone or anything any more, please ensure that "above and beyond" infrastructure is provided. Let's be responsible business people and citizens!
Elaine Hoffman
Honolulu
Plenty of buses went through transit center
In her
March 20 letter to the editor, Rosita Sipirok-Siregar asserts that she waited nearly three hours for a bus at the Kapolei Transit Center and that there was no bus supervisor available to monitor the flow of buses.
Oahu Transit Services Inc., operators of TheBus, had a supervisor stationed at the Kapolei Transit Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The supervisor was briefly there at 6:30 a.m., but left and returned at 9 a.m.
During the "crisis," all bus operators serving the Leeward Coast were informed of the Farrington Highway closure and were instructed to turn around in Nanakuli. Our records indicate that between 4:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., 11 eastbound Route C buses serviced the transit center every half hour.
We do not understand why Ms. Sipirok-Siregar waited for three hours because a Route C bus did not service the transit center. Nonetheless, we will be investigating this matter further.
James Burke
Chief, Public Transit Division
Department of Transportation Services
City and County of Honolulu
Lawmakers can still get votes next election
Members of the Legislature can seize an opportunity for greatness by killing the gas cap law in this session -- before it kills their political careers in November.
Dave Reed
Honolulu