Hawaii needs Akaka to fill powerful seats
In November, when Democrats take control of the Congress and end the one-party rule by the GOP, Sen. Daniel K. Akaka is in line to become chairman of some of the most important committees in the U. S. Senate.
If he is not there, they will be filled by someone who might not have our best interests at heart.
We should not give up that opportunity to put that power into the hands of a strong man of great character and patriotism, a man who puts us ahead of allegiance to a president of questionable character and integrity.
Vote for Sen. Daniel K. Akaka.
Carmen Uilani Haugen
Honolulu
Case stood up to power of estate trustees
I've just read "Broken Trust," the story of the exposure of the greed and mismanagement by the Bishop Estate trustees in office in 1997. I learned that in 1994, three years before the exposure of this abuse of our state's and our nation's largest charitable trust, Ed Case, then a state representative, proposed legislation to limit trustee compensation and secure legal standing for Kamehameha alumni so they could hold trustees accountable.
He persuaded 31 of the 51 members of the House to co-sign the bill, a definite majority. But politics reared its sometimes ugly head, and the power held by the trustees and their friends in high places picked off every single one of the 31 co-signers, who eventually dropped out. But Ed did not back down; he stood alone and, of course, the legislation died.
A man of courage, principle and integrity, Ed has my vote.
Harold Kozuma
Hilo, Hawaii
Case should avoid attacking Akaka
Having been involved in Democratic politics in Hawaii in both elected and appointed positions beginning more than 40 years ago, I find it impossible to remain silent regarding this year's Democratic primary campaign for the U.S. Senate and the personal attacks therein of Ed Case directed toward Sen. Dan Akaka, who for 30 years has been an integral part of probably the most cohesive and effective congressional delegation of any state. This is the same person who, shortly after being elected to the U.S. Congress, stated publicly that there was no member of Congress more qualified than him to be there!
This is the same person who upon becoming part of the Hawaii congressional delegation attacked the Jones Act theretofore unanimously supported by that delegation as being important to the economic well being of Hawaii.
Last, to publicly suggest to the people of Hawaii that Akaka is one of the worst senators when Case is ranked overall, by the respected nonpartisan Congress.org, behind all but 28 of the 438 members of the U.S. House raises a real question as to Case's honesty.
John Goemans
Kamuela, Hawaii
Case has better record on the environment
Do you know which of the following candidates for the U.S. Senate said, "The energy conference report is not perfect, but it's a good bill"? The wise and all-knowing Sen. Dan Akaka. Although he is portrayed as one who stands up for the "values of the Democratic Party" and stands up to the president, Akaka did not stand up to the president or the Republican majority when he voted for the energy bill last year.
This bill was a giveaway to the big oil companies. The new law includes $14.6 billion in tax breaks for the energy industry over the next decade. The law also requires the federal government to conduct an inventory of coastal oil and gas resources, which is the first step to opening up more offshore territory to drilling.
Also, on no fewer than six occasions, Akaka voted against the party majority to open up Alaska to the oil companies.
My vote is going to Case because he has consistently supported environmental protection.
Mike Federspiel
Kealakekua, Hawaii
Voting for Akaka may help save lives
Since Ed Case is so convinced that youth will surely always trump age, then it should trouble him none to "wait his turn" for another time, while the majority of us use this very important election to save the lives of our young men and women by stopping the war and returning them home now.
The question we should all ask ourselves is: "Should more of our brave, young patriotic men and women continue to die because people of another country are unable or unwilling to resolve their personal and ethnic differences?"
Let Dan Akaka, who voted "no" on the Iraq war, finish the job! Return Akaka to Congress now!
Teddi Medina
Pearl City
Aila would be honest, thoughtful governor
I strongly support William Aila Jr.'s candidacy for governor. William possesses the qualities we need to get Hawaii back on track to be the Hawaii it should be. William is a man of the people, one of us. He wants what we want, and he is as passionate about it as we are. He is a hands-on leader who works well with others to find solutions to our most pressing problems. One of his prime interests is solving the issue of affordable housing as the key to all aspects of affordable living in Hawaii, a rapidly escalating problem for our people.
I admire William's thoughtful and creative intelligence, his quick grasp of issues, his receptivity and openness, his ability to bring people together, his willingness to act on his beliefs and his strength of character. Most of all, I am impressed by his honesty and integrity because these are qualities that I learned to value deeply as a child.
Sheenagh Burns
Honolulu
Lingle, GOP should not take sides in primary
I find it disturbing that Governor Lingle is encouraging Republicans to vote for Jerry Coffee for U.S. Senate in the primary election when he has already dropped out of the race (
Star-Bulletin, Sept. 7). For her to publicly declare that she wants her party to be able to choose a new candidate to run against whoever wins the Akaka-Case campaign is inappropriate in her role as governor. To deliberately promote a candidate who is no longer in the race smacks of a desperate attempt to gain a Senate seat through underhanded means.
Laika Coelho
Pearl City
Hawaiian groups hold astronomy hostage
Native Hawaiian groups have an opportunity to be leaders in scientific astronomy, but instead are taking an obstructionist stance. Worse yet, they are willing to give up being obstructionist if the astronomy community pays 20 percent of the installation cost of the new solar scope to Hawaiian groups.
This is extortion under the guise of "traditional and religious" practices, which were abandoned 150 years ago in that location. These groups appear to have gotten interested in their "traditional rights" on Mauna Kea only when someone else needed to use the site.
The Hawaiian agenda might move ahead more smoothly if they were seen as being proactive as opposed to just greedy with suspect motives. Saying that the money would be used for Hawaiian education and other "good works" is an empty excuse for kidnapping an important scientific endeavor and holding it for ransom.
Bill Martin
Kurtistown, Hawaii
Philippines leader should back reporters
Freedom of the press is meaningless if reporters must worry about being shot for writing about issues unpopular with wealthy politicians. But the lives of journalists remain at risk in the Philippines.
While President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visits Oahu to honor the memory of early Filipino immigrants, one hopes that she realizes that Filipinos and others are concerned about the murders of investigative journalists in the Philippines.
When will Macapagal-Arroyo exercise the leadership to bring this shameful trend to an end?
Vincent K. Pollard
Honolulu
Jailing killers does not prevent future attacks
I was deeply saddened by the facial expressions of the three men accused of the fatal beating in Waianae as they were being arraigned in court (
Star-Bulletin, Sept. 13).
Angry and confrontational even as they are being charged and sentenced, I am reminded of a different time and place, when instead, those photos would be of Hawaiian men (whom they will soon join). One man appears even a bit quizzical, as though asking what the judge would have done in that situation.
I want to apologize to the family of the dead man, on behalf of the Polynesian population in Hawaii.
I am also reminded of the deep cultural chasms that continue to separate the Polynesian cultures from the American culture in which we, as Polynesians, struggle to live.
I cannot bring Mr. Haudenshild back. Nor can I pinpoint the twists and turns that brought the three men to where they are today.
Nobody wins in a situation like this. While incarcerating these men will ensure they don't kill anyone else in the outside world, it brings with it the need for more prison space. Humanity will still suffer the blows of violence by others who come to take their place.
So tell me, who wins? Or is it simply that the scales of justice are level once again, minus four and counting?
Shawn Ah Sing-Bombard
Honolulu