Governor may not sign bill limiting pyramiding

Before anyone applauds the Legislature's cutting of the pyramiding of the excise tax, wait to see if the governor signs the bill.

The Democratic Party gets nothing accomplished by simply allowing the Legislature to blame the governor and vice versa.

The governor will likely find a reason not to sign the bill so the party won't have to actually think about cutting spending again.

Blame does not lie with the Legislature or the governor, but the party that controls these branches of government.

David Spee
Via the Internet

Trustees were railroaded by court

The railroad ruling to temporarily remove the Bishop Estate trustees on May 7 was evident before the doors of Probate Court Judge Kevin Chang opened.

The newspaper and media reporting of the outcome would have us believe, with repeated interviews of the same critics, the governor, attorney general, etc., that the temporary removal of Henry Peters and Dickie Wong proves that they are guilty of all allegations and accusations.

They have not had their day in court, but by the media's account it's over. The Department of Justice should be called to intervene.

Rhonda Roldan
Kailua
Via the Internet

It's too late to explain votes against Bronster

Saturday's mail brought a flier from "Friends of Bob Nakata" of the 23rd senatorial district. It contained a so-called explanation of his vote against reconfirmation of Margery Bronster as attorney general.

It also contained a schedule for future community meetings ostensibly designed to "continue and enhance the dialogue."

Is it possible that he and the 13 other no-vote nabobs do not recall the old story concerning the futility of locking the barn door after the horse has been stolen?

Ed White
Kaneohe
Via the Internet

Three, four, out the door

It's five down, 14 to go!

Henry Yee
Via the Internet

Lindsey should run for governor

This is a note to the newly founded Hawaii National Party. Should it wish to become an instant force in local politics, and put the fear of the gods into Hawaii's political establishment, it need only say three words: Lindsey For Governor.

Ikaika Valdez
Pearl City
Via the Internet

Bishop Estate could have helped Hawaii

It's embarrassing, isn't it? We have had very bad role models for Bishop Estate trustees. They wielded power through the stranglehold of land, passing it out like De Beers parcels out diamonds.

The good news is that the new trustees have a windfall of almost half a billion dollars that they can invest in education.

Can you imagine how different these islands would be if the princess' mandate had been fulfilled by her former trustees?

Rolf Nordahl
Via the Internet

Bishop Estate Archive

QUOTABLES "I learned a lot the first night, like wow! They taught us about our insides, how we were made to do this. It was neat." Echan Riveira PREGNANT 17-YEAR-OLD On what she learned in a perinatal support services program at the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center "We live among the farmers and taro leaves. Now coming home at night you see so many cars, so many lights. You can feel the change coming." Ben Young KAHALUU RESIDENT On the new face of the burgeoning area, home to a new 10-screen theater complex

Liberals must stand up to the firearms industry

As the puppet master of the NRA, the gun industry has a strangle hold on the Republican Party. The NRA's masterful ability to manipulate the minds of conservatives is astounding. The simple notion that all Americans have a right to bear arms, and the concocted notion that liberals want to strip those rights away have proven to be the perfect recipe to amass a huge membership of Republican-voting gun industry supporters and consumers.

Let's get real -- it doesn't take long listening to the NRA president, Charlton Heston, to conclude that NRA membership is composed of extremists. Extremists with guns.

It is too late to reason with the masses of NRA members who need guns to feel powerful, or who truly have a fear of being attacked so intensely they need guns to feel safe. What is necessary is a means to counteract the notion of attack and fear at the time the NRA plants it into the minds of their victims.

This is the only way to stop the NRA machine from continuing to infect our conservative youth. Liberals must end the NRA's powerful influence on children, politics and governing our country.

John Rivers
Via the Internet

It's no mystery why Hawaii is losing visitors

Regarding your May 11 story, "Survey: Hawaii losing favor as vacation spot."

Big mystery. We visited two weeks ago for a few days and paid $12 for a sandwich, $22 for a medium pizza and $12 for a couple of ice cream cones. There are outrageous fees and taxes for hotel and rental car. Plus Hawaii has an out-of-control socialist government and congressional delegation.

Finally, racist comments and homosexual behavior were displayed nearly everywhere.

We have no plans to return.

Dr. and Mrs. David Nahrstedt
Westlake Village, Calif.
Via the Internet

Kids must be scolded for misbehavior

On a recent morning I scolded some kids who started to light cigarettes on TheBus. They replied with some racial remarks and asked, "Who do you think you are?" They got off at the next stop. But what gets me mad is that no one on the bus said a thing.

Kids will be kids. They'll test the rules and see what they can get away with. When no one says anything, they think they're right. They need to be told where the lines are. They need to be told when they have crossed one.

Later, someone said I should watch out. Next time kids might have guns and shoot me. They said that I shouldn't get involved.

But we have to teach children right from wrong. They are all our children. If it takes me getting shot for someone to realize these kids have problems, so be it. Better me than a school full of kids.

Alan Kwan
Via the Internet

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Hawaii Revised Statutes

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