Nation's first lady turns psychoanalyst

The hidden talents of Hillary Clinton never cease to amaze me. First she became the president's lead proponent for a new national health plan. Fortunately, only the first couple and three people in South Creek, Ga., thought it was a good idea.

Now Hillary has become a self-taught psychiatrist. Her diagnosis as to the reasons for the president's sexual infidelities is astounding.

She has not spent a single day in medical school, yet says her husband's adventures outside his own bedroom weren't his fault.

The problem lies in his childhood, from trauma caused by "terrible" conflicts between his mother and grandmother, according to Hillary.

May I offer some of my own amateur psychoanalysis? Like so many others who cheat on their spouses, Bill was simply selfish, self-centered, egotistical and uncaring as to the deep hurt he would inflict -- if caught -- on his wife and daughter.

Mark Simunovich
Kailua

Auto insurance costs have been high too long

Regarding your Aug. 3 article on Hawaii's auto insurance companies making the highest profits in the nation: Only now are we going to demand lower auto insurance rates? Where has the insurance commissioner been these past 20 years? It is too late. We are already broke!

Yeah, go ahead, give us some lower rates. But you're a little late, pal.

Bob Folk
Kihei, Maui
Via the Internet

Consumers will pay for minimum wage hike

How magnaminous of Governor Cayetano to push for an increase of the state's minimum wage (already the highest in the nation) out of concern for the 3,000 families expected off welfare in December 2001.

Who will pay for this wage increase? The ordinary, hard-working people of Hawaii, of course.

Every time you buy a hamburger, have your grass cut or buy a bento at 7-Eleven, the consumer will be charged for the pay increase that Cayetano envisions.

Instead of increasing the minimum wage for the 12,500 workers it will affect, the governor should raise the level at which the income tax kicks in from the current $10,500.

Why doesn't he remove the tax on food, medicine and rent that the state gets a cut on?

Why not? Because if the minimum wage goes up, the take on state taxes goes up.

Is this how Cayetano intends to increase revenues for the state's ever-hungry coffers? It would seem so.

Laura Millman

Quotables "They are able, dedicated and experienced leaders. I feel fortunate to have their advice and support as we move forward in the Aloha State." Texas Gov. George W. Bush REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE After state Rep. Barbara Marumoto was appointed to head his campaign in Hawaii, along with Howard K.O. Chong Jr. as state finance chairman, and former U.S. Sen. HIram L. Fong and former Rep. Patricia Saiki as state honorary co-chairpersons "The Bishop Estate is the classic study of excessive compensation." Paul Streckfus EDITOR OF EO TAX JOURNAL, A MARYLAND-BASED NEWSLETTER COVERING NATIONAL TAX ISSUES On the commisions paid to each of the five former Bishop Estate trustees, exceeding $1 million a year, which the IRS said should have been limited to less than $160,000 annually

Women should be allowed to pack guns

Diane Chang's July 30 column laments that men need to help women be and feel safer.

Crimes against women women would drop to zero if they were allowed to carry small, easily concealed guns. A firearm is the most effective tool a small woman has against a larger, stronger male intent on doing her harm.

Honolulu Police Chief Lee Donahue should issue concealed weapons permits. The mere fact that women were arming themselves and the chief was issuing carrying permits would probably result in an immediate and noticeable drop in crimes against women.

Ask yourself how many females would be alive today if they had wielded a "Saturday night special" instead of pepper spray.

Debbie Okamura

Hillary for senator; Bill could be speaker

If Hillary goes to the Senate, where does Bill Clinton go?

No matter how much one may dislike the president, his job performance has been undeniably outstanding, and possibly the best of any chief executive since FDR.

He has served the nation much better than has the House. And the House may well change majority in the next election.

I would like to see Bill Clinton become speaker of the House, the second most important position in the government. It would be good for Hawaii, where the president has dined at Buzz's Steak House and at the Outrigger Canoe Club.

E. Alvey Wright
Kailua

Cayetano would be fired in private sector

So Governor Cayetano is predicting declining state revenues for the next few years and a large state deficit four years from now (Star-Bulletin, July 29, "State layoffs and cuts possible").

After five years in office, and with a Legislature controlled by his own party, is this the best he can offer?

If he were the CEO of a large corporation and gave such a gloomy forecast, he'd be fired.

One of the things that a leader does is use his smarts, or hire or consult others who have smarts, to turn bad situations around. Cayetano hasn't done this.

He and the Legislature enacted tax cuts which our state couldn't afford on the assumption that it would cause a growth in economic activity.

That expectation, accepted as gospel only a few months ago, doesn't seem to square with the gloomy predictions the governor now offers.

Joseph O'Brien

Patient should decide extent of treatment

Doctors complain that HMOs don't care about the patient when they will not pay for stays in the hospital for a specific medical condition beyond a certain period of time.

HMOs say that they do care about the patient by controlling costs that prevent drastic increases in medical insurance premiums.

Steve Forbes has the best idea of all: Let the patient decide by establishing medical savings accounts controlled by the patient. At least then the patient could decide whether to seek treatment or have a Big Mac Attack.

John Pechauer

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