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Bush Dynasty is bad news

The Bush family used the Republican Convention to inform the people that the Bush Dynasty was taking over the executive branch of government. The slogan "Don't mess with Texas" is George W.'s way of telling the American people, "You messed with the Bush Dynasty when you elected William Jefferson Clinton instead of re-electing my dad."

The agenda George W. laid out would have Congress enact legislation to guarantee that the Bush millions will be passed on from generation to generation by eliminating the "death tax." The tax means nothing to low and middle-income American families and certainly to the poor who inherit only the right to work for a living.

George W. also promised that he and the Republican-controlled Congress will wipe out the surplus by "giving it back to the people." Here again the bulk of the surplus (which is a paper surplus at this time) will be distributed according to the wealth of the taxpayer.

George W. also promised that he will revitalize the armed forces and make war on any nation he considers to be a threat.

He promised to protect Social Security, increase aid to education, provide more police protection and enforce the death penalty, and protect the right to keep and bear all the arms and armor-piercing bullets you can accumulate. He also promised to cut taxes so the billionaires and millionaires will not have to pay their fair share of the national tax burden.

George W. promises to bring honor, pride, integrity and Christian morality to Washington, D.C. May Almighty God save America from the Bush Dynasty vendetta.

Joseph A. Ryan

Gay community appreciates attention

It was ludicrous to eliminate the University of Hawaii rainbow as a logo because it was perceived as being connected with the organized gay rights movement.

Now this backroom bunch of testosterone stereotypers are going with the big "H," which could stand for Hawaiians, or Hugh, or for those of us who are not straight Hawaii residents.

Thanks, Yoshida and UH. You are putting us on the gay map once again.

William E. Woods

Constitution pledges equality for all

It's such a shame that religious people feel our Constitution is such a problem. The letter by Nick Kiefer ("Liberal judiciary is being forced on public," Aug. 4) is a prime example.

Our Constitution promises equality. Unfortunately, some people prefer that only people like themselves are treated equally. It may have been the will of the people to deny gay citizens of Hawaii equal marriage rights, but that is a direct conflict with what our forefathers intended when they wrote the Constitution.

I'm quite certain that if they had understood what we know about sexual orientation, they would have made sure that our Constitution protected us against discrimination from religious extremists.

It is ironic that religious folk came to this country to escape religious persecution, and have spent the last 225 years finding other people to persecute.

Ken Scott

Quotables "The best commercial he ever shot in his life was the one he did for us. He was relaxed, he had a nice smile, and he was wearing an aloha shirt. These commercials of his on the mainland, they are terrible." Gov. Ben Cayetano Comparing Vice President Al Gore's campaign commercials with a commercial Gore made for Cayetano's 1988 re-election campaign. "Somewhere along the line we are going to have to bite the bullet and pay for transit." Dennis Nakasato CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE Supporting rapid transit in Honolulu

Democrats' misdeeds have lasted 40 years

David Shapiro's touchingly naive July 29 column asked how long Hawaii's Democrats can continue to thrive in their twisted world where misdeeds go unpunished. Well, so far for about 40 years. Sen. Marshall Ige is the latest in a tradition of massive sleaze going back to the 1962 elections.

Consider the appointment of a lieutenant governor, William Richardson, who had almost no legal experience to be chief justice of the state Supreme Court. After he tired of that job, he appointed himself a trustee of the Bishop Estate, a highly lucrative position that regarded as a sinecure for deserving Democrat politicians.

A past president of the Senate (Dickie Wong), a former speaker of the House (Henry Peters), as well as the chairman of the Judicial Selection Commission (Gerard Jervis) were rewarded by the court with million-dollar jobs for their loyal service to the party.

Along with Lokelani Lindsay, they mismanaged the estate through self-dealing, excessive compensation, accounting shenanigans and general incompetence to the point that the trust almost lost its tax-exempt status.

Only when the trustees offended a major voting constituency --Kamehameha Schools parents and alumni -- was action taken by the state. It cost the attorney general her job.

Unusable university buildings and athletic facilities, non-bid contracts to relatives, favorable leases to friends -- all of these corrupt practices have gone unpunished by the electorate.

W.B. Thompson
Kailua

Bishop Estate Archive
Kamehameha Schools

Foley has qualities to be good judge

Those who opposed the appointment of Dan Foley to the state Court of Intermediate Appeals do not understand the function of a good attorney.

An attorney follows the law, and upholds it. A good attorney will do his or her very best for the one hired him, according to law.

The Constitution dictates equality for all. He fought for this. The issue of homosexuality was not the driving force. The issue was equality for all. He fought many other unpopular battles as an honest, outstanding attorney.

Please do not lump him with the many self-serving dishonest cowardly so called attorneys, who will bend the law as convenient.

Renee M. Coester
Pearl City

Public schools must get priority

Fifteen years from now, Hawaii residents will still be complaining about the brain drain of young people to the mainland. They will also complain that high-tech investors and clean industry cannot be lured here.

That's because there won't be any economic progress in Hawaii until the public schools are made a priority.

It takes at least 10 years for any major change in policies to bear fruit. If the big boys downtown don't see this, then they deserve their fate.

Short-change the schools and you cut your own throats. How can alleged adults be so stupid?

Beverly Kai

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