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Landowner distorts leasehold argument

I am an 84-year-old resident of Hawaii and am dismayed at all the talk that Bishop Estate is making over leasehold conversion, saying that it will hurt Hawaiian kids. This is shibai. Look at all the billions that Bishop Estate has in investments with mainland golf courses, shopping centers and the like. It makes so much money from these investments, which is evident by the enormous salaries that were paid to trustees.

And what Hawaiian children are they talking about? When you watch the Kamehameha Schools' song festival, you see more non-Hawaiians than Hawaiians performing.

So many families live under leasehold and are paying so much for homes that they won't even own. Is it fair to take homes away from these families who have children in order to support the many non-Hawaiians attending Kamehameha Schools? I'm sure that the trustees and Bishop Estate can and should find other means to acquire revenues to support their needs instead of ripping off the average family who dreams of owning a home.

Edwards was effective on domestic issues

The debate Tuesday between vice presidential candidates John Edwards and Dick Cheney showed that there should definitely be a change government.

John Edwards displayed a real knowledge and understanding of genuine leadership in the war on terror. He spoke with real passion of an economic growth plan that creates jobs and keeps them here at home. He also showed that there is hope for affordable health care for every American. He was clear and concise about their plans to make America stronger at home and respected abroad.

But Dick Cheney sounded like he was confused with attacks and excuses. As the architect of four years of failed Bush administration policies, Cheney had a lot to answer for in this debate. But he failed to explain those failures, instead attacking John Kerry over and over again.

I want a plan for the future, not attacks and excuses. The vice presidential debate made it clear that John Kerry and John Edwards are the right choice.

Discerning voters swing toward Kerry

The first presidential debate last Friday showed clearly the kind of men who have been running our country for the last four years, and the kind who will run it for the next four years, if Americans are paying attention.

President Bush repeated the same few themes again and again, never really answering any of the points made by John Kerry. Instead he kept saying that we must win in Iraq and make the world safe -- as if Kerry does not agree. Kerry does agree and has said so many times.

Kerry, on the other hand, showed a firm grasp of real issues and their supporting facts. Kerry does have a plan for Iraq, one that will get the United States back in the good graces of our disgruntled allies.

As the quick polls showed after the debate, Kerry won in a landslide. This gives me hope that many people are exercising their critical faculties and not just swallowing the pablum of the current administration.

Cartoonist depicted the real debate

I loved your Oct. 4 Daryl Cagle cartoon. It was to the point, portraying both John Kerry and President Bush on the debate stage with their respective shadows in the background; Bush hunched on a stool with a dunce cap facing a standing Kerry dressing him down. A picture, er, a cartoon, is indeed worth a thousand words.

Candidate uses scare over draft to get votes

A campaign worker for Dalton Tanonaka left a flier on my gate. I am very disturbed by the negative message on the flier regarding the draft and House Resolution 163. I don't respect this type of campaigning and am most disappointed in Tanonaka's position.

To respond to the frightening questions he poses on whether our family "values" include wanting to see the draft reinstated:

No, my family does not want the draft, or to send our own sons and daughters, or anyone else's off to war.

No, we do not want to be a part of this immoral war. But our country was dragged into this by President Bush, Dick Cheney and the leaders they misled. There is no end in sight ... only more victims on all sides.

So shall we send only the poor, powerless youngsters to keep dying for this evil undertaking? Are they of so little value that the weight of this war shall be theirs alone?

If our country is stuck in Iraq, and there are not sufficient volunteers to finish what we have begun, then we all must face the same sacrifice. Nobody likes it.

But to oppose the draft is to protect the children of the wealthy and powerful. What is just and proper in that? Perhaps it might be time to ponder those values some more.

Bush's plan for Iraq is simple and effective

John Kerry and his minions repeat the same words of gloom throughout this election campaign.

But let's not forget Kerry's 20 years in the Senate, where he voted against the strengthening of our military. Kerry wants you to believe that he is consistent and not a flip-flopper.

Bush may not be as articulate as Kerry. But let's not forget that Bush has embarked on a plan so simple that it will keep America safe today and for generations to come.

The plan is simple but very effective: Plant the flag of freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan just as the United States did in Japan and Germany.

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[ BRAINSTORM! ] Planting an idea The first and last thing visitors see as they encounter Hawaii -- other than security personnel instructing them to take off their shoes -- is the elevated freeway by Honolulu's airport. Accordingly, when it was built, it was designed to be attractive, including a meandering garden running down the center of the lower level, and, up top, set between the elevated concourses, large planter boxes. The idea was to plant wonderful hanging gardens that would delight visitor and resident alike, and for a while, they did. But the state Department of Transportation is focused these days on potholes, not on making the roads look pretty. The elevated gardens have become choked with weeds and debris. So fire up those brain cells. What other use could these midair garden plots be used for? Thematic displays? Lei stands? Minimum-security prisons? Foosball diamonds? Storage for giant downtown Christmas ornaments? Headquarters for our newly reduced National Guard? A place for all the dirt from Castle Junction? Instead of offshore gambling, elevated gambling? Send us your ideas about what should be done with these highly visible, weed-racked lots. E-mail your ideas and solutions -- please include your name and address -- by Oct. 20 to: brainstorm@starbulletin.com Or fax to: Brainstorm! c/o Nancy Christenson 529-4750 Or mail them to: Brainstorm! c/o Nancy Christenson Star-Bulletin 500 Ala Moana 7 Waterfront Plaza Suite 210 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813