Only Kerry can reverse America's slide

The future of America will be determined by voters on Nov. 2. The nation is now in a serious crisis. We lost our democracy in the 2000 election debacle. The country has a huge debt: more than $400 trillion and is now borrowing a trillions from China to pay its expenses.

Conservative commentator Pat Buchanan's book, "How the Right Wing Got It Wrong," states that the United States will have an economic meltdown if we re-elect President Bush, and we will become a Third World country. Yet many people do not really seem to realize that we are in a very dangerous situation. Even though Bush lost the three presidential debates with Sen. John Kerry, many people seem to think that Bush is popular. I hope the polls are wrong.

The chairman of the Democratic National Committee stated that President Bush will not be allowed to steal the election in 2004.

The Democrats have registered many new voters. It was learned that many of these Democratic registrations were torn up and destroyed. The Republican campaign has been very dirty; they lie and smear Kerry's character.

Please vote for Kerry to set the United States back on the right course. For a democracy to survive, the voters must be accurately informed and their votes must be counted accurately.

Voters must make effort to be informed

I have a friend who is a naturalized U.S. citizen from China. She recently told me she shouldn't vote in the upcoming election because she didn't know about all the people in all the races. She was under the impression that her ballot would be invalid if she didn't check names in all the races.

I wonder how many citizens (both natural and naturalized) are under this impression and aren't voting this November because of it.

Of course, there are some people who will vote for a candidate just because someone else told them they should. That doesn't serve democracy well either. This election appears to have degenerated into a battle of labels and sound bites: May the best ad campaign win. We should all be encouraging others to study the candidate's stand on issues of importance to them personally and vote -- even if it means just one checked box on November's ballot.

Fasi should stay out of mayoral election

What guts did it take for Frank Fasi to endorse Mufi Hannemann? I would have more respect for Fasi if he had just stayed away from endorsing anyone. Fasi's campaign tactic was a farce, so now people are asking "why did he run?"

He certainly didn't "show up" for his supporters at the debate with all of his wise-crack remarks and gestures. On several occasions during the debate, I thought he really didn't under the questions. He was once a great mayor, but must now fall gracefully and with dignity.

There is too much "pilau" mudslinging by obvious Mufi supporters, which reflects on the candidate. Let's keep it clean everyone!

Dobelle had holiday on taxpayers' account

Former University of Hawaii President Evan Dobelle really hit the jackpot! He won a two-year Hawaiian vacation with all the perks: luxury accommodations for himself and his family at a mansion in Manoa, free travel, a generous expense account and more than a million dollars of Hawaii taxpayers' money.

Dobelle even got to give high-paying jobs to his friends and used hundreds of thousands of dollars of college funds to renovate his temporary living accommodations.

So do I get a chance at this dream vacation or is it only for non-Hawaii residents who have the right political connections?

Midkiff will help Hawaiian children

I am an educator who has worked primarily with Hawaiian children for more than 35 years. We must start schooling earlier than kindergarten, and I firmly believe it is the responsibility of the Board of Education. Children I work with enter school up to two years behind. Most never catch up. This means lower incomes, dependency on social welfare, higher incarceration and poorer health.

If the BOE does not assist our youngest children to be ready for school, it is almost an impossible task for teachers to meet their needs. We need a BOE member who has expertise in early childhood education. This expertise can come from Bob Midkiff. He has led the Good Beginnings Alliance in its effort to ensure that all children enter school ready to learn. Through his family foundation, as well as through his tireless volunteerism in early education, Midkiff has put his money and time where his mouth is.

Bob is a champion for Hawaiians. Hawaiians below age 5 represent more than one-third of the state's population in that age group. It is critical that they have quality early care and education so that they become successful adults.

Midkiff knows it is a matter of the well-being of our state that we target early care and education now to make Hawaii's future economically stable. He is a perfect example of how a lifetime can be dedicated to the children of Hawaii, and whose effects will be felt for many life times to come.

Our troops deserve support, but not pity

I am wholly in support of our troops overseas, and deeply appreciate the sacrifices our National Guard and Reserves are making to support the war effort.

A number of recent newspaper stories have focused on the tearful departures of reservists, implying that their deployment is an unanticipated misfortune.

Reservists are compensated in dollars, retirement points and other benefits in exchange for relatively little effort. The downside, of course, is the obligation to respond to an unlikely call-up.

Now we are seeing the call-ups, and while most reservists fulfill their commitment without complaint, a few families complain publicly over their hardship. These human interest stories can foster the perception that troop deployment is some kind of injustice.

Our Guard and Reserve deserve appreciative recognition, but not pity. Like firefighters and lifeguards, reservists are paid mostly to wait around for their call. When it comes, it's not an undeserved misfortune, it's their job.

May God bless America and protect our troops.

'Soldier's Story' tells readers of honor, hope

I am a daily reader of starbulletin.com and an expatriate of Honolulu. 'A Soldier's Story' by 1st Sgt. Robert Jennings reminds me of one of our nation's greatest news people, Ed Murrow and his onsite reporting in London and other parts of Europe during World War II.

What is special about Jennings' articles is that they are written in a way that is nonpartisan. He includes day-to-day activities, not only about the realism of war and its ravages, but about the locals and their rapport with our soldiers. He includes photographs of the people, doctors and children of Iraq, and the soldiers in his Alpha Company, which is based at Schofield Barracks. His articles always include a snapshot and a short interview with a member of his company.

I cannot help but think that these articles would bring the thousands of families throughout our wonderful country closer, and perhaps help each of them understand what their loved one is going through in this war -- that it is not all pain, hate, sorrow and death, but goodwill, honor and friendship.

Cahill cared about society's underdogs

Many of us who worked with Emmett Cahill admired him for his faith in people and his confidence that this faith would be justified ("Hawaiian history writer devoted life to social causes," Star-Bulletin, Sept. 24).

His leadership in the struggle against the death penalty, for prison reform and for humane treatment of inmates made him a civil libertarian long before Hawaii understood these causes were in the public interest.

The fight to keep the prisons on Oahu was based on Cahill's certainty that the humanizing effect of family visits on inmates was of greater value than the view that the best use of public lands called for the location of the prison on another island.

On issue after issue, Emmett identified with the underdogs. He used his influence as a lobbyist in their interest.

The Cahill family's move to the Big Island muted his voice and created a void in our civic life. Emmett Cahill was a force for good. We will all miss this gentle giant.