Law should get tough on campaign donors

I get so frustrated when reading all of the articles in the newspaper about the city prosecutor filing charges against people who give illegal political donations to politicians, and then they only get a slap on the wrist. Come on, judges!

Make them pay and put the conviction on their records so that they and others won't do it again!

Time to get serious about traffic options

The latest interruption to the traffic on the H-1 due to a fatal accident is another glaring example that proves we need an alternate way of getting around the island ("Freeway crash kills woman/Lane closures for more than two hours snarl afternoon commutes," Star-Bulletin, Dec. 21). Our freeways can become choke points that are actually dangerous; they can paralyze essential and emergency services.

Since building more roads is not very practical, as well as scarring to the landscape of Oahu, a ferry and rail system should be considered. Not only an interisland ferry, but a state-run or privately owned system that circles Oahu would allow residents to leave their cars in the garage. The early Hawaiians always viewed the ocean as a highway; we should, too.

I lived in Hong Kong for a year, a place that can be defined by one word -- crowded. But it has one of the best multi-tiered transportation structures that I've ever seen. Train, rail, ferry and fast-moving mini bus and trams, all make getting around Hong Kong a lot easier than Oahu, and it has about six times our population.

It's my hope that the new mayor will seriously lead us into a more modern era that finds moving traffic on Oahu a priority in order to augment our quality of life, rather than just for show, like the previous administration's ideas, which had little or no hope of alleviating our traffic buildup.

We've been talking about this for 35 years; let's now see some deeds, not just words.

U.S. soldiers deserve the best equipment

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's response to a perfectly legitimate question from a sergeant about the military's lack of armored vehicles illustrates well the continuing arrogance of this administration with regard to the endless conflict in Iraq. This was and remains a war of choice. To dispatch soldiers and Marines into harm's way ill-equipped is unforgivable.

One wonders how many men and women in our military forces have been permanently maimed and how many have died as a result. How many more will have to be seriously wounded or die before this administration is called to account? For some unfathomable reason this terrible situation was not brought into sharper focus during the recent presidential campaign. Why?

Palestinians, Israelis need holiday wish

On Dec. 4, President Bush promised Pakistani President Musharraf that working toward a Palestinian state would be a priority in his second term. About the same time, a senior Hamas official, Sheik Hassan Yousef, is reported to have stated his willingness to accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and a long-term truce with Israel.

There seems to be a new opening for change. With other Muslim leaders, as well as British Prime Minister Tony Blair, also recognizing the crucial import of addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to defuse terrorism worldwide, will Bush and his masterminds put this issue on the front burner? Bush's mantra of nations being "truly free" seems fixated on giving U.S. support to other nations if they meet the standards of wearing the outer garments of democracy. They appear to miss the foundation on which democracies are built.

In these days when Americans are preoccupied with the outer trappings of the holidays, my wish is that compassionate Americans will do more than wish each other and President Bush "peace on Earth." I hope we will reflect on what life is like in Palestine where oppressive and violent conditions subject Palestinians, Israelis and other residents to debilitating and humiliating daily existence. There is urgency for peace with justice in the Holy Land.

Let the next greeting card you send be to George W. Bush with a message that urges America's support of self-determination that honors the Palestinian and Israeli peoples' rights to a just settlement by which all residents will be able to live in peace, justice and freedom.

All federal inquiries are not created equal

More than three times as many taxpayer dollars were spent on the investigation of the Monica Lewinsky scandal as were spent on investigating the 9/11 disaster.

That's something to think about.