Ease traffic by adjusting schedules

Summer is a wonderful time for Leeward commuters when it comes to traffic. My husband can make it from our home in Kapolei to the Kailua fire station, where he works, in about 30 minutes. I breeze through the H-1/H-2 merge and get to my son's sitter in Aiea in less than 15.

Has anyone wondered why summer traffic is so light? School is out, specifically the University of Hawaii-Manoa, which means fewer cars making the trek to town. If UH started classes later in the mornings, the overall commute for most island residents would improve dramatically. And that's just one adjustment. Imagine what could happen if other businesses agreed to adjust their schedules. How well would that improve the normal morning gridlock?

With the exception of the occasional accident or stall, adjusting or staggering schedules, like that of UH, would ease congestion and be a low-cost solution to our traffic woes.

Gov's reports painted a happy picture

Gov. Linda Lingle's recent reports on her travels were nice. It almost makes me wish that she had made daily reports on her Bush-sponsored trip to Baghdad and her clandestine meeting with convicted felon Amhad Chalabi, who told Bush that if the United States invaded Iraq, the people would meet our troops with open arms and flowers.

A daily report on her religious trip to Israel to meet with one of the leading terrorists in that part of the world would have been very enlightening, too. Both could have answered a lot of our questions.

I'm so glad she was able to see the Great Wall of China and the Shanghai Grand Theatre. How exciting! But I wish she had seen and mentioned the award-winning "local" film "The Land Has Eyes" in that Shanghai International Film Festival, instead of a Chinese film and Jackie Chan.

President creating a rude America

Recently a professor at the University of Virginia gave a review of his new book about President Bush. He did not believe that many people knew that Bush does not read so Karen Hughes and others tell him what to do. Bush's agenda is very counterproductive so he has made many people hate him. If Bush and his cohorts were people of high character, the United States would not have such a rude government.

Bush is not caring for America's problems. He does not have authority to rule the whole world. The United States must not start any more wars.

Presidents Reagan and the Bushes have given great power to the evangelicals, who are really con men and pay no attention to our Constitution and history. What the Republicans want is to destroy our federal government and the Democratic Party, and to have a theocracy. This is illegal and treasonous, as the United States has separation of church and state.

Many people are concerned about the future of America. Pat Buchanan said that if Bush were re-elected, the United States would have a financial meltdown. I urge Americans to impeach President Bush.

I think it would be real justice to have former Vice President Al Gore replace Bush, as Gore was mistreated in the 2000 election. He could begin working easily as he is very familiar with the routines.

Medical marijuana should not be criminal

Bravo to state Attorney General Mark Bennett for refusing to roll over for federal authorities who want to prosecute patients certified under Hawaii's medical marijuana program (Star-Bulletin, June 16).

And bravo, too, to U.S. Attorney Edward Kubo, presumably more cognizant of the 10th Amendment than the U.S. Supreme Court itself, for bravely declining to prosecute certified users or their physicians.

Although I neither use the drug nor certify patients, I am well aware of patients who receive immeasurable benefit from marijuana.

It is beyond my comprehension that government at any level continues squandering resources in criminalizing the combustion and inhalation of an easily grown garden weed. We should treat marijuana like alcohol: regulated, taxed and available to responsible adults.

How to write us The Star-Bulletin welcomes letters that are crisp and to the point (150 to 200 words). The Star-Bulletin reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. Please direct comments to the issues; personal attacks will not be published. Letters must be signed and include a daytime telephone number. Letter form: Online form, click here E-mail: letters@starbulletin.com Fax: (808) 529-4750 Mail: Letters to the Editor, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 210, Honolulu, HI 96813