Pay for rail and enjoy your Abercrumbies

If Rep. Neil Abercrombie thinks people stuck in traffic jams will refer to themselves as being in "Lingle lanes" (Star-Bulletin, July 7), then if the rail tax goes into effect, I suggest we label what's left over from our paychecks after taxes as "Abercrumbies."

Funding should be restored to the needy

An estimated 120,000 individuals in Hawaii have no health insurance. It is no secret that health care costs money and our community health centers are making a heroic effort to meet the health care needs of low-income people, many of whom do not have insurance.

Being uninsured or underinsured is only one of the many challenges facing our state, which is why I must disagree with those who think it is time for the Legislature to reduce taxes.

For more than a decade, during the 1990s and through the aftermath of 9/11 and SARS, many of our most critical health and human services programs were scaled back or eliminated because of severe revenue shortfalls. Private nonprofit providers found that allocations for their contracts and grants were drastically reduced.

It is no accident that the number of uninsured and homeless has increased in our state.

Now is not the time to reduce taxes. It is a time to begin funding those services so essential to making our community safe and healthy once again. With an economy that is doing better, I urge the Legislature to put resources back into helping Hawaii's most needy.

3 questions expose Bush contradiction

Question 1: How long ago was it that our president stood aboard that aircraft carrier and announced that the war had ended and we were victorious?

Question 2: How many lives have been lost since it "ended"?

Question 3: Who can explain this obvious contradiction?

We should lobby for a fireworks ban

Now that the smoke has cleared and more families are homeless, let's call our representatives at the state Capitol and ask again for a total ban on fireworks. The Honolulu Fire Department should take a public stand and other groups could then follow their lead, such as the Honolulu Police Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Red Cross.

Troops can do without liberals' 'support'

Imagine you are the parent of a child who plays Little League. You go to the games and sit in the bleachers just like the other proud parents. But instead of yelling out encouragement to your child, you scream at the coach. You call him names and question his fitness to lead the team. You accuse him of stealing his position and not caring about the kids he coaches. You hold up signs calling him a Nazi, a criminal and an idiot. Then, you brag to all your friends and coworkers about how you "support" the team.

Now you understand the liberal concept of supporting our troops.

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