Gas cap should be repealed immediately

The gasoline price cap, touted as a means to lower gasoline prices for Hawaii consumers, is about to backfire. Hawaii wholesale gas prices are now linked to several mainland markets. The cap (set weekly) is tied to an average of "spot" wholesale prices in Los Angeles, New York and the Gulf Coast.

As if to underscore the folly of trying to circumvent free market pricing, Hurricane Katrina has struck the Gulf Coast, closing refineries and off-coast production facilities. This will severely affect supply and cost of gasoline throughout that region, which will drive our prices higher. The rationale of tying Hawaii prices to the cost of producing and refining Gulf oil (for "fairness"), makes little sense since Hawaii refineries get most of their crude oil from Indonesia. Let's not mess with supply-and-demand economics.

Thanks, Rep. Marcus Oshiro, for the fairness! Let's repeal this legislation, which Governor Lingle opposed, and vote Oshiro out of office next session.

Do your part, conserve energy this weekend

I have a suggestion for the Labor Day weekend. I want to encourage Hawaii citizens to plan for an energy-efficient holiday. Plan to car pool, modify travel plans, or better yet, stay home and enjoy the company of family and neighbors. Hurricane Katrina has put a huge strain on the production of oil, and we can help relieve some of the demand on oil. It's a small sacrifice in light of the thousands who are suffering due to Katrina. Do your part and become a part of the solution.

Perhaps our president is an extraterrestrial

If an alien from another planet disguised itself to look like a human, fooled a majority and was elected the leader of a country, how would it weaken that country to make it easier for its species to invade our planet?

» Divide the country with foreign policy and other issues that would have even families arguing among themselves, so they wouldn't be unified to face any threats.

» Run up an unprecedented deficit.

» Alienate allies that have been friendly toward the country for decades, and out a CIA agent.

» Invade a foreign country under false pretenses, starting a conflict that costs a billion dollars a week.

» Weaken the military, forcing volunteers to fight a war without the proper equipment, beyond the agreed-upon tour of duty, while it takes a five-week vacation.

» Close dozens of military bases to save money.

» Give tax cuts to the rich.

True patriots need to emerge and discharge this alien, disguised as our leader who perpetuated this hoax on our country. Before it's too late, replace George W. Bush, his cabinet and those in Congress who supported his failed, divisive policies with leaders who are looking out for the well-being of all Americans.

Akaka Bill should include non-Hawaiians

According to the supporters of the Akaka Bill, their definition of native Hawaiian is persons with a least 1 percent blood quantum of Hawaiian blood. Others believe that this bill should include all descendants of citizens, regardless of race, who were citizens while the Hawaiian islands were under the Hawaiian monarchy.

Because the Akaka Bill is to create a self-governing native Hawaiian government only for those of "native Hawaiian ancestry and lineal descendancy," this bill is a racist bill, and not a political bill as all our congressional representatives, the majority of our state legislators, Governor Lingle, Mayor Hannemann and other supporters say.

For the bill to be considered political, it should be reworded clearly to state that the Hawaiian government is only for those who are descendants of those who were citizens, regardless of race, under the Hawaiian monarchy. The supporters of the Akaka Bill should call a horse a horse and not an elephant.

Is Hawaii a disaster waiting to happen?

In the wake of the woefully inadequate disaster recovery response by the local, state and federal agencies in Louisiana, citizens of Honolulu need to ask our government officials how they would handle a Category 4 or 5 hurricane hit on Honolulu. With power, telecommunications, water, sanitation and food distribution infrastructure destroyed, how would we shelter, feed and clothe our own citizens and the thousands of tourists stranded in such an event?

Besides disaster preparedness, what's the disaster recovery plan, which agencies execute it, are they adequately staffed, trained and funded to execute it and in the worst case scenario, where our own government agencies are left incapable of executing a response to the disaster, how will the federal government assist us?

Just imagine Oahu without electrical power for more than one month. Almost all business, government and households would cease to function. What a nightmare. Are we a disaster waiting to happen?

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