Sons flee New Orleans in Katrina's wake

I like to consider my two sons as unsung heroes of the Katrina disaster. They rent a shotgun in New Orleans, on Burgundy Street. (In the patois of the city, this is pronounced, "BurGUNdee Street," and a "shotgun" is one of two long, narrow apartments formed by dividing a house lengthwise). Burgundy is near the Mississippi, in the higher elevation of the city, and suffered little flooding. They have no car. Both worked in a restaurant within walking distance of their shotgun, surviving financially but loving life and music in the city.

Responding to warnings, they stacked their valuables on tables, secured their windows and doors, grabbed some clothes and hitched rides with friends out of danger to Baton Rouge. They identified themselves to emergency officials. They did what they were told to do.

They now have no place of their own and very few belongings, but have managed to temporarily relocate -- Steve to Florida, Leo to San Diego. Neither has complained.

Clinton would have responded faster

Bubba would have been there on Day One.

It all makes sense in crazy Bush World

When I read letters in defense of President Bush's inept handling of everything from Iraq to the bungled Hurricane Katrina response, I can only surmise one thing: These people must be living in an alternate reality. In Bush World, down is up, bad is good, and going backwards is called "progress."

How else can one justify the Bush administration's excuse that pre-9/11 memos warning Osama bin Laden was determined to strike were not "specific" enough to act upon? Or how they ignored detailed reports that predicted an invasion of Iraq could result in chaos and civil war if enough troops weren't sent in to keep the peace?

Now we have mounting evidence the administration disregarded strongly worded warnings that Katrina was going to be a major disaster. Yet Bush continued to play cowboy on his phony ranch while the storm was gathering strength.

But in Bush World, all was sunny and bright. One only needed to pray for the hurricane to go away, and have faith that God would protect us. Lo and behold, in Bush World, the wicked city of New Orleans was punished by Katrina's wrath, and the images of looters run amok were proof they got what they deserved. According to residents of Bush World, anyone who criticized our fearless leader for doing too little, too late was guilty of playing the "blame game."

Hawaiians should collect tax on water

Many years ago, I met a brilliant Hawaiian man who talked about a tax on water for those with Hawaiian lineage. There is a precedent in that the Aleuts of Alaska collect royalties on minerals below the ground such as oil.

He said Hawaiians also should be able to collect royalties on minerals below the ground. We do not have precious minerals, but we do have one indispensable substance -- water. Hawaiians with proven lineage should be able to collect a tax on the water of the Hawaiian islands.

Non-Hawaiian households and businesses would have to pay a tax on the water they use. The tax could only be a few cents a gallon, but it would add up considerably.

This water tax would go into a managed fund, and every week or two, checks would be sent out to those of Hawaiian lineage.

I also propose that there be a Hawaiian Sovereignty Party along with the Republican and Democratic parties. They would manage the water tax fund and also have delegates to vote on issues that affect our state. They would be independent and be able to decide on how our state is governed. It would be win-win for everyone in this land of aloha.

Gasoline price cap is failed experiment

Last week Rep. Marcus Oshiro claimed the gas cap was working, citing that Hawaii lost the dubious distinction of being "highest gas price in the nation" by falling to 34th place (Star-Bulletin, Sept. 8). Sen. Ron Menor is now making the same claim of victory. However, more recent news reports have now indicated Hawaii's average gas price is rising fast and currently Hawaii is in 10th place. It seems inevitable, now that the Public Utilities Commission is set to raise the maximum wholesale gas cap by 45 cents tomorrow, that Hawaii will quickly become numero uno.

By Oshiro's and Menor's own flawed logic, they should then admit the gas cap is failing and the experts who said it would not work were correct all along. The real question is whether they will do the right thing. Or will they just continue the political spin and hope consumers don't hold them and their colleagues who voted for this bogus law accountable when this experiment fails?

Why not suspend state taxes on gasoline?

The gas cap is failing to bring lower prices or cap prices at the pump. The idea of creating parity with the mainland does not help me with my weekly gas bill. Lower prices do, but lately they have shot up like a rocket. Is this the best our elected officials can do? I notice that in many other states, proposals to lower or suspend taxes on gas are being discussed as a way to bring relief to consumers. Have we considered this? Or would this eventually hurt the state's highway fund to the point where it can't be raided by politicians to pay for their pet projects come election time?

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