Don't raise overpass, lower the freeway

Regarding the problems with trucks hitting the Gulick Street overpass: State officials are looking up, at raising the overpass. I suggest they look down, excavating the roadway and creating a dip in the freeway like at the Punahou Street overpass. The Punahou Street dip was created because of Makiki Stream.

Hooser's ConCon fears fail the logic test

I was shocked to read Sen. Gary Hooser's statement about the proposed constitutional convention (Star-Bulletin, May 28): "I have concerns that some of the loudest voices promoting a ConCon are those who want to take away and weaken our public educational system, weaken the rights of labor and weaken environmental protections and the rights of native Hawaiians."

How can a ConCon weaken our public education system when we are already ranked 47th in the nation in reading and math proficiency and dead last on progress?

A constitutional convention will give us an opportunity to find a system that works, and finally stop wasting time, money and our children's potential on a broken educational bureaucracy. By the way, maybe it is time we start considering term limits for Sen. Hoo ... I mean, legislators, as well.

Recent leaders damaged Hawaii GOP

Darwin Ching's "GOP majority rejected bad behavior," (Letters, June 1) , conveniently leaves out what most GOP party faithful were really concerned about at the state convention - a reversal of the party's continuing losses at the polls over the past six and soon to be eight years. It is extremely frustrating to those who have worked in the party see it be neglected by those who are merely using it to achieve their own ends.

Ching is the appointed director of the state Department of Labor. The past three chairmen of the Republican Party of Hawaii are either directors of departments or have high-paying appointed jobs.

The current chairman hopes similarly to be rewarded even though under his leadership the GOP has all ready lost more elected officials to defection to the Democratic Party than any chairman in the history of the party.

Individuals should not be rewarded for their poor performance or, as in Ching's case, for successfully stifling Republicans not on the state payroll in their attempt at the state convention to resurrect a party on life support.

Calling fellow Republican convention delegates "bullies, disrespectful, caveman, childish" displays an arrogance that only he and his kind have the real knowledge on how the party may operate. How's that working out so far?

Sticking to principles will revive Hawaii GOP

Regarding your May 17 editorial: You unintentionally make a case, albeit circuitously, for the very change the Republican Party in Hawaii needs make in order to resurrect itself.

Salvation for the GOP will not be found in the "libertarian" political philosophy of Ron Paul, who, like many former Republicans in Hawaii, as you note, changed parties for political expediency, not political ideology. Nor will it be found in the "moderation" of the Lingle administration. Again, you note that the number of GOP legislators has declined by 50 percent during her tenure.

The resurgence of the GOP will come from acknowledging and promoting the fundamental historical basis of the Republican Party: the importance of self-reliance and personal as well as social responsibility, limited, accountable government, lower taxes and a strong, proactive national defense.

Waialua Lions honors vets once again

Mahalo to the Star-Bulletin staff for splendid coverage of Memorial Day weekend events, from the many tributes to those who have paid the supreme sacrifice to the wonderful use of beautiful pictures of the lanterns floating at Magic Island.

I know it is not possible to report on all of them, but I would like to commend the Waialua Lions Club for their 61st annual veterans memorial service at Haleiwa Beach Park, honoring the 44 North Shore soldiers who gave their lives in World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars.

It was a beautiful outpouring of aloha from the Lions, the Waialua High and Intermediate School Band, 25th Infantry Division, Civil Air Patrol, Haleiwa Jodo Mission, 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Infantry veterans, VFW Post 352, Vietnam veterans and the American Legion.

Mahalo to Jacob Ng, Kathleen Pahinui, Rev. Koji Ezaki, Rev. Ron Valenciana, and bandmaster Robert Yu.

McClellan's critics lost credibility long ago

Former press secretary Scott McClellan writes a "tell all" book, ripping President Bush and the entire administration. So far, so good, as it was about time someone told the truth all of America knows.

No sooner is the book released, than Karl Rove, the "architect" and "Bush's brain," makes the talk show circuit denying 100 percent of it. Fox news had the exclusive. What a shock!

That other former press liar, Ari Fleisher, concurs that McClellan is delusional or wasn't present for all those important strategy meetings.

With Bush's national approval at 28 percent, the nightmare in Iraq, gas prices climbing daily, the denial of global warming, whom do you believe?

Please, God, get these people out of the White House!