Why does it matter if a candidate is 'local'?

This “;debate”; on whether Barack Obama is a “;local boy”; makes me laugh. Honestly, does it really matter? If Obama had no ties with Hawaii, would you not vote for him? What about if John McCain were a “;local boy,”; would you vote for him? If someone is from Hawaii, does that make them embrace the aloha spirit? If they are from the mainland, do they not have any aloha spirit?

As far as I am concerned, all that matters is what they will do for the future, not their past.

Fear-mongering calls insult all faiths

Some McCain-Palin supporters must be so desperate. I received a very early Saturday morning call, 6 a.m., from a member of a fundamentalist Christian church (Assembly of God) urging me to vote for the John McCain ticket. The caller was telling and insisting me that Barack Obama is a Muslim - and that is why his middle name is Hussein - and that his mission is to spread Islam in the United States and convert Americans into Muslims, and those who won't convert will be beheaded. What a shameless and ridiculous concoction! The self-righteous caller also invoked the Bible and proceeded to portray Obama and Democrats as “;bad people”; because they believe in evolution and free choice.

What a cheap and insulting way to campaign! It maliciously denigrates not only a political candidate, but other faiths. This kind of thinking should make us defend the separation of church and state even more.

Obama-Biden better for small businesses

We're not Joe the plumber, but we do have a small business of vacation rentals. We have been hit hard by the continuing economic fiascoes created by the current administration. Our small company was selected as one of Pacific Business News' top 50 fastest-growing companies in Hawaii for our 2007 revenues. Then the airlines went bust, then our major market, the West Coast started experiencing massive foreclosures, then the banks started failing across the nation. The last thing on people's minds is taking a Hawaii vacation.

We have laid off one employee and cut back hours of others. We are trying to hang in there until after the election. We need strong, intelligent leadership for this country if all of us are going to survive and prosper once again. We want to offer affordable health care to all who work for us; it's the decent thing to do. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are clearly the intelligent choice for all of our futures.

Only Congress can make big changes

Change. Whether it is the type of change proposed by Barack Obama or the type espoused by John McCain, the truth is neither one of these men can deliver what they promise. Why? Because for real change to take place, the voters must make a change where it counts, in Congress.

It is true that Obama or McCain might be able to lay out a plan for domestic and foreign policy over the duration of their terms. But without the support of the Congress, none of their policies will be implemented.

Are the American people tired of the way things have been going the last four years or, more important, the last few months? Who is responsible? One man is not responsible, but every member of Congress. One man cannot effect change. But if the voters want real change, then voters need to elect new members of Congress. Representatives and senators who have been in office for 30 or 40 years are not identifiable with change, and they are the ones who have your and your children's future in their hands. I urge all American voters to make a change this coming Election Day.

Why no debate among OHA candidates?

Over the last month, candidates have been debating and publicly sharing their platform, but Office of Hawaiian Affairs incumbents are nowhere to be found. OHA sponsored a prime-time mayoral debate but refuses to support an OHA debate. It is time that OHA Chairwoman Haunani Apoliona and other OHA incumbents publicly debate the issues with all OHA candidates, rather than having trustees Walter Heen, Boyd Mossman and Oz Stender, who are not running for re-election, defend their colleagues' positions through guest editorials.

Apoliona has stated that she is “;not interested”; in a debate, but at the same time stated that the mayoral debate helped inform the public, and has stated in the past that the debate process is necessary. Why is Apoliona not willing to participate in a debate this year? Is she hiding something? Why are the Hawaiian issues not being debated among OHA candidates, but OHA will spend thousands of dollars on a mayoral debate?

The people of Hawaii and the beneficiaries deserve better. Let's have a debate. The people deserve a right to review all the facts before elections.