Reform will boost Medicare

It is hard to understand why the good news of this proposed medical care reform is having such a hard time reaching seniors.

Once again it needs to be stated: Medicare will be enhanced by cutting down paperwork and adding procedures that are focused on continuing well-being and prevention. Medicare benefits will not be cut.

Doing nothing is a sure prescription for the ultimate collapse of our medical care system.

Mary Wilkinson
Honolulu

Turn nose at inanity, let feet do rest at polls

Now I know why Councilmember Rod Tam has not responded to my e-mail regarding the need for a sidewalk on our side of the street. He was busy standing at a bus stop doing research on his latest “;law”; smelling people.

Frankly, I started with him just to see if I would get any sort of response as I was under the impression that members of the City Council actually worked for all of us. Maybe my proposal affected the lower anatomy and the City Council is working from top down. Take care of the nose today and maybe the feet that do the walking will get some attention sometime after the next election.

Regarding this smelly law, one summer I worked in the Kakaako area and caught the No. 6 bus home. If I got on the 4:15 p.m. bus, it was filled with tuna packers who carried the daily aroma of hard work. I remember a guy holding his nose and making a rather disparaging remark. Those ladies laid into him and gave him a lecture on hard work and having pride in doing a honest day's work packing tuna.

I learned to take the 4:30 p.m. bus and to keep my mouth shut and how to breathe through my mouth. One man's smell is another man's work.

Carol T. Chun
Honolulu

Get involved in issues and in findng solutions

As we observe and experience the problems facing Hawaii and the nation we should all pledge to vote in the next election.

By not voting we are saying that we accept the potholes on our streets and highway, we favor the delays in the downsizing of government, we accept the changes to health care without information, and we accept the spending habits of our lawmakers.

Many people shake their heads in disbelief that we can't act to solve our problems.

This revenue shortfall did occur suddenly but the problems in taking action to reduce spending has been created by years of special-interest legislation. Inform yourself of actions by other states in meeting their budget shortfalls and compare those to Hawaii.

To correct the problems we are facing, we need to vote and elect officials who represent the citizens of the state and not only special-interest groups. We need elected officials who meet with us to hear our concerns and to explain their votes on legislation.

Act now to record your concerns, monitor the actions of your elected official and become involved in politics. We sometimes laugh at bills or laws that do not pass the common sense test. Not voting doesn't pass the common sense test either.

Leonard Leong
Honolulu