Mandating rail akin to tyranny

Is modern Oahu like ancient Greece?

Full of tyrants and myths? At least when it comes to rail, yes.

Only a tyrant would tax people for a rail project years before the proposal has been found to be environmentally acceptable and federally funded.

Only a tyrant would award contracts unlawfully for a project that has neither state nor federal environmental and other approvals.

Only a tyrant would manipulate the process in order to ignore superior and lower-cost alternatives such as bus rapid transit and true light rail.

It is a myth that heavy rail is useful, green, can be built with current taxes or will ease congestion.

Fact is that this train will be least useful to families with kids, schoolchildren, the elderly and the handicapped. It will serve fewer than 3 percent of the trips conducted daily on Oahu.

There are fewer than five miles of elevated freeways in urban Oahu. The rail will be a 36-mile continuously elevated superstructure. And it will destroy what's left of prime agricultural land.

Zeus would be proud of Oahu's tyrants and their myths. Fact is that Zeus never existed. This train should not exist, either.

Greedy types ruining America

When will we stop letting billionaire executives and their paid-for politicians decide our policies in America? It is time to take America back from the brink of disaster. Health care reform and clean, free energy are the two easiest ways to set this country on the right path. Get us out of the trillions of dollar debt caused by unneeded foreign oil and the planet-destroying pollution it is causing. What good is health care reform if everything else we do to pollute ourselves and our world just makes us sick? We have the technology and the knowledge to make things work. We just do not have the honest politicians to put things in place to make America great again.

We need political and politician reform. We need to remember and remind those who have forgotten that we elect politicians to serve our needs as Americans, not the greedy corporate billionaires. We can also get rid of the politicians who betray our trust—and we do not necessarily need to wait until another election to get rid of them. We need to stop rewarding dishonesty in our America.

Do the right thing for America or move over and the honest Americans will. You have fattened your pockets on our misery long enough. It is time to make America strong and honest again. Let's reclaim our country.

Save wildlife with climate bill

It has been recognized that climate change poses an unprecedented threat to wildlife. The U.S. Senate currently is considering legislation to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases that are triggering climate change. I would like to encourage all of us to contact our Hawaii senators to request that any climate and energy legislation must also dedicate 5 percent of the funding generated to safeguard our fish and wildlife and the natural resources on which we all rely.

Time to revise U.S. priorities

Medicare for all is the best choice for the citizens. Close the gap on prescription drugs. Adopt Canada's bargaining drug system. According to the American Friends Service Committee, only 6 percent of the federal budget is for health and human services. I find that 57 percent of the federal budget is devoted to systems of violence, aggression and military might. Appalling national priorities. Stop now!