Stimulus brought few advantages

Nine months ago, Hawaii's congressional delegation voted unanimously along party lines in favor of a nearly $787 billion federal stimulus bill—a big reason the federal budget deficit is now four times what it was in 2008. Despite warnings from some economists that this legislation might perversely act to increase unemployment instead of creating jobs, President Barack Obama warned that if the bill wasn't enacted, the national unemployment rate might rise to 8 percent. The bill was signed into law by Obama in February; unemployment has since risen to over 10 percent.

Approximately $18 million of this stimulus money went to create a Web site (Recovery.gov) that is so replete with errors that even congressional Democrats are assailing it. The administration refuses to fix the site even though it has admitted the information is wrong.

There is no defensible reason for this. Where is the transparency we were promised by candidate Obama? What says our congressional delegation to such arrogance?

Cancer 'cure' caused misery

Regarding the New York Times article, “;Cancer medicine ignored,”; printed on Nov. 15: I would like to say that I am one of the very unlucky 1 percent who are at risk for and got uterine cancer from Tamoxifen use.

Right after my breast cancer, they warned me of this when I was given Tamoxifen. I requested a hysterectomy three times and was refused. I ended up with an aggressive uterine cancer and had to take a very tough chemo regimen even for a very early stage cancer. I had been warned not just by the doctors, but by many women who gave up on Tamoxifen due to irregular bleeding. If I could save one person from what I have gone through, I'd be happy.

The only way to prevent female cancers is to educate women about the risks of artificial hormones, be they birth control pills, HRT or Tamoxifen.

'Do no harm' to health care

Americans' individual freedoms are threatened by government involvement in health care. The “;left”; wants to tell doctors and hospitals what care they can offer to whom, and for how much. Some on the “;right”; want to control whether a woman carries a baby to term. Both are unwanted intrusions into the most personal areas of life.

Each patient is an individual and responds uniquely to disease, injury and treatment. Doctors practice an art, as well as a science, as they try to determine what is wrong and what treatment may help. At the same time they must “;do no harm”; to their patient while using powerful tools such as surgery and drugs. Government bureaucracy can only hurt this process.

Modern health care is expensive because there is so much of it available due to innovation and research. Under government control we lose the freedom to purchase the insurance or health care we want because government participation destroys the marketplace. Medicare has already reduced the choices of Americans over 65. Doctors should not have to plead with government bureaucrats for treatments their patients need.

Liberal notions such as everyone owning their own home, affordable or not, has brought us the mortgage mess that led to the current recession. Congress must think beyond buying future votes with freebies and make sure they “;do no harm”; to the American health care system and no further harm to the American economy.

Get out of Iraq and Afghanistan

Get out of Iraq and Afghanistan right now.

Spending money at home is much better than spending money in other countries. We should build up our defense at home and mind our own business in other countries.