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POSTED: Friday, March 19, 2010

Earmarks helped boost Hawaiians

Your March 15 editorial, “;Inouye should heed wind shift on earmarks,”; failed to say that without Sen. Dan Inouye's earmarks, many vital and effective programs for native Hawaiians would never exist.

Many education programs for native Hawaiians were conceived, funded and developed by Inouye through the appropriations process, which constitutionally vests Congress — not the president — with the power to appropriate funds. Inouye's decision to earmark innovative approaches to educate native Hawaiians has led to the revitalization of the Hawaiian language, the creation of culturally aligned Hawaiian curriculum, and improvements in education and employment for Hawaiians.

These earmarks have led to improvements in the education system and have created sustainable programs that we assume would have otherwise sprung into existence on their own. The reality is that many of these programs would never exist had Inouye not first earmarked them years ago.

 

               

     

 

 

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Ex-ILWU leader a disappointment

I am very disappointed by the article run by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin regarding former ILWU President Eusebio “;Bo”; Lapenia's resignation from union- affiliated boards because he did not agree with the ILWU's endorsement for governor (”;Hannemann endorsement irks ex-Hawaii labor leader,”; March 12).

Like Bo, I have been a union member for 30 years and was mentored by him. One of the most important things he taught me was that the ILWU is a democratic union. That means we vote on issues of importance and that the majority rules.

The ILWU follows a democratic process in determining candidate endorsements — the same process we followed when Bo was president. Fair and open discussion was held in our local Political Action Committee, which is made up of elected representatives from all islands. All members have the right to voice their opinions.

In the end, the committee decided to endorse Mufi Hannemann. The majority rules — and failing to recognize that is falling to respect and honor the will of the membership.

 

GET hike would deepen the pain

Are they nuts? How can our legislators think of increasing the excise tax? This is the most regressive tax of all and affects everyone. Individuals and businesses are getting slammed with increases in our gasoline, medical insurance, electricity, sewer, etc., etc. This tax increase will only deepen our recession. Reducing the size of government should be their focus.

Talk about piling on.

 

'Prevention' plan is misguided

Project Prevention's presence in Hawaii is troubling. It perpetuates two dangerous myths: that drug use is endemic to the poor, and that addicts are throwaways, with no hope of recovery and undeserving of the basic freedom to manage their reproductive health.

The truth is that substance abuse among pregnant women cuts across all socioeconomic and ethnic groups, and there is help.

Planned Parenthood of Hawaii offers family planning services on a sliding scale basis — allowing our lowest income patients to obtain services, including birth control, for free.

It cares for the whole patient, offering gynecological exams, follow-up care, and substance abuse treatment referrals.

Another option is the PATH Clinic, which provides comprehensive and judgment free prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care to women with past or present substance use issues.

The effects of substances used during pregnancy can be grave and must be prevented. We need to support all women and provide them the health care and education needed to make the best choices possible for their reproductive futures.

 

Doctors worried by 'Obamacare'

A newsletter affiliated with the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine — Recruiting Physicians Today — has just published a survey showing that almost half of practicing doctors in the U.S. will give serious consideration to leaving the practice of medicine if Obamacare becomes law.

Also just published was a study from the Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University in Massachusetts that concludes Obamacare will cost America up to 700,000 jobs by 2019.

It's time for our sole House representative in Washington to reconsider her past support for what amounts to a governmental takeover of a sixth of the U.S. economy.

Not only will Obamacare increase the federal budget deficit, but it's now clear that it will founder miserably on other criteria, not the least of which is that it will cause a severe shortage of doctors and cost our economy badly needed, good-paying jobs.

Rep. Mazie Hirono needs to wake up! Obamacare will hurt the availability of quality care in Hawaii and nationally.

 

Residents have different view

Your editorial of March 14 (”;Housing project on River Street worth pursuing”;) greatly misrepresents the sentiments of the residents of the area near the proposed Housing First site.

Petitions signed by those who drop in to worship or work in the area don't reflect the opinions of those who actually spend their nights and much of their days in the area.

Those thoughts were represented by the Chinatown organizations, petitions, ads and neighborhood board votes that oppose the project.

Housing First is a deeply flawed program with high relapse rates and other significant problems. If implemented at all, it should be away from residential areas, at a site such as Iwilei and the former Catholic charities site on Vineyard.

Please respect the views of area residents in dealing with this difficult problem or volunteer to put the development in your own backyard.