• Afghanistan • County dictator • Protect the people’s rights Afghanistan Our commander-in-chief is a wuss when it comes to making a decision on Afghanistan, which he deemed to be the “right war” when he was running for president. He
• Afghanistan
• County dictator
• Protect the people’s rights
Afghanistan
Our commander-in-chief is a wuss when it comes to making a decision on Afghanistan, which he deemed to be the “right war” when he was running for president.
He dithers while the troops are left twisting in the wind for reinforcements. If I was in command of these troops, I would keep them out of harm’s way and let them sit there playing cards.
Our military is too valuable a resource to let them languish. An army should only be employed in battle if there is an objective to win and then get out.
So many countries have tried to conquer Afghanistan going all the way back to Alexander the Great. The British and the Russians all failed.
There is only one way for us to win and that is get out while we can.
Clifford R. Waeschle, Former Marine Corps captain, Kilauea
County dictator
With all due respect to Walter Lewis and Glenn Mickens, I must take issue with Mickens’ Nov. 24 letter in which he waves two “glaring facts” and asks the Charter Review Commission, “Aren’t these enough?”
Fact No.1: “A mayor is selected because of popularity, a manager is chosen because of education and experience.”
This “fact” completely ignores two unincluded facts, namely (a) the fact that our national, state, city/municipal leaders are elected (selected) by popular vote (except in one presidential election he was declared the winner by the electoral college); and (b) While it is true that those running for election need only to meet minimum requirements such as age, citizenship and residency, do you not Lewis and Mickens, like most voters do, consider the “education” and “experience” and I might add, their political philosophy and stand on issues, before voting for your candidate?
Do you seriously believe that the president, the governor, the mayor, the legislators — all elected officials — do not seriously consider the “education” and “experience” of those whom they appoint to boards, commissions and other appointive positions?
Fact No. 2: “This system … exists in 45 of our 50 states but of the 100 best places in the United States, 77 of them use the county manager system.”
This too blatantly ignores the fact that the mayor-council system which we have exists in all 50 states. It exists on Kaua‘i and will continue to exist on Kaua‘i — the best Hawaiian island according to Travel and Leisure magazine in 2009.
Changing the system will not guarantee an elimination of the problems the supporters of change perceive. An elective council — unless the majority agrees with you on issues — will continue to represent what they believe are the wants and needs of the people and the mayor will appoint people who will by their “education and experience” perform the duties of the office to which they are appointed.
A non-elective leadership system, perhaps, provides the best answer for change — assuming the dictator you select does it “your way.”
Alfred Laureta, Lihu‘e
Protect the people’s rights
It was disturbing to read retired Judge Alfred Laureta’s view on the confidentiality of executive session (“Mahalo, Council, Letters, Nov. 24).
For a man who has spent many years upholding the law it is strange that he so vigorously defends council members’ claims of confidentiality for executive sessions that may well have been illegal.
The judge completely ignores Section 92-71 of the Sunshine Law and Section 3.07E of our charter (as then written) which basically provide that council executive sessions can only be held as to claims. Executive sessions that were held for other reasons were illegal and their minutes should be made public.
Judge Laureta’s point about “attorney-client privilege” is inapplicable because if the meetings were illegally held no “attorney-client privilege” could arise.
Yes, judge, we recognize that the minutes of the 177 session were withheld under the Supreme Court opinionless decision, but the court never addressed the OIP final decision authority given it by the Legislature or the mentioned provisions of the Sunshine Law and Kaua‘i Charter.
Laureta concludes by praising the council for spending money to “reaffirm the people’s rights.” He has it backwards. It is the mission of the OIP to protect the people’s rights under the Sunshine Law, to learn of the operations of our government which the council frequently likes to hide.
Glenn Mickens, Kapa‘a
