Column managed to insult everyone
Regarding Gary Hooser’s Wednesday column.
Your description of a “conservative” is a person who “believes in a world governed by law of the jungle” and “it’s every man for himself” with results driven by “survival of the fittest.” The quotes within quotes are those of Gary Hooser, I don’t know who he was quoting.
Gary, I and probably most other conservatives are insulted to be sure. I have worked for what I have, I pay my own bills, I pay my taxes, I have all my adult life volunteered for and been physically and monetarily involved with numerous organizations that help others. Conservatives take responsibility for themselves and others. Were it not for conservatives, who would help those who talk about all the help that is needed. If you are the opposite of a conservative, I am sorry.
It was your column that read like hogwash. I do believe you tried to insult most everyone: liberal, conservative or progressives. And just what is your personal, perfect, fair and just political association? Maybe you should read your column over and think about all of the many insulting ways you chose to describe anyone who wasn’t you.
Doris Jaynes, Wailua
Bloated government doesn’t help anyone
A recent Washington Post opinion piece by George Will, “The sprawling, intrusive administrative state is keeping you unwell,” prompts my response to Jed Somit’s recent editorial. Jed espouses the value of government bureaucracy and regulation. I argue that bureaucracy and regulations have become onerous, and unreasonable limiters to affordable housing, among other responsible endeavors.
Jed and I have opposing philosophies of governance, obviously. The one logic and feeling we share is an honest concern for our community. My philosophy of respect for the individual is distilled in the idiom: “That government governs best, which governs least.” I’m a minimalist, asking our government to take care of safety and sanitation, and only those other functions we cannot responsibly manage for ourselves.
We’ve allowed our government to become so bloated, as to be unsustainable, by any measure. This is not to denigrate the many committed “public servants,” who diligently perform the functions of government, daily.
Again, George Will says it better than I could;
“Despite today’s shrill discord between the parties, the political class is more united by class interest than it is divided by ideology. From left to right, this class has a permanent incentive to run enormous deficits — to charge, through taxation, current voters significantly less than the cost of the government goods and services they consume, and saddle future voters with the cost of servicing the resulting debt after the current crop of politicians has left the scene.
This crop derives its political philosophy from the musical “Annie”: Tomorrow is always a day away. For normal people, however, the day after tomorrow always arrives.”
Tourism is a good example. Tourism is taxed at 10.25 percent with the TAT. This discouragement to tourism is offset with a sizable portion of that money being used to market Hawaii as a destination. The tourism industry has plenty of money to market itself. And, we’re paying to increase the visitor count, that we’ve been grumbling about. DUH!
Under any ruse, the only government support the tourism industry needs is clean restrooms in our public parks. Let’s start there and dismantle some of our counterproductive administrative bureaucracy.
Mike Curtis, Koloa
I propose they just stop graduating twice, three, or four times, and just do their jobs. And political giants staying too long, what gives? Supporters of big industries running the show on supplying wants argue production will give us more choices. I agree. That brings us above the equilibrium. Surplus exist. Those people get richer. Republicans to take over. Anyone knows who owns Hawaiian airlines? Bought the most preferred stock. I though this was interesting.
Aloha Doris Jaynes…. Love your letter and what it stands for. Couldn’t have said it better myself.