A question of freedom
Well, they’re back. First they hung out in Kapa‘a, their tiny group begging for attention. Next it was Rice Street, where they wanted drivers to check and see if their horns worked. Now they’re parading around as though someone just got married and tooting their horns to get their pathetic attention needs met.
Who are they?
Good question. Their hastily-thrown-together signs indicate that they want their “freedom” and “no restrictions,” and then it’s revealed, “no masks.” And alas, we know who they are.
They are the people who don’t care about others. Do they consider kupuna and many others expendable? They don’t want “restrictions” from what? Is it really too much to ask folks to wear a mask when scientific evidence has proven it does save lives? Oh well, to hell with science.
However, there is a solution. The “I want my freedom cult” can move to a state without restrictions — they have that freedom. Also, they don’t have to go into the post office, they don’t have to go in a store, and they don’t have to give a care about anyone but themselves and their inconsiderate, selfish needs.
The vast majority of people on Kaua‘i have set a respectful aloha tone and are behaving in a way that has saved lives, perhaps even theirs.
Lawrence Hornbeck, Kilauea
Payroll tax cut will harm seniors
I’m coming to you not as a Republican or Democrat but as a concerned citizen of our great nation. Like many of you I have been watching the candidates and their promises kept and those which have been overlooked. One of those such promises is the Social Security protection for seniors.
Our seniors depend on their Social Security, for which they have worked for, and this benefit is in jeopardy of being lost. And for those of us who will be retiring in the future, this benefit will be gone, if we do not take action now.
The president has vowed to cut the payroll tax (this tax is what funds the Social Security benefit). If this happens, most working Americans approaching the age of retirement simply cannot afford to retire. And those who are currently receiving Social Security may see a dramatic change to their current financial status. I’m not trying to be an alarmist, but simply want to bring your attention to the payroll tax, as it can be lost in all of the noise of politics.
When you go to the voting polls in November 2020, keep in mind if this president gets four more years not only will our seniors lose, but our veterans, those who are planning for retirement, the homeless, and the disabled.
Whatever side you see yourself on concerning this issue of cutting of the payroll tax, please consider my thoughts and vote in our 2020 elections.
Every vote counts.
Alvin Alsberry, California
Lawrence,
“They are the people who don’t care about others”
Are you a mind reader? Guess what I’m thinking right now…
Give those at risk and those who want it medical grade PPE, and give everyone else their lives back.
Refusing to give those at risk medical grade PPE shows we don’t really care about them.
A Question of Common Sense…..with no active cases on the Kauai, 95% of the 58 cases on Kauai related to travel, Who are you protecting by wearing a mask?
Look at the science? No active cases on Kauai…..so what are mask protecting us from? Last time I checked, zero times zero is still zero.
As long as the travel restrictions are in place with few people coming to Kauai, we are relatively safe.
We know how Covid-19 is going to come to Kauai.
Rather than worrying about people not wearing mask, based on the statistics you should be concentrating your disdain on your friends and neighbors who travel to the mainland or outer islands and put us at risk of bringing the virus to our shore. These are the people who don’t care about our kapuna and others.
Kauai is unique with its isolation and zero cases. Don’t be a sheep!!!!
Mr. Hornbeck, if you are telling others to live based on science, I would recommend that you do the same!!!!
So… you’re agreeing that efforts are working?
Mr. Hornbeck, I agree with you 100% don’t listen to these others commenting to the bull shine in their own sad/sick/delusional minds. They are ignorant, woefully ignorant. I suspect they are the same money greed, take and don’t give back mainlanders that come here, and try to change things. I suggest they go, and work in the hospitals that are caring for all these patients that are suffering, and dying because of ignorance like theirs. Think about how idiotic these people are behaving, and the words of blatant disregard for any one else but themselves. They don’t grasp the fact, that the reason we are virus free, is that the majority of the people are following the guidelines set up for us. They should just move away. Really, or go back to the state they came from. We here in Hawaii, Kauai, are grateful we have a Mayor, that kept us safe. I am grateful for that. Any normal person would be. Unless you are the few…ignorant fools that have issues with living safe. Go away, with that thinking …leave. No one is making, or forcing you to stay here. We definitely would benefit from one less, high strung, know it all, yap yap yap… 3% if that. 3% fools that with their foolishness can make all the effort go wrong. Go away….please. Somebody buy these fools a ticket.
Hey Alvin…. the last thing I need to read is a letter from a fear mongering liberal who thinks I should vote for Biden because our current president will reduce my social security if he gets re-elected in November. Really Alvin. Those you listen to have done a good job brain washing you to your current thinking. Remember only a genuine POLITICIAN not our current business man
would think of such a stupid ass idea of trying to take away money from those who have worked their akole’s’ off their entire lives paying in to the social security pool. Push your case on your local newspapers of Cali sir.
Nonsense, Alvin. You are failing to make the distinction between payroll taxes and the government’s continuing obligation to pay social security benefits. Reducing the former simply allows working people and businesses that have been trashed by local, state and federal knee jerk reaction to the corona virus to keep more of their income.
There is NO change to the fed’s obligation to pay social security benefits now, or in the future. If the payroll taxes collected are reduced the politicians will simply find another way to pay the benefits…most likely by inflationary monetary policy.
All you are doing is attempting to influence some voters with an irrational claim.
Colin McCleod
Alvin, On the flip side Bidens platform calls for raising the age at which one becomes eligible for social security benefits to 72. The fact is that federal, state and local spending has far outpaced their ability to pay. Governments rarely cut expenses to balance budgets so you will see taxes rise significantly in coming years. This will impact economic growth which will effect the amounts raised thru taxes. This was all apparent prior to the current covid- 19 situation which will amplify the problem. Hopefully there will be a solution, but buckle up its going to be a wild ride.
OMG, this is the biggest outright lie I have seen so far. The Biden “Platform” has no such change to SS age. His main change is to raise the amount those making over 400,000 pay into SS and raise the benefit amount for those receiving the lowest amounts. There is not one eetsy beetsy peep about raising raising entry level ages.
I’m sure our local government is proud of your letter. You have drank the cool-aide the state and county leaders want yo to drink. They have you talking just the way they they planned it. They found loop holes in our rights that has led them to create ways(quarantine) to make it a real pain in the ass if you want to come to a place that has zero people sick. It’s the only legal way to get away with making people think and change their plans of travel. I got news for you they have done nothing but make things worse. Why would anyone restrict healthy people? Why would you shut done schools with no evidence of anyone being sick. If we have active cases like other islands I can see restrictions that pertain to that event if not then let it be. Stop the constant fear mongering .
The concern about a payroll tax cut is completely false. Taxes are collected from several sources and allocated to many programs. Some taxes are collected specifically for certain programs, Social Security is not one of these programs. Social Security is funded from many sources of tax revenue. Approximately 70% of funds allocated to Social Security are directly from payroll taxes in a stable economy. The rest of the funds come from General Fund, Taxes on benefits, and Interest Income. If necessary, such as in our current unstable jobs economy, additional funds are provided by an increase in General Funds. This has happened many times in the past. Please stop providing false information just to get voters to vote a specific way. Both major parties are doing this, so everyone needs to use logic and research of facts (not news stories) to find the truth.
Lawrence, is it of no importance to you that there is basically No Covid on Kauai throughout the pandemic? The “mask” science you speak of has been inconsistent correct? Still is? What source are you citing? Please list below? Should the fearful or the fearless stay stuck inside? Are not the “mask” rules for dine -in restaurants just illogical. (For the record I wear a mask every time; but there are two schools of thought, your “letter” is a tad bit condescending and has a tinge of superiority to it.) Some people are comfortable giving up security as long as they don’t give up their freedoms. You appear to be the person willing to give up your freedom for a little bit of security… and that is ok.. for you.