• Change is happening • Time to move on • Power struggle • Sign civil-unions bill • Dog that wags the tail Change is happening It is with great pleasure to see that Hawai‘i now has a Republican representative to
• Change is happening • Time to move on • Power struggle • Sign civil-unions bill • Dog that wags the tail
Change is happening
It is with great pleasure to see that Hawai‘i now has a Republican representative to the U.S. House of Representatives.
The change we are seeing is a change towards a stronger two-party system for Hawai‘i. It is only with a strong two party system that people of Hawai‘i can be fairly represented and governed. We have seen Hawai‘i transform to a Republican administration. Not perfect, but a more fair, open, and fiscal responsible government than of past administrations.
Dejou’s victory has invigorated Republicans and Independents to work harder for the continuance of a Republican state administration this fall. The state House and Senate will remain having a Democrat majority for awhile. However, with a lot of hard work in campaigning, Hawai‘i could get closer this fall to having at least a one-third minority of Republicans in the state House and Senate. Only with a one-third membership in the house and senate can bad bills and raising taxes be stopped. The momentum of change shown in Saturday’s election results may just get us there soon.
Ron Agor, Lihu‘e
Time to move on
Mr. Coll and Mr. Antonson disagree. We get it. Can we move on now?
Roger Olsen, Wailua
Power struggle
Re the ongoing debate on the present mayoral system vs. county manager system, it may be of interest to Kauaians that San Diego is presently having the same debate, only in reverse.
In a few weeks voters here must decide if our mayoral government should be made even stronger, the better to fix San Diego’s finances, now swimming in deep red ink.
The problem largely originated during the previous city manager form of government, and our present mayor was largely elected to fix those problems. But by and large, he has been unable to fix mech.
Here it is the business people who support the “strong mayor” concept, and it is clear that we are having a struggle for political power. I’m not sure if our city manager of the previous administration possessed any advanced college degrees.
Regardless, we should always be careful that our best people suffer no handicap from over-schooling.
Dave Au, San Diego, Calif.
Sign civil-unions bill
I am one more voter for civil-union rights. Sad that we live in a state/country where this issue is decided politically or that it is even an issue!
Sad again, that the organized religions are not about peace or justice for all!
Joan Heller, Lawa‘i
Dog that wags the tail
In the passing months, and in reading “Budget scheduling hampers process” (The Garden Island, May 9), I have given a fair amount of thought to understanding why it seems a large number of community members are not engaged more directly with our island political issues.
This made no sense to me because when it comes to organizing community events benefiting our citizens, in which being directly involved is crucial, community members reliably come together in large numbers, and hum along like a fine German-made engine — successfully and generously raising funds for families in need, raising homes for community members, and organizing often complicated, detailed community gatherings to benefit the island, only to name a few.
After a great deal of careful consideration, I have concluded that when it comes to some of our public servants’ political practices, it is a bit likened to that of growing mushrooms — some policies are grown in the dark. Executive sessions, executive decisions, deafening silence to citizen input, and sometimes hasty decisions to weighty decisions that effect all members of the community transpire.
I have witnessed in the courtroom a community member, seemingly for no apparent reason, be directed — not once but twice — by a judge, “Leave ‘my’ courtroom.” In my observation, I sadly concluded the person’s desire and right to be heard by the court was made unimportant in this “the people’s court.”
How can community members grasp political details, be active politically, and exercise their rights with confidence when perhaps political practices by public officials at times are elusive, intangible, out of the public eye and reach? County Council public hearings to issues of the walking path draw the largest number of engaged community members. Perhaps this is so because community members have been given more breadth to become directly involved with matters related to the beach path and did so with a passion. And, is it perhaps on the beach path where the dog wags the tail, rather than the tail that wags the dog?
Deborah Morel, Kapa‘a
