Governor, go without pay
Governor Ige recently stated that the stay-at-home order may need to be extended.
Here on Kaua‘i, we are still subjected to roadblocks, curfews and other somewhat-draconian measures.
Yet, while people go without jobs, businesses suffer and risk closing permanently and many go hungry, those making these decisions seem to go unscathed.
The governor still gets his salary, Mayor Kawakami still gets his pay, the state workers and county employees still get a regular paycheck.
So, I suggest that these public servants show their solidarity with the people they represent.
Governor, return your pay for the entire period of the lockdown, the same with our mayor and the councilmembers. Let our state representatives and senators suffer the same loss of income as the bartenders, waitresses and waiters, room-cleaners and all the others who have suffered so badly under these “lockdown” orders and business closings.
It seems only fair that if we can’t make a living we should not pay for those making the decisions that led to these losses. While they make nonsense statements of “understanding our pain,” they suffer none if it. Time for our “leaders” to step up and get a dose of their own medicine. Fair is fair.
Barry Dittler, Kapa‘a
There is no long-term threats to our rights
A twist on an old myth: After saving a kingdom, all the hero requests is three grains of rice, multiplied by three each day, for a month. Of course, he takes the country’s entire crop. That’s how geometric progressions work.
Now, take an infectious COVID-19 person (please). The R-factor — the number of people he will infect in an unsequestered society — is about three, based on the O‘ahu McDonald’s and the Maui incidents. This is uncommonly high for viral infections, because COVID-19 carriers are unknowingly infectious before showing symptoms and many infected never show symptoms sufficient to cause quarantine. So the virus spreads from that one person to a total contagion this way:
1, 4, 13, 40, 121, 364, 1093, 2,074, 3,280 … .
If perhaps our hospitals aren’t overwhelmed now, that one person (say, one of those self-proclaimed freedom fighters patting himself and others on the back with an carrier hand) can within a week or so send hundreds to the hospitals, scores to the ICU and put several dozen kupuna and keiki on ventilators, which does overwhelm our limited medical capabilities. At a 2% mortality rate (likely higher here with an elder-slanted population), this “patriot” causes about 65 premature (and horrible) deaths, just to this point in the process, which goes on.
I’m old and my memory fails, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t hospital whitecoats the founding father were fighting; the slogan wasn’t “No sequestration without active infestation,” but had to do with voting and taxes.
Living on Kaua‘i, we are among the luckiest people on earth. We are in one of the most sheltered and thereby safe places on the planet. Let’s keep that freedom from illness. Practice social distancing, even if it seems unnecessary.
Despite an ingrained bias against government excess (I’ve supported the ACLU for over 50 years), I don’t see a long-term threat to our constitutional freedoms from the emergency orders, even if overinclusive rather than underinclusive.
It will be a different matter if the emergency orders are prolonged after the health crisis ceases, or if cronies or families of politicians profit from suspending contracting restrictions or otherwise capitalize on our misery. We’ll have plenty of time to deal properly with such miscreants.
Jed Somit, Kapa‘a
Barry, if you expect these public figures to give up their pay, then they should be allowed to stay home – no responsibilities – no hard decisions to make – no accountability. Oh, and they should be allowed to collect unemployment. Just like everyone else. That’s fair, right? Now you see why your statement doesn’t make sense? Look, I’m sorry for all of those who lost their jobs. It was unforeseen and is not their fault. That is why there has been so much non-profit and community help being poured our way and our federal government is stepping in big time to help. Some may not have their money yet, but hold tight- it’s coming. And I, as a tax paying citizen, am helping fund the stimulus checks and other aid coming your way. I’m an essential worker. I don’t make much. But it’s a job. I’m lucky, right? Well…How do you think I feel knowing that some people I know who were laid off will soon be getting unemployment plus $600 per week? And qualify for hundreds in SNAP benefits? In the end it’s more than I make as I go to work! And they get to stay home! So please, everyone is doing their part. Do yours too and don’t grumble. We don’t need more grumblers on Kauai.
And there lies the problem with socialism.
Thank you Jed, and be well.
I
Aloha Barry,
You make a good point. Those still receiving pay in the State and County governments should send back 80% of their pay and have it distributed to the unemployed and shuttered business owners.
This is not as a punishment but as a fair share of the burden no one asked for. We are all in it together, well aren’t we…?
Issue needs to be taken with Mayor Kawakami, he keeps repeating a statement that insults our intelligence. Over and over he keeps repeating, “WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER,”, “ WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER…!”
Like heck we are, this “togetherness” is completely broken apart by the Haves and the Have Nots…that is defined by those with ongoing salary, many of the Mayor and .Governor’s Teams who have been sent home to sit out this economic destruction with full pay and those gone home with nothing, and the latter who stand to lose more than income but also their businesses and homes, rental properties, and fall behind on taxes, monthly business bills, including property tax.
This isn’t time to Defer these debts but suspend and forgive them including any loans people are forced to take out.
All of this over a flu that most do NOT GET ANY SYMPTOMS, or ONLY MILD SYMPTOMS, OR NEED ONLY BEDREST. Aren’t we over reacting…?
This CoVid-19 virus is a milder flu than the seasonal flu which statistics show kills 650,000 worldwide and abs for decades, and from that worldwide population we always get our annual amount of visitors year after year with no need of an Economic Shutdown, and the flu comes back every year. What you never had the flu.
The Medical Industry continues to hold us all captive by continued SECRECY of this Virus Disease, and even so many other diseases. Keep us ignorant both about Health and Disease.
While the vast majority of deaths blamed on this Virus Disease are of elderly people with Pre-existing Chronic Degenerative Diseases and whole menus of taking toxic dangerous Prescription Drugs that in themselves are the sources of Secondary Diseases as “side effects” that often cause death routinely to the elderly.
So medical statistics hide from us what is really happening…are the elderly dying from their old age, mixed with their proven killer Chronic Degenerative Diseases, and their multiple bottles of toxic prescription drugs, and just so happen to have been infected with the CoVid-19 virus that while it does not appear to kill younger people why would it kill older ones with the same internal viral disease process.
This is like finding an old dead dog on the side of the road with flies al over it, and blaming the flies for the death.
And with the amount of false POSITIVE test results talked about, is the CoVid-19 not at all the cause of death in the elderly but is an add on statistic to bring us closer to a worldwide sale and profit of another VACCINE, a VACCINE that produces only some immunity to that same vaccine but not immunity to the CoVid-19 virus itself.
And if you are kept from exposure (stay at home) from the CoVid-19 virus you cannot develop immunity to it and next year when this virus returns,as is predicted by the head viral guy, Dr. Fauci, you will with no immunity next year be subject to INFECTION WITH NO IMMUNITY PROTECTION.
We are clearly placing too much faith, confidence, and belief in medicines, VACCINES, and medical disease care which makes its huge income relying on there being disease in the population; and who have manages to have 80% of Americans on 1 or More prescription drugs, with multiple doses, per day; and 55% of Americans on 4 or more prescription drugs, with multiple doses, per day. Some take 10 and 15 multiple drug doses per day.
The medical profession even has most households to have a designated Medicine Cabinet in the bathroom. That’s belief in drugs.
Medicine has brought us to falsely believe that Health requires a “Pill for Every Illness”. We spend $4 Trillion a year treating Disease, and almost nothing on Health.
We spend more on drug advertisements than on HEALTH.
WE and the medical industry have allowed Disease Care to replace Health Care.
Is it any wonder that with 80% of America on disease drugs that we are the sickest weakest nation on earth, and that when a flu virus comes around we are stricken into fear, paranoia, more tests and Economic Shutdown, and the worst statistics on infection, sickness, and death.
People need to understand that medical TESTING provides only the key to more MEDICAL TREATMENTS, AND THAT THE TREATMENTS cause more side effects of more disease causing use of prescription drugs and more sickness and death, such is the very possible false Report of death from a virus just because you may happen to have a virus when your multiple diseases and drug prescriptions make it your time to pass away.
Medical tests mean you get to be on medical drugs earlier in life, but have nothing to do with becoming well or healthy. Taking prescription drugs one just falls through the trap door of medicine, where one drug leads to another until you are so full of drugs you’re dead.
Sad..!
But Health is something you need to do every day for yourself.
Yes this medical fear of virus they are sprinting and dangerously rushing to get more drugs and vaccines for is part of the Draconian rules issued by mere rotating elected officials that deny us our daily Health promoting activities.
You must enjoy, yes enjoy, everyday Sun, Water, Air, Rest, Exercise (SWARE) that includes, Lying in the sun at the beach, swimming, golfing, yoga, walking, socializing in conversation with others, eat only live natural unprocessed food, include fruits, veggies, grains, seeds, legumes, and stay 100% away from sugar, fast food, junk food, soda, greasy floods, and chemicals added to foods, or put on our crops, or from the pharmacy.
These are some of the things and activities that are Health. Only you can do or choose them, the reward is optimal active healthy life longevity. You have to make effort every day to be healthy.
Not making this effort let’s you slide down to disease and disease care…your own darn fault.
Being Healthy is an effort you have to make, it provides a Healthy Immune System and Can provide resistance to viruses so when they infect you, you may have no symptoms, your immune system packs them Viruses A up and throws them away…So to speak…!
Get Healthy and Stay Healthy…it’s never too late to be Healthy!
I agree with Mr. Somit that governmental restrictions on civil liberties are only temporary, and we should therefore err on the side of caution to keep those we care for and the general public safe from Covid-19. That certainly is not too much to ask. When I watch the news and read stories about our brave medical workers risking their lives everyday to save strangers because they care, it saddens me to think that some people are so out of touch and so self-serving. Let’s support our leaders who took an oath of office to protect us and our liberties—even if it’s temporarily suspended during these difficult times.
1 active. THERE IS NOTHING HERE!!!!! Why not start letting certain sectors do a soft opening and follow basic distancing. This is a joke. Look at all the new data, .1% death rate. 96% get no symptoms in some samples. Do you have an idea how bad this economy will be?
Barry, county and start are working hard right now during this crisis. Who i would like to see step up are all these county, fire , police employees close to retirement gassed their overtime resulting in thousands of dollars in overtime. That was shameful and now is a good time to make amends.
Das Right,
Well, our mayor has just gained national attention for his silly dances on face book (I don’t have a face book account, so I sadly missed this). These are done from HOME out of boredom after the evening curfew, according to the article. I simply object to the platitudes such as “we share your pain” when they are collecting a tax paid salary and pension funding while many stand in line at the food bank to get their next meal , or wonder where they may be living in the near future ! As for grumbling, it is my right under the constitution to hold our elected officials accountable when we, the tax payers , pay their salary. If they are going to insult me with “we stand with you and understand what you are going through” then maybe they should really feel the same financial pain that others effected by their actions are feeling. As for collecting unemployment, there was NO money paid into the system to fund their payments like other employers have to make. That is because they are IMMUNE to being laid off ! So, just don’t insult us with your gushing nonsense about being in the same boat, because they are not !
I’m with you Jed. So refreshing to hear from someone who is smart and sees the big picture