Kudos to police for the work they do
Every day I read about all of the crime in our beautiful Kona — most are homeless with drug or alcohol habits feeding their need to steal, beg and vandalize those of us who have worked hard all our lives for what we have. I know, we were vandalized a couple months ago and the officers caught the two involved.
Our Police Department spends countless hours working to get to the bad guys that peddle drugs to those down and out.
I hope the judges appreciate their hard work and “throw the book” at the latest two “drug lords” in Waikoloa. How dare they prey on our people of our beautiful island or anywhere. They should be sent to an island in the middle of the ocean with the rest of the drug peddlers.
Ray Duncan
Kona
Liberals and our Democratic presidents
I am responding to the inaccuracies in David Chrisman’s letter published Nov. 13. I’ll limit my responses to two areas.
First of all, so-called liberals do not hate capitalism or rich people. There are many progressive capitalists, wealthy and otherwise, who do a great deal for this country and the world.
Secondly, Mr. Chrisman’s comments about two-term presidents is flawed. While it’s true that only two of the six Democratic presidents since Franklin D. Roosevelt served two terms, only Jimmy Carter was not re-elected to a second term. Harry Truman served the remainder of Roosevelt’s term, John F. Kennedy likely would have been re-elected had he lived and Lyndon B. Johnson resigned at the end of his first term.
Compare that record to the past six Republican presidents, of which two were not re-elected to a second term.
Lois Williams
Kailua-Kona
Health Connector still a problem
As a strong supporter of single payer/socialized medicine, I could only laugh when I read the optimistic projections for the Hawaii Health Connector in West Hawaii Today Nov. 15. The Affordable Care Act is a disaster and the Hawaii Heath Connector is leading the way off the cliff.
My wife recently got a new job and has been treated to two months of hours online and with health care navigators trying to get coverage under her employer’s Connector Plan. The business manager at her employer also spent hours trying to find out what the problem was. After finally being assured she was covered and given a confirmation number she went to her doctor and, you guessed it, she was not listed with the insurer. Further, she came to find out that come January she will be forced into a plan that does not have her doctor in it and will require trips to Oahu for anything more complicated than a check-up.
Living in Hawaii you do become used to total government incompetence but this takes the cake. When you add government incompetence with health care industry greed the results are predictable. I might suggest the new Hawaii Health Connector CEO use his psychiatric benefits to get his delusions treated. If he was able to get coverage, that is.
Joe Appleton
Waimea
Hawaii’s economic future looks depressing
With America’s debt nearing the $18 trillion mark, it is inevitable military cuts will happen in so-called paradise. First of all, Hawaii’s economy is too narrowly based on tourism, which is scary. Secondly, government, especially the state of Hawaii is too humongous. Privatize our failing public schools, which received an F+ grade from the feds. Establish a voucher system where students can choose their school of choice. There is nothing wrong with Iolani and Punahou whose students have risen to prominent statuses.
With Hawaii’s beaches disappearing like the Hawaiian culture, our tourism sector stands on tenuous foundations. The answer to this problem is diversification of Hawaii’s economy. More has to be done to promote the Hawaiian culture and heritage for tourism to get a fighting chance in this so-called paradise.
Perhaps we are nearing the end of this so-called paradise. With rising sea levels because of global warming and climate change, such can be the results.
The state definitely has to diversify its economy to have a fighting chance.
Dean Nagasako
Honokaa