Next president should decide justice
“We the People” should get the chance to decide the type of justice we want at the Supreme Court through the next presidential election. The balance of power between the branches has been eroded under President Obama, and allowing him to appoint a third Supreme Court justice will further exacerbate the problem.
The main issue is one of judicial philosophy. Justice Scalia was a strong proponent of adherence to the text of the Constitution. In that sense, he was willing to apply the sort of judicial restraint envisioned by our Founding Fathers on matters that fall outside the scope of the U.S. Constitution.
But the dangerous judicial philosophy of the liberal side of the court, which believes the Constitution is a “living, breathing” document, allows judges to manipulate the Constitution to accommodate for the flimsy whims of our rapidly changing culture. These sorts of justices see themselves as the agents of cultural change and not as officers of the law.
A “living, breathing” Constitution is no constitution at all. Scalia himself warned about the Supreme Court acting as a “super legislature,” invalidating the votes of millions of Americans through judicial fiat.
Senators who stand against rushing to confirm another Obama nominee, favoring the vote of the people as they select a new president in just a few short months, are actually living up to the highest standard of that sacred oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.
Barbara J. Ferraro
State director, Concerned Women for America of Hawaii — Hilo
Reef learning a wonderful experience
What a delightful day it was on Monday at Kahaluu beach when the students of Tina Benson came to study and map out their findings of the sea level rising.
The students had to get up early to get the bus from Waimea to Kona so many came with their jackets as Waimea is a lot cooler than the beach on Kona.
The teachers and volunteers helped cone off the areas to be mapped and the teacher measured the distance from the shore and roped off the area in meters.
The students were asked to write down what could be found within the grid area. They then began to draw in lines on their maps as to where the sea level would be in 2025, 2060, and in 2100.
They all were in agreement that everything as we now know it would be under the water.
It was not only a great way for the students to get a hands on experience on sight but also to learn how the changes in sea level will affect everything. All those expensive homes down along the shoreline will soon become unsellable as the ones on the north shore of Oahu which have already been taken back by the sea.
It’s unfortunate that more of the schools in the Kona area weren’t able to partake in this wonderful learning experience.
Colleen Miyose-Wallis
Reef Teach volunteer at Kahaluu beach
Rules need to be enforced
FAA regulations expressly prohibit ultralight aircraft flights over congested areas. Despite this, ultralights continue to fly over Kona, too low and slow to recover from a potentially fatal stall/spin/crash.
Ultralights have a very poor safety record as evidenced by the fatal crash at Kealakekua Bay several years ago. Complaints sent to the FAA and Sen. Brian Schatz are apparently ignored. Must some pedestrian on Alii Drive be killed by a crashing ultralight in order to induce the FAA to enforce the safety regulations?
Michael K. Sylmond
Kailua-Kona