President Donald Trump has just given most Americans a great Christmas present in the form of tax cuts.

Already companies like Boeing, Wells Fargo, AT&T, Comcast and Fifth Third Bank have decided to give their employees bonuses — some as much as $1,000 — because of the bill. More jobs will be created as businesses bring work back to the U.S.

Of course, “Scrooge” Democrats like U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz are opposed to the bill because it goes against their agenda of raise taxes, raise taxes and raise even more taxes.

Those of us who live in Hawaii certainly know how that works. Their position will be pretty hard to sell once we start receiving increased pay in February due to this bill. Hirono, Schatz and the rest of the Democrats need to open their eyes and realize that some of the things that Trump does are actually good for the country.

Peter Junker

Hawaii Kai

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As predicted, Chin will run for office

In July, I implored state Attorney General Douglas Chin to stop playing politics and quit using Hawaii’s money to litigate President Donald Trump’s travel ban (“Chin Opens in a new tab should stop playing  Opens in a new tabpolitics Opens in a new tab,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 15).

The costs for his and his staff’s salary, travel, court time, etc. may be upwards of $500,000. His only wins came in Judge Derrick Watson’s court. I believe that this will not benefit Hawaii. Let others like California or New York take up the cause with their money.

I predicted that Chin was using this case to enhance his public profile should he run for office. I do not believe that too many people in Hawaii or nationally knew of him prior to his opposition to Trump. Well, as earlier predicted, he has recently announced his candidacy for the U.S. Congress.

I think that his campaign should reimburse Hawaii for the money spent on this suit. He will probably win.

Michael Isokane

Kaimuki

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Convert Ala Wai Golf Course into park

If we are going to redo Ala Wai Golf Course, we should consider creating the modern driving range with all its amenities, but convert the golf course itself into a park like New York’s Central Park with some elements of a riverwalk along the Ala Wai Canal (“New Opens in a new tab golf concept sought for Ala  Opens in a new tabWai Opens in a new tab,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 16). Golf courses are enjoyed by a small portion of the population but take up a large portion of real estate, and use a considerable amount of irrigation.

On the same note, all golf courses should create walking paths for residents to use to walk in the evenings.

Arun Savara

Kuliouou

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Soldiers wage war for lasting peace

Quakers have a wonderful motto: War is not the answer. Our military service members who died in combat were fighting for peace, not trying to conquer.

Why not save the Waikiki Natatorium arch with its war memorial etched in stone, and hang a sign directly below: “Waged for Lasting Peace”?

Sylvia Mitchell

Makiki

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Randy Hongo enriched our lives

Thanks to God for blessing us with Randy Hongo, the most gifted musician I’ve ever encountered (“Isle Opens in a new tab Christian musician entertained for  Opens in a new tabdecades Opens in a new tab,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 19).

Randy had a mellifluous and versatile singing voice, a glorious, master’s degree-nurtured talent with the piano and musical composition, and a stage presence of warmth, wit and patter second to none.

For some 30 years, my wife and I were entranced by Randy and Gay at more Christian-oriented musical venues than I can count. Every person Randy touched was enriched by his presence on this Earth. He also was unfailingly courageous and dignified amidst dire health challenges for too many years.

A personal note of poignancy: Gay’s mother, Trudy Shinzato, graciously befriended my fresh-off-the-mainland mom when she and dad came to live with us circa 1980. Trudy and Mary bonded, quite improbably, in simple spiritual and everyday ways as elder sisters, and Trudy will always occupy a place in my heart. May Gay and son Andrew find solace and peace during this difficult time of transition.

Robert H. Stiver

Pearl City

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Story glossed over Myanmar atrocities

Julie Kessler gushed over the “adventure” she had in Myanmar, the beauty and culture of the country, and provided a list of great places to stay and take a cruise (“Myanmar, Opens in a new tab” Star-Advertiser, Travel, Dec. 17).

What is appalling is how she managed to ignore the ongoing mass murder and ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslim minority by the Myanmar government and military. The few comments she makes on it are a fount of disinformation: For one, she blamed the “Rohingya rebels” for igniting the military crackdown, when discrimination and brutal massacres against the Rohingya have been a part of Myanmar life for decades.

She referred to “allegations” of ethnic cleansing when in fact a host of reputable international authorities have testified to the systematic massacres and village burnings driving three-quarters of a million Rohingya to take refuge in Bengladesh.

International relief agencies are now classifying what has occurred in Myanmar as “genocide”: the attempt to eradicate a whole people.

Noel Kent

Manoa

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Men’s transgressions led to Muslim garb?

More and more prominent and otherwise faultless men are being disgraced and losing their jobs because of sexual misconduct. Would it help men to control their improper impulses if women would wear a burka or at least a niqab? The evolution of women’s fashion in conservative Muslim countries may have its origin there.

Volker Hildebrandt

Kaneohe