U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa swapped her congressional seat for a perceived cakewalk to the governor’s office. Whether it was presumption or heavy miscalculation, her chance is gone. What remains now is Gov. David Ige’s legacy of stagnancy or the potential of a new and intrepid direction through Republican GOP candidate Andria Tupola.

So far, the state’s affairs have been poor to mediocre; people are overtaxed, overburdened and barely surviving. Hawaii and her people deserve to thrive. We must choose a leader with a 21st century vision, not someone who will recycle past formulas expecting different results.

We need a commander-in-chief who is ready to work nonstop — not just for photo ops during re-election. While we joke about Twitter passwords, it’s often the little things that have the most serious consequences, especially in perilous times.

Let’s look further than the political divide and choose conscientiously. In doing so, I think the answer is clear: We are due for change.

Kaiwiola Coakley

Kaimuki

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Democrats needed to challenge Trump

Most political observers agree that the Democrats are likely to capture the majority of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. I hope they are right because only a Democratic majority can put a brake on all the nonsense that President Donald Trump is saying or doing.

Trump, his Republican puppets in Congress and his propaganda machine operated by Fox News have intensified their attacks on special counsel Robert Mueller and the institutions of democracy, which include the media, the Justice Department and the intelligence community. Trump ignored the findings of the intelligence agencies but accepted President Vladimir Putin’s denial in Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election meddling. Such behavior undermines national security.

The president is not making America great, he’s ruining it. The country needs a Democratic majority to protect and preserve the sanctity of the rule of law and to stop Trump from obliterating American democracy and turning America to an authoritarian country.

Rod B. Catiggay

Mililani

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Is Afghanistan another Vietnam?

Taliban forces continue to expand control of the rural areas of Ghazni province as coalition forces are under siege in the provincial capital (“Taliban expand control of rural area of province,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 14). This matches the pattern across the country: Coalition forces have all but ceded control of the rural areas while desperately trying to retain control of the urban areas.

Does this sound familiar? It should, because it was the same futile strategy the U.S. tried toward the end of the Vietnam War. The end result will ultimately be the same: One way or another, the U.S. will pull out of this disaster.

Unfortunately, paralleling the Vietnam War, far too many of our dedicated service members will have been killed and maimed before we do. For what?

It’s time to leave. Now.

Tony Turbeville

Makiki

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Allow Catholic priests to marry

The Catholic Church can’t undo the damage its priests have done, but there is an obvious solution for the future.

Sexuality is natural but celibacy definitely is not. A married priest can still preach the word but perhaps offer better solutions to family matters based on the experience of being married. This is the norm in other faiths.

Marion Walker

Kaneohe