Democrats kowtow to unions for votes
Gov. David Ige must demonstrate leadership, integrity and fairness regarding the privatization of three state hospitals by Kaiser Permanente by vetoing Senate Bill 2077.
Privatization would save the state about $2.6 million each year and significantly upgrade the aging hospitals.
Kowtowing to the union, the Legislature crafted an election- year bonus to 1,400 workers retaining their hospital jobs, granting full severance benefits up to half of their annual salaries meant only for job loss.
This vote-buying strategy would cost about $40 million to taxpayers and will keep the Democratic Legislature intact.
Meanwhile, mayoral contender and City Council Chairman Ernie Martin recently requested $500,000 of city funds to help build a Korean cultural center, while Filipino, Japanese and Okinawan groups have all built beautiful cultural centers with generous community donations.
In more than 60 years of Democrat union partnership and rule, Hawaii leads the nation in cost of living, cost of housing, cost of energy, business unfriendliness and per capita homelessness.
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John Nakao
Ala Moana
Offer rewards to aid in arrests of vandals
Restrooms trashed, schools damaged, tires slashed, memorials violated — the list goes on and on.
Some of the people involved are juveniles.
Formal prosecution is often not pursued and results may not be made public.
We need a separate office to handle reward requests made to the police and CrimeStoppers. Rewards need to be available to people who correctly identify offenders.
The petty thugs who trash our city are known to someone. The chance to pick up a few hundred dollars anonymously is a powerful incentive to be a good citizen.
Working out the details of where to get the money and how to administer it could be difficult and controversial, but it would work.
Jim Poorbaugh
Makiki
Horse racing in U.S. should be banned
I am sorry for the jockey who broke his collarbone, but after reading that two horses died after the Preakness Stakes, one perhaps of heart failure and the other being euthanized, I think it would be wise and certainly humane to ban horse racing in this country (“Exaggerator ends Nyquist’s triple crown bid,” Star-Advertiser, May 22).
Jean-Jacques Dicker
Hawaii Kai
Don’t let homeless take over our streets
Living on the streets should not be an option.
Streets and sidewalks are for all pedestrian traffic and should not be obstructed by encampments.
The homeless have shelters available but choose not to go into them — if they are able to choose at all.
The ground we live on is either private or public, with its own rules and regulations. If you can’t follow these rules, then your only choice will be made for you — to be placed in housing.
It’s not a very pretty picture, but we’re talking about making the streets and sidewalks safe for all citizens, with the homeless being in a minority. In this case, the majority should rule.
Gabrielle L. Makuakane
McCully
Hawaii GOP mirrors values of Democrats
Kevin Dayton’s article on the Republican Party of Hawaii’s impotence and insignificance was a waste of ink and space (“Trump adds to state GOP’s woes,” Star-Advertiser, May 22).
Until the values that define the Hawaii Republican Party are addressed — currently they nearly mirror those of the Democratic majority — we will never have a party providing opposition to nearly 60 years of policy that has herded us into an age of crippling debt and crumbling infrastructure.
Joan Rank
Waialua
Swiss offer example to Oahu rail builders
The Swiss can be proud.
On June 1, they will celebrate the inauguration of the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world’s longest at 35 miles, on time and below budget.
Congratulations to them. I hope Honolulu’s railway builders and planners are taking pointers.
Ulrich K. Stams
Kahala
Math valuable but it’s not for everyone
Mathematical ability is not distributed uniformly among students (“Algebra actually has great practical value … no really,” Star-Advertiser, May 18).
Some have the requisite ability to understand math, but many do not.
A very long time ago, a young “A” student with tears in her eyes came to me for help with math, as she could not understand the numerical procedure for computing a square root.
I truly felt her pain while trying to explain this archaic and bizarre methodology.
After a lifetime of applying math in real-world applications, I suggest the math educational process to be divided into two basic approaches.
The primary approach would be a graphical presentation of various aspects of math and its applications.
The second approach would be for that minority who are gifted in math and wish to understand its foundations and applications.
Milton Allione
Kailua
31 responses to “Democrats kowtow to unions for votes”
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IRT: John Nakao–you stated facts, so now what? Decisions are left to the voters–we are one of the few states that gives a paid day off to the union workers to vote and yet we have about the lowest voter turnout in the nation. There is no “hot button” no Trump here to excite change. Lingle was probably our best chance–but the Democratic lemmings won and look who we got!!!
Their creedo is now firmly imbedded: “vote Democrat, it sure beats working for a living, and when we run out of money, we’ll just raise taxes, AGAIN.”
The democrats raise taxes even when they don’t run out of money.
It’s in their DNA…
In this State you’re correct about the Democrats but in general all politicians stay in office by promising to give stuff away. That’s the way our political system works. No politician to date has made it a career by promising and actually cutting spending. The general public, unions and corporate interests all have their hands out.
Yessiree! Gifts to the masses, and to special interests…. That philosophy makes the political world go ’round.
IRT Ulrich Stams,
The Oahu rail wasn’t about easing traffic or about financial efficiency. It’s crystal clear that the project was about rewarding construction unions and land developers.
That’s why the rail, originally to reach UH Manoa, was stopped short at Ala Moana and why the rail doesn’t reach the weary west side travelers. Instead, those west side travelers will have longer commute times because of bus express routes being cut when rail is running.
We are also going to leave our kids with the crushing bill to subsidize operations and maintenance of between 10 and 20 million dollars a month. And AFTER the ridership projections fail, that cost will go up even more. What else will the city tap into after our property taxes go up 50%??
Fire wiliki, he lies about rail.
Keolu is spot on
Read a comment on pulling the plug on rail up in Civil Beat now. Read a comment by “Alan Sarhan”. UkuBS? Weewili? Sure writes is virtually the EXACT same style…
Here is Alan Sarhan’s comment: “””Stopping at Middle St would flush all the money down the drain; it has to go through downtown to attract riders. The cost is breathtaking, but the alternative is worse. Brubaker is right, it would just be another nail in the coffin of our reputation to bail on such an important and huge investment in infrastructure.
Keep in mind: there are about 100,000 visitors on Oahu every day, and they spend an average of $200 each, for a total of about $20 million dollars a day, on which they pay GET. How many residents make enough money to spend that much and pay that much GET per day? Between the visitors and the feds, a significant portion of the rail costs are paid by others instead of us.
Everything takes longer and is more expensive in Hawaii; rail is no different. Same thing happened way back with the H-3. But it was an investment in the future and we made it. Imua rail.”””
It sounds like ukuleleblue.
A google search shows an Alan Sarhan as some kind of an advocate for rail because of the belief that rail will result in more affordable housing. So much so that the rail appears to have been built to solve housing, not traffic problems. Is that Ukuleleblue? I’m inclined to say I believe so.
Let us dig deeper…inquiring minds want to know…
“Left job at office of the governor, state of Hawaii” 2016 – Special Assistant
Hmmmm…
UkuBlue is Grabauskas himself. He gave it away several times. Wikiki is a city engineer and one of Crookwell’s main clowns.
In the never ending quest to help the StarAdvertiser by reporting news the editor “missed”, the following. (No need for thanks.)
“A little known Swedish-Canadian oil and mining conglomerate human rights groups have repeatedly charged produces “blood minerals” is among the Clinton Foundation’s biggest donors, thanks to a $100 million pledge in 2007, a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation has found.”
Wow. I’m pretty sure they’re giving that purely in the spirit and altruism or maybe they will lobby president Clinton for single payer health care–couldn’t possibly have anything to do with continuation of their earth-killing, third world mineral exploitation, could it?
To be fair to Clinton, her Foundation is totally separate from her own finances. She has been vetted numerous times and the IRS examines her Foundation’s records every year. I think many do not understand the legal separation of a tax-exempt foundation and personal finances. Hillary is likeable? maybe not. But she is far better than the wretched alternatives and yes, she is highly qualified. Yes, we will vote for her just to protect the country from the unknown and reckless trumpisms.
Uh, huh. And I truly, truly believe in the tooth fairy.
IRS vetting: Let me see, are we talking about the very same IRS that crushed the Tea Party and viciously audited republican donors left and right, the Lois Learner IRS that magically had half a dozen key hard drives blow up when Congress asked questions? That the IRS which “vetted” clinton’s foundation???
Speaking of that “foundation”, is that the Clinton foundation which received a pledge of $100Million from the Canadian minerals mining firm (read third world exploitation) just before she produced a policy favorable to them WHILE SHE WAS SECRETARY OF STATE?? That Clinton Foundation? The one recently reviewed by an experienced financial analysts who found many instances of probable fraud? Is that the one???
Likable? Who cares? What to care about—that she’s an incompetent, corrupt, liar who made $21 million in speaking fees from businesses and special interest groups who most definitely knew she would run for president. Likely, the fat cat corporations who hired her to talk saw it as a good “investment”. Oh, and that she lied to bereaved family members of the Benghazi dead about their cause of death AT THEIR FUNERAL, or that she exposed top secret national information FOR HER CONVENIENCE, or that, while claiming to be a women’s advocate, SHE SHIELDED BILL’S SERIAL SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN TO PROTECT HER OWN FUTURE.
Oh, but her qualification save the day, not. Failed as secretary of State, undistinguished chair-warmer of a senator, and finally some important guy’s wife. Oh, to be fair she was a lawyer for a while–did a dandy job of defending a child rapist and magically making a bundle in the cattle futures market.
So, sure a vote for Hillary will “protect” us from Trump, but, then who/what will protect us from her/it?
We can do without your “protection”, thank you very much.
Really, why did the Clinton Foundation earlier this year have to resubmit 5 years worth of tax returns? They got caught!! Said it was a clerical error. Same error for 5 straight years??? Now the FBI is investigating the Foundation and some of it’s donors. I’ll take the reckless trumpisms over a known corrupt individual any day. I don’t need her so called protection if it’s like Benghazi.
You actually believe that Clinton has kept her finances separate from the foundation? And, you believe the IRS actually objectively examined the foundation. The same IRS, where Lois Lerner worked, that was targeting conservative groups. Get real.
You’re not really that naive, are you?
Horse Racing Should be Banned in the US.
Better Idea lets just “Ban” Stupid Horse Racing Organizers and the Horse owners! This was tragic and very hard to watch what happened to these horses. Homeboykris. Won his race then Collasped and Pramedya (Broken leg then finally euthanized) She was only 4 years old!! POHO!.This is Stupidy to the MAX!
Did you see the muddy conditions this race was held!OMG! Should have been postponed that’s for sure!
Maybe if we Saddled and Bridled the Owners AND the Race organizer?let them first,run in these kinds of condition…. They might have made a better decision,before putting their horse’s life on the line!Sad for the Horses.
On homeless who refuse shelter: they are human beings and they have the freedon to decide not to live indoors. But like everyone else, they DON’T have the right to take over parks and other public spaces, mess them up, and keep others from using them as intended. This is what will continue to happen if we continue to insist that shelters are the only answer. Why not give people a legitimate place or places to camp? The State, City, and County own acres and acres of land. Find some campsites which are NOT in urban parks, provide bathroom facilities, AND transport people who refuse shelter to them.
Giving them a legitimate place to camp will not work either because there must be RULES. You hear it over and over again from the chronic homeless, “We no go cuz too many rules”. Also, they want to be close to town, where they can steal more bikes, shoplift, use store/library/state offices bathrooms, and steal shopping carts for their filthy possessions. You’re right, they should not be able to trash or camp in any public area. When is the State/City going to learn? Once you allow them to set up for longer than 1 day in 1 spot, it grows and grows into a huge eyesore with increased criminal activity. Unless you round them up forcibly they’ll never leave.
I think you both have something. Set up three camps-family, singles, deranged/druggies–to avoid the obvious problems Campsites collocated with a homeless court where all offenders are handled. Strict rules on camps requiring job search, entry into rehab, interaction with social services. Pressure to become self supporting.
Can’t force people to stay here, but strict/timely enforcement of sit/lie ordinances might encourage people to go there. The bottom line is that unless there is incentive to be self supporting, few will put in the hard effort needed.
OldFut808, I love it! Didn’t think I would get away with that!
Yes I think the chronic homeless need a camp. One to sit, reflect, CONCENTRATE on life and why they moved to Hawaii (so many of them) without a plan, job or family network.
A camp to concentrate for them. That’s the ticket.
Sorry, but the Unions are to strong and to powerful to up and disappear…….the politicians need their votes to win.
Republicans are doomed in Hawaii.
Milton, you are absolutely right. Some people click, some don’t, no matter how they tried. I used to train my finance group and others would sit in. I remember few of them could work and understand what the numbers say unless they were one of our engineering staff. Two people stand out in my memory. One lawyer that said he wanted to understand the financial planning and management we did. He gave up after 2 weeks. Second, when I was just an analyst, the boss hired a girl that couldn’t understand basic linear math and I couldn’t train her. Every time numbers went right past her without a whisper of understanding. I don’t know how these types can get through college like that, but there you go. Fundamentally everyone has different gifts and weaknesses. We cannot treat everyone like they are the same as the next student. But our DOE forces equal treatment, as opposed to equal opportunity. If some student can’t do math, or refuses to do homework, etc, they had their chance. Blown opportunity. Too bad, but parents shouldn’t look at teachers like they are doing something wrong in those cases.
BAN the PEOPLE that want to BAN HORSE RACING….