I am aware that we have gotten used to autocratic rhetoric in our political sphere theses days — but I was appalled to open my Jan. 19 Star-Advertiser to find atop the front page, our governor saying that we need to lower the legal limit on blood alcohol content to .05% and anyone who disagrees with him “deserves a place in hell” (“Green vows to support lower drunken driving levels”).

The impacts of such a lowering are enumerable on an industry that provides most of the tax revenues, income and job security to the population of our state; and the measurable effect of such a minute level of alcohol in the system is less so than that of a hard day’s work, or from that phone that you can’t stop touching.

If we are serious about saving lives, lock up the real offenders, throw the book at those who exceed double the legal limit and change the laws so lawyers can’t keep waiting out the clock on recidivists until the police officers don’t show up to testify.

Arresting someone for having two beers and some chicken wings after work is not a solution and will not save lives. Finally, please watch your tongue, governor — you’re a doctor, not a priest.

Chad Pata

Kapolei

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