Donald Trump recently celebrated the fact that he has been “unshackled” from the mainstream Republicans.

If one takes a look back at his campaign, it’s hard to imagine that he had been shackled this whole time — what with inviting Russian hackers to attack America, claiming a judge can’t be impartial due to racial heritage, implying that the “Second Amendment people” should take care of Hillary Clinton, mocking a disabled reporter, feuding with a Gold Star family, suggesting that the U.S. not honor its responsibility to defend our NATO allies, threatening to imprison his political rival when he comes to power, launching a 3 a.m. Twitter storm, calling for “Saturday Night Live” to be canceled and now actively promoting the belief that the election is “rigged.”

“Unshackled” doesn’t cover it. “Unhinged” may be a more fitting word.

Alika Campbell

Kailua

Vote for Clinton for higher deficit

The Star-Advertiser’s leftist leaning is evident again when one of the most important pieces of current information is buried on Page A7 of Saturday’s paper in relatively small print (“Federal deficit climbs 34% to $587B,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 15).

The federal deficit climbed 34 percent to $587 billion after “record deficits of President Barack Obama’s first years in office” and, compared with Trump-bashing articles, you mention it as an aside.

The federal deficit (along with a significant number of other issues) is going to be the doom of this country.

And if you want more of Obama’s unregulated spending, just vote for Hillary Clinton, as she promises free everything to everybody just to get votes.

Rich Greenamyer

Mililani

Stop, don’t delay, global warming

One day the Pacific Ocean will become my backyard in what is currently Central Oahu. Whether people will choose to believe it or realize it, climate change is causing many problems, and it is not slowing down.

Have you noticed an abnormally hot summer or warm fall?

This past March was the warmest March in 137 years. For 11 consecutive months, temperatures have been increasing at a remarkable rate.

As temperatures rise, water heats up and expands. Known as ocean warming, the rising temperatures of our oceans are causing problems for ocean life, the weather and for places like Hawaii.

But what is currently being done?

Scientists are telling world leaders that more carbon emission reductions need to be made so that the danger might be delayed.

Rather than being delayed, what about stopping it before it gets any worse? How can we, the community being affected, help?

This problem affects everyone who lives on Earth.

Nichelle Chang

Waipahu

Clean energy key in climate battle

In this day and age, we have all learned about global warming. Renewable energy is a big step toward fighting climate change that I believe we need to start making now.

More than 2.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide are produced just by power plants each year. Renewable energy refers to a clean, less damaging source of energy that has a much smaller impact on our climate.

Renewable energy also has the advantage of security. Conventional energy has a limited life span.

Technology is rapidly advancing, and renewable energy becomes more cost-effective every day.

I believe renewable energy is a future we should invest in, not only for ourselves, but for our children as well.

Jonah Popken

Waianae

Promises broken on rail funding

To all who still wonder how the rail transit project got out of control, watch Mufi Hannemann’s recorded presentations on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9rprwmM0F4).

In Part 3 of 8, he talks about the project cost and financing. A lot of work went into convincing the public why rail was the solution and how all contingencies had been covered. Hannemann and Mayor Kirk Caldwell pushed this project through and made a lot of promises about how all costs were covered.

Rail would cost us $5.26 billion. The general excise tax surcharge needed to finance it would be temporary. The feds would contribute $1.55 billion.

It’s obvious Hannemann never had the commitment to see it through. Caldwell either never fully understood the so-called financial plan and cost assumptions or wasn’t truthful about all considerations. Now he says he has another plan to complete this debacle.

Why should anyone believe him anymore?

Brian Lee

Liliha