RAIL TRANSIT

DJOU IS VOICE OF REASON AND COMMON SENSE

Regarding comments from Corey Correa (Letters, Aug. 30) that Councilman Charles Djou has wasted time and money trying to derail rapid transit and to cause trouble for Mayor Hannemann: Charles Djou is the voice of reason and common sense — a rarity in government!

Fix our crumbling infrastructure, stop sinking the Islands with building projects and preserve what is unique about us. Waikiki already looks like Rodeo Drive, and there is no air left to breathe in Hawai'i Kai!

SENATE RACE

DIALOGUE IMPORTANT, NOT ADHERENCE TO PARTY

One of the best commentaries of recent times published in The Advertiser was the one written by Mickey Edwards of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs, ("Wanted: A Congress With a Backbone," Sept. 1).

The article points out that our members of Congress are more interested in getting re-elected than in doing the job they were sent to Washington to do.

In my many years of voting, I do not recall a time when the country was more divided. Hawai'i finally has a candidate who appears to have the backbone to work with all members of Congress.

It is disappointing to see that The Advertiser has endorsed Sen. Dan Akaka, who holds to the party line, instead of Rep. Ed Case, who believes in the importance of working out differences with the give and take of reasonable dialogue.

We are never going to get out of the morass we are in without dialogue and working together.

DIANE VANDERZANDEN | HONOLULU

REP. CASE'S STYLE RUBS PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY

The reason I'm not going to vote for Rep. Ed Case is pretty simple: He rubs people the wrong way with his combativeness and aggressiveness. This is what he did while he was at the state Legislature, and I'm sure it's the same in Congress.

To be successful in the U.S. Senate, you need to have good long-term relationships with the other senators. It's not enough to be an expert on the issues. You also need to be friendly and able to compromise when necessary.

My concern is that Case would be working on an issue that is important to the people of Hawai'i and that he would find few, if any, receptive ears among his fellow Democrats or Republicans.

If he can't even get along with his own congressional delegation, how in the world is he going to get along with the senators from Texas, New York and other states?

U.S. SENATE SEAT CAN'T JUST BE A SINECURE

In endorsing Sen. Dan Akaka for re-election, you cite his experience and positions acquired with longevity, but avoid the overriding question: Can he still perform influentially, or even moderately effectively?

Being there is not enough. He must have vigorous, quick, firm, innovative thinking to do more than hold a sinecure.

For all his warmth and aloha, Akaka does not appear to retain all those abilities today, much less being able to over six more years.

When Akaka was a junior senator, Hawai'i survived his years of learning and acquiring of influence. To imply that Hawai'i would lose by Rep. Ed Case repeating that process is disrespectful and demeaning of the process itself, of all who have and will participate in it and of we, the constituents, who deserve to be represented by more than a diminished, albeit honored, warrior.

A VOTE FOR AKAKA IS A VOTE FOR HAWAIIANS

When Hawaiians go to the polls, I hope we remember that President Bush called on his GOP friends in the Senate to kill the Akaka bill.

I hope everyone will also remember that when Congress was being misled by the president, who wanted to start a war, our U.S. Sens. Dan Inouye and Dan Akaka stood up for what was right and voted against it.

Today, 80 percent of Americans agree that Inouye and Akaka were right and Bush was wrong.

That's just another reason why we can't afford to lose Danny Akaka's voice in the U.S. Senate. Losing Akaka would set us back many years. When Democrats win control of the Senate in November, Akaka's seniority will make him the chairman of some of the most powerful committees in the Senate.

A vote for Akaka is a vote for America and Hawaiians.

VIOLENCE

BEATING IN WAI'ANAE DISGUSTING, COWARDLY

The beating death of Roger Haudenshild in Wai'anae made me both angry and disgusted. Why is it considered "manly" to take several friends and/or relatives with you to fight one person?

Where I grew up, such an idea was considered cowardly and rightly so. I do not advocate violence. But at least I was taught as a young man that if it comes down to a fight, you do it one on one and unarmed.

These so-called "men" who attacked Roger and others like them who think that they are tough when they brutalize someone in packs are too scared to fight on their own.

Even worse, this kind of violence is perpetuating with our young children here in Hawai'i. It's time to stop!

HIGH COSTS

CONSUMERS DESERVE GAS PRICE EXPLANATION

The economists and other supporters of the oil industry have stated that Hawai'i's high gas prices are due to government regulations and high gas taxes.

Well, regulations have been suspended, Hawai'i gas taxes have been reduced by more than 11 cents a gallon and as of today AAA has the Hawai'i average gas price at 60 cents higher than the national average.

This gap is approaching the highest difference between the nation and Hawai'i in spite of the lower taxes. If our gas taxes had not changed, would we be 71 cents higher than the national average? Consumers deserve an explanation.