REP. CABANILLA

VALUE OF BILL WAS LOST IN THE PERSONAL ATTACKS

As a registered nurse with more than 30 years of professional experience in Hawai'i, I am particularly attuned to the healthcare needs of my constituents as I represent them in the state Legislature.

With this in mind, I introduced a bill during this session that would eliminate what I believe are artificial and unnecessary permitting requirements imposed by the counties that hinder the growth of badly needed elderly care facilities.

My motive was never one for personal gain, for myself or anyone else, and any review of the facts behind the hearing of this bill would bear that out.

Yet, I realize that sometimes people assume the worst without looking at the real purpose behind the measure, and the value of a measure gets lost amid the personal attacks.

It was for this reason that I apologized to my colleagues, so that we could move forward on important issues without needless distractions.

It is my hope that by putting this issue to rest, other measures that address our healthcare crises can be considered and moved forward to address the pressing elderly care needs of our communities.

GLOBAL WARMING

AMERICANS MUST LEARN EFFECTS OF THEIR ACTIONS

Global warming is a major issue in the United States, but it seems that Americans don't realize the effect of their careless actions.

For example, leaving the lights on in homes for hours uses energy from power plants that emit carbon dioxide.

We watched Al Gore's movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," in my world history class. This movie shows how much damage we are doing to the world and to the already thin ozone layer.

I learned that if we continue to ignore global warming, ocean levels will rise 20 to 50 feet. That means that many of Hawai'i's coastal areas, including Waikiki, will be under water.

We need to think greener by recycling our cans and bottles instead of throwing them away. We need to carpool to work to reduce gases that pollute our air and deplete the ozone layer.

Global warming is a growing problem, and we need to open our eyes and pay close attention to how it affects our world and our lives.

MITIGATION PLANNING NOW BECOMES CRITICAL

Jim Henshaw's letter (Feb. 12) makes a good point about global warming being a natural change rather than one caused by people.

If this is correct and Al Gore and others who are blaming people for climate change are wrong, we need to think seriously about what we should do in light of the global warming that most seem to believe is occurring.

Putting all our effort and dollars into stopping the human contribution of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere may have little effect.

Maybe we should be thinking more about the harm that will result from global warming, and what we should do to mitigate problems that will come with it.

For example, planning to protect vital ports from rising sea levels and planning how we will adapt food production in light of changing climactic zones. Also, thinking about how to move human populations concentrated in the coastal zone into safer areas without major economic disruption.

LEGISLATION

CIVIL UNION NOT LEGAL EQUIVALENT OF MARRIAGE

So long as marriage-protective legislation such as the federal Defense of Marriage Act remains in force, no civil union could ever be the full legal equivalent of a heterosexual marriage.

The Defense of Marriage Act denies same-sex couples access to more than 1,000 benefits and privileges that are available only to married heterosexual couples.

To argue that there is no difference between civil unions and marriages, apart from the name, is like arguing that five is equal to 10.

People have the right to oppose civil unions, but they should support their position with facts and sound reasoning, not appeals to emotion and misstatements of fact.

PROPOSAL

DON'T INVEST ERS FUNDS IN HIGH TECH INDUSTRY

My message to the governor and those state senators and representatives who are toying with using state retirement funds to invest in our local high technology industry: Do not touch the funds.

The funds have gone through a disastrous period, but now have recovered.

State investments in high technology here have had poor results, and the potential for political shenanigans would be inevitable.

Leave those funds alone. Mahalo.

LAW NEEDED

DATA ON MEDICARE CARD CAN BE ID THEFT TARGET

Your recent articles and editorial on ID theft contain one glaring omission. Medicare cards carry the beneficiary's Social Security number.

The one law that is needed most to protect us against identity theft is for the federal government to mandate that Social Security numbers no longer appear on Medicare cards.

CONFLICTS

BUSH ON PATH TO PUT US AT WAR WITH WORLD

Is anyone else afraid of the man we elected as our president?

It appears to me his direction will soon put our country at war with the rest of the world. He is now accusing Iran of supporting terrorists with weapons. Did the proof of this come from the same sources as Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction? Will we be invading that country next?

Is there no way to control this man's arrogance?

He is not giving Congress much choice. He says he will listen to what Congress has to say, then he is issuing orders to carry out his plan to send more troops.

Bush is acting like a man who is desperate to vindicate himself at all cost, whether that cost be money or human life.

Sadly, those who pay the ultimate price are the men and women who die in the conflicts our country finds itself in.

Unfortunately for us, Bush still has more than enough time in office to start WWIII.

THIEVERY

TARGET THOSE WHO ARE BUYING STOLEN COPPER

Seriously, how hard can it be to stop the copper thefts?

Forget about trying to find the people scavenging copper to get their latest meth fix.
Arrest any metal salvage shop owners or construction contractors who have stolen copper on their property.

Once these people start getting thrown in jail, meth addicts will no longer have a market for their merchandise. Problem solved.

TRAFFIC SAFETY

WORDS TO THE WISE, FOR DRIVERS AND WALKERS

Drivers, be aware of marked crosswalks not at intersections, such as the crosswalk at the Alapa'i Bus Transit Center.

Anticipate the unexpected, such as children darting out from behind parked cars, stalled vehicles, someone falling in the street, jaywalkers, bicycles, animals, strollers, etc.

Look left and right, and drive slowly when leaving a parking lot or driveway and making a right or left turn into moving traffic.

Prepare to slow down and stop at yellow and red traffic lights. Wait for pedestrians to cross the intersection. A one-ton automobile bearing down on the back of your heels while crossing the street is frightening and dangerous.

Look around telephone poles and street signs for pedestrians about to step off of the curb at crosswalks.

Be alert and slow down. Realize that you’ll always arrive at your destination sooner than a pedestrian. Relax and be patient.

Report unsafe driving and pedestrian conditions to the proper authorities immediately.

Let’s initiate a safe driving/walking slogan or catch phrase, such as;