PRESIDENTIAL RACE

WHICH CANDIDATE WILL LEAD US FROM DARKNESS?

I have heard many people say they feel this election will be the most important in recent history.

I feel the main reason this year's race has heightened significance is because over the past eight years we have seen our nation go down dark paths we never thought possible.

From torture, to politically motivated hirings and firings, to domestic surveillance and wiretapping, our nation's principles have been drastically compromised and our Constitution trampled.

This has rendered America virtually unrecognizable as the beacon of freedom it has traditionally been to the world.

Hawai'i, as a frequent gateway for new communities with a tradition of aloha, is particularly affected by this dimming of America's promise.

The Constitution is the cornerstone of our democracy, a foundation President Bush has upended. We now need to examine Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama and ask which candidate is better poised to lead our nation out of the darkness by restoring our time-honored principles and values.

RAIL

LONG-TERM BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE COSTS

I initially was a mass-transit skeptic, who saw this issue primarily through the main arguments of traffic reduction versus cost. The benefits of such an investment just didn't add up when compared to other lower cost alternatives.

However, a friend of mine opened my eyes to an idea that tends to get overlooked in the rhetoric on both sides of the discussion — land use.

All major metropolitan areas have a dense urban core that is serviced by a fixed transportation corridor. Honolulu lacks that core, and the result is suburban sprawl stretching east to Hawai'i Kai, west to Kapolei and north to Mililani.

If we want to preserve the remaining green spaces of our small island, we need to create that dense urban core, which will feature high-rise residential construction, retail spaces and an easy way to access them. All of this development will occur in an already heavily developed part of the island, an area that is not known for its natural beauty.

We have an opportunity to build a Honolulu for our children's future. It will require sacrifice from all O'ahu residents, but the long-term benefits far outweigh the costs.

RESENTS TAX MONEY SPENT ON RAIL BROCHURE

I am still seething over the glitzy rail brochure that came in the Sunday Advertiser.

Does the mayor think that bombarding us with pretty colors and glossy pages containing the same old information will impress us enough to vote for rail?

The brochure proudly proclaims that it was "paid for by city taxpayers" and is "part of the public information program required by the FTA."

I resent having my tax dollars spent on propaganda. The editorial in Monday's paper supporting one of the City Charter amendments states: "Allowing a government official to use public funds to influence the outcome of elections gives that official an unfair advantage, essentially using everyone's money to advance an election outcome favored only by some."

How does that opinion not apply to the taxpayer-funded rail brochure?

RAIL PROJECT WILL HELP HAWAI'I'S ECONOMY

Sometimes when I read the headlines, I feel like I am in a time warp back to the economic downturn of the mid-1990s. Tourism is faltering. Consumer confidence is weak. Every week, a new round of layoffs is announced. Even public schools are feeling the economic pressure. Let's face it folks, the bad times are here again.

Which is why we need to start building the rail system. In the 1990s, building the H-3 Freeway created jobs for local families and brought money from the federal government into the state. It was a lifeline.

Today, the rail system can do the same thing, but on an even bigger scale.

We need economic projects that will breathe new life into our economy. We need rail.

CONCON

CONCON COULD REDUCE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS

A Constitutional Convention can save Hawai'i taxpayers millions of dollars over the next 10 years. The cost of the 1978 Con Con was about $2.5 million, about $6.5 million in today's dollars.

Last year, the Legislature cost taxpayers $38 million. That is before 36 percent pay raises for legislators go into effect in 2009. So a more realistic figure of the cost of future Legislatures in today's dollars is $38 million to $40 million.

With a ConCon, we could make the Legislature meet every other year. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there are six states where legislatures meet every other year. Over a 10-year period, Hawai'i taxpayers could save the cost of five legislative sessions. That would be a savings of $190 million to $200 million.

There is no likelihood that a majority of Hawai'i's legislators will allow citizens to vote on taking away their paychecks every other year. Financial self-interest is not the only roadblock to such an idea at our Legislature. As Advertiser columnist Lee Cataluna suggests, "At the Legislature, new ideas get run over like a toad on the highway."

Reducing legislative sessions to every other year could be done at a ConCon. And remember, this is only one way a ConCon could save taxpayers large sums of money.

On Tuesday, we the people can make fiscally wise and necessary change by voting "yes" for a Constitutional Convention.

RAIL

RAIL WILL OFFER REAL RELIEF, VOTE 'YES'

Complain, lie and misrepresent. That's all the anti-rail whiners seem to do.

Fact: When UH and public and private schools break for summer, the freeway opens up and traffic congestion is significantly eased.

Fact: The amount of traffic generated by the UH and school commuters is less than the 11 percent reduction in vehicles that rail will provide.

Rail will offer real traffic relief. Taking 25,000 cars of the roads is nothing to sneeze at at.

I'm voting "yes" for rail, and I hope you do too.

WILL RAIL IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE HERE?

When you buy a car, do you leave it in the garage and not drive it? When you buy a new house, do you leave it empty? When you buy new clothes, do you leave them in the closet and never wear them?

All of the politicians, unions and other proponents of rail have never stated that they would use the rail regularly or it would improve the quality of life in Hawai'i.

This should be a key issue, since all of population of O'ahu is paying for the rail. Think about it.

RAIL WILL ONLY BRING OVER-DEVELOPMENT

Rail has been primarily promoted as a means of providing traffic relief to residents of the 'Ewa District, but the true purpose of the rail may be to promote an extensive continuation of development. Build rail stations and new residential communities, shopping centers and business districts will quickly fill in the surrounding empty land.

Yes, development will support the community by adding construction jobs, but what will it do for Hawai'i's main revenue generator — tourism? What will be added to the quality of life for O'ahu's residents? Are people prepared for makai to mauka development with little land left in its natural state?

What industries will drive the economy and support all of the occupants of these new homes? And what will the added demands on our fresh-water resources bring? There is no question that the developers will benefit, but at what cost to Hawai'i and her people.

Further development will happen with or without the rail, but it may be wise to let it happen at a slower and more controlled pace. Using the rail project as a catalyst for extensive and rapid over-development that cannot be reversed may not be the best use of taxpayer dollars.

O'AHU RESIDENTS GET SUGAR-COASTED MESSAGE

Mayor Mufi Hannemann said, "The fact of the matter is we are required by the Federal Transit Administration to have a public involvement and education process, that's a requirement for federal funds."

Let's make things clear:

Public involvement — The public pays for it; more than $1.4 million of your money is involved in pro-rail propaganda whether you like it or not.

Education process — Every time you turn on the radio or turn on the TV you will be bombarded with sugar-coated stories about how wonderful rail is and how fantastic it is for other cities.

What a joke. I know when someone's trying to sell me something. It's bad enough that every time I open The Advertiser, I get to read yet another story about some other city's amazingly successful rail system. The fact of the matter is Honolulu is not Portland.

Oh, and about that funding from the federal government. Is that the same federal government that went on a $700 billion bailout spending spree? The same federal government that has a $59.1 trillion deficit? Good luck getting your money, Mufi.

RUBBER-TIRE SYSTEM CAN CUT COMMUTE TIME

Island voters need to consider potential ridership when they vote on what type of mass transit system we approve for construction. People will want to ride a system that saves commuting time.

"Express" and full vehicles with rubber tires can bypass stops, chopping many minutes off trips to and from Honolulu.

The proposed rail system will have trains that have to stop at every station. They will travel at an average speed of less than 30 mph, with no practical way of speeding up because of all these stops.

We need a rapid transit system. Vote "no" on rail.

PRESIDENTIAL RACE

OBAMA/BIDEN TICKET BACKS WOMEN'S RIGHTS

Women voting for John McCain is like chickens voting for Colonel Sanders, noted Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood.

At the final presidential debate, McCain sneered at the idea that the health of a woman should be factored when weighing a pregnancy termination.

McCain wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, and voted 125 times against women's health. He opposes funding to prevent unintended and teen pregnancies. He opposes requiring health insurance plans to cover birth control, but doesn't object to them covering Viagra. McCain has also opposed legislation for equal pay for women.

Gov. Sarah Palin, potentially a heartbeat away from the presidency, fervently supports overturning Roe v. Wade and advocates abstinence-only education to prevent pregnancy.

In sharp contrast, Sen. Barack Obama, and Sen. Joe Biden, have both been very strong and consistent advocates for women's healthcare and women's rights.

The team that is elected on Nov. 4 will be instrumental in shaping the Supreme Court for decades to come.

Don't turn the clock back. If you support women's rights, the choice is clear: Vote for Obama/Biden.

MCCAIN OK WITH TAXING MIDDLE CLASS

Is Barack Obama redistributing the wealth or the tax burden?

A recent congressional report indicates that two-thirds of U.S. corporations pay zero taxes. In the wake of this corporate welfare, John McCain calls Barack Obama's plan to reduce tax breaks for the rich and increase tax breaks to those making less than $250,000 socialism.

Many corporations (Halliburton, Blackwater, et al.) have profited from the Iraq war, which cost more than $1 trillion.

McCain thinks it's OK that the middle class doesn't have the tax loopholes enjoyed by these corporations and supports the middle class paying most of the trillion-dollar tax bill and thus subsidize these corporations.

McCain also promotes outsourcing jobs, allowing illegal immigrants to take American jobs, and deregulation and lax oversight that resulted in the high numbers of home foreclosures and the failing banking industry.

McCain wants to privatize Social Security, putting your retirement funds in the stock market that he helped deregulate.

How much would your Social Security account have lost in the current stock market? Is it in your best interest to vote for McCain or Obama?

CONCON

NO JUSTIFIABLE REASON TO HOLD A CONCON

It's easy to get caught up in the "change" hype. Change is often a good thing. I really believe this. That's why initially I felt Hawai'i should hold a Constitutional Convention. The proponents' arguments resonated with me — holding a ConCon sounded like the right thing to do. But that's all it was — sound bites.

I began to pay close attention to the ConCon issue. I have followed the debates and reviewed the arguments for and against it, and have come to the conclusion that Hawai'i should not hold a ConCon.

The state Legislature can amend the Constitution without a ConCon. In addition, they can have the ConCon issue placed on the ballot at any time.

The fact that I couldn't find any justifiable reason, and because of our state's dismal budget situation, I am convinced — Hawai'i shouldn't hold a ConCon and I'm voting "no" on the issue.