CONTROL OF MARKET, RATES, POLICY AT STAKE

We all know that health care reform, if done effectively and intelligently, is desirable. But many proposals are controversial, not the least being the "public option."

I ask those who support this proposal to think back to the "go! vs. Aloha" tragedy. go!, backed by its big-money Mainland parent, offered below-cost fares until it drove Aloha to bankruptcy. Then it raised fares back to levels competitive with Hawaiian.

President Obama has on many occasions said he favors a one-pay government health care system, but he knows that would not fly right now. So he apparently plans to accomplish this in two steps — first the "public option," which can easily and logically be used to drive private insurers out of the market by offering below-cost rates, using taxpayers' funds; thus, with no private insurers left, he has his favored one-pay government health care system, completely controlling the market, with rates and policy to be set by ill-informed bureaucrats.

Is that what we really want, or need?

Clinton Basler | Honolulu

SENIORS NEED FACTS TO BE ABLE TO TRUST

In response to John Kalawe's letter (Sept. 9), he inadvertently "hit the nail on the head." His last paragraph asked that we "Seniors, open your eyes and ears, believe, trust and support Obama's health care." Well, that word "trust" is the problem.

Can we really afford to trust government (Congress with the lowest-ever approval rating) or President Obama, who has repeatedly misinformed us on what his true plans are for the economy, earmarks, health care, taxes, and the war on terror? Look at the so-called czars that surround him with advice and direction. Obama asked that he be judged by those around him. OK: Mr. Van Jones, Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright and others with radical ideology (now including ACORN).

We seniors cannot and are not willing to take chances with Obama Care; that it will not have unintended consequences, causing a reduction in availability in doctors and hospitals, and an increase in the national debt that will burden our children and grandchildren.

We seniors don't need to be lectured to like schoolchildren. We just want to receive the facts, just the facts. We do not trust the "snake oil" salesmen.

Phil Powers | Honolulu

HO'OPILI

DENIAL DOESN'T HELP 'ROAD TO NOWHERE'

The state Land Use Commission's decision to not advance the petition by developer D.R. Horton to build out on the 'Ewa plain carries a unique twist.

On June 27, 2007, Gov. Lingle signed the budget bill HB 500, which became Act 213.

Included in this measure was $17.2 million to build a portion of the East-West Connector Road.

When completed, this road is to connect the North-South Road corridor to the Fort Weaver Road corridor and serve as the main gateway for 'Ewa's residents to access the upcoming University of Hawai'i West O'ahu campus.

The aftermath in denying D.R. Horton its development scheme leaves the state with building a section of road that ends in a corn field — essentially connecting nothing.

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has an entire community planned that is to be served by the East-West Connector Road, as is the Kroc Center.

If this road is not completed through the corn field, which is D.R. Horton's property, folks within this particular DHHL tract will have only one way in and out of their development.

Tom Berg | 'Ewa Beach resident, 'Ewa Neighborhood Board member-Legislative Committee

RECESSION

PURSUING 'PRO-PROFIT' STRATEGIES IMPORTANT

Our response to the current recession has been instructional, and I hope everyone is paying attention. As all of the affected interest groups explain (complain?) that they are too important and must be exempted from the cuts, the lesson to be learned is that recessions have consequences. That is why it is important to pursue pro-growth, pro-profit, strategies. We are now paying the price for not having done enough of that over many years.

Bill Thomas | Honolulu

STATE CUTS

ARTS, CULTURE AMONG MOST VALUABLE ASSETS

How does cost-cutting through staff layoffs actually result in saving the state revenue?

The arts and culture community is asking this question in response to the first layoff list submitted to the Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. The positions on the chopping block amount to key staff responsible for administering the pulldown of more than $1 million in National Endowment of the Arts funding alone. The collective cost (including benefits) of these 10 SFCA positions totals just over $500,000.

The layoff list includes key positions with the expertise to execute arts education and community programs.

These programs leveraged a very small portion of state support into over $28 million in other federal and private resources.

Nobody disagrees that the SFCA must share cuts like all other state agencies, but those cuts must be reasonable, and thought out with some rationale to protect funds, rather than eliminate revenue opportunity.

Even though these challenging times warrant an economic argument, let's not forget the arts and culture of Hawai'i are among our most unique and valuable assets.

The state has to make hard choices — but they must be smart choices too.

Marla Momi Musick | Hawai'i Arts Alliance