U.S. democratic system in danger

The firing of James Comey is an excellent example of the danger our democratic system is in. The FBI is intended to be an independent instrument of the law. Its director is meant to serve for 10 years, under multiple administrations, and to be immune from political pressure.

While it is true that the president is able to fire him at will, that power is meant to be used only under extraordinary circumstance. The problem is that the system depends on the people we elect being mature, responsible, patriotic public servants. This does not describe President Donald Trump. By using his authority to fire Comey in the midst of the Russia-Trump investigation, he has undermined the independence of the FBI.

This is just one example of how our democracy depends on the integrity of the people we elect. When we elect someone like Trump, we risk bringing that edifice down.

Greg Harding

Ala Moana

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B-5 visas misused by developers

Why are mega-developers the Kushner Companies in New Jersey and the Fang family in Honolulu using B-5 visas to finance luxury condominium projects? George H.W. Bush’s original intent was to help struggling small businesses get capital.

I had a national TV show for entrepreneurs on PBS and received a briefing from the Bush administration. Bush was targeting small business and manufacturers in economically disadvantaged areas. News reports had uncovered red-lining, where banks denied business loans in urban areas. How did a program for small business end up benefiting developers of luxury condominiums?

The $500,000 investment has not increased in 27 years. The business must hire 10 full-time employees for two years at $25,000. This was feasible in 1990 when the minimum wage was $3.80. Federal contractors now get $10.20; increase the investment to $1.5 million. This would benefit high-tech startups that Hawaii wants to support.

Gloria Borland

Manoa

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Ewa Beach park could use sponsor

Here we go again with the haves and have-nots.

Let’s talk about high-visible and high priority parks: Ala Moana versus a park like Geiger Park in Ewa Beach. How can the Ewa Beach park compete for resources and sponsorship when our children’s slide and climbing apparatus, along with the safety ground cover, has been broken now for over five years, with just yellow tape being applied after complaints? This park is well used and is desperately in need of repairs and upkeep.

The city has shown that no one cares about its safety and upkeep, and I’m sure it will not get any corporate takers for their signs of recognition.

Donald K. Hall

Ewa Beach

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Make Disney deal to build monorail

While most letters complain about transit projects, we must all agree the repaved Kalakaua Avenue smoothed all complaints there, and more importantly, is a smooth welcome to paradise.

The Disney company created the monorail 60 years ago, which has moved billions of people with no mistakes, it seems. How’s about a futuristic magnetic monorail maglev system? Get Disney and the Japanese maker of the maglev rail to co-sponsor and co-promote a private sector sponsorship, instead of a failed public sector rail project.

Disney should manage it, in a deal that would include shooting “Avatar” films in Hawaii and other movie tax breaks. Make a deal. Disney makes no mistakes. Do it with imagination, for future generations.

Kimo Kekahuna

Waikiki

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Spread rail tax to all the counties

Sens. Ron Kouchi and Lorraine Inouye: Bless you both for providing the viable solution, offering a new rail-funding proposal even though the 10-year extension would not provide enough money to complete the 20-mile, 21-station project from East Kapolei to Ala Moana.

Inouye stated that the majority in the Senate, as well, would concur with the city that we need to continue the rail.

The perfect solution is to spread the rail tax to all the counties, since their senators understand the hardships their decisions have created.

Patrick N. Custino

Kaneohe

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News media MIA at GOP gathering

Many articles in the newspaper have declared the Republican Party of Hawaii to be dead. Does that relieve reporters of the responsibility to cover our state convention held this past weekend, where Col. Shirlene Dela Cruz Ostrov and her team of conservative reformers were elected with more than twice as many Republicans attending than at the last leadership convention in 2015?

Michael Palcic

Hawaii Republican Party District 20 chairman,

St. Louis Heights