Legislature not off to good start

The message during the election was that the economy and education were the top priorities. Yet one of the first articles we see in the paper this year is the emphasis on the effort by the Democratic majority in eliminating the floor session invocation in the state Senate.

I would like to know from our Democratic majority how this action will help our economy and education system. It’s not the attempt to eliminate the invocation that bothers me, but the time and effort put in by the lawmakers, which deviates from what is really important to the citizens of Hawaii.

Repaving work ignores priorities

I enjoy climbing Koko Head as part of my workout routine. When I went for a hike recently, I was surprised to see that the parking lot and the road from the community center up to the parking lot were closed for repaving. I couldn’t help but feel frustrated and angry to see the area being repaved when there are plenty of streets in downtown Hono-lulu and around the island that need repaving. The Koko Head area, while not in good shape, was not in such bad shape to warrant repaving. Kalakaua Avenue, between Beretania and Ala Moana, needs repaving; driving through that short stretch is a rattling experience. Ala Moana from Hobron to Ward needs repaving; this is a major thoroughfare that tourists travel on.

Aren’t the city and state embarrassed to showcase such bad roads to tourists and kamaaina alike?

Can’t always blame system

In response to Pauline Arellano’s letter, I think it should first be noted that none of the cuts to mental health have gone into effect or even been finalized in Arizona ("Mental health worth fighting for," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 21). Also, Arizona is currently one of six states that cover all of that and cover childless adults. The proposed cuts to any mental health programs are going to conditions that are not considered serious mental health issues and still allow for the patients to receive generic prescriptions. The current mental health program in Arizona was not able to filter out Jared Loughner because he and his parents did not address the issues he had, not because they have been cut. Maybe, instead of blaming cuts to mental health, blame the person and his parents.

Arizona faces huge deficits that need to be resolved. Having moved from Hawaii to Arizona, I’m glad that the governor here is proposing cuts rather than raising taxes to keep programs that couldn’t have stopped that tragic event anyway.

Unions are not source of wealth

Mark H. Erwin asserts that without unions, many of the things that have contributed to the growth and functioning of our society would never have happened ("Unions built America and deserve respect," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 15).

Think about that.

Without a union, no one could be found to do the jobs he listed? I don’t think so. That only through union membership do workers know how to do these jobs, or have the motivation to do them well? Hardly.

Most particularly, with public sector unions, union leadership uses contributions and votes to support certain candidates, who then are very willing to approve union contracts for ever-increasing pay and benefits. The private sector, through taxes, ends up being the unwilling revenue source for this self-benefiting closed circle. Eventually and inevitably, a level of employment, pay and benefits will be reached that simply cannot be sustained. If we’re not there yet, we soon will be.

Makua decision benefits all of us

The environmentalists are not the enemy. No one loses by the Army vacating live-fire exercises in Makua Valley, and the environ- mentalists didn’t win a battle with the Army.

The military and the Sierra Club both have the identical goal: to defend and preserve our beautiful nation, our gorgeous islands, and the future of our children.