Oahu residents joined for rail

I would like to express publicly my sincere thanks to the voters from all around our beautiful island for the support they showed in Tuesday’s election for candidates that will advance a rail system to help relieve traffic on the crowded Waipahu-Pearl City-Aiea corridor.

I am especially grateful to those supporters in Windward, East Oahu and North Shore districts who may not expect a direct impact on their personal situation, but who realize that they have benefited in the past from West Oahu support for their own transportation problems. Without their support, this would not have been possible.

Edward Gaffney
Ewa Beach

Party machine beat Cayetano

With the election all pau, let’s be honest: The only reason former Gov. Ben Cayetano lost his mayoral race is that the strong Democratic machine was behind Kirk Caldwell.

It’s not that people are for rail, but because of party backing and loyalty.

Ray Horita
Palolo Valley

Corporations are why jobs leaving

The last four years all we have been hearing about is jobs, jobs and more jobs.

However, we never are told who is responsible for outsourcing of American jobs to other countries. Is the president responsible? Maybe it’s the Chamber of Commerce.

Are corporations responsible? They are in it for the money. They couldn’t care less if their company products are now junk, or if we can understand the person on the phone when trying to get help. It is about pleasing the stockholders.

I thought about the question a long time and I realized it didn’t make much sense to blame any of the presidents. It has nothing to do with them. Corporations are trying to cut corners to save money. They are ultimately responsible.

We have 300 million people in the United States and these corporations can’t find a way to make products in this country?

Robert Roast
Waikiki

Volunteers hurt by ballot snafu

I helped run a precinct in Kailua on Oahu. Running out of ballots resulted in a loss of voters and was a deplorable action by our state officials. There should be a thorough investigation.

As of 1 p.m. we knew we were not going to make it with paper. Of course, there was one electronic ballot machine, as always, but the clear majority wants paper ballots and the state left us flat-footed. Tempers were understandably hot.

I and others will not return in the next elections as the state’s actions were a slap in the face of those of us who volunteered and to the voters who spent long hours in line, some in wheelchairs or with walkers, children and pets. What kind of state do we live in?

Mike Gallagher
Kailua

Waiting voters deserve thanks

Thank you to my fellow citizens who waited to vote in lieu of walking off.

Yes, the system failed, but your demand to vote and waiting until nearly 9 p.m. to vote helps to focus on this problem. Had all of you given up, the polls could have closed on time.

Veterans Day is Nov. 12, and your action is a tribute to the sacrifice of those who died in defending our democratic form of government.

Those who waited to vote truly deserve a mahalo from the citizens of our United States of America.

Leonard Leong
Manoa

Ballot debacle seems suspicious

Out of 16 precincts that reported a shortage of ballots, 11 were won by Caldwell and five by Cayetano. Does anyone see a trend here? Since it took up to five hours for more ballets to arrive in some areas on a day where there was light traffic, this looks so suspicious.

Hey, Ben, file a complaint or something.

Lani Johnson
Salt Lake

Best candidates failed to prevail

All the wrong people won, in Washington and Hawaii.

Cliff Coleman
Kahala