Obamacare can be changed

Political pundits on the left keep repeating that Obamacare is the law of the land and it is here to stay. They choose to forget that throughout American history, laws have been changed, repealed and found to be unconstitutional.

Slavery was the law of the land, and it took a great Republican and a civil war to change it. Prohibition and capital punishment are two other examples.

Today one can look at the marriage and marijuana laws and how they are changing.

We were told if you like your current health care and doctor you can keep them, and that your cost would go down under Obamacare. For millions of us, including this writer, this is not the case.

It may take time, but as the voters discover that what they were told was false and that the Affordable Care Act did not turn out to be affordable at all, this law will not stand.

Robert Chaffee
Diamond Head

Change will hurt family values

The terms "husband" and "wife" will no longer exist. Children will be taught that same-sex marriage is normal, a great civil rights victory. Parents cannot opt out of such teaching.

People can be fired from their jobs, sued or jailed for opposing to same-sex marriage. Small businesses will be forced to close for refusing to accommodate same-sex relationships, even though there may be other willing businesses.

Finally, the church exemption, that the state promises, will be temporary. Churches will be forced to accommodate same-sex ceremonies or face intimidation and lawsuits. People who feel legalizing same-sex marriage will not impact them are in denial or naive.

This is the state of the state of Hawaii that our children and grandchildren will grow up in because the governor wants this act to be his legacy. If ohana and family values were important, our legislators would just say no. Do they have the courage?

James Roller
Mililani

YWCA supports marriage rights

The unwavering belief in equality as a human right sparked the founding of YWCA USA.

Associations have a long history of standing by those deeply harmed from immoral discrimination based on gender, race and other forms of bias. YWCAs began addressing LGBT rights in the ’70s. Now, it’s marriage equality. Marriage equality has been debated; it’s time to take the next step. Our legislators will either move human rights forward or continue the ongoing harm to LGBT individuals, their families and friends.

Our three YWCA Associations (Hawaii island, Kauai and Oahu) join together in strong support of marriage equality and we urge our elected officials to end discrimination policies and ensure that in the "Aloha State," the basic right of love, marriage and family is guaranteed to all. Equality means full protections and advantages related to marriage. Anything less does not meet the standard of basic human dignity and rights.

Kathleen McGilvray, Karen Hayashida, Renae Hamilton, Emiko Meyers, Noriko Namiki, Barbra Pleadwell
YWCA

Treat married, singles the same

The same-sex marriage debate is not about rights, it is about privileges. Two people are already free to establish and maintain a relationship regardless of gender or sexual preference. That is their right.

The issue is that same-sex couples want the government to grant them privileges and benefits afforded only to "married" individuals. Why are individuals treated differently if they are single versus married — is that not the real inequality?

Rather than try to determine if same-sex couples should be "married" by legal definition, eliminate privileges offered only to married people and treat everyone as an individual. If the government’s intent is to offer privileges or benefits to a "head of household," then do so for those who can show a dependency relationship similar to what is already done for income taxes.

Steven Fall
Mililani

China maintains strong economy

Reporter Rob Schmitz speaks of "years of soaring double-digit growth" in China’s economy ("China’s roaring economy approaches day of reckoning," Star-Advertiser, Oct. 24).

This understates China’s incredible economic growth for three entire decades, not just "years." Schmitz again ignores history when he speaks of China’s "GDP growth, exports, industrial output and electricity production" as having all rebounded "in recent weeks." He does not mention that China’s economic performance all around has been absolutely stunning for three whole decades, including, for example, the production of 590 million tons of grain in 2012. This means having nearly quadrupled grain production since 1952, after recovery from the turmoil of the civil war and the 1949 revolution.

As for urban household income, Schmitz again focuses on the most recent figure. This, at 6.5 percent, happens to be vastly better than the 2 percent growth of the U.S. economy. But more impressive is the fact that China’s urban families have enjoyed a rise of disposable income from $1,000 in the year 2000 to $3,000 in 2010.

Oliver Lee
Aina Haina

Work to get off HECO’s grid

Cut the cord, already.

Vendors, installers and marketers of solar energy systems have a responsibility to relay all the costs of a new photovoltaic system to potential buyers, including costs for additional safety equipment and assessment studies that Hawaiian Electric Co. would require.

Then solar installers ought to realize that they can make even more money advising potential customers to not connect to the HECO grid at all, simply by buying a biodiesel generator (powered by locally produced food oil wastes), coupled with a battery bank of deep cycle lead acid batteries.

All the excess free power is generated for the homeowner’s use, with nothing for HECO to resell at all — especially if HECO’s power grid is so woefully archaic.

HECO approval, studies, general obstructionism and ever-increasing rates aren’t needed at all, if one does not connect to the grid — which was the whole idea behind alternate energy in the first place. Solar power is 100 percent safe and free.

Crispin
Kapolei

Djou let down electorate, too

Former U.S. Rep. Charles Djou made some excellent points, especially with respect to Hawaii’s miserable voter turnout rate ("Government leaders fail us, but are never held to account," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Oct. 29).

However, in fairness, I must point out one situation where a government leader was held to account by Hawaii’s voters. In his term as House District 1 representative, Djou’s voting record on issues of concern to Hawaii’s kupuna was abysmal, with zero percent support. Perhaps at least in part, he lost his bid for a full term because he failed an important part of his constituency.

John Priolo
Pearl City