Draw down military to help end poverty

Let us attempt to bring an end to poverty.

It is not a coincidence that homelessness increased with the military buildup of the early 1980s, and it has expanded since, as trillions of dollars have been diverted to war.

Let us please reverse this process. We believe it can be done. For the first time, a significant segment of the homeless have successfully been contacted, helped and housed over the last few years, thanks to adequate funds spent on the national effort to address homeless veterans.

Now, let’s reverse the military buildup, agree to reduce the size of the military, expand the successful homeless-veteran program to include all the homeless, and make sure we have adequate funding in place to help those transitioning out of the military as part of the current Army downsizing program.

Renie Lindley
Clerk, Honolulu Friends Meeting (Quakers), Manoa

HPD has hard task educating pedestrians

The Honolulu Police Department’s plan toeducate pedestrians who step off the curb after the red countdown starts seems overly ambitious.

If the police can’teducate those who ride bicycles or skateboards on the sidewalks in Waikiki, and can’teducate the many bicyclists who ignore red lights, or those who fail to use lights at night, how will theyeducate2 million or so revolving visitors each year who cross on the countdown in droves?

The program should provide good entertainment in the evenings.

Roger D. Van Cleve
Waikiki

Kakaako becoming a miniature Dubai

Greed will continue to transform these beautiful islands as Kakaako develops into a mini Dubai.

The ultra-wealthy foreigners coming mostly from Japan and China will continue to dilute the rich aloha culture as they move into their $10 million Ala Moana condos being built across from the park.

Fortunately, half of those condos are reserved for local residents, which, as advertised, will provide needed housing for the people of Hawaii while preventing urban sprawl. Really? You can bet thelocal residents will be in those properties just long enough to flip them for a nice profit, probably to more foreign investors.

Whom do I blame for this? Everyone who does not vote, which sadly is the majority of Hawaii residents.

Alan Pollock
Waialae Nui

There are 2 sides to Common Core coin

State Department of Education educators Mary Carlson, Gwen Lee and Yuuko Arikawa vouched for the success of Common Core state standards in our public schools ("Hawaii Common Core sets learning bar higher," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 4).

They echoed the usual rhetoric that Common Core prepares our kids for the "workforce" in "a rapidly changing global economy," as if our kids were human capital to be exploited by the state instead of unique, imaginative individuals in a free society.

They didn’t mention that several states are rejecting Common Core.

Nor did they mention that​​ Common Core was underhandedly foisted on states by the federal government; or that the standards are crafted and copyrighted by private trade organizations; or that Common Core promotes "commonism" over individualism; or that this education actually originated in the United Nations.

With all due respect to Carlson, Lee and Arikawa, let’s acknowledge that there are two sides to the Common Core coin.

Richard Morse
Makiki

Kudos to all helping to improve Waikiki

I’d like to express a heartfelt mahalo nui loa to all who are leading the charge in striving tocombat homelessness in our belovedtourist mecca of the world— Waikiki.

George Szigeti, president and CEO of the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, and other partnerships should be commended fortheir example and deliberateness in awarding the Institute for Human Services the funds needed to launch the long-overdue Housing First pilot project. This critical initiative seeks to move our homeless neighbors off the streets and into supportive shelter space and Housing First units.

Although there is stilla long way to go, the passionate and diligent efforts of IHS and other agencies areimproving the quality of life forall who work, live and visit our legendary home.

Together, with aloha and all hands on deck, Waikiki will continue to be great.

Janet M. Grace
Waikiki

Rail naysayers should get with the program

One thing is clear about the controversy over the rail project: The negative impact of traffic gridlock on Leeward Oahu residents, while the debate goes on, is only getting worse.

The same opponents who scuttled the rail system in 1993 are at it again. But for their defeatist attitudes that convinced five short-sighted City Council members to reject funding that the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye had secured, Hono-lulu would now have a functioning mass transit system, instead of the daily gridlock Leeward Oahu residents face every day.

But for the frivolous court challenges that wiped out favorable contracts secured earlier and escalating construction costs due to the building uptick, this project was destined to be viable, and still can be.

It is time for the naysayers, some who have benefited from past major transportation projects supported by all taxpayers, to all stop their blind obstruction and instead work together for the common good to get this project built for the good of the entire state.

Francis M. Nakamoto
Moanalua Valley

Obama has done well with cards dealt him

Regarding Geoff Boehm’s letter ("Obama doesn’t deserve thanks," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 10), I have a slightly different view.

President Barack Obama inherited a mess from the George W. Bush administration: two wars and a deficit, to name a few.

He also has to deal with a dysfunctional Congress with an approval rating in the single digits. They can’t get anything done.

There is the tea party, a renegade offshoot group whose uncompromising and unbending agenda caused a sequestration. I would like to see a CEO get anything accomplished with a dysfunctional board of directors.

Obama is trying to do the best job he can with the cards he’s been dealt. Frankly, he’s been dealt a lousy hand.

Robert K. Soberano
Moiliili

Obama deserves credit for quite a lot

Yes, let’s take a closer look at President Barack Obama’s actions.

GDP growth is at its highest in years. The dollar is valued at its highest in 11 years. The unemployment rate is at its lowest in six years. Job creation is at its highest in 15 years. Jobs have been increasing in number for 45 consecutive months. The employment-to-population ratio is improving.

Also, more people have health insurance than ever before, including thousands who never could before. The stories of people losing their doctor or insurance have been shown to be largely fictions and/or the direct responsibility of the private insurance companies involved.

Stimulus funding has been paid back with interest, earning the U.S. many billions of dollars and saving sectors like the auto industry, which is responsible for millions of jobs. The stock market has grown steadily and continues to reach historic highs. And the deficit is shrinking.

Obama deserves some credit.

Frank J. Marone
Kapaa, Kauai

FROM THE FORUM

Readers of the Star-Advertiser’s online edition can respond to stories posted there. The following are some of those. Instead of names, pseudonyms are generally used online. They have been removed.

“Health Department will not address bird-feeding gripes,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 12:

>> That was a refreshingly honest answer from a state agency. Thank you.

>> Passing unenforceable laws is a lot bigger problem than a little bird poop.

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“Effects on Native Hawaiians by geothermal to be studied,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 12:

>> Just give the $300,000 to needy Hawaiians. The whole “study” shibai is just extortion by another name.

>> Why limit or target the study to a specific race? The study should be for all races and all peoples affected by geothermal energy development.

>> You know what this is? Cultural extortion.

>> How does geothermal affect anyone? It provides electricity, and if you get too close, it gets warm? How’s that?

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“Tab rises for Obama overtime,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 13:

>> The daily dose of publicity of his presence here was worth millions of dollars. So why do you nickle-and-dime his vacation expenses? The Star-Advertiser needs to support our tourism industry.

>> Then take the money out of the Hawaii tourism budget and pay back the Honolulu Police Department, if this is promoting tourism.

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“Power failures tarnish big game,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 13:

>> Power to the people!

>> Two of the generators down aren’t even owned by Hawaiian Electric. It has no control over them.

>> Hawaiian Electric has the responsibility to ensure all power providers connected to its grid do their job to standard. The fact that rolling blackouts are occurring under HECO’s watch speaks volumes for lack of professional management.

>> If you missed the game because you lost power and you were rooting for Marcus Mariota and the Ducks, then it’s probably good that you had a power outage. Oregon was no match for Ohio State.

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“Police to pose as pedestrians to reduce fatalities on Oahu,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 14:

>> I hope this helps. The police will see firsthand how inattentive to pedestrians so many drivers are. And they no doubt will be giving out tickets for cellphone use while driving.

>> This is a good start, not only for the pedestrians who do not obey the rules but for the drivers who do not allow pedestrians to cross the street safely.

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“State touts shipping containers for homes,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 14:

>> Carpenter/building unions will balk at this and any other prefab homes. They want their cut and that’s that.

>> Let’s hope they have no control. They do have to be put together and need plumbing, etc.

>> Who’d want that development in their neighborhood? Could you imagine a city block full of container housing?

>> The photo in the article shows an efficient, but admittedly not glamorous, version of container multi-family housing. Fortunately, there are way better-looking ones out there in the world, too. 

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“Mariota to enter NFL draft,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 15:

>> Not a surprise, in a way. He had completed his undergraduate education. Best of luck to him.

>> Thank you, Marcus, for being a great human being and an awesome football player. Good luck and keep your head up.

>> Hopefully the team that picks him up will adjust its offense to capitalize on his strengths and not try to make him fit into their system.

>> I might get into football for the first time other than the Super Bowl. He will be a real asset to any team.

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“Council probes rail’s fiscal health,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 15:

>> As long as the mayor and big business have their hands in the pockets of the citizens of Oahu, they will continue to spend all the money they can get their hands on. Don’t let it happen.

>> Public works projects are never expected to pay for themselves but must be done. After the rail is finished, we will be glad we did it. We just need to bite the bullet now.

>> Kudos to the Council members who are truthfully expressing doubts about the obscure financial picture for this project. It would be foolhardy for the Council to agree to any financial plan without guaranteed protections to the tax-paying public. Stopping this in its “tracks” would be the best option to minimize extending great losses.