Although it is a long time before the next presidential election, now is a good time for our Legislature to consider all mail-in election ballots for Hawaii.

Savings would come from no voting booths or locations.

Older people wouldn’t have to struggle to get to voting locations.

The weather would have no effect on voting.

There would be no lining up at the voting places.

And there would be a relaxing amount of time at home to make one’s selections.

I also think more people would vote.

Toby Allen
Hawaii Kai

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Don’t let military set China policy

As Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., commander of U.S. Pacific Command, talks tough on China’s actions in the South China Sea, we civilians need to realize the dangers inherent in the fantasy that our armed forces can control areas adjacent to China and very far away from America (“U.S. talks tough on South China Sea,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 7).

Unfortunately, this manner of defense does less to deter war than to lay the basis for it.

When Harris warns the Chinese to restrain themselves, he adds credence to the idea that our relationship with China is antagonistic and any effort by China to modernize its armed forces is hostile to our interests and must be confronted militarily.

Some measure of military preparedness is warranted, but active antago- nism is not.

U.S.-China relations should be a parallel pursuit of common interests and opportunities, led by civilian leaders and supported — not formed — by the Pacific Command.

Jay Henderson
Waikiki

‘Clock’ incident handled well

Mike Taleff is wrong (“‘Clock’ incident showed ignorance,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Sept. 22).

The teacher, the principal and the police were correct to question student Ahmed Mohamed’s clock.

We all know that the Internet can teach anyone how to build and disguise a bomb, and recruit more home-grown terrorists to kill us.

America and Israel are under attack by radical Muslim terrorists who want us dead. I saw the leader of Iran on the news shouting, “Yes, death to America, death to America!” We are told to be diligent. And diligent we will be, except for the politically correct leftists.

How are we supposed to know if a simple backpack, utility knife, shoe, cellphone, cookpot, and even a Muslim terrorist’s underwear could kill thousand of innocents?

Our law enforcement forces work very hard to avoid these cowardly attacks. I support all of them to do whatever it takes.

Steve Holck
Kailua

Ward seemed to endorse deal

State Rep. Gene Ward makes a compelling argument for decentralized power and empowering consumers to be producers, but he also tries to appear agnostic about who owns the utility, essentially a subtle endorsement of the merger of Hawaiian Electric Industries and NextEra (“Power-generation paradigm must change,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Oct. 4).

He also advocates that NextEra or Hawaiian Electric get into the renewable energy generation business.

Perhaps allowing for rooftop solar and then producing their own would be a compromise, but it’s hard to believe these corporations would encourage competition. They also have a conflict of interest if they have the authority to approve other people’s projects while they develop their own.

Ward also makes a completely incorrect argument about the rates on Kauai (website.kiuc.coop/content/rates). Residential rates — the most expensive — have come down 28 percent since 2012 (42.57 cents/kWh in December 2012 to 30.655 cents/kWh in October 2015).

Nowhere does it show any rate class paying 55 cents/kWh, even if you factor in other charges.

John Cheever
Kalani Iki

Harbor Square ruined view, too

My sympathies to Kedric Dean, longtime resident of Harbor Square, who lamented about his pending ruined view of Waikiki with the rail (“Don’t let rail ruin downtown Honolulu,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 4).

Just remember that your enjoyment living in that condo in front of Honolulu Harbor was as much a visual destruction of a once-beautiful vista for others.

Sounds a little like NIMBY (not in my backyard).

Tony Wong
Aiea