Fix roads before adding bike lanes

It is absolutely unbelievable that the city wants to add more bike lanes and remove critically needed parking while we drivers hit jarring bumps, potholes and uneven pavement (“Bike lanes laid out on McCully Street,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 26).

Just take a ride down Ward Avenue or Bishop Street. Take a close look at the uneven pavement. Show me the 1,000 bike riders a day on King Street, which was our best cross-town route next to H-1.

Hundreds of other roads are just plain Third World unacceptable. Let’s complete our streets before the city and Complete Streets take over this entire island, our critically needed parking and our primary mode of transportation — our automobiles.

Bob Vieira

Pauoa Valley

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Gabbard refuses to condemn dictator

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is not a liberal, not a progressive, and not worthy of respect.

Although she inserted herself into the national political discourse by her high-profile split from the Democratic National Committee and endorsement of Bernie Sanders, her populism — a child of Donald Trump’s demagoguery that yields untenable economic positions and a frightening affinity for war criminals — should worry us all.

Like Trump, she refuses to condemn Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. She voted against a House resolution chastising the dictator for his crimes and, most recently, undermined U.S. foreign policy by secretly visiting the war criminal. After being shown Syria by two men from a political party with a fascist history, Gabbard determined the man who dropped chemical bombs on his own people should remain in power.

Gabbard supports a brutal authoritarian. What proclaimed progressive can look into the eyes of a refugee and say, “I stand with your oppressor?”

Remy Smith

Manoa

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Sandwich Isles has aloha for customers

I had to wait years for my Hawaiian Home Lands property. Why it takes so long remains a mystery to me and many others of Native Hawaiian ancestry.

Now that I’m an older woman, it disturbs me that we find our lives still in upheaval because of the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to withhold funds from Sandwich Isles Communications, and now to demand the company pay back funds it used to actually build infrastructure on Hawaiian Home Lands.

Sandwich Isles Communications has continued to subsidize my phone bill as a lifeline customer, even though I know I could have been cut off when the federal government stopped providing funds to Sandwich Isles about 1-1/2 years. I am so grateful companies like this still have the aloha spirit for their customers.

Florence Rodrigues

Waianae

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Bronster had more than one detractor

Margery Bronster apparently now claims that my testimony, and only my testimony, caused the Senate to disapprove of her re-confirmation as attorney general (“Bill to make judges repeat confirmation is advanced,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 13).

While perhaps I should be flattered to learn that I have so much influence, I do recall my testimony was just one of several offered both by written and/or oral submissions. Indeed, my testimony was largely unnoticed in the robust, multi-faceted debate on the Senate floor by senators against her re-confirmation.

Bill McCorriston

Kakaako

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Many, many millions going to rail transit

The cost estimates of our budget-busting Honolulu rail transit project is now being projected to be $9.5 billion to $10 billion.

Perhaps taxpayers would have a better perspective if they were reminded that a billion is 1,000 million. This project will cost us $9,500 million to $10,000 million dollars. Auwe!

Edward Schneider

Waikiki

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New headlights blinding to drivers

Am I the only person affected by the new brighter headlights on cars nowadays? I find myself blinded by them when changing lanes, looking into the rear-view mirror, and especially when on dark two-way streets.

It is like someone driving with the “brights” on, which I was taught not to do as a courtesy to oncoming drivers so you don’t blind them. I see no reason to have such bright lights except for dark roads, and even then you should be able to turn them on and off. They are dangerous and should be toned down for our safety.

Richard Kross

Punchbowl