Don’t despair as the vitriol and pettiness calcifying our national government drone on. This reflects, perhaps, a low quality of elites who are nonetheless bound within a brand of democracy that is uniquely American.

Our political institutions and the rules established within the respective bodies are based on a genuine desire for broad consensus rather than simple majority rule. As such, and very deliberately, the minority has a voice, a vote and an essential role; it is not simply an opposition to the government as seen in other forms of democracy.

In a government of, for, and by the people, the minority cannot therefore oppose itself. Americans should take heart. Despite the emotion and frustration emanating from the Capitol, consensus democracy is underway.

John Hansen

Waipahu

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Require limits on using petroleum

When citizens cannot or are unwilling to see how their individual decisions are negatively impacting the general welfare, it is reasonable and even ethical for leaders to step in and force citizens to sacrifice for the good of all.

Sam Lemmo, administrator of the Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, recommended that we “pick that [eroding] highway up and move it [more mauka]” (“Residents are urged to help combat climate change,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 19).

Instead, he should be publicly and privately lobbying legislators to pass laws and regulations that force citizens to really question, and hopefully limit, their individual use of petroleum products.

I understand that this would be an unpopular stance for leaders to take in our society of individualism, but it is undeniably the only way that we can conserve our coasts.

Patrick Kennedy

McCully

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Pentagon policies increase nuke risk

After the fright of the false missile alert on Jan. 13, many of us are taking a fresh delight in the people we care for and the lush beauty of Hawaii.

Gratitude, yes. But the danger of a real nuclear war is with us and growing. It is not hard to imagine the United States and Russia colliding over some incident in Syria, or the U.S. facing off against a rising China challenging U.S. allies in the South China Sea.

What makes a nuclear confrontation much more possible is the aggressively nationalist stance of President Donald Trump and his Pentagon officials (“Military prepares last-resort war scenario with North Korea,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 15). It will certainly raise tensions across the Pacific.

Much more ominous is the new Pentagon report suggesting the use of nuclear weapons to hit countries launching cyberattacks on the U.S. Carrying out such a policy would be catastrophic.

Let the nuclear scare we experienced remind us that our only safety lies in comprehensive nuclear disarmament by all nuclear powers. Let’s begin.

Noel Kent

Manoa

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Fire employee, Miyagi over alert

Regarding Lee Cataluna’s column, I couldn’t agree more than someone should be fired (“Somebody needs to get fired over false alarm,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 14).

This employee caused chaos and a statewide panic due to his negligence. We have heard excuse after excuse for this employee and why it took so long for a false alarm notice to be sent by Gov. David Ige and Vern Miyagi, administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

I know the firing of this employee will not change what happened, but the public deserves to have this employee and Miyagi fired so that we can move on.

The state of Hawaii deserves better.

Michael Young

Mililani

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HI-EMA team can fix alert problem

Many mahalos to the presser of the button on Jan. 13. The real situation drill showed what worked and what didn’t. A previously scheduled drill was totally blown off by so many.

My family benefited from having to actually shelter and prepare. I believe it was the best thing that could happen. Many people disagree. They’re entitled to their opinion. To those seeking firings, I ask: Do you really think anyone on this team would ever make this mistake again? That dismantling this team for a less-knowledgeable one is wise?

Barring world leaders unable to restrain their buttons, we’ll fix it.

Brian Shimabukuro

Kaneohe

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Hawaii Kai not getting services

We live in Hawaii Kai and bulky trash for our area is not picked up (“Bulky item pickup delayed for much of East Oahu,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 20). I am sure the driver was paid.

We live in Hawaii Kai and the roads still have pot holes. I am sure the workers were paid.

We live in Hawaii Kai. Our taxes are high. I am sure that the money is going elsewhere.

We will never see the rail in Hawaii Kai.

Jim Delmonte

Hawaii Kai