Income inequality a natural consequence

What’s the sense of adding more water to a leaking bucket, which our governor wants to do by raising taxes (“Gov. David Ige ponders higher fuel and wealth taxes,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 13)?

In addition, there are others who also want to use this scenario to close the gap of income inequality. The gap, while unfortunate, is a natural consequence of those who strive for success and those who are satisfied with their status quo and are not inclined to take risks to better themselves.

Why take risks when they can hide behind the potential of a windfall profit via this mantra of income redistribution, notwithstanding the efforts and risks undertaken or not undertaken in the quest to better, or not better, oneself?

There also are those who continually strive for a “living wage” and have no comprehension that labor cost is a major component of product pricing, and that everything is reliant on making a profit. You reap what you sow.

Carlton Chang

Kaimuki

Congress must hold Trump accountable

There are three important reasons why President Donald Trump should be held accountable for his treasonous actions two weeks ago.

First and foremost: There must be serious consequences for what the president did. He willingly incited his followers to use physical force and violence to take over the nation’s Capitol. Five people are dead because of this unprecedented attack on democracy. The evidence is clear and the entire world was there to witness it.

Second, impeachment and conviction must help ensure that Trump never has the opportunity to run for office again.

Finally, a vote will force, once and for all, our elected leaders in Congress to reveal exactly where they stand on the disgraced legacy of this president. After all, it was their support and complicity in the president’s delusion that the election was stolen that played a major role in enabling Trump to move unimpeded toward the Jan. 6 catastrophe.

Force them to show their true allegiance: to an unstable despot unfit to lead, or to the citizens of this democracy they were elected to serve.

Matt Nakamura

Hawaii Kai

Fox News reigns at Navy Exchange

The Joint Chiefs of Staff reminded members of the military that “Any act to disrupt the constitutional process is … against the law.” Over the past four years, patrons who sat in Navy Exchange sitting area near the elevator were subtly brainwashed by a continuing dose of Fox News. The TV was mounted high with no way to change stations. Was it the same at Schofield Barracks or Marine Corps Base Kaneohe?

Ronald Wong

Salt Lake

Let’s do something on Inauguration Day

Call it what you like, but the events on Jan. 6 reminded me of Kristallnacht, which happened in Germany and Austria on Nov. 9-10, 1938. Violent crowds of people, incited by their Nazi leader, torched synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes, schools and businesses and killed close to 100 Jews.

Jan. 6 truly was no different. As I watched the well-prepared men and women break into our Capitol, damaging, stealing, beating, killing, and who knows what other horrors may have been on their agenda had they continued, I saw a white-extremist lynch mob destroying the America I know. They exited the building as if they just finished a typical day’s work and nary a person stopped them.

I had no doubt they had inside support. I do know they certainly did not represent the many true believers who still support President Donald Trump and his lies.

I’m concerned for the safety of our elected leaders, and the tremendous damage Trump has left them to undo. To support our democracy on Jan. 20, I will fly our flag. Won’t you join me?

Dina Brown

Wahiawa

Hatred and distrust could destroy nation

As if in answer to John Tamashiro’s, “Democrats want Republicans destroyed” (Star- Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 14), Froma Harrop wrote, “Republicans have turned away from sane governance” (“Republicans suffer losses where it hurts: fundraising,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 14).

In other words, they have essentially destroyed themselves in blind allegiance to the Cult of Trump. Tamashiro’s letter reflects the sheer lunacy and incredible paranoia of today’s discourse.

Meanwhile, authoritarian governments are only too happy to witness the implosion and failure of democracy. Certain of these countries are at the very least using information technology to effectively pour fuel on the fires of our internal differences, to magnify and exacerbate our conflicts, and to profoundly stoke the airwaves with disinformation, divisiveness and provocation — while we do the rest.

For those who live in hatred and distrust of your fellow Americans, consider this conspiracy theory: that of being controlled and manipulated by special interests or outside forces into destroying this beacon of democracy, our collective mandate and proudest legacy.

Jared Wickware

Kalihi Valley

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