Defund HTA, use money to diversify economy

Before the pandemic, the ever- increasing tourist numbers were decimating our environment and infrastructure. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that we need to diversify.

I agree with Gov. David Ige. Defund the Hawaii Tourism Authority and use the funds to diversify our economy and repair our infrastructure (“Hawaii Tourism Authority readies for defunding,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 25). With climate change bringing sea-level rise and more and stronger storms, our future is questionable. It had been a century since the last major pandemic, but with what we are doing to our planet, this will not be the last pandemic in our lifetimes.

Instead of spending tax revenue to entice tourists, we should be charging tourists a substantial environmental and infrastructure impact tax.

Raymond Trombley

Ala Wai

Outrage over Benghazi, but not over insurrection

Republicans in 2012-2016 on responsibility for the Benghazi attack in which four people died: Benghazi Benghazi Benghazi Benghazi Benghazi Benghazi Benghazi Benghazi Benghazi Benghazi.

Republicans in 2021 on responsibility for an armed, seditious insurrectionist attack on the U.S. Capitol with credible threats to kill the vice president and members of Congress, with five people dead: Yawn.

Violet Horvath

Nuuanu

Trump must be held accountable for riot

Most U.S. Senate Republicans have now decided to turn a blind eye to the horrific Trump-incited insurrection of Jan. 6. They attempted to halt the Senate trial of Donald Trump by falsely claiming that a trial would be “unconstitutional” since Trump is no longer president.

These senators are refusing to hold Trump accountable for his lies and actions and those of his deluded supporters that caused the death of a U.S. Capitol police officer and could have resulted in the killing of legislators and Vice President Mike Pence. Even now legislators and their family members continue to be threatened by Trump’s emboldened supporters.

If the U.S. Senate fails to convict Trump, then he should be prosecuted as a citizen for his seditious actions and corruption.

Republican senators also are making it difficult to enact urgently needed assistance to individuals, families, small businesses and state and local governments. The Senate Democrats must act to eliminate the unreasonable requirement of 60 votes needed to pass legislation.

John Witeck

Kamehameha Heights

Elites to blame for rise of Trump’s ‘deplorables’

Donald Trump is not the issue. Trump was simply the messenger who heard and understood the feelings and thoughts of we the “deplorables.” Another messenger will come along until the elites in both parties give up their self-dealing and their exalted view of themselves.

Hillary Clinton called the genie forth with her statements and the genie heard.

Trump just rubbed the lamp the right way.

Stephen Foster Williams

Waimanalo

Hawaii GOP must field better candidates

Hawaii GOP chairwoman Shirlene Ostrov said that over the past 70 years, the Democratic Party here has “hid its inability to meet the problems we face” and so people should turn to the GOP (“After 70 years of Democratic failings, turn to Hawaii GOP,” Star- Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 25).

Many independents would consider GOP candidates if the party could put up better than the usual unexciting or overly conservative ones. If they all were more in the mode of Linda Lingle, Charles Djou and Cynthia Thielen — then yes, there would be more GOP office holders. But too many of those seekers seem to have been enlisted from a pit of desperation.

And Ostrov herself recruits no converts when she says “only” 289 local people died from COVID-19 last year and therefore the lockdowns and other measures are “draconian.” Only 289?

She adds: “We’ve seen stay-at-home orders unlike any on the mainland or anywhere else. That is not aloha.”

Is that the kind of loosey-goosey governance we want? I don’t think so.

Robert O. Jones

Diamond Head

$53,000 a lot of money for government to spend

Gov. David Ige’s chief of staff was quoted as saying, “It’s not a whole lot of money” regarding $53,000 to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Washington Place (“Celebration cost for home of Queen Lili‘uokalani and Hawaii governors raises eyebrows,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 25).

Sure, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what we spent for rail. To put things in perspective, here’s what you can get for $53,000: about 3,500 plate lunches; roughly two years of tuition at Iolani or Punahou schools; housing for one to two years; 5,300 bags of rice; roughly 33,544 hot dogs and soda from Costco; a year of take-home pay for someone who makes $75,000 a year.

It’s about time that our state and city cut out unnecessary expenses. In the long run, it’s the citizens of Hawaii who end up paying for our government’s wasteful spending.

Matt Hee

Ala Moana

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