Case makes decisions that are tough, logical

Mackenzie Feldman’s comments regarding Hawaii U.S. Rep. Ed Case’s bipartisanship efforts are disingenuous at best (“Case pretending on ‘bipartisanship’,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 16).

Take note of the last sentence: “We need leaders who are willing to embrace the challenge of fighting for what is equitable for all of Hawaii.”

It seems like equitable for all, according to Feldman, really means “equitable for those who think like me.”

Kudos to Case for making the tough, logical decisions.

Jeffrey Alameida

Waialua

Impeachments are dead; presidents go unchecked

History will record that the United States of America lost its democracy on Feb. 13, 2021. Impeachment is dead. Impeachment as a tool to control a president’s power is meaningless and broken. It can be taken out of our civic and history courses, as the Senate will never convict any president when 34 senators can sustain the president’s power.

It is now clear Congress is powerless to check the executive branch of government. Present and future presidents now know this. Presidents can write their own executive orders and spend money on anything, such as the Wall or whatever they designate a national emergency.

We have always been proud of our two-party system of government over one-party Communist governments. We’ve just shown the world our form of democracy is deeply flawed and broken, and definitely not an example to follow. How can we be proud of our government now?

Sam Gillie

Hawaii Kai

One standard for Trump, another for Obama

It was so refreshing to learn that U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell is such a strict adherent to the Constitution that he had no choice but to acquit Donald Trump. Where was that strict adherence to the Constitution when he bottled up President Barack Obama’s judicial nominees? Shameful.

Jonathan Ortiz

Downtown Honolulu

McConnell acted out of his own self-interest

The Grim Reaper, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, again showed how powerful he is. Although he told senators to “vote their conscience,” he delayed the impeachment trial until after Donald Trump left office, giving other Republican senators and himself a purported constitutional “out” for not convicting Trump.

McConnell never had a conscience. Rather than saving his own Republican Party, he delivered a scathing condemnation of Trump’s incitement and told the Democratic-controlled Department of Justice to pursue federal prosecution against Trump. Get rid of Trump for him. Continue the “witch hunt” so he can get more Republican senators voted into office and regain his majority.

There are more U.S. Supreme Court justices and federal judges down the road he wants to put in. There are old bills and more bills he needs to keep in Senate committees. Does he dare to raise the outlandish national debt against this administration? What happens when the Grim Reaper meets St. Peter at the Pearly Gates?

Joyce Matsuo

Kalihi Valley

Save money on state’s health insurance costs

Dr. Stephen Kemble explained how self-insuring health care for state and county active and retired employees and Medicaid recipients could save Hawaii taxpayers about $850 million annually — more than half our state’s projected budget deficit this year (“Save millions by cutting administrative waste in health care,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Feb. 4).

Almost all other states do this.

But Hawaii needlessly pays third parties for insurance, instead of administrative services only, and their “value-based” payment systems are worsening Hawaii’s doctor shortage. State taxpayers also pay in advance for future increases in avoidable Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund third-party insurance costs.

Allowing self-insurance and ending pre-funding could do more than anything more quickly to address our state budget and health care crises, improve the state’s bond rating, and protect state and county employees from layoffs and furloughs at less cost to current and future Hawaii taxpayers.

Thomas Brandt

Downtown Honolulu

Little guys pushed out for big-time investors

Is it a common practice for the state to welcome outsiders and big-time investors — suddenly pushing out small existing renters who may have been there for years — so they can attain a lot more rent money (“$12 million plan for a luxury ‘fixed-base operation’ and fuel farm at Kalaeloa Airport questioned,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 15)?

This is the same for construction companies and any outside investors who would increase the state’s income. As for the little person who was there for years, the only thing they can say is, “I am sorry, but I am not renewing your lease because you are not bringing enough revenue.”

Randall Alcesto

Aiea

Leadership emerges with Green’s proposals

Well done, Lt. Gov. Josh Green! A true indication of leadership is the person who provides short-term solutions to immediate problems, but also the strategic foresight to plan for the future (“Normalcy full speed ahead,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 16). His recent comments and proposed timeline truly give us hope.

Unfortunately, we have experienced a lack of leadership during the COVID-19 crisis.

Our leaders simply reacted to a situation and then squabbled among themselves without establishing a coherent way forward. While they may have the best intentions, political ambitions interfered with their judgments and we all suffered.

Green’s next challenge will be to convince our governor and mayors that his plan has merit and will pave the road forward to recovery. Good luck.

Richard Smylie

Kailua

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