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Defund HTA, you use money to diversify the economy

Before the pandemic, the steadily growing number of tourists decimated our environment and infrastructure. If the pandemic has taught us anything, we need to diversify.

I agree with Governor David Ige. Defuse the Hawaii Tourism Authority and use the funds to diversify our economy and repair our infrastructure (“Hawaii Tourism authority ready for defunding, ”Star Advertiser, Jan. 25). With climate change bringing sea level rise and stronger storms with it, our future is in question. It has been a century since the last major pandemic, but with what we’re doing to our planet, this won’t be the last pandemic in our lives.

Instead of spending tax revenues to attract tourists, we should impose a substantial environmental and infrastructure tax on tourists.

Raymond Trombley

Ala Wai

Outrage over Benghazi, but not over riots

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

Republican in 2021 on responsibility for an armed, seditious insurgent attack on the U.S. Capitol with credible threats to kill the Vice President and members of Congress, with five dead: yawning.

Violet Horvath

Nuuanu

Trump must be held accountable for riot

Most Senate Republicans have now decided to turn a blind eye to Trump’s horrific January 6 uprising. They tried to stop the trial of Donald Trump in the Senate by falsely claiming that a trial was “unconstitutional” since Trump is no longer president.

These senators refuse to hold Trump accountable for his lies and actions, and those of his blinded supporters, in the death of a U.S. Capitol police officer and the killing of lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence. Even now, lawmakers and their families are threatened by Trump’s encouraged supporters.

If the U.S. Senate does not condemn Trump, he should be prosecuted as a citizen for his seditious acts and corruption.

Republican senators also make it difficult to provide much-needed aid to individuals, families, small businesses, and state and local governments. Senate Democrats must act to remove the unreasonable requirement of 60 votes required for law to be passed.

John Witeck

Kamehameha Heights

Elites responsible for the rise of Trump’s “deplorable” ones

Donald Trump is not the problem. Trump was simply the messenger who heard and understood the feelings and thoughts of us “deplorable”. Another messenger will come until the elites in both parties give up their independence and their lofty view of themselves.

Hillary Clinton evoked the spirit with her statements and the spirit heard.

Trump just rubbed the lamp right.

Stephen Foster Williams

Waimanalo

Hawaii GOP needs to make better candidates

Hawaii GOP Chair Shirlene Ostrov said the Democratic Party has “been hiding its inability to solve the problems we face” for the past 70 years and that is why people should turn to the GOP ( “After this 70 years of democratic failure, turn to Hawaii GOP, ”Star Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 25).

Many independents would consider GOP candidates if the party could do better than the usual non-exciting or overly conservative ones. If they were all more in the style of Linda Lingle, Charles Djou and Cynthia Thielen – there would be more GOP incumbents. But too many of these seekers seem to have been drawn out of a pit of desperation.

And Ostrov herself is not recruiting converts when she says that “only” 289 locals died of COVID-19 last year and therefore the lockdowns and other measures are “draconian”. Only 289?

She adds, “We have seen home stay orders that are on the mainland or elsewhere. That’s not aloha. “

Is that the kind of loose goosebumps we want? I do not believe that.

Robert O. Jones

Diamond head

$ 53,000 a lot of money the government can spend

Governor David Ige’s chief of staff was quoted as saying, “It’s not a lot of money” in reference to $ 53,000 to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Washington Place.celebration The cost of the home of Queen Lili’uokalani and Hawaii governors is rising eyebrows, ”Star Advertiser, Jan. 25).

Sure, it’s a drop in the ocean compared to what we spent on the rail. To put things in perspective, for $ 53,000 you can get: about 3,500 lunches on your plate; teaching at Iolani or Punahou schools for about two years; Living for one to two years; 5,300 bags of rice; approximately 33,544 Costco hot dogs and sodas; a year to go for someone making $ 75,000 a year.

It is time for our state and our city to save unnecessary costs. In the long run, it is the citizens of Hawaii who end up paying for our government’s wasteful spending.

Matt Hee

Ala Moana

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