PIT BULLS

DOGS SHOULD NOT BE JUDGED ON BREED ALONE

Banning a breed would not solve the problem.

I had a keeshond that people were terrified of, and he was the most loving dog I ever owned. I also owned a Japanese spitz that was so cute that everybody had to try and touch. But she was the one that would tear your arm off.

I also still have vivid memories and scars on my leg from a Pomeranian when I was delivering The Advertiser as a paperboy as a youth.

You can't judge a book by its cover any more than you can say a hairy unshaven biker will knock your teeth out.

LEGISLATURE

IN ECONOMIC CHAOS, EDUCATION NEGLECTED

The good news is that Hawai'i's Legislature is addressing the economic crisis. The bad news is that it's about the only issue with which the Legislature is concerned.

That's what is seems like, anyway, from listening to the opening day speeches of the Senate president and the speaker of the House.

For example, neither of them seems inclined to do anything to improve the quality of public education, even though that is the only government function that can in the long term ensure economic stability for our state and prosperity for our children.

Hawai'i's school system ranks 47th in the nation, and the dismal ranking is not the result of a money problem. The Legislature appropriates the equivalent of more than $14,000 annually to educate each student. That's more than the tuition of most private schools.

The problem is that the Department of Education is dysfunctional. Our public education system needs to be reorganized to make it effective. But the Legislature can't seem to see beyond the economic crisis.

By contrast, President Obama possesses a much broader vision for our country. During the presidential campaign he said, "Part of the president's job is to deal with more than one thing at once."

He promised to also address issues such as healthcare, clean energy, and education. Now that he has been elected, he has begun to keep his promises.

Unfortunately, the federal government can't solve all of Hawai'i's problems.

When it comes to education, the federal government can only encourage states to move in the right direction. Hawai'i will have to work out its own specific solutions.

President Obama's rallying cry has been "Yes, We Can." If the Legislature had a slogan, it would be something like, "Only One Thing At A Time."

PITTS COLUMN

HOPE OBAMA'S POLICIES DO FAIL IF THEY'RE WRONG

Leonard Pitts Jr.'s column (Jan. 26) hit the nail on the head. His question, "Do you ever 'hope' the president fails? Knowing his failure is the country's failure? Isn't that, well — disloyal?" made me stop and think.

Yes, it sounds pretty disloyal to me. The only problem is it is eight years too late. Where was Leonard Pitts when liberals were hoping for Mr. Bush's failure in Iraq?

Didn't Sen. Reid himself say the war was a failure as he and his fellow Democrat senators voted time and again to defund the war effort?

Not only were most of the Democrats hoping for Mr. Bush's failure, they were actively working in tandem with their allies in the mainstream media to make sure nothing he did looked good and everything he did failed. Sounds pretty disloyal to me.

Personally, I hope every Obama policy I don't agree with fails. I hope his pro-abortion policies fail. I hope his card check proposal fails. I hope his tax increase policies fail. But, you know what, my family and I still pray for him every night, we pray that he will make the right choices and institute good policies for the benefit of all.

But when he is wrong, I hope he fails.

KA IWI

WORK CONTINUES TO PROTECT MAUKA SIDE

Many thanks for the Ka Iwi coverage (Jan. 26). All the exposure Ka Iwi can get would be great, as there is more work to done on the mauka side.

No doubt the state's action inspires and empowers the community to continue the necessary work to protect the mauka side of Ka Iwi as well as ensure the entire area is kept in its natural state.

Future conversation we intend to ignite includes exploring a partnership to protect the mauka side of Ka Iwi — we hope to bring to the table the O'ahu Land Trust, The Trust for Public Land, State of Hawai'i, City and County of Honolulu, the community and a willing land owner.

I also wanted to point out that it was Sen. Fred Hemmings who worked on this over the holiday season with (state Office of Planning director) Abbey Mayer.

Many thanks again.

LAYOFFS

UNPAID TIME OFF AN ALTERNATIVE TO JOBS LOST

Now that layoffs seem to be an economic solution for struggling employers, perhaps a possible alternative to government or private sector workers being laid off would be to ask the workers to take a few days "unpaid" vacation per month. It would be a better solution than being laid off, and could be presented by employers as an option before laying workers off. That way when the economy gets better, they would still have their jobs, and may be employed full time again.

No one wants to lose their job, and even though it would require living expenses adjustments and some hardships, it would be better than not having a job at all.

If times get tougher, everyone is going to have to make adjustments. It may be painful for some folks, yet this might help save the workforce.