PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA

HAWAI'I'S INFLUENCE ON OBAMA IS VERY CLEAR

Congratulations on being the birthplace of our newest president.

Thank you for your part in the creation of this amazing person, Barack Obama. It is surely not an accident that the first African-American president was raised in Hawai'i, where he did not grow up under the weight of decades and centuries of discrimination and segregation.

Obama's ability to feel at ease with everyone and make everyone feel at ease with him is a direct result of his early life in the Islands. Bless you all.

We did it! We did it! It feels so good to have a president-elect we can feel proud of.

This is a great new day for America.

DOE

WORKDAY CUTS SHOULD BE SHARED EQUALLY

The Department of Education has made four proposals to reduce costs ("Cutting teacher days in new budget plan," Nov. 7).

We are all concerned that revenues will not cover expenses during these difficult economic times.

However, if the DOE must cut programs or reduce workdays, will other state departments do the same, and does this include the governor's staff? Fair is fair and everyone must share this reduction equally.

'SALTIMBANCO'

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL PUTS ON A GREAT PRODUCTION

We're visitors to the Islands, and with Cirque du Soleil in town we treated ourselves to a night out at the Blaisdell Arena for my wife's birthday.

We had a great time. The costuming was beautiful, the acrobatic men and women dazzling, the music uplifting and — for those who have floor-level seating — be prepared to play imaginary baseball with a mime.

And a local boy all but stole the show when he was chosen to join the mime on stage. Our evening crowd loudly whistled, cheered and clapped along the whole time, showing appreciation for all those artists giving 100 percent for a 33-percent-filled arena. You all are so lucky to live Hawai'i!

WORKING POOR

LEADERS NEED TO GIVE WORKERS TAX RELIEF

Jean Manly (Letters, Nov. 6 ) makes some good points about the unfairness of the general excise tax to working people.

However, as The Advertiser noted on Nov. 3, the state income tax also hurts workers. Those whose wages put them below the poverty line — and we all know some of those folks — nevertheless pay state income tax. This seems to me to be outrageous.

Now that the dust of the elections has subsided, I hope that The Advertiser's Nov. 3 editorial ("Hawai'i's working poor need targeted tax relief") will be sent to every member of the state Legislature and the governor. Maybe it will do some good.

HAMILTON LIBRARY

TAKE MORE RADICAL APPROACH IN ROOF FIX

Hamilton Library's leaky roof calls for a more comprehensive solution than just the usual patch-up job. Perhaps the University of Hawai'i should take a broader and more radical approach to this problem.

Consider this: Put up a solar-paneled pitched roof over the open roof deck area. The library would gain electrical power while opening up a large area for students to study (or relax) in a covered lanai, cooled by Manoa's gentle breeze.

TRANSIT

RETHINK CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR RAIL SYSTEM

I have long been a proponent of rail and think it is appropriate to consider switching from the Salt Lake route to the airport route.

But as long as the route is being reconsidered, why don't we rethink the buildout plan.

Do we want serious traffic reduction to begin in five years, or 10? The plan now is to start in Kapolei and build in toward town, with the first leg ending in Pearl City.

How many people will take that short train ride during rush hour? It would seem most users of that first rail stretch would be curiosity one-time users, and then only during non-rush-hour periods. Why? Because the majority of car drivers from West O'ahu are heading into town or toward Waikiki.

Even if those drivers were to take the first leg as planned, how would they continue their trip into the city? If using TheBus is the answer, they are probably already using it. These drivers will not abandon their cars to use the first stretch as planned and congestion will remain until most of the final legs are completed.

By building out, starting in the city and working out, we will see the first sections of rail actually being heavily used as they become available. This would get more cars off the road and generate rail revenue earlier rather than later.

AHMADINEJAD

BUSH COMMENDED FOR HARDLINE IRAN TACTICS

The Advertiser reported on Oct. 27 that Iranian President Ahmadinejad is experiencing exhaustion under the strain of his job.

Increasingly unpopular in his country, with a 10 percent unemployment rate and a 30 percent inflation rate, his policies have not done enough to help the ailing economy.

Thank you, President Bush, for refusing to give this man "cred" in his own country by your hardline tactics on negotiations. Ahmadinejad continues his desperate bid to gain recognition from the United States by his recent communique to President-elect Obama.

Iran is facing a certain budget squeeze before the next Iranian election because of falling oil prices. We must not let him claim warming American-Iranian relations to boost his image among the Iranian people.