CIVIL UNIONS

LEGISLATURE SHOULD STICK TO ECONOMY

The times — they are a-changing!

True. But I believe a vote by everyone qualified to vote is much, much more important than any action taken by our Legislature. Their objectivity is suspect in the extreme.

The effects would have a major impact on every business in the state. Probably the highest expense would be medical.

The Legislature should stick with stimulating the economy. Not social engineering.

Priorities, priorities, priorities.

KAILUA BEACH

CANAL CHANGE IMPACT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO

Regarding the erosion of Kailua Beach. I recall Kailua Bay as a clean, ever-flowing beach in my childhood back in the '50s. There was no Oneawa Bridge and the canal used to flow from the Kane'ohe side of the bay, through Kailua and Enchanted Lake and exit from the Lanikai side of the bay.

It used to be that the sand would always go out during the winter time and return during the summer time.

With the closure of the Kane'ohe side for the water control of the Kawainui Marsh, I think the change of the water flow in the bay was altered so that the sand would disappear and not return. As far as I know, there has not been any other alteration in the bay except for the failed sand grabbers installed in certain areas of the bay.

Were there any studies done on the tide flow before the closure of the canal and the tide flow after the closure? Could this be part of the problem? Maybe the proper authorities should look into this.

PIT BULLS

PROBLEM WITH BREED SHOULD BE ADDRESSED

I am sorry for the Bagoods in Kailua over putting one dog down and giving the other away. But, I have to echo her opinion, which is the problem with pit bulls.

On the day I was flying to my deceased spouse's home town, my leg was mauled by a neighbor's pit bull — which I had known from when he was a pup, had not been a problem — but they are known as a breed to turn on a dime and suddenly become vicious for no reason.

This and the frequency of attacks are why I'm supporting the bill to legislate limitations on pit bulls.

ECONOMIC STIMULUS

OBAMA MUST REIN IN SPECIAL-INTEREST PORK

This week, President Obama criticized Wall Street for paying $18 billion in bonuses after taking tarp money from American taxpayers to bail out these same companies. Where President Obama has failed the American electorate is when he did not criticize the passing of the pork-laden $800 billion-plus stimulus package by the House, which infuriates us as American taxpayers.

President Obama is showing his inexperience and poor judgment when he makes comments like "we won." Who is "we" — Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and the tax-and-spend Democratic Congress? America is heading toward dark days and probably a depression. Americans are doing their part to cut back and budget, with the exception of our Democratic leaders in Congress that think we can spend our way out of this recession by throwing money at every special interest project.

I thank every Republican House member and the 11 Democrats that saw this bill for what it is and said nay in true bipartisanship form. President Obama, this is the time to show leadership and rein in your party from spending trillions of dollars when government should be cutting back and spending on true stimulus infrastructure programs.

Just as you told Wall Street that the time for profits and bonuses will return, you should tell your party that this is not the time for special-interest pork projects.

LENDING RATE

WHY DIDN'T LOCAL BANKS FALL IN LINE WITH FED?

How about The Advertiser send an investigative reporter to find out why our local banks did not lower their prime lending rate when the Feds lowered the rate for banks to borrow money? Bank lending rates should be 1 percent lower! It is bad enough that the banks are not lending out money during the credit crunch, but now they have taken the Fed's stimulus action and used it to just increase their profit margins on existing loans. Shame on them!

Since the Legislature doesn't know how to cut cost, let them raise taxes on the banks until they decide to lower the prime rate in line with the Feds lowering of rates. Tax the hell out of the banks until they start making loans again!