Sore losers
Sore losers
I’m old enough to know that both major political parties have had their follies.
In my lifetime, I have voted Democrat, Republican and Libertarian. However, to always say, “Both parties are to blame” is an abdication of reason. Sometimes, it’s one party’s fault.
The government has been shut down by one party — the GOP — because they don’t like Obamacare and are demanding its defunding or delay. Yes, this one rests squarely on the GOP.
Let’s see the facts.
Obamacare was passed by the House, the Senate, the president, and the Supreme Court. That’s the entire federal government! Also, Obama was re-elected, and the Dems won the Senate, after Obamacare was passed.
If they don’t like it, the GOP can introduce legislation (for the 40th time) to defund Obamacare. But holding the American people hostage with respect to an overall government spending bill — and perhaps, on Oct. 17, the debt ceiling, in which case we would default on our debts — just because the GOP doesn’t like Obamacare, is a bunch of sore losers causing a lot of damage to the American people and our economy.
GOP, get out of the sandbox, accept that you lost on Obamacare, and govern as you were elected to do. And please, revamp the party to accommodate modern times — I really don’t want to see a one-party system, but if you keep this up, that’s where we’re headed.
Roy Skogstrom
Pepeekeo
Up in smoke
So now the county is going to ban smoking for those under 21 years of age. We will station cops outside the schoolyards and college campuses to ticket those who dare to break this ill conceived law. If a 19-year-old gets stopped for speeding and the officer detects tobacco smoke, he will arrest the driver, even if he or she is in military uniform, and ticket or arrest the offender, dependant on the amount of smoke the officer detects.
I imagine the cops are having a good laugh over this law as they enjoy their malasadas and coffee.
We’ve come a long way, baby!
Ron Baptista
Mountain View
Paid to do nothing
The U.S. government shutdown has put about 800,000 workers in a financial dilemma, not to mention the thousands of businesses that rely on the federal workers.
The members of Congress, who make between $174,000 and $193,400 annually, will not be affected by the shutdown.
The private banks, cafeterias, post offices and underground subway on Capitol Hill are also still running for our U.S. legislatures. They also have their paid parking stalls at major international airports.
Congressmen are not hurting from the shutdown. That’s why it could go on for a long time.
What they should worry about is election time, when we will vote for some people with integrity who care for the common man.
Personally, I have no respect for the senators or representatives in Congress. I don’t know how they sleep at night. … Maybe it’s easy when your mattress is stuffed with money.
Ray Peralta
Hilo