Presidential Library belongs in Chicago

Within a few months, there will be a decision made as to the location of the Presidential Library. The library belongs in Chicago, not Hawaii. Barack Obama ran for the Senate seat in the ghetto district of Chicago and was elected by the residents of that district.

Had he ran for Senate in Hawaii against Dan Inouye or Dan Akaka, he never would have been elected, and consequently, would not have been elected to the office of president of the United States of America.

The library belongs in Chicago, not in Obama’s questionable birth place, Hawaii. Let Chicago have the bragging rights – if they can find something to brag about.

FOSTER HULL, Lahaina

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Restaurants clogging section of Front Street

What is the County of Maui thinking? Another restaurant makai of Lahaina Cannery Mall? Five plus the luau now, and zero parking! I hope the old Compadres doesn’t re-open too, or there will be no way to get down Front Street to my place between 4 and 10 p.m.

Isn’t parking required for a commercial venture? I know B&Bs have to have space ONSITE for each room. Oh the inequity (and mess)!

JUDY LARSON, Lahaina

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Soldiers exalted Maui during days in the Army

An 80-year-old man recited this from memory to me today. He said he learned it from a fellow soldier during his days in the Army. I typed it out and am sharing in case no one else has. I think it’s one worth perpetuating.

My Maui

When someone says Hawaii, a lot of people see, the long and sandy beach of enchanting Waikiki. But to me it’s much different, for the place I long to be, is back to my wonderful homeland, the beautiful isle of Maui.

With the golden fields of pineapple, and the rows of sugar cane, a place where I would be most proud, to live or entertain anyone in the world, be it president or king, for on this beautiful island, I am proud of everything.

From the Mount of Haleakala, to the sand and surf of the shore, I am thinking of it every day, and miss it more and more.

I am dreaming of it every night, and longing to be home, to settle down to live my life, and never more to roam.

I can’t help but think of my childhood, of my wonderful days at school, the oldest west of the Rockies, where I learned the golden rule.

I can’t help but think of my people, of my wonderful family and friends, and of the good times we’ve had, on this island of soft and sweet summer winds.

And when I awake in the morning, and look on a bright and new spring day, I think of how it was on old Maui, that’s now so far far away.

It was beautiful in the evenings, but it is in the morning, too. When the coconut palm and mango trees are covered with fresh morning dew.

And when the letter “L” on the mountain plays with the new sunbeams, I know it is the next thing to heaven, my Maui, isle of my dreams.

To my knowledge, this has never been written down until now. I hope you will perpetuate this poem.

CHUCK YEAMAN, Kahana

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Police should clean up impromptu used car lot

I am appalled to see all these cars and trucks with “for sale” signs on them at the parking area in front of the Sugar Cane Train on Puukolii Road. The new owners need to step up and prohibit this from happening. An area of West Maui that is so historic now looks like a used car lot drop-off area.

As the months have gone by, there are more and more cars there. It took just one SUV, and the rest followed. As of writing this letter, there are four cars parked there with the signs on them.

Maui Police Department should make it illegal to do this; in fact, I think it is. One can have their car in front of their house with a sign on it, but according to County Code, this is illegal and considered “dumping.”

Please, new owner of the Sugar Cane Train and MPD, post signs to this effect with a penalty being imposed and towing at the expense of the owner. Advertise or take your vehicles to the used car lot up on Keawe Street by the car wash. This is an eyesore that needs to be remedied immediately.

If I were visiting Maui and see this eyesore amongst all the beauty around it, I would be appalled. It is enough that cars are dropped off on the other side of the highway, but West Maui has a certain ambiance that needs to be preserved.

NAME WITHHELD BY REQUEST

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Americans need money, not Washington bureaucracy

American’s median income was $51,939 in 2013. In 2012, our median income was $51,759. In 1999, the pre-recession peak median American income was $56,436. Five years ago, the United States Treasury took in $2.1 trillion.

Last year, our federal government collected a record amount of taxes: just over $3 trillion! Struggling Americans sent more money to Washington than ever before in our nation’s history. As Americans’ incomes have struggled, stagnated and stalled, good old Washington is rolling.

What is wrong with this picture? Americans are poorer but Washington is richer. Washington is getting more of hardworking Americans’ money, so they can determine our lives. Washington now determines our health care, our retirement and care for all of the people who do not want to work. The average American could not survive in retirement without Social Security.

Americans need more money, not Washington. Americans are spending their money on food, utilities, mortgages, rent, gasoline, car payments and health care. Granted, recent gasoline prices have helped. After these expenses, there is not much money left over for family excursions, clothes and saving for retirement.

The American dream used to include owning a house, two cars, sending the kids to college and a two-week vacation each year. By the age of 62, you retired to do what you wanted to do with your life. That’s not happening today because Americans don’t have enough money. Go to Walmart or MacDonald’s, and you’ll see lots of seniors working. People who are 75 years old and occasionally even 80 are working minimum wage, 30-hour-a-week jobs. A few do it because they need something to do. Most Americans are in those jobs because they need the money – desperately.

Here are some stats: 19 percent of middle class Americans have zero retirement savings, 34 percent are not currently saving for retirement, and 41 percent of Americans between the ages of 50-59 are not currently saving for retirement.

Based on the numbers, most retirees will be unable to even retire on 70 percent of their working income. The median savings across all age groups was only $20,000. Housing, healthcare, food and transportation make up about 65 percent of Americans’ spending. Combine this with falling incomes over the last decade, and you have a poorer America – but not Washington. What’s wrong with this picture?

Americans need better jobs that pay more money. Working at fast food restaurants and retail has never provided us with comfortable incomes. We need progressive industry. We need to continue on our path to being the world’s energy provider. However, we must lead the world in clean energy. We can learn how to use fossil fuels cleaner, but we are not there yet. We should learn how, because we have a lot of oil and coal. However, we must become the world leaders in using wind and solar energy. We are on our way, and this is not the time to stop. We must go back to making everything that China makes, from clothes to furniture to electronics. The auto industry exports our cars to other countries and then brings those earnings back to America.

We have to go back to work in this country. We have to sell our products to the 95 percent of the world’s population who do not live in America. We have to stop penalizing people and corporations for being successful. It is time to cut the corporate tax rate to 15 percent and lower taxes for all Americans. Washington does not need more money – Americans do.

GLENN MOLLETTE