quote:
Originally posted by HereOnThePrimalEdge
There are estimates that the military cannot account for 20% of their budget every year. Some of that is black ops, but much of it is waste and bad management. With the immense military presence in Hawaii, getting that mysterious 20% out of the budget would be a good first step in reducing the burden on taxpayers. And probably save hundreds of times more than cutbacks on lunches for school children.
When I was on Oahu back in the 70's and 80's the number of PHNSY-owned tools sold and the Kam Drive-in Swap meet was astounding. I guess the feeling was, turn a bolt with a wrench, and the wrench is now yours. I don't see how they ever got a ship overhauled.
However, the military budget is just a small portion of the overall amount of $$$ (mis)spent by our favorite Uncle (Sam). Much of it is spent on Nanny-State BS that is like a hypo full of H to an addict. It makes you feel better in the short term, but just deepens and extends the overall problem in the long term. Not only is there fraud "within" the various and sundry welfare programs, those programs in-and-of-themselves are Frauds on the taxpayers, and only make things worse long-term.
The Balkanization in Hawaii is horrible. While it is true that many races live peacefully together (an admirable thing), the division between local and outsider/newcomer is disgusting. I saw in the other thread somebody mention "... my people". Your people are all Americans - period. It shouldn't matter if you are Native to Hawaii or Arkansas or regular Kansas, we are members of this country. Hawaii does not belong to the Kanaka's, it belongs to the United States - PERIOD. Get over your past, and do what I and most other successful immigrants or sons/daughters of immigrants have done - we adopted the new place and its culture as our new "us". Hawaiians voted overwhelmingly to be part of the U.S. Welcome to the new reality, folks.
I care nothing about what my ancestors were or where they come from - back in Europe somewhere. Never heard my parents or grandparents speak anything but English - never, ever. They abandoned Bavaria or Yugoslavia or wherever they came from (I care so little, I don't even know). I heard the word "Bohemia" mentioned once, but I don't think it is a country, and could care less. Might have been talking about Beer, for all I know.
The Culture of Hawaii, including Hawaii-time, Pidgin etc., is self-defeating. Backwardness abounds, and you don't usually get to where you want to go by going backwards.
Ono - So Fast - So Tasty!