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Election integrity

Since 2022, nine states where Republican officials administer elections have quit a nonprofit, nonpartisan consortium that helps keep voter rolls up to date through interstate data exchange. They did so amid pressure from former president Donald Trump, who claimed in March that the consortium “pumps the rolls” for Democrats. Consequently, voter rolls in those states — Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia — are less accurate, and it’s becoming harder to detect the small number of people who improperly vote in multiple states. ...

Making better choices in 2024 elections

Many people make New Year’s resolutions, even though few manage to keep them. Still, we keep trying, and many experts say any improvement is better than none, and the annual assessment of how we live, and can improve, our lives is a positive exercise. For those looking for the best resolution to make this upcoming year, we’d like to make a suggestion. It’s something that is relatively easy to accomplish, although many people don’t bother to do it. More voters should resolve to be more active during the many elections during 2024. More importantly, they should pledge to make ...

An eye on 2024

After a year like 2023, can anyone blame us for casting a wary eye on 2024. One would like to believe things can only improve after a fire-scorched year that brought this island so much pain and suffering. Even the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 look like walks in the park compared to 2023. That’s a big part of the concern. When it comes to jumping off points, 2023 seems more like quicksand than a springboard. The past 12 months would have ranked as newsworthy even without the wildfires that consumed Lahaina and burned 20 homes and structures Upcountry. Last spring, a 52-day ...

Caring for the elderly

The number of Americans over the age of 65 is rising quickly. In the past century, it has grown at nearly five times the rate of the rest of the population and is now approaching 60 million people. That includes about 15.5 million added since 2010. This is good news for the widening community of people who are enjoying happy, healthy golden years. And yet, a rise in the number of older Americans also means a rise in the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. More families are struggling with the challenge of caring for them. Recent years have brought a ...

US should demand Gaza cease-fire

Israel had broad support from the nations of the world after Hamas’ murderous Oct. 7 attack, its premeditated slaughter of innocent people and its unconscionable taking of civilian hostages. Accounts of sexual assault and horrors even more unspeakable help to explain the ferocity of the Israeli counterattack. As President Biden has noted, though, Israel is now losing sympathy and global support due to its “indiscriminate bombing” and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of any prospect of a future Palestinian state. Hamas atrocities, no matter how evil, do not justify ...

Wishing for aloha this Christmas

Christmas wishes generally come in two categories. First are pie-in-the-sky dreams with little chance of coming true. It’s saying you desire world peace or to win the lottery. A lot of folks on this island wish they could wake on Christmas Day and discover the Lahaina and Kula fires were a merely nightmares. All the death and devastation never occurred. The second type of wishing is more pragmatic and, thus, more likely to succeed. It’s asking for things within the budget and the bounds of space and time. For the record, this Christmas we would like world peace, a global focus on ...