This whole article is about power and leadership at the state Senate, but most readers are ignoring this and diving into the weeds of their pet peeves. Is this why the people of Oahu are treated like pawns? Because we aren't interested understanding the basic facts about pieces on the legislative chess board?

Why whine about what "they" did or didn't do when we should be considering who "they" are, which districts "they" represent, and why our representatives have little power or influence?

That's what this article is inviting us to do, so let's examine the pawns and the power pieces and where they've been placed. And let's consider if they should be reshuffled.

To get the state on track, I think outer-island folks should be the pawns and more of Oahu's representatives should be in charge and held accountable. If not, our votes on Oahu will remain relatively meaningless (1/4 the impact of an outer-island vote) and our needs unmet. We will remain the state's pawns and cash cows.