By Sam Ehrhart | Staff Writer

Word on the Street: If you could be president for one month, what would you do and why?

Soi Fong Lee
Age: 22
Hometown: China
Major: Culinary Arts

“I would change the insurance and medicaid systems. Here in America, people are required to pay for their own insurance. If you don’t pay it, you have to pay it on the tax at the end. In China, you don’t have to pay it, the government pays it for everyone, so we can just go to the doctor and see them immediately. But here it takes a long time to make an appointment and see a doctor, it’s kinda useless if you’re really sick or you need an ER. Plus, it’s expensive. The government should handle that for you.”

Sami Mamea
Age: 19
Hometown: Waimānalo
Major: Emergency Medical Technician Program (EMT)

“I wouldn’t shut down the government, so people wouldn’t get hurt. I would focus here in Hawaiʻi, we have a monorail being built that deserves to be noticed because of how much it costs compared to the wall that’s going on in the mainland right now. The monorail is a thing for tourists, like it could help tourists get around the island and bring more people in, but many locals here just consider it an eye-sore.” 

Xennah Julian 
Age: 18
Hometown: Salt Lake
Major: Medical Laboratory Technician Program

“I would make the country more healthy by reducing the usage of plastic bags and by banning plastic straws, and I’ll maybe make it harder to buy weapons, specifically guns.”

Russel Pearson
Age: 23
Hometown: Kona, Hawaiʻi Island
Major: Management Information Systems

“I would try and pass a bill to make education free for college students, because I believe education is the most important thing.”

Miki Nakasone
Age: 21
Hometown: Honolulu
Major: Social Work

“I would try to help the homeless people by getting them a permanent place to live, like a house to get back on their feet.”