Competing in knowledge economy

6/25/2003

I would like to acknowledge The Blade's strong editorial support of higher education funding.

The “education deficit” in Ohio continues to grow and reduces our ability to compete with other states in this new knowledge economy.

Higher education, like most things of value, has a price. If we want a new car or furniture, we know we have to pay the price.

If we, as a state and as citizens, want Ohio to have an educated work force and to be competitive with the leading states in the nation, we will have to pay for it.

The good news is that there is a major return on this investment that more than pays for itself over time. Unlike a new car or furniture, funding for our colleges and universities is not an expenditure for a product that depreciates over time; it is an investment that pays huge dividends for our economy and our quality of life.

Now, more than ever, we must invest in our young people and their education if we want them and our state to prosper.

My thanks to The Blade for taking a strong position in support of higher education, our students, and their families. This is one of the most important public policy issues now facing the citizens of Ohio and their representatives in Columbus.

DAN JOHNSON

President

University of Toledo

The Democrats are little about character

Hillary Clinton's book glosses over her husband's sexual misdeeds as “private matters.” In fact, the problem was not private matters but what the president did with his private parts before he got to the White House, and the fact that he lied under oath about his actions. She also demonizes the ethical Ken Starr for doing his job. She expresses anger at Bill only for Monica, the tip of the iceberg of Bill's sexual indiscretions.

Hillary speaks of the couple's shared faith, yet they both believe that fetuses are not live humans worthy of constitutional protection.

She reports unashamedly that they lived together before their wedding.

Moreover, Bill apparently didn't feel guilty about his sexual indiscretions until he was caught, at which point he was angry. As governor, he used a state trooper to procure Paula Jones, but when she declined to cooperate she was made out to be the liar and “trailer trash” by Bill's team.

So just what kind of faith do they practice?

What do Democrats do when a Republican proves ethically and morally unworthy of high office? They're all over him like roaches. The Republicans always take care of their own - they made Richard Nixon and Newt Gingrich step down. But Democrats seem to stiffen their necks and say, “We don't care about the character of our leaders. We'll keep a Ted Kennedy or a Bill Clinton in office forever.”

That's understandable because party philosophy gives them nobody better.

BARBARA MASON ROHRS

Maumee

What's next, a cure for cancer?

President Bush, having done so well with “Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction,” is moving on to “There is no such thing as global warming.”

As he gets better at adjusting the facts to fit the conclusion, he should be able to achieve loftier goals. Maybe he can end poverty and cure cancer in time to be re-elected.

KURT HANUSHEK

Fulton Street