Mandel embodies worst of politics

Josh Mandel's meteoric rise to a U.S. Senate candidacy represents the worst about our political system ("Rising star," editorial, May 31).

To run for office, a candidate need not waste years representing citizens, gaining skills, and establishing a clear record of accomplishments. Instead, all that is needed to run for a high national office is a willingness to see your current job as a platform to launch the next campaign. If you have the correct ideology and financial backers with deep pockets — inside and outside Ohio — no experience is required.

Mr. Mandel's miserable performance as Ohio treasurer has not hampered his rise. Missing 14 straight State Board of Deposit meetings to go on fund-raising junkets or give radio interviews, appointing top campaign aides to state jobs and ignoring repeated public record requests for their resumés, and incorrectly stating the value of Ohio's pension fund — any of these actions would trigger a negative job performance review in the real world. His record would not be cause for a promotion.

Many challenging issues in Ohio need resolution. They will require a public servant's full commitment.

Can we afford to elect a senator who is more focused on grooming himself as the next national Republican darling?

Susan Matz
Homerdale Avenue

Mandel exactly what Ohio needs

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown's re-election campaign has been running ads claiming that Josh Mandel is a politician who can't be trusted. Yet the behavior exhibited by Mr. Mandel has been of the highest character, integrity, and honor ("Mandel returns funds being checked by FBI," May 25).

By returning a considerable amount of campaign donations out of caution in a case that does not yet have proven merit, Mr. Mandel is displaying his truthfulness for the state and nation to see.

This is the type of politician Ohioans need to represent them in Washington — a former Marine and two-time Iraq veteran who is proving himself to Ohio residents and earning their respect every day. Senator Brown spends his time mingling with radical left-wing Hollywood elitists.

I trust Mr. Mandel's character, credentials, and vision for Ohio and our country. I hope the rest of Ohio will too.

Molly Ogden
Bowling Green

Brooks' column makes good point

Thank you for publishing David L. Brooks' column about private equity firms and the flaws in President Obama's ad attacking Bain Capital ("Lovable? No, but private-equity firms are saviors," op-ed, May 23).

The company mentioned in the ad stayed in business for eight years after Bain got involved. Mitt Romney left Bain two years before the company's bankruptcy filing. The assumption that Bain sucked the company dry and disappeared with big bucks seems challenging.

The Wall Street Journal reported that President Obama recently spoke at a $38,500 a person fund-raiser at the New York home of the president of the Blackstone Group, another private-equity firm. There always are bad guys and good guys.

Claus Stang
Sylvania

Bell-name article a waste of space

I can't believe you felt it was important to print a front-page story about Toledo Mayor Mike Bell and someone saying she was related to him when she was not ("Another claim of tie to Bell rings untrue," May 26).

Who cares? Mr. Bell's equating the situation with someone using the President's name to get out of trouble was laughable.

I don't buy The Blade to read pointless stories about Mayor Bell. I'd rather have news I can use.

Rebecca Swinney
South Park Lane

Church, state meet over justice issues

The writer of the June 6 Readers' Forum letter "Church, state separation a must" said religious issues should not enter the political arena.

Justice issues are also religious issues because they affect the welfare of all people. Church and state will collide when the state legalizes unjust laws or rules.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister. Should he have remained silent when the black community was discriminated against?

He saw that discrimination was unjust. His religious beliefs dictated to him to act. Of course his work entered the political arena. And because it did, opportunities have been opened for the black community.

The state cannot tell a religion to violate its conscience. Religions own and operate hospitals and universities. If they do not condone contraceptives as part of their beliefs, how can the state dictate that they offer these services? Yet this is what the Obama Administration is trying to do. It is unjust.

Steve Cherry
Oregon

We need a leader like ‘Golden Rule'

Samuel "Golden Rule" Jones was Toledo's mayor from 1897 to 1904. In Holy Toledo, an account of his political life, Marnie Jones writes: "He serves as a strong reminder that at times politicians have been leaders whose convictions, rather than the latest poll, determined their votes."

More than 100 years later, we can pray that we can continue to find leaders like Mr. Jones.

Melvin Henry Mull
Whitehouse