Democrats need to start negotiating

10/12/2013

Democrats will not agree to a delay in the Affordable Care Act, disdain discussing its shortcomings, and have allowed a government shutdown (“President, Boehner trade barbs on shutdown fiasco; Obama firm that he won’t negotiate concessions with GOP,” Oct. 9).

When Republicans stick to their guns, they are called obstructionists and anarchists. When Democrats do the same, they are called principled and focused.

But, there is nothing principled or focused about stubbornly refusing to discuss the objectionable features of Obamacare. This is bad legislation, and at some point needs to be overhauled. But Mr. Obama and friends won’t hear of it.

This impasse over Obamacare is not about Democratic or Republican philosophy. It’s about government heavy-handedness over the American people. This has to stop.

I applaud House Republicans for staying the course. Democrats should ditch the attacks, agree to negotiate on Obamacare, fix its problems, lift the burden on Americans, and get government up and running.

RICHARD KETTEMAN

Sylvania

 

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Tea Partiers lose credibility

The Tea Party-driven Republicans who tell us the Affordable Care Act is a disaster are the same people who spent four years trying to get us to believe that President Obama is not an American citizen (“Note to GOP: Obamacare’s here; accept it,” op-ed column, Oct. 9). Why would anyone give them a shred of credibility now?

The rule of law doesn’t require these people to like Obamacare, but it does require that they respect the fact that the Affordable Care Act is a legitimate law passed by Congress, signed by the President, and upheld by the Supreme Court.

That they would have no regard for, or understanding of, the rule of law makes them not only bumbling fools, but also dangerous.

DAVID GERBICH

Gibsonburg

 

Jefferson Award honorees lauded

On Sept. 8, a Blade advertisement cast a deserved spotlight on the 14 regional adult Jefferson Awards finalists, 12 workplace/​university Champion honorees, and 101 Toledo high school region Youth Jefferson Awards winners.

Each of these individuals reminds us that the positive actions of one person do make a difference.

For more than 40 years, the Jefferson Awards for Public Service have shined bright lights on those who give back to our country. They recognize the unselfish and often extraordinary acts of adults and youth throughout the greater Toledo community.

DAVID SCHLAUDECKER

Executive Director Leadership Toledo Inc. Adams Street

 

Making a case of Jeep as foreign

The Sept. 27 Readers’ Forum letter “Will UAW support Gerken?” said Toledo school board candidate Polly Taylor-Gerken owned a foreign-made vehicle and questioned whether the United Auto Workers will endorse her. But Jeep is owned by Fiat, an Italian company. So that makes Jeep a foreign vehicle.

ERIC HORVATH

Martin, Ohio