Why do I feel like nothing is fair anymore?
The political playing field is tilted by excess power and dark money in politics. So big and so dark, we are now being asked to voluntarily give away our seat at the table.
We are urged to kill off the last check on runaway government by ending majority rule for amendments to the state of Ohio’s Constitution.
A special election is scheduled for Aug. 8 to vote on Issue 1 which would raise the required number of votes to 60 percent from the current majority of 50 percent plus 1 to amend the Ohio Constitution.
When I asked my state Senator’s office why, she claims the reason for the bill is to protect Ohio from the influence of lobbyists and out-of-state dark money, using the example of gambling. But out-of-state billionaire donors have funneled many thousands of dollars into the Aug. 8 election, doing precisely what she claims to prevent.
Don’t be fooled by the gerrymandered Ohio General Assembly.
Step boldly forward and make a plan to vote.
Hang onto that last thread of power you hold to control runaway government that doesn’t listen to you or me.
Keeping a direct vote may be our last chance, so join me in voting NO on Issue 1 on Aug. 8.
NANCY GURNEY
Lakeside, Ohio
Democracy threatened
Who in their right mind would try to make it harder for people to express their opinions? In a democracy?
Ohio’s righteous GOP supermajority seems to be operating in an alternate universe, one in which issues they and their well-heeled supporters don’t like would be forced to win 60 percent of the vote, instead of the 50 percent plus 1 vote that humans of planet Earth’s democracies believe to be standard.
Democracy is off the rails in Ohio.
The word democracy comes from the Greek words “demos” meaning people and “kratos” meaning power, so democracy is a way of governing that depends on the will of the people.
That’s what Theodore Roosevelt said 111 years ago of Ohio’s citizen-initiated amendments, only 17 of which have been enacted since 1912. Roosevelt, a Republican, condemned shaping the constitution into a tool that would thwart, instead of secure, “... the absolute right of the people to rule themselves.”
Vote against Issue 1: It would thwart our right to govern ourselves.
A vote against Issue 1 lends strength to our voices when we aren’t being heard by those delegated to act on our behalf.
THERESA LANE
South Toledo
Vance gets credit
Thank you to Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance for sponsoring the Credit Card Competition Act of 2023.
His bill would introduce long-needed competition into the credit card marketplace, which will lower overhead costs for retailers, like me, and prices for our customers. My business thrives on competition, and it’s time for the big Wall Street banks to start competing.
DAN COLES
Milan, Ohio
CEO, The Coles Group
First Published June 22, 2023, 4:00 a.m.
