GOP will stop at nothing to prevent voters from supporting reproductive freedom | Letters

The hypocrisy of the Republican supermajority in the Ohio Legislature knows no bounds. Just months after prohibiting special elections, they have pushed through just such an election for August. The rationale for the earlier prohibition of such elections was that they rarely attract sufficient voter participation to justify the cost. Now all of a sudden, there’s a need to have such a special election to stop Ohio voters from amending the state constitution without jumping through several new hoops, including obtaining signatures from every county in the state and obtaining a 60% approval in an election.

If the August special election is successful, any county’s election officials can refuse to certify signatures on a petition in that county and stop the amendment from going to the voters throughout the state. The gang of legislators who gave us convicted felon Larry Householder as House Speaker would retain the right to put their own constitutional amendments on the ballot where a simple majority could approve if the August special election is successful. Why can’t the voters have the same rights as the legislature to amend the constitution?

Finally, the legislature refused to provide any funding for the August special election. This means the counties will have to fund the election and less affluent counties, where Democrats generally vote, will be unable to provide as much access to polling places as the more affluent counties where Republicans predominate.

We all know the real reason behind this blatant power grab. The Republicans know that the majority of Ohio voters support a woman’s right to reproductive freedom, and they will stop at nothing to prevent the voters from ensuring the preservation of that right in the Ohio Constitution.

Michael Brooks, Loveland

Free voter IDs are not without cost for poor people

I am responding to a gentleman who didn't understand why it is difficult for lower-income individuals to get a voter ID since the Bureau of Motor Vehicles will issue an ID without cost. I am assuming that this person, like me, either is retired or has a job that allows him to take time off, does not have children who are still too young to go to school and, most importantly, has a car. For us, getting a voter ID does have little or no cost.

But for a person who loses income to take time off, or does not have childcare, or has to take one, or several buses to get ID, it is not free. Cynic that I am, I believe that the purpose of the changes Republicans enacted to make voter ID harder to get for low-income individuals is to make it harder for these individuals to vote. I was a poll worker for many years and know that the voter ID requirements were satisfactory before Republicans made them more restrictive.

Linda M. Harpster, Clifton

Proposed debt ceiling cuts would have devastating impacts for Ohio

The U.S. House of Representatives' recent debt ceiling vote to cut 22% from current spending levels would have devastating impacts for Ohio.

According to the Office of Management and Budget and Network Social Justice Lobby, it would cut 330 rail safety inspections in the state at a time when train derailments are wreaking havoc on community safety. It would jeopardize air safety by shutting down at least five air traffic control towers in the state. It would eliminate 15,300 preschool and childcare slots and deprive 8,500 children from access to Head Start. It would strip nutrition food assistance from 41,000 women and children, increasing child poverty and hunger. It would threaten medical care for 249,600 veterans and jeopardize food assistance for 39,000 older adults as well as health coverage and access to care for 890,000 Ohioans.

Is this a for the common good legislators are elected to uphold?Carol Jean Willie, Price Hill

Voters must respond to anti-democratic acts at Statehouse

If the voters vote to fix gerrymandering, and if the courts say school funding methods in Ohio are illegal and both issues remain as they were before we voted, are we a democracy? Or, are our representatives in government not understanding the voice of the people through voting is democracy and, if ignored, moves us to an authoritarian government with our vote becoming just a façade.

In my opinion, many representatives do understand this and, in turn, take measures to count on the public not following their actions, or lack of. This is in full sight as a vote in August is planned to change the Ohio Constitution in favor of voters not voting to get the results they need.

We all need to vote and follow the anti-democratic actions of those who are trusted to be our voice, not theirs.

Susan Kemp, Fairfield

Tax the wealthiest and spend on the neediest

Republicans say they want to cut spending and lower taxes. The problem is that the spending they want to cut is the money that goes to low-income people, to children, to seniors. And the people who get the tax cuts are the people who are already paying proportionally the least in taxes. Am I a "tax and spend" person? Yes, because I want to tax those who can most afford it and spend on those who most need it. It's pretty simple

Madeena Nolan, College Hill

Stronger action is needed on climate to make up for lost time

When I read "Ocean temps are shockingly high," (April 30), it sounded like a broken record. El Nino is coming, and will push global temperatures even higher than we've seen. The article shared a coincidental fact − that global average surface temperatures have been higher than the 20th-century average for as long as I've been alive. Five hundred twenty-nine months, which is 44 years (I was born in 1978).

President Jimmy Carter warned the U.S. that we needed to be less reliant on fossil fuels, and even installed solar panels on the White House. Leaders back then knew trouble was ahead, but did companies or the public want to listen? Maybe we needed to see the world get warmer and more extreme before deciding to act? Whatever the reason, we know that stronger action is needed today to make up for all that lost time.

Solar tech has matured a lot in the past 20 years. My home has solar and a battery backup, and we have never lost power in five years. The Inflation Reduction Act is helping people and companies electrify America and lead the world. I'm happy that leaders are finally acting, but I'm also angry that we were not better prepared. Today's walk towards clean energy solutions should have already been a bipartisan sprint.

Chris Heckman, Over-the-Rhine

More important things to talk about than Huggins and Cunningham

I was going to restrain myself from commenting, but two more articles in the May 15 Enquirer bout the Bob Huggins/Bill Cunningham incident prompted this. After the uproar last week, it was tiresome to read "Bob Huggins issues second apology," then Opinion Editor Kevin Aldridge’s sermon.

Of all the things that really matter, the media locks into two old men reminiscing about a basketball game well over a decade ago. Yes, it’s hard to believe that after Marge Schott, Thom Brenneman, etc., they could have been so thoughtless and rude. But I suspect anyone who’d be offended wouldn’t be listening to conservative talk radio in the early afternoon. It seems that the secret police were waiting to stir things up. Anyone with an ounce of sense or self-esteem could withstand those comments.

Let’s talk nonstop about things that really matter: the border crisis, the multi-trillion dollar U.S. debt, or how about all the brilliant doctors and scientists working to improve the quality of life.

Linda Ball, White Oak

Selling family home and contents was heartbreaking

I advertised an estate sale in the Enquirer. Sorting out and selling/donating my family's entire home content was emotionally, mentally and physically challenging. I want to thank the many folks who came to the sale and acknowledged my family loss and offered me their kindness and sweet words of faith. This experience became my present because of my past.

Treasures you find in places you search can turn out to be heartbreaking. It is through living, not dying, that we should breath and treasure those who cross our path. Even my therapy dog, Oreo, not with tears but love, gave me comfort that day. I could not have gotten through this sale without the help of Christine, Shawna, Todd, Beth, Micci, Nancy, Ellen and Sonya. Turns out friends are not just good for us, they are great! Thanks to the Enquirer readers for supporting the sale of my family's past and healing.

Sami Smith, Madeira

America must kick its debt addiction sooner rather than later

The struggle the country is having to endure over whether there will be an agreed-upon budget for this year or whether we will default on our ongoing debt involves a lot of political disagreement, but fundamentally it is simple. Will we face the reality that we must live within our means or assume that debt does not matter?

Whether we are able to kick the debt addiction today or promise ourselves that this fix will be our last, one way or the other, the debt addiction will end. Better sooner than later.

 Gary Blakema , College Hill

Congress should give up salary for a year to help deficit

There are still many in this country who are confident that Congress will act to raise the debt ceiling before the certain dire consequences impact us − and all too many are unaware or even oblivious to its potential impact on their lives. Almost all, though, are aware that we have a deficit problem. And nobody could possibly dispute that the remedy involves increased revenue along with budget cuts.

But to those in Congress, 535 strong, who make the rules, who benefit greatly from those rules, who almost always become wealthy from their service, and who will be largely unaffected by a U.S. default on its obligations, I have this suggestion:

Voluntarily give up your salary and benefits for one year, starting immediately, and encourage your staffers to do the same thing. That’s right. Pay your own expenses for the people’s business, and be a part of making a small, perhaps symbolic effort to solve the problem.

Once progress has been made, in the opinion of the American people, your salary and benefits can resume. Maybe even if you do it properly and effectively, you can be reimbursed fully later.

You represent us all. There isn’t a soul out there whose life won’t be severely affected if your political posturing results in an unthinkable erosion of the confidence in our system that has been so hard-won. It will be permanent damage. You, who are paid by all of us, need to do your part.

David M. Noonan, West Chester

Cincinnati not perfect, but safer than some other cities

If it were a horse race, it would end up in a dead heat, because having visited both cities in the past six weeks, it's that hard to separate Chicago and San Francisco as they contend for worst city of the year. Homelessness, rampant crime and open drug use take both cities off the "must visit" list. No, Cincinnati isn't perfect, and we have some of this undesirable activity, but by and large, the police officers of our city do a great job of making the "Nati" a safe place to spend an afternoon or evening. Thanks, Blue!

Cary Russell, Oakley

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Special election proof GOP's hypocrisy knows no bounds | Letters