Letters: Don't trust Phil Plummer's 'weak' attempt to blame Nan Whaley

Phil Plummer's attack on Nan Whaley 'weak'

The Aug. 18 column by Rep. Phil Plummer, "Opportunist Nan Whaley using tragedy to get ahead," was a weak attempt to blame Whaley for any crime that exists in Dayton.

More:Phil Plummer: Nan Whaley weaponized anniversary of Dayton shooting to slam Mike DeWine

As I recall, Whaley publicly asked Gov. Mike DeWine for help with the gun violence in Ohio, and DeWine publicly promised that help.

Since then, Plummer's Ohio Congress has passed numerous bills to make Ohio less safe from gun violence and Gov. DeWine signed them into law.

More:On third anniversary of Dayton shooting, Whaley says DeWine 'gave up' on gun issue

So, who is Phil Plummer? As he indicated in his column, he is a member of the Ohio House of Representatives.

He failed to mention that he voted in favor of House Bill 6, the law that forced Ohio citizens to bail out outdated coal plants in Ohio and Indiana. Yes, the same bill that Larry Householder is facing prison time for pushing into law. And remember, Gov. Mike DeWine also signed House Bill 6 into law.

Should we listen to voting advice from Larry Householder, Mike DeWine or Phil Plummer?

Jeff Dixon, Grove City

'Disingenuous' to point finger at Nan Whaley

If Phil Plummer (Aug. 18 column "Opportunist Nan Whaley using tragedy to get ahead") has such strong feelings about platitudes opinionated by those of the Democratic candidate for governor, I would like to ask him two questions as a Republican elected official:

Does he not think it is disingenuous to accuse a Democrat of exploiting opportunity when Republicans have been in violation of a court order to make funding of education in Ohio more equitable and fair?

And exploiting their current positions as officeholders to ignore voters who voted for fair drawings of Ohio districts and ignoring court decisions upholding voter decisions?

Just who is taking advantage of opportunity?

More:Whaley: Men in hazmat suits scrubbed blood from Dayton sidewalks. DeWine has only caved.

Katy Bertner, Columbus

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Don't kick back my taxes to political parties

In the context of the Joe Manchin/Chuck Schumer tax and spend bill (Aug. 17 "Biden signs climate, health care bill"), businesses receiving government grants, subsidies, tax credits, and favorable financing through the Environmental Protection Agency government bank, etc., should be prohibited from making political contributions.

More:Biden signs climate and health care bill. Now, Democrats race to explain its benefits

This should include all officers and owners of those businesses, along with any labor unions, who all profit from the success of these businesses. Furthermore, this prohibition should be extended to all entities who do business with the government.

I resent my tax dollars being “kicked back” to political party coffers.

David P. Smith, Columbus

Childhood trauma increases risk of addiction

The Aug. 17 New York Times article "CVS, Walgreens and Walmart Must Pay $650.5 Million in Ohio Opioids Case" stated that federal Judge Dan A. Polster (United States District Court in northern Ohio) "... on Aug. 17 ordered three of the nation’s largest pharmacy chains — CVS, Walgreens and Walmart — to pay $650.5 million to two Ohio counties, ruling that the companies must be held accountable for their part in fueling the opioid epidemic.

"Drug manufacturers and drug distributors, two other groups in the pharmaceutical chain that have been sued, also bear responsibility," he said.

More:Opioid overdose crisis subject of first in-person Columbus Conversations

But it is unlikely that childhood abuse, a root cause of addiction, will end. Based on years of research and recent history, there will be another drug epidemic unless we invest in ensuring today's children grow up with less trauma.

The adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study demonstrates that any form of child abuse, neglect, or household traumas like parental mental illness and addiction cause permanent, lifelong harm to children, predisposing them to addiction.

Evidence-based maternal home visiting programs prevent much of this trauma, thus preventing another generation of addicts. Fewer than 10% of eligible families have access to these programs.

We must stop adverse childhood experiences.

Reauthorization of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) funding stream and opioid settlement funding can combine to allow Ohio’s children to grow, thrive, and resist addiction.

Melanie Blow, executive director of the Stop Abuse Campaign, a national organization dedicated to preventing child abuse and trauma

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: Phil Plummer blaming Nan Whaley for Dayton crime weak