Letters: Public needs to see carnage to understand why we don't need assault rifles

People need to see carnage

Somebody has to ask the question: Why is it impossible to get assault rifles off the civilian market, and removed from society? Resistance and money from the arms industry is the immediate cause.

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But a more obvious factor is that we have never seen photographs of the carnage that such weapons cause when they are used for their designed purpose: to kill large numbers of people quickly — not for hunting, not for target-shooting, not for personal protection.

If we allow the public to see the carnage assault weapons cause; i.e., small bodies unidentified until DNA samples were taken, as was the case in the Uvalde school massacre, we will rise up and say, “no more."

Second action: Require a liability insurance policy in order to purchase any gun.

The insurance companies will do the necessary due diligence, and gun owners will be careful how they use any firearm. You need insurance to operate another potentially lethal weapon – an automobile. What is more lethal than a gun?

Michael Greenman, Westerville

System made for rich, white property-owning men

In his Aug. 24 letter, "Limit businesses' political contributions," David Smith (no relation) thinks corporations that benefit from the climate, etc. bill shouldn’t be allowed to make political contributions.

Since the Supreme Court declared corporations to be people and free to contribute without limits, should corporations that benefit in any way from any taxpayer-funded benefits be prohibited as well? Taxpayers subsidize all corporations.

Corporations also exploit our welfare system and our tax code to maximize their profits.

We pay for food stamps for underpaid employees making Walmart more profitable, we pay for Medicaid for employees with no benefits, we bailed out General Motors, Wall Street banks and corporations that were too big to fail, our tax dollars go to weapons manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and virtually all farmers in the form of subsidies and payments. Should farmers be banned from contributing?

How about all corporations being prevented from making political contributions and all individuals being limited to $50 per candidate per election and all leftover campaign funds going into the state treasury?

And how about ranked-choice voting and elimination of the primary system so you get to pick your candidates instead of the two vested-interest parties that only represent the status quo doing it despite the ongoing dissatisfaction with both of them? The country needs more political parties and fewer professional political hacks.

It’s well past time to recognize that our system was designed to serve rich, white, property-owning men and has never adequately addressed the needs of anyone else. By the way, I am a relatively rich, white, property-owning man.

Jerome Smith, Columbus

Balderson's grave disservice

My U.S. representative, Troy Balderson, recently sent out an email to constituents about the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.

His email was filled with misleading information, at best. As just one example, he stated that the legislation will add “$30 billion to the national debt in its first 5 years.”

More:Letters: Thanks goodness Biden and Democrats never gave up

However, analyses have estimated that the legislation will actually reduce the deficit over 10 years – according to the Congressional Budget Office, by $305 billion.

I understand that as a Republican, Balderson has a different philosophy and beliefs than Democrats regarding effective approaches for solving problems that all of us face, and then devising legislation to address these problems. But what I find indefensible is deliberately distorting the facts and/or presenting misleading information to achieve his goals.

He is doing a grave disservice to constituents and our democracy by following this path.

Michael McCullough, Columbus

More:Hamlar: 'A fringe element of wackos is running rampant.' We cannot cede our lives to them

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Biden shows government can work

Americans will soon see some of the Inflation Reduction Act’s benefits: A 30% tax credit for energy-efficient windows, heat pumps, or newer appliances will lower energy costs. A $2,000 annual cap on drug costs for people on Medicare. Lower health care premiums for many. Over time, it will become easier for the country to switch to renewable energy.

More:Prescription drugs, taxes, climate change: What the Inflation Reduction Act will mean for you

These and many other benefits will be possible because wealthy Americans and corporations will begin bearing more of the tax burden than they have paid since the 2017 Trump tax cuts. This is on top of other consequential legislation like the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the PACT Act that Democrats have passed with their razor-thin majority in Congress.

For decades, Republicans have claimed that private enterprise is more efficient than government at providing the things Americans need. That’s led them to try to prevent the government from legislating or addressing the things that matter to ordinary people.

Biden and the Democrats have demonstrated the opposite: that government can work! The measures they’ve passed are enormously popular: lower medical costs, bridge repair, broadband access, investment in infrastructure and science and much more.

More:Opinion: You must admit Joe Biden is off to a 'helluva start. Big wins just the start.

Beverly Masek, Strongsville

We want stricter gun laws

Aug. 24 Associated Press article, "Poll: 71% in US say they want stricter gun laws": 71% says it all.

Now do something about it, legislators.

John Stumpf, Worthington

Nan Whaley will make Ohio 'welcoming'

Whether you live in a city, suburb, or rural area, most Ohioans believe individuals have the right to make their own personal choices concerning their lives and the families they are raising.

Our View: What does Ohio want to be?

We suddenly find Mike DeWine and our Republican politicians are imposing their religious views into law, mandating government control over the intimate lives of all women and female children residing here. We citizens of Ohio deserve politicians who will protect the right to abortion.

More:Letters: Look far-right — you'll find Mike DeWine. Abortion should be left to Ohio voters.

We can come together to make sure Ohio is a welcoming state for anyone of reproductive age by electing Nan Whaley as our pro-choice governor.  We can give our state a bright future by restoring laws that secure our freedom and responsibility to make core life choices according to our own religious and ethical values.

This lawful respect, in combination with Intel-ushered prosperity, will attract college students, families, and forward-thinking entrepreneurs to our state, knowing they will have the security of world-class obstetric and gynecological care, and can lead self determined, productive lives.

Norma Butterfield, Mount Vernon

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: Assault rifles, Troy Balderson's grave disservice