Letters: Scrooge would love DeWine's latest move. A lottery may be better than an election

The Athenian may have had it right

With a Bachelor of Art in history and government, a Master of Art in social studies education, and 36 years of teaching US History behind me, I would like to share my perspective on the U.S. political scene.

It is time for major changes if this fine republic is going to survive.

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The Founding Fathers did not anticipate the massive influx of people in the latter part of the 19th century, nor did they anticipate career politicians and the subsequent fortunes made by these people.

Sixty Senators from the 30 least populous states represent 24.3% of the population, or approximately 80 million people. To win the election in these states you need 50.1 % of the vote, so in the end it’s plausible that approximately 12% of the population of this country controls the US Senate and therefore the Supreme Court as well. That is not majority rule by any stretch.

In Georgia we see two men spending more than $241 million to get a job that pays $174,000 yearly.

One of those fellas struggles to put coherent sentences together, has lied about his state of residence, allegedly threatened women to make them have abortions that he paid for - and that he supposedly opposes - and is accused of holding a gun to a woman’s head. Yet he stands a chance of winning.

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Maybe we ought to return to the ways of Athenian Democracy where most political offices were filled by lotteries and not voting.

The result was an interesting mix of people from all levels of society, as well as regular turnover being an added bonus, therefore demagoguery or greedy career politicians saying or doing anything to get elected.

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And just think, we won’t have to put up with all of those often tasteless TV commercials every election cycle that interrupt our favorite shows.

Jimmy Ryan, Canal Winchester

More:How to submit a letter to the editor for The Columbus Dispatch

Help Americans first

The Biden administration sends billions of dollars to Ukraine, wants to forgive student loan debt to college graduates, and is contemplating sending a billion dollars to underdeveloped nations as reparations for the effects of climate change. Yet, 11.4% of Americans (37.8 million Americans) are living below the poverty level.

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The threshold for the poverty level is household income of $26,500 annually or less. It makes extreme sense to me that we should take care of impoverished citizens before we send money out of the country, and before we reward those with college degrees who are not living in poverty.

Lauri Turevon, Dublin

Scrooge would approve

So Attorney General Dave Yost thinks denying 300,000 Ohioans in need the help that $300 a week might provide them, mostly children, is a victory for the state.

This is federal government money, not out of Ohio tax funds. He and Gov. Mike DeWine should be ashamed of such a harsh opinion about the very citizens they have sworn to protect and defend.

It is not too late to reverse this decision worthy of Scrooge.

Glen Bengson, Powell

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: The Athenian may have had it right