Letters: 'Sorry, Mike, no more.' Governor has not put people first.
Stop blaming people struggling to make ends meet
A May 10 Dispatch.com article, "700,000 low-income Ohio households could see big cuts to food stamps program in July," highlighted how over 700,000 Ohio households will soon have a much harder time keeping food on the table after emergency federal food assistance expires.
More: 700,000 low-income Ohio households could see big cuts to food stamps program in July
The Buckeye Institute wants to point the finger at people who are paid low wages and blame them for the inflation that’s squeezing all of us.
The causes of inflation are multifaceted, related to COVID-induced supply chain bottlenecks, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and price gouging by greedy corporations.
People already struggling to make ends meet are harmed most by the rising costs of groceries, gas, rent and other necessities. We need to make it easier — not harder — for people to afford the basics.
More: Food pantries in Ohio, Greater Columbus struggle to feed hungry amid surging inflation
Over 130 economists from across the U.S. agree. They wrote that the expanded Child Tax Credit program was too small to drive inflation across the whole economy.
The emergency food assistance program in question in the article is a small fraction of the monthly child tax credit program. Both of these programs provide financial support to help families maintain security and stability.
Now is the time for lawmakers to make it easier for families to live with dignity and make ends meet.
Will Petrik, budget researcher, Policy Matters Ohio
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'Sorry, Mike, no more'
Gov. Mike DeWine was not my choice.
Until recently, though, I believed that he put the people of Ohio first, even if it was unpopular or not the way I thought any issue could be handled. Then he refused to stand up for sensible gun control. Sorry, Mike, no more.
More: Our view: Mike DeWine's promise to curb gun deaths now rings hollow
I will now be using three issues before deciding who gets my vote:
Issue one: Sensible gun control. No one needs an automatic weapon, period. All weapons need to be registered. No one is coming for your guns, stop the lying about it and stop believing this. I grew up with guns, I have no objection to gun ownership, but I repeat, no one needs an automatic weapon, or a legal way to alter a weapon to create such a weapon.
More: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed permitless carry. Why his gun record leaves him open to attack.
Issue two: Abortion is a medical issue; it does not belong in a courthouse. Stop lying about it being all about the babies. If that were true, we would have adequate health care for mothers and children, affordable childcare, preschool across the board. It is not about the babies.
More: Ending abortion access may widen public health inequalities for Black women, poor Ohioans
Issue three: Climate control. Stop rolling back regulations, enact a few more, get rid of as much plastic as possible as soon as possible. Tax incentives for upgrades to utilities that lower costs to all of us.
Anyone running for office who does not agree with these things or does the old soft-shoe of hemming and hawing instead of a simple yes or no (by the way, all that means is a strong no) will not be getting my vote. Anyone care to join me?
Kathie Bailey, Dublin
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: Will cutting food stamps increase food insecurity issues?
