Letters: Time for voters to say 'enough is enough' and cast out bad lawmakers, governor
'Enough is enough,' time to vote in new lawmakers, governor
I keep waiting for Ohio’s Republican-dominated legislature to take action on myriad issues facing the state.
Issues like global warming, the greatest crisis to ever face humanity. Other states have acted to reduce use of fossil fuels and promote alternative sources of energy. Why not Ohio?
More: Columbus climate plan is solid, environmentalists say, but work remains
Or how about action to address the closing of hospitals in rural parts of the state? Or the lack of broadband internet in both rural and inner city neighborhoods? The COVID pandemic showed how essential internet access is for all Ohioans.
More: What is the state of broadband access in rural Ohio?
Then there’s the crisis of infant mortality and unequal access to quality medical care across the state.
More: Opinion: Biden's plan will will help save the lives of babies in Columbus
Instead of dealing with life-and-death issues, the legislature gives us legislation to put more guns into the hands of untrained, unqualified, and potentially dangerous individuals.
More: Ohio Senate Republicans pass bill eliminating need for concealed carry permits
We get fear-mongering over “critical race theory” which has never been taught in any public schools. We get assaults on a woman’s right to control her body in terms of reproduction, and the hypocritical stance that vaccine and mask mandates are bad because the interfere with an individual’s right to control their own body.
More: Parents file lawsuit in federal court challenging Chillicothe schools mask requirement
We also get legislation that seeks to make it more difficult for Ohioans to vote, and continued attempts to gerrymander congressional districts against the expressed wishes of an overwhelming number of voters.
More: Opinion: District map shows 'cynical contempt' for democracy, 'disregard' for voters
It’s time for voters to rise up and say enough is enough. Let’s put a more responsive and responsible legislature and governor into office in 2022.
Tom Baillieul, Columbus
Justices who voted for congressional district map incompetent
Seven people are standing in a blizzard where snow is falling at 12 inches an hour. Four of them take action because of the snow, the other three deny it is snowing. What do you think of the competency of those three?
Changing parameters, the seven are the Ohio Supreme Court Justices. Now replace the heavy snowfall with gerrymandering.
More: Ohio Supreme Court: GOP strikes down congressional map, forcing another round of drawing
I am disappointed three of the justices could not see the gerrymandering that has plagued Ohio and two separate voter mandates were passed — overwhelmingly — to end the practice. I question if those three should be on the bench as they obviously lack the wisdom expected in a Supreme Court Justice.
The Supreme Court Justice tiebreaker broke with party lines.
Good for her.
To truly be unbiased, justices should not be tied to any political party. Obviously, they can be in whatever party they like, but their being in office has nothing to do with any affiliation. No funding from any party or PAC. This political affiliation is why gerrymandering has existed for so long in Ohio.
The Supreme Court needs to create a board that throws out the current districts entirely and use one that has zero knowledge of voting habits of the residents. Throw out the Section 6 clause that was put in by politicians wanting to maintain power.
More: Ohio voters just approved Issue 1 to curb gerrymandering in Congress
Voting habits change by who is running for office, as they should. Let the chips fall where they may.
Then Ohioans will get fair and competitive districts.
John M. Lorenz, Columbus
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: What issues should legislators and governor be acting on
