Make sure electric vehicles are union-made in America | Letters

Our family has been thrilled with our switch to a hybrid electric vehicle this year. All we had to do was plug into our existing external outlet at our home in Northside, and we were powered up. We went well over 1,000 miles on our first tank of gas over a busy Cincinnati summer of Reds' games, summer camps, and all the other little family adventures that fit within our 40-mile, all-electric radius. For longer trips, we have the hybrid engine, and we've barely noticed the additional cost of charging the car on our electric bill.

I'm not one to quickly adopt new technology − the car we replaced when we bought electric was 16 years old − but the ease and cost savings of our switch to an electric vehicle has brought home to me that electric vehicles are the future of cars. The issue is bigger than our little family in Cincinnati. Nationally, we need to take action to make sure we're building electric vehicles here in the United States, and the jobs created by the coming electric vehicle boom are good, union jobs. Ohio is positioned to especially benefit from these new jobs − if the UAW strike is successful.

The nearly 150,000 United Auto Workers members either on strike or working under an expired contract are fighting to build these vehicles, and to make sure these are good-paying, safe jobs in their communities. Ford, GM, and Stellantis should listen to the people who are building their record profits − their workers. The companies should bargain in good faith to end the strike and get to work making sure our EV future is union-built.As more families look to make the switch to electric vehicles, we need to make sure that Ohio communities and workers benefit. This means supporting UAW workers in their fight to make sure more electric vehicles are union-made in America.

Dana Kuhline, Northside

Removal of diversity mural shows lack of understanding, acceptance

Regardless of one’s political orientation, it is a sad time for those in the Forest Hills School District. The diversity mural (painted by students) at Nagel Middle School being painted over is indicative of a lack of understanding and acceptance.

One’s race is not a political choice. One’s ethnicity and culture are not political choices. One’s sexual and gender identity are not political choices. It is troubling that these have been made into political issues. It is disturbing that acceptance and understanding of all human beings is controversial.

I am deeply saddened and troubled to see this occur in the Forest Hills School District where all my children attended kindergarten through 12^th grade. Their experience was wonderful, as they were accepted for who they are, participated in Diversity Day, and were not afraid to speak up. We need to remember that diversity is a fact, and inclusion is an act.

We should all act with inclusionary intentions.

Maria Piombo, Anderson Township

Hold city accountable for millions already dedicated for infrastructure

Before voters decide Nov. 7 if Cincinnati can sell the city’s railway, let’s hold the city accountable for the millions of dollars dedicated to infrastructure since the 1980s. Funding for city street repair and infrastructure already exists. The issue was addressed by the Smale Commission in the later 1980s. The city income tax was increased by 0.1%. This is 5.5% of the 1.8% city income tax. This should generate approximately $19 million per year (5.5 percent of $343 million in 2023 income tax revenues). The promise made at the time of the tax increase was that it would expire if the city did not spend six times the amount generated by the tax on infrastructure.

There is also a $7.50 license plate fee per year in the city to be used for capital infrastructure improvements and repair. Additionally, the $25 million annual rent from the Cincinnati Southern Railway lease is supposed to be used for capital infrastructure improvement and repair. This adds up to more than $45 million this year alone.

These funds should be immediately be placed in a restricted fund for infrastructure and repair. And city officials should answer the question: Where have the Smale Commission funds gone since 1988?

Stanley E. Rosemire, Paddock Hills

Springboro settlement shows attorney fees are astronomical

The article in Friday’s Enquirer on the Springboro school settlement for once mentioned just how much the lawyers make out of these cases. The children are to receive $109,375 each, but the lawyer gets $37,799 from each plaintiff.  That totals $1,209,568 for the 32 cases. Since most Enquirer articles use percentages to emphasize a point, that is 34.56%. That is an astronomical amount. Of course, that is dwarfed by the settlement written about last week, where Tom Brinkman got just $500 but the "lawyer" got $100,000.

One has to wonder how much Ben Crump gets out of the suits he is so quick to bring when there is a "police killing." Or, even how much did he get for representing the family of George Floyd? They could probably afford it, as the GoFundMe site set up for them raised over $17 million.

There really is a disparity between the working class and the elitists.

Stan Shadwell, Pierce Township

Urge elected officials to support international affairs budget

It is time for our elected officials like Sen. J.D. Vance to support and protect our foreign aid programs. Poverty is a massive humanitarian problem that spans the entirety of the globe. With disasters like the war going on in Ukraine and the earthquake in Morocco, our help is needed now as ever. Our international affairs budget is less than 1% of our total budget, we have to do our part as the most powerful nation on Earth. Helping others is the right thing to do and helps us a nation too, by creating new markets and more stability. It's as easy as asking our congressional leaders to support the International Affairs Budget. It only takes an email or phone call.

Finn Mullaney, Westwood

Catholic church is morally bankrupt

Just in case we needed another reminder to know the Roman Catholic Church is morally bankrupt, the headline appeared in The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Catholic Church commits $900,000 to support Issue 1 defeat." The church does this instead of supporting all the United Way agencies and others who help women with children who cannot afford to care for themselves and their offspring.

Bobbi Thies, Milford

City can't be trusted to use funds from railroad sale responsibly

Thanks to the Enquirer for their in-depth coverage of the proposed sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railway by the city of Cincinnati. I realize the sale of the city-owned railroad to Norfolk Southern Corp. will be a windfall for the city. It will provide funds for badly needed projects, however, history has shown us governments are not fiscally responsible when it comes to managing money. Even with the trust the city says they will set up, and only use the proceeds from each year, I am skeptical. We've seen too many times to count government telling us they won't touch the principle in funds but then rewrite the bylaws that allow that to happen. Look at Social Security. The City cannot be trusted to use those funds responsibly, we are better off getting the annual payments each year from Norfolk Southern.

In the words of Ronald Reagan, the most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help. I think that applies here when the city says "Let us manage these funds."

Steve Byrnes, Anderson Township

Kudos to Durbin for demanding standards in Senate

Finally, a Democrat who's willing to contradict his leader even though it's obviously the right thing to do. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, after seeing his counterpart from Pennsylvania attired in a T-shirt, shorts and tennis shoes on the Senate floor, told Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that "we need to have standards." Let's hope that an Ohio Senator doesn't fall victim to Schumer's relaxed dress code rules, since there are already enough people saying that our leaders sometimes act like we're a third-world country.

Jim Wilson, Mason

This year's Reds team made Cincinnati a baseball town again

A year and a half ago, I wrote a letter to the Enquirer that ripped new Reds player Tommy Pham. He talked all about his personal goals for the season but said nothing about the team and/or winning. I said, "For $7 million, he could have lied a little." Which brings us to this year's crop of Reds who have epitomized everything great about being on a team. Thanks for the summer ride gentlemen and for making Cincinnati a baseball town again. See you in the spring!

Ken Glassmeyer, Newtown

Cut salaries of Congress members who won't do their job

The small group of far-right Republicans in Congress are proving that they are not qualified to be holding office as our representatives. They are playing childish games with the government budget while hard-working Americans will be out of work. They don't like immigrants coming across the border, but they are willing to cut the pay for the border patrol. Other government employees will also be out of work while these so-called legislators go on break.  The first "cut" should be the salaries of those who won't do their job in Congress.

Ann Thompson, Green Township

Seeking solutions, compromise is a sign of leadership

There seems to be another pandemic spreading very rapidly. It’s called "extremism," and both political parties are guilty of it. We have no middle ground on any issue. Some examples: abortion, either a near total elimination of the abortion option or no limit to an abortion; gun laws, either Second Amendment proponents defend even the ready availability of weapons of mass destruction or the fear that all guns will be restricted; climate control, either we embrace zero emissions or we continue the same fossil fuel path that scientists tell us leads to self-destruction; LGBTQ+ rights, either book burning at the elementary school level or transgender surgeries for 10-year-olds who have decided that they were assigned the wrong gender at birth.

The chasm continues to widen with no effort to search for a reasonable compromise that moves the discussion forward −in other words − progress. We American citizens deserve more from our elected officials. It’s not enough to stand firm in an extreme position and totally ignore the other side of any debate. There is some truth in both positions. For example: In some cases, an abortion is necessary for solid medical reasons, but in some states, there is no room for exceptions. On the other hand, an abortion of a healthy fetus in the third trimester is the equivalent of murder. Why can’t the two sides appreciate each other’s position and work to close the difference?

Next year, the voters will be faced with supporting one extreme position or another extreme position. That’s not what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they negotiated the building blocks of the American democracy. I’m sure they expected future generations of leaders to blend positions and move the country forward when evaluating all major issues. It’s almost as if political advisors are telling their clients "don’t take the first step toward common ground because the voters will see that as a weakness." They couldn’t be further from the truth.

Seeking a solution to major issues defines leadership and voters will recognize the efforts of anyone who listens, assesses and acts in a responsible way. Let’s hope the two major parties soften their extreme views and exercise their duties to their constituents by working to solve problems, not grow them. A wise person once said "moderation in all things." It’s a message we should see play out in Congress more often.

Mike Hauer, Villa Hills

Supreme Court's conservative justices don't always vote in lockstep

There will always be unhappy people when a Supreme Court decision is rendered, but when liberals call this an extremely conservative court, it doesn't fit with the facts. Does the court lean to the right? Absolutely, but the only dyed-in-the-wool conservatives on the court are Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. Justices John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrette, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh quite often vote differently on an issue, while it's a rare occasion indeed when the four liberal judges don't vote in lockstep. If you don't think this is true, just go back and review the decisions made in the last two years, and only count Roe v. Wade once.

George Laughton, Liberty Township

Biden supporters oblivious to his incompetence

It amazes and astounds me that some of those who voted for Joe Biden in the last election are completely oblivious to Biden's diminished mental acuity and the fact he is totally incompetent. Don't people ever watch the news? Wake up, America.

Tim Sogar, Villa Hills

Biden too old and feeble to run for president again

A letter writer to your newspaper said he will be voting for Joe Biden again because he's "dynamic and unstoppable." I guess he's not one of the 64% of Democrats who think Mr. Biden is too old and feeble to run again (recent Gallup poll), proof of which he demonstrates every day when he doesn't speak with "knowledge and purpose."

Brian Patterson, West Chester Township

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Make sure electric vehicles are union-made in America