Letters to the Editor

Say yes to GMH

Editor:

I have just recently finished having physical therapy at Greene Memorial Hospita. The therapists and their assistants were very nice, helpful, patient and well versed in their profession.

The exercises have helped reduce my pain as well as make it easier to get around. I plan to continue the exercises they taught me. Over the last several years, I have needed help with physical issues and GMH Physical Therapy has always been there to help.

I also have had some personal experience with the Cardiac Rehab department. My husband was in that program for three mornings a week for 10 years. It is a great program and my family and I feel sure the therapy and exercise program lenthened my husband’s life span by many years. The connection with the staff and others in the program was also mentally as well as physically beneficial.

We would have have done the things they taught him without going to Cardiac Rehab. If your doctor or healthcare provider recommends physical therapy and or cardiac rehab, plan to take advantage of GMH therapy programs. Both programs are done in our hometown. I plan to vote yes on for the Issue 22 GMH renewal levy in November.

— Marlene Gifford, Xenia

Support Strickland and Klepinger

Editor:

Ninety percent of voters say that Congress is ineffective and they’re right.

Before President Obama took office and in spite of the financial crisis our country faced, Republicans led by Eric Cantor in the House and Mitch McConnell in the Senate developed and enforced a plan to oppose anything Obama wanted.

With Republican control of the House in 2011, they followed the Hastert Rule by which the speaker allows a vote only on legislation favored by a majority of his party. Thus, many bills which would pass with bi-partisan support were blocked. In this last year, John Boehner finally violated the Hastert Rule and two essential laws were passed in the House by bi-partisan vote. He knew that his party would force him out and they did. Republicans have wasted substantial time on over 60 Obamacare repeal votes and on partisan witch hunts. The Benghazi and email investigations were aimed at damaging Hillary Clinton. Republican Majority Leader Cong. Kevin McCarthy very publicly bragged that the Benghazi investigation (even though it turned up nothing) had brought down Hillary’s approval numbers. In contrast to this Republican abuse of power, Democratic Speaker Tip O’Neil was legendary for working with President Ronald Reagan. Democratic Speakers Tom Foley and Nancy Pelosi disregarded the Hastert Rule repeatedly.

Republicans in Congress, including Mike Turner and Rob Portman, have made a mockery of any pretense of serving the public interests. They need to be replaced. Vote for Ted Strickland for Senate and Rob Klepinger for House.

— William R. Conner, Beavercreek

Make your judicial vote count

Editor:

Given the amount of media coverage devoted to the presidential election this year, many Ohioans may believe that the race for the Oval Office is the only one on the ballot in November. Not so.

In fact, I would argue that there are statewide, regional, and local candidates on the ballot that will have a far greater impact on the daily lives of Ohio voters than the president will have. Those individuals are judges. There are more than 150 seats up for election statewide this fall. Judicial candidates are running for the Ohio Supreme Court, courts of appeals, common pleas courts, and county courts. It is imperative that voters get to know these candidates in order to make an informed decision on Nov. 8.

In order to increase meaningful voter participation, I launched last year the first statewide judicial voter education website: JudicialVotesCount.org. For the first time, Ohioans have access to quality information about all candidates for judge.

In addition to candidate profiles, JudicialVotesCount.org features information about what judges do, descriptions about the duties of different courts, and brief videos of former judges explaining how the court system works.

There are many reasons to better educate Ohioans about judges and the judiciary. One reason is judicial voter drop-off. A quarter of the electorate – or more – routinely skips voting for judges, who, by law, are listed near the bottom of the ballot.

You can connect with Judicial Votes Count via a Twitter account, a Facebook page, and a YouTube channel to spread the word. Please follow, like, and watch.

While there can be no doubt that presidents make important decisions every day, judges make those same kind of decisions that hit closer to home for most Ohioans. Go to JudicialVotesCount.org and take the time to learn who’s on the ballot for your local court, their legal background, and why they are running for judge. Take that knowledge, step into the ballot box on Nov. 8, and make your judicial vote count.

— Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, Columbus

Educating Fairborn kids

Editor:

The economic slowdown over the last few years has been a humbling lesson for economic development experts. Economic development is no longer just about job growth and/or expansion. It is a multi-faceted approach to growing local and regional economies. It requires investments starting at the lowest levels of our educational institutions. That is why the investment in our young children of Fairborn is critical to the future growth of our city. That is why supporting our upcoming levy for new school buildings in Fairborn is critical for Fairborn’s future. It is a known fact that children learn better when they are in a healthy environment and our current school buildings do not provide that.

Fairborn has a chance to get two new school buildings with 40 percent being paid by the state. Where else can you buy real estate at 40 percent off? This would mean for a $100,000 home (appraised value), you would pay $103.25 per year. I urge the citizens of Fairborn to make an investment in the future of our school children as well as our community as a whole. The benefits cannot be measured in money but research has shown that it is critical to our community’s future.

Please put our kids first and vote yes on Issue 19.

— Marilyn McCauley, Fairborn City Council

Editor’s note: The election letter to the editor deadline is 12 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28. Letters will appear in print following that deadline until two days before election. Don’t wait until the last minute due to space constraints some may not run. See the rules for letters on this page.