Lawmakers “fighting” for us hardly helps

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Have you noticed all the fighting that goes on at the statehouse and in the Capitol? It’s hardly a secret—lawmakers regularly tell us they are fighting for us. Think about how often you hear the phrase.

Are our legislators really fighting, or do they actually mean they are advocating a position?  Should we care about the language they use? Am I just being too particular about what some might characterize as a figure of speech?

Maybe not. Let’s put this in context ...

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19
JUL
0

Social Issues

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Short-term loan act was smoke and mirrors

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Two weeks ago, the Ohio Supreme Court decided in Ohio Neighborhood Finance, Inc., v. Scott that lenders are not obligated to make payday loans under the Short-Term Loan Act, which restricted fees, and instead may lend under the Small Loan and Second Mortgage Acts, which permit significantly higher fees. The Short-Term Loan Act was passed for the supposed purpose of controlling payday loans, but not one loan has been made under the 2008 law.

The problem is, as the court concluded, ...

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19
JUN
1

Social Issues

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Ohio death penalty task force got it right

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Two years ago, in response to questions about lack of uniformity in carrying out the death penalty, Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor formed a task force to assess whether Ohio’s death penalty is being administered fairly. The task force recently announced its recommendations, and though it was a balanced group, some members criticized the task force for being “strongly influenced by a pro-defense majority bent on an agenda of abolition, not fairness.” The Dispatch criticized the task force ...

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13
JUN
0

Death Penalty

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Sex trafficking captures girls even from “nice homes”

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It is a criminal enterprise more profitable than the drug trade. Human trafficking targets and exploits primarily young girls, who are forced to engage in sex with strangers. It is modern day slavery, happening here in Ohio.

Traffickers prey on young girls, offering the things they need. It may be shelter or food—whatever it takes to win over the girl’s trust. Eventually, the trafficker gains the girl’s confidence and then exerts control, either through violence or by using drugs to purposefully ...

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1
JUN
1

Social Issues

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Former POW has learned not to hate

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Sometimes the lessons we learn aren’t what we would expect. You would expect to hear about faith or courage from a former prisoner of war. You wouldn’t expect a POW to talk about the destructive nature of hate, but that’s the lesson from Tom Moe, a Capital University graduate and Vietnam War POW, who served as Director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services from 2010 to 2013.

Moe’s lesson for us is one of three ironies within his story, and, ...

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30
MAY
0

Social Issues

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Is Cal Thomas right about a double standard?

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Don’t look now, but hell just froze over. I find myself agreeing with columnist Cal Thomas. I can’t remember his columns ever resonating with me, but there’s a first time for everything. Mind you, I don’t see eye-to-eye with Thomas just because he’s conservative. I think highly of David Brooks, who is conservative, but Brooks is always insightful. Thomas, on the other hand, always seems to be negative and more opinionated than analytical. (Apologies, Mr. Thomas.)

So, what’s the point of ...

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23
MAY
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Social Issues

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Is gun advocate John Lott a straight shooter?

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Last month, The Dispatch published an op-ed piece of mine, “Focus needs to be on reducing gun deaths,” where I stated that, if we’re serious about reducing gun deaths, we should stop debating whether more guns result in less crime because the evidence is inconclusive.” I also questioned the credibility of John Lott, an ardent advocate of concealed carry laws, because Lott had created a pseudonym, “Mary Rosh,” a supposed former student; posing as Rosh online, he praised his ...

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16
MAY
1

Gun Policy

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Chief Justice O’Connor abandons some of her ideas

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The Dispatch reported today that Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor  has abandoned four of her proposals to change judicial elections. The three ideas that remain from the proposals she suggested in early 2013 are: 1) amend the constitution so that judicial elections take place in odd years, so that only judges would be on the ballot, and move judges from the bottom to the top of the ballot; 2) create a voter education website; and 3) increase the ...

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2
MAY
0

Judges

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Jury Awards $2.9 million in fracking case

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Lisa and Robert Parr of Plano, Texas, were awarded $2.9 million by a jury for personal injuries and property damages sustained as a result of fracking operations conducted by Aruba Petroleum. According to CNN, Lisa suffered migraine headaches, nausea, dizziness, and her doctor found that her body had absorbed a number of chemicals. There were 22 wells within a two mile radius of the Parrs’ house, the closest being 791 feet away.

No surprise, the attorneys for Aruba stated that Aruba ...

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2
MAY
1

Energy

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