http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ This is the blog of the Dayton Daily News editorial page. Regular contributors include the journalists who work on the two-page section labeled "Opinions" in the paper. But the blog is also a forum for readers. We comment on subjects that are being written about in the newspaper, but other subjects are fair game, too. Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton. Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues. Scott Elliott is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He writes about education, city and suburban issues, politics, business, workforce and consumer issues. Quick news updates by e-mail Start your workday informed by signing up for our e-mail local news headlines and breaking news alerts. Sign up en-us mgottlieb@daytondailynews.com 2010-02-09T13:02:56-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/09/g_will_gives_ryan_more_credit.html Let’s talk a little about George Will’s column on a Republican’s proposed “Roadmap for America’s Future, ” to use the label of its author, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan. It’s good that the ranking Republican on the Budget Committee is putting... 16612503@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ National Politics 2010-02-09T13:02:56-05:00 mgottlieb@daytondailynews.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/08/editorial_bank_of_america_shou.html Ohio has a big case pending against Bank of America. Two big state pension plans — for teachers and public employees — are claiming they lost about $85 million after the company bought Merrill Lynch during the financial market’s meltdown... 16605003@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Ohio government 2010-02-08T17:32:32-05:00 edletter@coxohio.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/08/editorial_sinclair_can_be_pric.html If Sinclair Community College were not in a financial bind today, that would be a much bigger problem than even its pressing money concerns. The fear — panic is too strong a word, but it’s not far off — about... 16586103@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Economy 2010-02-08T00:00:00-05:00 edletter@coxohio.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/07/editorial_daytons_sclc_cant_be.html The Dayton chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference has to take seriously complaints against its board chairman, the Rev. Raleigh Trammell. So far, local board members have shown no interest in them. Rev. Trammell, a fixture in the local... 16585703@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Editorials 2010-02-07T05:54:30-05:00 edletter@coxohio.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/07/ellen_belcher_third_frontiers.html Last week there was lots of jousting in the legislature about whether to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars to continue the successful Third Frontier program. Two points: — The program was never really in jeopardy. Republicans and Democrats both... 16583803@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Columns 2010-02-07T00:00:00-05:00 edletter@coxohio.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/06/editorial_pressure_rewards_goo.html President Barack Obama has made one thing clear about his approach to schools — he prefers offering carrots over whacking them with a stick in pursuit of change. That approach could be in for a big test. The president hinted... 16585903@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Editorials 2010-02-06T06:00:24-05:00 edletter@coxohio.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/05/editorial_wsu_faculty_too_agit.html The switch over from quarters to semesters at Wright State University suddenly isn’t going well. That’s embarrassing for WSU. Of the four four-year Ohio universities being required to convert to semesters by the fall of 2012, Wright State is the... 16574003@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Education 2010-02-05T05:58:42-05:00 edletter@coxohio.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/04/martin_gottlieb_two_districtdr.html Remapping Ohio Politics, Chapter 117. Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern, no friend of the effort to take politics out of the drawing of congressional and legislative districts, says, among other things, that the effort lacks political pizzazz. “You’ll attract... 16574403@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Ohio politics 2010-02-04T17:17:54-05:00 mgottlieb@daytondailynews.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/04/guest_column_3c_line_will_prob.html This commentary was provided by Michael Gorman, an associate professor of operations management at the University of Dayton who worked in the rail industry for 10 years. The $400 million dollar federal subsidy for the 3C rail plan will create... 16571603@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Guest Columns 2010-02-04T14:57:22-05:00 edletter@coxohio.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/04/guest_column_overall_passenger.html This commentary was provided by Steve Harrod, assistant professor of operations management at the University of Dayton. He specializes in transportation issues. Will the 3C Corridor be a success? That depends on how you define “success.” After 30 years of... 16571103@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Guest Columns 2010-02-04T14:37:48-05:00 edletter@coxohio.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/04/editorial_new_poor_put_pressur.html Five years ago, West Carrollton’s school breakfast program was small and not on Superintendent Rusty Clifford’s mind very often. Today, feeding kids before school is a priority, and lots more qualify for the federal program. Five years ago, the district... 16561803@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Editorials 2010-02-04T05:58:15-05:00 edletter@coxohio.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/03/martin_gottlieb_a_response_to.html Jonah Goldberg has a column saying Obama is an ideologue whether he admits it or not. This after Obama said “I am not an ideologue” at his meeting with House Republicans Friday. But Goldberg really doesn’t get at the point... 16563103@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ National Politics 2010-02-03T18:14:04-05:00 mgottlieb@daytondailynews.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/03/editorial_united_way_has_to_ge.html United Way of Greater Dayton’s finances have not just been slipping. They’ve been dropping like a rock. In 2005, the organization raised $11.7 million. Last year donations were $9.5 million. This week the fundraising drive, which likely will be extended... 16558203@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Editorials 2010-02-03T14:26:59-05:00 edletter@coxohio.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/02/martin_gottlieb_compromising_w.html Quite matter-of-factly and calmly, state Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights, said at this newspaper a few weeks ago that President Barack Obama is “slowly destroying America.” So it was striking last week when Obama talked about the people who say... 16546903@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ National Politics 2010-02-02T16:32:18-05:00 mgottlieb@daytondailynews.com http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/02/02/editorial_kasich_tax_plan_look.html When a Republican state legislator from Sidney recently proposed eliminating the Ohio income tax over 10 years, he said he’d be lucky to get one hearing, given that Democrats control the House of Representatives. Well, he got lucky. And the... 16538703@http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/ Ohio government 2010-02-02T09:58:14-05:00 edletter@coxohio.com