DaytonDailyNews.com

Keep ban on smoking intact

I was very disappointed reading the Feb. 25 article "Bill with smoking ban exemptions expected."

Our lawmakers are elected to represent the people of Ohio, and the people have made it exceedingly clear they like and want the smoking ban — as is. Why do some lawmakers want to overturn a law that was passed by a vast majority of Ohio voters? Going against voters' wishes makes a mockery of the voting process.

I take exception to Sen. Robert Schuler's insinuation that voters didn't know what they were voting on. I voted yes on the smoking ban because I wanted to protect all Ohio workers from inhaling secondhand smoke. There is no such thing as inhaling "just a little bit" of secondhand smoke without risk. Because of a few smokers in our state, the rest of us should not be forced to breathe in poisonous gases and dangerous chemicals.

I speak with authority on the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke; I'm a four-year survivor of head-neck cancer.

Elected officials need to listen to the majority of Ohioans. I urge them to recognize the will of Ohio voters and not ignore the scientifically proven dangers of secondhand smoke.

Henry Deneski Jr.

Union

'Earmark' isn't a dirty word

Re Jessica Wehrman's commentary, "Area lawmakers get earmarks," March 2: "Earmark" is not a dirty word. We vote for representatives whom we believe will go to Washington to advocate for our communities.

Communities are often unable to pay the total costs for community centers, road or infrastructure construction, cultural centers and other things that benefit taxpayers. It is reasonable to ask the federal government to use some of our tax dollars to pay for these types of things.

Representatives should not benefit specific businesses or major campaign contributors; however, to bring tax dollars "home" to help an entire community is a reasonable and necessary use of public funds.

Kathy Frazier

Riverside

Don't relax laws to reduce inmates

Re "1 in 25 Ohio adults jailed," March 3: I'm confused. So the answer to our high populations in jails and prisons is to rethink laws, i.e. relax laws? I don't think so. If you want to lower costs, make penalties steeper. Make sure that people know that if they break the law there will be serious consequences. It'll keep them out.

Save costs? Take out cable TV, make it easier for inmates to get an education, make the inmates grow their food, reuse gray water, and install solar panels. These options have a large up-front cost, but they will certainly lower costs in the end. People all over the country are cutting costs and installing conservation techniques. The prisons can do the same.

I, for one, do not want someone on my streets, on my family's streets, that should be in jail. It's ridiculous. What happened to being responsible for one's actions?

Heather Dowty

Fairborn

Capitalism made our nation great

I wonder if very many of the people who voted for Barack Obama are aware of what his goal is for America. I doubt it.

Capitalism and the free market are what have made our country the greatest in the world. The president wants to replace this with socialism and the redistribution of wealth.

His plan is to reward the nonproductive people in our country at the expense of those who have worked hard all of their lives to become successful.

Socialism has never been successful anywhere. The recently signed stimulus bill is an absolute disaster.

Republicans proposed a bill that would have created twice the number of jobs at one-half the cost, but it was not even considered by the Democrats.

Most leading economists say that a country cannot spend its way to prosperity.

This has been proven over and over again in history.

Dave Cecil

Springboro