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YOUR LETTERS
Twin Valley awaits governor's reversal; Peters' cartoon was brilliant
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Twin Valley awaits governor's reversal
I am puzzled that Gov. Ted Strickland has yet to reverse his decision to close Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare. He has received transcripts from the March 7 community forum and is aware of all the legitimate concerns voiced about the proposed closing. It is time for the Dayton community to hear his direct response.
Extras
We are all aware that the main reason for the closure is related to budget cuts. Unfortunately, the governor did not take into consideration the toll such a drastic decision would have on patients, their families and the mental health community in Dayton and the surrounding areas. We need to know why he went for the most drastic cuts possible without considering less severe alternatives.
The Bob Taft administration, in spite of all of its flaws, realized that the most vulnerable of our citizens should not be victims of severe budget cuts such as those that Strickland is proposing.
— Timothy L. Mercer
Dayton
Strickland betrayed his supporters
The pairing of Steve Hale's brilliant political cartoon on Gov. Ted Strickland's closing of Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare on the same page as George Will's column touting Strickland as a "force multiplier" vice presidential candidate in the March 13 DDN was an ironic juxtaposition.
As a national writer, I'm sure Will is unaware of the impending closures of two state psychiatric facilities, and the impact on surrounding communities. According to news reports, no community leaders were consulted prior to the decision. This is leadership?
Certainly, I am not privy to the details of Ohio's budget crisis. Perhaps it is necessary to balance the budget "on the backs of our most vulnerable in society" (Keith Achor, Upper Valley Medical Center, DDN, March 8), along with their families, overextended law enforcement officers and overworked and underpaid case managers. I doubt this is truly the only option. Even if it is, the lack of prior consultation and collaboration points to an appalling lack of leadership and an arrogant, even calculated, avoidance of input from his constituency.
I voted for Strickland. I never will again. I've heard many others voice a similar sense of betrayal. If this is the reaction from previous supporters, imagine what political opponents could make of Strickland's leadership style.
— Christine Bohmer Stewart
Centerville
Democrats face formidable task
Re "For real change, try eliminating pork," March 26: The letter writer states, "The Democrats promised a lot of things in the last election and won seats from the Republicans, but they didn't change anything."
I wonder how many people know that the failure of Congress to bring about change is due to two factors:
• The Senate is composed of 49 Republicans, 49 Democrats and 2 independents (who caucus with the Democrats). Senate rules require that 60 senators must sign on to avoid a filibuster. That means that 41 Republicans can stop any bill.
• The president can veto any bill passed by both houses of Congress. It takes a two-thirds vote in the House and the Senate to override a veto.
Since 41 Republican senators or one Republican president can stop any bill, it is a formidable task for Democrats to have any change enacted into law.
— Sylvester L. Eveslage
Dayton
Peters' cartoon was brilliant
Mike Peters' March 26 editorial cartoon is nothing short of brilliant. He captured the smirk of our arrogant president just perfectly, but, at the same time, sent a powerful message to all Americans — we shall not forget you who have died.
Many years ago, a friend of mine from high school was killed in Vietnam just days after arriving in country. Time passed, and the pain of that war faded until I saw my friend's name on the Vietnam Wall in Washington. It was then that I vowed to renew my objections to all wars fought without reason. I questioned the need for Vietnam then, and I have vehemently opposed Bush's aggression in Iraq five years ago, and now.
I am certain that Bush has no clue about the meaning of the message that Peters screams at us all today. If he does, I imagine that he is smirking at us all with a disdain that oozes from his pores. The day that Bush leaves office will be a joyous day for all of us. May he find peace in the wilds of Texas, burdened forever by his "legacy."
— Frank Groach
Germantown
