As a potential December Senate vote nears, the White House and Senate Republicans are suggesting money should be given directly to consumers. Such a policy would seriously weaken the adequacy of any health care plan that could be purchased by individuals.
The only way to resolve this problem is to extend the subsidies—if not permanently, then for at least a year while government creates a better way to make premiums affordable. We all have a personal stake in protecting the ACA policies that have made decent coverage available to all U.S. citizens who do not have employer-provided coverage. Hopefully, Ohio’s two Senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted, and Congressman Mike Turner will do the right thing and support the enhanced subsidy extension.
- Kathleen Gmeiner, Miami Twp.
In his op-ed on SB 52, Mr. Zartman just uses the word “socialism” as a scare tactic, posing local and state government as the big, bad boogymen. I wonder how much of his groups’ funding comes from datacenter companies and the like? Probably most, if not all, of it. If he’s so concerned about “private property, shouldn’t communities have the right to say “No” to a datacenter or some other massive, intrusive project that affects local landowners? Datacenters don’t really create jobs in any great numbers after their construction. All they do is strain the power grid and ruin the countryside. Ohioans deserve better than the rantings of someone with a, for him, profitable axe to grind.
- Thomas Moon, West Carrollton
I urge Ohio legislators to reject Senate Bill 293, which eliminates the post-Election Day acceptance window for mail-in ballots. This is a solution without a problem that would disenfranchise thousands of valid Ohio votes.
The current law already requires ballots to be postmarked by the day before Election Day. The existing four-day delivery buffer is essential to ensure over 9,500 legally submitted votes (as in November 2024) are not arbitrarily rejected due to unforeseen postal delays outside the voter’s control.
This change would disproportionately harm our most vulnerable: seniors, voters with disabilities, rural residents, students, and low-income citizens who heavily rely on mail-in voting for accessibility. Penalizing these citizens for the speed of the U.S. Postal Service creates an unfair barrier to democracy.
Ohio’s current mail-in system works, with over 800,000 residents relying on it last November. Our focus should be on making it easier, not harder, to vote. Please stand against SB 293 to preserve an accessible and fair voting process for all Ohioans.
- Greg Witt, Dayton
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
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