Republicans should be ashamed of their representatives and demand Biden be allowed on ballot

Letters to the editor
President Joe Biden announces increased tariffs on Chinese on May 14, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The White House says the tariff increases are designed to protect American industries the administration has targeted with major investments to try to catch up with China. These sectors include manufacturing in clean energy, electric vehicles and microchips.

Legislature needs to grow up, put Biden on the ballot

The Dispatch reported May 23 that the legislature will likely not pass legislation to place Joe Biden on the ballot this November.

The Ohio legislature created this problem by passing a law that arbitrarily established August 7 as the last day a political party can certify its candidate for president. There’s no practical reason for this deadline. Ohio can easily prepare physical and electronic ballots at a much later date without any additional cost or even inconvenience.

Will Joe Biden be on the Ohio ballot? Top lawmakers say legislative fix is unlikely

The Ohio legislature created this problem but refuses to solve it by passing legislation establishing a later, more reasonable deadline. As it stands, Ohio is the only state to bar a major party’s presidential candidate from the ballot.

Voters elect legislators to pass laws that benefit us all, not to entertain us with childish sandbox antics. We deserve better, a legislature unafraid to do its job and put Biden on the ballot.

Mark Abel, Columbus

GOP voters need to be ashamed

So, the Ohio General Assembly is going to deny the right of Ohio citizens to vote for one of the major party candidates for president because of an easily corrected glitch in the timing between a deadline for naming candidates to the ballot and the Democratic Party’s convention schedule.

What motivation for this action could possibly exist other than to destroy the fundamental right to vote in this state?

More: Gov. DeWine tells lawmakers to get President Biden on Ohio ballot. Calls situation 'absurd'

All Republicans should be ashamed of their representatives. I am awaiting a vocal demand from GOP voters that appropriate action be taken to correct this potential travesty. Unfortunately, I am not optimistic that such a demand will, in fact, occur.

Ronald L. Solove, Columbus

Developers need to pony up money for LinkUS

Re "COTA approves sales hike proposal for bus rapid transit on November ballot" May 22.

Help me understand. Columbus has introduced new zoning changes that will allow for denser housing projects with little to no parking spaces required, which will mandate better transportation systems than what we currently have.

To that end, there is now a proposed sales tax in Franklin County (and adjacent) of 0.5% for LinkUS.

Could the developers who will benefit from the reduced restrictions pony up some of the funds so the increase isn’t quite so sharp?

Eileen Hammond, Galloway

Let the Columbus school board to do its job

Re Letter to the editor "Consolidation will provide students more opportunity," May 23: Thank you, Mary Jo Hudson (Letters, May 22), for inserting a dose of reality for those who do not want the Columbus City Schools to close any schools.

Let us not forget the voters overwhelmingly supported a major tax increase. The school board has an obligation to be efficient stewards of taxpayer money. With a substantial decrease in the number of students, some school closings are inevitable.

Letters to the Editor: Consolidation will provide students more opportunity

Closing schools is not a pleasant task, but let’s chill the animosity towards school board members who are carrying out their responsibility.

Bob Weiler, Columbus

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Childish Ohio lawmakers need to let Biden on November ballot

Advertisement