Voters should double-check districts, write-in candidates
You have choices, but you must write them in. Have you checked to see what your Ohio House district, your Ohio Senate district, and your U.S. Congressional district numbers are for this November’s election? New maps have been instituted and many people are in new districts with new numbers, and possibly new places to vote.
People in some of these districts may have to write in one or more of their candidates’ names rather than selecting them from the names already on the ballot. The late implementation of the maps made it impossible for some candidates to get their names on the ballot, but they are eligible as write-in candidates. Check out these write-in candidates before voting. Every vote counts. CAROL PARETE, VANDALIA
Our disabled veterans are grossly undercompensated. This travesty of justice is causing enlistments to dry up. In fiscal year 2023, a totally disabled veteran with no dependents is compensated at $43,463.40 annually. The National Average Wage Index for 2021 was $60,575.07 dollars per year and the median income for 2021 was $70,784. The per capita
GDP in 2021 was $69,288.
Veterans have been asking for fair compensation since the end of WWI in November 1918. In my opinion, the reason for their gross under-compensation is because they are only compensated for projected loss of wages due to their disabilities. They are not compensated for their low quality of life. This is done to keep taxes low.
The people who had their assets and overseas business interests protected the most by our disabled vets pay essentially nothing to support them. Congress must correct this now. CLAY WAGONER, DAYTON
In his Oct. 23 opinion, Ray Marcano writes that “Candidates who refuse to debate rob voters of the chance to hear them defend their positions and tell us what they would do during their term to improve our lives.” He is, of course, correct.
He also points out that “Mike Dewine, the sitting governor, refused to debate his Republican opponents in the primary and won’t debate his general election challenger, former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley.” When he was Ohio’s Attorney General, he refused to debate Lt. Governor Mary Taylor in the Republican primary.
Dewine’s refusal to debate has cost him nothing. If we really want the debates, there is a way to make them happen. Enough people need to vote against candidates who refuse to debate to ensure that they don’t win. Debates very quickly would make a comeback. VIC PRESUTTI, BEAVERCREEK
A recent opinion writer wrote about President Trump blowing his chances. What he failed to mention is that Paul Ryan and Mitch Mcconnell were controlling congress, and that those two RINOS are dyed-in-the-wool establishment who gave him minimal support.
Despite that, President Trump accomplished some amazing things: a surging economy with hardly any inflation; border security; energy independence; record employment rates; reduced income taxes; increased funding for historically Black colleges and universities; a re-built military, and more.
Does President Trump deserve a second chance? While deciding, remember to compare today’s world to the world during the Trump years, STEPHEN L CHAPMAN, ENGLEWOOD