Republicans need better ideas, not voter-suppression strategies
The Republicans seem to have things backwards. After losing control of the Senate and the White House to Democrats, many Republicans have made it clear that they fear losing again if so many Democrats vote.
To fix that, many Republican-led states have introduced legislation or regulations that would limit voting, especially in minority communities which usually vote largely for Democrats. Instead, they should consider that the appropriate way to win elections is by attracting more voters to their policies, rather than by limiting the votes of those who prefer the other side’s policies.
Anita Bucknam, Worthington
The head of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, who has been on the front line in the fight against the pandemic since it began a year ago, is stepping down.
Kimberly Henderson’s last day as agency director will be Monday. She will remain as a senior adviser until April 30.
Henderson, who recently married, said she is relocating to North Carolina this spring.
As the top official for Job and Family Services, Henderson has been dealing with an onslaught of unemployment claims, requests for food assistance and needs in the areas such as workforce development caused by the coronavirus.
“This is the most challenging role of my career, but I get up every morning with one thing in mind: leading with integrity to the best degree I can,” she told reporters last month.
The agency has come under fire during the pandemic.
Among the complaints are unemployment claims where the agency has struggled to deal with the hundreds of thousands of Ohioans filing for unemployment benefits after going several years with a minimal number of claims.
Initially, its antiquated systems were overwhelmed with applications. Then it struggled to get its systems set up to handle federal programs to help workers not eligible for traditional unemployment benefits. Now, the agency, like others across the country, has been in a fight with fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits.
Workers complain of long wait times to get a hold of someone at the agency when they need help, and Henderson has had to endure steady criticism that she hasn’t done enough to get help to people fast enough.
“It’s truly been an honor to serve on your cabinet, and I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to lead such a talented and committed team at ODJFS,” she told Gov. Mike Dewine during the governor’s coronavirus news conference, where he announced her departure. “They are serving a recording-breaking 3 million Ohioans right now. I’m so proud of their work.’’
Matt Damschroder, the director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, will take over Job and Family Services on an interim basis until a replacement has been chosen after a nationwide search.