To say that President Biden is a horrible president is laughable (“Biden is worst president ever,” Feb. 4).
Our economy is soaring, we have had tremendous job growth, interest rates are expected to return to 3 to 6 percent soon, gasoline prices are coming down, underserved people have health care, our infrastructure is being attended to, we have the greatest amount of emergency oil reserve in the world.
Mr. Biden is responsible for strengthening NATO. He has been instrumental in reducing carbon emissions in our environment and is an advocate for pursuing climate control. He handled the coronavirus pandemic and advocated the saving of lives as opposed to denying science. To blame President Biden for the rise in prices for food and rent is absolutely unfounded.
The reason for that is greed, unfettered corporate and personal greed.
Mr. Biden is an educated and highly experienced government servant, a diplomatic commander-in-chief who is fully conscious of his duties and responsibilities as the President of the United States; and he represents all Americans, even the radical, cursing, name-calling followers former President Trump has amassed.
Research the truth; it’s there for all of us to see and hear.
RITA OTT
Sylvania
Don’t discount Ohio’s cryptocurrency trend
The Blade Editorial Board’s piece, “Moreno — crypto’s friend,” Jan. 6, portrayed cryptocurrency as a divisive issue for Ohio voters.
It’s not. As we approach an election that promises to be chaotic, it’s important to recognize that the potential of digital assets and cryptocurrencies extend beyond political affiliations and far outweigh the current risks outlined in the aforementioned piece.
This technology can and should be a bipartisan force for economic growth and job creation in Ohio.
Nearly 20 percent of Ohioans are already invested in cryptocurrencies, with 60 percent viewing blockchain technology and cryptocurrency as transformative forces capable of generating jobs and economic opportunities. This sentiment aligns with a nationwide perspective, with 1 in 5 Americans holding digital assets. No one representing our state should ignore this.
It’s not just Republicans like Bernie Moreno supporting cryptocurrencies and digital assets at large. Influential Democrats such as former U.S. Rep Tim Ryan and Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb have both praised blockchain as valuable for Ohioans. We need more leaders, not less, coming to the table and having these types of discussions to make our state a national leader in innovation.
Instead of blaming technologies for the poor choices and actions of a select few who would use them for illicit aims, we should recognize that the vast majority of users are regular people who value the use of new tools in the digital age.
Cryptocurrency is not a partisan issue; it is an opportunity for Ohio to embrace cutting-edge technology and access more efficient payment systems.
ANDREW BURCHWELL
Executive Director, Ohio Blockchain Council
Writer’s attack on Biden is laughable
Apparently the gentleman who thinks President Biden is the worst ever subscribes to the Republican theory: ignore the facts, or just make them up.
His statistics are laughable. Gas prices are down, job growth is at its highest ever, the stock market is at record highs, and inflation is under control. He also states that Democrats are afraid of former President Donald Trump.
The Republicans are the ones who are afraid of Mr. Trump.
Why else would you support a man with all his baggage: insurrection, voter interference, sexual assault, and financial fraud, just to name a few. He says “vote for policies, not personalities.” Mr. Trump has no policies. He has not come up with one policy to help the American people. Mr. Biden is by far the better candidate. It is not even close.
JERRY WELKER
Springfield Township
Biden appeased Russia, Iran fueled terrorism
I agree with Jim Gracyk’s letter detailing why he thinks President Biden is America’s worst chief executive. I would also add to Mr. Gracyk’s list that Mr. Biden allowing Russia to get oil and appeasing the Iranians led to the war in Ukraine and the terrorist activity in the Middle East.
It only reinforces what former President Barack Obama said, that elections have consequences. And look at what the consequences of the 2020 election have caused the United States and the world.
PATRICK SEITZ
Oregon
Ohio taxpayers’ funds go to religious schools
The Ohio General Assembly and Gov. Mike DeWine have dedicated $1 billion of taxpayers’ money to subsidize tuition for students attending private religious schools this year.
A family of four with income of $135,000 can now receive $8,407 to offset a private high school tuition, $6,165 towards a K-8 tuition.
The co-authors of the Feb. 3 guest essay, “Congress should follow Ohio school choice lead” boasted, “For this 2023-24 school year 144,000 students in Ohio are publicly supported to some degree in private schools.”
Therein lies the problem. This ever-expanding Ed Choice program has led to two tracks of taxpayer-funded schools: a public system that is accountable to taxpayers, and a private system that is not answerable to taxpayers footing the bill for vouchers.
The Ohio Constitution is clear: “The General Assembly will secure an efficient system of common schools.
“No religious sect shall have any control of the school funds of the state.”
With the rapid expansion of Ed Choice, are state officials fulfilling their oaths of office?
Is it fair to taxpayers that 144,000 students in Ohio are publicly subsidized to attend private religious schools?
BILL TUCHOLSKI
Monclova Township
Matt Markey, enjoy a great retirement
I began as a copyboy at the Toledo Times in 1965 and worked for the Blade until 1987.
While there, I had the privilege of working with Lou Campbell, Lew Klewer, and Steve Pollick.
As next in line as the outdoor editor you were a perfect fit. You got it. You understood what it is like outdoors — off of the team-sports beat.
Thank you for the years of excellent coverage of the wonderful wilderness that still exists in the great state of Ohio and the surrounding area.
Enjoy your retirement; you earned it.
DONALD MICKENS
Wauseon
Sen. J.D. Vance does not deserve our trust
Sen. J.D. Vance had one duty when George Stephanopoulos on air asked him, “The Constitution ... says the president must abide by legitimate Supreme Court rulings, doesn’t it?”
His duty was to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States” and “bear true faith and allegiance to the same,” which is his oath of office.
He should have answered “Yes,” but Mr. Vance postulated a hypothetical from an illegitimate ruling and defended defiance of the highest court.
Ohio’s junior senator sowed doubt about our rule of law, violating his oath, imitating and enabling one man who defiles our rule of law.
Senator Vance bears allegiance to former President Donald Trump, not his oath, not our democracy.
Our true representative would have defended legitimacy of judiciary and would not entertain doubt about our rule of law. Senator Vance deserves no position of public trust.
SARAH MAXWELL
Archbold
Perry too dangerous, expensive; close it
Significant risks and concerns are raised by Tom Henry’s article, “Perry nuke plant license up for debate,” Jan. 31, regarding the Perry nuclear reactor’s application to operate for 60 years which no U.S. reactor has achieved.
A Perry-sized reactor “contains as much long-lived, highly radioactive material as ... 1,000 Hiroshima bombs” and routinely leaks and releases into air, soil, and water 100 carcinogenic and mutagenic man-made radionuclides, which are chemically indistinguishable from nonradioactive, life-sustaining elements.
Nuclear power, which is extremely expensive to build, maintain, and decommission, has received hundreds of billions in taxpayer subsidies.
Safe, renewable energy including wind, solar, battery storage, and efficiency produce 25 percent of U.S. electricity. The risk and cost of operating Perry until 2046 is not worth 6 percent of Ohio’s electricity. Close Perry and replace it with clean, safe, renewable electricity.
JOSEPH MANGANO
Executive Director, Radiation and Public Health Project
CONNIE KLINE
Ohio Nuclear Free Network
First Published February 11, 2024, 5:00 a.m.
