Political season hits crucial month
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Political season hits crucial month
Once upon a time on the Old Frontier, a liar was called a liar and a thief was called a thief. And that was pretty much that. Upon being called out, the liar/thief either left town of his own volition or he was properly escorted away.
In 2010, we still help the liar/thief to leave town. We simply send him to Washington. Not always, of course. But, it sadly seems, more often than not.
If you haven’t noticed, it’s that time of year again. Turning the calendar to October doesn’t just usher in postseason baseball or NFL football. No, October is more than the games of the diamond or gridiron. It’s also the crucial month for the Game of Politics.
Yes, the 2010 midterm political season has arrived in all its autumn glory.
The Republicans hope to unseat Nancy D’Alessandro Pelosi as House speaker and Harry Reid as Senate majority leader.
The Democrats, at least those projected to win, hope Barack Obama and Joe Biden leave their continual “buck up” messages for someone else. Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold was the latest in a growing line of Democrats to shun the president’s campaign “help.”
Of course both Obama and Biden have campaigned for Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, who has been trailing John Kasich in the polls. If Strickland, a longtime Clinton loyalist, held a comfortable lead over Kasich, would he still welcome a president with such a low approval rating? Maybe. Maybe not.
For what it’s worth, I don’t see Kasich with a huge lead over Strickland. An incumbent governor, no matter how bad, is often tough to beat. (See Bob Taft in 2002.)
Ohio voters will have to ask themselves if Strickland’s “Turnaround Ohio” plan has made things better or worse. From all economic indicators, it’s the latter.
That said, will voters warm up to Wall Street John? There’s the rub. Do you want the proverbial devil you know or the devil you don’t know?
Ted Strickland is a nice man in a very un-nice occupation. He’s had one miserable term as governor and has not earned voters’ trust for a second term. Granted, he inherited a fiscal mess. But he sure hasn’t helped the situation. By all indications, he’s made Ohio’s struggling economy worse.
The bigger question is this: Will Kasich be an improvement? We may soon find out.
Given Ohio’s present predicament, it’s hard to imagine voters wanting four more years of the Strickland administration.
***
On the local political scene, voters are encouraged to attend, tune in or read about the Oct. 11 candidates forum hosted by the American Association of University Women at Southern State Community College.
This AAUW tradition gives candidates and voters a great opportunity to get a little better acquainted. There are always some excellent questions directed at the candidates.
The substance of their responses and the manner in which they respond can give you a pretty fair idea of how they measure up to the demands of the office.
The AAUW has invited nine candidates to the 2010 forum, including: Joe Roberts (D) and Mike Turner (R), who are running in Ohio’s Third Congressional District; David Daniels (R) and Justin Fallon (D), who are running in Ohio’s 17th Senate District; Jacob Dawson (L), Bill Horne (D) and Cliff Rosenberger (R), who are running in Ohio’s 86th House District; and
Gary Heaton (D) and Jeremy Shaffer (R), who are running for Highland County commissioner.
As of this writing, the AAUW has confirmations from five of the nine candidates. Rep. Turner sends his regrets that he will be unable to attend, and there’s been no response from Mr. Roberts, Rep. Daniels or Mr. Fallon.
Let’s hope they can make it.
For those who can’t make the event, it will be broadcast live on WVNU-FM, 97.5 MHz. The station’s general manager, Pat Hays, will serve as the moderator.
For what this free advice is worth, do yourself a favor and listen — with an open mind — to what the candidates have to say on Oct. 11. The AAUW does the community a great service with this annual pre-election forum. The very least voters can do is devote one evening to a little personal enlightenment.
***
As most of you know, a capital murder trial is under way in Highland County Common Pleas Court. A jury was selected this week to hear the case of Wesley Coonrod, 42, of Greenfield, who is facing two counts of aggravated murder, with specifications they are capital (death penalty) cases.
Prior to the March 7 fire on Lafayette Street that claimed the lives of his two sons, many of us had never heard of Wesley Coonrod.
It would seem to me that there’s a necessity, if you will, or a requirement of sorts, that when society considers sentencing a person to death, a little more is known about the defendant. In the case of Wesley Coonrod, it doesn’t appear that a lot is widely known.
The death penalty is reserved for the most heinous of all murder cases. Opinions vary on its success as a deterrent. One thing is certain, though, no one executed for capital murder ever became a repeat offender.
According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, “capital punishment has been a part of Ohio’s justice system since early in the state’s history. From 1803-85, executions were carried out by public hanging in the county where the crime was committed. In 1885, the Legislature enacted a law that required executions to be carried out at the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus. In 1897, the electric chair, considered to be a more technologically advanced and humane form of execution, replaced the gallows.
“In 1972, the United States Supreme Court declared the death penalty to be unconstitutional. After drafting a new law to reflect the strict criteria for the imposition of the death sentence, Ohio lawmakers enacted the current capital punishment statute, which took effect Oct. 19, 1981.”
Then, in 1993, a bill giving convicted killers the option to choose between death by electrocution or lethal injection was passed and signed into law by former Gov. George Voinovich. To date, Ohio has executed a total of 383 convicted murderers.
There is a tremendous responsibility on everyone involved in a capital murder case. From the sitting judge, to the counsel for the prosecution and defense, to the jurors who must be “death qualified,” that is, able to consider sentencing options prior to the trial.
Many of those opposed to the death penalty claim that seating a “death qualified” jury is akin to seating a “conviction prone” jury.
Achieving constitutional goals of justice and fairness in any trial is a serious matter. In a capital murder case, it is even more so.
As defense attorney Jerry McHenry said in Highland County Common Pleas Court this week, “This is the death penalty. This is life or death for Wes Coonrod.”
It simply doesn’t get any more serious than that. Which is why we should know a little more about Mr. Coonrod prior to the events of early March.
Surely, in the course of this trial, we will come to form an educated opinion on Mr. Coonrod and his guilt or innocence.
A society owes this not only to the defendant, but to its own peace of mind.
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.
Once upon a time on the Old Frontier, a liar was called a liar and a thief was called a thief. And that was pretty much that. Upon being called out, the liar/thief either left town of his own volition or he was properly escorted away.
In 2010, we still help the liar/thief to leave town. We simply send him to Washington. Not always, of course. But, it sadly seems, more often than not.
If you haven’t noticed, it’s that time of year again. Turning the calendar to October doesn’t just usher in postseason baseball or NFL football. No, October is more than the games of the diamond or gridiron. It’s also the crucial month for the Game of Politics.
Yes, the 2010 midterm political season has arrived in all its autumn glory.
The Republicans hope to unseat Nancy D’Alessandro Pelosi as House speaker and Harry Reid as Senate majority leader.
The Democrats, at least those projected to win, hope Barack Obama and Joe Biden leave their continual “buck up” messages for someone else. Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold was the latest in a growing line of Democrats to shun the president’s campaign “help.”
Of course both Obama and Biden have campaigned for Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, who has been trailing John Kasich in the polls. If Strickland, a longtime Clinton loyalist, held a comfortable lead over Kasich, would he still welcome a president with such a low approval rating? Maybe. Maybe not.
For what it’s worth, I don’t see Kasich with a huge lead over Strickland. An incumbent governor, no matter how bad, is often tough to beat. (See Bob Taft in 2002.)
Ohio voters will have to ask themselves if Strickland’s “Turnaround Ohio” plan has made things better or worse. From all economic indicators, it’s the latter.
That said, will voters warm up to Wall Street John? There’s the rub. Do you want the proverbial devil you know or the devil you don’t know?
Ted Strickland is a nice man in a very un-nice occupation. He’s had one miserable term as governor and has not earned voters’ trust for a second term. Granted, he inherited a fiscal mess. But he sure hasn’t helped the situation. By all indications, he’s made Ohio’s struggling economy worse.
The bigger question is this: Will Kasich be an improvement? We may soon find out.
Given Ohio’s present predicament, it’s hard to imagine voters wanting four more years of the Strickland administration.
***
On the local political scene, voters are encouraged to attend, tune in or read about the Oct. 11 candidates forum hosted by the American Association of University Women at Southern State Community College.
This AAUW tradition gives candidates and voters a great opportunity to get a little better acquainted. There are always some excellent questions directed at the candidates.
The substance of their responses and the manner in which they respond can give you a pretty fair idea of how they measure up to the demands of the office.
The AAUW has invited nine candidates to the 2010 forum, including: Joe Roberts (D) and Mike Turner (R), who are running in Ohio’s Third Congressional District; David Daniels (R) and Justin Fallon (D), who are running in Ohio’s 17th Senate District; Jacob Dawson (L), Bill Horne (D) and Cliff Rosenberger (R), who are running in Ohio’s 86th House District; and Gary Heaton (D) and Jeremy Shaffer (R), who are running for Highland County commissioner.
As of this writing, the AAUW has confirmations from five of the nine candidates. Rep. Turner sends his regrets that he will be unable to attend, and there’s been no response from Mr. Roberts, Rep. Daniels or Mr. Fallon.
Let’s hope they can make it.
For those who can’t make the event, it will be broadcast live on WVNU-FM, 97.5 MHz. The station’s general manager, Pat Hays, will serve as the moderator.
For what this free advice is worth, do yourself a favor and listen — with an open mind — to what the candidates have to say on Oct. 11. The AAUW does the community a great service with this annual pre-election forum. The very least voters can do is devote one evening to a little personal enlightenment.
***
As most of you know, a capital murder trial is under way in Highland County Common Pleas Court. A jury was selected this week to hear the case of Wesley Coonrod, 42, of Greenfield, who is facing two counts of aggravated murder, with specifications they are capital (death penalty) cases.
Prior to the March 7 fire on Lafayette Street that claimed the lives of his two sons, many of us had never heard of Wesley Coonrod.
It would seem to me that there’s a necessity, if you will, or a requirement of sorts, that when society considers sentencing a person to death, a little more is known about the defendant. In the case of Wesley Coonrod, it doesn’t appear that a lot is widely known.
The death penalty is reserved for the most heinous of all murder cases. Opinions vary on its success as a deterrent. One thing is certain, though, no one executed for capital murder ever became a repeat offender.
According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, “capital punishment has been a part of Ohio’s justice system since early in the state’s history. From 1803-85, executions were carried out by public hanging in the county where the crime was committed. In 1885, the Legislature enacted a law that required executions to be carried out at the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus. In 1897, the electric chair, considered to be a more technologically advanced and humane form of execution, replaced the gallows.
“In 1972, the United States Supreme Court declared the death penalty to be unconstitutional. After drafting a new law to reflect the strict criteria for the imposition of the death sentence, Ohio lawmakers enacted the current capital punishment statute, which took effect Oct. 19, 1981.”
Then, in 1993, a bill giving convicted killers the option to choose between death by electrocution or lethal injection was passed and signed into law by former Gov. George Voinovich. To date, Ohio has executed a total of 383 convicted murderers.
There is a tremendous responsibility on everyone involved in a capital murder case. From the sitting judge, to the counsel for the prosecution and defense, to the jurors who must be “death qualified,” that is, able to consider sentencing options prior to the trial.
Many of those opposed to the death penalty claim that seating a “death qualified” jury is akin to seating a “conviction prone” jury.
Achieving constitutional goals of justice and fairness in any trial is a serious matter. In a capital murder case, it is even more so.
As defense attorney Jerry McHenry said in Highland County Common Pleas Court this week, “This is the death penalty. This is life or death for Wes Coonrod.”
It simply doesn’t get any more serious than that. Which is why we should know a little more about Mr. Coonrod prior to the events of early March.
Surely, in the course of this trial, we will come to form an educated opinion on Mr. Coonrod and his guilt or innocence.
A society owes this not only to the defendant, but to its own peace of mind.
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.
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