Delivering for Women Sociation of Professional Firefighters, Are Spokes- No New Revenue to Slow the Growth of the Debt Men for the Protect Ohio’S Protectors Coalition
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Wednesday, August 3, 2011 The Plain Dealer Breaking news: cleveland.com A7 LETTERS OPINION SB 5 ballot language must be clear and fair Terrance C.Z. Egger Debra Adams Simmons Elizabeth Sullivan Robert M. Long hio Secretary of State Jon Husted and the President and Publisher Editorial Page Editor Executive Vice President Editor Ohio Ballot Board will meet today to de- O termine two important issues pertaining to Senate Bill 5, the unfair attack on employee rights and worker safety. First, they must decide whether voter approval of SB 5 will be a “yes” or “no” question on the No- EDITORIALS vember ballot. We believe the answer to this question is clear. Article 2, Section 1c of the Ohio Constitution provides that where a referendum Debt agreement petition has been filed on a law passed by the General Assembly, the law shall not take effect until and unless approved by a majority of the is a reprieve, voters. Voters do not approve something by vot- ing “no.” It’s that simple. Second, the Ballot Board will finalize ballot not a solution language on the question. We believe that this language should be clear, fair and representative inally, after weeks of fitful negotiations of what SB 5 does, and should not be subject to and brinkmanship that damaged the political trickery in an attempt to thwart the F reputations of all involved, the House of power of the people. More than 1.3 million Ohi- Representatives on Monday evening and the oans signed the petition to exercise their right to a citizen’s veto. They should not be subjected to Senate a bit past noon Tuesday took the only tricks when they go to the polls on Nov. 8. responsible path and agreed to raise the statu- When Secretary Husted ran for office, he ran tory federal debt ceiling. At the very least, Con- on a platform of fairness. We believe that he has gress has made it possible for the federal gov- upheld his promise. We call on him to continue ernment to meet all of its bills and other to do so by following the Ohio Constitution and long-standing legal precedent and not to suc- financial obligations beginning today — and cumb to political pressure from political insid- presumably through the end of next year. ers. We believe he will do the right thing. But the legislative vehicle for preserving the Contact Jeff Darcy at: [email protected], 216-999-4445 View his cartoons on the Web at cleveland.com/darcy reputation and creditworthiness of the United Jay McDonald and Mark Sanders States of America — presuming investors aren’t Columbus already too appalled by the spectacle of Wash- McDonald, president of the Ohio Fraternal Order ington in knots — appears to satisfy almost no of Police, and Sanders, president of the Ohio As- one. Many Democrats are upset that it includes Delivering for women sociation of Professional Firefighters, are spokes- no new revenue to slow the growth of the debt men for the Protect Ohio’s Protectors Coalition. and the annual deficits that feed it. Many Re- pparently, the the heart of the hood, which Republicans in publicans wanted steeper, more certain cuts or federal debt problem the House of Representatives This deal does nothing an amendment to the Constitution to require a A ceiling crisis “I always get frus- recently tried to defund. has eclipsed big trated with discus- Which brings me to Sebe- balanced budget. news for America’s sions of cost, as if lius’ other salient point during o, the deficit-reduction bill has passed, the But if compromises are rarely popular, they women. there is no cost to our interview. president has signed it and all will be right are often necessary in divided government. So Let’s remedy that, doing nothing,” “It wasn’t that long ago S with the world. All except for one little de- cheers to those lawmakers — including Sens. please. Connie HHS Secretary Kath- when there was the huge de- tail: We will continue to run astronomical defi- Schultz Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman and Rep. On Monday, the leen Sebelius said in bate in the House and Senate cits as far as the eye can see. Obama administra- an interview Tues- floors — in the mid-70s and Steve LaTourette — who put the country’s im- The American people are being lied to by the tion announced that day. early ’80s — about including president, the leadership of both the House and mediate needs first and voted for this imper- insurance companies will “What happens if we con- women in health studies,” she the Senate and by most of the media. While pro- fect deal. have to provide birth control tinue with the number of un- said. “They were using men to claiming $2.1 trillion in deficit reduction, it is all In fact, it may take years to assess this deal’s services to women with no co- intended pregnancies? What study breast cancer. We’re smoke and mirrors. impact. As of now, the first increase in the debt pay. The new rules also elimi- happens to adolescent health still making up for lost time.” The only thing being reduced is the rate at nate the co-pay for other pre- for kids who get pregnant too Indeed. ceiling under the plan is accompanied by which future deficits grow. Our government will ventive health measures, such soon, and [then live] in pov- Finally, there is the radical continue to run huge deficits every year for the roughly $1 trillion in spending reductions over as prenatal care, counseling erty? What happens when right, which opposes birth- next 10 years. the next 10 years. But other than relatively and equipment for breast- women don’t get domestic vi- control coverage for all While the flames of our monstrous debt burn small cutbacks in the final months of this fiscal feeding, and screenings to de- olence counseling and stay women because it violates the our children’s futures, our nation’s leaders fiddle year and in fiscal 2012, most of the reductions tect HIV, gestational diabetes with their children in abusive religious practices of the few. around with meaningless bills that do nothing to in pregnant women or signs of situations? Those things add Emphasis on practices , not will occur in what Washington insiders call the resolve our problems. This bill grants the presi- domestic violence. up.” beliefs. Even among Catholic dent the authority to spend trillions more, delay- “out years.” This long overdue improve- Indeed, they do. Take preg- women, there is a wide gap ing meaningful reform once again. Mostly, that’s good: With the economy still ment in the lives of women’s nancy, for example. between church teachings weak, a sudden reduction in federal spending reproductive health is On average, women pay up against birth control and Bruce Drotleff could be disastrous. Recessions inevitably feed brought to you by the Patient to $50 a month for birth con- what goes on in the privacy of Parma Protection and Affordable trol pills, which is the most their own lives. deficits because revenues go down and ex- Care Act, sometimes called popular form of contracep- As the Guttmacher Institute Republicans have an unlikely ally penses to aid unemployed Americans go up. A “Obamacare” by those hoping tion. That’s $600 a year. reports, almost all sexually ac- hy are the Republicans concerned about strong recovery would be the best short-term you won’t notice that health Compare that total to HHS’ tive women in the United electing a viable candidate for the presi- solution to the red ink most Republicans decry. care reform was a good thing. estimated cost of an uncom- States have used a contracep- W dency? They already have a person who But in the long run, America still has to get The U.S. Department of plicated pregnancy and child- tive method other than natu- supports their agenda. He currently resides in Health and Human Services birth: $7,600. ral family planning at some the White House. its spending under control, and this compro- proposed the new rules in re- Even a math-challenged point. mise won’t do it. As well-intentioned as the sponse to recommendations journalist like me can calcu- Sixty-nine percent of them Kenneth Klocek White House and congressional leaders who by the nonpartisan Institute late the bare-minimum sav- report using a “highly effec- Parma cut this deal might be, some or all of them may of Medicine. The require- ings of avoiding an unplanned tive” method, such as the pill, The president punked out be gone in January 2013, and their successors ments kick in for insurance pregnancy: about $7,000. Of sterilization or the IUD. This plans that start on or after course, that’s just the starting includes 68 percent of Catho- fter observing President Barack Obama’s can amend those future spending targets. That Aug. 1, 2012. point when it comes to the lic women, 73 percent of negotiating skills with the GOP during the includes additional cuts that may be suggested There is an exemption for costs of raising a child, as any mainline Protestants and 74 A debt controversy, I am thankful that he by the 12-member “super committee” this leg- religious employers, but it is parent knows. percent of evangelical Chris- was not our president during the Cold War islation creates — or that would be imposed, if narrow. Churches and paro- Consider these two other tians. years. If so, today we would all be speaking Rus- the committee cannot agree on another $1.2 chial schools may refuse the well-documented statistics: These figures illustrate an sian.