Editorial
It’s not the New York Times this time. Although it is another pile of Pentagon papers. Now it’s the Washington Post in an eerie déjà vu moment telling us we were lied to about a war by three presidential administrations: George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Last time it was four – Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon.
After more than 18 years the Taliban’s in control – or contesting U.S. forces for control – of Afghanistan. The longest running war in U.S. history has cost $1.5 trillion, but that’s only a part of the price tag. Just like President Johnson refused to raise taxes for the Vietnam War, the U.S. will pay $600 billion in interest on borrowed war dollars by 2023.
But the longest long-term cost of the war is the $1.4 trillion that will be spent on Afghanistan war vets by the year 2025.
Of course, the U.S. military budget doesn’t include veteran’s benefits as a category. Rather veteran’s support is shifted to Health and Human Services to minimize the actual cost of the U.S. war machine.
The Columbus Cabal
We should rename the Columbus City Council to the Columbus Cabal. Webster’s defines "cabal" as "the contrived schemes of a group of persons secretly united in a plot. A secret clique or faction." The Columbus Cabal would be closer to truth in advertising: think about the tax abatements for the rich, a free new stadium for a second-rate soccer team and an appointment system that reeks of cronyism and toadism.
Not a REAL Civilian Police Review Board
The Acting Chief Cop Tom Quinlan let it be known at his audition at East High last week that he favors installing a Civilian Police Review Board. As a matter of fact, he said he contacted City Hall people to come up with names of people who could serve. Its laughable that he wants more toadies foisted upon the public from the City Cabal and the Mayor's Office. Nothing surprising here as it has been the MO of City Hall to usurp a public idea and rig it so they don't lose control over it. By the way, the D behind the names of the incumbents running last month stands for "Developer-owned and operated."
Yes We Can is to be congratulated for taking on the Franklin County Democratic Party machine again, though the Party machine under the control of Boss Ginther and his sidekick Shannon Hardin, fight any new voices and ideas with all their might. Yes We Can exists because the Republican Party has clearly given up contesting elections in Ohio’s capital city. Or maybe they determined they don’t need to oppose the Franklin County Dems, whose Republican-lite policies are so pro-elite and the “unelected, but appointed” Columbus City Council members are all owned and operated by wealthy developers. Next mayoral election, Yes We Can should run a mayoral candidate to oppose the anointed one and bring out some new voters.
Plenty of new ideas are needed locally as the city has 22 percent of African American families living in poverty, Ohio is one of the top five states in human trafficking cases, and the state is ranked third in the nation for reports of hate crimes.
Yes We Can is to be congratulated for taking on the Franklin County Democratic Party machine again, though the Party machine under the control of Boss Ginther and his sidekick Shannon Hardin, fight any new voices and ideas with all their might. Yes We Can exists because the Republican Party has clearly given up contesting elections in Ohio’s capital city. Or maybe they determined they don’t need to oppose the Franklin County Dems, whose Republican-lite policies are so pro-elite and the “unelected, but appointed” Columbus City Council members are all owned and operated by wealthy developers. Next mayoral election, Yes We Can should run a mayoral candidate to oppose the anointed one and bring out some new voters.
Plenty of new ideas are needed locally as the city has 22 percent of African American families living in poverty, Ohio is one of the top five states in human trafficking cases, and the state is ranked third in the nation for reports of hate crimes.
Democratic institutions are in danger
Today there is a deep split in public opinion in the United States. Democratic institutions are in danger from racism and neo-fascism. Progressives are fighting to save the values and institutions on which their country was founded. They are fighting to save America's soul.
Racism, discrimination and xenophobia
Progressives today would like to eliminate all forms of discrimination, whether based on race, religion, ethnicity, or gender. They are opposed by white nationalist groups, especially in rural areas and among white industrial workers and evangelicals, who fear that their own groups will soon be outnumbered by those who differ from them in ethnicity, race or religion.
In light of TransOhio’s recent decision to sever all ties with Stonewall Columbus (SWC), I would like to add a few comments.
And while I was not part of SWC’s executive leadership or a member of their Board... I was obviously close enough to that organization to see very intimately all of the events that happened before and after Pride 2017 and the brutal mistreatment of the Black Pride 4 AND the lack of a meaningful, apologetic response that still, after 2 years, was the impetus for TransOhio’s departure from a relationship with SWC. And kudos to them. It’s about time. And other Columbus LGBTQ organizations should gather up their courage and follow suit and cut off ties with SWC.
There is a very simple reason that SWC has become irrelevant and part of the problem instead of a solution to the intolerable treatment of our trans community and particularly our transPOC community...
Pride. Not the celebration. But the state of being enamored by one’s own opinion of the self/itself. “pride” lowercase.
Free Press honors community activists
It's Free Press community awards time -- where the newspaper has the privilege of rewarding real grassroots activists with plaques and praises. All are invited to join us on Monday night, November 4 at Ace of Cups, 2519 North High Street, for a night of free food, local music and celebration. Our longtime supporter Donna Mogavero will be heading things around 8pm. See page 15 for details.
Dancing, punching cop
So, Officer Johnson -- the dancing cop -- was exonerated by other cops, many who couldn't dance. Local media like TV4 is infatuated with Johnson. He and his fellow cops still need to explain why they showed up two hours late at the wrong house on a call about shots fired. And why, while holding a shotgun, did Officer Johnson punch Jonathan Robinson, the innocent father of kids who were present, and then falsely arrest him. Fellow police officers not only know of Johnson's propensity for dancing, but also for a level four use of violence by punching citizens (he's done it before).
Let the people judge
Politicians are copy cats.
Today they are aping President Donald Trump by ignoring the will of the people and taking vengeance on their enemies.
Look no further than Liberty Township in southern Delaware County where trustee Melanie Leneghan exemplifies Trumpian behavior run amok.
You may recall my February column in the Columbus Free Press headlined "Government At Its Worst. GOP Gives Black Eye to Powell, Liberty Twp."
I described how Leneghan and a second trustee were joining with two Delaware County commissioners, all four of whom are Republicans, in an attempt to remove emergency medical services from the Liberty Township Fire Department and transfer them to the Delaware County operation.
This ran counter to the will of the people as 75 percent of voters supported a fire and EMS tax levy in 2017. Hundreds of people showed up at trustee meetings to protest.
After much anguish, one of the two commissioners, Gary Merrell, relented and the plan was suspended.
Good timing. The New York Times just published an op-ed called “Why Republicans Play Dirty.” Lately, the better adjective would be “filthy” if you think of Trump holding up military money to the Ukraine while trying to get the Ukrainians to do a black bag surveillance job on Joe Biden and his son. Or, the ritualistic – like the running of the bulls in Spain – stripping of Ohio’s voter rolls.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose trampled democracy in Ohio when he removed 235,000 of the state’s voters from voting rolls for not voting in two previous federal elections. Back in January this year he purged 250,000 voters. Sadly, the Free Press previously reported LaRose had promised not to purge.