Critics are so predictable, and hypocritical, too

Critics are so predictable, and hypocritical, too

EDITOR:

There are several things in life that we can predict will occur every year. The swallows returning to Capistrano, the buzzards flying into nearby Hinckley, Punxsutawney Phil possibly predicting the winter weather and letter writers to the Vindicator blaming the economic problems of the Mahoning Valley on the fact a majority of voters are Democrats. They always slyly imply that the electorate are rubes, while they on the other hand have the intellectual prowess of a Ph.D.

Of course they have the right to espouse this theory, but there never are any facts presented to prove it. It’s also odd that they never put Columbiana County into the equation. Columbiana shares many of the same problems with joblessness and economic issues as Mahoning and Trumbull counties. Columbiana County also has a history of continually electing Republicans, but the critics never see this as an issue. The good citizens of Columbiana are not lambasted for voting the same way with a different political party as Mahoning and Trumbull voters. I wonder why that is? The letter writers also neglect to mention that the supposedly dumb Valley voters keep re-electing respected Republican jurists such as Judges Krichbaum and Dellick. I never recall hearing a peep from the critics about that, yet we are labeled imbeciles for re-electing Congressman Tim Ryan. Why is that?

Finally there are many places in the United States where one political party rules. You have as much of a chance of finding a Democrat in some areas of South Carolina, Indiana, Oklahoma or Utah as you have of seeing Browns and Steeler fans hugging after a game. So using the theory those critics of the Valley political affiliations employ, I’m assuming that they would blame any problems in those Republican states on the fact they are GOP dominated. I never hear the naysayers explaining why they don’t. It’s only the Mahoning Valley voters that their theory applies to.

Holding our elected officials accountable is both terrific, necessary and keeps our democracy strong, but trying to convince our citizenry the myriad of problems we face are the result of continually voting for one political party when you don’t apply the same theory across the board isn’t just wrong, it’s hypocritical.

TIM O’HARA

Austintown

Turn out the lights

EDITOR:

As a taxpayer of the North Jackson, Lake Milton school district, I want to ask why the parking lot and outside lights at the new school are left on after school hours. Weekends, too.

I would think a few lights for security would be sufficient.

My taxes and many others in this community are involved. Can’t we cut some of this electricity usage down?

ARTHUR FIGINSKY

North Jackson