Yes, there are three choices

Yes, there are three choices

We are in another presi- dential election. We have three choices for president. The first one is to re-elect Barack Obama and hope that the next four years are better than the first four. Remember, this is the man and political party that determined that the health care in this country should be run by the people that manage the Post Office and Fanny Mae. There is a name for us if we vote for the same man twice and expect a different result the second time around ... and, it’s not a nice name.

The other candidates are Mitt Romney and Gary Johnson, a Republican and a Libertarian. For the staunch Democrats, Mitt Romney is an agreeable choice because he still believes that government should solve our problems. This is in line with the Democratic Party. Mitt does believe in a strong military that will intervene around the world causing havoc and ruining American prestige. The military policy is one that needs restrained.

Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate is by far the most reasonable candidate. He does not believe that the government can or should solve your problems. He believes that you are the best person for running your own life and solving your own problems. You do not need government interference or expense. You should be allowed to keep your own money to spend as you see fit. He believes that the only borders that should concern us, are our own borders, and that the only real duty of government in our own country is to provide a fair and impartial justice system so that everyone can enjoy freedom in their everyday lives. Government will be, by necessity, small and will require a very little tax to maintain it.

These are our presidential choices. Let’s all get out and vote for the best one.

Donald Butler, Warren

Third judge is important to city

My decision regard- ing the Youngstown Municipal Court is not idiotic or driven by greed or self-preservation.

In the city of Youngstown we have too many youths going the wrong direction. We felt the need to try something different.

During my husband Artis’ term in office, a town in Texas started a program similar to CEASEFIRE that reduced their crime and was successful. The city of Youngstown has finally embarked on a program called CIRV (Community Initiative to Reduce Violence).

Would you rather spend dollars on a judgeship to help turn crime around or millions in the prison system?

We have specialty courts (veterans, housing and drug court); I would like to keep these courts in place. Judge Douglas’ seat should be filled until the end of his term. This will give the court consolidation study time to be completed, and all affected communities in Mahoning County should be involved in the process so that it is fair.

Is there a reason why a certain Vindicator columnist won’t give the council people a call, to see why we supported the resolution, whether he agrees with our decision or not?

I also wanted to write about charter review and council pay, but I’ll save that for another day.

Annie Gillam, Youngstown

The writer is the city’s First Ward councilwoman.

A bit more charter chatter

And, the Charter chatter continues.

I believe this to be a good thing, but only if the information printed is accurate.

Councilman Swierz, who it seems has been there forever, should by this time know what he is talking about, but he doesn’t. A “referendum” is what is used to stop an ordinance or measure from taking effect within the 30-day timeframe allotted. In other words, it is used to block something from becoming law in the first place.

It is only a “charter amendment” which requires 10 percent or 1,793 signatures, based on the number who voted in the last gubernatorial election.

However, in contrast, an “initiative petition” requiring, under the Charter, the signatures of 3 percent of those who voted in the last governor’s election may be used to either repeal standing ordinances or introduce new ones, including such ordinances which established every section of the Charter. The number would be 538 valid signatures.

One is left wondering if this oversight is lack of knowledge of the laws of the city that they represent or an intentional attempt to have the electorate believe the task is insurmountable. I find either scenario disconcerting.

Wake up people — it is your city.

Maggy Lorenzi, Youngstown

GM doesn’t need a friend like Mitt

Mark Munroe, the chair man of the Mahoning Republican Party must have some sleepless nights. Not only does he have to deal with his two candidates, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, flip flopping more than a fish out of water on every major issue but in a letter last Sunday, Mr. Monroe tried to convince the Valley that Romney is a great friend of the auto industry.

Mr. Monroe wrote that the famous “Let Detroit go bankrupt” headline on a Romney column in 2008 shouldn’t be held against him because a newspaper editor wrote it. That may be the case but there is video of Romney agreeing with the headline and saying that is what he meant, so who wrote it, is a moot point. Mr Monroe should know better. We lived through the auto crisis. We were down to one shift and had thousands laid off in Lordstown. We know exactly what folks such as Romney, Sen. Richard Shelby, Sen. Bob Corker and the majority of their peers wanted in 2009. They wanted GM to go through a bankruptcy where the union was abolished, wages were drastically slashed and the pensions of the retirees were turned over to the government. Thankfully that didn’t happen and the women and men working in the plants know exactly which presidential candidate had their backs in 2009.

It`s laughable that when Chris Christie visited Lordstown Park, a few miles from the GM plant that is working three shifts, five days a week building the best-selling vehicle in the country, he couldn’t admit that the loans to GM and Chrysler which saved not only this Valley but a million jobs nationwide was the right thing to do. I have breaking news for Mr. Monroe and his candidates and their surrogates. It worked. End of story.

Tim O’Hara, Austintown

The writer is vice president of UAW Local 1112 at Lordstown.

Benghazi response was a disgrace

It is not my custom to engage in personal invective concerning politics. It is seldom fruitful, and never persuasive. I especially avoid challenging people’s honesty. Experience has taught me to set a fairly low standard for politicians in that regard. Thus, I am not overly troubled by the quotidian exaggerations, minimizations, strained interpretation, selective memory, “evolving” stances, insincere endorsements, etc. that characterize political life in a democracy.

But now I feel as if a man has spit in my face and is trying to tell me that it’s raining.

From the first moment of the assault on the United States consulate in Benghazi, it was clear to the people there that it was a planned attack, not preceded by any popular demonstration. Likewise, the State Department in Washington was watching the events unfold in real time via video feed. There was never any indication that the attack was associated with a demonstration, or in response to a video clip on YouTube. It is inconceivable that intelligence agents would report anything but those facts to their bosses. In fact, intelligence agents are on record specifically denying doing so.

Yet for over a week, high government officials shamelessly lied to the American people about this jihadist attack on the United States. The same lie was peddled by Secretary of State Clinton, UN Ambassador Rice, Vice President Biden, and President Obama. These high officials have violated the trust of the American people. They have disgraced themselves. People with a sense of honor resign their office in such circumstances.

Eric Chevlen, MD, Liberty Township