Obama in Moscow How to improve relations with Russia? Give up the ways of the Cold War On the eve of his visit to Moscow, President Obama described Vladimir Putin, the former Russian president and now prime minister, as having ''one foot in the old ways of doing business.'' The comment amounted to an awkward expression of what the White House hopes to achieve in ''resetting'' the relationship with Russia, engaging the country in a way that fixes its attention west. Once on the scene, Obama threw compliments at Putin, considered by most observers the paramount power in Russia. Still, the question remains: What can be done to bring Putin and others into a new way? ( 07/10/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Michael Jackson What will endure? 'Thriller' The hint was there, 750,000 tickets sold within hours, fans racing to be part of the 50 concerts in London, Michael Jackson returning to the stage after a long absence. Practically everyone grasped that Mr. Jackson was a global brand, a virtually unparalleled pop star. Count us among those still surprised by the avalanche of media coverage in the wake of his death at age 50. ( 07/10/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Urban advantage A task force seeks to bring focus to sprawling state tax incentives The ''greenfield'' option, sometimes referred to as the ''cornfield'' alternative, the lure of open land, fuels new development in affluent suburbs. Among the forces contributing to costly suburban sprawl are state tax incentives, inducements originally intended to spur redevelopment in distressed urban areas. Refocusing and simplifying the state incentives are now the important goals of a new Ohio Cities Task Force. ( 07/10/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
After the coup Honduras struggles to regain its constitutional integrity Hondurans have enough problems with a weak economy not to have political strife added to their burdens. Honduras has edged uncomfortably close to destabilizing political conflict in the past couple of weeks. On June 28, the Honduras military bundled Manuel Zelaya, president of the Central American nation, into exile in his pajamas and turned over the government to the president of Congress. ( 07/09/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Still stuck in their slots Republicans have exposed weaknesses in the governor's position, and he, in turn, has identified shortcomings in their plan Ted Strickland talked about a ''starting point'' when he unveiled his budget ''framework'' almost three weeks ago. The governor proposed using revenue from electronic slot machines, or video lottery terminals, deployed at seven horse racetracks to help close a $3.2 billion budget shortfall. On Tuesday, Bill Harris, the Senate president, finally countered with a Republican alternative, arguing that if the governor wants electronic slots, the proposal should be packaged as a constitutional amendment and approved by voters. Harris added that the amendment should include competitive bidding for operations at seven unspecified locations. ( 07/09/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Robert McNamara Failing to apply early lessons of the Kennedy years Robert McNamara spent the past four decades haunted by his role in the Vietnam War, the whiz kid from Ford, the brilliant systems analyst, who marched with supreme confidence into a quagmire. In recent days, the toll often has been cited, 16,000 Americans dead during his time as defense secretary, 58,000 in all, as the many obituaries have recorded his death on Monday at age 93. ( 07/09/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Blackwellian echo Ted Strickland won't raise taxes, no matter the disadvantaged or the evidence about a fair and effective response to the recession Ted Strickland spent much of his Monday press conference thrashing Senate Republicans. The governor dismissed the concept of a statewide ballot issue on electronic slot machines, or video lottery terminals, plus a one-year education budget as ''utterly and totally unacceptable.'' Still, he did address an area of agreement with Republicans. He jabbed those who favor a role for tax increases in closing the $3.2 billion hole in the state budget. ( 07/08/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Investment options A new local initiative reinforces the value of money and talent from abroad Cities and regions that hope to be successful in a global economy increasingly must look far and wide to attract investors who have sufficient capacity to be productive partners. That Akron and Summit County officials fully understand the new demands for economic growth and development is evident in the joint effort the city and county are making to draw foreign investors who can help finance the $900 million Goodyear development project in East Akron. ( 07/08/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Odoreating at Countywide Three public agencies have worked together to combat a foul landfill What to do with a 258-acre landfill that has caught fire, often blanketing parts of southern Stark and northern Tuscarawas counties with foul odors, presenting regulators with a difficult challenge for more than three years? The Countywide Recycling & Disposal Facility in Stark County's Pike Township ran into an unusual problem after it accepted aluminum waste. When buried and mixed with liquids, the stuff caught fire, creating strong smells and threatening groundwater. ( 07/08/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Linda Kersker Of personal warmth, professional success and public leadership Those people who knew Linda Kersker well, or just in passing, recognized quickly just how smart she was. She could argue both sides of an issue, and sides within sides of issues. On occasion, that could be exasperating. Mostly, you came away charmed — by her curiosity and her wonder, her compassion and that intelligence. ( 07/07/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Reasons to disbelieve OK, Senate Republicans have yet to propose a balanced budget. They have raised sound questions about the governor's slots plan At a Monday morning press conference, Ted Strickland hurled harsh words at Republicans in charge of the Ohio Senate. He cited the ''deafening silence'' of recent days, the Republican majority yet to produce its own plan for balancing the two-year state budget. The governor deployed the phrase ''blatant political gimmick'' to describe the hurried Senate hearings last week on his proposal to put 17,500 electronic slot machines, or video lottery terminals, at seven horse racetracks. He labeled the Republican performance ''disgusting,'' suggesting the caucus had been ''hijacked'' by an opportunistic few. ( 07/07/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Triangulating at Highland Square The prospects for a grocery store brighten Early this year, city leaders and Albrecht Inc. appeared ready to head into court over a new grocery store for Highland Square. The company, development arm of the local grocery chain, wanted to move on, to try other ideas for the triangular, city-owned parcel at West Market Street and Portage Path. Don Plusquellic, meanwhile, prepared to argue that Albrecht wasn't living up to a development agreement that called for ''best efforts'' to attract a store operator. The Akron mayor threatened to take control of the site, denying Albrecht a valuable ground lease and eventual ownership. ( 07/07/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Dual proposition The president wants to expand health coverage. Now how will the country also control costs? Acompelling argument to overhaul the nation's health-care system has been made many times over the years. In President Obama's view, the rising cost of the system ''is the biggest threat to our nation's balance sheet.'' Besides, he points out, for all the expense, health outcomes for Americans are no better than for people in countries that spend much less of their national treasure on health care. ( 07/06/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Slow to recover Many analysts, and the rest of us, have been noting the ''green shoots,'' such as the slowing decline in manufacturing and car sales falling less steeply. Is a recovery near? On Friday, the unemployment number amounted to a bracing slap. ( 07/06/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Missing in Portage County A lack of oversight invited loose spending of federal job-training money With billions of dollars in federal funds flowing through state and local agencies, an iron rule is to keep close track of where the money goes, to be sure it reaches the right people for the intended purposes. In that light, a report issued last week by the state auditor's office, concerning the use of Workforce Investment Act funds by Portage County and the Geauga Ashtabula Portage Partnership, Inc., serves as a sharp call to order for those who administer and oversee the federal program. ( 07/05/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Get competitive, Northeast Ohio Want to improve local government? Then visit EfficientGovNow.org An Ohio struggling economically, lagging far behind the national average in job growth, its personal income level in relative decline, must find a way to revamp its system of local government. Regions are overwhelmed by taxing districts, boards and commissions, townships and school systems. Streamline the operations, and Ohioans will reap resources to invest in the economy, plus develop a public sector more responsive to the needs of business. ( 07/05/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Ready for examination At the Statehouse, they emphasize spending cuts. Why, then, the reluctance to look closely at 'tax expenditures'? Among the most disappointing aspects of the budget process at the Statehouse the past five months (devolving into competing hearings last week) has been the lack of imagination on the part of the governor and lawmakers. A state facing in the next biennium a $3.2 billion shortfall, plus a halting recovery from a nasty recession, should be looking at every possible option in crafting a balance of spending reductions and tax increases. ( 07/05/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Invitation to a sale Cash for clunkers arrives soon at a car dealer near you When word arrived from Germany that car sales there increased almost 40 percent from a year ago, the reaction on Capitol Hill and elsewhere in this country went: How did they do that? Germany conducted a cash-for-clunkers program, offering subsidies to entice car owners to get rid of their old vehicles and trade up for new ones. U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton moved quickly to take the lead in devising an American version, the Copley Township Democrat keenly aware of the deep troubles afflicting the auto industry. ( 07/03/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Unbalanced Republicans The party's own considerable role in creating the state budget mess Ted Strickland has experienced one of those stretches when even the dog growls at your presence. The governor has been pummeled for reversing course on electronic slot machines. (He once found little value in them. Now he argues they are necessary to balance the state budget.) He appears willing (along with Armond Budish, the House speaker) to sacrifice traditional Democratic concerns for the needy and vulnerable on the altar of re-election. He pledged to repair school funding, and arrived at an innovative, evidence-based plan. Yet now he has asked Ohioans to wait 10 years. ( 07/03/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Stimulating strategy The Akron Public Schools have arrived at an intriguing and promising use of one-time federal money Arevision in May of the five-year budget forecast for the Akron Public Schools showed dramatic reductions in the deficits projected for the 2010-11 and the 2011-12 school years. The deficit for the first year dropped to $10 million from $37 million, and for the second, to $49 million from $89 million. The district lowered the shortfalls through measures that include closing buildings, staff reductions and negotiating less expensive benefits with unions. ( 07/03/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Leadership in transition The importance of Curtis Walker still serving on the Akron school board The Rev. Curtis T. Walker has come to know Akron well the past 17 years as pastor of Wesley Temple AME Zion Church and as a member of the Akron Board of Education since 2000. ( 07/02/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Race at the fire station The Supreme Court neglects the broader pattern of discrimination in siding with white firefighters in New Haven, Conn. In April, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case brought by white firefighters in New Haven contending they were subjected to race discrimination when the city cast aside a promotional exam on which they scored well and black firefighters performed poorly. Justice David Souter captured well the dilemma facing the city when the results arrived five years ago. It was a ''damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.'' ( 07/02/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Senator Franken On Capitol Hill, a sense of humor helps In March, Sen. John Cornyn insisted that litigation in the disputed U.S. Senate election in Minnesota could take ''years'' to complete. The Texas Republican had in mind thwarting Al Franken's bid to unseat Norm Coleman. Thankfully, the resolution merely took seven months, not even the longest such tangle in the Senate's history. (The 1974 New Hampshire race reached its conclusion in 10 months.) ( 07/02/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Evil scheme Bernard Madoff gets 150 years. Now, what about federal regulators? In a statement at his sentencing Monday, Bernard L. Madoff made one irrefutable claim: ''Your Honor, I cannot offer you an excuse for my behavior.'' Indeed. What excuse can there be for a deception on the scale that Madoff perpetrated for two decades? He defrauded thousands of clients of their life savings in a Ponzi scheme the sentencing judge, Denny Chin, described as ''extraordinarily evil.'' The losses to investors are estimated as high as $65 billion, the full extent of Madoff's crimes still uncertain. ( 07/01/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Battered Ben Bernanke Some thanks for rescuing the economy On Thursday, Ben Bernanke received a hammering on Capitol Hill. Democratic and Republican members of the House Committee on Oversight and Governmental Reform showed little deference to the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. They dished outrage, leaped to interrupt and hurled accusations. Watching the performance, the thought came to mind: Too bad they weren't as skeptical and suspicious of Alan Greenspan. ( 07/01/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Point blink Ted Strickland and Bill Harris should agree to disagree, and then find a better way to raise money for the basics of state government Ted Strickland and Bill Harris have spent the past few days trying to get the other guy to blink. Now they have until Tuesday to test each other's political mettle. State lawmakers have approved a one-week interim state budget, funding programs at 70 percent of the 2009 level, the basic spending for public schools, higher education and Medicaid receiving exemptions, or protection. ( 07/01/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Climate for leadership Flawed though its legislation is, the U.S. House asserts a necessary American role in addressing global warming President Obama described the legislation as an ''extraordinary first step.'' Henry Waxman, the leading architect of the bill, called its passage in the House on Friday ''decisive and historic.'' The words fit, narrow though the vote was, 219-212, Betty Sutton and Tim Ryan joining the enlightened majority. Never before has a chamber of the Congress approved mandatory limits on emissions of greenhouse gases, the culprit in climate change. ( 06/30/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Stuck in their slots Bill Harris argues that Ted Strickland should act on his own to include slot machines at horse racetracks as part of the Ohio Lottery. The Senate president notes that the governor did as much in advancing keno. Strickland points to Harris and other Senate Republicans approving legislation in 2007 much like his request for legislative action. ( 06/30/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Prime number Republicans recently proved most eager to cite the projections of the Congressional Budget Office concerning the high cost of health-care reform. Shouldn't they, thus, be as enthusiastic about the budget office assessment of the House-approved plan to combat climate change? ( 06/29/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Forgotten war The mission in Iraq has reached a critical, if little noticed, juncture. Iraqis now must take the lead in building a nation A''green revolution'' in Iran. Defiance in North Korea. An escalation in Afghanistan, and uncertainty across the border in Pakistan. Events in Iraq no longer consume a large share of American public attention. Part of the reason is the success of the ''surge,'' the change in American tactics, ordered by George W. Bush, that arrested the descent into civil war. American casualties decreased dramatically, from 106 dead in October 2006 and 112 two months later to nine dead in March of this year. Iraqis have enjoyed a similar measure of relief. ( 06/29/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Team in a hurry The Cavaliers bet on a winning combination of Shaq and LeBron The Cleveland Cavaliers aren't in the mood for patience. The players, coaches and executives still feel the pain of losing in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, visions of Dwight Howard pounding the ball through the hoop throbbing in their heads. The Cavaliers want a championship now, and thus they have delivered an answer for Howard, and the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics, for that matter. They've acquired skill, power and presence in the post, in the form of Shaquille O'Neal. ( 06/28/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Reform what, precisely? How would the mayor's critics move the city forward? On Tuesday evening, the votes were quickly counted in Akron's mayoral recall election, Don Plusquellic not only surviving but clobbering the opposition group Change Akron Now. Some 75 percent of voters cast ballots against removing the mayor in the middle of his sixth term. ( 06/28/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Correcting injustice The state Senate has approved the upgrading of DNA testing. Now the House must act quickly to protect against grievous errors Under the rule of law, we expect the justice system to ensure that the guilty receive due punishment and that the innocent are not deprived of their freedom. But errors occur. Often enough, people are convicted and imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. In those instances, confidence in the system of justice hinges on a transparent and reliable process for correcting the errors. ( 06/28/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Fire on the river Forty years later, a much-improved Cuyahoga, and much work still to do June 22, 1969, was not the first time a heavily polluted Cuyahoga River caught fire in Cleveland. It turned out, though, to be the moment of embarrassment that riveted the nation's attention on the environmental price of neglecting waterways that have served as lifelines of industrial development. ( 06/26/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Statehouse endgame (part 2) A revealing tussle over the authority to bring slot machines to racetracks On Wednesday, Senate Republicans delivered the message: You want slot machines at horse racetracks, governor? Then, get the job done on your own — without legislative approval, just as you expanded the Ohio Lottery to include keno. ( 06/26/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Statehouse endgame Will Ohio ever gain effective control of Medicaid costs? Not if the nursing-home lobby continues to get its way Ohio's budget crisis keeps getting worse and worse. With the pols ruling a tax increase off the table, they plan deep cuts for social services, libraries and the like. Yet as the budget moves through the Statehouse, one interest group keeps doing better and better. It is the nursing-home lobby, one of the most powerful in the state. ( 06/26/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Resounding rejection Akron voters delivered a decisive no to the recall. Now Mayor Plusquellic can return full attention to the city's challenges From the outset, many Akron residents reacted to the proposed recall of Don Plusquellic with the question: Why is this necessary? The mayor won re-election in November 2007. He hasn't done anything since that would warrant tossing him out of office in the middle of a four-year term. On Tuesday, voters spoke decisively about the hollowness of the recall campaign, resoundingly rejecting the ballot measure by a margin of 75 percent to 25 percent. ( 06/25/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Endgame at the Statehouse The shortsighted strategy of slashing libraries for savings More than any institution in Ohio, public libraries can claim their primary purpose is to make lifelong learning possible for everyone — free and without restriction. For years, the state's public library system has ranked among the nation's best. That reputation is in jeopardy as the Statehouse desperately searches for ways to close a $3.2 billion budget shortfall, a June 30 deadline looming. ( 06/25/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Endgame at the Statehouse (part 2) Four House Democrats tell the truth about taxes and the budget gap On Tuesday, four House Democrats — Bob Hagan of Youngstown, Mike Foley of Cleveland, Ted Celeste of Grandview Heights and Dan Stewart of Columbus — stood up for fairness and common sense in balancing the next two-year state budget. They outlined a responsible course, mixing tax increases with spending cuts to achieve the task. ( 06/25/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
One big deficit Think $3.2 billion is a large shortfall? Wait two years, when the stimulus money and other one-time sums are spent As part of explaining his flip-flop on electronic slot machines at horse racetracks, Ted Strickland noted that ''as governor, I will have fewer dollars to operate state government than Ohio's governor had eight years ago.'' He is right. State revenues have plunged, peaking at $19.6 billion in 2006, projected to reach $15.9 billion next year. It was his way of saying the state needs the $765 million generated by slot machines the next two years to help plug a budget shortfall of $3.2 billion. ( 06/24/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Hurry to harvest State officials suddenly want a constitutional change for agribusiness Amending the Ohio Constitution is serious business, changes made by a statewide vote achieving a permanency not enjoyed by statutes or regulations. Rushing the process, as the legislature is prepared to do today with a proposed amendment on livestock farming, merely increases the chances of locking in details that would benefit from a fuller airing, with future modification tedious and expensive. In a state as big as Ohio, it can take millions of campaign dollars to give voters even a cursory understanding of a complex issue. ( 06/24/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Narrow escape A critical provision of the Voting Rights Act survives the Supreme Court Listen to the oral argument in April, and the fair conclusion was: The Supreme Court appeared ready to cast aside a core provision of the Voting Rights Act. On Monday, the court ruled in the case involving a Texas utility district seeking to ''bail out'' of Section 5, an aspect of the law requiring covered jurisdictions, mostly in the South, to get permission from the Justice Department or a federal court before they make changes to voting procedures. ( 06/24/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Out of balance (part 2) A desperate governor's shortsighted flip-flop on gambling With time running out, desperation over a $3.2 billion revenue gap in the next two fiscal years drove Ted Strickland to embrace what he and the state's voters have repeatedly rejected. On Friday, the governor abruptly reversed direction on expanding gambling, proposing that the legislature approve electronic slot machines for the seven racetracks in the state as part of the next budget, due next week. Details would be worked out in a House-Senate conference committee. ( 06/23/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Subtle diplomacy On Iran, the president resists the chance to grandstand Over the weekend, President Obama deployed more forceful words in response to the drama unfolding on the streets of Tehran. He reacted fittingly to the crackdown against demonstrators protesting the conduct and result of the recent presidential election. Obama called the Iranian government's escalation ''violent and unjust.'' He reminded that the world is watching. ( 06/23/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Out of balance Ted Strickland has proposed a 'framework' for the state budget that neglects priorities and asks too much of the disadvantaged Ted Strickland may be convinced that he showed the necessary courage in proposing an additional $2.43 billion in spending reductions to help close a projected $3.2 billion budget deficit. In unveiling the ''framework'' last week, the governor noted the ''hard choices'' in ''difficult circumstances.'' (The remainder of the budget gap would be covered through revenue generated by slot machines at horse racetracks. See the editorial below.) Unfortunately, as tough as the decisions are, they also are wrong-headed in many instances, Strickland asking too much of the needy and the working poor. ( 06/23/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Bold stroke It's no time for timidity when facing a multimillion-dollar budget gap. That's why John Schmidt, a Summit County Council member, wants to stop electing the sheriff and the fiscal officer, putting the positions under the county executive instead. ( 06/22/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Nuclear spring Want to combat climate change? Applaud a gathering in southern Ohio last week Sen. George Voinovich understands a hard truth about combating climate change. The Ohio Republican likes to say: ''We can't get there from here without nuclear.'' The ''there'' he has in mind is the goal set in promising legislation recently approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the country reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. ( 06/22/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Line up for Ohio Draw improved legislative districts, and the likelihood is, the state will get improved representation Arecently concluded contest to redraw Ohio's congressional districts didn't attract a flood of entrants. Then again, it didn't need to do so. The academic exercise easily managed to produce revealing evidence of the flaws in the current, highly partisan method. Of 11 plans scored under a set of objective measures aimed at fairness, all beat the district plan actually adopted by the state legislature after the last Census. In other words, almost anything is better that what the state has now. ( 06/21/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Appointment on Tuesday Turnout matters in the recall election. Make time to vote For most of us, weekends mean escaping from the office, the shop or wherever, and yet the thought surfaces occasionally on Saturday and Sunday: What's on the calendar next week? ( 06/21/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Scoring on Capitol Hill The Congressional Budget Office and the cost of health-care reform For all the talk about whether to include a ''public plan'' in legislation designed to repair the health-care system, the most telling factor for any proposal will be its cost. Senate Democrats got the message last week. They had planned to press forward with a drafting session in the Finance Committee. Then, the Congressional Budget Office delivered its calculation, or scoring, of two bills, one the work of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, the other in the hands of Finance. ( 06/21/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Far from bubbleproof The White House proposes modest changes for Wall Street On Thursday, Timothy Geithner appeared on Capitol Hill to pitch President Obama's plan to overhaul regulation of the financial system. The treasury secretary first urged lawmakers to act quickly, and then he encountered predictable, and understandable, resistance. The president wants to expand the authority of the Federal Reserve, the central bank serving as ''the system risk regulator.'' Democrats and Republicans wondered aloud: Isn't that already the job of the Fed? ( 06/19/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Overachieving in Euclid How one school district raised its high school graduation rate If you want to make a quick comparison among school districts or gauge how well a local school is performing, chances are one of the first things you will check is the graduation rate, not just for one or two years but over a period of time. The long view offers a better idea of the ''culture of education,'' reflecting everything from the quality of programs and educational support to what is expected of students. ( 06/19/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Seize the scandal Indictments have arrived in Cuyahoga County. How long before a charter government follows? The first major charges stemming from the long-running federal investigation into public corruption in Cuyahoga County reveal in stunning detail a pervasive rot reaching to the highest levels of county government. Filed last Friday in U.S. District Court in Cleveland, the documents clearly are intended as a signal that the probe is far from over. The four men nabbed are expected to cooperate, leading the way to bigger fish at the top of what appears to be a vast web of patronage, kickbacks and other abuses of the public trust. ( 06/19/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Dedication of a champion Lessons in excellence from Stevi Large and Jenna Compton Talk about rising to the occasion. Stevi Large of the University of Akron delivered her personal best in a preliminary round of the hammer throw at the NCAA Division I track and field championships last week. Then, in the finals, her throw traveled even farther, 223 feet, four inches, to seal her victory. Each throw was enough to capture the national championship, just the third title for an individual UA student in the school's history. ( 06/18/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Aligning the stars To achieve effective health-care reform, insurers must live with a 'public plan' or accept much tighter regulation President Obama believes the stars are aligned for an overhaul of the health-care system this year. So does everyone with an interest in health care. Absent, though, is anything approaching a consensus on how to accomplish the feat. ( 06/18/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Aligning the stars (part 2) Looking for a way to deal with medical errors minus a trip to court President Obama won applause this week when he told the annual conference of the American Medical Association that he would work with doctors to reduce their often unnecessary ''defensive medicine'' to avoid malpractice lawsuits. When he added that he opposed any limits on malpractice damage awards? A smattering of boos followed. ( 06/18/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Exit Ohio A new survey finds young people just aren't into the state In our highly advanced national economy, states vie with each other not only for jobs but also for workers with the talent and skill to drive local economies. The competition is keen to develop and retain a prepared and flexible work force. ( 06/17/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Voices of protest A disputed presidential election in Iran poses new obstacles and opportunities for a White House seeking engagement On Sunday, in an appearance on NBC's Meet the Press, Vice President Biden cited ''some real doubts'' about the election result in Iran. At the same time, he stressed that the Obama White House would push ahead with its policy of engagement in seeking to halt Iran's development of nuclear weapons and its support of terrorism. ''The decision has been made to talk,'' the vice president said. ( 06/17/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Steward of the park The outstanding work of John Debo It's a good thing that when John Debo steps down as the superintendent of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, he won't step far away. He wisely and effectively guided the park's growth and development for 21 years. Fortunately, in early August, Debo will begin work as the chief development officer for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association, a grass-roots organization in Boston Township that has provided support for the park, especially during times of slim federal funding. ( 06/17/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Inquiring minds John Kasich brings energy and enthusiasm to the top of the 2010 Republican ticket in Ohio. He also invites questions. He pledges that as governor he would push to phase out the state income tax. Whether performed gradually or instantly, the move would create a $17 billion hole in the two-year state budget, erasing one-third of state revenue. ( 06/15/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Ten championship seasons The achievement of Phil Jackson is about more than talented players The criticism often leveled at Phil Jackson, as he accumulated NBA championships in Chicago and Los Angeles, was that he had it relatively easy, coaching teams led by Michael Jordan and then Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Anybody could win with those guys, right? ( 06/16/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Evidence-based regulation Big tobacco now has a federal overseer Forty-five years after a surgeon general's report definitively linked smoking to cancer, the FDA will have the broad power it needs to oversee the powerful, $89 billion tobacco industry. ( 06/16/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Job for the governor How do you solve a severe budget shortfall? Spending cuts, tax increases and leadership from Ted Strickland Vernon Sykes believes the governor and lawmakers can close a $3.2 billion hole in the coming two-year state budget through spending cuts alone. The Akron Democrat is part of the conference committee seeking to bridge the many differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget. He is right in his assertion. Slash education and services for the disadvantaged, lay off additional state workers and otherwise pare back agencies and departments, and the state could make ends meet. ( 06/16/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Inquiring minds John Kasich brings energy and enthusiasm to the top of the 2010 Republican ticket in Ohio. He also invites questions. He pledges that as governor he would push to phase out the state income tax. Whether performed gradually or instantly, the move would create a $17 billion hole in the two-year state budget, erasing one-third of state revenue. ( 06/15/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Engineering change Russ Pry takes the lead in signaling the importance of more efficient and effective local government Turning the elected engineer's office into an appointed position under the Summit County executive isn't a new idea. It has been advanced before, most recently in 2001, only to be rejected by the voters. But the idea remains as sound as ever, the logic more compelling in economic times that have squeezed the county budget. Voters now need to grasp the efficiencies possible when duties scattered across the various parts of local government are brought together and given focus. Costs can go down while effectiveness increases. ( 06/15/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Reject the recall Consider the mayor's strong record, and the hollow case against him Warner Mendenhall had an opportunity years ago to play it straight. In 1994, he returned to the Akron City Council, and his colleagues assigned him to the influential Budget and Finance Committee. There, he could get to know the workings of city government, even lay a foundation for the ''change'' he promoted then and still does today. ( 06/14/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Reminder in a murder A sick attack at the Holocaust Museum The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum exists as a caution against complacence and forgetfulness. It exists as a reminder to be on guard against virulent racism, the raging, mindless hatred that engulfed Jews and others in Europe during World War II. On Wednesday afternoon, James von Brunn highlighted the abiding relevance of the memorial. ( 06/12/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Imbalance of power The Ohio Supreme Court delivers a hammer blow to cities in a ruling that rewrites the concept of home rule On Wednesday, the Ohio Supreme Court upset the balance of power in the state. The court upheld a 2006 state law that bars cities, large and small, from establishing rules requiring city employees to live within municipal boundaries. The 5-2 majority all but declared the decision an easy call, citing a provision of the Ohio constitution that states lawmakers may enact laws ''providing for the comfort, health, safety and general welfare of all employees.'' ( 06/12/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Bark, and no bite The Port Authority finds a partner in the Humane Society When Twinsburg Township trustees stopped making lease payments last year, the Summit County Port Authority faced the job of filling the 68,000-square-foot commercial building on Darrow Road that had been the township hall. ( 06/12/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Not much help at all Senate Republicans perform their own budgetary sleight-of-hand When the Ohio Senate approved its version of the state budget for the coming biennium, Voices for Ohio's Children and similar advocacy groups cheered the result. They applauded the Republican majority for choosing, in an extremely tight budget, to protect the state's most vulnerable children and their families. ( 06/11/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Trust in dialogue Toward better relations among City Hall, neighborhoods and the police It is no secret to Akron residents that relations between the city's police department and City Hall are strained and have been for a while. The same goes in minority neighborhoods, where complaints abound about unfair police treatment and the department's inadequate response. ( 06/11/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Counsel for the poor If prosecutors must show more discretion in death penalty cases, county judges must embrace an improved public defender's office Summit County stands in a long line of local and state governments struggling with the cost of administering the death penalty. The expense builds long before a defendant arrives at death row, let alone the day of execution. Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer sounded an alarm last week, noting that fees to attorneys and expert witnesses for indigent defendants already are exceeding budget by $249,000 for the year. A significant share of the cost stems from the conduct of death penalty cases. ( 06/11/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
From OGT to ACT Too bad the Ohio Senate has balked at a better way to test students Ohio's high school seniors don't receive a diploma until they have passed all five sections of the Ohio Graduation Tests. The bar is not exceptionally high as it is, requiring students to demonstrate passing knowledge of material at a 10th-grade level. Students have seven opportunities during their high school years to pass the tests in reading, writing, math, science and social studies. ( 06/10/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Price of justice What role does political money play in the judicial system? The U.S. Supreme Court sounds a timely warning Justice Anthony Kennedy emphasized the ''extraordinary'' and ''extreme'' circumstances. The chief justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court refused to recuse himself from a $50 million case against a coal company whose chief executive had spent $3 million to elect him. On Monday, writing for a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court, Kennedy ordered the chief justice to step aside because the huge campaign contributions created a perception of bias. ( 06/10/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Closer in Cuyahoga The unveiling of a promising plan to restructure county government All of Northeast Ohio has a big stake in the future of Cuyahoga County, and thus a stake in the outcome of a bold effort to restructure a local government no longer able to respond effectively to many pressing needs. A better decision-making process, with cleaner lines of authority, greater transparency and improved accountability, would help move forward the state's most populous county. That is what proponents of a charter form of government have in mind, building on increasing frustration with the existing commissioner format. ( 06/10/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Richard Jacobs The owner who turned the Cleveland Indians into a contender Richard Jacobs and his brother, David, didn't achieve quick success with the Cleveland Indians. They purchased the club in 1986, and it wasn't until seven years later that the team embarked on the glory years of the 1990s, two World Series appearances, five consecutive division titles. ( 06/09/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Knight rising The Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau thinks outside the box Atemporary increase in the county's bed tax devoted to sprucing up the John S. Knight Center in downtown Akron has improved the attractiveness of a facility that plays its own role in the revitalization of the city. Still, as Gregg Mervis, vice president and chief operating officer for the Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau recently put it, ''At the end of the day, it's an empty box.'' The decisive factor, as he explained to Rick Armon, a Beacon Journal staff writer, is ''what you do with it.'' ( 06/09/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Investment grade Has Don Plusquellic saddled the city with too much debt? No. He has effectively used a tool to aid Akron in the long run Warner Mendenhall and other critics of Don Plusquellic long have argued that the mayor has pushed the city too deep into debt. The claim is a centerpiece of their recall campaign, a vote set for June 23. The mayor often has put forward a persuasive rebuttal, and now independent experts have bolstered his explanation, as part of a Sunday report on the city's debt by Stephanie Warsmith, a Beacon Journal staff writer. ( 06/09/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Voice for Darfur President Obama rightly denounces the slaughter of innocents. The challenge is for him to present a clear plan of action to end it In his speech to the Muslim world in Cairo last week, President Barack Obama said: ''When innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience.'' It cannot be said that the president was silent on Darfur. It cannot be said, either, that he left his audience convinced that Darfur was a stain he intended to remove as a matter of priority. ( 06/08/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Trooperweight As contract talks get under way, the Ohio state troopers' union wants to shed a rule that allows dismissal for consistently exceeding weight limits. That's the wrong approach. Before troopers return to the bargaining table, they ought to cut out patrols past the dessert table instead. ( 06/08/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Budget showdown (part 2) Drilling in state parks is not worth the costs Ohio faces many complex issues when it comes to energy. Too bad the Ohio Senate last week looked for answers in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the rush to pass a balanced budget by June 30, with virtually no chance for hearings that could fully explore the impacts, Senate Republicans added a revision to the budget bill that would open all state lands, including parks and nature preserves, to drilling for oil and gas. ( 06/07/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Budget showdown (part 3) Tackle the crippling cost of incarceration How conflicted are Ohio legislators on what to do to cut prison costs without compromising public safety? Follow the fate of the reform proposals through the biennium budget bill, and the ambivalence is hard to miss. ( 06/07/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Budget showdown Listen to the governor and state lawmakers, and they would rather see the needy suffer than face the political pain of raising taxes On Wednesday, the Democratic-controlled Ohio House will reject the two-year state budget plan approved by the Republican-led Senate. The next step will be the formation of the conference committee. The two chambers will work to bridge their many differences, a June 30 deadline looming, promising a furious end to a five-month ordeal. The hard reality is, lawmakers face a larger gap than their policy divide. The hole in the next budget is growing, forecasts likely to show a $2 billion shortfall. ( 06/07/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Obama in Cairo The president continued the task of repairing the American image. He let a Muslim audience know he is capable of listening Barack Obama promised during his run for the presidency that he would visit a Muslim capital and speak to the Muslim world. On Thursday, the president kept his pledge. He spoke in Egypt, in the Grand Hall at Cairo University, calling for ''a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition.'' ( 06/05/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Good, bad or whatever The widespread failure to evaluate the quality of teachers One of the most important factors in student achievement is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. The focus on accountability and choice in education puts a high premium on effective teachers, which raises a question: How do you tell good teachers from poor ones? ( 06/05/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Israelis at the incubator A city must have a global strategy to succeed When executives with two Israeli firms recently announced they soon will set up shop in Akron's industrial incubator, it was yet another payoff from the careful planning and steady effort of Don Plusquellic and his economic development team to help rebuild the local economy. An initial $5 million investment from the two firms is expected to add some 80 jobs in the next three years. ( 06/05/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Refreshingly ambitious Luis Proenza has led the University of Akron for 10 years. His voice and vision have made a difference Afew years after Luis Proenza arrived at the University of Akron, speculation surfaced about his leaving to serve as president at another school, larger perhaps or more prestigious. Fortunately, he has remained here for the decade, reinforcing a message essential for the city, the region and the state to apply: Ohioans must embrace the changing economy. They must pursue knowledge and innovation if they want to improve the quality of their lives. ( 06/04/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Murder in Kansas The violent campaign against a woman's legal right to abortion Dr. George Tiller of Wichita, Kan., lost his life Sunday in a long and increasingly lonely battle. Tiller insisted on keeping open to women and girls the option of a medical procedure that is recognized and protected by law. ( 06/04/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Great expectations LeBron James and sportsmanship
Those who watched the press conferences following each game of the NBA playoff series between Cleveland and Orlando witnessed a thoughtful, steady, even gracious LeBron James. The pressure of the moment, the Cavaliers needing to make up ground, didn't seem to faze him. He dissected the play and departed the microphone. ( 06/04/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Bankrupt at GM President Obama rightly seeks the company's survival. Now the automaker must prove worthy of the public investment On today's Commentary page, David Brooks of the New York Times fingers the ''corporate and workplace culture'' as the ''core problem'' at General Motors. He isn't hopeful about the automaker emerging from bankruptcy in position to succeed. He argues that the rescue plan crafted by the White House task force ''could make things worse.'' ( 06/03/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Close the payday loopholes State lawmakers must act quickly to reaffirm the intent of Ohio voters Ohioans saw last year how tenacious payday lenders are. Now they are learning how adept the companies can be at exploiting loopholes, leaving state lawmakers to play catch up in seeking to rectify an oversight. ( 06/03/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Fighting crime in Akron The city slips to the second safest in the state Until this year, Akron could proudly proclaim itself the safest big city in the state, its rate of violent crime the lowest among the six largest municipalities for six straight years. Figures for 2008, released by the FBI on Monday, bumped Akron down a notch. With a sharp jump in aggravated assaults, Akron's overall rate for violent crime (91.7 crimes per 10,000 residents) ranked second safest. Columbus was the safest, with 77.4. ( 06/03/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Deficit at the Statehouse The Senate budget plan hardly breaks new ground. Ohion lacks the revenue to support necessary programs and services Senate Republicans have delivered on their promise to wring savings out of state government. They have crafted a proposed two-year state budget that contains an additional $650 million in spending reductions. The squeeze reflects declining revenues, the state announcing recently that the current budget would be short by more than $900 million, requiring use of the rainy-day fund in this biennium and not the next. The Senate majority also had to account for the false assumptions employed by House Democrats, the Democratic plan suffering from rosy (and instantly obsolete) projections. ( 06/02/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Home for the finals Disappointment? Yes. Now savor a splendid Cavaliers season When the Cleveland Cavaliers lost the first game of their NBA playoff series against the Orlando Magic, they knew the task ahead, prevail at home and win at least once on the road. They got the job done at the Q, via magnificent performances by LeBron James, a thrilling three-pointer at the buzzer and assisting or scoring on 32 consecutive points with the outcome in the balance. ( 06/02/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Exit strategy Jennifer Brunner points the Summit elections board in the right direction On Friday, Jennifer Brunner effectively addressed the tangled discussions at the Summit County Board of Elections over ways to reduce bloated staffing costs. The secretary of state, a Democrat, chose not to break tie votes on competing plans, one supported by the board's Republicans, the other by its Democratic members. (By law, Brunner is the fifth member of every elections board in the state.) Instead, she ruled in favor of an audit to review the board's budget, an idea of Democrats yet carrying the potential for real belt tightening. ( 06/02/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Model schools The Akron Public Schools argue with much justification that the district is the strongest of the eight largest urban school systems in Ohio. Even better is when an independent observer supports the claim. Thus, it is worth emphasizing an Ohio State University study, released last week, praising the district's many and varied programs to extend learning beyond the regular classroom. ( 06/01/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Opening for Ohio The state barring discrimination based on sexual orientation would be smart economically and the just thing to do In upholding a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, the California Supreme Court stressed the narrow scope of its ruling. The 6-1 majority argued that same-sex couples still had a right to civil unions, the ability ''to choose one's life partner and enter with that person into a committed, officially recognized and protected family that enjoys all of the constitutionally based incidents of marriage.'' Such couples just cannot use the term ''marriage,'' at least officially and legally. ( 06/01/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Vulnerable Barberton A responsible plan to protect the city's housing stock Since early this year, Mayor Bob Genet has pursued the reasonable goal of having landlords in Barberton (himself included) register and pay a modest annual fee. A similar program has operated in Akron the past 13 years. Genet rightly fears that foreclosures, falling housing prices and low interest rates easily can create avenues for unscrupulous operators. Just look at Cleveland. Once the rot starts in a neighborhood, it is hard to stop. ( 05/31/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Nothing personal The legislature seeks to discourage the next Marc Dann Tom Charles' thorough review of the troubled tenure of Marc Dann as Ohio attorney general uncovered an office ''built for disaster.'' Among the abuses noted by the state inspector general was the use of campaign and transition accounts as personal slush funds. ( 05/31/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Evident collapse Senate Republicans reject the governor's school-funding plan, and the prospect of a substantially improved formula With its version of the state budget bill released Friday, the Ohio Senate confirmed it was in no hurry for a dramatic new approach to financing elementary and secondary education. ( 05/31/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Calculated costs The high price of medical care for the uninsured Talk about the debate over changing the health-care system, and the differences between 1993 and 2009 include a promise of cooperation from the big-hitters of the health-care industry — the large corporations, insurance companies, hospitals and drugmakers. The broad consensus is that the financial pressure from the rising costs of both the public and private systems can't be sustained indefinitely. ( 05/29/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Red states California wants a further federal bailout. Ohio can do better With revenues plunging as this fiscal year closes, and a $3 billion hole possibly looming in the next two-year state budget, few at the Statehouse are posturing any longer about their distaste for federal stimulus money. The almost $7 billion from Washington amounts to a rescue mission. Imagine the severity of the budget reductions, public schools and universities hit hard (students paying higher tuition), as scarce dollars flow to Medicaid, prisons and other obligations. ( 05/29/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Strategy of containment What to do with North Korea and its nuclear program? The first priority must be preventing its proliferation Barack Obama knows the world is watching. North Korea defies international sanctions and conducts what appears to be its second nuclear test. The international community, friends and adversaries, wonder: How will the new president react? Truth be told, he doesn't have much room to maneuver. Obama sounded strong enough, insisting that Washington and its allies would ''stand up'' to North Korea. The Clinton White House tried engagement. The Bush team opted first for isolation and then diplomacy. Neither realized much success. ( 05/29/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Climate of compromise A House committee has produced a flawed climate-change bill. The best part? It is much better than nothing Henry Waxman described the legislation as ''decisive and historic.'' A week ago, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a sweeping measure to address carbon emissions, the primary culprit in global warming. The committee chairman was correct in one sense: Never before have lawmakers taken up the challenge of climate change in such an ambitious way. So, applaud Waxman and his colleagues, including Betty Sutton, a Copley Township Democrat. ( 05/28/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Adjustment period The Akron schools must find savings and protect academic progress It is always tricky business projecting what a school district's finances are going to be five years ahead, a degree of precision Ohio law demands from schools. It is more difficult still when the projections depend largely on variables school leaders can't control, say, the choices of taxpayers and a legislated state budget that runs in two-year cycles. ( 05/28/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Basket here, steal there The Cavaliers and the Magic? The series is closer than you think What the Cleveland Cavaliers faithful must keep in mind, as the club faces long odds in its struggle with the Orlando Magic, is just how tight the NBA playoff series is. Oh, that may be evident in view of the narrow margins of victory. Yet the downpour of threes and thundering dunks, the frustrating matchups and the psychological impact of being down three games to one, invite thoughts that the Cavs are just overwhelmed. ( 05/28/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Clinics of convenience Location matters in extending health coverage to the uninsured Retail clinics are a promising venture in health care. Barely a decade in operation, the clinics are located in stores and pharmacies, where nurse practitioners or doctor's assistants attend to walk-in clients with common ailments that do not require complicated treatment. Typically, the clinics stay open in the evenings and weekends. ( 05/27/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Experience preferred The most compelling aspect of Sonia Sotomayor's resume? Her impressive work as a judge at the trial and appellate levels President Obama cited Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes' familiar observation, ''The life of the law has not been logic, it has been experience,'' as part of introducing Sonia Sotomayor as his nominee to join the Supreme Court. The president emphasized that a justice must know ''how the world works, and how ordinary people live.'' ( 05/27/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
From workers to training to jobs Ohio must take advantage of expanded Trade Adjustment Assistance Adramatic expansion of the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance program kicked in last week, thanks to passage in February of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. More workers are covered. More benefits are available. Deadlines have been eased. ( 05/27/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Out of work, out of clout Will the community rally to help the jobless cover basic health costs? In this weak economy with rising unemployment, it is becoming more obvious the harsh realities local residents face when they don't have health insurance: They lack bargaining clout, and that makes all the difference whether or not they can afford medical services when they need them. ( 04/29/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Attack of the rowdies What Kent could learn from Akron A street party near Kent State University quickly spun out of control on Saturday, eventually quelled by some 125 officers in riot gear. James Peach, the Kent police chief, described several thousand young people on East College Avenue, taunting officers, throwing rocks, bottles and cans, tossing furniture onto a bonfire the width of the street. ( 04/29/2009 12:00 AM EDT )
Oh, swell, a coaching change The Cleveland Browns run the same old play Look at the numbers, and Randy Lerner had plenty of reasons to cut loose Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel, the general manager and head coach of the Cleveland Browns the past four seasons. The club has won just 24 of the past 64 games. Savage and Crennel lost eight straight to the Pittsburgh Steelers, including the 31-0 debacle on Sunday. ( 12/30/2008 12:00 AM EST )
House Democrats in charge They've regained the majority. Will they now serve all of Ohio? Add the strong showing of Barack Obama to the favorable political winds, and Democrats now make up the majority in the Ohio House. Notch a victory for Ted Strickland, too. The governor and his allies have argued that a House majority would aid substantially his agenda, his campaign to turn around the embattled state. He has his wish. Soon Ohioans will be looking for Democrats to deliver. ( 11/07/2008 12:00 AM EST )
Profit and loss The prospect of a physician-owned hospital in northern Summit County invites concerns about the overall impact on health care in the area Living within the orbit of the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic makes it easy to understand the value of the hospital systems in Northeast Ohio as local instruments of social and economic change. The idea of a regional ''health care corridor'' — embracing the hospitals, universities and enterprising businesses, attracting talent and resources and delivering high-quality medical services — is not just wishful thinking. ( 08/17/2008 12:00 AM EDT )
Why suspend the death penalty? Capital punishment lacks proportionality in Ohio Appellate courts are essential to the concept of equal treatment under the law. They seek to apply precedent across jurisdictions, ensuring that defendants do not face one set of rules in the southeast part of the state and another set of rules in the northwest. If two appeals courts arrive at clashing views, the Ohio Supreme Court serves to resolve the dispute and deliver one ruling for all. ( 11/25/2007 12:00 AM EST )
Why suspend the death penalty? Ohio must do a better job holding prosecutors to a high standard Few public offices are more powerful than the county prosecutor. This elected official can deprive citizens of their liberty, and in recent years, due to advances in technology, the public has learned with increasing frequency that prosecutors make mistakes, resulting at times in the innocent spending years behind bars. ( 11/27/2007 12:00 AM EST )
Why suspend the death penalty? Ohio lacks an appropriately thorough clemency process The death penalty carries an obvious element of finality. That explains why the decision to apply capital punishment must be carefully and completely considered. Ohioans don't want to execute a man or woman, and then discover later factors that expose a grievous error, or otherwise call into question the decision of the state. ( 10/19/2007 12:00 AM EDT )
Why suspend the death penalty? Ohio doesn't do enough to ensure adequate counsel All seven justices on the Ohio Supreme Court agreed last week: Vernon Brown, convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to death in 2004, deserves a new trial. The court concluded prosecutors erred in their handling of the trial involving a drug-related slaying in Cleveland. They failed to provide all relevant material to the defense. ( 10/08/2007 12:00 AM EDT )
Why suspend the death penalty? The problem of mistaken eyewitnesses and false confessions Ohioans may be surprised to learn that the two leading causes of wrongful convictions are false confessions and eyewitnesses mistakenly identifying defendants. The American Bar Association Death Penalty Moratorium Implementation Project shared this observation in its recent assessment of capital punishment in Ohio. It was part of why the project urged the state to reduce the potential for such errors, taking steps to diminish the risk of sending an innocent man or woman to death row. ( 10/12/2007 12:00 AM EDT )
Why suspend the death penalty? The state doesn't ensure the availability of DNA testing Practically everyone today grasps the critical role that DNA testing plays in the system of criminal justice. The value has been made evident along the spectrum from CSI to the trial of O.J. Simpson to the freeing of Clarence Elkins. ( 10/04/2007 12:00 AM EDT )
Poorly executed An ABA panel finds many flaws in the Ohio death penalty. Enough to warrant the governor imposing a moratorium Ted Strickland pledged to review ''carefully'' the findings and recommendations about capital punishment in Ohio generated by the American Bar Association's Death Penalty Implementation Project. Hard to believe a full evaluation will not result in agreement with the bar panel: The state should suspend use of the death penalty pending further examination of the many flaws identified. ( 10/02/2007 12:00 AM EDT )
Why suspend the death penalty? Ohio doesn't protect adequately the rights of the mentally ill In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court barred the execution of defendants with mental retardation. Since then, Ohio has complied with the letter and spirit of the ruling, applying, for instance, accepted definitions in assessing whether a defendant was mentally retarded when commiting the crime. ( 11/15/2007 12:00 AM EST )
Suspend the sentence Will Ted Strickland listen to the American Bar Association and initiate a hard look at the state's flawed death penalty? Ohio must suspend its death penalty. So the American Bar Association rightly counseled in late September, issuing a 495-page report, 30 months in the works, on the way Ohio conducts capital punishment. The evaluation was performed by a distinguished group of 10 Ohioans, chaired by Phyllis Crocker, a law professor at Cleveland State University, including Margery Koosed, a law professor at the University of Akron. The panel stayed away from whether or not the state should issue death sentences. ( 12/03/2007 12:00 AM EST )
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