Monday, October 15, 2012

Several issues neither political party has properly addressed: Letter to the Editor

http://www.cleveland.com/sun/all/index.ssf/2012/10/several_issues_neither_politic.html

Ohioans have a unique opportunity before November to help shape the federal election results for President, Senate and representatives beyond voting.

It’s time to stop being mere spectators of staged Presidential visits and consumers of often-inaccurate media ads and time to start being citizens demanding candidates share their positions on significant issues.

A partial list of issues candidates of both major parties haven’t discussed and related questions include:

- Increasing poverty: Do you support a living wage and adequate housing and food for all?

- Corporate dominance of our democracy: Are you for a constitutional amendment ending the legal doctrine that corporations are “persons” with inalienable “rights” to influence elections, write laws and shape regulations?

- Money in elections: Do you favor a constitutional amendment reversing the legal principle that “money is speech,” meaning those having the most money has the most speech?

- The Trans Pacific Partnership: Will you vote for this latest proposed trade agreement providing corporations new powers to directly challenge national laws they don’t like?

- Banks causing financial bubbles: Do you support banks not being able to create money out of nothing and them only lending what they possess in assets?

It’s up to us citizens to demand candidates address these issues.

Greg Coleridge
Cleveland Heights
Coleridge is director of the Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee.

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