Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion (Skip to blog navigation.)
By the Dayton Daily News
| Friday, March 19, 2010, 05:47 AM
A controversial idea in education is back in a form that just might work for Ohio and the nation.
The “common core” idea promotes basic standards about what students should learn in English, math, social studies and science — the core subjects.
The notion that basic expectations should be consistent across the nation doesn’t sound especially divisive. In fact, though, there are camps passionately in favor and against the idea.
Continue reading "Editorial: There are some things all kids should know"...
Permalink
| Comments (1)
| Post your comment
More:
Editorials, Education, Scott Elliott
By the Dayton Daily News
| Thursday, March 18, 2010, 06:16 AM
Cameras mounted on street corners might not be the ideal way to enforce traffic laws, but it’s hard to argue with Dayton’s statistics.
The cameras are working.
They capture images of cars that ignore red lights and record their license plate numbers. The word has gotten out. That has made some dangerous streets safer.
Problems with the system need to be addressed, the most pressing of which is that many drivers nabbed by the cameras ignore the citations they receive; consequences have been rare.
Even so, the city has a strong case to expand its use of cameras to issue citations also for speeding.
Continue reading "Editorial: Cameras can catch speeders, increase safety"...
Permalink
| Comments (12)
| Post your comment
More:
City of Dayton, Editorials, Law Enforcement and Public Safety, Scott Elliott
By Martin Gottlieb
| Wednesday, March 17, 2010, 10:17 AM
It is by now official — whether true or not — that “the American people” oppose the pending health care plan.
Republican House leader John Boehner, of West Chester, says it all the time. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, says it all the time. Likewise for conservative voices in the media. Everybody says it.
Not only do they say it: they start there. It seems to be the most important point to them. Ask almost any public opponent of the plan for a brief statement and you get references to polls.
Continue reading "Martin Gottlieb: Are ‘the American people’ really against health care plan?"...
Permalink
| Comments (61)
| Post your comment
More:
Columns, Health Care, Martin Gottlieb, National Politics, Ohio politics
By the Dayton Daily News
| Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 03:57 PM
“Ohio gets full court press,” was one headline on Politico.com for much of the day Tuesday, March 16.
It was in reference to the fact that President Barack Obama is pushing wavering Ohio Democratic members of Congress hard to vote for health care reform.
There’s no hope of any Republicans voting for the bill, so it all comes down to the Democrats. Specifically, 216 “yes” votes are needed for a majority (after vacancies are accounted for).
A dozen or so members have been on the fence, with possibly as many as four of those reps from Ohio.
Continue reading "Editorial: Health care reform partly in Ohio’s hands"...
Permalink
| Comments (11)
| Post your comment
More:
Editorials, Ellen Belcher, Health Care, National Politics, National government
By the Dayton Daily News
| Monday, March 15, 2010, 04:45 AM
You’ve heard a lot about new approaches to medical care that are designed to save money for taxpayers and purchasers of insurance: paying doctors a flat salary, rather than for every procedure; getting more people to buy health insurance, so as to spread out the cost; getting all medical records onto computers.
Some ideas along these lines are in the health reform measure pending in Congress. It’s big on pilot projects. (That’s one reason the bill has more than 2,000 pages.)
One idea in the bill is the patient-centered medical home (PCMH). Don’t picture a home, though. And don’t picture a doctor making home calls.
Continue reading "Editorial: Lehner move could help patients save"...
Permalink
| Comments (4)
| Post your comment
More:
Editorials, Health Care, Martin Gottlieb, Ohio government
By the Dayton Daily News
| Sunday, March 14, 2010, 05:47 AM
The people who own the businesses that surround the Fraze Pavilion want to prevent blankets or folding chairs from popping up on their lawns for a few hours on summer nights.
Commonly, people who don’t have tickets to concerts or who don’t want to pay gather outside the Fraze to listen to the music rolling out from the amphitheater. The crowds are there to soak up the fun with their neighbors and enjoy the park.
That atmosphere is about to change.
Continue reading "Editorial: Crowds are not the enemy at the Fraze"...
Permalink
| Comments (28)
| Post your comment
More:
Editorials, Scott Elliott, Suburban Communities
By the Dayton Daily News
| Saturday, March 13, 2010, 06:00 AM
Ohio’s 2nd District Court of Appeals is sending a loud message to Judge James A. Hensley Jr.: the Constitution applies in his Huber Heights courtroom.
Safeguarding the rights of people in court is a judge’s prime responsibility. Judge Hensley’s failure to do so led the appeals court to overturn convictions in six of his cases. The appeals court said he failed to ensure that those defendants were informed enough to know what they were doing when they gave up their right to consult with an attorney.
Instead of questioning defendants about whether they wanted a lawyer, Judge Hensley had them watch a generic video tutorial about their right to one. The cases in question were minor crimes, such as driving without a valid license, possession of drug paraphernalia and theft. But the charges were still serious enough that the accused could be sent to jail. Any defendant who could end up in jail needs legal advice, or the judge needs to be personally convinced that the person understands what he’s giving up.
Continue reading "Editorial: Huber court video cheats defendants"...
Permalink
| Comments (4)
| Post your comment
More:
Editorials, Law Enforcement and Public Safety, Scott Elliott, Suburban Communities
Back to top
More entries...
Lady Gaga sued by ex-boyfriend
.JPG)
NCAA Basketball Tournament
SXSW Festival in TX
Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.
Latest comment
Anytime you impose standards in a top down method like this you are going to get involved in politics