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No Kings Protests Are Singular In Purpose To The Readers’ Forum: The “No Kings” protests are singular in purpose — to reclaim our endangered republic from the rising plutocracy in America. After the Constitutional Convention in 1787, while Benjamin Franklin was walking out of Independence Hall, someone shouted to him, “Doctor, what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?” In reply, Franklin quipped, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Just government authority in our society comes from us, i.e., the consent of the governed, not from the consent of those who govern ...

SAVE Act Is Hard For Women

Local Commentaries

I submitted my passport application this week. The total was $190 including processing fee at the post office in addition to the eight-dollar passport photo. I am fortunate that the expense was an irritation and not part of the grocery budget. Luckily, I had a certified copy of my birth certificate on hand. I married my husband shortly after turning 18 and that is the only legal document I have bearing my maiden name. A planner by nature, I thought I would feel relieved knowing that if the SAVE Act is passed, my vote will be protected. Since crossing it off of my to-do list I’ve just ...

Protest? Why Bother?

Local Commentaries

At ‘No Kings’ rally all the way back in June last year, I stood at the corner of 6th and Washington holding a sign that read: “If you care more about someone’s legal status than his 34 felonies, you might want to check your humanity.” The truth behind those words is worth repeating. Simply being in this country without papers is a civil violation, and crossing the border without inspection is only a misdemeanor. What other misdemeanors are we reacting to with such fervor? Humanity should weigh heavily in our judgment. For the life of me, I don’t understand our nation’s ...

Expensive Round Trip To Priceless Laughter

Local Commentaries

I was backing out of a downtown parking space when something flashed on my dashboard. The mileage calculator changed to a wrench. OMG. What’s wrong? This is not good. It was late Tuesday, and I was leaving for Dayton Thursday morning. I was heading for the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop – a professional, fun, and stimulating conference. I couldn’t wait. And now this? It was almost 5 p.m., so I drove directly to my mechanics. Rick and Mark have kept me safely on the road for more than 15 years. On my way to their shop, I glanced up at the oil sticker on the windshield. ...

Poll Opens Door For Comptroller Candidate

Editor's Corner

Underdog candidate for New York state comptroller Joseph Hernandez was energized this week by a Siena Poll that was far from flattering to longtime incumbent Thomas DiNapoli. Though the Democrat has held the position since 2007, 65% of the voters surveyed indicated they had never heard of ...

RNC Ironically Bucks Red State’s Law

Local Commentaries

Federal law establishes Election Day for federal offices as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? But wait. What about mailed absentee ballots? What about mail-in ballots? Does federal law mean such ballots must arrive at local boards of election by Election Day? Or does federal law mean they need only be postmarked by Election Day? At issue before the U.S. Supreme Court, with a decision expected by June, is this very question. The challenge is to Mississippi law, which requires that ballots (1) be postmarked by Election ...