Election coverage should have been yesterday's news
After searching online at several Ohio newspaper sites, I found little evidence of any concerted effort to get the endorsement editorials completed before the start of absentee voting, which now is under way.
Indeed, my wife and I have our ballots in hand and will be casting them this week. We will make our choices devoid of any input from the people who cover the politicos and the issues up front and personal.
It used to be that newspapers would reserve the month of October for their pre-election stories and endorsement editorials. With early voting now in vogue, all of that should be done by Oct. 1. But it appears that the dailies, with their much smaller staffs, are unable or unwilling to change their ways.
One daily, the Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune acknowledged the dilemma in an Oct. 5 editorial.
“The A-T has reported early and often about local candidates and issues on this year’s general election ballot,” said the newspaper. “However, our preview articles about library and school levies and some local races for mayor and city council begin in today’s edition and will continue through next week.
“Is that soon enough? A referendum on Senate Bill 5 is expected to prompt Ohioans to vote, although there are no races for statewide office this year. We hope voters inspired by state issues to cast ballots this week are not confronted by races and issues with which they are not familiar.”
There’s been a lot of debate over the years about whether newspapers ought to endorse candidates and offer opinions on issues. I’ve always lined up on the side that believes they should because newspapers ought to lead in their communities. Sometimes that means lining up on the losing side. So be it.
I am not so naïve to think that newspapers actually swing elections. But like an endorsement from the local union, or Chamber of Commerce, or city council, it provides a viewpoint for voters to consider. Unfortunately, it appears newspapers are shying from the process. Perhaps one reason is because they are afraid of alienating the readers who remain loyal subscribers.
And I think that’s an unfortunate development for not only our community, but for our democracy.
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Given my years in the news business, I am not surprised by the dumb things that come out of people’s mouths. If I had the inclination, I could probably designate a “Dumb Comment of the Week” award every week.
So, last week’s award would have had to go to Hank Williams Jr., who up until he said his dumb thing was just the country singer who starred in the “Monday Night Football” lead-in on ESPN.
“Are you ready for some football?” Williams asked/sang/shouted every week.
Williams, touting a CD featuring songs by his late father, was a guest on the “Fox & Friends” show on the Fox News Network and offered that he was extremely disappointed by this summer’s golf summit that featured President Barrack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Speaker of the House John Boehner and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
When asked why, Williams responded that it was “one of the biggest political mistakes ever.”
Asked to further explain, he responded, “It would be like Hitler playing golf with (Israeli leader) Benjamin Netanyahu.”
He eventually offered that Obama and Biden are the enemy.
ESPN did what it had to do. It fired Williams.
Williams, it was reported on Monday, has responded by adding a verse to “Keep The Change,” a song he wrote after Obama was elected president. Here it is:
So Fox & Friends
Wanna put me down
Ask for my opinion
Then twist it all around
Supposed to be talkin’ about my father’s new CD
Well, two can play that gotcha game, just wait and see
Don’t tread on me!
This country sure as hell been goin’ down the drain
We know what we need
We know who to blame
United Socialist States Of America
Don’t you just love that name?
Perhaps Williams can find a job as a poster child for narrow-mindedness after he accepts the “Dumb Comment” award.
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One would think that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could answer the question: Is hydraulic fracturing – fracking – safe?
Well, no, it can’t. But Ohioans who are concerned about fracking – there seems to be a growing number of them – will be pleased to know that the EPA should be able to answer that question in a couple of years. (Yes, I’m being sarcastic.)
Fracking is the drilling process that goes vertically down into the deep Marcellus shale and then horizontally. It extracts natural gas and oil by injecting millions of gallons of water under high pressure to the rock surrounding the well bore.
The EPA has a lot of verbiage on its website about hydraulic fracturing, but none of it answers that simple question. It is in the midst of an extensive study on the process and does promise some answers down the road.
So, while we could have a definitive source on the issue, we’ll have instead an intense debate featuring science on both sides and horror stories galore.
Nothing seems to be easy in this country.
To read more from Dick Farrell, visit him at www.TuscBargainHunter.com .