After working my usual day, I arrived home to find that three people in our house had received our "official absentee ballot applications" from Ohio Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who does not like to be photographed with his eyes wide shut in public meetings in Hillsboro.

To be clear, not one us had requested an "official absentee ballot application." For the vast majority of the last 41 years, I have voted in person in either Highland County or Adams County. You could, as I told a former mayor years ago, look it up.

I have not opened my "official absentee ballot application," nor do I plan to. I know where and how to vote, thank you very much.

Upon receiving the "official absentee ballot application," I couldn't help but recall a recent story by the alt-left NPR. (By the way, my MacBook Pro dictionary recognizes "alt-right" but not "alt-left." No surprise, there.)

In a June 25, story (https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/06/25/883441640/nearly-1-4-billion-in-coronavirus-relief-payments-sent-to-dead-people), NPR reported that nearly $1.4 billion in coronavirus relief payments were sent to dead people.

The Government Accountability Office said the error involved almost 1.1 million checks and direct deposits sent to ineligible Americans. The payments were part of the COVID-19 package passed by Congress in March and known as the CARES Act.

Reasonable minds must wonder how many unrequested "official absentee ballot applications" have been sent to dead people. Without question, we will be assured that there's a distinction between these government mailings.

Signatures must match. (Not true. After decades of writing notes during public meetings, I am fortunate if I sign my name the same way more than 10 times in a row. That's why I always vote in person with a valid ID, including using my state fishing license just for fun one time in Tranquility.)

There will be checks and balances. Sure there will. Just like the $1.4 billion in coronavirus relief payments that were sent to dead people.

Unrequested official absentee ballot applications are the same as absentee voting and are not to be confused with universal vote by mail. Wrong.

The traditional definition of absentee voting involves a voter who, is for some reason, unable to make it to the polls on Election Day. The voter obtains a form to request a ballot, fills that form out with his/her excuse for not being able to vote in person and sends it to the state. The state sends the voter a ballot and the voter finally returns the ballot with his or her vote.

The official absentee ballot application that we and, no doubt, millions of other Ohioans received, allows voters to receive a mail-in ballot without providing a reason why they need one, much less asking for one.

Voters ought to at least have some skin in the game when exercising their constitutional right to vote.

Universal vote by mail is a great opportunity for fraud.

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Given that the Nov. 3 general election is closer than we may think, and given that letters to the editor of this newspaper in support of some and in opposition to others are inevitable, let's get this out of the way now.

For the record, I edited portions of a recent letter that disparaged someone's political opponent. As I told the author of that letter, I've done this job longer than most people in southern Ohio, and I've learned that political letters to the local newspaper are best when written in support of Candidate A, rather in opposition to Candidate B.

To the letter writer's credit, he understood. That policy is a two-way street, too. I really don't care about the letter after your name. That doesn't impress me.

* * *

In recent news, one Highland County public official deserves some well-deserved recognition. Lord knows, many public officials over the years have begged that I not mention them. No good can come from that, given my own track record of endorsements and other political musings for the last 30 years.

Nonetheless, Highland County Prosecuting Attorney Anneka Collins does deserve some credit for standing on principle.

First, her office worked diligently to have approximately $30,000 in taxes paid by a North Shore Drive business. That issue was half-arsed addressed a decade ago to no avail. Counselor Collins corrected this. Thank you.

Last week, county commissioner Terry Britton pointed out that State Rep. Shane Wilkin said the State Controlling Board had approved the release of $175 million to help local communities with the cost of COVID-19 pandemic-related expenses, including $501,166.42 for Highland County. This was in support of unbudgeted administrative leave funds for the county engineer's office.

Im just too conservative to vote yes for this, Collins said. If you guys want to vote, we can argue this all day long. Im not going to change my position.

Collins said that as long as the prosecutors office isnt at a shortfall, Im not asking for any more money, because that money can be used somewhere else.

Indeed.

Other counties have considered small businesses that are hurting before adding to the coffers of already bloated government budgets, whose salaries, wages and benefits far exceed the family per-capita incomes in Highland County.

Four Republicans voted to shake the federal "free-money tree," all three commissioners and Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley. (What is the federal deficit these days, anyway? Republicans used to care about that.)

Highland County has one public servant working hard to recoup $30,000 and four others who are spending twice that before the first check is cashed.

Good for Anneka Collins for speaking truth to power.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press, Highland County's only locally owned and operated newspaper.

See the rest here:

With Republicans like these, who needs Ds? - The Highland County Press