Porkopolis

Whose Rights Are Going Up in Smoke?

The Cincinnati Health Department is encouraging people to comment on the proposed enforcement rules for the Clean Indoor Air/Smoking Ban, which went into effect Dec. 7.

Ms. Smith Goes to Washington

What’s missing in Washington D.C. is a gender-balanced perspective on life in this country and the realities faced by more than 50 percent of our population. With no female representation from Ohio, women will likely represent less than 15 percent of the U.S. Senate, once all election results are finalized. The U.S. House of Representatives will include less than 35 percent women. In state legislatures, women currently represent 19 percent in Ohio, 18 percent in Indiana and 11 percent in Kentucky, according to a study by the Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

Deadly City

Gerald Ford: He Wasn’t a Crook

Yes, Gerald Ford was better than Richard Nixon, but that faint praise is the highest encomium he’ll receive in the next few days. Perhaps a better way to look at it is to say the one good thing Nixon ever did was to appoint Ford vice president.

Was Christ Even ‘in Christmas’ to Begin With?

Is there an organized effort to take the “Christ” out of Christmas and, really, would Jesus care even if there were?

‘Values Democrat’ Running for Kentucky Governor

Jonathan Miller, who spoke last month in Cincinnati, has announced he is running for governor of Kentucky. Miller, serving his second term as state treasurer, is a Democrat. He appeared Nov. 8 at Hebrew Union College and discussed his book, The Compassionate Community.

Mourning a Most Funky Man

All News Is Not Created Equal

One reason I like The Cincinnati Post is its syndicated editorial columns; they offer a much more interesting mix of viewpoints than those in the Enquirer. I enjoyed a column in yesterday’s edition by Martin Kaplan. He analyzes the repeated calls for a national debate about Iraq, pointing out that vigorous debate has been going on since the war started.

For Those Who Die Unwanted

Budget Showdown Could Prompt Veto

The ongoing budget impasse between members of Cincinnati City Council is about personality conflicts as much as policy differences, sources say. As matters stand now, city council will likely approve a two-year spending plan Wednesday afternoon in a 5-4 vote, bringing to an end the trend in recent years of having the overall budget passed by a solid majority of eight or nine members.