The Courier Electronic Edition

Thursday, September 02, 2010

Michael Janton (letter, Sept. 1) echoes the fashionable grumbling regarding congressional powers and the alleged overstepping of its authority.

On the surface, his argument seems enticing but it's misguided and in error. This is not because I say so, but because the U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court say so.

I refer Mr. Janton to Article I of the U.S. Constitution and to what is known as the vesting clause. "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives." This is precisely where Congress' power to legislate comes from.

Additionally, the Supreme Court has affirmed on several occasions the power of the legislative branch to establish and delegate regulatory powers to executive agencies so long as their function is one of an "intelligible principle" which governs the use of said regulatory powers.

Providing for the public welfare via a system of Social Security clearly fits within this definition.

The Constitution is a living document, not a static one. Its strength rests in its ability to provide structure and framework without being overly burdened with every single minute detail.

Its resilience comes from its clearly delineated separation of powers between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government.

Although Mr. Janton and those of similar thought would have you believe that only what is specifically written in the Constitution is the de facto sum of all intended legislation and anything additional is not allowed, any reasonable and logical analysis of the words "legislative powers" show this as simply preposterous.

I do not believe that all congressional legislation is perfect or even constitutional, and there have been times when the Supreme Court has ruled against particular congressional legislation. However, given Mr. Janton's faulty logic, we would not enjoy the FAA, FDA, NIH, CDC, National Highway System, or a myriad of many other federal agencies created via congressional authority to support the legislation lawfully enacted by Congress.

To answer Mr. Janton's question, the Social Security Administration, its creation, and authority to preside over the laws set forth by act of Congress are unquestionably delegated in Article I of our Constitution; so says our Supreme Court.

Scott Mastrocinque

Findlay

MENTALLY ILL NEED INCREASED SERVICE

I agree with Jodie Spratt, (letter, Aug. 27) who expresses the need for a detox rehabilitation center. At present, there is a lack of money to meet the needs of the community.

Residential substance abuse treatment is provided by agencies outside our area. I am concerned about Century Health Inc. wasting taxpayer dollars by adding supervisory positions rather than filling the needs of the community.

Our community needs include a county substance abuse residential treatment center, a 24-hour jail-based group treatment program, and additional psychiatrists.

I do not understand how adding a director's position and another clinical management position increase clients' well-being and improve clients' and the community's quality of lives.

Because of the shortage of funding, jail and prison have become an asylum for the homeless, mentally ill and substance dependent. The mentally ill and those suffering from substance abuse are asking for increased services to get their medications and a community residential treatment center.

Locked-up substance abuse criminal offenders can be helped by a 24-hour jail-based group treatment program. A jail-based program reduces the chances they will return to jail.

Taxpayers look for treatment services to meet the needs of the community. Instead, plans of Century Health Inc. and the board of directors include using taxpayers' hard-earned money to pay for additional administrative salaries and benefits.

Creating additional administrative costs at Century Health takes money from treatment services. More services are needed for our friends and neighbors suffering from mental illnesses, substance abuse, or both problems. They need to see a psychiatrist in a timely manner. Substance-dependent clients need choices in the community for residential treatment.

In my opinion, the time has come for Century Health Inc. management to use our money to further improve the lives of vulnerable people in our community rather than satisfying the desires of the agency's management staff to reduce their own workload.

Don Iliff Findlay

PAY RAISES ARE UNBELIEVABLE

Leave it to the Putnam County Board of Elections to stick it to the taxpayers and rub it in the faces of other county employees and elected officials.

With our taxpayers suffering from the economic situation, we tighten our belts, pinch pennies, learn to do without, endure the pain of pay cuts and increased health care expenses, and even job losses.

Our county commissioners and other elected officials have put a three-year freeze on county employee pay raises and other elected officials have looked everywhere in attempts to save this county money, from cutting hours to shrinking staffs to eliminating judges.

And what does our glorious board of elections do during these hard, difficult times while so many of us are sacrificing to make ends meet?

They give their director and deputy director raises. The deputy director's raise was over 6 percent! Unbelievable!

What exactly have these two done to warrant such pay increases during this great recession?

Voter turnout for the last primary election in May shattered the prior record low for our county. Putnam County used to consistently lead in voter turnout. Today, we are 81 out of 88 counties. Perhaps their pay increase is reward for all the bullying the office does to the people disagreeing with how the board operates.

Business must be booming at the board of elections. Where are they getting their money?

Charol Stechschulte

Columbus Grove