A Matter of Opinion

About A Matter of Opinion

This is the blog of the Dayton Daily News editorial page. Regular contributors include the journalists who work on the two-page section labeled "Opinions" in the paper. But the blog is also a forum for readers. We comment on subjects that are being written about in the newspaper, but other subjects are fair game, too.

Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.

Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.

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More recent entries

• Martin Gottlieb: Golfing through D.C. gulfs
• Martin Gottlieb: Liberals have avenues, even under Kasich
• Martin Gottlieb: Public opinion on unions a surprise
• Editorial: Senate needs skepticism on consumer cut
• Martin Gottlieb: New York race worth look for Turner and his foes
• Martin Gottlieb: Longing for Daniels more about Palin than Obama
• Martin Gottlieb: Elections law particularly bad place for partisanship
• Martin Gottlieb: So there will be no Trump-Portman ticket?
• Editorial: Book, not about Widmer, stirs thoughts on that case
• Martin Gottlieb: Fostering semi-retirement could ease Social Security problems
• More entries...

Archives

• June 16, 2011
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Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > Columns category

Columns

June 16, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Golfing through D.C. gulfs

June 8, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Liberals have avenues, even under Kasich

June 3, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Public opinion on unions a surprise

June 2, 2011

• Editorial: Senate needs skepticism on consumer cut

May 29, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: New York race worth look for Turner and his foes

May 28, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Longing for Daniels more about Palin than Obama

May 22, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Elections law particularly bad place for partisanship

May 18, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: So there will be no Trump-Portman ticket?

May 13, 2011

• Editorial: Book, not about Widmer, stirs thoughts on that case

May 11, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Fostering semi-retirement could ease Social Security problems

April 27, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: How quickly they forgot Ken Blackwell

April 22, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Boehner dream of new kind of House languishes
• Martin Gottlieb: Boehner dream of new kind of House languishes

April 20, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Nothing is enacted these days until it isn't repealed

April 17, 2011

• Ellen Belcher: Merit, politics didn't matter in shuttle bid

April 13, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Miami grad leads his party, but offers little for others

April 8, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Does Ohio need Wisconsin-like recall elections?

April 6, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Mandel wasn't ready last time

April 3, 2011

• Ellen Belcher: B-creek may face RTA riders in court

April 1, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Non-drivers' losses in B'Creek, 3C show a pattern

March 29, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Turner in middle of right vs. hard-right fight; or not

March 23, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Christopher knew how to handle Holbrooke in Dayton

March 20, 2011

• Ellen Belcher: B-creek, RTA dust-up is case study of what's wrong

March 17, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Kasich pays Obama-like price for all out rush

March 16, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Time is friend of reformers in drawing new districts

March 13, 2011

• Ellen Belcher: Kasich seizing budget as prod for change

March 11, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Broder didn't put himself at center

March 9, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Does Portman merit a spot on presidential lists

March 6, 2011

• Ellen Belcher: Voters may have to pick management or labor

March 3, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Ohio GOP in 2011 mirrors ways of Obama Democrats

March 1, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Swing voters not helping moderate politicians

February 25, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Mideast, Midwest protests opposites in some ways

February 24, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: House Republicans show where the big money isn't

February 20, 2011

• Ellen Belcher: Ohio, its unions have long been in denial

February 17, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Kasich gives lesson on how to behave

February 16, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Is A.J. Wagner departure about 2013 mayor race?

February 9, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: A school some love to hate rises -- slowly

February 4, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Boehner, Batchelder take pages from Pelosi

January 28, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Bankruptcy for states? Gingrich has tough sell

January 25, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Jim Jordan jumps to fore with right-of-right pitch

January 23, 2011

• Ellen Belcher: Ready or not, government being reset

January 21, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Would Joe Lieberman have been dumped in Ohio, too?

January 19, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Health care not best bet for kinder, gentler politics

January 14, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: D.C. seating arrangement could take Dayton lesson

January 13, 2011

• Martin Gottlieb: Cordray falls up; D.C. gig a great way to lose

January 9, 2011

• Ellen Belcher: Brogan belonged on Ohio Supreme Court

December 30, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Obama just seized the moment; now comes another

December 26, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Dayton was perfect place to build a life, and I thank you

December 17, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Holbrooke didn't fit stereotype of diplomat

December 9, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: 3C salvage effort can't save Ohio from itself

December 2, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Sherrod Brown riled by McConnell; fairly?

November 29, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: NCR move still stings Strickland

November 26, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Strickland came a very long way

November 21, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Oregon District's vitality isn't tapped out

November 12, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Third-graders take an editor to task

November 10, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Literary prize needs to remember Bosnia

November 5, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Montgomery turnout stats will get attention

October 29, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Dayton has advantages in fight for shuttle

October 28, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: U.S. House seats at stake in race for governor

October 26, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Are map-drawing reformers finally having impact?

October 24, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Worried candidates right to be worried

October 22, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Why is GOP spending in Strahorn race?

October 19, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Did going hard to the left mean forfeiting Congress?

October 15, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Let's keep an eye on Wright-Patt jobs

October 12, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: DeWine ad on health care, Obama, Cordray a beaut

October 10, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: We grilled them, now you get to vote

October 8, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Is Boehner serious about changing Congress

October 6, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Kasich pitch on trains not really about speed

October 1, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Why we need people to choose Dayton
• Martin Gottlieb: Politics in the ads a fantasy world; or is it?

September 28, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Vote/register overlap bad in '08, not in '10

September 26, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Strickland, Kasich not inventing differences

September 24, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: 'Pledge' just modifies Republican election strategy

September 19, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Inside the Kasich-Stickland debate

September 17, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Candidates collude to confuse in debates

August 27, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Coalition right to expand focus beyond WPAFB

August 26, 2010

• Scott Elliott: Airman's case could break ground for gay civil rights

August 25, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: 'Buy Tea Party' a sign of times, even if it failed

August 13, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Wright brothers' strong case has strong foe
• Kevin Riley: People paying attention to updayton's successes

August 10, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Outcome of House races could shape governorship

August 8, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: How badly can we do law enforcement?

August 6, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Mapmakers can do the right thing; but it'd be a first

July 29, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Fisher has much bigger problem than money

July 25, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Regulators can't fix Grand Lake St. Marys

July 23, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Boehner mellowing?

July 16, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Holbrooke's old mojo not there so far

July 11, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Strickland, Kasich owe you answers

July 7, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Kasich eager not to be Bush, Taft or Blackwell

July 3, 2010

• Kevin Riley: State pension system must change

June 30, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Whom to blame for extra congressional primary?

June 27, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: For-profit colleges have no cause to complain

June 22, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Obama looking baffled by backlash against him

June 20, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Can Dayton soar with UAV industry?

June 17, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Why are Ohio Democrats still hanging in there?

June 14, 2010

• Scott Elliott: Video games at school? Not as crazy as it sounds

June 13, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Union drive at Sinclair exposes second tussle

June 4, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Will sex scandal hurt Air Force?

May 30, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Foreclosures coming to business property near you

May 29, 2010

• Scott Elliott: Ward must let parents have school choices

May 27, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Rand Paul faced up to real meaning of his pitch

May 26, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Can 'do the right thing' prevail on redistricting

May 21, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Downtown residents wanted

May 20, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Ohio bumped as politics epicenter

May 16, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Bad times would have done in lesser place

May 14, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: High-speed Internet access in rural areas not easy, but doable

May 12, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Don't confuse politicians with facts on bailout

May 7, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Stivers is one of Dayton's selling points
• Martin Gottlieb: Weak week not Tea Party story

May 2, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Ohio's running short; Central State pays price

April 30, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: They won't leave Jean Schmidt alone

April 29, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Ellis delivers punch to Republicans' solar plexus

April 28, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Tea Party candidates taking much on faith

April 24, 2010

• Kevin Riley: 'There is life after NCR'

April 21, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: April 15 not such a nightmare for most

April 18, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: River's power hasn't been tapped

April 16, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Republicans' dance with with Tea Party hard to watch

April 15, 2010

• Scott Elliott: Unions missing chance to shape teacher evaluation

April 13, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: What to do if the folks next door vote wrong?

April 11, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Changes to March Madness could be good for Dayton

April 2, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Us vetting candidates might help you make choices

April 1, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Democrats have bigger November problems than health care

March 26, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Concerned big brother has front-row view of history

March 23, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Why were Democrats still pushing Turner by Friday

March 21, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: In disaster lore, Dayton wasn't where all went wrong

March 19, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: State auditor primary offers relief from aging D vs. R show

March 17, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Are 'the American people' really against health care plan?

March 13, 2010

• Scott Elliott: State's school report cards should list poverty rates

March 12, 2010

• Kevin Riley: When it comes to floods, at least we're not Fargo

March 11, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Linking Portman to birthers gets Democrats noplace

March 9, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Finn loses ally to the left -- or the right

March 7, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: County's Feldman will weather SCLC storm

March 5, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Boehner needs Voinovich help on debt

March 2, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Trammell story is about changing American times

February 27, 2010

• Scott Elliott: Parents might not favor early-college route

February 26, 2010

• Kevin Riley: We should keep an eye on Cuyahoga County changes

February 24, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Tony Hall knows what Bayh is talking about

February 22, 2010

• Pitts too pessimistic?

February 21, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Air Camp is good for kids, Dayton

February 18, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Seth Morgan has good reason to seize the moment

February 11, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Underage sex slavery is very real in Ohio

February 7, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Third Frontier's bumps not all bad

February 4, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Two district-drawing plans have merit

February 2, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Compromising with Obama, the destroyer of America

January 31, 2010

• Scott Elliott: UD can thank its faculty and students for Curran

January 29, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Iraq mission over, colonel catches up with life again

January 26, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: DeWine & DeWine dump Seth Morgan on the curb

January 20, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Massachusetts phenomenon visible early in Dayton

January 19, 2010

• School leaders flunked in bypassing Race to the Top

January 17, 2010

• Kevin Riley: Downtown revitalization has reached critical point

January 15, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Nazi transvestite murder case just keeps going

January 12, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Parties need to let loose of Lincoln, Jefferson, Jackson

January 10, 2010

• Ellen Belcher: Penn National can't lose in Columbus

January 8, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: What happened to Ohio's political sea change?

January 5, 2010

• Martin Gottlieb: Last chance arrives to fix rules that shut out centrists

December 22, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: '90-minute market's' day comes 25 years later?

December 17, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: In wake of conceal/carry, new stats worth a look

December 12, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: UD's dean of getting things done retires

December 4, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Book about Reds might find new home team

December 3, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Bosnia agonies becoming bigger threat to 'Dayton'

December 2, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Anti-Obama backlash is problem for Ohio Republicans first

November 29, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Mike Peters finds fan in Baghdad

November 20, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Street-smart officers have bright ideas for downtown

November 13, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: County won't do well if it stops investing

November 12, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Can Leitzell avoid being Carter?

November 11, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Honoree has the story about Clinton and 'Dayton'

November 8, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: DId McLin loss reflect shrinking population in west?

November 6, 2009

• Kevin Riley: A Browns fan finally gives up -- maybe

October 24, 2009

• Scott Elliott: Dayton schools could have been Detroit

October 23, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Site selectors tell the good, bad about us
• Martin Gottlieb: Twin pediatricians case sets mind to whirring

October 21, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Leitzell cites Reagan, Thatcher; what's it mean

October 18, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Casino backers way worse than your kids

October 16, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Leitzell, McLin did most of what they could in debate

October 9, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Swedish visitors impressed by Dayton
• Martin Gottlieb: Dayton candidate nights not exactly town halls

October 7, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Columbus, Washington, Ds, Rs all stymied

October 2, 2009

• Kevin Riley: DDN highlights flu risk, breast cancer month
• Martin Gottlieb: Dayton Peace Prize book an eye-opener

September 25, 2009

• Kevin Riley: All eyes on STEM school
• Martin Gottlieb: Sully symbolized politics for many who loved it

September 23, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Gay rights vote foretells more about Lehner than Blair

September 20, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: EPA is McCook Field neighbors' only hope

September 18, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Local Lincoln basher has problem with outcomes

September 14, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Here's your chance to help shape downtown Dayton

September 13, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Divide on health care comes down to dreams

September 10, 2009

• Scott Elliott: STEM school could be the future of choice

September 9, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: False alarms about Obama speech should raise an alarm about alarmists

September 6, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: What if Riordan had said no?

September 4, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Can Leitzell pull off a Turner

August 31, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Ohio terrorists not the most impressive enemies
• Terry Ryan: Kettering takes unfair hit in ratings

August 29, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Wright brothers captured world's attention in 1908

August 22, 2009

• Scott Elliott: Sculptor's life as facinating as his art

August 19, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Girls sports revolution bigger in 'burbs

August 16, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Husted, Brunner find agreement: Call in top court

August 12, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Those town hall disrupters can serve good purpose

August 7, 2009

• Kevin Riley: As usual, Hal McCoy had it first
• Ellen Belcher: Dayton has star power in Amanda Wright Lane

August 6, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Absurd lies move to the center of things political

August 4, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: One memory says Turner has come a long way on his role

July 31, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Ohio Democrats have good reason to worry on health care

July 29, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Rape case ruling clears way for focus on who did it

July 26, 2009

• Scott Elliott: Black students doing better in the South

July 23, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Gambling wars not about philosophical issues

July 17, 2009

• Kevin Riley: A baseball dad, and so much more

July 14, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Brunner doing what Ohio pols just don't do

July 12, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Find them jobs, NCR's people will stay

July 9, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Washington, Columbus canceling each other out

July 8, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Dayton peace prize reading suggests links among the good guys

July 1, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Go mountain biking

June 30, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Righter-than-right forces tug at local Republicans

June 26, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Strickland is scared he'll lose if he leads

June 25, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Map drawing reform could help local Democrats, though it should be a wash statewide

June 24, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: (Relatively) good news: Ohio jobs stat stagnates

June 21, 2009

• Scott Elliott: A Father's Day message: Don't wait to mend fences
• Kevin Riley: Ohio must convince grads to stay

June 10, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Will NCR lessen the losses?

June 5, 2009

• Kevin Riley: NCR's Nuti at least owed us honesty

June 2, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: NCR fight was over before it started
• Martin Gottlieb: Austria messes around; bids to be the un-Hobson

June 1, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Don't Ask, Don't Tell just put gay issue in the closet

May 31, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Dragging down Dayton gets region nowhere

May 30, 2009

• Scott Elliott: For the right advice, find the right advisers

May 29, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Train depot issue offers break from the bleak

May 21, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Pelosi fight also about Boehner

May 19, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Can Biden/Clinton activism save promise of 'Dayton"?

May 17, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: AF museum dissing Dayton, Wright brothers

May 15, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: So John Kasich is running as a Democrat, right?

May 14, 2009

• Scott Elliott: Education without politics? Not this time

May 9, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Wright-Patt is Dayton's best weapon

May 8, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Can national hardliners reshape Ohio GOP?

May 4, 2009

• Scott Elliott: School helps kids grow up, catch up

May 3, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Ohio's love fest over, won't be back

April 30, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Specter's problems show limits for Ohio Republicans, too

April 28, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Warren flap over stimulus is all about the posturing

April 26, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Reds movie project could be start of something big

April 19, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Develop the river and everybody wins

April 16, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Can Mike DeWine stoop to conquer with AG job?

April 10, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Like you, DDN has to change with the times

April 3, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Hospitals playing with babies' lives

April 1, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Obama looking surprisingly good in New York

March 31, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: New generation to have less than parents in school sports?

March 20, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: 'Cinderella' goes to mock trial and wins

March 17, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Dayton leads nation in boring politics

March 13, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Downtown effort is rolling

March 10, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Limbaugh playing badly; it doesn't matter

March 6, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Community organizers had it right

February 28, 2009

• Scott Elliott: Publishers get kid humor even if parents don't

February 27, 2009

• Kevin Riley: Why give the Bombers an arena?

February 25, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Dayton's Rankings hurt by how city boundaries are drawn

February 20, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Foreclosure crisis still far from over
• Martin Gottlieb: Montgomery County is Humpty Dumpty for the Democrats

February 17, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Aykroyd elevates Boehner, though not very gently

February 13, 2009

• Kevin Riley: 'Young creatives' most powerful people in town
• Martin Gottlieb: What can a pragmatic deficit hawk like Voinovich do?

February 10, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: How much does Limbaugh scare Boehner and McConnell?
• Martin Gottlieb: Obama bipartisan pitch still has life post-stimulus

February 8, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Dayton's comeback will happen

February 6, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Strickland determined to remain an activist

February 3, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Strength with GOP base didn't work for Blackwell -- again
• Scott Elliott: Five Oaks needs a school, even if it's not Julienne

February 1, 2009

• Kevin Riley: In the end, teachers hold the key to good schools

January 30, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Bipartisan pitch meets 2 local Republicans

January 28, 2009

• Scholarships: Good idea or bad?

January 27, 2009

• Martin Gottlieb: Treating different sports differently wouldn't work

January 25, 2009

• Ellen Belcher: Once again, Mr. Lincoln stills crowd

January 15, 2009

• Scott Elliott: Lottery winner's advice really works for everyone

December 22, 2008

• Scott Elliott: State skipped the tough questions about cheating

November 15, 2008

• Scott Elliott: On historic night, NAACP leader's thoughts are of his mother

October 6, 2008

• Scott Elliott: Can new media fill void left by newspapers?

September 25, 2008

• Scott Elliott: If this list sounds familiar, it should

September 12, 2008

• Scott Elliott: Despite the facts, parents can't stop hovering