We are busy working on the Wood County Green Party's 2022 election voter's guide. Some of the things we're learning are very revealing about the state of our Democracy in Ohio. One of the most surprising is in the Ohio Treasurer's race. The incumbent Republican, Robert Sprague, puts "Faith" first as his most important issue. He believes everyone should accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and in his campaign video he is literally dressed in golden religious robes. The US is a secular state. Period. Other democracies which have gotten on the slippery slope to religious rule like India and Turkey are finding that a host of evils accompanies giving control of the government to religious fanatics. Government violence against citizens; terrible discrimination against those with the "wrong" religion; stifled freedoms like speech and assembly; concentration of wealth as the "holiest steal the mostest" from the government; and many more evils inevitably follow religious take over of government. The fact that this is under the radar in Ohio is truly frightening.

Also disappointing is the fact that there are so many uncontested races. These are all going to Republican candidates. The Democrats can't be an effective opposition Party if they can't even find candidates to run. The strategy of "writing off" races that seem like a sure thing for the other side because of gerrymandering or wealthy donors is the only guaranteed way to lose in politics. Showing up is 9/10ths of everything. That's why we're going to be running a mayoral candidate in 2023 despite the fact that we've been kicked off the ballot.