Jerking Ohio's license plates for the cause du jour

The idea of forcing convicted sex offenders to identify their autos with green license plates is another one of those feel-good measures Ohio legislators burp up when they want to get taxpayers' minds off of school financing.

It wasn't a good idea when I wrote about it last winter and it isn't a good idea now for two main reasons: 1) other family members have to drive the marked car so the finger of shame is not always pointed at the criminal; and 2) seems that cars with these plates would be more vulnerable to vandalism.

Legislators need to quit screwing around with license plates for their feel-good needs. Additionally, they should mandate that auto tags be cleared of all graphics and slogans so that the cleared space can be used for better readability of the identifying numbers and letters.

Of course that won't happen because bureaucrats have found a mother lode in advertising the status symbols of motorists. They charge an additional $35 a year for drivers to announce their cause du jour or whatever makes them feel good about themselves.

The range of subjects from which a tag-buyer can create little billboards and thereby purchase an ego goose are:

Autism Awareness, Bald Eagle, Breast Cancer Awareness, Cardinal, Celebrate Kids (A), Celebrate Kids (B), Cats/Dogs (pets), Choose Life, Cincinnati Bengals, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Browns, Columbus Blue Jackets, Columbus Crew, Donate Life, Ducks Unlimited, Eagle Scouts, Eastern Star, Fish Lake Erie, Freemason, Future Farmers of America, Lake Erie, Leader in Flight, Mahoning River, National Rifle Association, Ohio Cattlemens Association, Ohio State Parks, Ohio Zoo, One Nation Under God, Perry's Monument, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rotary International, Scenic Rivers, Scenic Rivers Blue Heron, Share the Road, Smallmouth Bass, Smokey Bear, Walleye, White Tailed Deer, and Wild Turkey, plus 23 names of colleges and universities.

All are good causes, no question. But the fact is they could - and should - be publicized with bumper stickers, leaving auto tags to perform their intended purpose.