Kilroy says--Kill the deal!

Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th district has expressed the following opinion on the proposed deal to let a company from UAE control our ports:

Kilroy says there’s no need for the Bush administration to conduct another review of the deal putting a United Arab Emirates-controlled company in charge of significant operations at six major U.S. ports.

Kilroy, a Franklin County commissioner, wants the White House to kill the deal now.

Barring that, she backs legislation requiring congressional approval before the deal can go forward.

"The president should cancel the deal and (Pryce) and other members of Congress should call on the president to cancel the deal," Kilroy said. "Any review should come back to Congress, not just to the administration if the deal is not canceled."

and...
...Kilroy said she is skeptical of the administration’s forthcoming review, adding that Pryce’s subcommittee, which oversees the foreign investments panel, should have done a better job monitoring its activities.

"Only after Democrats discovered this sale and raised questions did she (Pryce) acknowledge a problem," Kilroy said.

Sounds to me that Pryce was for the deal until she was against it. Would you call that a flip flop?????

Pictures Worth Studying

If you are old enough to remember the civil rights movement, then you are old enough to remember the events recorded in these pictures. The Birmingham News has pictures that show the struggles and courage of civil rights activists in the 1950's and 60's.

Catch the pictures before they disappear!

Pictures do speak louder than words. Ohio Republicans are trying to distance themselves from President Bush. However, they forget that we have pictures! Since pictures of this type are being scrubbed from the web, you may wish to save these for later. DeWine and Bush Zell Miller, Bush, DeWinePryce and Bush Pryce and Bush DeLay and Bush Hastert, Pryce, and DeLay

From Ohio UAPA :
Deborah Pryce has voted with indicted former GOP Leader Tom DeLay 90% of the time.
Deborah Pryce has voted with President Bush 88% of the time.
Deborah Pryce has voted the party line on 93% of the tough votes, putting party leadership ahead of the American people when it mattered most.

From the Desert Beacon: Deborah Pryce (R-OH) gave the Porter campaign $$5,000 via her Promoting Republicans You Can Elect PAC. She received $1,000 in September 2003 from Abramoff's Alexander Strategy Group..

Raw Story has found another Republican congressman with Abramoff ties: Rep. John Linder (GA).

Pryce's Spin

Ohio Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce recently said the following: "I've deviated from voting with the president on several major items, and I'll continue to do so if I believe that's in the best interests of this country and my constituents." My response to her statement is one word: BALONEY!

Deborah Pryce has worked with corrupt Texas Republican Tom DeLay and Rep. Dennis Hastert to whip the House Republicans into a single mind to pass legislation that boosts Republican control over everything. This means that they work to pass laws that favor businesses and political contributors.

We're not stupid and we are not happy with the economic conditions in our district and our state. We know that Pryce followed blindly behind President Bush, Tom DeLay, and Dennis Hastert and supported their agenda instead of responding to the demands of her constituents (new and better jobs for the 15th district, more federal aid for education and improved services for the elderly). She continues to support Bush's plans in Iraq which call for continued war without an exit plan. Here are some excerpts from the DCCC-

Bush/Wall Street Social Security Privatization Plan

Not only did Deborah Pryce support President Bush's risky privatization scheme, she wrote the Republican playbook on the plan that could have created up to $2 trillion in debt and done nothing for the long term solvency of Social Security.

GOP/Special Interest Energy Bill

$14.6 billion in giveaways to energy companies while gas prices and home heating bills are higher than ever before.

GOP/Special Interest Medicare Bill

Some seniors are expected to pay more in deductibles and more in premiums, pay for coverage when they are receiving none and some may even lose coverage altogether.

GOP/Special Interest Budget

Current and future Ohio students could be affected by the $12.7 billion raid on student aid.

Ohio will face the loss of over $570 million in child support enforcement cuts over 10 years.

$22 billion in giveaways to HMOs.

Seniors on Medicaid could lose their nursing home care.

Ohio Republican Corruption Story: Part #732

I really have to congratulate the Toledo Blade for their investigative reporting about the Republican corruption in Ohio. They have done a great job following the story of how the Republicans and their friends (like Tom Noe) have ripped off Ohioans.

The Toledo Blade has yet another story about 2 of Governor Taft's former aides, Doug Talbott and Doug Moorman. Here is an excerpt:
"... Along the way, Mr. Talbott, the political guy, and Mr. Moormann, the policy wonk, became close friends. They also shared a friend: Tom Noe. Last week, it all came crashing down in a Columbus courtroom. On Friday, Mr. Talbott and Mr. Moormann became the third and fourth former Taft aides convicted of violating state ethics law because of favors they accepted from the former Maumee coin dealer..."

And finally, Mary Anne Sharkey, who previously worked for Ohio Governor Taft, said this: "This corruption is truly hurting Ohio economically," Ms. Sharkey said. "Businesses don't want to invest here. The state has a reputation for being corrupt. It's becoming like New Jersey." (NOTE: If you are from New Jersey, you may wish to ask Ms. Sharkey for an apology.)

Now we have someone who has admitted the truth---Republican corruption has hurt the state and businesses are staying away. It is clear that the Republicans have done far more damage than we could have ever imagined.

News from Ohio

From Open Secrets: Some people say that the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan is really a Republican plan to boost money to drug companies. In election cycle '99-'00, Ohio Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce received $12,534 from PAC and Individual contributions from the drug industry. For election cycle 2004, Pryce received $38,504 from pharmaceutical manufacturing industries, and $3000 for election cycle 2006. Pryce has received these political contributions from these drug companies as she continues to promote the medicare drug plan. Who benefits more ---Pryce or an individual senior citizen?

Was Cheney drunk when he shot his friend while quail hunting?

Doug Moorman and H. Douglas Talbott will be in court today as part of the culture of corruption parade within the Ohio Republican Party. They are former aides to Ohio Republican Gov. Bob Taft. Unfortunately, regular Ohioans are so, so tired of this corruption which has ruined our state. The Dispatch has the rest of the story.

There is more information on the activities of Tom Noe, Republican fundraiser: ...Noe, a former Lucas County Republican Party chairman, has given more than $146,000 since he started getting state money in 1998 to state and federal candidates and committees, records show...

This story from the Dayton Daily News is a little creepy: Miami County Coroner Dr. Judith Nickras asked county commissioners to buy 1,000 body bags, saying she wants to be prepared if an influenza pandemic occurs....

The Lady Buckeyes are the Big Ten Champions. The LA Times and The Dispatch have stories about their win and their season.

State Sen. Robert F. Hagan wants to ban Republicans from adopting children. His proposal is an answer to Ohio Republicans who want to ban gay couples from adopting children. Although Hagan's proposal is done tongue-in-cheek, he is trying to make a point. Every child needs a loving home and a family. It doesn't matter if it is a heterosexual or gay or Republican family, as long as it is a loving family.

The Allegheny County Council members don't want any Diebold voting machines. I can't blame them. The Times Online has the story. Here is an excerpt: ...Diebold, which has been at the center of election controversies in several other states, had seemed to be the front-runner to get the contract until Tuesday morning, when Onorato announced he will recommend the county contract Sequoia Voting Systems of Oakland, Calif., to provide AVC Advantage Direct Record Electronic machines to replace the county's current lever-operated machines....

Senator Mike DeWine took money from rich Republicans but tried to stay away from President Bush. Story here.

ONN has a story about Ohio politics. Here is an excerpt: ..(Rep. Deborah) Pryce is facing her first serious challenge since she was elected in 1992. Her position as the fourth-ranked House member puts her closer to Rep. Tom DeLay, who had to step down as majority leader after he was indicted in Texas and tied to Abramoff.Pryce took aggressive steps to keep any ties to Abramoff from sticking to her. She is the only Ohio Republican to give away money _ $8,000 _ received from Abramoff's Indian tribe clients....

Bad Numbers for Ohio Republicans

According to SurveyUSA, Ohio Republican Governor Bob Taft has the lowest approval rating of all the 50 governors. Only 14% approve of his job performance, and 82% disapprove.

In the SurveyUSA poll for U.S. Senators, Ohio's two senators aren't knocking our socks off either. Republican Sen. Mike DeWine, who is running for re-election, has 43% for his job approval and 44% disapproval. Ohio's other Republican U.S. Senator, George Voinovich, who is not up for election this year, shows a 49% approval rating and 42% disapproval among Ohioans.

With the next general election months away, these polls do show that people in Ohio have lost faith in these Republican elected officials. We've become tired of their empty promises and their political corruption. I believe things will get worse for these Republicans in the coming months because Ohioans are bitter and very unhappy.

Note to Republican Steve Chabot: Abortion should be rare, safe, and legal. If you plan to discuss the most private decisions a woman would ever make, perhaps we should start asking you questions: Do you take viagara? Have you had a vasectomy? I can think of some others, but I will save them for another day. I'd suggest women who attend your speeches should ask those questions. Are you ashamed about your support of Tom DeLay and your contributions from Jack Abramoff?

Republican fundraiser, Tom Noe, finally received his 53 criminal charges. The Columbus Dispatch has several reports on Noe, such as using state funds for his personal use and a sample of the non-coin investments Noe made with money from Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation.

Joe Blundo has a few observations about the Ohio race for governor, including this about the Republican candidates: ...Until the other day, (Jim) Petro and (Kenneth) Blackwell had largely busied themselves staking out evermore-extreme positions to win the favor of religious conservatives.
So Blackwell revealed that he opposes abortion even when a woman’s life is in danger.
And Petro said he opposes it even in cases of rape...

53 Charges Against Tom Noe, Ohio GOP's Best Friend

Finally, the charges have been added up for Republican fundraiser, Tom Noe. Noe has been hit with 54 charges of theft and money laundering. The LA Times has the story here. Do you think the state of Ohio will ever get all of its money back from Noe? Don't hold your breath. Ohio Republicans are hoping you'll forget their culture of corruption that is eating away at our state.

Republicans Grumbling about Pryce

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) is facing some complaints from her fellow party members:
..Members have complained that Pryce does not make enough media appearances to be an effective voice for the party. She responded to those complaints by arguing that her job is to put other members in the spotlight, not just to promote herself, a charge that rankled the supporters of at least one of her predecessors...
All that Republican corruption must be causing some major disagreements.

Pryce: Too Busy Raising Money to Help Seniors

Rather than spend time with her senior constituents, Republican Representative Deborah Pryce (OH-15) had a fundraiser today in Columbus, Ohio:

Tuesday, February 21, 2006:
Luncheon at the Hyatt on Capitol Square
12:00 – 1:00; Program begins at 12:30.
$ 50/ person


She has fundraisers all the time, but this time it was very relevant to what she said a few days ago. Here is what Pryce said about Democrats: Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) said, "Instead of spending their recess unleashing scare tactics ... Democrats could make better use of their time by signing up more seniors for this benefit" (Schuler/Crowley, CQ Today, 2/17).

Why wasn't Pryce using her recess time helping seniors in Ohio's 15th district sign up for the medicare prescription plan???? However, Pryce is a hypocrite because she'd rather spend her time off raising money for her campaign. Thanks for showing your true motivation------MONEY.

Numbers

UAPA has the results of a recent Rassmusen poll:

...Ohio gubernatorial candidate Congressman Ted Strickland holds a twelve-point lead over Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, according to a new independent Rasmussen Reports poll released Sunday.

The new survey shows Strickland with a twelve-point lead over Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, 47% to 35%. Strickland's numbers indicate movement from January, when Strickland led Blackwell by four, 44% to 40%, in a similar Rasmussen Reports poll.

Strickland also leads state Attorney General Jim Petro by seven points, 44% to 37%...

Fabulous!!!!! We need to get the culture of corruption out of the Ohio government!

>>Looks like senior citizens have NOT joined the Medicare Prescription Drug Program in great numbers. MSNBC quotes the Washington Post: A $400 million campaign by the Bush administration to enroll low-income seniors in prescription drug plans that would cost them just a few dollars has signed up 1.4 million people, a fraction of the 8 million eligible for the new coverage....

The government can't say they are having success with the program if no one is using it.

Where is the unemployment rate?

Ohio's unemployment rate for January 2006 will not be released until March 7, 2006. This is highly unusual because unemployment rates are generally released three weeks into the next month. What kind of game are they playing here?

The crash of two Marine Corps helicopters resulted in the loss of 10 Marines, including Senior Airman Alecia S. Good of Broadview Heights, Ohio.

The State of Ohio has no money to help with the destruction of trees caused by the ash borer. Cities and individuals are left with no help. Ohio Gov. Taft had asked for $50 million dollars from the federal government but will get far less.

Rush Limpbaugh, former oxycontin addict and source of hot air, said the following on his show, according to the Enquirer:

...When Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett was forced out of the Democratic primary in the U.S. Senate race in Ohio, the conservative commentator criticized the New York Times for not saying that the Democrats' preferred candidate is black.

Limbaugh later found out from e-mails to his nationally syndicated radio show that the candidate, U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, is, in fact, white....

I don't think that Limpbaugh actually does research for his program. He just makes it up as he goes along.

Pryce and Republicans Worried About Senior Backlash

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) and the Republican Party are worried about senior citizens abandoning their party. Republicans are worried not because of the confusing medicare prescription drug plans, not because of their party's attempt to end social security, not because of their party's mismanagement of the Iraq war and our economy, but because of Democrats. In the Gainesville Sun, Pryce has accused Democrats of trying "to scare seniors away from signing up for this benefit." This is a load of crap!

What have Republicans done for seniors in the last 6 years? Nothing. The medicare prescription drug plan was originally designed for 2 purposes: (1) reward the drug companies (who have been generous in their support of Republicans), and (2) win over senior citizen voters for the next election. However, senior citizens have become angry about the Republican plan to destroy social security and this crazy and confusing drug plan. The other reason for the loss of faith by seniors has to do with the war. Senior citizens, many of whom are veterans (or lost family and friends) of WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, and the first Gulf War, have become fed up with this administration's handling of the war in Iraq. Now seniors are faced with the deaths of grandchildren in the Iraq war.

As time goes on, more and more senior citizens in Ohio, Florida, Arizona, and other states will join with Democratic candidates in an attempt to put the country back on the right path again. We can do better and we must do better for our grandchildren and great grandchildren. Democrats are our only hope to do the right thing in our country and the world.

The Truth: Every District Counts

From MyDD: Have you seen the most recent SurveyUSA poll? President Bush has a 37% approval rating in Ohio.

Do you live in Rep. Paul E. Gillmor's (OH-5) district? Do you feel slighted by the fact that he doesn't even live in your district? Do you think he really feels for the people in your district? Go to this web address, click on owner, and type in Gillmor. You'll see that Gillmor is really living the good life in very wealthy Dublin, Ohio. Dublin is approximately 80 miles from Old Fort, Ohio.

Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th district, will provide some excitement in the campaign for U.S. Congress. Kilroy, a well-known Franklin County commissioner, is respected, intelligent, hard-working, and a tough campaigner. The Akron Beacon Journal says that this is going to be a race to watch. Pryce, the Republican incumbent, will have to defend her alliance with corrupt Texas Rep. Tom DeLay and her unwavering support of Bush's social security plan. She'll also have to answer why other states are getting jobs while we have been in an economic funk since Bush arrived.

Ohio has lost 200,000 jobs since Bush became president. What have we gained from having Republicans run the state and as our representatives and senators? Nothing! With Republicans as the majority party, we've lost so much: jobs, industries, college tuition has skyrocketed, thousands of Ohioans have lost health insurance, political corruption has increased (Taft, Noe, Ney, etc.), school funding hasn't been solved, many of our young people have been killed in Iraq, etc., etc., etc. Ohioans deserve better than the "leadership" provided by Republicans. It is time to change the direction of Ohio and elect Democrats because we deserve better.

The Reality of Health Savings Accounts

President Bush visited central Ohio today. The San Jose Mercury News said "Bush visits Ohio to boost state GOP." The only things that could improve this state would be to get the entire corrupt Republican Party out of leadership positions and a Democratic majority in the state legislature. The Republican culture of corruption pageant continues to grow in size with the addition of Jim Petro being investigated by the FBI.

The Durant Democrat has Brian Rothenberg's reply to the president's message:

...Brian Rothenberg, communications director for the Ohio Democratic Party, said Ohio was an odd place for Bush to push health savings accounts because the state recently has lost more than 200,000 manufacturing jobs, which often have comprehensive medical insurance benefits.
"Try telling somebody who is underemployed, or working at Wendy's, that they should put money in a health savings account," he said. "That's not a partisan issue. That's a practical issue. ... Why he would come to a place that's bleeding jobs like Ohio and talk about health care is beyond me."
In pushing health savings accounts, Bush said people will become more responsible shoppers because they'll pay more of the initial costs of their health care. But there's a catch:

To qualify, a person also must buy a separate health insurance policy with a high deductible. Such policies require individuals to pay the first $1,050 in medical expenses a year; families have to pay the first $2,100. Some policies carry higher deductibles.
Bush wants to let consumers put enough money in their health savings accounts to cover all their health insurance costs, not just the deductibles, as provided by current law. This would allow them to set aside more money tax-free.
But Democrats argue that the accounts don't help those in need. They say it takes money to pay premiums on the high-deductible insurance policies, and that the working poor do not have extra money to set aside in the accounts....

Thanks, but no thanks.

FBI Investigates Republican Petro

Ohio Attorney General, and current Republican candidate for governor, Jim Petro finds himself the target of an FBI investigation. According to the Columbus Dispatch:
Attorney General Jim Petro stripped $2 million in annual legal work from three law firms because of their ties to a political rival.
Petro’s spokeswoman, Kim Norris, acknowledged yesterday that after he took office the attorney general severed nearly all contracts with three Summit County law firms aligned with the county’s powerful Republican chairman, Alex Arshinkoff, a Petro nemesis.
Petro’s decision has brought inquiries from the FBI....

President Bush will be visiting Wendy's Headquarters in Dublin at noon today. The Bush entourage will include the usual collection of Ohio Republicans: Voinovich, Pryce, Tiberi, Hobson. What---no Bob Ney or Tom Noe????

Ohio School Funding a Mess

The Ohio Legislature was ordered by the State Supreme Court to fix the way that schools are funded in Ohio. However, the Republican controlled state government is more interested in passing laws against gays, collecting money from Tom Noe, and doing nothing that helps schools. When an Ohio school district cannot pass a levy, cuts must be made, and that means teachers, books, and programs must be cut. South-Western Schools will need to lay off 106 teachers, 130 classified employees, 10 administrators to slash $13 million from their budget.

This lack of effort on school funding by Ohio Republicans shows that Republicans are completely inept. They continue to hurt children and taxpayers by pushing their worthless voter ID laws and other empty legislation. The citizens in Ohio need to vote for more competent Democratic lawmakers.

Ohio News Roundup

>The Toledo Blade has a very thorough investigation of Tom Noe's charges. It clearly demonstrates, in my opinion, how these Republicans were willing to give taxpayer money to Republican pals to "invest." I wonder if there are any other Tom Noes out there?

Within hours of gaining control of $25 million from the state of Ohio in 1998, Tom Noe began stealing it, according to a 53-count indictment unsealed yesterday.

He did not stop, the indictment states, until state officials shut down his coin funds last spring.

The indictment by a Lucas County grand jury alleges that Mr. Noe laundered and stole more than $3 million from the rare-coin investment funds he managed for the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.....

>>The Columbus Dispatch is a very conservative newspaper. However, this morning's front page might suggest that the editors don't like Tom Noe or that they just couldn't bury the entire story. Since his trials could be scheduled before the November election, the story will not go away from the public's eye. Here are some highlights from the article about November:

...Two Noe-related trials are possible before the Nov. 7 election, a nightmarish prospect for Republicans, who have controlled every branch of state government since 1995. In addition to the state charges unsealed yesterday, Noe also faces federal charges of illegally funneling campaign contributions to the Bush-Cheney campaign during the 2004 election cycle....
...Republicans yesterday were in mitigating mode. They characterized Noe as a renegade who does not represent the party’s ethics or values, "a disgrace to himself and to his party . . . who should face the strongest possible punishment," said Ohio GOP Chairman Robert T. Bennett.
"Frankly, Tom Noe is irrelevant to us. He’ll have a long time in prison to think about his mistakes."
Democrats won’t let the GOP discard Noe so cavalierly. "It’s not just about Tom Noe, it’s about dozens of elected Republican officials and operatives across the entire state who participated in this culture of corruption, this pattern of behavior," said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern...

Why are these Republicans dismissing Noe? They were very willing to invite him to fundraisers, drink with him, go to his picnics, and take his money. Now, they decide he is not important. Wrong! Tom Noe's access to big time Ohio Republicans shows how corrupt the whole Republican Party is because they'll do anything for the money.

According to Roll Call, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce is taking responsibility for forgetting about Republican Delegate from Puerto Rico, Rep. Luis Fortuno, in the recent vote for Majority Leader.

Paul Hackett has withdrawn from the campaign for the U.S. Senate.

Missed this earlier, but it is still interesting: Did a well-known, and highly respected attorney lose work because this attorney supported an opponent of Jim Petro's? The Plain Dealer had the story here.

Eric Fingerhut, a Democratic State Senator, has withdrawn from the governor's race. This clears the way for Strickland as the Democratic nominee for the race for Ohio governor.

Republican Tom Noe Indicted: 53 Felony Counts

Yep! Ohio Republicans' best friend and GOP fundraiser, Tom Noe, has been indicted on 53 felonies! Holy corruption!

(Pictures: Left-President Bush and Tom Noe; Right- Tom Noe, Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, Republican Party Chair Ed Gillespie)

Here is the story:
Thomas W. Noe, the coin dealer and prominent Republican contributor whose $50 million state coin investment sparked one of the biggest scandals in Ohio state government history, was indicted today on 53 felonies, including theft of more than $1 million.

The charges include engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, 11 counts of theft, 11 of money laundering, 8 of tampering with records and 22 of forgery. He could be sentenced to a maximum 175 years in prison, although such a sentence is considered unlikely...

Deborah Pryce's Rubber Stamp Record

The residents of Columbus, Dublin, Upper Arlington, and Worthington need to ask themselves if it is time for a new face to represent the 15th Congressional District. Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) has been serving as a rubber stamp for President Bush and Rep. Tom DeLay. She was elected to represent her constituents, but her votes and activities demonstrate that she really doesn't care about us. Is this the person central Ohio needs as a representative to Congress? Need more information on Pryce's Rubber Stamp Record?

Visit here. Download the video.

People Losing Confidence With Republicans

The Akron Beacon Journal is reporting the latest charges against Ohio Republicans:
Charges were to be filed Friday against two former aides to Gov. Bob Taft over allegations they failed to report loans from the rare coin dealer at the heart of Ohio's government corruption scandal.
Douglas Talbott and Doug Moormann were expected to be charged with ethics violations over their financial disclosure reports, which they filed because they were members of state boards, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said.....
O'Brien also said a task force has finished its investigation into Noe's handling of a $50 million investment in rare coins for the state insurance fund for injured workers.
His attorney has acknowledged that up to $13 million from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation's fund is unaccounted for...

Here in Ohio, Gov. Taft and other Republicans grant contracts to companies based on their employees'/owners' political contributions. It is called "pay-to-play." Results of a poll from the Columbus Dispatch. The respondents answered the question:
Do you believe state officials make decisions or award contracts as a direct results of money they receive from campaign contributors? 92% YES 8% NO

A new AP Ipsos Poll has questions on Bush's approval rating. I thought question #9 was the most thought-provoking:
If the election for Congress were held today, would you want to see Republicans or Democrats win control of Congress?
49% DEMOCRATS 36% Republicans 12% Neither 3% Not sure

Is there change in the air?

Americans have had enough of the Republican corruptions and scandals. It appears that our unhappiness with the Republicans is showing up in polls. This was published in the Seattle Times:
In Pennsylvania, Sen. Rick Santorum has been running behind his challenger for months. In Montana, Sen. Conrad Burns, linked to the Jack Abramoff scandal, is on the defensive. In Ohio, Sen. Mike DeWine is struggling to overcome a toxic environment of in-state scandals that has tarnished his party. ....

In Ohio, Republican Rep. Bob Ney has been informed by federal investigators that he may be indicted in the Abramoff case. Ney is trailing two little-known Democratic opponents in internal GOP surveys.....

THIS JUST IN: The Colbert Report (Comedy Central) has just awarded Republican Rep. Boehner "The Big Brass Balls" Award for renting an apartment from a DC lobbyist, despite all the scandals surrounding the Republicans' lobbyist connections.

Boehner is just like DeLay

It hasn't taken long for people to dig up the dirt on Republican Rep. Boehner, the new "reformer." ooops! I just fell off my chair because I was laughing.) Boehner rents an apartment from a lobbyist. Here is more about Boehner:
Each year in Ohio, he sponsors the Boehner Birdie Hunt, which has incorporated as many as four different golf courses on the same day.

"As John‘s playing partner or whatever you choose ... you become an integral part of the ‘driving‘ force behind John‘s campaign and political efforts," a past fundraising appeal on his campaign Web site says.

Business groups that have assisted Boehner‘s fundraising praise his legislative work.

"I want to commend you for your leadership," a National Federation of Independent Business official wrote Boehner in 2004, thanking him for his support of legislation to revise the nation‘s workplace safety law and aid small businesses in fighting what they called burdensome regulations.

NFIB‘s PAC gave $10,000 to Boehner‘s campaign last year.

The student lender Sallie Mae‘s employees together are the top overall donors to Boehner‘s PAC since 1989, giving at least $120,000, an analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics campaign finance watchdog group found.

Boehner‘s daughter, Tricia, works for General Revenue Corp., a loan-collection company owned by Sallie Mae. She was there for two years before Sallie Mae purchased the company.

The liquor industry has given Boehner‘s campaign and PAC at least $200,000 since 1989. The lawmaker, in House floor remarks, has praised the industry‘s efforts to fight underage drinking and drunken driving.

Boehner‘s support for the insurance industry included a staple of the GOP platform: limiting lawsuits against the health care industry.

"We don‘t need a trial lawyers‘ bill of rights," Boehner has said.

Insurers have given Boehner‘s campaign and PAC close to $1 million since 1989.

How precious! Boehner is just another corrupt Republican!

Addicted to the power, money, trips, and favors

Yep! She is a registered lobbyist!
It has been confirmed by the AP as published in the Kansas City Star:

Meanwhile, the chairman of the House Republican Conference, composed of all the Republicans in the chamber, named a registered lobbyist for the Securities Industry Association as its chief of staff.

Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio, cited Rachel Robinson's experience, not only as a vice president of the securities trade group but as a director of operations for former Rep. Newt Gingrich when he was speaker of the House.

These Republicans and Pryce can talk about reform, but they can't do the reform. Why? Because they have become addicted to power, money, trips, and favors provided by lobbyists. The Republicans have become so bold that they are naming lobbyists to their staffs. Shame!

Pryce Hires Former SIA VP

Roll Call notes a new addition to Republican Deborah Pryce's (OH-15) staff. Here is part of the article:

House Republican Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce (Ohio) announced Tuesday she has hired Rachel Robinson to be Conference chief of staff.

Robinson has most recently served as vice president of government relations for the Securities Industry Association. Before her stint at SIA, Robinson spent nine years on Capitol Hill and held the post of director of Speaker operations for then-Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.).

Isn't this a firm that pushes legislation for favorable to banks and security firms? Could it be called a lobbying firm? The fact that the new person also worked for Newt Gingrich* (Mr. Corruption) is not necessarily a plus. If you've forgotten about the Gingrich record, check here.

Zogby Poll Shows Ohio Democrats Gaining

If you live in Ohio, you already know the general feelings that people have for Gov. Taft, Ohio Republicans, and the scandals. People are upset, mad, and just pissed off about the mess in Ohio. Now those feelings are reflected in a new Zogby poll. Here are some highlights:

Strickland (D) 38% vs. Blackwell (R) 35 %
Strickland (D) 36% vs. Petro (R) 36 %

...The poll showed widespread disaffection for embattled incumbent Republican Gov. Bob Taft. His job approval rating has climbed out of the single digits over the past 10 weeks, but still remains abysmal.

Just 16% said the Cincinnati Republican is doing a good job as Ohio's chief executive, while 83% said he is doing a poor job leading one of the most important political states in the nation. The poor approval ratings span the political spectrum - 93% of Democrats, 86% of independents, and 82% of Republicans give him poor marks for his work....

...Asked which party would be more effective are bringing jobs to Ohio and improving the state's overall economy, respondents favored Democrats over Republicans by a 42% to 35% margin....

The article mentions that the Republicans have been in control of the Ohio governor's office for 15 years. Wow! It seems like an eternity! If Ohio voters like scandals, continued job losses, poor economic conditions, and a lack of leadership, people should just vote for Petro and Blackwell who have been instrumental in making the state a mess. The Republicans just can't deliver anything.

However, if Ohioans are interested in a fresh, clean start, with hope for the future, it is time to vote for change and Democrats.

How Boehner and Republicans Do It with Lobbyists

Here is an old article from USA Today (8/29/04). I felt it illustrated how the Republicans do business with the lobbyists. During the Republican convention in New York City in August 2004, lobbyists and others were able to provide lots of parties and goodies to lawmakers and conventioneers. Here are a few excerpts:

...Top sponsorship for a Wednesday night benefit concert at Rockefeller Center costs $250,000. The event is being organized by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee for his World of Hope foundation, which seeks to alleviate AIDS and other health problems in Africa. Frist's aides declined to name top sponsors.

The longest-running convention party is the one being thrown all four nights of the convention to honor Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. It's at the Tunnel, a former nightclub on Manhattan's West Side.

The party-every-night tradition goes back to the GOP's San Diego convention in 1996, where nightly bashes for Boehner — then a member of the House leadership — got a reputation as the best events in town. Boehner's lobbyist friends replicated it at a Philadelphia warehouse in 2000 and are doing it again this year. The effort is led by Bruce Gates, a lobbyist for Washington Council Ernst & Young, a firm whose client list includes employers such as General Electric, Ford, AT&T and Verizon.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois was the honoree at a reception Sunday afternoon sponsored by General Motors at Tavern on the Green, a glittering Victorian gothic restaurant on the edge of Central Park. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States threw a reception at the New York Yacht Club for Rep. Thomas Reynolds of New York, chairman of the party's House campaign committee. And AT&T, Chevron Texaco, Target and Time Warner were among the sponsors of a martinis-and-bowling night for House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier of California....

Those Republicans and lobbyists certainly know how to party. Unfortunately, it also shows that Republicans have opened themselves to be influenced by these groups whose industries might be involved in legislative action in the Congress.

Degrees of Corruption

I think we should tag certain Republicans with their degree of corruption. The special notation would be determined by the amount of money/trips they've taken from lobbyists, and if they've adjusted their votes to satisfy lobbyists instead of constituents.

Rep. Tom DeLay******
Rep. Duke Cunningham*****
Rep. Bob Ney*****
Gov. Bob Taft****
Rep. Roy Blunt *****
Rep. John $ Boehner *****
Sen. Conrad Burns*****
Rep. Pombo****
Sen. Rick Santorum****
Rep. Jim Gerlach****
Sen. Bill Frist****

Notation:
***** over the top corrupt
****very corrupt
***corrupt
**corrupt tendencies
*slightly corrupt

Unfortunately, at this time, my list of corrupt elected officials is short, but I may add more in the future. If you aren't sure what they've done to be corrupt, Google their name with the word corrupt. This Googling activity should keep you busy for a couple of hours. Also, just in case you think that the Republicans are actually reforming, let me direct you here. You'll note that they are STILL bringing in the money from PACs and lobbyists.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are those of one highly educated person who cares about people, honesty, and peace. You have the right to have your own opinion---even if you are a Republican.

Democrats are Ready

Newsweek says that some big name Republicans running for re-election might be in trouble. Here is an excerpt:

In Pennsylvania, Sen. Rick Santorum (R) has been running behind his challenger for months. In Montana, Sen. Conrad Burns (R), linked to the Jack Abramoff scandal, is on the defensive. In Ohio, Sen. Mike DeWine (R) is struggling to overcome a toxic environment of scandals that has tarnished the state Republican Party.

Not since 1994 has the party in power -- in this case the Republicans -- faced such a discouraging landscape in a midterm election. President Bush is weaker than he was just a year ago, a majority of voters in recent polls have signaled their desire for a change in direction, and Democrats outpoll Republicans on which party voters think is more capable of handling the country's biggest problems...

It looks like Americans have nearly had enough of the Republican scandals, bribery, and cronyism, and their support of endless war. Will their dissatisfaction with the Republican Party carry through the November elections?

Pryce Feeling the Heat

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce is feeling the heat. The Chicago Tribune has a story that indicates that the Ohio Republican incumbents are just a little nervous. Good. Here are some excerpts:

"...Obviously, Democrats believe there are opportunities here because of what's going on in the state," said Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio), who says she believes she wears a bull's-eye because of the wrongdoing of Republicans surrounding her. "I hope that I am looked at individually. I will run on my record...."

While incumbency often provides a golden ticket to re-election, the rules may be different this year in Ohio, where Pryce faces her first serious challenge since being elected in 1992.

When asked last week to assess the political mood of her central Ohio district, she replied: "The more important question is what the mood will be like in November.

"There is a lot that could happen between now and then, and I'm certain the mood will improve."

Pryce conceded she has a "hotly contested race. I truly don't believe they think they can win it, but they are trying to keep me busy and preoccupied."

What is her record? For starters, Pryce is a big Bush backer and a Tom DeLay protege. She has voted to cut student loans and increase interest rates on those loans. She still wants social security reform. Pryce wants to stay the course in Iraq. Despite the fact that employment seems to be improving in other parts of the country, Pryce has done little to bring new business to Ohio, especially her home district.

It is apparent that Democrats have an excellent candidate in Mary Jo Kilroy. We should support her and keep up the pressure on Pryce. She must answer why she does things that help Texas more than Ohio's 15th district.

Democrats should attack Republicans

I've read a few posts about a recent candidate forum where there were boos flying from some Democrats toward Brown and Hackett. Look, folks, we are all in this together. Don't attack each other. Attack DeWine and the corrupt Republicans running and ruining Ohio and this nation. I think that would be the grown up thing to do.

There was a program on WOSU called Columbus On the Record. The panel included moderator, Mike Thompson, Mike Meckler, Cornell McCleary, Scott Pullins, and Harvey Wasserman. They discussed the current political climate here in Ohio. Meckler stated that Republican candidate for governor, Kenneth Blackwell, had a lot of grassroots support. Meckler also said that many Ohio Republicans didn't feel that Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) was far right enough on the social issues. McCleary said that the Ohio Republican candidates are moving to the far right.

However, Wasserman said something that has stuck with me, "Blackwell will never lose an election in which he is responsible for the vote count." It is true.

Boehner: Another slick-haired, corrupt Republican

Despite the fact that the Republicans are talking about reform, they are not doing anything about it. Newly elected Republican leader, Rep. John Boehner, has a long list of scandals associated with his service in congress:
TDHS---excerpts:
1. John Boehner voted with Tom DeLay 95% of the time between Jan. 1 2004 and March 31 2005.
2. John Boehner voted to weaken the ethics rules in a move that many say served only to protect Tom DeLay.
3. When Republicans realized it was "impossible to win the communications battle" over the gutted ethics rules, Boehner flip-flopped and voted to put the old rules back into place.
4. When Democrats offered a solution to clean up the House by strengthening ethics rules, John Boehner voted twice to make sure it never even came to an up or down vote.

Bloomberg: excerpts-
1. The top donor to Boehner's leadership PAC in 2003-2004 was SLM Corp., the Reston, Virginia-based student-loan company better known as Sallie Mae. SLM contributed $65,170 to Boehner's Freedom Project, more than twice as much as the second-biggest donor, New York-based Goldman Sachs Group Inc. The money came as the House Education and Workforce Committee, which Boehner chairs, prepared to write new legislation governing student loans.
2. In 1995, Boehner handed out campaign checks from the tobacco industry to members on the House floor at a time when lawmakers were considering eliminating a tobacco subsidy.

Public Campaign: excerpts-Like Tom DeLay, John Boehner has close ties to K Street--Boehner played a key role in Tom DeLay's vaunted "K Street Project" to encourage lobbying firms to hire Republicans. In fact, beginning soon after the GOP took control of Congress in 1995, Boehner held weekly meetings with about a dozen of the most powerful lobbyists in the speaker’s suite in the Capitol. "He was a policy traffic cop for the business community,” said a colleague of Boehner’s of his role as chairman of the GOP conference. “He … translated business outreach into votes.”1 Across the span of his career, Boehner has raised nearly 95% of his money from business interests....

There is an expression that correctly describes the Republicans and their reform---"The more things change, the more they stay the same."

Not another investigation!

From MSNBC.com:

An FBI-led watchdog agency has opened an investigation into multiple complaints accusing NASA Inspector General Robert W. Cobb of failing to investigate safety violations and retaliating against whistle-blowers. Most of the complaints were filed by current and former employees of his own office.

Written complaints and supporting documents from at least 16 people have been given to investigators. They allege that Cobb, appointed by President Bush in 2002, suppressed investigations of wrongdoing within NASA, and abused and penalized his own investigators when they persisted in raising concerns....

Just one minute! Not another unqualified Bush appointee?????? Not another Heck of a Job Brownie? Watch out! The next thing that will happen will be that Cobb will win a Medal of Freedom.

Times Online
A CONVICTED felon who was put in charge of $82 million (£46 million) of reconstruction money in Iraq has become the first American official to plead guilty to corruption during the rebuilding of the country.

Robert Stein, 50, was entrusted with the reconstruction of the central city of Hillah despite a fraud conviction that was apparently overlooked in his Pentagon background check. The former contracting official admitted yesterday that he had conspired to steal more than $2 million in reconstruction money and take kickbacks worth more than $1 million in the form of cars, jewellery, cash and sexual favours. Stein used the money to buy a single- engine Cessna aircraft, a Porsche and a Lexus, as well as other cars, grenade launchers, machineguns, jewellery and property. In a plea deal, he agreed to plead guilty to five felony counts: conspiracy, bribery, money laundering, possession of a machinegun and being a felon in possession of a handgun.....

MSNBC: A former U.S. occupation official in Iraq pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to steal more than $2 million and rigging bids on $8.6 million in reconstruction contracts.

Robert J. Stein, 50, of Fayetteville, N.C., admitted that he and his coconspirators smuggled millions of dollars out of Iraq into the United States aboard commercial airliners and laundered cash through multiple bank accounts in Switzerland, Amsterdam and Romania....

I am not surprised. When you have that much cash and no-bid contracts, money just disappears. The problem is that it was OUR money that vanished. Our children and grandchildren will be paying off this debt forever.

Republicans: College Loan Rates Rise

You need to let Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce know that you don't appreciate the Republican budget cuts. The college loan program, as adjusted by the Republicans, will only put parents and students deeper in debt. While Exxon-Mobil and other oil companies get tax breaks, average Americans will go deeper into debt to send their kids to college. There is something very wrong with that.

Here is another quote about the budget cuts from Pryce: "American taxpayers, and anyone concerned with the nation's long-term fiscal stability, have won a great victory today," House Republican Conference Chairman Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio, said.

NYT---...In the Medicaid health care program for the poor and disabled, $4.8 billion will be saved in part by increasing co-payments and reducing payments for prescription drugs....
NYT----With the narrow passage of the spending bill by Congress yesterday, students and their parents will be able to borrow more money to pay for higher education but will face higher interest rates on these federal loans beginning in July....
...The bill increases the rate on loans taken out by parents, known as PLUS loans. It had been scheduled to rise to 7.9 percent from the current 6.1 percent on July 1; it will now increase to 8.5 percent as of that date.
Under current law, the interest rate on federal Stafford loans, taken out by students, will rise to 6.8 percent from 5.3 percent...

OTHER NEWS
According to the Toledo Blade, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, a Democratic candidate for governor, raised more campaign dollars over the past six months than the two veteran Republicans battling for their party's nomination....

Looks like people are willing to support a winner!


And this....
A Taxpayer gives Republican Jean Schmidt a job evaluation: Here is part of the evaluation.

...Of course, you say you are for limited government and lower taxes, but you voted for the Congressional pay raise and, previously, for every single increase ever proposed by Bob Taft, including a 1-cent increase in the sales tax, and higher taxes on gasoline and alcohol. That's three more strikes for hypocrisy.

As you can see, we have some serious problems with your job performance. While we would typically like to work through these problems with our employees, budgetary constraints and the importance of correcting the direction of the country just do not give us that luxury in this competitive time.

In conclusion, after a careful look at your performance on the job, we have decided it's best that you look for another job. The good news is that you have until the end of the year to find something else, at which time your employment here will be terminated. I am sorry it did not work out. We had such high hopes for you in this new position.

Ohio Quotes

Ohio Republicans Deborah Pryce, Bob Ney, John Boehner, and Michael Oxley's political futures are discussed in the Washington Examiner.

They said it!!!!!
Quote: House Republican Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio, said Bush "was firing on all cylinders tonight." ??????????????What speech was she listening to last night?

Here is another Pryce comment: House Republican Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce (R-OH) said, “We are always caught looking silly because of earmarks that don’t pass the laugh test. We really need to be smarter and more scrutinizing....”
I'd also say that Republicans need to be more ethical, but that is only my opinion.

Paul Hackett
"The last time this President 'fixed' healthcare, senior citizens were left with a confusing Medicare prescription drug plan. Here in Ohio only 11 percent of our seniors that need drug benefits have actually signed up. That is no way to 'fix' healthcare." Paul Hackett, D-Indian Hill, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

Every lobbyist's best friend, BOB NEY
By the way, Republican Rep. Bob Ney, under investigation because of his ties to Jack Abramoff is still raising big money. Infor here:

...Fellow Ohio GOP Rep. Michael Oxley’s Leadership PAC 2006 gave Ney $5,000 in November, as did California Rep. John Doolittle’s Superior California PAC. Ohio Rep. David Hobson’s campaign gave Ney $1,000 on Oct. 27.

Only 21 percent of individual Ney contributors who listed their name with the FEC put Ohio addresses. Less than 4 percent of the political groups that gave Ney money during the quarter listed Ohio addresses...

Obviously, Ney is the poster boy for lobbyists! If Ney is convicted of something, can he use his campaign money to pay for legal fees?

Buckeye Fans, Meet Tom Brinkman

Buckeye Fans,

According to WBNS-TV, Republican Representative Tom Brinkman, a candidate for congress, had this to say about the Buckeyes:
.....While discussing how tougher academic standards could hurt schools like Ohio State, Rep. Brinkman said,
"Be careful what you wish for because sports teams like Ohio State’s... are filled with dummies."

Cleveland Plain Dealer: ...A sizable chunk of the athletes at OSU and Cincinnati would have to take remedial classes in junior colleges because they are not academically ready for university-level classes, Brinkman said....

Brinkman is an idiot! How does he know anything? He has been going around his district shouting out his extreme opinions about everything. I hope that alumni from Ohio State, or friends/relatives of alumni give Brinkman a piece of their mind. I am positive that Mr. Brinkman would like to hear from you at his contact page: Here or Here.

Brinkman, who has been making a name around the state as an extreme right winger, doesn't realize that when he insults Buckeyes, he is insulting an international alumni group that includes several hundred thousand people. He must not want to win his election.

Buckeye fans are reacting to this nitwit: http://forums.the-ozone.net/messages/29353.html