Ohio Has Dirty Elections

"Ohio was as dirty an election as America has ever seen." Who said it? According to Bradblog, as quoted from an upcoming Rolling Stone Magazine, Lou Harris of the famous Harris Poll said it while talking about the 2004 election.

Isn't it good to know that the Ohio Republicans have not only ruined this state but it appears they stole the 2004 election. Doesn't it make you proud that we have such dishonest people running the Ohio government?

On the Record

*Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th district, Mary Jo Kilroy, has taken a leadership position to assist family members of the National Guard and Reserve. Here is the statement released by the Franklin County Commissioners:

Today, Franklin County Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Congress from the 15th Congressional District, announced a resolution reaffirming the county’s commitment to members of the National Guard and Reservists. The resolution, Resolution 866-96, reaffirms Franklin County’s policy of keeping the dependents of Guard and Reserve members who work for the county on the county’s health insurance when their loved ones are called up to active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Extending health care benefits to the families of county employees serving our country in the National Guard and Reserves is the least we can do to honor our debt to the troops and their families,” Kilroy said. “Offering health care and economic assistance to our soldiers, veterans and their families is a top priority of mine at the County, and will be in Congress.”

Kilroy obviously supports the troops because she is doing something to help them. She is not like the Republicans, including Deborah Pryce, who have voted to cut veterans benefits.

I don't know if you've noticed but there is definitely more information provided at the Kilroy for Congress website. It seems as though Pryce has really sanitized her site to strip it of references and pictures of her with Bush and his corrupt administration.

*Maureen Dowd's column today is called The Ghosts of Haditha. In her column, Dowd writes about Ohio's Lima Company and their sacrifice and trauma. Dowd also states the fact that this mess in Iraq is the fault of the Bush administration. ...By ignoring predictions of an insurgency and refusing to do homework before charging into Iraq on trumped-up pretenses, W. left our troops undermanned, inadequately armored and psychologically unprepared....

Democrat Tyack Shows How to Clean Out Corruption

The citizens of central Ohio are seeing the results of Lori Tyack's reform moves in the Franklin County Municipal Court. Tyack, the Democrat elected last fall as the Clerk of the Municipal Court, is clearing out the corruption and dead weight from the previous clerk. Tyack, as reported in today's Dispatch, and her deputy chief, Mike Rankin, laid down the law to Municipal Court employees: "...Show up. Work efficiently. Don’t abuse sick and vacation time...." As a result of their declaration about expectations, some employees quit or retired. Tyack is showing that Democrats can get rid of the Republican culture of corruption that is ruining government in Ohio.

People in the 15th district are still wondering why we haven't seen or heard much from Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce. Other than putting pressure on local TV stations to stop running ads she didn't like, Pryce really hasn't made too much news. Her appearances have been very few in number here in Columbus, Worthington, Dublin, and Arlington. Why isn't she making a lot of public appearances? With unemployment up in the state of Ohio, you'd think she'd want to explain why she hasn't done her job for us. By the way, have you noticed she has removed many pictures of herself with President Bush?

Ohio's Unemployment Numbers Go Up

The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services has just released the unemployment numbers for April for the state. According to ODJFS, the unemployment rate in Ohio was 5.5% up from 5.0% in March. Color map of county unemployment rates. There were 55 Ohio counties with unemployment rates at/above 5.5%. Things are so good economically here in Ohio, college graduates are getting jobs as waiters/waitresses and sales clerks. Thank you, Republicans! If this is a Republican economic success story, I'd hate to see what the GOP definition of failure looks like.

The Republicans have given us war, corruption scandals, loss of jobs, loss of workers' rights, lies about WMD's, a VA security scandal, voter suppression, voting irregularities, a Medicare prescription drug plan that benefits drug companies, lobbyist scandals, business scandals, torture of prisoners, loss of civil liberties, spying on American citizens, government expansion, a failure to respond to a natural disaster, the destruction of a once good gov't agency-FEMA, an unfunded federal mandate in the No Child Left Behind Act, leaking the identity of a CIA agent, interference in the life and death decisions of families (like Terri Schiavo), forcing abstinence only programs on schools, lack of oversight in government contracts, failure to monitor the activity of North Korea's nuclear growth, etc., etc., etc. The only people who benefit from the Republicans in charge are businesses, oil companies, and Halliburton.

Hey, I bet we can't wait until Republican Kenneth Blackwell ruins the next election! Blackwell, as current Sec. of State of Ohio, gets to count the votes in the next election. Did I mention he is running for governor of Ohio? Did I mention he is against birth control? Did I mention he is controlled by the religious right?

Last night A&E had the story about Ohio's Marines of Lima Company. If you missed the program, it will be shown again at a later date. These Marines, from what I've heard, will not be sent back to Iraq. From, what I've heard, the Marine Corps believes that the Marines of Lima Company are just a little too emotional and a little too angry to re-visit Iraq. I honor their service and their sacrifice. However, I believe it is time to bring all our Marines and other service members home to see their wives, babies, children, and mothers and fathers.

FYI: Even though getting oil out of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would take as long as 10 years, the House of Representatives, including Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) voted to support the drilling in the preserve. Even though the amount of oil pulled out would be like a drop in the bucket for what our country currently uses, Pryce voted to drill. Even though a majority of Americans are against drilling in ANWR, Pryce voted to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Even though it won't provide help for consumers now, Pryce voted to drill in the Alaskan preserve. Even though the name given to the legislation, American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act, sounds good, we all know that Pryce and her Republican counterparts will do nothing to help us now or in the future. Why? The Republicans are in government to enrich themselves and their friends.

Ohio's Marines

Don't forget to watch A&E tonight for the documentary on the Ohio Marines of Lima Company. There is even a video clip on the website. Ohio has lost 110 of our young people in Bush's war in Iraq.

Republicans: Unable to Govern

I saw this posted at Eschaton and you've got to see Rep. Tim Ryan repeating Gingrich's words: Unable to Govern.

Election Year Politics

Business First had this:

Dublin's Central Ohio Innovation Center is slated to get $750,000 from the fiscal 2007 energy and water development appropriations bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee.

However, it is important that we read this: The spending bill still needs to pass the whole House of Representatives and Senate...

Republican Reps. Pryce and Tiberi were bragging about their big accomplishment, however, it still needs to pass the whole House of Representatives and Senate!

By the way, did taxpayers ever get reimbursed for the $700,000 for police overtime involving the investigation of the 2004 highway sniper in Franklin County? Do you remember this from the Dispatch?

As I talk to neighbors and friends who all live in the 15th district, we've been wondering why we haven't seen much of Deborah Pryce in her home district. Is she campaigning here in town? Where is she raising her campaign money---golf outings, trips to Hawaii???? Why is she keeping such a low profile in this campaign?

Lima Company Marines

FYI: On Thursday, May 25th, A&E will broadcast a two hour special (9pm EDT) about the Marines of Lima Company. It is important that all of us watch it, especially those of us in Ohio. Iraq Casualty List

Here is one article about the brave men and women of Lima Company.

Pryce Vulnerable: GOP Worried

It looks like the Ohio Republicans are getting very, very worried about the possibility that Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15-R) may lose the November election. According to the Columbus Dispatch, the Ohio GOP is trying to keep a former Republican challenger to Pryce, Charles R. Morrison II, off the ballot as an Independent candidate. Here are some excerpts from the article:

...Pryce’s campaign manager, John DeStefano, had no comment on the GOP challenge.

Kilroy said it’s a sign that Pryce is vulnerable.

"It’s an indication Deborah Pryce has problems with her Republican base or they wouldn’t be worrying about an underfunded challenger," she said.

The board of elections is split between Republicans and Democrats. If the vote on Morrison’s candidacy is tied, the issue will be decided by Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell.

I also found some information (Irregular Times) that indicates that Deborah Pryce's votes indicate she is more conservative than she says.

# By voting “no” on the Farr Amendment, Rep. Pryce voted to keep Section 102 in H.R. 418, giving a Bush administration bureaucrat the ability to nullify any law without judicial review of that decision. Where I come from, they call that dictatorship.

# By voting “no” on the Scott Amendment, Rep. Pryce voted to keep language in H.R. 27 that allows organizations to engage in government-funded religious discrimination in hiring. We had thought that bigotry was old hat, and that the separation of church and state was secure. With this vote, Rep. Pryce has helped to weaken the constitution and bring bigotry back in style.

# On September 29, 2005, a slim majority of member of the United States House of Representatives voted for H.R. 3824, an attack upon the Endangered Species Act, alandmark law that brought the American bald eagle back from the brink of extinction...

I hope that the people in Columbus, Dublin, Upper Arlington, and Worthington, Ohio see that it is time for a change. We can no longer afford the price of having Pryce represent us.

Layoffs Continue in Ohio

This must be the Republican strategy--Tell everyone things are great in Ohio! Unfortunately, the Republicans cannot hide the fact that the layoffs continue in Ohio. People are losing jobs and health insurance in record numbers. The Ohio GOP has created a toxic economic climate in this state. Here are some of the most recent announced layoffs:

Date Rec'd	Company	City	# Affected	Layoff Date	Phone Number	Union	WARN ID
5/12/2006	Discover Financial Services	Hilliard	264	7/15/2006	(614) 777-7726	None	011-05-96
5/12/2006	Comprehensive Logistics	Austintown	113	7/15/2006	(330) 793-8097	USWA Local #5-621	017-05-95
5/8/2006	Maverick Tube, a.k.a. Republic Conduit	Elyria	62	Between 7/8/06 and 7/22/06	(502) 995-5901	USWA Local #1179-01	004-05-094
5/5/2006	PMC Specialties Group, Inc.	Cincinnati	103	7/3/2006	(513) 242-3300	IBT	013-05-093
5/5/2006	Weyerhaeuser Company	Valley View	53	5/26/2006	(216) 520-1470, Ext. 11	USWA Local #1544	003-05-092
5/1/2006	Deaconess Hospital	Cincinnati	85	6/30/2006	(513) 559-2333	None	013-05-091
5/1/2006	Sara Lee Food & Beverge	Cincinnati	334	6/27/2006	(513) 853-1429	UFCW & IUOE	013-05-090
5/1/2006	Johnson Controls, Inc	West Carrollton	115	6/30/2006	(937) 384-5253	UAW	007-05-089
5/1/2006	General Motors -Moraine Assembly Plant	Moraine	1100	6/30/2006	(937) 455-2882	IUB-CWA	007-05-088
4/28/2006	Armstrong Air Conditioning, a.k.a. Allied Air Enterprises, a Lennox International Inc. Company	Bellevue	300	Begins 6/30/06	(419) 484-6601	UAW	007-05-087
4/27/2006	Industrial Powder Coatings, Inc.	Norwalk	142	Beginning 5/1/2006	(419) 660-2471	Industrial Powder Coatings Union Local #2403	007-05-086
4/25/2006	Tower Automotive, Inc.	Bluffton	210	5/13/2006	(419) 358-9866	UAW	007-05-085
4/25/2006	Intier Seating Systems	Lordstown	73	6/19/2006	(330) 824-0202	UAW Local 1112	018-05-084
4/21/2006	Venture Lighting International, Inc.	Solon	100	6/19/2006	(440) 836-7534	None	003-05-083
4/19/2006	Plastech	Napoleon	218	6/16/2006	(419) 592-3333	None	007-05-082
4/17/2006	The Little Tikes Co., A Division of Newell Rubbermaid	Hudson	149	6/7/2006	(330) 650-3223	None	002-05-081
4/13/2006	HealthSouth Corporation	Youngstown	67	6/10/2006	(205) 967-7116	None	017-05-079

The list above is only a partial part of the website. The list is quite long but you can imagine the impact on individuals, families, and communities. What have the Republicans done for Ohioans? They've sold us out for a few meager contributions to their re-election campaigns and golf outings.

Ohio Still the Political Hotspot

According to CQ Politics, several Democratic VIPs visited Ohio to support Democratic candidates:
Ohio Senate, Ohio Governor: Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid stumped with Rep. Sherrod Brown at an event Saturday to promote energy legislation, according to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. Sen. John Kerry campaigned this weekend with Brown and Rep. Ted Strickland, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, according to the Toledo Blade.

More Republican ethics problems are being reported by the Toledo Blade and it again involves Larry Householder:
From all the fuss down in Perry County, it would appear that Larry Householder is performing some of the same ethical contortions in local government that he did in two terms as speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives.

Mr. Householder, who personified the Republican pay-to-play ethos when he was at the top of the legislative leadership in Columbus, is now auditor in Perry County, where he is involved in a scandal involving use of county employees to renovate a restaurant of which he is part owner. Having retreated from the capital a step ahead of a federal investigation into the skimming of GOP campaign funds, Mr. Householder could find himself on the receiving end of a similar probe if the local prosecutor does his job....

On Saturday Columbus hosted the Komen Race for the Cure. There were over 31,000 participants and over $1.5 million dollars was raised! Some of the crowd supporting the runners and walkers (in my case) were TBDBITL, school cheerleaders, local professional musicians, school bands, and friends of Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th district!

Pryce on GOP Watch List?

Those Republicans are getting a little worried about an anti-Republican mood growing in the country. Really. Why would anyone be anti-Republican? Could it be the ballooning national debt or the war in Iraq or the failure to find Osama or rising gas prices or the FEMA failure for Katrina or the Republican scandals or just the Republican lies???????

The Washington Post has the article and here is an excerpt:

...Drake, a first-term representative, isn't yet among the most endangered GOP incumbents. But she is one of many -- and not just inexperienced lawmakers -- who could be at risk if there is an anti-Republican wave in the fall. Among House incumbents added to some GOP watch lists in recent months are veteran Reps. Nancy L. Johnson (Conn.), Deborah Pryce (Ohio), Charles Bass (N.H.), J.D. Hayworth (Ariz.) and Richard W. Pombo (Calif.)....

In my little part of central Ohio, people are tired and angry about the direction this country has taken. It is time for a change.

The Truth About Border Security

Breaking news: 12noon est--Apparently there have been problems at the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There was a clash between American guards and the prisoners. LINK


On Monday, the President made a speech about improving border security by adding National Guard troops. Who will pay for the National Guard troops who serve at the border? Will each state have to foot the bill for the transportation, lodging/food, and supplies? Much of the equipment owned by the National Guard has been left in Iraq. Will states and their citizens need to pay additional money to fund this?

Did you know that Bush cut funding for an increase in the border patrol? Here are some excerpts from the article:

..Officially approved by Bush on Dec. 17 after extensive bickering in Congress, the National Intelligence Reform Act included the requirement to add 10,000 border patrol agents in the five years beginning with 2006. Roughly 80 percent of the agents were to patrol the southern U.S. border from Texas to California, along which thousands of people cross into the United States illegally every year.

But Bush's proposed 2006 budget, revealed Monday, funds only 210 new border agents...
...Democrats were unhappy that the proposed budget used the escape clause so soon after the president approved the huge boost in border agents....

...A Jan. 24 letter signed by leading Republican lawmakers implored the president to fully fund the new law "in order to secure our borders against infiltration by terrorists..."

*Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) said the following about sending the National Guard to the border: I think it certainly is a step in the right direction, but I’m not a military expert or a border expert. I don’t think we can go wrong with 6,000, we’ll just see how we go.

Someone should ask Rep. Pryce why we need to send the National Guard when the President cut funding for border patrol agents? Who will pay the salaries for the National Guard? Will the states be reimbursed? Who will pay for all the expenses? Will Ohioans be left having to pay for this just like we are paying for the unfunded federal mandate of No Child Left Behind? What does she think of the President cutting funding for 9,790 border patrol agents in February? Will someone tell us the truth?

Ohio Republicans: Masters of Disasters

You don't have to go too far to look for corruption and mismanagement stories here in Ohio. Republicans are on the march to rob, cheat, and generally mess up anything they can get their hands on. The Columbus Dispatch has several stories today that illustrate the Republican stranglehold on Ohio:

Dispatch: A business venture involving four Perry County officials, including former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder (Republican), is facing scrutiny because public employees are working on the enterprise on taxpayers’ time...
...State law prohibits public officials from using on-duty employees or other public resources to benefit a private business....
Is anyone surprised that Larry Householder is involved in this?

Dispatch: More than 30 families who rely on the Morrow County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to help their children will soon have to turn elsewhere.

The board’s vote Tuesday to suspend therapy and classes for children younger than 3 came in response to the failure of two tax levies this month, MRDD Board Superintendent Jerome Manuel said yesterday.....

You may wonder how Republicans figure into this. Several years ago, the Republican controlled state legislature was told to work out a fair plan for school funding for Ohio. However, the Republicans were too busy passing laws like the Defense of Marriage Act, and raising money for their re-election campaigns to put in the hard work to fix school funding. As a result of the Republicans' lack of effort, school funding has never been solved. Ohio school districts have to hold levy elections to raise money. Some poorer districts can't pass levies and therefore, have cut transportation, the purchase of new books, building maintenance, classes, athletics, and special programs. With the additional pressure of the unfunded federal mandate, No Child Left Behind Act, Ohio school districts are cutting to the bare bone. All this while the Republican controlled state government sits on their hands.

Isn't it time for a change in leadership???????

THIS JUST IN:
RASMUSSEN REPORTS HAS STRICKLAND AHEAD OF BLACKWELL BY 16 POINTS AND BROWN IN FRONT OF DEWINE.

Pryce's Power Ranking = #32

Despite having a title which puts her # 4 in the Republican House leadership, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce's ranking, according to Knowlegis, is #32. The Hill has an article about a power ranking poll that was conducted. Here are some excerpts from the article from The Hill:

Knowlegis, a software research firm, yesterday attempted the nearly impossible when it issued its 2005 “Power Rankings” list, using 15 characteristics of power that are based on 283 variables.....

...In fact, some offices are downright angry about the results.
“By rank alone, my boss is conference chair, No. 4 in leadership,” said Sean Spicer, spokesman for House Republican Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio), who ranked 32nd. “To say somehow she is in the 30s is ridiculous.”

...To determine the ranking, Knowlegis said, it examined media articles, bills and amendments and collected information on leadership, committee and caucus positions. Knowlegis was also surprised by some of the results. Fitch said he was astonished that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ranked higher in influence than Hastert. Her donations and appearances on television pushed her ranking up, Fitch said.

These rankings were made by a computer. Pryce's staff member appears very upset. However, we should examine what this means: 1. Pryce makes few national news shows appearances. 2. Pryce has a title, but is not well-known across the nation. 3. Pryce has operated in the shadows of DeLay, Hastert, and Boehner, and has not provided visible leadership. 4. Pryce has not provided leadership in sponsoring bills and amendments that are of interest to the public.

In summary, Pryce has a title. Period. Her influence and power are .....not so much.

Pryce Still Supports the President

*Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) supports the President's idea to send National Guard troops to patrol our borders. The President's idea is not a good one. Our National Guard troops are already stretched to the limit. Seventy-five percent of the National Guard's equipment is in Iraq. Some Guardsmen are on their third and fourth tours of Iraq.

How is Bush's plan to put Guardsmen on the border for 2 week stints going to do anything? Besides, guarding the borders is the federal government's job, not the states, and the federal government should use the Border Patrol. However, Bush, Pryce, and the Republicans have REFUSED TO FUND THE BORDER PATROL. Instead of giving all the tax breaks to the rich, why didn't Bush, Pryce, and the Republicans take some of that money to fund an increase in the funding (more people and materials) for the Border Patrol? Instead of giving tax breaks to oil companies, why didn't the President, Pryce, and the Republicans fund additional staff for the Border Patrol?


*The chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, Robert Bennett, is predicting a big victory for Republicans this fall. Obviously, Mr. Bennett and the rest of the Republicans think Ohio voters are stupid and that we have amnesia. Helloooooo! The people of Ohio don't want any more Republican scandals, payoffs, candidates with financial/stock ties to companies, cronies getting jobs/contracts, fixed voting machines, free golf trips, bribes, job losses, etc. We are sick and tired of the Republican culture of corruption here in Ohio. It is time for a change in Ohio.

Republican Legacy in Ohio: Lost Jobs, Corruption

We all remember that First Lady Laura Bush came to Columbus, Ohio, to give a speech to support Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15). However, we need to examine what Mrs. Bush said and the reality of life in Ohio. I've taken some excerpts from Mrs. Bush's speech and paired them with facts:

She represents your values and your priorities: to create jobs and economic
opportunity for every person in Ohio, to protect our nation, and to help
all of our children grow up to be healthy and successful.

>Ohio has lost 200,000 jobs. LINK

Deborah stands with the Ohio families who have sacrificed so much for
the cause of freedom.
LINK

• Rep. Pryce voted to continue awarding contracts to Halliburton even if the Pentagon's own audit processes found that more than $100 million of their contractor's costs in Iraq were unreasonable.
• Rep. Pryce opposed expanding access to the military's TRICARE health insurance program to thousands of Reservist and National Guard members, even though 20 percent of all Reservists do not have health insurance, and 40 percent of Reservists aged 19 to 35 lack health coverage.
• Rep. Pryce voted against granting a bonus to grant a $1,500 bonus to every American service member serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, including National Guard and Reserve forces.
  

>Ohio has lost 108 of our men and women in Iraq. LINK

She knows how Washington works, and she always remembers that her employers are right here
 in the 15th  District. 

>Correct!  She knows how to get that money from lobbyists and throw those big fundraisers in Hawaii,
in Vail, and at all those golf courses.  Does Pryce represent YOUR views?  I know she doesn't represent
mine.  Don't you think its time we fired Pryce?

*Note:  I don't even need to elaborate on the corruption that the Republicans have used in the
government in the state of Ohio: Taft, Ney, Noe, Blackwell, Petro, etc., etc.

Love the Headline

I found this headline from the Telegraph:
Desperate Republicans turn to Laura in fight to hang on to Congress

The White House has been forced to turn to its sole remaining crowd-pleaser - the First Lady, Laura Bush - in a frantic battle to stave off a Democrat takeover of Congress in elections this autumn....
At a recent appearance at a dinner for donors in Columbus, Ohio, Mrs Bush steered clear of the controversial issues besetting her husband.....
...By the time diners had finished their tomato and basil soup and chicken satay, Mrs Pryce's campaign coffers were $250,000 (£132,000) the richer....

In the same article there is a comparison of the lowest approval rating of former U.S. Presidents with George W. Bush. Here are the numbers:
George W. Bush (5/06) 29%
Bill Clinton (6/93) 37%
Ronald Reagan (1/83) 35%
Richard Nixon (8/74) 24%

and....
Here is a quote from Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th district as reported in the Dispatch:

Kilroy, a Franklin County commissioner, also met with reporters to discuss why she believes Pryce, the fourth-ranking House GOP leader, is vulnerable in November and why Republicans are in danger of losing their House majority.

People in the 15 th District, where Democrat John Kerry edged President Bush in 2004, think Ohio and the nation are headed in the wrong direction on issues such as the economy, the environment, corruption scandals and Iraq, Kilroy said. Pryce has become more conservative, including scaling back her stance in favor of abortion rights, as she has risen in GOP leadership, and is a rubber stamp for the Bush administration, Kilroy said.

Pryce’s record "is about as moderate as (former House Majority Leader) Tom DeLay," the Texas Republican who stepped aside in the wake of scandals, Kilroy said....

Pryce Trying to Spin

This is of interest to people in Ohio and others who are interested in the truth. Apparently, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce is trying to get those talking points out there. Is Pryce Bush's biggest cheerleader? Do the people in Ohio's 15th district want someone as a representative who supports the President without question? Just asking....

Link
Rep. Deborah Pryce, chairman of the House Republican Conference, has flooded the offices of her GOP colleagues with e-mails urging them to make speeches boasting of how many seniors are signing up for Medicare prescription drug subsides before the May 16 deadline....

Why doesn't Pryce explain why she was against extending the deadline for seniors to enroll?

Is the Republican Party Completely Corrupt?

From The Vermont Guardian: Today (May 11th), Reps. Nancy Johnson, R-CT, Deborah Pryce, R-OH, and Heather Wilson, R-NM, are hosting a fund-raising lunch at a Washington townhouse, with a suggested contribution of $1,000 per political action committee (PAC) and $500 per individual...

I wonder what corporation or PAC owns the townhouse? Do you think this is just some random townhouse in DC?

*I'm just asking... Is the Republican Party completely corrupt?

Does anyone still think that this NSA data collecting stuff is good? Last night our family discussed how we could sign up to be customers of QWEST.

Here is the best quote from yesterday's hearing from Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

"Are you telling me that tens of millions of Americans are involved with al-Qaida? These are tens of millions of Americans who are not suspected of anything. ... Where does it stop?" - Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

We support our troops!

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce doesn't seem to get it. All Americans support our troops. We honor them and respect their service and sacrifice. We want them to receive the pay they deserve, and receive it on time. We want them to have the best body armor and protection. We want their medical needs taken care of in a safe and timely manner. We want their families honored and respected for their sacrifice. And, God forbid, if we lose our service members, we want them to have peaceful burials without people yelling outside their funerals. However, we do not support the policies of this administration that have our troops fighting in Iraq in a war that George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, and the rest of the Neo-Cons wanted.

Pryce can talk all she wants about supporting the troops and getting them pay raises, but has SHE really supported our troops? Support is more than just talking about it. Actions speak louder than words. As of this moment, according to Iraq Casualties, Ohio has lost 108 of our family members in Iraq. Our nation, according to Iraq Casualties, has lost 2432 of our loved ones.

Has Pryce really supported our troops? Link:

• Rep. Pryce voted to continue awarding contracts to Halliburton even if the Pentagon's own audit processes found that more than $100 million of their contractor's costs in Iraq were unreasonable.
• Rep. Pryce opposed expanding access to the military's TRICARE health insurance program to thousands of Reservist and National Guard members, even though 20 percent of all Reservists do not have health insurance, and 40 percent of Reservists aged 19 to 35 lack health coverage.
• Rep. Pryce voted against granting a bonus to grant a $1,500 bonus to every American service member serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, including National Guard and Reserve forces.

Pryce Will Not Give Extra Time for Seniors

>Senior citizens have until May 15th to sign up for Bush's Medicare Prescription drug program. Those who are not enrolled by that date will face a penalty of higher premiums rates. According to the Hill, some Republicans, including Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) don't want to extend the deadline for senior citizens:

..Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) is “happy with the May 15 deadline and doesn’t want to change the 1 percent penalty,” said spokesman Rob Nichols....

Why doesn't Pryce care about helping senior citizens with this very complicated program?

>Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce is worried about losing her next election. Here are some excerpts from the Mercury News:

...In Columbus, Ohio, and the surrounding ring of suburbs, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce conceded that population shifts in her district and the political standing of Republicans have converged to give her one of the toughest contests she has faced in her seven terms in Congress. Eyeing the possibilities, Democrats recruited county commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy to run against Pryce.

"Demographics definitely are changing and that is a challenge for me or any Republican," Pryce said in an interview earlier this year in Ohio. "The challenge is not to remain wed to the past. Politics is part of evolution and we as a party need to evolve."

Yes, demographics are changing and the people of the 15th are tired of the broken promises and the rhetoric. We are also tired of Pryce and her Republican congress members acting as a rubber stamps for this administration.

Here is some additional information from the GOP Auction House:

******HOW PRYCE RESPONDS TO HIGH ENERGY PRICES

• Rep. Pryce voted against cracking down on the oil and gas industries price gouging.
• Rep. Pryce voted for the GOP energy bill that gave billions to oil, gas and nuclear industries.
• Big oil and gas industries have given Rep. Pryce $64,917. Any surprise

• *REP. PRYCE PUTS BIG BUSINESS AHEAD OF AMERICAN WORKERS
• Rep. Pryce voted to strip overtime protection from millions of workers.

• *SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS
• Rep. Pryce voted to continue awarding contracts to Halliburton even if the Pentagon's own audit processes found that more than $100 million of their contractor's costs in Iraq were unreasonable.
• Rep. Pryce opposed expanding access to the military's TRICARE health insurance program to thousands of Reservist and National Guard members, even though 20 percent of all Reservists do not have health insurance, and 40 percent of Reservists aged 19 to 35 lack health coverage.
• Rep. Pryce voted against granting a bonus to grant a $1,500 bonus to every American service member serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, including National Guard and Reserve forces.....

Play the Game: Except in Ohio

Here is a new game. Every single time a Republican politician says something, you say, "Except in Ohio."

I will take a press release from Republican Rep. Pryce and use some of her words. You add, "Except in Ohio."

"...2005 was remarkably successful, and provided a foundation for ensuring the long-term prosperity and security of our great nation."
EXCEPT IN OHIO!

"The tax cuts included in the Jobs and Growth package served as jumper cables to our economic engine, helping to create jobs, boost investor confidence, increase the incomes of working Americans, and help businesses move out of the red."
EXCEPT IN OHIO!

"Since tax relief was signed into law in May of 2003, over 4.4 million new jobs have been created..."
EXCEPT IN OHIO!

"We passed the Energy Policy Act – our nation’s first energy policy in two decades – to help consumers with rising energy costs over the long term, and reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil."
EXCEPT IN OHIO!

Isn't that a fun game?

It seems like the Republicans keep bragging about all the new jobs, but the only place hiring seems to be the burger place, and large discount stores. These are places where jobs are part-time, low-paying, and without benefits(like health insurance, sick days, pensions, life insurance). Do they really count these as part of their job creation? Could you survive on 20 hours per week at $5.15 an hour? Could members of Congress survive on $5.15/hr? How does the Republican Congress expect people to live on this? Why are the Republicans against an increase in the minimum wage? They don't want to put an unfair burden on business. How about the unfair burden they put on the working poor?

More Republican Disasters

*Republican Rep. Bob Ney (OH-18) may have a few remaining days in the House. Will he resign as the investigation gets closer? Meanwhile, some voters in Ney's district are losing faith in the Republican congressman. Here is an article about Ney's constituents and the scandal surrounding Ney.

*On primary election day and night, there were major problems with the vote counting in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Cuyahoga County is largely Democratic and Ohio Sec. of State, Kenneth Blackwell, Republican. I mean, do we actually believe that Blackwell, the man who handed the state of Ohio to Bush, could manipulate votes? Really? Yes. There is a lot of finger-pointing but Blackwell has lots of conflict of interests with Cuyahoga County, as this Beacon Journal story indicates. Here is an excerpt:
...Brian Rothenberg, an Ohio Democratic Party spokesman, said that Blackwell's office signed off on vote collection procedures that led to ballots being lost and therefore cannot be an impartial judge in reviewing pre-election and Election Day policies.

On Monday, the party asked Blackwell to withdraw from the matter and appoint a special master to oversee the investigation.

Rothenberg said Blackwell has other conflicts of interest in Cuyahoga County, including his political association with election board member Bob Bennett, who heads the Ohio Republican Party and has helped the secretary of state raise money over the years. Lobb's letter is addressed to Bennett.

``Blackwell cannot be an impartial judge. The secretary of state's office is part of the problem,'' Rothenberg said, noting that Blackwell owns stock in Diebold, the company that supplied voting machines to Cuyahoga County....

Another story at WTOL-TV indicates that problems with the voting in Cuyahoga County centered on the Diebold Voting Machines!!!!!
Here is an excerpt from the posted news report:

...The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections met Monday for the first time since the problems surfaced. Ohio-based Diebold Inc., which made the electronic voting machines, has said that county-printed paper ballots did not have the proper coding required for the optical-scanners to work.

Election officials say the machines weren't tested by Diebold soon enough to prevent the problem.

31%

USA Today is reporting on a new poll. Here is an excerpt:

President Bush's approval rating has slumped to 31% in a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, the lowest of his presidency and a warning sign for Republicans in the November elections.

The survey of 1,013 adults, taken Friday through Sunday, shows Bush's standing down by 3 percentage points in a single week. His disapproval rating also reached a record: 65%. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points....

Wow! Can it go any lower? What does it mean for Republican candidates (like Deborah Pryce) who still support his agenda? Has the public had it with Pryce and the rest of the Republicans?

Found this interesting tidbit about Bob Ney's former employee, Volz, who is now turning state's evidence to lighten his own jail time: From Forbes:

...Volz said he engaged in a conspiracy, the intent of which was "to influence members of Congress in violation of the law."

In a nine-page document that focused on Ney's conduct, Volz enumerated 16 actions he said his old boss took on behalf of Abramoff clients. During the period from January 2000 through April 2004, Volz said Abramoff and his lobbyists gave Ney and members of his staff trips to Lake George in New York state, New Orleans, the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., in 2003, and a weeklong golfing retreat to the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland.

In addition, Volz wrote, Abramoff provided the congressman and his staff numerous tickets to concerts and sporting events in the Washington, D.C., area; regular meals and drinks at restaurants including Abramoff's restaurant Signatures, and unreported use of Abramoff's box suites at the MCI Center Arena in Washington and Camden Yards Stadium in Baltimore for political fundraisers for Ney and for candidates and political organizations he supported....

Ney certainly got around!

Voters' Frustration?

Ohio's congressional races are bringing lots of attention to the Buckeye state. Many believe that if Democrats are going to get a majority, it will be the result of Republican losses in Ohio. The Amherst Times has an article about Ohio's importance in the November elections.

In yesterday's Columbus Dispatch, a letter to the editor reveals voters' frustration with Republican Rep. Pryce (OH-15). Here is part of the letter:
For years we thought that America was all about democracy, freedom, justice and equality. But U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Upper Arlington, has now set us straight. Profit is "what America’s all about," according to her quoted remark in the April 28 Dispatch article "Big Oil in congressional cross hairs."
Or to phrase it a little differently, "Greed, it’s the American way." Right, Ms. Pryce?

Ouch!

Update:
Raw Story found it:

TPM Muckraker: Republican Rep. Bob Ney (OH-18) is sunk---

In this, the fourth (Michael Scanlon, Jack Abramoff, Tony Rudy, and now Neil Volz) guilty plea to implicate Rep. Bob "Representative #1" Ney (R-OH), we get more details about what Ney did to earn Jack Abramoff's goodies.

Volz, Ney's former chief of staff, admits to receiving all sorts of bribes while he was still with Ney, and then turning around and taking part in the bribing once he moved over to work with Abramoff.....

Ney, we hardly knew ye...

Points of Interest

*When the president has lost some of the country music people, then you know he is in deep trouble. Merle Haggard has a new song that will get plenty of play in the next few week. You can hear it at his official Merle Haggard website.

*Despite sagging presidential polls and the electorate's lack of confidence in Republicans, Republican Tom DeLay still believes that Republicans will do well in November's election. ABC News has the whole story. In my humble opinion, DeLay is not dealing with reality.

*Rising gas prices are really changing the behavior of Americans. The Eugene Register Guard reports that people say they are driving less, cutting short vacations and curtailing their use of heating and air conditioning....

...The number of people who expect rising gas prices to cause financial problems in the months ahead has jumped from 51 percent a year ago to 70 percent now, according to AP polling. This increase has been dramatic among people who earn more than $50,000...

*Don't forget to purchase Neil Young's new CD this week.

Ohio's Districts

When someone says that several of the congressional districts in Ohio could possibly go to the Democratic candidate, we all take notice. When that someone is political scientist, Stuart Rothenberg, we put more stock in his opinion. Dayton Daily News has Rothenberg's opinion about Ohio's congressional districts. Here are some excerpts from the article:

Ask political scientist Stuart Rothenberg which Ohio congressional districts will be competitive this November, and he sounds a bit like a bingo announcer.

"Sixteen, 13, one, six, 15, 18," said Rothenberg of the political newsletter, The Rothenberg Report.

The numbers are districts across Ohio that host well-known incumbents such as Reps. Ralph Regula, R-Navarre, Deborah Pryce, R-Columbus, Bob Ney, R-Heath, and Steve Chabot, R-Cincinnati, as well as open seats vacated by Reps. Sherrod Brown, D-Avon, and Ted Strickland, D-Lisbon.

I suggest you read the rest of the article for more insight into Ohio political climate.

Republicans Still Blaming Dems

Here is the Republican solution for rising gas prices:



Can't see anything???? The Republicans don't have an answer, except for one---blame the Democrats.

This is getting to be a broken record. The Republicans blame the Democrats for everything that has gone wrong. Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) continues to do it.

>After 9/11, the Republicans blamed Bill Clinton. (The fact that Bush had been warned repeatedly slipped their memories.)
>When Katrina hit, they blamed Bill Clinton. (This Bush administration had cut funding for the flood control in New Orleans.)
>When Republicans found a surplus in the national debt, they spent the surplus and put us deeper in debt.
>Rumsfeld refused to listen to his generals' suggestions when he sent an understaffed, undersupplied fighting force to invade a sovereign nation.
>Cheney's advice on an energy policy came in a super secret meeting with oil company executives.
>When someone in the White House revealed the name of an undercover CIA agent, they blamed her husband, who had been an ambassador in the Clinton administration.

The Republicans need to take some responsibility for their failures. This administration is a miserable failure. These Republicans are failures for overspending, providing tax relief for oil companies, and their habit of putting the needs of their lobbyist friends before the needs of their constituents. Our country can do better than this group of scandal-filled Republican Party. We've got to change directions.

Ohio News:
From the Columbus Dispatch: The following comments by Democratic candidate for governor, Ted Strickland, made some promises that sound quite good to Ohioans---Strickland promised to "give Ohio a government that it deserves, free of scandal, free of pay-to-play politics, free of corruption, free of criminality."

Ohioans Looking at Dems for Leadership

There are more and more Ohioans who are looking for a way out of the mess that the Republicans have created in this state. I spoke with someone who described himself as a moderate Republican. He said he was very angry at the GOP and embarrassed at their lack of real leadership and the corruption which has spread through the Republican Party. Ouch!

There has been significant growth in membership in Democratic leaning organizations in Worthington, Upper Arlington, and other progressive groups in central Ohio. I am hopeful that more and more people will join these groups and inspire their neighbors to vote for a new direction in our state and in our nation. The future of our state and country depends on the change of leadership.

Note: The successful write-in votes for Democrat Charlie Wilson (OH-6th), shows that people are willing to put in that extra mile to support a Democratic candidate. The Athens News has the details.

*The following site and video were mention on the Stephanie Miller show. Katherine Harris video anti-Katherine Harris site
I'm sure that those two sites will be big hits with the people in Florida.

Breaking News: Porter Goss has resigned his position as CIA Director. Goss served for just over one year. No explanation was given at the announcement, but there is plenty of speculation. Was he upset that Negroponte got the job he wanted? Is Goss tied to the Duke Cunningham-Watergate Hooker scandal or something else? Raw Story has been following up all the possible connections.

Pryce Blames Dems for her Party's Failures

Here we go again! Let me refresh your memory: The Republicans control the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Here in Ohio, the scandal-plagued Republican Party controls e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. What have the Republicans given us? (Thanks for asking!) They've given us a huge mess!

Now Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) is blaming Democrats for the Republican Party's failures. The Republicans voted against increased port security, veterans' benefits, and negotiated pharmaceutical contracts for the new senior citizen drug plan. They refuse to fund the No Child Left Behind Act. They've cut programs that help the poor, the elderly, and children. The Republicans spend their lunch breaks raising money for their PACs and campaign war chests. The Republican method of governing is dangerous because it provides legislation by checkbook. They pass the laws and then they get rewarded by the PACs with $$$$.

According to the Boston Globe, Pryce said, ''What are they [Democrats] for? They protest. They complain. And all they do is obstruct any chance for Americans to have lower gas prices..."

Pryce and her party are addicted to the big money given to them by oil, gas, investment firms, and energy sources. The Republicans are not going to get their benefactors mad, so they blame the Democrats. It is difficult for the Republicans to regulate and vote against the people who provide the money for their campaigns.

Here is another jewel from Pryce and reported by The Hill:
...Before the legislation even came to the floor, leadership staff had scheduled a press event in the House Radio and Television Gallery to decry perceived Democratic obstruction on energy legislation.

“Well, we just saw another defeat at the hands of the Democrats,” Republican Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) said in reference to Democrats who voted against the Republican-backed energy legislation.

Democrats opposed the bill because they saw it as an unnecessary break for large oil companies...

Did you see that---Pryce is still trying to give breaks to the oil companies??? Who the heck does she represent--the 15th district or Exxon-Mobil?????

According to Open Secrets, Pryce is getting 63% of her campaign funds from PACs for the 2005-2006 cycle. Pryce is getting lots of money from PACs that are associated with her committee assignments. Pryce serves on the Financial Committee of the House and she gets money from groups whose very survival depends on her vote in the committee. Coincidence? I don't think so.

I have a suggestion for Pryce---she needs to spend more time talking to the people she represents, not the oil and banking PACs. Right now her constituents are angry that our gas prices are rising while her PAC contributions go up.

Get Ready

With the primary election out of the way here in Ohio, it is time to get everything in order and work to take back the House and the Senate.

Laura Bush was in Columbus yesterday promoting Deborah Pryce, Republican Rep. from Ohio's 15 district. As I looked over the speech given by Mrs. Bush, I was reminded of a fairy tale. The words that Mrs. Bush spoke have little to do with the reality of what is really happening in the 15th district.

We've lost jobs. The only jobs available here are part time and without health benefits. This is not job growth. The Columbus Dispatch reports that the Columbus area lost 17,000 manufacturing jobs from 2001-2005. When you have graduated from a university, and your only prospects are working a cash register at a large discount store, it is very disappointing. Not only do you have to make enough money to survive, but you must also pay off those college loans.

Our resources in the 15th district are not being used. We have one of the largest universities in the country right here in Columbus, Ohio---The Ohio State University. You'd think that with that valuable source, and a highly educated population, a leader would try to use that as a means of getting more businesses to relocate here.

The ever-increasing gas prices have really proven that there is no leadership in this country. Why doesn't the President come out and tell people to conserve? Why doesn't he put pressure on manufacturers to improve gas mileage? Some experts are predicting gas prices as high as $4/gal. How do you like that SUV now?

Iraq has taken a toll on our country. We've lost over 2,400 young men and women, and unfortunately, will probably lose more. Why did Bush invade Iraq? Why do the Republicans in the House and the Senate continue to fund the war? Why did the Republicans cut veterans' benefits?

The Republicans talk about the success of No Child Left Behind. They're playing with the statistics by not recording and reporting the results of minority children and children in special education programs. Also, the No Child Left Behind Act is an unfunded federal mandate. Where is the money?

If you agree that the country is on the wrong track, then WE must work for change. Talk to people, volunteer, buy a bumper sticker, write a letter to the editor of your newspaper, start a blog, read progressive magazines, get informed, and listen to progressive talk radio (1230 AM in Columbus). Our country can do better than the lies and the scandals we've seen from the Republicans. Get ready to take back the country, the House, and the Senate.

Ohio: Good Vibes for Dems

Today is primary day in Ohio. Republicans have been slinging mud at each other, even though it is only a primary! Republicans are also spending lots of money too. I hope they won't have enough for the general election in November.

The Toledo Blade describes Ohio as a center of hope for Democrats. Ohioans have just had enough of Republican rule. Voters are weary of the problems in Ohio: plant closings, increasing unemployment, scandals, voter fraud, loss of health insurance, increasing death toll in Iraq, coingate, influence peddling, lies, dishonesty, etc. etc. etc.

I just heard that Laura Bush will visit Thurber House today along with the fundraiser stop for Pryce.

Update: I caught a little of the news concerning Deborah Pryce's fundraiser with Laura Bush. Two words sum it up: Photo op

Face it. Laura Bush is not an elected official and she only came because having the President visit would have provided fodder for demonstrations and bad press for Pryce. Who cares if Laura Bush met with some mothers and teachers and talked about No Child Left Behind? Who cares about any of this campaign propaganda? It will not bring us jobs. It will not bring our troops home. It will not re-open closed businesses. It will not end the scandal within the Republican Party. It certainly will not do anything to lower gas prices. The only thing that will bring change is a new crop of leaders who are dedicated to strenghtening our country, helping our families, and making a better America.

All Eyes on the 15th

Republican Rep. Pryce is expected to make about $200,000 at her fundraiser tomorrow. It really doesn't matter how much money she brings in because all the money in the world may not be able to convince people to vote for her. In the 15th district, there is definitely some movement away from Pryce.

The Congressional Quarterly has some observations about Ohio's 15th district:
Seven-term incumbent Pryce faces her most serious challenge yet in a re-election bid. Her opponent will be Mary Jo Kilroy, a commissioner in Franklin County, which includes the city of Columbus. Neither has a primary opponent....

...But a serious challenge from a well-known candidate such as Kilroy appeared a matter of time in a district where traditional Republican leanings have weakened. Voters in the 15th District favored President Bush over Democrat John Kerry by just 1 percentage point in 2004.

CQ rates the general election contest as Republican Favored.

News from Central Ohio

According to the Columbus Dispatch, Ohio voters who are using the new electronic voting machines, should remember to push the button after making selections to make their votes count.

The Dispatch is also reporting that 9 former football players for The Ohio State Buckeyes were drafted in this weekend's NFL Draft.

Tomorrow Laura Bush will be at a fundraiser for Pryce. The fundraiser will begin at 11am at the Hyatt Regency, 350 N. High Street, in Columbus (across from the Nationwide Insurance building).

Two statewide polls put Blackwell ahead of Petro in the race for the Republican candidate for governor. The good news is they are both corrupt. The bad news is they are both corrupt.

Stephen Colbert did a great presentation at the White House Correspondents Dinner. Unfortunately, you may not hear about it. Editor and Publisher has the story about how Bush was NOT amused.

The New York Times is reporting that Republicans are trying to buy off Americans with $100 checks. The checks would be sent to only some people as a way to offset the high gas prices. I have a great idea. If you get one of these checks, donate it to the campaign of a Democratic candidate!