Thursday, August 31, 2006

Kilroy vs. Pryce Race

The very conservative Wall Street Journal has an article about the tough political race going on in Ohio's 15th congressional district. After reading the article, I can say that I don't like the way that Pryce and her staff describe Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic candidate for the 15th congressional district. Mary Jo Kilroy has served as a Franklin County Commissioner and Kilroy has done something that Pryce can't seem to do-----balance the budget. Franklin County Commissioners are responsible for operating the county within a budget. Unfortunately, Pryce and her Republican Party have contributed to the largest national debt in history. It is obvious that Kilroy would do a better job of controlling federal spending.

Here are some excerpts from the article:

...Ms. Kilroy, a Franklin County commissioner, gives no quarter. "It's about change... People are fed up with Congress," she says. "We are going to put 'Kilroy is here' on the Capitol."

Here is what Deborah Pryce had to say, according to WSJ:
About conversations with the White House, she says, "If I did see something glaringly wrong, I would not hesitate to bring it up." Yet when pressed, she admits: "I can't say I have called them out on how they are conducting the war. No I haven't."

So Pryce hasn't seen anything glaringly wrong with the way this administration is conducting the war? In what alternate universe does Pryce live?
*We are spending $250,000/day in Iraq.
*Our country has lost almost 3000 men and women in Iraq and has had over 16,000 service members wounded/maimed.
*Over 110 Ohioans have been killed in Iraq.


How many more Ohioans have to die before Pryce and this administration admit that the war in Iraq was based on lies?
How much more money will Americans have to spend in Iraq?
How will we know when the Iraq war is over and we can withdraw our troops?
Why hasn't Pryce brought new jobs to Ohio?

And here is another article about the Kilroy vs. Pryce race:
Akron Beacon Journal:
The Democrat challenging Rep. Deborah Pryce declined on Wednesday to participate in a debate because it would be co-sponsored by a company whose employees and political action committee make up the Republican's largest group of corporate contributors.

"We're not going to participate in debates where the sponsors take sides," said Scott Kozar, campaign manager for Mary Jo Kilroy.

Employees of Columbus, Ohio-based Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. - mainly executives - and the company's political action committee have given Pryce $25,650 this election cycle, according to a database by the campaign finance watchdog group Center for Responsive Politics....

>Here are just a few of the items I found at Open Secrets:

2006 election cycle: Individuals associated with Nationwide Insurance contributed $26,200 to Deborah Pryce's campaign.
2004 election cycle: Individuals associated with Nationwide Insurance contributed $9,000 to Deborah Pryce's campaign.
In her lifetime profile, according to Open Secrets, Pryce has received $1,971,694 in total from Finance/Insurance/Real Estate PACs and individuals.
Since 1989 to the present, Natiowide contributors have given Pryce $79,400, according to Open Secrets.

Looks to me as though Mary Jo Kilroy wanted an objective sponsor for the debates. That seems like a reasonable idea.


Wednesday, August 30, 2006

"Corporate Profits Ahead of the Health and Well-Being of their Contituents"

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) and other Republicans have become targets of the latest political ad. Newsday has the story:

The Association of Trial Lawyers of America on Tuesday launched a $500,000 television and radio ad campaign in five congressional districts blaming GOP lawmakers for not seeking lower prices for the Medicare prescription drug program.

The ad campaign targets Republican House members from Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Mexico, Ohio and North Carolina. The ads accuse the lawmakers of blocking provisions that would have required Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for the best prescription cost.

In a series of radio ads, the association also criticizes the lawmakers for accepting contributions from the oil and gas industry, suggesting that their inaction contributed to high gas prices.

"Be it at the gas pump, the pharmacy or in our courts, these politicians in Washington are putting corporate profits ahead of the health and well-being of their constituents," association spokeswoman Chris Mather said...

...Trial lawyers are considered one of the Democrats main base of financial support and especially oppose Republican efforts to place caps on lawsuit awards and to place limits on class action lawsuits.

Republicans singled out by the ads are Reps. Heather Wilson of New Mexico, Deborah Pryce of Ohio, Chris Chocola of Indiana, Charles Taylor of North Carolina and Don Sherwood of Pennsylvania, all of whom have been targeted by Democrats for defeat. Mather said the five have "voted repeatedly to restrict access to justice.."

>>>Capital Eye has more on Pryce and her oil connections:
...The liberal political group MoveOn.org launched national television advertisements in April as part of its “Oil-Free Congress” campaign, targeting four Republicans for taking contributions from the industry and for opposing bills that Democrats argue would have kept “Big Oil” in check. The ads, which ran in the lawmakers’ respective states, said the four were “caught red-handed” accepting money from energy companies. They compare Reps. Deborah Pryce (Ohio), Chris Chocola (Ind.), Nancy Johnson (Conn.) and Thelma Drake (Va.) to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Bill Zimmerman, president of Zimmerman & Markman, the agency that produced the ads, said they are meant to show that the Republicans have engendered a culture of corruption in this country....


>>>Sherrod Brown set the record straight, according to the The Enquirer. Here are some excerpts from the Enquirer article on what Brown and his campaign had to say about the attack ads by Republicans:

"The difference between me and Mike DeWine is that he supports tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans while I have voted 33 times for tax breaks for middle-income people," said Brown, outside the Avril & Bleh Meat Market on East Court Street downtown. He was holding a news conference with shop owner Lenny Bleh on energy costs....

...Brown's campaign staff rushed to release a nine-page response detailing Brown's support for college-tuition tax credits, ending the "marriage penalty," and the 2003 "Relief for Working Families" tax act.

The response also cites DeWine's support for the Bush tax cuts, which, the Brown campaign said, gave nearly 60 percent of the tax cuts to the top 10 percent of taxpayers, while the bottom 60 percent got only 12.6 percent....

...In his campaign event in front of Bleh's meat shop, Brown argued that Republican energy policies have hurt small businesses and raised prices for consumers.

Bleh, a third-generation meatcutter who bought the meat shop eight years ago from the Avril family, which had operated it for more than 100 years, said that over the past year, his vendors have been adding a fuel surcharge to his orders, which increases the price he has to charge his customers.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Republicans Losing Part of Their Base

*As I drive through Ohio's 15th congressional district, I can report on several observations:
1. I have seen many, many more bumper stickers for Strickland than for Blackwell.
2. In my conversations with friends and neighbors, people are not happy with Deborah Pryce and the Republicans.
3. Physicians, many who supported Bush and the Republicans in the last election, are abandoning their support of the GOP.

*Ohio's farmers have always been big supporters of Republican candidates. However, this year might be a little different. It appears that farmers are finding friendlier folks in the Democratic Party. Here are some excerpts from the Akron Beacon Journal:

Dave Hutchins' two-toned cowboy boots come into view as he sits and his worn denims creep up past his ankles.

Hutchins is a farming activist, and when you ask how he plans to vote this year, he's ready to talk.

He pops open a soda and asks: ``Do you wanna hear a story?''

Last February, he begins, he spent $1,500 on a trip from his hometown in West Mansfield to Washington so he could pitch some agricultural issues on behalf of fellow farmers.

His first two stops were to see two men he had supported -- U.S. Sens. Mike DeWine and George Voinovich.

The senators, he says, couldn't make time for him.....

...By his account, he then went to talk to the Democrats, and with U.S. Reps. Ted Strickland and Sherrod Brown, he got the time he wanted....

....The Ohio Farm Bureau has 220,000 members who often meet monthly at the local level to share concerns and talk about public policy.

Campaign finance reports from May through August show the Ohio Farm Bureau's political action committee gave more than 60 percent of its money to Democrats. By this time four years ago, Democrats had received only 14 percent of the PAC's contributions, and only one Democratic candidate was on its recipient list.

Carlo LoParo, spokesman for Republican gubernatorial candidate J. Kenneth Blackwell, says support is strong from farmers. Last Saturday, the campaign hosted a fundraiser in Paulding County with Fred Daily, director of the Department of Agriculture.

Earlier in the week, both candidates for governor appeared before an annual meeting of the farm bureau attended by more than 700, Blackwell joking about his ability to distinguish straw from hay and Strickland underscoring his and his wife's farming heritage.

``I appreciate the fact that Ted was a farmer as a young man,'' said Jay Beggs, a lifelong Republican and grain farmer near Lima. ``I have some serious problems with the present Republican administration and Mr. Blackwell is part of that.''

And he added, ``Mr. DeWine hasn't been the best friend of agriculture.''...

Now this might not seem like big news to people outside of Ohio, but when farmers find patient listeners within the Democratic Party, we are talking about the possibility of a major shift.

Farmers spend a lot of time trying to get better prices for their crops. They are active in their communities. They know their neighbors. If a few farmers find open doors and cooperation with Democrats, every farmer will be told about the Democrats. In this case, it appears that Democratic candidates Ted Strickland and Sherrod Brown have provided access to Ohio farmers, and farmers like the special treatment they are receiving.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Ohioans Still Concerned About Republican Corruption

Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, Ted Strickland, is making his way through Ohio. Along the way he gives speeches, shakes hands, and listens. Apparently Strickland has been hearing quite a lot from voters and it doesn't sound like they're happy with the culture of corruption created by Ohio's Republicans. Here are some excerpts from an article in the Akron Beacon Journal:

...They want to talk about Bob Taft, the first governor to be found guilty of ethical charges while in office, or Tom Noe, the Republican fundraiser and the coin collector who received more than $55 million in unbid contracts and is scheduled for trial in October.

Some ask about the $200 million-plus lost through sweetheart deals at the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation or U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, R-Heath, and his golf trip to Scotland with Jack Abramoff, the convicted federal lobbyist. Others raise the specter of the war in Iraq and blame President Bush for misleading the American public.

``It's invading the consciousness of the people,'' Strickland said....

...Ohio's economy is almost stalled; the unconstitutional school-funding system has gone unaddressed; public university tuition is skyrocketing; and in nearly two decades of decline one party has controlled almost all of state government....

...Strickland believes a political culture fueled by arrogance of power and freed from checks and balances has developed, allowing individuals to game the system.

He blames Blackwell for not watching the public funds during his tenure as state treasurer, before becoming secretary of state in 1999.

``The best thing you can say for some of them is they just sat by and said nothing,'' Strickland said.

And the Democrat said Blackwell's recent meeting with more than 60 contractors and the Ohio Department of Transportation's director, Gordon Proctor, is a sign that the pay-to-play culture in Columbus will not change if the Republican is elected governor.

Strickland said these contractors contribute millions of dollars to political campaigns and, in return, often receive lucrative state contracts, many unbid.

``For me, it's unethical behavior that borders on illegal,'' Strickland said, adding state officeholders are desensitized to public perceptions and that the people of Ohio are angry about this behavior.....

Yes, we are angry. Ohioans are sick and tired of the corruption, loss of tax money, and mismanagement of the state government. It is time for change in Ohio.

And.....
People in the 15th congressional district are wondering why they haven't seen much of Deborah Pryce during this recent congressional recess. Apparently, she can only be seen by campaign contributors at fundraisers. She has not been seen at many public events. Is she trying to hide from her record and her constituents?

Friday, August 25, 2006

The Ohio State Buckeyes

Next week is the first game of the football season for the Buckeyes. Even though I am glad that all these good things have been said about the Buckeyes, I just worry more. I am fortunate enough to have season tickets for the home games and I will be there screaming and cheering. (My seats are not as good as Gov. Bob Taft and the rest of the corrupt Ohio Republicans who get nice, cushy seats in the press box with food and air conditioning.)

In today's USA Today, there is a great picture on the front page of a special sports section on college football. It shows the team after a game singing Carmen OHIO. Don't forget to check out the Ohio State Athletic Department's Football page.

I just don't understand why these sportwriters are so in love with Notre Dame! We beat them in the Fiesta Bowl 34 to 20! Here are some pics from the 2006 Fiesta Bowl:
1. USA Today
2. ESPN

3. DISPATCH

GOP GOT US INTO THE MESS WE'RE IN

****From a letter to the editor of The Toledo Blade----- GOP Got Us Into the Mess We're In
Here are some excerpts:

Interesting how our "compassionate conservative" lawmakers couldn't muster enough compassion to grant a raise to minimum-wage workers while they contend the economy is "robust" and have voted themselves past raises.

How can Republicans claim dibs on the answers to the problems facing the U.S. and claim that the Democrats are disorganized and out of touch, when it's the Republicans who are the very reason we are in the mess we're in?

Consider energy. Since the President deregulated the industry, government oversight is gone, oil companies' profits are ridiculously high, and prices at the pump keep escalating, along with everything else we buy. Every "commoner" is dreading this winter's heating bills. Our current energy policy is "drill in ANWR." Our economy has shifted from one that used to charge what's fair to one that charges what the market will bear.

Regarding foreign policy, if you haven't noticed, the Middle East is on fire! Iraq is in civil war, North Korea test-fired rockets on the Fourth of July, and while we're playing world chess with Iran using Israel and Lebanon as pawns at war, the President went on vacation.
The Republicans championed fiscal responsibility and demonized Democrats as liberal elitists, yet our President and his party have "porked" the national debt to historic highs. The only veto from the oval office: stem cell research. Didn't Bill Clinton hand over a surplus?
This doesn't even mention warrantless wiretapping, tax cuts for the wealthy, domestic programs slashed, Jack Abramoff scandal, illegal immigration, etc....

That is a great letter! I wish I had written it!

*****Is there another Ohio scandal ahead? Here are some excerpts from a story in the Morning Journal:

The Lorain County Community Action Agency's board of trustees decided last night to ask the Lorain County sheriff and prosecutor to help it investigate allegations of wrongdoing made in an anonymous letter purportedly from LCCAA employees.

LCCAA officials, as well as the Ohio Department of Development, which oversees much of the agency's funding, deny any wrongdoing has taken place.

The letter was dated Aug. 9 and faxed from a Staples store. Signed only ''LCCAA Employees,'' the letter calls on Gov. Bob Taft to investigate what it calls ''misuse and mismanagement of taxpayer's money.'' It calls for the resignations of Executive Director Nelson Ramirez and five other agency employees.

Among the letter's allegations is a claim that an employee fraudulently applied for heating bill assistance through the Home Energy Assistance Program.

Another allegation is that phony tallies of children are provided to collect federal money for more children than are actually in the Head Start program operated by the LCCAA.....


*****The man that the Republicans kept off the ballot as an Independent in Ohio's 15th congressional district, Charles Morrison, ...
has asked a federal court to let him run as an independent, challenging an Ohio law he says is too vague about how to leave a political party to run unaffiliated....(First Amendment Center).

No one knows what could happen with a court case. However, if Morrison is allowed on the ballot as an Independent, it could take votes away from Republican Deborah Pryce.



Thursday, August 24, 2006

News in Ohio

1. If you smell a little something in the air this morning in Ohio, you need to be reminded that Karl Rove was in Ohio last night at a fundraiser for extreme right winger, Kenneth Blackwell.

Here are some excerpts from the Toledo Blade:

...Mr. Rove praised Mr. Blackwell’s character and his commitment to tax cuts, likening him to the President on both counts....

He cheered the President’s handling of the national economy, which he said has grown 20 percent since 2003, but he acknowledged tougher times in Ohio....

I'm sorry, but that is all I am willing to quote because just the thought of Rove being in Ohio makes me want to puke.

2. Ohio has lost another service member in Iraq. Brad Clemmons, U.S. Air Force master sergeant, had just found out that his wife was pregnant. The Dispatch has the complete story.

3. There is an interesting letter to the editor from The Morning Journal News from Lisbon, Ohio. Here are some excerpts:

Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, a millionaire, appears to be hiding something with his failure to disclose his income tax returns. Congressman Ted Strickland has shown Ohioans that they can trust him with their money because he is showing us his personal finances.

Blackwell is reportedly the first gubernatorial candidate since 1982 to refuse to disclose his income tax returns. Voters should question why.

Is it perhaps because Blackwell held stock in Diebold Inc., a company that benefited from decisions made by Blackwell’s office? Indeed, Blackwell sold his stock in Diebold at a loss, claiming he did not know about owning this specific stock, but a millionaire selling stock at a loss is a write-off on tax returns. Could Blackwell have other similar losses that would show up on an income tax return?

I once read that Ohio is the seventh highest state for tax burdens on its citizens. If Blackwell is so concerned about this tax burden upon Ohioans then what does he have to lose by sharing his tax returns with those he wants to vote for him?

This shows that Ohio voters have big doubts about Blackwell.


Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Strickland

Many Ohio voters are just plain sick of all the Republican scandals that have been front page news for a long time. Now, Ted Strickland, Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, is attracting attention because of his positive message and solid agenda for Ohio.

Strickland wants to end the "pay-to-play" system of awarding contracts to political contributors that has flourished under the Ohio Republicans.

Many people know that the contracts issued by ODOT go to big Republican contributors. It doesn't take a detective to figure out why only certain companies get the contracts for road building. For example, a search of OPEN SECRETS, shows that Bill Burgett and his family, are MAJOR contributors to Republicans in Ohio. It is no coincidence that Burgett's company, Kokosing, gets a majority of the road construction contracts in Ohio.

It would be beneficial to other corporations, taxpayers, and workers in Ohio if other companies got the chance to build in Ohio. However, with the corrupt Republicans in control of everything in Ohio, only their Republican cronies benefit.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Ohio's Unemployment Rate Up for July 2006

The Ohio unemployment rate for July 2006 increased to 5.8%, according to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. Obviously, we can attribute this increase in unemployment to the economic policies of the Bush administration and the corrupt and inept Ohio Republicans who run this state. Here are some of the highlights of the news release:

Ohio's unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in July, up from 5.1 percent in June, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment decreased 5,000 over the month, from 5,460,900 in June to 5,455,900 in July....

...Among the state's 88 counties, the July 2006 unemployment rates ranged from a low of 3.6 percent in Delaware County to a high of 10.2 percent in Monroe County. Rates increased in 85 of the counties as is typical for unadjusted rates this time of year. The comparable unadjusted rate for Ohio in July was 5.8 percent....

If you have a Republican member of Congress, check your individual county to see if the unemployment rate has changed. For more info on various counties see the bottom of the page for links to counties.

In Franklin County, represented by Republican Deborah Pryce (OH-15), the unemployment rate jumped to 5.1%. Where are the jobs Pryce has supposedly brought to the 15th district?????

Remember the Clinton years......low unemployment, good paying jobs, a decreasing national debt, peace in the world, real foreign policy, and a president who spoke with intelligence....... Those were the days.



Another Ohio Republican in Trouble

Marion County commissioner, Republican Dave Columber has been accused of sexual harassment by five women. According to the Dispatch, Columber's behavior will have the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission visit Marion County.

Here are some excerpts from the Dispatch article about Columber:
...Marion County Auditor Joseph Campbell said yesterday that Columber created a hostile working environment in his office...

...In a letter to Slagle dated July 26, Campbell said he witnessed two incidents in his office that involved Columber making sexual remarks and gestures to female employees.

"I have heard many people say, ‘That’s just Dave’ or ‘That’s the way Dave is’ and don’t think anything about it," Campbell wrote. "I do believe this is the way Dave is, and there is no room in county government for this kind of behavior."

I am sure that the people of Marion County would not like it if their wife or daughter had been the target of Columber's sexual harassment. Do the voters of Marion County want to re-elect Columber and subject the county to further embarrassment and possible financial liability?

>In Indiana, there is another Republican candidate in trouble. Has Republican corruption and inappropriate behavior become an epidemic????

WTHR:

Indianapolis - Republican Eric Dickerson is the current GOP hope to unseat incumbent Democrat Julia Carson. He points to his north Keystone Buick dealership as proof of his financial skills, he says, and his qualifications to unseat Carson.

However, Fifth-Third Bank is suing Dickerson. It claims Buick is late paying on two loans worth more than $5 million. Dickerson is on the hook personally, guaranteeing $2 million of that and the bank wants it now....

Pryce Trying To Run Away from Her Record

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce is trying to run away from her record. As the fourth ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, she is in there making decisions and following the agenda set forth by President Bush and Karl Rove. Pryce has always been a Republican and votes in lockstep with her party. No matter what she says, she supports this administration's economic plans, the "stay the course" plan for Iraq, the backroom deals with lobbyists and special interest groups, and tax cuts for the rich.

Today Pryce talked about her support for stem cell research. Fine. However, that is only one issue. It doesn't change the fact that she has not brought jobs back to her district, and that she got money from energy PACs/lobbyists while we pump gas into our cars at the highest prices in American history.

Here are some of Pryce's key votes from the Washington Post:

6/16/06 Vote 288: H RES 861:
This vote pledged support for the War in Iraq and rejected a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troop. Pryce voted yes.

5/10/06 Vote 135: H R 4297:
Extended the Bush tax cuts. Pryce voted yes.

7/28/05 Vote 445: H R 6:
Offered tax breaks and incentives in what supporters said was an effort to spur oil and gas companies to provide innovative ways to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil, conserve resources and reduce pollution. Pryce voted yes. (Translation: Tax cuts for oil companies)

3/21/05
Vote 90: S 686: Gave federal courts jurisdiction in the Terri Schiavo dispute. Pryce voted yes. (Translation: In making life and death decisions, do you want people like Ralph Reed, Tom DeLay, Deborah Pryce, and other Republicans interfering with your decisions?)


Monday, August 21, 2006

Strickland and Brown: Energizing Ohio

According to Mike Naymik of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, a recent bus tour by Ted Strickland (Democratic candidate for Ohio governor) and Sherrod Brown (Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate), has really energized Ohio voters and Democrats. Naymik also said that Brown refers to DeWine as part of the GOP "gang" in DC. To hear the broadcast, click here >>>>> NPR

Why did we get another mailer from Deborah Pryce?????

Rep. Deborah Pryce, Republican of Ohio's 15th congressional district, sent out another mailer. The mailer was sent out by her congressional office and NOT her campaign office. This means that, although it is clearly political in nature, taxpayers paid for it.

The contents of the mailer covered topics that Pryce said she has done something about but here is the truth.

A. Pryce Says She Supports Our Troops (from one of my previous posts)

Wednesday, June 21, 2006:
1. Pryce voted against expanding access to the military's TRICARE health insurance program to all reservist and National Guard members. The proposal would have expanded military health care to provide access to TRICARE to members of the Guard and Reserve and their families for a low fee, which would have helped 2,563 in Ohio. [HR 1815, Roll Call #221, 5/25/05; Leadership Document, “DOD Authorization Previous Question on Rule”; S. 2400, Roll Call Vote #105, 6/2/04]

2. Pryce voted against $30 Million Boost for Veterans Health Care & Benefits. In 2005, Pryce voted against an additional $30 million for veterans' health care. The amendment have would added funding for combat-related trauma care to support wounded troops once they return to their homes, medical and prosthetic research and 100 additional staff to help process claims for compensation and pension benefits. [HR 2528, Roll Call #224, 5/26/05; Leadership Document, “Medical Quality Democratic Amendment Final]

3. Pryce opposed $150 Million Increase for Military Personnel. In 2005, Pryce voted against a proposal to the budget to increase funding for military health care by $100 million and transitional job training for military personnel by $50 million.
[HR 1268, Roll Call #76, 3/16/05; CQ.com vote reports]

4. Pryce voted against Additional Job Assistance to Veterans Returning from Overseas. Pryce opposed efforts to provide extra job training assistance to veterans who are returning from overseas. Four out of 10 members of the Guard and Reserve forces lose income when they leave their civilian jobs for active duty, and many are self-employed or run small businesses. This means they face the daunting task of reestablishing their businesses after their release from active duty. [HR 27, Roll Call #47, 3/2/05; 109th Congressional Record, pg. H915, 3/2/05; 109th Congressional Record, pg. H2074, 4/14/05]

B. Pryce said she voted to support our port security?
Pryce voted against port security that would have made it mandatory to inspect every container coming into this country.

C. Pryce said she is spending taxpayer dollars wisely.
Really? Pryce voted for tax cuts for the wealthy. Her support of tax cuts for large corporations has increased the national debt.

D. Pryce said she is promoting energy independence.
Here are the facts:
According to PoliticalMoneyLine.com:

Over the course of her congressional career, Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH) has accepted $157,020 in campaign contributions from “Energy & Natural Resources” PACs....

Votes on Energy & Oil-Related Measures:

  • Rep. Pryce voted against a measure that would have provided the U.S. Department of Justice with the authority to prosecute oil companies engaged in gas price gouging and impose fines of up to $100 million on corporations, as well as up to $1 million in fines or 10 years in prison or both for individuals.
  • Rep. Pryce voted against an amendment to the 2005 GOP’s oil refinery bill that, among its provisions, would have allowed the president to declare an energy emergency and prohibit gasoline price gouging in times of such emergencies. It would have allowed the Federal Trade Commission to enforce the ban on price gouging and set penalty fines of up to three times the profits gained through price gouging, or up to $3 million.
  • Rep. Pryce voted against an amendment to the 2005 GOP’s oil refinery bill that would have provided for stricter penalties dealing with gasoline price gouging, outlaw market manipulation and empower state attorneys' general to enforce the law.
  • Rep. Pryce voted for the 2005 GOP’s oil refinery bill that, among its provisions, would require the president to designate federal sites for new oil refineries and allow the federal government (and by extension, taxpayers) to pay new refineries for the costs of significant delays due to lawsuits and government regulations.
    • “Opponents said the bill would stifle legitimate lawsuits against refinery projects and in some cases override state or local objections if a refinery were located on federal land. A community or citizens group would have to pay an oil company's legal costs whether they won or lost a lawsuit challenging a refinery under one provision in the bill. Limiting the number of gasoline blends refiners would have to produce to six could hinder the ability of states and cities to meet federal air quality requirements, according to state and county clean air officials, who lobbied against the legislation. Others opposed to the bill were the National League of Cities, nine state attorneys general, and various environmental organizations.”

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Pryce: Not a Moderate

In yesterday's The Other Paper, there were three letters to the editor that were written in response to a recent article. In a previous edition of The Other Paper, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) said that "people see me as a moderate" (The Other Paper, 8/10/06). However, the letters dispute Pryce's "moderate" label.

Letter #1 says....
...For years now, Pryce has marched in lock step with such arch right-wingers as Tom DeLay, Newt Gingrich and the Bush Cheney White House...

...For the last four sessions of Congress, the League of Conservation Voters rated Pryce's votes as ranging from a poor 18 percent score in 2001-02 to a Neanderthal 6 percent in 2005.


Pryce voted to sell off public lands to mining companies---even lands in our national parks. She's voted to weaken federal pollution laws and cut funding for monitoring and enforcement. She voted to give billions in taxpayer money to energy corporations, despite their record profits. She even voted against tighter standards for arsenic in drinking water....

Letter # 2 points out that....
Conservatives should vote for Mary Jo Kilroy for Congress this November. She is a business owner who has used her private-sector experience to balance Franklin County's budget after years of Republican mismanagement....

Letter #3 states that...
....Pryce has voted with the current administration 88 percent of the time on issues ranging from prescription drugs to energy policy to tax cuts for the ultra-weathy...

Sounds like those letter writers have done their homework on Pryce. She isn't a moderate.

>>>>And from The Washington Post...

Election laws exist to ensure orderly voting and vote counting and to facilitate a democratic process that helps citizens choose their officials. Increasingly, however, election laws are being used not to achieve either of these ends but rather to reduce competition and deprive voters of choices...

...
Similarly, in Ohio, another scandal-plagued Republican, Rep. Bob Ney, dropped his bid for reelection. Republicans endorsed a popular state senator, Joy Padgett, in Ney's place. Democratic lawyers, however, are seeking to keep her off the ballot, and news coverage has focused less on issues and qualifications than on Padgett's right to appear on the ballot.

What is the logic behind keeping her off? In this spring's GOP primary, she ran for lieutenant governor and lost. Ohio has a "sore loser" law intended to keep candidates who are defeated in a primary from running in the general election (as Joe Lieberman is doing in Connecticut). Though the law is clearly not intended to apply to situations such as this, Democrats argue that it does in fact prevent Padgett from running for Congress.

...in Ohio, Rep. Deborah Pryce faces a tough race in a district that President Bush barely carried in 2004. Charles Morrison, a conservative businessman who challenged Pryce in the Republican primary in 2004, sought to get on the ballot this year as an independent. The Republican Party successfully petitioned the state to take Morrison off the ballot on the grounds that he is not an independent but a Republican. The matter is in the courts....

It appears that Pryce and the Republicans will not be able to hide from the truth.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Brian Hicks

Anyone who has been following the Republican parade of corruption and scandals here in Ohio, knows the name Brian Hicks. Just in case you don't know Brian Hicks, let me refresh your memory....

WCPO 7/30/2005 ---
...On Friday, former chief of staff Brian Hicks became the first person to be convicted in the state's growing investment scandal for his failure to report stays at the Florida vacation home of a coin dealer.

The conviction of Hicks and his longtime aide, Cherie Carroll, immediately shifted attention to Taft and whether he will be charged for his own ethics' lapse: failing to report up to 60 golf outings over several years....

Capital Watch 10/20/2005 --- Students at The Ohio State University even tried to have Brian Hicks, a Taft appointee, removed from the Board of Trustees. They failed.

Now we have this from the Fort Wayne News Sentinel 8/17/2006 ---

A former aide to Gov. Bob Taft remains involved in high-profile Republican campaigns, even as others in the state GOP seek to distance themselves from the scandal in which he and the governor were convicted.

Brian Hicks, Taft's former chief of staff, is listed among hosts of an Aug. 25 fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce, arranged by supporters of the James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State University.

Hicks, who runs a lobbying and public affairs firm in Columbus, said he supports Pryce's candidacy and simply wanted to signal his support. He is a member of the OSU board of trustees....

Social Security: Campaign Issue

Voters are worried. If the Republicans maintain their majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate, will they do something to Social Security? The future of Social Security has become a campaign issue.

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) has always supported the President's plan to "reform" Social Security.
Pryce and the Republicans have problems with remembering what they said about their plans to change Social Security.

We all remember this from the Washington Times (June 30, 2005)---

House Republican leaders say there is broad support in their ranks for the new idea to use Social Security's surplus to create private accounts, and members were told yesterday to tout the idea at home and expect a vote on it as early as July....

...House Republican Conference Chairman Deborah Pryce of Ohio said members were told yesterday to go home and sell the new idea over the July Fourth recess -- through town hall meetings, editorials or however they feel most comfortable.
"It's important that members talk about it over break," she said, noting members were given talking points and trained on what language to use....

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Why is this published in Providence?

1. I have an interesting find this morning---- Deborah Pryce, Republican representative for Ohio's 15 district, has an opinion/guest column in the Providence Journal (Providence, Rhode Island!). Why? Was this sent directly to this paper or was it sent to other papers and only the Journal published it? Why is Pryce sending her campaign propaganda to a location outside of Ohio? Is she looking for contributions? Does she know that the people in her home district are not buying her rhetoric?

If you read the opinion piece, you'll find that it is very pro-Republican. Also, it over sells the Medicare Part D plan for seniors. Soon many seniors will reach the "donut hole" in their prescription drug coverage. Many senior citizens are finding that when they reach the donut hole that the costs of their prescription drugs have dramatically gone up in price. Will the anger of senior citizens at losing their prescription drug coverage prior to the fall election show up at the ballot box?

2. This just in.... From the TriState Observer:
...Ohio and, to a lesser degree, Indiana also present Republican House incumbents with local "climate" problems. Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio is already in major political trouble amid a federal investigation into his ties with imprisoned former lobbyist Jack Abramoff. But two other Ohio Republicans - Steve Chabot and Deborah Pryce - are also at risk of losing their seats, per the Cook list....

3. Deborah Pryce has made it into Business Week Online. Here is an excerpt:
...the politics of the economy could go from bad to worse for Bush and his fellow Republicans. The most recent round of government economic numbers indicates slower growth, falling productivity, skittering home sales, and rising joblessness, all factors that could loosen the GOP's 12-year grip on Congress. Among the Republican lawmakers imperiled by resurgent pessimism: Representatives Heather A. Wilson (N.M.), Nancy L. Johnson (Conn.), Curt Weldon (Pa.), and Deborah Pryce (Ohio)....

4. The Republican pick to replace Jack Abramoff's buddy, former Rep. Bob Ney, is not a nice person. Joy Padgett has a horrible reputation in Ohio because of her campaign tactics. Here is an excerpt from an article (Athens News) that explains what she did---

...Padgett drew criticism during her 2004 campaign for state Senate against Athens County businessman Terry Anderson. An advertisement for Padgett suggested that Anderson - a former journalist who was held hostage by Hezbollah in Lebanon for seven years - was sympathetic to his former captors.

"What she did to Terry Anderson was atrocious," said (Tim) Ryan. "That's gutter politics."

Yes, that Terry Anderson!

The man who was held hostage for almost seven years was attacked by Joy Padgett! Folks, this is the dirty politics, lack of ethics, and corruption that we witness everyday from Republicans like Padgett, Ney, Taft and the rest of the Ohio GOP.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Ohio Republicans Trying to Stay Out of the News

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce and the rest of the Ohio Republicans are trying their best to stay out of the news. Even Republican fundraisers are by invitation only so that the candidates are not exposed to the angry Ohio voters. How long can the Republicans hide from the Ohio voters?

A recent letter to the editor published in the Columbus Dispatch shows how voters feel about Republicans and management of the nation and Ohio:

Regarding Ohio Republican Chairman Robert T. Bennett’s Aug. 7 letter, in which he feigned righteous indignation over the claim that his party was in on the anti-Ted Strickland smear campaign (what, little old us?), I would like to reply with a quote from one of my long-time heroes, Bugs Bunny, "Don’t you believe it!"

Republicans have been engaging in sleazy tactics for years (does anybody remember the swift-boat campaign?), and every time somebody calls them on it, they try to shroud their culpability in a heavy coating of moral self-righteousness. Hopefully, it won’t matter this time around.

Bennett says that his party doesn’t need to take the low road because Strickland’s record speaks for itself. Well, so does the record of the Republican Party. Republicans have run not only this state but the whole country for the past several years, and look at the results. That is the only thing that should be of any relevance to voters come Election Day.

War, corruption, unemployment. What do you say about that, Bennett?

It appears that Ohio voters are not feeling any love for Republicans. Even though the Republicans will tell us that they've done a fabulous job, we know what they've given us: Taft's scandals, Pryce caught red-handed, Ney's association with lobbyist Jack Abramoff, ethics violations, the $13 million missing from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' compensation, massive job losses, Tom Noe and the coingate scandal, refusal of the Ohio Republican controlled legislature to work on raising minimum wage or fixing the funding for public schools, Bernadette Noe's hands in vote counting, Jean Schmidt's attack on decorated veteran Rep. John Murtha, John Boehner's associations with lobbyists, support of the war in Iraq, etc., etc.

Given the choice, I think Ohioans would rather stick a fork in their heads than support more corrupt Republicans.

Monday, August 14, 2006

You must remember this....

Here is a fun fact (10news)--

...Rep. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat challenging Republican Sen. Mike DeWine in Ohio, keeps reminding voters that the average two-car family is paying $1,563 more for gasoline this year than it did in 2000....

That is very interesting. Thanks to the failed energy policy of this administration and the Republican Congress, we are spending more money to fund the retirement funds of BP executives. The $1,563 is money that you are not using for your family or other necessities.

Not Even Using All Ohio Vets

In one of Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce's (OH-15) campaign ads, she touts her help to veterans. In previous posts, I have already established that Pryce has voted against veterans' medical benefits. However, now it has been recognized that some of the VFW vets she uses in an ad ARE NOT EVEN FROM OHIO!

In a blog called Hypothetically Speaking, pictures from one of Pryce's ads show vets clearly from other states! So not only has Deborah Pryce failed to bring jobs to Ohio, she has even disrespected Ohio vets by NOT using only them in her ads! Here are some pictures from Hypothetically Speaking which clearly show that some of the vets are from Maryland.

Thank you, Hypothetically Speaking for the great work.

Have you looked at an updated view of Deborah Pryce's career profile of her campaign finances? Open Secrets has the details:
Since 1989, Pryce has raised over $6,896,437 for her campaign. The Industries she has gotten money from are real eye openers. She serves on the House Committee for Financial Services. Guess which sector provides her largest campaign contributions????? Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate PACs and Individuals!!!!! Amazing. Do you think they influence how she votes?

Friday, August 11, 2006

Pryce Running Scared

The Other Paper has a very informative article that details the reasons why Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce may not get re-elected. With Pryce's unwavering support for the Bush administration and the war in Iraq, she is in deep trouble. Of course, nearly every Ohio Republican running for public office is in deep trouble because of the Republican scandals. The people of Ohio are just sick, sick, sick of the Republican corruption.

To read the article on Deborah Pryce, click on the title of the article----Running Scared.
Here are some excerpts:

...even the Democrats didn’t realize what an opportunity they had when Kilroy announced her candidacy last year. Despite her victories in 2000 and 2004, Democrats figured winning races in an increasingly Democratic county was one thing. Taking on an incumbent powerhouse in a Republican congressional district would be another.

Paul Tipps, a former chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, acknowledged he was until recently among the doubters.

“If you were to ask me six months ago, ‘Can anybody seriously challenge—just seriously challenge—Debbie Pryce?’ I would have told you, ‘I don’t think so.’ But look what’s happened,” Tipps said.

“Right now that race is a tossup.”

...Kozar plans to hit Pryce right back by pointing out her loyal support of Bush’s foreign policies, especially the war in Iraq, and his economic agenda, which exploded the national debt.

And he will hope that the anti-Bush, anti-incumbent attitudes discovered in that NBC-Wall Street Journal poll will remain through Nov. 7...


Pryce supports Bush's war in Iraq. So far, Ohio has lost 115 of our loved ones in Iraq. For a list of their names, home towns, and ranks, click here.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

A Fighting Dem for Ohio's 4th District

We have a Fighting Dem in the state of Ohio. Not only is Richard Siferd a Democrat, a Viet Nam veteran, but he is also a Buckeye! Richard Siferd is the Democratic candidate for Ohio's 4th congressional district and he needs your support!

Here is what Richard has to say about Homeland Security:

This November voters will have a choice. One of the choices will be framed in terms of security. Voters in this District will be asked to choose who they trust with the security of our country. Do they trust a Democrat who served in a war, or a Republican who says we need to be patriotic, and strong and secure and have lower taxes...

...Security, peace and a good life are not earned by words. They are earned by careful planning and sacrifice....

Give Richard a hand and help him win the 4th district!

Pryce and the Cost Of Iraq War

What has the war in Iraq cost us?

$250,000,000 per day

PER DAY!
Can you imagine what our country would have been able to do with that kind of money? Healthcare? Assistance for senior citizens? A funded No Child Left Behind Act? Improved public transportation? New schools?

The human cost of the war in Iraq is noted daily at the Iraq Coalition Casualties.
U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD: 2591
Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation: 6
Total 2597

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce supports this administration's war in Iraq. The Buckeye State Blog has a few of Pryce's quotes on the war in Iraq:

"I didn't see any chaos. Everything seemed pretty normal"- Rep. Deborah Pryce on Iraq, (Columbus Dispatch, 10/24/03)

“Colleagues of ours who have been there talk of wheat fields and oil fields and cotton fields. This is progress. It is a beautiful picture of what comes of our noble pursuit in the fight for freedom and the war against terror” - Rep. Deborah Pryce, (Columbus Dispatch, 10/16/03)

“We are close. Iraq is experiencing the first fruits of freedom and now they must be completely transitioned into a state of stability. So far, the coalition provisional authority has made significant progress on infrastructure improvements and governmental restructuring. All of Iraq’s hospitals are now fully functional. Schools are opening and running” - Rep. Deborah Pryce, (Congressional Record, 10/16/03)

If you support Pryce, you continue to support this war and its costs. If you support Pryce, you are responsible for letting this country get into deeper debt. Why? Pryce supports this administration and their war. She doesn't question the need for withdrawal or re-deploying. Pryce gets her instructions from DeLay, Hastert, Boehner, Ney, Rove, and the rest of this administration. She is their puppet. It is time for a new direction and a new representative. It is time to support fresh ideas and that will come with Mary Jo Kilroy.

Note: YOU MUST read Firedoglake's Why it Matters. It will make you see the costs of this war.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Pryce and the Minimum Wage

*Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce has voted against the minimum wage 7 times. However, when increasing the minimum wage was tied to cutting the estate tax, she was for it. Does Pryce only represent the wealthy of central Ohio??

*As a resident of Ohio's 15th congressional district, I recently received a mailing from Deborah Pryce. The topic was immigration. Obviously, Pryce is trying to get her name out there, mail it without cost to her campaign, and get money/contacts from the "survey." Here are some excerpts from the WBNS-TV story about Pryce's mailing:

If you live in Congresswoman Deborah Pryce's district, chances are you got a mailer that discusses Pryce's position on fighting illegal immigration, and asks for opinions. But to some people in this election year, the tax-payer funded mailer looks like something much more.

When Barry Gordon received his Deborah Pryce mailer, he was mad.

"I don't think someone who is an incumbent running for reelection should have taxpayers pay for material like this that is so obviously self-serving," Barry Gordon said.

This "survey and illegal immigration update" does ask his opinion about immigration, but reads to Gordon more like a campaign flyer than anything else.....

...How much did these mailers cost to produce and send to 600,000 in the 15th Ohio House District? 10TV asked for those figures Friday morning and were told initially we'd get that information. As of Friday evening, we're still waiting.

Do you know what I did with my "survey" from Pryce? I put it directly into my shredder.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Have you had enough?

With Jack Abramoff's pal, Republican Rep. Bob Ney, out of the running for Ohio's 18th district, the Ohio Republican Party is a mess. The ethically-challenged Republican political party has been running through a minefield of scandals like: Damschroder and Diebold Election Systems, Gov. Bob Taft's ethics violations, Tom Noe's coingate scandal, the missing $13 million dollars from Ohio's Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Deborah Pryce's fundraising dinner's at Abramoff's Signatures Restaurant, Pryce's contributions from Energy/Oil and Pharmaceutical and Financial firms, Blackwell's ties to firms that could alter his objectivity (Diebold and Morning After Pill), Steve Chabot's votes and campaign finances, and so on.

Have you had enough?

It didn't take long for Republicans to choose a successor to Republican Rep. Bob Ney---Joy Padgett. However, there might be a little snag in her candidacy. The Guardian:
The leading Republican candidate to replace scandal-scarred Rep. Bob Ney on the November ballot may be ineligible, party officials said Tuesday, complicating GOP efforts to assure a smooth transition for the fall campaign.

``As far as I know, I have a green light,'' said state Sen. Joy Padgett, as party lawyers reviewed a state law that bars politicians who lose one primary from entering another one during the same year....

Monday, August 07, 2006

Still Cautiously Optimistic

The Cook Report, which is notoriously pro-Republican, had a few observations about the upcoming midterm elections (CSMonitor):

...Ohio and, to a lesser degree, Indiana also present Republican House incumbents with local "climate" problems. Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio is already in major political trouble amid a federal investigation into his ties with imprisoned former lobbyist Jack Abramoff. But two other Ohio Republicans - Steve Chabot and Deborah Pryce - are also at risk of losing their seats, per the Cook list....

We here in the 15th congressional district are cautiously optimistic that the Democrats will win control of the House and the Senate. However, we also must remember that will our vote will be counted (or not counted) by Republican Sec. of State, Ken Blackwell.

Need a reminder about how Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce has been caught red-handed? Check HERE.


>There are some new ads that warn what a newly-elected Republican majority in the House and Senate would do to Social Security. The News Tribune has information about the ads:

...The ads are two 15-second spots aired back to back showing an older couple in a home sharing a hot dog. The woman splits a pill in half as the narrator says: “If George Bush and his backers in Congress privatize Social Security and cut benefits in half, what will you have to cut in half.”

The ads do not mention a candidate by name, but they are aimed at Reps. Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio, and Clay Shaw, R-Fla., and Sens. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and Jim Talent, R-Mo.






Friday, August 04, 2006

Ohio GOP Report Card

The Ohio GOP is trying to find an issue that will attract Ohioans to their ethically-challenged political party. The Republicans announced yesterday that they will target illegal aliens. However, a Democrat had this to say (Toledo Blade):
...
The package would also include increased penalties for human trafficking for prostitution and labor, and a $50,000 civil fine for those who counterfeit identification documents as part of immigration fraud.

Senate Democratic Leader C.J. Prentiss (D., Philadelphia) characterized yesterday’s announcement as an election-year promise that Republicans won’t be able to keep because immigration is largely a federal issue.

“First it was TEL (Tax Expenditure Limitation), then the capital gains tax cut,” she said. “Now it is illegal immigration. It would be a lot easier if the GOP just handed over the polling data and let us check off one by one what the next gimmick is they have in store for Ohio as we head toward the November election.”

Here is the report card for the Ohio GOP:

School Funding: F
Job Creation: F
Ethics: F
Job Protection: F
Protecting the Environment: F

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Just A Reminder: Republicans Still Want to Tinker With Social Security

If you still need a reminder about why you should vote for Democrats in the comining election, here is one: Palm Beach Post

...House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, told the Washington Times last month "if I'm around in a leadership role come January, we're going to get serious about it (Social Security)."

Bush pledged in a July 26 speech that he will not abandon his proposals for the program in the absence of congressional action.

"If we can't get it done this year, I'm going to try next year. And if we can't get it done next year, I'm going to try the year after that," he said....

IF the Republicans continue to have the majority in the House and the Senate THEY will set the AGENDA. THEY will continue to choose when there are hearings, which bills make it out of committee, which bills get voted on, and so on. The same goes for Social Security. IF the Republicans stay in the majority, they will get their hands on Social Security and start to change things. We cannot afford any more time with Republicans in the majority.

By the way, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) is a big time supporter of Bush's plan to change Social Security. Here are Pryce's views on Social Security reform.

AND....
Have you seen the diagram at the GOP Auction House? Deborah Pryce is figured very prominently in the diagram with her ties to various people and lobbyists. It is a real eye opener. Click on her face for more information.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Ohio Has Lost Under Republicans

It doesn't take a genius to list the GOP failures in Ohio: coingate, loss of jobs, loss of healthcare, etc. Here is a news release that very accurately reports how Republicans have hurt Ohioans:

-- Since President Bush took office, Ohio has lost 190,400 manufacturing jobs since 2000, and family income has dropped by $4,171. (BLS, 8/06; CPS, 10/05)

-- There are 1,282,000 people without health insurance in Ohio, an increase of 34,000 since President Bush took office. For those with insurance, premiums have jumped $1,070--a 73 percent increase. (KFF 2005; MEPS 2005)

-- Because Republicans have failed to provide promised funding for education reforms, 115,613 Ohio schoolchildren have gone without help in reading and math, while programs to assist children with disabilities have been shortchanged by more than $244 million. (CRS, 1/2006; Senate Appropriations Committee, Democratic Staff, 2/06)

-- Budget cuts have pushed 8,069 Ohio veterans out of the VA health care system. (VHA Policy & Forecasting 2/24/03, Projected to FY2005)

-- The Bush Congress's refusal to end the Disabled Veterans Tax has undermined retirement security for 7,368 veterans in Ohio. (Veterans Administration / Democratic Leader's Office, 6/05)

-- Bush Republicans tried to force through a risky scheme to undermine Social Security, which provides financial security and peace of mind to 1,929,680 Social Security recepients in Ohio. (NWLC 2/05)

Ohio's Culture of Corruption

While the Bush Republicans in Washington have failed to stand up for Ohio's working families, the Bush Republicans in Columbus have brought a shameful culture of corruption to Ohio government.

-- Number of criminal counts Republican Governor Bob Taft guilty of: 4.

-- Amount of campaign contributions Republican Fundraiser and Bush Pioneer Tom Noe illegally steered to the President's reelection campaign: $45,400.

-- Republican Congressman Bob Ney's pseudonym in the Jack Abramoff indictment: "Representative No. 1."

-- Amount missing from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation fund: $13 million.

-- Number of hours some voters were forced to wait in 2004 because of Ken Blackwell's failed leadership of the Secretary of State's office: up to 10.

How does central Ohio do in all this?
-- Representative Deborah Pryce (OH-15) has voted with President Bush 88 percent of the time.

Eyes on the 15th

It seems as though every political scientist, reporter, and network has eyes on Ohio's 15th congressional district. With President Bush's disapproval ratings plummeting every week, all are wondering if this will translate into voter discontent for Pryce and other Republicans. Here are some of the things that have been said about the Kilroy - Pryce matchup for the 15th district:

LA Times: Election day was five long months away, but Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) decided to air her first television campaign ad early to set the tone for what promised to be a tough reelection fight.

But when the ad was broadcast in June, it contained an embarrassing error. Pryce's first name was spelled "Deboarah." The blunder was especially surprising coming from the camp of a seasoned, seven-term incumbent and senior member of the House Republican leadership.

When it comes to hardball campaigning, however, Pryce is something of a rookie. She has not faced a serious challenge since she was first elected to Congress in 1992. But that has abruptly changed this year — for her and for some other House Republicans accustomed to coasting to reelection....

THE HILL:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, one of the most powerful business advocacy groups in Washington, is planning a cross-country tour through 12 states this August to endorse pro-business candidates and to register business employees to vote....
...
The Chamber will also hold rallies for vulnerable GOP House members such as Reps. Deborah Pryce (Ohio) and Curt Weldon (Pa.)....

ABC News:
...voters in Ohio's largest city also gave even support to President George W. Bush and Democrat John Kerry in 2004, suggesting they were not as Republican as might be assumed. The result put Pryce's seat in the national spotlight.

The Democratic Party has targeted Pryce's Columbus district as one of their best chances to snag one of 15 seats they need to gain control of the House in November's mid-term election.

"This district split 50-50 between Bush and Kerry. Since then, voters have become much more disenchanted," said Mary Jo Kilroy, Pryce's Democratic challenger. "Voters in central Ohio, like the rest of the country, want to see change."

While Republicans say Pryce will not be toppled, they fear her defeat would be hailed as proof that even the most powerful Republicans are vulnerable in the critical battleground of Ohio, the state that decided Bush's re-election two years ago....

What is my analysis of all of this attention? In my humble opinion as a resident of the 15th district, Pryce is in trouble. Voters associate Pryce with the failed policies of the Bush administration as well as the Republican culture of corruption which has hit every corner of Ohio. People are sick of it and are looking for change. As Patrick Murphy, a Democratic candidate for PA-8th, said: "To change Washington, we have to change who we send to Washington."

If we follow Patrick Murphy's reasoning, we have to send a new representative to Washington,DC. It is reasonable to say that Mary Jo Kilroy would bring a new perspective and a new energy to our district and the House.


Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Dems Push Bush to Start Removing Troops

Where does Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce stand on the war in Iraq? Do you want your son or daughter to serve multiple tours of duty in Iraq? Do you want our country's financial future to go into Iraq? Here is what Pryce had to say about the war in Iraq (http://prycewar.org/index.htm):

“Iraq continues to pose a serious and imminent threat from its development of weapons of mass destruction” - Rep. Deborah Pryce, (Congressional Record, 10/8/02)

War is great:
"I didn't see any chaos. Everything seemed pretty normal"- Rep. Deborah Pryce on Iraq, (Columbus Dispatch, 10/24/03)


"Iraq is now a beacon of freedom."

- Rep. Deborah Pryce, (Columbus Dispatch, 6/28/05)

“Colleagues of ours who have been there talk of wheat fields and oil fields and cotton fields. This is progress. It is a beautiful picture of what comes of our noble pursuit in the fight for freedom and the war against terror” - Rep. Deborah Pryce, (Columbus Dispatch, 10/16/03)


Pryce on Bush:

"I heard an infectiously positive, optimistic president who understands the concerns of the American people"

-Rep. Deborah Pryce, (Columbus Dispatch, 2/1/06)

"We're going to be hand in hand with the president as much as we can. He needs us to help him out, and we need him"
-Rep. Deborah Pryce, (Washington Post, 10/13/05)

SFGATE:
Top congressional Democrats sent President Bush a letter Monday urging him to start withdrawing troops from Iraq by the end of this year, saying he has failed to live up to a resolution that called for 2006 to be a "year of significant transition'' in the war.

The Democrats, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, said the 41-month-old war in Iraq has robbed the U.S. military of its ability to deal with other crises while sectarian violence increases, especially in Baghdad.

"In the interests of American national security, our troops and our taxpayers, the open-ended commitment in Iraq that you have embraced cannot and should not be sustained,'' said the letter, whose signers also include Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and 10 other senior Democrats on foreign affairs, military and intelligence committees, such as Rep. Tom Lantos of San Mateo....

It is clearly time to demand that we start pulling back to let the Iraqi people make their own decisions about their future. Although the Republicans won't admit it, Rep. John Murtha has been right all along.

Are you willing to gamble your future and your children's future on having the Republicans in the majority? Don't you think it is time for a new direction?