Stop Funding the War

What if the Democrats in the House and the Senate just gave the Pentagon enough money to bring all the troops home? Wouldn't that be better than continuing Bush's war in Iraq?

It appears that Republicans are just wasting time instead of supporting an end to the war.

CQ Politics:
...Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio, a moderate who is not running again, predicted that many Republicans would welcome putting off further showdowns on Iraq until the winners for each party emerge from the primaries.

“Each party will be looking for its presumptive leader to begin to lead at that point,” she said. “The Democrats almost already have that in Hillary [Clinton]. I hope that the candidates for both parties will help to move us to the center.”

While Republicans support a continuation of the the war, no one in the administration has even suggested a diplomatic end to the war.

>>> AP:

.....Fundraising for Republican campaign organizations lags. That is strikingly so in the House, where the party committee spent more than it raised in each of the past two months, reported only $1.6 million in the bank at the end of August and a debt of nearly $4 million.

Democrats reported $22.1 million in the bank and a debt of slightly more than $3 million...

....A recent Gallup poll reported that 59 percent of those surveyed have an unfavorable impression of the Republican Party. By a margin of 47-42 percent, they said Democrats will do a better job of protecting against terrorism and military threats. Asked which party would better maintain prosperity, the majority preferred the Democrats, 54-34.....

Looks like the Republicans are unable to gain the hearts, minds, and money of the American people. Americans have had enough of the GOP's war, scandals, bridges to nowhere, and lies.

Republicans: Out of Money and Ideas

The American people are turning away from Republicans. Not only are Americans not providing financial support to the Republican Party, they are abandoning the Republican platform of war without end. Here is an excerpt from Politico:
Top Republicans are privately bracing for the possibility that they could lose additional House seats in next year’s elections as a result of untimely retirements, ongoing scandals and unexpectedly gloomy fundraising forecasts, according to several members and aides....
...Put simply, Republicans lack the money to fight seriously for many of these seats. The NRCC is essentially broke, with more debt than money in the bank.....
......right now, Republicans are suffering from setbacks in recruitment, retirements, money and efforts to craft an election strategy.....

Wow! That is pretty grim stuff. This might explain why it has been difficult for the Ohio GOP to find a candidate to run for Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce's seat for the 15th district----- no money and no talent.

>>Shame on those Republican candidates who did not show up at the debate last night. Looks like Republicans feel they don't want and don't need African-American and Latino voters.

Ohio GOP in A Mess

Dispatch:
With Republicans hurting for cash and still lacking a candidate in the 15th Congressional District, Democrats are asking: Will Mary Jo Kilroy get a free pass to Congress in 2008?
......Forty days after Rep. Deborah Pryce of Upper Arlington, the 15-year GOP incumbent, announced on Aug. 16 that she will retire at the end of 2008, Republicans still are searching for someone to run against Kilroy, the Franklin County commissioner who narrowly lost to Pryce in 2006.....
.....As of Sept. 1, the NRCC was $4 million in debt and reported $1.6 million in the bank, compared with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's $22 million on hand and $3 million debt. Democrats say anemic finances could limit the number of House districts in which Republicans can wage competitive campaigns....

The Republicans will find a candidate for Pryce's seat, but who will it be? Will he/she have enough time to raise money for a very expensive campaign?

Pryce has voted against HR 2693 Popcorn Workers Lung Disease Prevention Act, according to the Washington Post.

With Pryce retiring and missing more and more sessions, how can the people get fair representation until Pryce is out of office? Has Pryce become apathetic about her constituents? Is she only interested in building up her pension and that is why she remains in the House until the end of her term?

The Truth is Out

Dispatch:
Potential Republican candidates have given all sorts of excuses for not wanting to run next year for the 15th Congressional District. But the real reason they are running for the hills, instead of election, is simple: Mary Jo Kilroy.

Throughout a distinguished governmental career, first as a member of the Columbus Board of Education and currently as a Franklin County commissioner, Kilroy has fought for the average taxpayers and against the moneyed interests. She brought fiscal sanity to both Columbus schools and county government without forgetting the needs of average central Ohioans and the working poor.....

......Voters are learning that when she is elected to Congress, Kilroy will represent them, not the military-industrial complex, the pharmaceutical companies, the oil barons and other wealthy special interests.

This letter to the editor from today's Dispatch, succinctly describes what is really going on with the Ohio GOP---- They are afraid of Mary Jo Kilroy, the Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th District. Kilroy also has legions of volunteers and supporters who are ready, willing, and able to help her win the seat.

And.....
Dispatch:
Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce of Upper Arlington is a likely yes vote on the $35 billion children's health-insurance bill the House is expected to vote on today.

Pryce's decision shows that the House GOP leadership could have a difficult time holding enough Republican votes to uphold a threatened presidential veto on the final bill agreed to by Democrats......

Lucky the vote will be held on a Tuesday because we know that Deborah doesn't do Mondays.

Problems

* While Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) decided not to go to work today, the House of Representatives was in session. According to the Washington Post, Vote #891, #892, #893, and #894 were taken, but Pryce did not vote. Pryce has missed 84 votes just since January.

* Republicans seem to be losing the support of Doctors. According to The Hill, physician groups are contributing more to Democrats.

Changing From Red to Blue?

Why is Ohio becoming a blue state?

> The Springfield News has this:

...Democrats are energized by their 2006 wins and, therefore, organized, he said. Republicans, meanwhile, are having difficulty finding strong candidates in key districts such as Ohio's 15th Congressional District in the Columbus area, where Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Upper Arlington, is retiring at the end of this term. The list of Republicans who have turned down requests to run reads like a Who's Who in central Ohio: former Columbus Mayor Greg Lashutka, former Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro and state Sen. Steve Stivers and state Rep. Jim Hughes of Columbus.....

> Last week I had a conversation with someone who once had a Bush bumper sticker on her car. She is embarrassed about having supported Bush. I think many Ohioans are tired of the failures of the Bush presidency, the Republican scandals, and the direction of the country.

> Ohioans have had enough of the "do nothing" Republicans who refuse to vote to bring the troops home. While the elected GOP men and women obstruct, vote against, and change the topic, our men and women continue to die in Bush's Iraq war.

Dayton Daily News:

A Cleveland native and graduate of Case Western Reserve University's medical school has died in Iraq from non-combat injuries, the military reported.

Dr. Roselle M. Hoffmaster, a captain in the Army, died on Thursday in Kirkuk, Iraq, and an investigation into her death was ongoing, the Department of Defense said in a news release Saturday...

What would Republican Rep. John Boehner probably say about this recent death of a Ohioan in Iraq? He'd probably say that it was "a small price to pay."

What happened in Worthington?

There is a lot of buzz centered around the Worthington Recreation Center recently and many residents are questioning what happened. The former director of the rec center retired, but a posting for her position was never opened to the public. It was decided that the position would be filled from within without interviewing other possible candidates. Somehow it just stinks.

You'd think that a position within a city government would have to be open and posted for all possible qualified candidates to be considered. However, someone within the Worthington city government decided to not provide an equal opportunity to all. Does this smack of racism and elitism? Does the city government have the right to play favorites and not post a job for the public at large? What do members of the Worthington City Council think about how this employee shuffle was accomplished behind closed doors? The next city council meeting is scheduled for October 1st. Someone should ask what kind of stuff went on in the Rec Center's recent position shuffle and why the job opening wasn't opened to all. Ask City Manager Elder what part he played.

The Mood In Ohio

Ohioans have had it with the shenanigans of the Republicans:

1. When Ohioans think of Republicans, words like scandal, corruption, 'Coingate', BWC losses, and failure, come to mind.

2. Republican Rep. John Boehner (OH-8) thinks that American blood spilled in Iraq is a "small price to pay."

3. Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce has been AWOL on Mondays in the House.

4. Pryce voted against a bill to fund the FAA (Wash. Post: To amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for the Federal Aviation Administration for fiscal years 2008 through 2011, to improve aviation safety and capacity, to provide stable funding for the national aviation system, and for other purposes.) How can she justify voting against airline safety?????

5. Ohioans have had it with Bush's failed Iraq policies. Ohioans want the troops home now, but unfortunately Republicans in the House and Voinovich want to protect their party and their President rather than listen to their constituents.

80

It appears that Republican Rep. Deborah "I hate Mondays" Pryce has missed even more votes. Pryce has missed a total of 80 votes just since January!!!! According to the Washington Post, Pryce did not vote on September 19, 2007, at 12:14 p.m. on H RES 660 (Providing for the Consideration of H.R. 2761, Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision and Extension Act) or on September 18, 2007, at 3:28 p.m. on HR 3096 (To Promote Freedom and Democracy in Vietnam).

Has Pryce decided to pick and choose when and if she'll vote? If she is sooooooo tired of representing the people in Ohio's 15th congressional district, she should resign. Call Pryce's office at (614) 469-5614 or (202) 225-2015 and let her know that if she is unable/unwilling to work full time for the people of central Ohio, she should resign.

Pryce in the News

Republican Rep. Deborah "I hate Mondays" Pryce (OH-15) is part of a group of Republicans who have to decide which they like more, the country or their GOP leader, George W. Bush. Pryce, who has always remained in step with Bush, has some big decisions to make. Since she is not running for re-election, will she vote to help her constituents or support Bush's right wing agenda?

Washington Post:

....This week and next, Senate Republicans will face crucial votes on measures to shift course in Iraq, probably beginning with a proposal by Sen. James Webb (D-Va.) that would require home stays for troops that are at least as long as their most recent combat tours before they can be redeployed to the war zones.

House and Senate negotiators are closing in on a major expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program that would largely mirror a $35 billion Senate version and be stripped of the House's controversial plan to trim back subsidies for private Medicare managed-care plans. The bill already has veto-proof support in the Senate, and opposition may be crumbling in the House.

"Most of the moderates will vote for S-CHIP if the Medicare piece is taken out," said Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio).....

Pryce claims to be a champion for children. Will she vote against S-CHIP and against healthcare for children? Pryce will need to show us which she cares about more---- the Bush agenda or healthcare for children.

Does Pryce want to have a legacy that has her supporting Bush's war in Iraq?

Kansas City Star:

Eager to regain control of Congress, Republicans are suddenly confronting a new enemy — retirements.
In recent weeks, several Republicans have announced decisions to step down. Some, such as Sen. Wayne Allard of Colorado, who pledged to serve just two terms, were expected.

Others, such as Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio, took her colleagues by surprise. It’s a surprise the GOP didn’t want, because Pryce’s Columbus-area district is considered a swing seat that Democrats could win.

Bottom line: Three Republican senators — and not a single Democrat — have announced their retirements so far, according to a Cook Political Report tally. In the House, the count is seven Republicans and two Democrats.....

The Republicans are walking a fine line. Will they continue their unwavering support of Bush's failed policies and increase their chances of losing in November 2008? Only time will tell.

Pryce is Still Allergic to Mondays!

It just keeps happening. Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) has continued to miss Monday sessions in the House of Representatives. Pryce has missed 78 votes just since January, with a majority of those missed votes on Mondays. Do the people of the 15th district just have to put up with this? I don't think so. If she doesn't want to work, she should resign now.

Here are some of the recent votes Pryce has missed (Washington Post):

>> Monday, 9/17/07: Vote 869: H R 3527: To Extend for Two Months the Authorities of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

>> Monday, 9/17/07: Vote 868: H R 1657: To Establish a Science and Technology Scholarship Program to Award Scholarships to Recruit and Prepart Students for Careers in the National Weather Service and in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Research, Atmospheric Research, and Satellite Programs.

>> Monday, 9/17/07: Vote 867: H R 3246: Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development Act of 2007.

>> Monday, 9/10/07: Vote 866: H RES 643: 9/11 Commemoration

>> Monday, 9/10/07: Vote 865: H RES 257: Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Pryce, who has prided herself in being a supporter of programs for cancer research, didn't show up to vote to support pancreatic cancer. She even missed the vote commemorating 9/11 !!!!!!!! Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

If you agree that it is time for Pryce to retire, call her office:

District Office
500 S. Front St., Suite 1130
Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 469-5614

Washington Office
320 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2015

Seriously?

Update: I saw this info posted at the Mojo Blog: Alan Keyes is another Republican running for President and he has a website.

It appears that President George W. Bush is preparing to go to war with Iran, according to The Telegraph:

Senior American intelligence and defence officials believe that President George W Bush and his inner circle are taking steps to place America on the path to war with Iran, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt.

Pentagon planners have developed a list of up to 2,000 bombing targets in Iran, amid growing fears among serving officers that diplomatic efforts to slow Iran's nuclear weapons programme are doomed to fail....

....Now it has emerged that Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, who has been pushing for a diplomatic solution, is prepared to settle her differences with Vice-President Dick Cheney and sanction military action....

Is President Bush trying to give worldwide endless war?

Cincinnati Enquirer:

Sen. Jim Bunning, a strong supporter of the Iraq war, told reporters last week that as far as he knows, most of his Kentucky constituents have not turned against the war.

"Everywhere I go, they believe what I tell them," the Republican said......

"There is very little, little, very little communication from my constituents about Iraq," he said. "They're more worried about their taxes, and they're more worried about education, and they're more worried about health care."

"...they believe what I tell them..." sounds like Bunning doesn't think his constituents are very smart and they don't care about Iraq. It might be time for Bunning to hear some opposing views on the war. You can contact him here.

Central Ohio News

**> Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann has gone after charter schools that are failing to meet academic standards and are misusing state money by not keeping accurate financial records. Some of these charter schools can't even meet minimum standards! Shame. Shame. Shame. I hope Dann can revoke these charters.
Here is an excerpt from the Dispatch:

......During six years of operation, New Choices Community School, a middle school, has met one of 29 academic benchmarks, which primarily relate to student performance on state tests for reading, math and other subjects.

The Colin Powell Leadership Academy, serving students in preschool through eighth grade, has met one of 61 such standards in its six years......

I'd give each of these schools an "F" for failure. How can parents continue to send their children to places that are not educating their kids?

* Former Buckeye, Greg Oden, will miss his rookie season because of knee surgery. Check out http://www.gregoden.com/ for news and updates. We all wish Greg a speedy recovery.

*** Looks like the Buckeyes and Nike really, really like each other.
Dispatch:
Ohio State nearly doubled the value of its athletic-apparel contract when it signed a new deal with Nike this summer.

The school's last contract, signed with Nike in 2001, was worth $1.9 million a year ($11.4 million for six years).

The new contract pays Ohio State more than $3.7 million a year -- at least $26.1 million over seven years. It went into effect Aug. 1 and was announced this week.....

Is Aaron Wheeler the GOP's choice for Ohio's 15th District?

It appears that Aaron Wheeler will seek the Republican nomination to replace Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15).
Dispatch:
The Rev. Aaron Wheeler, a Worthington Republican, today said he is putting together a campaign organization and expects to enter the race for the 15th Congressional District on Oct. 28.

"God told me I'm going to Washington," said the pastor of the Mountaintop Missionary Baptist Church in Worthington.
Wheeler, 60, said he has been contacting GOP leaders in the district about his intention to seek the seat being vacated at the end of next year by retiring Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce of Upper Arlington.
Wheeler, who is black, converted to a Republican about 15 years ago after working on a number of Democratic campaigns in Cleveland and managing the Cleveland office for former U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes, a Democrat. He said he does not support President Bush's Iraq war strategy. If he is nominated, Wheeler said, the likely Democratic candidate, Mary Jo Kilroy, will not be able to tie him to the war or other Bush policies.....

Let me repeat what Wheeler said: "God told me I'm going to Washington." Somehow I think that God has much more to worry about (wars, pestilence, drought, etc.) than telling a minister to run for Congress.

* Here are some tidbits about Wheeler:

The Ohio State Lantern (4/4/2000)

Police Chaplain Wheeler Resigns After Controversy

The Rev. Aaron Wheeler, one of three chaplains for the Columbus Divisions of Police and Fire and a member of the God Squad, said Friday that he has been forced to resign due to comments he made concerning the police investigation into the death of Ohio State student Charles Ballard....

....At the meeting, Wheeler suggested that additional officers could be added to the campus area.
“I think his tone and some of his comments were inappropriate as a representative of the divisions,” said Sgt. Earl Smith, spokesman for the Columbus police...

> From the Dispatch (11/19/2006):
This article was an analysis of why Kenneth Blackwell lost in his bid for governor of Ohio. Blackwell, who is African-American did not get the African-American vote he was expecting. In that article there is a quote from Rev. Aaron Wheeler:

"....Ken Blackwell was a great role model..."

Do you think Wheeler said this knowing full well that Blackwell had disenfranchised thousands of African-American voters?

> Rev. Aaron Wheeler was a vocal supporter for the re-election of George W. Bush and often provided an opening prayer in rallies for the President.

With Wheeler's ties to the Taft administration and as a friend to Bush, it could be an interesting campaign season.

But that is only MY opinion.

Ohio Republicans Contribute to American Death Toll

As Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15), Pat Tiberi (OH-12), Sen. George Voinovich, and the rest of the elected Ohio Republicans nod in agreement with President Bush and Gen. Petraeus, they allow the Iraq war to continue. By not working to end the war by pulling our troops out of Iraq, these Ohio Republicans are allowing more of our soldiers and Marines to die in Iraq.

Here is an excerpt from article from the Dispatch:
.....Both Tiberi, of Genoa Township, and Pryce, of Upper Arlington, indicated that they believe Petraeus' report that there has been military progress in Iraq. Pryce said, "Even many ardent opponents of the war begrudgingly admit that we've achieved significant military progress in the past two months."

The Republicans want to "stay the course" and support the President. While these GOP members refuse to budge, Americans are being killed every single day in Iraq. Several hundred of our military have also committed suicide while in Iraq. All of these deaths could have been prevented if the Republicans were gutsy enough to join the Democrats and end the war.

With an average of 3 Americans per day being killed in Iraq and Bush having approximately 500 days left in office, there will be about 1500 additional soldiers and Marines killed in Iraq while Bush is in office and the Republicans support Bush's failed Iraq policies.

Things could get worse. Americans could elect a Republican as President and continue the war for years.

What can Americans do now to try to end the war? We need to write and call our elected officials repeatedly and tell them we want out of Iraq now. Let our senators and representatives know that we want them to join Democrats and work to bring our troops home.

Republican Candidate for Ohio's 15th????

In this morning's Dispatch, there is a small article that states that a Republican is thinking about running for retiring Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce's seat in Congress.

Here is an excerpt from the Dispatch: (note: I've highlighted his name in the articles.)

The Rev. Aaron Wheeler, pastor of the Mountaintop Missionary Baptist Church in Worthington, is contemplating a run for the 15th Congressional District seat that Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Upper Arlington, is vacating at the end of 2008.

Wheeler, a Republican who once managed the Cleveland office of former U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes, a Democrat, could not be reached yesterday, but he told friends in an e-mail that he probably will decide this week whether to enter the race.....

Who is Wheeler? Here are some tidbits found on the internet:

SPTimes: (10/16/2004)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -

........Although ministers and politicians have joined forces at campaign time for years, the religious involvement has intensified this year, observers say. Clergy are organizing voter registration drives, attending political events and making the election a regular topic of sermons......

....In Columbus, the Rev. Aaron Wheeler of the Mountaintop Missionary Baptist Church said a prayer before a speech by former President George Bush. "Before I pray, I just want to say I'm proud to be a Republican," Wheeler said.....

Toledo Blade: (4/23/2003)

Two upper-level state employees manipulated hiring decisions, influenced the selection of a consultant who received $25,000 for a 25-minute speech, and violated executive orders that Gov. Bob Taft issued, the state's anti-corruption watchdog said yesterday.

The investigation of Charles Wheeler and Ramona Swayne, deputy directors in the state Department of Administrative Services, will be referred to the Franklin County prosecutor for possible charges, said Inspector General Tom Charles.....

...Mr. Wheeler, whose brother, the Rev. Aaron Wheeler, was appointed by Mr. Taft to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission in 2000, resigned yesterday at the request of Scott Johnson, director of the state Department of Administrative Services. Ms. Swayne was placed on leave with pay. Her annual salary is $83,304.....

Free Press (6/29/06)-

From the Free Press we can see that Wheeler worked closely with former Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell? How nice. Now we know that some of his views are to the right of Attila the Hun.

....Blackwell works the religious circuit, secretly meeting with a dozen or so ministers at Wilberforce University on May 31, including the influential Rev. Keith Troy of Columbus and Pastor Aaron Wheeler, Chair of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission....

Although Rev. Wheeler has no experience as an elected official, he apparently would be a good candidate for the extreme right wing of the Republican Party.

Just Don't Call On A Monday

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) didn't care enough about her constituents to show up on the floor of the House of Representatives on Monday so that she could vote. Yes, folks, Deborah Pryce decided that she'd rather spend another day at home instead of working for us. Pryce, according to the Washington Post, has missed 75 votes, most of those missed votes were on Mondays.

Pryce's staff has tried to defend her by saying that the Monday votes weren't that important. However, it doesn't matter what Pryce and her staff think about the bills and resolutions that are up for votes on Mondays. The real truth is that Pryce no longer cares what we, her constituents, think. We can assume that since Pryce will not run for re-election that these missed votes will increase because she no longer gives a (fill in your own 4-letter word) what we think. She doesn't care about the continuing American death toll in Iraq, because she is too busy playing at home. She doesn't care that military veterans needing medical care face long months of waiting for medical help and a majority must travel daily to Dayton for special therapy. Why? I don't know why a majority of the wounded vets who need outpatient care for must travel to Dayton for daily treatment/therapy. If you want to find out yourself why this is happening, you can call Pryce's office in DC. Just don't call on a Monday.

Updates

Another Ohioan has been killed in Iraq. LINK: Spc. Jason J. Hernandez, 21, of Streetsboro, Ohio. He died Sept. 7 in Mosul. According to ICasualties, 159 Ohioans have been killed in Iraq.

Things are getting better for labor in Ohio.
Dayton Daily News:

....On a Labor Day that finds union membership continuing to decline, Strickland's presence in the governor's office has given organized labor in Ohio a boost.

In addition to the executive order affecting health care workers, the Ohio School Facilities Commission reversed a policy that blocked payment of union-based prevailing wage for school building projects and the use of union-friendly project labor agreements on these projects.

Also, Strickland's Commerce Department determined that Ohio's minimum wage — which voters last November raised from $5.15 to $6.85 an hour — applies to home health care workers, farm workers and amusement park workers, despite Republican-backed legislation to exclude these groups.....

It is no wonder that Strickland's popularity is so strong in Ohio. The Republicans, however, just want to keep workers underpaid and unprotected.

Republican Woes Increase in Ohio

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the Republican party and George W. Bush are very unpopular in Ohio.
No one from the GOP seems interested in running for Rep. Deborah Pryce's 15th congressional seat. The state on the whole just appears disgusted with the Republican scandals, President Bush's administration, and the mess in Iraq.

For further evidence on the problems of Bush and the Republicans, one only has to look at today's Dispatch:

More results from the poll have these numbers in response to questions:
* What is your impression of how the war in Iraq is going for the United States right now?
46% Very Badly
27% Somewhat Badly
22% Somewhat well
4% Well

* Regardless of what you thought about the war in Iraq when it began, what should the U.S. do now?
37% Set timetable for bringing troops home
31% Bring troops home asap
28% Keep military troops in Iraq until situation has stabilized


* Who would you trust to do a better job handling the situation in Iraq?
33% President Bush
50% Democrats in Congress

* Does the performance of President Bush and Vice President Cheney make it more likely, less likely, or will it have no effect on whether a Republican presidential candidate will be elected in 2008?
28% More likely
42% Less likely


It is going to be very difficult for Ohioans to feel good about Republicans and Bush anytime soon.

Chris Spielman??????

According to a line published in The Other Paper, Chris Spielman, former Buckeye and professional football player, could possibly run for Congress as a Republican. Please, no. Although Chris Spielman seems like a nice family man, his views on teaching creationism in the classroom might be too much for the citizens of the 15th congressional district. Somehow, I don't think Spielman would give up his lucrative ESPN broadcasting career to work in Congress.

Update: Just in case you're interested.....Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) has missed 73 votes since January. Considering that she announced that she will not seek re-election next year, you can expect that she will miss more and more votes in Congress. (See the Washington Post for info.)

Bush at APEC

President George W. Bush is doing a great job embarrassing himself at the APEC meeting in Australia. Breitbart is quoting the AP:

.....At the same podium Friday, Bush briefly discussed trade, preferring to focus on the threat terrorism poses to economic prosperity. He confused the occasion for the speech, thanking Australia for inviting him to an OPEC summit of oil exporters, instead of the APEC summit of Asia-Pacific economies that brought him to Sydney. He called Australians "Austrians" and fumbled the name of Myanmar's democratic opposition leader.

Perceptions of a distracted U.S. and a rising China have dogged the Bush administration all week, putting it on the defensive. As Bush headed to Australia—making a surprise stop in Iraq on the way—former State Department official Richard Armitage decried Washington's preoccupation with Iraq at Asia's expense in an interview with The Australian newspaper......

While Bush has done nothing but throw money at Iraq, other countries, like China, have widened their trade. Other countries have had better economic growth because they've been able to put money and resources into manufacturing, trade, and job creation. Bush just keeps dumping American money in Iraq.

I'm sure the Australians had some interesting things to say to each other after Bush called them "Austrians."

New Face of Deborah Pryce

The Washington Post made a little mistake on their website. The Washington Post has the voting record, a short biography, and a picture of each member of the House and the Senate. However, someone put a picture of Democratic Rep. Zachary Space (OH-18) in place of the picture for Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce.


The picture mix up has been corrected by the Washington Post.

Eyes on the 15th

There is more speculation on what may happen in Ohio's 15th congressional district with the retirement of Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce. Human Events:

Ohio-15: The seat vacated by retiring Rep. Deborah Pryce (R) is looking more and more like a Democratic pickup in 2008. The top two GOP potential candidates, former State Atty. Gen. Jim Petro (R) and State Sen. Steve Stivers (R), have declined to run, as has former Columbus Mayor Greg Lashutka (R). The wariness of these top Republicans -- any one of which, by remaining in the race, could have had an easy walk to the nomination -- reflects the depression among the GOP that is acutely felt in Ohio. Petro had been heavily lobbied by his party's leaders, including House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio).

This leaves Franklin Co. Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy (D), who nearly defeated Pryce in 2006, as the favorite for this seat. Leaning Democratic Takeover.

Very interesting.

It was announced that Republican Rep. Paul Gillmor (OH-5) died.

Back to Work? Not For Pryce!

The House of Representatives went back to work on Tuesday, September 4th. However, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce was not at work. Even though Pryce and her colleagues had been on vacation since August 5th, that apparently wasn't enough for Pryce. She needed more time off and did not show up for votes in the House. According to the clerk of the House:
Pryce did not vote for Roll Call 847 or Roll Call 848 or Roll Call 849.

What we have here is a representative who has missed 73 votes and has not apologized for it. The voting session for the House of Representatives started at 2pm yesterday and adjourned at 11:46pm. There was plenty of time for her to travel from Columbus to Washington, DC to be at her job on time. If Deborah Pryce is unwilling to be at her elected office on time and perform her duties, then it is time for her to resign. Contact Pryce's office and tell her what you think of her lack of initiative in getting to work: (614) 469-5614 or (202) 225-2015. You may also suggest that she resign if she doesn't want to work for her constituents.

Talk of the Town

Here it is Tuesday, and people in central Ohio are talking about...

1. ..... Michigan's loss to Appalachian State. Go Mountaineers!

2. .....who will be the Republican candidate for Ohio's 15th congressional district. As of this morning, no one has stepped forward from the Republican party to run against Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy.

3. ..... Holley Mangold's football skills as displayed at Johnathan Alter High School. Miss Mangold, the younger sister of Ohio State great and current New York Jet, Nick Mangold, is a real star. She appeared on the Today Show this morning with her father and her famous brother. (Additional information at the Dayton Daily News.)

4. ...... Bush's war in Iraq. A large majority of Central Ohioans are tired of the war and want the troops home.

Saturday Evening.....

Bits and pieces of information from central Ohio:

> The Ohio State Buckeyes beat Youngstown State 38 to 6.

> At the Buckeye game this afternoon, the announced attendance for Ohio Stadium was just over 105,000 people. During one of the timeouts, an ad by the Big Ten Network was placed on the very large screen on the scoreboard. Do you know that nearly 105,000 people booed the advertisement for the Big Ten Network? The booing had to do with the outrageous demands that the new Big Ten Network had made to Time Warner Cable and other cable companies in central Ohio.

> Congratulations to the Appalachian State Mountaineers for their big win today over the WOLVERINES!!!

> The consensus of the people I spoke with today was that the Republican Party is in deep, deep trouble in Ohio and across the nation.