Show Me the Money!

Update: Ohio Republicans' favorite coin dealer, Tom Noe, is in the news again. With just a couple of months before the November election, this is just perfect timing to remind Ohioans of the Ohio GOP/Taft/Coingate scandals! Thank you, Tom Noe, for reminding us of the Republican "Culture of Corruption" of the last GOP administration.

Dispatch:
...The coin dealer convicted of stealing state money in a scandal that helped Democrats recapture most statewide offices in 2006 has appealed, arguing in part that he didn't get a fair trial....
......Noe, 53, managed a $50 million investment in rare coins and other items for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. The investment was shut down in May 2005, and Noe was found guilty of stealing $13.7 million for personal use....

Toledo Blade:
Attorneys for Tom Noe believe the Republican operative and rare-coin dealer was deprived a fair trial in Lucas County two years ago because of an onslaught of negative publicity surrounding his trial.....
....In November, 2006, a jury convicted Noe of 29 charges stemming from his theft of millions of dollars from a rare-coin fund he managed for the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. Judge Osowik then sentenced Noe to 18 years in state prison and ordered him to pay restitution to the state....

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It looks like those BankPAC people love former bank lobbyist and current Republican congressional candidate, Steve Stivers. According to FEC.gov, American Bankers Association PAC (BANKPAC) has contributed $8,000 to candidate Steve Stivers. National City Corporation PAC has contributed $5500 to Stivers. Key Corp Advocates Fund added $3000 to his campaign fund. JPMorgan Chase PAC added $5000 to the Stivers campaign. The list goes on and on. The truth of the matter is that bank PACs, insurance PACs, health insurance PACS, and others have contributed large sums of money to Stivers so that he'll keep them in mind if he goes to Washington, DC.

Looking for a Scapegoat

Despite the fact that Ohio is suffering, Ohio Republicans want to put the blame on Gov. Ted Strickland a Democrat. However, Ohioans are not totally blaming Strickland, according to a poll posted at CoshoctonTribune.com. Here is how pollster, Peter Brown, summed up the results:

....The Connecticut-based university asked 1,738 Ohio voters between May 29 and June 2 to pick from a list of culprits, including Strickland, who might be to blame for Ohio’s abysmal economy. Only 4 percent blamed Strickland....
“But they don’t blame him,” he said. “They blame President Bush, Congress and ‘economic forces beyond their control.’”

While the Ohio GOP looks for someone to blame, they should only look to themselves. Through the years, instead of trying to bring in new companies to Ohio, the Republicans have worked to fatten their own election coffers. While they've worked on meaningless legislation like DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act), businesses relocated to other states. The school funding issue has still not made the agenda of the Republican controlled Ohio Legislature. The problem with the elected members of the Ohio Republican Party is that they are self-absorbed. They have put their party before the needs of Ohioans.

Seen and Heard in Central Ohio

> There are plenty of Obama bumper stickers on cars in central Ohio.

> Yesterday I saw a Stivers bumper sticker on the back of a very expensive Lexus. Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, seems to fit in perfectly with Lexus drivers and country club members. The rest of us will proudly show off our Kilroy support!

> We will soon get to see the newly updated quarterly statements of all the candidates at the Federal Elections Commission web site.

> Have you passed a car dealership recently? All those SUVs on those lots look like dinosaurs.

> Some restaurants put feta cheese in their red sauce and call it Italian. Let me make one thing perfectly clear---- real Italian sauce does NOT have feta cheese in it. Next time you are in a restaurant, ask them what is in their sauce.

> With the recent E-coli findings in Ohio, it might be time to start becoming a vegetarian. Oh, how I long for the days when a restaurant called SEVA was located near the Ohio State campus. (Actually, there were two SEVA restaurants--one north of Lane on High Street and the other on High Street near the Agora.)

> Comfest is this weekend.

> We've had a lot of rain here in Columbus. There is even some flooding. I think we've had enough rain for now.

> Can't wait to watch some Ohio State football!!!!!!!

A Key Race

Time Magazine called Ohio's 15th district as one of the top 15 "Key House Battles" in a recent issue:

After a very competitive re-election campaign, Representative Deborah Pryce decided to retire in August of 2007, opening up another House seat in closely contested central Ohio. Pryce's 2006 opponent, Mary Jo Kilroy, is running again for the seat, but is being challenged by state senator Steve Stivers. Kilroy, already familiar to many voters in the district, has shown herself slightly stronger in fundraising than Stivers, and her campaign released an internal poll showing her up ten points. But Stivers' campaign believes those numbers only reflect Kilroy's currently higher name recognition, and that the final tally in November will be far different....

Another factor that benefits Kilroy is that a larger number of real voters have donated to her campaign. Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, has more donations from special interest groups, PACs, and lobbyists than voters.

>>>Do you remember that poll that the Kilroy campaign had done that showed her with a 10 point lead over former bank lobbyist, Steve Stivers? Here are some tidbits from the KilroyforCongress website:

...The poll shows Kilroy leading Stivers, 47 percent to 37 percent. Kilroy is benefiting from fairly high name identification (78 percent), largely from her closely contested campaign against Pryce last election cycle. She had a net favorability rating of 10 percent — 44 percent of respondents held a favorably opinion of her, while 34 percent viewed her unfavorably.....
...Kilroy came within a percentage point of defeating Pryce in 2006, with the advantage of running in a highly favorable Democratic statewide and national environment. She has been a strong fundraiser, banking nearly
$1 million in her campaign account at the end of March....

By the way, in that poll, when the pollsters mentioned that Stivers was a former bank lobbyist ".....and the fact that he often prioritized the banking industry above the interests of Ohio consumers....", his favorable rating dropped almost another 10 points.

Reluctantly

Every couple of days, I reluctantly visit iCasualties.org to offer prayers for the latest American deaths in Iraq. I am filled with such sadness as I view that names of the recently killed and injured. There have been so many lives shattered by Bush's Iraq war. As of this minute, according to iCasualties, 4109 Americans have been killed in Iraq.
How can parents, spouses, children, relatives, and friends continue to endure this heartache? Over 30,000 military men and women are injured, and continue to rely on family for support. Everyday they are reminded of their sacrifice.

Even today, there is no exit strategy. President Bush and his best buddy, John McCain, plan to keep this war going forever. Our military, their families and friends, deserve much better than this. We thank them for their service and now we should bring them home.

Kilroy's Energy Plan Makes Sense

Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th congressional district, Mary Jo Kilroy, has an excellent energy plan. Here is what Kilroy proposes, as stated on her website, Kilroyforcongresscom:

...America needs to break its addiction to foreign oil. When President Bush came into office the price of gas was $1.45 a gallon. It’s now closing in on $4 a gallon.

We are being fleeced by greedy oil companies earning record profits and even greedier oil sheiks who are holding America hostage. We need to invest in new energy technologies, bio fuels, wind and conservation to make America energy independent. It won’t happen overnight, but it is cheaper to invest in tomorrow’s energy than guard oil fields in the Middle East. The road to energy independence starts now and it must be a priority for America to remain strong....

For a more expanded plan, Kilroy has an additional page that covers reducing emissions, efficiency, new sources, the green economy, and the results of these energy plans.

Republican Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, has received political contributions from oil and gas concerns, according to Open Secrets.

The energy plan proposed by Republican candidate Stivers, was published on NBC4i.com:

....Stivers' plan calls for creating a petroleum administration for a security director who reports directly to the president.

The director would oversee domestic supply and refining solely for use for the U.S. market to fill the strategic reserve.

Stivers' plan would also implement a $100 billion, 10-year plan, primarily for energy research and development.

**** Stivers supports continuing the endless war in Iraq which is costing us billions and billions of dollars. Where does Stivers think he can get $100 billion? Will he cut it from road construction, law enforcement, or the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)? Stivers has an energy plan that actually expands the government bureaucracy. It just won't work.

Ohio's 15th: Red to Blue?

Republicans are shaking in their boots. There is a distinct possibility that Republicans will lose more seats this November, especially in Ohio.
Dayton Daily News:

....Key among Ohio's endangered red seats are two of the state's three open seats: The seats to be vacated by retiring U.S. Reps. Deborah Pryce, R-Upper Arlington, and Ralph Regula, R-Navarre, are shaping up to be heated.

Pryce barely clung to her seat in 2006 thanks to Franklin County Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy, a Democrat who is running again in November. She faces state Sen. Steve Stivers, R-Columbus. That district includes all or parts of Union, Madison and Franklin Counties....

....if apathy toward state Sen. Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek, combined with national Democrats' fundraising advantage, could help political novice Sharen Neuhardt of Yellow Springs....

Ouch! That information has to hurt the Ohio GOP. Of course, it doesn't help the GOP when their candidates say strange things. Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt (OH-2) said that the Chinese were drilling for oil off the coast of Florida. (Not happening.) With the combination of Schmidt's lack of popularity among her own colleagues and her dismal fundraising, there is a chance that her district could definitely go Democratic.

Stay tuned.

Steve Stivers is a Lot Like McCain?

Cliff Schecter thinks so and he writes it at Firedoglake.com. Here are some tidbits:

Republican state sen. Steve Stivers is an Iraq War vet who touts his "moderate" and "independent" credentials as he campaigns to hold onto a very vulnerable open U.S. House seat left open by retiring Republican Congresswoman Deborah Pryce.

.......Like McCain, he loves lobbyists so much, instead of simply having them run his entire campaign and policy shop, he chose to actuallly become one. But the comparison extends even further.

Like McCain, he has an R-rated history when it comes to behavior towards women, while he seeks to become a congressman representing the "family values" party (try not to laugh as images of David Vitter, Mark Foley and Larry Craig surely occupy your cerebrum). Heck, he has even one-upped McCain on the zealotry front, and voted against stem-cell research.....

You'll have to read the rest of this very interesting post at Firedoglake.com.

Points

The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza has found some new information about November's elections:

Asked if the election were held today which party's candidate would they vote for in their own congressional district, 53 percent of registered voters said they would back the Democratic candidate, compared with just 38 percent said they would support the Republican candidate.

That 15-point bulge for Democrats on the so-called generic ballot question matches the party's largest margin in more than two years in the Post-ABC poll....

And this about Ohio's 15th congressional district----

...Ohio's 15th (Open seat, R): Like Paulsen in Minnesota's 3rd, state Sen. Steve Stivers (R) is one of the few blue chip recruits running on the Republican side this year. And although it's easy to forget in a year like this, candidates still matter. Franklin County Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy, who came within 1,000 or so votes of ousting Rep. Deborah Pryce (R) in 2006, is a solid but from far spectacular candidate for Democrats. Kilroy released polling last month that shows her up 47 percent to 37 percent, and that seems right. But even Democrats worry about Stivers's fundraising ability and popularity within the district. This race will surely tighten....

With thousand of Ohioans dealing with the foreclosure of their homes, the last person on earth that they'd want to vote for is someone who has special allegiance, sympathy for, or former ties to a bank. Stivers is a former bank lobbyist. He continues to defend banks, financial institutions, insurance companies, and even payday lenders. He has received thousands of dollars from people and PACs associated with banks, insurance companies, tobacco firms, etc., etc. Do we really need another lobbyist in Washington, DC?

Following the Party Line

Republican candidate for Ohio's 15th district and former bank lobbyist, Steve Stivers, has fallen in line with the rest of the Republican Party. Stivers must have gotten the e-mail or the phone call to tell him to support off-shore oil drilling. Even though Stivers once said he would bring change to Congress, we can see that he easily starts parroting the party mantra. The Dispatch:

....A number of Democratic lawmakers from Ohio, including Reps. Tim Ryan of Niles, Zack Space of Dover and Charlie Wilson of St. Clairsville, are backing legislation requiring oil companies to drill on 68 million acres of potentially oil-rich areas already leased by the companies from the federal government, including some leases held offshore.

Kilroy says that is an idea she would also push if she wins the 15th District seat, as well as going after "oil speculators" and the cartel of oil-producing nations that are "fixing" prices.

"Big Oil doesn't need more land to drill on, they need to drill on the federal lands they've already leased," Kilroy said....

Did you know that oil companies already own leases on federal land? Why are they reluctant to drill there?

I was surprised to see that Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, a Republican, now supports drilling off the Florida coast. He previously had been against it. Not many of us would go to Florida for vacations if the beaches were filled with oil, waste, and dead sea animals. Crist's support of off shore drilling could jeopardize Florida's most important industry------tourism.

Nothing But the Truth

* There is a website called Slatecard.com which is raising money for "Conservative Ohio Candidates" through their site (must be similar to ActBlue). The list of "Conservative Ohio Candidates" includes all Republicans ---Steve Chabot, Jim Jordan, Pat Tiberi, Steve Latourette, Jim Trakas, and Steve Stivers. (Stivers is the former bank lobbyist running as a Republican for Ohio's 15th congressional district.) Luckily, $0 has been raised through this website. The most interesting part I think is that Steve Stivers is categorized as part of a group called "Conservative Ohio Candidates" on the webpage. Even though Stivers calls himself a moderate, it appears that others recognize his work and philosophy as conservative.

*** I am amazed that some Republicans think that women will run to support John McCain for president. McCain has voted against funding for mammograms and family planning. McCain supports war, war, and more war. Women care about those issues.


(Questions have emerged as to the author of this blog. The views expressed in this blog are mine alone. I am a retired teacher, a wife, a mother, and not on the payroll of any candidate or political party. I am just a 50ish domestic goddess with a strong interest in politics and social justice. My interest in politics started when, as a child, I attended a political rally for Democratic presidential candidate, John F. Kennedy.)

Recent Polls

A few weeks ago, we learned that the Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th congressional district, Mary Jo Kilroy, was leading her Republican rival, a former bank lobbyist, by over 10 points in a poll. Now there is additional information about Ohio. BBC News has data from pollster John Zogsby:

Ohio - always Ohio! Bush's narrow victory here in 2004 earned him a second term. Obama lost Ohio's primary by ten points and race again was a factor. But the Republicans are still reeling from a big scandal (to do with the re-drawing of congressional districts), so the state should probably be classified as too close to call....
Of course, Ohioans still remember the Ohio Republican scandals and might be reluctant to give their vote to the Republicans.

>>> Women are lining up to support Barack Obama. The LA Times has the story:

...Now that the Democratic marathon is over, Clinton supporters like Authenreith are siding heavily with Obama over McCain, polls show. And Obama has taken a wide lead among female voters, belying months of political chatter and polls of primary voters suggesting that disappointment over Clinton's defeat might block the Illinois senator from enjoying his party's historic edge among women... ....But in a year that strongly favors Democrats, McCain faces an uphill battle to cut into Obama's advantage among women, who made up more than half of the voters in recent presidential elections. "Women are voting for Obama because they dislike [President] Bush, they dislike McCain, they dislike the war, and they're upset about the economy, and those facts override any concerns about the Clinton-Obama primaries," Democratic pollster Mark Mellman said.....

When it comes down to it, Obama is a much better choice for women voters. Besides, John McCain supports overturning Roe v. Wade, according to the McCain website. John McCain's symbol for women should be represented by a wire hanger. (photo source)

If you do not understand what a wire hanger has to do with Roe v. Wade, go ask your mother.

Just a few notes....

Republican candidate and former bank lobbyist, Steve Stivers, voted to ban funds for stem cell research. What kind of draconian thinking is that? Here is a release from Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th congressional district:

Mary Jo Kilroy, Franklin County Commissioner and candidate for Congress in Ohio’s 15th Congressional District, congratulated Governor Ted Strickland on Thursday’s signing of the economic-stimulus bill that provided $1.57 billion for job growth in Ohio and his veto of a provision added to the bill that would restrict important research into stem-cells that could potentially cure diseases and save lives.

Kilroy noted that her opponent, former corporate lobbyist and now-State Senator Steve Stivers, voted to ban funds for stem-cell research. This vote exhibits his eagerness to follow in the footsteps of President Bush and politicize the work of Ohio’s doctors and scientists. [Ohio Senate Journal – Wednesday, May 28, 2008, Page 21, http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/JournalText127/SJ-05-28-08.pdf].

“It’s unfortunate that my opponent refuses to follow the lead of Governor Strickland and so many scientists and medical experts who point to the benefits of stem-cell research. In Congress, I would work with members of both parties, medical professionals and families to prioritize this critical research and keep special interest politics out of it,” said Mary Jo.....

Stivers is so out of touch. This type of backward thinking is so reminiscent of the current Bush administration. Haven't we had enough of those kind of policies????

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--- Ohio Speaker of the House, Republican Jon Husted, is doing his best to further his own political career. Every single time he criticizes Gov. Ted Strickland, Husted does it to make himself appear more important. Husted wants to hold a statewide office one day. However, considering the legacy of the past Republican governor and his administration, Ohioans are very, very skeptical of Republicans. We cannot forget Republicans like Bob Ney, Tom Noe, the "Coingate" scandal, the millions of dollars lost at the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, and Bob Taft. Strickland is still untangling the mess they left behind.

--- With over 150,000 American military personnel still in Iraq, John McCain thinks that it isn't important when they come home. I'm sure that military families are not enjoying the 3rd, 4th, or 5th tours of duty that their loved ones are serving. At least we how McCain feels. McCain was against expanding the education benefits for today's vets, but McCain's entire education was paid for when he attended a military academy.

---McCain was an enthusiastic supporter for Bush's social security privatization plans, but now he denies it ever happened.

--- Republican John Boehner was on CSPAN the other day speaking against expanding unemployment benefits. I guess Boehner hasn't met too many unemployed people on those private golf courses he favors. Perhaps some unemployed people should start showing up at Boehner's offices and on the fancy-schmancy private golf clubs to let him see the faces of the unemployed.

--- I wonder how much money Republican candidate Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, raised at that huge fundraiser with the Ohio Bankers League (part of BANKPAC). I'm sure that those bankers are just thrilled with the possibility of having a former bank lobbyist doing their work for them in DC.

Another Republican Scheme

Oh my gosh! Little old Steve Stivers, former bank lobbyist, and current Republican candidate for Ohio's 15th district says he has a plan for cheaper gas. 10tv.com:

State Sen. Steve Stivers of Columbus, a Republican running in the 15th Congressional District, said on Thursday he wants tougher fuel-efficiency standards for automobiles, standardized formulations for gasoline and a new federal agency to oversee petroleum production, ONN's Dan Weist reported.....

....motorists at one Columbus gas station were skeptical.

"The Republicans got us into the Iraq War, the Republicans have had all these economic plans, and they are the ones driving us to 50 dollars a tank," Joyce Patton said....

Stivers thinks he has the magic potion and formulas to lower gas prices?????? If you believe that, I'd like to show you some swampland.....

Give me a break! This is just more of the Republican schemes. Stivers, the Republican Party, and Bush and Cheney allowed the oil companies to do whatever they wanted for the last seven and a half years. Now boy genius, Stivers, suddenly has the ability to save us at the pump???

Stivers is getting huuuuuuuuuge donations from bank PACs, insurance PACs, oil/energy PACs, insurance PACs, etc., etc., etc. (Check out FEC.gov for some of his contributors.) Do you think he would let them down if he made it to Washington?

Here is what Emily's List had to say about Republican Steve Stivers:

....Stivers styles himself as a moderate, but his voting record on fiscal and social issues is anything but. One of four Republican senators who voted against bipartisan legislation to curb predatory lending practices, Stivers has consistently opposed consumer protection efforts — a reflection of his loyalty to the banking industry (he was a longtime lobbyist for one of Ohio’s largest banks). He says he is pro-choice, but has consistently voted against reproductive freedom, earning “0” ratings from Ohio NARAL. In 2004, Stivers voted to require doctors to prescribe three times the necessary dosage of RU-486, effectively tripling the cost of medical abortions. Two years later, he voted to codify Ohio’s ban on funding for abortions for poor women. Stivers even worked against an amendment requiring insurance companies to cover contraception.....

Insurance companies can cover the "little blue pill" for men, but Stivers thinks women shouldn't get insurance coverage for contraception?

Here is what Emily's List had to say about the Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th district, Mary Jo Kilroy:

...Kilroy is a well-respected public official with a history of fighting for progressive values. “I am running to bring an end to the war in Iraq, improve our economy, and expand access to health care to all Americans,” Kilroy says “We need new priorities and experienced leadership, not a continuation of Bush’s agenda.”

and....

.....She (Kilroy) pioneered energy independence at the local level by switching the county bus fleet to biodiesel fuel and by opening an ethanol station at the county’s garage. She will work in Congress to provide incentives to encourage development of alternative and renewable fuels, “to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and break our dependence on oil,” she says....

The people of 15th district need someone like Mary Jo Kilroy working for them. The last thing Washington, DC needs is another lobbyist or former lobbyist like Stivers.

This Republican Is Getting An Award?????

The good people at Talking Points Memo found an interesting story about an Ohio Republican. Here are some excerpts from Talking Points Memo:

....NRCC will be honoring Springboro, Ohio, City Councilman Michael W. Hemmert later this month with a "Republican Congressional Medal of Distinction," an award he will accept in a two-day celebration culminating in a dinner with President George W. Bush, despite two sets of drug charges (cocaine and marijuana) for which he's currently receiving treatment in lieu of conviction.

From Dayton Daily News :
On May 27, Hemmert, 53, of Springboro, was granted treatment in lieu of conviction on two sets of charges of possession of cocaine and marijuana and a single count of possession of drug paraphernalia during a hearing in Warren County Common Pleas Court . . .
. . . He resigned his council seat Feb. 14 after the Greater Warren County Drug Task Force seized cocaine, marijuana and two cars during the first of two searches of his home. Hemmert was arrested after a second search on March 13 netted more cocaine and marijuana, and a special prosecutor was appointed.....

Awesome! He gets dinner at the White House. Is this all the Republicans have left in their party?

> The Cleveland Plain Dealer has the results of the latest Quinnipiac Poll:

...The latest Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday pegged (Gov. Ted) Strickland's approval rating at 55 percent - just a point lower than in February - even though 65 percent of those polled said the state's economy is worse than it was before Strickland took office in 2007....

...71 percent of voters support a November ballot proposal that would require Ohio companies to provide paid sick days if they employ 25 or more workers....

.....Republicans are considered slightly more corrupt than Democrats (38 percent to 30 percent, with 32 percent saying they don't know)....

I guess Ohioans just can't forget those Republicans like Taft, Ney, Noe and the Coingate scandal.

Did Stivers Fundraiser Break Federal Campaign Laws????

A fundraiser sponsored by a registered lobbyist group for former bank lobbyist Steve Stivers may have actually violated federal law. Here is the complete statement from the Ohio Democratic Party:

COLUMBUS - Career banking lobbyist Steve Stivers will hold a fundraiser this evening hosted by the Ohio Bankers League. The event appears to violate federal laws forbidding corporations from acting as "agents" or conduits for political candidates and their fundraising.

The invitation asks donors to "please join the OBL for an evening with State Senator Steve Stivers, Republican Candidate for Congress." The invitation notes that the event will be "conducted in conjunction with the OBL CEO Symposium" and directs donations to Ohio Bankers League headquarters.

The OBL is registered with the Secretary of State as a non-profit corporation and therefore cannot act as a conduit for campaign contributions.

"Career banking lobbyist Steve Stivers is brazenly testing the limits of campaign finance law in order to raise as much money as possible from his lobbyist friends," said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Alex Goepfert. "Trailing in the polls, career lobbyist Steve Stivers is ignoring caution, bending the rules and turning to, as George Bush would put it, his 'base.'"

Recently, Steve Stivers exceeded the limits of believability by repeatedly insisting that he was "never a lobbyist per se." ("A lobbyist by any other name...," Columbus Dispatch, 3/10/2008)

Confronted with his signed lobbyist registration form and a long litany of unchallenged news reports recounting his lobbying activities, Stivers recanted and admitted that he was indeed a career banking lobbyist.

Stivers' lobbyist background may also help to explain his apparent confusion about the core issues facing middle-class Ohioans. In March, Stivers dismissed middle-class concerns about jobs and the economy as strange. "It's weird," Stivers told the Washington Post. "The economy is just overshadowing everything." (Washington Post, 3/3/2008)

Click here to view Stivers Banking Fundraiser Invitation

I wonder how soon the FEC (Federal Elections Commission) will start their investigation? Shouldn't Stivers and his campaign staff know federal election laws? Stivers and his staff must be running a real slipshod campaign if they went along with a fundraiser sponsored by the Ohio Bankers League. Did the Stivers campaign think no one would notice? Are they so desperate for campaign funds that they'll attempt to skirt federal election laws?

Bankers Love Stivers

I didn't get my invitation, but then again, I'm not a banker or a bank lobbyist, and I can't afford to give $250 to a candidate. Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, and Republican candidate for Ohio's 15th district, is going to a fund raiser thrown by his bank buddies. According to the Buckeye State Blog, the Ohio Banking League (OBL) is trying to raise money for Stivers, tomorrow night. The fund raiser is being held at the million dollar home of a former executive of the OBL in New Albany. What do you think they'll talk about tomorrow night----- job losses in Ohio? plant closings? difficulties feeding the family? Chances are they'll be talking about how jolly good it would be to have Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, working for them in the Congress.

Health Insurance Companies

Big problems in Ohio with some of the health insurers. Dispatch:

When you are sick or injured, you want your doctor to concentrate on making you better and your health-insurance company to pay for the bulk of the care he or she prescribes.

But physicians say they are spending more time trying to convince insurers that a treatment plan is necessary....

....Health-insurance companies say they are trying to control spiraling costs, and questioning doctors' orders is one way to do it. Physicians should have to explain, for example, why they write prescriptions above a recommended dose or order expensive MRIs before prescribing physical therapy.....

It really is horrible that while a patient waits for his/her insurance company to approve his/her cancer treatment, the cancer can actually be taking over his/her body. If your doctor increases your dosage for a medication, a clerk at the health insurance company decides it would cost too much, and you are denied.

While these health insurance companies claim that they are trying to control costs, their real motivation is that to enable the corporation to gain more profits and the CEO to get a larger million dollar bonus. Health insurance coverage is a necessity, but health insurance companies are in business to make a profit. If that means you are denied medical treatment to save your life, just remember the health insurance company will pocket the money they saved.

Many doctors' offices have to employ people who deal with health insurance companies all day. When a medical claim is denied, these doctors' employees get on the phone and plead for the patient. The person working for the health insurance company might actually qualify for a bonus by denying your claim. This is just not right.