News to Use

Work to improve energy efficiency in downtown Columbus will bring in some new jobs.
Columbus Dispatch:

A $6.7 million project to make the Joseph P. Kinneary Courthouse more energy efficient will put up to 100 people to work during the next two years, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy said.

The Columbus Democrat and other federal officials will be at the U.S. courthouse Downtown today to make an official announcement that the project -- funded from the $787 billion stimulus package -- is under way....

.....Once it's launched, the construction work will employ about 50 to 100 people over about two years, Kilroy's office said, citing estimates from the General Services Administration, the federal agency in charge of the project....

I guess this is good all around. This will improve the efficiency of a public building, reduce costs, and put people back to work. And why did Ohio Republicans vote against the stimulus package again?

* Rep. John Boccieri (OH-16-D) has been visiting his district, especially places where military veterans congregate. The Daily Record:

U.S. Rep. John Boccieri stopped Tuesday morning for a breakfast conversation at American Legion Post 749....

....Boccieri, a 15-year veteran of the Air Force and nine-year reservist, told his Jeromesville audience he was particularly interested in seeing veterans receive the benefits and treatment they deserve for serving their country.....

...Boccieri focused on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for programs to improve the quality of life for military veterans. That includes $1.3 billion to renovate Veterans Administration hospitals, $100 million to establish complexes to treat war-related physical and psychological injuries and $150 million to hire more VA claims processors to address a growing backlog.
"We're trying to correct the previous administration's approach to handling veterans," Boccieri said....

Boccieri has made it his priority to help our vets.

Thursday's Notes

Politico had some very interesting information about Republican Rep. John Boehner:

House Minority Leader John Boehner's leadership PAC spent over $10,000 on golf fees at a fancy Ritz-Carlton hotel in Florida last month, according to the Freedom Project's newly filed fundraising report....

Wow. Must be nice. Is it legal? It is no wonder that Boehner has little understanding for working people and the unemployed. He must not meet regular working people or unemployed individuals while he hangs out on his fancy, schmancy golf courses and private clubs. I wonder how the people of his district feel about his lack of interest in their problems and concerns. Because he spends so much time out of his district getting speaking fees and playing golf, he seems uninterested in the concerns of his constituents. Is this his way of saying he just doesn't care?


Irish Echo:
A little over six months after the Democratic Party's clean sweep of the November elections, the Irish American Democrats lobby group last week held a coming in party for some of its new favorite members of Congress at the Phoenix Park Hotel on Capitol Hill.

The group's political action committee, headed by Stella O'Leary, reckons it had a little something to do with that sweep and at the get together introduced some of the November winners who had received its backing.

...freshmen House members Mary Jo Kilroy from Ohio, Mike McMahon from New York, Gerry Connolly from Virginia, Mike Quigley of Illinois and Scott Murphy of New York, both just elected in special elections in New York, joined together in offering praise of O'Leary and Irish American Democrat supporters....

As noted in the article, the group once was made up of more Republicans than Democrats. Now things have changed dramatically.

Voinovich

Sen. George Voinovich (OH-R) and Rep. Bob Latta (OH-5th-R) have come out in opposition to an energy bill, according to an article in the Sandusky Register. Both elected officials say they are protecting jobs. Really? I think they are protecting their friends. Sandusky Register story:

...Duke Energy, a major energy provider in Ohio, released estimates that the bill could hike electrical bills as much as 53 percent by 2012, Voinovich said....

These numbers are exaggerated. Voinovich has enjoyed lots of support from the PACs and people at Duke Energy and seems willing to support their cause.

Open Secrets has this:
In 2010, Voinovich's Campaign Committee received--

1

Duke Energy

$31,000(total)......

$22,000(Individuals)

......$9,000(PACs)...

Duke Energy, according to Open Secrets, was the 2010 top contributor to Voinovich campaign committee.

In the 2008 election cycle, Open Secrets reports that Duke Energy (individuals and PACs) was the 8th largest contributor to the Voinovich campaign committee:

8

Duke Energy

$43,150(total)......

$34,150(Individuals)

..... $9,000(PACs)

I'm just wondering if Voinovich is protecting his good buddies at Duke Energy or the people of Ohio?

Ohio GOP: Wasting Time and Energy

* Thanks, but no thanks.
Dispatch:

....House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, is sending back 51 copies of the book 48 Liberal Lies About American History: (That You Probably Learned in School) by Larry Schweikart, a professor at the University of Dayton.

The books were donated to the Democratic caucus by the Montgomery County Republican Party. (Two caucus members, for reasons not clear, did not receive the book.)

In his letter sending back the books, Budish wrote that the cover price of $25.95 exceeds the $20 limit set by Gov. Ted Strickland for accepting gifts. Strickland established that limit in his first executive order after taking office in January 2007. The executive order applies only to the executive branch, not members of the legislature.....

If I had been Budish, I would have told the Montgomery County Republican Party to place the books in a place where the sun was unable to shine, such as a basement. Mr. Budish was too kind in his refusal. Perhaps one of the reasons that the Republican Party is unpopular with Ohioans, has to do with their support of this extreme right wing type of writing and their alliance with people like Schweikart.

This was a silly move by the Montgomery County Republican Party. Instead of spending their time and money on how to get people back to work, the Ohio GOP is working on stupid activities. It might be better for the Montgomery County Republican Party to investigate where State Senator Jon Husted really lives. It is possible that they really don't care, as long as they hold that seat. I'm surprised that the people of Kettering have not spoken up about Husted's residency, but maybe they like being represented by someone that lives out of their district.

Memorial Day in Worthington, Ohio

We attended the Worthington Memorial Day Parade this morning. It was wonderful! Along with the Thomas Worthington High School Bank, and the Worthington Kilbourne High School Band, the Ohio State University Alumni Marching Band also participated. Besides veterans from every war, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, and the Shriners were also in the parade. It was grand.

Friday's Finds

It looks like the City of Columbus has made JPMorgan Chase an offer they might not be able to refuse.
Dispatch:
With three tax-incentive packages in hand totaling an estimated $20.5 million, it appears likely that JPMorgan Chase will soon bring 1,150 new jobs to central Ohio.

"Our expectation in passing the incentive is Chase will bring those additional jobs to Columbus," said Michael Stevens, deputy director of the Columbus Department of Development.

This week, the Columbus City Council approved a $6.2 million tax-incentive package that requires Chase to add 1,000 jobs at its Polaris and Easton facilities, while the Westerville City Council approved a $225,000 tax-incentive package for the creation of 150 jobs.....

If you want to seek a job with JPMorgan Chase, it might be worth it to periodically check the JPMorgan Chase Career Page for job openings.

_____________

>>>> Archie Griffin recently spoke at OSU-Newark. See Newark Advocate. Everyone loves Archie!

...................

* Democratic Rep. Steve Boccieri has proposed legislation, according to the Dayton Daily News:

...Marlene Gano fought to keep the flag she put in her window to honor her son's service in the military. Her condo board in the Canton suburb of Perry Township first said the flag violated condo rules and would have to be removed, but it later backed down.

Under the proposal from Democratic U.S. Rep. John Boccieri (boh-CHAYR'-ee), condo associations, co-ops and residential management associations could not keep residents from displaying a Blue Star or Gold Star flag.....

Personally, I think that some of these condo associations and management companies have their priorities in the wrong place. How can anyone deny the display of a Blue Star or Gold Star flag? For more information, visit Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. and American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.

News for Central Ohio

* Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) voted for the new bill that provides additional protection for credit card holders. Kilroy's congressional website:

U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy helped pass sweeping legislation today to give credit cardholders safeguards against unfair and predatory practices by credit card companies. In these tough economic times Kilroy, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights will save some consumers thousands of dollars and end excess fees arbitrarily imposed by credit card companies. The bill was passed yesterday by the Senate and now heads to President Obama’s desk for his signature.

“Central Ohioans are facing tight family budgets and are reducing their expenses. We must help level the playing field for all consumers. The Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights is a bipartisan solution that will ensure credit card companies don’t gouge us with exorbitant fees applied on a whim,” Kilroy said. “Credit problems are hurting our economy and giving consumers the tools they need to stay out of debt and spend responsibly is at the heart of our efforts today.”

The bill was passed overwhelmingly (361-64) with 113 Republicans voting with 248 Democrats.....


It is good to know that Kilroy is working to help the people in her district.

**** The annual Worthington Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, May 25th, at 10am. According to an article in SNPonline:

"Worthington has one of the biggest Memorial Day parades around Ohio," said Dan Murphy, chairman of the event, which is sponsored by American Legion Post 239.

Serving as parade grand marshals are 85-year-old twin brothers and World War II veterans Don and Ron Dill....

See you there!!!!!

* There is another case of the H1N1 flu. Columbus Dispatch:
A fourth swine-flu case at Ohio State University was confirmed by Columbus Public Health yesterday, bringing the number of cases in Franklin County to six.

The latest person to be infected is a 21-year-old resident adviser in Canfield Hall. He is in isolation in his room, which he does not share with roommates....

People need to continue to be vigilant in hand washing and personal cleanliness.

Money and Safety

*** Are those payday lenders in Ohio getting around the law? The Mansfield News Journal has a story which suggests they are:

A year ago, legislators and foes of the payday loan industry celebrated as House Bill 545 -- which slashed the lenders' allowable annualized percentage rates from 391 percent to 28 -- was signed into law by Gov. Ted Strickland.

Payday lenders in Richland County and throughout Ohio largely remain in business by operating under old laws.

"They're getting around the law using old statutes that were never designed for this kind of lending," said Bill Faith, Executive Director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio. "It's the same kind of product as payday lending was."

I think an investigation is in order to see how these lenders are ignoring the law. If individuals were breaking laws, we'd certainly get caught and have to pay for it. How are these predatory lenders able to survive without obeying the law? It might be time for a statewide investigation.

**** Democratic Rep. John Boccieri (OH-16) is taking a leadership role to improve aviation safety.
Aviation Week:

...In a May 13 letter to Colgan Air President George Casey, Rep. John Boccieri (D-Ohio) emphasized that the carrier deserves “a significant amount of scrutiny regarding its policies and practices.” Boccieri asked for a rundown of company policies as well as an extensive report of the minimum flight time requirements.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Airline Division and the Business Travel Coalition (BTC) have joined forces in petitioning Congress to adopt a “coherent” national air transportation policy and set a single regulatory standard for all carriers.

The current regional airline model comes under fire in the IBT/BTC’s joint analysis of the Colgan Air accident in which 50 people died. The analysis notes that regionals operate more than half of all commercial aviation departures, which are expected to increase to 268 million in 2025 from 154 million this year.....

Boccieri's work in aviation will help improve safety which had been ignored for far too long.

* You can keep track of how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as it helps the people of Ohio's 15th congressional district. Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) has provided a link to a Google map with the details: Ohio15th Map--


View American Recovery and Reinve­stment Act at work in Ohio's 15th District in a larger map

Paying Attention

* Are some of the constituents from Republican Rep. John Boehner's Ohio district a little unhappy? Boehner, who'd rather spend time on a golf course out of his district than hang out in his district, might be facing some disenchanted voters. Their voices/opinions are not reaching Boehner while he travels the country golfing and being paid for speaking engagements.

* Republican Jon Husted, who lives in Upper Arlington, but votes in Kettering, is not garnering the publicity and press that he'd like in his quest for Ohio Secretary of State. In an article published in the Dayton Daily News (May 17, 2009), the newspaper even added the way to pronounce his name ---- ......Sen. Jon Husted (pronounced HYOO'-stehd).... If the hometown newspaper delivered to the people who live in the district you represent has to add a pronunciation key, your candidacy is in trouble.

* As long as Republicans keep talking trash about Democrats, voters will continue to ignore the GOP. The Republicans seem unable to come up with new leadership or new solutions to today's problems. Have you noticed that the Republicans are without true leadership?

> Tonight on The Ed Show on MSNBC, Ed Schultz let the Republicans have it in his segment called "Psycho Talk." Apparently, the Republicans are talking trash against the highest ranking woman in Congress, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. As Ed said, these Republicans must have a problem with a woman in leadership.

Just In Case You Wanted to Know

Ohio Democrats are working to add some additional protection for our men and women in uniform. Democratic Reps. Tim Ryan (OH-17), Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15), Betty Sutton (OH-13), John Boccieri (OH-16), and Dennis Kucinich (OH-10) have put the bill out for approval.
Cleveland.com:

An Ohio soldier's 2003 death in a truck crash with a Kuwaiti contractor has inspired a coalition of Ohio lawmakers to introduce legislation that would establish U.S. court jurisdiction over federal contracts with both domestic and foreign companies.

Lieutenant Col. Dominic "Rocky" Baragona of Niles died in Iraq when a supply truck driven by Kuwait Gulf & Link Transport Company slammed into his Humvee. Baragona's family won a $4.9 million federal court judgement against the trucking firm that was overturned after the Kuwaiti company argued it was not subject to U.S. court jurisdiction.

While the bill would primarily affect future contracts, it contains language that would apply retroactively to civil cases like Baragona's that were brought against contractors after September 11, 2001. Contractors in such cases would be forced to consent to the jurisdiction of U.S. federal courts, or give up the prospect of entering into future contracts with the U.S. government and getting payment for existing contracts.....

Here is more information from Thomas (Library of Congress) :

H.R.2349
Title: To provide in personam jurisdiction in civil actions against contractors of the United States Government performing contracts abroad with respect to serious bodily injuries of members of the Armed Forces, civilian employees of the United States Government, and United States citizen employees of companies performing work for the United States Government in connection with contractor activities, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Ryan, Tim [OH-17] (introduced 5/12/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Latest Major Action: 5/12/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Rep Boccieri, John A. [OH-16] - 5/12/2009
Rep Kilroy, Mary Jo [OH-15] - 5/12/2009
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 5/12/2009
Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] - 5/12/2009

I'm sure that our military personnel and their families would welcome this legislation.

*** Here is a tidbit from the past. Apparently, Republican candidate for Senate Rob Portman was not only close to President George W. Bush, he was also friendly with Vice President Dick Cheney! CBS5 has financial disclosures from Bush and Cheney from May 16, 2006. (Note: I've highlighted some names.)

CBS5.com:

Cheney reported 20 gifts worth $39,722, including several expensive pieces of art: ......a $550 artists proof by wildlife artist John Ruthven, from now-budget chief Rob Portman....

Portman gave a gift to Cheney. Wow.

>>> Portman even got invited to the Bush ranch! How nice.

President Bush 2005:

President George W. Bush stands with his economic advisors as he addresses a news conference, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2005 at the Bush Ranch in Crawford, Texas, following a meeting to discuss the strength of the U.S. economy. From left to right are Dr. Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers; U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman; U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao; U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns; U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow; U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez; OMB Director Josh Bolten and assistant to the President on economic policy, Allan B. Hubbard. White House photo by Paul Morse....

Here is the picture (found at farm1) that was taken by Paul Morse:

>>> Following the vote mess after the 2000 presidential election, the NY Times has Portman talking about then Gov. George W. Bush:

...The nearly even divide of power between Republicans and Democrats in Congress will present a challenge on that front as well as others.

''You've got this very ambitious agenda that Governor Bush laid out during the campaign -- reforming Social Security, education, Medicare and defense,'' said Representative Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican, who is one of Mr. Bush's closest allies on Capitol Hill....

"....one of Mr. Bush's closest allies on Capitol Hill...." would look great on a campaign poster. Don't you think???? I think the Ohio Dems will be making signs/ads with that phrase.

Dealerships Closing in Central Ohio

Eight central Ohio Chrysler dealerships are set to close, according to Business First (bizjournals.com):

Eight Chrysler dealers in Central Ohio are among 789 dealerships that the bankrupt auto manufacturer is seeking to shut down by June 9....

• Byers Dublin Dodge

• Spitzer Dodge, Columbus

• Graham Dealership Companies Inc. in Mansfield

• Gribbles River Valley Motors in Lancaster

• Harden Chrysler in Circleville

• Ross Jeep-Eagle Inc. in Mount Vernon

• Tansky Chrysler in Zanesville

• Whiteys Inc. of Mansfield

George Byers Jr., chairman George Byers Sons Inc., said the announcement wasn’t a shock....

This will leave many unemployed.

*** The Republicans are at it again!
Concord Monitor:

Republicans blocked President Obama's pick for the No. 2 job at the Interior Department yesterday in a dispute over oil and gas leases, but Democrats vowed they would soon make a second attempt to win confirmation.

The 57-39 vote was three short of the 60 needed to advance David Hayes past Republican objections and made him the first of Obama's top-level nominees to be sidetracked on the Senate floor....

* Republican Sen. David Vitter just released his hold on the President's nominee for FEMA.
Washington Post:
Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) has lifted his hold on the nomination of Craig Fugate to serve as the next FEMA director, ending a holdup criticized by the White House, Senate Democrats and some of Vitter's Republican colleagues as an unnecessary delay fueled by campaign politics.....

If FEMA is unprepared for the hurricane season, we know that it was because Vitter wanted to play a game with people's lives.

In My Humble Opinion....

Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) has been busy in the House (of Representatives!). Kilroy's sponsored amendment was passed:
Library of Congress:
H.AMDT.43 to H.R.1388 Amendment provides for volunteers to supervise physical education classes at elementary and secondary schools; provide nutrition education to students, and supervise, organize, and manage after school physical activity/education programs; and provides services to elderly people through food deliveries, legal and medical services provided in the home, and transportation.
Sponsor: Rep Kilroy, Mary Jo [OH-15] (introduced 3/18/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 3/18/2009 House amendment agreed to. Status: On agreeing to the Kilroy amendment (A006) Agreed to by recorded vote: 372 - 57 (Roll no. 136).

Unfortunately, not every Ohio Republican voted for this amendment to help children and the elderly. According to Roll Call No. 136, Boehner, Jordan, and Latta, voted against it. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.
I'm sure that if this bill had been supporting rich people at country clubs and banks, Boehner, Jordan, and Latta would have voted for it.


* Yesterday's demonstration (see Dispatch) in front of the Statehouse was sponsored by Charter Schools. An organization that supports and promotes charter schools brought the demonstration to downtown to protest planned cuts from the state. (Personally, I'm against charter schools. I think they rob public schools of money.) I think that these charter school proponents should have used the money they paid for transporting their students back into their schools. This was clearly a waste of time, and money. If the charter school advocates/organizations wanted to teach lessons, they should have had classroom lessons focused on letter writing skills. Each charter school student could have sent a letter to the governor, and it would have saved thousands of dollars in transportation and saved the environment. The organizations that support these charter schools are worried about their own financial survival.

Wednesday's News of Note

* News29:

Germany's Stadelheim prison says doctors have determined that John Demjanjuk is fit enough to remain in custody. He is being held on suspicion of acting as an accessory to the murder of 29,000 people at a Nazi death camp.

Munich prosecutors must still determine whether the 89-year-old retired autoworker from Ohio is fit enough to stand trial and have called for an expert opinion. Determining that could take up to two weeks.....

Demjanjuk has avoided this trial for decades. We'll see what happens.

* The Toledo Blade has a story about a Democrat running for State Auditor:

Democrats yesterday put in place one of the lastpieces of their puzzle for the November, 2010,election,picking a first-term Hamilton County commissioner to take on the only Republican in statewide executive office.

David Pepper, a former Cincinnati city councilman recruited by Gov. Ted Strickland, took aim at State Auditor Mary Taylor, accusing her of engaging in partisan politics rather than working with the governor to get through the state's budget crisis....

The Toledo Blade reveals why the 2010 Ohio election is so important...

....The value of the auditor's race in next year's election will be enhanced in 2010 because the auditor, governor, secretary of state, and a lawmaker from each party will serve in 2011 on the once-in-a-decade apportionment board. The panel will redraw state Senate and House districts to reflect population shifts, and the party in control of the board has traditionally been able to draw boundaries to benefit to its advantage for the next decade....

This is a prime example of how elections have consequences.

*** Rep. John Boccieri (OH-16), Democrat, made an important announcement about a company in Ohio, according to Ohio.com:

Orrville-based telescoping mast manufacturer Will-Burt Co. has won a five-year military contract valued at up to $43.3 million.

The contract, according to U.S. Rep. John Boccieri, D-Alliance, calls for Will-Burt to supply 10-meter Quick Erect Antenna Mast products. The masts will be used for communications antennae in the field.

The contract is valued between $4.9 million and $43.3 million, with assembly to take place in Orrville.....

Boccieri did a lot of work on this contract.

***** Parma, Ohio has laid off 50 teachers, according to WTTE:

A public school district in northeast Ohio is firing 50 teachers after voters overwhelmingly rejected a $13.6 million levy to help cover operating expenses.

The city of Parma's school board approved the layoffs on Monday. The levy, which failed last week, is the third straight school levy struck down by voters.....

Of course, people in other states don't have to depend on school levies to raise funds for schools. The Ohio legislature needs to get moving on fixing Ohio's school funding problems. When levies fail, students lose. How many more decades will we have to wait???

Again?

Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15-D) may have a familiar opponent in next year's campaign. Kilroy's opponent in 2008, Republican Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, might run again. Republican leader, Rep. John Boehner, has been calling him to encourage Stivers to run again.

Roll Call:

.....Stivers is contemplating running again, and if he does so, he’ll join former Rep. Steve Chabot as the second Ohio Republican to have a rematch of a 2008 race next year. Without President Barack Obama at the top of the ticket, national Republicans believe Stivers and Chabot are their best shot to defeat freshman Democrats as the party seeks to regain some of the territory it has lost recently in the Buckeye State....

I'm sure that the people in Union County who live near the new Hi-Q chicken farm will be happy to show Stivers how they feel. When Stivers was in the Ohio Senate, he sponsored legislation that has allowed Hi-Q to build their massive factory farm. The Ohio EPA has determined that it will likely cause runoffs into water, and soil. (See Dispatch 4/10/09)

Here is a picture from WOSU about the proposed chicken farm in Union County:











The WOSU story about Hi-Q can be found here.

Ohio Republicans: Going to the Far Right

Members of the Ohio GOP have lost their minds. A group of them in the Ohio Senate have sponsored an extreme right wing resolution, as noted by a right wing website called the tenthamendmentcenter.com:

As reported by The Ohio Republic blog last week, Senate Concurrent Resolution 13 (SCR13) has been introduced in Ohio - it’s goal is to “claim sovereignty over certain powers pursuant to the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America, to notify Congress to limit and end certain mandates, and to insist that federal legislation contravening the Tenth Amendment be prohibited or repealed.”

The resolution is sponsored by Senators Keith Faber (R-Celina) and Timothy Grendell (R-Chesterland), and cosponsored by Senators Gibbs, Buehrer, Cates, Hughes, Schuler, and Schuring....

It is incredible that with the State of Ohio facing record-breaking unemployment, business closings, and still no legislation to equally fund public education, Ohio Republicans waste valuable time and money on frivolous legislation.

Did Faber, Grendell, Gibbs, Buehrer, Cates, Hughes, Schuler, and Schuring sponsor this legislation because a Democrat won the Presidency? Or are Faber, Grendell, Gibbs, Buehrer, Cates, Hughes, Schuler, and Schuring just letting people know that they are "concerned" because that Democratic President is African-American? Are Faber, Grendell, Gibbs, Buehrer, Cates, Hughes, Schuler, and Schuring showing their bigotry? If you'd like to ask them to respond to these questions and others, you can contact them by clicking on their names linked to their office.

By the way, another measure promoted by the Republicans would eliminate 11,000 jobs within the state government. With unemployment high, is this the time to add to it?

Friday in Ohio

With eyes on the Cavs, Rep. Betty Sutton honored LeBron James, according to Cleveland.com:

...Federal recognition: Congresswoman Betty Sutton (D-Ohio) introduced a congressional resolution Thursday congratulating James for being named Most Valuable Player. James, who lives in Bath, is in Sutton's congressional district. Other Ohio congressional members Tim Ryan, Dennis Kucinich, Marcia Fudge, John Boccieri, Zach Space, Charlie Wilson and Mary Jo Kilroy co-sponsored the measure."LeBron James brings to our district not only nationwide attention, but also the very admirable qualities of hard work and dedication to his profession," Sutton said. "He and the Cavs give all Ohioans something to be proud of."

Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy's website:

Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy and President Barack Obama today announced that Ohio will receive more than $266 million to weatherize homes, save energy and create jobs. On Saturday, Kilroy went “on the job” with IMPACT Community Action to weatherize a Columbus home. IMPACT expects to create 30-40 jobs because of the recovery plan....

Other weatherization jobs with other agencies and organizations will be moving forward across the state. IMPACT is just one local group that will put people to work. Job seekers should continue to check classified ads and the business section of their newspaper for future expansion.

**** This just in: Joe the Plumber (not really named Joe and not really a licensed plumber) has announced that he might run for office in the future, according to UK's Guardian. Yesterday as this news was being noted on TV, the person I was with and I chimed in at the same time with the following word to describe Joe the Plumber, "Idiot."

Some Help

* The Ohio House has passed legislation for renters who live in buildings that have been foreclosed. Of course, Democrats favor it, and the Ohio GOP doesn't.
Newark Advocate:
...The legislation would require landlords to inform current and potential tenants if a property falls into foreclosure. Also, renters would need three weeks’ notice of any sheriff’s sale of a home or apartment building.

Democratic Rep. Ted Celeste of suburban Columbus says tenants have largely been forgotten in the current mortgage crisis and need safeguards.

The measure passed Wednesday 53-42, with most Republicans voting no. The GOP has reservations about a provision that would convert a renter’s lease to a month-to-month agreement when a foreclosed property is sold....

The legislation will likely face stiff opposition in the Ohio Senate that is controlled by the GOP. In these tough economic times, it is good to know that Democrats care about families. The Ohio GOP----not so much.


* Finally, some good job news out of central Ohio.
Dispatch:
Going against a tide of rising unemployment, Safelite AutoGlass is adding 300 jobs with the completion of a call center at its headquarters on the Northwest Side, the company said yesterday....

....The call center covers a 25,000-square-foot space on the first floor of the headquarters, 2400 Farmers Dr. The new jobs will be a mix of full- and part-time positions, with pay ranging from $10 to $20 per hour.

Information about how to apply for the jobs is available at www.safelite.com....

I'm sure they'll be flooded with applicants.

Tough Decisions

* Yesterday, more school levies failed. Here in Ohio, despite the fact that the method used for funding Ohio public schools was deemed unconstitutional decades ago, the state legislature refuses to act on any changes. Former Republican Gov. Bob Taft never addressed the problem. Gov. Strickland has made proposals, but they have been taken apart by the legislators. Ohio's school children will face the reality of crowded classrooms, out of date textbooks, decaying buildings, and the loss of talented teachers.

* On top of everything else, Ohio faces other problems, according to Ohio.com:

Ohio's budget problems worsened Tuesday as state officials said that April's tax revenue had crashed, leaving a gaping hole in this year's budget as well as dire implications for the state's next spending plan.
With this year's budget hole now expected to be in the $600 million to $900 million range by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, state budget Director Pari Sabety said that about the only lined pocket left is the state's $948 million rainy-day fund.....

There will be some difficult decisions ahead. I know how the state could save millions of dollars! We might want to stop building unnecessary roads and interchanges in Jon Husted's former district. (We all know he lives in posh Upper Arlington, but claims Kettering as his "home district" so that he can retain power.) Just because he yells and screams at people in the Ohio Department of Transportation does not give him the right to have his pet projects approved and funded before more important projects.

**** Have you seen the newest ad from the DNC? Women on the Web posted the ad:



Awesome!

Pictures

High school students that live in Ohio's 15th Congressional District have until May 8th to enter the 2009 Congressional Art Competition, "An Artistic Discovery," according to Columbus Local News.

Columbus Local News:
....Students may enter artwork in the following categories, according to information from Kilroy's office:

* Paintings: oil, acrylic, watercolor;
* Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers;
* Collage: must be two-dimensional;
* Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints;
* Computer-generated art;
* Photography; and
* Mixed media: use of more than two mediums as listed above.
The artwork must be two-dimensional and no larger than 30 by 30 inches, and no more than four inches deep, including a frame....

For information as to when and where to drop off the art, call Kilroy's local district office:
(614) 294-2196.

***********************

Has anyone else noticed that the Ohio Republican Party is primarily a political party of old white people? Need some evidence? Check out a small sampling of pictures from Ohio county Republican events:

1. Butler County GOP
2. Harrison County GOP
3. Crawford County GOP
4. Athens County GOP
5. Mahoning County GOP

The Ohio GOP should realize that their party appears to be for old white people. College students, women, and minorities are staying away from the Ohio Republicans because no one feels welcomed.

Ohio's Republicans

Today I took a few minutes to look at the other side---- the Ohio Republican Party. I learned a lot:

The Butler County Republican Party had their Lincoln Day celebration recently and they took lots of (hundreds!) pictures. After going through all their pictures from their Flickr posting of the event, I noticed that most of the people in their pictures (99.9%) were old white people. I guess they haven't learned about diversity.

*** The Photojournalist at the Daily Record has the shocking page capture from the Hamiliton County Republican Party. What was so shocking about the posting from the Hamilton County Republican Party? Alex Triantafilou, the Chair of the HCGOP, compared a picture of then cancer-stricken Sen. Arlen Specter with a picture of Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers movies:



What is wrong with Triantafilou? Has he ever had a family member suffer through cancer? Triantafilou obviously is very, very immature.

Republicans think they have an interesting candidate for governor in John Kasich. Kasich has been out of politics, but is, I've heard, is a regular contributor to Fox News. (That alone should disqualify him!) The OntheIssues website has some votes by Kasich that should be examined:
> Voted NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol. (Jun 2000)
> Ax Commerce and Energy Depts. (Mar 1999)
> Voted YES on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer. (Mar 1994)
> Supports a Constitutional Amendment for school prayer. (May 1997)

There is also a worthwhile article about Kasich from the New York Times (3/20/1995). Here is a highlight:
....John Kasich, chairman of the House Budget Committee, proposes to cut discretionary spending -- everything from the F.B.I. to defense, but not Social Security or other entitlements -- over five years by $100 billion below actual 1995 levels. But the shortfall would be larger, $180 billion, if Mr. Kasich's budget is measured against amounts that Congress currently intends to spend over the next five years. By the one measure that matters -- spending under Mr. Kasich's budget compared with spending that would be required, after taking account of inflation, to keep Government services whole -- the shortfall would be a whopping $315 billion. In focusing upon the smallest number, Mr. Kasich may have become the only politician in Washington who is prepared to cut more than he is willing to admit....

I think that any candidacy efforts by Kasich will be met by a huge lack of interest by most Ohioans. Governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat, is extremely popular in Ohio, and he has the ear of President Obama. We realize that the economic hardships that we are facing are temporary and the result of the Republican Bush administration. We're not ready for a Republican as governor.

Space Delivers for His Constituents

Democratic Rep. Zack Space (OH-18) had an announcement, according to the Jackson County Times-Journal:

Praising the use of federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, Congressman Zack Space (OH-18) has announced that $5,329,000 would be used by the Army Corps of Engineers to repair and improve large-scale water management projects like dams, watersheds, and flood control projects in Ohio’s 18th Congressional District.....
“The better our infrastructure, the more attractive our region will become to the new industries and businesses that are necessary to create more jobs,” Space continued. In February, Congressman Space voted in favor of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Known as the “stimulus bill,” this legislation will provide millions in federal funds to help create jobs through improving our infrastructure for the state of Ohio.....

For a full list of projects, see the Jackson County Times-Journal link.