The Ohio Republicans are blaming the state's financial problems on the Democrats----- but it ain't necessarily so. Just before Republican Gov. Bob Taft left office, he slashed taxes in the state to record lows. In reality that seemed good, but that also meant that the incoming Democratic governor would have great difficulty managing and balancing the state budget. Now, Gov. Ted Strickland has had to make severe cuts in agencies in order to balance the budget. The Republicans are pointing fingers at Strickland and blaming everything on him.
For years, decades really, the Ohio GOP controlled everything in Ohio. Nothing moved without the approval of the big shots and backroom supporters of the Republican party. They controlled the polling places (Remember the Bush election 2000?), unbid contracts with the state, how money was invested ("coingate"), and which legislation got passed. (This is why the Republicans still refuse to move on correcting the unconstitutional state funding of public schools.) Now, the world's economy is suffering and the Republicans are blaming Democrats and Strickland for everything.
Ted Strickland is an honorable man. He has not created the mess. While the Republicans point fingers, they offer no new solutions. Right now the Ohio Republicans have no ideas on how to get people back to work, other than to give lucrative road contracts to their best buddies. The Republicans in Ohio want their power back. It just isn't fun to not be in control of the governor's office.
With the election for governor almost two years away, anything can happen. My hope is that the economy in the country and the state will come roaring back and the Republicans will see decreasing votes in their future.
Ohio Republicans care only about the rich, the bankers, the insurance companies, and their political contributors. Do we really want to have the ethically-challenged Ohio GOP control the state again? I don't think so.