Friday, May 07, 2010

"...scaling back strict regulations...."

John "Lehman Brothers" Kasich, a Republican candidate for Ohio governor, isn't promising an immediate fix for Ohio. On a recent visit to Clark County Ohio, Kasich provided some details about the things he'd like to scale back.

The Springfield News Sun:

“We gotta create an environment where jobs will stay, where companies will expand,” Kasich said. “Over time, we can get people to come in.”

Kasich noted that lowering taxes and scaling back strict regulations are essential to make Ohio more inviting for small businesses.

Two things jump out at me immediately:

1. “Over time, we can get people to come in.”

How much time will Kasich need to get companies to come to Ohio? Four years? Eight years?

2. "...scaling back strict regulations...."

Does he want to get rid of worker safety rules, the state minimum wage, and workers' compensation? Kasich seems unable and unwilling to provide details.

Here is another tidbit from Kasich's visit recorded by the Springfield News Sun:

...He (Kasich) countered that legislators can shrink the budget by eliminating lobbyists and special interests....

Wait. Doesn't Kasich have some very close lobbyists advising him and sponsoring his fundraisers (see TPMMuckraker for details). What special interests would Kasich like to eliminate?

Just like he won't release his previous tax returns, he won't tell us what programs and agencies he'll cut.