Tea Party Support Weak in Ohio's 15th

In today's Columbus Dispatch, there is an important revelation about the voters in Ohio's 15th district:


....in Kilroy's district, 38 percent hold a favorable view of the tea party, compared with 41 percent who view it unfavorably. And only 18percent of those surveyed in Kilroy's district say they are more likely to back a tea-party-supported candidate, compared with 31percent who say they are less likely to support such a candidate....

There are several reasons why voters in Ohio's 15th congressional district are turning their backs to tea party candidates.

Reason #1:  Ohio's 15h congressional district is very moderate and has been trending more Democratic.

Reason #2:  Many people who live in Ohio's 15th district remember this demonstration outside Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy's office in March of  2010 when a man with Parkinson's Disease was mocked by a pro-Tea Party crowd. The protest had been planned by "....Ohio TEA Party groups, the Americans for Prosperity, the Ohio Freedom Alliance...." according to a post by RightOhio.

YouTube



(Personal note:  Someone in my family suffers with Parkinson's Disease, and I find this video is very hurtful.  This video reminds me and others that tea party supporters and their health insurance backers are only interested in money.  They would rather mock someone with a life ending disease than have a civil discussion.  The health insurers who have financially supported the tea party groups, want to make sure that they keep their bonuses, high salaries, and vacation homes instead of actually helping the subscribers to their insurances.)

Reason #3:  Republican candidate for Ohio's 15th district Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, was once considered a slightly right of center candidate when he ran in 2008.  In this election cycle, Stivers has embraced the tea party supporters, the Glenn Beck sheep, and adopted their goals, including:

1. Repeal the health care reform bill

2. Repeal the 16th Amendment to the Constitution

3. Repeal the 17th Amendment to the Constitution

4. Eliminate the Department of Agriculture

5. Eliminate the Department of Education

6. Eliminate the Department of the Interior

7. Eliminate the Department of Housing of and Urban Development

8. Eliminate the Department of Transportation

9. Eliminate the Department of Energy 

10. Eliminate Department of Veterans Affairs

Reason 4:  Ohio's 15th district has a larger number of college educated residents than any other 

part of the state.  Many voters in the district attend or have attended the Ohio State University.  Some

people who cling to tea party groups seem to follow the Glenn Beck types (not college educated, 

involved in self-promotion, no proof/scientific evidence for their beliefs: They make up crap.)

I'm sure that there are more reasons why the tea partiers are not popular in Ohio's 15th. Voters in

this district have to decide if they want a real progressive like Kilroy who is willing to fight for

the men and women in her district or if they want a former bank lobbyist.  Stivers, the former bank 

lobbyist, and personal bank profit protector, has bankers, John Boehner, lobbyists, health insurers, 

and Wall Street going head over heels for him.  These deep pocket types, including the Chamber 

of Commerce are looking for someone to save them from regulations and less profits. 

Here is the choice for voters in Ohio's 15th congressional election:

Mary Jo Kilroy

champion for working men and women

college students, pro-environment, 

pro-health care and pro-Social Security

VS.

Steve Stivers

tried to reverse minimum wage vote in Ohio, 

anti-health care, anti-worker regulations,

anti-environment, anti-consumer protection,

pro-bank, pro-insurance companies, 

pro-Wall Street, pro-Chamber of Commerce

Which candidate will vote for issues that help you?  

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Did you know that some Ohio Republicans voted AGAINST the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act?  The bill

was passed in the Senate and needed passage in the House. (See Roll Call Vote 37, Jan. 27, 2009).

However, according to the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Austria, Boehner, Jordan, LaTourette, Latta, 

Schmidt, Turner all voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. (Tiberi did not vote.)  Are these Republicans

against equal pay for equal work?  Even Jean Schmidt voted against a bill that helped women.