You have to admire the speed with which John Kasich is backtracking from a significant campaign promise. As reported by Tanya Somanader of Think Progress:
Ohio Governor-elect John Kasich (R) spent much of his campaign selling the “accountability” and “transparency” buzzwords to Ohio constituents this year. Touting a “new way” of doing politics, Kasich promised to “recharge Ohio” with a smaller, more open government that would require accountability within important sectors – like education – that weren’t up to par. This generic rhetoric, however, sounded enough like a revolution to win him the endorsements of several prominent state newspapers, including the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Columbus Dispatch, and the conservative Cincinnati Enquirer.
But just weeks after defeating Ohio’s incumbent Gov. Ted Strickland (D), Kasich’s incoming administration is turning on those previously-espoused principles and refusing to release the resumes of the job applicants for politically-appointed state government jobs.
I'm sure we'll see more examples of how the Kasich campaign promises are completely opposite of the way Kasich operates.
Even more dangerous, however, is the overwhelming love and approval that the Columbus Dispatch has shown and continues to display about everything that Kasich does. I've known that the Columbus Dispatch was a Republican supporting, conservative-leaning newspaper. I guess I had hoped that they might develop some objectivity in examining the incoming Kasich administration. Unfortunately, for those of us in Columbus, we are stuck with a newspaper that glorifies the Republicans and disparages Democrats.
Plunderbund has noted that the Dispatch is clearly the best public relations firm for John Kasich:
...What’s really pathetic about the Dispatch is that it has—yet again—applauded Kasich for his embrace of certain reforms while bashing Strickland, but not once recognizing that it wasn’t Kasich who enacted these reforms that made Ohio eligible for Race to the Top, but Strickland. It never mentions that Strickland as the source of these reforms....
.....Almost as odd as people not questioning how Kasich is talking about massive cuts in education while still promising “more funding in the classrooms.”
Kasich, who seems to relish having a job as the chief executive of the state, should be reminded that he was elected governor, not king or emperor, and that a majority of voters actually voted against him. I give Ohioans about two months before they get really tired of Kasich's overwhelming self-centered, pro-wealthy, anti-teacher talk. Those of us who remember Kasich's years in Congress cannot forget the arrogance and lack of empathy that he demonstrated.
