Tomorrow at the Statehouse

****  If you live in Ohio, be sure to join the anti-SB 5 rally on Tuesday in front of the Ohio Statehouse.  Be there from 11am-2pm to support Ohio's public employees who are losing their rights with legislation sponsored by Republicans and John Kasich.  As Kasich gives his State of the State speech tomorrow, you can stand with people against SB 5.

>>>   Ohioans and environmental groups are opposed to the Kasich and Republican plan to drill in state parks.  Ohio.com:

''Ohio's state parks, from Hocking Hills to East Harbor, are special places set aside for Ohio families to hike, camp and enjoy the peace and beauty of nature,'' spokesman Julian Boggs.

''They were not intended to be drilling sites. This proposal violates the promise of our parks and would effectively turn public property over to oil and gas companies.''

I guess we should cancel any plans to take the family to any park, especially if we don't want to expose them to the toxins in the air/water/environment that appear from the drilling.

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***  In recent visits around his district, Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15th-R), a former bank lobbyist, appears to be avoiding talking with (a) college students (not just college Republicans), and (b) people in Worthington, Clintonville, and Columbus.  (His visits to elementary schools don't count.) In his "listening" tours that he has conducted since being sworn into office, Stivers has concentrated on visiting only those areas of the district that are Republican strongholds.  This Week Community Newspapers noted that "...Steve Stivers did most of the talking during a question-and-answer session with the public last week at the Safety Services Building...."

Hidden within the article is an important bit of information that Stivers might not want you to notice.


This Week Community Newspapers:

...Stivers said he wanted to lower taxes, take an "all-of-the-above approach" to energy (including nuclear power and offshore drilling), and continue Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for those who are on a fixed income or close to retirement.....

Are we to conclude that if one is not near retirement or on a fixed income that Stivers is in favor of ending Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?  The funny thing is, Stivers never mentioned that during the campaign.  Now that the he is hanging out with his right wing Republican buddies, his plan to abolish these successful programs finally is revealed.