While Gov. John Kasich "studies" the Ohio casino deal, people in the state wait, and wait, and wait, for job creation. Now, with the help of his Republican puppets in the Ohio General Assembly, Ohio is losing 34000 jobs. Could you use a construction job now? Would you take a job in a casino in a year? You most certainly would welcome one of these jobs or one of the others that will follow the casino development. Kasich and the elected Republicans are putzing around with jobs and economic recovery.
Forbes:
....The Republican-led House proposed Thursday to tax casinos' gross receipts without deducting winnings and payouts. The adjustment to Gov. John Kasich's $55 billion, two-year budget plan followed the governor's concerns that the state got a raw deal when voters approved legalizing casinos in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo in 2009....
....The 2009 constitutional amendment requires casinos to pay 33 percent of gross earnings, which are defined as total amount wagered, minus winnings. If they file a lawsuit, it would argue it's unconstitutional for lawmakers to change that definition....
....(Penn National Gaming and Rock Gaming) The two companies are slated to spend a combined $1 billion and create 34,000 jobs, Schippers said.....
Now Kasich and the Republicans want to stick their fingers into this. Since the casinos were voted on in a constitutional amendment, Kasich and the Republicans are trying to interfere with the people's decision. In the process, 34000 jobs will have to wait. It is possible that the casinos will go to court since their right to do business in the state was guaranteed by the vote of the people, but now Kasich and the GOPers are preventing them from operating.
Once again we see Kasich interfering with something that doesn't need fixed. Everything Kasich touches turns to crap. JobsOhio still hasn't produced one job. The SB 5 legislation has pissed off more people, endangered the futures of families, and disrespected the work of teachers, firefighters, police, and government workers. The "savings" that Kasich predicts cannot even be substantiated. Cities, counties, and villages are losing valuable money that threatens their operations and public safety. Funds for public schools are being cut to give more money to failing charter schools. Kasich wants fracking in our state parks, to sell off prisons, and to privatize the turnpike. Is this all part of his plan? Does he want to ruin Ohio?
Is the recall of the governor possible?
Friday, April 29, 2011
Stivers Working to Overturn Reform
Alternet has an interesting article called, How Tea Partiers in Congress Are Doing Their Corporate Masters' Bidding, in which Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15th) is mentioned very prominently.
Alternet:
....Bill Seitz has pushed for two straight budgets for criminal sentencing reform that would, among other things, get rid of Ohio’s nonsensical disparity in treatment of powder cocaine and crack cocaine possession. A disparity that results in harsher sentences overwhelmingly for African-Americans that has no rational basis to exist.
Well, today the House Republicans unveiled their substitute bill to the Governor’s budget. Sentencing reform was totally removed.....
Capitol Hill Blue has the results of a recent poll:
...The new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds most Americans want Medicare left alone and oppose cuts in Medicaid and defense.
The only thing they do support is President Obama‘s plan to raise taxes on the rich....
....Some 78 percent oppose the Medicare cuts and 69 percent don’t like the cuts in Medicaid.....
The radical Republican plan is definitely not popular, even though Rep. Paul Ryan continues to try to convince people that seniors should have vouchers.
********** Have you seen the shiba inu puppies? If you haven't, you absolutely must visit them: http://www.ustream.tv/sfshiba
Alternet:
....Check out the financial services subcommittee, which handles legislation affecting Wall Street bankers. Five tea partiers got coveted slots on this panel, and all five were suddenly showered with big donations from such financial lobbying interests as Goldman Sachs. Now, all five are sponsoring bills to undo parts of the recent reforms to reign in Wall Street excesses.
Steve Stivers of Ohio, for example, hauled in nearly $100,000 in just his first two months in office -- 85 percent of it from the special interests his committee oversees. He insists that the cash he took from Goldman Sachs and others has nothing to do with his subsequent support of bills that Goldman is lobbying so strongly for. Stivers claims that his sole legislative focus is on jobs for Ohio's 15th district.
Really? Among the deform-the-reform bills that Steve is carrying is one to let Wall Street giants avoid disclosing the difference in what the CEO is paid and what average employees make. Another would exempt billionaire private equity hucksters from regulation. I can see that these bills are great job extenders for the barons of Wall Street, but how do either of them create a single job in his district?...
You cannot count one job that has been created by Steve Stivers. He has been busy voting for right wing ideological legislation to eliminate Medicare, stop funding Planned Parenthood, do away with aid to the poor, cut Pell grants, overturn the new Wall Street reform bills which protect consumers, etc., etc., etc. This is what happens when you send a former bank lobbyist to Congress.
*** Ohioans are learning many things about Gov. John Kasich---- he is spiteful, mean, sarcastic, vengeful, cocky, and a jerk. (I could go on, and on, and on, and on.....) Now, we see further evidence of how the Ohio Republicans are following Kasich's orders in payback to Bill Seitz because he voted against SB 5.
Well, today the House Republicans unveiled their substitute bill to the Governor’s budget. Sentencing reform was totally removed.....
______
Capitol Hill Blue has the results of a recent poll:
...The new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds most Americans want Medicare left alone and oppose cuts in Medicaid and defense.
The only thing they do support is President Obama‘s plan to raise taxes on the rich....
....Some 78 percent oppose the Medicare cuts and 69 percent don’t like the cuts in Medicaid.....
The radical Republican plan is definitely not popular, even though Rep. Paul Ryan continues to try to convince people that seniors should have vouchers.
********** Have you seen the shiba inu puppies? If you haven't, you absolutely must visit them: http://www.ustream.tv/sfshiba
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Paul Ryan, Steve Stivers, and Ayn Rand
* Constituents in Ohio's 15th congressional district are getting that queasy feeling when Republican Rep. Steve Stivers talks about reforming Medicare. Stivers voted for the radical plan that gives vouchers to seniors to buy medical insurance. Stivers, Paul Ryan and the Republicans are clueless about the costs of hospitalization, and medical fees for seniors. The average skilled nursing facility costs over $7,000/month.
The Republicans don't know what will happen. As Paul Ryan said in one of his town hall meetings, he is not on Medicare, and therefore, doesn't know much about it. As the daughter of someone on Medicare, I know a little bit more than Ryan. What happens when those private insurance companies stop paying bills? What will seniors do when they exhaust their funds to pay for increasing insurance premiums? What if hospitals don't accept certain senior insurance coverage? Will senior citizens with chest pain have to call hospitals to see which will admit him/her based on his/her insurance policy?
Medicare is not broken and it doesn't need fixed. The radical Ryan plan is just another cockamamie idea hatched by Ryan as a disciple of Ayn Rand and the cult of individualism. Paul Ryan thinks that individuals should be responsible for their own care, even our mothers and fathers in nursing homes should be self-reliant, and able to pay for their care.
Roosevelt Institute:
Paul Ryan belongs to the cult of Ayn Rand. Ryan and his cultists are pushing their idolatry down our throats. Now you know where Paul Ryan, Rand Paul, and the rest of the self-centered people get their ideas. These Ayn Rand followers don't care about social justice and the common good. They aren't interested in providing for our seniors as our nation promised through Medicare. They only want to reward the rich and themselves. Paul Ryan doesn't care about Grandma. These Republicans, like Stivers, Boehner, and Paul Rand, support Paul Ryan's radical plan that would only hurt our parents and grandparents.
* A recent article, by the Cato Institute, has people wondering if Gov. John Kasich has fallen out of favor with some on the right. Buckeye State Blog has this comment:
This article from the Cato Institute makes it seem like John Kasich's addicition to corporate welfare is too much for them to stomach. If the Far Right throws in the towel on Kasich, my question is, who would be left to support him?
Check out the Cato Institute article and this quote:
....What have you done with John Kasich, Ohio? Is this like the movie Dave, where you’ve found an actor to stand in for the actual governor?..........
There has been a lot of criticism of the Kasich JobsOhio program, even on Xavier basketball forum. People are wondering which FOK (Friends of Kasich) will receive state money. We've seen Bob Evans get precious taxpayer money, and everyone knows Kasich's fondness for the company.
Did you see all the lobbyists that have called upon the executive branch of the state of Ohio (the governor's office)????? Do you notice anything? Do you remember what this blog wrote about on March 22, 2011 about Thibault?
Here is a partial list from jlec-olig.state.oh.us:
Lobbyist Name....................Employer.......................Date of Contact
The Republicans don't know what will happen. As Paul Ryan said in one of his town hall meetings, he is not on Medicare, and therefore, doesn't know much about it. As the daughter of someone on Medicare, I know a little bit more than Ryan. What happens when those private insurance companies stop paying bills? What will seniors do when they exhaust their funds to pay for increasing insurance premiums? What if hospitals don't accept certain senior insurance coverage? Will senior citizens with chest pain have to call hospitals to see which will admit him/her based on his/her insurance policy?
Medicare is not broken and it doesn't need fixed. The radical Ryan plan is just another cockamamie idea hatched by Ryan as a disciple of Ayn Rand and the cult of individualism. Paul Ryan thinks that individuals should be responsible for their own care, even our mothers and fathers in nursing homes should be self-reliant, and able to pay for their care.
Roosevelt Institute:
I have always thought that, contrary to the popular belief that politicians say one thing and do another, they actually tell us what they intend to do. One such clear signal is Representative Paul Ryan’s open admiration for writer Ayn Rand.
Ryan’s budget plan is a cold and often selfish effort. It transfers the tax burden to middle- and working-class Americans by lowering the top federal tax rate from 35% to 25%; it all but eviscerates Medicare and Medicaid by replacing direct payments with an ineffective voucher program topping off at $15,000; and seeks to abolish the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). But the harshness of this proposal should be no surprise to anyone who comprehends his worship of Ayn Rand. She saw making money as the highest virtue, where wealth is an end unto itself and not a means to living a wise, reasonable and agreeably well life. This, more than anything, explains what is missing from Paul Ryan’s models of both freedom and societal morality: the concept of selflessness.....
....When reading her work or listening to her interviews, there is no concept of community nor any aspect of shared experience. Instead, there are just creator übermen and parasites, a black and white world with no gray area. That, in and of itself, is a flawed view of humanity. Perhaps the central weakness in Paul Ryan’s Ayn Rand-inspired plan is that it is devoid of individuals willing to sacrifice for each other. It is this simple but essential element that continually carries forward the entire American experience....
Paul Ryan belongs to the cult of Ayn Rand. Ryan and his cultists are pushing their idolatry down our throats. Now you know where Paul Ryan, Rand Paul, and the rest of the self-centered people get their ideas. These Ayn Rand followers don't care about social justice and the common good. They aren't interested in providing for our seniors as our nation promised through Medicare. They only want to reward the rich and themselves. Paul Ryan doesn't care about Grandma. These Republicans, like Stivers, Boehner, and Paul Rand, support Paul Ryan's radical plan that would only hurt our parents and grandparents.
__________________
This article from the Cato Institute makes it seem like John Kasich's addicition to corporate welfare is too much for them to stomach. If the Far Right throws in the towel on Kasich, my question is, who would be left to support him?
Check out the Cato Institute article and this quote:
....What have you done with John Kasich, Ohio? Is this like the movie Dave, where you’ve found an actor to stand in for the actual governor?..........
There has been a lot of criticism of the Kasich JobsOhio program, even on Xavier basketball forum. People are wondering which FOK (Friends of Kasich) will receive state money. We've seen Bob Evans get precious taxpayer money, and everyone knows Kasich's fondness for the company.
Did you see all the lobbyists that have called upon the executive branch of the state of Ohio (the governor's office)????? Do you notice anything? Do you remember what this blog wrote about on March 22, 2011 about Thibault?
Here is a partial list from jlec-olig.state.oh.us:
Lobbyist Name....................Employer.......................Date of Contact
| Baird | Dayna | Ohio Association of Charter School Authorizors (OACSA) | 1/1/2011 |
| Baird, III | Donald F | Ohio Association of Charter School Authorizors (OACSA) | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | American Federation for Children | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | Apollo Group/University of Phoenix | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | AT&T | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | Jobs for Ohio's Graduates | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | Learning Concepts | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | School Choice Ohio, Inc | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | Sisters of Charity Health System | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | The Center for Health Affairs | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | Tree of Knowledge Learning Center | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | Tremco, Inc | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | Virtual Schoolhouse | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | White Hat Management, LLC | 1/1/2011 |
| Needles | Thomas F | Wilbur Smith Associates | 1/1/2011 |
| Rotruck | Scott | Chesapeake Energy | 1/12/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | Altair Learning Management | 2/9/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | Bluemile, LLC | 1/1/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | Columbia Gas of Ohio, Inc | 1/1/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | Corrections Corp of America | 1/1/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | GTECH Corporation | 3/15/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | Interstate Gas Supply, Inc. (dba IGS Energy) | 1/1/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | IQ Innovations, LLC | 1/1/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | Medical Mutual of Ohio | 1/1/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | MS Consultants, Inc. | 1/1/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | Ohio Power Company dba AEP & AEP Ohio | 1/1/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | Revenue Optimization Inc. | 2/15/2011 |
| Thibaut | Donald | The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company | 3/1/2011 |
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Warning to Ohio Parents!
Ohio Gov. John Kasich said the following, as reported at NBC 4i:
Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a bill Wednesday to allow Teach For America, a company that trains people who don't have teaching degrees or teaching certificates to be teachers, to operate in Ohio.
"Today is a landmark day for Ohio education," said Kasich, who has had a rocky relationship with the state's teachers.
"The cavalry is coming. They're going to ride on white horses with white hats in to our schools," said Kasich.....
Kasich has invited Teach for America graduates to come into Ohio's schools. I'm sure that parents will not be happy that the experienced teacher, with a Masters degree, umpteen years experience, a reading certificate, will be replace by a college graduate without any of that. Kasich thinks that these TFA candidates will save Ohio's schools. Even though these people have no education psychology, no training with regard to discipline, and don't have a clue about child development, John Kasich thinks that these TFA people will make a difference. As a former teacher, I'm insulted. As a taxpayer, I don't want unqualified teachers in classrooms that I support with my tax money.
There have been many, many problems with those involved in the TFA program. One problem, in particular, has been classroom management. If inappropriate behavior occurs in a classroom and it does not stop, children will not be able to learn. There are a number of articles that show that TFA individuals have great difficulty instructing because they are unable to control the behavior of students (examples: CampusProgress, SusanOhanian, Feministe) and they don't have the experience to provide the full range of help that students require.
Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a bill Wednesday to allow Teach For America, a company that trains people who don't have teaching degrees or teaching certificates to be teachers, to operate in Ohio.
"Today is a landmark day for Ohio education," said Kasich, who has had a rocky relationship with the state's teachers.
"The cavalry is coming. They're going to ride on white horses with white hats in to our schools," said Kasich.....
Kasich has invited Teach for America graduates to come into Ohio's schools. I'm sure that parents will not be happy that the experienced teacher, with a Masters degree, umpteen years experience, a reading certificate, will be replace by a college graduate without any of that. Kasich thinks that these TFA candidates will save Ohio's schools. Even though these people have no education psychology, no training with regard to discipline, and don't have a clue about child development, John Kasich thinks that these TFA people will make a difference. As a former teacher, I'm insulted. As a taxpayer, I don't want unqualified teachers in classrooms that I support with my tax money.
There have been many, many problems with those involved in the TFA program. One problem, in particular, has been classroom management. If inappropriate behavior occurs in a classroom and it does not stop, children will not be able to learn. There are a number of articles that show that TFA individuals have great difficulty instructing because they are unable to control the behavior of students (examples: CampusProgress, SusanOhanian, Feministe) and they don't have the experience to provide the full range of help that students require.
Attention Birthers!
President Obama has posted the long form of his birth certificate at the White House website.
What will Trump and Orly Taitz talk about now? Will they start another conspiracy?
If President Obama was a white man named John Smith, these attacks would not be happening. Birthers = Racists
I think that Trump should release his report cards from K-12 grades. What kind of student was he in college? I'd also like to see Trump's information on his bankruptcies, divorces, and business deals. When was he potty trained? Do we have documentation? What is that thing on Trump's head? Has it been examined by the FDA, the health department, and the CIA?
The President displayed that he is concerned about solving problems. The Republicans and the goofy birthers are just plain crazy. Where are the jobs, Mr. Boehner?
What will Trump and Orly Taitz talk about now? Will they start another conspiracy?
If President Obama was a white man named John Smith, these attacks would not be happening. Birthers = Racists
I think that Trump should release his report cards from K-12 grades. What kind of student was he in college? I'd also like to see Trump's information on his bankruptcies, divorces, and business deals. When was he potty trained? Do we have documentation? What is that thing on Trump's head? Has it been examined by the FDA, the health department, and the CIA?
The President displayed that he is concerned about solving problems. The Republicans and the goofy birthers are just plain crazy. Where are the jobs, Mr. Boehner?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Kasich Wants to Give Legislators Pay Raises
After demonizing teachers, firefighters, police officers, and state employees, Ohioans have learned that Gov. John Kasich continues to prove that he just doesn't care. While Kasich cuts public schools to reward charters, eliminates pay raises, moves to shut public schools, and completely destroy Medicaid, he has now offered an opinion that will cause many people to check if it is April Fool's Day.
Dispatch:
Gov. John Kasich said last week that he has developed a "beautiful relationship" with Republican legislative leaders, and he even suggested that lawmakers might deserve a pay raise.
....Lawmakers get a base salary of $60,584, though most earn more through stipends for caucus and committee leadership positions. A bill by Rep. Terry Boose, R-Norwalk, that would cut lawmaker salaries by 5 percent has not yet had a hearing.
State workers took 10 unpaid furlough days this year. Lawmakers did not participate in that pay reduction. And the "raise" is mostly a lump-sum payment already provided for in the current state contract.
State workers are not getting raises. This is another example of Kasich misleading the public on state workers.
State legislators do not deserve a pay raise because they are hardly working. At best, being a state legislator in Ohio is a part time job. With the recent cuts for schools, the poor, the elderly, college students, and cities, the last thing legislators should do is give themselves pay raises. It would be morally wrong for them to take more money.
Dispatch:
Gov. John Kasich said last week that he has developed a "beautiful relationship" with Republican legislative leaders, and he even suggested that lawmakers might deserve a pay raise.
....Lawmakers get a base salary of $60,584, though most earn more through stipends for caucus and committee leadership positions. A bill by Rep. Terry Boose, R-Norwalk, that would cut lawmaker salaries by 5 percent has not yet had a hearing.
State workers took 10 unpaid furlough days this year. Lawmakers did not participate in that pay reduction. And the "raise" is mostly a lump-sum payment already provided for in the current state contract.
State workers are not getting raises. This is another example of Kasich misleading the public on state workers.
State legislators do not deserve a pay raise because they are hardly working. At best, being a state legislator in Ohio is a part time job. With the recent cuts for schools, the poor, the elderly, college students, and cities, the last thing legislators should do is give themselves pay raises. It would be morally wrong for them to take more money.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Steve Stivers Voted With Paul Ryan to End Medicare
Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15th), a former bank lobbyist, voted for Rep. Paul Ryan's plan to end Medicare. Here is an ad about Paul Ryan, but keep in mind, Stivers voted for this too. Ask yourself.....What will you do without Medicare?
You Tube:
Call Rep. Steve Stivers and ask him why he voted to end Medicare:
You Tube:
Call Rep. Steve Stivers and ask him why he voted to end Medicare:
(614) 771-4968 or (202) 225-2015
Reasonable People Oppose Trump's Campaign
Although Donald Trump says that President Barack Obama has not produced his birth certificate, intelligent, informed people know that he has. Trump has joined the "birthers" who question President Obama's right to serve as our country's Chief Executive. These "birther" people would not be questioning Obama's birthplace if his name was John Smith and he was a white man.
More and more people are standing up against the attacks on President Obama.
Idaho State Journal:
They say that you can learn a lot about a person from his enemies, but what does this trifecta of stars — Robert De Niro, Jerry Seinfeld and Charlie Sheen — say about politics and Donald Trump?
The three entertainers have all taken shots recently at Trump, the self-promoting businessman who is considering a run for president. While no one really knows if he is serious about running, the publicity that he has generated, particularly for once-dormant questions about President Barack Obama's citizenship, has become serious enough in a weak Republican field to push Trump into the top tier of GOP hopefuls....
...."It's like a big hustle. It's like being a car salesman," said De Niro, who later said he was referring to Trump. "Don't go out there and say things unless you can back them up. How dare you? That's awful to do. To just go out and speak and say these terrible things? Unless you just wanna get over and get the job. It's crazy."
The article then goes on with Trump saying about De Niro, "...we're not dealing with Albert Einstein...." Whoa.
Have you noticed that Ohio Republicans that serve in the U.S. House of Representatives are not having their once popular public town hall meetings? Is it possible they are having the meetings but only for a select group of people? Are the Republicans hiding from their constituents?
Do you remember when then Republican candidate Steve Stivers (OH-15) refused to sign the pledge to protect Social Security? What will he do toreform eliminate Social Security? What will Stivers do to reform eliminate Medicare? When will Stivers address these questions?
More and more people are standing up against the attacks on President Obama.
Idaho State Journal:
They say that you can learn a lot about a person from his enemies, but what does this trifecta of stars — Robert De Niro, Jerry Seinfeld and Charlie Sheen — say about politics and Donald Trump?
The three entertainers have all taken shots recently at Trump, the self-promoting businessman who is considering a run for president. While no one really knows if he is serious about running, the publicity that he has generated, particularly for once-dormant questions about President Barack Obama's citizenship, has become serious enough in a weak Republican field to push Trump into the top tier of GOP hopefuls....
...."It's like a big hustle. It's like being a car salesman," said De Niro, who later said he was referring to Trump. "Don't go out there and say things unless you can back them up. How dare you? That's awful to do. To just go out and speak and say these terrible things? Unless you just wanna get over and get the job. It's crazy."
The article then goes on with Trump saying about De Niro, "...we're not dealing with Albert Einstein...." Whoa.
____________
Have you noticed that Ohio Republicans that serve in the U.S. House of Representatives are not having their once popular public town hall meetings? Is it possible they are having the meetings but only for a select group of people? Are the Republicans hiding from their constituents?
Do you remember when then Republican candidate Steve Stivers (OH-15) refused to sign the pledge to protect Social Security? What will he do to
The Republicans Aren't Helping Us
>>>> Republican Rep. Stivers (OH-15), a former bank lobbyist, is one of those in his party who continue to push for "reform" on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Keep in mind that every single time that you hear Stivers and the GOPers say "reform" they really mean "privatize" these programs. If they ended these important programs, you'd have your parents living in your living room. Those rich Republicans are able to hire nurses and caregivers, but your lack of funds would not allow you to do the same.
Stivers has been getting big money from PACs for his next campaign.
Business-journal:
....Stivers, for instance, said through a spokeswoman that he "is influenced by the people of Ohio's 15th Congressional District" and that he is "focused on creating jobs and improving the economy in the district." The banking industry, which has fared poorly in public opinion polls in the wake of the financial crisis and recession, denies their campaign contributions can buy votes or get bills introduced or passed. Their donations only give them access so they can voice their concerns about pressing economic matters. "We believe that it is our responsibility to participate in the political process to ensure that we protect our shareholders' investment in our firm," Goldman Sachs says in its annual report to stockholders.
Goldman Sachs spent more than $1 million on lobbying in the fourth quarter of last year in addition to its campaign contributions. Since the last election, it has stepped up its contributions to freshman Republican legislators in particular, giving at least $8,000 to Stivers....
Stivers continues to try to overturn regulations for the banking industry. Those regulations protect consumers.
* Ohio Gov. John Kasich continues trying to take over the entire public school system in the state. As Kasich removes parents and communities from local control of their schools, he alone grabs power away from them. By drastically reducing funding for the schools and targeting the teachers, struggling schools, and students, Kasich has set a road to failure for public education.
Dispatch:
....Damon Asbury, of the Ohio School Boards Association, said the governor's proposal to close chronically failing schools undermines the authority of elected school boards.
"This is unnecessary. School boards already have the authority to deal with low-performing schools," he said. "Boards of education are elected to oversee the public education program in the community. To put this in would bypass their authority."
...Teachers in the same schools at risk of being closed outright also would come under scrutiny. To be licensed in Ohio, teachers must pass a content-knowledge test. But if they're working in a struggling school, they'll have to pass it again, Sommers said....
By the way, Kasich is still waiting for the public school teachers in Ohio to take out their full page ads to apologize to him about what he thought were unfair attacks during the campaign. The truth of the matter is that Kasich has proved that he wants nothing more than to turn every public school into a charter school to reward his right wing charter school supporters.
Plunderbund:
....Is it smear when the teachers’ unions, correctly, and in proper context, simply inform their members that Kasich has promised to “break the backs” of those unions? Kasich apparently thinks so, as he’s insisted they take a full page ad apologizing to him if he wins...
(Visit Plunderbund for the audio of Kasich saying he won't meet with teachers until they take out those full page apologies in every newspaper in Ohio.)
Crooks and Liars has the TV news story:
Given the increasing cost of gasoline, Kasich's refusal to accept federal funds for the rail project proves that he does not have a comprehensive view of Ohio's future. His view of Ohio's future is based on his right wing ideologies. Not only did he stop the chance for alternative transportation for Ohioans, he also ended the possibility of thousands of construction jobs, economic growth along the rail lines, and an increased market for Ohio goods.
Stivers has been getting big money from PACs for his next campaign.
Business-journal:
....Stivers, for instance, said through a spokeswoman that he "is influenced by the people of Ohio's 15th Congressional District" and that he is "focused on creating jobs and improving the economy in the district." The banking industry, which has fared poorly in public opinion polls in the wake of the financial crisis and recession, denies their campaign contributions can buy votes or get bills introduced or passed. Their donations only give them access so they can voice their concerns about pressing economic matters. "We believe that it is our responsibility to participate in the political process to ensure that we protect our shareholders' investment in our firm," Goldman Sachs says in its annual report to stockholders.
Goldman Sachs spent more than $1 million on lobbying in the fourth quarter of last year in addition to its campaign contributions. Since the last election, it has stepped up its contributions to freshman Republican legislators in particular, giving at least $8,000 to Stivers....
Stivers continues to try to overturn regulations for the banking industry. Those regulations protect consumers.
* Ohio Gov. John Kasich continues trying to take over the entire public school system in the state. As Kasich removes parents and communities from local control of their schools, he alone grabs power away from them. By drastically reducing funding for the schools and targeting the teachers, struggling schools, and students, Kasich has set a road to failure for public education.
Dispatch:
....Damon Asbury, of the Ohio School Boards Association, said the governor's proposal to close chronically failing schools undermines the authority of elected school boards.
"This is unnecessary. School boards already have the authority to deal with low-performing schools," he said. "Boards of education are elected to oversee the public education program in the community. To put this in would bypass their authority."
...Teachers in the same schools at risk of being closed outright also would come under scrutiny. To be licensed in Ohio, teachers must pass a content-knowledge test. But if they're working in a struggling school, they'll have to pass it again, Sommers said....
By the way, Kasich is still waiting for the public school teachers in Ohio to take out their full page ads to apologize to him about what he thought were unfair attacks during the campaign. The truth of the matter is that Kasich has proved that he wants nothing more than to turn every public school into a charter school to reward his right wing charter school supporters.
Plunderbund:
....Is it smear when the teachers’ unions, correctly, and in proper context, simply inform their members that Kasich has promised to “break the backs” of those unions? Kasich apparently thinks so, as he’s insisted they take a full page ad apologizing to him if he wins...
(Visit Plunderbund for the audio of Kasich saying he won't meet with teachers until they take out those full page apologies in every newspaper in Ohio.)
Crooks and Liars has the TV news story:
Given the increasing cost of gasoline, Kasich's refusal to accept federal funds for the rail project proves that he does not have a comprehensive view of Ohio's future. His view of Ohio's future is based on his right wing ideologies. Not only did he stop the chance for alternative transportation for Ohioans, he also ended the possibility of thousands of construction jobs, economic growth along the rail lines, and an increased market for Ohio goods.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Shabby Benefits
Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, Republican, has become a regular gaffe machine. The man does not seem to think before he speaks.
Forbes:
Ohioans Against Shabby Benefits got its name from a remark Kasich made Tuesday while marking his 100th day in office. The Republican governor said a woman working at Bob Evans probably had no pension and health care benefits that were "shabby at best."
.....Last month, Kasich touted a deal keeping the restaurant and food company in Ohio. The state provided $7.7 million in incentives as part of the deal, which included a relocation of the company's headquarters from Columbus to the wealthy suburb of New Albany....
What kind of benefits does a woman working at Bob Evans have? In the Forbes article, a spokeswoman for Bob Evans said the following:
"All our employees at Bob Evans Farms Inc. ( BOBE - news - people ) have the opportunity to participate in a variety of benefits programs, including medical benefits and a 401(k) program," she said....
According to Glassdoor, waitresses make about $3.33/hr at Bob Evans Restaurants (plus tips). If a waitress is making $3.33/hr, and works 40hrs./wk, for 52 weeks/yr., that gives the waitress approximately ($3.33 x 40 x 52 ) $6,926.40 + tips. However, another website, bestjobdescriptions.com, quotes servers as making $12,000. No matter how you look at it, Bob Evans does not pay their employees very well at all.
That quote from the spokesperson at Bob Evans said that "....all employees have the opportunity to participate in a variety of benefits programs..." says it all. If you are a waitress/waiter at Bob Evans and are willing to have deductions taken out of your pay, you can have insurance, a pension, and maybe even health insurance. If you are making $3.33/hr or $7.00/hr, you probably won't sign up for insurance/pension/health insurance because you cannot afford it.
Marketwatch has the following salaries for a few of Bob Evans executives:
...Steven A. Davis...........$2.66 million........CEO/Director/Chairman of the Board...
...Larry C. Corbin...........$716,900...............Director....
...Harvey Brownlee........$869,460.......Other Executive Officer/President....
While the executives are pulling in the big money, the waitress/waiter working in the restaurants are getting the shaft. However, Kasich gave the executives at Bob Evans all that tax money to move across town.
Forbes:
Ohioans Against Shabby Benefits got its name from a remark Kasich made Tuesday while marking his 100th day in office. The Republican governor said a woman working at Bob Evans probably had no pension and health care benefits that were "shabby at best."
.....Last month, Kasich touted a deal keeping the restaurant and food company in Ohio. The state provided $7.7 million in incentives as part of the deal, which included a relocation of the company's headquarters from Columbus to the wealthy suburb of New Albany....
What kind of benefits does a woman working at Bob Evans have? In the Forbes article, a spokeswoman for Bob Evans said the following:
"All our employees at Bob Evans Farms Inc. ( BOBE - news - people ) have the opportunity to participate in a variety of benefits programs, including medical benefits and a 401(k) program," she said....
According to Glassdoor, waitresses make about $3.33/hr at Bob Evans Restaurants (plus tips). If a waitress is making $3.33/hr, and works 40hrs./wk, for 52 weeks/yr., that gives the waitress approximately ($3.33 x 40 x 52 ) $6,926.40 + tips. However, another website, bestjobdescriptions.com, quotes servers as making $12,000. No matter how you look at it, Bob Evans does not pay their employees very well at all.
That quote from the spokesperson at Bob Evans said that "....all employees have the opportunity to participate in a variety of benefits programs..." says it all. If you are a waitress/waiter at Bob Evans and are willing to have deductions taken out of your pay, you can have insurance, a pension, and maybe even health insurance. If you are making $3.33/hr or $7.00/hr, you probably won't sign up for insurance/pension/health insurance because you cannot afford it.
Marketwatch has the following salaries for a few of Bob Evans executives:
...Steven A. Davis...........$2.66 million........CEO/Director/Chairman of the Board...
...Larry C. Corbin...........$716,900...............Director....
...Harvey Brownlee........$869,460.......Other Executive Officer/President....
While the executives are pulling in the big money, the waitress/waiter working in the restaurants are getting the shaft. However, Kasich gave the executives at Bob Evans all that tax money to move across town.
Stivers Votes for Radical Paul Ryan Budget
Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15th), a former bank lobbyist, voted for the budget put forth by Rep. Paul Ryan (WI-R). The vote had 235 Republicans supporting the bill, and 189 Democrats + 4 Republicans voting against it.
Here is how Ohio's members of the U.S. House voted on House Vote 277 (NY Times):
What does the Paul Ryan budget plan do?
Here are some of thehighlights most horrible parts of the Radical Ryan budget (WashingtonPost):
Repeals the Financial Regulations that are part of the Dodd-Frank Act
Cuts Medicaid and food for the poor
Repeals the Affordable Care Act
Cuts Pell Grants for college students
Privatizes Medicare
Makes the Bush tax cuts permanent
Lowers corporate tax cuts to 25%
Veteranstoday explains Ryan's plan to privatize Social Security:
....Ryan’s Roadmap puts Americans on the path of privatizing entitlement programs, such as Social Security. The plan boasts about “the creation of personal investment accounts for future retirees” that are “the property of the individual.” (Emphasis in the original document). “Individuals will be able to join the investor class for the first time,” the Roadmap says. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) notes that “the Ryan plan proposes large cuts in Social Security benefits — roughly 16 percent for the average new retiree in 2050 and 28 percent in 2080 from price indexing alone.”.......the Roadmap “would eliminate traditional Medicare, most of Medicaid, and all of the Children’s Health Insurance Program” by creating a private voucher system that won’t keep up with the cost of health care.....
{NOTE: Just in case you might be interested...... Republican Rep. Paul Ryan received Social Security benefits following this father's death (see Colorado Independent).}
Keep in mind that Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, the member of the U.S. House of Representatives that represents most of the Ohio State campus, voted for the Paul Ryan bill. To all those college students at OSU, Stivers seeks to cut your Pell grants.
If you'd like to see what President Obama had to say about the Radical Ryan Plan, visit http://stubbornliberal.blogspot.com/2011/04/radical-republican-plan.html.
>>>>>> What a surprise! Not!
According to the Dispatch, the governor said "....he was unaware that Spectrum and Moelis have done work for casino companies...":
Two companies hired to make sure Ohio maximizes its take from casinos and other gambling interests have worked for some of those same interests.
The companies, each of which will be paid $400 an hour to advise the state on all things gambling, have worked with casino operators that will open venues in Ohio.
However, neither Moelis & Co. of Los Angeles nor Spectrum Gaming Group of Linwood, N.J., currently is doing business with Rock Ohio Caesars, which is building casinos in Cleveland and Cincinnati, or Penn National Gaming, which will have casinos in Columbus and Toledo.....
$400 an hour??? Kasich was "unaware" of these people's background????? Why is he "unaware" of their work experience?
Here is how Ohio's members of the U.S. House voted on House Vote 277 (NY Times):
Yes Votes
| Member | Party | Dist. |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Austria | R | OH-7 |
| Steven J. Chabot | R | OH-1 |
| Bob Gibbs | R | OH-18 |
| Bill Johnson | R | OH-6 |
| Jim Jordan | R | OH-4 |
| Steven C. LaTourette | R | OH-14 |
| Robert E. Latta | R | OH-5 |
| Jim Renacci | R | OH-16 |
| Jean Schmidt | R | OH-2 |
| Steve Stivers | R | OH-15 |
| Pat Tiberi | R | OH-12 |
| Michael R. Turner | R | OH-3 |
No Votes
| Member | Party | Dist. |
|---|---|---|
| Marcia L. Fudge | D | OH-11 |
| Marcy Kaptur | D | OH-9 |
| Dennis J. Kucinich | D | OH-10 |
| Tim Ryan | D | OH-17 |
| Betty Sutton | D | OH-13 |
What does the Paul Ryan budget plan do?
Here are some of the
Repeals the Financial Regulations that are part of the Dodd-Frank Act
Cuts Medicaid and food for the poor
Repeals the Affordable Care Act
Cuts Pell Grants for college students
Privatizes Medicare
Makes the Bush tax cuts permanent
Lowers corporate tax cuts to 25%
Veteranstoday explains Ryan's plan to privatize Social Security:
....Ryan’s Roadmap puts Americans on the path of privatizing entitlement programs, such as Social Security. The plan boasts about “the creation of personal investment accounts for future retirees” that are “the property of the individual.” (Emphasis in the original document). “Individuals will be able to join the investor class for the first time,” the Roadmap says. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) notes that “the Ryan plan proposes large cuts in Social Security benefits — roughly 16 percent for the average new retiree in 2050 and 28 percent in 2080 from price indexing alone.”.......the Roadmap “would eliminate traditional Medicare, most of Medicaid, and all of the Children’s Health Insurance Program” by creating a private voucher system that won’t keep up with the cost of health care.....
{NOTE: Just in case you might be interested...... Republican Rep. Paul Ryan received Social Security benefits following this father's death (see Colorado Independent).}
Keep in mind that Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, the member of the U.S. House of Representatives that represents most of the Ohio State campus, voted for the Paul Ryan bill. To all those college students at OSU, Stivers seeks to cut your Pell grants.
If you'd like to see what President Obama had to say about the Radical Ryan Plan, visit http://stubbornliberal.blogspot.com/2011/04/radical-republican-plan.html.
>>>>>> What a surprise! Not!
According to the Dispatch, the governor said "....he was unaware that Spectrum and Moelis have done work for casino companies...":
Two companies hired to make sure Ohio maximizes its take from casinos and other gambling interests have worked for some of those same interests.
The companies, each of which will be paid $400 an hour to advise the state on all things gambling, have worked with casino operators that will open venues in Ohio.
However, neither Moelis & Co. of Los Angeles nor Spectrum Gaming Group of Linwood, N.J., currently is doing business with Rock Ohio Caesars, which is building casinos in Cleveland and Cincinnati, or Penn National Gaming, which will have casinos in Columbus and Toledo.....
$400 an hour??? Kasich was "unaware" of these people's background????? Why is he "unaware" of their work experience?
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Environmental Costs
Gov. John Kasich has made a point of trying to remove regulations that he says slows down business. Regulations exist to protect people, the environment, and to keep people honest. Kasich has promoted the idea of drilling in our state parks, even though a majority of Ohioans are against it.
Now, with Chesapeake Energy buying up land all over Ohio, some people have dismissed the danger that comes with this type of drilling.
The Intelligencer:
...As Chesapeake continues drilling and fracking more wells in Ohio and Brooke counties, the driller is joining other firms to reveal more information about breaking the rock deep within the earth to release Marcellus Shale natural gas. Recently, company Chief Executive Officer Aubrey McClendon announced Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake's participation in www.fracfocus.org, a website providing information on fracking chemicals, solutions and procedures....
.....some of the 85 fracking chemicals listed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protections are xylene, toluene and tetramethylammonium chloride - chemicals that can lead, with prolonged exposure, to liver damage in humans and can even be fatal.
Some residents remain concerned that fracking can lead to groundwater contamination, but industry leaders note there have been no confirmed cases of this.
An accident last night has put a lot of people on edge in Pennsylvania-----
A blowout at a natural gas well in rural northern Pennsylvania spilled thousands of gallons of chemical-laced water on Wednesday, contaminating a stream and forcing the evacuation of seven families who live nearby as crews struggled to stop the gusher.
The Chesapeake Energy Corporation lost control of the well site near Canton, in Bradford County, around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, officials said. Tainted water continued to flow Wednesday afternoon, though workers finally managed to prevent any more of it from reaching the stream....
...Chesapeake said a piece of equipment failed late Tuesday while the well was being hydraulically fractured, or fracked. In the fracking process, millions of gallons of water, along with chemical additives and sand, are injected at high pressure down the well bore to break up the shale and release the gas.....
I wonder if the executives of Chesapeake Energy are willing to drink the water to prove it is safe.
Now, with Chesapeake Energy buying up land all over Ohio, some people have dismissed the danger that comes with this type of drilling.
The Intelligencer:
...As Chesapeake continues drilling and fracking more wells in Ohio and Brooke counties, the driller is joining other firms to reveal more information about breaking the rock deep within the earth to release Marcellus Shale natural gas. Recently, company Chief Executive Officer Aubrey McClendon announced Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake's participation in www.fracfocus.org, a website providing information on fracking chemicals, solutions and procedures....
.....some of the 85 fracking chemicals listed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protections are xylene, toluene and tetramethylammonium chloride - chemicals that can lead, with prolonged exposure, to liver damage in humans and can even be fatal.
Some residents remain concerned that fracking can lead to groundwater contamination, but industry leaders note there have been no confirmed cases of this.
An accident last night has put a lot of people on edge in Pennsylvania-----
A blowout at a natural gas well in rural northern Pennsylvania spilled thousands of gallons of chemical-laced water on Wednesday, contaminating a stream and forcing the evacuation of seven families who live nearby as crews struggled to stop the gusher.
The Chesapeake Energy Corporation lost control of the well site near Canton, in Bradford County, around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, officials said. Tainted water continued to flow Wednesday afternoon, though workers finally managed to prevent any more of it from reaching the stream....
...Chesapeake said a piece of equipment failed late Tuesday while the well was being hydraulically fractured, or fracked. In the fracking process, millions of gallons of water, along with chemical additives and sand, are injected at high pressure down the well bore to break up the shale and release the gas.....
I wonder if the executives of Chesapeake Energy are willing to drink the water to prove it is safe.
The Education "Experts"?????
The pro-charter groups in Ohio are counting on the services of Michelle Rhee to help them increase charter schools in the state and get rid of qualified, certified, experienced public school teachers. Rhee taught 3 years in Baltimore as part of the Teach for America program. She has no teacher certification and her college degrees are not in education (Wikipedia).
Examiner:
Although she was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Michelle Rhee, the firebrand education leader who is focusing her talents and the resources of her new national group on tearing down status quo rules that protect bad teachers at the expense of good ones, spent her wonder years in Ohio. An announcement Tuesday from StudentsFirst, Rhee's new national education advocacy group, says she's headed back to Ohio, where her campaign to save great teachers at the expense of entrenched public sector teacher unons will find a friendly face and a helping hand in Gov. John Kasich....
....Rhee has set up an Ohio Action Center online at StudentsFirst's website. "We're working to pass laws that will give Ohio's schools the power to identify, reward, and retain great educators, and give Ohio parents the choice they deserve to ensure their children receive a great education," she wrote.....
However, Rhee's presence always brings controversy. With investigations into the high amount of erasures on standardized tests, experts questioned the reliability of test scores. An article in the Washington Post had this----
Acting Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson asked the D.C. inspector general Tuesday to investigate reports that sharp gains in some standardized test scores may have been the result of cheating.
She made the request after a USA Today investigation found unusually high rates of erasures in which students apparently corrected their answer sheets for standardized tests between 2008 and 2010.
More than 100 D.C. public schools had the unusual rates of erasures, in which wrong answers were replaced by correct ones. One seventh grade classroom, at Noyes Education Campus in Northeast Washington, averaged 12.7 wrong-to-right erasures per student on the 2009 DC CAS reading test. The citywide average that year was less than one per test.....
Besides the erasures controversy, there are questions about a billionaire's influence in setting education standards, increased push for charters, teacher training, and school operating procedures. Eli Broad is the person backing the "reform" to education. Parent groups are now trying to remove his control over their schools. The Cherrycreeknews has the details.
According to an article in Businessweek, 76% of teachers are women. In attacking public school teachers, Kasich, Christie, Walker, and the rest of the Republican governors are disrespecting the education, accomplishments, and contributions of highly educated females. Do the Republicans want to put women back into the '50's...............the 1850's??????
With Kasich pushing for a 3 year degree program at Ohio State, students are wondering how they can afford to take heavier class loads without an increase in student aid. Kasich has cut student aid. The Republicans in Congress want to eliminate Pell grants. Why are Republicans against aid to education? They want us all to be stupid followers and believe all the b.s. that comes out of their mouths.
Examiner:
Although she was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Michelle Rhee, the firebrand education leader who is focusing her talents and the resources of her new national group on tearing down status quo rules that protect bad teachers at the expense of good ones, spent her wonder years in Ohio. An announcement Tuesday from StudentsFirst, Rhee's new national education advocacy group, says she's headed back to Ohio, where her campaign to save great teachers at the expense of entrenched public sector teacher unons will find a friendly face and a helping hand in Gov. John Kasich....
....Rhee has set up an Ohio Action Center online at StudentsFirst's website. "We're working to pass laws that will give Ohio's schools the power to identify, reward, and retain great educators, and give Ohio parents the choice they deserve to ensure their children receive a great education," she wrote.....
However, Rhee's presence always brings controversy. With investigations into the high amount of erasures on standardized tests, experts questioned the reliability of test scores. An article in the Washington Post had this----
Acting Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson asked the D.C. inspector general Tuesday to investigate reports that sharp gains in some standardized test scores may have been the result of cheating.
She made the request after a USA Today investigation found unusually high rates of erasures in which students apparently corrected their answer sheets for standardized tests between 2008 and 2010.
More than 100 D.C. public schools had the unusual rates of erasures, in which wrong answers were replaced by correct ones. One seventh grade classroom, at Noyes Education Campus in Northeast Washington, averaged 12.7 wrong-to-right erasures per student on the 2009 DC CAS reading test. The citywide average that year was less than one per test.....
Besides the erasures controversy, there are questions about a billionaire's influence in setting education standards, increased push for charters, teacher training, and school operating procedures. Eli Broad is the person backing the "reform" to education. Parent groups are now trying to remove his control over their schools. The Cherrycreeknews has the details.
According to an article in Businessweek, 76% of teachers are women. In attacking public school teachers, Kasich, Christie, Walker, and the rest of the Republican governors are disrespecting the education, accomplishments, and contributions of highly educated females. Do the Republicans want to put women back into the '50's...............the 1850's??????
With Kasich pushing for a 3 year degree program at Ohio State, students are wondering how they can afford to take heavier class loads without an increase in student aid. Kasich has cut student aid. The Republicans in Congress want to eliminate Pell grants. Why are Republicans against aid to education? They want us all to be stupid followers and believe all the b.s. that comes out of their mouths.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Why will Boehner skip Cinco de Mayo reception?
¿Por qué Boehner saltar del Cinco de Mayo de recepción?
Politico:
NO CINCO FOR YOU -- The Huffington Post’s Jennifer Bendery reports that Speaker John Boehner's not in the mood to party on May 5.: “Breaking with a bipartisan tradition kept by previous House speakers, Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced that he is not putting on a Cinco de Mayo reception at the Capitol next month. “We've told the Hispanic Caucus that they are welcome to host one this year,” said Boehner spokesman Michael Steel. “The speaker won't personally be hosting it, but we are supportive of them having it.” http://huff.to/hTLOpK
That is very big of him, isn't it? Do you think that Boehner will show up at some golfing fundraiser on May 5th?
Politico:
NO CINCO FOR YOU -- The Huffington Post’s Jennifer Bendery reports that Speaker John Boehner's not in the mood to party on May 5.: “Breaking with a bipartisan tradition kept by previous House speakers, Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced that he is not putting on a Cinco de Mayo reception at the Capitol next month. “We've told the Hispanic Caucus that they are welcome to host one this year,” said Boehner spokesman Michael Steel. “The speaker won't personally be hosting it, but we are supportive of them having it.” http://huff.to/hTLOpK
That is very big of him, isn't it? Do you think that Boehner will show up at some golfing fundraiser on May 5th?
On the Move
* Ohio Gov. John Kasich will be meeting with the Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear today (Cincinnati.com). The drive is just over two hours. Ohioans want to know if Kasich will be flying to this meeting on our tax money.
* Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15), the darling of the financial industry and anti-environmental groups, recently moved his office out of Columbus to Hilliard, Ohio. Stivers said that the new office is in the "geographic center" of the district. Here are some other reasons why Stivers moved his office:
What conclusions can you draw from this information?
Columbus, Ohio (city-data):
* Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15), the darling of the financial industry and anti-environmental groups, recently moved his office out of Columbus to Hilliard, Ohio. Stivers said that the new office is in the "geographic center" of the district. Here are some other reasons why Stivers moved his office:
What conclusions can you draw from this information?
Columbus, Ohio (city-data):
- White alone - 480,284 (62.1%)
- Black alone - 198,545 (25.7%)
- Hispanic - 40,904 (5.3%)
- Asian alone - 32,219 (4.2%)
- Two or more races - 17,300 (2.2%)
- Other race alone - 2,352 (0.3%)
- American alone - 1,277 (0.2%)
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone - 140 (0.02%)
- White alone - 24,655 (87.9%)
- Asian alone - 1,573 (5.6%)
- Hispanic - 759 (2.7%)
- Black alone - 630 (2.2%)
- Two or more races - 335 (1.2%)
- American alone - 28 (0.10%)
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone - 42 (0.1%)
- Other race alone - 28 (0.10%)
Monday, April 18, 2011
Steve Stivers
Republican Rep. Steve Stivers will be at the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University on Wednesday, according to the Dispatch.
UPDATE: The meeting starts at 10 am at 315 Gerlach Hall, 2108 Neil Avenue, Columbus. According to ColumbusYoungProfessionalClub, Stivers will talk "....about issues, needs and daily challenges that face your business—particularly surrounding creating and keeping jobs in Central Ohio...."
If you get into the event, you might want to ask him about these issues and votes---
Where are the jobs that Stivers and the Republicans said they'd deliver? So far, they've done nothing but pass bills and resolutions that promote their right wing ideology.
Cuttingedgenews:
....House GOP freshmen who raised the largest share of PAC money throughout the 2010 election cycle were Reps. Steve Stivers of Ohio, who raised $1.1 million of his $2.61 million campaign war chest from industry and special interest PACs....
Stivers voted to
.......defund National Public Radio (see Washington Post).
.......to prohibit funding for Planned Parenthood. (HR 1: Roll Call 93)
.......to prevent the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas. (H RES 203: Roll Call Vote 231)
Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, is doing his best to hurt women, NPR, and the environment while he continues to protect his big business, anti-environment, anti-business regulation contributors. Where are the jobs?
UPDATE: The meeting starts at 10 am at 315 Gerlach Hall, 2108 Neil Avenue, Columbus. According to ColumbusYoungProfessionalClub, Stivers will talk "....about issues, needs and daily challenges that face your business—particularly surrounding creating and keeping jobs in Central Ohio...."
If you get into the event, you might want to ask him about these issues and votes---
Where are the jobs that Stivers and the Republicans said they'd deliver? So far, they've done nothing but pass bills and resolutions that promote their right wing ideology.
Cuttingedgenews:
....House GOP freshmen who raised the largest share of PAC money throughout the 2010 election cycle were Reps. Steve Stivers of Ohio, who raised $1.1 million of his $2.61 million campaign war chest from industry and special interest PACs....
Stivers voted to
.......defund National Public Radio (see Washington Post).
.......to prohibit funding for Planned Parenthood. (HR 1: Roll Call 93)
.......to prevent the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas. (H RES 203: Roll Call Vote 231)
Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, is doing his best to hurt women, NPR, and the environment while he continues to protect his big business, anti-environment, anti-business regulation contributors. Where are the jobs?
Baloney
If you want to complain to your district's member to the U.S. House of Representatives, you should contact his/her office during the recess. Now that Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15) has moved his local office further west (3790 Municipal Way, Hilliard, Ohio 43026) and away from the population center of the district, it will be more difficult to reach his office. You may still try a local office telephone number: (614) 771-4968.
Isn't this the way the Republicans always seem to work by making things less accessible for more people? Don't take that Stivers line that this new office is in the geographic center of the district. This new office location has less diversity and it is away from those political activists at OSU and in Columbus.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich (Republican, former Vice President of Lehman Brothers) is in the hot seat because of his overuse of the state's planes. Kasich has also announced cuts to programs that help working low income families with childcare (Coshocton Tribune). It is amazing what Kasich and his Republican legislators are willing to cut when their goal is to reduce the tax burden of the wealthy.
* The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that Kasich wants to move toward merit pay for teachers:
Gov. John Kasich wants teachers to be paid based on performance: They should earn more if they can prove that their students are learning.
But the tool at the heart of Kasich's merit-pay proposals is reliable with only 68 percent confidence. That's why the state plans an upgrade to make "value-added" results 95 percent reliable.....
Would you want to teach in a school that has a high truancy rate, low test scores, poor parental involvement? Those teachers might never get pay raises. By the way, when Kasich had that $50,000/yr job at Ohio State where he lectured once or twice per month, his pay wasn't based on performance. John Kasich has shown that he wants nothing but revenge against Ohio's public school teachers because they didn't support him in his election.
How will teachers be graded in middle schools where they might teach one or two subjects? What if their particular course isn't covered in testing, as in art, physical education, industrial technology? Why do teachers with less than excellent scores need to pay for their own testing? If I'm certified in all subjects for grades 1-8, plus reading, do I need to take tests for all those grade levels plus reading? Seriously, this whole education reform plan by Kasich and his puppets on the State Board of Education is a crock of baloney.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Flying High on Your Tax Dollars
Republican Gov. John Kasich has been enjoying flying around in state-owned airplanes on your tax money more frequently than previous Ohio governors.
Gov. John Kasich’s entourage for a 144-mile trip from Columbus to Cleveland last month was so large his office used two state-owned planes to transport the group, costing taxpayers $2,199.50.
In his first 81 days in office, the Republican Kasich used the Hawker-Beechcraft King Air planes for 16 in-state trips and four out-of-state treks at a total cost of $31,400. By comparison, former Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland spent $31,849 on plane travel during his first 13 months in office....
.....On a daily rate, Ohio is spending $387.65 for Kasich’s state-plane use compared with $201.75 for Taft and $77.58 for Strickland....
If Kasich continues his high-flying lifestyle on the state plane at $387.65/day, Kasich could cost us taxpayers $141,492.25 this year---- or even more. Kasich a former Vice President of Lehman Brothers, is accustomed to living the lifestyles of the rich, but not on our tax money.
Gov. John Kasich’s entourage for a 144-mile trip from Columbus to Cleveland last month was so large his office used two state-owned planes to transport the group, costing taxpayers $2,199.50.
In his first 81 days in office, the Republican Kasich used the Hawker-Beechcraft King Air planes for 16 in-state trips and four out-of-state treks at a total cost of $31,400. By comparison, former Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland spent $31,849 on plane travel during his first 13 months in office....
.....On a daily rate, Ohio is spending $387.65 for Kasich’s state-plane use compared with $201.75 for Taft and $77.58 for Strickland....
If Kasich continues his high-flying lifestyle on the state plane at $387.65/day, Kasich could cost us taxpayers $141,492.25 this year---- or even more. Kasich a former Vice President of Lehman Brothers, is accustomed to living the lifestyles of the rich, but not on our tax money.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Kasich Having Problems Telling the Truth, Again?
While I was driving today, the song by Twisted Sister was on the radio. I had to turn up the volume and sing along.....
"Oh we're not gonna take it
No, we ain't gonna take it
Oh we're not gonna take it anymore...."
I couldn't help to think of the teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses, and public employees in Ohio that have been disrespected, and attacked by Gov. Kasich. This should be our rallying cry against SB 5.
* ModernEsquire at Plunderbund has found another incident of Kasich manufacturing his own facts. Here is the Plunderbund headline:
Now that I've gotten your attention, go read the Plunderbund post.
"Oh we're not gonna take it
No, we ain't gonna take it
Oh we're not gonna take it anymore...."
I couldn't help to think of the teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses, and public employees in Ohio that have been disrespected, and attacked by Gov. Kasich. This should be our rallying cry against SB 5.
* ModernEsquire at Plunderbund has found another incident of Kasich manufacturing his own facts. Here is the Plunderbund headline:
"Governor Kasich lying; says
says bond rating companies
threatening to lower Ohio's
bond rating if SB 5 is repealed"
Now that I've gotten your attention, go read the Plunderbund post.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Kasich Supports Haley Barbour????!!!!!
What does this say about John Kasich, Republican Governor of Ohio?
Haley Barbour is the Governor of Mississippi. Do you recall some recent stories about Haley Barbour? Fox13now reminds us that----
...He was a son of the local white elite who attended public schools before desegregation. In the Weekly Standard article, he said he didn't remember the civil rights era as "being that bad."
Barbour didn't think that the years people were marching for their civil rights was "...that bad." Of course, it wasn't that bad for HIM, a white person who grew up in the segregated south.
Since we are known by the company we keep, I think it is quite telling that Kasich, who has been criticized for his lack of diversity, is going to support Barbour. Kasich and Barbour are a real pair.
Haley Barbour can count on backing from fellow Republican governor John Kasich of Ohio in his 2012 presidential campaign.....
....."I will be for Haley if he runs because he's been so helpful to me," Kasich said in an interview at his Capitol office in Columbus. Barbour has stepped up his pre-presidential activity in recent weeks, including repeated visits to early-voting states.....
Haley Barbour is the Governor of Mississippi. Do you recall some recent stories about Haley Barbour? Fox13now reminds us that----
....Twice in recent months, Barbour, 63, has sparked criticism and national debate after addressing issues at the heart of his state's troubled racial past. In a December profile in the Weekly Standard, he praised the Citizens' Councils of the civil rights era — the segregationist groups that ran towns like his — though he later reversed himself and called the councils "indefensible."
...Barbour spurred more controversy when he declined to denounce an effort to create a state license plate honoring Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Confederate lieutenant general and early Ku Klux Klan leader. "I don't go around denouncing people," Barbour said at a news conference....
Barbour didn't think that the years people were marching for their civil rights was "...that bad." Of course, it wasn't that bad for HIM, a white person who grew up in the segregated south.
Since we are known by the company we keep, I think it is quite telling that Kasich, who has been criticized for his lack of diversity, is going to support Barbour. Kasich and Barbour are a real pair.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
51% of Ohio Voters Favor Repeal of SB 5
A new poll by Wenzel Strategies shows that Ohio voters do not support the Kasich/Republican plan to end collective bargaining, SB 5. Here are more details from the poll on SB 5 that was published in ToledoOntheMove:
....The bill enjoys the support of 63 percent of Republicans polled while 73 percent of Democrats favored its repeal. Independents favored repeal by a margin of 54 percent to 41 percent. Geographically, the northern half of the state with post-industrial cities like Cleveland, Lorain, Sandusky, and Toledo which were once union strongholds favored repeal. The southwest region of the state represented the highest concentration of support for the bill.
The key to a repeal is voter turnout. Start working on your friends, relatives, and businesses that you know. You might want to explain to everyone that if SB 5 remains law, you won't be frequenting the florist, dry cleaners, department stores, restaurants, movies, the local pizza shop, entertaining at home, or buying Christmas and birthday gifts because your wages will be cut. The businesses in Ohio need the buying power of 350,000 public employees. Those businesses that do not stand with public employees and against SB 5 should be noted and abandoned.
....The bill enjoys the support of 63 percent of Republicans polled while 73 percent of Democrats favored its repeal. Independents favored repeal by a margin of 54 percent to 41 percent. Geographically, the northern half of the state with post-industrial cities like Cleveland, Lorain, Sandusky, and Toledo which were once union strongholds favored repeal. The southwest region of the state represented the highest concentration of support for the bill.
The ongoing battle over Senate Bill 5 has apparently taken its toll on Gov. John Kasich's poll numbers. Just 37 percent of voters in Wenzel's survey approved of the job Kasich was doing where 56 percent held a negative opinion of the governor. Perhaps the most troubling data for Kasich is that just 65 percent of registered Republicans approve of the job he is doing.
Senate Bill 5 opponents hope to organize and place a referendum on the November ballot. They have taken the first step by turning in more than 3,000 signatures to be allowed to submit petition language to Attorney General Mike DeWine. When the Attorney General has approved the petition language, referendum proponents will have 90 days in which to obtain 231,149 valid signatures of Ohio voters to submit to the Secretary of State. Those signatures must come from 44 of Ohio's 88 counties.
The key to a repeal is voter turnout. Start working on your friends, relatives, and businesses that you know. You might want to explain to everyone that if SB 5 remains law, you won't be frequenting the florist, dry cleaners, department stores, restaurants, movies, the local pizza shop, entertaining at home, or buying Christmas and birthday gifts because your wages will be cut. The businesses in Ohio need the buying power of 350,000 public employees. Those businesses that do not stand with public employees and against SB 5 should be noted and abandoned.
Things Are Never What They Seem
In an effort to move away from the more Democratic area of Ohio's 15th congressional district, Republican Rep. Steve Stivers has moved his office to the more conservative Republican area of the district, Hilliard. In his news release, Stivers calls the location of the new office at the "geographic center" of the 15th. It might be the geographic center, but it is not the population center. Besides, now his office will be away from those pesky Ohio State college students and all those Democrats.
In other news, Republican Rep. Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, is also benefiting from his role on the House Financial Services Committee. Stivers continues to get sizable contributions from PACs and individuals associated with banks and financial groups.
....The sizeable financial industry PAC contributions -- Stivers alone raised at least $220,500 since the Nov. 2 election with nearly half coming from the finance, insurance and real estate industries known as FIRE -- also illustrate how campaign contributions buy access to senior as well as junior members of key committees. Campaign finance experts say that donations by PACs and individuals associated with special interests have always flowed most generously to members of committees that consider legislation or regulatory issues germane to their interests....
I suggest you visit the OpenSecrets link to explore the other ways that financial PACs/individuals are showing their big money support of Stivers and other freshman Republicans.
>>> In another show of support for Republican Gov. John Kasich, the Columbus Dispatch's article, Kasich Staff Earns Less by 0.5%, the Dispatch uses some ridiculous explanation about how Kasich is saving money. Unfortunately, the Kasich staff is severely over compensated compared to those that held their positions in the Strickland administration. As usual, the Dispatch, continues to work hard as the public relations agency of the Kasich administration. This is all part of the shell game that Kasich and the Dispatch play with the public. They want people to believe them, instead of the facts. Just as Kasich said he was actually giving more money to the schools, the public woke up to reality when the facts stood in the way of what Kasich said. You cannot make up your own facts.
***If you are a teacher and you are reading this in a library or during sustained silent reading, please be warned because you may ROFL (roll on the floor laughing).-----------
In other news, Republican Rep. Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, is also benefiting from his role on the House Financial Services Committee. Stivers continues to get sizable contributions from PACs and individuals associated with banks and financial groups.
....The sizeable financial industry PAC contributions -- Stivers alone raised at least $220,500 since the Nov. 2 election with nearly half coming from the finance, insurance and real estate industries known as FIRE -- also illustrate how campaign contributions buy access to senior as well as junior members of key committees. Campaign finance experts say that donations by PACs and individuals associated with special interests have always flowed most generously to members of committees that consider legislation or regulatory issues germane to their interests....
I suggest you visit the OpenSecrets link to explore the other ways that financial PACs/individuals are showing their big money support of Stivers and other freshman Republicans.
_______
***If you are a teacher and you are reading this in a library or during sustained silent reading, please be warned because you may ROFL (roll on the floor laughing).-----------
Over at ThirdBasePolitics, I saw a post boasting about a “teachers’ organization” that is publicly in support of SB 5...
Plunderbund has linked to the posting that claims an organization for teachers supports the Ohio SB 5. Plunderbund has also done a background check on the group.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Kasich Moves on the Elderly, and Poor
Gov. John Kasich has done a magnificent job of destroying the foundation of the entire state. He has disrespected teachers, firefighters, police officers, public workers, and nurses. He called a police officer an "idiot" in front of other public employees. He refused demands to bring diversity to his administration. He overpaid his staff, and brought in an out of state pal to head the Department of Development.
Kasich has gone after those groups who did not support him by trying to eliminate their rights as citizens. His plan for public schools is to cut their funding and give money to failing charter schools. Charter schools exist so that their owners make a profit. Public schools exist to educate all children. Kasich is firing people and privatizing oil and gas contracts and drilling in state parks. Now he wants to cut the quality and funding for nursing homes.
I wouldn't trust John Kasich's word on anything. Any person that goes after the poor and the elderly in an effort to save money is just plain mean. Has Kasich visited a nursing home recently or ever? Does he realize that those people residing in nursing homes are unable to be accommodated at home because of their special medical, physical, and mental needs?
In an appearance at the Vandalia Senior Center, Kasich provided this information.
DaytonDailyNews:
....Kasich, along with Director of the Ohio Department of Aging Bonnie Kantor-Burman, visited the Vandalia Senior Center to outline the changes in the governor’s proposed budget that affect senior care.
“We want everyone who has a health issue to have the most independence with the best care at the lowest cost,” Kasich said.
The governor stressed that the plan is about creating efficiencies, not making cuts. He said the default has previously been to send recovering seniors from the hospital to a nursing home, even though home care is less expensive for the taxpayer and most people would prefer to be in their homes....
So Kasich's plan is to send seniors home for their therapy, medical observation, and follow up care? Really? Obviously, Kasich is completely clueless.
When grandma, who just had hip surgery is sent straight home instead of the nursing home, how will she go to the bathroom? Who will prepare Grandma's food, check her vital signs, and see if an infection is beginning? If Grandma's grown children are working, who will answer the door when the visiting nurse comes, twice per week? How will Grandma take her medicine, give herself physical therapy, and have her pain monitored?
I know a few things about Grandmas and nursing homes because my Mom is a resident at one. It breaks my heart that I am unable to care for her. I cannot lift her, manage all her medications, and tend to her needs. However, Mr. Kasich thinks he knows best about what my Mom and yours need. In his own way, Kasich is denying our parents their medical needs so that he can give tax breaks to his greedy, rich friends.
John Kasich says he'll deliver better quality by cutting funds to schools and nursing homes. Do you believe him? I don't.
Kasich has gone after those groups who did not support him by trying to eliminate their rights as citizens. His plan for public schools is to cut their funding and give money to failing charter schools. Charter schools exist so that their owners make a profit. Public schools exist to educate all children. Kasich is firing people and privatizing oil and gas contracts and drilling in state parks. Now he wants to cut the quality and funding for nursing homes.
I wouldn't trust John Kasich's word on anything. Any person that goes after the poor and the elderly in an effort to save money is just plain mean. Has Kasich visited a nursing home recently or ever? Does he realize that those people residing in nursing homes are unable to be accommodated at home because of their special medical, physical, and mental needs?
In an appearance at the Vandalia Senior Center, Kasich provided this information.
DaytonDailyNews:
....Kasich, along with Director of the Ohio Department of Aging Bonnie Kantor-Burman, visited the Vandalia Senior Center to outline the changes in the governor’s proposed budget that affect senior care.
“We want everyone who has a health issue to have the most independence with the best care at the lowest cost,” Kasich said.
The governor stressed that the plan is about creating efficiencies, not making cuts. He said the default has previously been to send recovering seniors from the hospital to a nursing home, even though home care is less expensive for the taxpayer and most people would prefer to be in their homes....
So Kasich's plan is to send seniors home for their therapy, medical observation, and follow up care? Really? Obviously, Kasich is completely clueless.
When grandma, who just had hip surgery is sent straight home instead of the nursing home, how will she go to the bathroom? Who will prepare Grandma's food, check her vital signs, and see if an infection is beginning? If Grandma's grown children are working, who will answer the door when the visiting nurse comes, twice per week? How will Grandma take her medicine, give herself physical therapy, and have her pain monitored?
I know a few things about Grandmas and nursing homes because my Mom is a resident at one. It breaks my heart that I am unable to care for her. I cannot lift her, manage all her medications, and tend to her needs. However, Mr. Kasich thinks he knows best about what my Mom and yours need. In his own way, Kasich is denying our parents their medical needs so that he can give tax breaks to his greedy, rich friends.
John Kasich says he'll deliver better quality by cutting funds to schools and nursing homes. Do you believe him? I don't.
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