Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Local Station Investigates Josh Mandel

Watchdog 10's Paul Aker, channel 10 in Columbus, investigated the absences of Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel.  Aker reported that Treasurer Josh Mandel had missed 14 previous meetings of the Board of Deposits.  This week, after a story by the Associated Press noted his absences, Mandel finally attended the meeting.

Reporter Paul Aker investigated the attendance record of the two previous Ohio Treasurers at the Board of Deposits meetings.  His investigation showed that Kevin Boyce attended 11 out of 24 meetings.  Former Ohio Treasurer Richard Cordray only missed one meeting during his term of office.

It was also stated that Josh Mandel was in Washington DC at a fundraiser for himself instead of going to one of the meetings.  His defense?  None.  He said the Treasurer's office is doing very well and saving the people money.  Really?  Mandel is being paid a hefty salary by the people of Ohio.  Why isn't he fulfilling his responsibilities????

Josh Mandel's support of Ohio's heart beat bill shows his extreme views and his decision to join the Republican war on women's health. Mandel also is a strong proponent of the Paul Ryan budget plan which would eliminate Medicare.

Gftrib.wordpress:

...in Ohio, Republican Senate candidate Josh Mandel is under scrutiny for supporting a “heartbeat bill,” which would make abortion against the law before most women would not even know they were pregnant. The law would have no exceptions if the pregnancy were the result of rape or incest....

As a woman, I want to know why are these Republicans so interested in our bodies and our health decisions?
 -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

****  Earlier this year, Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15th) introduced a bill to eliminate the dollar bill and replace it with a dollar coin.  A recent survey shows that people in Ohio's 15th congressional district have some very strong opinions against this proposal by Steve Stivers.

Marketwatch:

...The survey, conducted by Lincoln Park Strategies, an independent public opinion research firm, found that:
-- 69 percent of voters in Ohio’s 15th district oppose removing the dollar bill from circulation and replacing it with a dollar coin (as suggested by the COINS Act); while 49 percent hold strong opposition to the idea
-- 79 percent of those polled feel the dollar coin is unnecessary
-- 77 percent say the dollar coin is unwanted
-- 77 percent feel the dollar bill is more convenient to carry and use than the dollar coin
-- 66 percent say the dollar bill is more American than the dollar coin 

“Sentiments against the dollar coin are strong across Ohio’s 15th and the rest of the country,” said Stefan Hankin, president of Lincoln Park Strategies. “Our research shows people’s resistance to the dollar coin spans from everyday usage to the feeling that politicians should be spending their time on more important issues.”  

People in Ohio's 15th district want to know when Steve Stivers will create some jobs.

Since Paul Ryan's updated budget plan has shown widespread support by Republicans, I'm sure that farmers in Ohio's 15th district want to know how Steve Stivers can defend those  planned cuts to agriculture, Medicare, transportation, college loans, etc. 

>>>>  A bill to lower the cost of gasoline is in the works and our own Sen. Sherrod Brown is one of the sponsors!

Vtdigger:
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today introduced a bill to make federal regulators invoke emergency powers to rein in speculators responsible for rapidly-rising gasoline prices. 
 
The legislation would set a 14-day deadline for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to implement rules to stop excessive speculation by Wall Street traders in oil futures markets. Sanders’ bill is cosponsored by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.).

The measure was prompted by gasoline prices that are nearing $4 a gallon and the commission’s refusal to obey a Wall Street reform law that required trading limits to be in place by Jan. 17, 2011.....

Speculators are the ones raising the costs.  We need to support this legislation by telling our lawmakers that we need this to be passed ASAP.  Call the Senate switchboard at
(202) 224-3121.