Ohio's Recovery

This is from the DCCC's Recovery for America:
Ohio

Benefit of the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Jobs Created or Saved by Plan	133,000
Families Receiving Making Work Pay Tax Credit	4,530,000
Additional Students Receiving College Tax Credit	128,000
Children Receiving Child Tax Credit	581,000
Taxpayers Protected by the AMT Patch	884,000

Sources (Top to Bottom): White House; White House; CBPP, 1/22/09; CBPP, 1/22/09; CRS, 2/4/09.

Remember----NOT ONE OHIO REPUBLICAN MEMBER OF CONGRESS voted for this.

Behind The Numbers

Ohio's unemployment rate is up to 8.8%, according to the Cleveland Leader:

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday that Ohio's jobless rate for the month of January shot up to 8.8%. That's up from 7.4% in December 2008 and 5.7% in January 2008. Unemployment hasn't reached such a high percentage in Ohio since 1985 when it averaged around 8.9%.

Ohio lost nearly 60,000 workers from its non-farm payroll, down to 5.21 million. The total state work force, including employed Ohioans and the unemployed that are seeking work, totaled 5.74 million in January....

With so many people losing jobs, social service agencies and food banks cannot meet demands. If you are able, see how you can contribute.

So much for the good news......

Here in central Ohio, two large companies have announced layoffs. Channel 10 reported these two developments which involve Limited Brands and the Longaberger Company. With so many people losing jobs, buying clothes and baskets seems to be a lower priority right now.
10tv.com:

On the same day that Columbus-based Limited Brands reported net income for the fourth quarter and all of 2007 fell significantly, the company announced it would lay off 400 employees.

Of the 400 workers, about 230 of them are employed in Columbus, according to a Limited Brands spokeswoman.

The remainder of the layoffs were expected to occur companywide....

The news about Longaberger follows here from 10tv:

The Longaberger Company announced Thursday that it was eliminating 295 jobs at its corporate headquarters in Newark.

According to a company news release, 120 management, administrative and support positions would be eliminated, along with 175 manufacturing positions.

The company also announced that it would reduce wages for employees at all levels, including senior management and its chief executive officer, Tami Longaberger.....

This is very sad news.

Columbus Has Good News!

This morning's Dispatch:
The Columbus Police Training Academy will welcome 26 recruits to a refresher course today after their jobs were saved by a grant from the federal economic-stimulus package....
...."The stimulus package is already working," the mayor said at a news conference with most of the recruits standing behind him. "It will save this police class."

The city learned Sunday that it will receive $1.25 million to pay the officers' salaries from March 2 to Dec. 31, but it didn't get the confirmation in writing from the Justice Department until Tuesday....

We can see visible results from the stimulus package passed because of support from all the Democrats in the U.S. House and U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. We should thank them for their votes in favor of the package.

**** Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner will decide Jon Husted's residency, according to a story in the Dayton Daily News. Since the Montgomery County Board of Elections had a tie vote on whether Husted actually resided in Kettering, Brunner will make the final decision.

We'll see what happens to Husted, who is considered a Republican "golden boy."

GOP: Irrelevant

With President Obama leading the way to fix our economy and get people back to work, the Republicans have offered no real alternatives to those proposals. The Republicans just noticed that there is a deficit. The GOP seemed to be in a coma during the Bush administration when they created and approved huge spending bills and allowed unbid contracts in Iraq. Today, the Republicans have awakened from their stupor but they can only repeat the words "tax breaks" over and over again.

We can support the President as he moves to get things done for our country, or we can look to the Republicans who haven't offered a new idea for one hundred and fifty years. I'll choose to side with the President and the Democrats. With an absence of new solutions, the Republican Party has become irrelevant and uninspiring.

News about Ohio

>> Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland is looking forward to getting President Obama's stimulus money, according to the Dispatch:

...Just as Obama pledged transparency and fiscal accountability in how the stimulus dollars are spent, Strickland promised that he's just as willing to make tough budget decisions in two years if needed.

With Ohioans losing their jobs in droves, "they are in need now," Strickland said. "Federal resources are available now. I intend to take those resources and use them to help these folks who are in need."

....Strickland also is using about $1.8 billion in federal state-budget stabilization dollars that will flow into Ohio to help balance the budget and forestall freezes in programs or deeper cuts than he already had imposed....

Gov. Strickland is doing his part to get things moving again in Ohio. Have the Ohio Republicans done anything to help people get back to work?

:) Looks like Ohio State has gotten another football player from that state up north.
The Lantern:

...James Jackson, a native of Grand Ledge, Michigan, will bring his 4.31-second 40-yard dash to the Scarlet and Gray receiving core....
.....Jackson is one of two new Buckeyes to cross over from Michigan. The other is tight end Reid Fragel from Grosse Point Farms, Mich. This gives OSU four Michigan players on its roster, with receiver Taurian Washington and safety Aaron grant already filling spots.

"It felt like it was the right decision for me," Jackson said. "I really like my position coach, coach [Darrell] Hazell, and the rest of the Ohio State coaching staff. Coach Tressel is a five-star type guy. At Ohio State they have a family atmosphere. I like what is going on and I want to be part of it. It's the opportunity of a lifetime; I feel like I won't regret going there."

Go Bucks!

Jackson Browne

The lawsuit brought by singer/songwriter Jackson Browne against Sen. John McCain and the Republicans is moving forward. PRNEWSWIRE:

The United States District Court for the Central District of California has denied the motions of Senator John McCain and the Republican National Committee to dismiss the lawsuit brought by singer/songwriter Jackson Browne for the unauthorized use of Browne's voice and famous song Running On Empty in a presidential campaign commercial. Browne filed suit in August, 2008 for copyright infringement, false endorsement and violation of Browne's right of publicity. In a series of rulings on February 20, 2008, the Hon. R. Gary Klausner, United States District Judge, rejected the defendants' arguments that the First Amendment or copyright's fair use doctrine immunizes their unauthorized use of Browne's voice and song simply because such use occurred in the context of a political campaign commercial. Among the rulings, the Court denied the defendants' special motion to strike (inaccurately dubbed a "countersuit" in some news reports) with respect to Browne's right of publicity claim. In another ruling, the Court dismissed the Ohio Republican Party from the case on jurisdictional grounds, leaving Browne free to pursue his claims against it in Ohio.

The District Court also set a hearing for late April to set a schedule for the case, including a date for the jury trial....

I hope Jackson Browne takes them to the cleaners.

>>>> Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize winner in economics, responds to some questions from Barrons:

Barrons.com: What's the stupidest thing you've heard said about the current economic crisis and how to solve it? What's the smartest?

Paul Krugman: The stupidest is a very tough competition; I tend to think of whichever mind-numbingly stupid thing I've just heard, like [U.S. House of Representatives] Minority Leader [John] Boehner's statement that we shouldn't "reward" Fannie and Freddie by increasing their resources (he apparently doesn't understand the meaning of "government owned.") But I guess the statements from many players that the Obama plan is a spending bill, not a stimulus bill -- when spending is the whole point -- top the list...

That was my favorite answer because it associates John Boehner and the words "...mind-numbingly stupid thing..."

Boehner and the rest of the Republicans have one song and they play it over, and over, and over again---- "Tax cuts! Tax cuts! Tax cuts!" The GOPers cannot think beyond that. The Republicans have no plans, no ideas, no innovative package to get the economy moving. The only hope for positive change comes from President Obama and the Democrats.

Friday's Notes

* President Obama will be meeting with Mayor Mike Coleman of Columbus, Ohio, and several other mayors to talk about job creation.

* Dispatch:
The anti-hunger group Feed the Children normally sends food to famine-stricken regions of Africa and the Third World.

Yesterday, the Oklahoma City-based organization sent more than $1 million in food to Wilmington, Ohio.

About 7,000 jobs are being lost in Wilmington and surrounding counties because DHL air delivery service is shutting down operations at the Wilmington airport.....

The laid off workers in Wilmington want jobs. Are there any companies out there looking for 7,000 reliable, hard-working employees?

>>> Republican fund raiser, Tom "Coingate" Noe was in the news again.
Toledo Blade:
An attorney for Tom Noe Tuesday said that, because the state of Ohio gave the convicted rare-coin dealer “an unbelievable amount of authority” in managing the state’s $50 million rare-coin funds, he should not have been convicted of theft....

....During a 45-minute hearing Tuesday, Noe’s attorneys squared off with prosecutors, asking the three-judge Ohio 6th District Court of Appeals panel to overturn the onetime GOP power broker’s 2006 conviction on 29 charges relating to his management of the rare-coin fund.

Noe is an inmate at Hocking Correctional Facility in southeastern Ohio serving the first year of the 18-year sentence imposed upon him after Lucas County Common Pleas Court jurors convicted him on corruption, forgery, theft, and money- laundering charges....

This isn't theft?????? Is he kidding?

* There is more on Ohio's job losses from the Toledo Blade:

...In Ohio, new and ongoing claims almost doubled last week from a year ago, with 283,618 getting jobless benefits, state records show....

The Republican Plan for the Economy

The Republican plan for fixing the country:











What???? You did not see the plan????? There is NO plan!!!! The GOP is out of ideas. Their only plan was for tax cuts, but when that didn't fly (because it hasn't helped in the past), they are left with nothing. The Republicans do have a tactic: to obstruct, delay, whine, and vote against any and all legislation that is presented in the U.S. House and Senate.

The recent recovery plan had no House GOP votes, and only 3 GOP Senators (Senators Snowe, Collins, and Specter) supported the bill. However, there are some Republicans that are taking credit for the bill (like Kit Bond). Just keep in mind that these GOPers would rather adhere to their right wing philosophy than help Americans get back to work. Republicans represent the past. Democrats and President Obama represent the future.

Is Ohio going green?

* Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH-D) visited Xunlight in Toledo to spotlight the green business, according to the Toledo Blade.

According to their website, Xunlight is....
.....a technology spin-off from the University of Toledo, engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of photovoltaic modules that convert sunlight into electricity. The company develops thin-film silicon based photovoltaic products and manufacturing equipment for high-throughput production of flexible and lightweight photovoltaic modules at low cost....

Job seekers may want to check out their Xunlight career page for job openings.

** Do you have an old Pentium III, 733 or above computer that you no longer need? The Dayton Daily News is reporting about a program sponsored by the Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley Assistive Technology Services to use the computers in classrooms, training, or in other areas. For more information, call (937) 461-3305.

Voinovich

The Toledo Blade questions Republican U.S. Sen. Voinovich's vote against the stimulus package:

THE nation and the state teeter on the brink of fiscal catastrophe and here's Sen. George Voinovich, voting against the economic stimulus package and claiming loudly that it is "presumptuous" of Ohio to expect help from the federal government....

...The states, he declared the other day, should not expect the federal government to provide a "slush fund" to ease their fiscal problems. Coming from a veteran state and federal official who should know better, such sophistry rings hollow....

.... His self-righteous show of fiscal responsibility might carry some weight if he had not consistently supported the Republican borrow-and-spend line for the past eight years....

Voinovich apparently would rather have willingly followed the former Republican President who was a total failure, than help the good people of Ohio in their time of need. Thanks for nothing, Voinovich. You showed your true allegiance, and it was not for Ohioans.

Bush Out of Office, But He Left A Mess

The Madfloridian's Journal @ Democratic Underground has posted a story from a local CFNews13.com:

Florida's budget crisis is leaving 522 Marion County teachers out of a job next year....
....Those teachers losing their jobs include every first- and second-year teacher district wide...
...The 522 positions eliminated represent roughly 17 percent of the 3,000 teaching positions in the county's public school system....

Ouch!

* Here in central Ohio, the city of Columbus has been forced to close eleven recreation centers because of necessary budget cuts. The Dispatch has a complete story about the closings.

What it means....

This is why Ohio's Democratic members of the House and the Senate voted for President Obama's stimulus package:

(graphic from The Columbus Dispatch)



Dispatch:
...Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, D-Columbus, who voted for the bill, issued a statement saying the measure would create or save more than 15,000 jobs in central Ohio. She said that "bold action was necessary to end the job loss, help families with the immediate crisis and put a down payment on future prosperity."


No matter what good things the stimulus package would bring us, Republicans were not interested.

Passed

The U.S. Senate just passed the stimulus bill, 60-38. Earlier, the bill was passed by the House of Representatives. President Obama will sign the bill.

Take Note

* Do you live in central Ohio and like to golf? Check out the Drive Fore Hope Golf Event benefiting the Haven of Hope. Sign up information is located at the Haven of Hope Cancer Foundation website.

* St. Francis of Assisi Parish, at 386 Buttles Avenue, Columbus, will hold their Mardi Gras Pasta Dinner on Saturday, February 21st, from 12 Noon to 7pm. (Tickets available at the door: $8/adult and $5/child under 10 years.)

* The new FIVE GUYS Burgers & Fries restaurant is located at 2100 Polaris Parkway, east of interstate 71. It is right after the Urban Active Fitness Club.

* The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is free on Monday, February 16th!!!!

Waiting for Passage

If we get final passage of the stimulus bill today, Ohio will get some help, according to the Dispatch:

...Democrats say the $8 billion or so expected to flow into Ohio will help create or save thousands of jobs, allow Gov. Ted Strickland to reduce the state's budget shortfall and give more than 4 million Ohioans at least a modest tax break....

....Ohio stands to gain about $900 million to build or repair roads and bridges. State officials had identified $2.7 billion in "shovel-ready" projects -- including safety enhancements, reduced-pollution buses, new roads and bridges -- so only a third of the transportation wish list will be filled. State Transportation Director Jolene Molitoris said yesterday that she's working with Strickland's office to determine which projects will be funded....

Republicans, like John Boehner, are completely against the stimulus. If a small shot in the arm helps Ohio, what could be wrong with that? The Republicans said that this all will add to the debt. Didn't they worry about the debt when they were rubber stamping all those Bush tax cuts and the Iraq war?

Keeping Track

With some in Congress working hard to help the country recover, it is necessary to maintain a scorecard to keep track of legislative activities. Lucky for us, themiddleclass.org has grades for those elected officials in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Here are some samples from themiddleclass.org website on a few elected officials from Ohio:

Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15-D): 100%
...Kilroy voted for
..........The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009- House Version
..........The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009
..........The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
..........The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
..........The Paycheck Fairness Act of 2009

On the other hand----
Steven LaTourette (OH-14-R): 20%
Jean Schmidt (OH-2-R): 0%
Steve Austria (OH-7-R): 20%
John Boehner (OH-8-R): 0%

You can check out the entire Ohio contingent at themiddleclass.org/state/OH to see their scores. With our country and our state in such a financial mess because of the Bush administration, it is important to keep a keen eye on which elected people are helping us.

Wednesday's Woes

* ABC News came up with a list of the country's most miserable cities. I'm not sure what their purpose was in creating this list. Perhaps some good could come out of it. By identifying the cities and some of their problems, a solution might be out there that could get these cities flourishing again.

* Here in central Ohio we are without our liberal talk radio station. That is old news. We lost our second progressive talk station (1580 AM-WVKO), when it was purchased by Catholic radio. We've lost a total of two progressive stations. The other stations that have "talk" formats include sports (which I don't listen to unless it is before or after an Ohio State football game), 3 or 4 right wing stations, oldies (which are okay), and stations playing rap/dance. Columbus and the entire state of Ohio is turning bluer. Why can't our radio stations reflect that? I'm forced to listen to WOSU or I just turn off the radio. I know there are other radio listeners out there who miss Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz, Bill Press, Rachel Maddow, and other liberal talkers. When I'm at home, I listen to Stephanie Miller online.

* In some back rooms across Ohio, Republicans are plotting their way back into power. They attacked Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat. They've put together a list of their own candidates to replace every Democrat in the state. Then the Republicans whine and get the Columbus Dispatch to cover their events and news conferences. Governor Ted Strickland has created a plan to fix Ohio schools, but once again, the Republicans don't want to talk about school funding and preparing our students for the future. The Republicans in Ohio are right out of the 1950's. They are living in the past.

Tidbits from Central Ohio

* If you've attended Ohio State, you know the location of the Holiday Inn on the Lane. The Dispatch is reporting that the hotel will be transformed into a dormitory:

Ohio State University's community development arm has reached a tentative deal to buy Holiday Inn on the Lane and close the campus-area hotel on March 31.

Harper Hotels Inc. would receive $19 million from Campus Partners for the 243-room hotel, which the university wants to use as student housing. Campus Partners is scheduled to complete due diligence on the transaction by Feb. 27. If it decides then to proceed with the purchase, the deal would close at the end of March, said Doug Aschenbach, interim president of the development group....

.....with several south campus dorms set to undergo repairs in the coming years, the university sought out the extra space.....

This will be a surprise to those who travel to campus to visit or attend sporting events.

> There are more jobs leaving Ohio and going to Mexico. Dispatch:

A maker of plastic containers is moving Fayette County jobs to Mexico, leading to the loss of 316 positions.

MWV Calmar, a subsidiary of MeadWestvaco Corp., will begin the process of closing the Washington Court House plant in early April and consolidate the plant's functions with one in San Luis Potosi, Mexico....

Even though we are losing more jobs here in Ohio, it is worth noting that our Republican elected officials don't care. None of the Ohio Republican members of the House of Representatives supported President Obama's recovery/stimulus plan.

> Trouble in Republican paradise????? MSNBC's First Read:

....there were some closed-door fireworks between Republican Minority Leader John Boehner and Minority Whip Eric Cantor, the No. 2 House Republican. "Several GOP sources say Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Va.) and Minority Leader John Boehner’s (Ohio) relationship was put to the test after Boehner suggested at a Jan. 28 press conference that Cantor wasn’t whipping votes during the House debate on the economic stimulus measure. Sources say Boehner’s remarks, echoed at the press event by Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.), angered Cantor and prompted a “heated” confrontation between the new Whip and Minority Leader at the GOP retreat at the Homestead Resort in Virginia late last month." Apparently they've all since apologized, but Cantor was none too happy....

It is heartening to know that the Republicans are falling apart and fighting within their ranks. They deserve it after the mess they've created.

Get On The Phone

Every U.S. Senator has a local office in his/her state. It is time to call our Senators and tell them that you want support for the President's stimulus package because
1. we need jobs.
2. we need to move the economy.
3. we have to fight this recession without the failed policies of tax cuts.

Here is a key Republican Senator to call. Voinovich plans to retire. Will his failure to vote for the President's stimulus package ruin his legacy?

Sen. George Voinovich (OH-R):
. Washington, DC: (202) 224-3353
.. Columbus: Phone: (614) 469-6697 Fax: (614) 469-7733
... Toledo: (202) 224-3353 Fax: (419) 259-3899
.... Cleveland: Phone: (216) 522-7095 Fax: (216) 522-7097
..... Northeast Ohio: Phone: (216) 522-7095 Fax: (216) 522-7097
....... Southeast Ohio: Phone: (740) 441-6410 Fax: (740) 753-3551
........ Cincinnati: Phone: (740) 441-6410 Fax: (740) 753-3551
......... Dayton: Phone: (513) 684-3265 Fax: (513) 684-3269