Republican Josh Mandel, Ohio Treasurer and world traveler (U.S. + Bahamas), has been running a dirty, filthy campaign in which he has been smearing Sen. Sherrod Brown. Mandel refuses to answer questions about his views on important issues, but has been a repeat offender at the altar of truth. Here is Mandel's file at Ohio Politifact:
Click on the ruling to see all of Mandel's statements for that ruling.
Many Ohioans have already noticed that Josh Mandel is engaging in dirty politics. With nothing to offer Ohioans, and without his own substantial legislative experience, Mandel has been throwing mud at his opponent.
...Mr. Mandel forgot to mention that while Mr. Brown's former wife
conceded the divorce proceedings included "unfriendly words," she
supports the senator's re-election and sponsored a fund-raiser for him
last week. As far back as 20 years ago, she assailed a political
opponent who tried to use the divorce case as an issue against Mr.
Brown.
The Blade endorsed Mr. Mandel in his successful race for state
treasurer two years ago. But we condemned his sleazy campaign ad that
used Muslim-bashing and irrelevant references to terrorism to discredit
his opponent, incumbent Democrat (and Christian) Kevin Boyce.
It now appears that disgrace was just Mr. Mandel's warm-up act for
this year's smear campaign against Senator Brown -- even as the
challenger routinely refuses to respond to valid questions about real
campaign issues....
When little 90 year old ladies start criticizing Josh Mandel for his ugly campaign, you know that everyone is getting disgusted with his mud-slinging. When women are upset that Mandel is against reproductive freedom and pay equity for women, you become aware that Josh Mandel has made a majority of women in Ohio really very angry. While Josh Mandel panders to right wing moneybags, he has forgotten to address the needs of the middle class, college students, women, and those on Medicare who don't want vouchers.
Tonight at the Wexner estate, Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, will hold a fundraiser. Needless to say, I won't be there. At $10,000/person, Romney will be rubbing elbows with 200 of Ohio's Republicans that can afford to attend. Word has it that Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a former Vice President at Lehman Brothers, will also attend.
>>>> Mitt Romney gave a speech today in Florida to a large group representing the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. It appears that Romney's speech was about as inspiring as white bread. Here is a post from Mother Jones:
.....Overall, Romney's speech was a parade of sidesteps and distortions.
Romney said Obama "failed to address immigration reform" despite having
"huge majorities" that made him "free to pursue any policy he pleased."
In fact the Democrats filibuster-proof majority lasted about 14 weeks,
and Obama's attempts to address immigration reform meet with unanimous
opposition and obstruction from Senate Republicans. Republicans blocked
immigration reform and are now blaming Obama for not addressing it.....
Romney's stupid idea that people should "self-deport" shows that he doesn't really have a clue about how his plan would hurt families. Romney apparently doesn't have a solution to help people solve this because Karl Rove, Grover Norquist, Jim DeMint, Mitch McConnell and others haven't given him his agenda yet. Face it. Romney is just a puppet for the far right.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) went on MSNBC this morning and said that the only reason his reelection campaign
is even close is because of the mountain of outside money that’s been
poured into the state — $8.3 million according to NBC’s Luke Russert.
But is it even close?
The PollTracker average
currently shows an 8.6 point spread in Brown’s favor, with Brown’s
average just shy of 49% and he’s trending up against opponent Josh
Mandel. (See the trend chart here.).....
Ohio citizens know that Sen. Sherrod Brown has been a champion for the middle class, police officers, firefighters, teachers, college students, women, coal miners, and everyone. He doesn't have a particular constituency that he represents. Sherrod Brown works for all Ohioans.
Josh Mandel, the Ohio Treasurer and Republican candidate, has displayed his need to be the center of attention, especially while avoiding work and meeting with his right wing millionaires. Mandel has spent so little time attending meetings and going to his elected office, some citizens even wonder if Mandel should just resign since he seems so uninterested in being the Treasurer. Mandel's lack of enthusiasm for his current elected office, his trips out of state, his tour and photo ops with Ohio's SB 5 supporters, and his reluctance to discuss his agenda with anyone but right wing pundits, shows a candidate unprepared for the real world. Mandel is against reproductive rights for women, supported SB 5 (Issue 2), supported the "heartbeat" bill, opposed paycheck equity, and while in the State Assembly, Josh Mandel voted againstHB 176. According to the bill summary from the Laws, Acts, and Legislation page for HB 176, here is what HB 176 prohibits:
Prohibits discriminatory practices on the basis of "sexual
orientation" and "gender identity and expression" under many of
the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) Law's existing prohibitions against
various unlawful discriminatory practices....
and---
....Adds sexual orientation and gender identity expression to the
list of covered characteristics that are specified in various provisions of
current law that prohibit persons or entities from discriminating on the basis
of most of the covered characteristics...
Josh Mandel apparently believes it is okay to discriminate against people because of their sexual orientation.
••• David Mixner had this to say about Republican Josh Mandel:
There is a candidate or two every election year about whom everyone
in both parties scratches their heads and says "How in the hell did
he/she get the nomination?" Those candidates usually have a list of
liabilities so long that it takes a couple of sheets of paper. Such is
the case of the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Ohio - Josh
Mandel. The only reason he is a contender in November is because of the
Supreme Court's ruling on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
In a powerful article in Politico.com,
you can see firsthand the impact of that decision on keeping a totally
disqualified candidate as a contender. In a moment we will list good ole
Josh's problems but here is how he is staying alive. Democratic Senator
Sherrod Brown predicts that American Crossroads and other Super PACS
are spending $500,000 a week in Ohio without any disclosure who is
giving that money! If that spending holds that means that the SuperPACS
could give in Ohio alone up to $10 million outside of what the candidate
raises!...
I have to stop writing about Mandel now because my blood pressure is increasing!!!! Josh Mandel appears unable to do his job as Treasurer and yet wants to become a Senator????
**** When will Republican Rep. Issa stop his political was against Attorney General Holder? Issa should know that when the President invokes "Executive Privilege" that all actions must stop. (* Note: President George W. Bush used Executive Privilege six times.) Does Issa even know the law? The President is trying to protect the Attorney General of the Bush administration and our undercover officers. Shame on Issa for demanding what he cannot have. You can contact Issa HEREor at (202) 225-5074 or FAX (202) 225-3974 and tell him to stop the witch hunt.
Do you remember those missing resumes from Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel's office? They've suddenly been found, but people are wondering where they've been all this time.
....Mandel, the GOP nominee against U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D), released 33
of the 34 remaining resumes to state Democrats, saying they have been
"voluntarily presented" to his office. The release followed weeks of
Mandel's office saying it did not have all the resumes for staffers
hired by the Tea Party favorite to fill posts in the treasurer's office. Several of the resumes, according to the Dayton Daily News are for longtime political aides or friends of Mandel...
.....Democrats, who have been seeking the resumes since 2011, were
alternately denied or ignored by Mandel's office, at one point receiving
the entire state payroll as a response. The Dayton Daily Newsreported allegations of "cronyism" in Mandel's office earlier this year, and The Huffington Post reported that Mandel dispatched his debt-management director to a beginner's class in the subject when he was first hired.
The delivery of the resumes comes the same day as questions from
Brown's campaign about Mandel's attendance at five events in Washington.
The event schedule for Mandel released by Brown's campaign includes
four fundraisers and a conference call with members of the Republican
Jewish Coalition. Thirty GOP senators helped raise money for the
34-year-old at one of the fundraisers...
Josh Mandel has told so many lies that it will be difficult to believe anything he says.
---------------------
• Mitt Romney and his campaign don't want you or the media to ask questions about their solution to the immigration policy announced by President Obama. Romney has indicated that he opposes President Obama's new policy.
What’s on the mind of a campaign’s message machine may not be the
burning issue in journalists’ minds. When Mitt Romney’s campaign held a
conference call with reporters on Wednesday morning to discuss what it
called President Obama’s “record of failure on the economy,” the first
three questions from reporters were about Mr. Romney’s views on
immigration. Campaign press aides abruptly ended the conversation.....
The other problem might be that Grover Norquist, the Koch Brothers, Mitch McConnell, and the rest of the right wingers, haven't told Mitt Romney what to say on this particular subject on immigration. Romney is the perfect person to be manipulated by Norquist and the rest of the bunch. This is what Norquist wants in a Republican President: (from the Daily Beast)
...Pick a Republican with enough working digits to handle a pen to become
president of the United States. This is a change for Republicans: the
House and Senate doing the work with the president signing bills. His
job is to be captain of the team, to sign the legislation that has
already been prepared....
In other words, Norquist and the Republicans want a non-thinking, puppet, to do as told. No thinking or questioning will be allowed. That sounds like Romney!
Both Romney and Portman are extremely wealthy and appear to have little interest in the needs of the middle class, the unemployed, the elderly, college students, the working poor, etc. USA Today:
Mitt Romney's
net worth has not significantly changed and remains between $190
million and $250 million, according to the Republican's presidential
campaign......
Sen. Rob Portman is worth between $7 million and $20 million, making him
one of the wealthiest members of the Ohio congressional delegation,
according to financial disclosure documents filed this week.....
It would be difficult for Romney and Portman to say that they understand what people are going through given their wealth. Romney is clearly out of touch, especially when you consider his remarks like "...corporations are people..." and "....let Detroit go bankrupt..." Romney just doesn't get it about what Americans have experienced in the collapse of Wall Street, banks, and the collapse of the housing market.
Allowing someone in the White House that has made a fortune buying companies, firing longtime employees, taking their pensions, and closing those companies while reaping millions, and millions of dollars, would be wrong. Romney's Bain Capital destroyed families and communities. There is nothing good that comes from destroying people's lives and getting richer in the process. That is avarice.
The AkronBeaconJournal has this to say about Republican candidate, Josh Mandel, Ohio's current, but absent, Treasurer:
...In capturing the state treasurer’s office two years ago, Mandel
unleashed an ugly ad that played to public fears, suggesting his
opponent was a Muslim and linked to terrorists. Mandel has hurled wild
accusations against Brown, many deemed “false” or “pants on fire” by
Politifact. He then asserted he would keep trading in untruths.
The
neglect has extended to his job, failing to attend Board of Deposit
meetings, hiring ill-prepared cronies, departing from his intent to
serve a full term. He even has eschewed the need to take positions on
matters before the Senate. What, voters might deserve to know?...
* Republican candidate, and jet set member, Josh Mandel, has yet to explain what he knows about the FBI investigation of his campaign. The Workers' Voice has a few questions for Ohio's absent Treasurer, Josh Mandel:
1.) What role did the Mandel campaign have in soliciting the contributions that kicked-off the FBI investigation?
2.) When did Josh Mandel know his campaign was being investigated by the FBI?
3.) Why didn't he return the questionable contributions before that investigation was made public?
There are plenty of more questions we'd all like to ask the globe-trotting Republican, but Josh Mandel refuses to answer questions. He always seems to find a back door to avoid questions from the press and concerned citizens.
*** Josh Mandel brags about his time in the Marines. However, Grumpy Abe knows a lot about another Marine that has never bragged about his experiences in war:
....Now, allow me to go back to another Ohio Marine, Col. John Glenn, a Democrat who landed in the Senate.
In the many years that I reported on his political career, I heard not a
word from him about his military life, which included tours as a combat
pilot shooting down MIGs. His record as a flying ace and astronaut
could speak for itself without his embellishment.....
.....Glenn, always the modest hero with a liberal voting record that showed
his deep concern for average folks. So I'll tell you this much: I
knew John Glenn. Josh Mandel is no John Glenn.
Thank you, Grumpy Abe!
***** Check out the hilarious website---JoshyShore.
>>>>> What? More jobs are coming to Toledo because of President Obama's rescue of the American auto industry????????? The Toledo Blade has the story that predicts over 1,000 more jobs in the auto industry! See the Toledo Blade for details.
How can anyone forget what Mitt Romney said about the American auto industry???
Do right wingers outside of Ohio want Republican Josh Mandel as a Senator, more than the people of Ohio? According to a report in Politico, "Josh Mandel kept afloat by outside cash." That is a very frightening thought. Those outside of Ohio, special interest groups, right wing PACs, powerful anti-worker groups, obsessive anti-women's rights groups, etc., are supporting Josh Mandel. Do these outside groups see Josh Mandel as malleable, just as they view Romney?
Josh Mandel looks more and more like an over ambitious candidate with no legislative experience or ideas of his own to present to the public. Mandel's campaign consists of lying about Sen. Sherrod Brown. Sen. Brown is a real champion for Ohio's workers and stood up with them against Kasich and SB5. Sherrod Brown has worked hard to protect the rights of women, our environment, and has worked tirelessly to assist our veterans and military families. Josh Mandel---not so much. Josh Mandel is working for corporations and himself. Why else would he spend so much time out of his elected office visiting and pandering to the businesses of the people that contributed to keep SB 5?
••• Republican Vice Presidential prospect, Marco Rubio, is a little to far to the right for many Hispanics and Latinos. Here is what USA Today has about Rubio's political moves:
...On some key policies, Rubio is at odds with most Latinos. He speaks
favorably of a tough Arizona immigration law. He defends a Florida purge
of voter rolls that has disproportionately affected Hispanics.....
Rubio has presented an ever changing series of stories about his family's own immigration, his religious preferences, and his votes against pay equity.
>>> Ohioans are getting very angry about the backroom agreements that Gov. John Kasich has devised concerning fracking. A demonstration against fracking was able to draw thousands of participants. (See 10TV.)
Speaking of fracking----- It appears that the state of Ohio, under the leadership of John Kasich, might begin selling water from state lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams to the companies doing the fracking. There are opponents to this stupid idea, but of course the Republicans cannot hear them. The loss of water for drinking and public recreation could cause real problems to citizens. See the Dispatch for more.
*** The President gave a brief statement today at the White House about immigration. The content of his speech was concerning providing opportunities to young people who've arrived in this country illegally, but have demonstrated scholarship and good citizenship. Unfortunately, a right wing report rudely interrupted the President as he was speaking. MSNBC has identified the reporter as Neil Munro, at the Daily Caller, an organization owned and founded by Tucker Carlson. You might want to email Tucker Carlson at info@dailycaller.com and let him know how rude and disrespectful his reporter was to the President.
••••• Voters in Ohio are starting to wonder if Republican Josh Mandel is hiding something. His refusal to make public 34 resumes of his personal hires for the Ohio Treasurer's office has many people growing suspicious and outraged. There have been 9 public information requests that have gone unanswered by the Josh Mandel campaign. 9! Intoxination has a post that raises the question and provides some insight. Mandel is a public servant, an elected official, but his arrogance, lies, and disregard for his duties has made him an unattractive candidate.
>>>> Ohio's unemployment rate has gone down, according to the Cleveland Leader. Of course with so many jobs and industries tied to the American auto companies in Ohio, it is because of President Obama's bold move to save the entire American car industry. Gov. Kasich should write President Obama a thank you note for saving so many jobs! Even though Kasich, Josh Mandel, Mitt Romney, and many Republicans were against the auto reorganization plan created by President Obama, they continue to avoid showing their appreciation.
How can we forget---
--- those words from Mitt Romney, "Let Detroit go bankrupt."
--- the lack of support for the auto bailout from John Kasich.
--- the lack of support for the auto restructuring from Josh Mandel.
If you missed the research done by the American Bridge Pac on Mitt Romney's previous tax returns, here are two items to review:
...Romney’s 2010 Tax Returns Showed He Contributed $35,000 To
Anti-Gay Groups “Massachusetts Family Institute” And The“Beckett Fund.” According
to Human Rights Campaign, “The tax returns for Mitt Romney’s charitable
foundation reveal that the GOP presidential hopeful has given at least
$35,000 in recent years to groups actively working to halt the spread of
LGBT equality and, in some cases, intentionally demonize LGBT people.
[According] to CNN, Romney donated to the extremist group Massachusetts
Family Institute, as well as the Becket Fund. The Massachusetts Family
Institute received $10,000 from Romney in 2006, while the Beckett Fund
received $25,000 in 2009. The donations came from the Tyler Charitable
Foundation, set up and funded by the Romneys. The Massachusetts Family
Institute has long been a vocal opponent of marriage equality, and
believes sexual orientation is a choice that can be cured.....
...Romney Paid $20,603 Total In Wages To Four Household Workers In 2010. According
to the Huffington Post, “IRS forms released Tuesday by Mitt Romney’s
presidential campaign show that despite reporting income of $21.7
million, the couple paid only $20,603 in taxable wages for household
help in 2010. This figure was divided among four women: Rosania Costa
($4,808), Kelli Harrison ($8,667), Susan Moore ($2,238) and Valerie
Cravens Anae ($4,890).” [Huffington Post, 01/24/12]...
There are plenty of more eyebrow raising bits of information at AmericanBridgePAC that you should read.
Romney's support of anti-gay hate groups is very disturbing. His abuse of power by paying housekeepers so poorly is shameful. I'd be interested in knowing how many hours per year these women worked to earn such low wages. Do you think anyone would ever get an answer to that inquiry?
You'd think that Republican Josh Mandel, Ohio's absent Treasurer, would have learned by now that people do not like liars. Josh Mandel's campaign has been the source of so many lies that many voters are just disgusted.
If you look at statements from Mandel and Sen. Sherrod Brown, you'd see that one candidate has a higher percentage of lies (Hint: Josh Mandel).
Michigan state rep Rep. Lisa Brown intervened in a debate about a
pending abortion bill in which she used the word "vagina," for which she
was censured, and prohibited from participating in some future,
unrelated debates. She was not the only woman legislator prohibited from
speaking during the debate. Rep. Barb Byrum was barred from introducing
her amendment requiring men to prove that their lives were at risk
before they were allowed to have a vasectomy.
Brown, a Democrat, argued that her Jewish faith allowed for therapeutic
abortions
when the mother's life is in danger without regard to length
of pregnancy.
"I have not asked you to adopt and adhere to my religious beliefs. Why
are you asking me to adopt yours?" she said. But what came next is what
got her in trouble: "And finally, Mr. Speaker, I'm flattered that you're
all so interested my vagina, but 'no' means 'no.'"
The Republicans in Michigan are afraid to say "vagina", but they are willing to legislate about it. Soon we'll hear reports that Michigan Republicans have placed tape over the mouths of women.
I hope that people, especially women, wake up and vote for Democrats!!!
Reports are coming in about the attendance at the two rallies here in Ohio today.
PlainDealer notes that there were "...about 1500 people..." at the rally for President Obama. The very enthusiastic crowd looked like regular, ordinary Americans of every age and ethnic background.
On the other hand, the Romney rally speech had an all white crowd of "...about 100 people...." in Cincinnati (according to KnoxvilleNewsSentinel). The Romney crowd looked about as enthusiastic as people waiting for a dental appointment.
President Obama will be in northeastern Ohio today!!!! Awesome. President Obama will speak at 1:45 pm at Cuyahoga Community College.
>>> Updates: The President is speaking now.
President Obama said that the Republican tax cuts to the rich, allowed "...the top 1% to see their incomes increase by 275%...." OMG!!!
The President said that in order for Romney and the Republicans to fund their $5 trillion in tax cuts for the rich----
.....the cuts to programs would be deeper than anything that has been done before this.....
.....not one singe independent economic expert has said that Romney's plan would reduce the deficit....
The President said he ....has a different vision---
.....have a strong growing middle class....
.....I see an America with the best educated in the world...
....best high tech...., ......balance deficit reduction
....ask the wealthiest to pay their fair share.....
He has ......cut taxes for small businesses 18 times....
He said he believes what Abraham Lincoln said:
.....through government we can do together what we cannot do by ourselves....
......now is not the time to scrimp on education......
....recruit more teachers.......train them to teach math and science.....
.....end subsidies to oil companies....
......the only thing that can break the stalemate (in Washington, DC) is you....
√ If you have insurance with Aetna, you might be interested in this from CREW:
Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
sent a letter to Mark T. Bertolini, chairman, CEO, and president of the
insurance giant Aetna, asking his company to stop using corporate funds
to influence elections. This request follows an SNL Financial story
revealing that Aetna has contributed more than $3.3 million to the
American Action Network (AAN) and nearly $4.5 million to the Chamber of
Commerce.
AAN is a shadowy 501(c)(4) organization that broke both tax and
campaign finance laws in its quest to influence the 2010 elections, and
the Chamber is one of the biggest political players. While corporations
traditionally pay dues to the Chamber, in 2010 Aetna reported dues of
just $100,000 – almost $4.4 million less than Aetna contributed to the
Chamber in 2011. These payments indicate Aetna surreptitiously has
spent well over $7 million to influence Americans at the polls.
“Aetna wants to get rid of its political opponents without being held
accountable by its shareholders or customers for funding vicious attack
ads,” said CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan. “If Aetna intends to
use corporate funds to sway the elections in 2012, Mr. Bertolini should
come clean and stop hiding behind AAN’s skirt.”
How disgusting!
______________________________
There is a big concert scheduled in Florida for June 26th:
Join me for my special concert in Miami on June 26 supporting President Barack Obama. To buy tickets go to http://bit.ly/KCoR3S
>> Did you know that President Barack Obama has created more jobs in his few years in office than former President George W. Bush created in 8 years?
>>>> Mitt Romney will be in Cincinnati, visiting a business owner that has contributed $7500 to one of George W. Bush's favorite Congressmen, Steve Chabot (see Open Secrets). I wonder if Romney will arrive with one of his dressage horses on the top of his car, as Stephen Colbert suggested last night. (See Opposing Views for pic.)
***
>>>> There is a new ad in Ohio featuring washed up, right winger, Pat Boone. I don't take any advice from him, let alone an endorsement. With news that Pat Boone is teaming up with Karl Rove to run ads against Ohio's Sherrod Brown, I'm confused about why they'd do such a thing. Josh Mandel has no experience, has never written legislation, is against teachers, firefighters, police officers, pay equity for women, Social Security, Medicare, public schools, health care for the poor, lower interest rates for college loans, reproductive freedom for women, equal rights for gays, etc. Why would anyone support right winger, Josh Mandel?
• Don't you wish that a certain Ohio office holder had to actually use a time clock to record his time spent in his office? If Republican Josh Mandel, Ohio Treasurer, had to clock in and out, taxpayers would be shocked at the time he spends out of his office.
Here is an example of another Washington, DC trip for candidate Josh Mandel, with 3 planned fundraisers. Politicalpartytime:
Josh Mandel's lack of legislative experience, and his pandering to right wing special interest groups, really leaves voters wondering how much Mandel can really think for himself. His own ignorance about the amount of money in the state's retirement funds shows that his inattention and absences have taken a real toll on Mandel's ability to do his job as Ohio Treasurer. Ohio voters can see that Josh Mandel has demonstrated total disregard for his elected office.
* The group, Veterans and Military Families for Sherrod Brown, is promoting their support of Sen. Sherrod Brown because of his strong support for Vets and their families in this YouTube video:
When retired four-star General Johnnie E. Wilson declared his support for Sen. Sherrod Brown, he said the following (LINK):
I served in the military for nearly 40 years. I began as a
private, developed into a noncommissioned officer, earned a commission
and went on to reach the rank of four-star general. Having served at
every level of command—having led and been led—I have come to recognize
and value leadership as a fundamental element of one’s character. It is
for this simple, but profound, reason I proudly endorse Sherrod Brown
for reelection to the U.S. Senate.
Simply put, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown is a leader. Whether fighting to
put Ohio’s Veterans back to work, giving our returning heroes the
educational opportunities they deserve, or securing necessary funding
for equipment and medical care for our troops, he is taking action and
taking the lead. We want a leader who is there every day and Sherrod
Brown is there for Ohio’s Veterans and military families. There is no
stronger advocate for our community.
It is important to me that the interests of Ohio’s Veterans and military
families are looked out for. Sherrod Brown is a true leader who cares
about Veterans. It is because we can count on him being in our corner
that I will be supporting Senator Brown for reelection this fall.
Yes, sir!
>>>> Just in case you've missed it, there is a lot of drilling going on in Ohio. In maps provided at the Akron Beacon Journal, the locations of the various types of wells are provided (LINK).
•••• It is pretty amazing that Republican Josh Mandel has plenty of time to visit so many fundraisers for himself in the state, around the country, and even the Bahamas, but he doesn't have time to provide the missing resumes from his hires in his department. The Ohio Democratic Party has filed their 9th records request for Mandel's records. He has refused their requests for 14 months!
• President Obama had a special guest in the White House---- Betty White. Every single time I see Betty White, I think of my own parents. Here is a picture from the White House photographer, Pete Souza:
>>> Gov. John Kasich's approval rating is still in the toilet, and Plunderbund has posted TPM's chart of Kasich's standing in Ohio. It boils down to this, according to TPM:
Kasich's disapproval is 55.6% ...... Kasich approval is 39.4%
Gov. Kasich's cuts to education are starting to show. Many districts have laid off teachers throughout Ohio and the rest of the country. USA Today:
President Obama urged Congress on Saturday to renew federal money for
local governments so that they can avoid layoffs of teachers.....
"In Pennsylvania alone, there are 9,000 fewer educators in our schools
today than just a year ago," Obama said. "In Ohio, the number is close
to 7,000."
Of course, Mitt Romney doesn't see a problem with large class sizes. Voters can see that President Obama is trying to get teachers back in the classroom, but Boehner, Paul Ryan, and Eric Cantor will work to block any chance of that happening. While the Republicans sabotage the economy, they laugh, and joke, but in the end their disdain for the average American is showing.
••••• Ohio State's Board of Trustees is moving toward privatizing the parking at the university. Despite opposition from faculty, and students, it appears that the decision has been made for a 50 year agreement with an Australian company, QIC. Here is a YOUTUBE video that explains the opposition to President Gee and the Board's plans:
Of course, no one can overlook the huge disaster Chicago has had with their privatization of their parking. Time Magazine (5/11/12):
...So how did Chicago get itself into this situation? In 2008, Chicago’s
then-mayor Richard M. Daley pushed through a $1 billion deal to lease
Chicago’s parking meters to a private company for 75 years. A group of
investors, led by Morgan Stanley, took over Chicago parking, ripping out
old meters and replacing them with high-tech pay boxes. As Chicagoans
adjusted themselves to the new technology, they also had to adjust
themselves to new, much higher parking rates. Street parking in
Chicago’s Loop now costs $5.75 an hour. Next year it will be $6.50.
As you might imagine, Daley’s little parting gift to Chicago has not been terribly popular amongst the city’s residents.
The Expired Meter, a blog devoted to chronicling what it sees as the
failings of the parking deal, greeted the news with these three words: “Told ya so.”
It makes you wonder what parking fees and fines will be like in the future at Ohio State, especially since Morgan Stanley is also involved in the the deal here.
For news and views of the Chicago parking problems, visit TheExpiredMeter.
>>>>> It appears that Republican Josh Mandel's Democratic backers are really only
4 Democrats, according to information given by his campaign to the Dispatch:
.....Asked by The Dispatch for evidence of the backing Mandel
says he is receiving from Democratic voters and groups, the Mandel
campaign offered only the names of four registered Democrats willing to
comment. But one of them actually is an independent who says she has
supported candidates from both parties.
The issue of Democratic support has come to the fore because Mandel
unfailingly brags about it in speeches and interviews. A May 10
Quinnipiac University poll showing Brown with a 6-point lead in the race
found that only 5 percent of Democrats surveyed said they plan to vote
for Mandel, compared with 10 percent of Republicans who indicated
support for Brown.....
Josh Mandel's campaign has produced a continuing list of lies in their ads, speeches, and claims of bipartisan support. This just proves that Josh Mandel has nothing but the same old worn out right wing rhetoric we've heard thousands of times. He has no new ideas. It might be a better idea for Josh Mandel to work at keeping his present job.
Why would anyone support a candidate that has lied continually, is against equal pay for women, is against a woman's reproductive freedom, is against public schools, and was against President Obama's auto bailout that saved hundreds of thousands of American jobs?
Don't you wish that Republicans and their supporters would just leave women alone? Now, FreedomWorks, a groups that supports conservative Republicans, like Josh Mandel, has cranked up their efforts to completely wipe out Planned Parenthood. An ad from Freedom Works goes after Planned Parenthood and President Obama (see link).
I wish that Republicans, Freedom Works, and the rest of their ilk, would just leave women alone to make their own decisions. The right wing's obsession with women's reproductive parts is getting to the point of being frightening, and perverted. Women don't go around discussing male sexual organs, and I'd appreciate it if Republican males would stop worrying about a woman's ovaries, tubes, uterus, and menstrual cycles.
The demand in Virginia by Republicans and Gov. McConnell to make any woman requesting an abortion to undergo a forced vaginal probe is disgusting. It most cases, forcing a woman to have a foreign object inserted into her reproductive organs would be rape. Why isn't the vaginal probe considered rape?
By the way, if you look at the at the anti-Planned Parenthood petition at Freedom Works, it appears that a majority of the petition signers are men. Don't you think that is a little weird and perverted?
• Ouch! This headline at Examiner needs to be corrected: "ODOT, OSU opt for private partners to offset decline in pubic funding"
• There appears to be a lot of controversy surrounding the privatization of parking at Ohio State. The faculty and students do not seem to be happy with an Australian company getting control. See the Lantern for more details.
• Why do the Republicans refuse to pass the President's infrastructure bill that would create 100,000 + jobs? Are Republicans blocking the legislation just to make President Obama look bad? People are out of work and the Republicans refuse to pass his jobs bills.
• Republican Josh Mandel has spent more time out of the Treasurer's office than in it--- yet he still gets paid while he campaigns. We should all have jobs like that! I don't like the plans that Josh Mandel and the Republicans have that would cut Social Security to fund tax cuts for the rich. Where do these Republicans come up with these stupid ideas that punish the elderly, the poor, and school children? Are Republicans so greedy that they'd run over anyone just for more tax cuts????
I can't wait for Sen. Sherrod Brown to debate Josh Mandel. Mandel will probably refuse to answer questions and just try to attack Sen. Brown. I did find this item from the Buckeye State Blog from 2006 concerning Mandel's refusal to do an interview back then:
.....Josh then offered to do the interview if he could approve the questions. That, of course, was out of the question....
Amazing. Josh Mandel is still running away from answering questions.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindahl, Virginia
Gov. Bob McDonnell and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are among the
vice-presidential possibilities flocking to Chicago Friday for the
Conservative Political Action Conference......
These are the possible vice presidential nominees for the Republicans?????? Are you kidding me???
1. Chris Christie- His rude, pompous language and actions would make him a huge negative, especially with women voters.
2. Bobby Jindahl- How can we ever forget Jindahl's less than stellar performance on national TV and his participation in exorcism??? The NY Times said:
A day after Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s widely ripped
Howdy Doody-meets-Mister Rogers response to President Obama’s address,
Max Blumenthal piled it on with an interesting article on The Daily
Beast reiterating some things not widely known about the “Bayou’s boy
wonder.”
One of the most interesting facts in the piece, titled “Bobby Jindal’s Secret Past,”
was that Jindal said he witnessed, and then haltingly participated in,
the exorcism of his very close friend (a woman named Susan) when he was
in college.....
3. Gov. Bob McDonnell (aka Gov. "vaginal probe" McDonnell) is a real candidate for the GOP VP???? I'd bet that many women have a few suggestions for Gov. "vaginal probe" McDonnell!
4. Gov. John Kasich- What few words can I say that would cover it all?????? Here is a short list that will remind you of what Kasich has done to our state:
a) No job growth--- Ohio is still bleeding jobs. (See ODJFS for the latest job losses.)
b) Kasich was against the Obama plan to save the American auto industry.
c) The staff of the Kasich administration is not diverse, and women are paid far less than males. Kasich's appointments to JobsOhio show his lack of diversity with males in huge majorities.
d) The FBI investigation of the Kasich administration (see Plunderbund).
e) Kasich calling a police officer "an idiot" at the start of his tenure.
Etc., etc., etc.................
***** The Toledo Blade has the latest bizarre stuff from Ohio Republican Josh Mandel, current Ohio Treasurer:
....Mandel called opponents of the oil and natural gas industry "radical
environmentalists" during his talk to Cleveland's McDonald Hopkins law
firm, the newspaper reports. He said those groups would be pumping
significant money into the state to block oil and natural gas
exploration.....
Would it be okay with Mandel if they starting drilling and fracking in his backyard. If Mandel ever lets the press ask him a question, I'd like to see someone ask him if it is okay to give mercury and benzene tainted water to our children?????
I'm not a "radical environmentalist" but someone that worries about providing clean air, clean water, clean soil, and a healthy environment for our families, and future generations. Apparently the oil, gas, drilling, mining, and chemical manufacturing groups (see OpenSecrets) are providing big bucks to Mandel so that he can shrill for them.
In case you didn't know----- Josh Mandel was in Chicago at a fundraiser on May 23, 2012 (see Chicago GOP). This also involved MAVPac, the group that brought him to Texas and NYC. Does Josh Mandel ever go to the Treasurer's office to do his job????
>>>> Why does Republican Joe "the plumber" Wurzelbacher (not really a plumber), pay himself out of his campaign funds???? (see USA Today)
SSG. Shannon M. Smith from Delaware County, Ohio, was killed in Iraq in 2009. There will be a special motorcycle ride in his honor on June 23rd. The ride will include a scavenger hunt, and the Rolling Thunder Ohio Wall. Registration is from 9am to 11am, at Quaker Steak and Lube, in Columbus, near Polaris. The ride starts at 11am and runs until 3pm, and there will be an auction to benefit the SSG Shannon Smith Scholarship Fund.
For more information, visit the Ohio POW-MIA Memorial about this group and how you can lend your support.
Women are getting angrier about the barrage of legislative restrictions that Republican men have forced onto women. Since the Republican-Tea Party people have taken more seats in the House and the Senate, women are being pushed out of decision-making for themselves and not given opportunities for pay equity.
Sen. Rob Portman joined 46 other GOP lawmakers in blocking consideration of the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that would have made it easier for women to receive the same pay as their male counterparts.
Senate Democrats, including Ohio’s Sherrod Brown, all voted in favor of the bill, but they fell short of the 60 votes need to open debate on the legislation....
Here is what Sen. Sherrod Brown said, as stated at Cincinnati.com:
“It’s simple: equal pay should be provided for equal work,” he said in a
statement. He noted that in Ohio, women earn only 85 cents to every
dollar earned by a man, causing a “staggering gap of $472,000 over a
lifetime for the average Ohio woman.”
....Mandel’s campaign said Brown was trying to politicize the issue and signaled that he would have voted “no” on the bill.....
Mandel's campaign accuses Sen. Brown of trying to play politics??????? I'd like to accuse the Republicans and Josh Mandel of sex discrimination. Why does a woman deserve less pay than a man? Tell us. We want to know.
When women are not paid equally, they cannot support their families. By being paid less than men, women will have made lower contributions to Social Security, a 401k, and pensions. With less money for retirement, elderly, widowed women will be left on the brink of poverty. But the Republicans don't care. Those of us that lived through 1960's and 1970's never imagined that we women would still be fighting for equality and pay equity in 2012.
What can we do to fix things and push for equal pay? Women need to vote for candidates that support pay equity. Women must support the re-election of President Obama and the re-election of Sen. Sherrod Brown. We cannot afford to play games. Our lives and those of our daughters depend on us moving forward for equality.
•••••• On April 2, 2012, I wrote the following on this blog:
"Josh Mandel must certainly love San Francisco! If you recall, Josh Mandel visited the Bay Area GOP on December 5, 2011 for a reception held in his honor. However, Mandel returned to San Francisco to the Bay Area GOP on March 26, 2012, for another fundraiser!"
You'll never guess where Josh Mandel is going AGAIN!!!!! The Bay Area GOP!!!!!!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012 / 12:00 pmFundraiser for U.S. Senate Candidate Josh Mandel (Ohio)
One Market Restaurant, 1 Market Street, San Francisco Details: Michael Novogradac will host a luncheon to benefit Ohio State Treasurer and U.S. Senate Candidate Josh Mandel.
Seriously, there is something wrong with someone that is so clearly unhappy in his current job that he would go to any lengths, fly to any destination, just to get out of work.
Wait!!!!! There is more!!!! Mandel goes back to Washington, DC, to rub elbows with more lobbyists. The Sunlight Foundation has discovered that 3 more fundraisers will be held in Washington, DC on Monday, June 18th, 1pm, 4:30pm, and 5pm. (These should not be confused with the 3 previous fundraisers he had in DC on June 4th.)
Yes, it will be another day that Josh Mandel doesn't show up for work in Columbus, Ohio.
* Now that Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel has returned to Ohio, people are not so sure that he has actually returned to his office. According to the Springfield News, Josh Mandel was campaigning at another pro-Republican business, K.K. Tool.
....Mandel was invited by Clark County Commission candidate Kyle Koehler,
whose father started the tool and die business in 1972. Five of
Koehler’s six siblings also work at the company.
“We feel that he’s supporting what we do, as far as small business, in terms of regulations,” said Koehler, also a Republican....
Kyle Koehler also spoke against President Obama's health care plan, as noted on the Mitt Romney web page. When will Josh Mandel have the courage to speak to regular working men and women? As long as Mandel only talks with rich business owners, and Koch friendly lobbyists, he will continue to cater to their wants and needs. So far, Josh Mandel has not addressed the people of Ohio, only businesses.
Republican candidate Josh Mandel has another big fundraising event on June 18th out of state. Mandel is doing a fine job neglecting his duties as Ohio Treasurer!
* Teach for America is getting ready for their big Ohio debut.
More than 30 Teach for America corps members started studying in
Atlanta this week, days after visiting the Dayton region as part of their
“induction” into the local educational landscape.....
....The more than 30 members that visited last week will serve in either Dayton,
Cincinnati or Covington, Ky., as part of TFA’s three-year commitment to
place 90 teachers in the region....
.....Critics of TFA cite the lack of a traditional four-year education degree for
corps members, but it was noted that the members are provided with
instructional coaches and online resources, are part of regional learning
teams led by experienced teachers, and often take part in certification and
master’s programs through university partnerships....
The article goes on and explains that TFA participants will be teaching in three charter schools, including Dayton Early College Academy. Back in the olden days when I started teaching in public schools, I did not have class sizes of under 15, as they do at DECA. Why aren't they sending these TFA candidates into public high schools or middle schools in the inner city? (I have a few schools I'd like to suggest as first assignments for these
TFA candidates, and they are not cushy, charter or private schools.)
It seems to me that Kasich and his charter school cronies are trying to shove this program down the throats of citizens, even though these TFA candidates are not facing the real rigors of teaching. Keep in mind that you cannot measure what happens in a charter school that has selective admissions and small class sizes against a typical, over crowded, open enrollment, public school.
***** Republican Gov. John Kasich was patting himself on the back yesterday for the legislation that adds some restrictions to ownership of exotic animals. However, the law is so watered down that a third grader could have written stricter rules. If Kasich had not allowed Gov. Strickland's order to expire, all those exotic animals that died last year would be alive today.
...Republicans filibustered Democratic-led legislation
aimed at closing the pay gap between women and men. The measure would
beef up protections for women who sue employers for gender-based wage
discrimination or discuss pay with their co-workers — and the GOP
blocked it just as it did in late 2010 when the Paycheck Fairness Act
last came up......
“It’s pure election-year politics,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL).
“This bill reads more to me like some sort of a welfare plan for trial
lawyers.”
After the vote, Mikulski said, “We’re not going to give up. … But it’s a sad day.”
Marco Rubio is wrong if he doesn't think that this matters to women. Women want to have equal access to the same jobs and the same pay scale that men have in a company. Why does Rubio think it is all politics? A majority of households in this country are headed by women. Every single time the Republicans vote against the rights of women, they are taking away freedom and opportunities for women and their families.
Shame on the Republicans. Shame on them for gloating while women lose more rights.
This is not June Cleaver's world anymore. Women are informed and working to expose the truth. We know that the huge debt that our country has was caused by the two wars that were waged by George W. Bush. We know he didn't pay for them and just put that debt aside.
Women need to think twice before voting for any Republican. Why vote for someone that will only create more grief and restrictions on your life? A woman voting for a Republican is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders. You know what will happen in the future.
Mitt Romney’s senior campaign adviser, Eric Fehrnstrom, on Sunday
said that social issues important to women, like contraception coverage
and abortion rights, were “shiny objects” that were being used to
distract voters.
David Plouffe, one of President Barack Obama’s top aides, last week told New York Magazine that Democrats needed to be clear about what a Romney presidency would mean for women’s rights and other social issues....
“Mitt Romney is pro-life,” the senior adviser admitted to ABC’s George
Stephanopoulos. “He’ll govern as a pro-life president, but you’re going
to see the Democrats use all sorts of shiny objects to distract people’s
attention from the Obama performance on the economy. This is not a
social issue election.”
In conclusion, we can infer that Mitt Romney doesn't care about women, our reproductive issues, access to health care, equal pay for equal work, improved education, and access to birth control. Do American women want to return to the 1950's? I don't.
Eric Fehrnstrom and Mitt Romney don't get the fact that access to birth control is an economic issue. If you can't pay for the birth control pills, and there is no Planned Parenthood, a woman is having babies, and unable to support her family with a job outside of the home. That might be the way that Romney wants it----less women in the work place, less complaints about equality and equal pay.
If you need some evidence on how the availability of birth control has helped improve women's lives and contributed to the world economy, read the article in The Fiscal Times.
•••• People are noticing the amount of corruption scandals in Ohio! See Truth Out for details.
>>> How many jobs has John Kasich created? Apparently, he hasn't done much in the area of new jobs. A quick look at the long list of Warn Notices at ODJFS (Ohio Dept. of Jobs and Family Services) proves that Kasich has contributed to more job losses. All the hoopla about money going for companies for job creation has only produced more job losses.
>>>The campaign of Republican Josh Mandel continues pumping out the lies, misrepresentations, and bogus claims about the work and reputation of Sen. Sherrod Brown, Ohio Democrat. Josh Mandel's claims have been debunked by Fact Check, PolitiFact Ohio, WKYC, Toledo Blade, and other media outlets. Unfortunately, the Josh Mandel campaign doesn't seem embarrassed that their ads have been tagged as untrue and gross fabrications.
FactCheck said Mandel's ad was "deceptive" and points out the truth, including--
...The ad claims that Brown “gave huge bonuses to executives.” That’s not
true. Brown actually voted to ban bonuses to top executives at companies
that received bank bailout funds, but that prohibition was removed in
House-Senate negotiations before the final stimulus bill became law.
The ad also claims that Brown “sent billions of our tax dollars to foreign countries.” That’s not right, either.....
The lies from the Mandel campaign are disgusting and sad. It just shows that Josh Mandel has no experience, and is poorly suited for higher office.
Anyone who really knows Sen. Sherrod Brown is aware of his work on behalf of workers, teachers, police, firefighters, mine workers, farmers, college students, and the elderly.
With the continuing scandals surrounding the campaign of Josh Mandel, how can anyone support his candidacy? If Mandel is lying to the public in his ads, how can we be sure that he is telling the truth about anything???
Elected Republican men try to pass more and more restrictive legislation on women's biological functions, birth control, and reproductive freedom. Why ask a man? What is wrong with asking a woman?
We know that Republican candidate, Josh Mandel, has been campaigning his pro-job creator agenda to those individuals and companies that supported and contributed to the anti-working class/pro-SB 5/Issue 2 agenda. Now is Josh Mandel playing like a lap dog to outsourcers?
Republican Josh Mandel, the Ohio Treasurer that is rarely found in his office, was involved in a conference call with Invacare, and the lobbying group, Ohio Coal Association, according to the Morning Journal. Invacare is a company that has routinely cut jobs in Ohio, and then outsourced them to China and Mexico. If you check an Invacare wheelchair or walker, you'll see a "Made in China" sticker on it.
Josh Mandel's "jobs tour" has been nothing more than photo opportunities with businesses and owners that already are supporters of the Republican pro-business, anti-human being agenda. In checking Open Secrets, you can see that the Ohio Coal Association contributed $4000 to the Josh Mandel campaign, as of April 30, 2012. Also, individuals that are employed by Invacare have contributed to the Mandel campaign (see Open Secrets).
Josh Mandel's whole campaign has focused on talking to business owners, PACs, local Chambers of Commerce, and local GOP county groups. Why hasn't he reached out to office workers, teachers, carpenters, sales clerks, nurses, etc.? Is he afraid that his pro-business agenda will turn them off? Is he worried that voters will see that he isn't really interested in their issues? Is Mandel campaigning to represent voters or businesses??? For some reason, given his emphasis on business owners, I think Mandel really doesn't care about you or me.
>>>> As another example of how poorly Gov. Kasich's JobsOhio is working, we see more layoffs are occurring in the state. The following information is from the Warn Notices posted at the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services---
Marc Anthony
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