Looking Back

This year, we've learned a lot about everything.  We've learned that---

--= Gov. John Kasich, William Batchelder, Shannon Jones, and other Ohio Republicans are not interested in helping Ohio's middle class. They would, however, give as much state money as they could to corporations and CEO's.

--- A huge group of Ohio's middle class workers organized and fought back against the Ohio GOP, Kasich, and SB 5.  The Republicans and their anti-collective bargaining legislation were defeated by the citizens of Ohio.

--- Josh Mandel, current Ohio Treasurer, decided very early after he was sworn into office (in January 2011) that he didn't like his new job. Now Republican Mandel, supported by far right Tea Party supporters like Sen. Jim DeMint, and other conservatives, is a candidate for U.S. Senate.  Mandel has yet to reveal his goals and views because he is more interested in attacking the defender of the middle class in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Sherrod Brown.  (Mandel did support SB 5: see YouTube and JournalNews.)

--- Kasich did his best to ignore and tear apart all legislation supported by former Gov. Ted Strickland. As a result of Kasich allowing Strickland's ban on exotic animals to expire, 56 exotic animals from a Zanesville farm were released and later killed to protect the public (see the Dispatch).  Kasich had to backpedal his anti-regulation mantra after the public and the media demanded action to restrict the ownership of exotic animals.

--- People in Ohio's 15th congressional district learned how far to the right Republican Rep. Steve Stivers was willing to go when he voted to do whatever he could to help his banker friends by repealing piece by piece of the banking regulations put into law falling the Wall Street disaster of 2008.  We still have not seen any job creation legislation coming from Stivers.

--- How can we forget the total failure of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner?  Boehner continues to cave into the demands of his far right Tea Party Republicans and the 1%.  Face it.  Republicans might be able to get elected, but they are uninterested in helping a majority of Americans.

--- Donald Trump is concerned about Donald Trump.

--- John Kasich like to use state planes to fly as often as possible.

--- Rules and laws are for others- not Republicans.

More later-----

Truth?

Now you know......

Ohio Senate President Tom Niehaus was recognized for something he said that rated a "Pants On Fire" award by PolitiFact. Niehaus made comments that union people had done damage to the Statehouse and PolitiFact looked at his claims:

"Unfortunately, we have documented instances where people defecated in the building. We have documented instances where they have written on the walls," Niehaus said. "This is the people’s house. I used to say treat it like it’s yours. Well, I don’t want it to be like it’s theirs if that’s the way they treat their own home."

Some union groups responded immediately, denying that a group featuring police officers, firefighters, teachers, nurses and others unionized workers would commit such vile acts in the storied building.

PolitiFact Ohio looked into Niehaus' claim. It was chosen as one of it's favorite items from the year. 

Niehaus and Batchelder (see my previous post below) are willing to do anything to win----even tell lies.

>>> Here is an update on a lawsuit against White Hat Management, Ohio's largest charter schools owner. Dispatch:

The 19-month fight over whether Ohio’s largest for-profit manager of charter schools must share detailed financial records could be coming to a close.

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge John F. Bender has decided he can rule on the case, and he reiterated an order he made in August that White Hat Management release records showing how the charter-school operator spends the millions of tax dollars it gets each year.

Bender had halted the case last month to determine whether the court had the authority to preside over the lawsuit. On Friday, Bender stated that the court had jurisdiction.....

If our tax dollars are going to charter schools, their refusal to detail their financial records is a slap in all our faces.  What makes charter school owners think they are above the law and the courts?  Republicans have made it too easy for charter schools to operate and get away with substandard results.

After the holidays.....

I hope you all had peaceful Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations.  I'm recuperating from overindulging in too many cookies and candy.

****  As Gov. John Kasich brags about all the money he has spent this year, more evidence in pouring in about how his administration is wasting our tax dollars.


WLWT:

Ohio Gov. John Kasich doesn't live at the state's official governor's residence, though taxpayers paid to fix the mansion's roof and to keep cable running at the home this year.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that $438,720 was spent in 2011 to staff, maintain and repair the mansion in Bexley, just outside of Columbus....

There must be a cheaper way to maintain the home while no one lives there. 

***  Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15th) is a lot more conservative than some voters thought he'd be in Congress. That's My Congress shows his leanings:

...Rep. Stivers's Conservative Action Score: 55
The Conservative Action Score is calculated by compiling a series of observably conservative roll call votes and bill cosponsorships in the 112th Congress and comparing Steve Stivers's behavior against that conservative standard:

• Disregard for constitutional protections of American civil liberty
• Secrecy and exclusion of citizens from government
• Support for discriminatory policy
• The symbolic denigration and practical undermining of science and education in America
• Active harm to the environment or passive allowance for environmental destruction
• Pursuit of further advantage for those in America who are already its richest
• Dismissal of peaceful possibilities and obeiscance to the military-industrial complex

A score of 55 means that Representative Stivers has taken 55% of the possible conservative actions identified on the That's My Congress scorecard.... 

Why are some Republican lawmakers working to protect bankers, corporations and polluters? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.


>>> Progress Ohio has the latest tall tale from Republican House Speaker William Batchelder and it is filed in the "Liar Wire" category.  Does Batchelder think people are so stupid that no one will check his false claims?  We have a few relatives in Canada and not one has said anything negative about the Canadian health care system.


* * Best bumpersticker I've seen recently:

I love Ohio

Too bad our governor is a douchebag

Thank you, President Obama!

This just in....
  Because of efforts by the President, House Republicans and John Boehner have caved and just passed the payroll tax cuts. Thank you, President Obama for standing with all Americans and against the Republicans.

>>>>  Is Ohio's Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor in the hot seat????
10TV:

Gov. Kasich said Thursday that he wants Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor to repay the state for use of a plane and a state lawmaker calls for an investigation, but Taylor said she already paid the state back in full.

State Representative Matt Lundy (D) of Elyria called on the state auditor to get to the bottom of four flights taken by Taylor, 10 Investigates' Paul Aker reported.

The Columbus Dispatch first reported Taylor flew in the state King Air aircraft to her hometown near the Akron-Canton airport. Taylor reimbursed the state more than $1,000 for the flights.....

Kasich managed to keep Taylor out of his way, but now is he trying to get her out of office?

****  I cannot even stand to hear Newt Gingrich's voice. Ewwwwwwww.  His pomposity is nauseating. Did you know that a caller into Limbaugh's show asked about having a "homewrecker in the White House" if Newt was the nominee? (see DailyKos) Just remember folks, Gingrich wrecked his marriages too.

Mitt Romney has changed his mind more times than anyone I know.  He has been for and against nearly every issue. The way he treated his dog is also very troubling (see SNOPES).

> What has political analyst Charlie Cook done to his hair? (He is on MSNBC right now.) Is that a comb over, new hair color, or a hair piece??? It is frightening!

*  EnvironmentAmerica at Capwiz has the score cards for Sen. Sherrod Brown (Democrat) and Sen. Rob Portman (Republican):

Ohio Senators	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Score
Sherrod Brown (D-OH)	+	+	+	+	-	+	+	-	+	+	+	81%
Rob Portman (R-OH)	-	-	-	-	-	-	+	+	+	-	-	27%

Legend

Y  Voted Yes (No position by organization)

N  Voted No (No position by organization)

+  Voted With Us

-  Voted Against Us

P  Voted Present

NV  Did Not Vote

I  Not in Office

S  Speaker (Typically the speaker does not participate in roll call votes.)

Why does Portman hate the environment??? Steve Stivers is in the same ballpark as Portman.  Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15) has a horrible environmental record.  Stivers voted 29 times against the goals of EnvironmentAmerica.

The Good, The Bad, and the Really Shameful

**** THE  GOOD ****

The Nation magazine presentS The Progressive Honor Roll of 2011:

...MOST VALUABLE SENATOR: Sherrod Brown

Faced with what was supposed to be a tough re-election race in 2012, Brown could have taken the easy way out when Ohio Governor John Kasich signed legislation attacking the collective-bargaining rights of public employees. Instead, Brown leapt into the fight, speaking and rallying with the workers of Ohio and even turning what had been his campaign website into a vehicle for the movement to overturn the antilabor law. It was a gutsy move, but it paid off. Brown’s poll numbers soared as Kasich’s plummeted. Brown threw himself into the successful campaign to overturn Ohio’s law in a November referendum. At the same time, he was fighting in Washington against flawed free-trade deals that shutter US factories while failing to bring prosperity to foreign lands. Brown, a leader in the push to address poverty and disease in developing countries, is anything but an isolationist. He’s an internationalist who understands the need for global resistance to policies that privilege corporations over workers from Cleveland to Chongqing. In 2011 he linked those struggles more effectively than any other senator....

Ohio's middle class must remember that Sen. Sherrod Brown stood with them. When the Ohio GOP and Kasich targeted them, Sen. Sherrod Brown worked with and supported We Are Ohio and the middle class. Stand with Sen. Sherrod Brown now and in 2012. He has your back.

There is one more person from Ohio that The Nation recognizes in their 2011 list:

MOST VALUABLE STATE SENATOR: Nina Turner

“An apology! An apology! I want an apology!” announced Turner, a Cleveland Democrat, as thousands cheered the defeat of Governor Kasich’s antilabor legislation. Appearing on Ed Schultz’s MSNBC broadcast from Columbus on the night of Ohio’s historic November 8 vote, Turner was every bit as energetic and every bit as unyielding as she had been throughout the long campaign to defend the rights of public sector workers. Kasich “owes Ohioans an apology for not working on the No. 1 issue, which is jobs!” said Turner. While many Washington representatives disappointed in 2011, state legislators stepped up as champions for labor rights, the public sector and economic justice. Turner wasn’t the only smart, passionate legislator to take the national stage, but the breadth of her agenda stood out. As she was standing up for workers’ rights, Turner was also taking the lead on an array of economic development, voting rights and social justice issues....

Nina Turner is an incredible fighter for all Ohioans.  She has demonstrated her strength and courage in facing Kasich and his  policies. Nina Turner made us proud.

----------

*THE BAD:
  The House Republicans have demonstrated that they will do anything to thwart the recovery of our country.  With John Boehner and the House Republicans refusing to even vote on the compromise bill on a two month extension of the pay roll tax cut that was passed in the Senate, Americans are horrified. What will people do if they lose, at minimum, an additional $1,0000 per year?

The House Republicans wanted a one year extension of the pay roll tax cut this August, but they were against it because........ President Obama was for it.  Now, the House Republicans have decided not to vote for the two month extension of the tax cut because
(1) it was pushed by more moderate Republicans in the Senate,
(2) they'd rather create financial disarray than help people,
(3) they now want the one year pay roll tax cut they were against (see NYTimes and JoplinGlobe), and most importantly,
(4) they are against anything that President Obama wants and Americans want.

John Boehner and his House Republicans want your taxes to go up because they have more important things to do than cut middle class pay roll taxes.

**********

****The Really Shameful:

Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner is the #1 putz on his remarks made about the First Lady Michelle Obama.

MediaBistro:

...In his story that published early this morning, Bice reports on the pub’s No Quarter Blog that Sensenbrenner “took several swipes” at the first lady. He sources Ann Marsh-Meigs, a 72-year-old retiree, who was on hand and offended by the congressman’s remarks.

An excerpt: “He then talked about how different first ladies have had different projects – Laura Bush and literacy – and he named two or three others,” Marsh-Meigs said in an interview last week. “And then he said, ‘And Michelle Obama, her project is obesity. And look at her big butt.’

Sensenbrenner spokeswoman Amanda Infield reiterated to Bice that her boss plans to phone the first lady’s office to apologize.

(Of course you remember rotund Republican Rep. Jim "I want my gavel" Sensenbrenner and his crass ending to a committee hearing when he took his gavel, shut off the microphones and the lights before witnesses called by Democrats could testify.)

Shame on Sensenbrenner. Who voted for this bozo????

This is Kasich's job creation?????

* More layoffs in Ohio----ODJFS:

12/20/2011 -Park Farms---Canton (Stark County)-  Number Affected: 225 .....

*  Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15th) seems to be doing a lot of legislative work that protects banks, bankers, stockbrokers, insurance companies, and cement manufacturers, but doesn't necessarily help the consumer.

Lexology:

On December 8, 2011 the House Financial Services Subcommittee on  Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity approved legislation eliminating the Federal Insurance Office’s (“FIO”) and the Office of Financial Research’s (“OFR”) authority to subpoena information from insurance companies.  H.R. 3559 (the Insurance Data Protection Act), was introduced by Representative Steve Stivers (R-OH) and was approved by a party-line vote of 7-5, with each Republican on the Subcommittee voting in favor.    

The legislation still needs to be approved by the House and Senate; however, the Subcommittee’s approval is perceived as a step in the right direction by those in the insurance industry who have expressed concern over encroaching federal regulation, typically reserved for the states......

Stivers is the protector for big business.  Why is he trying to prevent the federal government from issuing subpoenas?  Aren't there some insurance companies that routinely cheat people, deny them their rights to settlements, and even discriminate against certain groups?  Why is Stivers protecting insurance companies instead of consumers?

>>>>>  Plunderbund has exposed the latest plan by Gov. John Kasich to use your tax dollars to ruin our schools---- Teach for America.

Don't Blame Me---I didn't vote for these GOPers!

* The new redistricting boundaries drawn by Ohio Republicans has received a lot of negative attention from non-partisan groups and others interested in fair elections.

DaytonDailyNews:

Montgomery and Greene counties are part of one of just three “competitive” U.S. House districts created by the new congressional map signed into law last week by Gov. John Kasich, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the Ohio Campaign for Accountable Redistricting...

....The other districts all had majority part indexes higher than 55 percent. Twelve districts favor Republicans and four favor Democrats.

Dan Tokaji, a professor at the Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University, called the map a “disgrace to our democracy” because of political gerrymandering....

Considering recent Republican behavior in the state and nationally, Republicans just don't seem to care about average citizens, working people, the poor, students, and the elderly. Republicans have demonstrated they will go to any lengths, lie, and smear their opponents, just to win.  When Republicans win elections, they seem incapable and uninterested in doing anything that helps the majority of people.  All you have to do is look at the actions of the House Republicans and their refusal to continue tax cuts for average Americans.

In a related story.......

ChicagoTribune:

In Congress' tense drama over how to extend payroll tax cuts for 160 million Americans, it may be the most intriguing subplot: whether Republican House Speaker John Boehner is losing his grip on members of his own party.

Boehner and many Republicans scoff at the idea.

But the House's rejection on Tuesday of a bipartisan Senate plan to extend the tax cuts for two months has raised questions about Boehner's efforts to lead compromise-resistant House Republicans who have helped ratchet up the tension in Congress......

Just a few days before the screw up in the House, Boehner appeared to be willing to go forward with the deal from the Senate.  Then the Tea Party Republicans, like spoiled children, demanded that Boehner refuse the compromise.  Apparently, Boehner is being pulled around by his nose by the most junior members of his caucus---the Tea Party Republicans.  Boehner is not providing leadership.  Under Nancy Pelosi, things got done in the House.  Now with Boehner----not so much.

Keeping Watch

* Although Gov. John Kasich may say he will protect the people and the environment with the fracking taking place in the state, working class people in Ohio know that Kasich cannot be trusted. 
Business-Journal:

Gov. John Kasich said Monday "tough and clear regulations" will be put in place governing the emerging shale gas industry in Ohio, and stressed the industry's impact could reach statewide, not just in the eastern part of the state.....

....Although Kasich, early in his remarks, attempted to distance himself and the work being done by his administration from politics, the Ohio Democratic Party reacted to his press event by issuing a statement that charged that Kasich has "alienated and vilified Ohioans who disagreed with him" rather than bringing the people of the state together to solve its problems.

"On Election Night, voters were asked if they supported the direction in which John Kasich was taking our state, and they answered with a resounding 'no,' " said Seth Bringman, the Ohio Democratic Party's communications director. "From his attacks on workers' rights to voting rights to women's rights, John Kasich has not stood with Ohio's middle class in the past year." 

Past behavior is an excellent predictor of future behavior.  Middle class families, teachers, fire fighters, police officers, nurses, and public employees know how that no matter what Kasich says, he will continue to favor corporations over people.

****  The Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives will go home, enjoy their homes over the holidays, and continue to get their pay and benefits.  The Senate is adjourned until the new year and cannot be called back.  The House, under the Republican leadership, is now throwing a tantrum and wants things changed in the original bill.  While people would have their taxes increase, unemployment benefits would end, Medicare access to doctors would be in danger while the Republicans refuse to have an up or down vote on the tax cut bill. 

Contact Boehner's office---(202) 225-6205 (202) 225-0704 fax
Contact Cantor's office---(202) 225-4000 or (804) 747-4073 or (540) 825-8960 or
                                   (202) 225-2815 

>>>>>>  Even though Josh Mandel was due to file his financial disclosure form on May 15, 2011, he just filed it, according to CanadianBusiness:

....Democratic spokesman Justin Barasky said Mandel released the report only to the media, not to the public, on Friday — and at a time when it could easily get lost in the shuffle.

"For nearly six months Josh Mandel broke the law and illegally refused to disclose his personal finances despite every other major Senate candidate in the country being in compliance," he said. "And now he continues his evasion tactics by filing a report still not yet available to the public on the weekend before the biggest election in the country."

.....Mandel has not yet officially announced his candidacy for the office, though he has been consistently fundraising for the bid....

Isn't that interesting?  Mandel can collect money but hasn't formally announced?  That sounds a little shady to me.

Mandel is still hiding from the press. He must be afraid that his extreeeeeeeeeeeeeemely conservative views that are pro-tea party, pro-corporations, and anti-Middle Class will scare the voters away.  Mandel's super secret fundraising trips around the country to conservative groups is bringing in money, but he has refused to actually discuss anything.  He continues to attack Sen. Sherrod Brown, but Mandel refuses to share his views.

I'd like to see how much time he actually spends in his office as Ohio Treasurer. 

Below is Mandel on another fundraising trip to DC: YouTube 




Isn't it curious that it took Mandel sooooo long to complete his personal financial disclosure but he had plenty of time to travel from one end of the country to the other to do his fundraising?

 Speaking of people being out of their offices--------  Where is Ohio Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor?  Is she actually performing any of her duties of office or as Director of Insurance?   Is she working in an undisclosed location?

Republicans Just Don't Get It

* The Fremont News-Messenger gets it, but Gov. John Kasich doesn't.

News-Messenger:

The Kasich administration is touting a big reduction in the state's unemployment rate, a drop from 9 percent in October to 8.5 percent last month.....

.....the labor force -- the number of people age 16 and older who are working or actively seeking work, excluding the retired, students, prisoners and a few others -- declined by 22,000. That's the largest month-to-month drop in the labor force since that same date, July 1983, when it was chopped by 69,000.

There were 49,000 more Ohioans working in May of this year, yet the unemployment rate was higher than it is today because there also were 61,000 more people in the labor force, statistics from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services show....

Many people have given up looking for a job and those numbers are not reflected in the unemployment rate. Many, many people who've sent out hundreds of resumes, filled out online applications, went to job fairs, and directly applied at the human resources departments of companies, have given up looking for work.  Companies don't even show enough courtesy to say thank you for your interest, but they will not hire an applicant.

*  As Republican Speaker of the House, John Boehner said he would not be going along with the Senate bill on the payroll tax break, he wore his expensive suit, designer shoes, and a suntan he got while playing golf on some private golf club.  Oh, John Boehner, you have failed to help Americans.

Boehner and the Republicans have been sitting around doing absolutely nothing.  People do not have jobs and the Republicans seem to be okay with that.  While they pass bills with words that cut regulations, restrict the office of the Treasury, cut paperwork for bankers, destroy bank reform, pass more bills restricting abortions (even though the bills have previously been on the books), etc., etc., they haven't created any jobs. 

Boehner, Cantor, and the House Republicans are a truly disgusting lot.  While Paul Ryan sips his expensive wine, in some exclusive restaurant, families are trying to figure out how to put together enough money to keep the heat on in their homes. The Republicans don't care about you- especially if you are poor.

>>>>>>  Now for more arrogance, I give you Mitt Romney-----

HuffingtonPost: 

....Fox host Chris Wallace pressed Romney on his support for the Ryan budget, suggesting that Ryan's plans to eliminate $700 billion in aid to states, including $127 billion in food stamps, would make Romney vulnerable to Democratic attacks in the general election. Romney said that he would help the poor by growing the economy, and suggested that cutting government benefits for the poor wouldn't cause problems.

"Cutting welfare spending dramatically, I don't think will hurt the poor," Romney said....

(This is from the guy that didn't understand Medicaid and Medicare.)

Romney wouldn't be hurt.  Are we seeing Romney's "Western White House" design?  Consider his plans in California, SignonSanDiego:

...Romney has filed an application with the city to bulldoze his 3,009-square-foot, single-story home at 311 Dunemere Dr. and replace it with a two-story, 11,062-square-foot structure. No date has been set to consider the proposed coastal development and site development permits, which must be approved by the city.

The former governor of Massachusetts purchased the home three years ago. According to a description from the listing agent, the Spanish-style residence at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac is sophisticated and understated in its décor, “offering complete privacy and unsurpassed elegance.”

People that are poor and having difficulty feeding their families are not thinking about "elegance."

Sky King???

* Gov. John Kasich may have left his Wall Street job to become governor, but he still enjoys some high-flying perks of the rich life.  With state funded planes at his disposal, Kasich has used the planes as though they were taxis.

Dispatch:

...However, as governor, Kasich flew on state aircraft 46 times from Jan. 10 through August of this year at a cost to taxpayers of $60,320.50, according to the latest-available records provided to The Dispatch. In all of last year, Strickland used the state’s planes 17 times at a cost of $27.188.22....

...The state planes are also available to Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, who has flown on four separate occasions this year. While the total cost of those flights was not immediately available, records and Kasich’s office confirmed that Taylor was either picked up or dropped off at the Akron-Canton Airport for three of the trips. That airport is about 6 miles from her home in Uniontown....

Let me remind you that the above mentioned report on Kasich's flying only pertains to those flight up to August.  He has continued to fly in the months since.

Kasich is flying on our tax money.  It is a luxury to fly into an Ohio city for a meeting, but it is not a necessity. Taylor should not be using state planes at all.  With Kasich's budget  cutbacks for schools, care for the elderly, programs for the homeless and poor, there is no need for the Governor of Ohio to be using an expensive means of travel when others are going without food, shelter, and jobs.  The only people that seem to be making out are the corporations that are getting Kasich's corporate welfare and the staff members who work with Kasich and do political work on state time.  Where are the jobs?

Appalling

*  An article at the NYTimes might raise suspicion about how charter schools operate and try to influence the public and lawmakers. It seems that more people are realizing that these charter/virtual schools only benefit the owners and investors. Children are the real losers because teachers are overloaded with students and children rarely make progress. Here is an excerpt from the article at NYTimes:


...Former State Representative Stephen Dyer became suspicious when members of the benignly named organization My School, My Choice paraded through his northeastern Ohio district carrying signs attacking him: “Why Won’t Rep. Stephen Dyer let parents choose the best education for their kids?” 

The protest was prompted by questions Mr. Dyer had raised over the state’s financing formula for charter and online schools. The group describes itself as a coalition of parents, teachers and employees of the schools. But Mr. Dyer said that his wife questioned the people carrying the signs and found out they were paid temp agency workers...

If paid temp workers were used to protest against Stephen Dyer, were temp workers used on any other demonstrations? How much were these "demonstrators" paid?  Did the charter school group use state money to pay for the "demonstrators" who appeared downtown Columbus in 2009? Do the pro-charter school organizations regularly hire temp agency workers for demonstrators???? Are they misusing state money?

>>>  An editorial at Ohio.com wonders why Republican Josh Mandel, current Ohio Treasurer, doesn't have time to meet with the Akron Press Club.
Ohio.com:

Josh Mandel took several months beyond the required deadline to file his financial disclosure statement as a candidate for the U.S. Senate. He now has taken roughly as long to say no to the Akron Press Club, declining an invitation that Republicans and Democrats long have accepted, a chance to talk about his candidacy and take questions from people in the audience.

The refusal is cheeky given recent events in the emerging campaign, the state treasurer for 11 months challenging Sherrod Brown, the Democratic incumbent. Mandel has been hurling wild charges, most recently accusing Brown of siding with “fringe elements” (the Athens County commissioners?) in wanting to take care concerning oil and gas drilling in the Wayne National Forest.....

...The refusal is all the more galling in light of the Mandel schedule. The past six months he has been raising campaign money in Honolulu, San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Washington. No time for a luncheon talk at the Press Club in Akron?

Mandel has no time to work with local press, but he is willing to go anywhere to collect campaign money from big machers and right wing blowhards who want nothing more than to destroy Social Security, Medicare, and the middle class.

Ohio Republicans Push An Unfunded, Right Wing, Mandate

 
 * Ohio's Republicans are pushing their right wing agenda regarding the teaching of history in schools.  The Republicans and Gov. Kasich have already taken away money for schools so they could give more to charters and corporations.  Now teachers will be forced to teach "originalism" for history.

Dispatch:

....Legislators engaged in an extensive debate today over a bill that would require students in grades 4-12 to be taught the original texts of the Declaration of Independence, Northwest Ordinance and the U.S. and state constitutions. Starting in high school, more social-studies time would be dedicated to American history and government classes, which would have to include study of the documents.

It also would require that, by July 1, 2014, at least 25 percent of questions on new end-of-course exams for American history and government relate to the founding documents. The State Board of Education would be ordered to develop the new standards by July 1, 2012.....

.....“ By teaching the Constitution without teaching the whole truth, this is where we come into problems,”n said Rep. Clayton Luckie, D-Dayton. “Three-fifths of a human being; women not able to vote. ... You teach it all. When you leave parts out, you let individuals put their own thoughts into that and twist why things happened in our history.”

Pushing this type of study, will help Republicans eliminate why certain groups were given rights.  Does this mean that there will be no discussion of Women's Rights, Civil Rights, Child Labor, integration, voters rights, etc.?

Alternet suggests that this type of instruction is being supported by right wingers:

....Originalist constitutional theory developed during the Reagan years as a critique of activist judges. Its theorists argued that a jurisprudence focused on the original intent of the Founders would serve as a means of limiting the discretion of judges. This theory proved controversial from the start and was subjected to a number of withering criticisms. One of the many problems with the theory stemmed from its shaky historical foundations. Simply put, the Founders did not speak with a single voice on most constitutional questions......

......“New Originalism” has grown over the last decade, largely spurred by right-wing scholars, judges, and generous support from the Federalist Society, the wealthy conservative legal group that has become a farm team for conservative judges and academics. In contrast to traditional originalism, new originalism emerged at a time when the Supreme Court was dominated by a conservative majority, as it is today. The goal of new originalism is not to constrain judges, but to empower them to further the agenda of conservatives. (A few liberals have embraced a version of this theory, hoping to use it to revive and expand aspects of the Fourteenth Amendment, but this is a small minority within the originalist movement.) For right-wing scholars and judges, new originalism serves as a type of constitutional camouflage. It allows “conservatives” to create their own living constitution and advance a form of judicial activism, while claiming to be simply engaged in an act of constitutional redemption....

Are Republicans trying to push their propaganda on our school children? You betcha!  They are trying to make our children into little right wingers who want to adhere to only those laws in the original documents. This is also discussed in an article by conservative Steven Hayward,  "After Reagan: Five Challenges for 21st Century Conservatives." Once again, we are confronted with the right wing agenda and an unfunded mandate.

Now You Know

>>>>  If you are interested in the dirty details of how John Boehner and the Republicans drew their redistricting lines in Ohio, you must check out the DrawthelineMidwest Transparency Report for enough pdf material to keep you busy for the day:

Released December 12, 2011

• Transparency Report

• Appendix I – page 1 – 40 pdf

(Key players, time line, OCAR, Secrecy)

• Appendix II – page 41 – 85 pdf

(Mann/DiRossi contracts, Boehner, Nat. Rep. Comm)

• Appendix III – page 86 – 133 pdf

(Cong. Map negotiations, fundraising, political index)

• Appendix IV – page 134 – 174 pdf

(Record requests, transcripts, rules, editorials)

Click for the News Release

Three important emails

• Ohio Senate President Tom Niehaus’ email to Tom Whatman, Team Boehner, and Ray DiRossi, Secretary Apportionment Board about how important Speaker Boehner is in this process.
• Speaker Batchelder’s Chief of Staff & Secretaries of the Apportionment Board Ray DiRossi & Heather Mann’s email exchange about Campaign Finance & Redistricting.

• How the Timken plant was added to U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci’s district.......
 
The DaytonDailyNews has this about the report:

....Spokesmen for Boehner, Ohio House Speaker William Batchelder, R-Medina and Senate President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, denied the charges made by the Ohio Campaign for Accountable Redistricting in its report, “The Elephant in the Room.” 

The report, based on emails and other documents obtained through a public records request, said the Republicans gained maximum political advantage for themselves in drawing the 99 new Ohio House and the 33 new Ohio Senate districts. 

The Campaign for Accountable Redistricting is a 25-member coalition including the League of Women Voters of Ohio and Ohio Citizen Action. The report gave the Ohio GOP leaders a D- grade for shutting the public out of the process of redrawing the lines for Ohio’s congressional districts......

 Of course, they'll deny it, but the truth is staring at them in the face. Don't you wonder how many women and minorities were involved in the Republican process? 

******

* Democrats have been successfully recruiting new candidates for office in Ohio.  After the Kasich administration and the Ohio GOP went after the middle class workers in the state through SB 5, the coalition that defeated the measure has found such enthusiasm in their ranks that they've been able to recruit new candidates to run against the Republicans and their anti-worker/pro-corporate agenda.  The MansfieldNewsJournal has the details.

          _______

***  Ohio Republicans have announced their list of candidates for the Ohio House (see Capital Blog) and voters are making lists.  Why?  There are some elected officials in that GOP bunch that need to retire because they spent a lot of time supporting and kneeling at the Kasich altar.  Lots of people in District 21 are hoping to support a Democratic candidate to oppose Mike Duffey, of Worthington. (Note: Kasich helped Duffey campaign, according to this photo.)  Duffey's embrace of SB 5 shocked many people who thought they knew him.  Here is an article from SNPonline (from 4/5/11):

...The latest vote by the 21st District representative backed the controversial Senate Bill 5,signed Thursday, March 31 by Gov. John Kasich. The bill limits collective bargaining rights initiated in 1983 for the state's 360,000 public employees, as well as requiring them to pay at least 15 percent of their health-care costs....

....Still, Duffey said he is not worried about the ramifications to his political career that could result from the bill....

"I have always talked about jobs being my focus," he said. "That's always been the main concern in my district." 

Have you seen any jobs that have been created by Mike Duffey?????? Right.

Too Many Hands in the Soup?

* The deep dark secrets behind the new congressional districts in Ohio are finally coming out, and it doesn't look pretty. While they were out of the public eye in their publicly funded "bunker" for three months, the Republicans catered to the wishes of their contributors.

Dispatch:

Public documents released Monday by Ohio voter advocates show representatives of U.S. House Speaker John Boehner and operatives at the National Republican Congressional Committee were central in drawing the state’s disputed congressional map.

Documents obtained through a public records request by the Ohio Campaign for Accountable Redistricting show Tom Whatman, executive director of a congressional campaign effort called Team Boehner, legislative leaders, mapmaking consultants and the National Republican Congressional Committee participating in the process.

The correspondence includes a pledge by GOP Senate President Tom Niehaus to deliver “a map that Speaker Boehner fully supports.”....

....As the unveiling of the Republicans’ congressional map neared, Whatman was averaging a request a day, including a suggested boundary change affecting the Canton-based Timken Co., led by a prolific Republican political donor.....

Isn't it just like the Republicans to try to please their big wealthy corporate contributors.  They've got to keep their fat cats happy.  I'm glad someone has been able to shed some light on this gerrymandering controversy.  Since Boehner had his hands in this, we know it won't really promote fairness or help average Ohioans.

Where are the jobs, Republicans????

*  Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15) says he is creating jobs.  I don't know about you, but I live in Ohio's 15th congressional district, and I don't see any new jobs.  If you look at a list of "Key Votes" as listed at Votesmart.org that Stivers has voted on, you see a list of bills that do away with regulations that protect people and the environment:

(This is just a short list.)

Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2011 
Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies 


Repeals Country of Origin Limits for Green Cards Issued to Immigrants 
National Labor Relations Board Prohibitions 
Prohibits the National Labor Relations Board from Requiring Employers to Relocate Jobs
Repealing Provisions Limiting Funding For Endangered Species Act 

Repealing Energy Efficiency Standards for Incandescent Light Bulbs

 Someone needs to ask Stivers how many jobs he and his Republican colleagues have created with the repeal of regulations.  Those who live in Ohio's 15th district should call Stivers local office and ask how many jobs he has created.  Where are the jobs, Steve Stivers: Hilliard, Ohio office------(614) 771-4968.

***********

*  How is Ohio doing under the guidance of Republican Gov. John Kasich?  Not so good. A story in the Examiner shows Kasich's job numbers don't jive with those posted at the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS).

Examiner:

...The most recent report from ODJFS on Ohio's unemployment numbers shows the number of workers unemployed in Ohio in October was 526,000, down from 534,000 in September. The number of unemployed has decreased by 45,000 in the past 12 months from 571,000. The October unemployment rate for Ohio was down from 9.7 percent in October 2010.....

 

...Another data-driven source, Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc., a company that provides high-quality employment data and economic analysis via web tools and custom reports to Ohio and other states and to chambers of commerce, economic development agencies and workforce efforts arising from the Workforce Investment Act, says Kasich's Ohio doesn't fare better than 39th in what the data-collection company calls its 2011 Job Growth Competitive Effect by State report.......

 

.....While Gov. Kasich tells Ohioans he's just getting started, capital hill wonks in Columbus say Ohio, under Strickland, was growing jobs faster than the rate people were reentering the labor market. Kasich has seen the state's unemployment rate tick up three-tenths of a percent from where Strickland left it when he left office on the eve of Kasich's swearing-in ceremonies.....

 

In a post at IRA.com, the U.S. Department of Labor reports that Ohio continues to see an uptick in unemployment claims: 

 

....For the states that experienced the greatest increase in claims for benefits; Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana and Ohio led the pack. Comments from these five states were fairly consistent – construction industry layoffs as winter approaches generated the most terminations.....

 

 

You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.  Kasich is doing nothing to help our people.  Those being helped are corporations, CEO's, and Kasich's lobbyist buddies.

 

-------------

****  Ohio Treasure Josh "I want a new job" Mandel is too, too, too busy to go before the press to answer questions.  Mandel, a Republican that was bored with his job as Ohio Treasurer after a few weeks, has been so busy flying all over the country collecting campaign contributions that he is unwilling to answer a few questions from the Akron Press Club.  Apparently, Mandel has refused to answer any questions about 

 (1) trade with China,

 (2) the expansion of tax cuts for the middle class, 

 (3) why he accepted campaign contributions from a Nazi reenactor (see ClevelandJewishNews), 

 (4) why he took other suspicious campaign contributions, 

 (5) why he thinks that drilling in state and federal parkland/forests  is good for us when the U.S. EPA shows fracking contributes to groundwater contamination (see Bloomberg), etc., etc.  

 

It seems that the only thing Mandel can do is smear his opponent.  Does Mandel have any firm beliefs about anything?  Since he supported the Paul Ryan budget to end Medicare, does he think it is okay to deny health services to the elderly?  Is it possible that Mandel is just waiting for someone to tell him what to think?

Tea Party Propaganda

Plunderbund has some incredible news about a meeting of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) that is planned this week, December 13-14. The list of speakers, as reported by Plunderbund, is like a Tea Party round up of their biggest honchos.

Plunderbund:

....As you can see from the BASA agenda, the discussion will be Tea, Tea, and more Tea, with bottomless glasses of Charter School Flavor Aid.

And our state superintendent will be right in the middle of it all, promoting his own Tea Party agenda....

 Is the Tea Party taking over the Ohio Department of Education?

Friday Evening......

* If you have a parent or loved one in a nursing home, you might want to pay extra attention to the care that they are receiving.

ThinkProgress:

Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s “new way” of creating jobs has left something to be desired — namely, jobs. Kasich has killed projects that promised to create jobs in favor of policies that are sure to stunt job creation. Now with a state facing an overall loss of 400,000 jobs and an unemployment rate of 9 percent, Kasich’s decision to slash state funding for Medicaid left 2,800 Ohioans who help the elderly and disabled out of a job:

A separate survey of 385 Ohio nursing homes found that 2,800 jobs had been eliminated between July 1 and Sept. 1 — or soon would be — following a 6 percent budget cut to the state’s Medicaid program, the tax-funded health-insurance program for the poor and disabled.

Kasich’s cuts result from his desire to “rebalance” the amount of funding spent on Ohio seniors and the disabled. Hoping to shift towards “in-home care,” state officials say the nursing-home job loss is “not surprising.” But, as FamiliesUSA notes, funding Medicaid is a sure-fire way to ensure economic growth and job creation.....

How would you know if your loved one is not getting the proper care because of Kasich's cuts?  Here are some suggestions:

Is he/she clean?  Has he/she been washed, and changed?  Are bed sheets clean or soiled?  Has he/she received all medication at the proper times?  Has he/she been fed?   Has he/she been left in the same position/chair for many hours?  How many nurses are covering the patients?  If at all possible, visit at different times during the day to check on your loved one. 

If you see anything out of the ordinary, contact the head nurse and the director.  Don't hesitate in calling/notifying the Ohio Department of Health (1-800-342-0553 or e-mail: HCComplaints@odh.ohio.gov).  If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, contact your member of the Ohio Senate or Ohio House. Let the governor's office know if you feel that the care your loved one is receiving is inadequate or unsafe.

Please make sure that you document any incidents or problems (take notes, pictures, take names of people on duty).

>>>>>  The Brad Blog has an update on the Ohio Republican voter suppression law:

Congrats to all voters of Ohio for successfully pushing back against the GOP's efforts to keep you from voting in next year's Presidential election! It's another win for democracy, and another loss for the Buckeye State's Republican Gov. John Kasich (following on the recent landslide loss of his anti-union bill at the polls last month.)

Today, Secretary of State John Husted (R), officially certified that opponents of HB194 --- the anti-voting bill that would have shortened early voting hours and imposed other big government restrictions on the exercise of the franchise in Ohio --- will be placed on the ballot for voter referendum in 2012. Thus, the act, passed by the GOP legislature and signed by Kasich earlier this year, is officially suspended for now.....

.....According to Fair Elections Ohio's announcement of the official signature certifications this afternoon, opponents of the voter suppression law gathered "307,358 valid signatures, over 75,000 more than were needed." 

The coalition worked together for this success.  Great job!

Child Labor

*  Newt Gingrich is an idiot! 
Raw Story :

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich said Thursday that it was good life experience for children as young as five or six to have a job.

For more than a week, the candidate has been talking about the virtues of child labor, calling current restrictions “truly stupid.” 

.....At a meeting with Donald Trump this week, Gingrich announced that the business mogul had agreed to hire 10 poor children as apprentices.... 

Gingrich, Trump, and anyone that agrees that children should have jobs are insane.  There are laws that say that children under a certain age cannot be employed around dangerous machines or in hazardous situations.  Why do you think that child labor laws exist?  Back in the olden days, children worked in factories for extremely low wages instead of going to school.  I realize that fat cats like Gingrich and Trump might want a lower, uneducated class of people, but the rest of the country would be against it.

We know that Republicans are against things like regulations, minimum wage, job safety, equal opportunity, and other things that have helped create the middle class. (Here in Ohio, John Kasich and his GOPers tried to outlaw collective bargaining for public employees!!! The Republicans lost.)


U.S. Department of Labor:


The Department of Labor is the sole federal agency that monitors child labor and enforces child labor laws. The most sweeping federal law that restricts the employment and abuse of child workers is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Child labor provisions under FLSA are designed to protect the educational opportunities of youth and prohibit their employment in jobs that are detrimental to their health and safety. FLSA restricts the hours that youth under 16 years of age can work and lists hazardous occupations too dangerous for young workers to perform. Enforcement of the FLSA's child labor provisions is handled by the Department's Wage and Hour Division.....


Established law (the Fair Labor Standards Act) and the upholding of that law by the U.S. Supreme Court, makes child labor illegal.



We are not living in a Charles Dickens novel. Children should be in school so that they are prepared to live in an ever changing world.

* Why are the Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives going after Attorney General Eric Holder?  Shouldn't they be holding hearings on the cheating and dirty practices of bankers?  I guess if the Republicans went after the bankers, that might dry up their campaign contributions. The "Fast and Furious" activity started under the Bush administration.  When will the Republicans start questioning members of the Bush administration? 

Some Numbers...

The race to the bottom????

BradentonHerald:

Gov. Rick Scott's approval rating slip to 33 percent, down from 36 percent last month, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll this morning....

...Here are the numbers:

DEC. 8:
Scott: 33 percent approve, 52 percent disapprove, 15 percent don't know.
Kasich: 38, 50, 12.
Corbett: 47, 34, 19.

Nov. 10:
Scott: 36 percent approve, 50 percent disapprove, 14 percent don't know.
Kasich: 36, 51, 12.
Corbett: 46, 31, 23.

As yet, no one has placed any of these unpopular governors on Ebay.  I'd like to know the names of the people that responded that they "don't know" because there must be a lot of stuff they don't know.

>>> There will be some new candidate on the ballot in Ohio. WNCT:

Ohio Democrats have taken the rare step of putting up a candidate for every Ohio House district in 2012, even those that vote reliably Republican....

......State Rep. Debbie Phillips, co-chair of the House Democratic Caucus Campaign, said Ohioans were fired up over the union-limiting bill as well as budget cuts to schools. Maureen Reedy, the 2002 Ohio Teacher in the Year, is among teachers, other public employees, veterans and local government officials who are running.....

We've got to get the anti-public school Republicans out of the Ohio General Assembly.

**** Lobbyists are pouring money into the campaign of Republican Rep. Stivers (OH-15), according to an article, SIFMA: A Lobbying Powerhouse, posted at Bondbuyer. Too bad Stivers and his ilk aren't listening to their constituents!  Lobbyists must love former lobbyists.

More Ohio Politics....

* Banks and insurance companies probably should get rid of their lobbyists because Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15th) is protecting and assisting their industries.

Insurancenewsnet:

Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, has introduced legislation (H.R. 3559) to "prohibit the Federal Insurance Office of the Department of the Treasury and other financial regulators from collecting data directly from an insurance company."

The bill was introduced on Dec. 5.

The legislation was referred to the House Financial Services and Agriculture Committees.....

In other news, Stivers has a Democratic opponent.  WOUB:

Athens City Law Director Pat Lang is going to take a shot at Washington.

Lang announced on his facebook page today that he filed petitions this morning to run for Ohio's 15th congressional district.

The district is currently represented by Republican Steve Stivers......

>>>  Former Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy was correct during the last campaign when she warned us how Stivers would be operating in Congress.  Luckily, Kilroy is running again, but this time in the newly created 3rd district in Ohio (see ONN).

* Did you really want to know how well Gov. Kasich's lobbyist friends are doing?  Plunderbund has all the dirty details about Kasich's BFFs/lobbyists Donald Thibaut and Robert Klaffky, who just happen to be getting deals for companies they represent:

....When Ohio recently sold off a prison to a private operator, the contract went to CCA – one of Thibaut’s clients.

When Kasich made plans to privatize the lottery, he made sure his two best friends got lobbying contracts with the two biggest players. Thibaut got GTECH – the company that actually wrote the original, severely-flawed lottery privatization language that would have exempted them from state taxes.

The other lobbying contract, for Intralot, went to Kasich’s other long-time friend Robert Klaffky. While we don’t have specific numbers, it’s fair to say the lobbyists for this deal – which is still potentially in the works – are pulling down tons of cash on both sides....

 Be sure to read all the background at Plunderbund on the Kasich-Thibaut-Klaffky connection and how that figures into the Ohio GOP infighting. In the end, the people of Ohio lose, while Kasich and his fat cat buddies make out like bandits.

****** The extreme right wing of the Republican Party marched out their heartbeat bill today in the Ohio Senate. The bill is viewed as so extreeeeeeeeeeeeme that it has caused a rift in the Ohio anti-choice groups.  When will Republicans mind their own business about a woman's uterus?  Just as they invade our privacy, I think we should start asking Republican elected males if they use Viagra and other male enhancement drugs.  If they are so interested in our reproductive organs, we should find out about their practices. 

This heartbeat bill will be challenged by the ACLU, according to news reports (Bucyrustelegraph, Reuters, etc.).

The Ohio Democratic Party has come out strong against this right wing heartbeat bill.
OhioDems:

....To contact members of the committee, call the Ohio State Senate Switchboad at 1-800-282-0253. Start with the Chair and continue down the list!

The Republican members of the Senate Health, Human Services and Aging committee are:

• Scott Oelslager, Chair
• Dave Burke, Vice Chair
• Troy Balderson
• Shannon Jones
• Kris Jordan
• Peggy Lehner

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

The bill criminalizes a woman’s right to choose – before most women even know they’re pregnant.

The bill makes NO exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or when the health of the mother is at risk.

This bill puts Ohio women’s health at risk.

If this bill passes, Ohio will have the most extreme anti-choice legislation in the country.

This bill is so extreme, even Ohio Right to Life won’t endorse it.

The bill is unconstitutional. It could drag Ohio into costly federal lawsuits at a time when our state is already facing budget deficits.

Instead of focusing on social issues to divide Ohioans, Republicans should work to create jobs and rebuild our economy.....

Give them a call, especially  ---- Kris Jordan.