Don't forget!

Today is the 3rd anniversary of Gov. John Kasich signing SB5. Remind your friends of this sad event in Ohio history. We will remember in November that Kasich and the GOP tried to obliterate the rights of workers in Ohio.  If he is re-elected, he will most likely try again.

How well is Ohio's economy doing under Kasich? If you look at the layoffs posted at ODJFS and the state's ranking on job creation, you'll notice that Ohio is NOT doing well at all.

The list from ODJFS shows just the layoffs from the beginning of 2014: 

Date Received	Company	City/County	Potential Number Affected	Layoff Date(s)	Phone Number	Union	Notice ID
03/24/2014	RMC-USA	Jefferson/Ashtabula	unknown	05/31/2014	unknown	N/A	019-13-061
03/21/2014	Giant Eagle	Rossford/Wood	93	05/24/2014	(216) 591-2729	N/A	007-13-063
03/21/2014	Giant Eagle	Toledo/Lucas	86	05/24/2014	(216) 591-2729	N/A	009-13-062
03/19/2014	USEC, Inc.	Piketon/Pike	unknown	05/19/2014	(740) 897-2923	N/A	001-13-060
03/18/2014	CenturyLink	Mansfield/Richland	83	03/06/2014	(318) 683-2019	N/A	010-13-059
03/17/2014	Beulah Park Gaming Ventures, Inc.	Grove City/Franklin	46	05/01/2014	(407) 831-1600	Seafarers Entertainment and Allied Trade Unions (SEATU)	011-13-058
03/11/2014	PACS industries, Inc.	Mt. Vernon/Knox	90	03/07/2014	(516) 465-7110	N/A	007-13-057
03/06/2014	Consolidated Transport Systems, Inc.	Vanlue/Hancock	20	03/31/2014	(800) 348-8532	N/A	007-13-056
03/05/2014	Sid Tool Co.	Cleveland/Cuyahoga	97	05/02/2014	(516) 812-1035	N/A	003-13-055
03/04/2014	Emerson Network Power	Delaware/Delaware	63	06/30/2014	(740) 833-8598	N/A	007-13-054
03/03/2014	Gannett Publishing Services	Newark/Licking	74	05/23/2014	(740) 349-1171	GCC/IBT	007-13-053
03/03/2014	MACtac	Stow/Summit	113	05/03/2014	(330) 689-3902	Teamsters Local #348	002-13-052
02/28/2014	Dots	Glenwillow/Cuyahoga	96	02/28/2014	(440) 349-7022	N/A	003-13-051
02/26/2014	Bechtel Power Generation	Oak Harbor/Ottawa	155	04/01/2014	(301) 639-7087	N/A	007-13-050
02/10/2014	HDA, Inc/N-Store Merchandising	Various/Various	115	02/03/2014	(314) 770-2228	N/A	099-13-049
02/10/2014	Millard Refigerated Services	Streetsboro/Portage	65	04/07/2014	(402) 896-4709	N/A	019-13-048
02/03/2014	Verizon	Youngstown/Mahoning	160	03/31/2014	(330) 965-8118	N/A	017-13-047
01/29/2014	Lockheed Martin Corp.	Akron/Summit	506	06/26/2014	(407) 306-2629	United Auto Workers, Local 856	002-13-046
01/22/2014	Diversified Machine	Edon/Williams	82	03/31/2014	(419) 272-5326	United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America	007-13-045
01/21/2014	Catholic Charities Corporation	Parma/Cuyahoga	119	03/16/2014	(216) 334-2909	SEIU 1199	003-14-044
01/20/2014	CP Redi, LLC	Columbus/Franklin	80	03/28/2014	(614) 255-0250	N/A	011-13-043
01/17/2014	TeleTech	Amherst/Lorain	192	03/17/2014	(303) 397-8228	N/A	004-13-042
01/16/2014	Schenker, Inc	Circleville/Pickaway	142	02/09/2014	(757) 473-2956	N/A	020-13-041

Innovation Ohio has this:

Ohio lost jobs in February, lags the nation in job creation

March 21, 2014 By Terra Goodnight Leave a Comment

Today, February employment data was released that shows the state’s unemployment rate reaching 6.5 percent, its first dip below the national rate since July. The decline suggests job-seekers are leaving the job market, because the number of Ohioans with jobs actually declined.

In February, the number of Ohioans with jobs decreased by 4,600, with large declines reported in construction and local government. Job numbers for January were also revised downward. As a result, Ohio continues to lag the national rate of employment gains since Governor Kasich took office — just 4.3% compared to 5.3% for the US as a whole.





At the invitation of mega-GOP campaign contributor, Sheldon Adelson, Gov. John Kasich spoke at a big meeting in Las Vegas a few days ago. Those who've heard Kasich's speeches in the past remarked that he delivered his regular stump speech. One audience member called Kasich's speech a "nothingburger." You know what a "notingburger" is---- it is Kosher corned beef on white bread with mayo. Yuck!

>>> John Boehner and the Republicans have caused the economy to lose billions of dollars! How? Politicususa has the details.

Start Worrying

We shouldn't have a greeter at a discount store doing your brain surgery, and we shouldn't have Republicans "reforming" anything. Republicans, especially those of the Tea Party variation seem to have no respect for teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses, skilled professionals, and regular working people. Republicans, however, think that they can write laws that detail how these professions should operate and how they should be performing.

Ohio's Republicans, under the demands of Gov. John Kasich, created the 'Third Grade Reading Guarantee' for Ohio's public schools (the charter schools are exempt). This will be the first year that third graders will need to pass the exam in order to move onto the 4th grade.  Here is what these youngsters are up against----

Cincinnati:

....For the first time, third-graders who don't pass this school year's test will not be able to advance to fourth grade.

That could be the fate of 1,000 students or more in Southwest Ohio, raising the specter of students taking third-grade reading and fourth-grade math or science, snarling schedules and teaching routines.

Another issue: Students get three cracks at the test, the first one last fall, the second one April 21 to May 16 and the third starting July 7. But results of the July tests might not be back before school starts, so students could actually show up in August for fourth grade – only to be told they're actually still in third grade....

If your child doesn't pass the third grade reading test, please do not complain to your schools. Call the governor and the ignorant Ohio Republicans for setting up your child for failure. Not only did Kasich and the Republicans institute the testing, but they've cut money, programs, and teachers from schools so that their fat cat campaign contributors that own charters can get more money (and fund it back to them). The Republicans want to do away with public schools and the reading tests and funding cuts are their way to reach their goal of charter schools.

If you are a professional educator, you know what psychologists, research, and science have indicated what happens to a child that is retained. Obviously, Kasich and the GOP don't know anything about it.

> Gov. John Kasich is headed to Las Vegas to meet with the kingmaker of Republican politics, Sheldon Adelson.  In the Republican Party big shots and major contributors pick the candidates. The Nation has the details.

* Why are so many Republican men trying to stop women from taking birth control? Paul Ryan wanted to outlaw it, and many Republicans do not want women to take it. Do they want women to be continuously pregnant? Are they trying to eliminate women from the workforce? Do they understand that some women use birth control for medical reasons? Does this mean that Republican women do not use birth control? The next time a male Republican candidate speaks out against birth control, someone needs to ask him if his wife has ever used it or if he uses birth control.

President Obama

Republicans--- Read it and weep!
From Twitter:

 

 

This is why the Republicans are trying to suppress your right to vote in Ohio and other states.

Start asking questions

* Did you know that Republican Rep. Steve Stivers voted to end unemployment benefits for the longterm unemployed? Why is Stivers more interested in protecting bankers than his constituents? Someone needs to ask Stivers how many jobs he has brought back to his district since his election to Congress.

----------

* If you need an example of how Ohio's economy has hurt small businesses, you only need to look at some of the businesses that close. Working class Ohioans are finding it difficult to make ends meet, and they certainly don't have money to buy extras.  Here are just two examples:

WKBN notes the closing of a company that started operating in 1974.

Akron Beacon Journal reports the shuttering of Thinker Toys in Akron.

Kasich says he has created jobs, but many of us do not see them. Where are the jobs?

The Right to Know

Why is Gov. John Kasich against Tesla Motors coming to Ohio? Does it have to do with the campaign contributions he received????  Plunderbund has answers.

Gov. Kasich is proposing more tax cuts, but there are details that you should know. Your income might not qualify you.  Kasich plans to get more tax cuts for the wealthy. See the Toledo Blade for details.

>>> Gov. Chris Christie had another explosive 'town hall' meeting. Apparently, free speech is allowed  across the U.S.A. unless you are at a forum with Chris Christie.

A Loophole?

Gov. John Kasich is a big advocate for the expansion of charter school. Unfortunately, charter schools take money from traditional public school, don't always accept students with special needs, and are often corporately owned. Charters are exempt from many rules and regulations.

WCBE has noted that the 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee that has been promoted by Kasich exempts students in charter schools.

WCBE:

...The third grade reading guarantee was a controversial issue for which Republican Gov. John Kasich fought adamantly. Now some groups are pointing out a so-called flaw in the system.

Dale Butland is a spokesperson for the liberal think tank Innovation Ohio. He says a student going to a public school and a student going to a private school with a publicly funded voucher are treated differently. If students with the vouchers fail the reading test, they get to move on to fourth grade.

Butland: “Well it’s ridiculous. When you have voucher kids – that is to say kids that get state money, taxpayer funded money – which they then take to a private school – those kids ought to be subject to the same reading guarantee that public kids are.”

John Charlton, spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Education, agrees with Butland....

Once again we see how unfairly children are being treated by the Republicans. Not only has the governor cut millions of dollars from funding for education, he also is allowing failing charter students to continue on to the next grade.

I'm positive that parents across the state will be very upset by this loophole for 3rd grade charter school students.

The Republican Way

*Democratic candidate for Ohio Governor, Ed FitzGerald, explained how Kasich's tax cuts hurt people.

WFMJ reported that FitzGerald said that "...If your priority is to continue to lower taxes for the wealthiest people in the state, while raising sales taxes on everyone else and also paying for that by cutting funds to education and local government then you're going to have what you've had for the last few years, local people stuck with the bill."

"...local people stuck with the bill..." Kasich will blame teachers and public schools for going to voters and asking for levies, when the fault lies with Kasich and his cuts to education. Believe it. This is just Kasich, the Republicans, and the Koch Brothers planning to dismantle public schools in favor of more corporate owned (and poorly performing!) charter schools.

If you didn't see the post on what ALEC has planned for Ohio's schools, visit Plunderbund for the details.

----------

> People across the country are starting to notice the voter suppression bills signed into law by Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican. Why are Kasich and the Republicans so interested in blocking your vote? Why have they cut down early voting and created more requirements for people to vote? The answer is easy---- Kasich and the GOP want to prevent Democrats from voting, especially women, minorities, the elderly, and young people, all who traditionally vote for Democrats. Don't be surprised if the next election has fewer voting machines in Democratic districts, and "poll watchers" trying to strong arm you from voting. It is the Republican way.

>> Meanwhile, over at ODJFS, the layoffs continue in Ohio: http://jfs.ohio.gov/warn/current.stm

**  There is a great opinion piece in the Cincinnati Enquirer explaining how tax cuts don't work. Here is an excerpt from Cincinnati.com:

...I’d be surprised if you can find a middle-class Ohioan who knows they got one state income tax cut in the last decade, let alone six. But almost any Cincinnatian can tell you about the pools that don’t get filled in the summer or how college keeps getting more expensive. 

Unfortunately, more than just not working, tax cuts cost us all. Adding up the changes since 2005, Ohio is losing over $3 billion every year, yet we’re 48th in the country in job growth for the same period. Much of that money has gone to the wealthiest Ohioans and big corporations, while the basic building blocks that are the foundation of strong communities have been neglected....

Taxes are being cut for the wealthy while the middle class deals with the results of less money for our communities. You can blame it all on the Republicans.

I haven't even started to rant about how the Republicans are taking away the rights of women!!!!!!!! My blood pressure is rising so I'll save that for another day.

Something is Wrong!

In case you missed it, Ohio continues to lose jobs. The latest update from ODJFS shows the following announced layoffs:

Date Rec'd Company  City/County Potential Number Affected  Layoff Date(s) Phone Number Union Notice ID 03/03/2014 Gannett Publishing Services Newark/Licking 74 05/23/2014 (740) 349-1171 GCC/IBT 007-13-053 03/03/2014 MACtac Stow/Summit 113 05/03/2014 (330) 689-3902 Teamsters Local #348 002-13-052 02/28/2014 Dots Glenwillow/Cuyahoga 96 02/28/2014 (440) 349-7022 N/A 003-13-051 02/26/2014 Bechtel Power Generation Oak Harbor/Ottawa 155 04/01/2014 (301) 639-7087 N/A 007-13-050 02/10/2014 HDA, Inc/N-Store Merchandising Various/Various 115 02/03/2014 (314) 770-2228 N/A 099-13-049 02/10/2014 Millard Refigerated Services Streetsboro/Portage 65 04/07/2014 (402) 896-4709 N/A 019-13-048 02/03/2014 Verizon Youngstown/Mahoning 160 03/31/2014 (330) 965-8118 N/A 017-13-047 01/29/2014 Lockheed Martin Corp. Akron/Summit 506 06/26/2014 (407) 306-2629 United Auto Workers, Local 856 002-13-046 01/22/2014 Diversified Machine Edon/Williams 82 03/31/2014 (419) 272-5326 United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America 007-13-045 01/21/2014 Catholic Charities Corporation Parma/Cuyahoga 119 03/16/2014 (216) 334-2909 SEIU 1199 003-14-044 01/20/2014 CP Redi, LLC Columbus/Franklin 80 03/28/2014 (614) 255-0250 N/A 011-13-043 01/17/2014 TeleTech Amherst/Lorain 192 03/17/2014 (303) 397-8228  N/A 004-13-042 01/16/2014 Schenker, Inc Circleville/Pickaway 142 02/09/2014 (757) 473-2956 N/A 020-13-041

This list is just from the beginning of 2014.

How can Gov. Kasich claim some economic "miracle" when so many people are losing jobs?

Plans for Ohio Schools Exposed!

Plunderbund exposes Gov. Kasich, the right wing, and the Koch Brothers, and the plans they have for Ohio's schools:

The following letter was sent by Rich DeColibus, former president of the Cleveland Teachers Union, to Lena Pogrebinsky, a current candidate for CTU President.  It it originally appeared on Kathie Bracy’s Blog and we kindly thank her for giving us permission to reprint it here at Plunderbund.

February 25, 2014
Dear Ms. Pogrebinsky,
I obtained the 14-page summary of the Cleveland Plan and read it through.  A few things seem to stand out.  For example, it reads like it was written by the Koch brothers.  An early quote says, “Public education has been shackled by so much – by legal restrictions, bureaucracy, work rules, traditions and the influence of our shared experience growing up in an America not yet attuned to the intensity of global competition.”  While I’m not sure which “legal restrictions” with reference to public education are so awful, my understanding is they prevented bad things from happening and insisted good things do happen, like operating within a balanced budget, mandating so many school days per year, and the like.  Why this is all considered evil I do not understand....


What the Plan really signifies is a state-wide attack on all teacher unions and associations, using the Cleveland Plan as the perfect school-reform model.  The fact the Plan will do very little, if anything, to improve student performance will not be allowed to impede the sacred task of rendering all teacher unions in the state de minimus.  And, it gets better.  In January of 2015, there’s going to be a concerted push by conservative Republicans to enact right to work legislation in the state; the proof of this is in the repeated denials that, “Right to work is not on our agenda.”  It isn’t, that’s true, but only because they’re not past the November elections yet.  See, it’s not just teacher unions they dislike; they are intent on attacking all unions in the state.  And, yes, they won’t make the Senate Bill 5/Issue 2 mistake again; the legislation will be crafted in such a way that a citizen petition and election referendum on it will not be possible.  The goal is to become the new Mississippi; Cleveland just gets to be first in the new world order.....



If you think that Kasich and the Kochs gave up with the failure of SB5, you are mistaken.

It continues....

The weather people are predicting more snow this weekend for Ohio!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enough!

> This past week, Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed voting restrictions that will make it difficult for some people to vote.  People across the state are disgusted with the obstruction that Kasich and the Republicans have created. Obviously they don't want some people to vote--- Democrats.

*** U.S. Steel has announced layoffs in Lorain, Ohio (Newsnet 5). This is another indicator of the poor economy in Ohio. Gov. Kasich cannot even retain jobs in the state.

Due to Kasich's budget cuts to local governments, many cities/counties have been forced to layoff safety forces. South Euclid, Ohio, has announced layoffs at the Fire Department, and lays the blame at the feet of the state (Cleveland.com).

Where are the jobs?

Ohio Gov. John Kasich delivered his state of the state speech this week.  Unfortunately, his speech had nothing to do with reality. More than 400,000 Ohioans are still out of work, and layoffs continue.

JFS:

Date Rec'd	Company	City/County	Potential Number Affected	Layoff Date(s)	Phone Number	Union	Notice ID
02/26/2014	Bechtel Power Generation	Oak Harbor/Ottawa	155	04/01/2014	(301) 639-7087	N/A	007-13-050
02/10/2014	HDA, Inc/N-Store Merchandising	Various/Various	115	02/03/2014	(314) 770-2228	N/A	099-13-049
02/10/2014	Millard Refigerated Services	Streetsboro/Portage	65	04/07/2014	(402) 896-4709	N/A	019-13-048
02/03/2014	Verizon	Youngstown/Mahoning	160	03/31/2014	(330) 965-8118	N/A	017-13-047

Even though February is a short month, there were still a significant amount of people losing jobs.

>>>>   Gov. Kasich and the Republicans have passed laws that make it more difficult for people to vote. Registration and voting days have been cut because the Republicans can't win a free and fair election.

The only way to stop this voter suppression is to get the U.S. Justice Department involved in suing Ohio to stop these restrictive voting measures.

Ponder This!

Times are changing in Ohio, but the GOP is still stuck in the 1700's.

WKSU:

...Quinnipiac poll: Ohio’s support for gay marriage at 50% for first time
Support for gay marriage in Ohio has reached the 50 percent mark for the first time. A new survey from Quinnipiac University released today shows exactly half of Ohioans back same-sex marriage, compared to 44 percent who oppose it. In the last poll in December, 47 percent opposed gay marriage while 45 percent support it. The same poll shows 87 percent of Ohio voters support the use of medical marijuana and 47 percent of Ohioans say alcohol is as dangerous as marijuana.....

>> Why did Ohio Gov. John Kasich refuse to help keep the Ormet plant open? Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, Ed FitzGerald, continues to discuss why Kasich did nothing to save the 1,000 jobs at Ormet. See WTRF for more.

> Voters in Ohio are perplexed over why Kasich and the Republicans are trying to disenfranchise thousands of voters in the state with the new voter suppression laws recently signed into law. It is time for Ohio voters to check their registrations to make certain they haven't been removed from the voting rolls.

Enough!

It is clear that the road to progress for Ohioans is being blocked by Gov. John Kasich and the Ohio Republicans.

1. JobsOhio has been a failure, except for the wealthy corporate CEO's getting tax credits and grants.  The jobs created have not replaced the jobs we lost during the recession. Many of the "new" jobs have been temporary, minimum wage, and small in number. Kasich couldn't even save the 1,000 jobs at Ormet, and was against saving the American auto industry.

2. Our public schools are getting less money so that poorly administered charter schools can get more funding. Charter schools are exempted from many requirements that public schools must meet. As a result, charters fail to adequately meet the needs of the school children enrolled in their schools. More and more charter schools have failed, with money gone, teachers unpaid, and parents and children left in the cold.

3. Because the Kasich administration is providing less money to Ohio's school districts, Ohio's homeowners are facing more and more school levies to raise money for schools.  Programs and teachers have been cut from many districts.

4. Communities have seen cuts to fire and police protection. The Kasich budgets have radically reduced money to cities, villages, and counties. We've lost many of our first responders because of the loss of funding.

5. Kasich and his administration had plans to frack in our state parks. Recent news has shown a conspiracy to convince the public that fracking was good for the environment. Seriously.

6. Working men and women across the state have seen less opportunities for themselves and their families.

7. With the increase of influence on Republican elected officials by the Koch Borthers, Americans for Prosperity, Tea Partiers, and other righties, the Ohio GOP has given up listening to the people of this state.

8.  The increase in sales tax by Kasich has placed an unfair burden on the middle class in the state. We are paying more for our goods, but getting less services.

9. There is evidence of racism in the latest voter suppression laws passed by the GOP and signed into law by Kasich. 

Cleveland:

A top adviser to Ohio Gov. John Kasich has come under fire for a statement critics say was racist and aimed at suppressing the vote of African-Americans. 

The comments from Doug Preisse, the Franklin County Republican chairman, were yet another salvo in the ongoing battle between Ohio Democrats and Republicans over early voting hours. Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted last week issued a directive that excludes weekend voting, which Democrats say was politically motivated. 

Preisse told the Columbus Dispatch in a story published Sunday: "I guess I really actually feel we shouldn't contort the voting process to accommodate the urban -- read African-American -- voter turnout machine." 

It is time for the U.S. Justice Department to get involved in Ohio's voter suppression.

10. Women have been denied the right to gynecological and obstetric medical care because of restrictions passed by the Republicans and signed into law by Kasich. Doctors remain confused about what is law and what is not. Meanwhile, women are not getting cancer screenings, and being denied emergency care.

11. School children, the elderly, and the poor are being denied food because of cuts made by Kasich to food stamps. Food pantries are being overwhelmed by the requests for food.

12. SB5..... !!!!!! and the attacks on union workers, teachers, nurses, police officers, fire fighters, state workers, and the people that make your community work.


  I could go on and on, but there isn't enough time in the day. We have to vote out Kasich and the GOP to save our state. We must move forward to make our state better for everyone, not just the rich.

Enough!  Ohio needs to vote for Ed FitzGerald for Governor.  Do whatever you can to work for his election.

Latest Poll

Quinnipiac has released a poll on the Ohio Governor's race:

1. If the election for Governor were being held today, and the candidates were Ed FitzGerald the Democrat and John Kasich the Republican, for whom would you vote?

                                                               AGE IN YRS..............
                     Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    18-29  30-49  50-64  65+
 
FitzGerald           38%     6%    74%    31%    33%    42%    30%    38%    44%    36%
Kasich               43     82     11     43     49     37     35     45     40     48
SMONE ELSE(VOL)       1      -      1      2      1      1      -      2      2      1
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)      2      1      1      3      2      2      4      2      2      1
DK/NA                16     11     14     21     14     18     31     13     13     14
 

You can see the entire poll here--->  PDF format

Kasich is having a difficult time winning over women voters.

Frack the Parks???!!!!

It appears that the Kasich administration had plans to carry out fracking in the state parks.....

WKSU:

Kasich staff knew of ODNR 'enemies' list, according to spokesman
New records show top advisers to Republican Gov. John Kasich knew the Ohio Department of Natural Resources planned to target environmental groups and two state lawmakers while promoting drilling in state parks and forests in 2012.

The governor's spokesman acknowledged today that top advisers met with department officials about the plan. That list includes Kasich's chief policy adviser, chief of staff and then-environmental czar Craig Butler, who now leads the Ohio EPA.....

....A memo outlining the department's strategy for pushing hydraulic fracturing in parks labeled the "eco-left" as adversaries. Halliburton and other energy companies the department regulated were labeled as allies....

There is more on the plan from Plunderbund:

....ODNR discusses plans to begin drilling in two state parks and the Sunfish Creek State Forest in Monroe County. In order to counter opposition from “’eco-left’ pressure groups,” the document calls for the administration to coordinate with a group of like-minded allies, including the Ohio Oil and Gas Association, Halliburton, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and JobsOhio.

Astonishingly, the document repeatedly claims that the tax revenues generated from oil and gas leases would actually be good for the environment. Using language that would shock even George Orwell, the report says that the program “will bring much needed improvements to our parks, including…more environmental protections.” If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge to sell you....

.....While the document displays a startling collusion between the fossil fuel industry and the agency that’s supposed to regulate it, one should expect little more from the Kasich administration and its allies in the Statehouse. The Ohio GOP has devolved into little more than a mouthpiece for the industry at this point.....


It is disheartening to know that Gov. Kasich and the oil and gas industry were prepared to destroy our state parks by fracking. They were also ready to use propaganda to push their plans down our throats. What other secrets does the Kasich administration have?

Anyone that supports the idea of parks, preserving our land and animals, and providing ourselves and families with safe drinking water, has to see that we cannot afford another four years of Kasich and the Ohio GOP.

**** The layoffs in Ohio continue. The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services has the list of current layoffs in the state --- http://jfs.ohio.gov/warn/current.stm .

The Reality

What has Ohio gotten from Gov. John Kasich? It all depends on your income level and who you are.

• Business leaders and CEO's might say that they like him, especially those that have received millions of dollars in tax cuts, grants, and other favorable treatment.

• People in the middle class would complain because of the lack of growth in the state, and the increasing tax burden caused by cuts to schools and communities.

• The poor might not be as vocal because they don't have the strength to speak up because of cuts to programs which have assisted them in the past.

• Women would tell you of the restrictions that Kasich, and the Republican-controlled legislature have placed on women's reproductive health. Republicans are more interested in controlling what is happening in a woman's uterus than creating equal economic opportunity for women.

• The unemployed have seen no new jobs in Ohio and little chance that any new industries are coming here. Kasich has still not created full employment in the state. Many of those jobs lost because of the failures of Lehman Brothers and other firms, are not coming back to Ohio.


There are those outside of Ohio that actually think that Kasich has had some success in Ohio. Obviously, those people don't know the truth.

Here is something said by someone that has seen the reality of Kasich's policies.

HuffingtonPost:

...Athens County Job & Family Services Director Jack Frech, whose agency serves one of Ohio's poorest counties, said Kasich has done more damage than good for the poor.

"The truth is we've thrown 100,000 people, including 60,000 children, off cash assistance, and those people have nothing and they are hungry and many of them are homeless," Frech said. "That's the reality of his policies. I think it's great that the governor's talking about poor people, but his compassion that he expresses does not reflect the reality of his policies."

That is Kasich's legacy in Ohio--- starving children.

Ohio?

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

> There is news out of Virginia-----

DailyKos:

Late Thursday night, a federal judge struck down Virginia's gay marriage ban as unconstitutional, in an eloquent rebuke to inequality:

Our Constitution declares that "all men" are created equal. Surely this means all of us. While ever-vigilant for the wisdom that can come from the voices of our voting public, our courts have never long tolerated the perpetuation of laws rooted in unlawful prejudice. One of the judiciary's noblest endeavors is to scrutinize laws that emerge from such roots. [...] Our nation's uneven but dogged journey toward truer and more meaningful freedoms for our citizens has brought us continually to a deeper understanding of the first three words in our Constitution: we the people. "We the People" have become abroader, more diverse family than once imagined. Justice has often been forged from fires of indignities and prejudices suffered. Our triumphs that celebrate the freedom of choice are hallowed. We have arrived upon another moment in history when We the People becomes more inclusive, and our freedom more perfect.

How long before the same sex marriage ban is knocked down in Ohio?  Some couples have waited long enough.  Shouldn't everyone be equal under the law?


> Speaking of equality----- Why are the Ohio Republicans moving voting locations out of neighborhood that have minorities? Republicans want to make it more difficult for people to vote!


>  Democratic candidate for Ohio Governor, Ed FitzGerald, had a few things to say yesterday about the auto industry in Ohio. The Toledo Blade  notes that Ed FitzGerald said, "Not only did John Kasich fail to support the auto rescue, he and other supporters of S.B. 5 worked to weaken unions across the state and make it even more difficult for hardworking Ohioans to negotiate for good-paying jobs..."

> Women across Ohio have been shocked to learn about the latest attack on their health and safety.

ThinkProgress:

Thanks to harsh new abortion restrictions in place in Ohio, doctors are warning that they can’t provide the best care for their patients — and sometimes, women are being forced to carry nonviable fetuses to term against the recommendations of medical professionals....

Why do Republicans continue to interfere with our rights to privacy and medical attention?

Ed FitzGerald, the leading Democratic candidate to run against Republican Gov. John Kasich this November, told supporters Thursday at the United Auto Workers headquarters in Maumee that if elected, he would veto any right-to-work bill that gets passed.
Read more at http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2014/02/14/FitzGerald-vows-to-fight-for-unions-if-elected.html#4qy84odSmeYjhhLS.99

Ed FitzGerald, the leading Democratic candidate to run against Republican Gov. John Kasich this November, told supporters Thursday at the United Auto Workers headquarters in Maumee that if elected, he would veto any right-to-work bill that gets passed.
Mr. FitzGerald also touched on the auto bailout, which he said Mr. Kasich opposed. It is another hot-button issue of Ohio labor unions.
“Not only did John Kasich fail to support the auto rescue, he and other supporters of S.B. 5 worked to weaken unions across the state and make it even more difficult for hardworking Ohioans to negotiate for good-paying jobs,” Mr. FitzGerald said.

Read more at http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2014/02/14/FitzGerald-vows-to-fight-for-unions-if-elected.html#4qy84odSmeYjhhLS.99

Portman in Trouble???

It appears that U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (OH-R) is having some negative feedback from his constituents.

Daily Kos reports on the latest poll:

Republican Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio and Mark Kirk of Illinois are drawing significant disapproval from voters over their refusal to extend emergency unemployment aid. According to new polling done for Americans United for Change by Public Policy Polling, a strong majority of voters want to see unemployment insurance extended for those jobless for six months or more:

More than 60% of voters in both states favor reinstating unemployment benefits. In Illinois 63% support it to only 31% who are opposed, and in Ohio 62% support it to just 35% in opposition. Reinstating benefits predictably has near total support from Democrats- 89% in Ohio and 83% in Illinois. But it also has a substantial amount of support across party lines- 44% of Republicans in Illinois and 41% in Ohio support it, a lot more bipartisan backing than we see for most issues these days.

... 51 percent of Ohio voters said they were less likely to vote for Portman because of his vote...

Whoa! If you'd like to let Sen. Portman hear your views on his lack of concern for out of work Ohioans, you can contact his office here by phone or email.


* Gov. John Kasich's remarks about "deregulating schools" may throw a wrench into his re-election campaign. Parents, students, educators, and tax payers are concerned that more tax money will be taken from traditional public schools to give to charter schools. State Impact has a review of Kasich's recent comments.

Citizens should be demanding that charter schools open their financials so that we can see how they are spending their money. School districts in Ohio report the salaries of superintendents, principals, and teachers, but we have no information on the salaries of those employed at charters. How is it possible that a charter school runs out of money, cannot meet the payroll, and must close only a few months after opening? Is the state just giving these charters money and then just leave them alone?

How much do charters get from the state? Check out this website with the names of charters and amounts of money they will receive.

If you want to see how some friends of Kasich's are making money off of our students, read the Plunderbund story about how our tax dollars are flowing into a private school.

"Staffing Nightmare"

It appears that Gov. John Kasich's 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee is already creating problems. With budget cuts made by the governor to schools, less staff, and inadequate direction from the state, the program is doomed for failure with teachers ultimately being blamed for any potential problems.

The ToledoBlade describes the problems that districts will face because of the lack of financial support from the Kasich administration. Besides the lack of money, Kasich & Co. just don't understand the fundamentals of education. Period.

>  Several news outlets are noting the campaign contributions of one union to the re-election of John Kasich. It is only one union and we'll see if other union members remember SB5.


PolicyMic has this about how Kasich's support comes from ALEC--

...The governor and at least two top Ohio state officials share alumnus status with the developer of that agenda – ALEC.

Kasich pushed for privatized education – K-12 through  college – accomplished through cuts to education spending, signed legislation allowing fracking, and slashed funding for the Ohio Consumer’s Counsel (OCC) which has interfered with Duke Energy’s attempts to pass along storm damage repairs to their customers.

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Does this mean that Ohio Republicans legislators are unable to write their own legislation so ALEC provides 'fill-in-the-blank" model bills to promote the far right agenda? Disgusting!

Gov. John Kasich’s administration offers a “guarantee” that all Ohio students will read at grade level by the third grade, as measured by standardized tests, or they will be held back. That policy, unaccompanied by adequate funding, is causing problems for public schools in the Toledo area and across the state.
Read more at http://www.toledoblade.com/Editorials/2014/02/10/Reading-and-budget-math.html#Z3lvPeaLKwpWJeJd.99

Gov. John Kasich’s administration offers a “guarantee” that all Ohio students will read at grade level by the third grade, as measured by standardized tests, or they will be held back. That policy, unaccompanied by adequate funding, is causing problems for public schools in the Toledo area and across the state.
Read more at http://www.toledoblade.com/Editorials/2014/02/10/Reading-and-budget-math.html#Z3lvPeaLKwpWJeJd.99

Gov. John Kasich’s administration offers a “guarantee” that all Ohio students will read at grade level by the third grade, as measured by standardized tests, or they will be held back. That policy, unaccompanied by adequate funding, is causing problems for public schools in the Toledo area and across the state.
Read more at http://www.toledoblade.com/Editorials/2014/02/10/Reading-and-budget-math.html#Z3lvPeaLKwpWJeJd.99

The Cuts

> The universities and colleges in Ohio are feeling the results of cuts made by Gov. John Kasich's budget. According to an article at Ohio.com, the University of Akron is looking at cutting 55 degree programs.

> After getting over 10 inches of snow on Tuesday evening here in central Ohio, we are currently expecting another significant amount of snow in the next few days.

> Ohio Tea Party Republicans are saying that they won't support/vote for John Kasich in November's election. The tea party groups have voiced displeasure at some of Kasich actions. Will the tea party members simply vote for Libertarian Charles Earl or will they simply stay home?