Gov. John Kasich has created a profound body of work that makes most people view him with suspicion and distrust:
> As a vice president at Lehman Brothers, he made the introductions and calls that persuaded public employee retirement funds to invest millions of dollars with Lehman. The money lost by the state retirement funds totaled in the hundreds of millions of dollars. However, Kasich was able to leave Lehman with a nice little package of severance pay.
> During the campaign for governor, Kasich blamed Gov. Ted Strickland for the job losses in the state. Kasich failed to point a finger at the drastic cuts made by former Governor Bob Taft that set up failure for any administration that followed. Ohio Policy Matters warned Taft and the Republicans in 2005, in both testimony and publications, that the Taft tax cut plan would "....create new fiscal problems instead of solving them...."
> His attacks on public school teachers, firefighters, police officers, and all public employees shows a lack of respect for their work and contributions to society. These people did not create the economic hardship that Ohio is experiencing. Today's economic situation was created by the greed and mismanagement of Wall Street bankers who were more interested in their own profits and wealth.
> By taking money out of the public schools, which educate a large majority of students in the state, and giving it to failing charter schools, Kasich is
(a) denying public school students their right to a full education,
(b) rewarding his charter school owners who are his major financial campaign contributors,
(c) disrespecting and belittling the educational background and accomplishments of public school teachers,
(d) denying tax payers their right to support the public schools their children attend,
(e) forcing public school districts to consolidate and removing local control over education.
> Kasich's pay scale for his cabinet and staff are out of line with previous cabinets and staff. We see nothing more than his cronies getting cushy, high paying jobs.
> The SB 5 push by Kasich and the entire Republican Party has been disgusting. Their lies and disregard for the public employees has hurt people and their families. The public employees of this state did not cause the recession. People like Kasich and Lehman and all the Wall Streeters brought Ohio and its businesses down. Kasich said that he would not have a public signing of the bill, but then he changed his mind and made a big deal about it. Once again, Kasich and the Ohio GOP threw salt in the wounds of every public employee in the state.
> John Kasich has brought several people from out of state to fill positions in the government. Is this his way of telling the educated, experienced, working people of Ohio that they are not good enough to work in his administration?
I have not covered every aspect of the manner in which Kasich is governing, but I hope it has gotten you thinking. If we want Ohio to be governed by the right wing arm of the Republican Party, where avarice is rewarded, average citizens are forgotten, the poor and elderly are ignored, and the agenda of the Koch Brothers is promoted, then we should do nothing.
However, if you are sick and tired of the Kasich/Ohio GOP agenda, then you must do something to stop it. We must repeal SB 5 and any further attempts to take away our rights as workers and citizens of this state. Here is what you can do:
(1) Contact the Ohio Democratic Party and find out how you can help repeal SB 5.
(2) Keep up to date on the blogs: Plunderbund, OhioLeftyBlogs, BuckeyeStateBlog, Stubbornliberal(<--mine also), and of course, this blog Ohio15th for news that you won't find in the Dispatch.
Representative Tim Ryan said it best on this YouTube video:
If we do nothing, Kasich, the bankers, and the Koch Brothers win. Do you want that to be your future?