Dear America,....

To those people that listened to Republican Gov. John Kasich respond to the weekly address by President Barack Obama, I want to caution you.  Kasich may have indicated that there was some "miracle" or big "happening" in Ohio because of his leadership.  Trust me.  Anything that came out of his mouth is pure, unadulterated b.s.  There is nothing good happening in Ohio because of Kasich.

Ohio workers have to contend with a stupid law (SB 5) put forth by Kasich and the Ohio GOP that attempts to stop collective bargaining for public employees.  The Ohio Republicans said it was necessary to pass SB 5 because there was an $8 billion deficit.  (There was never an $8 billion deficit, and Innovation Ohio has the details from the Office of Budget and Management.).  Kasich and his buddies want to stop teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses, and state employees from negotiating for safety, better wages, working conditions, and job security.  Can you imagine police officers and firefighters being forbidden to ask for better safety equipment???? 

Do you have any teachers in your family?  Are there teachers that you admire?  John Kasich doesn't seem to have respect for the work, dedication, and education that teachers display on a daily basis. 

We know that police officers put their lives on the line every single time they go to work.  In a highly publicized speech in front of  state employees, Gov. Kasich repeatedly referred to a police officer as an "idiot" for doing his job (see YouTube video).

There have been no new jobs in Ohio.  Sure, the auto manufacturers have gotten back into bigger production lines, but that was because of President Obama's action, not Kasich.  John Kasich was against the loans to American auto companies (which have been paid back).

As a matter of fact, Ohio public money is being given away to FOK (friends of Kasich) for the most ridiculous things, none of it having to do with any large job creation.  Adding ten, twenty, or thirty jobs at a corporation is not worthy of millions of our tax money and tax credits to be given away. 

Kasich and the Republicans are trying to increase charter schools.  In an effort to reward the rich Republican contributors who just happen to own charter schools, the Ohio Republicans have expanded the charter school voucher program.  This year, even with more vouchers available, the increase in the request for vouchers was minimal.  Parents might be getting the idea that most charter schools in Ohio do not measure up to the better quality programs and higher qualified teachers in public schools.

On Friday, the Ohio Supreme Court made a ruling about one of Kasich's prime ideas.  ProgressOhio:

State Rep. Dennis Murray (D-Sandusky) received an opinion from the Ohio Supreme Court today declaring part of the JobsOhio legislation, House Bill 1, unconstitutional.

The Ohio Supreme Court agreed with plaintiffs that the legislature did not have the authority to force this challenge of the new state-created private corporation in the Supreme Court.  The attempt to create new jurisdiction on the Supreme Court was one of seven separate constitutional challenges to H.B. 1 brought by Rep. Murray, State Sen. Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood), and ProgressOhio......


It is no wonder that Kasich has very low approval rating all over the state and has the distinction of being one of the least popular governors in the country.  In November, Ohio's workers will have Issue 2 on the ballot to repeal Kasich/GOP's SB 5.  Kasich and his Republican followers have tried to blame the middle class workers in the state for the job losses, even though everyone with any common sense knows that the recession that started in 2008 was caused by the collapse of Wall Street, Lehman Brothers, banks, unscrupulous money managers, and the budget problems of President George W. Bush's administration (unfunded tax cuts, unfunded No Child Left behind, unfunded Medicare Part D, two wars, etc.).

To sum this all up, in ten words or less:  Kasich is not doing anything good in Ohio.

For those of you in Ohio, Vote No on Issue 2.