>>>> Make sure you visit one of the best blogs in Ohio for updates on these issues surrounding the repeal of SB 5: Plunderbund.
** Yesterday, Republican Gov. John Kasich and Republican leaders from the Ohio Senate and Ohio House held a press conference in which they begged opponents of SB 5 to remove Issue 2 from the November ballot. After all that transpired before the bill was passed, when Kasich refused to meet with teachers, firefighters, police officers, state workers, and nurses, locked the doors of the Statehouse to keep them out, now Kasich waves the white flag?????
The Youngstown Business Journal has a response to Kasich and the Ohio Republicans:
....Representatives of We Are Ohio, the advocacy group that gathered petitions for the referendum and is leading the organized effort to repeal the legislation, said following Kasich's news conference that it is standing by the 1.3 million Ohioans who signed petitions to repeal S.B. 5.
"We're glad that Gov. Kasich and the other politicians who passed SB 5 are finally admitting this is a flawed bill," said Melissa Fazekas, spokeswoman for We Are Ohio. "Just like the bill was flawed, this approach to a compromise is flawed as well. Our message is clear. These same politicians who passed this law could repeal it and not thwart the will of the people. They should either repeal the entire bill or support our efforts and encourage a no vote on Issue 2."
Kevin DeWine, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, issued a statement that while supporting the "reasonable reforms" of S.B. 5 the party urged labor leaders to discuss "compromise reform legislation" with Kasich and legislative leaders....
Why are Republicans refusing to call back the legislature into an emergency session to repeal the entire SB 5 legislation? Why are these refusing to interrupt the vacations of the Ohio House and Ohio Senate to repeal SB 5 today? Why is it necessary for anyone to go to the negotiation table when Kasich and the elected Republicans in the General Assembly have the power themselves to repeal the issue now?
ThinkProgress brought Kasich's bragging on Morning Joe to our attention:
....on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Kasich pretended that the opposition to his signature piece of legislation was no big deal, saying with all sincerity that “there was no drama” in his first six months as governor:
KASICH: What’s driven my negatives up is the fact that we’re trying to rein in and give local communities the abilities to control their costs with public employees… So it’s just protesters and noise. But when it comes to the budget, no protests, no noise, and we got it through. And got through virtually all of what we really wanted....
According to Kasich, those middle class workers that teach your children, provide safety and security in your community, and provide emergency life and fire services, are just "noise." Once again, Kasich disrespects their work, dedication, achievements, training, and contributions to communities.
Then, Firedoglake had this post:
....The story goes like this: Ohio Republicans took a page from Wisconsin’s book and rammed through SB 5, a bill that strips most collective bargaining rights and the right to strike from public employees. They used some real strong-arm tactics toward members of their own party to do it; they pulled Republicans off committees who weren’t going to vote for the bill. That hurdle cleared, the bill passed in March, despite mass rallies against it, despite total lack of support from Democrats and the public.
But in Ohio, they have this law. You can put a referendum on the ballot to overturn a bill if you get the required signatures. This stops the bill from going into effect. Unions and progressive groups collected far more signatures than they needed to repeal SB 5, almost 1.3 million in all, getting it on the November ballot. And polls showed them headed to victory, with SB 5 slated to go down by 20 points......
.....Shorter Kasich: Wahh, wahh, wahh. As soon as he is staring an epic loss in the face, now he wants to compromise and bargain. Now he wants to set aside political agendas.....
As Firedoglake reminded us in the posting: ....We Are Ohio has until August 30 to take down the referendum.....
Kasich knows that if a majority of Ohians vote no on Issue 2, his power, agenda, and braggadocio will crumble. Isn't that a pretty picture?
Vote NO on Issue 2.
Vote NO on Issue 2.
Vote NO on Issue 2.