Bush Losing Support in Ohio

This isn't a surprise---From the Cincinnati Enquirer:

A new Ohio Poll out Friday showed President Bush's approval rating in Ohio at 35 percent - not just the lowest of his presidency, but the lowest of any of the four presidents in the 25-year history of the University of Cincinnati-based poll....

...One of the reasons for Bush's continued free fall in the polls is that his support has fallen among Ohioans who identify themselves as Republicans, said the Ohio Poll's Eric Rademacher. One of every three Republicans polled said they disapprove of Bush's performance.

Even in Southwest Ohio, Bush's numbers are no better than they are statewide. Only 36 percent said they approved of the job Bush is doing. In 2005, Bush had a 59 percent approval rating in Southwest Ohio...

Oh, my!

Who does Pryce represent?

If we are to believe Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce, the Ohio economy and massive job losses are just an illusion. The fact that your college-educated son or daughter can't get a job would be a mystery to Pryce. Pryce said the following LINK:

Rep. Pryce: 33d straight month of job gains. GDP revised upward to a very robust 5.3%. Unemployment remains low, currently lower than the average of 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. Economic polices that have taken shape under Secy Snow's leadership are having positive results. Snow has helped create this robust economy. We will miss him.

These jobs and this robust economy she speaks of are NOT in the 15th district or in the state of Ohio. Who does Pryce represent?

Pryce Not Realistic About Ohio's Job Situation

This week's announcement that only 75,000 new jobs were created in May in the U.S. was seen as dismal by most experts but Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce. While Ohio continues to lose jobs and have factories close, Pryce continues to look at the economy and job market through rose colored glasses. The Charleston Post and Courier had an article about the poor job numbers. Here are some excerpts:

"This is a seriously weak payroll picture," said Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist for High Frequency Economics.

Job growth in May totaled 75,000, less than half the consensus forecast of economists before the Labor Department's announcement. And half of the 75,000 gain in May was offset by a 37,000 downward revision in estimates of job growth in previous months....

Here is what Deborah Pryce had to say about the job numbers. This is from the same article mentioned above:
Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio, chairman of the House Republican Conference, pointed out that May represented the 33rd straight month of job growth. "What's not to like about this economy?" she asked. "Virtually everywhere you look, you see good news."

Obviously, Pryce can no longer understand that jobs are not that plentiful and are not paying well. She must not be aware that people in her home state of Ohio are losing jobs when businesses leave and plants close. Pryce has no compassion for those who are losing jobs or people who are looking for work. To see the list of companies and planned layoffs in the state of Ohio visit: http://jfs.ohio.gov/warn/current.stm

Does Pryce really believe that 'virtually everywhere you look, you see good news'? Has Pryce checked what is going on in her home district?

USA Today: Pryce Vulnerable

According to USA Today, the name of Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) is showing up on lists of vulnerable Republican candidates. Pryce is on a list in the article, as well as several other well known Republicans.

Why would these candidates be vulnerable? Here in Ohio's 15th congressional district, people are unhappy with the poor economy, dismal job growth, our kids dying in Iraq, invasion of privacy, Republican scandals, tax rewards for the rich, a confusing senior drug program that rewards drug companies, and the dirty politics that the Republicans and their lobbyist friends have spread through government. It has become checkbook lawmaking. If your special interest group needs a law to help their industry, write a contribution check to a Republican candidate or the Republican Party, and you'll get a law to protect your industry. The rights and needs of regular citizens don't count to Republicans. I think that the people in Arlington, Dublin, Columbus, Worthington, Hilliard, Marysville, Grove City, and all over Ohio and this nation have had enough! It is time for a change.

************
Republican Rep. Bob Ney's campaign manager is living in a bubble. Do you think he doesn't listen to the news or read anything about Ney's BFF (best friend forever) Jack Abramoff?????

ABC NEWS picture MSNBC

Republican Noe Pleads Guilty

The parade of Republican corruption, charges, indictments, election stealing, and law breaking just keeps marching on here in Ohio. There are 2 stories today about Ohio Republican corruption. Please keep in mind that the day isn't over and a new Republican corruption story could emerge at any moment!

(1) Tom Noe, Republican fundraiser and sweetheart of the Ohio and National GOP, pleads guilty to charges yesterday. The Columbus Dispatch has this tidbit: Saying he wanted to accept responsibility and spare his family and friends further embarrassment, indicted coin dealer Thomas W. Noe admitted yesterday that he broke federal laws to get credit for raising money for President Bush's re-election campaign....

(2) Breaking News from the Dispatch: The former chief financial officer of the scandal-plagued Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation was charged this morning with both federal and state counts related to allegations of illegal dealings with agency brokers and former coin dealer Thomas W. Noe.

Terrence W. Gasper, 59, of Worthington, was charged simultaneously in federal court in Cleveland and in Franklin County Common Pleas Court with what's called a bill of information.

That typically means the target of the charges has agreed to waive indictment and plead guilty.....

Holy cow! Those Republicans are getting indicted and pleading guilty to all of these charges. Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Which Republican will be next???????

BREAKING NEWS!!! We have the 3rd Republican corruption story!!!!!!
From Raw Story: Here is an excerpt---

....CREW's complaint alleged -- and the FEC agreed -- that Frist 2000, Inc. failed to disclose a $1.44 million loan taken out jointly by Frist 2000, Inc. and by Frist's 1994 campaign committee, Bill Frist for Senate, Inc. The result of the discrepancy was to make it appear that Frist 2000, Inc. had significantly more money that it actually had.

In June 2000, Senator Frist took $1 million of the money that had been contributed to his 2000 Senate campaign and invested it in the stock market, where it promptly began losing money. In November 2000, Senator Frist sought to collect $1.2 million he had lent his 1994 Senate campaign committee. As a result of the stock market losses, however, Frist 2000, Inc. did not have enough money to repay the loan. Senator Frist solved this problem by having the 1994 and the 2000 campaign committees jointly take out a $1.44 million bank loan at a cost of $10,000 a month interest. Frist 2000, Inc. did not report this debt on its FEC disclosure forms.....

****Raw Story is reporting that a new poll has George W. Bush as the worst president in the last 61 years!!! What an accomplishment!

Ohio Has Dirty Elections

"Ohio was as dirty an election as America has ever seen." Who said it? According to Bradblog, as quoted from an upcoming Rolling Stone Magazine, Lou Harris of the famous Harris Poll said it while talking about the 2004 election.

Isn't it good to know that the Ohio Republicans have not only ruined this state but it appears they stole the 2004 election. Doesn't it make you proud that we have such dishonest people running the Ohio government?

On the Record

*Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th district, Mary Jo Kilroy, has taken a leadership position to assist family members of the National Guard and Reserve. Here is the statement released by the Franklin County Commissioners:

Today, Franklin County Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Congress from the 15th Congressional District, announced a resolution reaffirming the county’s commitment to members of the National Guard and Reservists. The resolution, Resolution 866-96, reaffirms Franklin County’s policy of keeping the dependents of Guard and Reserve members who work for the county on the county’s health insurance when their loved ones are called up to active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Extending health care benefits to the families of county employees serving our country in the National Guard and Reserves is the least we can do to honor our debt to the troops and their families,” Kilroy said. “Offering health care and economic assistance to our soldiers, veterans and their families is a top priority of mine at the County, and will be in Congress.”

Kilroy obviously supports the troops because she is doing something to help them. She is not like the Republicans, including Deborah Pryce, who have voted to cut veterans benefits.

I don't know if you've noticed but there is definitely more information provided at the Kilroy for Congress website. It seems as though Pryce has really sanitized her site to strip it of references and pictures of her with Bush and his corrupt administration.

*Maureen Dowd's column today is called The Ghosts of Haditha. In her column, Dowd writes about Ohio's Lima Company and their sacrifice and trauma. Dowd also states the fact that this mess in Iraq is the fault of the Bush administration. ...By ignoring predictions of an insurgency and refusing to do homework before charging into Iraq on trumped-up pretenses, W. left our troops undermanned, inadequately armored and psychologically unprepared....

Democrat Tyack Shows How to Clean Out Corruption

The citizens of central Ohio are seeing the results of Lori Tyack's reform moves in the Franklin County Municipal Court. Tyack, the Democrat elected last fall as the Clerk of the Municipal Court, is clearing out the corruption and dead weight from the previous clerk. Tyack, as reported in today's Dispatch, and her deputy chief, Mike Rankin, laid down the law to Municipal Court employees: "...Show up. Work efficiently. Don’t abuse sick and vacation time...." As a result of their declaration about expectations, some employees quit or retired. Tyack is showing that Democrats can get rid of the Republican culture of corruption that is ruining government in Ohio.

People in the 15th district are still wondering why we haven't seen or heard much from Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce. Other than putting pressure on local TV stations to stop running ads she didn't like, Pryce really hasn't made too much news. Her appearances have been very few in number here in Columbus, Worthington, Dublin, and Arlington. Why isn't she making a lot of public appearances? With unemployment up in the state of Ohio, you'd think she'd want to explain why she hasn't done her job for us. By the way, have you noticed she has removed many pictures of herself with President Bush?

Ohio's Unemployment Numbers Go Up

The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services has just released the unemployment numbers for April for the state. According to ODJFS, the unemployment rate in Ohio was 5.5% up from 5.0% in March. Color map of county unemployment rates. There were 55 Ohio counties with unemployment rates at/above 5.5%. Things are so good economically here in Ohio, college graduates are getting jobs as waiters/waitresses and sales clerks. Thank you, Republicans! If this is a Republican economic success story, I'd hate to see what the GOP definition of failure looks like.

The Republicans have given us war, corruption scandals, loss of jobs, loss of workers' rights, lies about WMD's, a VA security scandal, voter suppression, voting irregularities, a Medicare prescription drug plan that benefits drug companies, lobbyist scandals, business scandals, torture of prisoners, loss of civil liberties, spying on American citizens, government expansion, a failure to respond to a natural disaster, the destruction of a once good gov't agency-FEMA, an unfunded federal mandate in the No Child Left Behind Act, leaking the identity of a CIA agent, interference in the life and death decisions of families (like Terri Schiavo), forcing abstinence only programs on schools, lack of oversight in government contracts, failure to monitor the activity of North Korea's nuclear growth, etc., etc., etc. The only people who benefit from the Republicans in charge are businesses, oil companies, and Halliburton.

Hey, I bet we can't wait until Republican Kenneth Blackwell ruins the next election! Blackwell, as current Sec. of State of Ohio, gets to count the votes in the next election. Did I mention he is running for governor of Ohio? Did I mention he is against birth control? Did I mention he is controlled by the religious right?

Last night A&E had the story about Ohio's Marines of Lima Company. If you missed the program, it will be shown again at a later date. These Marines, from what I've heard, will not be sent back to Iraq. From, what I've heard, the Marine Corps believes that the Marines of Lima Company are just a little too emotional and a little too angry to re-visit Iraq. I honor their service and their sacrifice. However, I believe it is time to bring all our Marines and other service members home to see their wives, babies, children, and mothers and fathers.

FYI: Even though getting oil out of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would take as long as 10 years, the House of Representatives, including Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) voted to support the drilling in the preserve. Even though the amount of oil pulled out would be like a drop in the bucket for what our country currently uses, Pryce voted to drill. Even though a majority of Americans are against drilling in ANWR, Pryce voted to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Even though it won't provide help for consumers now, Pryce voted to drill in the Alaskan preserve. Even though the name given to the legislation, American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act, sounds good, we all know that Pryce and her Republican counterparts will do nothing to help us now or in the future. Why? The Republicans are in government to enrich themselves and their friends.

Ohio's Marines

Don't forget to watch A&E tonight for the documentary on the Ohio Marines of Lima Company. There is even a video clip on the website. Ohio has lost 110 of our young people in Bush's war in Iraq.

Republicans: Unable to Govern

I saw this posted at Eschaton and you've got to see Rep. Tim Ryan repeating Gingrich's words: Unable to Govern.

Election Year Politics

Business First had this:

Dublin's Central Ohio Innovation Center is slated to get $750,000 from the fiscal 2007 energy and water development appropriations bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee.

However, it is important that we read this: The spending bill still needs to pass the whole House of Representatives and Senate...

Republican Reps. Pryce and Tiberi were bragging about their big accomplishment, however, it still needs to pass the whole House of Representatives and Senate!

By the way, did taxpayers ever get reimbursed for the $700,000 for police overtime involving the investigation of the 2004 highway sniper in Franklin County? Do you remember this from the Dispatch?

As I talk to neighbors and friends who all live in the 15th district, we've been wondering why we haven't seen much of Deborah Pryce in her home district. Is she campaigning here in town? Where is she raising her campaign money---golf outings, trips to Hawaii???? Why is she keeping such a low profile in this campaign?

Lima Company Marines

FYI: On Thursday, May 25th, A&E will broadcast a two hour special (9pm EDT) about the Marines of Lima Company. It is important that all of us watch it, especially those of us in Ohio. Iraq Casualty List

Here is one article about the brave men and women of Lima Company.

Pryce Vulnerable: GOP Worried

It looks like the Ohio Republicans are getting very, very worried about the possibility that Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15-R) may lose the November election. According to the Columbus Dispatch, the Ohio GOP is trying to keep a former Republican challenger to Pryce, Charles R. Morrison II, off the ballot as an Independent candidate. Here are some excerpts from the article:

...Pryce’s campaign manager, John DeStefano, had no comment on the GOP challenge.

Kilroy said it’s a sign that Pryce is vulnerable.

"It’s an indication Deborah Pryce has problems with her Republican base or they wouldn’t be worrying about an underfunded challenger," she said.

The board of elections is split between Republicans and Democrats. If the vote on Morrison’s candidacy is tied, the issue will be decided by Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell.

I also found some information (Irregular Times) that indicates that Deborah Pryce's votes indicate she is more conservative than she says.

# By voting “no” on the Farr Amendment, Rep. Pryce voted to keep Section 102 in H.R. 418, giving a Bush administration bureaucrat the ability to nullify any law without judicial review of that decision. Where I come from, they call that dictatorship.

# By voting “no” on the Scott Amendment, Rep. Pryce voted to keep language in H.R. 27 that allows organizations to engage in government-funded religious discrimination in hiring. We had thought that bigotry was old hat, and that the separation of church and state was secure. With this vote, Rep. Pryce has helped to weaken the constitution and bring bigotry back in style.

# On September 29, 2005, a slim majority of member of the United States House of Representatives voted for H.R. 3824, an attack upon the Endangered Species Act, alandmark law that brought the American bald eagle back from the brink of extinction...

I hope that the people in Columbus, Dublin, Upper Arlington, and Worthington, Ohio see that it is time for a change. We can no longer afford the price of having Pryce represent us.

Layoffs Continue in Ohio

This must be the Republican strategy--Tell everyone things are great in Ohio! Unfortunately, the Republicans cannot hide the fact that the layoffs continue in Ohio. People are losing jobs and health insurance in record numbers. The Ohio GOP has created a toxic economic climate in this state. Here are some of the most recent announced layoffs:

Date Rec'd	Company	City	# Affected	Layoff Date	Phone Number	Union	WARN ID
5/12/2006	Discover Financial Services	Hilliard	264	7/15/2006	(614) 777-7726	None	011-05-96
5/12/2006	Comprehensive Logistics	Austintown	113	7/15/2006	(330) 793-8097	USWA Local #5-621	017-05-95
5/8/2006	Maverick Tube, a.k.a. Republic Conduit	Elyria	62	Between 7/8/06 and 7/22/06	(502) 995-5901	USWA Local #1179-01	004-05-094
5/5/2006	PMC Specialties Group, Inc.	Cincinnati	103	7/3/2006	(513) 242-3300	IBT	013-05-093
5/5/2006	Weyerhaeuser Company	Valley View	53	5/26/2006	(216) 520-1470, Ext. 11	USWA Local #1544	003-05-092
5/1/2006	Deaconess Hospital	Cincinnati	85	6/30/2006	(513) 559-2333	None	013-05-091
5/1/2006	Sara Lee Food & Beverge	Cincinnati	334	6/27/2006	(513) 853-1429	UFCW & IUOE	013-05-090
5/1/2006	Johnson Controls, Inc	West Carrollton	115	6/30/2006	(937) 384-5253	UAW	007-05-089
5/1/2006	General Motors -Moraine Assembly Plant	Moraine	1100	6/30/2006	(937) 455-2882	IUB-CWA	007-05-088
4/28/2006	Armstrong Air Conditioning, a.k.a. Allied Air Enterprises, a Lennox International Inc. Company	Bellevue	300	Begins 6/30/06	(419) 484-6601	UAW	007-05-087
4/27/2006	Industrial Powder Coatings, Inc.	Norwalk	142	Beginning 5/1/2006	(419) 660-2471	Industrial Powder Coatings Union Local #2403	007-05-086
4/25/2006	Tower Automotive, Inc.	Bluffton	210	5/13/2006	(419) 358-9866	UAW	007-05-085
4/25/2006	Intier Seating Systems	Lordstown	73	6/19/2006	(330) 824-0202	UAW Local 1112	018-05-084
4/21/2006	Venture Lighting International, Inc.	Solon	100	6/19/2006	(440) 836-7534	None	003-05-083
4/19/2006	Plastech	Napoleon	218	6/16/2006	(419) 592-3333	None	007-05-082
4/17/2006	The Little Tikes Co., A Division of Newell Rubbermaid	Hudson	149	6/7/2006	(330) 650-3223	None	002-05-081
4/13/2006	HealthSouth Corporation	Youngstown	67	6/10/2006	(205) 967-7116	None	017-05-079

The list above is only a partial part of the website. The list is quite long but you can imagine the impact on individuals, families, and communities. What have the Republicans done for Ohioans? They've sold us out for a few meager contributions to their re-election campaigns and golf outings.

Ohio Still the Political Hotspot

According to CQ Politics, several Democratic VIPs visited Ohio to support Democratic candidates:
Ohio Senate, Ohio Governor: Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid stumped with Rep. Sherrod Brown at an event Saturday to promote energy legislation, according to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. Sen. John Kerry campaigned this weekend with Brown and Rep. Ted Strickland, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, according to the Toledo Blade.

More Republican ethics problems are being reported by the Toledo Blade and it again involves Larry Householder:
From all the fuss down in Perry County, it would appear that Larry Householder is performing some of the same ethical contortions in local government that he did in two terms as speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives.

Mr. Householder, who personified the Republican pay-to-play ethos when he was at the top of the legislative leadership in Columbus, is now auditor in Perry County, where he is involved in a scandal involving use of county employees to renovate a restaurant of which he is part owner. Having retreated from the capital a step ahead of a federal investigation into the skimming of GOP campaign funds, Mr. Householder could find himself on the receiving end of a similar probe if the local prosecutor does his job....

On Saturday Columbus hosted the Komen Race for the Cure. There were over 31,000 participants and over $1.5 million dollars was raised! Some of the crowd supporting the runners and walkers (in my case) were TBDBITL, school cheerleaders, local professional musicians, school bands, and friends of Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th district!

Pryce on GOP Watch List?

Those Republicans are getting a little worried about an anti-Republican mood growing in the country. Really. Why would anyone be anti-Republican? Could it be the ballooning national debt or the war in Iraq or the failure to find Osama or rising gas prices or the FEMA failure for Katrina or the Republican scandals or just the Republican lies???????

The Washington Post has the article and here is an excerpt:

...Drake, a first-term representative, isn't yet among the most endangered GOP incumbents. But she is one of many -- and not just inexperienced lawmakers -- who could be at risk if there is an anti-Republican wave in the fall. Among House incumbents added to some GOP watch lists in recent months are veteran Reps. Nancy L. Johnson (Conn.), Deborah Pryce (Ohio), Charles Bass (N.H.), J.D. Hayworth (Ariz.) and Richard W. Pombo (Calif.)....

In my little part of central Ohio, people are tired and angry about the direction this country has taken. It is time for a change.

The Truth About Border Security

Breaking news: 12noon est--Apparently there have been problems at the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There was a clash between American guards and the prisoners. LINK


On Monday, the President made a speech about improving border security by adding National Guard troops. Who will pay for the National Guard troops who serve at the border? Will each state have to foot the bill for the transportation, lodging/food, and supplies? Much of the equipment owned by the National Guard has been left in Iraq. Will states and their citizens need to pay additional money to fund this?

Did you know that Bush cut funding for an increase in the border patrol? Here are some excerpts from the article:

..Officially approved by Bush on Dec. 17 after extensive bickering in Congress, the National Intelligence Reform Act included the requirement to add 10,000 border patrol agents in the five years beginning with 2006. Roughly 80 percent of the agents were to patrol the southern U.S. border from Texas to California, along which thousands of people cross into the United States illegally every year.

But Bush's proposed 2006 budget, revealed Monday, funds only 210 new border agents...
...Democrats were unhappy that the proposed budget used the escape clause so soon after the president approved the huge boost in border agents....

...A Jan. 24 letter signed by leading Republican lawmakers implored the president to fully fund the new law "in order to secure our borders against infiltration by terrorists..."

*Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) said the following about sending the National Guard to the border: I think it certainly is a step in the right direction, but I’m not a military expert or a border expert. I don’t think we can go wrong with 6,000, we’ll just see how we go.

Someone should ask Rep. Pryce why we need to send the National Guard when the President cut funding for border patrol agents? Who will pay the salaries for the National Guard? Will the states be reimbursed? Who will pay for all the expenses? Will Ohioans be left having to pay for this just like we are paying for the unfunded federal mandate of No Child Left Behind? What does she think of the President cutting funding for 9,790 border patrol agents in February? Will someone tell us the truth?

Ohio Republicans: Masters of Disasters

You don't have to go too far to look for corruption and mismanagement stories here in Ohio. Republicans are on the march to rob, cheat, and generally mess up anything they can get their hands on. The Columbus Dispatch has several stories today that illustrate the Republican stranglehold on Ohio:

Dispatch: A business venture involving four Perry County officials, including former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder (Republican), is facing scrutiny because public employees are working on the enterprise on taxpayers’ time...
...State law prohibits public officials from using on-duty employees or other public resources to benefit a private business....
Is anyone surprised that Larry Householder is involved in this?

Dispatch: More than 30 families who rely on the Morrow County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to help their children will soon have to turn elsewhere.

The board’s vote Tuesday to suspend therapy and classes for children younger than 3 came in response to the failure of two tax levies this month, MRDD Board Superintendent Jerome Manuel said yesterday.....

You may wonder how Republicans figure into this. Several years ago, the Republican controlled state legislature was told to work out a fair plan for school funding for Ohio. However, the Republicans were too busy passing laws like the Defense of Marriage Act, and raising money for their re-election campaigns to put in the hard work to fix school funding. As a result of the Republicans' lack of effort, school funding has never been solved. Ohio school districts have to hold levy elections to raise money. Some poorer districts can't pass levies and therefore, have cut transportation, the purchase of new books, building maintenance, classes, athletics, and special programs. With the additional pressure of the unfunded federal mandate, No Child Left Behind Act, Ohio school districts are cutting to the bare bone. All this while the Republican controlled state government sits on their hands.

Isn't it time for a change in leadership???????

THIS JUST IN:
RASMUSSEN REPORTS HAS STRICKLAND AHEAD OF BLACKWELL BY 16 POINTS AND BROWN IN FRONT OF DEWINE.

Pryce's Power Ranking = #32

Despite having a title which puts her # 4 in the Republican House leadership, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce's ranking, according to Knowlegis, is #32. The Hill has an article about a power ranking poll that was conducted. Here are some excerpts from the article from The Hill:

Knowlegis, a software research firm, yesterday attempted the nearly impossible when it issued its 2005 “Power Rankings” list, using 15 characteristics of power that are based on 283 variables.....

...In fact, some offices are downright angry about the results.
“By rank alone, my boss is conference chair, No. 4 in leadership,” said Sean Spicer, spokesman for House Republican Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio), who ranked 32nd. “To say somehow she is in the 30s is ridiculous.”

...To determine the ranking, Knowlegis said, it examined media articles, bills and amendments and collected information on leadership, committee and caucus positions. Knowlegis was also surprised by some of the results. Fitch said he was astonished that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ranked higher in influence than Hastert. Her donations and appearances on television pushed her ranking up, Fitch said.

These rankings were made by a computer. Pryce's staff member appears very upset. However, we should examine what this means: 1. Pryce makes few national news shows appearances. 2. Pryce has a title, but is not well-known across the nation. 3. Pryce has operated in the shadows of DeLay, Hastert, and Boehner, and has not provided visible leadership. 4. Pryce has not provided leadership in sponsoring bills and amendments that are of interest to the public.

In summary, Pryce has a title. Period. Her influence and power are .....not so much.