Do Ohio Republicans in Columbus have a brain? A pulse?

What are they thinking?

1. Kasich, wants to be Obama's boy in Ohio and expand Medicaid.

2. The Republican General Assembly said NO.  (Many, at the time, were proud of them....standing up to the liberals and the GOP liberal in the Governor's mansion.)

3. The two leaders of the General Assembly from the house and senate, work with Kasich to pass this expansion through some little board.

So, either the two leaders do not care about keeping their jobs (maybe term limited???) by totally disregarding what their caucuses want.....or the GOP reps and senators gave them a wink/nod and told them to do it, since they have their token opposition to this massive government expansion noted during the budget process.  Can tell the conservative voters back home that the were against this expansion, yet letting it happen at the same time.

$2,000,000,000,000 per year of "FREE" money (tax money) from the federal government for 3 years, then 90% after that, then we all know what happens after that, it's up to the state to fund, less roads maintained, less public parks maintained, etc, etc.  They'll never be able or willing to remove this funding once it's in place.

The GOP always does this.  They are in power too long, get arrogant, disregard the will of their voters, make their voters mad, voters stay home, dems win governor race and house.

This has happened before.  How stupid are they?

One link to many stories on this.

Some good news in the internet tax scheme

House Speaker Boehner unlikely to support Internet sales tax bill

 This is good news.

 Too bad Rob Portman voted for this tax raising bill.  Which probably means that Bill Johnson will vote for it.

 How in the world can we say that states "loose 24 billion a year" by not collecting this tax.  They never lost it, they never had it to begin with.  If this isn't government think, I don't know what is.

 The reall story is, if this passes, $24,000,000,000 will move from citizens to the government.  That's really not lost, it's just in our pockets and the states want it, including Ohio.

 Our tax and spend Ohio GOP Governors try to act like democrats when in office.

Voinovich (soda pop isn't food, so we'll tax it) and Taft and Kasich (lets tax our newly found natural gas out of business), all increased taxes.

 Can't blame the democrats on this as they had only a 2 year window with a majority in the house in the past 20 or so years.  Strickland was the only democrat sandwiched between Taft and Kasich and that was only for 4 years.

Is it any wonder why Ohio is rated as the 47th least business friendly state in the Union?        

Counterfeiter Stivers at it again

Republican Representative Steve Stivers is at it again.

Now he wants to make all of our coins out of STEEL!  Unbelievable.

Money is supposed to be worth something.

If it costs more money to make money, there is a problem.  It's called government spending and creating inflation.

Money should be made of something valuable.....unlike the "full faith and credit of the United States"....which, of course is a joke.

I'll take gold, silver, copper and nickel any day over just words.

Story here

previous posts here, and here.

So you still think the "middle" class was exempt from this tax "deal"?

Here's what I've been saying, someone making $30,000, their taxes will raise more proportionally than someone making between $200,000 and $500,000.

In other words, never believe what a politician says, believe only what they do.

Congressman Bill Johnson said in this statement on 1/2/13: "Now that an agreement has been reached to prevent going over the fiscal cliff and permanently cut taxes on 99 percent of the American people" 

 He's playing fast and loose with facts and using George Orwell speak to confuse us.

The real number is 80% of all taxpayers will pay more taxes, due to his vote.

In 2001 the "Bush" tax cuts went into effect.

This, so called, fiscal cliff deal merely extended or made permanent the tax cuts that took effect in 2001, with the exception of those making more the $400,000/yr.

So, his vote did not cut any taxes, it did the exact opposite.  This "deal" raised the social security payroll taxes by 2% of one's income.  So if you make $50,000 a year, you'll pay an additional $1000.

Yet, this Congressman tries to have us believe that tax bill he voted for only raised taxes on those with income above $400,000 and "cut taxes on 99% of the American people"!!!

Bottom line is Bill Johnson's vote did this:

• made permanent (as permanent as things are in Washington) the tax rates that have been in effect since 2001

• That is with the exception of those making over $400,000, their rates went up.

• Raised social security tax (on everyone) an additional 2%

• The net result of this joke of an unneeded bill and all the fake hystericals around it, is this.  One making $30k/yr ends up paying more taxes proportionally than one making 200k - 500k.

• Raised the death tax rate to 40%.  So a son who inherits his father's farming operation has to pay an additional 5% tax(this is on top of the original 35%), just to keep the farm in the family.  We've got a real joke of a government It's sickening to think of all the local government officials smirking with anticipation when they hear about a local wealthy individual on their death beds.....wondering what their cut will be.

That's a far cry from Johnson's claim he "cut taxes on 99% of the American people".  I'd try to explain away this vote if I were him, as it is exactly opposite of what he said he would do in the past!  What is it about Washington that sucks the principles right out of some people? 

Spineless DeWine

While I'm not a fan of Romney, DeWine's reasoning for switching to supporting Santorum is sad.

He feels that Santorum has a better chance of beating the Muslim in Chief.

What happened to supporting someone because you feel they are more aligned with yourself?
What happened to loyalty?

From what I can see, neither of the Ohio GOP's DeWines are trustworthy.

Story here.

Ken Blackwell vs Kevin DeWine

Principled conservative vs a weasel....Pretty sure that fits.

Dispatch story here

"Blackwell said that among the reasons he decided not to run is because it "would require me to make 'nice' with folks with whom I would rather not."

That comment was not explained, but appeared targeted at Kevin DeWine, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, who gave Blackwell's potential candidacy a chilly reception when Blackwell told The Dispatch in April that he was thinking about running."

DeWine is not and doesn't care for real conservatives running for office. Conservatives that will actually be a conservative after they are elected, not just during the campaign.

"Blackwell, who lost the 2006 governor's race to Democrat Ted Strickland by almost 24 points, said that after serving as Cincinnati mayor, Ohio treasurer and secretary of state, he would "much prefer an executive office over a legislative office.""

Blackwell lost because the GOP establishment abandoned him and had to have actually voted for Strickland. They mouth the politially correct words "diversity" but only really want it when candidates toe the moderate GOP party line. I don't believe the Ohio GOP is racist, they are anti-conservative, no matter what color you are.

"Blackwell, 63, also said he had made a personal commitment not to run for office past age 70, so "I could not and would not run for re-election if successful this time. I believe to get done what needs to be done in the U.S. Senate, the next senator needs to make a two-term commitment. I cannot.""

I don't agree with Blackwell that this has to be a 2 term commitment. When that happens, the first term is spent campaigning and raising money for the 2nd term....more so than actually being a good conservative Senator. Maybe that's why I can't remember one of them (Ohio conservative US Senator) in my life time. Think John Glenn (D)and George Voinovich (so called R), it's a hard call as to who was the more conservative.

"In an apparent criticism of the state party, Blackwell said he received encouragement from conservatives, "a source of political strength that the GOP establishment has never been able to grasp.""

He's right, the GOP makes promises, innuendos and platitudes toward conservatives every election year. No action has resulted until Kasich.....which are few and too timid. Use them (conservatives) to campaign then ignore their requests after being elected.

"The Ohio GOP has not endorsed a Senate candidate, but a number of its leaders, including Secretary of State Jon Husted, have thrown their support to Mandel, who has been treasurer just six months."

If that isn't a good enough reason to support former state Sen. Kevin Coughlin, I don't know what is. When the Ohio GOP establishment starts endorsing candidates before the primary (bad practice btw, let the voters decide........proof that they don't trust the GOP voters to make decisions) it's a good time to support the exact opposite.

""We leave it to the GOP to decide if they would rather nominate an ethically challenged and newly elected treasurer who promised to serve the full four years of his term, or a do-nothing former state senator," Ohio Democratic Party spokesman Justin Barasky said."

The this do nothing label is thrown around by both parties against former / current general assembly members that run for office. Let see, would I rather have an activist state Senator/Representative who probably doesn't think through the ramifications of his votes (unintended consequences) or someone that is slow and thoughtful about important issues and isn't the first to jump on all the band wagons rolling down Broad St?

Scrooge was the good guy

Here's a Mises.org story telling us that it was Scrooge and his ilk that actually improved the lives of many poor folks.

It's pure greed that makes us lust after other's money. The fact that the object of the envy has more money than you doesn't make it any less envious.

Pretty sure it's one of the 10 Commandments.

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s."

AND if that one doesn't get it, this one sure does. Ohio's state government needs to read this, because they just stole from us!

Thou shalt not steal.

However, today, along with their constituents, politicians want to confiscate the "fat cats on Wall Street" for making money. This when we have no right to that money.

No wonder Comrade Wilson votes the way he does, I'm beginning to think his constituents are socialists too!

Looks like Bob Taft's GOP is back!

It looks like the Ohio GOP is going to enable a tax hike.

They can say what they want, it is a tax hike and it will be the GOP that enables it.

Previous post

I'm beginning to think I'd like to see the GOP start a used car lot, because they are limp wrist-ed negotiators.

Just received a fund raising letter for the House GOP leader bragging about all the House Republicans voting against this tax hike.....yet it's the GOP (this time in the Senate) that will provide the votes to do the tax raising.

This would have been the perfect time to really differentiate the parties.

Here's who runs Ohio: Librarians, Teacher's Unions and Job and Family Services.

I'm too mad to keep typing. Looks like Bob Taft's GOP is back after all.

Dispatch story here.

The Ohio GOP, back to the tax raising good ole' days.

Here's the perfect time for Ohio's GOP to stand up and show the state of Ohio that they're now beyond that tax raising that they did in the past. You know, the tax raising that made the GOP base so mad that the GOP lost the governorship and eventually the house.

Now, instead of learning from their mistakes of the past, they want to resurrect Bob Taft one more time and make a deal on raising our taxes again.

Just when our economy and families need the extra money to help them get by. One does not help an economy by confiscating more money from the job creators! You don't help a state by taking money from those that contribute to society and pay taxes on their wages. You definitely don't help a state's economy by taking money from the productive members of society and giving it to the leaches on the state payroll. How does that improve our economy? It doesn't!

Dispatch story here:

"Harris, R-Ashland, has offered to provide five votes to delay the 4.2-percent income tax cut that took effect this year, in exchange for some extras"

What do you mean "offered"? How about just saying that the Senate Republicans do not believe that raising taxes on what working families we have left in Ohio is a wise or fair thing to do. Also, raising taxes on businesses is a completely insane thing to do when we actually want them to hire people. Let me explain this a little more for you tax raising Republicans in the Senate. Employers can't afford to hire more workers if they are spending their money paying taxes.

I'm not much for term limits, but since Ohio has them, how many more years does Harris have left?

Reforming construction laws in Ohio is a great idea, who's time came about 100 years ago. Why didn't the GOP tackle this when they had...let's see....the House, the Senate and the governorship???
Now we want to make deals to make this happen and our negotiating position is trading away a (GOP) promised tax cut? Give me a break!

Yes, a delayed tax cut is a tax increase! Our state government's promises are no good.

Former Ohio GOP Chairman now gambling pimp

Pretty sad. Getting paid to go 100% against your party's values. I have no confidence in the GOP to speak for me when it comes to gambling.

Cleveland.com story here.


This is one reason to oppose expanded gambling in Ohio. The buying of politicians (regardless of party) and organized crime.

Gambling does not create "new" money. It just recycles it from the gambler's pockets to the casino operator's......along with state government and corrupt politicians.

Another reason is that anytime you can keep money away from government, no matter where it comes from, it is a good thing.

I always thought there was something about Bennett that was sleazy....

The leap the Ohio GOP won't make

Here's a press release from the Ohio GOP. It criticizes Strickland for not filling Lee Fisher's spot when he resigned being the Department of Development Director.

This criticism would be valid if the DOD was actually a good thing for Ohio's economy. It's not. It's a tax sucking machine that doles out your tax money to those in touch with the right bureaucrats.

The market would do much better at knowing what and where to build businesses based on the wants, needs and desires of the market place.

The DOD is a pipe-dream of quasi communists who want to "plan" our economy for us.

The GOP needs to call for the elimination of the DOD, not the filling of the director's position.

Anti-gun Brady campaign endorsed Mike Dewine in 2006

Remember this?

Friday, June 23, 2006

In its first Senatorial endorsement of the year, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence this week endorsed anti-gun Senator Mike DeWine (R-Ohio).

Dave Yost is the right choice of Ohio Attorney General. Pro-Life AND Pro-Gun!

Interesting outside analysis of Ohio's GOP chances next year

Will Ohio Lead the GOP Comeback?

One note, while Mike DeWine has name ID, that is not necessarily a good thing in the GOP primary. His poor gun voting record will not help him.

Dave Yost would be a much better pick for Attorney General.

Flip Flop Ted

He's against gambling, then he'd consider it, then he's against it (just 4 days ago) now he's going to increase it (without a vote) in Ohio by saying it's in his discretion to do so by calling it an expansion of the Lottery.

He must be under immense pressure from his union / liberal interest groups to not cut further spending that he'd do something that he knows is not healthy for a society. Increase gambling.

Ted apparently has strong convictions that he chooses not to follow. We need a leader that not only has strong convictions, but follows them.

"The proposal, officially an expansion of the Ohio Lottery, would not need a vote of the people, Strickland said.

The governor had said repeatedly that he opposed expanded gambling as a budget solution and didn't trust the revenue projections of gambling supporters. He also has noted that state voters have rejected gambling ballot issues four times since 1990, most recently in November.

"I think the people of our state have spoken on this issue clearly, multiple times, and until the people change their mind about the issue, then I am supporting what I believe to be the will of the people of Ohio," the governor told The Dispatch last month.

The governor said he wants to bypass a statewide vote because the state needs the revenue quickly."

Clearly Ohio needs a new Governor. Not a Bob Taft Republican, but a leader with convictions (yes, it's a pun). Ted needs to propose more spending cuts and forget more gambling, which will cost us more in the long run. He needs to tell his supporters NO. I don't think he can do it. One wonders if he's worried more about campaign contributions than he is for the cancer of gambling.

He's trying to lay a rotten egg in the Senate's lap by making them be (again) the adults and doing the hard work that needs to be done. That is, cutting additional spending.

A message to Bill Harris, you need to consider the will of the voters, who have time and time again voted down gambling schemes. Here is the Ohio GOP's chance to show a clear distinction between the two parties. The winning strategy would be to cut the necessary spending and leave the democrats on the record of supporting expanding gambling which the vast majority of Ohio's voters do not want.

Previous posts on gambling here, here, here, here and here.

What Governor Strickland has said about gambling in Ohio in the not so distant past.

Press release from the Ohio GOP:

Strickland Defies 'Will of the People'

"The people of Ohio have spoken with a clear voice on this issue time and time again. They do not want an expansion of gambling in their state."
- Ted Strickland, 10/25/07

(Columbus) - Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine accused Gov. Ted Strickland today of using the gambling issue as a political crutch to avoid making deeper cuts to Ohio's budget.

"This is another pathetic display of weak leadership by Gov. Strickland," said Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine. "The governor has already said gambling isn't the solution to Ohio's economic problems, and the lottery expansions he's already proposed have fallen dramatically short of projections. This so-called budget fix rings about as hollow as the elaborate economic development stunt he pulled in Piketon."

Strickland has called gambling "an insidious condition that can ruin lives" and a "false solution to Ohio's economic-development needs." Asked last month whether he would support an expansion of gambling as a solution to Ohio's budget crisis, Strickland said:

"I would tell (supporters) what I have told them several times in the past, that my position remains unchanged, and that I do not believe that this is the right way for Ohio to deal with our budget or to try to fund education," the governor said yesterday. "I think the people of our state have spoken on this issue clearly, multiple times, and until the people change their mind about the issue, then I am supporting what I believe to be the will of the people of Ohio." (The Columbus Dispatch, 6/19/09)

In March, Strickland told The Plain Dealer:

"I don't think it would be accurate to sell this as an answer to Ohio's economic challenges. ... I really don't envision anything that is likely to change my mind."

In October of 2007, Strickland expressed his opposition to gambling when he signed legislation banning casino-style "amusement" machines:

"The people of Ohio have spoken with a clear voice on this issue time and time again," Strickland said. "They do not want an expansion of gambling in their state." (Office of the Governor, 10/25/07)

Despite his public opposition to an expansion of gambling in Ohio, Strickland had no problem taking contributions from the industry's major players, although he publicly assured voters that those contributors "are likely to be terribly disappointed."

According to campaign-finance reports, Strickland has received more than $50,000 from individuals and companies associated with gambling, including MTR Gaming Group Inc., which owns Scioto Downs, a harness-racing track near Columbus. Strickland also held two campaign fund- raisers at West Virginia racetracks. (Columbus Dispatch, 5/13/06)

Strickland acknowledged that he has gotten money at two fundraisers at West Virginia racetracks that operate electronic slots and has taken campaign contributions from gambling interests. But he said he has "received financial support and resources from a lot of people who, if they're giving me those resources because they expect a certain public policy out of me, are likely to be terribly disappointed." (Columbus Dispatch, 4/13/06)

Strickland on Gambling . . .

• Democratic Congressman Ted Strickland, a psychologist, warns of the social costs that accompany gambling addiction, which he called "an insidious condition that can ruin lives." (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 3/24/06)

• Although the proposal includes money to treat gambling addictions, Strickland said its inclusion "points to my biggest concern as a psychologist: This is a difficult addiction to treat." (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 3/24/06)

• "Quite frankly, if I'd been in the legislature when the Ohio lottery passed, I would have opposed it," [Strickland] said. "It amounts to a regressive tax. The benefits of casino gambling in my judgment are significantly outweighed by the negative consequences." (Toledo Blade, 4/10/06)

Strickland, the Democratic frontrunner, told The Plain Dealer's editorial board earlier this week that he is not supportive of expanding legalized gambling in the state. While he didn't bring up religion, his denomination's Social Principles, which are its guideposts of faith, are clear. They denounce gambling as "a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, and destructive of good government." (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 3/25/06)

"I don't think an answer to Ohio's economic future is expanded gambling," [Strickland] said." (Columbus Dispatch, 4/13/06)

Strickland said he always has regarded gambling as a false solution to Ohio's economic-development needs. (Columbus Dispatch, 5/13/06)

Strickland ... opposes expanded state-sponsored gambling in Ohio as well as three proposed ballot issues this fall to allow casinos or slot machines at racetracks. Strickland, a six-term congressman from Lisbon and a Methodist minister, said his opposition isn't based on moral issues but on a belief that gambling isn't good for the state. (Columbus Dispatch, 4/13/06)

Ohio Senate has adults in charge

Republicans unveil revamped state budget proposal

Good Candidates

Morgan County Herald story:

"“I have been to regional meetings around the state. We are going to work together to develop a message we can all talk about. The party is going to have to raise money. Some place along the way we have lost the way to get our message out. We have a responsibility to be the loyal minority. We have to be a party that provides opportunities, ideas, and concepts. We are going to spend a lot of time doing this,” she said."

Jo Ann Davidson, former Speaker of the Ohio House.

I agree with this....somewhat. I wish we'd just have a party that wanted to do what government was supposed to do. The bare essentials and nothing more. Lower our taxes and leave us alone.

With so many on the government handout list in one way or the other, I believe normal government is a thing of the past and socialism is our future.

I also agree that a party has to have good candidates. Dave Yost (Attorney General) and John Kasich (Governor) would both be great office holders.

I'm not sure about Portman. A lot of good folks have had a lot of good things to say about Rob Portman. However, the fact that he could raise cash is always one of the reasons given for strong support. It's a shame that we have to factor in fund raising when deciding which candidate to support. This leaves one with the logical conclusion that there are many good (better?) candidates that are not given the light of day as far as consideration, just because they do not have a fund raising organization. So we are not necessarily choosing the best candidates, we are choosing who we think can beat a democrat. This, of course, is not a bad thing in and of itself.

I just wonder if we would have ever heard of Abraham Lincoln if the voters then picked their candidates solely on their ability to raise money.