Thoughts on Congressman Bill Johnson

Mike Lorenz (D) Mayor of Belpre, is the democrat candidate.  He had not primary opposition.  Apparently, no one believed they could beat Johnson.  I don't see Mike campaigning, as he spends most of his time socializing in Wendy's on Washington Blvd.  I've known Mike for 26 years and he's a good man.  I don't agree with some of his ideas, but that's OK. 

One of his best ideas when first elected Mayor of Belpre was to purchase 12 gauge shotgun shells for the police department, so they could kill the Canadian Geese that run riot at the Civitan park.  I thought is was a great idea, but some in Belpre didn't, so that came to a quick close.

Bill Johnson is an enigma to me.  Fairly conservative on social issues, which lines up with this district.  However, he supports never ending war funding and excessive, non-Constitutional spending.
Also, his votes to are local police departments with military equipment is concerning..... again, unconstitutional.

Previous posts on Bill Johnson

Here are some of the votes that are concerning to me.


Supports trace deals like NAFTA, this one just happens to be TPA.  We've already killed most of our manufacturing jobs, might as well kill them all!

H R 1314: Trade Act of 2015
Vote Date: June 12, 2015	Vote: AYE		Bad Vote.
Trade Promotion Authority. The House held separate roll call votes on the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) sections of H.R. 1314. The TPA portion of the bill would renew the on-again-offagain "fast track authority" that Congress has often awarded to the president over the past several decades. The essential features of TPA are: (1) Congress unconstitutionally delegates its constitutional authority "to regulate commerce with foreign nations" to the Executive Branch; and (2) Congress dramatically increases the probability of approval of foreign trade agreements by restricting itself to voting up or down by simple majority on the agreements, as negotiated and submitted by the president, with no ability to amend the agreements and with no possibility of filibusters in the Senate. So-called free-trade agreements that have already been passed under previously awarded "fast track authority," such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the currently proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), have in common a structure and purpose that would create supranational political entities that would supersede the national independence of the United States. Genuine free trade would mean the absence of government involvement, but these agreements entail more than just trade and put the United States on a trajectory to regional governance similar to Europe's trajectory from a Common Market to the EU. The House agreed to the TPA section of H.R. 1314 on June 12, 2015 by a vote of 219 to 211 (Roll Call 362). We have assigned pluses to the nays because TPA would facilitate the subordination of the national independence of the United States to regional trading blocs. Is completely wrong on Ukraine.  He has drank the CIA/State Department Cool-Aid.  We sponsored a coup in Ukraine to poke a stick at Russia, then blamed Russia for it.  And our politicians are 100% on board with messing around on the other side of the world, apparently wanting a war with Russia. H RES 162: Calling on the President to provide Ukraine with military assistance to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Vote Date: March 23, 2015 Vote: AYE Bad Vote. Ukraine Military Aid. House Resolution 162, which calls on the president "to provide Ukraine with military assistance to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity," allows President Obama to provide Ukraine with defensive weapons to defend against aggression from Russia. The House adopted H. Res. 162 on March 23, 2015 by a vote of 348 to 48 (Roll Call 131). We have assigned pluses to the nays not only because foreign aid is unconstitutional but also because this bill would further interject the United States into a foreign conflict. Allowing the U.S. president to provide lethal arms to Ukraine in order to fight Russia is tantamount to waging a proxy war on Russia without the constitutionally required congressional declaration of war. The House, by giving such power to the president, is relinquishing one of its constitutional responsibilities   Then voting to put the US taxpayer on the hook for loans to Ukraine, which, wouldn't have been needed if the US hadn't stage a coup in that country to begin with! H R 4152: To provide for the costs of loan guarantees for Ukraine Vote Date: April 1, 2014 Vote: AYE Bad Vote. Ukraine Aid. This bill (H.R. 4152), as amended by the Senate (see Senate vote below), would provide $150 million for direct aid to Ukraine. It would also provide for loan guarantees (meaning that U.S. taxpayers would be stuck holding the bag if the loans are not paid). And it would impose sanctions on Russian and ex-Ukrainian officials deemed responsible for the crisis in the Ukraine. [ The Senate version of this legislation - offered in the form of a substitute amendment to the House version, H.R. 4152 - would provide $150 million for direct aid to Ukraine. It would also provide for loan guarantees (meaning that the U.S. taxpayers would be stuck holding the bag if the loans are not paid). And it would impose sanctions on Russian and ex-Ukrainian officials deemed responsible for the crisis in the Ukraine. ] The House voted for this legislation on April 1, 2014 by a vote of 378 to 34 (Roll Call 149). We have assigned pluses to the nays because foreign aid is unconstitutional. The rationale for providing U.S. aid to Ukraine is that the country needs our assistance to resist Russian hegemony and build "democracy." Yet the oligarchs wielding power in Ukraine are hardly "democrats," and (because money is fungible) U.S. assistance could effectively be funneled to Russia in the form of Ukrainian energy and debt payments. Voted against "country of origin" labeling on food products.  WHY? H R 2393: Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015 Vote Date: June 10, 2015 Vote: AYE Bad Vote. Country of Origin Labeling. The proposed Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015 (H.R. 2393) would amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to repeal the requirements of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for beef, chicken, and pork sold in the United States. This vote came after the World Trade Organization's recent ruling against an appeal from the United States to keep its COOL. Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) opposed passage of the bill to repeal COOL. From the House floor, Massie elaborated: "What is the World Trade Organization, and who are they to tell Congress what laws we have to pass? These judges weren't appointed by the President. They weren't confirmed by the Senate. These are not judges from our Constitution. These are extra-constitutional judges, yet they are telling us here in Congress you have got to do this or there will be repercussions." The House passed H.R. 2393 on June 10, 2015 by a vote of 300 to 131 (Roll Call 333). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill would cede national sovereignty over food-related choices and regulations to the WTO. Moreover, this bill would prevent American consumers from knowing where their food comes from.

OK with the government spying on you

H R 1731: National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015
Vote Date: April 23, 2015	Vote: AYE		Bad Vote.
Cyberspace Intelligence Sharing. The proposed National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act (NCPA) of 2015 (H.R. 1731) would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to expand the role of the Department of Homeland Security's National Cybersecurity and Communication Integration Center, designating it the principal federal entity to receive and disseminate information about cyberspace threats from and to private companies and other federal agencies. Expressing opposition to both H.R. 1731 and H.R. 1560, another related cybersecurity intelligence bill, Congressman Justin Amash (R-Mich.) said, "As drafted, these bills violate the Fourth Amendment, override privacy laws, and give the government unwarranted access to the personal information of potentially millions of Americans." The House passed H.R. 1731 on April 23, 2015 by a vote of 355 to 63 (Roll Call 173). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill would further empower the unconstitutional Department of Homeland Security, erode the privacy protections enshrined in the Constitution, and gradually move the United States closer to becoming a police state.

Spying again.

H R 4870: On Agreeing to the Amendment 69 to H R 4870
Vote Date: June 19, 2014	Vote: NAY		Bad Vote.
Surveillance. During consideration of the Defense Appropriations bill, Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced an amendment to prevent defense funds from being used to allow U.S. intelligence agencies to sift through electronic metadata that contains the personal information of U.S. citizens or legal residents. Massie's amendment would also prohibit funds from being used by the NSA for "backdoor" surveillance - requiring or requesting the redesign of a product to facilitate the electronic surveillance of a person who uses it. As Massie said during debate on his amendment, "The American people are sick of being spied on. Our Founding Fathers wrote an important provision into the Bill of Rights - the Fourth Amendment - and that requires probable cause and a warrant before the government and government agents can snoop on any American." The House adopted Massie's amendment on June 19, 2014 by a vote of 293-123 (Roll Call 327). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because Massie's amendment seeks to uphold the Constitution and its protection of privacy rights. Any attempt to curtail the surveillance state and restore constitutional protections to Americans is good.

Use of Military force, how long are we, the citizens, through our elected Representatives going to give the Executive a blank check to conduct war?  Apparently, Bill Johnson wants endless wars.  Even if that's not the case, this Authorization needs to expire and have a debate in Congress on whether to keep bombing people on the other side of the globe. 

H R 4909: Use of Military Force
Vote Date: May 18, 2016	Vote: NAY		Bad Vote.
During consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4909), Representative Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) introduced an amendment to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) that was enacted in 2001 for the purpose of authorizing U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks. Since then, however, the AUMF has been invoked numerous times by the executive branch for U.S. military intervention not only in Afghanistan but elsewhere. H R 4870: On Agreeing to the Amendment 56 to H R 4870 Vote Date: June 19, 2014 Vote: NAY Bad Vote. Military Operations in Afghanistan. During consideration of the Defense Appropriations bill, Representative Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) introduced an amendment that would have barred any funding in the bill from being used "pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force [AUMF] ... after December 31, 2014," the date that was set as the official end of U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan. Enacted in 2001 in the wake of 9/11, the AUMF has been invoked numerous times by the executive branch for U.S. military intervention not only in Afghanistan but elsewhere. The House rejected Lee's amendment on June 19, 2014 by a vote of 157 to 260 (Roll Call 330). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because presidents have been able to claim broad authority to go to war whenever or wherever they choose under the AUMF, despite the fact that the Founding Fathers never intended for one man to make this decision and under the Constitution only Congress may "declare war." H R 4435: On Agreeing to the Amendment 17 to H R 4435 Vote Date: May 22, 2014 Vote: NAY Bad Vote. Use of Military Force. During consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2015 (NDAA, H.R. 4435), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced an amendment to sunset the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force 12 months after the enactment of the 2015 NDAA. The House rejected Schiff's amendment on May 22, 2014 by a vote of 191 to 233 (Roll Call 237). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the Authorization for the Use of Military Force, while granted by Congress, gives the president almost unlimited powers to invade countries, overthrow governments, and assassinate people under the pretext of waging the "war on terror." Congress essentially handed over its constitutional authority to declare war to the executive branch, thus giving the executive unconstitutional abilities. Any attempt to end the Authorization for the Use of Military Force is a step in the right direction H R 2397: On Agreeing to the Amendment 64 to H R 2397 Vote Date: July 24, 2013 Vote: NAY Bad Vote. Military Intervention. During consideration of the defense appropriations bill (H.R. 2397), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) offered an amendment to prohibit funding for military actions after December 31, 2014 that are carried out pursuant to the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). As Rep. Schiff noted: "The 2001 AUMF was never intended to authorize a war without end, and it now poorly defines those who pose a threat to our country. That authority and the funding that goes along with it should expire concurrent with the end of our combat role in Afghanistan." Schiff also noted: "The Constitution vests the Congress with the power to declare war and the responsibility of appropriating funds to pay for it. It is our most awesome responsibility and central to our military efforts overseas. We owe it to the men and women we send into combat to properly define and authorize their mission, and my amendment will effectively give Congress the next 16 months to do so." The House rejected Schiff's amendment on July 24, 2013 by a vote of 185 to 236 (Roll Call 410). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because only Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war and appropriate funds to pay for it. Authorizing the president to use military force without a declaration of war is a shifting of responsibility from Congress to the executive branch that essentially allows the president to exercise dictator-like powers and should be opposed. Supports Corporate Welfare H.R. 2072: Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 Vote Date: May 9, 2012 Vote: AYE Bad Vote. Export-Import Bank. This legislation (H.R. 2072) reauthorized the U.S. Export-Import Bank for two years and increased the agency's lending cap from $100 billion to $140 billion. The bank issues loans and loan guarantees to foreign governments or companies for the purchase of U.S. products. The House passed H.R. 2072 on May 9, 2012 by a vote of 330 to 93 (Roll Call 224). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the federal government has no constitutional authority risking taxpayers' money to provide loans and terms that the private sector considers too risky to provide. Indeed, U.S. government-backed export financing is a form of corporate welfare, and if the Ex-Im Bank goes bust (as happened to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae), the taxpayers will get stuck holding the bag. You can read more and more here.

Why Aren't We Talking About A Four-Candidate Race For The Presidency?

Pretty interesting article. 

Link here

Athens County Republican Party Chairman / Doesn't know if he's support Republican presidential nominee?

 

Athens News Story

 

I am utterly amazed at Pete Couladis’ comments. 

This is the Chairman of the Athens county Republican Party and “he doesn’t know” what he will do if the general election is between Trump and Clinton?

He doesn’t know?  What does that mean?  He doesn’t know if he will support his own party’s nominee?  The party that he’s the chairman of?

Athens County’s republican voters preferred Donald Trump over their own governor.  Pete says that the voters “aren’t paying close attention” and “they’re not thinking deeply”.  This is what he thinks of the majority of the voters in his Party’s primary election?  Yes, the party of which he’s Chairman.

Instead of being happy that total Athens County GOP voters increased 47% this year vs 2012, he wants to belittle their voting behaviors.  Does this mean he doesn’t want new GOP voters?  You know, voters that could potentially help win a county race or two.

Apparently, the voters are only allowed to vote for those that the party leaders want.  If the voters stray from the “preferred” candidates, they are, well, “not thinking deeply” and not “paying close attention” to what the party leaders are feeding them.

Doesn’t Pete have the basic political instincts to realize he is denigrating the majority of his voters when he calls Trump: “total disaster”, “an embarrassment”, “lousy”, “dictator”, “a bully”, “spoiled brat”?  One can intelligently assume that Pete is calling all the Trump voters in Athens county all the above.  Of course, one shouldn’t assume when not “thinking deeply”, after all.  Pete needs to take a lesson from the Democratic Party Chair John Haseley, who when asked the same questions, responded respectfully of Sanders and his supporters.  He probably realizes that there is no need to disengage energized voters.

And that gets me to this, the party “officials” don’t really trust “you” voters to pick your candidates.  If Trump secures a majority of convention delegates, but not a magic number of 1237, the party, not the voters who “aren’t paying close attention” anyway, will choose the nominee for you.

“Asked what he’d like to see happen, Couladis indicated he’s hoping for a brokered convention where another candidate is selected as the Republican nominee”, now that’s how to represent the majority of your party member’s desires!!  Work behind their back to ensure their vote doesn’t matter.

Unbelievable!

What business is this of "Homeland Security"?

New York police arrests men for fighting roosters.  Link here

How is this a "homeland security" issue?  Why are we letting the federal government get involved in local law enforcement?

The side hypocracy of these cases are, the roosters will be killed by the government after saying that letting them fight is mean.

It's about gambling and the fact that the government is not getting it's cut, AKA Lottery.

previous post here

Typical anti-gun hypocrisy

A Buffalo, N.Y. community activist who is well known locally for pushing for a highly restrictive 2013 gun control law has been arrested for — wait for it — carrying a gun illegally at a public elementary school.

Story here

Why would Washingtonn County need these?

Link to fawning "story" here

Caring more about animals than people

I guess that's what we get when we live in a country that can kill 55,000,000 babies and few even say anything.

Here we have WTAP making a big deal out of the fact that a man had 16 dogs in his enclosed pick up truck.

They mention how the "Humane" "officer" took his dogs.  They agreed to let him have 4 of his dogs back IF he gets them spayed/neutered.  Isn't that gracious?  After he pays a "fee" for the "service" with a gun to his head.  The rest of them will end up euthanized....because we know that's better than spending the night in the back of a very large enclosed truck with their buddies.

What the story should have highlighted was the fact that the man's house burned down and he didn't have a place to live.  He went to spend the night with his sister in Parkersburg.  He didn't leave his dogs to roam on his property, he brought his dogs with him. 

No mention in the story if the man needed anything, how he was going to make it, etc....you know, your typical "human interest" story. Nope, we have to kick a man when he's down because his dogs are not spayed or neutered.

Pretty sad when the first thing the media can think of for a story in this situation is not about the man losing his house and belongings. 

Weird!

P.S.  Merriam/Webster needs to add this description as an example:  Oxymoron = Humane Society

Another thing I'm seeing: this stupidity is concentrated around large concentrations of people, I.E. cities.  If this fellow was in our neck of the woods, or any rural area, I suspect, no one would have thought of calling the police because he had some dogs in his truck, that's normal!  This man would have been given donations of clothing and cash to help him out. 

It's official, the GOP is dead from a thousand (self inflicted) cuts

Here's the latest example that there is absolutely no difference between the two major political parties. 

The budget sequester actually held spending on some items to certain levels.  Now the GOP led the effort to cut the cuts.  In other words, increase spending.

We Give Up! Part 2: Republicans Cave On Budget, Debt Limit, Everything
 
So there really is no difference between the parties.  Of course, our so called Representative Bill Johnson voted for this massive spending increase.

Previous posts on Congressman Bill Johnson:
http://seoconservative.blogspot.com/2013/01/can-someone-tell-me-why-i-should-vote.html
http://seoconservative.blogspot.com/2013/01/representative-bill-johnson-plays.html
http://seoconservative.blogspot.com/2013/01/so-you-still-think-middle-class-was.html

Another item that proves to me that the GOP is brain dead is the cuts to military retirements.  The one group that actually supports the GOP consistently and in large percentages!

This is a dumb idea not because it's a bad thing to cut spending.  However, this is a broken promise and these folks have already served and were told this is what the pay would be .  If you want to make a change like this, do it with people that are enlisting today, so they will know what to expect in the future, then they can have good information for their decision.  Making this type of cut after folks are getting ready to retire or are actually already retired is wrong.

Cutting 1% of a person's retirement is huge.  It depends on how long you are retired as to the amount of loss.  30 years = 30%

Of course this is based on a retirement who's cost of living adjustments are based on the government's reported inflation numbers.....which are a lie.

So now, with the help of Congressman Bill Johnson, we have cut their already promised retirement pay and on the other end, use fraudulent inflation numbers to keep cost of living increased below the real inflation rate, another cut.

But we can now increase spending on other vote buying schemes on the back of military retirees.

So now do you understand when I say the GOP is brain dead?  They cut retirement funding for one group of their strongest supporters so the democrats can increase spending for their government leaches / parasites groups.

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.

Is there anything the feds don't want involved in?

The US Senate is considering to outlaw theft of copper.  Um, it's already illegal to steal in all 50 states.  Why do we need a federal law? 

It's not just obama, it's both parties that are involved in the federal government overreach in multiple areas.

The need to "do something" once in Washington must be overwhelming.  How about doing nothing? We don't want or need any more of your "help".

Meigs County Sheriff's office did about all they could to blow this one

JUST BACK OFF!

Read more: Pomeroy Daily Sentinel - Standoff near Chester concludes 

I'm pretty sure too much testosterone was flowing for any thinking to go on in this situation.

Especially after the SO escalated this unnecessarily.

It's hard to back off after the cameras arrive.

This 80 something held off 3 or 4 county Sheriff's offices for 24 hours?

Not sure we'll ever get the entire story, but one version is that this individual verbally threatened a deputy.

However, the deputy was able to retreat and call for help.

And help did he get, the Calvary arrived then, of course, you have to have a "battle".

An 80 year old man, in his own house, ALONE, with an old shot gun.  Where's Andy Taylor when you need him?  Just back off and nab him the next he heads down the road.

These types of incidents bring up the "police looking for a fight" comments.

Then the Sheriff posts on his Facebook site: “After a long battle, the standoff is finally over! We have the male in custody. Nobody was hurt in this incident. We want to thank everyone that was involved!”

Battle?  Is that what they call surrounding an 80 year old man with an old shotgun and no shots having been fired?  Or are they predisposed for battle?
  
At least they didn't burn his house down with him in it...........however, they made an attempt by inserting tear gas, which is known to want to burn easily.

Sort of scary.  Not too impressed with Meigs County's new Sheriff so far.

Some thoughts on Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a day to remember those who gave their lives serving this country.

The meaninng seems to get lost (at least this section of the state) in that it's turned into a rememberance day for all dead friends and relatives.  All good to do, of course, but the intent of Memorial Day is to remember a solder, sailor, airman, marine who lost their life in duty to their country.

If you don't have a relative that meets this criteria, there are many forgotten graves in the country side that have such men in them.  Adopt one of these graves, keep the headstone repaired or at least level, so it won't fall over.  Mow the grave once in awhile, if the township doesn't own the cemetery.

It's a real shame when you visit a cemetery and see a pile of headstones thrown over the hill.  Untended/maintained headstones fall over, get hit by mowers, etc.  Then the grave location is lost and before you know it, the headstone is gone.

A little care, even once a year, to ensure the headstone is in good shape, level and won't fall over makes the senerio in teh above paragraphs less likely.

The other issue is that we have too many dead service mean due to un-needed wars.

Civil War should never have happened.  The hypocracy of this war is unbelievable.  600,000 dead soldiers.  If the war was about southen states attempting to succeed (which Lincoln said he had no desire to free the slaves and his emancipation proclomation only affected slaves in the north) why did Lincoln allow the north western portion of Virginia to succeed for Virginia and become West Virginia?

This war was about establishing (once and for all) the supremacy of the federal government over the States. 

Spanish/American War:  not needed
WWI: not needed, if we would have kept our noses out of it, and let Germany and England/France fight it out and end up with a comprimise that did not put Germany on the path to Socialism and Hitler.
WWII: See above.  Though one has to wonder how much Churchhill and Roosevelt really wanted a avoid the war.  Especially when Rodulf Hess flew to England with a peace propsal from Germany, but was immediately put in prison for life.  He eventrually "committed suicide".
Here was his propsal:
a) Withdrawal of all German Troops from Poland, Belgium, France & Holland.
b) Reimbursement for war damage to those countries
c) Total German disarmament
d) Destruction of all German war weaponry.

Korean War:  Um, it's Korea, how was/is this a concern of the US?  Fighting Communism would not have been needed if WWI wouldn't have happened.  Germany would have still been a force to counterbalance Communism in Europe, then the spread of Communism would not have had a free hand to spread.
Vietnam War:  See above and change Korea to Vietnam.
Persian Gulf War: Obviously about oil and the dollar and how the oil trade is conducted exclusively via the dollar.  If it was about Saddam, they would have went and got him.

Many, Many men have died fighting for this country in stupid, stupid wars.  Very sad.

One more thing.  I think this is the only thing I can remember agreeing with Obama on.  He did not cave to the war mongers in the GOP, the press or his own party to get involved in Syria.  We don't need to be there and it's none of our business.






   

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.

Redundant statements must be "news" now.

Public schools don't like vouchers.  Athens News article here.  Of course they don't want competition, it's a government.

I like how they use the phrase "public money".  Like money grows on a "public" tree and only government can have it.

It comes from taxpayers' hard work..............then it's confiscated by the government.  However, there is no such thing as "public money".

Obama supports the bill in Congress to allow states to collect sales tax on internet sales.   Of course he does.  This is not news.

There are quite a few Republicans that like this idea as well.  I'll be surprised if Representative Bill Johnson doesn't vote for this.  Not impressed with him at all.

I love it when they say that Ohio "loses"  $$$$$s due to not being able to collect sales tax on items purchase and shipped from out of state.  How can they "loose" it if they never had it?

The reason that it's not fair for in state stores to compete with out of state stores doesn't fly either.  The shipping costs usually are equal to or greater than the sales tax one would have to pay in state to begin with.  So, it's really a level playing field.

Our so called government will never stop attaching leaches to us until we are dried up prunes.