Gov. Ted Strickland's Top 10 DNC talking points

It's always a good thing to be able to laugh at yourself and also to appreciate true humor, even when you're the butt of the jokes.

Somehow, I don't think Democrats or former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland will take that to heart when it comes to this Press Release from the Ohio Republican Party:

COLUMBUS - Today Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett made the following statement on Governor Ted Strickland's keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention along with a list of ten talking points he might highlight from his four years as governor.

"The Democratic National Convention is apparently so desperate for speakers they actually have Ted Strickland on the schedule. Whoever decided to give a speaking role to a fired governor responsible for 400,000 lost jobs ought to have their head examined...but then again, I've been saying that about the Democrats for years," stated Bennett.

The following is a preview of what Ted might say in tonight's speech.

10. "After John Tester, Joe Manchin, Claire McCaskill, Bernie Sanders, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers declined invites to the Convention, the DNC was looking to fill-in. And since everyone from the speaker of the New York General Assembly to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee warned all their members to stay away, -- I'm honored you asked me to be here tonight!"

9. "Representative Betty Sutton is back home in Ohio tonight. She said she didn't come to the Convention because she has 'things to do'. Lucky for me, after the Ohio voters fired me, my schedule is wide open!"

8. "For those of you who don't know me, you may recognize me from the 'Shame on you Barack Obama' commercial!"

7. "It's good to see a decent crowd here in Charlotte tonight. I spoke at the Obama campaign kick-off in Columbus this year and that place was half empty!"

6. "Under Barack Obama, fewer Americans are working today than when he took office. I'm happy to report that I contributed 400,000 lost jobs to that effort!"

5. "You know, if I just keep taking credit for the economy during the last two years before I took office and the first two years of the Kasich administration, I can say I had a fantastic four years as Governor of Ohio!"

4. "Republicans claim John Kasich cleaned up the mess I left behind as Governor. But I'm here tonight to make the case that it was Barack Obama who cleaned up the mess I left behind as Governor!"

3. "John Kasich is no Barack Obama. Kasich balanced a budget, cut taxes, and had a laser-focus on job creation. Barack Obama hasn't done a single one of those things! He's nothing like John Kasich!"

2. "I'm glad the Democrats are refusing to answer 'are you better off today than you were four years ago?' I've learned a lot watching them dodge and duck that question, and claim it's the wrong question to ask. Where the hell were these guys when I needed them in 2010?"

1. "Mitt Romney is running a scary campaign. Like John Kasich two years ago he's
smearing his opponent by pointing out facts about his record. That's bad news folks -- because it usually works!"

###

Random thoughts - Strickland, Steel, Bell, Irish, Stainbrook

* Ted Strickland is traveling around Ohio doing a sort of 'counter convention' to the Republican gathering in Florida. He's on a very large bus and is garnering huge crowds of ... 30 or so.

Just wondering: anyone else see the irony of Strickland going city to city in a bus that says "wrong for the middle class"?

* The Washington Examiner had an interesting article on the latest government push for government dependency. Apparently, too many of you depend first on yourselves and then on your family for help in hard times.

Clearly that cannot be allowed to happen, so the government has created a website so you can stop that nasty habit of taking care of yourselves and rely upon the government instead.

* Check it out: Public Notice released a new video, “Where Washington is Taking Us,” highlighting the results of Washington’s reckless economic and fiscal policies and the true impact on American families, students and small businesses. The video presents today’s hard economic realities with the underlying message that the American people cannot afford to let Washington continue to take us down a path towards high unemployment, massive debt and a reduced quality of life.

* Note to Steve Steel: when you're in a hole, stop digging. Calling Mike Bell's proposal - which is your idea applied equally to everyone - a "red herring" just makes you look ridiculous. You are, however, correct in that it was 'one-upmanship' ... you're just upset about being the one 'upped'.

Just remember, you started it, so don't be surprised when Bell finishes it.

Saving the best for last:

* Keila Cosme is going to leave the Lucas County Board of Elections to take a job with the county. John Irish is going to be nominated to take her place.

I've worked with John as a commissioner - and against him in campaigns. I respect him even when I disagree with him. He's got a keen political mind and is an excellent strategist.

He also doesn't suffer fools, so his inclusion on the BOE will be nothing but a thorn in the side of the childish antics of Jon Stainbrook.

Either Irish will end up 'pummeling' Stainbrook or the BOE may actually get some work done. Only time will tell ... but, in the meantime, it will be fun to watch.

Even more good news for Ohio's credit rating

My friend and fellow Ohio blogger, Tom Blumer, has a further update on the recently upgraded outlook for Ohio's credit rating, proving that Kasich's recent balanced budget is responsible for the progress.

...there’s an even better part to all of this.

That’s because a related story reports an event which happened back in January which apparently didn’t get a lot of attention (or it got past me, which has been known to happen). This event, and the July news above which has followed it six month later, blows away every last conceivable shred of a claim by Ohio’s left and Democrats that Ted Strickland was really, really making things better in the final year of his term.

To hear them tell it, Ohio’s improving economy is merely a continuation of all the grrrrrrreat work T-Shirt and Turnaround Ted did in 2010. Why, one deluded BizzyBlog lefty commenter informed me that Ohio’s recovery last year was the best since 1983. Then Uncle Sam’s GDP growth by state report came out. “Never mind.”

Anyway, the super-fun, deal-sealing nugget is contained in the final paragraph of last week’s Wall Street Journal’s story on the S&P upgrade (bold is mine):

S&P had lowered its outlook on Ohio in January, citing the state’s depletion of its budget stabilization reserve. More recently, the state has made progress balancing its budget through the 2013 fiscal year, easing pressure on the rating.

Translation: After four years of Ted Strickland’s stewardship, on his way out the door, S&P told him, “Here’s the final bill for the damage you’ve done, Ted. You’ve left the state in a mess. Don’t let the screen door hit you.”

The cutoff couldn’t be any clearer. Before John Kasich took office, Ohio was rapidly turning into a problem child. A mere six months later (with the usual “don’t get too cocky” caution), Kasich has engineered an impressive enough turnaround to warrant an upgrade from S&P.

Perhaps the Ohio that Kasich envisions is a state where most of us want to live after all.

Why do we 'fight' and who are we fighting with?

I was reading about Governor Ted Strickland's "Fight for Ohio Bus Tour" and it struck me - why do political campaigns and candidates use the term 'fight'?

I don't recall if the term was used in any of my campaign commercials, but my impression is that the use of the term is on the rise:

"fight for you"
"fight for my district"
"fight for Ohio"
"fight the special interests"
"fight the spending"

and on and on and on.

Do you think that the use of the word is indicative of the more polarized political environment? Or has it spurred more polarization?

Not to pick on Gov. Strickland, but since it was his bus tour that started me down this road, I cannot help but wonder who he is fighting against? And why must he fight? Aren't we supposed to be trying to get along with our enemies and 'understand' them? Aren't we supposed to reject violence in favor of talk and mediation and compromise? Don't we teach our children not to fight and to find other means to resolve our differences?

Don't these political messages contradict other messages the politicians are sending?

I realize this post is full of questions and not many answers, but I admit that I don't know the answers.

What I do know is that 'fighting' for me or for my state is supposed to evoke an emotional response to make you want to trust, or agree or have confidence in the person promising to do so. It's supposed to make you feel as if the politician is on your side. But I don't make decisions about voting based upon emotion, though I know others do. So is this supposed to appeal to baser instincts in hopes of overcoming logic, reason and evaluation of records?

Again, I don't know. But I cannot help but think this approach is part of an overall problem and not a solution in and of itself.

Things I don't want to think about on a summer Saturday

My postings have been a bit light lately, due to a number of things. I have work (yes, that thing that earns me money to help pay the bills) - and that's a good thing.

But I also have disgust at what I see going on in the political realm - and that's a bad thing.

I know exactly how so many people feel when they see what counts for 'action' by our governments at all levels and it is eerily reminiscent of the feelings I felt while in office .... that efforts are for naught.

Don't get me wrong - I'm very encouraged by a lot of things: good candidates with firm philosophies and not various 'positions' on issues; a growing awareness of the impact political decisions being made have on individual freedom; the enthusiastic embrace of limited government/low spending approaches by many individuals regardless of political party, etc...

But sometimes, the idiocy or 'stuck on stupid' things just really get to me.

We've seen Toledo City Council and the Lucas County Commissioners spending time on non-binding 'statements' opposing a state for a law greatly supported not only by their own residents but by a majority of Americans as well.

Considering all the polls on the issue, I can't help but think these elected officials are violating the wishes of their own constituents, but that's nothing new. They were catering to a specific small-but-vocal group of interests that they believe they need to placate.

We've seen the news that Ohio is facing huge budget deficits for the next year and that our governor is again hoping one-time money from the feds (actually from all of us) will get him by. State Auditor Mary Taylor warned everyone in the last budget go-round that relying upon one-time 'stimulus' funds was a recipe for bigger problems in the future - and she was absolutely right. Why the idiots in Columbus cannot see that, I don't know.

And then I heard on the news yesterday that Gov. Strickland has asked his departments and agencies to let him know the negative impacts a 10% budget cut would have. That's the most WRONG question to ask! You ask them how they can cut their budget, not how bad things could be if they are forced to do so.

I don't know why it is that politicians never want to ask the questions that will actually give them the answers they need. They always ask 'what don't you want cut,' knowing full well that every little group that benefits from the spending will show up to say 'don't cut my program.' We see that in Toledo and Lucas County, too.

Instead, they should be asking 'what can you live without'? With that type of question, you'll at least get a listing of programs, projects, etc...that people can do without as opposed to the ones they don't want to give up, regardless of priority.

So what will Strickland get as a response to his request? He'll get a bunch of doom-and-gloom scenarios as bureaucrats list the most dire consequences of a cut in funds. He'll then end up in a no-win situation if he and the state legislature make the cuts that we all know need to be made.

We've seen President Barack Obama give 'stimulus' funds to a foreign company that is setting up shop in Michigan. Where is the outrage from all the 'buy America' people?

I despise the idea of any 'stimulus' coming from the government in terms of handouts to companies while that same government simultaneously increases taxes and regulatory compliances. Talk about contradictory! We're supposed to be ever so grateful for the meager government largess while ignoring that they're making us less profitable by requirements/fees/rules/taxes/etc... that add much, much more to the cost of doing business. That's not the way to 'stimulate' the economy.

And while that is a huge thing, it's nowhere near the double standard so evident in the action. If providing subsidies to foreign companies is a bad thing, then it's a bad thing even when Democrats or Pres. Obama do it. If groups are pushing a 'buy American' approach, they need to be vocal when American tax dollars are going to a foreign company in Michigan. And if they're not going to object to this particular expenditure, they cannot object to others.

Most people can live with either position - or at least agree to disagree. But when the criteria for comments or outrage is not the principle, but whichever political party is engaged in the act, the American people see it for what it is and reject the hypocrisy. (I hope.)

We've also seen the slippery slope in full effect. Many people have rightly complained that when government pays for things, it insists upon making decisions relating to those monies. We see it with the states: impose certain laws or forgo the money we're planning to give you.

As the federal government moved into the realm of health care, they made promises about us still being in control, but many of us knew it was only a matter of time. If government is paying for your medical care, it won't be long until they're dictating your eating and exercise habits under the guise of 'containing costs' for your care.

The White House chef is now a 'senior policy advisor' to the White House so he can advise us on an 'epidemic' of obesity. I always thought an epidemic was some sort of infectious disease that spreads among the populace. Who knew that your own actions (or lack thereof) could qualify?!? So now obesity is a matter of 'national security' and legislatures are trying to figure out how to control things you eat like salt and trans-fats and junk food.

Oh - let me clarify. They're not yet trying to make YOU stop eating things that are bad for you (though they are requiring a reporting of your Body Mass Index to them by 2014). They realize that if they tell you that you can no longer eat too much salt (even though 'too much' is a large range that varies from person to person), you'll rebel. So they're telling food manufacturers that THEY can't include salt in their products - and they're doing so through force of law.

It is a slippery slope and we are gliding down it at a very fast pace, approaching an even steeper incline.

So with all these things going on it's easy to just bury oneself in work, family and things like mowing the lawn. But, as Wendell Phillips once said:

Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty — power is ever stealing from the many to the few…. The hand entrusted with power becomes … the necessary enemy of the people. Only by continual oversight can the democrat in office be prevented from hardening into a despot: only by unintermitted Agitation can a people be kept sufficiently awake to principle not to let liberty be smothered in material prosperity.

Strickland is the real 'cheerleader for failure'

A Google search will show multiple links to the headline "Strickland Lashes Out at Critics of Rail Plan," which is what Governor Ted did two days ago, calling opponents of his plan "cheerleaders for failure."

I don't believe the Governor understands the meaning of the term 'failure' if he really believes what he said.

From the WSPD News website:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland is lashing out at critics of the state's plan to use $400 million in federal stimulus money for a startup rail service, calling them ``cheerleaders for failure.''

Strickland said Tuesday he's tired of people who attack every idea that comes along and always look for something negative to say.

The governor says that's not the way to move Ohio forward.
...
Strickland says other states would have rejoiced to receive $400 million in federal funding.

Just a reminder: this plan that Strickland is so fond of will cost more than $500 million dollars, so getting $400 million from the feds just means the state has to come up with another $100 million or so in order to get it built. Ohio doesn't have that money - at least, not without giving up something already planned in the capital budget.

I've written previously about the operational costs of the rail plan, pointing out that the Governor's own report says the system will cost $29 million a year to operate, but is only projected to have $12 million in revenue - meaning the Ohio taxpayer will have to pay $17 million a year just to run the system once its built.

See that? This rail plan requires the taxpayer to pay nearly 60% of the yearly costs while those who ride it will only have to pay 40%. Do we really want to spend our limited tax revenues on such a boondoggle? Aren't there more important things already being cut out of the state's budget because it doesn't have enough money to break even? And Gov. Strickland thinks this is a good idea?

Talk about failure! I can think of nothing that so qualifies as a massive failure than to rejoice over a system that will cost us so much money to operate.

Obviously, it's not a good idea. But that won't deter a bunch of politicians who've already backed it and begged for money from the federal government (meaning you and me and every other taxpayer) to build a system that won't even come close to breaking even.

So what's a governor to do? Demonize the people who are using logic and reason and sound fiscal analysis by calling them "cheerleaders for failure."

Sadly, the only cheerleader for failure in this instance is Ted Strickland. The rail plan is a fiscal drain on a already tapped-out state. To continue to push it in spite of the financial reality is certainly not the "way to move Ohio forward."

Promises of tax cuts and the state's $851 million budget deficit

The state of Ohio is facing an $851 million budget deficit following a decision from the Ohio Supreme Court that a source of funding, income from slot machines at racetracks, is subject to a ballot challenge and cannot be implemented as planned.

Just like most politicians who don't want to make the tough decisions, Gov. Ted Strickland and the Democrats in Columbus have decided that the best thing for the state, the residents and our current economy, is to 'delay' a planned income tax cut.

Yes, you heard me correctly. They believe that the best thing to do is to raise your taxes, taking more of your money for their purposes. The tax cut they want to 'delay' is part of a phased-in plan that was passed several years ago. Interestingly, most of the organizations that rank states for business-friendliness or for tax purposes have touted this phased-in plan as a good thing for Ohio.

But despite the fact that the lower tax rates appear to be working in our favor, the easiest way to deal with a budget deficit is to raise taxes - no matter the dire negative consequences to the residents and the state economy.

Now comes some members of the Republican Party who think that 'delaying' only two-thirds of the cut is a good thing.

Perhaps they've missed the lesson.

The Plain Dealer has some interesting quotes in their story on the GOP plan:

Ohio Senate Republicans rolled out their plan to fill an $851 million hole in the current state budget Wednesday, but Senate Democrats immediately shot it down.

"It is in conflict with our core values and counts on money that can't be relied on," said Senate Minority Leader Capri Cafaro, a Youngstown-area Democrat.

Let's start with this one... Is Cafaro really saying that letting Ohioans keep their money that was promised to them 'is in conflict with' his core values? I'm not really sure.

And the hypocrisy of criticizing the Republican plan that 'counts on money that can't be relied on,' is just priceless. State Auditor Mary Taylor said the entire budget these same people voted for and touted relies upon one time funds that 'can't be relied on' for continuation. And the huge hole in the budget was created for the same reason - relying upon money that can't be relied upon.

Of course, if people and businesses continue to flee the state because of the high tax rates and bad decisions made in Columbus, even the 'delay' in the income tax cuts will turn out to be money that can't be relied upon.

The Republican plan would delay two-thirds of a 4.2 percent state income tax cut. Gov. Ted Strickland and fellow Democrats in the General Assembly want to suspend the entire cut until 2011. Republicans instead proposed that the rest of the money to fill the budget gap -- which resulted from an Ohio Supreme Court decision that slot machines at racetracks are subject to a ballot challenge -- would come from a variety of sources.

Those include $200 million in casino license fees, $50 million from sentencing reforms, a $30 million raid on the state's Housing Trust Fund as well as $10 million from oil and gas drilling at Salt Fork State Park.

So rather than drill for oil and gas at a state park, Democrats want to tax us more. Where are the priorities here? What's more important to them: letting Ohioans keep the money they've earned and keep a tax cut promised several years ago, or drilling in one of the state parks? Seems like a no-brainer to me...

And raiding the Housing Trust Fund appears to be no different than raiding the tobacco settlement fund - the politicians are good at raiding funds designated for a specific purpose whenever they are faced with that choice or cutting spending.

Strickland doesn't think the Republican plan is a responsible way to solve the budget crisis, said his spokeswoman Amanda Wurst.

Really? The 'responsible' way would have been to not rely upon a questionable source of funding in the budget in the first place.

On the other hand, what is more responsible? Keeping a campaign promise to not raise taxes or taking the easy way out of a budget deficit by raising taxes?

I'm sick and tired of politicians telling us they've cut everywhere they possibly can while actually increasing spending in many areas where it is not required. Our elected officials in Columbus should just start eliminating departments, cutting funding to projects and tasks that are not mandated, reducing the szie of Ohio's government and tightening the state's belt.

That's what we're all doing - going without things that we'd like to have because we don't have the funds to cover their costs. Will some special interests be upset? Yes - they will. But better that some special interests be upset over their loss of funding than all Ohio residents have to pay a higher tax just so some politician won't have to explain logic and reason and priorities to them.

As for all of us - let us be sure to learn a very valuable lesson: promises of tax cuts aren't worth the paper they're written on.

Why should libraries be exempt from cuts?

They shouldn't - not really.

In today's economic environment and record deficits by our governments (federal, state, county, municipality), there is no entity or recipient of taxpayer dollars that should be exempt from reductions.

Despite all the doom and gloom predictions if government doesn't keep spending at the same - or even higher - levels, the world will not end. In our own families, we're setting priorities and making decisions about where and how we spend our limited dollars. We are cutting out many things in order to ensure that the essentials are covered.

Government should be no different.

First, the solution from so many who are opposed to cuts is that taxes should be raised - if they say anything at all. Most are just saying 'don't cut MY pet program' and are pretty silent when it comes to answering the question of where cuts should come from if their program's funding remains the same. When they do suggest a solution, it is to raise taxes so nothing needs to be cut.

Of course, those of us who are paying those taxes are finding our funds reduced as well, so taking more from people who really have nothing left just compounds the problem - it does not solve it. And the detrimental impacts of additional taxes are severe and long-term (think of loss of population and businesses...).

Second, there is no reason that any program or project should be sacrosanct when it comes to 'helping' the state meet its budget. I've applauded Gov. Ted Strickland's decisions to reduce the state spending in the past and for his position on not raising taxes. (Though I did take exception to his change of position when he decided that raising fees is not raising taxes despite his prior comments that an increase in fees is an increase in taxes.)

His approach has been to impose across-the-board cuts with lesser priority areas getting larger cuts. Libraries hold no more special position than anything else in government. In fact, they are far less of a priority that certain mandated functions. While library supporters may not like this, it is true and must be considered as part of an overall budget.

Third, there is certainly room in all budgets to make adjustments. The main branch of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Since so much of the library focus is on children (and just what isn't these days when it comes to justifying public funding), there is certainly room to reduce hours, especially during the school year when kids cannot use the library during a normal school day. Additionally, most operations are not open 12 hours a day. Even our malls have reduced their hours of operations - so why not libraries. And if meeting the needs of the public is important, then why not have more weekend hours and close down on one of the week days when most adults are at work?

I am certain that anyone looking closely will find waste and inefficiency in any government operation - and certainly government should streamline itself, either voluntarily or forcibly by taxpayers who refuse to allow increased taxes. Libraries are no exception.

As a side note, I cannot express how angry I am that our library has a huge yellow and black ad that pops up before allowing me access to the library website. The ad tells me that the governor wants to cut funding by 50% and has a link for me to send an email to the legislators. Since our library is publicly funded, and this ad has no disclaimer on it, I can only conclude that tax dollars are being used to campaign for more funds. I know that some legislators want to make it against the law for publicly-funded agencies, etc., to use any of their assets to lobby for more public funding. Maybe they should start with the libraries.

There is one glitch in Strickland's plan to reduce funding, though. When the state decided to change its tax system (which has improved Ohio's rankings on tax-friendly charts), counties and libraries and other entities who received 'Local Government Funds' were found to have huge reductions as a result of the change. At that time, there were agreements reached which would ensure stable levels of funding during the new tax structure phase-in period. So there is some expectation that libraries would not have reductions as a result of the new tax structure.

However, the current circumstances have nothing to do with the change in tax structure and everything to do with the overall economy. The agreement for continued state funding did not anticipate huge state deficits - and why should it, government rarely plans ahead for downturns...

So given the challenges faced by everyone, libraries need to 'share the pain' especially if they also expect to 'share the wealth' when times are better.

Feds order Ohio to use stimulus funds for shovel-ready projects

A press release from U.S. Rep. John Boehner:

Boehner Statement on Federal Officials Ordering Ohio to Shut Down Its Transportation Slush Fund

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following statement after federal officials ordered the Ohio Department of Transportation to kill a $57 million slush fund to study projects and put the money into shovel-ready projects:

“The stated intent of the so-called stimulus package was to create jobs, and certainly a $57 million slush fund studying projects did nothing to achieve that goal. With Ohio’s unemployment rate the highest it’s been in 25 years, I’m pleased that federal officials stepped in to order Ohio to use all of its construction dollars for shovel-ready projects that will create much-needed jobs.”

NOTE: Ohio’s Republican congressional delegation wrote to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in April asking him to investigate Ohio’s plans to create the slush fund after media reports disclosed the fund’s existence. U.S. House Republicans also wrote to Gov. Strickland expressing their frustration that Ohio would spend money to study projects that may never get built while denying shovel-ready jobs that would create jobs immediately.

This is second allocation of “stimulus” dollars Ohio has been forced to rescind. Last week, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency reversed its decision to award $1.1 million to clean up a Cold War-era weapons facility that was declared clean two years ago. Despite continued misuse of “stimulus” dollars, Gov. Strickland refuses to establish an independent, bipartisan oversight board to ensure Ohioans that their federal tax dollars are being spent appropriately.

Boehner represents Ohio’s 8th District, which includes all of Darke, Miami and Preble counties, most of Butler and Mercer counties, and the northeastern corner of Montgomery County. He was first elected to Congress in 1990.

Full court press for the 'porkulus' bill

Knowing that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill is in trouble, various groups and individuals are urging citizens to support passage of the pork-laden spending plan.

Gov. Ted Strickland authored a plea for support to "community leaders" saying that without the stimulus bill, Ohio's budget is in danger, especially 'the children.'

I've been outspoken in my opposition to all the bailouts, so it should come as no surprise to readers of this blog that I oppose a bailout of the states as well - no matter what they call it in Columbus and Washington.

The Cato Institute has a great publication, "10 Reasons to Oppose a Stimulus Package for the States," that expresses much of my beliefs on the subject. It also emphasizes that accepting a bailout goes against the long-held belief by state residents that their state should live within its means and exercise fiscal restraint. As proof, there are some states who oppose the bailouts because they have done just that and don't want tax dollars from their citizens going to reward other states for their overspending.

In light of the full court press for the porkulus, call Senator George Voinovich and tell him no on the bill, no on any compromise, no on any negotiation, no on the long-term debt this will create.

Fees are taxes

Governor Ted Strickland gave his state of the state address last week and pledged not to raise taxes to help balance the budget, even in these difficult economic times.

However, when his budget was made public, it included increases in 120 different fees - from drivers licenses and car registrations to new business filings.

It should come as no surprise that I believe fees are, indeed, taxes. But you might be surprised to know that the Governor agrees with me.

Shortly after taking office in 2007, Strickland made it perfectly clear that he opposed both higher taxes and higher fees as a way to raise more money, saying, "I think higher fees are higher taxes." Columbus Dispatch, 2-3-09

So, if higher fees are higher taxes and he's promised not to raise taxes, how can he raise fees?

Oh, well, you see, "not every fee is like every other fee."

Translation: now that I want to raise fees to balance the budget, they're not really a tax.

ODJFS Director Helen Jones-Kelly resigns

NBC4 in Columbus is reporting that Helen Jones-Kelly has resigned her position as Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. She was the one who authorized the illegal computer checks on Sam "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher during the election.

According to the statement, Director Helen Jones-Kelley said, in part, “…It is with sadness and clarity that I have decided to resign my position as director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The decision comes after having a time of pause, in which I realize that I continue to be used as a political postscript, providing a distraction from urgent state priorities.“

Keith Dailey, of the governor’s office said her resignation was effective as of Wednesday.

The resignation comes more than a month after an inspector general report found Jones-Kelley authorized an improper search of confidential records of Joe the Plumber—the Ohio resident turned political celebrity.

Strickland suspended Kelley without pay for four weeks, but Republicans called for her firing.

In late-November, Strickland gave his reasoning for not firing Jones-Kelley, saying she made a mistake, and the punishment he settled on was appropriate.

Two other ODJFS workers were suspended Friday afternoon without pay for their roles in the incidents. Deputy Director of Child Support Doug Thompson received a four-week unpaid suspension. Assistant Director Fred Williams received a two-week unpaid suspension.

Her 30-day suspension would have been over on Sunday.

Resignation letter courtesy of the Dayton Daily News.

Governor places director on suspension over records search

Governor Ted Strickland announced he is placing Helen Jones-Kelley, the director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, on a one-month unpaid suspension as a result of the report issued by the Inspector General regarding her searches of confidential databases for information on Sam "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher.

He rejected a request from Senate President Bill Harris to fire her for abusing her power and authority.

UPDATED:

Ohio Auditor of State Mary Taylor issued the following statement regarding the one-month suspension of Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Helen Jones Kelley:

"Ohio citizens should have the highest confidence that the private information that state and local government have access to is protected and will not be used for political or other inappropriate purposes. According to the report released today by the Inspector General, this basic and fundamental trust was broken by Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Helen Jones-Kelley. We need to restore accountability and transparency in government and send a message to Ohioans that the misuse and abuse of personal information will not be tolerated. Government leaders need to be responsible for the actions of their employees so I urge Governor Strickland, who campaigned on the promise of running an ethical administration, to ask for the resignation or terminate Ms. Jones-Kelley immediately."

Priorities, not special interests

For the 2008-09 fiscal year, Ohio will spend $21.9 million on the Ohio Arts Council. That's down from their original biennial budget of $24.9 million, as a result of the state's budgetary issues.

In case you've never heard of the OAC, they are "a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically. With funds from the Ohio Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts, the OAC provides financial assistance to artists and arts organizations."

Some of the local recipients of funding from the OAC include the Young Artists at Work program through the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, small amounts to Bravo Magazine, and college professors/instructors who've received fellowships (usually $5,000 or $10,000). They have provided operational support to the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Opera Association, the Toledo Orchestra Association, Inc., Toledo Ballet, Toledo Jazz Society, Toledo Botanical Garden and the Arts Council Lake Erie West. Money from OAC has also supported performing arts seasons at Lourdes College and Toledo Cultural Arts Center.

I have always had a problem with government funding of 'the arts.' I don't believe that government should fund any particular industry and the arts are certainly a particular industry. My basic premise is that individuals who so choose would fund arts - and probably be more capable of doing so if the government didn't take so much of their personal funds in the first place. Additionally, as with anything governments do, the bureaucracy established to 'administer' any dedicated funds takes its own percentage off the top, resulting in less funds than what individuals could provide without the third-party costs of government.

But - that's really not the point of this post. My point is priorities. Even if you believe government funding of the arts should be done, is it the most important thing government should do – and at the expense of other government spending?

In January of this year, Governor Ted Strickland announced $733 million in budget cuts due to the economic condition of the state. One of the biggest budget reductions was $31 million from the Department of Mental Health. Could the state have eliminated the OAC and, instead, funded the Department of Mental Health? Yes.

Another cut was to the Department of Aging which was to lose $17.9 million in FY 2008. Could the state have eliminated the OAC and, instead, funded the Department of Aging? Yes - and with some money left over.

What about the $25.8 million that was earmarked for the state Department of Development? Such funding is key to Ohio's chances of attracting and retaining businesses and their jobs, politicians tell us. What would have been a better use of limited tax dollars: attracting new businesses or subsidizing 'starving artists'?

Instead of going through the state organization and eliminating unnecessary or non-mandated functions, departments had across-the-board cuts. As a result, everyone was equally unhappy, but the size and scope of government was not really reduced. The hard part of governance is setting priorities and sticking with them. Every organization that receives funding through the OAC will lobby for continued funding. Everyone who gets funds will say 'don't cut us.' But politicians and decision-makers rarely ask: if we don't cut you, who should we cut? And if they do, the response is almost always: don't ask me - that's your job.

Well, if that's the case, then go through and eliminate the non-mandated expenditures. It's actually a very easy criterion to meet, but often so very hard to get politicians to do because they don't want to risk alienating any group of constituents who might decide to oppose them in their next re-election bid.

The City of Toledo is facing the same circumstance. We had city council members insist on funding the city's Youth Commission ($2 million in 2008) and pools (about $500,000). Council is now faced with a $10 million budget deficit to address before the end of the year, including a reduction in the number of recruits in the new police class.

So what is more important: pools and 'hip hop' concerts or police officers?

I pick police every time - and I think most people would, considering that, without police, pools and concerts might not be safe places to be.

And that's the point: priorities. we don't have good ones when it comes to government spending. What we have is the priority of elected officials to try and placate everyone so as not to make enemies, thus ensuring they continue to have support for staying in office. These elected officials stop representing us when their priority is such as this - and we are to blame, because we reward them with re-election while our city and state continue their slide to the bottom in terms of growth, population, employers and jobs.

So - what do you think our priorities should be? And what are you willing to do to ensure the politicians support them?

UPDATED: Ohio Governor suspends director over political fundraising via state computer

Governor Ted Strickland announced tonight that he has suspended Helen Jones-Kelly, the director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services over allegations of inappropriate use of state computers.

Jones-Kelly was placed on paid administrative leave pending an Inspector General review of alleged use of a state computer for political fund-raising.

This is the same director who authorized the search for any child support records relating to Sam "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher. Gov. Strickland defended that action at the time, saying it wasn't politically motivated.

The announcement was made after close of business on Friday.

According to emails provided as part of a public records request by the Columbus Dispatch, Jones-Kelly provided the Obama campaign with the names of 17 potential Dayton-area contributors ahead of the candidate's July 11 appearance there via her state email address.

"The e-mails about the Dayton event show Jones-Kelley corresponded with Michael O'Neil, who is listed as an Obama fundraiser. O'Neil did not answer a telephone number he listed in his e-mails. Jones-Kelley could not be located for comment. Obama's Ohio campaign spokesman did not return calls.
...
Other e-mails showed Jones-Kelley receiving information of a partisan political nature through her state e-mail account. One e-mail included an attached donation form for the Obama campaign.

Strickland administration polices forbid the use of state time, equipment and property for election-related purposes. Jones-Kelley sent a memo to all of her employees on Oct. 21 reminding them of the prohibition."

Voter Fraud: here's the evidence!

According to Tiffany Wilson at Palestra.net, Barack Obama campaign worker Zachary Cafritz registered to vote in Ohio on September 9, 2008 and he cast an early absentee ballot on October 4, 2008 in Franklin County.

He listed an Ohio address, but he is not the owner of that property. He does, however, own a "a nearly million dollar property within the Beltway" that he bought in February.

Wilson further documents the other Obama staffers who have not withdrawn their ballots and registrations, despite instructions from the campaign to do so.

"Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien sent a letter to each campaign reminding them that no one is entitled to register or vote in Ohio unless they are an Ohio resident. According to the Ohio Revised Code, an Ohio resident must live in the state for at least 30 days before the election and must also intend to remain in Ohio after the election.

Prompted by the letter, 13 Ohio Obama employees pulled their registration and ballots in Franklin County on Thursday. Included among the 13 were three spokespeople for the Obama campaign: Tom Reynolds, Olivia Alair and Isaac Baker. When I spoke with Tom Rosenberg, an attorney for the Obama campaign in Ohio, he said the rest of the 700 Ohio campaigners were instructed to act in accordance with Ohio law. I interpreted this to mean that all Obama employees who had registered in Ohio without the intent to live in Ohio after the election were instructed to withdraw their ballots.

This doesn't seem to be the case.

Yesterday, I found six more members of Obama's Ohio staff who registered and in some cases already voted in Franklin County. I contacted the Franklin County Board of Elections to see if they pulled their ballots. They did not. The individuals in question are Zachary Cafritz, Jay Tucker, David Muehlenkamp, Quentin James, Max Blachman and Stephanie Speirs."

Vote From Home staffers also did not withdraw their ballots.

"The three founders of Vote Today Ohio, an independent get-out-the-vote organization supporting Barack Obama, have not withdrawn their ballots either. Amy Little, Yolanda Hippensteele and Tate Hausman all registered and voted using a 1979 N. Fourth Ave., Columbus address. Hausman owns an apartment and has a wife in New York. Little is from Poughkeepsie and when I visited their address on Friday, a woman said she was out of town. Previously, a NY Post reporter called Little's Poughkeepsie address and a child answered saying Little would return "home" on Thursday. Hippsensteele recently moved from Massachusetts to East Bay, California for a job with Free Press."

Wilson also checked with the John McCain Campaign:

"No Ohio McCain campaigners have withdrawn their ballots. "We have consulted with elections officials and have written them to confirm that our staff meet all requirements of Ohio law and are legally registered to vote in the state," said Jon Seaton, McCain-Palin Regional Campaign Manager."

So we've got clear evidence of individuals who have come to Ohio on a temporary basis, have no intention of staying in the state past the election and its certification, who have homes and families in other states, who have registered and who have cast a ballot. Today, the boards of elections start separating the ballot envelope from the identification envelope, which means that after separated, these individuals can still be prosecuted for voting illegally, but there is no way to separate out their vote and not have it count.

Gov. Ted Strickland has stated that he would not support election reform legislation because he lacked evidence of fraudulent activity:

"If there are problems that can be documented and supported with evidence, I welcome those to be brought to me. But what I am aware of is a lot of talk about potential fraud or inappropriate behavior. But I really haven't seen any evidence that we should have any reason to question the reliability... of our election system." (Columbus Dispatch, 10/22/08)

"There is no evidence of voter fraud in Ohio and it offends me, quite frankly, that even some of the leaders within the Republican Party now are attempting to convey that impression in their criticism of Secretary Brunner and our voting system." (Gongwer News Service, 10/17/08)

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner previously suggested evidence of election fraud in Ohio did not exist:

"There are a number of, basically, allegations that don't have any evidence to support them. There's much more conjecture than anything else." (MSNBC, 10/9/08)

Here's your evidence, Brunner and Strickland - now what are you going to do about it?

UPDATE: H/T from Brian at BearingDriftOhio.com:

"In Ohio we can't use government computers to check the ID of voters, but we can use them to investigate the personal history of someone in Toledo who asks Obama a revealing question.

This is just a taste of our future."

Blackeye State

"Welcome to Ohio - where a voter-fraud brush fire is making the Buckeye State into the Blackeye State, thanks to Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner."

That's what Peter Bronson writes in the Cincinnati Enquirer article, "Blackeye State, thanks to Brunner," and then he details why.

And if the court cases and voter registration verification problems weren't enough, our partisan Secretary of State has issued her 100th directive - and she's not even finished with her 10th month in office.

"Jennifer Brunner has every elections official in the state swimming in red tape," said Ohio Republican Party Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine in a press release. "One of the major newspapers called her a micro-meddler several months ago. She's been out to prove it ever since."

Brunner's latest round of micro-management instructs election administrators on what to do with absentee ballots cast by voters whose registrations don't match up with federal and state databases.

"This is the same mismatch information Brunner has so far failed to provide to county election administrators," said DeWine. "At this point she's telling elections officials what to do with information she hasn't even provided them. Until she releases the 200,000 questionable registrations on file in her office, this directive is worthless."

By comparison, Brunner's predecessor, Ken Blackwell, had only issued 42 directives by October 25, 2004, the first presidential election with the new voting machines.

But the reason she's doing this all for the local boards of elections:

"My first concern is for the boards of elections because they are on the ground, in the trenches, doing the work with the voters, and if i have to be the lightning rod for the boards of elections so they can be left alone undisturbed, then so be it." (Rachel Maddow Show, MSNBC, 10/17/08)

Sadly, the only time Brunner has left Ohio's election officials alone and undisturbed is when they ask for a system of validating thousands of potentially fraudulent registrations.

In the same press release, Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett said:

"These board members are outraged by her attempts to keep them from doing their jobs. Secretary Brunner has done nothing but scare, intimidate and stonewall Ohio's hard-working election officials, and her record of disrespect for them and their work is well-documented."

But then our governor, Ted Strickland, weighs in on the issue and says he sees "no evidence" of election fraud here in Ohio. I guess he missed the following:

* A Democrat activist group with strong ties to Barack Obama has publicly testified that its members engage in election fraud right here in Ohio - possibly submitting thousands of fraudulent registrations. (The Plain Dealer, 10/7/08)

* The same group, ACORN, is accused of illegally giving cash and cigarettes to get an Ohio man to register to vote 72 times over an 18-month period. (New York Post, 10/11/08)

* Hamilton County election officials say at least 10,000 duplicate registrations have been submitted and possibly "thousands of fictitious ones." (Cincinnati Enquirer, 10/10/08)

* One man admitted ACORN convinced him to register multiple times and cast a bogus ballot with a fake address. (New York Post, 10/13/08)

* At least 13 college students are under investigation by the Franklin County prosecutor for violating residency requirements to cast illegal ballots. (Columbus Dispatch, 10/16/08)

* and all of the videos on Ohio and voter fraud being done by Shelby Holliday and Tiffany Wilson at Palestra.net.

This is an embarrassing way to run an election and it does, indeed, give Ohio a black eye.

"Well, I tell you what, it helps in Ohio that we've got Democrats in charge of the machines." ~ Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama (Columbus Dispatch)

The Blade speaks, politicians fall in line - again

We saw it with the issue of the United Way Building - after The Blade opposed them tearing down their dilapidated building so they could build new, multiple politicians jumped on the band wagon and agreed - even though none of them, including The Blade, had actually seen the current state of the structure.

Now it's happening again with the idea that we need another Franklin D. Roosevelt - and his disastrous policies that prolonged the depression. Yesterday's front-page lead story was how 'many' are saying we need another of FDR's new deals, including a new 'bill of rights.' FDR, according to all the liberals, saved us from ourselves.

As Warner Todd Huston writes:

More and more, though, modern economists and historians are realizing that the acclamations that are so often bestowed upon Saint FDR are little else but hero worship, Democrat spin and lies. Jim Powell, author of FDR’s Follies, does a fantastic job demolishing the FDR myth and quotes Pulitzer Prize winning author David M. Kennedy as saying: “Whatever it was, the New Deal was not a recovery program, or at any rate not an effective one.”

As columnist Mark Steyn recently joked, it was FDR that put the “Great” in The Great Depression because for the rest of the world it was just a depression.

But let's not allow facts to get in the way, The Blade has spoken and the politicians are falling in line.

Sen. Barack Obama is in Toledo - technically, Oregon, Ohio - preparing for his debate this week. Last night, he held a fundraiser where just about every Democrat politician took up the cry of The Blade.

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland praised Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama last night and compared the senator's vision for America to that of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt by likening the difficulties faced by the nation in the 1930s to those of today.
...
"FDR told the truth but also gave people hope, and FDR provided the leadership as I believe Barack Obama will provide leadership to get us out of the condition we are in and to move us forward," Mr. Strickland said.

The governor proclaimed: "Those are the words of FDR in 1933. They ought to be the words of our national leaders today in 2008. We must put our people to work, we must consider what is right for the common good of all of us, and I am convinced Barack Obama is the man to do that."
...
After his remarks, Governor Strickland said he agreed with President Roosevelt's Jan. 11, 1944, State of the Union message, in which he spoke of the need for a second Bill of Rights under which everyone has the right to a "useful and remunerative job."

And that was just the governor.

Oregon Mayor Marge Brown, Lucas County Democratic Party Chairman Ron Rothenbuhler, U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur and State Treasurer/Attorney General candidate Richard Cordray all parroted similar sentiments.

And just to make sure you get their message, their headline makes the emphasis: Ohio governor heralds Obama as return of FDR-inspired change. All praise, the savior has arrived.

Even Obama seems to think this is a good idea. During a neighborhood stop upon his arrival, he (typically) didn't give a yes or no answer to the question of a person's right to have a job, but agreed in principle: 'I agree that everyone who is willing and able to work should be able to find a job that pays a living wage,' he said.

Of course I don't believe that the Obama campaign is taking marching orders from our local newspaper. But I do believe that our state and local politicians make a point of agreeing with our publisher whenever they can, while being either silent or highly cautious in the few instances when they disagree. Elected officials and candidates are routinely told by their colleagues and parties just how detrimental disagreement on John Robinson Block's 'pet issues' can be. And he doesn't even live in Ohio.

In this instance, agreeing with Block is very dangerous. The depression was prolonged by FDR's anti-capitalist, anti-American New Deal policies, not ended by them.

They also set us on our current path toward socialism - away from liberty and prosperity, as our founders intended. And that should make all of us afraid.

I'm not racist because I don't want to vote for Obama!

Some elected Democrats in Ohio say the only reason Ohioans won't vote for Barack Obama is because they're racist. Some idiot from Cincinnati said the same thing on CNN last week and even the governor is playing this tune.

"There are good people who won't vote for Obama because he's a black man," (Ted) Strickland said.

I get so sick of this - it's not his skin color I'm voting against, it's his philosophy and policies.

Of course, maybe they're just setting up a reason for losing the state. I can hear it now: "it's not our fault we lost the election, Ohioans are racist..."

I guess they'd rather believe the worst of others than admit their policies don't resonate with their fellow Ohioans.

UPDATED - Governor says no to so-called Healthy Families Act

Gongwer News Service is reporting that Governor Ted Strickland and Lt. Governor Lee Fisher declared their opposition to the labor-led Issue 4 that will appear on the November 4 Ohio Ballot. They described the proposed statute as "unworkable, unwieldy," and detrimental to the state's economy.

This is terrific news. Kudos to them!

UPDATE: Here is the text of their press release:

Columbus, Ohio – Governor Ted Strickland and Lt. Governor Lee Fisher today issued the following statement regarding their opposition to Issue 4, the proposed paid sick-day initiative, on the ballot this November:

“While important members of the business community and SEIU participated in good faith discussions, it was, unfortunately, not possible to achieve a compromise acceptable to a sufficient portion of the business community and the proponents to cause its removal from the ballot. We regret that a reasonable compromise was not possible. This reality means that there will be a hard fought campaign centering on this initiative in the coming months. During that campaign, we call upon both sides to avoid portraying Ohio as unfriendly to business and economic development.

“We also recognize it is important to make clear our thoughts on important public policy issues and today are announcing that we cannot support the paid sick-day ballot initiative. While we would hope that all Ohio businesses would make paid sick days available to their employees whenever possible, we believe that this initiative is unworkable, unwieldy and would be detrimental to Ohio's economy, and we will be opposing it and asking Ohioans to oppose it as a result.”