Tuesday
Temporary Set Back
So, with the advent of yet another job change, and the latest attempt at earning a college degree, I've found I need to temporary shut down the blog. Sorry folks :-( I do have every intention to begin again, once I manage to carve out some more time in my schedule. Stay tuned for updates!
US House of Representatives Race, 12th District: Travis Irvine
Travis Irvine is running for the 12th District as a Libertarian. I encourage you to follow the link and do a little reading about what the party stands for. In short, Libertarians support the rights of the individual.
Irvine grew up in Bexley, and has ties to many areas in the Central Ohio region. A graduate from Bexley High School and Ohio University, Irvine has cemented his Ohio roots. However, Irvine has also lived and worked around the country and the world, as a journalist, film professional, and film editing instructor with the New York Film Academy. He has also spent time on Capitol Hill, working in the press office of Senator Charles Schumer. Irvine ran for Mayor of Bexley in 2007. Other political experience include volunteering with the Ohio Democrats, the Gore and Kerry Presidential campaigns, and as a member of the Libertarian Party.
On the campaign website, Irvine lays out a pretty clear platform. He's against the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. He believes in health care reform that keeps government as far away from direct involvement as possible. Federal spending should be cut dramatically. He supports increased transparency in government, as well as stopping the backslide in civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism. As for the economy, Irvine would support small businesses and self employment as a primary means to improving the economic situation. As for the environment, the first point Irvine lists is eliminating subsidies to the petroleum industries and allowing free market economics to take their course. Finally, on immigration he supports immigrants, but does not approve of amnesty for illegal aliens.
Irvine has filled out Project Vote Smart's Political Courage Test, and it has some interesting points to help you get a feel for his views.
Read more about Travis Irvine on his campaign page and Vote Smart!
Irvine grew up in Bexley, and has ties to many areas in the Central Ohio region. A graduate from Bexley High School and Ohio University, Irvine has cemented his Ohio roots. However, Irvine has also lived and worked around the country and the world, as a journalist, film professional, and film editing instructor with the New York Film Academy. He has also spent time on Capitol Hill, working in the press office of Senator Charles Schumer. Irvine ran for Mayor of Bexley in 2007. Other political experience include volunteering with the Ohio Democrats, the Gore and Kerry Presidential campaigns, and as a member of the Libertarian Party.
On the campaign website, Irvine lays out a pretty clear platform. He's against the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. He believes in health care reform that keeps government as far away from direct involvement as possible. Federal spending should be cut dramatically. He supports increased transparency in government, as well as stopping the backslide in civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism. As for the economy, Irvine would support small businesses and self employment as a primary means to improving the economic situation. As for the environment, the first point Irvine lists is eliminating subsidies to the petroleum industries and allowing free market economics to take their course. Finally, on immigration he supports immigrants, but does not approve of amnesty for illegal aliens.
Irvine has filled out Project Vote Smart's Political Courage Test, and it has some interesting points to help you get a feel for his views.
Read more about Travis Irvine on his campaign page and Vote Smart!
Sunday
US House of Representatives Race, 12th District: Pat Tiberi
Sitting Congressman Pat Tiberi is standing for reelection this year. A Republican from Columbus, Tiberi graduated from OSU in 1985. He's been a realtor, a Congressional aid for John Kasich, a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1992-2000, and also the House Majority Leader while serving in that office. He's been in the US Congress since 2001. Tiberi is married, with four young daughters. You can read more at Project Vote Smart and Tiberi's campaign site.
As with many career politicians, Tiberi refused to answer Project Vote Smart's issue survey, leaving the staff and volunteers to compile a list of inferred positions on hot-button issues such as abortion and gun control. Tiberi's voting record can be found here, also courtesy of Vote Smart. Browsing through, it appears Tiberi has opposed spending money, supported defense, been pro-life and anti-gay.
Tiberi hasn't posted his opinions on many issues, but emphasizes his work for older Americans and his lack of budget earmarks in the last three years in his biography.
Tiberi has acquired several endorsements, including Ohio and National Right to Life, the NRA, United Transportation Union, and the Ohio Society of CPAs.
Read more about Tiberi at his website and at Project Vote Smart.
As with many career politicians, Tiberi refused to answer Project Vote Smart's issue survey, leaving the staff and volunteers to compile a list of inferred positions on hot-button issues such as abortion and gun control. Tiberi's voting record can be found here, also courtesy of Vote Smart. Browsing through, it appears Tiberi has opposed spending money, supported defense, been pro-life and anti-gay.
Tiberi hasn't posted his opinions on many issues, but emphasizes his work for older Americans and his lack of budget earmarks in the last three years in his biography.
Tiberi has acquired several endorsements, including Ohio and National Right to Life, the NRA, United Transportation Union, and the Ohio Society of CPAs.
Read more about Tiberi at his website and at Project Vote Smart.
Friday
There's Supposed to be a Post Today...
...but it's the first week of classes. I didn't do a very good job transitioning, so I'm behind in just about everything. Including sleep, and feeding. So bear with me, and tune in starting Sunday to get profiles on the Congressional race in our district!
Tuesday
My Take, US Senate Race
To be honest, I'm not very impressed with any of the candidates I've seen for the Senate. I feel the Senate is a weighty, important position that's supposed to rise above (most of) the politics and find the right path. What I saw from the candidates was either carefully modulated political messages (from Portman and Fisher) or extreme, not very helpful positions designed to overhaul the American way of life overnight (La Botz and Deaton).
It seemed almost impossible for a candidate to address current issues in a way that was effective and practical--and by practical, I mean something we could implement in a matter of weeks. While I believe both Deaton and La Botz make very good points on fundamental flaws with our system, the changes they want to implement would require changing the public's way of thinking 180 degrees. That won't happen in time to solve the urgent problems in our nation. Neither the "main stream" nor the "independent" party candidates give me the feeling they'd be a constructive force in Washington, and that makes me sad.
But I still have a vote to cast. I might not use it. But, if I HAD to vote...
It wouldn't be for Portman. Portman has a long history of service to Ohio and the nation, and no one can say he hasn't done it with honor. But anyone who did that much work for and supported the Bush Administration that much does not share my beliefs, and would not represent me. This is held up by the statements on his campaign website...point after point, I found myself disagreeing almost 100% with his positions. We're ideological opposites on every issues I find important.
It wouldn't be for Deaton. I do agree with most of his "Stick to the Constitution" vision for the government, as impractical as I think it is in the short term. However, he has a very conservative view on social issues that I find completely out of line with my own. I don't see him representing me on civil rights at all, for instance.
It wouldn't be for La Botz. His liberal view on civil rights and other social issues is in line with my own. However, I have the same problem with his vision for the government as I do with Deaton's: it is too far removed from our current way of life, and would face too much opposition by the public, to do us any good now.
I'd vote for Fisher. Again, this is only if I had to use the vote. Fisher's record as the Attorney General, in the State Legislature, and as Lieutenant Governor shows to me he's at least consistent with my values and my views. I'm not convinced he's able to be part of the solution in the partisan, strangled knot of Capitol Hill, but I can at least feel he'd represent me.
It seemed almost impossible for a candidate to address current issues in a way that was effective and practical--and by practical, I mean something we could implement in a matter of weeks. While I believe both Deaton and La Botz make very good points on fundamental flaws with our system, the changes they want to implement would require changing the public's way of thinking 180 degrees. That won't happen in time to solve the urgent problems in our nation. Neither the "main stream" nor the "independent" party candidates give me the feeling they'd be a constructive force in Washington, and that makes me sad.
But I still have a vote to cast. I might not use it. But, if I HAD to vote...
It wouldn't be for Portman. Portman has a long history of service to Ohio and the nation, and no one can say he hasn't done it with honor. But anyone who did that much work for and supported the Bush Administration that much does not share my beliefs, and would not represent me. This is held up by the statements on his campaign website...point after point, I found myself disagreeing almost 100% with his positions. We're ideological opposites on every issues I find important.
It wouldn't be for Deaton. I do agree with most of his "Stick to the Constitution" vision for the government, as impractical as I think it is in the short term. However, he has a very conservative view on social issues that I find completely out of line with my own. I don't see him representing me on civil rights at all, for instance.
It wouldn't be for La Botz. His liberal view on civil rights and other social issues is in line with my own. However, I have the same problem with his vision for the government as I do with Deaton's: it is too far removed from our current way of life, and would face too much opposition by the public, to do us any good now.
I'd vote for Fisher. Again, this is only if I had to use the vote. Fisher's record as the Attorney General, in the State Legislature, and as Lieutenant Governor shows to me he's at least consistent with my values and my views. I'm not convinced he's able to be part of the solution in the partisan, strangled knot of Capitol Hill, but I can at least feel he'd represent me.
Sunday
US Senate Race: Lee Fisher
Lee Fisher is the sitting Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, who is leaving that post to try and fill Voinovich's seat.
Fisher was raised in Cleveland, earned his Bachelors degree from Oberlin College, and both a law and Master's degree from Case Western. He's a Democrat, married, and has two children. He currently lives in Shaker Heights. In addition to serving as the Lieut. Governor for the past 4 years, Fisher has been a State Representative (1980-1982), a State Senator (1983-1991), and Attorney General (1991-1995).
A large part of the Fisher campaign is about creating jobs. He has laid out a plan that involves several tax incentives, redirecting stimulus money, and creating a large small business loan pool. He also discusses keeping Americans in their homes, working at keeping jobs in America, and eliminating Wall Street's ability to screw up the economy by rewarding bad practices and relying on bailouts.
You can get a full list of Fisher's positions on various issues here. Fisher brings up his work as the Ohio Attorney General in protecting children and law abiding citizens, emphasizes the importance of education through proper and effective funding, cites his work on the Third Frontier Commission about creating green jobs, supporting LGBT rights (including the right to marry), and several others.
Fisher has a robust list of endorsements, including the Mayors of Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland, Planned Parenthood, Human Rights Campaign, and the Ohio AFL-CIO.
Fisher was raised in Cleveland, earned his Bachelors degree from Oberlin College, and both a law and Master's degree from Case Western. He's a Democrat, married, and has two children. He currently lives in Shaker Heights. In addition to serving as the Lieut. Governor for the past 4 years, Fisher has been a State Representative (1980-1982), a State Senator (1983-1991), and Attorney General (1991-1995).
A large part of the Fisher campaign is about creating jobs. He has laid out a plan that involves several tax incentives, redirecting stimulus money, and creating a large small business loan pool. He also discusses keeping Americans in their homes, working at keeping jobs in America, and eliminating Wall Street's ability to screw up the economy by rewarding bad practices and relying on bailouts.
You can get a full list of Fisher's positions on various issues here. Fisher brings up his work as the Ohio Attorney General in protecting children and law abiding citizens, emphasizes the importance of education through proper and effective funding, cites his work on the Third Frontier Commission about creating green jobs, supporting LGBT rights (including the right to marry), and several others.
Fisher has a robust list of endorsements, including the Mayors of Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland, Planned Parenthood, Human Rights Campaign, and the Ohio AFL-CIO.
Friday
US Senate Race: Daniel La Botz
Apologies on the late post...I had all the research done, but somehow forgot to tie it all into a post before hitting the sack last night. -.-
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Dan La Botz was born in Chicago and grew up south of San Diego along the border with Mexico. He's lived in Ohio for the last twenty years, earning his Masters and PhD in American History from the University of Cincinnati. He's taught at Miami University and the University of Cincinnati. La Botz is married and has three children, and continues to be active in causes that benefit African Americans and Latino immgriants. You can see more of his biography on his website.
La Botz is running as the Socialist candidate, which I realize is a dirty word in American discourse. However, I'd encourage you to read what the party is all about, instead of swallowing propaganda from the 1920's blindly.
The issues La Botz is running on all sum up into a lot of change. His take is the pure capitalist system we have now does more damage than it's worth, and needs to be changed. Between re-imagining the economy (including labor unions, which according to La Botz need to be strengthened but changed to meet current realities) and readdressing civil rights La Botz hopes to encourage a more equal society. He has some solid ideas, such as local and state governments investing heavily in "green" infrastructure. And there are others that seem more problematic, such as enforcing a 32 hour work week at 40 hour wages in order to end unemployment.
Read the webpages, watch the videos, go to the polls informed.
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Dan La Botz was born in Chicago and grew up south of San Diego along the border with Mexico. He's lived in Ohio for the last twenty years, earning his Masters and PhD in American History from the University of Cincinnati. He's taught at Miami University and the University of Cincinnati. La Botz is married and has three children, and continues to be active in causes that benefit African Americans and Latino immgriants. You can see more of his biography on his website.
La Botz is running as the Socialist candidate, which I realize is a dirty word in American discourse. However, I'd encourage you to read what the party is all about, instead of swallowing propaganda from the 1920's blindly.
The issues La Botz is running on all sum up into a lot of change. His take is the pure capitalist system we have now does more damage than it's worth, and needs to be changed. Between re-imagining the economy (including labor unions, which according to La Botz need to be strengthened but changed to meet current realities) and readdressing civil rights La Botz hopes to encourage a more equal society. He has some solid ideas, such as local and state governments investing heavily in "green" infrastructure. And there are others that seem more problematic, such as enforcing a 32 hour work week at 40 hour wages in order to end unemployment.
Read the webpages, watch the videos, go to the polls informed.
Tuesday
US Senate Race: Eric Deaton
Eric Deaton is one of the four candidates standing for the US Senate seat being vacated by the retiring George Voinovich. He's running as a member of the Constitution Party, whose seven principles state a belief in strict interpretation of the Constitution and a minimum of government involvement in the lives of citizens.
Deaton was born just across the border in Richmond, Indiana, and was raised in Lewisburg, OH. He attended the Montgomery County JVS (now known as Miami Vally CTC) and was inducted into that school's hall of fame in 2001. Moving on to attend the University of Dayton, Deaton graduated in 1990 with a Bachelors of Science in Electronic Engineering. He has worked for General Electric ever since.
Running for the Senate primarily to help oppose the two party system, Deaton believes the government has gotten too involved in the lives of citizens and as a result the country is suffering. Rather than coming up with a handful of soundbytes to describe his positions, Deaton has written a series of position papers on topics of importance, including
Deaton was born just across the border in Richmond, Indiana, and was raised in Lewisburg, OH. He attended the Montgomery County JVS (now known as Miami Vally CTC) and was inducted into that school's hall of fame in 2001. Moving on to attend the University of Dayton, Deaton graduated in 1990 with a Bachelors of Science in Electronic Engineering. He has worked for General Electric ever since.
Running for the Senate primarily to help oppose the two party system, Deaton believes the government has gotten too involved in the lives of citizens and as a result the country is suffering. Rather than coming up with a handful of soundbytes to describe his positions, Deaton has written a series of position papers on topics of importance, including
- Balanced budgets (Sometimes the budget should be balanced, sometimes it's a surplus, sometimes it's a deficit, but the massive debt we've acquired is ridiculous)
- The Fair Tax (There should be a far more robust sales tax to replace income tax, is the short version)
- Affirmative Action (The time for this policy is long passed)
- Government-Run Healthcare (Healthcare is and should remain a private sector operation)
There are a lot more on the site, and they're worth a look.
Interestingly, Deaton was also one of two candidates to answer Project VoteSmart's Political Courage Test. You can find his results here.
Monday
Off-Cycle Post: Library has a New Levy on the Ballot
Reading over at The Greatest City of All, I discovered that the Columbus Metro Library has a levy on the ballot this November. I'm glad I saw this, since I think the library here in town is one of the best I've ever seen. Since the state cut funding to help deal with the budget crisis, we've had to lose branch hours, services, and personnel in the library system...and I'm not fond of that situation. I am definitely in favor of this levy.
The issue is #4, and replaces the 2.2 mill levy passed in 1986. It also increases the amount of the last levy by .6 mills, for a total of 2.6 mills. This increases the cost of the levy by roughly $5.24/month for a $100,000 home.
Personally, when I wasn't able to afford computer access for several months last year, the library kept me in contact with the rest of the world. I was able to do e-mail, banking, AND get all my book and entertainment needs from the library, with no upfront cost (as long as I returned the stuff on time). Totally an essential service in this day and age.
Check out the post at TGCA, and then head over to the library's campaign site to get the full scoop.
The issue is #4, and replaces the 2.2 mill levy passed in 1986. It also increases the amount of the last levy by .6 mills, for a total of 2.6 mills. This increases the cost of the levy by roughly $5.24/month for a $100,000 home.
Personally, when I wasn't able to afford computer access for several months last year, the library kept me in contact with the rest of the world. I was able to do e-mail, banking, AND get all my book and entertainment needs from the library, with no upfront cost (as long as I returned the stuff on time). Totally an essential service in this day and age.
Check out the post at TGCA, and then head over to the library's campaign site to get the full scoop.
Sunday
US Senate Race: Rob Portman
Rob Portman is a Cincinnati native running for the US Senate on the GOP ticket. Portman is a veteran of the Federal government having served as Representative for the 2nd Congressional District from 1993-2005. He then spent a year as Trade Representative for the Bush Administration, and another year as the Administration's Director of the Office of Budget and Management.
Growing up, Portman's father started Portman Equipment as a small forklift dealer, and grew it to considerable size. Portman worked for the company, and later represented them as part of his law practice. You can read more about the life and times of Rob Portman on his website.
As for issues he's campaigning on, Portman has them broken down into 13 points.
Growing up, Portman's father started Portman Equipment as a small forklift dealer, and grew it to considerable size. Portman worked for the company, and later represented them as part of his law practice. You can read more about the life and times of Rob Portman on his website.
As for issues he's campaigning on, Portman has them broken down into 13 points.
- Jobs for Ohio: Portman has laid out a plan based on six key elements to improve the recovery of the Ohio economy. This stretches from increasing Federal aid for job programs to helping provide a more hospitable environment for small businessness. I didn't see anything new and exciting, just a repeat of what everyone is saying about the Ohio job market.
- Energy: The energy plan laid out is almost standard Republican boiler plate: "Cap and trade will destroy the economy," "We need to expand on petroleum and natural gas in Ohio," "Nuclear power is clean energy." His stance is to not increase regulation to choke fossil fuel power, but to use it in the short term while developing alternatives.
- Budget: There's a statement about the importance of a balanced Federal budget to improve the nation's long term fiscal health.
- Taxes: This page reads a list of achievements on the issue of tax reform. As you would expect from a Republican candidate, the goal is lower taxes, simpler tax code, and fiscal responsibility.
- Healthcare: I find two points on this page: Portman believes health care is broken and needs to be fixed (just like all of us), and he feels the worst thing we could have done about it was pass the recent reform bill.
- Defense: Three main points: Protecting the benefits for those who serve our country, maintaining a strong defense program, and keeping Wright Patterson Airforce Base near Dayton, OH functional.
- Veterans: This page reads a list of accomplishments in support of veterans, from votes in Congress to budget decisions with the OMB.
- Pro-Life Record: Portman lists his Right to Life score cards, 100% from 1997-2005.
- 2nd Ammendment Rights: The NRA approves of Portman, who has voted against gun regulation regularly.
- Community: A list of efforts to improve community life by eliminating the effects of illegal drugs. Bills included at the Drug Demand Reduction Act, the Second Chance Act, the Drug Free Workplace Act, and several others. He also founded the Coalition for a Drug Free Greater Cincinnati.
- A Strong and Independent Israel: That says it all. Portman also lists his legislative record in regards to Israel, and touches on his dedication to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
- Immigration: Portman appears to be a strong enforcement advocate. He mentions in some depth how he'd like to see the rules tightened and enforced, from the border to the hiring line. He also states his support of legal immigration.
- Agriculture: A declaration of support for American farmers, including a list of farm-friendly bills he's voted for. He's in favor of less regulation, more protection for farmers and their markets.
I encourage you to check out his voting record from Congress. That's all I have for now (I think that's more than enough, don't you?). Tune in next time for another candidate for the junior Senate seat in Ohio!
Friday
My Take, Ohio House of Representatives 20th District Race
This is an easier post to write than the last "My Take," mostly because of the absence of a strong 3rd party candidate. It looks like the Lawrence Binsky campaign completely ran out of steam after getting it's candidacy certified on May 4th. While I'm sure there's passion, good ideas, and thought-out positions in the person of Binsky, I have no way of knowing it. This is exactly the sort of performance that leads major media to not even pay attention to most third party candidates. At this point, I wouldn't even consider voting for Binsky.
Nancy Garland is the incumbent, and I'm not really fond of any Ohio Legislature member right now. That being said, they can't ALL be a part of the problem, and I'm inclined to think Garland as a freshman legislator was more part of the solution. I also like the "No" vote on transition funds...which seemed rather appropriate, given the context. On the whole, I'm leaning towards giving Garland another shot at the Statehouse.
Matt Carle seems to be an extremely capable, accomplished person with a long history of political experience, albeit behind the scenes. I'm sure his background would definitely enable him to be a successful legislator...but I'm not in favor of that happening, on an ideological level. His experience working with so many prominent GOP candidates over the years just indicates to me a person who's values do not ideally match with mine, not to mention I've rarely agreed with a candidate endorsed by a Right to Life group on most social issues. I really don't anticipate voting for Carle.
Tuesday
Ohio House of Representatives, 20th District: Lawrence Binsky
The Libertarian candidate for the 20th District is Lawrence Binsky, a small business owner in Bexley.
Binsky has lived in Bexley since he was nine, and now shares a home there with his wife and five children. He attended OSU, and started Advantage Food and Beverage with one vending machine, and grew it to the current size of 21 employees.
Gleaning from his biography page, Binsky is running because of the obstacles put in front of small businesses. He wants to make things easier for businesses, and thus create a better state. He is also against the tax and fee burden and thinks a small government would be helpful in reducing that load.
Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be much to the Binsky campaign that I was able to determine. Maybe this will change at the election date gets closer.
Binsky has lived in Bexley since he was nine, and now shares a home there with his wife and five children. He attended OSU, and started Advantage Food and Beverage with one vending machine, and grew it to the current size of 21 employees.
Gleaning from his biography page, Binsky is running because of the obstacles put in front of small businesses. He wants to make things easier for businesses, and thus create a better state. He is also against the tax and fee burden and thinks a small government would be helpful in reducing that load.
Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be much to the Binsky campaign that I was able to determine. Maybe this will change at the election date gets closer.
Sunday
Ohio House of Representatives, 20th District: Matt Carle
Side note, I'm kicking it up to a 3 day a week schedule: Tuesday, Friday, Sunday. Too many candidates/issues to cover in 2 months otherwise!
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Matt Carle is the Republican challenging Nancy Garland for the 20th House District.
A graduate of Westerville North High School and a current resident of Gahanna, Carle graduated from OSU and earned a law degree from Capitol University. He's worked on several campaigns in recent years, including both Mike DeWine's and George Voinovich's Senate campaigns and Betty Montgomery's campaign for Auditor.
Other work Carle is involved with include being the Director of Development and Community Relations for the Ohio College Access Network, and his career as a real estate and zoning lawyer. He is a member of the Columbus Bar Association.
Carle's stances include the standard "Smaller Government/Lower Taxes" found on GOP tickets, claiming his work with OCAN and others gives him a good grasp on where government waste is. He also feels the disparity between urban, suburban, and rural school districts needs to be stopped. His stance on health care is "minimizing the damage that could be caused by national health care reform" while making sure Medicaid is funded. He also has a bullet point about protecting rights and freedoms with the right to bear arms being the only one specifically mentioned.
There's a well set up endorsements page on Carle's webpage, showing endorsements from the FOP, the Right to Life PAC, the Chamber of Commerce PAC, and others.
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Matt Carle is the Republican challenging Nancy Garland for the 20th House District.
A graduate of Westerville North High School and a current resident of Gahanna, Carle graduated from OSU and earned a law degree from Capitol University. He's worked on several campaigns in recent years, including both Mike DeWine's and George Voinovich's Senate campaigns and Betty Montgomery's campaign for Auditor.
Other work Carle is involved with include being the Director of Development and Community Relations for the Ohio College Access Network, and his career as a real estate and zoning lawyer. He is a member of the Columbus Bar Association.
Carle's stances include the standard "Smaller Government/Lower Taxes" found on GOP tickets, claiming his work with OCAN and others gives him a good grasp on where government waste is. He also feels the disparity between urban, suburban, and rural school districts needs to be stopped. His stance on health care is "minimizing the damage that could be caused by national health care reform" while making sure Medicaid is funded. He also has a bullet point about protecting rights and freedoms with the right to bear arms being the only one specifically mentioned.
There's a well set up endorsements page on Carle's webpage, showing endorsements from the FOP, the Right to Life PAC, the Chamber of Commerce PAC, and others.
Friday
Ohio House of Representatives, 20th District: Nancy Garland
Nancy Garland is standing for reelection to her seat as the 20th District's Representative. She's in her first term after being elected in 2008.
Some key votes over the past couple years can be found here, courtesy of Project Vote Smart. I find it interesting the only "Nay" vote they list is against the transition fund amendments the senate tried to tack on to a campaign finance bill.
Garland lives in New Albany, and has a son at Ohio State studying political science while participating in Air Force ROTC and a daughter who is a practicing attorney after graduating from Miami University over in Oxford. Before serving in the House of Representatives, Garland spent 7 years as the CEO of the Ohio Physical Therapy Association. She also spent several years in Washington, DC in several positions, from legislative assistant to Director of Government Affairs for the American Physical Therapy Association. Garland is also a clinical assistant professor at Ohio State.
Garland has three main issues listed on her website: Job Growth, Economic Development, and Health Care. She emphasizes partnering with businesses small and large as well as the unemployed workforce to build new jobs, attract new industry, and help keep current organizations healthy and growing. As for healthcare, it's the common line regarding the unacceptable numbers of unemployed Ohioans, and how we need to solve the problem in order to keep the state competitive nation wide.
Many groups have endorsed Garland, including the AFL-CIO, Ohio Association of Public School Employees and the Ohio Education Association, and more.
Some key votes over the past couple years can be found here, courtesy of Project Vote Smart. I find it interesting the only "Nay" vote they list is against the transition fund amendments the senate tried to tack on to a campaign finance bill.
Garland lives in New Albany, and has a son at Ohio State studying political science while participating in Air Force ROTC and a daughter who is a practicing attorney after graduating from Miami University over in Oxford. Before serving in the House of Representatives, Garland spent 7 years as the CEO of the Ohio Physical Therapy Association. She also spent several years in Washington, DC in several positions, from legislative assistant to Director of Government Affairs for the American Physical Therapy Association. Garland is also a clinical assistant professor at Ohio State.
Garland has three main issues listed on her website: Job Growth, Economic Development, and Health Care. She emphasizes partnering with businesses small and large as well as the unemployed workforce to build new jobs, attract new industry, and help keep current organizations healthy and growing. As for healthcare, it's the common line regarding the unacceptable numbers of unemployed Ohioans, and how we need to solve the problem in order to keep the state competitive nation wide.
Many groups have endorsed Garland, including the AFL-CIO, Ohio Association of Public School Employees and the Ohio Education Association, and more.
Tuesday
My Take, Ohio Senate 3rd District
The past few years, I haven't been happy with much the Ohio Legislature has been doing. When it does anything. I've watched them rant and rave about the upcoming budget deficit, form a special committee to deal with the issue...and then wait ten months to hold a pointless first meeting. I didn't like the increased restrictions (unnecessary government regulation...ironic coming from a pretty conservative body) on the adult entertainment industry. The squabbling with the governor's office over gambling. I really can't think of anything positive coming from the legislature in the past term.
Which means Kevin Bacon won't be getting my vote. He IS part of that mess. While I don't disagree with many of his stances, I really have no interest in sending him to the Senate to represent me. And even if I weren't unhappy with the Legislature's performance in this century, Bacon is a little too conservative for me.
I think one of the biggest problems with our political system is how it's evolved into a two party system. So many subsets of thought on both sides have to be painted with a wide brush, evolving into terms like "Blue Dog Democrat" and "Compassionate Conservative." It's silly, if you ask me, and clouds any real debate on issues. Lately you can't even count on party lines, because the parties themselves have become so fractious in so many ways.
But that doesn't mean I plan on voting for "3rd parties" on principle. In fact, I find that many candidates fielded by the other parties are just as out of touch--if not more so--with reality than career politicians. Political activists are necessary, and I love the passion that surrounds Libertarian, Green, Constitution, and Socialist Party causes. But that doesn't mean I'd feel represented by these people.
Bill Yarbrough has some excellent positions, and one of the better approaches I've seen from a "3rd Party" candidate. I really can't argue with any of his positions (in fact, I think most of them are spot-on), and they're MUCH more thoroughly presented than either of the other two candidates. I'd feel well represented by Yarbrough, and my only hesitation is the traditional poor performance of the 3rd party candidate. I don't want to "waste" my vote anymore than anyone else.
I agree with the interpretation that members of the legislature were intended by the framers of the Constitution to be well respected, contributing members of their communities who leave for a short time to help govern and then return to their business or trade. This is partly why political activists turned legislator doesn't ring true with me, and why I am skeptical of career politicians.
The fact Mark Pfeifer owns and operates a family business in Reynoldsburg indicates to me he is aware of the struggles and complications facing the backbone of our economy first hand. When he says things like simplify regulation in order to improve ease of business, I'm confident he knows what he's talking about. I also like his lack of party affiliation (before running in the primary, anyhow), which tells me he's less likely to get caught up in partisan concerns and focus more on representing constituents.
Which means Kevin Bacon won't be getting my vote. He IS part of that mess. While I don't disagree with many of his stances, I really have no interest in sending him to the Senate to represent me. And even if I weren't unhappy with the Legislature's performance in this century, Bacon is a little too conservative for me.
I think one of the biggest problems with our political system is how it's evolved into a two party system. So many subsets of thought on both sides have to be painted with a wide brush, evolving into terms like "Blue Dog Democrat" and "Compassionate Conservative." It's silly, if you ask me, and clouds any real debate on issues. Lately you can't even count on party lines, because the parties themselves have become so fractious in so many ways.
But that doesn't mean I plan on voting for "3rd parties" on principle. In fact, I find that many candidates fielded by the other parties are just as out of touch--if not more so--with reality than career politicians. Political activists are necessary, and I love the passion that surrounds Libertarian, Green, Constitution, and Socialist Party causes. But that doesn't mean I'd feel represented by these people.
Bill Yarbrough has some excellent positions, and one of the better approaches I've seen from a "3rd Party" candidate. I really can't argue with any of his positions (in fact, I think most of them are spot-on), and they're MUCH more thoroughly presented than either of the other two candidates. I'd feel well represented by Yarbrough, and my only hesitation is the traditional poor performance of the 3rd party candidate. I don't want to "waste" my vote anymore than anyone else.
I agree with the interpretation that members of the legislature were intended by the framers of the Constitution to be well respected, contributing members of their communities who leave for a short time to help govern and then return to their business or trade. This is partly why political activists turned legislator doesn't ring true with me, and why I am skeptical of career politicians.
The fact Mark Pfeifer owns and operates a family business in Reynoldsburg indicates to me he is aware of the struggles and complications facing the backbone of our economy first hand. When he says things like simplify regulation in order to improve ease of business, I'm confident he knows what he's talking about. I also like his lack of party affiliation (before running in the primary, anyhow), which tells me he's less likely to get caught up in partisan concerns and focus more on representing constituents.
The Bottom Line:
- Kevin Bacon is right out. I don't agree with his overall message, and I really don't approve of the work he's done in the House of Representatives.
- Bill Yarbrough strikes me as a solid answer to career politicians mucking things up. He also has given a lot of thought on how to help Ohio, and is able to communicate this well. But his "third party" status is still a huge drawback.
- Mark Pfeifer has already achieved success in life, and sees himself in a position to give back through public office. He lacks strong party affiliation, owns and operates a small business, and is interested in representing the people instead of himself.
- I'm torn between Yarbrough and Pfeifer, and will prolly be making this decision much closer to election day.
Friday
Ohio Senate 3rd District: William Yarbrough
The Libertarian candidate for the Ohio Senate's 3rd district is Bill Yarbrough. A life long Ohioan, Yarbrough lives in New Albany working as an organization development consultant. He graduated with his Bachelors degree from Otterbein and received his Masters from OSU. He's a member of the American Society of Training and Development, and member of the Franklin County Libertarian Party executive council.
Yarbrough has some very detailed position statements on his website. If you're familiar at all with the Libertarian philosophy, you'll see he's a believer in simplifying the government in order to make things run efficiently--which will then allow for reduced taxes. His message is more detailed, and more focused on reform first than the others.
Yarbrough has some very detailed position statements on his website. If you're familiar at all with the Libertarian philosophy, you'll see he's a believer in simplifying the government in order to make things run efficiently--which will then allow for reduced taxes. His message is more detailed, and more focused on reform first than the others.
Tuesday
Ohio Senate 3rd District: Mark Pfeifer
Mark Pfeifer is the Democratic nominee for the 3rd District Senate seat. With little prior experience in politics (Ward Committeeman on the Franklin County Central Committee 1988-1992) Pfeifer is running to put the average person back into government.
Pfeifer was raised primarily on a farm in Canal Winchester, and graduated from OSU. He worked for Tiger Construction, along the way earning an MBA from Cleveland State, and went on to become president of CHBI Inc. In 2004, he opened Pfeifer Funeral Home in Reynoldsburg. (Taken from Vote Smart and Pfeifer for Senate).
Some of the issues Pfeifer is campaigning on: creating living-wage jobs by seeking to increase tax incentives for hiring and reduce regulatory red tape; linking state agency and department funding to their performance to cut down wasteful spending; addressing the school funding issues with new approaches such as evidence-based funding.
Pfeifer was raised primarily on a farm in Canal Winchester, and graduated from OSU. He worked for Tiger Construction, along the way earning an MBA from Cleveland State, and went on to become president of CHBI Inc. In 2004, he opened Pfeifer Funeral Home in Reynoldsburg. (Taken from Vote Smart and Pfeifer for Senate).
Some of the issues Pfeifer is campaigning on: creating living-wage jobs by seeking to increase tax incentives for hiring and reduce regulatory red tape; linking state agency and department funding to their performance to cut down wasteful spending; addressing the school funding issues with new approaches such as evidence-based funding.
Friday
Ohio Senate 3rd District: Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon is a sitting Representative in the Ohio House for the 21st District. His party affiliation is Republican, and lives in Minerva Park. His career began as a prosecutor in Lancaster and later with Ohio Dept of Commerce enforcement division. He has been a Blendon Township trustee, and as a State Representative serves or has served on the "Finance and Appropriations Committee – and the Higher Education Subcommittee; Public Utilities; Judiciary; Financial Institutions, Real Estate & Securities (FIRES); Consumer Protection and Criminal Justice" committees.
His platform is fairly simple, and I'll just pull it from the campaign site: "Kevin’s platform for State Senate is about change. He is especially focused on job creation, economic development, affordability of health insurance, cutting government spending and education. Moreover, he is also diligently working to help those with disabilities."
Some key voting records can be found here, courtesy of "Vote Smart."
Bacon has endorsements from The Ohio State Medical Association, the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge, Ohio Right to Life PAC and others you can read here.
His platform is fairly simple, and I'll just pull it from the campaign site: "Kevin’s platform for State Senate is about change. He is especially focused on job creation, economic development, affordability of health insurance, cutting government spending and education. Moreover, he is also diligently working to help those with disabilities."
Some key voting records can be found here, courtesy of "Vote Smart."
Bacon has endorsements from The Ohio State Medical Association, the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge, Ohio Right to Life PAC and others you can read here.
Tuesday
Governor's Race: My Take
I had no real intentions of swapping horses it mid stream, as it were. We're facing the worst economic climate in a generation or two (or three, or four...) and on the whole, I feel Ted Strickland has done an exemplary job with the cards he'd been dealt. I remember the first State of the State address, and how lofty his vision was. I've listened to the local news about just how much he's had to adjust that aim in the face of budget restrictions and looming unemployment. Is Ohio in tip-top shape? Nope. But then again, the economic crisis didn't really peak until two years ago, maybe less. You can't step on board an airplane about to crash, live through the crash, and then take off again all in the same day. I plan on giving Ted my vote for another term to continue working on the foundation he's started to lay for Ohio's recovery.
And if this was my opinion before looking at John Kasich's website...I saw nothing there to make me change my mind. If anything, I felt repulsed by the man's positions on several issues, including:
The Ohio Budget. Kasich webpage:
"The Problem:
By any measure, Ted Strickland has been a disaster for Ohio’s budget. Because of his incompetence, mismanagement and wasteful spending, next year Ohio’s governor will face an estimated $8 billion deficit."
And if this was my opinion before looking at John Kasich's website...I saw nothing there to make me change my mind. If anything, I felt repulsed by the man's positions on several issues, including:
The Ohio Budget. Kasich webpage:
"The Problem:
By any measure, Ted Strickland has been a disaster for Ohio’s budget. Because of his incompetence, mismanagement and wasteful spending, next year Ohio’s governor will face an estimated $8 billion deficit."
...and the drop in revenue, and increase in unemployment benefits has nothing to do with that deficit, I'm assuming. Silly me.
"Take the politics out of budgeting. Every program and agency must go under the microscope. Special interests must stop saying how Ohio taxpayers’ money is spent."
I sat in horror on the edge of my seat to hear whether or not the Columbus Metro Library was going to have to start shutting branches and laying off vital staff because of state funding going away. I listen to my recently-graduated friends with education majors who can't get an interview in their field because of "Budget reasons." I'm not sure what agencies and programs are getting the gravy here, since some of the most popular ones sure aren't.
On Taxes:
"According to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, under Ted Strickland, Ohio ranks 7th in the nation in total tax burden."
As one expects from every candidate from office, only part of the complex picture is presented here. This tax burden is also based on local taxes, which in many cases are raised in response to falling state and federal aid. Cut the state budget, but the money still needs to come from somewhere...
The over-arching message:
"Reduce spending so we can start reducing taxes."
I found this to be a fairly inappropriate bullet point to see under "Education Reform." In the Columbus area alone, continued under-funding means school districts are having to levy their own property taxes just to keep enough teachers on payroll, or to replace aging buildings. I don't like paying taxes any more than you do, but I also recognize that if we cut taxes willy-nilly we're going to wake up one of these days without public education, without roads, without the services we've come to associate with the developed world.
There's a couple other points that I took issue with, but you get the idea. It's a philosophical difference for the most part...this is why I identify on the left side of the spectrum. I firmly believe the government HAS a place in our lives, because history has proven time and time again laissez faire does not work. But I suppose this is what free and fair elections are for, eh?
Friday
Governor's Race: John Kasich
Sorry it's a few hours late...my wireless router crapped out and I had some trouble getting alternate arrangements together!
***
Challenging Ted Strickland for the Governor's seat is John Kasich. Born in PA, but moved on to attend Ohio State and stick around. He's been a State Senator, and one of Ohio's Representatives in Congress for nine terms.
Kasich is campaigning on the idea of returning Ohio to small, responsible government. He feels the budget is bloated, full of gimmicks, and controlled by special interests. Kasich feels he can create a better environment for businesses, solving the employment crisis. Another point Kasich differs from Strickland is taxes; Kasich wants to cut taxes significantly. On education, the concern is over spending on beauracracy, and underspending on students. Going down the list, Kasich is pro-life, supports sportsmanship with his NRA membership, and wants to eliminate the estate tax in part to help keep farms in the family.
Arguments against Kasich? The famous Lehman Brothers connection, which implies Kasich is the type of person who helped tank the economy in the first place. His conservative record is a turn off for many. With that record comes the standard accusations of GOP congressmen who aren't keeping the interests of the people in mind. There's a school of thought that Kasich is unfairly blaming Strickland for inheriting a disaster economy generated by events outside the Governor's control, and not allowing Strickland enough time to put his budget and job creation policies into place.
Whether Kasich makes sense or not really boils down to whether you feel Strickland is actually doing his job. If Strickland is trimming the budget, controlling costs while encouraging job growth, things in Ohio will improve along with the economy over the next four years. However, if Strickland is actually splurging money into special interests, hiking taxes for the hell of it, and not paying attention to job growth...then clearly that's not setting us up for success.
***
Challenging Ted Strickland for the Governor's seat is John Kasich. Born in PA, but moved on to attend Ohio State and stick around. He's been a State Senator, and one of Ohio's Representatives in Congress for nine terms.
Kasich is campaigning on the idea of returning Ohio to small, responsible government. He feels the budget is bloated, full of gimmicks, and controlled by special interests. Kasich feels he can create a better environment for businesses, solving the employment crisis. Another point Kasich differs from Strickland is taxes; Kasich wants to cut taxes significantly. On education, the concern is over spending on beauracracy, and underspending on students. Going down the list, Kasich is pro-life, supports sportsmanship with his NRA membership, and wants to eliminate the estate tax in part to help keep farms in the family.
Arguments against Kasich? The famous Lehman Brothers connection, which implies Kasich is the type of person who helped tank the economy in the first place. His conservative record is a turn off for many. With that record comes the standard accusations of GOP congressmen who aren't keeping the interests of the people in mind. There's a school of thought that Kasich is unfairly blaming Strickland for inheriting a disaster economy generated by events outside the Governor's control, and not allowing Strickland enough time to put his budget and job creation policies into place.
Whether Kasich makes sense or not really boils down to whether you feel Strickland is actually doing his job. If Strickland is trimming the budget, controlling costs while encouraging job growth, things in Ohio will improve along with the economy over the next four years. However, if Strickland is actually splurging money into special interests, hiking taxes for the hell of it, and not paying attention to job growth...then clearly that's not setting us up for success.
Tuesday
TIME Features Ohio as a Key Battleground
I was leafing through my most recent TIME magazine, and I was fairly delighted to see Ohio's races being talked about. The races between Strickland and Kasich for Governor, Fisher and Portman for Senate are seen as key midterm referendums on Democratic behavior the past couple years, specifically in regards to the recession. Photo gallery here and story here!
Anyhow, let's do a quick profile on Strickland since we're speaking (sorta) of him.
He's been the Governor of Ohio since being sworn in back in 2007. He's presided over the economic implosion of the last couple years, when unemployment in the state has shot up to 10.5%. He's also faced incredible budget shortfalls, and reacted primarily by having state agencies slash budgets and payroll. There's also been other efforts to increase revenue, primarily through gambling: Keno, trying to put slots in racetracks, and the casino gambling referendum have all happened during the current administration.
But...the budget is still facing an incredible deficit, and many of the state agencies are claiming they cannot make further cuts without serious damage to services. Unemployment is still highest in years, and recovery is SLOW.
According to the Strickland campaign site, the Governor has done much to lay the foundation for recovery. Increasing primary and secondary education funding, keeping tuition at public colleges and universities, encouraging clean energy investment, and improving government efficiency are all accomplishments Ted Strickland claims, and all would indeed put Ohio in an excellent position to capitalize on the recovering economy.
Tune in next time when we look at John Kasich!
Anyhow, let's do a quick profile on Strickland since we're speaking (sorta) of him.
He's been the Governor of Ohio since being sworn in back in 2007. He's presided over the economic implosion of the last couple years, when unemployment in the state has shot up to 10.5%. He's also faced incredible budget shortfalls, and reacted primarily by having state agencies slash budgets and payroll. There's also been other efforts to increase revenue, primarily through gambling: Keno, trying to put slots in racetracks, and the casino gambling referendum have all happened during the current administration.
But...the budget is still facing an incredible deficit, and many of the state agencies are claiming they cannot make further cuts without serious damage to services. Unemployment is still highest in years, and recovery is SLOW.
According to the Strickland campaign site, the Governor has done much to lay the foundation for recovery. Increasing primary and secondary education funding, keeping tuition at public colleges and universities, encouraging clean energy investment, and improving government efficiency are all accomplishments Ted Strickland claims, and all would indeed put Ohio in an excellent position to capitalize on the recovering economy.
Tune in next time when we look at John Kasich!
Friday
Registering to Vote
This one's a lil late, thanks to a bunch of visitors from out of town and a brutal work schedule that let publishing the post slip my mind. Sorry!
Here I'm gonna reference an old post of mine, 'cause the first step in an election is actually being registered to vote. Unless you're planning on waiting in line to be turned away by a cranky old lady in November, you gotta be registered.
Elections are on November 2nd this year, which means the Franklin County (or your appropriate County) Board of Elections needs to get your registration form by October 2nd. Don't be late, or all sorts of hell will break loose.
(The post on how to register to vote is accurate, except for one detail: I linked to the Hamilton County Board of Elections, since that's where I lived at the time.)
***
Here I'm gonna reference an old post of mine, 'cause the first step in an election is actually being registered to vote. Unless you're planning on waiting in line to be turned away by a cranky old lady in November, you gotta be registered.
Elections are on November 2nd this year, which means the Franklin County (or your appropriate County) Board of Elections needs to get your registration form by October 2nd. Don't be late, or all sorts of hell will break loose.
(The post on how to register to vote is accurate, except for one detail: I linked to the Hamilton County Board of Elections, since that's where I lived at the time.)
Tuesday
Mid Term Elections (State Offices)
As I touched on in the last post, the first step in responsible voting is knowing who's running. This can get pretty difficult in a year like this one, where so many offices are up for grabs and more than usual don't have an incumbent.
Knowing how a person voted/acted over the last few years makes it easier for me to decide whether or not I'm voting for them. When I have to weight the campaign statements of two people who are playing to their political base...it just gets ugly.
So now that the primaries are out of the way, I'm trying to get a list of candidates together, so we can start to consider them long before we step into the voting booth.
The Races
Ohio Governor
Ohio Senate
District 3
Mark Pfeifer (D) vs Kevin Bacon (R)
Ohio Representative
District 20
Attorney General
Auditor
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Next time? We'll go over the judgeships that you'll be voting on! Woot!
Friday
Mid Term Elections (National Elections)
First things first: It's about to become mid-term election season. This is typically where we have a backlash against the President's party.
People will go to the voting booth, mostly with their minds made up as to how they're going to vote...and very little of that mind will consider the why's.
My goal is to consider the candidates, not the party.
If they're up for reelection, have they represented me over the previous term? Am I comfortable with that person voting for me on such key issues as immigration, energy, and financial reform?
If they're challenging the incumbent, what are they going to do different? Do they have plans? Positions? Or are they just in opposition? Are they really a better fit for the job, or are they change for change's sake?
In any event, we need to know what offices are up being contested, and by whom. Here's Part 1 of that list!
People will go to the voting booth, mostly with their minds made up as to how they're going to vote...and very little of that mind will consider the why's.
My goal is to consider the candidates, not the party.
If they're up for reelection, have they represented me over the previous term? Am I comfortable with that person voting for me on such key issues as immigration, energy, and financial reform?
If they're challenging the incumbent, what are they going to do different? Do they have plans? Positions? Or are they just in opposition? Are they really a better fit for the job, or are they change for change's sake?
In any event, we need to know what offices are up being contested, and by whom. Here's Part 1 of that list!
The Races:
United States Senate
United States House of Representives
12th District
It's the first real set of elections since "third parties" were required to be allowed on the ballot, so the landscape of the ballot is wonderfully diverse.
I'll do a post on this later, but a quick run down is:
S = Socialist Party
G = Green Party
D = Democratic Party
R = Republican Party
Tune in Tuesday for some of the State offices up for grabs and their contenders!
Thursday
I've Been Gone...
...but now I'm back.
We've got a serious election coming up in a couple months, one that will decide what direction the country moves in from here on out. So I think it's about time I start looking at issues and candidates a lil harder...and while I'm doing that I might just as well blog about it. Might make life a little easier for all of you, no?
So stay tuned...watch this space on Thursdays for my new posts!
Taxes, Taxes, Taxes: Part 2
While I agree with the concept of taxes, I don't necessarily think they're ALL well and good. I think a lot of tax dollars are spent on stupid stuff. Even more money is spent inefficiently. While government shouldn't and couldn't be run like a business, the idea of such waste and corruption (however minor it may be in some cases) being accepted is total crap. I think we can ditch quite a bit of spending, especially at the Federal level.
I'm also not a huge fan of income tax. I realize it's easy. It's guaranteed income for the government. But...why? Why automatically tax me for making a living and being productive? I don't agree with the concept. Property taxes make the most sense to me, because money from those taxes go to protect and serve the property. Property taxes cover the fire department that keeps my home safe; property taxes go to the school that teaches my children. By all means, tax my property.
Sales/transaction taxes also make a lot of sense. When I want to use that money I can understand taxing certain transactions. When I buy a new car, or bottle of Jack Daniels. When I buy or sell stock. Maybe an account tax, on savings or CD accounts. It's a choice to use my money, and I can choose to not buy some luxury or "sin" item or even to not expand my wealth on the stock market. I agree with that much more than taxing income indiscriminately...I can't NOT have a job, but I can NOT buy a new car.
So there's the downsides of taxes as I see it. We're spending too much in too many bad ways and not getting good results, and the income tax rubs me the wrong way. Anyone feel like looking into this, or are we too busy pointing fingers and yelling "Fat cat Republican" and "Filthy Liberal" at each other?
Tuesday
Taxes, Taxes, Taxes: Part 1
This isn't your standard tax season post. Oh no. See, I don't believe that taxes are inherently evil. I get quite a bit in return for my tax dollars. A government with enough funds to operate services is what separates our country from that of the third world.
A few things funded by my tax dollars:
- Roads
- Education
- Libraries
- Medical research
- Museums
- Support for Artists
- Law and Order
- Fire Protection
- Building Codes
- Military Protection
- Emergency Medical
- History Preservation
- Trash Removal
- Sewage Systems
- Drinking Water
- Food and Product Regulation
There are quite a few things that would be difficult or impossible for me to do as an individual, things I take for granted on a daily basis. How in the hell could I drive to work without roads, or traffic laws? There's no way I could fund a university to train doctors and research cures. I can't put out fires. I can't break up gangs or catch burglars.
But pool my money with money from my neighbors? Pretty soon you're talking serious cash. And with a pile of cash comes the ability to do things like hire cops and lay roads. Now this money has to be spent intelligently...but that's another post for another day.
Thursday
US Senate Primary Election 5/4/10: The Democratic Candidates
Unless someone else files in the next six days, the competitors for the Democratic nomination for George Voinovich's seat are set.
The candidates are Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and Lt. Governor Lee Fisher. Both are fairly well known across the state as they've held office for several years now. Aside from a considerable lead in fundraising for Fisher, there doesn't seem to be a clear advantage for either candidate, especially when paired against the favored GOP candidate Rob Portman.
An interesting fact to note is that while Brunner is FAR behind in money (usually the key indicator in a race) she's still hanging tough. And with just a couple months to go till the primary, it's the Fisher campaign that's shaking things up with a new campaign manager.
This is already a race to watch!
Tuesday
US Senate Primary Election 5/4/10: the GOP Candidates
Unless some other candidates file in the next nine days the competitors for the US Senate seat being vacated by George Voinovich are set.
For the GOP nomination it's a fight between a newbie from Cleveland named Tom Ganley--who has a large fortune from his auto dealing companies--and veteran Congressman/US Trade Rep/Director of Office of Management and Budget Rob Portman from Cincinnati. While Portman enjoys the backing the Republican Party leadership and all the perks and advantages that entails, Ganley is tapping into the anti-government feelings popularized by the "Tea Party" movement.
In a lot of ways, this primary is the epitome of the struggle going on in the GOP and the rest of our political structure. Across the board, issues are being increasingly polarized over bigger government vs no government, with no one considering the idea of a middle ground.
Incumbents are being pooh-poohed simply because they're a part of government--regardless of their actual accomplishments or lack thereof. Compromise candidates like the "Blue Dog" Democrats are getting caught in the middle: too liberal for their constituents, too conservative for party leadership. GOP incumbents such as Arlen Specter are finding it necessary to change parties just to have a chance of staying in office--because they've become too "establishment" and "liberal" for the GOP base.
The Portman/Ganley showdown is another sign of this. Government veteran, or government outsider? Political operator or commercial giant? Seasoned legislator or successful executive? Those are some of the choices GOP voters will have to decide in May, and the results could be quite interesting for the future of this country.
Dates Dates Dates
Some key dates for the upcoming primary election season (brought to you by the Franklin County Board of Elections):
2/18/2010: Deadline for partisan candidates to file, as well as local issues/questions/options for the 5/4/2010 election.
3/3/2010: Deadline for write-in candidates to file intent.
4/5/2010: Deadline for VOTER REGISTRATION, to be eligible to vote in May 4th primary.
5/1/2010: Deadline for absentee ballots by mail (must be received by BOE by 4pm).
5/4/2010: Primary Election Day, polls open 630am-730pm.
Thursday
Candidate Updates!
It's been a long pause...but...here we go. Gonna roll back into things by sharing a few links...
...about Pat Tiberi...
...and that's about it. Not too much else newsworthy from anyone else (or maybe I'm not searching right? I'm open to correction on this point).
In other news...Massachusetts sent a Republican to the Senate? Really? I'm partly shocked, but not entirely. There's a very strong backlash against imaginary socialism. I really liked this response to the situation tho.
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