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!
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. -.-
***
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.
***
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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