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.
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!
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