Can Ohio GOP Survive?

National Review's W. James Antle III has a story on this subject. Ken Blackwell plays a prominent role in the explanation of what has happened here and how to fix it.

The problem runs deeper than undisclosed gubernatorial golf outings and the state’s rare-coin investment scandal. Republicans were swept into office during the 1990s on a platform of low taxes, fiscal responsibility, and robust economic growth. In recent years, they have instead given Ohioans higher taxes, increased spending, and a generally lackluster economy.

Taft and the Republican-controlled legislature boosted the sales tax by 20 percent, a $2.9 billion “temporary” tax increase that some would like to give more staying power. While this was justified on predictable deficit-hawk grounds, state expenditures continued their upward trajectory. In the years preceding the sales-tax hike, spending grew twice as fast as inflation and more than ten times as fast as the population — despite unified Republican control of state government.

For two years running, Taft has received an "F" in the Cato Institute’s "Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors," ranking him toward the bottom. When he did recommend lower income-tax rates earlier this year, he proposed offsetting tax hikes elsewhere: doubling the tax on beer and wine, boosting levies on cigarettes by 45 cents a pack, and increasing electricity taxes by one-third.

In short, much of what conservatives fear about ossified Republican majorities is on display in Ohio. But Taft (who refuses to resign) is mercifully term limited and Democrats aren’t alone in campaigning against the mess in Columbus.

One of common criticisms of Blackwell is that he doesn't play well with others; that he frequently breaks Reagan's Eleventh Commandment. Here is some excellent analysis of that situation:

Charges of party disloyalty have been blunted by the fact that Blackwell tends to break with Republican leaders only when it involves siding with the GOP’s conservative base. When Taft and Petro came out against last fall’s Ohio marriage amendment, for instance, Blackwell was prominently on the side of the 73 percent of Republicans who ultimately voted for it. The chairman of the Ohio Republican party reportedly dismissed a Blackwell-backed effort to repeal the sales-tax increase as a “ridiculous media stunt,” but you don’t have to be Karl Rove to figure out whose position was shared by the party rank-and-file.

Couldn't have said it better myself...

Mark's Remarks

I am glad that folks like the National Review are now bringing the full light to bear on the woeful state of the Ohio GOP. The state party has become what it despised: lecherous, foul, reeking of graft and deceit, bloated by too much power and not enough conscience. That is the legacy of Taft and Householder. That is what needs to be fixed. It will take men like Ken Blackwell to reclaim this party for the conservative base. It has always been the conservatives who made this party go. In the interests of gaining power for change, wel allowed moderates to take over in this state and look at what it has gotten us: out of control spending, out of control taxes, out of control abuse. Now is the time to take back the party. Petro is not the answer. Blackwell is the answer.

Ken Blackwell has understood the pulse of the rank and file Republicans, not the ones who routinely excoriate him over at State of the Union. Those left leaning Republicans are too worried about building a bigger tent to realize the structure is falling in on itself. I wish folks like Jason and Mr. Bennett would wake up and smell the dead fish. Ohioans are not stupid. They are not going to keep putting up with the garbage, and be fooled when lame candidates come out simply saying, "Guns, God, no abortion, love the President!" The voters can see past such nonsense. The Dems lost national power when they thought they could keep pulling the wool over the eyes of the people. I fear the Ohio GOP might end up doing the same thing. It is not too late.

Bob Taft, Jim Petro, Mr. Bennett, and the hierarchy need to resign immediately. Granted, it doesn't do a whole lot ot change Ohio, since the election is next year. However, it makes a clear statement that the Ohio GOP will not tolerate such garbage as CoinGate, Golfgate, whateverGate from its elected and party officials. The line must be drawn here, and when Ken Blackwell wins, I hope he draws it here.

Read the whole thing.