Even Obama is calling "Barnacles!" on some of the dem hacks

Even Obama has Portman's back when it comes to some of the recent attacks by Kos, HuffPo & Netroots. Read about it below:

http://www.redstate.com/dan_riehl/2009/05/29/obama-defends-republican-rob-portman-on-budget/

VIDEO: "Daisy" the Club Gitmo Remix

Wenstrup Calls On Mayor To Oppose Job Killing Ordinance

Release:

(CINCINNATI, OH) Cincinnati Mayoral candidate, Brad Wenstrup, called on the Cincinnati mayor's office to strongly oppose the bill known as the "Environmental Justice Ordinance" calling the measure a job killer.

Some members of the Health, Environment and Education Committee of Cincinnati City Council voted to endorse the ordinance on Wednesday, and it is expected to go to a full vote on City Council next week.

"The United States and the state of Ohio already have a number of agencies that provide numerous environmental regulations that are directed at protecting the environment," Wenstrup said. "Creating additional barriers to job creation and economic growth is the last thing Cincinnati needs."

The so-called "Environmental Justice Ordinance" creates a new bureaucracy that includes a so-called "Environmental Justice Examiner" and additional fees of up to $1,000 just to apply for a permit in addition to the fees and bureaucracies that must be overcome at the state and federal levels. The scope of the ordinance also only covers activities already regulated by the United states Environmental Protection Agency or Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

"What the Vice Mayor and his committee have done is create a new agency that will duplicate efforts of existing agencies while costing tax payers. This gives businesses that are interested in coming to Cincinnati another reason to choose another city. This gives our current businesses another reason to leave Cincinnati" Wenstrup added.

Another Krikorian Lie

On May 27th at 8:38 AM, David Krikorian tweets:

I'm hitting the phones this morning, calling doners and fundraising. Just like in the 2008 campaign, I'm not accepting PAC money.

Au contraire, mon frere!

What's this? Another lie, you don't say?

Yup. Check out this $1000 donation from the Bob Barr Leadership Fund, a registered PAC with the FEC.

(NOTE: When you go to that link, you need to click on the "Committees And Candidates Supported/Opposed" text and then scroll down to Krikorian's entry.)

Did the Angry Aremenian return the Bob PAC money? it sure doesn't look like it...

Just another lie from the league leader...

Krikorian PAC Contribution

Publish at Scribd or explore others:

Krikorian Lies Again

Imagine my surprise when I got the email saying that David Krikorian was following me on Twitter...

Imagine my surprise when I checked out his tweets, I discovered that David Krikorian is continuing his rather casual relationship with the truth...

The Angry Armenian claims that...

Schmidt waffles on cap-and-trade: http://bit.ly/mQFHK .

...but when you go to the article linked, here are the only two paragraphs dealing with Schmidt on the issue:

It is unclear if congressional support for or against the bill will be divided strictly along political party lines. Bruce Pfaff, communications director for U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt of Ohio, said the congresswoman is still looking over the bill, but she has concerns about the costs.

Although Pfaff noted that "we absolutely should do everything we can to be good conservators of the Earth and its resources," he said the legislation could amount to "a massive tax increase" that could be felt by practically every family and business.

I don't see a waffle or any other kind of breakfast food there, do you?

She's looking at the bill but has concerns about the cost. What's so hard to understand about that? Sounds pretty straight forward to me. I hope every Member of Congress reads the bill and has concerns about the cost.

Some things don't change.....

EXIT QUESTION: One wonders if Krikorian is for or against Cap and Trade himself...probably depends on which audience he is in front of...just like every other issue.....

Fairfield Raising Taxes - Part 3

I had an opportunity to discuss the issue a bit with somebody who knows more about it than I do...

Mayor Ron is right to be happy about the deal as the City of Fairfield will make some dough off the deal. And as mayor, he's doing his job by finding additional resources for the city that doesn't cost "us" a dime...

Folks in Fairfield Township ought to be upset though as this is the beginning of the end for your "free" ride...

I hope to clarify some of this when I get a chance to speak with Mayor Ron (maybe tomorrow), but as I understand it Fairfield Township is unable to collect local taxes without establishing this "economic development district" with a city. Now a lot of good things can come from this assuming that the money goes where the politicians say it will, but I'm still not wild about the fact that the citizens of Fairfield Township are not voting on the issue.

Also unresolved is whether or not the inclusion in the deal of an agreement that the City of Fairfield will not annex any part of Fairfield Township is a good thing or not. And again, We the People aren't going to get to make an informed choice on the matter because it is going to happen before the average citizen even knows that it is an issue.

Wenstrup on Mayor Mallory's Defense of Cole

Release:

(CINCINNATI, OH) Cincinnati Mayoral candidate, Brad Wenstrup, took aim at the mayor's defense of Y. Laketa Cole's actions during a recent traffic stop.

Mallory said in an Enquirer article that he is "convinced she did nothing improper" in reference to calls made by Cole to two top city officials during a traffic stop. The mayor proceeded to encourage everyone to make the same calls if they are stopped in traffic, provided they have their cell phone numbers.

"It is clear that she has direct access to city officials that the rest of the city does not," Wenstrup said. "It is inappropriate for public officials to use their positions in such a self-serving way when the people they serve are unable to do the same. For the mayor to condone such an action is surprising."

The Enquirer article stated that Cole called to make a special request for a certain type of towing vehicle to be used for her friend's motorcycle.

"We place our trust in our elected officials to live by the rules that we must follow." Wenstrup added. "Cincinnati deserves leadership that will not condone impropriety or the appearance thereof."

Chairman Alex has been on the front side of this story...read more here and here.

Ohio Senate Update

There are two articles that the Cardinal Points widget at the bottom of the page here at WMD tagged for the Ohio Seante that I wanted to specifically highlight because they deal with Republicans announcing their candidacies.

State Rep. Clyde Evans has served the 87th House District and now is running to replace State Senator John Carey who is term-limited (and a candidate worthy of Kasich LG consideration). Evans is on a district-wide tour today and will be at the county courthouses in Ironton (9am - missed it!), in Waverly (11:50am), 1 p.m. in Chillicothe and Circleville at 3:45 p.m.

Former State Senator Scott Oelslager is going to be seeking his 29th district seat again. Oelslager and Kirk Schuring did the old seat swapping bit awhile back and now it is time to do it again. Aren't term limits wonderful?

UPDATE: There is another name being tossed around for the 17th...State Rep. Dave Daniels of the 86th District has also announced his candidacy. You can learn more about Dave by checking out his website.

Fairfield Raising Taxes? -- Part 2

The Enquirer has a story which adds another wrinkle to an already confusing situation: apparently, commissioners in both Butler and Hamilton county have to approve this deal too. I'm not real sure what Hamilton county has to do with this since the JEDD isn't in Hamilton county (at least from the way I read the coverage).

I'm hoping to get a chance to put in a call today to a source that knows more on this subject, but I have to say I am still quite confused as to why anybody thinks it is a good idea to levy a new tax on top of old taxes in a recession. And why aren't the good people of Fairfield and Fairfield Township allowed to vote on this tax increase? I'd also really like to hear somebody actually explain how raising taxes during a recession is a "win-win" for anybody.

Either the media isn't giving us the whole story because they don't know what questions to ask or they actually like the idea of raising taxes in a recession and are going along to get along.

Mandel Announcement

This from an email:

I decided to run for Treasurer after spending many months on the road, traveling to all corners of Ohio and accumulating over 30,000 miles on my car. Time and time again, I heard the same message from folks throughout the state: they are frustrated that while our economy is hurting and families are tightening their belts, our government continues to over-spend.

I believe that, to change the direction of our state, we need new leaders who believe in good old-fashioned values like honesty, hard work and fiscal responsibility. I learned these timeless values from my family and they were reinforced in me by the Marine Corps. I have carried them with me throughout my life, and I will work day and night to honor them in my service to you as State Treasurer.

My most important duty as Treasurer will be to protect the hard-earned dollars of every Ohioan. I have a proven record of standing up for Ohio’s taxpayers, including spearheading one of the only municipal tax rollbacks in the State’s history as a City Councilman. As State Representative, I helped reform the investment oversight structure for the scandal-ridden Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

I began my previous campaigns for office by campaigning door-to-door in lake-effect snow storms and by promising my supporters that I will never be outworked. My strategy for this race is no different – I promise to run a high-energy grassroots campaign, utilizing technology and engaging the young and the old alike.

He has a video that you can watch here.

Kasich's LG Candidate

This came in from a knowledgeable source and since we've been pondering questions like this, I thought I'd pass it on to see what the rest of you think:

As to the LG question, what about Matt Dolan, who's bored out of his mind since he didn't get to be Speaker; or John Carey, who's term limited out of the Senate and might help out against T-shirt Ted in SE Ohio?

I'm not much of a Dolan fan and I can't imagine Kasich would be either. I don't know enough about Carey to have much of an opinion on him...

What do y'all think? One of these two or do you have a favorite name to toss in to the ring?

Fairfield Raising Taxes?

Mayor Ron D’Epifanio needs to explain what this is and why he's for it. This sounds like he wants to raise taxes during a recession...and he sounds happy about it.

Mr. Mayor, please email me (wmdtvmatt - at - yahoo - dot -com) and let's see if we're getting the full story here. I don't think I've missed a Butler County GOP meeting recently where we decided to raise taxes...

How else am I supposed to take this...

The JEDD will collect a 1.5 percent income tax on future employees earnings within the proposed district.

...as anything but a tax increase on people who work in our community. These are folks who already contribute to our economy and I suspect that this will make Fairfield less attractive for businesses...at a time when Butler county is doing fairly well considering the state of the economy. I guess we don't want people to work in Fairfield...or something.

The One Where Kyle Gets Me Thinking

Kyle has a post up over at his place that asks all kinds of questions about virtually every race that matters in Ohio...

I want to take a shot at a few of his questions, but I also think it is worth pointing folks in his direction for some of his thoughts as well...

Why did Kasich wait so long?

I really have no idea...but I will be thrilled to finally see him off the bench and in the game... My source close to the campaign has said that the Fox News contract might have made a difference a year ago, but not so much these days. No, I don't know what that means either...

Will Kasich engage the press after the 6/1 announcement?

Again, I sure hope so...somebody has to hold T-Shirt Ted accountable and our friends at the ORP aren't exactly getting that done.

What in the world is going on with the House GOP Minority Caucus?

Too many politicians forgot how to fight in the decade-plus that they didn't have to do so... A few found "other things" to do... Those guys shall remain nameless in order to protect the innocent...and I'm not talking the politicians...

The only way it could be worse is if Husted were still calling the shots over there...

Who will be the next Senate President?

I agree that he has been fairly weak, but he's been a caretaker so far...Tom Niehaus is my guess. And yes, Steve Stivers ought to be kicking himself right about now.....

Where do things stand with Ted delivering more documents to Seth Morgan and the House?

I think Kyle is right...the Senate will ultimately punt and we'll lose yet another issue.

Who in their right mind would want to be on this Conference Committee?

Are there any Republicans left who want a gig in the Strickland administration?

Sorry...I answered a question with a question... I try so hard not to do that...

Where do things stand with the Husted residency issue?

Jenny Brunner is playing politics, but I think she will ultimately find Husted in compliance with the letter of the law. As for the spirit of the law...Husted's still got some 'splainin' to do...

Who will Kasich pick as an LG candidate?

Kyle would like to see Sandy O'Brien...and I like his reasoning... But Sandy is doing the Lord's Work by taking out Husted.

What in the world is Josh Mandel waiting for re: his announcement for Treasurer?

That is a very good question... I don't think Josh is really feeling any pressure to make a move yet. He has secured enough verbal support from party types across the state, maybe he feels safe enough to wait a bit longer before painting a target on himself. Maybe his stalker knows.....

Will a wild card emerge on the statewide scene?

So far, everybody is dancing to Kevin DeWine's tune...much to my chagrin, I assure you. Except for Sandy O'Brien...there's some fight left in that one...

If Husted wins his residency issue will Sandy O’Brien stay in the race or will she bow out?

I think she stays in...like me, her beef with Husted isn't over residency issues...that's just the cheese on top.

How funny was the Coughlin letter to Kevin DeWine?

Pretty darn funny...especially since there is a contingent in WMD-land who thinks that DeWine asked Coughlin to get in the race to wound Kasich so Husted has a clear field to run for governor after Ohio loses so much population we lose our status as a state.

How excited is Mary Taylor about the prospects of running against David Pepper?

I dunno...but I really like our chances!

Where did Petro go? What is he doing?

Who cares...really...I'm not interested in retreads...

Where is the Mike DeWine for AG announcement?

Hopefully, it is in the garbage can of history where it belongs. Seriously, when are these guys going to get the message? There is something to be said about the guy who realizes that his role is as retired elder statesman...

If Budish can get away with what he is getting away with in the House that begs the question can Ted, Boyce, Cordray & other dems also get away with these practices as well?

It seems to be working for them so far...no need to change the play when it is running so well.

Does Chabot beat Driehaus in a rematch?

Yes. I think so...

How about Stivers vs Kilroy?

Sadly, not so much...

What else am I missing?

Uhh...Spotlight Jones vs. Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner. Yeah, my money is on Boehner too...

Coughlin to ORP: Butt Out

This just in...

State Senator Kevin Coughlin (R-Cuyahoga Falls) today sent a letter to Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine asking that the party let voters decide the 2010 nomination for governor. This follows a series of e-mails sent by the Ohio Republican Party touting Wall Street executive and Fox News personality John Kasich's upcoming campaign announcement.

"Ohio needs a rupture from the past," Coughlin said. "If we keep electing the same old politicians, we're going to get the same old results. If the Republican Party keeps falling back on old habits and recycling the names from our past, we're not going to be a significant part of Ohio's future."

Coughlin announced earlier this year that he is organizing a campaign for governor in 2010. He plans to kick-off his campaign after the legislative session finishes in July.



READ THE FULL TEXT OF KEVIN'S MAY 26 LETTER TO OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIRMAN KEVIN DEWINE:

Kevin DeWine, Chairman
Ohio Republican Party
211 S. Fifth St
Columbus, OH 43215

Dear Kevin,

We've enjoyed a cordial relationship during our service together in the Ohio General Assembly. Both of us are committed to improving Ohio and helping Republican candidates win. So it's with some disappointment that I write to express my concern over of the Ohio Republican Party's apparent support of a candidate for governor prior to the voters' selection of a nominee.

Recently, the ORP has sent several communications, paid for by the party, promoting next week's event to announce John Kasich's campaign for governor,. Kevin, our shared goals are well served when we have candidates organizing, promoting our issues, and bringing new people into the party. Neither the process, nor the voters are well served when party bosses try to force their preferred candidates.

I believe it is the role of the party to support Republican candidates in the general election and to call out Democrats when needed. But the privilege of selecting our nominees is reserved to the people by direct election in a primary. Until the people have selected their nominee, the party and it's bosses should butt out - overtly and covertly.

Kevin, we are the party of free markets. We are the party that trusts the people. Let the horses run. Let Ohio's Republican voters decide for themselves which vision for our state they prefer. Let the voters decide our nominee. It's their election.

I hope that I can count on equal treatment by you and the ORP and that party interference in the primary election for governor is nonexistent. I'd be happy to talk further with you about this.

Kindest regards,
Kevin Coughlin

I really do think that the Ohio Republican Party ought to make it their policy to NOT get involved in primaries. If they must get involved to protect an incumbent, an exception could probably be made for that, but this constant interference on the part of the party on behalf of certain candidates is most irritating.

Don't get me wrong, I like John Kasich and I think he makes the best candidate for governor. I'm talking about Jon Husted. But Mr. Coughlin's point is well made: the Ohio Republican Party ought not be involved at this point. But that's politics...

Memorial Day---Arlington

A Touching Soldier's Speech--Memorial Day

Memorial Day Thoughts by Congresswoman Jean Schmidt

Each Memorial day, we pause in humbled reflection to commemorate the lives of veterans and those men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom and democracy. This holiday is a solemn and important day. It is a reminder that we wake up each morning free to pursue our dreams because they were willing to risk that “last full measure of devotion” for our ideals.

There is no better way to honor the memory of fallen soldiers and veterans than to honor those who are currently serving. I have had the privilege of visiting our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. On these trips I have witnessed firsthand the energy and dedication these men and women have to the task at hand. I have left those war zones prouder of our military and our nation. But, I am also reminded that freedom, indeed, is not free. Our troops and their families are sacrificing daily so that we can live in freedom as one nation, safe from the new threats we face today.

For many Americans, Memorial Day marks the start of summer; a time for picnics and barbeques with family and friends, a three day oasis of rest and relaxation. I urge everyone to take some time to remember the true meaning of Memorial Day.

On this Memorial Day I ask you to remember the brave men and women still stationed around the world and join me in praying for their safe return. I also ask you to think about all of our veterans who have taken an oath to defend our great country as members of the armed forces.

We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to our active military and veterans. We must never forget their service.

On this Memorial, let's honor our fallen heroes. Join me in flying your American Flag, applauding our troops at our community parades, or solemnly observing the National Moment of Remembrance at 3pm, to show our appreciation.

We enjoy all that they fought for every day of the year. For all they gave us, to pause and remember is the very least we can do.
Jean Schmidt serves the 2nd Congressional District of the State of Ohio in the US House of Representatives....

Memorial Day

VIDEO: Ohio House Update

Representative Tim Derickson discusses the severe funding cuts for Proprietary Career Colleges. It's estimated that enrollment in proprietary colleges will decrease by 2,800 students as a result of this decision by the House Majority.

Attention: Rob Portman & Bob Paduchik

Make no mistake about it.

Rob Portman vs Tom Ganley in 2010 is no Mike DeWine vs William Pierce & David Smith in 2006 or even George Voinovich vs John Mitchel in 2004.

Those races were sitting incumbent US Senators vs extremely poorly funded opponents with little to no name ID.

Tom Ganley is neither poorly funded nor unknown.

I don’t know what the real numbers are on Ganley’s personal wealth, but the numbers I am hearing are in the $400-$500 million range. Now some of you might say that is impossible, but I doubt there are many of you that would look at the empire he has created and would suggest he is worth less than $300 million. For the sake of this blog post I am going to use the nice round figure (my assumption) that Ganley is worth a minimum of $300 million.

NOTE: I am a big Rob Portman fan. I think he offers the GOP the best chance of beating Jennifer Brunner (winner of dem primary if she can put the $ together in the primary) or Lee Fisher (winner of dem primary if Jennifer Lee cannot put the $ together in the primary), but I hope Rob & his staff are taking Ganley seriously.

I’ve heard way too many people say, “There is no way Ganley can beat Portman.”

To that I say “barnacles!”

Do I think Ganley wins? If the election were held today: No.

Do I think he can win? Yes.

Win or lose (and I hope you are paying attention to this most salient point) do I think a well-funded Ganley could do WAY better vs Portman than anyone would imagine and hand Brunner or Fisher a “W” on 11/4/10 vs a wounded Rob Portman? Definitely.

The best thing going for Brunner or Fisher is Ganley.

The best things going for Ganley is he is wealthy, relatively well-known in NE Ohio, does not have a voting record that can be used against him and Portman has a long record that can be used against him (envision the movie “Stuck On You” with George W. Bush & Rob Portman playing the roles originally played by Greg Kinnear & Matt Damon).

The best things going for Portman are that he has (& is in the process of putting) a good political team together, has the establishment in the state and nationally backing him (some would say this is a negative, but I disagree on a # of levels…slate card, volunteers, phone banks, door-to-door, 88 county organizations, “winks & nods” from GOP $ crowd, etc), it does not look (at least up until this point in time) like Ganley has put together a kick-rump political team that can operate at this level (having millions is one thing…spending millions wisely is quite another…I haven’t heard a peep out of his team yet and I’ve heard from just about all the relevant campaign teams statewide) and, finally, to amass that kind of nest egg I would imagine (but am not alleging because I have no knowledge) Mr. Ganley probably had to pinch his nose and wince a few times over the years at certain actions he had to take (who knows when those things might have allegedly occurred if they did at all…1986, 1992, 1999, 2003…maybe further back…the point is that he may have cut some corners at some point in time and my guess is that if the Portman crew has done their due diligence they probably know about any unsubstantiated things in Mr. Ganley’s past).

The following is what should keep the Portman people awake at night:

If Ganley starts spending $1 million a week in February of 2010 that would mean he would end up spending around $15 million of his own money by primary day. You and I know that if he is spending that kind of money in February 2010 he is going to (a) start moving numbers and (b) going to be in a position to start raising dollars from others…anyone who is not “for” Portman will come out of hiding if they think Rob can actually be beaten…this will create even more $$$ than the $15 million Ganley is spending personally. Additionally, if the Ganley people are smart they are also utilizing corporate and charitable dollars wisely via 527s & 501 © 3’s to “educate” & “inform”…these dollars would also be on top of Ganley’s own $15 million.

Now most of you probably think I’m crazy to think that Ganley would spend $15 million, but please keep that figure in perspective.

For 5% of Ganley’s net worth he could probably beat Rob Portman ($15 million of $300 million is 5%).

For our readers who are worth $500,000: Would you be able to come up with $25,000 if I told you I could make you a US Senator?

For our readers who are worth $250,000: Would you be able to come up with $12,500 if I told you I could make you a US Senator?

Kind of puts the $15 million into a scarier perspective for Rob Portman doesn’t it???

If Ganley gets past Portman then Ganley & Charlie Crist would probably end up being the two top US Senate races in the US…not a bad position to be in for a guy who only has to wisely spend 5% of his net worth.

A Challenger for Portman?

We have been hearing some rumblings about this for awhile, but now we have a name to attach to these rumors and a little bit of information to pass along about this guy as well:

Two months ago, I had never even heard of Tom Ganley, until I saw his name in the newspaper in regards to this race. I started doing some research and was pleasantly surprised at what I found. Tom is a very strong pro-life/pro-family Catholic from Cleveland. He is a self-made businessman who put himself through school and built the largest automobile dealer operation in the state of Ohio. He is married to his grade school sweetheart and has four wonderful children. Tom is a small businessman who has taken one AMC Rambler dealership in the 1960s and turned it into an empire employing over 2000 people. He has lived the American dream and he wants to make sure more of us get to live the dream as well.

As you'll see in the coming weeks and months, Tom is a big supporter of the second amendment and is very tough on crime and corruption. In fact, his work with the FBI and as the head of Crime Stoppers in Cleveland earned him the Lou Peters award, which is the highest honor bestowed by the FBI on a civilian. Tom has a gigantic heart and his philanthropic endeavors are legendary. I am convinced you will be pleasantly surprised, as I was, once you get to know this man. I also believe his bipartisan support in the Cleveland community will be his ace in the hole to win the General election in 2010.

Tom Ganley is not a career politician. He is a small businessman who understands how to create jobs. Tom Ganley knows how to get us out of the economic situation facing our country because he has done it. I believe Ohio is thirsty for solutions, not more of the same. Typically a person with no political background would have a difficult time finding the resources to get his message out in a statewide race. Fortunately God has blessed Tom with the resources to eliminate this problem. People who underestimate Tom Ganley will do so at their own peril. This is a man who is quite accustomed to winning life's challenges.

That is an excerpt from an email sent out to some folks from the campaign manager. We received it from one of our sources and thought it was substantial enough to talk about.

Our friends in Columbus can't be too happy about this and it wouldn't surprise me if there have already been a few of those "Have you considered running for dog catcher?" conversations. Ultimately, the party has little control over whether or not this guy runs because it appears he is capable of self-financing a campaign and so long as he is willing to do so, he calls all the shots.

Apparently the Ganley name is a pretty big deal in the Cleveland area. We'll just have to wait and see if this is going to be a Cleveland-only campaign or if this is going to be a full-blown 88-county race. I think Ganley has the bigger challenge in this regard because he is new to politics and Portman has built himself up quite an organization across the state.

The positive that I see in this is that there is somebody in the race now so we can finally start asking Rob Portman some serious questions on policy...

UPDATE: I see Kyle is hearing some things too...

UPDATE 2: I have heard that the NRSC is solidly behind Rob Portman. Question: Is that good or bad?

TIB All Stars -- 052309 -- Live Blog

The TIB All-Stars are on the Air at 6PM Eastern..... Click the link to listen; participate in the live blog...





Listen Now!

Click the "Listen Now!" text above to listen to TIB RADIO.

Learn more about our guest at his website: BeckerGOP.com

UPDATE: I should add that John will be joining us in the second hour... Have a question for John? Email it in or use the comments section here and we just might use your question on the show!

VIDEO: OhioGOPtv

CommunityFest

The Fairfield Township Police Academy Alumni Association will host its Fourth Annual CommunityFest May 22-24. The festival will be held at the First Church of God, 3100 Princeton Road. Hours are 6-11 p.m., Friday; 1-11 p.m., Saturday; and 2-7 p.m., Sunday. In One Ear (http://www.ioeband.com), a local classic rock/party band, will play Saturday night from 8-11pm. There will be rides, games, food and music. All proceeds will be used to purchase additional equipment for the police department.

Get more information on Facebook here. Check it out!

Boehner on Worst Economy Since Celeste

Statement:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following statement today regarding Ohio’s unemployment rate going above 10 percent for the first time since December 1983:

“With more than half a million Ohioans out of work and the rest of our nation struggling to pull itself out of this recession, it is disappointing that some in Washington insist on pursuing policies that could send much-needed jobs overseas. For the first time since 1983, Ohio’s unemployment rate has surpassed 10 percent and there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Automobile dealerships are closing across the state yet the Administration announced new fuel standards that could make it difficult for American automakers to recover. The coal industry is critical to Ohio’s economic well being yet the Administration has created a massive national energy tax that could bankrupt coal while raising electric rates on hard-working families. And this national energy tax will be a costly burden on our state’s family farmers, who already are struggling to stay ahead during this economic crisis.

“House Republicans have better solutions that do not include increasing the size and scope of the government yet Washington refuses to work in a bipartisan manner to solve our economic challenges. We offered an alternative stimulus bill that would have created 246,000 jobs in Ohio by the end of 2010 at half the cost of the Democrats’ government-spending bill. We offered a budget alternative that would have curbed spending, created jobs by cutting taxes and controlled the debt. And we proposed legislation to help Americans’ rebuild their personal, retirement and college savings that have been decimated over the past year. It’s for the Administration and Congress to put aside partisan schemes that raise taxes and make economic recovery impossible and begin working toward solutions that will help put our families back to work and help small businesses create jobs.”

Special Announcement from John Kasich

Email:

As friends and allies I want you to be involved and aware of my plans, and I hope you can join me in the early evening of Monday, June 1st for a special announcement regarding my candidacy for elected office in Ohio. We are holding this outdoor event at the Everal Barn in my hometown of Westerville.

As you may know, earlier this month, I filed paperwork to designate a treasurer and form a campaign committee for the office of governor. At this event on June 1 I will formally announce my intentions, and it would mean a great deal to me personally if you were there.

If you can join us, please visit www.KasichforOhio.com to print your tickets and get all the details you need.

Thank you,

John

WHERE: Everal Barn, Westerville, Ohio
WHEN: Monday, June 1, 2009. 5:30pm
INFO: Get more details and print your ticket at www.KasichforOhio.com

Buckeye Institute Moves to Stop City of Cincinnati from Harassment of Trolley Petitioners

Release:

COLUMBUS – The Buckeye Institute, a Columbus-based think tank, today filed, in Federal Court, a motion to restrain the City of Cincinnati and its agents from harassing citizens who are demanding that the City put its $200 million trolley project to a vote. The Motion argues the City consistently threatens petitioners who gather signatures for causes with which the City disagrees, and that the Court must immediately stop this interference.

Over the last month, the City of Cincinnati, through various police officer and other government agents, has escalated its interference with trolley project petitioners, ordering them to stop collecting signatures on Fountain Square, Findlay Market, and on public sidewalks, and in several cases, threatening to arrest petitioners for “circulating petitions without a license.” The Motion notes that no license or prior approval is needed to gather signatures on public property.

“The political class of Cincinnati clearly feels threatened by the idea that the citizens, and not they, would get to have the final word on whether to implement this abysmally expensive pork project.” Maurice Thompson, Director of the Buckeye Institute's 1851 Center for Constitutional Law said.

The Institute, who is partnering with the Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes on this case, expects that the U.S. District Court will immediately grant a Temporary Restraining Order prohibiting the City and its agents from interfering with petitioner's collection of signatures.

“In Ohio and nationwide, Courts recognize the ballot initiative as the ‘zenith of political speech,' and accorded the utmost protection under the First Amendment,” said Thompson. “Given our state Constitution's acknowledgment that ‘all political power is inherent in the people,' that the City would interfere with this clearly-recognized right in such a haphazard manner is dumbfounding.”

The City's interference and harassment coincides with COAST petitioners reaching the halfway point on their way to the the 6,150 valid signatures that need to be submitted by September 4 to place the issue on the ballot.

Democrat to Introduce "Paid Vacation Act" AKA "Let's Have the French Economy" Act

When I saw this hit Drudge's Twitter feed, I had to check it out... Apparently, the Democrats aren't done wrecking our economy and now want to force small businesses to give away free vacations.

From the Politico piece:

Rep. Alan Grayson was standing in the middle of Disney World when it hit him: What Americans really need is a week of paid vacation.

So on Thursday, the Florida Democrat will introduce the Paid Vacation Act — legislation that would be the first to make paid vacation time a requirement under federal law.

The bill would require companies with more than 100 employees to offer a week of paid vacation for both full-time and part-time employees after they’ve put in a year on the job. Three years after the effective date of the law, those same companies would be required to provide two weeks of paid vacation, and companies with 50 or more employees would have to provide one week.

The laugher comes in what this guy thinks the legislation will do...

The idea: More vacation will stimulate the economy through fewer sick days, better productivity and happier employees.

“There’s a reason why Disney World is the happiest place on Earth: The people who go there are on vacation,” said Grayson, a freshman who counts Orlando as part of his home district. “Honestly, as much as I appreciate this job and as much as I enjoy it, the best days of my life are and always have been the days I’m on vacation.”

Puh-leeze... Yes...the ecomy will get stronger if we all just take a vacation......

And who is going to pay for all of this vacation time, you might ask? That's right...all this economy stimulating through taking time off will raise prices on just about everything. Inflation is FUN!

Just another unfunded mandate to kill jobs and our economy from the folks who want to turn us in to France: the Democrats.

Oh, the France bit...

One more if-you’re-reading-this-then-you’re-probably-not-on-vacation fact: The United States is dead last among 21 industrial countries when it comes to mandatory R&R.

France currently requires employers to provide 30 days of paid leave.

We all want to be like France...right? Uhh...no.

Energy Thursday: US CO2 Emissions Decline Without Massive Energy Tax

Release:

U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions Declined by 2.8 Percent in 2008

U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels decreased by 2.8 percent in 2008, from 5,967 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MMTCO2) in 2007 to 5,802 MMTCO2 in 2008, according to preliminary estimates released today by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). This is the largest annual decline in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions since EIA began annual reporting on greenhouse gas emissions.

The economy, as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), grew by 1.1 percent in 2008, notwithstanding the economic downturn at the end of the year. Energy demand declined by 2.2 percent indicating that energy intensity (energy use per unit of GDP) fell by 3.3 percent in 2008. Carbon dioxide intensity (carbon dioxide emission per unit of GDP) fell by about 3.8 percent.

Factors that influenced the emissions decrease included record-high oil prices and a decline in economic activity in the second half of the year. Oil-related emissions declined by 6 percent, accounting for the bulk of overall reduction in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.

Total U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions have grown by 15.9 percent since 1990. Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions account for over 80 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Preliminary fossil fuel consumption data for 2008 indicate that:

* Transportation-related emissions, which account for about a third of total energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, decreased by 5.2 percent in 2008. Since 1990 the next largest yearly decline in the transportation sector was 1.3 percent in 1991. Only one other year in the 1990 to 2008 time period experienced a decline - 1.2 percent in 2001.

* Carbon dioxide emissions from the residential sector declined by 1.1 percent in 2008. Heating degree-days rose by 5.6 percent, but the summer was also cooler than 2007 and cooling degree-days fell by 8.7 percent, which helped to offset the increase in heating-related energy demand.

* The commercial sector, which includes all non-residential, non-industrial buildings, such as stores, office buildings, schools, hospitals, and government buildings, experienced an emissions increase of 0.5 percent in 2008.

* Industrial carbon dioxide emissions fell by 3.2 percent in 2008, continuing a trend of falling industrial sector emissions since 2004. In addition to manufacturing, the industrial sector includes agriculture, construction and mining.

* When electric power sector emissions are considered as a whole rather than being allocated to the end-use sectors that consume electricity, they are the largest single source of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, representing about 41percent of total emissions. In 2008, emissions from the electric power sector decreased by about 50 MMTCO2 or 2.1 percent, while power generation decreased by 1.0 percent. The decrease in the emissions intensity of generation of 1.1 percent in 2008 reflected, among other factors, an increase in wind-powered generation.

From 1990 to 2008, the carbon dioxide intensity of the economy fell by 29.3 percent or 1.9 percent per year. From 1990 to 2007 (the latest year of data for all greenhouse gases), carbon dioxide intensity had fallen by 26.4 percent and emissions of total greenhouse gases per dollar of GDP had fallen by 28.0 percent.

EIA will continue to refine its estimates of 2008 carbon dioxide emissions as more complete energy data become available. A full inventory of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2008 to be issued in late 2009 will include updated energy data and provide a further analysis of trends.

The preliminary estimates are on EIA's web site at:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/flash/flash.html

Can we do this without an economy crushing Energy Tax? Yes, we can!

Strickland's Dismal Performance on Ohio's Economy

It's no secret to WMD readers that Ohio's economic performance has not improved since T-Shirt Ted (D-Tax Hiker) took over from RINO Governor Bob Taft (also a tax hiker). In fact, we recently crunched some numbers to refute some nonsense being spewed on our side of the aisle.

We aren't the only ones to notice. Our good friend Justin has highlighted some more numbers that accurately reflect the condition of Ohio's economy. Check it out here.

DataGate II: Electric Boogaloo

If you loved Datagate, get ready for the sequel!

WBNS-10 has discovered that our government has, once again, played it fast and loose with private information.

A 10TV investigation found that some records policies at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles have not done enough to protect you and that some BMV deputy registrar clerks are not following the rules.

The system allowed Social Security numbers, birthdates, driver's license numbers, photos and vehicle information to be thrown away, 10 Investigates' Paul Aker reported.

The problem has exposed at least hundreds of Ohioans to the possibility of identity theft, Aker reported.

No word yet if an intern was involved and would thuse be facing a firing...

HT: Ken M. on Facebook

Culture of Corruption: Democrat Says "Time to Investigate Cordray"

I have to thank one of my many anonymous readers for this as I usually find David Esrati too much of a nut to read regularly, but he makes a rare serious point worthy of taking notice...

Esrati lays it all out, but Ohioans ought to ask why AG Richard Cordray is handing out casework to a guy with tax problems. Is he following the Barack Obama/Ted Strickland model?

Cordray has handed off a class action lawsuit to Montgomery County Commissioner Debbie Lieberman's husband Dennis (himself the former County Chairman of the Democratic Party). As we have covered previously, the Lieberman's have an unresolved problem with the IRS to the tune of $132,565.

Strickland Doesn't Care If His Staff Doesn't Pay Taxes

What other conclusion can you reach from this bit in the Dispatch?

Gov. Ted Strickland said yesterday that he probably would have appointed Mark Barbash interim director of the state development department even if he had known that Barbash owes nearly $160,000 in federal and state taxes.

That is the opening paragraph! Of course, the rest of the piece is all about helping T-shirt Ted sweep yet another scandal under the rug, but that one paragraph tells you all you need to know: Ted Strickland does not care if his staff pays their taxes. Remember that the next time he proposes raising "fees" (which the rest of us realize are "taxes" that his staff will not pay anyway.)

HT: Cuyahoga GOP on Twitter

LaRose for Ohio Senate Announcement

Release:

(Akron) - Frank LaRose today announced his candidacy for the Ohio Senate in the 27th district promising to go to Columbus to fight for Summit County. LaRose, a Republican, is a former US Army Green Beret Sergeant First Class.

"Our county needs an advocate who understands the proper role of government and who will support measures that will make it easier to build businesses and create jobs," LaRose said.


LaRose earned a Bronze Star medal for his service with a Special Forces A-Team in Iraq. He also served with the peace-keeping operation in Kosovo. His journals during the mission were published in the Akron Beacon Journal.

"My country and my hometown have given a great deal to me," LaRose said. "I've always felt called to give something back. The honor of serving in the Ohio Senate will give me a chance to do just that."

LaRose said he will push for economic development, common-sense business regulation, and lower taxes.

"We've all seen the harsh reality of a down economy in Ohio. Our number one priority should be job creation," LaRose said.

LaRose's family operates a third-generation business employing hundreds of people in Northeastern Ohio. LaRose earned his Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University. He and his wife Lauren live in Summit County.

NRCC: Zack Space Willing to Send Ohio Jobs to China

NRCC:

Washington- Rep. Zack Space (D-OH) is working with his fellow Democrats on the Energy and Commerce committee today on a climate bill that would impose new and burdensome regulations that could cripple the power and manufacturing industries in America, which could send good-paying jobs overseas, further damaging the already weakened economy in the United States.

During the debate today, Zack Space voted against an amendment that could protect these vulnerable American jobs from being shipped overseas to places like China and India. If companies aren’t forced to abide by the same regulations abroad as they would be here, U.S. companies could take American jobs overseas and re-locate their businesses in countries that don’t force these strict standards on their companies. This amendment seeks to provide a level playing field for American industries by ensuring that, in order for this climate bill to continue regulating U.S. industries, China and India must adopt the same greenhouse gas emissions standards that the United States will be forced to comply with under this climate bill.

“Zack Space put the needs of his struggling constituents in Ohio aside to vote in lock-step with Democrats to defeat this common-sense amendment aimed at protecting American jobs,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “What sense does it make to put struggling American industries at an unfair disadvantage in the global economy, virtually ensuring that good-paying American jobs will be shipped to China and India?”

Zack Space claimed that he was concerned about how cap-and-trade legislation would affect his constituents, but today, his actions showed otherwise:

“‘We cannot afford to abandon coal for the next few years, because it would put us at such a financial disadvantage both nationally and internationally, and it would be devastating for the state,’ Space said in an interview.” (“Democrat Space faces hard choice on global warming,” Columbus Dispatch, 4/26/2009)


There is no doubt that under this bill, American energy costs will skyrocket and families’ incomes and employment will plummet. There is no mistaking that this bill will drastically burden already struggle families with increased energy costs.

How much more can Ohio families take?:
Ohio already has a 9.7% unemployment rate
("Bureau of Labor Statistics, Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and selected area, seasonally adjusted, April 17, 2009, http://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.t03.htm)

The average household in Ohio pays over 9 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity
(Energy Information Administration, Official Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government, Electric Power Monthly with data for January 2009, http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html)

7.4% of people in Ohio are past-due on their electric utility bills by about $224.02

22.5% of people in Ohio are past-due on their gas utility bills by about $1,061.09
(2008 Individual State Report by the NARUC, Consumer Affairs Subcommittee On Collections Data Gathering, http://www.naruc.org/Publications/2008%20NARUC%20Collections%20Survey%20Report.pdf)

Deep Concern over Increased Costs:
An overwhelming majority of Americans are deeply concerned about the drastic increase in cost they would bear as a result of the National Energy Tax. Seventy-seven percent of Americans said they are concerned that federal regulation of greenhouse gases could substantially raise the price of things they have to pay for.
(Source: ABC News/Washington Post; conducted April 21-24, 2009; Survey of 1,072 Adults Nationwide)

President Obama Even Admitted Utility Rates Would “Skyrocket”:
“Under my plan of a cap and trade system electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket … that will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers …”
(President Barack Obama, Meeting with the Editorial Board at the San Francisco Chronicle, January, 2008)

A new study shows the devastating effects the National Energy Tax will have on the economy:

* Under cap and trade 1,105,000 jobs could be lost
* Peak-year unemployment losses could reach 2.5 million
* Gasoline prices would skyrocket by 74 percent
* Natural gas prices would rise by 55 percent
* Electricity rates would spike by 90
* The annual energy bill for an average family would increase by $1,500
* The federal debt would increase by 26 percent, or $29,150 additional federal debt per person
* Gross Domestic Product losses could hit $9.6 trillion

(William W. Beach, David Kreutzer, Ph.D., Karen Campbell, Ph.D. and Ben Lieberman, Heritage Foundation WebMemo #2450, “Son of Waxman-Markey: More Politics Makes for a More Costly Bill,” May 18, 2009)

View the text of the amendment offered by Rep. Mike Rogers here.

TIB All Stars Show: Guest Announcement

Learn more about our guest at his website: BeckerGOP.com

UPDATE: I should add that John will be joining us in the second hour... Have a question for John? Email it in or use the comments section here and we just might use your question on the show!

Ohio's Culture of Corruption

Allow me a moment to shift my focus to the other side of the aisle and remind folks what real corruption looks like. I really don't think enough is being said in the 527 media about the craziness that has been going on in Cuyahoga County for at least three years.

The Plain Dealer barely scratches the surface of the tip on this particular iceberg with their latest update on the Culture of Corruption in Cleveland.

This is the sort of thing that happens when you allow petty ethical lapses go... Ohio Demcorats go WAY beyond failing to report golf outings and scalping OSU tickets, but you'll never see that kind of comparison in an editorial. We've gotten far too used to seeing just how bad those evil Republicans are and the media still refuses to use the word "Democrat" in these stories...so who is to blame for allowing this racket to continue? We all are...elections matter.

Developing...MUCH more to come...

RELATED UPDATE: Tom and I covered this on the radio show, but it bears repeating in this context too... Let's not forget that T-Shirt Ted's staff has tax problems too...

TIB All-Stars -- Live Blog -- 051609

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Guest Column: "Immigration Bill Important Step"

By Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel

State Representative Courtney Combs has proposed a bill in the Ohio House of Representatives that will require employers to check a potential employee’s Social Security number against the federal government’s E-Verify system before hiring. The bill is a major step to solving the problem of illegal immigration, and too long in coming.

For years southwest Ohio has been a leading voice for stronger, more intelligent immigration policies from our federal government. Federal immigration policy has failed. As such, local and state governments must do what they can to make America a safer place to live. Three other states, Arizona, Mississippi and South Carolina, have already passed similar statutes. By necessity, more and more states are taking steps to protect our borders. Ohio should be a leader in this movement.

America is a land of freedom, but it can only remain that way if we protect our borders. People from all over the world come to America to seek freedom, but as a nation we must insist that they do so legally. Our nation is dependent on the enforcement of laws to protect our freedoms and the failure to enforce our immigration and naturalization laws is a direct threat to those freedoms.

I want to commend Representative Combs for taking the initiative to protect the people of Ohio. Preventing illegal immigrants from working in Ohio, and punishing the employers that violate this law, will produce an immediate and substantial impact in protecting Ohioans.

Guest Column: "Cap and Trade a Flawed Proposal"

By Rep. Bob Latta (R, OH-05)


Energy prices are on the rise. Families, homeowners, and businesses are feeling the pain every time they pay their electric bills or fill up at the pump. The cap and trade, or cap and tax, energy plan, introduced by the Obama Administration and Democratic leadership in Congress, will only make matters worse. This energy plan raises taxes, leads to more government intrusion, and leads to the unprecedented loss of American jobs.

Democrats claim that this plan will help the environment and create “green jobs” that will benefit our nation. I believe that this could not be any further from the truth. Any new jobs created will not even come close to compensating for jobs lost to this energy plan. According to a study by the Heritage Foundation, Ohio’s Fifth District is the third most vulnerable Congressional District in the United States. The entire state of Ohio ranks as one of the most vulnerable to the energy tax – with eight of the 18 congressional districts with the highest Manufacturing Vulnerability Index.

The Center for Data Analysis at the Heritage Foundation reports that cap and trade could result in job losses of up to 844,000 per year until at least 2035. I feel that this is a high price to pay during such harsh economic times. We need legislation that creates American jobs, not destroys them.

Cap and tax claims to be taxing energy for a goal – to improve the environment and prevent global warming. However, according to a study by the Environmental Protection Agency, a 60 percent reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions by 2050 will only reduce global temperature by 0.1 degree Centigrade by 2095.

Cap and trade is a costly policy. Analysis of the economic impact of Waxman-Markey estimates that by 2035 the GDP will be reduced by $7.4 trillion, electricity rates will increase 90 percent, and residential prices for natural gas will increase by 55 percent. In addition, an average family of four could see their energy costs rise $3100 per year – a price that I feel is too much to ask.

In a speech before Congress in February, President Obama promised Americans that families that make less than $250,000 per year “will not see (your) taxes increased a single dime.” Apparently, President Obama was not including energy taxes. While a candidate, then-Senator Obama stated in California that under his cap and tax plan, utility rates would “necessarily skyrocket,” and those costs would be passed along to consumers.

This national energy plan will hit the poor the hardest. Individuals with lower incomes spend a greater share of their income on energy consumption. All Americans will pay more for energy, but those who are already struggling to make ends meet will be forced to struggle even harder.

Cap and tax intends to improve the environment. However, the truth is that it will relocate manufacturing plants overseas to countries with less stringent environmental regulations. This will only serve to take jobs away from Ohio’s Fifth District. I believe we need to improve our environment and solve our energy crisis. However, I feel that there is a better way for America to become energy independent than hurting our economy and losing jobs.

More government, more taxes, and fewer jobs sounds more like a problem than a solution to our energy crisis. I support an “all of the above” energy plan that produces energy made by American workers, encourages greater efficiency, conservation, and promotes the use of alternative fuels. In January, I introduced H. Res. 29, an “All of the Above Plan” to use as a platform in solving America’s energy crisis.

As a member of the American Energy Solutions Group, I am working with my colleagues to find a better solution than the tremendously flawed cap and tax proposal. Congress should never put American families in a position where they have to decide between putting food on the table and paying energy bills. I will continue to fight for energy solutions that put the American people first.

Dillingham Plans to Run for Office Again

This just in...

Dear Friends:

Let me begin by saying V's Nightclub is alive and well and contrary to what you may read in the newspapers isn't going anywhere.

I also want to THANK each and every one of you for your continued friendship and support.

As a result of running for County Commissioner in 2006, I am still dealing with a great deal of political backlash as a result of running against former police officer in Charles Furman.

My primary goal was to protect the children of our community. I am proud of my accomplishments regarding the role I played in helping to pass new laws after the tragic death of Marcus Fiesel.

In spite of "the good ol boy" politics of Butler County, my husband Joe and I will continue to operate V's nightclub and have every intention of opening additional locations as soon as it becomes possible.

Many of you have asked me if I intend to run for public office again. The answer is YES!

Thanks again for your friendship and support.

Rawnica Dillingham

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

The Republican Party isn't going to support her and as bad off as the Democrats are in Butler County, I can't imagine them latching on to this political genius either.

The truly sad thing about Mrs. Dillingham Wilson Dillingham Rusigno Dillingham is her continued usage of Marcus Fiesel as a political prop. It is tasteless, cheap and vile...which is, of course, why she does it.

As usual, Rawnica fails to accept responsibility for her actions. V's didn't lose its liquor license because of her primary challenge against Furmon. If anything, those in political circles would have wanted her to succeed so that story could finally get out of the newspaper and they could finally get down to the business of enacting good government without the distraction.

It takes more than bad political theater to win an election and Dillingham's broken record of "good old boy" politics is just too absurd to be believed. So while the news that Rawnica plans to run for something again might be good for the blogging businessx, it is surely bad news for Butler County.

EXIT QUESTION: Will Lori Viars back Rawnica again? How about Sheriff Leis? We know that Kay Rogers is solidly in her corner as is Mike Fox...of course, those last two will be joining her husband behind bars soon...

NRCC: Does Zack Space Take the Gitmo Issue Seriously?

NRCC:

Washington- Rep. Zack Space (D-OH) voted today to block an amendment that would put critical safeguards into place to protect American families from terrorists currently detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (House Roll Call 261).

“President Obama used a Jan. 22 executive order to give the military a year to shut down the prison facility. But nearly four months later the White House, the Defense Department and the Justice Department have not announced what they plan to do with the several hundred detainees still at the facility.” (Molly K. Hooper and Reid Wilson, “Boehner to call for GOP unity on Gitmo detainees,” The Hill 05/13/09)


As Congress takes up an important war spending bill, the issue about what to do with terrorists detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility is a critical component of the debate. Democrats in Congress and the President have promised to close Gitmo, but have outright failed to deliver a comprehensive plan for what to do with these detainees and have failed to install certain safeguards to protect Americans from these terrorists.

“Zack Space failed to protect his constituents today when he blocked a proposal that would hold the President and Congress accountable for their reckless idea of closing Gitmo with no real plan in place on what to do with the terrorists detained there,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Space has exposed his unwillingness to take national security seriously at the expense of the safety of American families.”

Today, Zack Space voted to block a critical amendment that would have prohibited taxpayer funds from being used to transfer or release Gitmo detainees into the United States. Additionally, this amendment would have required the President to certify in writing that anyone who would be transferred or released does not pose a security risk to the United States. Also, it would require that the President must receive consent from the Governor and State legislature of the State in which the President plans to transfer or release a detainee.

The amendment that Zack Space voted to block would have also required that the President submit to Congress a detailed cost analysis for closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and related costs to transferring, detaining, prosecuting, or releasing a detainee in the United States by August 22, 2009.

Why doesn’t Zack Space want to hold the President and the Congress accountable for their vague idea of closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility with no real plan in place?

Dillingham is the One Playing Politics

Hamilton City Council has denied Rawnica Dillingham Wilson Dillingham Ruscigno Dillingham Rusicgno's request to transfer a liquor license and as expected she -- and her lawyer -- are trotting out all of the old one-liner favorites about backroom politics and political payback.

Let's review what we now about the party that is still going on at V's, shall we?

The police get calls to go out there quite a bit. Some might even classify that quantity of calls as " a lot" of calls. Let's review one in particular...

The Hamilton Police Department's vice unit conducted an undercover operation late last night at V's Nightclub, 1483 Millville Ave., after receiving tips the business was planning to offer erotic dancers to patrons, according to a department news release.

Posing as customers, detectives said they saw dancers wearing little or no clothing, offering erotic dances for $5 and touching patrons inappropriately, according to the release. Detectives also said they observed Eryka Huckins, a 20-year-old female from Cincinnati who was later arrested, expose her breasts and allow dancers to touch them.

That's not the sort of thing that you get to "do over."

I continue to be amazed at the gall of this woman. She defiantly throws caution to the wind and violates the law and then has the audacity to play the politics card as if her own actions had no bearing on the decision at all. She has never shown any willingness to accept any kind of responsibility for anything that has ever happened. Politics had nothing to do with this decision. Her record and actions have set these events in motion.

Rawnica lost the race to Commissioner Chuck Furmon because she was a lousy candidate who has a rather casual relationship with the truth. I give her plenty of bonus points for moxy and theatrical performance skills, but enough is enough already. Her 15 minutes were up a long time ago and she refuses to leave the stage gracefully like the petulant child that she is.

Taylor vs. Pepper?

The Enquirer says Pepper will join Strickland tomorrow for an announcement.

This will be like Cordray vs. O'Brien...only in reverse... And any sort of debate ought to be pretty fun too...

Find the Problem

Here are a few paragraphs from a story about Boehner vs. Jones in the Politico. See if you can discern what the Ohio GOP's problem is...

here is Butler County GOP Chairman Tom Ellis:

Tom Ellis, the Butler County Republican Party chairman, said that Jones’ outspoken activism against illegal immigration has won him political standing in his Butler County base, which accounts for about half the district’s population. But he has urged Jones to run for reelection as sheriff to avoid a contentious intraparty battle.

“At the county level, Richard Jones is the most high-profile, recognizable name and the most popular of our local county officeholders,” said Ellis. “But our response to him has been that we do not welcome any contested primary, particularly against someone of the stature of John Boehner. It’s expensive and divisive for the party.”

And here is Ohio GOP Chairman Kevin DeWine:

“I’ve never met Sheriff Jones, so I don’t know what would motivate him to take on leader Boehner,” said Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine. “Leader Boehner has a strong record of fiscal conservatism that matches that district very well, and, as a result, I see no problems for Boehner in the primary.”

HINT: "I’ve never met Sheriff Jones, so I don’t know..."

TIB All Stars - 050909 - Live Blog

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WMD at the Movies-Star Trek: So, How Much Does it Cost to be Born Again?

I know this is going to be fodder for the nutjobs out there that like to pick on us here at WMD, but I don't care. I am a Star Trek fan. Have been for 30 years. And while I don't trumpet it quite as much as my friend Matt, I, too, was a "Starfleet Admiral" in a Star Trek fan club a long time ago. So what? I love the fantasy of Star Trek...it doesn't hurt anybody, unlike believing in the fantasy of Obama as competent, which has cost thousands of jobs and generations of Americans enslaved by debt. But enough of that, let's get to the review.....

While I will try to stay free of spoilers, here is an obligatory SPOILER ALERT!

To answer the question in the title, for Star Trek it costs six billion souls, an armada of starships, the history of three TV series and 9 movies, and a couple hundred novels of Star Trek canon. Why did Star Trek have to be reborn? Why did we have to "reimagine" Star Trek? Three words: Paramount, Berman, and Braga. Paramount for the last decade and a half has mismanaged and maligned the franchise. Berman and Braga, once the founder Roddenberry was laid to rest, decided to create some type of monument to their own intellect instead of staying true to Star Trek. Voyager was a failure, and Star Trek: Enterprise only came around when Berman and Braga gave up and let Manny Coto try to write plots and episodes, and by then it was too late to save a show that had such promise. Also, of course, there is the "we want to re-introduce great characters for a new generation" idea. So, no Bill Shatner. No Walter Koenig. No George Takei (thank God). No Nichelle Nichols (not a big loss).

So, we are left with this new film, a new look at some old friends--the original crew of the Starship Enterpise. However, the past has been affected by the future. Romulans from the future have infiltrated the past we used to know. Through their machinations, events that we used to know of are forever altered. A staple of Star Trek is erased from space. Relationships familiar are now not so familiar. The Trek I grew up on has been altered by time travel.

OK, now I know what you are thinking...oh no, not time travel again! When they time travel, we have all sorts of continuity issues and canon erased and things screwed up. While that may happen at some point, this one is not so bad. Here is the good news--the Trek I grew up with still has meaning. Director and Reimaginer JJ Abrams of "Lost" fame did a decent job of still giving our original timeline respect, while doing what he could to create wiggle room for his new vision of our old friends. And, as a part Vulcan friend of mine says, Time is not about alternate realities. It is a ribbon that twists and goes around and meets up again. Besides, there had to be some cleansing bloodletting after the mess that Berman and Braga and the powers that be made of Trek....

So, friends, while it is not our Star Trek, it is not a totally unrecognizable bastardization, which is sadly what the new Battlestar Galactica became. There is still the Federation, still Jim Kirk, Spock, Scotty, McCoy, Uhura, and Sulu....and Checkov--which I have problems with in terms of why is he even here at this point, but what the hell....let's get down to the details....

The Good
The casting in this movie was very well done. I knew Zach Quinto (Heroes, Sylar) would make a great Spock from the moment I heard him mentioned. He just has it down, without becoming a caricature of Leonard Nimoy, who has a limited but significant role as "Old Spock" from the future. Quinto is able to capture the conflict of being a child of two worlds, without just reading from Leonard's liner notes. Chris Pine was excellent as a young Jim Kirk--brash, arrogant, but almost always right in following his gut instincts--the archetype of a captain. He, too, drives home the essentials of the Kirk character--the angst, humor, and cockiness--without becoming a William Shatner impressionist. Both men are great fits for these characters, and it will be interesting to see how they put their own stamps on these legendary characters. Karl Urban channelled DeForest Kelley in his role as Bones McCoy, capturing the compassion of the country surgeon, while still keeping that irascible wit. The age difference between him and Pine also was a good touch. The chemistry between these three is very good, and I can already see the triumverate reforming.

Simon Pegg was good as Scotty, but at times I thought he fell into the trap of trying to steal scenes and be nothing but comic relief. He was far too over the top in trying to be Jimmy Doohan. However, Jimmy was able to just be his character and he was able to steal the show at times by just playing the role. While Pegg was good, he should be a bit more understated. I was worried about John Cho (Harold and Kumar Dope Movies), but he was excellent as Hikaru Sulu. Zoe Saldana seemed to be playing the diva-ish Nichelle Nichols more than the character of Uhura, but she gave a good performance. Even Chekov (who should not have even been on the bridge, much less the Academy, by this point)is done well. The venerable Bruce Greenwood does a magnificent job as Captain Chris Pike.

The plot, while dealing with time travel, is decently executed. While it messes with our notion of where the characters began with past continuity, we have to remember that the timeline has been disturbed by Romulans, creating a new ribbon in the multiverse. This is where Abrams is able to keep us old Trekkers in the game--he tells us that our mainstream traditional Trek is still a valid story and canon, but that he is exploring another ribbon in the Star Trek space time continuity, a ribbon which will be the one for a new generation of sci fi fans to follow, and he invites us along for the ride. The scenes between Old Spock and Young Kirk are poignant, and Nimoy definitely steals the show in his last (?) swansong as Spock. There are actually times when I could see young Shatner and Co. doing what Abrams was having the characters do. While playing with some of the details, Abrams keeps the core of our characters and our Trek true and pure; unlike other reimaginings like Day the Earth Stood Still, Battlestar Galactica, and others. Eric Bana does a decent job as the Melvillian villain, Nero, trying to redeem a lost world by destroying others, but consuming his own soul in the process.

The Not So Good
While I could go all old school and argue about why Kirk and Spock are around the academy at the same time, or how the crew all magically ends up on Enterprise fresh out of the academy, or blahdeblah blah...I won't. It is actually ok, and the Kirk/Spock situation makes a kind of of sense when you think about it. Also, remember, in order to unchain yourself from the shackles of the past, you may have to break a link or two. However, I do have some isssues....OK, what is Chekov doing here? He shouldn't even be in the academy, much less on the bridge of the Enterprise yet. Speaking of the Enterprise, the technology on the bridge was far too advanced for the early days of Kirk and Spock. Heck, it looked too advanced for the Next Generation crew! The bridge was far too lit up and bright, although the neat heads up displays were nice. However, please don't do time travel for a while, Mr. Abrams! Also, please don't have some of the leads become obsessed with who they were in "old Spock's" time. There was an element of this at times that Abrams used to link us to the new actors and to give newcomers foreshadowing of the greatness to come, but let's let it end there.

Also, what is up with Kirk NOT getting the girl? I mean, this is the lothario of the universe. The big pimping daddy of the Prime Directive! And, Winona Ryder as Amanda, Spock' mother? I was afraid she was going to be stealing IDICs and relics from the Vulcan science academy (dated joke?). Thankfully, she is easily forgotten and hopefully will never reappear in a Trek film again. And do we have to redo the stardate system....AGAIN????

Some Notes for This Bold New Future
OK, so the mistakes of Berman and Braga are wiped away in this new timeline, right? I mean, we are dealing with a whole new Trek, as Spock and Kirk have different lives now than the ones we have known for the past 40 years ( I am not going to tell you how, exactly, but trust me, these are vastly different lives than the ones they had in our time....From the very opening scene you see how drastically Jimmy Kirk life will be changed). OK, so let's give Mr. Abrams and Paramount some ideas, or some things maybe we Trek fans can hope for.....Maybe now there will not be a Captain Janeway, or if they do have one, perhaps the Voyager story will actually be one that is entertaining....Let's hope for Klingons that are consistent, and for stories that don't need to be reopened just so we can save someone's career (see the incessant obsession with going back to the original trek and hanging with Kirk by DS9 and Voyager). Let's hope for a world without Kes, a world without Janeway. And Borg that look more like 7 of 9 than Hugh. Let's also hope they don't redo the Khan story, as NO ONE can capture the scene chewing excellence displayed by Shatner and Montalban in these two classic stories. Let's hope for a Next Gen era where HMS Pinafore is not used as a plot device....And, let's hope that Berman and Braga are never allowed near Star Trek again....it has already cost our universe a timeline and over 6 billion lives.....Most of all, let's hope for a Trek that can be compared, even imperfectly, to the one of the last 40 years with positive results.

Conclusion
This is indeed not your father's Star Trek...but it is comparable....It is not my original series, not truly Classic Trek...but that is OK. It is good to see my favorite crew again, even with different faces. They still have the essence that defined their characters, if not the faces. This is the Trek of a new era which needs Trek, and not some new characters, but the original crew which defined it. And while they will be defining new territory, they honor what has gone before. I hope this is a small portent of the helmsmanship of Mr. Abrams. If it is, then Trek is in good hands...if it is just a one shot of respect, then it will be short. My concern is that this group will probably only be able to do a trilogy of films before it gets too expensive, which will be sad, as this crew has some chemistry and potential.

Perhaps out of the closing of the ribbon of time that was my Trek, my beloved franchise can live again, with essence of the time that I loved so well. I am hopeful of this, and encourage you to sample this familiar, yet bold new look at epic characters of Sci Fi. While not filling my hope to see Bill Shatner in the center seat again,this started a hunger to see Kirk and Spock soaring the spaceways once again. Everything old was made new again....If I may be so bold, let me close in this way.....

Captain's log....Stardate 2009.353...All is well, yet I can't help but think of the Trek seemingly left behind....There are always possibilities, Spock said. And if indeed this film brings forth life from near death, I must return here again....
Switzer: Mark, time is a ribbon...it all loops around and is connected. Our trek is not dead you know, as long as we remember....You ok? How do you feel?

Me: Young....I feel...young....

Switzer: Course heading?

Me: Second star to the right....and straight on til morning.....

Captain's log...supplemental....
Even as my generation turn over the ship and her history to another generation, To them and their posterity we commit our future..we wish them well....They will continue to watch the journeys we have started and made, travelling to their own "undiscovered countries"... boldly going where no man....where no one...has gone....before....

Boehner on April Jobs Report

Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner:

WASHINGTON, DC – After the U.S. Department of Labor released its monthly employment report showing that the economy lost 539,000 jobs in April, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement:

“About two and a half million jobs have been lost since the beginning of the year, yet some here in Washington continue to believe that we can borrow and spend our way back to prosperity. Rather than working across the aisle on plans to create more jobs, rebuild Americans’ savings, and reinvigorate the housing market, the spending, taxing, and borrowing binge that the Administration and Congress have set out on in the first four months of this year isn’t helping our economy.

“Washington’s arrogance must be replaced by a new spirit of bipartisan cooperation to improve job prospects for millions of Americans. Republicans have taken every opportunity to reach out to the President and find areas of agreement. We offered a stimulus bill that created twice the jobs at half the price as the Democrats’ bill. Our budget alternative curbed spending, created jobs by cutting taxes, and controlled the debt. And we’ve proposed legislation to help Americans’ rebuild their nest eggs and college savings for their children. Unfortunately, the Democrats in control of Congress have chosen a go-it-alone approach. It’s time for the President and the Democratic leadership in Congress to reverse course and embrace this opportunity for real bipartisan action to help put more Americans back to work.”