Thank you Mr. Speaker.Fantastic speech! Here is hoping that the Ohio Senate doesn't cave on this thing. If they do, I think there ought to be all kinds of Hell to pay.
Mr. Speaker, I thought hard about whether or not to stand and give this speech today. Not just because the hour is late and the debate has been long, but because after over 2 years of service, I am still intimidated to speak on this floor.
As you know, I am not a great orator and I don’t tell jokes. And I am not nearly the story teller of our good friend and colleague Representative Hite. I am just a mother and a wife who cares deeply about her community and this state and am humbled to serve the citizens of the 67th house district.
Fortunately for me, my constituents don’t expect great oratory, they expect me – and I expect from myself – to plainly tell the truth.
And I think you all know that I tell it like it is so I am going to do that now.
Ladies and gentlemen – what will happen here later today is unprecedented in Ohio budget history. A budget will be passed on this House floor that contains so much one-time money that it guarantees that the next two-year budget will be a train wreck.
I suppose if you’re only worried about the next election or trying to pretend that you have done something good, you will vote for this budget. But in two years most of you are going to have to answer for your vote.
You see, term limits were supposed to give the General Assembly the courage to make difficult decisions because after all we weren’t going to be career legislators. Nothing could illustrate less courage than the Democrat budget we are voting on today.
The Governor and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would have you believe that this budget is fiscally responsible and that it is – and I quote – a “balanced and responsible budget during a time of economic crisis.”
The simple fact of the matter is that this budget is neither firmly balanced nor is it fiscally responsible.
The Governor and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, who are in the majority, are now asking what would the Republicans do? That’s a disingenuous question asked in the 11th hour designed to deflect attention away from the real questions at hand. But I will not be deterred in saying the emperor has no clothes.
We weren’t asked by the Governor to help craft his budget nor were we asked by the House Democrats to help craft their budget. And as you saw in house finance and again on the floor today our amendments have been rejected. So do me a favor and please stop pretending that you want to know what we would have done --- after you have already decided for us.
But let me be clear on what I would have done and what I would NOT have done.
I would NOT have increased the Governor’s budget by $1.6 BILLION dollars. But that’s what the House Democrats have done.
I would have REJECTED all of the federal stimulus money that is being used for ongoing expenses and made the tough choices that needed to be made as politically painful as that might have been in the short term.
I would NOT have put into state law a school spending plan that is unsustainable and assert that I had solved school funding and smugly protest that this is not residual budgeting.
I would tell the school districts in this state the truth. That without the $845 million dollars in federal stimulus money that is still being used in the school funding formula, every school district in the state would have their funding cut below FY 09 levels. 558 of the 612 school districts would have received a cut of 10% or more.
In the next two year budget our traditional public schools will need an infusion of $832 million state dollars just to get back to even. They need to know the truth so they can plan accordingly. So if we don’t have the courage to plan for tomorrow, we ought to have the decency to allow those who ARE responsible to do their jobs!
Indeed I would not have crafted an education budget that treats over 80,000 kids that go to community schools and e-schools as second-class citizens by cutting their funding to levels that will force them to leave the schools that their parents have chosen. I certainly would not have done that and then profess on this floor that I care about every child in this state.
And I would not have participated in putting together an Ohio budget the way they have been putting together the budget in Washington for decades. Just like Congress has done, this budget spends too much, borrows too much and makes promises that can’t possibly be kept. This House used to pride itself on not behaving the way they do in Washington. Sadly, that is no longer the case.
The only way to really solve our budget problems is to start living within our means. When we try to prioritize everything, we prioritize nothing. Yes, as Representative Garrison suggests, we are in a critical time. Some might say the house is on fire. But perhaps we should try to put the fire out first before building a brand new house!
If this state continues to budget as if there is no tomorrow, with no planning or regard for the future, we will never escape this downward fiscal spiral, in which creative accounting, shell games, smoke and mirrors, handouts and bailouts, keep us looking from where the next easy money will come – just to feed the beast of big government.
Mr. Speaker, let’s send this budget to the Senate in hopes they can apply some fiscal discipline to this mess.
I strongly encourage a no vote on the bill.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Rep Shannon Jones Floor Speech on Ohio Budget
Floor Speech (as prepared):
Warren County GOP Update
I thought this was interesting and worth passing along...
More to the point, I don't fully understand the power that Lori has over politicians. Her organization isn't all-powerful. Contrary to what she'll say to any reporter who asks her, elections are not won or lost based on whether or not Lori Viars endorses a candidate. In fact, outside of Warren County, Lori Viars power is pretty much non-existant near as I can tell.
Now before the usual suspects get all fired up in a tizzy, let me say that we need social conservatives and the issue with Ms. Viars isn't what she says she believes. The problem is her tactics.
We don't need power hungry people behind the scenes threatening people and generally causing mayhem. On the other hand, I'm sure that's exactly what some people think I do every day right here on WMD. The difference, is that I do so in a public forum where people can call me out if I make a bad call. And I would never threaten somebody that I would run a candidate against them if they didn't agree with me 100%. At least, not a real candidate... Bottom line: There is a difference between raising issues and being a menace. I think more and more people are making that determination for themselves as to which camp certain people are in...
Although, there is something to be said for incumbent politicians getting a grip. I'm not a big fan of the incumbent protection racket that party politics usually supports; so I also happen to think that if you are big enough to play the game, you should know enough to put on the pads because you are going to get hit. In fact, I'll go so far to say that I often write really obnoxiously rough things about political figures just to say what they will do. It is my litmus test and most career politicians who are used to having their ring kissed fail it miserably. And often.
Okay...let the hate mail commence...
I thought you would like to know [that] at the board meeting this morning for the Warren County GOP Board meeting, it was brought up how Lori Viars has been threatening current incumbent office holders that she will run candidates against them. She of course denied it, but it was further [confirmed] by a few other office holders. And basically Tom Grossman (party chair who intends on running for Commissioner, so he does not want to anger Ms. Viars) and Dave Fornshell (party vice chair, who plans on running in the Central committee race for Rachel Hutzel's seat against Bruce McGary who is the Chief Assistant Prosecutor) basically told the elected officials that they need to develop a thicker skin. Yes that is right, the Party leadership did nothing to stop her.I've written about Lori before... It is pretty rare when you find Lori and I on the same side of an issue which is really saying something. But I have to agree with the reader when they say that Lori is about power. I can't think of a single reason why Lori Viars would back Rawnica Dillingham against Chuck Furmon unless it was about power. Because it sure wasn't about values...
Lori gets away with threats and intimidation. She is a cancer that is eating the party alive. The divide is the size of Montana at this point. People need to wake up and realize you do not need Lori Viars to win an election. If anything, it will work against you. And the Warren County GOP needs to wake up because the Democrats have one thing going for them… they do not let disruptive and divisive people manipulate the Party. The Democrats unite together and look at what it has done for them.
Bottom line, Ms. Viars is not about pro-life. She is about power. It’s not about the best candidate for the Republican Party ticket. It’s about HER candidate. Get over yourself Ms. Viars. You are judgmental, hypocritical and run good people away from the Party.
More to the point, I don't fully understand the power that Lori has over politicians. Her organization isn't all-powerful. Contrary to what she'll say to any reporter who asks her, elections are not won or lost based on whether or not Lori Viars endorses a candidate. In fact, outside of Warren County, Lori Viars power is pretty much non-existant near as I can tell.
Now before the usual suspects get all fired up in a tizzy, let me say that we need social conservatives and the issue with Ms. Viars isn't what she says she believes. The problem is her tactics.
We don't need power hungry people behind the scenes threatening people and generally causing mayhem. On the other hand, I'm sure that's exactly what some people think I do every day right here on WMD. The difference, is that I do so in a public forum where people can call me out if I make a bad call. And I would never threaten somebody that I would run a candidate against them if they didn't agree with me 100%. At least, not a real candidate... Bottom line: There is a difference between raising issues and being a menace. I think more and more people are making that determination for themselves as to which camp certain people are in...
Although, there is something to be said for incumbent politicians getting a grip. I'm not a big fan of the incumbent protection racket that party politics usually supports; so I also happen to think that if you are big enough to play the game, you should know enough to put on the pads because you are going to get hit. In fact, I'll go so far to say that I often write really obnoxiously rough things about political figures just to say what they will do. It is my litmus test and most career politicians who are used to having their ring kissed fail it miserably. And often.
Okay...let the hate mail commence...
Ohio Poll on Economy of Buckeye State
The OHIO POLL (PDF) shows that 51% of Ohioans think that our state's economy is "poor" with another 42% rating it "fair." Only 7% say that the economy in the Buckeye State is "good" and less than 1% find it to be "excellent." Now, I'm not a statistician, but those numbers don't sound too good to me...of course, that won't stop some people from claiming that we're number one!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Rawnica Campaign Sign on Ruscigno's Guilty Plea
Ooo-kay...well, how's the nightclub business going?
Guest Column: You are the Key to Stopping Child Abuse
By Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel
This is child abuse awareness month. Preventing child abuse is the responsibility of all adults, even if we don’t have small children of our own. So, how do we know when to get involved in a child’s life? Here are a few pointers for adults to help protect the children in our communities.
This is child abuse awareness month. Preventing child abuse is the responsibility of all adults, even if we don’t have small children of our own. So, how do we know when to get involved in a child’s life? Here are a few pointers for adults to help protect the children in our communities.1. Learn the Facts and Understand the risks - Experts estimate that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before their 18th birthday. These numbers show that in every community, in every classroom, there is probably a child that is being abused and in need of help. Unfortunately, most children never report the abuse to authorities and will never receive help if those around them are not able to see the problem and seek help.I recently helped host a Victim Awareness Event to raise awareness about child abuse in our community. Three amazing young women came forward and spoke about their personal experiences with abuse and neglect. Each one of these young ladies discussed the fact that there were many adults who had the opportunity to help them but failed to recognize the warning signs. If these seven steps were followed by the community, we might have stopped their abusers. By working together we can eradicate child abuse here in Warren County and across the country.
2. Minimize Opportunity – 80 % of sexual abuse cases occur in situations where a child is left alone with an adult. Preventing these one on one situations wherever possible will greatly reduce the opportunities that offenders have. Monitoring children’s internet usage is also a key step in assuring that predators do not have access to children.
3. Talk about it – Abusers often manipulate children to believe that it is their fault or that they will be in trouble if they talk about their abuse. Breaking down these barriers and talking openly with children about abuse will help prevent the abuse from occurring and will help those children that have been abused get the help they need.
4. Stay Alert – In the vast majority of abuse cases physical signs of violence are not obvious. Far more common is behavioral changes and signs such as depression, unexplained anger and rebellion. Watching for these signs can be a first clue that a child is being abused.
5. Make a Plan – The way an adult reacts to child abuse can be as important as spotting the abuse. Very few reported incidents of abuse are false. Believe the child and praise their courage. Seek the help of a professional and do not panic. Your support for the child is vital.
6. Act on Suspicions – If you are faced with a situation where you suspect abuse, but have no proof, do not keep this to yourself. Contact your local child advocacy center or call a child abuse helpline. For most people their instincts are accurate.
7. Get Involved – There are many people out there who share with me the belief that protecting the children of our community is a fundamental obligation that we all have, but don’t know how to help.
Husted Talks the Talk; Will He Walk the Walk?
As I have been expecting, Jon Husted is running around the state pretending to be a conservative and forgetting that he was Speaker of the Ohio House while Ohio took a crash dive in to the abyss.
Here is Husted in Lima (LimaOhio.com):
What penence are you prepared to perform for these sins, Jon? You weren't part of the solution, so I'm guessing that you are part of the problem.
Now, this post is not going to win me any friends in the Ohio GOP establishment, and I understand that, but let me explain the purpose of this post. It is past time that we hold ourselves accountable for our rhetoric and uphold our principles. Ohioans ought to laugh at Jon Husted when he says these things and it is only because the 527 media in this state fails to cover the hysterics in Columbus that he can get away with this at all.
If Jon Husted is sincere in expressing these principles, he needs to apologize for his role in having ignored these values when he was Speaker of the House. He needs to explain just what exactly he did wrong and what he plans to do to fix it. The usual election-time platitudes are not going to satisfy this time as the damage to the Ohio Republican brand is extensive and mostly at the hands of guys like Jon Husted. If the party is to support him, we need to admit that Republicans were responsible for putting Ohio on the road that lead us to where we are today. Blaming Strickland and the Democrats for having not fixed it in the amount of time they have had to do so is a cute bit of political theatre, but we have to admit responsibility, devise a real plan to get out of this mess, and then actually do something about it.
Bottom line: Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words.
Here is Husted in Lima (LimaOhio.com):
"We didn't focus on core values: fiscal discipline, lower taxes, more individual freedom," Husted, a state senator from Kettering and former House speaker, said before speaking to Allen County Republicans. "Republicans spent too much in years past and started to act like Democrats."Who is this "we" you speak of Jon? Will you admit your role in fiscal irresponsibility, raising taxes, and expanding the scope and reach of government?
Democrats are spending too much now, in Ohio and in the federal government, Husted said.
What penence are you prepared to perform for these sins, Jon? You weren't part of the solution, so I'm guessing that you are part of the problem.
Now, this post is not going to win me any friends in the Ohio GOP establishment, and I understand that, but let me explain the purpose of this post. It is past time that we hold ourselves accountable for our rhetoric and uphold our principles. Ohioans ought to laugh at Jon Husted when he says these things and it is only because the 527 media in this state fails to cover the hysterics in Columbus that he can get away with this at all.
If Jon Husted is sincere in expressing these principles, he needs to apologize for his role in having ignored these values when he was Speaker of the House. He needs to explain just what exactly he did wrong and what he plans to do to fix it. The usual election-time platitudes are not going to satisfy this time as the damage to the Ohio Republican brand is extensive and mostly at the hands of guys like Jon Husted. If the party is to support him, we need to admit that Republicans were responsible for putting Ohio on the road that lead us to where we are today. Blaming Strickland and the Democrats for having not fixed it in the amount of time they have had to do so is a cute bit of political theatre, but we have to admit responsibility, devise a real plan to get out of this mess, and then actually do something about it.
Bottom line: Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Idiot Move of the Day: Sheriff Pulls Petition to Run for Congress
Seriously? Sheriff Jones is crazy. Certifiable.
Look, I think the Sheriff is right on illegal immigration. And I am a law and order kind of guy.
But this is NUTS! Stop the insanity. Is this what happens when you drop a few pounds?
For the record, I stand with Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner -- in this contest...if it can be called that.
UPDATE: From Team Boehner:
Oh, by the way, I happen to know for a fact that Boehner is also a law and order type when it comes to illegal immigration. I only mention the issue in regards to Sheriff Jones because that seems to be the only issue that he gets traction on...
Look, I think the Sheriff is right on illegal immigration. And I am a law and order kind of guy.
But this is NUTS! Stop the insanity. Is this what happens when you drop a few pounds?
For the record, I stand with Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner -- in this contest...if it can be called that.
UPDATE: From Team Boehner:
“Congressman Boehner continues to proudly serve Ohio’s 8th Congressional District, working hard to develop better solutions for his constituents that will create jobs, lower taxes and put our state and nation on the path to prosperity.”
Oh, by the way, I happen to know for a fact that Boehner is also a law and order type when it comes to illegal immigration. I only mention the issue in regards to Sheriff Jones because that seems to be the only issue that he gets traction on...
Voinovich on Specter
Statement:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH) issued the following statement today regarding U.S. Senator Arlen Specter’s (R-PA) decision to switch political parties:
“I know Arlen and I know he loves the Unites States Senate, as evidenced by him coming back twice from fighting a grave illness to continue to serve Pennsylvanians. That being said, I am very disappointed in his decision. I know Arlen will continue to vote his conscience and I will do my best to ensure that all Republican members continue to have a voice in the Senate.”
Monday, April 27, 2009
Ohio: We're #1 #10 #47!
We're #1!
As I have said many times before, I'm as fired up to see Republicans take credit for turning Ohio around as much as the next guy, but let's actually make sure that we have something real that we can talk about before we start making claims like that. I've seen Republicans trying to make something of this bit as reported in the Columbus Dispatch (via istockanalyst.com):
Furthermore, Ohio continues to be plagued by an unemployment rate that is higher than the national average (Sandusky Register: "Ohio's unemployment rate in March was 9.7 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate in March was 8.5 percent."). Does that sound like we're #1 in anything that really matters to our economy?
We're #10!
Another number I keep hearing is that we're tenth in the nation for small business. This absurdity comes from the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council which put out their Business Tax Index for 2009 and Ohio, it turns out, likes to hand out incentives.
Again, I ask you to take notice of all the empty storefronts that used to be the home of business. The problem here is that small business is still getting hammered by Ohio, particularly after the incentive money runs out.
Are we seriously going to allow ourselves to think that bribing business to build here and then screw them later is a good strategy for the long-term health of Ohio's economy?
We're #47!
The Tax Foundation has listed Ohio forty-seventh in Business Tax Climate and we've been down here for years. Let's take a look at surrounding states: Indiana (14th), Pennsylvania (28th), West Virginia (36th), Kentucky (34th) and Michigan (20th). Michigan is in pretty bad shape, and I haven't had a chance to look in on the numbers for Michigan to say why I think they rank so high when they are in similar situation as we are; but you can't dispute that the other states around us are doing significantly better than Ohio.
As John Kasich often says, Ohio is in a death spiral. If we are to pull out of this spin before we do permanent damage, Ohio absolutely has to do something about the business climate in this state. I'm not saying that Ohio should allow Big Business to run amok in the Buckeye State, but I do think it is well past time we acknowledge that without companies to employ Ohioans, we are in deep trouble.
4/30 UPDATE: More gasoline for the fire in the OHIO POLL (PDF) shows that 51% of Ohioans think that our state's economy is "poor" with another 42% rating it "fair." Only 7% say that the economy in the Buckeye State is "good" and less than 1% find it to be "excellent." Now, I'm not a statistician, but those numbers don't sound too good to me...
As I have said many times before, I'm as fired up to see Republicans take credit for turning Ohio around as much as the next guy, but let's actually make sure that we have something real that we can talk about before we start making claims like that. I've seen Republicans trying to make something of this bit as reported in the Columbus Dispatch (via istockanalyst.com):
In a welcome respite from bad economic news, Ohio has been named first in the nation for major business expansions for 2008 by Site Selection magazine.The problem with this "good news" is that it doesn't really reflect the economic conditions of business in our state. All you need do to confirm that is take a look around and see all of the empty store fronts that used to house businesses.
In its March issue, the publication tallied the number of projects, both new developments and expansions of existing operations, that each state recorded in the previous year.
Ohio's 503 projects bested Texas' 497 and Michigan's 296. This is the third year in a row the state has taken the top spot.
The projects had to involve at least $1 million in investment and the addition of at least 50 jobs and 20,000 square feet of work space. The state chose Cardinal Health's headquarters for the announcement because that company is expanding and bringing 700 jobs to Dublin.
Furthermore, Ohio continues to be plagued by an unemployment rate that is higher than the national average (Sandusky Register: "Ohio's unemployment rate in March was 9.7 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate in March was 8.5 percent."). Does that sound like we're #1 in anything that really matters to our economy?
We're #10!
Another number I keep hearing is that we're tenth in the nation for small business. This absurdity comes from the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council which put out their Business Tax Index for 2009 and Ohio, it turns out, likes to hand out incentives.
Again, I ask you to take notice of all the empty storefronts that used to be the home of business. The problem here is that small business is still getting hammered by Ohio, particularly after the incentive money runs out.
Are we seriously going to allow ourselves to think that bribing business to build here and then screw them later is a good strategy for the long-term health of Ohio's economy?
We're #47!
The Tax Foundation has listed Ohio forty-seventh in Business Tax Climate and we've been down here for years. Let's take a look at surrounding states: Indiana (14th), Pennsylvania (28th), West Virginia (36th), Kentucky (34th) and Michigan (20th). Michigan is in pretty bad shape, and I haven't had a chance to look in on the numbers for Michigan to say why I think they rank so high when they are in similar situation as we are; but you can't dispute that the other states around us are doing significantly better than Ohio.
As John Kasich often says, Ohio is in a death spiral. If we are to pull out of this spin before we do permanent damage, Ohio absolutely has to do something about the business climate in this state. I'm not saying that Ohio should allow Big Business to run amok in the Buckeye State, but I do think it is well past time we acknowledge that without companies to employ Ohioans, we are in deep trouble.
4/30 UPDATE: More gasoline for the fire in the OHIO POLL (PDF) shows that 51% of Ohioans think that our state's economy is "poor" with another 42% rating it "fair." Only 7% say that the economy in the Buckeye State is "good" and less than 1% find it to be "excellent." Now, I'm not a statistician, but those numbers don't sound too good to me...
Saturday, April 25, 2009
TIB All Stars - 042509 - Live Blog
The TIB All-Stars are on the Air at 7PM Eastern..... Click the link to listen; participate in the live blog...
Listen Now!
Listen Now!
Click the "Listen Now!" text above to listen to TIB RADIO.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Boehner Column: "Helping Americans Rebuild College, Retirement & Personal Savings"
Over the last year, retirement, college and personal savings plans have increasingly lost their value as our economy has weakened. People who spent a lifetime living frugally and responsibly were hit with the terrible reality that they wouldn’t be able to retire as planned. Parents who sacrificed and saved for their children’s college funds had to tell their kids that they couldn’t attend the school of their choice. And everyday personal savings accounts, meant to carry workers and families through a rough patch, were emptied to pay mortgages, credit cards and other debts.
And what has Washington done during all this? It’s fiddled while you burned through your savings. The lawmakers in charge of Congress have refused to lead, instead picking political fights and advancing a left-wing agenda that will bankrupt our state and country.
House Republicans believe that we must – first and foremost – help you rebuild your college, retirement and personal savings. A recent National Public Radio poll indicates that the evaporation of Americans’ savings ranks as their top concern during this economic downturn. This poll underscores the uncertainty middle-class families and small businesses are feeling during this ever-deepening recession.
These are men and women across the country and right here in Ohio who are acting responsibly and playing by the rules. They are paying their bills on time and saving for the future. Yet, each and every day, it seems they are falling farther and farther behind. They are enduring the pain of this recession and looking to both parties in Washington for solutions that will help get our economy moving again. So far, they haven’t gotten any. In the meantime, congressional Democrats continue to push proposals that will weaken our economy and make building a nest egg even more difficult. Some have even suggested wiping out 401(k)s entirely and replacing them with accounts managed by Washington bureaucrats. You deserve far better than this.
The House Republican Savings Solutions Group has developed the Savings Recovery Act, which is our better solution to help you rebuild your retirement, college and personal savings. It will:
Republicans have been saying all year long that we will not be the party of opposition, but the party of better solutions. And we’re demonstrating our commitment to that by introducing the Recovery Savings Act. I believe that Washington must abandon its destructive economic agenda, which is racking up more debt to be paid by our children and grandchildren, eroding Americans savings, and destroying good-paying jobs. It’s time for Congress to put aside political infighting to develop better solutions to help you, your family and small business owners get back on the path to prosperity.
Boehner represents Ohio’s 8th District, which includes all of Darke, Miami and Preble counties, most of Butler and Mercer counties, and the northeastern corner of Montgomery County. He was first elected to Congress in 1990.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Grossman Introduces Bill to Eliminate State Income Tax for College Graduates
Release:
COLUMBUS – State Representative Cheryl Grossman (R- Grove City) today introduced legislation to provide a state income tax credit eliminating tax liability for individuals who obtain a baccalaureate degree and who reside in Ohio.
“The state of our economy in Ohio is burying our college graduates with an alarming amount of debt,” Grossman said. “Eliminating graduates state income tax liability will allow them to use their extra funds to help pay for their student loans and other debts incurred during college. This bill will also attract college graduates from other states.”
House Bill 144 specifically allows individuals who graduate from any institution of higher education, and who are residents of Ohio, to claim a state income tax credit equal to the individuals’ net tax liability for up to five years. Graduates will have one year from graduation to apply for the tax credit through the Ohio Board of Regents. If a graduate leaves Ohio within the five years, he or she will be required to pay back the amount of tax credit received.
“The loss of jobs throughout the state is creating a panic among college students and recent graduates who are looking for employment,” Grossman said. “It is well known that the lack of jobs and taxes are causing our states brightest individuals to take up residencies in other states. This bill is an incentive for our graduates to stay in Ohio.”
The aim of the legislation is to develop and maintain a highly qualified workforce in order to improve the economic welfare of all Ohioans by attracting business to the state.
House Bill 144 will now be assigned to a House committee for further discussion.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
EVENT: MARC Spaghetti Dinner
The Spaghetti Dinner is the Middletown Area Republican Club's annual fundraiser.
It will be held Monday evening, April 27, at Stefano's, 2200 Central Ave, Middletown.
It lasts from 5 - 8pm. The cost is $15/person. It's always a delightful evening. If anyone needs information, please contact Nancy Nix at 513-594-0029.
Check it out!
It will be held Monday evening, April 27, at Stefano's, 2200 Central Ave, Middletown.
It lasts from 5 - 8pm. The cost is $15/person. It's always a delightful evening. If anyone needs information, please contact Nancy Nix at 513-594-0029.
Check it out!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Video Break
OhioGOPtv for April 16th 2009:
John Kasich at Columbus Teay Party:
NRCC: How Fast is Zack Space Spending Your Money?
CATO: "Our Troubling Tax System"
Matt says: If you watch only one of these videos, make it this one...
John Kasich at Columbus Teay Party:
NRCC: How Fast is Zack Space Spending Your Money?
CATO: "Our Troubling Tax System"
Matt says: If you watch only one of these videos, make it this one...
Monday, April 20, 2009
Mary Taylor Telling it Like It Is, Strickland Speaketh with Forked Tongue....
From the Dispatch:
Strickland is not a leader. He doesn 't want to make tough decisions. Despite what you will read in the quote below, Taylor is being honest and upfront....Redfern is nothing more than a party hack who is a master of lies and deception...
In other words, like a typical deceptive lib, Strickland and company are already strangling Ohio dry, and trying to hide taxes in cute word games and leaps of linguistic legerdomain. They have no real solutions. They have no real ideas. All they know is tax and take more of your money....and as they do, businesses like DHL, Ford, and others go running out of the state, as do the young people of the state....
State Auditor Mary Taylor told Ohioans on Thursday about something Democrats don't want anyone to think about: the potential $8 billion hole Gov. Ted Strickland's budget may dig taxpayers into, setting them up for a big tax increase -- but only after he's re-elected in 2010.
Taylor, a suburban Akron Republican, is the first certified public accountant to be Ohio's auditor; she also earned a master's degree in taxation. We're not talking partisan hack.
Based on the yelps Taylor evoked, she hit a nerve. Strickland harrumphed that Taylor "appears to be advocating for tax increases or severe service cuts at a time when too many Ohioans are struggling to make ends meet." Easy, governor: If you believe Ohio's hospital bookkeepers, and read your own budget "blue book," you were first out of the box with new taxes -- except you call them "fees."
In fact, Ohio's simmering hospitals came so close to a boil that Democratic House Speaker Armond Budish -- to his credit -- is fashioning a compromise to turn down the heat. As proposed by Strickland -- not Taylor, not legislative Republicans -- Strickland's hospital "fee," the Ohio Hospital Association figures, would cost hospitals a net of $411 million over two years, while Budish's compromise would prune the two-year cost to $127 million. Budish said it would cost even less.
Strickland is not a leader. He doesn 't want to make tough decisions. Despite what you will read in the quote below, Taylor is being honest and upfront....Redfern is nothing more than a party hack who is a master of lies and deception...
till, playing Ed McMahon to Johnny Carson, or vice versa, Democratic State Chairman Chris Redfern seconded Strickland: "It's time for Mary Taylor and Ohio Republicans to get honest with the people of Ohio. Either they want a massive tax hike on Ohioans or devastating cuts to" the usual list of sacred causes. Eloquently said, Mr. Chairman, but maybe it's your fellow Democrats who have defaulted on frankness. Taylor's critique wouldn't bite as deeply if Strickland's budget-writers didn't get cute with the English language.
As reported, some administration budget testimony reads like pages from Alice in Wonderland. Asked Alice, of Humpty Dumpty, "The question is, whether you can make words mean so many different things." Humpty replied, "The question is, [who] is to be master -- that's all." If legislators of the GOP persuasion still haven't figured out who the budget master is supposed to be, that's because they're too distracted, leafing through dictionaries, when Budget Director J. Pari Sabety testifies.
In other words, like a typical deceptive lib, Strickland and company are already strangling Ohio dry, and trying to hide taxes in cute word games and leaps of linguistic legerdomain. They have no real solutions. They have no real ideas. All they know is tax and take more of your money....and as they do, businesses like DHL, Ford, and others go running out of the state, as do the young people of the state....
Saturday, April 18, 2009
TIB All Stars - 041809 - Live Blog
The TIB All-Stars are on the Air at 7PM Eastern..... Click the link to listen; participate in the live blog...
Listen Now!
Listen Now!
Click the "Listen Now!" text above to listen to TIB RADIO.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Strickland’s Transportation Slush-Fund Uses Federal Dollars Meant to Create Jobs
This just in...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ohio’s Republican congressional delegation today sent letters to Gov. Ted Strickland and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood citing concerns about how Ohio is spending its federal stimulus dollars on studies that won’t create jobs and requesting openness and transparency for taxpayers. Full text of the letters is below and available here and here.
The Associated Press reported Monday that Ohio has refused to fund some “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects to set aside $57 million for transportation studies.
“While the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act does give governors flexibility on how they spend their state’s federal dollars, it appears that Ohio officials are violating the spirit of the law by diverting money intended for ‘shovel-ready’ projects into a planning slush-fund for proposals that have no funding stream,” the lawmakers wrote to Secretary LaHood.
Ohio’s congressional Republicans previously called on Gov. Strickland to establish an independent, bipartisan oversight board to ensure transparency in how federal dollars are being spent. Gov. Strickland has not responded to that request.
“This is not the first time that your administration has decided to spend federal stimulus in a manner inconsistent with the intentions of the bill and contradictory to the expectations of recipients,” lawmakers wrote to Gov. Strickland, citing a March 14 Cleveland Plain Dealer article detailing concerns from Cleveland schools officials about how education dollars are being allocated.
“In light of media reports indicating that these federal tax dollars are being allocated to programs that clearly violate the spirit of the law, we again ask that you immediately create an independent oversight board to give Ohioans a full and detailed accounting of how taxpayer dollars have already been spent and all planned allocations for the remainder of the year,” lawmakers wrote to Gov. Strickland.
-ee-
March 16, 2009
The Honorable Ted Strickland
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6108
Governor Strickland:
As federal dollars from the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act become available, it is all the more critical that Ohioans know that their money is being spent wisely on projects that will create much-needed jobs now and provide for the economic recovery our state desperately needs. Ohio’s unemployment rate jumped to 9.4 percent in February, nearly 3 points higher than this time last year.
We are concerned about an Associated Press report Monday which stated that your administration “passed over some ready-to-go construction projects” to spend $57 million on “planning and preliminary studies.” According to the article, both Pennsylvania and Oregon put all of their highway dollars into construction while the Federal Highway Administration “has no other examples of states using stimulus money for planning.”
This is not the first time that your administration has decided to spend federal stimulus dollars in a manner inconsistent with the intentions of the bill and contradictory to the expectations of recipients.
On March 14, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the city’s public schools might not see “the windfall they expected” due to your decision to circumvent traditional school-funding formulas in favor of models developed by your administration. We have long favored local control over education dollars believing that those involved in the day-to-day decisions of educating our children know best how to spend their resources and so we sympathize with Eric Gordon, chief academic officer of Cleveland’s public schools, who said, “It’s not [the Governor’s] to spend.”
While the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act does appear to give governors the flexibility to spend federal stimulus dollars are they see fit, diverting money through non-traditional formulas and impact studies do not uphold the stated intentions of the legislation to create much-needed jobs and put us on the path to prosperity as well as help poor children overcome unnecessary obstacles in their educational needs.
Last month, we called on you to create an independent, bipartisan oversight board to ensure a transparent and open process regarding the State of Ohio’s use of federal stimulus dollars. You have declined to do so, instead favoring a Deputy Inspector General. In light of media reports indicating that these federal tax dollars are being allocated to programs that clearly violate the spirit of the law, we again ask that you immediately create an independent oversight board to give Ohioans a full and detailed accounting of how taxpayer dollars have already been spent and all planned allocations for the remainder of the year. Furthermore, we request that http://recovery.ohio.gov be updated with a detailed accounting of each additional expenditure within 24 hours from any executive or legislative action that appropriates stimulus dollars.
As we noted in our letter of March 4, while we opposed the stimulus bill – offering instead a Republican proposal that would have created 246,000 jobs in Ohio by the end of 2010 – we continue to hope that it works to boost our economy. We want Ohioans to get back to work, we want families and small business owners to have access to the credit they need and, most of all, we want Ohioans to have a bright future.
Sincerely,
[see here for signatures]
April 16, 2009
The Honorable Ray LaHood
Secretary of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Secretary LaHood:
On Monday, President Obama announced that more than 2,000 transportation projects in states like Ohio have been funded with federal dollars provided by the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Of serious concern, however, is an Associated Press report on the state of Ohio’s plan to divert $57 million in stimulus dollars to transportation studies instead of creating much-needed jobs right now through the “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects clearly intended by the President.
You were questioned on this matter Monday during an interview on FOX News and responded, “If there is an issue with some program in Ohio, I guarantee I will be on the telephone this afternoon making sure that money is being spent correctly.” While the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act does give governors flexibility on how they spend their state’s federal dollars, it appears that Ohio officials are violating the spirit of the law by diverting money intended for “shovel-ready” projects into a planning slush-fund for proposals that have no funding stream.
According to the Associated Press, Ohio “transportation officials passed over some ready-to-go construction projects and steered about 7 percent of their $774 million share for planning and preliminary studies.”
Mr. Secretary, the American people have a right to know that their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent wisely. Like you, we want to see our aging transportation infrastructure repaired and, where necessary, replaced. We want to see jobs created now and we want to see our economy get back on the path to prosperity. The process for allocating stimulus dollars should be open and transparent, and every taxpayer should be able to immediately see where money is being spent and why, which is why we ask you to immediately review Ohio’s list as well as ready-to-go projects that were denied funding in order to study other proposals. We thank you in advance for your response to our concerns.
Sincerely,
[see here for signatures]
Monday, April 13, 2009
RELEASE: Maag and Schuler Introduce Legislation to Address "Sexting" Issues
Release:
LEBANON – State Representative Ronald Maag (R-Salem Township) and State Senator Bob Schuler (R-Sycamore Township) today joined Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel to highlight their recently introduced companion bills that would ensure Ohio law has appropriate penalties in place to address “sexting.” Sexting refers to sending nude photographs and videos through cell phones and other mobile devices.
The legislation would make the creation, exchange and possession of nude materials between minors by a telecommunications device a misdemeanor of the first degree. Additionally, any minors that show themselves in a state of nudity through text message may be charged with the same penalty.
Current law has no specific prohibition for sexting, but has stringent laws against child pornography. As a result, a minor who sends or receives a nude photo of themselves or another minor could potentially be charged with a felony.
“I think what these teens need is education about how this type of behavior could affect their lives,” Maag said. “This legislation does not affect the state’s ability to try actual sex offenders. What it does is clarify the law regarding incidences such as these.”A recent study showed that one in five minors across the country has either sent or received sexually explicit pictures and videos. The legislation would apply only to teens under the age of 18, separate from similar adult offenses which carry felonious charges.
"'This legislation brings needed balance to Ohio law to hold teenagers accountable for their actions, without having to charge them as sexual offenders," Schuler said. "I hope this effort will also raise awareness amongst parents for how serious and common 'sexting' has become and make our young people think twice about what they are sending to one another."
This legislation is in response to increased incidents of “sexting” in Ohio. The first case prosecuted occurred in Mason when nude photos of a 15-year-old girl were found on a freshman boy’s cell phone. Both teens were charged with a misdemeanor for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, but the judge has complete discretion over what sentences they may receive.
“This legislation will provide prosecutors with an important tool to protect our children,” Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said. “Representative Maag and Senator Schuler are helping move Ohio’s laws into the 21st century. The reality is that we have many 20th century laws for 21st century actions. This is an important step to correcting this problem.”
In addition, the recent death of Jessica Logan has prompted national awareness among teens and families. Logan was an 18-year-old girl from a Cincinnati-area high school who committed suicide after a nude picture of herself sent via text message to her boyfriend was later spread throughout the school. Jessica’s mother, Cynthia Logan, has taken Jessica’s story on a national campaign to alert teens of the dangers and implications of “sexting.”
Press conference participants included: Representative Ron Maag, Senator Bob Schuler, Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel, Attorney Parry Aftab, Superintendent of Mason City Schools Kevin Bright and parents of Sycamore High victim Burt and Cynthia Logan.
Why I Don't Like Jon Husted Very Much
As you may know, Mark and I attended the Butler County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner last week. You may also know that Jon Husted was a guest. Furthermore, you might be in on the worst kept secret in Ohio: I don't like Jon Husted very much. But here is something you may not know: Jon Husted is aware that I don't like him very much and now we're going to talk a bit about why that is... Whether you are a conservative, a Republican, a conservative Republican or a Republican conservative, I have a reason for you to not like Jon Husted.
Ohio ranks 47th in these United States of America for business climate. The Commercial Activities Tax (CAT) is an abomination and probably a significant contributor to Ohio's economic lethargy. The CAT tax came to be under Speaker Husted's watch in the Ohio House while there was a Republican governor in the mansion.
In 2006, Husted voted for a hike in the minimum wage (Am Sub SB 7). In 2008, Team Husted passed HB 545 which was targeted to eliminate the Pay Day Lending industry in Ohio (those are jobs).
I'm not real sure on this one, so I'm going to rely on the Buckeye Firearms folks for a yeah or nay on whether or not this is a good vote or not. In 2006, Husted votes NO on Amd. HB9 which would have required the local sheriff's department to disclose information to journalists UNLESS there was a a letter on file expressing that their information should not be disclosed.
Strickland's first budget fight was not a fight at all. In fact, all we were hearing from Republican sources was just how hard they were fighting Taxing Ted, but when it came time to sign the budget, here is how upset the governor was with Jon Husted's performance.
I contend that Team Husted (and Bill Harris is not off the hook in my book in the Senate either) did not do enough to reduce the burden on Ohio's taxpayers in that budget. That he surrendered to whatever Ted Strickland wanted while putting up the bare minimum of a fight to try and save face. And look where we are today...
Fast forward to the last election cycle...
Jon Husted is term limited out of the House and runs for the Senate, but his legacy is the GOP losing the Ohio House. Best part? Husted galloped over to the Senate with six figures in his account AFTER the election. Meanwhile there are a number of races in which Republicans fell short, but MIGHT have pulled an upset if Husted had invested some of his treasure:
District 18 - Cuyahoga County - Coleen Grady (R) loses to incumbent D Matt Patten by less than a thousand votes.
District 20 - Franklin County - Jim McGregor (R) loses to incumbent D Nancy Garland by less than two-thousand votes - 51% to 48%
District 85 - Fayette, Pickaway and Ross Counties - John Schlicter (R) loses to incumbent D Raymond Pryor by less than three-thousand votes - 52% to 47%
District 92 - Athens, Meigs, Morgan and Washington Counties - Jill Thompson loses to incumbent D Debbie Phillips by less than a thousand votes - 50% to 49%
Granted, we'd have need to sweep all four but the point here is that Jon Husted just surrendered and walked over to the other chamber and didn't care about the wreckage he left behind in the Ohio House.
Jon Husted does not live in the district that he represents. Ultimately, Jennifer Brunner is going to have to make the decision as to whether or not she thinks that is true, but it seems clear to me that the Husteds don't live in Kettering. We can also chat about whether or not that really matters (it does), but the reality is that it appears as if Husted really doesn't care about living in the district he represents regardless of whether or not that's where he is supposed to live. And I have a real problem with that and I believe Ohio's electorate will too.
No matter whom the Democrats put up against Husted, this issue will be front and center and I haven't heard a legitimate defense from Team Husted or his lackeys at the Ohio Republican Party. Memo to ORP Chairman Kevin DeWine: Jon Husted is not Change We Can Believe In. My advice is to jump off this particular ship before it sinks and takes reapportionment with it.
5/2 UPDATE: Related Posts -- Kyle's Anonymous Contributor: "Why Jon Husted is right for Secretary of State"
Matt's Chat: "A Couple of Rebuttal Points on Husted"
Husted is Bad for Business and Ohio's Economy
Ohio ranks 47th in these United States of America for business climate. The Commercial Activities Tax (CAT) is an abomination and probably a significant contributor to Ohio's economic lethargy. The CAT tax came to be under Speaker Husted's watch in the Ohio House while there was a Republican governor in the mansion.
In 2006, Husted voted for a hike in the minimum wage (Am Sub SB 7). In 2008, Team Husted passed HB 545 which was targeted to eliminate the Pay Day Lending industry in Ohio (those are jobs).
Husted on Guns
I'm not real sure on this one, so I'm going to rely on the Buckeye Firearms folks for a yeah or nay on whether or not this is a good vote or not. In 2006, Husted votes NO on Amd. HB9 which would have required the local sheriff's department to disclose information to journalists UNLESS there was a a letter on file expressing that their information should not be disclosed.
Husted Surrendered to Democrats
Strickland's first budget fight was not a fight at all. In fact, all we were hearing from Republican sources was just how hard they were fighting Taxing Ted, but when it came time to sign the budget, here is how upset the governor was with Jon Husted's performance.
I contend that Team Husted (and Bill Harris is not off the hook in my book in the Senate either) did not do enough to reduce the burden on Ohio's taxpayers in that budget. That he surrendered to whatever Ted Strickland wanted while putting up the bare minimum of a fight to try and save face. And look where we are today...
Fast forward to the last election cycle...
Jon Husted is term limited out of the House and runs for the Senate, but his legacy is the GOP losing the Ohio House. Best part? Husted galloped over to the Senate with six figures in his account AFTER the election. Meanwhile there are a number of races in which Republicans fell short, but MIGHT have pulled an upset if Husted had invested some of his treasure:
District 18 - Cuyahoga County - Coleen Grady (R) loses to incumbent D Matt Patten by less than a thousand votes.
District 20 - Franklin County - Jim McGregor (R) loses to incumbent D Nancy Garland by less than two-thousand votes - 51% to 48%
District 85 - Fayette, Pickaway and Ross Counties - John Schlicter (R) loses to incumbent D Raymond Pryor by less than three-thousand votes - 52% to 47%
District 92 - Athens, Meigs, Morgan and Washington Counties - Jill Thompson loses to incumbent D Debbie Phillips by less than a thousand votes - 50% to 49%
Granted, we'd have need to sweep all four but the point here is that Jon Husted just surrendered and walked over to the other chamber and didn't care about the wreckage he left behind in the Ohio House.
Husted Doesn't Respect Ohio's Electorate
Jon Husted does not live in the district that he represents. Ultimately, Jennifer Brunner is going to have to make the decision as to whether or not she thinks that is true, but it seems clear to me that the Husteds don't live in Kettering. We can also chat about whether or not that really matters (it does), but the reality is that it appears as if Husted really doesn't care about living in the district he represents regardless of whether or not that's where he is supposed to live. And I have a real problem with that and I believe Ohio's electorate will too.
No matter whom the Democrats put up against Husted, this issue will be front and center and I haven't heard a legitimate defense from Team Husted or his lackeys at the Ohio Republican Party. Memo to ORP Chairman Kevin DeWine: Jon Husted is not Change We Can Believe In. My advice is to jump off this particular ship before it sinks and takes reapportionment with it.
5/2 UPDATE: Related Posts -- Kyle's Anonymous Contributor: "Why Jon Husted is right for Secretary of State"
Matt's Chat: "A Couple of Rebuttal Points on Husted"
Friday, April 10, 2009
WHAT IF TOM NOE WERE TED STRICKLAND’S FRIEND?
"What if Tom Noe were Ted Strickland's friend?" is a welcome post and a very interesting perspective by An Occasional Thinker. An Occasional Thinker is a Statehouse Insider who likes the budgetary process about as much as having the flu for 90 days. He is a guest columnist at:
http://www.kylesisk.typepad.com/
What if Tom Noe weren’t in jail? Instead imagine he was holding court with Strickland and his staff in... let’s say the Statehouse Cafeteria. Hey, they make a great Sloppy Joe and Morton's just isn’t the Governor’s style.
Just over three years ago the Tom Noe/Governor Taft "Coingate" scandal was born. For those of you whom might have been sharing a cave back then with Osama, Tom Noe was a narcissistic coin dealer entrusted to invest $50 million of the State’s Bureau of Worker’s Compensation (BWC) funds in rare coins. Noe used portions of the $50m as his personal piggy bank, dipping into it to the sum of $13.5 million to fund an eccentric lifestyle. Noe first gained attention for funneling campaign donations to President Bush’s 2004 Campaign through numerous conduits - some lobbyists and former staffers of Taft’s.
Noe’s goal to become a Bush “Pioneer” (raise $100,000 for the campaign) was a pricey one, as the ensuing investigation into his fundraising scheme and the handling of the BWC investment landed him in prison and netted 20 other convictions, including one against Governor Taft.
Few disputed whether Noe got what he deserved. And NO ONE but Bob Taft and Noe (for about a month) called the BWC’s investment ‘wise’. What may surprise you is they were both right. In fact, Noe’s BWC coin investment does not seem like such a terrible idea three years later. With the value of most 401k’s plummeting by nearly half, we all would love to be sitting on a ten percent capital gain.
That’s right, when the state finished divesting itself of the Noe $50 million coin investment, few in the media reported that the state actually netted $55 million, or ten percent. Add the $13.5 million Noe illegally spent and you get about a 38 percent profit. Further, had the state hung on to the Noe investment and sold it when demand was highest, like in the current recession, the investment may have yielded even more. Consider this recent news:
- After Lehman Brothers collapsed, Blanchard and Co. Inc., one of the largest precious metals retailer in the country, reported breaking company sales records. They sold more gold in 60 days after the collapse than it had in the preceding 3 years combined. Price of gold ended up +5% last year, and it peaked at almost $1000 an ounce
- Demand for gold and silver coins has had a spillover effect of causing demand for rare coins. Blanchard and Co. also reported they had their best two months in history for sales of rare coins
- A February 17, 2009 BBC report called investment at gold and coin fairs “the new investment clubs”. “People are collecting gold and silver coins at the moment for investment purposes because of current economic conditions”
- ‘Bullion and Business’ reports demand for gold and silver has been unprecedented
- Reuters stated “world mints report soaring demand”. Sales for the one-ounce American eagle gold bullion were 710,000 in 2008, up from 140,000 the year before. French mint sales rose about 50 percent, and the Royal Canadian mint reportedly is quadrupling production to keep up with sales.
Imagine if Ohio posted a ten-percent gain on investments in this recession - Governor Strickland becomes a hero for his brilliant investment; Noe is allowed to legally keep let’s say $13.5 million as an appreciation for the administration of the state’s investment; He becomes Strickland’s biggest fundraiser and Strickland his biggest cheerleader; OBM could solve their new SKOOL funding mess and the $7 billion budget deficit with more Noe investments; and finally Noe gets Federal stimulus dollars and expands the same investment strategies to other states.
Ironically, Tom Noe gave it all up to donate $100k to President Bush for the right to be called a ‘pioneer’. He was already a pioneer of sorts by successfully turning a hobby into a business, an opportunity many of us would kill for. Heck, if he had to be greedy, he should have just not paid his taxes, then he may even have had a chance to be Obama’s Treasury Secretary.
Ah! What could have been if Tom and Ted had been friends… Sloppy Joes for everyone?
GUEST COLUMN: "Drunk Driving Endangers Everyone"
Los Angeles Angels’ pitcher Nick Adenhart’s recent, tragic and untimely death was the result of a repeat drunk driver. While you read this article, three people in the United States will be injured because of alcohol-related car crashes. What’s even more disturbing is that every hour, two people will lose their lives because of drunk driving. Sadly, these accidents are completely preventable. The affects of drunk driving are felt everywhere. Adenhart’s death brings national attention to the problem, but we have had tragedies right here in Warren County. No case shows the tragic consequences of drunk driving more than that of Troy Sams. Sams was recently convicted of vehicular assault, child endangering and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He crashed his car, severely injuring his daughter and her friend who were riding in the car. Sams was found to have a blood alcohol level above 1.3 when the police arrived at the accident scene. His recklessness not only endangered Sams’ life, but that of his young passengers and everyone else on the road that night.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 17,000 people die in alcohol-related car crashes annually nationwide. In fact, almost 4 in 10 traffic fatalities occur because of alcohol. Even worse, in Warren County, 43% of drunk driving offenses are committed by repeat offenders. Take Roger Horvath as an example. Horvath had 10 separate offenses for driving under the influence. That means that at least 10 times he got behind the wheel of a car while drunk. This type of behavior is unacceptable.
Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) was started to combat the problem of drunk driving and specifically repeat offenders. MADD has made great strides in changing how America looks at drunk driving but there is still a lot that needs to be done. Andrea Rehkamp, Executive Director of the Southwestern Ohio Affiliate of MADD, is all too familiar with the dangers of drunk driving. “We continue to have 17,000 people killed and 500,000 injured every year by drunk drivers. It is a leading public health issue,” Rehkamp explained. “When I hear stories like that of Roger Horvath it makes me wonder how many bites of the apple does someone get before we take them off the road permanently?” she questioned.
Law enforcement and the courts must continue to aggressively enforce drunk driving laws. This includes prompt suspension of licenses, and the use of sobriety checkpoints. In 2002, a study conducted by the CDC revealed that sobriety checkpoints consistently reduce alcohol-related car accidents by 20%. New requirements including interlock breathalyzer devices for repeat offenders and the creation of an habitual offender registry, will no doubt help to combat the problem of drunk driving.
All of these precautions will help make our roads safer, but to truly end drunk driving we must take it upon ourselves. Don’t allow friends to drive when they have had too much to drink. Teach your children about the dangers of drinking and driving. Establish at a young age that such actions are unacceptable.
Rachel Hutzel is the Warren County Prosecutor.
Announcement: Keynote Speaker for Cleveland Tea Party
Release:
We are proud to announce Bob Frantz of 1100 WTAM "The Big One" as the keynote speaker at the Cleveland Tax Day Tea Party on April 15th to be held on Mall C at 4:00pm.
As many of us know, Bob Frantz has been a longtime vocal opponent of the wasteful spending and draconian tax policies being forced upon the American public. Bob has served not only as a sounding board for us, he has been a voice for the everyday American struggling in the hard times we face as a nation today.
At the Cleveland Tax Day Tea Party, in this first step of many, Bob Frantz will again be our voice in helping deliver the message too elected officials across the USA of - We have had ENOUGH!
The schedule time of speakers will be released soon. We hope you come join us on April 15th at 4:00pm on Mall C in downtown Cleveland. I believe with your support not only can we get Bob to give us one of his ever famous "Frantz Rants" - but we can make Cleveland's Tea Party one of the best in the nation.
See you there....
The Cleveland Tea Party Committee
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Shame on Ted Strickland! Shame...Shame...Shame...
The Amanda Wurst Show is getting really old, really fast.
Just an FYI, but I'm sure you know that already.
You do this grandiose f'n State of the State Speech giving no specifics whatsoever and then you and your staff (i.e. Sabety, Wurst...and the list goes on) spend all of February and March giving very few details whatsoever and expect the Legislature to just blindly go along with everything you are advocating for on blind faith (which when you really think about it is absurd since you have lied on raising fees, lied on providing internet access to all Ohioans, lied on fixing our schools in your first term...lies, lies, lies).
You are one smart guy though. I have to give you that. The clock is ticking and every day that goes by is a win for you and a loss for the GOP. You know that you can just keep doing what you are doing and the inevitability of school being over and the itch to go on summer vacation are two of your greatest weapons in your arsenal.
It is no secret that legislators like their summers (especially in odd numbered years)...vacations, golf outings...no session...no committees...ah, what a life.
You are a brilliant guy. You know that Republican & democrat legislators alike will want to get a budget out of the House, then the Senate and get this friggin' abhorrent excuse for a budget into Conference Committee so this budget can be done by the end of June/early July.
You know that so you keep employing every delay tactic you have in that bag of tricks of yours and you and your staff continue to give non-answer answers. You know some of the press will move onto other things (the Blade & Repository) and others will lessen their reporting (ABJ & PD) and very few will stick with it (Dispatch & DDN). You also know that none of the press will really take you to the woodshed like you deserve for not really giving any real details for your grandiose plan.
And why should you?
If I were in your shoes I would be doing the same thing.
It is not like you have an opponent or anything and you know at the end of the day that the GOP will blink in this game of chicken you are playing.
Your fundraising must be going phenomenally right now.
If I were you I'd start every meeting with a prospective major donor with the following:
"Well, in this economy there are not many investments that are sure bets, but my re-election is as close to a sure bet as you are going to get. I have "$X" million on hand right now, "$Y" million more committed to come in for the July 31st filing deadline and I have no opponent to speak of...now if you are about to say 'John Kasich...' then let me please interrupt you for a second. If John Kasich were to get into this race...say the first Tuesday in May...that would give him 17/18 months to raise what everyone would agree is the ballpark he needs to raise to be competitive $15 million and to win $20 million...all at the same time mind you that I have all the benefits that come with the power of incumbency and I'll have at least $15 million to defend myself. This guy is going to basically have to raise $1 to 1.2 million every single month to have a chance to beat me. And, let me remind you that the GOP revisionist history is amazing when it comes to this guy's fundraising prowess. Check the record. Compare his fundraising to others who have held the same position in the U.S. House and you will see that this Kasich fellow's forte is public speaking and not fundraising. Rest assured...I am a safe bet..."
So, again, I tip my hat to you, Ted. The press will not take you to the woodshed. The legislature will bluster, puff out its chest, do press conferences calling for staff firings, do cute press releases, but, at the end of the day your delay tactics and non-answer answers will work magnificently, the House will pass most of what you want, the Senate a bit less, you'll get some things back in Conference and you'll smile all the way to re-election that you got away with all of it.
I must say though that Amanda Wurst's latest comments on the Seth Morgan lawsuit really make me laugh (because you really have to pick between laughing & crying and I choose laughter): "It's regrettable that a legislator has turned to the courts rather than working in a bipartisan manner to have a legitimate public-policy discussion."
You guys roll out this 400-source bibiography (aka smoke screen) that everyone knows is a piece of crap (and the Ohio Academy of Science is even willing to publicly state how big of a piece of crap it is) and say, "Voila! Here are all the answers to all of your questions" when you know darn well that the answers are in fact not there at all.
The set of huge brass you know whats you have are pretty amazing though. I have to admit it. I thought I had seen shameless before, but you have taken it to a new level. It's so incredibly arrogant to be the first Governor to put out your own Public Records Policies and Procedures - and then just out & out refuse to even attempt to comply with it in any way whatsoever - and think no one will call you on it.
Again, like I said, brilliant. Sure wish the GOP had an opponent out there who was announced, filed papers with the SOS and had a campaign committee to raise money into who was out there calling you on this balderdash. I sure wish...
I hope Seth Morgan has a very large room to put all the boxes into when Strickland finally complies to this request many weeks from today. Someone should start a pool to guess how large a room will be needed to house all the boxes Ted dumps on Seth with this request.
My money is on 15' x 20' ... any takers?
Voinovich's View: "An Important Moment and Opportunity"
Column:
America’s oil dependence poses a grave threat to our national security and economic strength. Russia is leveraging its vast reserves of oil and natural gas to project power over Europe. Iran has repeatedly threatened to interfere with shipping lanes the world’s busiest oil transit corridor. And Hugo Chavez in Venezuela has indicated that he has no problem with reducing his nation’s oil production in an effort to inflict economic damage on the United States.
These and other threats should compel our nation and its leaders to pursue efforts that would seek to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. For a decade in the U.S. Senate I have been calling for a “Second Declaration of Independence” from foreign sources of energy, and have pushed for the development of a comprehensive national energy policy. Yet, Congress has been locked in a malaise, and has failed to harmonize our national security, energy, economic and environmental needs.
As Ohio’s senior senator, I am calling for an end to energy complacency once and for all.
Energy freedom is the key to strengthening both our national and economic security. America must find more and use less – and we must enact policies that fully and safely utilize our abundant domestic oil reserves, transition our transportation fleet towards alternative domestic fuels and electrification, and do more to conserve what we already have.
Today our nation imports approximately 60 percent of our oil, much of which is produced by hostile or unstable states. As we continue to become more reliant on foreign sources of oil, we are essentially shipping our jobs and wealth overseas for oil to pad the coffers of many nations that do not have our best interests at heart.
The United States spent more than $360 billion to import oil in 2008, 60 percent of which went to the oil-exporting OPEC nations. This represents 60 percent of our nation’s total trade deficit. Our already fragile economic security is affected by any political or military unrest in oil-exporting regions of the world, causing energy costs to rise, hindering our ability to compete in the global marketplace and bringing our national security into question.
And, we cannot overlook our national debt. Today, 51 percent of the privately owned national debt is held by foreign creditors – mostly foreign central banks. That is up from just six years ago. Foreign creditors provided more than 70 percent of the funds that the United States has borrowed since 2001, according to the Department of Treasury. Unfortunately, we are going to do a lot more foreign borrowing.
According to the Treasury Department, the three largest foreign holders of U.S. debt are China, Japan and the OPEC nations. We cannot afford to allow the countries that control our oil and our debt to control our future.
This is why my colleague Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and I have come together to craft the National Energy Security Act of 2009 (NESA), a bi-partisan bill that leads America into a future free of an oil based economy. Our legislation is intended to reduce the U.S. economy’s oil reliance by 80 percent by 2050. We can reach this goal by diversifying and promoting electric and alternative-fuel transportation; increasing the supply of our domestic energy resources; and strengthening energy infrastructure. Although our goal is challenging, the difficulty of achieving it is matched only by the urgency of the situation we face.
NESA would: 1) diversify and promote the development and production of an electrified transportation fleet; 2) build the crucial infrastructure necessary to electrify light-duty transportation on a wide scale; 3) enhance our national power grid to improve reliability and ensure that the grid is sufficiently robust to meet growing demand; 4) safely expand the development of domestic oil and natural gas by exploring the most promising areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), opening new areas of the Gulf of Mexico, and ensuring the expeditious leasing for all areas of the OCS; and 5) support low-carbon sources of electricity, including nuclear and advanced coal, through loan guarantees.
I believe that NESA represents a rare opportunity to break the energy policy gridlock with a truly comprehensive, bipartisan plan that will make our future more prosperous and more secure. This is an important moment and an important opportunity. It is time to end the poverty of common sense that has only served to squander America’s wealth of domestic energy resources.
It is my hope that our children and grandchildren will celebrate the day America came together to reaffirm its independence a second time through a comprehensive energy strategy that rekindles the American spirit of self reliance, innovation and creativity. That is the goal of this piece of legislation, and I truly believe that “together we can do it.”
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
ACLU of OH Says Sexting Should NOT Be a Crime
Before we get to this ridiculous quote from the ACLU of Ohio, we need to define what sexting is... Sexting is the word used to describe the act of kids sending other kids nude or semi-nude photos of themselves over cell phones. It has become something of a menace in our schools as of late and a Republican State Representative has proposed a bill clarifying the laws that these cases are currently being tried under.
In reply to our email, Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said, "I want to emphasize how serious sexting is. What the ACLU, and some of these students, do not seem to understand is that sending nude pictures of yourself as a teenager is something that can carry with you for the rest of your life. Our goal is to put an end to this now before many young people's lives are affected."
The legal director for the ACLU of Ohio doesn't seem to think that this is such a big deal. He is quoted in the Daily Record as saying:
The bill that we are discussing was put forth by Warren County state representative Ron Maag. Maag has been quoted in the Cincinnati Enquirer saying that the idea for the bill was brought to attention because under current law these kids were facing felonies if convicted.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY:
Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost: "All criminal acts involve foolish decisions. The question is whether the act harms society -- and an electronic image is easily copied, easily disseminated and easily obtained by pedophiles."
In reply to our email, Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said, "I want to emphasize how serious sexting is. What the ACLU, and some of these students, do not seem to understand is that sending nude pictures of yourself as a teenager is something that can carry with you for the rest of your life. Our goal is to put an end to this now before many young people's lives are affected."
The legal director for the ACLU of Ohio doesn't seem to think that this is such a big deal. He is quoted in the Daily Record as saying:
"Children do foolish things, and the remedy for foolish things is not criminal action," [Jeffrey] Gamso said. "The remedy for what is going on, sexting, is not criminal prosecution. It is not delinquency prosecution. The remedy for this is education."Hutzel doesn't entirely disagree. "I do agree with the ACLU that this is, in part, about education, and we are working with the schools to educate students about the dangers of sexting. However, in some cases that is not enough. Criminal prosecution will be used where education doesn't stop the problem." Hutzel said.
The bill that we are discussing was put forth by Warren County state representative Ron Maag. Maag has been quoted in the Cincinnati Enquirer saying that the idea for the bill was brought to attention because under current law these kids were facing felonies if convicted.
“Local prosecutors have brought to my attention that under current Ohio law these teens could be charged with a felony and classified as sex offenders. There is concern that this may not be appropriate for these minors.”Even Maag thinks that education is a part of the solution. From the same article:
But is education alone enough to address the seriousness of sexting? You can put this blogger down on the side of "NO." Even Attorney General Richard Cordray understands the need to clarify these laws for this situation. Cordray is quoted in the Daily Record piece:
“I think what these teens need is education about how this type of behavior could affect their lives,” Maag said in the statement. “This legislation does not affect the state’s ability to try actual sex offenders. What it does is clarify the law regarding incidences such as these.”
"Our laws right now are pitched against the adult sex offender," he said. "For young people who are sexting, maybe innocently, maybe not always innocently, the notion that they will be tried and convicted as adult sexual predators doesn't really seem to fit the bill.An awful lot of smart people seem to think that education alone is not the answer. "I don't mind being on the other side of the ACLU," Hutzel said, "I have in the past and probably will be again in the future."
ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY:
Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost: "All criminal acts involve foolish decisions. The question is whether the act harms society -- and an electronic image is easily copied, easily disseminated and easily obtained by pedophiles."
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
A day in the life of an "Arrogant" American
"A day in the life of an 'Arrogant' American" is penned by the newest Guest Columnist at kylesisk.typepad.com: "N.Y. Republican Swan."
Find her & other Columnists like her at:
http://www.kylesisk.typepad.com/
On my way to work I stopped off at Obama Savings Bank to withdraw some change..... I drove in with my American car, the Obamabile.... got thirsty so I stopped off at Obama King and had a BarackBurger and a very popular cola named PELOSI pop..... you gotta try it... The tax on the darn food was more expensive than the menu price but then again.. since the Amero is not worth that much, it makes sense.
3:00 rolled around fast and the Obometer was about to expire and I ran out of those Barack Obama commemorative coins so I had to move the 3 wheeled piece of ... chaos. I tried to take my mind off my financial stress so I stopped off at the deli to buy a lotto ticket. The way it worked is if I scratched off three matching Obama faces,, the government would get my winnings and I would pay the taxes on it. HOT DOG! If I scratched off 3 Hannity faces, I would win a free ticket and try again!... Wowzers,,
When I got home, I heard about the tea parties that were going on across the country and wanted to get involved. I ran to the supermarket, but it was too late...The Government had recalled all teabags, tea products and tea flavorings. It was quickly becoming a Kool Aid Party at the stores so I left and when I got into my O-bile I placed my "arrogant" head between my knees and starting crying....
My fairy American Godmother heard the action and sent a flash of lightning down. The town lit up like it was the 4th of July... I saw old remnants of confetti and empty alcohol bottles on the floor, young people on the floor crawling the streets looking for paychecks that were promised to them if they voted for this Administration. I pleaded with my American Godmother and asked her to help us.
She warmly smiled and told me not to fear. She said the strings on Pelosi's puppet were not made of velvet but of thin thread and in time the weak threads would dissipate and the "anointed one" would become human once again... This Administration was simply a test of America's perseverance and in a little short time; less than 4 years, the beauty, the strength, the intelligence and creativity of America will shine through the dirty clouds of confetti that bogged down America and shadowed the sun's beauty. By the way, she added, pig or no pig I think this shade of lipstick looks great on me in the sun.....as I turned up to see...she disappeared but left markings on the ground that left me with signs of real hope and change--S.P. 2012
...stop Pelosi?
...Sarah Palin?
...start planning?
Monday, April 06, 2009
Youngstown John Update
In our last 'Youngstown John' update, we took Youngstown John Boccieri to task for continuing questions about his residency. This week, we dug up an oldie but goody from Johnny’s archives. This is just classic Boccieri but what we’ve come to expect from the most arrogant politician in Congress. (someday maybe we’ll say of ‘all time'). This week is the opening week for Major League Baseball. Ahhh, to be a Major League Baseball Player, every kid's dream and one member of Congress' dream. Yes, it's Ohio’s very own Youngstown John.
We aren't disputing that Boccieri's a good athlete. You don’t even have to ask him; he’ll tell you for himself. Classic statements he has made regarding his athetic prowess are another glimpse of the most arrogant member of Congress. Before Boccieri was elected to Congress, he was already taking about joining the Democrats' Congressional baseball team and lamenting about how he didn't make the cut for Major League Baseball. Check out these quotes from a Roll Call article from last year...
Thank goodness the Reds were smart enough not to take this guy. Besides, why would the Reds want a Pittsburgh sports fan on their roster anyhow? And the Texas Rangers...yeah right, Johnny. President Bush wouldn't have allowed you to play for his Rangers. Remember, he did own the Rangers at the time.
There's more. Check this gem out!
Great job Johnny! Too bad that home run and diving catch didn't really count.
It gets better. Boccieri had the gall to challenge President Obama to a basketball game and insinuates that he'd beat him. Here's what Boccieri said to the Wooster Daily Record in March about that...
What a cool guy he is, talking smack with the President! I wonder if Obama was asking himself, who is this little guy from Youngstown talking trash to a Chicago baller like me? Maybe Boccieri's just trying to display the same kind of respect towards a president that his liberal buddies displayed towards President Bush...
It sounds like Youngstown John wishes he was a baller - see Lil’ Youngstown John in rarely seen footage of his early career as a rap artist.
Stay tuned for next week's 'Youngstown John' update, where we'll continue do our part to let people know who the real John Boccieri is.
The ‘Youngstown John’ update is dedicated to Rep. John Boccieri (OH-16), Ohio’s most notorious Youngstown liberal. Whether it’s taking dirty campaign cash, carpetbagging, or deceiving his constituents, Boccieri’s done it all! Keep your eyes open every week here at WMD for the ‘Youngstown John’ update, through which will expose Boccieri for who he really is – a fake Youngstown liberal who is a rubber stamp for Nancy Pelosi, big labor bosses, and out-of-touch beltway Democrats.
We aren't disputing that Boccieri's a good athlete. You don’t even have to ask him; he’ll tell you for himself. Classic statements he has made regarding his athetic prowess are another glimpse of the most arrogant member of Congress. Before Boccieri was elected to Congress, he was already taking about joining the Democrats' Congressional baseball team and lamenting about how he didn't make the cut for Major League Baseball. Check out these quotes from a Roll Call article from last year...
Boccieri said his prowess on the base paths led to attention from scouts and national baseball publications, and he was invited to try out for the Texas Rangers and the Cincinnati Reds.
"For the Rangers I tried out for catcher and outfield, and I always ran pretty fast and made those initial cuts."
Thank goodness the Reds were smart enough not to take this guy. Besides, why would the Reds want a Pittsburgh sports fan on their roster anyhow? And the Texas Rangers...yeah right, Johnny. President Bush wouldn't have allowed you to play for his Rangers. Remember, he did own the Rangers at the time.
There's more. Check this gem out!
Boccieri recently returned to the diamond for an alumni game at St. Bonaventure as the school's new baseball field was dedicated. "I hit the first home run on our new field and made a diving catch," Boccieri said.
Boccieri was well aware of the Congressional game long before Roll Call phoned him to inquire if he would consider playing.
Great job Johnny! Too bad that home run and diving catch didn't really count.
It gets better. Boccieri had the gall to challenge President Obama to a basketball game and insinuates that he'd beat him. Here's what Boccieri said to the Wooster Daily Record in March about that...
Boccieri, who pilots a C-130 Hercules in the Air Force Reserve, was invited into the cockpit of Air Force One and challenged Obama to a game of basketball.
"I told him the congressional delegation would like to play him sometime," Boccieri said. "He asked if I had game. I told him 'Sir, I do my talking on the court.'
What a cool guy he is, talking smack with the President! I wonder if Obama was asking himself, who is this little guy from Youngstown talking trash to a Chicago baller like me? Maybe Boccieri's just trying to display the same kind of respect towards a president that his liberal buddies displayed towards President Bush...
It sounds like Youngstown John wishes he was a baller - see Lil’ Youngstown John in rarely seen footage of his early career as a rap artist.
Stay tuned for next week's 'Youngstown John' update, where we'll continue do our part to let people know who the real John Boccieri is.
The ‘Youngstown John’ update is dedicated to Rep. John Boccieri (OH-16), Ohio’s most notorious Youngstown liberal. Whether it’s taking dirty campaign cash, carpetbagging, or deceiving his constituents, Boccieri’s done it all! Keep your eyes open every week here at WMD for the ‘Youngstown John’ update, through which will expose Boccieri for who he really is – a fake Youngstown liberal who is a rubber stamp for Nancy Pelosi, big labor bosses, and out-of-touch beltway Democrats.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Big Three Auto Bailout....an honest perspective
This is one of the best articles I have read about the proposed auto bailout and it is especially interesting to me when you take into account that it was written nearly five months ago on November 18, 2008. I also have a certain affinity for this article because it is written by Mitt "snatched defeat from the jaws of victory" Romney.
See posts like this at:
Op-Ed Contributor
Let Detroit Go Bankrupt
By MITT ROMNEY
Published: November 18, 2008
IF General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief
executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive
industry goodbye. It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually
guaranteed.
Without that bailout, Detroit will need to drastically restructure itself.
With it, the automakers will stay the course — the suicidal course of
declining market shares, insurmountable labor and retiree burdens,
technology atrophy, product inferiority and never-ending job losses.
Detroit needs a turnaround, not a check.
I love cars, American cars. I was born in Detroit, the son of an auto chief
executive. In 1954, my dad, George Romney, was tapped to run American
Motors when its president suddenly died. The company itself was on life
support — banks were threatening to deal it a death blow. The stock
collapsed. I watched Dad work to turn the company around — and years later
at business school, they were still talking about it. From the lessons of
that turnaround, and from my own experiences, I have several prescriptions
for Detroit’s automakers.
First, their huge disadvantage in costs relative to foreign brands must be
eliminated. That means new labor agreements to align pay and benefits to
match those of workers at competitors like BMW, Honda, Nissan and Toyota.
Furthermore, retiree benefits must be reduced so that the total burden per
auto for domestic makers is not higher than that of foreign producers.
That extra burden is estimated to be more than $2,000 per car. Think what
that means: Ford, for example, needs to cut $2,000 worth of features and
quality out of its Taurus to compete with Toyota’s Avalon. Of course the
Avalon feels like a better product — it has $2,000 more put into it.
Considering this disadvantage, Detroit has done a remarkable job of
designing and engineering its cars. But if this cost penalty persists, any
bailout will only delay the inevitable.
Second, management as is must go. New faces should be recruited from
unrelated industries — from companies widely respected for excellence in
marketing, innovation, creativity and labor relations.
The new management must work with labor leaders to see that the enmity
between labor and management comes to an end. This division is a holdover
from the early years of the last century, when unions brought workers job
security and better wages and benefits. But as Walter Reuther, the former
head of the United Automobile Workers, said to my father, “Getting more and
more pay for less and less work is a dead-end street.”
You don’t have to look far for industries with unions that went down that
road. Companies in the 21st century cannot perpetuate the destructive labor
relations of the 20th. This will mean a new direction for the U.A.W.,
profit sharing or stock grants to all employees and a change in Big Three
management culture.
The need for collaboration will mean accepting sanity in salaries and
perks. At American Motors, my dad cut his pay and that of his executive
team, he bought stock in the company, and he went out to factories to talk
to workers directly. Get rid of the planes, the executive dining rooms —
all the symbols that breed resentment among the hundreds of thousands who
will also be sacrificing to keep the companies afloat.
Investments must be made for the future. No more focus on quarterly
earnings or the kind of short-term stock appreciation that means quick
riches for executives with options. Manage with an eye on cash flow,
balance sheets and long-term appreciation. Invest in truly competitive
products and innovative technologies — especially fuel-saving designs —
that may not arrive for years. Starving research and development is like
eating the seed corn.
Just as important to the future of American carmakers is the sales force.
When sales are down, you don’t want to lose the only people who can get
them to grow. So don’t fire the best dealers, and don’t crush them with new
financial or performance demands they can’t meet.
It is not wrong to ask for government help, but the automakers should come
up with a win-win proposition. I believe the federal government should
invest substantially more in basic research — on new energy sources,
fuel-economy technology, materials science and the like — that will
ultimately benefit the automotive industry, along with many others. I
believe Washington should raise energy research spending to $20 billion a
year, from the $4 billion that is spent today. The research could be done
at universities, at research labs and even through public-private
collaboration. The federal government should also rectify the imbedded tax
penalties that favor foreign carmakers.
But don’t ask Washington to give shareholders and bondholders a free pass —
they bet on management and they lost.
The American auto industry is vital to our national interest as an employer
and as a hub for manufacturing. A managed bankruptcy may be the only path
to the fundamental restructuring the industry needs. It would permit the
companies to shed excess labor, pension and real estate costs. The federal
government should provide guarantees for post-bankruptcy financing and
assure car buyers that their warranties are not at risk.
In a managed bankruptcy, the federal government would propel newly
competitive and viable automakers, rather than seal their fate with a
bailout check.
See posts like this at:
http://www.kylesisk.typepad.com/
Op-Ed Contributor
Let Detroit Go Bankrupt
By MITT ROMNEY
Published: November 18, 2008
IF General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief
executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive
industry goodbye. It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually
guaranteed.
Without that bailout, Detroit will need to drastically restructure itself.
With it, the automakers will stay the course — the suicidal course of
declining market shares, insurmountable labor and retiree burdens,
technology atrophy, product inferiority and never-ending job losses.
Detroit needs a turnaround, not a check.
I love cars, American cars. I was born in Detroit, the son of an auto chief
executive. In 1954, my dad, George Romney, was tapped to run American
Motors when its president suddenly died. The company itself was on life
support — banks were threatening to deal it a death blow. The stock
collapsed. I watched Dad work to turn the company around — and years later
at business school, they were still talking about it. From the lessons of
that turnaround, and from my own experiences, I have several prescriptions
for Detroit’s automakers.
First, their huge disadvantage in costs relative to foreign brands must be
eliminated. That means new labor agreements to align pay and benefits to
match those of workers at competitors like BMW, Honda, Nissan and Toyota.
Furthermore, retiree benefits must be reduced so that the total burden per
auto for domestic makers is not higher than that of foreign producers.
That extra burden is estimated to be more than $2,000 per car. Think what
that means: Ford, for example, needs to cut $2,000 worth of features and
quality out of its Taurus to compete with Toyota’s Avalon. Of course the
Avalon feels like a better product — it has $2,000 more put into it.
Considering this disadvantage, Detroit has done a remarkable job of
designing and engineering its cars. But if this cost penalty persists, any
bailout will only delay the inevitable.
Second, management as is must go. New faces should be recruited from
unrelated industries — from companies widely respected for excellence in
marketing, innovation, creativity and labor relations.
The new management must work with labor leaders to see that the enmity
between labor and management comes to an end. This division is a holdover
from the early years of the last century, when unions brought workers job
security and better wages and benefits. But as Walter Reuther, the former
head of the United Automobile Workers, said to my father, “Getting more and
more pay for less and less work is a dead-end street.”
You don’t have to look far for industries with unions that went down that
road. Companies in the 21st century cannot perpetuate the destructive labor
relations of the 20th. This will mean a new direction for the U.A.W.,
profit sharing or stock grants to all employees and a change in Big Three
management culture.
The need for collaboration will mean accepting sanity in salaries and
perks. At American Motors, my dad cut his pay and that of his executive
team, he bought stock in the company, and he went out to factories to talk
to workers directly. Get rid of the planes, the executive dining rooms —
all the symbols that breed resentment among the hundreds of thousands who
will also be sacrificing to keep the companies afloat.
Investments must be made for the future. No more focus on quarterly
earnings or the kind of short-term stock appreciation that means quick
riches for executives with options. Manage with an eye on cash flow,
balance sheets and long-term appreciation. Invest in truly competitive
products and innovative technologies — especially fuel-saving designs —
that may not arrive for years. Starving research and development is like
eating the seed corn.
Just as important to the future of American carmakers is the sales force.
When sales are down, you don’t want to lose the only people who can get
them to grow. So don’t fire the best dealers, and don’t crush them with new
financial or performance demands they can’t meet.
It is not wrong to ask for government help, but the automakers should come
up with a win-win proposition. I believe the federal government should
invest substantially more in basic research — on new energy sources,
fuel-economy technology, materials science and the like — that will
ultimately benefit the automotive industry, along with many others. I
believe Washington should raise energy research spending to $20 billion a
year, from the $4 billion that is spent today. The research could be done
at universities, at research labs and even through public-private
collaboration. The federal government should also rectify the imbedded tax
penalties that favor foreign carmakers.
But don’t ask Washington to give shareholders and bondholders a free pass —
they bet on management and they lost.
The American auto industry is vital to our national interest as an employer
and as a hub for manufacturing. A managed bankruptcy may be the only path
to the fundamental restructuring the industry needs. It would permit the
companies to shed excess labor, pension and real estate costs. The federal
government should provide guarantees for post-bankruptcy financing and
assure car buyers that their warranties are not at risk.
In a managed bankruptcy, the federal government would propel newly
competitive and viable automakers, rather than seal their fate with a
bailout check.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)