BUTLER COUNTY: Round-Up

As I have taken something of a self-imposed hiatus for the holidays I have been flagging some Butler County stories that I didn't want to just forget about.  So here are a few of those along with some stuff that hit the radar today...

BUDGET WOES

Mike Pitman had a story about how one county bureaucrat was trying to blame the Cincinnati Premium Outlet mall for taking away money from Butler County.  While this may have some elements of truth to it, Butler County should have been able to balance that with IKEA alone.

And isn't it ridiculous that the county is left to whining about the success of a development project in a neighboring county?  Why not offer some suggestions on what the county should do to make itself more attractive to business?

Pitman makes one mistake in his piece.  He writes:

The national economy is still to blame for many problems, including Butler County’s projected $7 million 2011 deficit.

That's just not right.  I could buy that if Butler County started its downturn at the same time and actually took proactive action to correct it.  But if you look at Butler County budgets, it's been nothing but SPEND, SPEND, SPEND with no end in sight (I was going to say with a few exceptions, but that's not really accurate either as there were plenty of exceptions, its just that at least one department gobbled up all those savings because The Exalted High Commissioner of the Sheriff's Department whined to idiots like Mike Pitman and the Intrepid Reporter Josh who were all too willing to air the dirty laundry while not saying a word about how sheriff Spotlight has been driving this county off a financial cliff for a decade or so.)

And then there is this guy...

But whatever is done, Commissioner Don Dixon said it cannot be business as usual, but rather business as it should be.

“It’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be difficult all over,” Dixon said. “But it’s not impossible.”

I can only laugh at yet another of Sheriff Spotlight's stooges rants and raves about money HE SPENT.  That's right, Donbo, you've been on Commission long enough now that this game is more than a little tired.  Shut up and get the job done. 

Jolly is a good man, but I have take a shot at this kind of thinking:

Jolivette said it’s unfair to play “Monday morning quarterback” with the Commission’s decisions in recent years.

“You need to be there at the time the contract was signed to see what was available,” Jolivette said. “And you can’t use the economic times that we’re in now to say, ‘Look at what you can get it at now versus what you got back then.’ Times were different and prices were different.”

Jolivette said the county’s reserves had increased to $14 million before the economy tanked. As a result of the poor economy, those reserves have been tapped into for the past three years, he said.

This is the sort of "philosophy" that lacks vision and principle.

The guy who said Commission was "spending like a drunken sailor" when he was on the outside looking in now thinks that we all just had to be there to understand it.  Exactly WRONG.  This county has had a spending problem (as Roger Reynolds frequently points out) for quite some time and the principled leader keeps some dough in a rainy day fund.  Butler County bought a Navy, Horse Cavalry, and an Air Force for starters.  admitting these things has to be the first step towards fixing it.

Thank God we have at least one elected official who gets it, the afore-mentioned Roger Reynolds:

“My concern for the 2011 budget is to ensure we have spending below revenues, approved spending below estimated revenues,” Reynolds said. “I have a significant concern that over the past two years we’ve continued to spend more reserves than we should be as opposed to cutting the expenditures.

“And now we’re in a position with fewer options than we would have, had we been more disciplined over the past couple years in cutting expenditures.”

Reynolds said he’s done more than voice his concerns; he’s tried to lead by example. Since taking over the auditor’s office, Reynold’s has cut the department’s budget by 35 percent.

When you discover where that 35% went, you will be outraged.  Because that 35% didn't get saved, Commission spent it.  Every last dime of it.

MUSICAL CHAIRS

Now we go to the Enquirer and Sheila McLaughlin for the story on the political maneuvering going on now that people are moving to their new gigs.

Clerk of Courts:

On Jan. 12, the central committee will give the nod to one of three people jockeying for the $68,000-a-year-job.

They are Jeff Wyrick, a deputy clerk of courts under Carpenter; Mary Swain, a court administration manager for Butler County Common Pleas Court and the GOP's state central committee woman; and Fairfield Township Trustee Steve Morgan, who runs M & M Fine Used Cars, a family business that his late father started more than 50 years ago.

Publically, Cindy Carpenter has backed Jeff Wyrick in the past because he was her right-hand man and her campaign manager.  It will be interesting to see how long her loyalty lasts...  In this field, Wyrick is probably the least likely to survive the cut, but he is probably the most knowledgeable and experienced candidate.
Swain's interest is a surprise of some sort. But her experience with the courts aside, I find nothing about her that evokes confidence in me that she is capable of leading anything.  The few times I have heard her speak on any issue have been underwhelming.  She has lived in the shadow of Carlos Todd the entire time I was aware of her existence.

Morgan is a fascinating choice and if I had to pick one of these, he would probably get my vote.  He's a business man and has held office.  Good combination of skills and what I have been able to learn about him so far shows that he is the kind of guy that could serve the county well.  If the Butler County GOP is serious about bringing new blood countywide, Morgan ought to be their choice.

Prosecutor:

Infighting between assistant prosecutors Lance Salyers and Jason Philabaum prompted Salyers to quit that job in November and announce that he's running against Philabaum for the GOP appointment, which the central committee will make in February or March.

Philabaum has come under attack by a third candidate, attorney Mike Gmoser, in what Philabaum has called a smear campaign.

According to documents obtained by The Enquirer, Gmoser, an assistant prosecutor in the late 1970s and early 1980s, met privately with party leaders in November and presented them with a letter that accused Philabaum of ethical violations for being paid for work on a civil case while he was an assistant prosecutor.

Philabaum has responded with his own letters to GOP officials, saying he did nothing wrong.

My choice?  None of the above.  Sticking a gun to my head?  Gmoser.  Why?  Gmoser makes all of the right people cringe.  Nothing against Philabaum, who would do well in the position; I just don't like who his friends are...
MIKE FOX

A federal judge brought the smackdown on Mike Fox and denied his motion to dismiss the charges against him.

I got nothing to add to this except that as I have said all along, anything short of prison for Mike Fox is a miscarriage of justice.


JOLLY PACKS UP

Nice story about the "end" of Greg Jollivette's political career (for the moment?)


CATES' FUTURE

I have been hearing rumblings that state Senator Gary cates may leave his post early and join the Kasich administration.  He has been involved in education and has made surprise appearances at the state board meetings.

If I am not mistaken, Cates is on his last term anyway in 2012.  While we still have some time for that to happen, it wouldn't hurt to start thinking about some of the possible replacements.

Bill Coley?  I think he is about to be term-limited in the Ohio House.

 

Tim Derickson?  He just got to the Ohio House, I'd like to see him stay there

Corky Combs? He just made the Policy Committee, but I think he is approaching term limits too and his interest in County auditor awhile back illustrates his desire to figure out what is next

Greg Jollivette? He has expressed an interest in continuing his career and he did mention the Ohio House as a possibility, why not consider the Ohio Senate

Roger Reynolds? Just throwing it out there...but we do need Roger to continue doing God's Work right here in Butler County

Nancy Nix? She should be able to garner the support to pull this off...

I'm just getting started...  If you got ideas, put 'em in the comments.

OHIO HOUSE: Batchelder Announces House GOP Policy Committee

Release:

COLUMBUS – Speaker-elect William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) today announced the members of the Ohio House Majority Policy Committee for the 129th General Assembly. Representative Todd Snitchler (R-Uniontown) will serve as chair.

“During his time in the Legislature, Representative Snitchler has served with the highest integrity and has demonstrated a strong understanding of a variety of complex issues,” Batchelder said. “His leadership on legislative analysis, along with the caliber of the rest of the committee, will be vital to ensuring the House Majority produces legislative results that address Ohio’s most serious issues.”
The Ohio House Republican Caucus Policy Committee was established in the 128th General Assembly to create a forum for caucus members to share ideas and solutions to issues facing the state prior to bill introduction. In addition, the policy committee will hold statewide meetings throughout the term to solicit feedback from the general public as well as share proposals moving through the legislative process. The committee is composed of veteran and freshman House Republican members.
“I am humbled that Speaker-elect Batchelder has asked me to lead this committee within our caucus, especially during these challenging times,” Snitchler said. “Maintaining a high quality of work product and ensuring that we are focusing on Ohio’s core issues in a timely manner is priority number one.”
Other members of the committee include:
Rep. Gerald Stebelton (HD 5 – Lancaster)
Rep. Randy Gardner (HD 6 – Bowling Green)
Rep. Peter Stautberg (HD 34 – Cincinnati)
Rep. Kristina Daley Roegner (HD 42 – Hudson)
Rep. Todd McKenney (HD 43 - New Franklin)
Rep. Courtney Combs (HD 54 – Hamilton)
Rep. Ross McGregor (HD 72 – Springfield)
Rep. Dave Burke (HD 83 – Marysville)

The List of Traitorous GOP Senators who Sided with Putin and Russia over US

Here is the list:

The 11 Republican senators who voted in favor of moving ahead with the treaty Tuesday were Richard G. Lugar (Ind.), Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Robert F. Bennett (Utah), Scott Brown (Mass.), Thad Cochran (Miss.), Susan Collins (Maine), Bob Corker (Tenn.), Johnny Isakson (Ga.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Olympia J. Snowe (Maine) and George V. Voinovich (Ohio).

All also voted in favor of ratification Wednesday, as did Gregg. In addition, Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) voted for the treaty, pushing the total yes votes to 71.

Some of these were people who got beat or who are leaving the Senate (like the Crying Man Voinovich). Others are pieces of Moderate Garbage who just vote because they think they are making history (like that dumb piece of garbage Snowe). Shocking is that Scott Brown has lived up to the liberal caricature of him as an empty headed male model who can't think three feet in front of him. Other names are familiar moderates who want to trade security for pork, like DICK Lugar and Susan Collins, and of course the Pork Queen Lisa Murkowski.

Disgusting. Like the Ohio Senate Republicans, it appears the US Senate republicans are froth with libs who need constant watching and serious pruning. They cannot be trusted.

GOP US Senate: You Know You Are In Trouble When....

Even a spineless pro amnesty hack like Lindsey Graham call you spineless! From the Hill:

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) lashed out at fellow Republicans Tuesday for a "capitulation ... of dramatic proportions" to Democrats and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in the lame-duck Congress.

Graham said Republicans have no one to blame but themselves for allowing ratification of the New START Treaty and other legislation in the period before new lawmakers are sworn in in January.

"When it's all going to be said and done, Harry Reid has eaten our lunch," Graham said on Fox News radio. "This has been a capitulation in two weeks of dramatic proportions of policies that wouldn't have passed in the new Congress."

Gosh Lindsey, you appear to be growing a spine as you are going to be up for election in two years or so. Hmmm....He does make some good points though:

"I can understand the Democrats being afraid of the new Republicans; I can't understand Republicans being afraid of the new Republicans," Graham lamented on WTMA radio. "They're not opportunities to take everything you couldn't do for two years and jam it. It's literally what they're doing, across the board. And after a while, I stop blaming them, and I blame us."

Graham blamed outgoing Republican senators in particular.

"They have used the power of the Senate against the minority, and we have, quite frankly, a handful of us have been letting them do it. And a lot of the people who are doing this got beat. And that's what makes me so upset," he said. "It makes me disappointed that, with a new group of Republicans coming in, we could get a better deal on almost everything."

Yeah, people like the maggot sucking infested with pork and waste in his veins, joke of a Republican George Voinovich. I wish he would leave Ohio and never come back. He makes me ill to consider myself a Republican. The big tent should not include such a self serving, spineless, no conscience maggot like Crying George.
George Voinovich has betrayed the present and future security of this country, along with mindless male model Scott Brown in doing stupid things like voting for the repeal of Dont Ask Dont Tell and the START Treaty. Morons!

Census Shocker!!! States with Little to No Income Tax Grow!!!!

Newsflash! States with no income tax saw population and economic growth, according to the US Census. From Michael Barone:

First, the great engine of growth in America is not the Northeast Megalopolis, which was growing faster than average in the mid-20th century, or California, which grew lustily in the succeeding half-century. It is Texas.

Its population grew 21 percent in the past decade, from nearly 21 million to more than 25 million. That was more rapid growth than in any states except for four much smaller ones (Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Idaho).

Texas' diversified economy, business-friendly regulations and low taxes have attracted not only immigrants but substantial inflow from the other 49 states. As a result, the 2010 reapportionment gives Texas four additional House seats. In contrast, California gets no new House seats, for the first time since it was admitted to the Union in 1850.

There's a similar lesson in the fact that Florida gains two seats in the reapportionment and New York loses two.

This leads to a second point, which is that growth tends to be stronger where taxes are lower. Seven of the nine states that do not levy an income tax grew faster than the national average. The other two, South Dakota and New Hampshire, had the fastest growth in their regions, the Midwest and New England.

Altogether, 35 percent of the nation's total population growth occurred in these nine non-taxing states, which accounted for just 19 percent of total population at the beginning of the decade.

Wow, if only someone would like use these numbers to make a case for like, fiscal policy, and stuff....

Public School Madness: Kids Punished for Christmas Cheer

...Because they are weapons. No, seriously. From WUSA9:

HAYMARKET, Va. (WUSA) -- They call themselves the "Christmas Sweater Club" because they wear the craziest ones they can find. They also sing Christmas songs at school and try their best to spread Christmas cheer.

Now all 10 of them are in trouble because of what they did at their school.

"They said, 'maliciously maim students with the intent to injure.' And I don't think any of us here intentionally meant to injure anyone, or did," said Zakk Rhine, a junior at Battlefield High School.

The boys say they were just tossing small two-inch candy canes to fellow students as they entered school. The ones in plastic wrap that are so small they often break apart.

Skylar Torbett, also a junior, said administrators told him, "They said the candy canes are weapons because you can sharpen them with your mouth and stab people with them." He said neither he nor any of their friend did that.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?!?! For the love of body scanners and grope searches, you have got to be kidding me! Sadly, it appears the school decided to declare jihad on those who want to spread Christmas cheer in the school setting:

Next thing they knew, they were all being punished with detention and at least two hours of cleaning. Their disciplinary notices say nothing about malicious wounding but about littering and creating a disturbance.

"It was at 7 in the morning, before school even starts, so I don't what we'd be really disrupting," said Cameron Gleason, also a junior.

Principal Amy Etheridge-Conti says she can't comment on the students' discipline but did say there was a lot more to it than handing out candy and that the discipline was warranted.

The boys admitted their incident may have caused litter since some kids dropped their candy canes on the floor. But Cameron Gleason said he spent an hour cleaning up the dropped candy.

The boys' parents think the school went overboard and maybe administrators were trying to stop their boys from spreading Christmas cheer.

Mother Kathleen Flannery said an administrator called her and explained "not everyone wants Christmas cheer. That suicide rates are up over Christmas, and that they should keep their cheer to themselves, perhaps."

Suicide rates are up because there isn't enough cheer, you dolt! Idiotarian self congratulating liberals like you are what make people want to off themselves. I think another one of the parents has it right when it says this is about punishing those who celebrate Christmas:

Patti Gleason, the mother of Cameron Gleason says, "I am 100 percent sure they did nothing wrong. We've gotten so many different stories. It went from maiming kids with candy canes, to littering. And then when received the referral (disciplinary notice) it said 'disruption.' So nobody really knew what they were getting in trouble for, they were just making up a whole bunch of different things."

What it is, is gutless, shameless, worshippers of PC nonsense in the schools. That is what it is.

POTUS 2012: Rudy Wasn't Serious in 2008, not Serious Now

From someone associated with the campaign in 2008, over at Legal Insurrection:

Today there was an interesting article in the Hill about Rudy Giuliani being a possible "dark horse" in 2012. Apparently, "It’s not because Giuliani has shifted; it’s because the Republican Party has. The 2010 election was less about social conservatism than it was fiscal conservatism, and that aligns with Giuliani’s socially moderate and fiscally conservative ideology."

As someone who worked on that campaign in 2007-2008, my answer is an overwhelming NO.

OK, now why wouldn't Rudy be serious about running. The shift away from social issues seems to be playing to his strengths. Well, according to Legal Insurrection, Rudy may not have been very serious about winning even in 2008, and should not consider running now:

I was on the ground with the campaign in New Hampshire and throughout NY/NJ, it was virtually run by a group of "yes men" who never told Rudy that it was a bad idea to run down to Florida for several weeks at a time "campaigning." The election wasn't a total loss for Rudy, after all, he got higher speaking fees and I'm sure his wink towards a possible 2012 bid is exactly what will keep those engagements in demand. If he really wanted the presidency, and didn't bother vesting in the time in it during 2008 - when the "America's Mayor" image was ripe in the minds of millions, I doubt he would bother putting in the will in 2012.

Interesting points all around. I tend to agree with the blogger. As America chooses to forget 9/11, Rudy's excellent work that day and in the days that follow is not on the minds of Americans anymore. That is sad, but a reality.

Rep. Latta on Net Neutrality

Statement:

WASHINGTON- Congressman Bob Latta (R- Bowling Green) made the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) ruling today regarding net neutrality. 

 

“Americans across the country recently made it more than clear that they want less, not more, government intrusion in their lives.  Unfortunately, today’s decision by the FCC brings additional government not just into people’s lives, but also into our free-market economy.  The Internet is the culmination of years of private enterprise that has thrived without regulation.  The FCC’s ‘net neutrality’ decision will only bring more government regulation and increased costs for both the Internet Service Providers and consumers. 

 

As a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, I look forward to working with my colleagues to dismantle this ruling.”

 

NOTE:  On January 7, 2009, Congressman Latta introduced H. Res. 30, which if passed, would “Express the sense of the House of Representatives that in order to continue aggressive growth in our Nation's telecommunications and technology industries, the United States Government should `Get Out of the Way and Stay Out of the Way'.”  A copy of the H. Res 30 can be found here.

Obamacare: Speeding Us to Bankruptcy

From our Friends at the Foundry over at the Heritage Foundation:

Not all of the problems that Illinois and other states are facing right now can be traced to the recession. But the precipitous drop in tax revenues did expose decades of financial irresponsibility, reckless spending, unrealistic benefit packages for public employees, and the use of political gimmicks to cover up hidden deficits. It’s forcing state governors and the public to confront some harsh realities.
…
Governors of cash-strapped states are beginning to cajole or bully public employee unions into making concessions on what are considered to be gold-plated retirement and health care packages, which are now collectively underfunded to the tune of $1 trillion.

But as bad as government union contracts and pensions are, they are not the real driver of state insolvency. Medicaid is. Already, Medicaid is the second largest item on the average state budget at 21% (education is first at 22%). But according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that is all about to change very soon thanks to Obamacare. Remember, more than half of the health care coverage expansion under Obamacare is attained by placing Americans on Medicaid. CMS projects that state and local spending on Medicaid will increase 41.4% between 2010 and 2011. 41%!!! Heritage policy analyst Brian Blaze warns:

If state Medicaid spending increases by 41 percent as projected by CMS, then by next year Medicaid could end up consuming nearly 30 percent of the average state budget. Medicaid would greatly exceed all other state priorities, including education, which tops state budgets at about 22 percent. In fact, state spending on education would experience certain cuts next year.

Presumably, the state spending increase is so high because the enhancement of the federal Medicaid match will expire at the end of 2010. CMS projects that federal spending on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program will decrease 7.1 percent between 2010 and 2011. The loss of federal funds will drive most of the increase in state Medicaid obligations.

Unfortunately, states have lost considerable flexibility to reduce Medicaid’s burden on their budgets. As a condition for receiving the additional federal dollars, both the stimulus bill and PPACA contain maintenance-of-effort (MOE) provisions that prohibit states from changing eligibility levels.

And it only gets worse after 2011:

Beyond the enormous increase in state obligations for Medicaid next year, more trouble lies ahead. The new law includes a massive Medicaid expansion. CMS estimates that by 2014, 85.2 million Americans will be enrolled in Medicaid—an increase of 23.3 million individuals from the projections under prior law.

This is the second study in a week that provides unwelcome news to states. Indiana reports that the cost of Medicaid expansion will cost its state $3.6 billion over 10 years. Texas estimated its 10-year cost at $27 billion. The situation could be even worse. State estimates are subject to great uncertainty, especially with assumptions about the take-up rate (the number of people who actually sign up) among both the newly eligible (the federal government reimburses state spending at a rate of 90 percent after 2020) and the previously eligible (the federal government reimburses at the state’s standard match rate).

Michael Steele Playing Race Card--Classless

Michael Steele is running an Obama like campaign to keep his job as RNC chair. He is hinting that failure to re-elect him will indicate that the GOP is racist:

Mr. Steele announced his decision in a conference call with supporters and officials of the 168-member RNC on Monday evening.

Mr. Steele ended the 40-minute call by playing what Mr. Bopp described as the "race card."

"Who you elect as our next Chairman will speak volumes about our willingness to truly be the party of Lincoln," Mr. Steele said.

Steele's decision shows not only his ignorance but his hubris.

Many were surprised by Mr. Steele's decision to run again.

"Most members think he doesn't have the votes to win, and it would not be healthy for the RNC either to run or be re-elected," said Tennessee RNC member John Ryder. "While he has done some positive things, the overall consequences of his chairmanship has been to reduce the effectiveness of the RNC."

Mr. Steele was elected to the position in January 2009 after one term as the lieutenant governor of Maryland and an unsuccessful 2006 run for the U.S. Senate.

A number of potential replacements have been emerged as challengers or potential challengers to Mr. Steele, including former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, Wisconsin GOP Chairman Reince Priebus, former George W. Bush administration official Maria Cino, former Michigan GOP chairman Saul Anuzis, former Missouri GOP chairwoman Ann Wagner and former RNC Political Director Gentry Collins.

Mr. Collins' very public resignation last month, complete with a parting shot at Mr. Steele's management, was one of a number of personnel clashes that occurred under Mr. Steele's watch.

Ms. Cino, the latest candidate to enter the race, took at shot at Mr. Steele's leadership in a letter to RNC members over the weekend, writing, "We need to turn our party around to reach its full potential."

Remember, Steele didn't think we could take back the House. He has led the RNC into situations of dubious nature with some of the expenditures. But, this is typical of the Republican Party. It seems snatching defeat or humiliation from the jaws of victory is something not only the Ohio GOP does.

Michael Steele, in arrogant liberal fashion, calls names:

Well, Mr. Bopp is an idiot. If he took that away from, and I don’t want to be crass and I don’t want to throw stones at him, but I just think that’s an idiotic statement to make. I refer to myself as a Lincoln Republican, that’s who I am. I define myself through the party origins, the party that spoke to and about the freedom and emancipation of all people, not just black folks. ...

Muslim Sues Teacher....For Discussing Ham

Coming soon to a school in the United States, probably in Michigan:

Consider the case of the student at the Menéndez Tolosa school in Cadiz who recently asked his geography teacher to stop discussing ham in class because it was disrespectful to him as a Muslim. It should be noted that the teacher, José Reyes Fernández, was not mocking the Koran’s prohibition against eating ham. What was so offensive to the student was Fernández’s use of the Granada town of Trevélez as an example of a cold mountain climate conducive to the curings of hams.

Fernández’s explanation to the student that he did not consider his pupils’ religious beliefs when creating his lesson plans apparently did not pass muster. The student’s parents immediately filed a complaint against the teacher with the National Police for psychological ill-treatment due to xenophobia and racism.

Fernández is a well-respected teacher with 20 years of experience and no history of problems with students. In a note to the media, he wrote that the incident has damaged “his honor [and] image.” Fortunately, it appears that the complaint will not also hurt his professional career: a local prosectuor on Tuesday announced plans to archive the case.

Gee, not taking any one person's views into account sounds fair to me, but what do I know? You think this is ridiculous, look at these examples from the same story:

In 2007, the “pressure of a select few” caused a UK school to take political correctness to a whole new level when it changed the name of its production of the “Three Little Pigs” to the “Three Little Puppies.” And earlier this year, French police banned “a street party whose organizers planned to serve alcoholic cocktails and pork sausages in a heavily Muslim neighborhood of Paris.” Robert Spencer of JihadWatch correctly noted at the time that the planned event was a provocation, but doubted that cops would have acted similarly “if a Muslim group in France had announced that it was going to do something in a non-Muslim area that many non-Muslims found offensive.”

You know, liberal stupidity is going to politically correct us right into sharia law someday.

The Perfect Conservative, According to Herman Cain

Herman Cain is one of the new trendy and underdog names for the GOP nod for POTUS in 2012. He was just on Greta Van Sustern and has announced he is forming an exploratory committee regarding the presidency. In this article, he writes about the Perfect Conservative:

He was not born into a royal family, but He left a royal impression on the world.

For 30 years, He learned the ways of the world without becoming of the world. He then changed the world for the better.

He led without a mandate. He taught without a script. His common sense parables filled people with promise and compassion, His words forever inspiring.

He never condemned what others believed – just sin, evil and corruption.

He helped the poor without one government program. He healed the sick without a government health care system. He feed the hungry without food stamps. And everywhere He went, it turned into a rally, attracting large crowds, and giving them hope, encouragement and inspiration.

For three years He was unemployed, and never collected an unemployment check. Nevertheless, he completed all the work He needed to get done. He didn’t travel by private jet. He walked and sailed, and sometimes traveled on a donkey.

But they made Him walk when He was arrested and taken to jail, and no, He was not read any Miranda Rights. He was arrested for just being who He was and doing nothing wrong. And when they tried Him in court, He never said a mumbling word.

He didn’t have a lawyer, nor did He care about who judged Him.

His judge was a higher power.

The liberal court found Him guilty of false offences and sentenced Him to death, all because He changed the hearts and minds of men with an army of 12.

His death reset the clock of time.

Never before and not since has there ever been such a perfect conservative.

For over 2,000 years the world has tried hard to erase the memory of the perfect conservative, and His principles of compassion, caring and common sense.

His followers are now millions and millions the world over, as those who resent Him have intensified their attacks on who He was and what His followers believe.

The attacks are disguised as political correctness, or a misunderstanding of the First Amendment to the Constitution. Separation of Church and State does not mean Separation of Church from State. The State cannot impose Church on the people, but the people can display and say as much Church in the public square as they desire.

Our Founders recognized that distinction, which helped to inspire the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the founding of this nation – The United States of America!

We must be the Defending Fathers and the defenders of the perfect conservative.

That’s why I proudly wish one and all a very Merry Christmas!

Brown County Judicial System: Still a Mess

This next story is one that I had not brought up previously due to lack of time to publish a story. It involves the Brown County Prosecutor, Jessica Little, and Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Gusweiler. You may recognize these two from the Meranda v. Gusweiler case. Well, it appears that someone needs to get the judge and the prosecutor to come together and hash it out for the good of the county. Here is the latest craziness. From the News Democrat:

Prosecuting Attorney Jessica Little has asked the Ohio Supreme Court to replace Court of Common Pleas Judge Scott Gusweiler due to perceived bias against the prosecution.

The move has delayed further proceedings in the cases until the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court makes a determination on the prosecution's request. Jury selection in Tincher's trial had been scheduled to begin Dec. 6.

An Affidavit of Disqualification of Gusweiler was filed by Little on Dec. 1 outlining instances that the prosecutor argues are evidence of Gusweiler's alleged bias against her office in this case. The affidavit claims that Gusweiler has made repeated comments, both on and off the official court record, about the monetary cost of prosecuting a capital case, comments that the prosecution considered to be inappropriate urgings against pursuing the death penalty for financial reasons.

The affidavit additionally asserts that Gusweiler inappropriately intervened in a plea arrangement between the state and Hensley, attempting to prevent some elements of the complicated plea deal from being fulfilled and putting the testimony of a key witness and alleged conspirator in jeopardy.

The filing further claims that Gusweiler, a potential "trier of fact" in the trial, investigated aspects of the case that could establish an appearance of impropriety.

The Supreme Court notified Gusweiler of the affidavit in a letter from Master Commissioner James F. Bumbico dated Dec. 2. The letter indicates Gusweiler may submit a response within 15 days of being notified.

"Upon receipt of your response, the Chief Justice will review the matter and render a written decision on the merits of the affidavit," the letter states.

The notice also states that Gusweiler "should not make any further judicial rulings until the affidavit has been ruled upon by the Chief Justice" except for limited circumstances specifically detailed in the Ohio Revised Code section that lists actions permitted by a judge facing a disqualification affidavit.

The affidavit requests the Supreme Court of Ohio assign a visiting or retired judge from outside Brown County preside over the case of Hensley and Tincher.

So, basically, according to Little, Judge Gusweiler has prejudiced the case and has shown a bias against Little. The charges get more specific:

Sometime between April 30 and May 6, Little asserts in the affidavit that Gusweiler met with the prosecutor alone in her office and "he looked very agitated." Little claims that Gusweiler stressed the difficulty with prosecution and financial implications of proceeding with capital murder charges that would have allowed consideration of the death penalty if convicted.

"It was his clear desire that these individuals be indicted as non-capital cases," Little says in the affidavit.

The cases were presented to a grand jury panel on May 6 and aggravated murder indictments that included death penalty specifications were returned against Tincher and Hensley. Clemens was indicted for obstruction of justice, to which she later pled guilty after reaching a plea agreement.

"Over the next several weeks, both on and off the record, Judge Gusweiler made numerous comments about the cost of the death penalty cases and what a burden they were for the Court and the County," Little states in the filing. "I felt these comments were directed at me."

In the affidavit Little argues that "Gusweiler's admonition not to indict the Defendants with death (penalty) specifications is inappropriate."

She argues that it is the prosecution's duty and discretion to decide how to best prosecute a case, and that a grand jury is responsible for determining what charges and specifications are appropriate based on the facts presented.

"Judge Gusweiler's public unhappiness with the indictments has demonstrated a prejudice against affiant personally, and, in turn, the State of Ohio," Little states in the document.

She also claims that Gusweiler interfered with a plea agreement the prosecution had reached with Hensley' during a late October meeting with his defense counsel, Bruce Wallace. A discovery document provided to defense counsel by the prosecution indicates Hensley agreed to plead guilty to aggravated murder, accept a sentence of 15 years to life in prison and provide truthful testimony against Tincher. In exchange, the state agreed to dismiss a gun specification, arrange for visits at the Brown County Jail between Hensley and Clemens, and put $100 in the commissary account of Hensley, or divide the commissary equally between Hensley and Clemens.

Hensley had initially requested conjugal visits with Clemens, but the prosecution was informed by officials at the jail that conjugal visits were out of the question, although non-contact visits between glass in the jail's visiting room could be arranged.

After learning of the details of the plea agreement and hearing that Hensley had bragged about the terms of the deal, Little asserts in the affidavit that Gusweiler requested that she, an assistant prosecutor and defense attorneys meet with the judge in chambers before a scheduled Oct. 26 hearing.

During that meeting, Gusweiler "was very angry and said that by putting $100 on Hensley's commissary account, the State, looking at me, 'looked like a whore' because I was 'buying testimony,'" Little said in the affidavit.

Gusweiler also advised Little to disclose details of the plea arrangement to defense counsel, including the fact that a second commissary account had to be opened for Hensley due to a negative balance from prior incarceration, and to disclose jail records of visits between Hensley and Clemens.

When a question arose about providing the commissary money from the Prosecutor's Office's "Furtherance of Justice" fund, Little states that she asked the Brown County Commissioners to pay the $100, and a commissioner tentatively agreed. However, the affidavit claims that Gusweiler "on his own initiative had come to the Commissioner's Office and told them not to pay Hensley's commissary account." It further states that Gusweiler also contacted a jail official and told him not to permit any special visitations for Hensley, and that the judge had personally investigated the accounts of Hensley and Clemens.

Little states in the filing that her office received a letter from Hensley about the plea arrangement.

"He stated that we did not put money on his commissary account as p[promised and he wasn't getting all of the visitations with Clemens as promised," the affidavit claims.

The letter went on to say that, if the money was not put in his account as promised, he would not testify against Tincher, according to the document.

"Due to Judge Gusweiler's ex-parte contact with the Commissioners and the Sheriff's Office and his personal investigation into the commissary account matter, the State was not able to keep its agreement with Hensley," Little states in the document. "Hensley is an essential witness against Tincher."

Little cites the fact that judges do have the authority to approve and/or deny plea arrangements, but she asserts that "it is improper for a sitting judge to directly involve himself in the plea bargain by actively trying to derail the plea bargain."

OK, this is getting ridiculous with these two. Some sources (neither of the principals involved) are telling me this is sour grapes that Little wasn't more supportive of Gusweiler during the Meranda mess. Other sources are simply saying Gusweiler has a history of being this bullying with women. Others are saying Little is blowing things out of proportion and that Gusweiler was just trying to help a first term County Prosecutor out.

To me, some of this sounds indeed like Gusweiler did overstep his bounds. It is up to the prosecutor to charge and present the evidence, and the grand jury to indict and/or recommend charges. The judge can only step in for constitutional or procedural issues, not just for "cost."

Gusweiler should have let it go and his statements over and over about the cost make one wonder if he is concerned with justice or just the bottom line. To the outside observer, his behavior and actions do look like more than just a simple investigatory attitude, and more toward trying to undercut the prosecutor.

Well, Gusweiler must have read some tea leaves or decided to save the taxpayers some money and wasted time, because he has removed himself from the case. From the Brown County Press:

Common Pleas Judge Scott Gusweiler has voluntarily withdrawn from the Joseph Hensley and Dallas Tincher murder cases.

Gusweiler made that decision in an answer he filed Dec. 16 with the Supreme Court of Ohio to Prosecuting Attorney Jessica Little's Affidavit of Disqualification asking that Gusweiler be removed from the cases.

In her affidavit, Little alleged that Gusweiler was biased against the State.

Retired Hamilton County Judge Thomas Nurre has been assigned to the cases as of Dec. 16 by Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Brown.
Gusweiler's response begins "In order to correct the record, I will respond herein to the allegations contained in Jessica Little's Affidavit of Disqualification. While I deny any bias or prejudice to Jessica Little...I will request that another judge be appointed to preside over the trial of this case."

Gusweiler then begins a response that runs for seven pages.

It begins with him rebutting the argument Little made in her filing that he was "agitated" when he visited her office to discuss the expense surrounding capital murder cases.

"I contacted a fellow judge and asked if he thought it would be appropriate for me to talk to the prosecutor about the cost of capital cases", the response reads.

"The judge told me he thought that discussion would be appropriate, given the financial straights the county was in", it continued.

The response then describes a meeting with Gusweiler and Little in her office, and Gusweiler's response reads "...I ended the conversation by telling Ms. Little that she was the charging official of the county and she needed to do what she thought was appropriate. I did not instruct her not to bring capital murder charges."

Gusweiler then moves on to the allegations in Little's affidavit that he "direct(ly) involved himself in the plea bargain by actively trying to derail the plea bargain."

Gusweiler describes how he reacted after learning of the elements of the Hensley plea bargain that included money being put on the jail commissary accounts of Hensley and his girlfriend Sarah Clemens and jail visits between the two.

"I was concerned about the appearance of impropriety involved with both of these elements of the proposed plea deal", his response reads.

Gusweiler describes a meeting between himself, Little and Hensley attorney Bruce Wallace where he told Little "I did not like the way payment to Mr. Hensley looked, but said I could not stop it. I did not tell or order Ms. Little not to fund Mr. Hensley's jail commissary account. I told Ms. Little that the plea deal, included money and visits, was evidence favorable to Mr. Tincher and must be disclosed in his case."Little's affidavit says that Gusweiler then went to the Brown County Commissioners and told them not to put any money on Hensley's account after Little determined that it would be improper for her to use money from the Prosecuting Attorney's office for that purpose.

Little's affidavit reads that his "admonition to the Commissioners not to put any money into Hensley's commissary account was improper".

Gusweiler's response reads "I spoke with two of the commissioners and told them that I did not think it looked right for the commissioners to use taxpayer dollars to fund the commissary account of Mr. Hensley (who was charged with murdering a Brown County citizen). I did not instruct the commissioners not to fund the account, nor could I. I indicated they should know I did not condone the practice and thought it reprehensible to give public funds to a capital defendant for his testimony."

Little further alleges that Gusweiler "improperly investigated aspects and facts of this case by himself" referring to Gusweiler gathering the records of Hensley's and Clemens' jail commissary accounts.

Gusweiler responds "I have not investigated any aspect of Mr. Tincher's alleged crime. I did take steps necessary to ensure Ms. Little was complying with my order that she fully disclose to Mr. Tincher's counsel the terms of the plea deal with Ms. Clemens and the proposed plea deal with Mr. Hensley."

Gusweiler closes with "I have no bias or prejudice against Ms. Little...and I have no doubt that I could fairly and impartially act as the judge on this case. Nevertheless, in order to remove any doubt about my impartiality, and in an abundance of caution with an eye toward ensuring justice is provided to the defendant and the victim's family, I request that another judge be appointed to preside over the trial of this case."

So, who knows the real story? But what I do know is that both Ms. Little and Judge Gusweiler ran on getting justice done for the people of Brown County, swift justice. These types of spats on the part of two elected officials are not bringing anything but consternation to the citizens of Brown County and making the county look like a joke.

Look, I voted for and worked to get elected both of these people. I considered them to both be of high quality and qualified for the job. I still think both are qualified. However, given the temperment of Gusweiler in the Meranda case, in addition to the charges in Little's affadavit, some sources are wondering to me if Gusweiler has the temperment to be judge of Brown County. I have no answer for that and can only look forward to seeing more results of justice served and less headlines of squabbling litigators.

Voinovich on "Don't Ask / Don't Tell"

statement:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio), today released the following statement regarding his vote in favor of repealing “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell:”

 

            “I vowed to keep an open mind on the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,’ pending the release of the Defense Department’s report earlier this month. Having reviewed the report, I accept its findings and Secretary Gates’ recommendation and reassurance that the repeal will be implemented when the battle effectiveness of our forces is assured and proper preparations have been completed.

 

            “The repeal of ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ will be implemented in a common sense way – our military leaders have assured Congress that our troops will engage in training and address relevant issues before instituting this policy change.

 

            “I am pleased ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ has come before the Senate as a stand-alone piece of legislation, as opposed to Majority Leader Reid’s efforts to tack this issue onto the Defense authorization bill. This issue deserved to be debated in the light of day, not hurriedly attached to a larger piece of legislation in hopes of sneaking passage through.”

The prelude to a "YES" vote?  I think so...  Good riddance...just how much more damage will this guy get to do before our long suffering nightmare is over?

House Republicans Announce Candidates for 98th House District

Release:

COLUMBUS—Ohio House Speaker-elect William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) and members of the House Republican Caucus today announced the slate of applicants who have applied for appointment to the vacant 98th House District seat.

Representative Lou Blessing (R-Cincinnati), who will chair the screening panel, will be joined by Reps. John Adams (R-Sidney), Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster), Dave Hall (R-Killbuck) and Todd Snitchler (R-Uniontown) in thoroughly researching the applicants and considering their unique credentials.
“I am very pleased with the impressive applicants who wish to serve the good people of Geauga and Cuyahoga counties,” Blessing said. “My colleagues and I on the panel will carefully consider how each candidate may best reflect the integrity of the 98th District.”
Applicants for the 98th House District seat include:

Mary Briggs

Michael Brown

Bob Cannon

Walter Claypool

John Eklund

Richard Hollington

Jeff Lechak

Matt Lynch

Ted Peterson

Kristina Port

Charles Stevens

Alan Wilson

BUTLER COUNTY: Lang Indicted for Perjury NOT Dynus Case

Everytime the Journal-News gets a chance to smear a Republican from Butler County, they take it.  Bad headlines.  Misleading emails.  Crappy journalism.  You name it, they've done it.

The latest news involves West Chester Trustee George Lang, who was NOT indicted for the Dynus case, but rather for allegedly perjuring himself testifying in the Dynus case.  And if the journalism is solid, I think the government is going to have a really hard time proving their case.  Let's go to the clip...

According to the indictment released just after 5 p.m. Wednesday, Lang “knowingly made a false material declaration” on Aug. 11, 2009, in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati while testifying in the federal case against Orlando Carter, the owner of the now-defunct Dynus Technologies.

...
During Carter’s trial, former Dynus president Jim Smith testified that Lang gave him a $100,000 kickback payment after the trustee’s agency was paid $360,000 in a lobbying contract. According to court testimony, Lang’s agency was paid to introduce Dynus officials to county officials in an effort to help the company obtain a contract to use the county’s fiber optics network to create a phone, Internet and video company.
Lang, who is the majority partner in Performance Benefits Solution and the Lang Agency, [ALLEGEDLY]perjured himself when he testified that he did not know that Smith was an employee of Dynus, and stated Smith was an “independent contractor” in 2004, according to the indictment. At the time, Smith was the company’s marketing director.

Note the added word in that last paragraph.

Let's define perjury so we have some idea what we're talking about and what all of this actually means.

When a person, having taken an oath before a competent tribunal, officer, or person, in any case in which a law of the U.S. authorizes an oath to be administered, that he will testify, declare, depose, or certify truly, or that any written testimony, declaration, deposition, or certificate by him subscribed, is true, willfully and contrary to such oath states or subscribes any material matter which he does not believe to be true; or in any declaration, certificate, verification, or statement under penalty of perjury, willfully subscribes as true any material matter which he does not believe to be true; 18 USC

In order for a person to be found guilty of perjury the government must prove: the person testified under oath before [e.g., the grand jury]; at least one particular statement was false; and the person knew at the time the testimony was false.
The testimony of one witness is not enough to support a finding that the testimony was false. There must be additional evidence, either the testimony of another person or other evidence, which tends to support the testimony of falsity. The other evidence, standing alone, need not convince that the testimony was false, but all the evidence on the subject must do so.

Now, lying is bad, especially under oath...but if the reporting in the article is accurate, I don't believe that the alleged lie will stand up in court against Lang and here is why:

Perjury is the "willful and corrupt taking of a false oath in regard to a material matter in a judicial proceeding." It is sometimes called "lying under oath;" that is, deliberately telling a lie in a courtroom proceeding after having taken an oath to tell the truth. It is important that the false statement be material to the case at hand—that it could affect the outcome of the case. It is not considered perjury, for example, to lie about your age, unless your age is a key factor in proving the case.

Unless there is significant evidence -- that we don't know about -- that illustrates that Lang knew that Smith was an employee of Dynus at the time, then this whole thing is rubbish.

More importantly, I don't see how that is vital to the Dynus case either.  Unless I am missing something that the lawyers in the audience would care to educate me of...

UPDATE:  It occurs to me that it is possible that the perjury charge is an opening move by the government and that further charges could be coming.  That is a possibility, I suppose.  Although, as an observer of this case over the last couple of years, I have to think that it is a bit late for another round of actual Dynus-related prosecutions.

UPDATE 2:  The follow-up story sucks too.  Is it too much to ask that journalists stick to providing information that is germane to the story but doesn't add extraneous information that doesn't explain the story. The only reason to add this stuff is to make the subject look bad.  The whole "Money exchanged" section has NOTHING to do with the perjury charge against Lang and is included only to smear Lang by associated non-relevent facts to a story that isn't about the money.  The Lang story is about whether or not Lang knew that Smith was an employee of Dynus and not an "independent contractor" as Lang testified.  The payments have nothing to do with this story and only distracts the reader from the facts of the Lang story.

Sen. Voinovich Farewell Address

As prepared:

Mr. President, I rise today to say farewell to the United States Senate after 12 years. I would like to take time to convey my heartfelt thanks to all those who have helped me during my time in the Senate and to reflect briefly on the work we were able to get done, work that made a difference for the people of my state and our nation.

I’d also like to share a few observations with my colleagues – both those who are staying as the 112th Congress convenes as well as senators yet to come.
At this stage in my life, as I look back on my 44 years in public service, I cannot help but thank God for the immeasurable blessings he has bestowed upon me. Each time I walk the steps of the Senate, I look up at the Statue of Freedom on the top of our Capitol Dome and I think of my grandparents who came to America with nothing but the clothes on their backs – they couldn't read or write, and spoke only a few words of English.
I have to pinch myself as a reminder that this has not all been just a wonderful dream; the grandson of Serbian and Slovenian immigrants who grew up on the East Side of Cleveland is a United States Senator.
Only in America – truly – none of us should take for granted the economic and political freedoms we have. My Dad used to say that the reason why we have more of the world’s bounty is because we get more out of our people due to our free enterprise and educational systems.
Mr. Gudikuntz, my Social Studies teacher said, “A democracy is a place where everyone has an equal opportunity to become unequal.”
And so during my final days in the United States Senate, I think of the people in my life who have gotten me up the steps of this hallowed chamber:
My wife of 48 years, Janet. She is God’s greatest blessing on me – she has never pushed or pulled but has always been at my side. My three children here on earth – George, Betsy and Peter, and my angel in heaven, Molly. And my eight grandchildren, my siblings and their extended families.
It’s not easy to have a father, brother or uncle in this business.
To the people of Ohio who have facilitated my election to seven different offices, and who have stuck with me, even though on occasion they don’t agree with me – my deep appreciation to you can never be properly expressed.
I hope you know that every decision I’ve made and every policy I’ve crafted – although not always the easiest or most popular at the time – has aimed to improve and make a positive difference in your lives.
I am very humbled to have been given the privilege to serve you through the years.

Here in the Senate, my wonderful staff – both in Ohio and in Washington. I am so proud of what they have done for me and the people of Ohio, and I take fatherly pride in having had the chance to touch their lives and see them grow.
I also think of their colleagues in other Senate offices who helped and cooperated with them as we worked together to solve our nation’s problems, meet challenges, and seize opportunities. My colleagues and I should be most humble, for all we are is a reflection of these wonderful, loyal, hardworking individuals. Also, thank you all in this chamber for the courtesies you have extended me. The folks in the Attending Physician’s office have taken care of me physically, and our two great chaplains Lloyd Ogilvie and Barry Black, along with the wonderful priests at St. Joseph’s on the Hill, have helped me grow spiritually.
I’ve learned in my life that you cannot do anything alone, so of course I think of my colleagues in the Senate who I have learned to know and respect – and been blessed to call friends. The American people have made it clear that they are not happy with partisanship in Washington, but the fact is there are some great partnerships here – and those partnerships and relationships result in action.
I don’t think many people outside Washington understand that a lot does get done here on a bipartisan basis. Many Americans think the only action in the Senate is on the floor of the Senate.
But much of the action of the Senate is in the committees and meetings with other members off the floor, as well as through unanimous consents. And once a bill gets through the committee, perhaps one or two people might have a problem with it, but you work it out; call them or go see them, and it gets done.
I’m proud of the contribution I have made to the country in the area of human capital and government management. The fact is though, without my brother Dan Akaka, the changes never would have occurred. There’s nobody who’s done more to reform the way we treat our federal workers - to make us more competitive and work harder and smarter and do more with less - than what Dan and I have done over the years.
It’s an area that is neglected by most legislators because they don’t appreciate how important the people are that work for government. I call them the “A Team.” Any successful organization has to have good finances and good people.
I’m also proud of my work in helping to relaunch the nuclear renaissance, which will help deliver baseload energy for America, reducing our greenhouse emissions and reigniting our manufacturing base in Ohio and America.
I couldn’t have done this without my great friend Senator Tom Carper, who has been both a friend and a colleague since our days as governor. Tom’s leadership was key to organizing our recent successful nuclear summit in Washington, and Tom has taken the baton from me and will carry nuclear energy to the finish line as part of the future of America’s energy supply- along with Mike Crapo, Jim Risch, Lamar Alexander and others.
I also recall the passage of the landmark PRO-IP bill, a bill to protect our intellectual property- the last bastion of our global competitiveness. It was a multi-year process that wouldn’t have succeeded without the work of the business community and my friend Evan Bayh, who I first met when we were governors of our neighboring states.
As many know, I have been an ardent champion for my brothers and sisters in Eastern Europe, the Baltic States and the countries of the former Yugoslavia. As such, I am proud to have led the effort to expand NATO and increase membership in the Visa Waiver Program.
These two accomplishments would not have happened without the bipartisan leadership of Dick Lugar and Joe Biden on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee – and the help of Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. I pray that the bipartisanship we have enjoyed in both the Foreign Relations and Homeland Security committees will continue.
I must also acknowledge Senator Jeanne Shaheen for her keen interest in Southeast Europe. We travelled together to the region in February of this year – and I am heartened that she has picked up the mantle on our mission to ensure the door to NATO and European Union membership remains open to all states in the Western Balkans, which is key to our national security.
I have also championed the cause of monitoring and combating anti-Semitism a priority within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and at our State Department. The progress that has been made over the years could not have happened without the leadership of Senator Ben Cardin, Congressman Chris Smith and the late Congressman Tom Lantos. One of the highlights of my career was the passage of the Global anti-Semitism bill which created a special envoy at the State Department to monitor and combat global anti-Semitism.
These are just a few of examples of the great bipartisan work going on in the Senate, but much of the time this is blurred because of the media’s addiction to conflict.
Even though I don’t agree with the bipartisan resolution on extending the Bush tax cuts, I compliment the President and leaders in Congress for sitting down and working together to find compromise. One of my frustrations after working so hard to find common ground on the significant issues of our day over the past 12 years has been that it does not happen more often.
The American people know that even when members of a family get along, it is difficult to get things done. So they most certainly know that when we are laser focused on fighting, politicking and messaging, their concerns and plight are forgotten and nothing controversial gets done. There is a growing frustration that Congress is oblivious to their problems, anxieties, and fears.
Frankly, one action Leaders could take at the beginning of each Congress it to assess the issues at hand – what are the items that Republicans and Democrats agree should get done to make our nation more competitive and really make a difference in people’s lives and set out a common agenda. By setting collective goals, buy-in and agreement from leadership will set the environment for committee Chairmen and Ranking Members for the year.
Additionally, an unacceptable amount of time is spent on fundraising. In my estimate, 20 to 25 percent of a senator’s time is spent on raising millions of dollars, and with it comes the negative fallout in terms of the public’s view of Congress bowing to contributions from special interests. In addition to this negative impression, the time spent chasing money too often interferes with the time we need with our families, our colleagues and most importantly doing the job the people elected us to do. My last two years have been my most productive and enjoyable because I have not had to chase money at home and around the country. None of us like it, but nothing seems to get done about it.
Ideological differences aside, it is necessary for us to have good working relationships if we are going to get anything done for the people who elected us. And I know it’s possible from experience.
As mayor of Cleveland, I worked side-by-side with George Forbes, the most powerful Democratic City Council president in Cleveland history. George and I met first when our children attended the Mayor Works Program in the Cleveland public school system. Who would have guessed that we would become the tag team that turned Cleveland around after it became the first major city in the country to declare bankruptcy. I was pummeled by the media on occasion in regard to who was actually running City Hall. My answer was both of us – Forbes and I worked together as friends and partners.

One of my great satisfactions was the write up in USA Today at the end of my mayoral career that highlighted both of us – the tall, African-American Democrat (Big George) and the short, white Republican (Little George) – working together to bring about the Cleveland Renaissance.
In Columbus I found a worthy adversary in Democrat Vern Riffe, who was speaker of the Ohio House for my first four years as Ohio governor. My office was on the 30th floor of the building named for Riffe while he was still alive and serving an unprecedented 22 years as speaker! Well, every day when I went over to the Riffe Tower I had to genuflect before his bust. But somehow, Vern and I decided we were going to figure out how we could work together and move Ohio forward and became good friends.
Needless to say I was dismayed when I learned last year that President Obama had held only a single one-on-one meeting with Mitch McConnell. When I was governor, I met with Vern Riffe and Stan Aranoff every two weeks – developing good interpersonal relationships and a trust which allowed us to move Ohio forward, from the Rust Belt to the Jobs Belt.
I’m hoping that we have entered a new era in the relationship between the President and Leadership in Congress.
Our situation is more critical than at any time in my 44 years in government; how we work together will determine the future of our country. We must also recognize that if we diminish the President in the eyes of the world, it is to the detriment of our nation’s international influence and will impact our national security.


We are on thin ice and need the help of our allies – they need our help as well. For example, the START Treaty: Although I had some reservations, they have been satisfied. It is vitally important we get it done this year, or, alternatively we must make it clear that the Senate will ratify the treaty as soon as the 112th Congress convenes.
To not do so would do irreparable harm to America’s standing with our NATO allies and would be exploited by our enemies – particularly those factions in Russia that would like to break off communication and revert back to our Cold War relationship.
Two weeks ago, Janet and I attended a farewell dinner hosted by Mitch McConnell. Although I have had differences with Mitch, I have to credit him with keeping the Republican Team together. There is no one more strategic than Mitch, John Kyle and Lamar Alexander. Still, I share the concern of many of my colleagues that too often the herd mentality has taken over our respective conferences.
At the dinner, I shared with my Republican colleagues what Ohio State University football coach, Jim Tressel defines as success in his book “The Winners Manual.”
“Success is the inner satisfaction and peace of mind that come from knowing I did the best I was capable of doing for the group.”
Success is a team sport. Hopefully, this will become the Senate’s definition of success because finding common ground and teamwork is what it will take to confront the problems facing our nation.
My colleague Senator Chris Dodd hit the nail on the head when he said, “It is whether each one of the 100 Senators can work together – living up to the incredible honor that comes with the title, and the awesome responsibility that comes with the office.”
We do have a symbiotic relationship, and I’m encouraged that more and more of my colleagues understand that. I was quite impressed with the fact that 60 percent of the Senate representation on the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform supported the recommendations of the Chairmen, including Tom Coburn, Mike Crapo, Judd Gregg, Kent Conrad and Dick Durbin.
As far as I am concerned, they and the other commission members who voted in favor of the proposal are true patriots.
As our colleague Tom Coburn said just before the Commission’s vote, “The time for action is now. We can’t afford to wait until the next election to begin this process. Long before the skyrocketing cost of entitlements cause our national debt to triple and tax rates to double, our economy may collapse under the weight of this burden. We are already near a precipice. In the near future, we could experience a collapse in the value of the dollar, hyperinflation or other consequences that would force Congress to face a set of choices far more painful than those proposed in this plan.”
And so, here we are in a situation where we are on an unsustainable fiscal course caused by explosive and unchecked growth in spending and entitlement obligations without adequate funding.
We’ve got an outdated tax code that does not sufficiently encourage saving and economic growth, and a skyrocketing national debt that puts our credit-rating in serious jeopardy and should give all of us great pause.
Fareed Zakaria posed questions that should haunt all of us in Monday’s Washington Post:
“So when will we get serious about our fiscal mess? In 2020 or 2030, when the needed spending cuts and tax hikes get much larger? If we cannot inflict a little pain now, who will impose a lot of pain later? Does anyone believe that Washington will one day develop the political courage it now lacks? And what if, while we are getting around to doing something, countries get nervous about lending us money and interest rates rise?”
I believe that the American people get it. They recognize that our fiscal situation is in the intensive care unit — on life support. And as I walk down the steps of the United States Capitol for the last time, I pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire my colleagues to make the right decisions for our country’s future and work together to tackle our fiscal crisis. You have the future of our nation and the future of our children and grandchildren in your hands.
Mr. President, I’ve already spoken too long, but I would like to finish with a reading from “One Quiet Moment,” a book of daily readings from the former Senate Chaplain Lloyd Ogilvie which I read every day for inspiration and proper perspective. Perhaps some of my colleagues are familiar with his daily reading – this was his Election Day admonition:
“…May the immense responsibilities they assume, and the vows they make when sworn into office, bring them to their knees with profound humility and unprecedented openness to You. Save them from the seduction of power, the addiction of popularity, and the aggrandizement of pride. Lord, keep their priorities straight: You and their families first; the good of the nation second; consensus around truth third; party loyalties fourth; and personal success last of all. May they never forget that they have been elected to serve and not be served.”
I yield the floor.

Finally...

Ohio Senate GOP Strikes Again

I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering this same group selected Tom Niehaus to be their president.  You know, one of the guys to retroactively raise our income taxes during a recession.

This time, the chose State Representative Peggy Lehner to fill their ranks instead of Seth Morgan.  Peggy had a gig in the Ohio House.  Seth chose not to run again so that he could take a shot at running statewide.  Of course, Seth is more conservative and has Tea Party backing which are two things that the Ohio Senate Republicans abhor and revile.

So, no, I am not surprised they chose a fellow squish...in fact, I predicted it this weekend.  Mark and I had at a lunch this weekend with a former Congressman and a member of the State Board of Education and the topic came up and I said that Lehner had the seat in the bag.  She fits in there with the liberal Republicans and now that the Ohio House has true conservative leadership, she wouldn't want to stick it out there and the Senate would welcome her with open arms.

The Ohio Senate will continue to be a problem...

Michelle Obama Wants to be Everyone's Momma

Michelle Obama wants to tell you all out there how to raise your kids and thinks most of you are too stupid to take care of your kids or bring them up properly. Of course, she is right about liberal parents, but still...this is disturbing and fundamentally tyrannical. Go here and check out the disgusting clip.

Related story here.

The View on Boehner is Not Fair

The dogs at the View and Elizabeth Hasselbeck talked about incoming Speaker of the House John Boehner's emotional interview on 60 minutes and his propensity to cry when talking about his background. Barbara Walters, in this clip, joined by that idiotarian female canine Joy Behar (notice I didn't say in heat because Joy hasn't been in heat since Lincoln was splitting logs), makes fun of Boehner, saying he has "emotional problems" and is "weeper of the House." Heheheh, how droll! Not! These women are disgusting. John Boehner is emotional because unlike those disgusting, troll like, unattractive ungrateful gasbags on the View (excluding Hasselbeck) he is proud of his country and the blessings it has bestowed upon him, given his humble beginnings.

I mean, if crying is so bad, I want to see them rail on Oprah for crying so much, or on Kate Gosselin, or most of the cast of Dancing with the Stars over the years. This is a disgusting personal attack.

If any of the ungrateful, spiteful, shrivelled frigid gas bags on the View were actually appreciative or respectful of this country, they might realize their blessings and be a little emotional, too! It amazes me that any woman would lower herself to be included in this show's viewing audience. These women (Hasselbeck excepted) are nothing more than parodies of gossipping shelas who have nothing to offer save hateful spite spewing forth from the fact they are shallow and have no principled depth, or emotional core.

Key Obamacare Provision Found Unconstitutional

A Virginia judge ruled against the federal government today, finding that the mandate for citizens to buy insurance is not constitutional. The judge's finding is crucial because it represents the first judicial blow against the leviathan known as Obamacare. The judge ruled that the federal government could not say to the American people that this mandate was not a tax, then turn around and defend the mandate by saying that it basically was a tax that is covered under the commerce clause. From the WSJ:

A federal court ruled Monday that a central plank of the health law violates the Constitution, dealing the biggest setback yet to the Obama administration's signature legislative accomplishment.In a 42-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson said the law's requirement that most Americans carry insurance or pay a penalty "exceeds the constitutional boundaries of congressional power."

The individual mandate "would invite unbridled exercise of federal police powers," wrote Judge Hudson, of the Eastern District of Virginia. "At its core, this dispute is not simply about regulating the business of insurance—or crafting a scheme of universal health insurance coverage—it's about an individual's right to choose to participate."

This is what we have been saying all along. Essentially the individual mandate is a tax on human life. A tax on breathing. This flies in the face of the basic tenets of freedom of individual choice, which liberals are supposed to view as sacred.

In his ruling, Judge Hudson wrote that the Interstate Commerce Clause wasn't sufficient for Congress to establish the individual mandate. He said Congress lacked precedent for "regulation of a person's decision not to purchase a product, notwithstanding its effect on interstate commerce or role in a global regulatory scheme."

Judge Hudson took some jabs at the law. In discussing whether Congress intended the law to stand if the mandate weren't included, he wrote that it was difficult to assess "given the haste with which the final version of the 2,700-page bill was rushed to the floor for a Christmas Eve vote."

He said the court was finding invalid only the part of the law that establishes the individual mandate, and any directly dependent provisions that refer to that part.

As usual, libs are trying to say that this will hurt people and that they need such huge powers to prevent insurance companies from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions. Um, how is making everyone buy insurance related to pre existing conditions? Only twisted liberal logic knows.

For the full text of the ruling, go here.

This decision, even though it doesn't fully vacate or injunct the law, is still key because it gives a reasoned and cogent argument why the healthcare law is unconstitutional. It lays out in judicial language why this is such a gross abuse of power. Of course, this will eventually reach the Supreme Court, where the onus will be on the judges to decide if they want to overturn a solid legal opinion for political expediency. Still to be decided of course are several other state lawsuits, including one that 20 plus states are a part of.

This is a key first battlefield victory over the repressive, expensive, and crippling Obamacare initiative. We need to stay vigilant and still go about repeal in the House and getting something done or on record in the Senate, because who knows how the US Supreme Court will rule, whether Kagan will recuse herself (she was involved with some aspects of the bill), and whether middling justices like Kennedy will shred the Constitution or not.

Update

Eric Cantor is calling for a direct appeal to the US Supreme Court. From National Review:

Today’s ruling is a clear affirmation that President Obama’s health care law is unconstitutional. The efforts of Governor McDonnell and Attorney General Cuccinelli have raised legitimate concerns and ensured that the people of the Commonwealth will have their rights protected against this unconstitutional law. Ultimately, we must ensure that no American will be forced by the federal government to purchase health insurance they may not need, want, or be able to afford.

“To ensure an expedited process moving forward, I call on President Obama and Attorney General Holder to join Attorney General Cuccinelli in requesting that this case be sent directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. In this challenging environment, we must not burden our states, employers, and families with the costs and uncertainty created by this unconstitutional law, and we must take all steps to resolve this issue immediately.

Update 2

This one from CNS News...It seems Nancy Pelosi doesn't care about whether what government does can be traced to the Constitution. I mean, who cares, it is only the framework and blueprint for our government, right? She doesn't take the Constitution seriously, nor probably her oath to defend it. Here is the skinny:

CNSNews.com originally published this story in which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dismissed the question of whether Obamacare was constitutional on Oct. 22, 2009.When CNSNews.com asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday where the Constitution authorized Congress to order Americans to buy health insurance--a mandate included in both the House and Senate versions of the health care bill--Pelosi dismissed the question by saying: “Are you serious? Are you serious?”The exchange with Speaker Pelosi on Thursday occurred as follows:

CNSNews.com: “Madam Speaker, where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to enact an individual health insurance mandate?

Pelosi: “Are you serious? Are you serious?"

CNSNews.com: “Yes, yes I am."Pelosi then shook her head before taking a question from another reporter. Her press spokesman, Nadeam Elshami, then told CNSNews.com that asking the speaker of the House where the Constitution authorized Congress to mandated that individual Americans buy health insurance as not a "serious question."

“You can put this on the record,” said Elshami. “That is not a serious question. That is not a serious question.”

That is disgusting. I think lawmakers should know where the authority for such things come from, or they shouldn't propose the cursed things.

Let's hope that this is but one of the beginning nails in the coffin for Obamacare and death panels.

Batchelder Announces Key Staff Positions for New House Majority

COLUMBUS—Ohio House Speaker-elect William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) today announced several of the incoming senior staff for the House GOP Caucus of the 129th General Assembly.
“Since I returned to the legislature in 2007, the House Republican Caucus has employed some of the most dedicated, hardest-working staff, and I intend to continue that tradition,” Batchelder said. “These people give their time and talent, day in and day out, to serve our caucus and the people of the State of Ohio, and I am grateful for their loyal service.”
Key GOP staff members will include:

Troy Judy, Chief of Staff (previously served as minority chief of staff)

Chad Hawley, Policy Director (previously served as minority policy director)

Dan Baker, Budget Director (previously served as minority budget director)

Leader Batchelder indicated that additional staff announcements would be available in the coming days.

Blaming the Boogie Man for the Possibility of $4 Gasoline

The gist of this article by Kevin Hall of McClatchy is to blame Wall Street for a rise in gas prices.  Of course, he has ZERO support for this claim in his piece.  In fact, just the opposite.

Here is his claim:

Despite weak demand in the U.S. and Europe, oil prices climbed this week to near $90 a barrel and gasoline prices have passed $3 a gallon on the West Coast and parts of the Northeast.


Why? If demand is down and supplies are plentiful — and they are — why would prices be going up?

Because Wall Street speculators are driving up oil and gasoline prices again — just in time to dampen holiday cheer.

But is demand low?  Not according to this bit from later in his piece:

The Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the Energy Department, said Wednesday that there is, in fact, increasing demand for oil compared with last year's low demand amid the recession.

Basically, Kevin has no idea what he is talking about...and instead of learning something about what he is writing about, he finds a convenient villain to pin it on and hope for an equally ignorant public to latch on to class warfare.

What really gets me is the dumb line about demand in US and Europe.  As if China and India have absolutely no role whatsoever in the demand for oil.  Europe is a declining, nearly dead, power in the global economy.  And the US isn't the powerhouse we once were.  Ignoring the emerging economies is just fundamentally dishonest reporting.  Again, either Hall is clueless about the subject matter or he is deliberately lying about the genuine cause for the price increase.

One of Strickland's Saddest Days

Here is a quote from Governor Strickland that was in a Johnathan Riskand piece:

"Today is one of the saddest days during my four years as governor," Strickland said in a release.

Did he suddenly realise that 400,000 Ohioans lost their jobs under his watch?

Nope...

He's sad because all of the fat cash won't be wasted in Ohio on the Slow-Mo Choo-Choo.

This, liberals, is just one of the plethora of reasons why he lost.

SIDEBAR: If Chris Redfern were tracked down for a quote, he'd say: "(&%^%$%^$$#@*)#$*&"

GUEST COLUMN: "Banning Earmarks – A Small But Important Step to Budget Sanity" by Rep. Jean Schmidt

By Rep. Jean Schmidt

Over the last several years we have heard a lot about Congressional earmarks in the federal budget. According to Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), the practice of Congressional earmarking began in earnest in the 1980s.  Generally speaking, the practice of Congress providing funding to specific projects or entities has been growing ever since.  CAGW estimated that the annual appropriations bills passed by Congress in 1991 contained around 546 earmarks costing approximately $3.1 billion.  By 2010, the non-partisan Congressional Research Service estimated that there were some 11,320 earmarks worth $32 billion – 1.5% of all appropriations – passed by Congress.  By any measure, the practice of earmarking has certainly gotten out of control.

No matter the origins or merits of earmarking, American taxpayers have had their fill of it.  They are tired of seeing their tax dollars spent on the latest government boondoggle – a new bridge to nowhere, a seemingly silly research project or to feather somebody’s own nest.  And, as Congress fights “to bring home the bacon,” projects of national significance, such as the Brent Spence Bridge, sit idly for lack of funding.

Last year, Republicans in the House of Representatives voted to discontinue the practice of earmarking.  I was proud to support that moratorium and when we convened earlier this month, I was proud to join a majority of other Republicans in continuing the moratorium.

As many people know, saying no is harder than saying yes. Disappointing people isn’t fun, but the country is facing a serious financial struggle to keep its expenses in line with its income.  Under the Obama Administration’s guidance, non-defense, discretionary spending has increased some 84%.  Our national debt totals more than $13 trillion and making a dent in that will require some very difficult choices.  It seems absurd that funding for the Appalachian Fruit Laboratory would be considered in the same debate as extending the life of the Social Security Trust Fund as we go about the necessary prioritization of federal funding.  While eliminating earmarks will not solve the budget problems, allowing them to continue certainly can’t help.
 
Unfortunately, like other old habits, this one dies hard.  A Senate proposal to end the practice for three years failed last week.  The Senate’s inability to deal with this issue at the moment is disappointing, but it’s not the end of the debate.

Reform does not always happen as fast as we would like, but the actions of the new majority in the U.S. House show that we are heading in the right direction. It is my hope that members of the U.S. Senate will soon join us in restoring the public’s trust in the budget process.