Batchelder Releases Statement on Apportionment Board Hearing

Release:

COLUMBUS—The Ohio Apportionment Board today held an emergency meeting to consider and accept an amendment from Rep. Sandra Williams that would strengthen voting rights in Cuyahoga County. The hearing was convened because of miscommunication related to the amendment during Wednesday’s meeting.

Speaker William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) released the following statement regarding today’s Apportionment Board actions:

“I applaud the Ohio Apportionment Board for taking prompt action to consider Representative Williams’ request, which is a positive improvement to the map as a whole and will strengthen the rights of minority voters in Cuyahoga County. This is a good amendment that I believe more fully complies with the constitutional and legal requirements for the maps of the Ohio General Assembly. I am pleased that Representative Williams made this request and that the board had the opportunity to analyze and accept it for the benefit of the Cleveland-area community.”

TIB All Stars -- Show Notes and Live Blog

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ORP Sticking to Guns on Martin

As I said on Facebook, there are plenty of reasons to loathe the Ohio Republican Party.  This, however, is NOT one of them.

Kudos to the Chairman and the ORP team.

GUEST COLUMN: "Angels in Adoption" by Rep. Schmidt

Rep. Jean Schmidt

WASHINGTON – You don’t have to gaze to the heavens in search of angels. Some walk among us.

Look no farther than Bethel, a village of about 2,700 people in Clermont County. There, Denise Strimple and fellow congregants of Bethel United Methodist Church provide an inspiring example of compassion.

They have taken on the task of fostering and adopting children whose parents are unable to care for them – often because of problems with alcohol or drugs.

This became a major part of the 151-year-old church’s ministry after Denise and her husband, Mark Strimple, volunteered to become foster parents 23 years ago. Since then, they have cared for more than 30 foster kids – some for up to two years.

The Strimples have inspired many other couples at Bethel United to become foster parents or to adopt children. Others have been certified as baby sitters for foster children, and many congregants offer up prayers of support.

Bethel United also organizes a Christmas party for adopted and foster children, who receive gifts from the congregants. The church’s other community services include an annual Joy of Adoption celebration and dinner.

Along with many of my colleagues on Capitol Hill, I am pleased to participate in the Angels in Adoption program of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. Members of the House and Senate select people based on their generosity and willingness to help the children of those unable to fulfill their roles as parents.

I’m happy to announce that this year I have selected Denise Strimple and Bethel United Methodist Church as Angels in Adoption for Southern Ohio. They restore our faith in how a small community can make a big difference.

The Strimples’ home in Tate Township, just outside Bethel, was in transition when Mark and Denise decided to reach out to needy children.

“Our two kids were getting older,” Denise said. “We had more than we needed, and we wanted to share. We became foster parents, and the ministry grew out of necessity. It seemed to just be infectious.”

At the same time, the need for these services has grown – along with the problem of substance abuse. Some children are born addicted to heroin – such as the infant girl with blue eyes and an adorable smile who the Strimples took into their home in 2009.

In Clermont County, the number of kids that Children’s Protective Services has removed from homes because of neglect or abuse increased by 78 percent in two years – rising to 235 last year from 132 in 2008.

On behalf of everyone at Bethel United Methodist Church, Denise and Mark plan to travel to Washington, D.C., next week to be recognized for the congregation’s efforts to remedy this problem.

But they intend to do more than meet with me and get a pat on the back. More than 6,500 homeless people live in our nation’s capital. While in Washington to be recognized for helping children in Ohio, the Strimples plan to volunteer at a soup kitchen to help feed the homeless.

God bless Denise and Mark Strimple. God bless all the other members of Bethel United Methodist Church.

And may God bless the United States with more people just like them.

BUTLER COUNTY: Clerk Returns $1M to County

Sheriff Spotlight could take a lesson or two from Mary Swain (and Roger Reynolds) in regards to managing the finances of county government. Streamlining operations without losing capabilities is efficient and fiscally conservative.

Real conservatives walk the walk. Sheriff Spotlight just talks the talk. And then whines to the 527 media when he doesn't get his way. I continue to be amazed at the really good people Sheriff Spotlight has working for him, and think it is a real shame that he gets most -- if not all -- the credit.

Anyway...

Kudos to Mary for getting the job done and doing it right!

Legislation to Penalize Campaign Finance Violators Passes from House Committee

Release:

COLUMBUS—The House Criminal Justice Committee yesterday approved legislation that, when enacted, will impose a criminal penalty on public officials who knowingly use public funds for political purposes.

House Bill 326—jointly sponsored by Representatives Jeff McClain (R-Upper Sandusky) and Brian Hill (R-Zanesville)—institutes a penalty of a first-degree misdemeanor, similar to the penalty for other campaign finance law violations. Currently, the Ohio Revised Code specifies that it is illegal to utilize tax dollars for political purposes but does not include a criminal penalty.

“This bill is very straightforward,” McClain said. “It simply protects taxpayer dollars and is deserving of the unanimous support it received.”

“Taxpayers are one step closer to holding their public officials accountable if they misuse public dollars and violate campaign finance laws,” Hill said. “Thank you to Chairman Slaby and the members of the Criminal Justice committee for their speedy consideration and unanimous support of this important legislation.”

The issue arose after a recent audit of the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) revealed that in 2007 and 2008, TARTA illegally loaned nearly $67,000 to Citizens for TARTA, the political action committee that gathers resources to fund TARTA levy campaigns.

Having passed from the Criminal Justice Committee, House Bill 326 now awaits a vote by the full Ohio House of Representatives.

Yes on Issue 2 Gains Some Momentum

I suppose I should point out this Quinny poll which shows some progress on the part of Building a Better Ohio in support of Issue 2/SB5.

As with every Quinny poll, they over-sampled Democrats (see our friends over at GOHPblog for more on that). So if you are scoring at home, Issue 2 is probably still a bit under where we need it be for a victory in November, but we are encouraged by direction we are seeing thus far.

For the record, Quiny pegs this as down by 13%, 51%-38%.

But here are some things that you probably won't hear about...

Support the part of Issue 2 that would replace automatic pay increases based on seniority with performance-based pay, 60%-31%.

Support requiring public employees to pay at least 15% of their health insurance costs, 59%-35%.

Support requiring public employees to pay 10% of their wages toward their pensions, 56%-33%.

Building a Better Ohio spokesman, Jason Mauk:

This survey shows clear momentum in support of State Issue 2. In just two months, the opposition’s lead has been cut in half, despite millions of dollars being spent on misleading ads. Ohioans continue to show the more they learn about Issue 2, the more they like. Three of its fundamental reforms have overwhelming public support, and we're confident the margin will continue to narrow as voters understand the issue. We're focused on waging a fact-based education campaign that cuts through the scare tactics and gets to the heart of these reasonable reforms that will help communities save jobs, balance budgets and avoid the never-ending demand for higher taxes that hurt us all.

Personally, I would like to see at least one ad that strikes back against all of the lies and misinformation put out there by people who are portrayed as trustworthy and respectable; but I'm not holding my breath. And I'm not talking about another bland "white board" cartoon ad...

My takeaway is this: Big Union and the Democrats (but I repeat myself) have been spending millions of dollars lying to Ohioans and the Issue 2 support numbers go UP. The truth is getting out there, but we must continue being vigilant as that is the only way we shall prevail. Sources tell me that there is a vast number of undecideds on this issue, so keep the faith and continue engaging your friends and neighbors. We ARE winning.

Rasmussen and WMD on Term Limits

This is idiotic:

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 71% of Likely U.S. Voters favor establishing term limits for all members of Congress. Just 14% oppose setting such limits, and 15% are undecided about them.
...
But only 18% of all voters think Congress is even somewhat likely to pass legislation that establishes term limits on people elected to Congress, with five percent (5%) who say it’s Very Likely. Seventy-five percent (75%) feel Congress is unlikely to limit how long its members can serve. That includes 27% who say it’s Not At All Likely. According to Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, “Voters recognize that expecting Members of Congress to place reasonable limits on themselves is like expecting toddlers to select a reasonable bedtime.”

We already have term limits, folks, we call them ELECTIONS! You want your Congresscritter out of office? Get with the folks in your district and make it happen. It is just that easy...

Nick Owens Announces His Candidacy for the Ohio House of Representatives

Nick Owens

Release:

Batavia Township – Today, Nick Owens officially announced his candidacy for the Ohio House of Representatives in the newly created 66th District for the Republican primary election in 2012. Nick Owens is a graduate of Batavia High School and the University of Cincinnati. Currently, Nick is in his last year of law school at the University of Dayton where he is scheduled to graduate this May. Prior to entering law school Nick Owens worked nearly five years for U.S. Representative Jean Schmidt with separate stints in her Cincinnati district and Washington, DC offices.

“The most important issue facing Brown and Clermont Counties today is jobs. The 66th Ohio House District deserves a representative in the state legislature who will fight tirelessly for jobs in Southern Ohio. The latest unemployment numbers of 9.1 percent for our state is completely unacceptable and while leaders in Columbus are working hard for Ohio, we must continue to do better,” stated Owens.

“The citizens of Brown and Clermont Counties deserve the opportunity to the live the American dream and should not have to leave the State and their loved ones to find gainful employment. It is time for Ohioans of all backgrounds to work together and put our state back in the right direction and I’m prepared to roll up my sleeves and get right to work,” stated Owens.

Additional campaign information can be found at: www.votenickowens.com

The newly created 66th House District includes: portions of Clermont County (Village of Batavia, Batavia Township, Village of Amelia, Pierce Township, Village of Williamsburg, Williamsburg Township, Ohio Township, Village of New Richmond, Monroe Township, Washington Township, Village of Moscow, Village of Neville, Franklin Township, Village of Felicity, Village of Chilo, Tate Township, and Village of Bethel) and all of Brown County.


ABOUT NICK OWENS:

Nick Owens is no stranger to hard work and adversity. Being born to a teenage mother at the age of 17 has shown Nick the importance of pro-life policies and making the right decisions. Nick was raised in Batavia and has deep roots in Clermont County. Prior to graduating from Batavia High School in 2003, Nick enrolled at Clermont College as a full-time student during his Junior and Senior years of high school. In 2003, Nick transferred to the University of Cincinnati's main campus where for two years he was a student equipment manager for the Bearcats football team. In his second year, Nick became the head student equipment manager to then Coach Mark Dantonio.

At the age of 20, Nick became the first person in his immediate family to earn a college degree. Majoring in Finance and Real Estate, Nick graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Business with a Bachelor of Business Administration. Just days after completing his undergraduate education, Nick began his first involvement in Republican politics when he started volunteering for former State Representative Jean Schmidt in her initial Congressional campaign.

Upon Congresswoman Schmidt’s special election to the United States House of Representatives, Nick was asked to be a Staff Assistant in her Cincinnati district office. After Congresswoman Schmidt’s election to her first full term, Nick was transferred to the Washington, DC office where he was promoted to the position of Legislative Correspondent. After a few years of working on Capitol Hill, Nick decided to further his education and moved back home to Batavia where he continued working for Congresswoman Schmidt while preparing for law school.

Nick began his graduate studies in May 2010 at the University of Dayton School of Law. He is currently enrolled in the School of Law’s accelerated law degree program, and is scheduled to graduate this May. During his last year of law school, Nick has worked for the Brown County Prosecutor’s Office where he has assisted in the prosecution of numerous criminal misdemeanor cases, including receiving a conviction during his first jury trial.

Nick’s father, Rob, currently runs a small family-owned heating and cooling business in the Clermont and Brown County area, in which his mother Judy assists. Additionally, Nick has one sister, Stephanie, who is currently serving in the United States Marine Corps. She has achieved the rank of Corporal and has served one tour of duty in Afghanistan.

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Education Committee Passes Huffman's School Choice Bill

Release:

COLUMBUS—The Ohio House Education Committee has passed legislation that reforms and expands school choice within the state of Ohio. When enacted, House Bill 136 will add private schools as an option for some families, along with open enrollment, charter/community schools, special education scholarships and joint-vocational schools.

The bill creates the Parental Choice and Taxpayer Savings (PACT) scholarships, which gives scholarships to middle-income families based on need, similar to the federal Pell grant.

“Parents, not the state, are in the best position to choose which school their child should attend,” said State Representative Matt Huffman (R-Lima), who sponsored the bill. “Along with open enrollment to other districts, charter/community schools and other schools, private schools would now be an option for families that previously could not afford that option. House Bill 136 will empower parents and will provide our communities with a more comprehensive educational structure.”

The PACT scholarship is $4,600 at its maximum and will be paid from state funding, not local tax dollars. This amount represents at least 20 percent less than the amount paid for charter schools, open enrollment and other school choice programs. Recipients will be counted in the local district’s average daily count, which will bring additional state dollars to the district.

“This program will result in substantial savings to the taxpayer, while giving parents another option for their child,” said Huffman.

House Bill 136 received eight hearings in the House Education Committee and now awaits a vote by the full House.

Boehner Statement on the President’s Debt Plan

Release:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following statement in response to the President’s latest debt plan.

“Pitting one group of Americans against another is not leadership. The Joint Select Committee is engaged in serious work to tackle a serious problem: the debt crisis that is making it harder to get our economy growing and create more American jobs. Unfortunately, the President has not made a serious contribution to its work today. This administration’s insistence on raising taxes on job creators and its reluctance to take the steps necessary to strengthen our entitlement programs are the reasons the president and I were not able to reach an agreement previously, and it is evident today that these barriers remain.”

NOTE: The President’s proposal would raise taxes on both small businesses and on private capital, which is the essential ingredient for job creation in our economy. By declining to support structural improvements to strengthen our entitlement programs, the President has chosen to ignore the warnings about our debt crisis sent by the markets in August – leaving Americans exposed to the possibility of further downgrades that will further damage confidence and make it harder for our economy to grow and create jobs.

Mrs. Sherrod Brown Resigns as "Objective" "Journalist" from "Objective" Newspaper

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

That this absurd conflict of interest was allowed to continue for this long makes a total mockery of ever leftist dolt who whines about "Fair and Balanced" Faux News...

When I call them the 527 Media, it's because they do have an agenda. And they ain't hiding it...

Bubp: Congressional Map Receives Bipartisan Support in Ohio House

Release:

COLUMBUS—State Representative Danny Bubp (R-Lake Waynoka) has announced that after months of diligent work and many regional hearings throughout Ohio, the Ohio House of Representatives today passed House Bill 319, which establishes boundaries for Ohio’s 16 congressional districts based on the 2010 decennial census. The legislation—which passed with the support of the House’s Cuyahoga County Democrats—adheres to the U.S. Constitution, the Ohio Constitution, and the Voting Rights Act to ensure that it respects all requirements set forth in law.

“I am pleased by the hard work of the legislature to put forth sixteen new congressional maps that will allow residents to be fairly represented in Washington D.C.,” stated Bubp.

The map outlined in H.B. 319 treats incumbent candidates equally, with three Republican and three Democrat incumbents drawn into overlapping territories. It also complies with clear precedents of the federal Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Supreme Court in ensuring that the civil rights of minority communities are protected in the redistricting process. Similarly, it creates an additional minority opportunity district in Franklin County.

However, despite the opportunity for bipartisanship in the redrawing of district lines, the House Republican Caucus did not receive a single suggestion for a congressional map from the House Democrats—even though the minority caucus was granted equal funding for such a project. Like all Ohioans, the House Democrats were encouraged to research and submit congressional map proposals for consideration by the State Government and Elections Committee.

H.B. 319 will now move to the Ohio Senate for further consideration and debate.

Carpetbagger Thinks He's Got a Shot at Boehner

Amateur doesn't even live in the district.

Don't waste your time bub...

GUEST COLUMN: "How to Create 4,000 Local Jobs with a Stroke of the Pen" by Rep. Jean Schmidt

Rep. Jean Schmidt

After President Obama finished his speech about jobs to a joint session of Congress last week, I handed him an envelope. It contained a letter that outlined how to create 4,000 jobs in South-Central Ohio with the stroke of a pen.

I told him what the letter was about. He said: “Thank you, I’ll look into it.”

That letter was signed by the mayor of Portsmouth, David Malone, and four local business leaders. During a meeting with me, they asked that I personally deliver the letter to the president. The letter noted that in 2008, while campaigning for the presidency, Barack

Obama promised to support a conditional loan guarantee for USEC’s American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon.

It’s shovel ready. It would create 4,000 jobs in Ohio – and another 4,000 jobs elsewhere. That’s 8,000 jobs total. The jobs at the uranium enrichment plant would be long term. They would be jobs that pay well.

The best part is they would be created by the private sector – not through stimulus dollars linked to tax hikes.

The jobs bill that the president announced last week – and plans to tout again when he visits Cincinnati next Thursday – includes an estimated $467 billion in permanent tax increases.

These new taxes would be needed to avoid a deficit of $447 billion over 10 years to pay for temporary stimulus spending, new job-training programs, unemployment insurance, and temporary tax reductions. Those estimates come from the White House.

I applaud the president’s desire to do something about unemployment, but I don’t agree that the way to do it is through raising taxes and more federal stimulus spending.

Unemployment is stuck at 9.1 percent nationally. And the jobs picture for August was flat – no net expansion of employment – despite $825 billion in stimulus funds that have been poured down our economic well.

The president had claimed that money would fund 550,000 full-time jobs, but the Congressional Budget Office notes that those numbers are not to be trusted – because some of those “jobs” might have been created anyway. And some of the “new jobs” are made to look new but aren’t – through the slippery magic of how government shifts money around.

This week, the Census Bureau said the poverty rate in the United States was 15.1 percent last year, the highest rate since 1993. That means 46.2 million people in the United States were living below the poverty line, and their situations likely have not improved. The Census Bureau also reports median household income declined last year.

So, flushed with this kind of “success,” the Obama administration proposes to do more of the same – more make-work public sector jobs. And the administration proposes to find the $447 billion to pay for them by raising taxes on the very parts of the economy – businesses and individuals with high net worth – that are the most likely to create long-term, stable employment.

The idea of raising taxes was a non-starter the last time the White House suggested it. That’s not likely to change.

The reason is simple.

The kinds of jobs the government funds in a hurry don’t last long, and their effect on the economy is negligible.

It's Really All About the Kids, Right? Update: Teachers Defy Court Order, Kids Suffer

From KIRO 7 in Washington:

The Tacoma School District has canceled school today because teachers have returned to the picket line, defying a judge's order that they return to class.

Yep, the unions really care about educating the kids, don't they? Not so much. And, they are violating a judge's court order. Great example!

ObamaCare: White House Emails Reveal Accounting Fraud

Team Obama was cooking the books to make Obamacare look like it would be cost neutral, or even be good for the economy. From TownHall.com:

When Democrats entered their full-court press for Obamacare last winter, they made it clear that nothing would stand in their way. Not hostile public opinion, not sound policy interests, not even a desire to know what was in their own bill. Nothing. One of their boldest plays was to manufacture a CBO score explictly designed to reach the ludicrous conclusion that theor new multi-trillion-dollar entitlement program would actually reduce the deficit. In order to accomplish this feat, they used smoke and mirrors accounting gimmicks that went far beyond even many Beltway cynics' wildest imaginations.

Many of us didn't believe the numbers. And one bold rep disproved much of the lying calculus of Team Obama:

Rep. Paul Ryan exposed and debunked Democrats' most audacious tricks during the healthcare summit -- which of course did absolutely nothing to convince Democrats of the error of their ways. During his illuminating dissection of the bill, Ryan mentioned a provision called the CLASS Act, a new federally funded long-term care program embedded within Obamacare. Ryan quoted Sen. Kent Conrad, a Democrat, as decrying the program as a Madoff-style "Ponzi scheme." Why? Because the premiums supposedly collected to pay for the CLASS Act over Obamacare's first decade would be injected into that phony, contrived "deficit reducing" CBO formula -- while the program itself would likely collapse under its own weight almost immediately. In other words, some critics suspected, Democrats were creating an entire program just to extract hypothetical dollars from its front-loaded revenue mechanism to "pay for" the larger bill -- with no real intention of implementing a sustainable long-term care program.

A new exclusive shows that even team Obama knew the figures were bogus:

Even as leading Democrats offered assurances to the contrary, government experts repeatedly warned that a new long-term care insurance plan could go belly up, saddling taxpayers with another underfunded benefit program, according to emails disclosed by congressional investigators. Part of President Barack Obama's health care law, the program is in limbo as a congressional debt panel searches for budget savings and behind the scenes, administration officials scramble to find a viable financing formula.


So the White House was telling the public everything was copacetic while internal government experts were frantically warning that the administration's ideological plans were profoundly unwise. If this scenario feels strangely familiar, it should. Here's the AP's background on the CLASS Act as well as an explanation of its fatal flaws:


CLASS was intended as voluntary long-term care insurance plan, supported by premiums, not taxpayer dollars. Workers would pay an affordable sum of around $100 a month or less. In exchange, they would receive a modest daily cash benefit averaging no less than $50 if they become disabled later in life. Beneficiaries could use the money for services to help them stay at home, or to help with nursing home bills. The Health and Human Services Department is supposed to set the final premiums and benefit levels in the coming months.

But the program is on a collision course with powerful demographic and economic forces. How to pay the exorbitant cost of long-term care remains a major unmet need for an aging society. On the other hand, many economic experts believe the government has already promised seniors more than it can deliver, and now is not the time to launch another program likely to need a taxpayer bailout or new mandates.


In short, this was a preposterous boondoggle that was bound to fail (by design) from the get-go. The dirty little secret, you see, was that Obama, Inc. didn't care if CLASS failed. The whole point was to show theoretical on-paper "premiums" that added revenue to the black side of the CBO's overall Obamacare ledger. Whether those premiums ever materialized, and whether the program went totally bust, was immaterial. This was purely an accounting scheme contrived to make Obamacare appear less costly. Some veteran government number-crunchers noticed the impossible math and tried to raise the alarm. They were disregarded and frozen out of deliberations for their trouble:


Emails show that the first warning about CLASS came in May 2009, from Richard Foster, head of long range economic forecasts for Medicare. "At first glance this proposal doesn't look workable," Foster wrote in an email to other HHS officials, some of whom were working with Congress to get CLASS into the health care law. Foster said a rough outline of the program would have to enroll more than 230 million people — more than the U.S. workforce — to be financially feasible. But work on CLASS continued, bolstered by a report for AARP that laid out scenarios for implementing the plan. The AARP study also raised financial concerns, although the seniors' lobby supports CLASS. (My note: More incomprehensible treachery from AARP).

In July, Foster tried again. After reviewing the latest information from Kennedy's office, he wrote HHS officials: "Thirty-six years of (professional) experience lead me to believe that this program would collapse in short order and require significant federal subsidies to continue." Too late. The Obama administration had decided to support CLASS. Documents and emails indicate that Foster was edged out of deliberations.


Foster was sent to the corner to sulk. His math was too politically inconvenient, so he was banished to intellectual Siberia. (Say, I thought it was only those anti-science, anti-critical thinking Republicans who did this sort of thing). Foster wasn't the only insider who was extremely critical of the scheme:


By that time, Marton, the HHS aging policy official, was also raising questions internally. Emails he sent other administration officials relayed studies that raised concerns about such issues as premiums and the role of employers, while also recommending fixes. Publicly, the administration maintained it would all work out. A December 2009 presentation for senior officials stressed the end result would be a financially robust program. In private, administration insiders were still spelling out concerns.


They knew it was a lie. Their actuaries told them so. The math was clear. They didn't care. If CLASS goosed the numbers for the broader bill -- thus helping secure the historic power grab they'd been salivating over forever -- these Statists were thrilled to adopt an "ends justifies the means" mentality.

They knew. They didn't care if things went backrupt. They just wanted to control your lives....This is disgusting and beyond the law...it is criminal....

Fast and Furious Update: 3 More Confirmed Murders With Guns from Obama

Our federal government let druglords and gangbangers walk away with guns, grenades, IEDs, and more. Three more murders are on the Obama Administration's bloody hands:

Weapons linked to ATF’s controversial “Fast and Furious” operation have been tied to at least eight violent crimes in Mexico including three murders, four kidnappings and an attempted homicide.

According to a letter from U.S. Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the disclosed incidents may be only a partial list of violent crimes linked to Fast and Furious weapons because “ATF has not conducted a comprehensive independent investigation.”

When added to the guns found at the murder scene of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in the U.S., the newly-revealed murders in Mexico bring the total number of deaths linked to Fast and Furious to four.

According to the Justice Department letter:

One AK-47 type assault rifle purchased by a Fast and Furious suspect was recovered Nov. 14, 2009 in Atoyac de Alvarez, Mexico after the Mexican military rescued a kidnap victim.

On July 1, 2010, two AK-47 type assault rifles purchased by Fast and Furious suspects were recovered in Sonora, Mexico after a shootout between cartels. Two murders were reported in the incident using the weapons.

All of this financed with your tax dollars with the approval of the Justice Department and the Obama White House, it looks more and more like. But wait, there is more...

Operation Castaway, another op that allowed thugs to walk with guns into Honduras is heating up:

Hugh Crumpler III, the federal inmate incarcerated at a facility in Lexington, KY, for illegal firearms sales, has written letters to Rep. Gus Bilirakis and Sen. Marco Rubio requesting they look into “Operation Castaway,” an investigation the Justice Department has characterized as an anti-gun trafficking operation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives’ Tampa Field Division.

At WMD we have catalogued how corrupt things are. How high up did knowledge of this stuff go? We have seen how the FBI tried to cover up the use of an FF gun in the killing of federal agents. How high up did it go? Darrell Issa has an idea:


Come clean, Obama! Come clean, Holder! Your attempts to smear honest gun shop owners was a failure that turned into government sponsor of organized crime in Mexico and Honduras, and has resulted in at least two killings of federal agents and at least 3 murders in Mexico along with other violent crimes. Your FBI tried to cover things up, and this too must be exposed. Come clean! Demand Obama come clean!

Process for Replacement in 18th District Seat

Release:

(Columbus) - Ohio Senate President Tom Niehaus (R-New Richmond) announced today the process to fill a pending vacancy in Ohio's 18th District Senate seat.

Due to the upcoming changes to Ohio's senate districts as a result of reapportionment, the Senate Republican Caucus will not accept applications until the Apportionment Board completes its work and the new 18th District lines are finalized. At that time, the Senate will announce a specific timeline for the application process.

Once the timeline is in place, the Senate will follow the same process for filling a vacancy that has been used for previous appointments:

* Applications will be required for consideration
* Applications must be sent or hand-delivered to the Senate office in the Statehouse
* A Screening Committee made up of several members of the Republican Caucus will interview candidates
* The Screening Committee will make a recommendation to the entire Republican Caucus

Incumbent Senator Tim Grendell will be leaving the 18th District seat on September 21 to become a judge of the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas.

Remember, folks, Senator Tom Niehaus retroactively raised our taxes!

Video: "Rodeo"--EPA Needs to Slow Down

The EPA is killing the economy with regulation after regulation. This Administration has added thousands of regulations to the Federal Register at an unprecedented pace and has killed probably tens of thousands of jobs in the process, as well as making America more energy dependent. It needs to stop now.

Obama's American Jobs Act=More Supporter Bailouts, Blue State Bailouts pt. 2

This farce of a retreaded stimulus, known now as the American Jobs Act touted by Obama, is just more Chicago style politics. It is an effort to shore up his crumbling foundation of support by giving more bailouts for unions and blue states. The fine folks at the WSJ have more of this analysis:

Last Thursday, the president urged Congress to pony up roughly $200 billion in taxpayer money to "provide more jobs for teachers [and] more jobs for construction workers" and more money to carry out other state and local activities. He urges Congress to spend this money even after handing out hundreds of billions of dollars for similar purposes as part of the 2009 stimulus package, as well as a score and more billion dollars again in 2010.

These vast contributions to the coffers of state and local governments, though pitched as a jobs bill, are in reality the latest in a series of bailouts for debt-ridden state and local governments. They are of special benefit to states in the blue regions of the country where the president's most fervent supporters reside.

In many blue states, legislators have copied the politicians in Washington by running up state debts to extraordinary levels. Nationwide, state debt is running around $3 trillion. If unfunded pension liabilities are factored in, estimated liabilities leap forward by another $1 trillion to $3 trillion, depending on the optimism of the assumptions made.

The bond market has taken notice. Before the 2008 financial crisis, state sovereign debt was just about the safest place to invest. Because investors did not pay taxes on the interest, states were able to borrow money at rates below those paid for federal securities. With the onset of the financial crisis, not only did borrowing costs rise across the board, but differences in interest rates among states widened dramatically. Bond holders concluded that some states, like Greece, had been extraordinarily profligate and, even worse, lacked the will to rein in their expenditures. Last Thursday, the president urged Congress to pony up roughly $200 billion in taxpayer money to "provide more jobs for teachers [and] more jobs for construction workers" and more money to carry out other state and local activities. He urges Congress to spend this money even after handing out hundreds of billions of dollars for similar purposes as part of the 2009 stimulus package, as well as a score and more billion dollars again in 2010.

These vast contributions to the coffers of state and local governments, though pitched as a jobs bill, are in reality the latest in a series of bailouts for debt-ridden state and local governments. They are of special benefit to states in the blue regions of the country where the president's most fervent supporters reside.

In many blue states, legislators have copied the politicians in Washington by running up state debts to extraordinary levels. Nationwide, state debt is running around $3 trillion. If unfunded pension liabilities are factored in, estimated liabilities leap forward by another $1 trillion to $3 trillion, depending on the optimism of the assumptions made.

The bond market has taken notice. Before the 2008 financial crisis, state sovereign debt was just about the safest place to invest. Because investors did not pay taxes on the interest, states were able to borrow money at rates below those paid for federal securities. With the onset of the financial crisis, not only did borrowing costs rise across the board, but differences in interest rates among states widened dramatically. Bond holders concluded that some states, like Greece, had been extraordinarily profligate and, even worse, lacked the will to rein in their expenditures.

This type of bailing out is unprecedented, and will actually hinder our future growth. It is an intrusion on the unique American Federalism that has fueled our meteoric rise in just a couple of centuries:

In a new study at Harvard's Program on Education Policy and Governance, we discovered why the Obama administration is so interested in helping out the states. States with a bluish hue—that is, states with legislatures that are heavily Democratic and have a highly unionized public-sector work force—must pay interest rates that are often an extra half a percentage point higher than states with a reddish coloring.

Specifically, a 20 percentage-point increment in either the Democratic share of the state legislature or a comparable increase in the share of the public work force that is unionized drives up interest rates by nearly a half a percentage point on a five-year security note. That amount is nontrivial. In Obama's home state of Illinois, it is costing governments over $700 million annually.

The impact of these political factors on interest rates is in addition to the impact of standard economic factors, such as a state's unemployment rate, its gross domestic product growth, and its debt-to-GDP ratio, all of which are themselves shaped in part by the state's political climate.

In short, the bond market has concluded that the more unionized the state and the bluer its political coloring, the riskier it is to hold bonds marketed by that state.

States will face even higher interest rates if the president's proposed limit on the deductibility of state and municipal bond interest income (to help pay for the jobs plan) is enacted. If the interest is no longer deductible, investors will demand a higher rate of return for buying bonds, and state calls for more federal aid will intensify.

Federal rescue of states is a dramatic departure from past practice. State bankruptcies date back to the 1840s when, amid a financial crisis, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois and five other states discovered they had invested too heavily in infrastructure. The last state bankruptcy was in Arkansas during the 1930s. But overall the instances were few; in each case the federal government refused to come up with a fix.

Bankrupt states paid the price, but for the country as a whole, a system of fiscally sovereign states has proven incredibly beneficial to the nation's economic well-being. Every state is responsible for its own police, fire, schools, transport and much more, and most of the time they do reasonably well. If they manage their affairs so as to attract business, commerce and talented workers, states prosper. If states make a mess of things, citizens and businesses vote with their feet, marching off to a part of the country that works better.

It is this exceptional federalist system that helped drive the rapid growth of the American economy throughout the first two centuries of the country's history. Because state and local governments competed with one another for venture capital, entrepreneurial talent and skilled workers, governments generally had to be attentive to the needs of both citizens and commerce.

So, not only is Obama trying to shore up support by payouts to unions, but he is trying to get more states addicted to the drug of federal money. So, our President is now no more than a drug pusher, seeking to get states more addicted and strung out on the government drug of federal aid, a drug that creates more dependence and comes with more and more strings.

Herman Cain Unveils Plan for Growth

Herman Cain is one of the names getting new publicity after the shellacking that Gov. Rick Perry took in the last debate. He has risen a few notches, and today he unveiled his plan for growth in an editorial to the WSJ, his campaign release says:

It is inherently American to work, to risk and to dream. Our government's policies should encourage that.



Last week, President Obama unveiled his eagerly anticipated jobs plan. After 43 minutes of his speechifying, Americans were left wondering: We waited 30 months for this?

Indeed, it seems Mr. Obama's first term has been spent advancing a legislative agenda that pays no mind to our ailing economy and the Americans whose sufferings are casualties in his ideological war. After a failed stimulus package, preferential industry bailouts, and the disastrous government overhaul of the health-care industry, it seems the plight of the American worker has remained an afterthought.

This is the worst jobs recovery since the Great Depression. If the Obama administration's aim was to merely tie for last place with the previous worst recovery, it would have created eight million more jobs, based on comparative data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If our recovery were more typical of the postwar era, as former Sen. Phil Gramm reported on this page in April, we would have 14 million more jobs today.

As a longtime leader in the business community, I know firsthand that government does not create jobs. It can only create the conditions in which businesses operate. These conditions can spur growth, or they can suppress it. The conditions imposed by the current administration have suppressed growth.

Still, there is hope. That hope begins with economic certainty, a sort of assurance the president seems unwilling to provide. I, on the other hand, have proposed a plan that would stabilize and grow our economy:

"Cain's Vision for Economic Growth," also known as the 9-9-9 Plan, is founded upon three guiding economic principles: Production drives the economy. Risk-taking creates growth. Units of measurement must be dependable.

The plan begins with restructuring the tax code to include the broadest possible base at the lowest possible rate. The elements are:

• A 9% corporate flat tax. Businesses would deduct purchases from other businesses and all capital investment. The resulting gross income is taxed at 9%.

• A 9% personal flat tax. Individuals would deduct charitable contributions, then pay 9% on the rest of their income. Capital gains are excluded.

• A 9% national sales tax. This levy would be placed on the consumption of all new goods. Used goods purchased would be excluded.

My plan would also permanently eliminate taxes on repatriated profits, as well as payroll taxes and the estate tax.

All of these measures would free up capital, spur production, and incentivize risk-taking, thereby fueling the economy and creating jobs. The plan has been designed to be revenue neutral initially, and then revenues would grow in line with the economy.

But these policies must be coupled with sound money. A dollar must be worth the same tomorrow as it is today. Stabilizing the dollar's value starts with the federal government taking significant measures to rein in its spending and pay down the national debt. Americans must be assured that the federal government will live within its means and get serious about eliminating our crippling debt. Repealing ObamaCare, Sarbanes-Oxley and the Dodd-Frank bank-regulation bill would be critical steps.

Finally, my plan promotes enterprise zones, also known as "empowerment zones." Coupled with tax reform and monetary stabilization, empowerment zones would revitalize inner cities by providing tax credits to businesses that hire workers living and working in underprivileged areas.

Some of the most tragic unemployment numbers can be found in minority communities and in urban centers around the country. Empowerment zones would create a whole new generation of wage-earners providing for their families. The late Jack Kemp, a secretary of the department of Housing and Urban Development and a dear friend, was one of the first lawmakers to propose empowerment zones. He understood the tremendous economic benefits they would provide.

Each job lost today is not merely a statistic. Americans are struggling to determine whether to pay their mortgages or buy groceries, whether to buy school uniforms or pay the electric bill.

Such despair is unfitting for the greatest nation the world has ever known. After all, it is inherently American to work, to risk and to dream. Our government's policies should encourage that, not stifle it.

Not sure I agree with all of this, but there are a lot of good thoughts and ideas.

Ohio's New Congressional District Map

Redistricting Map - Ohio in Color

State Teacher Retirement System Misleading Taxpayers and Teachers...

I am a contributor to the STRS system as a substitute teacher in SW Ohio. These allegations I find very troubling, but not surprising, given that there was a great deal of controversy with STRS and misleading just a few years ago. From the Buckeye Institute:

In response to our report, Taxpayers on the Hook: Taxpayer Contribution Rates for Ohio Government Pensions Outpace National Averages, the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) attacked the Buckeye Institute while conveniently leaving some undeniable facts at the door. By using their own data, reading their own admissions, and even following their own assertions, it is evident that Ohio taxpayers are far from off of the hook when it comes to potentially bailing out the pensions.



Key points:

STRS is plum broke. It possesses only 59 cents for every dollar in liabilities, leaving a $38.7 billion hole;

In its own statements, STRS has pursued an even higher taxpayer contribution rate than the current 14 percent (16.5 percent);

Using STRS' own recommendation of a 16.5 percent taxpayer contribution rate, Ohio would have the 10th highest taxpayer contribution out of 34 states with a teacher's pension system, including those that also pay into Social Security;

Social Security will result in a rate of return of near zero or negative for many "contributors," especially young and new workers;

State employees in Ohio are actually making out by not paying into Social Security;

Most private sector Ohioans can expect a 6.2 percent employer contribution to Social Security and a 4.0 percent 401(k) employer contribution, totaling 10.2 percent. This level is considerably lower than both STRS' current 14 percent and its desired 16.5 percent contribution rate.

Read the whole thing. Apparently, neither teachers or taxpayers are well served by the current system, and much like Social Security, the STRS is not going to be able to live up to its promises to teachers.

Re: Ohio Redistricting of Congressional Districts

Justin Higgins says one of the most important things that I have heard about the redistricting plan over at his blog:

Should geographic proximity force a coalition of fiscal and social conservatives, many of them holding a “rigid partisan ideology” to accept a moderate member of one of the two parties in the name of “accountability” for the sake of “competition”? Simply put, while the map may be ugly, the lack of swing districts in no way makes lawmakers less accountable. If anything, it shifts more of the fight to primaries, where voters can define their preference of lawmaker amongst choices that are all marginally acceptable to the voters.

Emphasis added.

Now, the next thing we have to tackle is keeping Kevin DeWine and his crew out of these races (and all races) and this idea might actually work.

DOC: Schools Estimated Savings Under SB5

SchoolsSB5

Mark's Remarks

I, Mark, received this doc at work from sources deep within the bowels of Columbus, per a request I have had on the burner for a while. Note, my fellow Brown Countians, the savings our schools will have to hire MORE teachers, to reduce class size, etc. Note, my dear neighbors in Clermont, the savings your school districts will have to do the same. I would think an organization that represents teachers would be behind such a proposal, to get more teachers into jobs, but that is not what the teachers unions are about, evidently.

Also, to those ticked off with my representative Danny Bubp: this shows he was justified in his vote IN FAVOR OF SB5, with the changes the House made to the bill. Is it perfect? No. But when asked to negotiate, the unions just didn't show. Therefore, this is the best we have and we should go for it. The districts would save so much money that could be used to hire more people, and isn't that good for the kids?

Chariman Alex on Selection for 30th Ohio House

Release:

The Republicans in the Ohio House of Representatives have made their decision on which of the many qualified candidates should replace Bob Mecklenborg in the 30th Ohio House district. After considering a field of over 10 applicants, it has been announced that Green Township resident Lou Terhar will be the new representative. The vacancy was created upon the resignation of Mr. Mecklenborg. The 30th House district encompasses a sizable portion of western Hamilton County including Green Township, Delhi Township, Cleves, and Harrison.

Mr. Terhar has an impressive resume. He has been President and CEO of several successful companies. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He received a graduate degree from Harvard and teaches at Xavier University. He is active with the Boy Scouts and several other charitable and civic organizations. Lou's wife, Debe, was recently elected to serve on the Ohio Board of Education where she is the President of the Board. Debe and Lou have 4 children and 3 grandchildren.

Statement of Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou

"The Republicans in the State House of Representatives had a difficult decision to make because of the many outstanding candidates who were being considered for this important seat. The citizens of the 30th House District should be gratified by the high quality nature of the applicants.

"Lou Terhar is a fine choice to serve the citizens of the 30th House District. He is a businessman--not a politician. His successful career in business and his background as a veteran of the United States Navy make him a supremely qualified candidate to take this seat."

"Mr. Terhar joins a leadership team in Columbus that has recently balanced the state budget, taken courageous steps to reform government, and have taken on special interests to protect the taxpayer. I am confident he will serve admirably."

VIDEO: "Fooled Us Once"

From the release:

"528,000 unemployed Ohioans don't want another photo-op or campaign speech from the president; they need solutions which create jobs," Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine said.

"Barack Obama has a very steep hill to climb in Ohio when it comes regaining his credibility on job creation. The proposals the president put forth last week certainly merit consideration by members of both parties in Congress; including those who remain of the eleven Democrats who joined Republicans in opposition to the first failed stimulus.

"Bipartisanship is a two-way street, and if the president wants to be taken seriously about working together to move America forward, then he should afford the same level of consideration to the jobs plans put forth by Speaker John Boehner, Senator Rob Portman, and Governor John Kasich," Chairman DeWine concluded.

House Republican Caucus Unanimously Recommends Louis Terhar to Vacant 30th House District Seat

Release:

COLUMBUS—State Representative Matt Huffman (R-Lima), who chaired the Republican Caucus screening panel for applicants to the vacant 30th House District seat, announced that the panel unanimously recommends retired U.S. Navy Commander Louis F. Terhar for the appointment.

“Commander Terhar has a stellar record of service to his community, our state, and our country and will be a welcome addition to the Ohio House Republican Caucus,” Huffman said. “He brings a broad variety of public and private sector experience to the table, and I look forward to the opportunity to work with him.”

Mr. Terhar is a 1972 graduate of the United States Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Syracuse University, and a master of government degree from Harvard University. In addition to his strong educational background, Terhar is a retired commander of the United States Navy, serves on the Board of Executive Advisors of the Williams College of Business at Xavier University, and is an executive board member with the Boy Scouts of America. He also serves as an adjunct professor of business at Xavier University, where he was named professor of the year by the MBA graduate students in 2008.

Mr. Terhar has served as the CEO of several private sector companies and resides in Cincinnati with his wife Debra. They have four children and three grandchildren. Commander Terhar will be appointed to the House on Wednesday, September 14 during session at 1:30 p.m.

Brown County/Uecker Update: Some Revisions and Extensions

Last week, we discussed the upcoming Ohio Senate primary between state reps Danny Bubp and Joe Uecker. We discussed some of the rumors and observations people have had. In fact, at some point, we asked what has Joe Uecker done for Brown County. Well, upon further review, Joe has done some things for Brown County worth notice and appreciation. These items mentioned come from emails from folks and comments from readers:

While Colonel Bubp was away in service to his country in Iraq, Rep. Uecker helped Brown County officeholders, citizens and trustees with issues. Mr.Uecker also engaged in battle with colleagues over issues that affect Brown County, even when he was a twp trustee in Clermont County himself.

Also, dear readers, we engaged in a bit of hyperbole, that some may have taken as too serious. Mr. Uecker has made the rounds to Brown County republican events, and has been seen in parades, though often times just as part of the party and not necessarily on his own or what have you.

Perhaps Niehaus isn't steering Uecker, but I know Niehaus is steering Brown Countians to Mr. Uecker. Niehaus should stay out of things, especially since he isn't exactly on the best terms with taxpayers, or did you not remember that HE VOTED TO RETROACTIVELY RAISE YOUR TAXES?

So, some of what we previously wrote may have been either in error or a bit hyperbolic. We almost always appreciate when readers logically and rationally contact us to correct the record....Note: this automatically disqualifies Dennis Varnau supporters from contacting us. :)

Col. Bubp and Mr. Uecker have both been congenial and open to discussion during my interactions with them. I hope both of them run an honest race and no matter who wins, they will continue to support strong conservative values.

My 9/11

I wasn't planning on doing this, but after watching the videos on History Channels and National Geographic Channel, it brought back the terror, the sadness, the sympathy, the hurt and the pure anger I felt on that day 10 years ago. With everyone's videos and comments on social networking sites, I thought best not to partake, for I felt that my moment of silence this morning at 0846 and the prayer I said remembering the families of all those lost, the men and women of the NYPD and NYFD, the service members at the Pentagon and the numerous men and women in uniform, my brothers and sisters in the arm service who paid the ultimate sacrifice and became a part of a long proud tradition of heroes that have made this country what it is.

Yes I know all the slogans, We Will Never Forget, Gone but not Forgotten, Always Remember, etc, etc etc. I say yes, we should never ever forget. Forgetting would make it so those people would have died in vain, forgetting will cause us to slack off our guard, forgetting makes it easier for those who wish us harm to do so again. I know that I will never forget, for the sake of those lives, for the protection of my family, for the love and protection of my country, I will never Forget, so help me GOD.

We, as Americans, need solemn remembrence, mourning and comfort on occasions such as this. Its part of the healing process, and as someone who works in a funeral home, I see the importance of healing and grieving everyday. However, I am going to propose something that might anger you when you read this next line, however, please before making a judgement, read the rest of this post. I propose that instead of mourning today and on future 9/11's, we celebrate. That's right, I said celebrate. Mad yet? Keep reading, I promise you will see things different. The deaths have happened, the mourning has passed, the pain is still there, especially for those who lost loved ones, however, being sad, hurt and angry on 9/11 will not bring back those lives, it will not deter the terrorists, it will not make us a better country. However, if we look at the positives that have came from that tragic day and we celebrate the lives, the heroism and the reaction of Americans on that day and the following days, we will continue to grow stronger as a country and as a people.

On 9/11/2001, we all woke up, it was a normal day. Everyone will remember where they were when the news broke in. However, before 0846 eastern time, it was a normal day. In the history of our country, 9/11 was a day filled with history and tragedy just like any other day, however 2001 would forever change that regular day. Before that, some history buffs might have know, on this day in 1777, our forces suffered a defeat by the British at the battle of Brandywine, in 1814, We wooped the British at Lake Champlain. In 1936, FDR hit the button that fired up the very first generator at the recently completed Hoover Dam. In 1941, we broke ground on the Pentagon, and in 1961 a Category 4 hurricane named Carla hit Texas, killing 46 people. Now, on, in 2001, exactly 40 years to the day that we started construction on the Pentagon, that same building became a target in the eyes of the terrorist who struck that day and make 9/11/2001 more than just another regular day filled with small tidbits in history of our country. I remember where I was and how I felt.

Now, lets go back to 9/12/2002. We woke up to more scenes from New York and from the Pentagon and from a field in Shanksville Pennsylvania. However, for most, the initial shock and awe had left us. At this point, we were looking at each other wondering what we should do, wondering will the anger and hurt go away, wondering who was responsible, wondering what will we do. We also saw (to some with amazement and to me with great pleasure) the resilience that is the American nature. We saw the firemen, first responders, volunteers sifting through the debris that use to be these wonderful buildings. We saw their courage, their strength and their fear. Men and women who had been working tirelessly for over 24 hours now. They kept going, exhausted, dirty, tired, hungry, thirsty and knowing that with every piece of destruction they rolled over, they could find a victim of this horrible act, many of those victims brothers and sisters of the PD and FD or the armed service, yet they still dug, they still searched, they still fought. It was then, we realized something. Like those searchers, Americans will never stop, never give in. We then started to see reasons to celebrate.

Over time, we saw something new. Something, in this time of political discourse, we haven't seen in a long time. Something that was especially missing in the days following the 2000 elections. We saw a UNITED STATES OF AMERICA once again. Sure, there were still arguments over politics, there were still Democrats, Republicans and independents, still different ideas on how to feed the poor, create jobs, fix the economy, etc etc etc. But when it came to this day, and the short days thereafter, and our response to the events of this day, for once in my lifetime, something happened that we haven't seen since WWII. We were no longer Republican, Democrat or Independent, we weren't latino American, African American, Asain American. People were no longer black or white or any other color, we didn't see differing ethnic groups or religions, we were ALL AMERICANS, united in response to those responsible. We stood as one voice and one nation and put away our disagreements and politics and said "We will not back down, we will not surrender, we will not go silently into the abyss of history but WE WILL fight back and those guilty of this act will pay the price". A reason to celebrate. Leaders of both parties put aside their disagreements and stood together. Neighborhood disputes were put aside for a few days. For awhile, we stood strong in our response. It was something to remember and celebrate.

For a while, America changed. For a while, America was an even better place than it already is. I remember a video that aired during commercial breaks for a while. I wish it still did. It showed a row of houses, red brick, all about the same in a peaceful little neighbor. The voice over said, "On September 11th, the terrorist set out to change America..." then all of a sudden the scene faded than came back, only this time, every porch had an American Flag flying from it and it concluded with the voice over finishing the sentence by saying, "They succeeded" It was strong, it was powerful and it said exactly what I'm trying to say. It showed what America was capable of and gave a reason to celebrate in the midst of sorrow.

I save this last reason to celebrate the positives of that day because I believe it is the most important of all and it holds very near and dear to me. We need to look at the positives of that day, many which were seen right away although it took us a while to see them through the tears; and others which came to light days, weeks, months and years down the road. We must look at the heroism, the self sacrifice and the actions of those involved that day. We must celebrate their lives and their actions. For it was those people that made the strength of America after 9/11 possible. We saw it on our tv and heard about it for years after. Men and women, some just regular people, some heroes already because of their service to the country or to their fire department or police department. They gave us something positive in the horrible event. Something to be proud of, something to celebrate, something to shove in the faces of those SOBs responsible to show we won't be beat. We heard of the the passengers of Flight 93 fighting back. We heard of the phone call that started with them being told that other flights were hijacked and used as human loaded bombs and ended with the now famous phrase, "Lets Roll". We will never know the exact details of that flight, nor will we know which passengers were part of the charge. But we do know two things. In an attempt to attack democracy, democracy was used to decide to fight back and the second thing we know is, the actions of those passengers led to the crash of that plane in a field in PA and prevented it from its target and the further killing of innocent civilians. In the Marines, we are taught that courage is being afraid but going in anyways. I know that those passengers that charged the cabin, fought back and saved lives were scared for their lives, how could they not be, but yet they went anyways. We learned of regular, everyday workers, people who don't carry a gun, run into a burning building, fight wars, but just work a 9 to 5 in an office sacrificing themselves to save their co-workers. Men and women that were at another regular day at work in the office. This particular day that office was in the Twin Towers or the Pentagon. When the planes hit, the fires roared and the people screamed, they jumped to action. They could have chose to run, the could have chose to save themselves. Yet many chose to run back in. They were scared, but they went anyways. They ran into the debris, the smoke, the flames and the heat so that they might save one more person. They guided co-workers, office rivals, friends and strangers to safety. Often running back in for one more check. Many didn't return. Courage. We also remember the members of the NYPD, FDNY and the first responders at the Pentagon who showed up for another regular day of work. When the planes hit, they ran. That's right, they ran. They ran towards the flames, not away. Many could have left, many could have volunteered to do perimeter security, many who were off duty could have stayed home til their shifts started. However, they didn't do that. They chose to run into the buildings, they chose to go in early to see how they could help. The ran up the stairs, the helped drag the injured out just to get them on an ambulance and run back in again. Many didn't come back. Some were new to the department, some veteran's. Some, like Bob Beckwith, famous for being the man standing next to President Bush during the famous Bull Horn Speech on Sep 14 were retired and no longer on the Department, yet came in willing to do what they had to do. Were they scared? Yes, even though they've been in danger before, this was something never seen. They were scared but they went in anyways. The ones who went in claim they were just doing their job, but we saw much much more. All the events of the day, all the people who worked together to show our resolve, to save lives, to clean up the rubble so we can rebuild. They were all scared, but they all went in. That's something to celebrate... Courage.

So, continue with your posts, your memories of 9.11, your sorrow and mourning. However, when you wake up the next day, remember 9/12/2001 and how America was that day. Remember that in the wake of tragedy came something positive. In the shadow of loss, American still had something to celebrate. We will always have a political divide. We will always have our family and neighborhood disputes. But when we remember how we felt on 9/12. When we celebrate the lives of those we lost, when we remember and celebrate the positives that came from those events, when we do this, maybe, just maybe we will find ourselves just a little happier, a little better neighbors and a little better friends. If we remember 9/12, we might set aside some of the smaller arguments, we might find ourselves a little closer and little happier. Lets remember those who stood up and answered our nation's call. Lets remember the pride we felt when we saw them continue on. When we heard the stories of ordinary citizens becoming heroes when they fought back, when we heard of those going back in because they heard a voice in the smoke. Yes, we should feel sorry for those who lost love ones, we should mourn those lost, but we should celebrate the heroism of that day. We should celebrate the resolve of the American people and how, for a short time, we stood together with complete disregard for all our other problems.

9/11/2001, a date which shall live in infamy. Yet we shall forever remember the good that came from it. We stood together, we wept, we comforted, we cleaned up, we remembered, we answered our nations call, we fought back and we let the terrorist know that you may have blackened our eye, but you will NEVER weaken the spirit of the American people. That is something to remember and celebrate.

9/11/2011...Images, Memories, Prayers...from Mark

President George W. Bush with some powerful words yesterday in Shanksville, where the brave passengers of Flight 93 saved the Capitol or the White House from destruction...


It was ten years ago today...on a beautiful Tuesday morning....over 3000 people would go to work, or out to eat, or what have you....and never come home...

19 scumbag islamofascist thugs would use innocent people and aircraft as weapons to try to pry us into fear...Here are some images and remembrances from that horrible day...


Shortly after the attacks, our Commander in Chief told the bravest and finest we were with them and made a vow....



A vow that not only led to a new emphasis on those who fear us because we are free, but led to freedom for millions who had been under the heel of brutal e dictators...And the justice for this, while it may never be complete in this life, the cowardly dirtbag who orchestrated this has been sent to hell...



And though that particular devil is gone, there are more out there, looking to try to do what UBL and others have tried and failed to do: Bring America to her knees. As long as America has the brave men and women of the military and the law enforcement and first responders, as long as we are a people of freedom and liberty under God; then no group of religious fascist fanatics can destroy us....God bless the men and women who serve us....

God bless our brothers and sisters who ran into the maelstrom as others fled, seeking to save everyone they could...and God bless those who took things into their own hands to defeat evil with a cry of "Let's Roll..."

May we never, ever forget the Fallen....




Let us continue on to live our lives as they lived, striving to be all we can be and live out this unique American Dream, but with a renewed vigilance and understanding of how rare, precious, and special is our gift of liberty. Let us live in freedom, hoping for peace but ready to defend the cause of justice and liberty...God bless America....

AFP-Ohio Urges Ohio's General Assembly to Pass Senate Bill 216

Release:

COLUMBUS- Americans for Prosperity-Ohio urges Ohio's General Assembly to pass Senate Bill 216, which was introduced this week by Senator Kris Jordan. Senate Bill 216 will repeal the onerous mandates placed on Ohio's energy industry in 2008 by Senate Bill 221.

Considering the vast amount of energy resources in Ohio, these mandates over regulate Ohio's energy industry and unnecessarily increase energy prices and cause job losses in Ohio's communities.

AFP-Ohio will work to support Senate Bill 216 and end Senate Bill 221's intrusion of government into Ohio's free market.

"At a time when Ohioans are struggling to provide for their families, the last thing we need is legislation like Senate Bill 221 that artificially raises Ohioans' energy bills and drives business and jobs out of Ohio," said AFP-Ohio State Director Rebecca Heimlich.

Happy 45th Birthday Star Trek!!!

45 years ago, a journey to where no man, no one has gone before.....



That carried to a next generation....




To far flung space station....



To the far reaches of the galaxy....



It's been a long road....



and now another vision for the future....

Energy for Ohio Jobs

Release:

Columbus, OH – Today, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) announced the formation of a new coalition “Energy for Ohio Jobs” that will promote policies that ensure Ohio’s ability to access affordable, reliable power through coal. Energy for Ohio Jobs supports reasonable environmental regulation that continues the pursuit of cleaner air while balancing economic priorities.

The Energy for Ohio Jobs coalition is deeply concerned about the impact of new regulations under consideration by the Environmental Protection Agency on electricity costs and reliability. We want to continue the environmental progress made in recent decades in a manner that does not jeopardize our economic recovery, unnecessarily increase electricity costs, or threaten the reliability of our electricity system.

“Energy for Ohio Jobs knows we can have both a strong economy and a clean environment,” said Kevin Schmidt, Director, Public Policy Services, Ohio Manufacturer’s Association, and a member of the coalition. “The EPA should take a more balanced approach to these regulations, without unnecessarily raising electricity rates and costing us valuable Ohio jobs.”

Energy for Ohio Jobs believes that access to affordable energy is essential to a high quality of life. The United States has a 200-year supply of energy contained in American coal reserves. Coal is particularly important in Ohio because it is used to generate more than 80% of the electricity in the state.
Energy for Ohio Jobs is committed to a cleaner environment. Coal-fueled electricity continues to make great progress in improving its environmental footprint. Nationally, since 1970, emissions that traditionally have been controlled under the Clean Air Act have been reduced by more than 80% per unit of electricity produced.

More about Energy for Ohio Jobs can be found here.

Speaker Batchelder Announces Applicants for 30th House District

Release:

COLUMBUS—Speaker of the Ohio House William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) and members of the House Republican Caucus today announced the slate of candidates who have applied for appointment to the vacant 30th House District seat.

“I look forward to speaking with these individuals and working with the committee to determine who will be the newest addition to the Republican Caucus,” said State Representative Matt Huffman (R-Lima), who will chair the screening panel. “We will continue to work with the Hamilton County Republican Party as we select the best candidate to represent the citizens of the 30th District.”

Applicants for the 30th House District include:

* Rocky Boiman – Founder and CEO of Rocky Boiman Football Academy, retired NFL player

* Richard Hammersmith – Self-employed communication specialist

* Tony Hornbach – Attorney at Thompson Hines LLC

* James Krause – Director of Internal Auditing at Western & Southern Financial Group

* Matthew Miller – Research scientist at University of Cincinnati

* Charlie Norman – Southwest Ohio Regional Director for Attorney General Mike DeWine

* Pakkiri Rajagopal – Chief of Community Relations for Hamilton County Probation Department

* Mary Beth Walter Schill – Health care social worker

* Steven Schinkal – Project and operations manager

* Louis Terhar – Managing director at Strategic Planning Advisors

The House Republican screening panel—which will consist of Representatives Huffman, Kristina Daley Roegner (R-Hudson), Margaret Conditt (R-Liberty Twp.), Terry Blair (R-Washington Twp.), and Tim Derickson (R-Oxford)—will interview the candidates on Monday, September 12th in Columbus. The Speaker’s office will contact individual candidates who met today’s deadline with a time for a screening.

The full Republican Caucus will vote on filling the 30th House District vacancy following the screening, and the new member is expected to be appointed during House session on Wednesday, September 14th.

No, Nothing to See Here: Solyndra Raided by FBI, Once Touted by Obama

Gee, wonder if it has anything to do with misplaced stimulus money? What did Obama know and when did he know it? Check this out:

FBI agents executed search warrants on Thursday at the headquarters of California solar firm Solyndra, which received a $535 million loan from the federal government before filing for bankruptcy last week.

Agents executed multiple search warrants at the company's headquarters in Fremont as part of an investigation with the Department of Energy's Office of Inspector General, according to FBI spokesman Peter Lee. Lee said he could not provide details about the investigation.

Solyndra is a solar-panel manufacturer once touted by President Barack Obama as a beneficiary of his administration's economic policies. It announced last week that it was laying off 1,100 workers and filing for bankruptcy.

The company was held up as the model for government investment in green technology. In addition to the $535 million loan guarantee, it received visits from the president and other state and federal officials.

Hey, anybody know what happened to that 535 million? Anyone? From PJM:

A beleaguered Solyndra spokesman took a wild guess at what the FBI might be looking for:

Solyndra spokesman Dave Miller said the search came as a surprise, but he emphasized the company is “fully cooperating” with federal officials. He said he did not know the purpose of the search, but he speculated it could have something to do with the $535 million in loan guarantees the Department of Energy awarded to Solyndra.

Ya think?

While the “Anybody seen $535 million around here?” quote in the headline is of course a joke, Business Insider adds some key context to the raid:

The Obama administration’s relationship with the company has come under scrutiny since the bankruptcy was abruptly announced last week. The Daily Caller reported that between March 12, 2009, and April 14, 2011, “Solyndra officials and investors made no fewer than 20 trips to the West Wing.”

Solargate?

Fast and Furious: Exploring the White House Connection

If you look at who in the White House was in on some of the ATF emails regarding Operation Fast and Furious/Gunwalker, you may see that perhaps there is a high level connection to the President and perhaps there was more knowledge than initially revealed. From Investor's Business Daily:

Operation Gunwalker, the rogue ATF operation to arm Mexico's cartels, extends now to three White House officials. A bell goes off with the one named Dan Restrepo.

Late last Friday, CBS News and the Los Angeles Times almost buried the news that Restrepo, the National Security Council's top man for Latin America, and two other officials, were in on ATF memos from the Gunwalker operation called "Fast and Furious."

That blows apart White House claims that it had no idea the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was encouraging frontmen for Mexico's cartels to buy weapons from U.S. gun dealers — to "trace" them afterward.

Some 2,000 U.S. guns were sold in Gunwalker but simply disappeared — until they turned up at massacres in Mexico and at the murder scenes of U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian Terry and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agent Jaime Zapata.

But outgoing ATF acting director Ken Melson and others who've been the fall guys in this scandal darkly hint that their orders came from the White House, and domestic critics think Gunwalker can only be explained as a White House bid to boost support for gun control. Restrepo's involvement distinctly raises both possibilities.

Restrepo is a political operative whose interests are more domestic than Latin American. As a result, he's botched every Latin American operation he's had his hand in, appeasing enemies and blaming the U.S.:

• Honduras: In 2009, Restrepo was behind a U.S. bid to swiftly declare Honduras' constitutional ouster of its president "a coup" and sanctioned the country, playing into the hands of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, who had attempted to make Honduras a colony.

• Cuba: Restrepo was behind loosening sanctions on Castro's Cuba, which has emboldened the regime to act against Americans. While Castro imprisoned Alan Gross, a U.S. contractor who was distributing satellite phones to dissidents, the Obama administration said nothing.
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• Colombia: Its troops captured drug "kingpin of kingpins" Walid Makled, who had extensive knowledge of Venezuelan official involvement in trafficking. U.S. attorneys wanted him extradited, but Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said President Obama never asked. When IBD asked Restrepo whether he advised Obama to ask, Restrepo defensively said he did. But that's at odds with what Santos said.

• Venezuela: Treasury Department officials complained Restrepo kept names of high-ranking Venezuelan officials with ties to drug dealers off its "Kingpin List," in a naive effort to keep pressure off Chavez.

• Now Restrepo tries to pin Mexico's drug war not on Hugo Chavez's trafficker allies, but on gun dealers from the U.S.

There's little doubt that's his line, because blaming U.S. gun dealers and calling for a U.S. assault weapon ban were his ideas from his days spent at the Center for American Progress, an Obama-linked think tank.

The U.S. "will work to inhibit the flow of weapons ... across our border," Restrepo told Mexican media.

Meanwhile, when Obama met with Mexico's President Felipe Calderon, both erroneously declared that U.S. weapons fueled Mexico's drug war — on Restrepo's advice.

How high does this go? I think Restrepo should be compelled to testify and give documents regarding his work in Latin America. I think Holder should resign. I think Obama should be called to testify. I think it is disgusting that OUR TAX DOLLARS have been used to GIVE DRUGLORDS AND CROOKS GUNS that have been used to MURDER CIVILIANS AND AT LEAST TWO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.