Not One Red Cent

Why the Republicans Must Lose

2008-10-31T08:40:00.004-04:00

Why the Republicans Must Lose; Nothing short of defeat will put the GOP back on its limited government track; Radley Balko; Reason; October 22, 2008.

This applies to Ohio as well...from Reason:

While I'm not thrilled at the prospect of an Obama administration (especially with a friendly Congress), the Republicans still need to get their clocks cleaned in two weeks, for a couple of reasons.

First, they had their shot at holding power, and they failed. They've failed in staying true to their principles of limited government and free markets. They've failed in preventing elected leaders of their party from becoming corrupted by the trappings of power, and they've failed to hold those leaders accountable after the fact. Congressional Republicans failed to rein in the Bush administration's naked bid to vastly expand the power of the presidency (a failure they're going to come to regret should Obama take office in January). They failed to apply due scrutiny and skepticism to the administration's claims before undertaking Congress' most solemn task—sending the nation to war. I could go on.

As for the Bush administration, the only consistent principle we've seen from the White House over the last eight years is that of elevating the American president (and, I guess, the vice president) to that of an elected dictator. That isn't hyperbole. This administration believes that on any issue that can remotely be tied to foreign policy or national security (and on quite a few other issues as well), the president has boundless, limitless, unchecked power to do anything he wants. They believe that on these matters, neither Congress nor the courts can restrain him.

That's the second reason the GOP needs to lose. American voters need to send a clear, convincing repudiation of these dangerous ideas.

If they do lose, the GOP would be wise to regroup and rebuild from scratch, scrap the current leadership, and, most importantly, purge the party of the "national greatness," neoconservative influence. Big-government conservatism has bloated the federal government, bogged us down in what will ultimately be a trillion-dollar war, and set us down the road to European-style socialism. It's hard to think of how Obama could be worse. He'll just be bad in different ways.

Sadly, if the GOP does lose, it's likely to be interpreted not as a repudiation of the GOP's excesses, but as an endorsement of the Democrats'. When the only two parties who have a chance at winning both have a track record of expanding the size and scope of government, every election is likely to be interpreted as a win for big government—only the brand changes.

Comment: The comparison is too easy, and as we watch Strickland gliding through his first term without any hint of opposition I'd say the ORP is done for too. We can't win with politicians that look and sound like democrats, and we can't win when the only legislation put forward is Euro-socialism.

The author recommends voting for a third party, something that my colleagues have endorsed and one I resist, but I can say I am supporting and voting for Robert Owens so that we can have a balanced Attorney General's office. But if big change does not happen in the next year I too am leaving the ORP.

A Quick Update

2008-10-03T09:16:00.003-04:00

I have been away from this weblog for some time and I wanted to update you on the movement. To be honest it’s not really going very well. The GOP has done a good job of scaring the average Republican voter this election cycle and we really haven’t attracted many Republicans to join our cause. Likewise within our small group of supporters we have seen some changing of parties. Some have moved over to the Constitution Party and are supporting Robert Owens and Chuck Baldwin, very good choices indeed, and one returned to the Libertarian Party of Ohio, which I think is a good choice too.

This is certainly some dark times as a Republican. On the national front as I already said, the GOP is doing a good job scaring voters, while the Presidential candidate has to sign on a solid conservative to prop himself up. State side we are struggling incredibly. The party is completely lost and in the hands of fools like DeWine, Husted, and Evans, who side daily with Strickland.

At the end of the day I still see the Republican Party as the best hope for America and Ohio, but as the sign in the picture says, “I’m a republican and ashamed of this GOP!” This is my belief and I tend to think many others as well. If we don’t do something we will continue to witness dramatic socialistic government give away programs like the financial bailout in Congress and the corporate give away from Husted and Strickland to their friends in Toledo.

Fight for the ideals that made this a great party before it’s too late. Fight for limited government and free markets. Fight to be a Republican.

Pat Tiberi; an idiot

2008-08-15T21:35:00.003-04:00

Anti-Positivist: Pat Tiberi; an idiot

From Pat Tiberi's latest Capitol Notebook comes this gem ... "Politics should not play a role, nor should parliamentary procedural maneuvering."

Politics should not play a role? Politics? That's all they do in DC: play politics.

And this coming from a politician; a congressman who is sponsoring the No More Excuses Energy Act and the American Energy Act -- two pieces of legislation whose titles is all DC politics and substance all Mussolini-inspired fascism.

No More Excuses Energy Act. Please!

The problem with lying is that once the liar begins to believe he can fool folks all the time, he soon holds them in contempt. Tiberi speaks as if we are all a bunch of sheep looking for him to lead the way. Such tone is an insult to those who pay his salary.

Idiot!

Comment: Tiberi is the product of the years of Bob Bennett grooming, does anyone think DeWine will do better grooming future politicians; not likely. This party needs leadership and if Ohio Republicans don't get off their asses and do something this state is going to hell faster than it is now. Wake up it's more than just a party issue, today it's a state survivability issue.

Jon Husted and Bill Harris Chair Campaign Against Economic Freedom

2008-08-15T18:57:00.002-04:00

Naugblog:Jon Husted and Bill Harris Chair Campaign Against Economic Freedom

From the Naugblog:

From the AP:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and Republican legislative leaders will fight an effort by payday lenders to repeal restrictive caps on the short-term loans they offer.

Strickland, Senate President Bill Harris and Speaker Jon Husted will serve as honorary co-chairs of a campaign fighting the repeal of Ohio’s new payday lending law. The law restricts annual interest on such loans to 28 percent, versus the 391 percent charged today, and limits consumers to receiving four such loans a year.

Husted and Harris seem to be working on a weekly basis to help Strickland with whatever position he may take on a ballot issue. Just last week, they teamed up to support some silly “Clean Ohio” bond issue. Not to mention they passed Strickland’s budget, Strickland’s energy bill (which is responsible for major rate increases), Strickland’s pork-filled stimulus bill, and countless other pieces of unfortunate legislation.

I know many of my fellow Ohio conservative brethren would like to see someone like John Kasich run for governor and see more principled Republicans in office…. But before any of this can happen, the Ohio GOP’s leadership might want to consider acting like an opposition party first.

Comment: Naugle is correct but unfortunately he offers no solutions. And certainly waiting around for change with the ORP or for John Kasich to take charge is along shot. One obvious way is to band together and for the rank and file to challenge the leadership. And we have to act this summer. Recently we have learned that Kevin DeWine will take over as the party chairman. Does anyone think that this young guy can take on the old entrenched party bosses like Alex Arshinkoff; highly doubtful. Besides, DeWine has proven to be just another in a long line of poor performing conservative imitators.

The time is now Mr. Naugle to support this boycott and show some leadership. We have received minimal assistance and we need Republicans to join on so we can get beyond the boycott and start protesting.

We can sit back, but Ohio has never sunk so low, and we know who has been at the helm…the Republicans.

Let's follow Michigan's lead

2008-07-10T10:50:00.001-04:00

taxmanblog: Let's follow Michigan's lead

From the taxmanblog:

Keno is coming on board next month to a bar near you.

For a moment, forget that this is a state sanctioned theft of money from poor dumb asses which puts pay day loans to shame. But this is what really caught my eye in this article.
The new games is expected to rake in $73 million in profits for Ohio schools. Sales projections, the number of Keno retailers and other factors are modeled after Michigan's success with the game, Metelsky said. "We're not re-inventing the wheel here. We're looking at best practices and what has worked."

I know that's what we've been missing in this state..... great ideas from Michigan. That wonderful state with what? a 10% unemployment rate?

I'll say it over and over again. I'm not the smartest guy in the world so I make up for it by imitating what the smart guys are doing. Conversely, if Michigan's doing something, I think I'd pass on it. They're not the model of what I would call "success".

Comment: Great public policy by our useless Republican led General Assembly. We have a choice; we do not have to follow them. Say no to the ORP. Join the boycott today, before it’s too late for Ohio.

Ohio General Assembly Energy Failure

2008-07-09T19:20:00.002-04:00

One Oar in the Water: Ohio General Assembly Energy Failure

From One Oar in the Water:

I came upon an interesting posting at the weblog Keane Observations about the recent comments made by T. Boone Pickens and the plan he is currently barnstorming to reduce our nation’s dependency on foreign oil. After reading the post and the attached articles I went to YouTube to find some videos with Mr. Pickens that might further explain his plan, and sure enough I came a across a detailed lecture he gives that provides a more than just surface data.

After watching the lecture I was struck by the amount of readily available U.S. Government (USG) data used by Mr. Pickens to support his plan, however I became angered when I research the same data specific to Ohio.

Here’s my beef; our moronic Ohio politicians led by Republican and House Speaker Jon Husted and the Democrat Governor Ted Strickland just gave away a large part of a $16 billion “jobs stimulus package,” our tax dollars and money we worked for, to “alternative energy” companies. And along the way they further strapped the citizens of Ohio with an additional burden because it’s now required by law to buy back the technology developed by these companies, proven or unproven, and will be installed on our state government buildings. Yet with just a quick cursory look at the data Mr. Pickens used from the U.S. Department of Energy clearly demonstrates Ohio is not geographically situated to exploit wind or solar. But one would think that our elected officials, Mr. Husted and Strickland, would have used the same USG data when they decided to create this corporate welfare give away program.

Now if that doesn’t make you angry, there was nothing in the $16 billion stimulus package for coal and nuclear production, which Ohio could significantly capitalize upon, create real jobs through, lower energy costs, and provide much needed assistance to the rural region of the Mid-Ohio Valley. These idiots gave away a huge chunk of the $16 billion package and it will not benefit Ohio! But I would also ask why should the State of Ohio be giving away tax dollars to private companies when all they would have to do is just get off the stick and remove the mountains of regulations restricting the building of coal and nuclear plants?

Husted and Strickland aren’t the only reckless ones; every elected politician in Congress, republican or democrat, originating from Ohio is culpable of the same nonsensical behavior since it has been their similar moronic actions hamstringing the construction of new energy plants in this country that has resulted in the loss of Ohioan’s jobs and higher energy costs. For years our Ohio politicians have signed onto laws that have shut down any growth in the energy sector and have greatly aided our dependency on foreign oil. No matter the party, our Ohio representatives in Congress should have been looking out for the Ohio citizenry, not the environmental special interest lobby groups like the Sierra Club and the Environmental Defense Fund, to name a few, that get rich on frivolous law suits costing US taxpayers money and jobs.

T. Boone Pickens has a plan; it’s simple and based upon common sense. Strickland and Husted have a plan and it’s based upon fantasy, socialism, and stupidity. Let’s face it, if we are going to get out of this energy mess it’s going to take leadership and some good old common sense; something in short supply in Columbus and Washington. We need energy, but before we can get it, we need a change in our state’s political direction.
Folks the time has come to get rid of these folks. If we don’t stand up today and hold the deficient political class accountable we might as well get used to the medieval way of life, because the republicrats and the demlicans are sending us into the dark ages real fast.

Comment: For too many years we have watched the Republican led General Assembly waste our tax dollars on inefficient pork projects and have piled on mountains of government regulations that have killed the business and agricultural life of this state all to please silly lobbyist groups. We must stop this assault on our prosperity from this defunct political tyrannical class.

Folks we are dieing here in Ohio. We have been amidst a depression for over 15 years and yet the party in power uses the socialist playbook of the Democrat Party, slowly killing this state in
the process. The only hope for Ohio is for true republican norms and ideals to re-emerge through the dank dark socialist infested halls of the State General Assembly.

Join us today and fight this self-gratifying political class; boycott the ORP and tell them not one red cent until republican norms return to the great State of Ohio!

Ohio Law Would Allow Forced Blood Draws by Police

2008-07-09T19:08:00.001-04:00

One Oar in the Water: Ohio Law Would Allow Forced Blood Draws by Police

From One Oar in the Water:

Ohio legislature votes to allow police to make forced, warrantless blood draws from anyone accused of DUI.

Wow! I missed this one! Sadly Strickland signed this bill.

Ohio: Law Would Allow Forced Blood Draws by Police

Via the website Loose Change 9/11:

"A proposed law currently awaiting the signature of Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (D) would remove any barrier to a police agency that wishes to forcibly remove blood from motorists accused of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). State Senator Timothy J. Grendell (R-Chesterland) introduced this anti-DUI measure which sailed through the state House with an 87-6 vote and a 33-0 vote in the Senate earlier this month.

"Grendell’s bill is designed to extend the concept of implied consent beyond a mere breath test. Anyone who obtains a driver’s license automatically would agree to allow his blood to be taken at the request of any police officer. Moreover, the consent doctrine would also apply to anyone who uses water skis or anything else “watercraft-related” in Ohio.

"'A law enforcement officer who makes a request pursuant to this division that a person submit to a chemical test or tests shall advise the person at the time of the arrest that if the person refuses to take a chemical test the officer may employ whatever reasonable means are necessary to ensure that the person submits to a chemical test of the person’s whole blood or blood serum or plasma,' the proposed law states. 'A law enforcement officer who acts pursuant to this division to ensure that a person submits to a chemical test of the person’s whole blood or blood serum or plasma is immune from criminal and civil liability based upon a claim for assault and battery or any other claim for the acts, unless the officer so acted with malicious purpose, in bad faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner.'

"Although the law specifies that only “a physician, a registered nurse, or a qualified technician” can draw blood from a motorist, a number of North Texas police agencies have devised a twenty-four hour course that certifies traffic police to take blood as technicians. Ohio’s program will go far beyond that of Texas, however, by removing the requirement that a judge must issue a warrant before the blood can be drawn.

"Last year, the Minnesota Supreme Court struck down warrantless blood draws as a violation of the Fourth Amendment (view ruling), while a New Jersey appellate court upheld the concept and dismissed a complaint against police officers who caused permanent injuries to a motorist during a forced blood draw (view ruling).

"The Ohio legislation will become law by July 4 unless the governor vetoes the bill. The full text of the proposal is available in a 450k PDF file at the source link below.

Source: Senate Bill 17 (Ohio General Assembly, 6/26/2008)

Comment: OK folks; is there a need for this? The correct answer is absolutely no! So why the hell are “Republicans” like Grendell doing this, who I thought was a “liberty” oriented man? Well he obviously lost his moral and ethical compass, as did every other knucklehead in the Ohio General Assembly that voted for this. They have opened even more intrusion into our lives and viciously attacked the 4th Amendment to the US Constitution.

Please consider joining the boycott of the Ohio Republican Party. This is one more example of the lost bearing by our Republican political class. This my friends is an example of police state socialism found in the former Soviet Union, Communist China, North Korea, and Cuba, not Ohio or the United States.

Comment: Is there any reason for such a law and to draw blood at a roadside check? Sadly this went through with full support of both parties and 100% affirmative vote in the Senate. Whatever happened to Republicans that stood up for individual liberty and freedom without the tyranny of a police state search?

These are dark times within the Ohio Republican Party and Ohio and it is time for a change my friends. We must turn back the socialist leanings of the ORP if we are to have even a glimmer of hope in Ohio.

Fight these people; stand up to this deficient group of people that do not represent Ohio. Join boycott today!

Why does Jon Husted hate veterans?

2008-07-09T18:58:00.002-04:00

Stubborn Liberal: Why does Jon Husted hate veterans?

Jon Husted, Republican Speaker of the Ohio House, apparently hates military veterans. Husted did not want to have a vote to give bonuses to the Ohioans who are Iraq and Afghanistan vets or their surviving families. Husted blocked a vote on the bonuses. According to the Dispatch, Ohio Treasurer Richard Cordray originally proposed the bonuses and Gov. Ted Strickland was in support of the special payment to the vets. However, Husted would not schedule a vote for the Ohio House. (The measure had passed in the Ohio Senate.)
Here is a little more from the Dispatch:
....Cordray complained that legislators "were able to find over a billion dollars in bonded debt for projects in their districts" but were unwilling to approve bonuses for veterans. He referred to the recently approved capital-improvements bill....
Jon Husted, who often pads projects for his own district, should be told that his refusal to help our veterans is not appreciated. You can contact Husted at
Telephone: (614) 644-6008Fax : (614) 719-3591Email Address: district37@ohr.state.oh.us http://jonhusted.wordpress.com/

Comment: Considering the amount of money Husted just doled out from our tax dollars, a larger portion from the $16 billion jobs stimulus package, to unproven “alternative energy” and “bio-medical” companies, the General Assembly could see there way for those that are here to help Ohio when water rise above the levies and go to a questionable war.

Folks Mr. Husted has lost his way. From my position it seems as if he believes himself to be above the people. Sadly this is the general disposition of the political class within the Ohio Republican Party.

Folks it time we stood and said no more. Please join the boycott today and write or email your county Republican Party and tell them not one red cent until republican norms return to Ohio.

Join the Boycott Today

2008-06-05T10:20:00.003-04:00

How long can you sit back as business after business leaves the State of Ohio? How long can you sit back while second-rate leadership in the Republican led General Assembly raises taxes, increases the size of government, and gives away millions of our tax dollars to pie and the sky fantasies? How long can you sit back as our Republican congressional officials dig this nation deeper and deeper into economic misery through fiscal deficits and oppressive government regulations?

If you have had enough of these RINOs and will not sit back any longer, then join the boycott of the Ohio Republican Party (ORP) and tell ORP “NO” money until republican ideals return to Ohio!

We need to send a big message to Bob Bennett and Kevin DeWine that we are not going to put up with the weak leadership and “liberal” agenda that our elected republican officials are advancing. But it takes two things for the ORP leadership to understand we are serious: a strong voice on the outside, and your withholding of donations from the inside.

We need your support so please join our group so our numbers will grow and we can mount a tough protest in the coming months. At the same time, send a note to Bob Bennett and Kevin DeWine telling them “NOT ONE RED CENT” until republicans ideals return to Ohio.

Join the boycott today by first sending an email to saynotoorp at gmail. Together we can bring change to Ohio, but we can only do it together. Please join today.

Ohio's Keynesian Revolution

2008-05-29T18:27:00.001-04:00

Anti-Positivist: Ohio's Keynesian Revolution

Via the Anti-Positivist:

Bad ideas never die, they are simply recycled and repackaged.

Turning their backs on the supply-side economics of Reagan, the Ohio Republicans at the statehouse have embraced the ideals of the FDR Democrats; the Republicans are now trying to spend their way out of recession.

First off, these folks are spending our money on programs that benefit special interests. Not you or me, but those who lobby and contribute to campaigns. That's how government works.

To justify their largess, the Republicans claim that the extra $1.57 billion will create 57,000 jobs over the next five years. Now, it is possible that the spending scheme will create 57,000 jobs, but the Austrian School of economics has shown that at least 57,001 jobs will be lost over the very same period.

Government interventions in the market never create or improve, they simply switch, distort, and enervate.

Taxes exert a huge burden on a rustbelt state, discouraging firms from moving here. Yet, the boneheads at the state -- and in the Republican Party -- believe in taxing and spending.

Keep in mind that government interventions distort economies, always. When the state provides fund for certain programs, investment occurs within those areas. Once government funding stops, those very same areas suffer job loses. This is true because government never spends in areas that are productive. Why? If those areas had any chance of being productive, the areas would have attracted private investment. That's how markets work.

To believe otherwise is to believe that the folks at the statehouse can predict the markets better than the entrepreneur and invester; sort of like believing in the Chimera.

This is why programs, once started, tend to continue: Government fears the "recession" in the sectors distorted by previous government interventions. There is no other way to explain the amount of money wasted on "research" at OSU. The state fears having to lay-off all those researchers who produce nothing of any real value.

In the end, Republicans are now Democrats, taxing and spending. I must have missed the sign that said, "Entering the rabbit hole."

Comment: Jim’s comments certainly bespeak the poor leadership displayed by Rep. Jon Husted and Senator Bill Evans. It seems as if the only two words they understand are tax and spend.

Send the entire Ohio Republican Party a big message; tell them you are tired of the tax and spend black hole and want real economic change for Ohio. Tell them you will not give one red cent until republican norms return to Ohio!

Fascism, Tiberi style

2008-05-29T18:06:00.001-04:00

Anti-Positivist: Fascism, Tiberi style

Via the Anti-Positivist:

US Rep Pat Tiberi is tauting a plan that would have put Mussolini to shame. According to Tiberi and his fellow Republicans in DC, the state and industry must conjoin in order to solve the supposed energy crisis.

This ambitious plan was brazenly lifted from Italy of the 1920's and 30's, with Tiberi functioning as Ohio's Giovanni Gentile.

When did the Republicans drop the individual for the collective?

To think, if it wasn't for the voices of those like US Sen Robert Taft -- aka Mr. Republican -- the US would have continued down FDR's fascist path in the 1930's and 40's -- the very same path that Tiberi believes will solve our economic woes and lead to Tiberian Utopia.
Hey, Tiberi, the problem is folks like you; those whose ambitions and plans exceed their abilities. Read Mises's Socialism or Omnipotent Government, or Hayek's Fatal Conceit.
Times change things. And now it's the Republicans with the big plans for big government.

From Tiberi's most-recent constituent email:

Dear Friend,

Today was the 15th consecutive day that the average price of gas per gallon set a record high. During the coming holiday weekend, I know many of you are changing your normal Memorial Day weekend plans, just like you’re changing your normal routines to pay for filling up the tank so you can drive to work or drop your children off at school.

When Democrat Nancy Pelosi was elected Speaker of the House gas was $2.33 and now nearly 16 months later, paying $4 for a gallon appears to be coming. While it may seem we’re playing the “blame game,” the truth is the rising price of gas is not a Republican issue it’s not a Democrat issue, it is an American issue because it’s affecting every single family across the country regardless of their political ideology. The thing is, in the House the Democrats are in the Majority and they control the bills that are brought to the Floor for a vote. As gas prices are causing rising prices at the grocery store and around every corner, the time for leadership is now.

I have voted in favor of increased gas mileage standards, I have voted for suspending deposits to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, I have voted for alternative energy incentives, I have voted to give the U.S. the ability to investigate OPEC nations for alleged price fixing, and I have voted for the federal gas tax holiday. But it will take more. We have a production deficit in this country. The bottom line is among many approaches like those above, we also need to increase the production of energy to see a real dollars and cents difference in gas prices. Below is a plan outlined by House Republicans this week to do just that and I’d like to share it with you.

This plan is not set in stone. We’ll all have to give a little – gas producers and conservationists, Republicans and Democrats – to get to a real solution. But I am committed to increasing energy production, whether that is the production of biofuels or gasoline, I know the status quo, is unacceptable. I hope as we move into the summer the Majority will allow us to debate elements of this plan so we can transition to a 21st century energy plan.

Sincerely,

Pat Tiberi
Ohio’s 12th Congressional District

Courtesy of the Republican Conference:

The Change America Deserves: Lower Energy Prices

When it comes to energy production, while our global competitors are pursuing 21st Century technologies, America is stuck in the 1970s. On electricity production alone, for example, just to keep up with new demand, by 2030, the United States must build 747 NEW coal plants, 52 NEW nuclear plants, 2,000 NEW hydroelectric generators, and add 13,000 NEW megawatts of renewable power. The dire need to increase domestic oil and gas production is no different. Yet, the Democratic Majority refuses to lead.

Republicans are committed to a comprehensive energy reform policy that will increase the supply of American-made energy, improve energy efficiency, and encourage investment in groundbreaking research in advanced alternative and renewable energy technologies. With 21st Century technologies and the strictest standards in the world, America can and must produce more of our own energy right here at home and protect our environment at the same time. That’s the change America deserves.

How Republican Solutions Will Fix It:

The Change America Deserves: Meeting Our Energy Needs with American Made Energy

The comprehensive House Republican plan will fund research and development of technologies and innovations which advance the use of renewable and domestically available energy sources, increase energy efficiency, and ease the environmental impacts of energy use.

1) Increasing the Production of American-Made Energy in an Environmentally-Safe Way
a. Support actions that reduce America’s dependence on energy from unstable foreign governments and dictatorships by increasing environmentally-safe production of oil and natural gas in areas such as the arctic coastal plain and in deep ocean energy resources; and
b. Promote unconventional fuels such as coal-to-liquids technology and recovering our vast oil shale reserves by:
Increasing access for environmentally responsible development of conventional and unconventional domestic oil and natural gas production;
Providing coal-to-liquids financing and tax incentives;
Advancing the commercialization of the nation's two trillion barrel shale oil resource, 80 percent of which occurs on government-owned land in the West. This is enough to supply America's energy needs for over two centuries.
2) Promoting New, Clean, and Reliable Sources of Energy

a. Encourage more production of environmentally-safe energy to increase the use of our vast domestic supply, reduce emissions, and keep coal-dependent communities strong; and
b. Expand emissions-free nuclear power, including long term nuclear waste storage solutions and recycling spent fuel by:
Providing production and investment tax credits for all new base-load electricity projects such as advanced nuclear power and clean coal; and
Providing production and investment tax credits for all new base-load electricity projects such as advanced nuclear power and clean coal; and
Allowing immediate expensing for new renewable or zero emission power.
3) Cutting Red Tape and Increase the Supply of American-Made Fuel and Energy

a. Expedite permitting for enhanced oil recovery projects, including CO2 delivery and injection, as well as permitting for new refining capacity;

b. Improve environmental review and permitting to encourage the deployment of technologies which increase the efficiency of existing power plants; and

c. End ill-advised policies that have led to the proliferation of unique gasoline and diesel fuel formulations known as “boutique fuels,” which have fragmented our motor fuels distribution system, choked off supply, and exacerbated the already-painful Pelosi Premium.

4) Encouraging Greater Energy Efficiency by Offering Conservation Tax Incentives

a. Support technologies to help increase energy efficiency in all sectors of the American economy, including removing bureaucratic regulatory barriers that prevent businesses from upgrading their facilities with newer, more efficient energy technologies, by:

Making home energy efficiency upgrades tax deductable;
Providing incentives for home builders and homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient;
Offering investment expensing for industrial and commercial building efficiency upgrades;
Extending the residential and business solar and fuel cell investment tax credits, with enhancements to the residential solar credit ($2,000 per ½ kw installed);
Extending the fiber-optic distributed sunlight investment tax credit; and
Increasing the energy efficiency of government-owned buildings.

Comment: Jim’s comments resonate across the entire GOP, “Times change things. And now it's the Republicans with the big plans for big government.” It seems as if this is the template they have chosen without much thought given to history, logic, or the consequences. And certainly Ohio stands to be one of the greatest failures of this GOP template considering we have been in a form of economic depression for over 15 years.

We’ll continue to beat the drum and beat it loudly: NOT ONE RED CENT until republican norms return to Ohio.

The Daily Bellwether: Ohio School Supt. Susan Tave Zelman: Schools 'Rudderless' In Voinovich Years

2008-05-13T22:07:00.003-04:00

The Daily Bellwether: Ohio School Supt. Susan Tave Zelman: Schools 'Rudderless' In Voinovich Years

The Daily Bellwether:

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Ohio's superintendent of public instruction, Susan Tave Zelman, appears to place zero credibility in Republican U.S. Sen. George Voinovich's oft-repeated claim he was the "education governor." Voinovich served two terms as the state's chief executive before winning the Senate seat in 1998. Zelman took over as the state's top education official not long after Voinovich left Columbus for Washington, and said she found a school program that was adrift, or not following any clear course. Zelman's seems to be grading the Voinovich years with an an "F" -- for failure.

Read the post here.

Comment: If one politician strikes a greater sense of angst in grassroots republicans, it is Senator George Voinovich. No sitting republican politician has done more to harm Ohio, and now he spreads his foolishness throughout the United States and the world.

Ohio republicans want a change. We want politicians that are centered on limited government and free markets. But too many of our republicans politicians, such Sen. Voinovich, care nothing of these norms. The time has come to affect change in the ORP. We are asking you write your county Republican Party and let them know you will not give one red cent until republican ideals return to Ohio. Let them know you would like them to notify State Party Chairman Bob Bennett the same. Let him know that that the people casting the votes will not support this train wreck.

You can sit back and hope they’ll change or you can get onboard with us and take a position of opposition. You can sit back and hope these people become something they are in fact not, or we can stop supporting them and start supporting those that represent our ideals and norms; republican norms. But this can only come about when real party leadership changes take place. There is no other way!

Send us an email and let us know that you support this cause.

Anti-Positivist: Republican Hypocrisy

2008-05-13T21:35:00.001-04:00

Anti-Positivist: Republican Hypocrisy

From the Anti-Positivist:

U.S. Congressman Pat Tiberi (R-OH) is now claiming to be a fiscal conservative. Funny, he continually votes for more government spending. In fact, he even uses his constituent email (latest one below) to congratulate himself on his contributions to bigger government and greater spending. Pure hypocrisy.

TIBERI MARKS TAX FREEDOM DAY, SUPPORTS MIDDLE CLASS TAX CUTS
Day Marks When Average American Works Off Their Tax Obligation

U.S. Congressman Pat Tiberi (R-OH) today recognized Tax Freedom Day, the day the average American pays off their tax obligation and begins to actually spend their salary rather than send it to the government.

“This year’s tax obligation represents a little more than 30 percent of our annual income. That’s actually a little less than last year, because of the Economic Stimulus Payment, many taxpayers will receive beginning next month,” said Congressman Tiberi, a member of the Ways and Means Committee that oversees tax policy. “It’s unconscionable to think that while Americans work more than a third of the year, just so they can pay taxes to the government, the Democrats are planning on imposing the largest tax hike in history, increasing tax bills by an average of two thousand dollars! I believe people know how to better spend their money than the federal government does, and I believe we should be returning more of it to taxpayers’ wallets.”

The Tax Foundation calculates Tax Freedom Day by dividing the government tally of taxes collected each year by the income earned each year. The Foundation then converts that percentage into days worked. For more information, go to The TaxFoundation.org.

Comment: Without much doubt Ohio republicans are in serious trouble. Most in fact do not have the virtues they espouse. Please join us and boycott the ORP. We say no donations until republican norms return to Ohio.

Unleash the RINO’s - The Enemy Within the GOP

2008-05-09T21:00:00.003-04:00

Liberally Conservative: Unleash the RINO’s - The Enemy Within the GOP

From Liberally Conservative:

“Pat Toomey, President of ‘The Club for Growth‘ and former Republican congressman from Pennsylvania, has recently laid out the truth about ‘Liberal Republicans’ and some so-called ‘Conservative’ names are glaring.

“I am a member of ‘The Club for Growth’ and I’m sick and tired of the pundits claiming to be Conservative and the term ‘Neo-Conservative’ when most of these people are Liberals who have demonstrated their hypocrisy on a national level.

“These people in the media and government claim to be ‘Reagan Republicans’ and troopers against the war on Liberalism or as I call it, Socialism. The Club for Growth is based on real Conservative principles and its goals are simple.

“The GOP has lost seats from corruption but more importantly from acting like Liberals, and spending worse than the Democrats. Until they learn the lessons of being a minority party maybe the GOP will return to true Conservative principles and realize what President Reagan already knew.

“Getting rid of RINO’s would certainly be winning one for the Gipper and real Conservatives. Indeed!”

Read the whole article here:

Bold and italic fonts were used by this blogger.

Comment: For over fifteen years the Ohio Republican political template has been to appease voters no matter the expense nor ideology. Principally this has been through the expansion of government, wasteful spending, and entitlement programs. But now the rent is due and the Ohio Republican Party (ORP) has bankrupted Ohio. It has bankrupted the taxpayer, driven away businesses and our best workers to other states, expanded the size of our state government, caused Ohio to have one of the worst business climates in the US, raised taxes above most states in the country, and increased social entitlements to exponential proportions. Yet they want us to go along with this situation as if nothing has happened and everything is hunky dory.

Like our fellow conservative republican Liberally Conservative's advice, getting rid of the RINOs is the first step we need to take in Ohio to help the party, and first and foremost is getting rid of Bob Bennett. This man has single handedly killed the state party and cultivated the sorriest lot of politicians since the late 1960s and early 70s. If there is going to be any positive action to revitalize the ORP then it must begin with the removal of Bob Bennett, or else we are doomed to fail.

Ohio Republicans must understand one thing, we aren’t going to win many elections for the short term. For the last 10 years Ohio has moved decidedly to the left and turning that boat around is going to take longer than one decade. But what we can do now is to fight for free markets, limited government, and better leadership. We have to accentuate the republican norms and ideals espoused by Reagan, Kirk, and late great Senator Taft. But this is going to take metal and leadership, something Bob Bennett hasn't shown lately.

Rush is Right Yet Again

2008-05-08T21:46:00.003-04:00

Weapons of Mass Discussion: Rush is Right Yet Again

Via WMD:

Today's Rush Limbaugh Pearl of Wisdom:

"The Republican Party does not have an attack machine. It doesn't even have a defense machine. The Republican Party is just sitting around twiddling its thumbs and hoping people continue to send it money. There is a conservative survival machine, and it exists entirely to tell the truth!"

That is absolutely correct.

So when I see the political machinations emanating from Columbus on Marc Dann, I know that if there is a strategy (and I have been assured that there is) chances are pretty good that the playbook is probably outdated. I know: I shouldn't be that rough on our friends from Columbus, but I'm looking for some sign of life up there and all I keep seeing is Speaker Husted embracing Governor Strickland...

To be perfectly honest, it's starting to feel a lot like the Blackwell-Raga campaign... I lost track of how many times I heard, "Oh...don't worry about that. We got a Plan!" Uh-huh...how's that working out for us now?

Rank and file Ohio Republicans need something to inspire them. It won't be John Sidney McCain. It sure isn't The Crying Man, our Senator RINOvich. The legislature is tripping over themselves to ingratiate themselves to a governor so bland that describing him as vanilla is an insult to vanilla. County parties have been a mess too...although, I suppose that out of 88 counties, more than a few are doing well enough. There just has to be something to unify us all...

I don't want to go all Newt Gingrich on y'all and predict doom and gloom while offering no solutions whatsoever, so I'll just go ahead and offer one: Let Kasich be Kasich...let's start the governor's race early. I am sure he isn't ready for that though... The Ohio GOP appears to be a ship without a rudder cast adrift in a very rough sea. We need direction that only an inspired leader can provide. Somebody needs to step up and deliver...and I'm sure so egotist will make the attempt...

[Banging my head against a wall...]

Comment: A ship without a rudder cast a drift is an understatement. No leadership, no direction, no republican ideals, and quite possibly, no chance of saving the state. While Mr. Kasich might increase interest in the party, without a leader who will develop a grassroots effort, winning at the polls will be daunting. And without any policy direction we’re back to the little boat being cast about the sea. You see leadership and direction are inseparable. It’s time Bob Bennett stepped down for the good of the party and the state. But until then, row, row your boat…

Are you really a Republican if you support tax funded universal health insurance?

2008-05-08T21:11:00.000-04:00

Thurber’s Thoughts: Are you really a Republican if you support tax funded universal health insurance?

From Thurber’s Thoughts:

Last night, this resolution was passed unanimously at the Toledo City Council meeting:

RES. 256-08

Recognizing Cover The Uninsured Week 2008.

WHEREAS, Cover The Uninsured Week 2008 will be April 27- May 3, 2008; and

WHEREAS, 1.3 million Ohioans, including 43,700 adults and 6,200 children in Lucas County do not have health care coverage; and

WHEREAS, eight of 10 people who are uninsured are in working families and Ohio no longer offers medical assistance to low-income non-elderly adults without children at home, unless they are totally and severely disabled; and

WHEREAS, viable solutions to these problems are within our reach; and

WHEREAS, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid are successful programs that provide cost-effective coverage that saves both lives and taxpayer dollars through preventative care and early treatment; and

WHEREAS, insured children are twice as likely as uninsured children to get the medical care they need, when they need it; and

WHEREAS, as costs continue to rise, Ohio’s individuals, working families, and small businesses need help paying for coverage; and

WHEREAS, Ohio is poised to make historic progress in children’s health coverage through expansions passed in the FY2008-2009 budget; and

WHEREAS, Ohio’s leaders are on the verge of taking meaningful action to find common ground between providers, consumers, businesses, and insurers to create a sustainable plan that will assure affordable, accessible, high quality coverage to hundreds of thousands of Ohioans; NOW, THEREFORE,

Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Toledo:

SECTION 1. That Toledo City Council urges Governor Strickland and Ohio’s legislative and administrative leadership to take all necessary steps to reach affordable, accessible, and adequate health coverage for all Ohioans, and hereby declare April 27-May 3, 2008 as COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK in TOLEDO, OHIO.

SECTION 2. That this Resolution shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.

Such a resolution isn't unusual in the liberal/Democrat-dominated Toledo City Council, but what is unusual is that this resolution passed with the support of the three Republicans.

I have no idea why Republicans would vote to urge state government to provide health insurance, considering that a core Republican principle is LESS government involvement in our daily lives, not to mention the idea of LESS taxation...

What's more puzzling is the lack of discussion about this 'whereas': "...the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid are successful programs that provide cost-effective coverage that saves both lives and taxpayer dollars..."

Taxpayers would save MORE if these programs didn't exist, but I guess that's beside the point.

And how anyone can claim that these bloated bureaucracies, which are about to go bankrupt, are 'successful programs' is just beyond my (apparently) limited understanding.

Perhaps our GOP representatives will say that they voted to name the week - a meaningless action in which all governmental bodies partake (and I've done so myself when a County Commissioner). But if they were just voting to name it "covered the uninsured week," they could have asked for the policy issues to be excluded from the resolution. That's what I've done.

As it stands now, George Sarantou, Betty Shultz, and Tom Waniewski are on the record as supporting state-provided (read taxpayer funded) universal health insurance coverage. It's no wonder many Republicans believe they have no representation on Toledo City Council.

Comment: It doesn’t matter if you’re in Toledo, Columbus, or Portsmouth; distinguishing Republicans from Democrats is hard to do. Not One Red Cent until republican norms return to Ohio.

Today in the mail I got a letter from the Ohio Republican Party

2008-05-08T20:32:00.000-04:00

Keeler Political Report: Monday, May 05, 2008

From the Keeler Political Report:

Today in the mail I got a letter from the Ohio Republican Party. It said on the outside it was 2008 GOP Convention related, so I opened it up, figuring it could be related to how I was going to be a Mitt Romney delegate if he was the nominee.

Well, it was convention related. I was offered the "exclusive" chance to be an Honorary Delegate in Minneapolis - for $1,500 (hotel not included). According to the flyer, for that money you get:
-Guaranteed reservation for one room at Ohio's official delegation hotels
-Credential for admittance to all Ohio Delegation Events for the week of the Convention (not sure what this actually is, but it is for sure not the actual convention)
-Bus transportation to said events
-Exclusive, priority consideration for official Convention Session passes
-Invitation for you and a guest to a luncheon exclusively for major donors and sponsors to the Ohio Republican Party
-Listing in the official '08 Commemorative Delegation Program
-Commemorative '08 Delegation Credential

Seems like a real good deal.

I wonder how exclusive this opportunity really is.......is it for everyone on their mailing list, some people on the mailing list....? I'd be willing to bet quite a few people were actually offered this opportunity.

No thanks Bob Bennett.

Comments:

Large Bill said: Nope not all of us. I haven't given the Ohio Republican Party cash since they back liberal incumbents over conservatives in primaries.

Comment: It’s always the money with Bennett and crew…

Tobacco Settlement Was For Health-Related Expenses

2008-05-06T11:16:00.001-04:00

Thurber’s Thoughts: UPDATED: Tobacco settlement was for health-related expenses

From Thurber’s Thoughts:

Well, I thought so!

Earlier I posted about the state's idea to take tobacco settlement money as part of the funding for a supposed 'economic stimulus' plan. And I questioned why we'd be taking money out of a fund that was supposed to pay for future medical-related expenses.

Today's Blade has an article about the tobacco companies making their yearly payment for the funds and it reiterates that these funds are for health-related expenses.

So if the state wins their lawsuit and raids these funds for a nebulous economic stimulus, where will they get the money to pay for all these health-related expenses that they sued over?

Inquiring minds....

Comment: More magnificent governance from the Republican led General Assembly!

Folks, is this the best we can get out Bob Bennett and his merry band at the ORP? We say no! Not One Red Cent until republican ideals return to Ohio.

Mocking Dann’s Substandard Behavior Won’t Fix the State

2008-05-04T09:14:00.005-04:00

One Oar in the Water: Mocking Dann’s Substandard Behavior Won’t Fix the State

From One Oar in the Water:

"The right side blogoshpere in Ohio is hysterical about the “Marc Dann Affair,” and rightly so. This is the kind of stuff that fuels much of the blogging community. But when it comes to serious policy oriented sites, chances are slim that you’d find this sort of trashy stuff commented upon. So the question I have for the Ohio Republican Party (ORP) bloggers over at the State of the Union, why are you spending so much time reacting to Dann’s substandard behavior and making silly Photoshop lampoons when you should be discussing serious policy?

"Let’s set the record straight, Ohio’s economic tailspin was not caused by the Democrats nor Mark Dann. It was caused by over fifteen years of bad socialist policy developed by Republicans. So while Dann may be giving the blogoshpere fodder, the ORP should certainly steer clear of lampoons and parodies, much less self-righteous accusatory comments and analysis.

"And to Mr. DeWine, who is making an earnest attempt to ensure the Ohio Republican Party has a web presence, please look to the weblogs from the Heritage Foundation, The Cato Institute, Buckeye Institute, and The Acton Institute as a good reference for truly professional weblogs. We also have a number here in Ohio worth looking at too: BizzyBlog, Boring Made Dull, Eye Hacker Blog, Thurber's Thoughts, and Wizblog. While there are many more fine examples, these five certainly rank as the cream of the crop in Ohio.

"At the end of the month Dann will most likely resign and another drone socialist will be appointed, but Ohio will still be in this depression. Even with that, we still need the ORP, but what we really need is solid policy ideas that return to republican norms. And this policy must be articulated well and set apart from the socialism that has taken root in Ohio. Mr. DeWine, this is what needs to happen. Now get on the stick and crack that whip, and along the way fire your blogging staff and get some professionals. Get some folks that know how to write; not create silly pictures with Photoshop."

Comment: The one point that the blogger One Oar hit upon, and is our focus, is the need for serious policy discussions. The Ohio Republican Party (ORP) must have a firm idea where they want to take the State, then through mediums like their blog, convey it to the citizens of Ohio.

Yet it has been evident for quite some time that neither the ORP nor the Republican leadership in the General Assembly has any policy orientation. Quite frankly much of the policy orientation Mr. Husted (R-Kettering) has been championing is Democrat Governor Ted Strickland’s!

If the ORP is going to regain what has been lost by power politics and shortsighted socialist measures in the General Assembly, and the pure leadership incompetence by former Republican Governor Taft, then ORP must return to free market and limited government ideals, and champion these!

For example compare Mr. Husted's energy plan with the measure by “The Ohio 19” that would remove the state income tax. Mr. Husted’s plan will waste our wages on silly unproven energy ideas and technology, cause Ohio energy industry to go the way of our other industries (rust away), ultimately cause higher energy prices, and further, cause Ohioans to leave the state. Now compare this with the removal of the state income tax, which will make Ohio more attractive to businesses and workers. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize which is the better policy, and is republican!

Sound policy is what we need from Ohio’s Republicans, not silly parodies. But unless we actually have a policy orientation I guess all we are left with is pointing the finger at the moron Mark Dann.

Arshinkoff Wins; Ohio Republicans Lose

2008-05-02T14:34:00.000-04:00

Weapons of Mass Discussion: Arshinkoff Wins; Ohio Republicans Lose

From Matt at WMD:

Ben Keeler has the details in a post over at The Point, but I wanted to address a few things here as well. Read Ben's stuff first...

Now, let's start with the statement from Carol Klinger:

"My thanks to all who have supported the effort to get our Republican Party winning again. While we would have preferred a different outcome at tonight's Central Committee meeting, we are generally pleased with our showing. A significant block of committee members are in place who want to take our party into the future with new leadership. We will build on this success as we continue our effort. This campaign to change the party leadership started with nothing. We enter the next round with much more.

There are things we wished would have been different about tonight's meeting. Free and open discussion on the proposed party rules was squashed. A straight matchup between myself and Alex Arshinkoff was denied. And Mr. Arshinkoff was elected Central Committee chairman, despite not being an elected member of the committee.

We will continue to press for needed reforms within the local party organization and make the case for fresh new leadership. We will also continue to support Republicans candidates running for office.

To all who have stepped up and given their voice to the cause, I say thank you and look forward to our continued efforts to make the Summit County Republican Party an organization in which we can all be proud."

The New Summit Republicans have shown poise and class throughout this whole ordeal. They just didn't have enough forces to close the deal, as Ben pointed out.

I think that the New Summit Republican model is the right way to go about effecting the kind of change we've been seeking in the Ohio Republican Party. I suspect that the New Summit Republican effort will grow in strength and influence assuming that they continue their efforts to expose the corruption and shady dealings going on up there.

Ben makes a point that I want to emphasize here:

[F]ar too many precinct captains were afraid to change the status quo of the party. They didn't want to lose their positions and/or connections, and I guess you can't really blame them for that.

This is the biggest challenge that any reform movement is going to face. And it will be a slow process convincing those who have been around awhile to accept change. The Republican Party has never been quick to embrace change and expecting to have that happen in a single cycle was probably a bigger mission than the NSR's were capable of taking on, but I salute them for trying. My hope is that the NSR's will carry on and attempt to recruit new candidates for Central Committee that are dedicated to the idea of reform while continuing to change the minds of those on the fence who went with the status quo simply because they feared change.

The forces of change do not run quick. The NSR's should feel proud of the accomplishments thus far and hold their heads high as they take on the challenges that now lie ahead of them. Arshinkoff was on the ropes, but he slipped away this time. With any luck whatsoever, he will have learned his lessons and will fly straight; but if not, the NSR's ought to unite the forces that they can and do whatever they can to bring the party back on the right track.

Ultimately, this is a story about vigilance and perseverance. Arshinkoff may have won this battle, but I suspect the outcome of the war is yet to be determined. And I'm not talking just about Summit County. The NSR's have represented what I believe to be a fledgling movement of conservative Republicans who are fed up with the nonsense in the Ohio Republican Party and aren't going to take it anymore. I've been covering troubles all over Ohio with county parties, including my own, and my hope is that there will be good Republicans ready to take on the status quo in those areas and demand change occur. Rank and file Republicans who are not a part of the party structure are becoming disenchanted with the way things are being run and they will either sit it out when we need them, vote with their feet, or vote Democrat to "teach a lesson." We must do something because the same old tricks are no longer working.

Comment: While the New Summit Republican (NSR) method is one tactic, it is not the only. Additionally, Mr. Hurley is mistaken to believe the NSR method is the “right way” to affect change within the various county republican parties or the ORP. Certainly it might be fine for some counties, but we think Summit County needs a much more “hard ball” approach as does the ORP, but with that said more ways need to be developed and shared with grassroots Republicans throughout the state to affect any significant change.

We need to be accepting of all models, not just one. We need to be united at a grassroots level because the party leadership is not concerned with us, but only with keeping power. Moreover we need to hit them where it hurts, in the pocket book. Maybe if the folks from WMD and NSR stopped donating money to “88 in 08” these rank and file spineless folks might realize there are folks out there that are unhappy and would have the guts to vote out an Arshinkoff. But what chance do you have at winning while mounting softball attacks from the inside and at the same time you are providing the enemy with ammunition?

We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we know one thing, continued support of the ORP is an insane proposition until leadership change occurs and republican norms return. Not One Red Cent folks, Not One Red Cent!

Lucas County GOP Troubles

2008-05-02T14:06:00.001-04:00

Weapons of Mass Discussion: Lucas County GOP Troubles

From WMD:

There is a weird story in the Toledo Blade that I want to highlight because this seems, to me anyway, another instance where the "zero tolerance policy" ought to come in to play.

Lucas County Republican Party Executive Director Joanne Wack's conviction in a New York state court for grand larceny - which she denied and then was forced to admit on the witness stand Monday - is not her only brush with the law.

A search through local court records yesterday turned up 13 legal judgments and three criminal cases going back to 1992 and involving medical bills, the Girl Scouts of Maumee Valley, a car wreck, and passing bad checks.

But despite a record of having to be taken to court to pay her debts, and what one upset Republican says was a clear cut case of perjury, Wack continued to maintain the confidence of some local party leaders and elected Republicans yesterday.

Uhh...okay...Before we get to just what the heck this is all about, I need to introduce you to Jon Stainbrook...

A dispute between Mr. Stainbrook, a GOP activist who is mounting a challenge to the current party chairman, Bob Reichert, and local Republican leaders, spilled over into the courts Monday, where Wack was questioned about her felony conviction.

Mr. Stainbrook, who lives in South Toledo and is self-employed in public relations, has wrangled with Wack repeatedly over what he contends are her unethical attempts since January to block his candidates from being elected to the county Republican Party central committee.

Okay...on with the show...

He said yesterday that the series of petty civil and criminal cases, as well as the felony grand larceny case out of Westchester County, New York, compromise her ability to represent the party.

"Joanne Wack has a pattern of criminal and unethical misconduct and must be removed from party leadership. Obviously she cannot stay. Her taking money from the Girl Scouts - that's just unethical," Mr. Stainbrook said.

Let's get to the details:

One of the judgments against Ms. Wack was filed in Toledo Municipal Court by Maumee Valley Girl Scouts Inc. in November, 1999, for the sum of $1,092.

Judgment was rendered by the court on Jan. 21, 2000, in the amount of $1,152, with court costs.

A call to the Girl Scouts organization was not returned.

Records in Toledo, Sylvania, and Oregon Municipal Court reveal 13 civil cases against Wack involving a total of $16,977 since 1992. She was also charged with three criminal cases of passing bad checks or forgery.

In November, Wack was charged with forging a check for $790 at the Shop & Save, 653 Main St., but prosecutors dismissed the charges after restitution was made.

Two charges of passing bad checks were filed in 2006 by the Island Variety convenience store, one for $430 and a second for $200 in 2005.

The case was dismissed last October because restitution was made, according to the Toledo Municipal Court record.

A bad check charge filed on behalf of East Toledo Animal Clinic in Toledo Municipal Court for $36.50 was dismissed Oct. 26, 2007, when restitution was made.

Other plaintiffs included St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, Armstrong Ob/Gyn Clinic Inc., American States Insurance, Alfred Hartkopf-DDS, Northcoast Financial Services, Toledo Hospital, Computer Discount of Maumee, Great Lakes Credit Union, Brown Imports, First American Cash Advance, East Toledo Family Center, and Toledo Clinic.

Municipal Judge Tim Kuhlman, who handled bad check charges, said they were typical.

If, by now, you aren't getting that slick Rawnica Dillingham-Wilson-Dillingham-Ruscigno-Dillingham vibe, you aren't reading the same story I am...

Anyway, all of this is background for the real story...which is this:

During a hearing in Lucas County Common Pleas Court Monday over the makeup of the party's central committee, Wack was on the stand when she was surprised by the question of whether she had ever been convicted of a felony in Ohio or any other state.

She answered no. When the court was shown evidence of a grand larceny conviction in Westchester County, New York, the hearing was recessed briefly.

When Wack retook the stand she admitted to having a felony conviction and to having been on probation.

John Weglian, a top assistant in the Lucas County Prosecutor's Office, said he did not plan to pursue an indictment for perjury because the testimony was corrected quickly and no one was deceived by the false testimony.

Donald Iiams, Jr., of Monclova Township, a failed candidate for Lucas County Republican Party Central committee, who has accused Wack of illegally endorsing his opponent in the central committee race, said he's not satisfied with the county prosecutor's refusal to prosecute.

"If he doesn't have the resources, does that mean everyone in Toledo can commit perjury because you don't have the resources? That's just telling you the sad state of affairs in Lucas County," Mr. Iiams said.

This ain't good.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but it seems to me that what we have here is another one of them cases where we ought to have been MUCH more careful about who we place in leadership roles. Election disputes are one thing...and I'm not going to get in to that because I have a feeling that I'm not getting the whole story from our friends at the Blade...but let's deal with the reality that Republican leadership needs to be ridding itself of folks like Ms. Wack. A position of leadership is not a place we should be putting people who have troubles with personal finances...there are just way too many "opportunities" in politics for really bad stuff to happen.

At any rate, Bob Bennett and Kevin DeWine ought to get out in front of this story too. Will they???

Comment: Matt’s correct “this ain’t good,” but again it does point to a pattern of unsavory politics within the ORP. Moreover don’t expect Bennett to do anything because this is the environment he created.

These people only know one thing and it's power; and the only way to remove them from office is to stop the money. We ask you to boycott the ORP and let them know you are not going to donate Not One Red Cent until republican norms return to Ohio.

ORP Driving up the Cost of Insurance

2008-04-30T17:58:00.001-04:00

Buckeye Institute Blog: Driving up the Cost of Insurance

From the Buckeye Institute Blog:

“In an indication that Republican legislators’ disdain for the free market extends not only to lending but also to health care, the Ohio House unanimously passed another health insurance mandate yesterday. This mandate forces insurance companies to cover costs associated with cancer clinical health trials.

“I’m not questioning the merits of clinical trials and I do not necessarily think that insurance companies should exclude coverage of them. However, I do not think it is proper for government to force insurance companies to cover them. Mandates of this sort drive up the cost of insurance and play a large role in making health insurance unaffordable for some Ohioans.

“If people want to purchase a policy that in return for costing less does not cover clinical cancer trial coverage, they should have the freedom to do so. Your legislators, however, want to force you to pay more for insurance even if you do not want this particular service covered. When looking for an answer as to why some people cannot afford insurance, look no further than your local legislator.”

Comment: ORP disdain for the free market, say it isn’t so?

GOP Turns its Back on the Free Market

2008-04-30T17:48:00.002-04:00

Buckeye Institute Blog: GOP Turns its Back on the Free Market

Via the Buckeye Institute Blog:

In their quest to continue one-upping Democrats in taking away your freedom, Republicans in the General Assembly introduced legislation yesterday to effectively ban payday lending in Ohio. Based on the notion that some people are too stupid to make their own financial choices, this legislation should illustrate how far the supposed party of the free market has embraced the fatal conceit that the government should dictate your financial choices.

House Speaker Jon Husted makes this clear with his assertion that “While a lot of people would prefer that we minimize some of the regulations regarding borrowing, clearly as a nation and as consumers we cannot handle it very well.” Yes, some people cannot manage their own economic lives well. However, some others cannot manage the state budget very well. Has Mr. Husted forgotten about the financial difficulties facing the state? Perhaps when legislators solve those problems — and also find a way to stimulate growth in Ohio’s economy — they can lecture the rest of us on how we “cannot handle borrowing very well.”

Comment: Husted continues out stride the socialists in the ODP. Way to go Jon!

Not One Red Cent until republican norms return to the Ohio!

Despicable - Even for Team Arshinkoff

2008-04-30T17:05:00.000-04:00

Ben Keeler: Despicable - Even for Team Arshinkoff

Ben Keeler reports on a despicable act from Summit County that may have serious reverberations throughout the state, pitting Summit County Republican Chairman Alex Arshinkoff and Senator Kevin Coughlin once again.

Comment: Certainly more facts will emerge as the media becomes involved in what appears to be part of one long saga of infighting within the Summit County Republican Party. However, as we sit back and watch from a distance, this event only serves to illustrate to our group why we are fighting the Ohio Republican Party (ORP). Simply, Republican politics in Ohio is focused on power, rather than good stewardship based upon republicans norms.

None of us are so naive to believe that hard ball practices do not occur everyday and at every level of politics; but what Ohio Republicans have done for well over the last 20 years has been to abandon the norms of limited government, fiscal restraint, and family and community bearing for quick score shortsighted populist measures that are frankly socialist in nature and have become a huge detriment to the state’s moral and fiscal wellbeing.

Our agenda is posted here on the weblog site so we will not rehash it in detail, but in a nutshell we will not give one red cent until leadership change occurs and republican norms return to the ORP, and we hope you will do the same.

We urge to send a letter or email to as many members of the ORP leadership, county Republican parties, republican members of the Ohio General Assembly, and elected Republican officials in Congress letting them know you are not donating any money until the change comes to Ohio. Then please write your friends and families letting them know about this boycott. And if you have a website, please cut and paste our sign and link in your site as an act of solidarity.

We have only two choices; continuing to elect and prop up the same old Republicans and expecting change to happen, or holding back support until change comes. We choose the latter and we hope you do too.

Not One Red Cent until republican norms return to Ohio!

Reduces Spending

2008-04-28T21:07:00.001-04:00

Anti-Positivist: Reduces Spending

Via Jim Fedako, The Anti-Positivist:

"In a real twist, it's the Democratic governor of Ohio committing to reduced spending.

"Locally, things are much different. The Olentangy district is increasing costs, all with your hard-earned tax dollars. In a troubled economy, the district still wants to provide its employees with 6.5% salary increases, plan another 12% increase in healthcare costs. About time to tighten belts a little, don't you think.

"Keep in mind that Scott Galloway, board president, is the treasurer of the Republican Party in Delaware County. Based on his desire for more of your tax dollars, it seems like it's time for a change in party leadership.

"Who speaks for fiscal restraint anymore? Just the governor?"

Comment: One of the many missing core norms of the Ohio Republican Party, fiscal restraint. Not One Red Cent until republican norms return to Ohio!

Landmark Energy Policy for Ohio; Really?

2008-04-28T12:44:00.005-04:00

One Oar in the Water: Landmark Energy Policy for Ohio; Really?

From One Oar in the Water:

From the Ohio Republican Party Website:

“Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted (R- Kettering) today led the Ohio House of Representatives in the passage of a landmark energy policy for the state of Ohio that helps to establish price stabilization for consumers and embraces new concepts for the state in the areas of advanced and renewable energy.

“‘Our work represents an energy policy that will protect consumers and provide jobs and cleaner, greener energy for Ohio,’ Husted said.

“The legislation is Ohio's best strategy for ensuring price stability and an adequate supply of energy generation in the future. The hybrid model offered by the Ohio House, in the form of Senate Bill 221, addresses the needs of businesses, industrial users and residential consumers while also moving toward a greener and cleaner environment through provisions and benchmarks for renewable and advanced energy.

“The energy plan additionally includes a provision for a state advocate to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The position would help protect Ohio's interests at the federal level by requiring the advocate to proactively address federal issues that affect the price and reliability of electricity in Ohio.

“In addition to promoting the use of new, cleaner forms of energy, the legislation also creates an energy efficiency standard, which would require utilities to meet a cumulative 22 percent standard by reducing usage, beginning with a .3 percent reduction by 2009 and increasing to a 2 percent reduction of use by 2025. Benchmarks and penalties for lack of compliance are also included for this portion of the proposal.”

Comment: For a better understanding of this bill, check out this link, and read the text for yourself. I read it four times, and became angrier each time I read it.

I don’t see anything “landmark” in this bill; what I see is the compilation of nonsense written by a bunch of pandering politicians that care nothing about Ohio, limited government, nor the free market. This is riddled with waste and regulations, and it saturated with the lexicon of the environmental leftists.

Do you really think that funding a couple of small solar companies, and then mandating all of our schools incorporate the same solar technology is going to create jobs for Ohio? Do you really think that solar is going to solve our dwindling industrial dilemma? Do you think a couple of solar panels on our state buildings with some windmills on the coast and a few farms in the North West are going to supply Ohio with enough energy to actually to make it affordable? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions you either write for the socialist rag “DailyKos” or are an elected Republican politician.

What was needed in this bill was more nuclear and more coal; but you would be hard pressed to find anything in this bill that even mentioned this form. A vibrant energy sector will only survive and grow when there is “actual” de-regulation of the industry. We have to let the market dictate the form of energy we will use, not Husted and Strickland.

Sorry folks, this is one more example of poor governance exhibited by the Republican led General Assembly. The end result of this bill will be higher energy prices, an aging energy production capability, less jobs, and more migration as Ohioans seek a better community to work and raise their children. Once again, Ohio’s Republican leadership let us down.

Comment: Mr. Husted certainly does not understand republican norms; Not One Red Cent until change come to the ORP!

The Earth is Shaking in Ohio

2008-04-23T14:40:00.000-04:00

Matt Naugle of NaugBlog is reporting that State Rep. John Adams, R-Sidney, along with 19 other legislators, is forwarding a bill that would eliminate the income tax. This is very good indication; now lets see if the Ohio Republican party gets behind this and makes it part of its platform.

From Lima News:

COLUMBUS — A group of legislators wants to phase out the state’s income tax in 10 years and said doing so would halt Ohio’s population loss to other states and create jobs.

State Rep. John Adams, R-Sidney, and the region’s other legislators are part of a group of 19 pushing the bill introduced Monday.

“This idea is not conservative or liberal, left or right, it is just simple economics,” Adams said. “When we tax the risk takers and job creators, we will have less of them.”

Other states are flattening their top rates and nine states have no income tax, Adams said.

Reducing the state’s tax burden will draw more business and capital to the state; more people paying other kinds of existing taxes make up the difference, they argue.

With the socialist Third Frontier Program and Gov. Strickland’s foolish plans to “invest” tax dollars in risky job creating schemes, Rep. Adams’ plan is the only real, long-term way to encourage more economic growth and job creation within Ohio. Ohio’s state and local tax burden, according to the Tax Foundation, is the 5th worst in the nation. If the goal is “economic stimulus”, there would be no better shot in the arm to Ohio’s economy than scrapping the state income tax.

Too bad there aren’t enough real Republicans in the Ohio legislature to get the job done.

Comment: Mr. Naugle said it all.

More on Not One Red Cent!

2008-04-23T10:34:00.008-04:00

A supporter of this boycott sent us comments from an Ohio based conservative-republican discussion board, and not surprising they were hostile to this endeavor. Actually one person said that we were working for the infamous communist George Soros. We can assure you, we do not.

Our goal is simple; to convince Ohio Republicans that the Ohio Republican Party (ORP) has strayed too far from authentic republican norms, and through a statewide boycott of the ORP’s “88 in 08” donation effort, affect change in the party leadership and direction, and the direction of legislation in the General Assembly.

How will we know if we are successful; this in itself is a difficult task. However, we have mulled around a couple potential milestones that we might use, which will indicate if the ORP is moving in the right direction:

Party Chairman Bob Bennett either steps down from his position or is voted out;
The tax rate in Ohio is reduced; specifically, elimination of the income tax for all Ohio, and the reduction of the corporate tax rate;
Advance above the 25th position in the business tax climate ranking conducted by the Tax Foundation.
Advance above the 25^th position in the personal tax climate ranking conducted by the Tax Foundation.
Advance above the 10^th position for education ranking conducted by American Legislative Exchange Council.
Reduce Ohio’s unemployment rate to below 4.5 percent; this would take us below the national average by 0.5 percent;
Reduce government spending by 15 percent;
Reduce the regulatory constraints preventing new construction of energy power plants and develop a comprehensive plan to increase the number of energy plants;
Regain the Governor’s seat;
Regain the lost seat in the United States Senate.

These are only a few and I am sure we will examine other areas that would certainly indicate a return to republican norms, such as reducing the gigantic Medicare beast. We also hope that fellow republicans reading this weblog would offer their opinions as well.

But we should be clear that it is not our goal to destroy for the sake of destruction. Since the time of the French Revolution such actions of destruction have been the hallmark of the left. Our goal is to destroy only the cancerous tumor that is causing illness to the body. Ohio needs the ORP, but it must be healthy and focused on republican norms. Otherwise we will be faced with a very dismal outlook, and one only needs to look north to Michigan for our potential circumstances.

Arshinkoff - Klinger Race: Getting Closer…

2008-04-22T09:28:00.000-04:00

SOBAlliance blogger Ben Keeler voices his continued opposition of Alex Arshinkoff’s bid to remain the Chairman of the Summit County Republican Party at politics.ohio.com.

“It's time to unseat Arshinkoff for better and more competent leadership. Klinger and other new officers should be able to take the party in the right direction with integrity - and that is something our party currently lacks. The party also lacks wins, which is kind of an important thing when it comes to a politics. It is pretty simple. No hidden reasons. The party is bigger than one person, though some current leaders don't seem to think that.”

Comment: As we here at Not One Red Cent have known for quite some time there is a high level of dissatisfaction, if one wants to use such a mild term, concerning republican county party politics and leadership across much of the state. This is causing many republicans to turn away from the party. And guaranteed, Ohio Republicans are voting with their feet; they are leaving the state.

Unless we get better party leadership, party leadership with republican norms, we will not attract new leadership for the future and will continue witness the opposition party’s growth of state control.

The party must return to a grass roots effort that is united with Ohio citizens and away from the big party political donors that has been the norm so far too long. If this party is to survive, it must be united at a grassroots level. Mr. Arshinkoff represents the past and is detached from his community, as is State Party Chairman Bob Bennett from the state.

Decisions were made for far too long by a small group of party members that have had dramatic affects upon our state and local economies, and way of life. The time has come to for our local communities to have a voice in how our state is run and our party is led. Get involved at the county level and help fight the cabal that is infecting our state party. And lastly, please boycott the Ohio Republican Party and send them an email or letter telling them Not One Red Cent until republican norms return to Ohio.

Jim Trakas works with MyOhioNow casino effort

2008-04-17T22:05:00.004-04:00

Writes like She Talks: Jim Trakas works with MyOhioNow casino effort

Via Writes Like She Talks:

I’m broken and mortally wounded and I’m not even a Republican:

[GOP Candidate for OH-10 and former Cuyahoga County Republican Party chair Jim] Trakas has quietly been guiding some of the political moves of MyOhioNow.com, the crusade led by Cleveland-area developers to pass a ballot issue that would allow them to build a $600 million casino and resort about 40 miles north of Cincinnati, just off Interstate 71.

Trakas works with the casino group through his consulting company, Excellence Solutions of Ohio, but has kept a low profile. He is trying raise money for his congressional bid from Republican donors, some of whom have not been fond of gambling initiatives in the past.

Okay, GOPpers, if I feel sad about this, how does it make you feel?

Comment: We agree with JMZ and let’s hope her Democrat cohorts follow her lead. Cleveland isn’t a bastion of the ORP as we all know. With that said, gambling is one thing, but when it’s furthered by government it’s another. We have seen states move first to lotteries, then to dog racing, and now on to casinos, all to collect more money to spend more money. The avarice of our political class is distressing. Likewise, it is also distressing that Republicans continue down this same road, knowing that they are leading our citizens on to a path of vice, which will lead to certain poverty.

The answer is not casinos, but economic prosperity. Until we change the business climate of this state we will continue to see politicians like Trakas grasping for vice to fill the treasury coffers, and probably his pockets.

We will not have solid Republican norms until we rid the party of those that seek the enlargement of the leviathan and lack a solid moral compass. Please boycott the ORP and let those that support Trakas know we want change. We want Republicans with republican norms.

Not One Red Cent until Republican norms return to Ohio!

Ohio Needs More Business Failures???

2008-04-17T21:08:00.003-04:00

Right Runner: Ohio Needs More Business Failures???

Via the Right Runner:

Well, yeah. And, this article by The Buckeye Institute explains why. Think of the business cycle as one big funnel that's big at the top and small at the bottom. All the start-up businesses go in at the top. Through attrition; not enough money, poor business model, unforeseen consequences, etc; the majority of businesses will fail. But, through the bottom end emerges some very strong companies. Here's a few snippets of the article:

Business failure is an essential part of the churn of a vibrant economy. They can’t be prevented, and policymakers shouldn’t try. Research shows that an economy’s business failure rate has little to do with its success in generating jobs (and wealth).

In addition:

Indeed, a US Small Business Administration report found that the rate of small company “births” was crucial to state economic growth, employment, and income. What’s important is the number of firms that start, not the number that fail.

This is a critically important insight. On a statewide basis, Ohio’s economy doesn’t suffer because companies fail. It suffers because enough new ones don’t start. Entrepreneurs don’t see Ohio as a place to begin their quest for fortune.

Why not? Because:

Ohio’s business climate has ranked near the nation’s bottom for decades—46th out of 50 states according to the Washington, DC-based Tax Foundation. The income tax is our “category killer.” Ohio’s state and local income taxes bury us in 48th spot, just above California and New Jersey.

Why is that? Because:

Ohio’s income taxes punish small businesses owners for making more money. Then, in a double whammy, our estate tax encourages them to move it out of state. Simply reducing the number of tax brackets could add 55,000 jobs to the Ohio economy and increase payroll by $1.8 billion according to research by the Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University in Boston.

So, what's the answer? Glad you asked:

Ohio needs to streamline the business start up process and reduce the burdens on current and future wealth creators. An intermediate step might be to adopt one income tax rate for all Ohio households, and eliminating income tax obligations for low and moderate income households. A more radical and economically beneficial step would be to follow the lead of high growth states like Texas and eliminate the income tax altogether. This would help establish Ohio as the Hong Kong of the Midwest, demonstrating to investors everywhere that the state is serious about promoting and protecting wealth creation.

Anything else?

Ohio doesn’t just need one or two new businesses. It needs ground swell. Gov. Strickland and state policymakers should dump the failed policies of the past and consider adopting outside the box reforms like phasing out the state income tax over the long term.

So, essentially Ohio needs to cut taxes, reduce spending and create a more business-friendly environment. Where have you heard that before?

PS: I forgot to mention that there is a guy who has already stated his intention to run for governor in a couple of years. He has already stated that one of the things Ohio needs to do in order to turn its business climate around is to phase out the income tax. He plans to unveil how to make up for the loss in income in the near future. There is also a really nice benefit to no income taxes: more money in my wallet. I'm on board with that. His name is John Kasich.

Comment: The Right Runner is spot on concerning the recommendations offered by The Buckeye Institute, and it has been amazing that this superior think tank’s research has been disregarded by the ORP.

Gov. Strickland certainly is not the guy that will effect any positive change, however his ascendancy resulted from the miserable performance of our former governor Taft and the poor policy created by the Republican led General Assembly.

Folks, change will only come when we put people in positions of authority that have our norms. We must stop perpetuating the same failed actions. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. We keep voting for the big government cabal in the ORP election after election and look where Ohio is today. The time has come for a new generation of leaders, but this will not come until we purge the old guard. This purge must hit them in the wallets, so please, boycott the ORP and withhold all donations until change comes.

Right Runner’s commentary indicates that we have no choice. Well I guess we do have another, but its called insanity.

I Blame Republicans

2008-04-16T21:55:00.003-04:00

From Kevin DeWine, Deputy Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party:

Comment: The words are true, but the painful fact is that our State is in serious peril and it was caused not by Democrats, but Republicans. When I was filing my taxes I was ticked off because for the last three years I have had to pay taxes. For the last three years I have been in the highest tax bracket and I don't really make that much money. I blame the party in power. I blame Republicans.

Not One Red Cent until Republican norms return to Ohio!

John Kasich visits Mercer County

2008-04-16T12:22:00.002-04:00

Darke Blog: John Kasich visits Mercer County

Via Darke Blog:

John Kasich was the guest speaker at tonight's Reagan Day dinner in Mercer County. Kasich acknowledged his interest in running for governor in 2010, and went on to speak on the issues most important to Ohio.

Kasich spoke of our unfavorable taxation and overzealous regulation, especially in comparison to our neighboring states. He said that Jeb Bush jokingly thanked Ohio for driving all its entrpreneurs to Florida. Kasich said that Ohio was in a "death spiral" economically.

He also spoke at length about education and his preference that teachers be rewarded based upon their performance. He regretted that the United States is 9th and 14th worldwide in math and science (I could have those backwards). He spoke with passion that our children are better than that, and we need to push them in constructive ways.

Kasich also told several personal stories. Incredibly as a college freshman, Kasich wrote a letter to President Nixon and earned a meeting with the President in the oval office. Just a few years later in 1976, Kasich was a key member of Ronald Reagan's first primary run for President.

In a pre-dinner reception, Kasich answered questions and spoke at length about his time working with Fox News, and his surprisingly friendly relationship with Geraldo Rivera of all people. Kasich spoke optimistically about the energy crisis, saying that our capitalism and technology will allow us to produce new and exciting alternatives to our dependence on foreign oil. In a remarkable statement, Kasich said he wished President Bush had committed to finding the next great energy source in ten years (rather than promoting consumer activity) in the aftermath of 9/11. Kasich continues his "pre-campaign" activities in Miami County on Saturday.

Comment: Endorsement for Mr. Kasich, no; hope for the Ohio Republican Party with Mr. Kasich back in Ohio, yes. Everything he has been saying is a breathe of fresh air, and a return to Republican norms.

Ohio Gun Law Under Fire

2008-04-16T12:18:00.001-04:00

Publius: Ohio Gun Law Under Fire

Via Publius:

Ohio has a "general law" that regulates the licensing of hand guns. The law is uniformly applied throughout the state and contains a provision specifically prohibiting a municipality from restricting application of the law. Nevertheless, at least municipalities have done so - Toledo and Clyde. Both passed ordinances prohibiting possession of "dangerous weapons" in parks.

On April 9th, the Ohio Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether it was a valid exercise of home rule to enact these sorts of ordinances, or whether R.C. 2923.126 is a "general law." If it is a general law, then home-rule is inapplicable.

Comment: If you go to the ORP's weblog, you won't see this on their weblog. The 2nd Amendment used to be a "Republican" ideal, alas no longer.

A Real Pain in the Neck

2008-04-16T09:57:00.000-04:00

Anti-Positivist: A Real Pain in the Neck

Columbus resident Jim Fedako has a posting on his weblog Anti-Positivist, via the Von Mises Institute, mocking his congressman, Pat Tiberi (R-OH), and his latest effort to expand the size and scope of the federal government.

In the latest version of Tiberi's Capitol Notebook, our hero notes that, during a recent audience with one of his serfs, he learned about the trials and tribulation of those suffering chronic pain. Since a man of action does not sit idle, Tiberi researched the issue and soon found two other lords who also have serfs in the same predicament. Luckily, these masters were a little ahead of the issue, having co-introduced the National Pain Care Policy Act to "address the lack of education, access to care and research surrounding chronic pain." Relief is just around the corner.

Missing from this solution is any help for the serf whose pain started this whole mess. Missing is any recognition that government committees and panels, whether blues ribbon or otherwise, produce nothing; nothing save waste.

In the end, our serf will have to work a little longer and a little harder in order to pay for the increased misallocation of resources; resources that moved away from the entrepreneurs in the market to bureaucrats sitting in conference rooms, feasting on policies, regulations and catered meals.

Read the whole posting here.

Comment: Until we start developing a new crop of politicians within the Ohio Republican Party (ORP) we will continue to mirror the Ohio Democrat Party, and further push this nation and state deeper and deeper into government debt and tyranny.

But every time you donate time and support to the ORP you continue to prop up this broken organization. The best thing we can do in Ohio is boycott the ORP, and then get involved with our county republican party to find and support potential candidates that could bring true republican ideals back to the ORP. Until that day comes, we will continue to see similar actions like those of Mr. Tiberi.

Not One Red Cent until change comes!

We the Morons that Keep Electing the Morons that Raise Our Taxes

2008-04-15T17:27:00.003-04:00

One Oar in the Water: We the Morons that Keep Electing the Morons that Raise Our Taxes

From One Oar in the Water:

Well folks, today is the day in which our socialist government, yes our government is socialist when it enslaves us through labor, tells us we have to hand over our hard earned labor income. Yep, and while there is a lot to blame to spread around, the fingers of blame should be squarely pointed at us, the America people.

Yep because we are so stupid and gullible, so sinful, yes sinful, committing the sin of envy against those that have more, we turned over authority to tax all citizens with unlimited means, and at the end of a gun barrel, so an un-virtuous oligarchy has complete control over our income. And we continue to elect these people. We are stupid people.

Wake up folks; we never had an income tax in US History until 1913. If this country is going to squeak through this apparent economic descent we have to repeal the 16th Amendment. If this country is going to preserve freedom and liberty we have to repeal the 16th Amendment.

We can’t stop this tyranny unless we stop voting for the politicians that continue to tax and enslave us. We must stop voting for the same people.

Comment: One positive sign is coming from John Kasich. Mr. Kasich is calling for the repeal of Ohio’s income tax. But as one can imagine, all you can hear from the Ohio Republican Party is the chirping of the crickets. Remember not one red cent until we get real Republicans back in the Republican Party.

88 in '08 Update: A Message from Kevin DeWine

2008-04-13T23:46:00.004-04:00

Weapons of Mass Discussion: 88 in '08 Update: A Message from Kevin DeWine

Via WMD:

As you finish filling out your 1040 this year, keep in mind there’s one thing Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama agree on: you don’t spend enough in taxes.

Both Democrats have proposed eliminating the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 to help pay for their massive government spending programs totaling nearly $1 TRILLION.

The cost to you: Nearly $3,000 annually for the average Ohio family of four! That’s about double the average tax burden now after standard deductions.

So how can you keep your taxes from doubling? Join 88 in 08 to help John McCain and other Republicans win Ohio this November and make the tax cuts permanent.

Your generous contribution of $88, $176 or $250 will enable us to build the statewide grassroots organization we need to defeat the Democrats and their special interest supporters.

Find out more about the Democrats’ $3 TRILLION TAX HIKE.

We are well on the way to raising $88,000 to fund our Get Out The Vote efforts in every one of Ohio’s 88 counties, but we need your continued support. If you are already a member of 88 in 08, consider an additional contribution of $88, $176 or $250 to help us reach our goal.

It’s a reasonable investment to keep Ohio Republican and more money in your pocket - where it belongs.

Kevin DeWine
Deputy Chairman

Comment: We can argue about basic political tactics, but does anyone think giving money to the ORP for John McCain is a good thing? Hell no!

Ohio republicans have to stop playing softball with these guys and believing that the ORP is going to somehow bring folks from the grassroots into the political party in circle. It’s just not going to happen WMD crew members.

The party has strayed and its time we did something in order to bring Republican ideals back to the ORP. Boycott the “88 in 08”! Not One Red Cent!

ODE Paints Ohio Education Decline as a Positive

2008-04-13T23:37:00.004-04:00

One Oar in the Water: ODE Paints Ohio Education Decline as a Positive

"Check out the title of this press release from the Ohio Department of Education:

"'Despite decline in writing scores, Ohio students perform better than nation'"

Comment: To echo the blogger, where is the ORP plan to fix Ohio's education failing? We can bet Strickland will impose more state regulations and directives and government; will the ORP endorse more localism?

Husted Furthers Government Nuisance of Our Energy Sector

2008-04-13T21:31:00.001-04:00

HT: DaytonOS

As Husted and Strickland go back and forth over the latest electricity proposal, one thing is clear, there is no such thing as a free market energy sector in Ohio.

Comment: Without one thought given to free markets, Republican Jon Husted (R-Kettering), along with Gov. Strickland (D) will decide how much profit our energy companies will make, and at the same time will dictate how they will produce energy in the future. How can anyone in Ohio rightly call this de-regulation or free market; it’s the same thing the Soviet Union did for years, and it is the same government non-solution killing Ohio.

Ohio Republicans must openly fight these socialist tendencies of Husted and the Republicans in the General Assembly. Likewise the Ohio Republican Party must stand for free markets and limited government. Ohio will only have low energy prices when our government officials get out of the energy sector's boardrooms and allow for greater competition.

The Boycott Begins!

2008-04-09T20:48:00.000-04:00

For over fifteen years Ohio has been in a depression. Businesses have left Ohio for the Sunbelt, as well as our most productive age group 18 to 45 years old. Worst of all we have an actual socialist representing one of our community districts in the United States House of Representative; and a closet socialist in the US Senate and Governor’s House. Through it all one party has been at the helm steering the great ship Ohio down the toilet. One party has abandoned republican norms and ideals, and has opening adopted the radical environmental and socialist agenda: the ORP.

Well we say no more. It’s time we did something about the lack of leadership and misguided agenda being professed by the Ohio Republican Party. We say not one red cent to the ORP until change comes. Write your representatives in the General Assembly and let them know you will not give a single donation until change comes to the ORP and then write a republican serving at the federal level and let them know the same. Write your friends and family, and together let’s remove this cabal and build again upon the rock solid republican foundation built by Ohioans, who built the GOP!

Please take this picture to the side and attach it to you weblog or website and let folks know that come to your site that you want change in the ORP. We ask for nothing; just take the time and spread the word that not one red cent will be given to Ohio republicans until change comes to the ORP.

Additionally, we will also post the absurd actions of folks like Husted and Evans that collude with Strickland, the spineless whining and crying of Voinovich, and the lack of leadership, direction, and missed opportunities squandered away by Party Chairman Bob Bennett.

Remember not one red cent until change comes to the ORP!