Arshinkoff Wins; Ohio Republicans Lose

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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!