Ohio in True Peril

Only 4 years have passed since the days of total RepubLIEcan rule in the State of Ohio. Yet Ohioans clearly forgot about the mess that created for our state. Indictments, convictions, election fraud, massive tuition increases at our state colleges and universities, million dollar rest areas, state funds stolen by a Republican operative while laundering money illegally to Republican campaigns. We even had a Governor that was convicted of illegally taking gifts and remained in office. Yes in 4 short years Ohioans clearly have forgotten the frustration, anger, embarrassment and damage RepubLIEcan rule did to our state because much to the disbelief of people that actually pay attention, the voters just put the Foxes in charge of the hen house once again.
Every state wide elected official is now a RepubLIEcan, The state house is totally under RepubLIEcan control, and even the state Supreme Court is entirely Republican. What were Ohioans thinking? Was it competence of the individual candidates? Clearly not.

We have replaced an experienced Governor who managed to balance the state’s budget in a horrible economic climate and unlike most states without raising taxes, cutting education, teachers, firefighters, police and other services citizens depend on our state for. He even froze tuition at the state colleges and universities. His replacement? A man who got rich working for THE Company whose greed, and lack of business ethics, led to a bankruptcy that was the very spark that triggered the recession. Caught in that mess was Ohio retirees who saw their pensions stolen by this company. This man who has already made it clear he plans to cut education, who doesn’t feel every school even needs a principal, is cutting jobs in manufacturing and construction by cancelling much needed state infrastructure improvements. This man will cost the jobs of many middle class workers in state offices, police, fire, education, yet he plans to develop a board of his rich donors and pay them unlimited unreported bonuses.
We went from a competent, effective State Treasurer who put in many developments to improve efficiency and cut costs, to a man who has no financial experience, who has been nothing but a professional politician his entire career, who the Federal election commission and every major newspaper in the state has called a liar.

Then there is the Secretary of State, where we had a very competent, experienced elections attorney in that office, which cleaned up the fraud and even the appearance of it in our elections. She is being replaced by a man who lied about his residence to stay in office as a State Senator, who is going to be running our elections even though he has publically stated that he “can’t break the law, he makes the law, he can change the law” Are you kidding me?

How bad can it get, how bad will it get? The problem is not only is there almost nothing that can be done about it, we won’t even know about it. Since every state official is beholden to the party apparatus, who is going to investigate things. Even the Supreme Court is part of the gang. Perhaps the media will call them out? Who? The clearly RepubLIEcan supporting Dispatch Media group and the Wolfe family? Not a chance. WSYX and Fox 28 owned by RepubLIEcan ultra Conservative Sinclair Media group?
If we are lucky the Plain Dealer will get the word out, but don’t count on it.

Yes Ohio your memory is short, you did not take the responsibility of voting seriously by getting the facts about who these men are. So when your kid can’t afford college, when your property taxes go up to just maintain the basics at your local school. When you have to pay outrageous fees for state services, when state parks decline, roads deteriorate. While your medical costs go up to pay for all those that are losing their Medicaid to get basic health services at the Emergency rooms, while your local taxes go up to replace all the cuts in state funding just to maintain fire and police departments. Meanwhile under the guise of “privatization” you see the rich donors get massive state contracts and get richer and richer. Remember how you voted November 2nd and thus who to blame.

Fact Free Election

Former President Bill Clinton said it all the other day when he said this has been the most fact free election he had ever seen. Once again, sound bites, misinformation, lies and unlimited spending by corporations won the day

But just how much damage will be done by this election.

In Ohio a great deal. Expect college tuitions to once again skyrocket, expect the loss of police, firefighters, and teachers. Expect property taxes to rise, schools to close, the quality of education overall reduced. Expect roads to deteriorate. Expect elections in Ohio to once again be manipulated, through massive gerrymandering of districts to assure Republicans have an advantage in the State House and Congress for the next decade. Expect state funds to go to private companies to enrich the big donors of the Republicans under the guise of privatization and charter schools. Yes Ohio you turned the keys over once again to those that have burnt you again and again. Good job.

It never amazes me how people continue to vote against their own interests and line the pockets of the rich. They don't take the time to really listen and find out what is actually going on, what is actually being said, listening for substance not empty sound bites. Not calling out people who lie to them again and again.

The only bright side is that Ohioans once again after the damage is deep they will swing back and elect Democrats to fix the messes and corruption that is inevitably brought in by Republicans. Its a shame we have to go through this cycle over and over.