OH 18: YO Coach did you sleep through the town hall

Congressman Zack Space held a Town hall meeting in Zanesville this morning yet, as I drove by his office self promoter Dave Daubenmire remain there plopped in his lawn chair protesting that he wanted a "town hall?"

Guess he missed it, enjoy the attention Dave, you sure are giving most of Zanesville a lot of laughs in the meantime.

OH-18 Space proposes solutions Dailey sucks up to Oil Companies

While Zack Space actively works to actually do something about gas prices, Fred Dailey marches in lockstep with the other RepubOILcans wanting to increase the assets of Big Oil. Zack Space was a co-sponser this week of a House bill that would have forced big oil to take their idle leases off their balance sheets and actually start producing oil from them.

A spokesman for Fred Dailey, Sean Bartley, called the bill “laughable because it does nothing to promote drilling.” Apparently Dailey and his campaign is clueless about what this bill was, considering it was all about forcing the companies to drill on the leases they currently hold.

It is not a suprise that Dailey takes this approach considering of the meager contributions he has been able to raise, his contributors include the Ohio Oil and Gas association and Knox Energy.

Once again its clear the Oil Companies and the RepubOILcans in their pocket don't actually want to produce more oil they just want to pad their profits with more leases on their balance sheets.

Space's 3 Pronged Approach on Oil Prices.

I listened in on a conference call town meeting last night on oil prices with Congressman Zack Space of the Ohio 18th.

He detailed a 3 pronged approach to expand domestic supply, reduce demand and to rectify problems in the oil market such as speculation, the lowering dollar and price gauging.

There were over 12,000 participants in this call and though various issues were discussed the primary focus was gas prices.

On the subject of drilling, Space commented that additional drilling must be part of it but it must be teamed with conservation and finding additional sources of energy. Space said, "Anyone that suggests all we do is drill and our problems just go away is misguided."

Other comments related to oil prices included a need for international leadership as the problem is a world wide issue that is effected by many factors outside the United States, as well as it will require bi partisan cooperation in this country.

Space also discussed a proposal for a rural commuters tax credit that would assist those living in the rural communities of places like eastern Ohio that have to commute 30 miles or more to their jobs.

There was discussion on the stress on food banks and Space mentioned that he as sought to increase funding for those organizations.

On other issues Space discussed the Renew Ohio project that strives to make Ohio part of the changes in industries and the economy rather then victims of it, by promoting job growth in technology and environmental and alternative energy.

There was also a question on the 2nd amendment. Space made it clear that he was a member of the NRA he supported the recent Supreme Court decision on the Washington DC gun ban. He stated that he felt gun ownership was a basic right and part of our culture and that law abiding citizens should not be restricted from owning guns. He said,"I am an advocate for rights of gun owners and will do so as long as I am here."

Space helps fix another Ney mess.

The City of Zanesville dodged a bullet today with the help of Congressman Zack Space. In 2006 a connector road costing 1.5 million dollars was built and opened by the city to connect State Routes 146 and 60. The funding for this was originally secured by Congressman Bob Ney as part of the Route 60 improvement project between Zanesville and Dresden.

When that project was cancelled Bob Ney and the Ohio Department of Transportation of the Taft Administration informed the City of Zanesville, that they could use those funds for the connector road. Turns out Ney never filed a reauthorization for the money.

A month after the road opened the city was informed that the Federal Highway Administration had withdrawn the money. Space worked with Federal officials, the city and ODOT director Jim Beasley to get this money reauthorized.

Space once again saw a problem and got it handled.

Space votes with Democrats on FISA

Yesterday I was very harsh on Zack Space, Ohio's Congressman from the 18th district, when it appeared he was wavering on the FISA bill. Today he voted yes to a democratic version, which does not give the Bush Crime family the tools to cover up their wrong doings nor does it give immunity to the telecom companies.

Good job Zack for sticking to your principles despite the pressure.

Space to assist in Bush Cover-up?

Since 2001 George W. Bush has used the fear of terrorism as justification for a myriad of crimes against the American people and the world, leaving the constitution in shreds. The last several years he along with the complicity of Congress he has methodically worked to either attempt to make his crimes legal by changing the laws retroactively or by covering them up.

The current FISA bill has as its core purpose to prevent legal action that will lead to investigations and thus expose crimes committed by the Bush administration. There is no other reason for this bill. The existing FISA law allows wiretapping quickly and easily. But it requires a court review and a warrant after the fact.

There is only one reason the Bush administration doesn’t want court review. That is they are wiretapping people for reasons having nothing to do with terrorism. There is only one reason they want immunity for telecom companies, it’s because crimes were committed and would come out in such legal action.

The American people voted in a Democratic congress to put a stop to Bush and his crimes. But since then they have done little. Now word has it that Zack Space 18th District Congressmen is considering voting for this bill. If he does he will be a conspirator in the Bush cover-up. More and more it is appearing that Zack Space is willing to give up his values to keep the Republicans in his district happy. That is not leadership that is selling out.

OH-7 Neuhardt and OH-18 Space gain wins

Sharen Neuhardt won the nomination over a field of 5 others to go on to challenge Steve Austria the Republican Nominee for Dennis Hobson's seat in the 7th Congressional District. Sharen brought in 37% of the vote while her nearest challenger Bill Conner brought in 34%.

Zack Space brings in a huge win in the 18th District, garnering a whopping 85% of the vote. He will be facing Republican Fred Dailey who pulled out a narrow win over Jeannette Moll.

Its nice to see a strong Incumbent in the 18th a district that has been controlled by the Republicans for years as well as a great candidate in Ohio's 7th. Sharon will be the first viable Democratic Challenge in this district in decades.