OH 18:Who is Coach Dave?

Faux News and the Right Wing Bloggers are jumping all over a story in the Zanesville Times Recorder about a man named Coach Dave Daubenmire who is holding a vigil outside Congressman Space's Zanesville Office.

A few facts about this "protest". First off Space has held a number of telephone town halls with thousands of the citizens in his district in the last few weeks. In addition Congressman Space has met with a number of citizens without an appointment as reported in the Zanesville Times Recorder. Finally Space has offered to meet with this man but Daubenmire refuses to do so unless its held in a public rally where he can grandstand.

Now a few facts about Daubenmire himself. A search of google gives you a great deal of scary facts about this man and his positions. His blog is full of gay hating propaganda. Here are a few highlights.

He once called for Dick Cheney to resign because his daughter is a lesbian.

He wrote a piece saying Joe McCarthy was right in his investigations of communists in the 50's

He came out in support of a suspended Ohio Teacher who among other things was being sued for allegedly branding 8th grade student's arm with a cross, using an electrical device.

He constantly claims he is being targeted by such "liberal" sources as Faux News, the Columbus Dispatch and the police for arresting his son on pornography charges for which he was convicted for.

As long as the right keeps pinning their hopes on men like this, they will alienate more and more Americans.

"The Whig party was once a powerful political force in our country, they were replaced. I wonder what will replace the Republican Party?" Fundamental Truths

Health Care Rally in Zanesville Times Recorder

An article appeared in the Zanesville Times Recorder reporting on the Health Care Rally at Zack Space's Zanesville office that took place yesterday. I was quoted in that article. Here is what appeared in the newspaper.

A rally of about 10 people with Progress Ohio formed outside Space's office on Main Street.

One of them was Joe Ritchey Jr. of Zanesville.

"I want Space to know that as a self-employed resident with no health problems, I'm still paying 20 percent of my income for health insurance," Ritchey said. "I know people who are going bankrupt because they get sick and then have to pay hospital bills. There are people who have worked all their lives, did everything right, get sick and end up losing everything. We're having to make decisions on our health based on expense and that's wrong."

Ritchey said he knows Space is hearing a lot of opposition and was at the rally to remind him that his supporters were watching.

"We voted him in, and we're going to be the ones who decide whether to re-elect him or not," Ritchey said.

I was slightly misquoted in two places and I would like to correct them. First I said that 20% of my income was for health care expenses including insurance, not just insurance as reported. Secondly I specifically stated that we helped get Zack Space Elected rather than "We voted him in" as I though a supporter and donor to his campaign I am not a resident of the 18th district.

source: Zanesville Times Recorder "Supporters rally for Space, health-care reform"