Erie County Young Republicans

March 6th Primary Election

2012-02-08T10:36:00.001-05:00

Below is a list of all candidates who appear on the March 6, 2012, Official Republican Party Ballot, as issued by the Erie County Board of Elections.
Candidates running in a contested race are indicated with an astrix (*).

You can vote an Absentee Ballot at the Erie County Board of Elections from February 1, 2012 - March 2, 2012. The Erie County Board of Elections is located at 2900 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky, Ohio 44870 and is open from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday. For more information check out the Erie County BOE website here, or call the BOE at 419.627.7601.

Erie County Candidates
Judge Robert C. DeLamatre
Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division

Jude T. Hammond
County Commissioner

John T. Lendrum
County Commissioner

Jeff Krabill
County Treasurer

Brian Baxter
County Coroner

State of Ohio
Donald J. Janik
State Representative, 89th District

Michelle McCauley*
State Senator

Randy Gardner*
State Senator

Terrence O'Donnell
Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio

Robert R. Cupp
Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio

Sharon L. Kennedy
Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio

Dee Talmage*
GOP State Central Committee, Woman, 2nd District

Gina-Marie Kaczala*
GOP State Central Committee, Woman, 2nd District

Mark D. Wagoner*
GOP State Central Committee, Man, 2nd District

Tom Morgan*
GOP State Central Committee, Man, 2nd District

United States of America
Mitt Romney*
President

Rick Perry*
President

Rick Santorum*
President

Newt Gingrich*
President

Jon Huntsman*
President

Ron Paul*
President

Eric LaMont Gregory*
U.S. Senator

Josh Mandel*
U.S. Senator

Michael L. Pryce*
U.S. Senator

David W. Dodt*
U.S. Senator

Donna K. Glisman*
U.S. Senator

Jim Jordan
U.S. House of Representatives, Ohio 4th District

Steve Kraus*
U.S. House of Representatives, Ohio 9th District

Samuel Wurzelbacher*
U.S. House of Representatives, Ohio 9th District

Wild Pack of Hyenas

2012-01-30T12:29:00.001-05:00

For the last four years, all I've heard is how important 2012 is for Republicans. All I've heard is how we have to band together, link arms, show up at the polls and defeat Obama and his cohorts. That was one of the reasons the officers of the ECYR decided to create the Erie County Young Republican organization. We wanted to help our Party succeed in 2012.

However, over the past several years petty squabbles and political disagreements caused ECGOP members to in-fight like a pack of wild hyenas. During this time I held onto to hope that when 2012 dawned we as a county party would put our issues aside in order to make that long ago created goal a reality. Because, hey, what's more important in 2012 - defeating the Democrats or defeating members of our own Party?

Well, as the editorial section of the Sandusky Register will demonstrate, we as a Party are choosing to defeat ourselves. By attacking one another in the paper, online and at the local coffee shop, all we're doing is expending our energy in the wrong direction - at ourselves. Rather, we should gather all that vitriol and lob it at our opponents.

Now, I'm not suggesting individual Republicans refrain from speaking their mind. I do suggest individual Republicans reflect on the consequences letters to the editor that disparage and blacken the ECGOP and it's members may have at the polls in November. The ECGOP's goal is to get Republicans elected, yet certain members of our Party are spending more time and effort on bringing down other members of our Party simply because they disagree with or just plain don't like them. Is this really the best expenditure of our time and effort as a Party?

To further my point and in response to several readers comments, the ECYR's last blog was not a camouflaged defense of Alex Jones, Chairman-Elect of the Erie County Republican Party. It was a blatant defense of Young Republicans and their value to the GOP. Assumptions that individuals of one and twenty cannot professionally represent and lead our Party are wrong. Young Republicans are leading county parties and other GOP organizations all across America. The blog was intended to demonstrate the value of Young Republicans to the GOP. It was also intended as a cautionary warning to more experienced Republicans not to dismiss the value and dedication of Young Republicans to the Party.

We as a party need to gather all of our members and band together for November 2012. We need to set aside our in-fighting and work towards the common goal: defeating Obama and other Democrats running for office. Together we can be great - separated we will fail.

Never Judge A Book By Its Cover

2012-01-19T10:14:00.001-05:00

Recently local Young Republicans were under attack for being unprofessional and “living at home with mom and dad.” Not only are such baseless assumptions incorrect, they damage the future of our local Republican Party.

Many outstanding Ohio Republicans started out as just young people with a desire to support and expand the Republican Party and elect Republican candidates. In fact, for over 75 years the Ohio Young Republican organization was led by individuals such as Congressman Oliver P. Bolton, Congressman John C. Ashbrook, and the Honorable Paul C. Matia. Other notable former Young Republicans include Ohio Republican Chairman Bob Bennett, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Terrence O’Donnell, and Senator George V. Voinovich.

Contrary to some beliefs, Young Republicans do not sit at home eating potato chips and playing the latest X-Box game in their parents’ basement. They run voting drives, serve as poll workers, act as campaign managers, walk door-to-door for candidates and work at phone banks. In fact, in 2004 the Ohio Young Republicans won the prestigious President’s Circle Award for an incredibly successful voter drive.

Young Republicans are not just 20- or 30-somethings either, they include college students, teenagers and youths who are committed to the success of the GOP. The National Teen Age Republican organization lists its members in the tens of thousands! College Republican organizations are at almost every public and private college in the state.

Yet some “established” local Republicans devalue young leadership in the county party; by doing so, we endanger the very future of our party. When “established” Republicans diminish and demean the work ethic and dedication of young Republicans, they tell young GOP voters they are not needed nor welcomed into Reagan’s Big Tent GOP. This cold-shoulder attitude may very well undermine the future of the Republican Party in one to two generations when previously dismissed young voters become established enough to “properly” support the party and choose not to.

Think about this: Obama was elected into office with the support of an unprecedented number of young voters, many of which had never formerly declared themselves as an R or D. They voted for him because they felt Obama and the Democrat Party welcomed their support and saw them as valuable players in America’s future. Local Republicans of any generation do great disservice to the future of our local party if we ignore this fact.

The Erie County GOP is strong and vibrant, but the young people in our county need to be encouraged and welcomed into the Big Tent. The Erie County Young Republicans welcome all Republicans to our Happy Hours and Social Events in the hopes that we, as a community of Republicans, can build our party into a force to be reckoned with at the polls.

For more information on the Erie County Young Republicans, visit our website at www.eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com.

2012 And New Beginnings

2011-12-29T18:00:00.000-05:00

The Erie County Young Republicans wish everyone in Erie County, Ohio and abroad and wonderful and successful 2012! Check back in the new year for blog posts about local candidates, local politics, local issues, and guest bloggers, along with the usual smattering of state and national related blog posts. Happy New Year!

Blog Vacation

2011-06-10T10:11:00.000-04:00

To all of our readers (if you're still out there). The ECYR Blog will be on hiatus from May 1, 2011 until July 31, 2011. Reason being the main author of this blog is busy at home and at a family business during the summer and does not have the time to dedicate to writing two weekly blog posts.

Never fear dedicated readers, the ECYR blog will return this August full of verve and witty commentary on the state of our local communities, state and country. If you want to write a blog post to be posted during our hiatus, please email the ECYR at blog@eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com. We'll review your post for spelling errors and will post as soon as we're able.

Stayed tuned throughout the hiatus... you never know when Obama or other Democrats will do something to rile the ECYRs up enough for us to break the hiatus and express our thoughts in a blog post.

Also, please come hang out with the ECYRs at our monthly Happy Hours that take place on the last Thursday of every month starting at 6:30 p.m. For more info on locations please visit our website at www.eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com.

Enjoy the summer folks!

Delay in Posts for May 12th, 18th and 19th

2011-05-19T12:32:00.000-04:00

Due to personal issues for the authors of this blog, there will be no blog posts for May 12, 18th or 19th. Posts will resume May 25th as normal. Please send any comments or concerns to blog@eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com

What's A Republican? Wednesday: Two Great Challenges

2011-05-11T18:23:00.000-04:00

In 1892 the Republican Party faced its greatest political challenge in its 40 year history. It came in the form of the Populists.

The Populists were formed mainly by farmers in the South and the West who were angry at the railroads for charging too much to move their products, as well as the banks that charged high interest rates on loans and politicians that didn't do anything to help them. Remember, it was the Republican Party that pushed for a transcontinental railroad in the 1850s and 1860s - hence one of the Populists big targets was the GOP.

The Populists made large in-roads in the 1892 election. "Their candidate for president received more than 1 million votes. Nationwide, they elected 1,500 candidates to state and local positions including three governors, five U. S. senators and ten members of the House." Cite. However, when the Populists joined forces with the Democrats in the 1896 election in an attempt to crush the GOP they failed miserably.

In fact, the Republican Party held onto the White House for the next 16 years with Presidents like William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.

McKinley, who won the White House in 1896, was a Civil War vet and lawyer who lived in Canton, Ohio. During his tenure as President he enacted the highest tariff ever seen in America at that time. He also sent troops to Cuba to fight the 100 Days War where the U.S. destroyed the Spanish fleet and occupied Puerto Rico. Soon after he annexed the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico. A year after he won his second term he was assassinated and Teddy Roosevelt took over as President.

Teddy Roosevelt presided over a great era of change in U.S. history. Roosevelt was known as the "trust buster" because "he held the ideal that the Government should be the great arbiter of the conflicting economic forces in the Nation, especially between capital and labor, guaranteeing justice to each and dispensing favors to none." Cite. Consequently, the Sherman Act was enacted by Congress in an attempt to further Roosevelt's trust busting policies.

During Roosevelt's tenure the United States also became more involved in international politics, a decided break from the Founding Fathers' isolationist philosophy. This was in part due to the increased trade and interactions amongst the countries of the world due to new technologies in communication and transportation. Roosevelt also drafted U.S. foreign policy regarding its involvement in Latin America, which affects relationships with those countries to this day.

He was also a large fan of land conservation and increased national forest acreage exponentially in the West. So for all those tree huggers who say Republicans hate the environment, note that one of our Presidents created some of the national forests you protect today.

Note that most conservatives in America at the time of Teddy's Presidency hated his Progressive ideas and his stretching of the powers of the President. However, although he may have run as President on the Progressive ticket in 1912, he was still one of ours and represented the Republican Party for eight years.

After Teddy came Taft, who was a terrible politician yet a decent President. He made some bumbles, like failing to get a trade agreement with Canada actually passed in Canada. He also supported a bill with that upheld high tariffs. However, "his administration initiated 80 antitrust suits and that Congress submitted to the states amendments for a Federal income tax and the direct election of Senators. A postal savings system was established, and the Interstate Commerce Commission was directed to set railroad rates." Cite. During his tenure as President he was constantly attacked by Progressives for his failure to do thing their way.

By the election of 1912 the Republican Party faced its second biggest political challenge... and lost.

By today's standards these Presidents may not consider themselves hard-core Republicans - in fact some may consider themselves Democrats. How can a party shift from seemingly progressive and Democrat ideals to today's modern GOP? Tune in next week to find out.

Blog Posts for the First Week of May Postponed.

2011-05-04T13:23:00.001-04:00

Due to technical difficulties, the regular posts for the first week of May will be postponed until next week. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Are Rich People Evil? The Democrats Want You To Think So.

2011-04-28T10:55:00.002-04:00

This past weekend, over a lovely Easter dinner, my family and I got into a debate about the evilness of rich people. My family blamed the stock market woes on greedy rich people with no morals and a penchant for puppet-mastering the market. My family also stated the federal bailout of the banks, GM and Chrysler would not have happened but for rich people. My family also said rich people don't pay enough in taxes and supported Obama's proposed tax hike.

Interesting. So the people who own lots of stock in the market decided to engineer the market to fall drastically so they could loose thousands and millions of dollars. Sounds like a great way to stay rich - cause yourself to loose money.

Furthermore, nameless and faceless rich people caused the stock market to plummet because the world is run by nameless and faceless rich people organizations bent on the utter destruction of their own wealth and who desire the end of the middle class. Doesn't sound like a conspiracy theory at all, does it?

Oh, and lets not forget GM and Chrysler required government assistance because rich people caused the companies to founder financially. Their threatened financial collapse had nothing to do with GM and Chrysler's business models or financial management whatsoever.

Plus, the rich people soooooo don't pay enough in taxes - in fact, they steal from the poor and give to themselves! They pull a reverse Robin Hood every year on April 15th! The federal deficit makes complete and total sense now.

Here's a table from the National Taxpayers Union about who pays their federal income taxes and how much of the total federal income tax they pay. AGI = Adjusted Gross Income (income minus deductions). Go here to calculate your AGI.

Percentile....AGI>>.......% of Federal Income Tax Paid
Top 1%......$380,354.....38.02%

Top 5%......$159,619.....58.72%

Top 10%.....$113,799.....69.94%

Top 25%.....$67,280......86.34%

Top 50%.....$33,048......97.30%

Bottom 50%..<$33,048.....2.7%
Source: Internal Revenue Service for 2008

So yeah, the rich obviously don't pay enough in taxes. Nope, no sirree. Not enough at all. Today, the bus driver on my bus told another RTA worker that the rich people should pay more in taxes because the rich people have all the money. So in his logic, rich people should work to support not just themselves and their family, but society as a whole. I must have missed learning that socialist principle from our Founding Fathers in my high school history class.

Here's a brain teaser most Democrats haven't been able to figure out: Obama says he wants to tax millionaires and billionaires - but he's proposing tax increases on individuals making over $200K and couples making over $250K. I don't know about you, but people in the proposed tax hike bracket are not millionaires and billionaires. Obama's tax hike is especially confounding considering the gold mine for taxable income for the federal government is for those with AGI's between $100K-$200K a year.

From the April 17, 2011 WSJ article "Where The Tax Money Is."

Consider this - the Department of Commerce defines the middle class as (two parent, two children homes) making at least $80,600 per year (see link above). However, the DOC also stated 92% of American's consider themselves middle class, which includes households making more then $200K and $250K a year. So technically Obama's tax hike would actually raise taxes on the middle class, something Obama doesn't want to do. I told you it was a brain teaser.

So, Obama and the Democrats would have you believe rich people are evil, they've created all of our country's economic woes and they need to be punished by being forced to pay more in taxes. *cough cough bullshit cough cough*

Rich people are not the bane of our country's existence, they don't cause all the problems in the world and they sure as heck aren't bent on the destruction of the middle class. They are hard working people living the American dream who don't deserve to be punished and publicly degraded for the amount of money in their bank accounts.

As a last word, President Obama said he made enough money last year (something like $1.3 million in 2010) and that he didn't need it all so he'd be happy to pay more in taxes. Well, gee, that's magnanimous Mr. President, but see, I need all of my income as do most of people and small businesses I know and they don't feel like donating more of their hard earned cash to your never satiated beast of a federal government. But you go on ahead and donate that excess cash you have laying around, I'm sure Uncle Sam will send you an engraved thank you note.

What's A Republican? Wednesdays: Why Are You A GOPer?

2011-04-27T09:53:00.000-04:00

We're going to take a break from the history lesson this week. Instead, I'm going to relate why I chose to be a Republican.

Until the age of 18 I thought I was a Democrat. I'd been raised in a house where one parent, my Mother, voted for the candidate - most of which were Democrats. My Father was born in Canada and didn't become citizen until my freshman year of college. However, my parents often spared over politics, both national and local, and when I was old enough I would join in their debates. My parents encouraged me to learn about the world, to challenge what I learned and to make up my own mind on how the world worked.

After my first semester in college I met two people who challenged my ideas about my political leanings. We debated the issues for hours and after several months of defending and articulating my beliefs I decided I was a Republican.

I believe in personal responsibility - if you make a mess, whether it's in your own life or with say, the state or national budget, you better be prepared to clean it up.

I believe in less government interference in a citizen's every day life. I don't mind speed limits or drug safety regulations but interference like Obamacare mandated health insurance just shoots my blood pressure through the roof.

I believe in all levels of government living within their means and lower taxes/fees. If that means cuts and reforms to local, state and national programs then so be it.

I believe in a strong national defense. This one's a no brainer.

I strongly support the Second Amendment. See last Thursday's blog post for an example.

I believe in a free market/capitalist economy. Our country became an economic giant on the backs of entrepreneurs and businessmen and women who had ideas, goals and dreams and the freedom to see them become reality.

I know I am a Republican.

I'm grateful I live in a country where I have the ability to pursue my Life, Liberty and Happiness. I'm grateful for my right to vote and exercise my free speech. I'm grateful I live in a country that will fight to survive and protect its citizens no matter what. We are a country formed on dreams, freedom and hope. As long as we honor our roots and look towards the future with the steadfast determination that we will overcome all challenges stronger then before, then the United States of America will be the greatest democratic republic this world has ever, or will ever, know.

Expansion of Concealed Carry Laws

2011-04-21T08:55:00.001-04:00

Last week the Ohio Senate passed SB 17, which would allow concealed carry license holders to take their concealed weapon into a bar or restaurant as long as they did not drink any alcohol. The day after the Ohio Senate passed this measure, I was listening to a Cleveland radio station where the topic was whether the measure was a good or bad idea.

The people I was listening to were complete and utter idiots. They were concerned that if a person brought their concealed weapon into a bar or restaurant, and decided they wanted a beer and the waitress/waiter refused to provide said beer, that the gun owner would wave their gun around and demand the beer and the waitstaff would be forced to capitulate in order to save their own life.

Like I said, idiots.

People with concealed carry weapons do not go around unlawfully waving their guns at unsuspecting citizens because they want a beer, a new car or someone's money. That type of behavior is regulated to the criminal element in our society, not CCW licensees.

In the state of Ohio, in order to get a CCW license you must:

1. Provide proof of your competency certification;

2. Complete an application process with the sheriff for the county in which you reside, which includes a background check;

3. Be a resident of the county in which you are applying for the CCW;

4. Have a clean criminal record, or your criminal record must be clear of a list of specified felonies;

5. Be mentally competent;

6. Not be subject to any outstanding protective orders.

For more detailed information on Ohio's current CCW laws and regulations, please read the Ohio Attorney General's 2009 Concealed Carry Laws Manual.

Concealed carry licensees are not they type of people that will shove a gun into a bartender's face in order to get a salt rim on their margarita at their local bar and grill. Quite the opposite in fact - they are your friends, neighbors and family members that were deemed responsible and law abiding citizens by local law enforcement as people who would NOT wave their gun in a bartender's face to get a salt rim on their margarita.

The purpose in having a CCW is for personal protection and to exercise an individual's 2nd Amendment rights. CCW licensees want to be able to protect themselves from the criminal element in society, like Amanda Collins, a student at the University of Nevada at Reno.

Furthermore, state legislatures like the Arizona House passed a bill on April 8th that would allow students to carry concealed weapons on campus. So why can't Ohio expand it's concealed carry laws to allow licensees to carry in restaurants and bars too?

CCW licensees are law abiding citizens who are competent with a firearm. These are the people that will walk into a restaurant or bar with their concealed weapon and will order a water or a pop rather then a beer. Why? Because these are the type of people that if the law said they could only carry their concealed weapon into a bar or restaurant as long as they did not imbibe alcohol, they would abide by the law and not drink alcohol.

The people these Cleveland DJs should be worried about are not CCW licensees, but men and women that shoot, maim and kill innocent civilians every day in the State of Ohio despite the laws. CCW holders are not law breakers - they are law abiding citizens seeking to protect themselves and their families from violence.

Currently SB 17 is stuck in the Ohio House. Speaker of the House Batchelder expressed concern that the measure may not have enough votes to pass the House due to pressure from the Ohio Restaurant Association. I wholeheartedly support this measure and hope it passes the Ohio House and is signed into law by Gov. Kasich.

For more information on concealed carry laws in Ohio and nationwide, please visit: www.buckeyefirearms.org and www.opencarry.org.

What's A Republican? Wednesdays: Rebuilding America

2011-04-20T11:15:00.003-04:00

After the Civil War and the assassination of President Lincoln, the country was crying out for leadership. President Andrew Johnson took over the Presidency after Lincoln's death and oversaw the four years after the Civil War known as the Reconstruction Era. As President, Johnson drew the ire of Radical Republicans (opposed slavery during the war and demanded harsh Reconstruction policies afterward because of their deep distrust of the former Confederate states) because he wanted former Confederate states quickly reincorporated back into the union and he vetoed several civil rights bills. Due to these actions, the U.S. House charged him with violating the Tenure of Office Act in 1868; however, the Senate acquitted him by a single vote.

At the 1868 Republican National Convention, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant unanimously won the nomination for his party's Presidential candidate. He won the White House later that same fall and worked diligently to preserve the hard won fragile peace and cooperation between the North and the South. He signed and enforced civil rights laws and fought against the Klu Klux Klan. He built and strengthened the Republican Party in the South, which led to the election of African Americans to Congress and state governments for the first time in American history.

However, the Grant administration was plagued with scandal due to Grant's low standards for Cabinet Members. Grant was also criticized for his slow response to several economic issues during his tenure.

Despite these problems, at the 1872 Republican National Convention, Grant was re-nominated as the Republican Party's candidate for President. At the same convention several planks were added to the party platform. The ninth new plank addressed the income tax enacted during Lincoln's tenure in the White House to pay for the country's debts incurred during the Civil War. It stated:

"All tariff and internal taxation needed for the reduction of the public debt and for the support of the government should be so adjusted as to bear with least weight upon the laboring classes, and to foster and encourage the industries of the nation, which are the foundation of all national prosperity."

However, despite the official end of the Civil War seven years prior, and Grant's successes as President, the 1872 election was contentious. In fighting started in the Republican party and those who were once friends became foes, like Horace Greeley. Greeley was a staunch and loyal Republican from its inception until the 1872 Presidential election when he ran as President under the Democrat's banner.

Other well known Republicans at the time challenged the Republican Party's support of the 14th and 15th amendments, calling them abominations and outright contradictions to the spirit of the U.S. Constitution.

But it wasn't just Republican's turning on Republicans - Southern Democrats killed hundreds of Republicans, burned their homes and destroyed their property during the 1872 Presidential election campaign. Despite the apparent chaos in the Republican party and attacks on Republicans by Southern Democrats, Grant won re-election almost unanimously.

The Republican Party maintained control of the White House and dictated many of the reforms necessary during the post-war era from 1864 until 1884. During this time Republicans found support primarily from Northern farmers, factory workers, and businessmen. However, it was also at this time when many people began to view the Republicans as the party of the upper class because Republican leaders were often wealthier businessmen, and the party's actions tended to favor business over farming.

Also by 1884 the party was rife with conflict and scandal; consequently, in 1884 the reform-minded Republicans helped elect conservative Democrat Grover Cleveland to the White House. Although Republican Benjamin Harrison defeated Cleveland in 1888, Cleveland won the White House back in 1892.

This American flag design was popular during the Civil War until the late 1800s.

Come back next week for another installment of What's A Republican? Wednesdays.

It's Like Watching A Train Wreck, You Just Can't Seem To Look Away

2011-04-14T09:34:00.005-04:00

UPDATE: Read the Tax Prof's Blog April 18th Post entitled WSJ: Obama Targets the Middle Class While Pretending to Tax Only the Rich to learn about why the Democrats aren't really targeting the "rich" but the middle class. END UPDATE.

Yesterday President Obama revealed his proposal for the 2012 budget and how he plans to tackle the national debt. Here's a quick breakdown on how he plans to cut $4.4 trillion in 12 years:

1. Raise taxes on the "rich" by repealing the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000 a year and limit itemized deductions for the wealthiest 2%.

2. Cut defense spending.

3. Reduce healthcare spending by cutting costs and waste.

4. Keep domestic spending low by building on the $38.5 billion in cuts agreed to last week.

Is this really the President's plan? Raising taxes? Cutting defense spending? Reduce domestic discretionary spending?

Now I don't know about you, but I don't think raising taxes on small businesses and people who worked hard to be successful and make more then $200,000 (individual) to $250,000 (couple) is a good idea as the country creeps from out under the shadow of a recession. In fact, I think it's a horrid idea. These "rich" people already pay 40% in federal taxes. By the time you add in state and local taxes, some of them are paying over 50% of their income in taxes. And the President thinks they aren't shouldering their tax burden? Really?

This is a spectacularly ridiculous idea and only supported by those individuals who feel people that make more then they do should be forced to spread their wealth around to those less fortunate, because hey, why should people who work hard for their money be able to enjoy it? Oh, that's right, I forgot the President wants Americans to live in a Robin Hood/Nanny State where the government takes from the rich, gives to the poor and takes care of everyone from cradle to grave.

The second part of the President's proposal that made my jaw drop were the proposed cuts to defensive spending. We're currently in the middle of three wars: Afghanistan, Iraq and now Libya. We have terrorists constantly trying to attack this country. Iran and/or North Korea could go nuclear at any time. Several countries in the Middle East are in the midst of prolonged civilian revolts against their governments, any of which the U.S. may be asked to step in like it did in Libya. The President thinks NOW is a good time to cut defensive spending? I don't think so. Here's what the Pentagon has to say.

Yesterday, the President also presented his response to Rep. Paul Ryan's proposed reforms to Medicare and Medicaid. His solution - cut excess spending and waste. Could he have been more vague? These mandatory entitlements, along with Social Security, will MAX OUT THE FEDERAL BUDGET BY 2025. That means every dollar the federal government brings in domestically will be spent on these programs if nothing is done now.

Ryan's proposal offers real leadership and solutions to save these programs from taking over the federal budget in a mere 14 years. Ryan's proposals save these programs from extinction and ensure they will be around for people in my generation. The President's plan punts the problem to another President either 5 or 9 years from now.

All in all, I was supremely underwhelmed by the President's plan. I'm all for Rep. Paul Ryan's plan which does not raise taxes, reforms mandatory entitlements, and does not cut defensive spending. Here's how it compares to the President's original proposal for the 2012 budget:

You can read more about Rep. Paul Ryan's plan at www.budget.house.gov.

If the President's solution to the fiscal problems that plague this country is enacted, I'll seriously consider moving to Canada, preferably somewhere in the Yukon.

UPDATE: Below, watch Rep. Paul Ryan talk about President Obama's proposal.

What's A Republican? Wednesdays: 150 Years Ago...

2011-04-13T09:33:00.003-04:00

Yesterday marked the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. 150 years ago yesterday the Confederate Army attacked Fort Sumter, which fell two days later to the Confederate rebels on April 14, 1861.

In November 1860, Abraham Lincoln, a Republican and a lawyer from Illinois, was elected as President of the United States of America. Lincoln ran on the Republican Party's platform, which included planks on: the abolition of slavery, extending statehood to Kansas as a free state (ref. "Bleeding Kansas"), the construction of a transcontinental railroad to the Pacific Ocean, federally funded improvements to river and sea ports and harbors. The platform also encouraged cooperation amongst all men from all parties to see those goals become reality and to protect the institutions and Constitution of the United States of America.

Approximately six months after taking the oath of office, Lincoln was faced with a country at war with itself. The Southern Democrats who opposed his campaign and election as President considered Lincoln a "sectional President," one who sided with Northern sensibilities on slavery and modernization. The South saw Lincoln's election as an excuse to secede from the Union because they feared Lincoln would abolish slavery soon after he took office. However, Lincoln and the Republican Party believed the federal government did not have the authority to end slavery where it already existed (the South), but that it could regulate the issue of slavery where it had never existed before (the territories).

Consequently, for the first two years of the Civil War Lincoln was most concerned with reuniting the country and ending the South's attempt at sovereign independence. He was supported by most Northern politicians; however, as the Civil War raged on the issue of slavery quickly rose to equal importance with the issue of reunification. Lincoln believed he could not end slavery without first saving the Union, and he could not save the Union without ending slavery. Therefore, in the fall of 1862 Lincoln announced he would issue a formal emancipation of all slaves in any state of the Confederate States of America that did not return to Union control by January 1, 1863.

Historian Benjamin Quarles wrote "As a constitutionalist Lincoln was dedicated to the preservation of the Union. If Lincoln had a ruling passion, it was to show the world that a government based on the principles of liberty and equality was not a passing, short-lived experiment." Lincoln knew the emancipation of slaves in the Confederate states would weaken the rebels, strengthen the North and was the morally right thing to do. Therefore, on January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the executive order known as the "Emancipation Proclamation," which declared the end of slavery only in those states under Confederate control.

The proclamation had the desired effects, and on April 9, 1865 the Civil War ended with Lee's surrender at the Appomattox Court House.

The Republican Party's accomplishments between 1860 and 1862 are often overshadowed by the Civil War. Indeed, during that time the Republican held Congress passed and enacted major legislation to modernize the country and its economy, which included: a national banking system, the first temporary income tax, paper money issued without backing, homestead laws, railroads,and federal aid for education and agriculture.

I'll leave you with an excerpt from Frank Abial Flower's 1884 History of the Republican Party: Embracing Its Origin , Growth and Mission, which I think best describes the drive and purpose of the Republican Party between 1854 and 1865:

"The Republican Party has been the most powerful champion of freedom and equal rights in the world. The feeble and scattered elements that 50 years ago [1830s] began to combine, here and there, were all lovers of human equality. Under various names, led by a purer patriotism far in advance of the different political organizations to which they had belonged, they continued to grow in numbers and influence, until, composing a majority of their respective communities in this Republic, they were, in response to an inexorable, drawn into one great spirited army, with a common purpose - equal and perpetual freedom for all - and a common name, REPUBLICAN."

There Is A Crisis Breathing Down Our Necks

2011-04-07T17:21:00.003-04:00

I don’t know about you, but I’m baffled. I went to work today and my office was closed. Shutdown. Locked up tight. Lights off. No one was home. But there was a sign on the door that said:

“Management could not agree on an annual budget for the rest of the year. We tried to come up with a plan (well one of us did). However, since one of us couldn't agree to anything but the most miniscule one time budget cuts in time to stave off a shutdown (guess who)... we shut down. Enjoy the forced time off. We don’t know when we’ll open again, but we’ll let you know.”

Okay, so that didn’t really happen at my place of employment… but it’s what will happen if D.C. fails to finalize and pass a budget for 2011 by April 8th. As in Friday. As in tomorrow.

So what’s the President doing to avoid a shutdown? Well, on Monday the President announced his re-election campaign for the 2012 White House. Tuesday he refused to sign any more extensions for negotiations on the 2011 budget. He declared time was up – Capitol Hill had until Saturday to figure out a budget for 2011 and that was it. No more extensions, no more band-aid resolutions. He promised to meet with Congressional leaders around the clock until they figure out this pesky budget problem.

Know what he did next? Wednesday afternoon he left to give a speech in Fairless Hills, PA – a battleground area key to a win in 2012. Wednesday evening he attended the 20th anniversary party for Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network.

It seems to me our President is more concerned with 2012 then he is with the right here and now. Who the heck leaves to give speeches and attend social events when the government is facing its first shutdown in 15 years?! Even though the President promised to meet with Congressional leaders starting yesterday until an agreement was reached, he didn’t really mean yesterday… he meant today or maybe even tomorrow. Because hey, what’s a government shutdown besides a surprise vacation for government employees (read with heavy sarcasm)?

Here’s a list of “what ifs” to ponder in case the government does shutdown:

1. Our troops, who are serving in three wars, will only get paid through April 8th… after that, they don’t get paid until the government comes back online
2. Taxpayers will see a delay in receiving their federal tax refunds
3. Small businesses loans and FHA mortgages will be halted
4. Our economic recovery could slow or stop
5. The IRS will suspend tax audits
6. The 2011 Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C. on Saturday will most likely be cancelled
7. 800,000 federal employees will be furloughed during the length of the shutdown
8. National parks and the Smithsonian will close

And that’s just a short list. The last shutdown 15 years ago only lasted 21 days. It’s taken D.C. several months to reach the current stalemate – I shudder to imagine how long a government shutdown could last this time around. And I wonder, with a shutdown breathing down our necks, why our President is gallivanting around giving speeches and celebrating with constituents rather than participating in averting a crisis. I am certain about one thing though, shutdown or not – I’ll be working hard in Erie County to defeat him in 2012.

Below is a video I think everyone in the country should watch – in it Rep. Paul Ryan talks about his plans to save the United States from financial collapse. Take three minutes out of your day and watch it.

UPDATE: April 8, 2011 4:00 p.m. Democrats in the House and the Senate are claiming there's only one thing standing in the way of a budget for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year: whether to cut or save taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood. Republicans claim (and I'll take Boehner's word over Reid's any day) there's more then just proposed cuts to Planned Parenthood holding back a deal. Now, Rep. Slaughter (D-NY) claims Republicans are trying to kill women with their proposed cuts. Sen. Reid (D-NV) claims the Republicans are against women's health. Kill women?! Against women's health?! Seriously?! How desperate are you Democrats to try to save face that you would use scare tactics that low and dirty?

The Republicans and the Democrats caused this mess, which didn't start last year or in 2008 but decades ago. The Republicans are trying to clean up the mess while the Democrats are just trying to muddy the waters. If the government shuts down in roughly 8 hours, at least we know our guys tried, and they'll keep trying until they get a deal that will help put the United States of America back on financial track.

Paul Ryan - The Path to Prosperity

2011-04-07T08:00:00.002-04:00

What's A Republican? Wednesdays: Party Roots

2011-04-06T13:59:00.001-04:00

The Republican Party emerged in 1854 during a very contentious period in American history. Just before the formation of the party, the U.S. Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed settlers to choose whether their state would be a free or slave state.

The GOP was formed by Whigs and Free Soil Democrats primarily to fight the extension of slavery into the territories and to encourage modernization of the economy. There is some debate as to precisely where the Grand Ol’ Party was officially born: Ripon, WI or Jackson, MI. Indeed, Ripon, WI had the first Republican county convention in March 1854, while Jackson, MI had the first statewide Republican convention with nearly 10,000 people in July 1854. However, the first national Republican Party convention was held in Pittsburgh, PA in 1856.

At its creation, the Republican Party was most popular in the North and Midwest, and less so in the South. This was mainly because the Republican Party promulgated the end of slavery. Despite the party’s unpopularity in the South, the 1854 and 1855 elections resulted with the Republican Party winning a controlling majority in the United States House of Representatives.

We all know, Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican elected President of the United States of America. However, he was not the GOP’s first Presidential candidate; instead, that honor fell to John C. Fremont who ran for President in 1856. Fremont’s motto was “Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Speech, Free Men, Fremont.” Although he lost the election, his run helped to solidify the Republican Party’s base and brought national attention to the new party.

Come back next week for another installment of “What’s A Republican? Wednesdays.” Remember to check out our blog tomorrow!

What's A Republican? Wednesdays

2011-04-04T10:39:00.000-04:00

The Erie County Young Republicans are excited to unveil a new program through our blog, "What's A Republican? Wednesdays." Every Wednesday we will post a variety of information on the Republican party to educate you, our fellow Republicans, and all the voters in Erie County on exactly what it means to be a Republican. We will do this in four ways by posting:

1) Brief descriptions of the history of the Republican Party and historical GOP figures from the local, state and national levels;

2) Statements from local Republicans on why they chose to be members of the Grand Ol' Party and what the party means to them;

3) Mini-biographies on current Republican leaders, candidates and elected officials on the local, state and national levels; and

4) Information on the Erie County Republican Party, the Erie County Republican Women and the Erie County Young Republicans.

To submit responses on why you chose to be a Republican, please email us at blog@eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Budget Bonanza

2011-03-31T10:54:00.001-04:00

So, a lot of people are in a tizzy over Governor Kasich’s proposed budget, and I can understand why. The proposed budget guides Ohio away from the status quo, which President Ronald Reagan summed up best when he said, “status quo, you know, is Latin for ‘the mess we’re in.’” Specifically, Governor Kasich’s “$55.5 billion budget, which covers the next two fiscal years and fills an $8.6 billion shortfall, cuts $1.4 billion from Medicaid funding, sells five prisons to private operators, and slashes the money sent to local governments by 25 percent next year and an additional 25 percent in the following year.” Citation. For more general information read this article.

Here’s a quick breakdown of WHAT the budget proposes and their possible effects. I’m leaving it up to you, the reader, to determine your own opinion on each issue. Feel free to send comments to blog@eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com; note, your comment may be posted anonymously as food for thought for your fellow readers.

1. Cost Threshold in Public Construction – Undoubtedly the sexiest issue of all time is the proposed increase in the cost threshold for public construction projects from $78,258 to $5 million. In layman’s terms, this means local governments and the state do not have to pay the average wage for construction workers until the cost of the project reaches $5 million. The average wage for construction workers on public construction projects is determined by the Department of Commerce and is based on existing union agreements and the locality (e.g. the average wages may be different in Cincinnati and Sandusky). This proposal is to help keep the cost of government construction down. For more information, read this article.

2. Sharing Services – This proposal encourages local governments to share services in order to cut down on the overall cost for said services. An example given by Randy Cole, president of the State Controlling Board, was regional health insurance funds to compete with or replace current programs offered by local governments. For more information, read this article.

3. Medicaid – Currently the state’s biggest budget eater, totaling approximately 40% of the state’s annual budget. Governor Kasich’s budget challenges the state to reform Medicaid by switching to outcome-based medicine where medical providers are paid for outcomes rather than services. The budget also encourages Medicaid recipients to stay home and receive care there rather than in nursing homes, which could potentially save the state millions of dollars. For more information read this article and/or this article.

4. Mental Health – Tracy Plouk, the Director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health, said this about changes to funding for local and state mental health programs: “next year, the state of Ohio will be responsible for funding community mental health Medicaid services rather than requiring the local alcohol, drug addiction and mental health boards to do so. This provides more financial predictability for the local boards and enables them to focus local resources on local priorities such as housing and services for children.” For more information, read this article.

5. Privatization of Prisons – The budget also proposes to sell 5 of Ohio’s prisons. The sale of these prisons to private firms would gross the state between $50 million to $200 million in profits. Several lawmakers recently said these 5 prisons might have been closed soon if they were not sold to private firms, as the state did not have the funds to keep them open. If that had occurred, prisoners would have been shipped to out-of-state facilities to serve their prison terms. By selling the prisons, inmates no longer face the prospect of serving time in another state several hundred miles away from their families and the prison staff face a better chance of keeping their jobs. For more information read this article and/or this article.

6. Transportation – (Signed into law 03/30/2011) Allows private companies who want to increase traffic to their business to agree to pay for construction of a road. The state would then pay the company back with interest or through tolls. The Transportation Budget also allows commercial truck drivers to register their trucks online. Finally, the budget increases the cost threshold for law enforcement officers to investigate motor vehicle accidents from $400 in damages to $1,000 in damages. For more information, read this article.

7. For discussion on SB5, JobsOhio and cuts to the Local Government Fund, please see the blog titled “Running At Sacred Budget Cows” from March 17, 2011.

Tune in next Thursday for another blog entry! Also, keep your eyes peeled for new additions to the ECYR blog. If you want to write a blog, please email blog@eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com!

The ECGOP and The Danger of Policy Endorsements

2011-03-24T10:58:00.005-04:00

Last night the Erie County Republican Party Central Committee debated whether to become a Right To Life organization. For most Republicans, this is a no brainer; however, for others the issue of abortion is not so clearly defined in black and white.

Let me be perfectly clear, this blog post is NOT about the pros and cons of the Right To Life movement, nor is it an endorsement of either the Right To Life movement or the Pro-Choice movement. This blog post is about the future effectiveness and viability of the Erie County Republican Party in relation to it's primary goal and reason for being: electing Republican candidates to county offices.

Last night several Central Committee Members and a few Deputy Members stated the ECGOP needed to become a Right To Life organization in order for local voters to understand what the ECGOP stands for. The honest response to this argument is the ECGOP is a Republican organization and it supports the National Republican Party Platform, which includes a plank on the issue of abortion. You can read the National Party platform here.

The question local voters have is not "What does it mean to be an Erie County Republican?," but rather "What does it mean to be a Republican?" That question can be answered by learning about the National Platform, educating themselves on the issues and observing how their statewide and national Republican government representatives handle those issues.

Furthermore, last night quite a few people wondered what the consequences would be if the ECGOP became a Right To Life organization. Some opined it was a risk-free and morally right endorsement of a human rights issue. While I appreciate this viewpoint, I disagree with it on practical grounds.

Here's why. Say the ECGOP became a Blue Is My Favorite Color organization last night. Say there's a qualified and steadfast Republican named John Politico that wants to run for county commissioner in 2012, but his favorite color is lime green. So, in 2012 John Politico wins the Republican primary for County Commissioner and comes to the ECGOP for financial and moral support in his campaign to beat his opponent Dick Democrat. The ECGOP tells him, "Congrats on your win John Politico, but we can't give you any money or moral support because your favorite color is lime green and we're a Blue Is My Favorite Color organization. Sorry for the poor luck, go get 'em tiger!" Sadly, John Politico loses the county commissioner race to Dick Democrat because he didn't have the backing or support of the ECGOP.

My point is this: what may be an innocent endorsement of an apparent no-brainer policy issue to some Republicans now, could bite the ECGOP in the proverbial butt down the road. If the party makes these endorsements, do we use them as litmus tests on candidates? Do we bar any candidate who fails our tests from party funds and support? What's the end goal of making these endorsements?

We as a party have to look at every action we take in the big picture - our decisions must be made for the best of the ERIE COUNTY Republican Party today and in the future. Our decisions cannot be made for what is best for the STATE or NATIONAL party. Besides, the ECGOP supports the state and national Republican parties by being a strong, effective local party, not by trying to imitate the state and national parties.

Also, one of the core principles of the Republican party is limited government involvement in a citizen's every day life. If that's the case, why would we want our county party to tell candidates what issues they must and must not endorse, what they can and cannot believe? The two seem mutually exclusive.

The question facing the ECGOP is this: what is the ECGOP's primary purpose, its reason for being? Is it to endorse policy issues OR is it to elect local Republicans into county positions? I strongly believe it's to elect local Republicans into county positions. If we fail in this purpose by loosing sight of this purpose, we might as well close up shop and hand the county over to the Democrats on a silver platter.

Come back next week for the regularly scheduled blog on Gov. Kasich's budget proposals.

Comment to "Running At Sacred Budget Cows"

2011-03-19T18:27:00.000-04:00

Below is an email I received from a local Republican in response to the ECYR's most recent blog post, "Running At Sacred Budget Cows." The comments are specifically related to SB5 and how certain provisions affect non-union public employees. I found the comments to be a well thought out constructive critique of SB5. What do you think? Please send any responses to blog@eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com.

I've left the name of the author off of the copy of the email below to protect their privacy. The email has been copied in its entirety with no changes.

I appreciate your enthusiasm in the Republican Party. I do have a few questions in regard to SB5. You have pointed out the cuts the union members are to take in this bill as public employees. Please keep in mind this bill will also affect exempt employees has myself.

My question is to why there is no talk in regard to the administrative positions in state and local government that have for years had 100% if their benefits paid by tax payers. Keep in mind I am not a union member but I do have friends that are union members. These are very intelligent people, school educators, engineers, etc. They would like to know if everyone is going to put some skin in the game. Take for instance school superintendents, college presidents, city council members, etc.

Please do not take this wrong but if you were to do a bit of research you will find the same union members of state public service took a 4% cut for two years (i.e. cost savings days). These people are willing to help find some of the needed solutions but to engage in an assault on this group of people is truly unfair.

In closing, I have asked a question of both parties some of the language contained in SB5 that may affect some public employees. There is a great number of us that felt we had a "social" contract when we decided to remain in public service for a number of years. A part of that contract was that we would receive "longevity" pay for years of service. SB5 proposes to eliminate this pay. If this is the case then will I lose that pay which I have already obtained? I find it very disturbing when elected officials of both parties have replied with, "I will have to go back and read the bill to see what the intent of the language is". Some of these members have already voted for this bill and indicate to me they are not sure of the intent of the language. I am sure with you in the law profession would understand my concern when we have member of the Ohio Senate which have voted to enter into a contract for the citizens of Ohio but do not know what the true intent of the language of the contract.

I hope you continue your hard work for our party in your fine work. I also hope you will find the time to place yourself in the shoes of us that have truly been public servants and worked with dedication to the tax payers of this great state hoping our service has given value to these tax payers.

Running At Sacred (Budget) Cows

2011-03-17T09:34:00.001-04:00

Last night I listened to Senator Mark Wagoner as he outlined the reasons behind Senate Bill 5, JobsOhio and Gov. Kasich’s proposed budget. I was impressed by the comprehensive reform the Governor and the Ohio Legislature are tackling in order to lead Ohio into a new era of prosperity.

Now, SB5, JobsOhio and the budget are not individual bills standing on their own. They are integral pieces of a larger reform plan that’s necessary to bring Ohio into a competitive job market and to kick start our state economy. Here’s how they all work together.

We all know SB5 is controversial – it eliminates collective bargaining for public union members for issues ranging from health benefits to sick days. The bill also reforms the wage scale for public union members as pay will no longer be based on seniority and longevity; instead, pay will be based on merit, talent and job performance. SB5 also eliminates employer pick-ups for public employee pension plans (i.e., local governments will no longer pay their employee’s contribution to their pension plan – local governments will continue to pay their contribution to their employees’ pension plans). SB5 also requires public employees to pay 15% of their health care coverage costs; currently, private sector employees pay an average of 23% of their health care coverage costs. The bill does much more than this, and you can read more about the bill here

What is the end goal of SB5? To give local governments the flexibility to deal with reduced state funding from the Local Government Fund (“LGF”). The LGF is basically a revenue sharing program between the State of Ohio and the state’s 3,700 local governments. Gov. Kasich’s budget cuts the LGF by 50% over the next two-year budget cycle. “Wait,” you say, “why did the Governor cut the LGF so much?” Well, Ohio’s currently facing the largest budget deficit it’s ever seen (and that’s not being overly dramatic): approximately $8.5 BILLION. Here’s a list of what some local governments receive from the Local Government Fund:

Erie County: $1.7 million
Ottawa County: $800,000
Perkins Township: $260,000
Port Clinton: $325,000

Without the reforms proposed in SB5, over the next two years local governments will see a 50% reduction in funds from the LGF yet would be forced to do business as usual. This would spell “F-I-N-A-N-C-I-A-L R-U-I-N” for many local governments dealing with smaller budgets yet burdened with mandated expenditures under inflexible public union employee contracts.

Gov. Kasich’s proposed budget is the most revolutionary document Ohio has seen in a generation. It is necessary to pass Gov. Kasich’s proposed budget in order to deal with this insane deficit. Where did the deficit come from? Well it didn’t fall from the sky, that’s for darn sure. In the last several years Ohio’s economy slowed down, companies’ profits started to fall and employers laid off thousands of employees. Some businesses also moved to other states, almost like American Greetings and Bob Evans did this month (no worries, they’re both staying in Ohio). Consequently, state revenue dropped as companies were paying less in taxes and fewer employees were paying income taxes. Furthermore, as people lost their jobs they looked to the state government for assistance from programs like Medicaid. So, we had a decrease in revenue and an increase in demand, which caused a deficit.

Last year, good ol’ Gov. Strickland plugged the state deficit with one time stimulus money from the federal government and then went on with business as usual. Thank goodness the man didn’t get re-elected as governor because I shudder at what his fix for the deficit would have been. So, Gov. Strickland’s poor handling of the state budget resulted in the state facing an $8.5 billion deficit for the 2011-2012 budget cycle.

So, Gov. Kasich (a man who balanced the federal budget in 1994, which resulted in the first budget surplus the country saw since we put a man on the moon), reviewed the inner workings of state government and came up with several innovative solutions. Is he running at sacred budget cows head on instead of steering clear the way his predecessors did? Absolutely, and I’m cheering him on from the sidelines hoping he continues to do so (thanks Sen. Wagoner for that metaphor).

So Gov. Kasich’s budget deals with our current projected revenues for 2011-2012. What’s he doing to increase those revenues and get people back to work? Well, Gov. Kasich signed a bill creating JobsOhio. JobsOhio replaces the government run economic development office with a non-profit corporation funded with profits from state controlled liquor stores. JobsOhio’s job (no pun intended… well maybe) is to attract outside companies to move to Ohio and to keep current Ohio businesses in Ohio. JobsOhio is headed by Mark Kvamme, a venture capitalist from California with an eye for spotting good investments (such as Google and Facebook) and has unlimited passion to see Ohio succeed. This new business-esque model on state economic development, teamed up with several business friendly reforms coming down the pike to the State House, will make Ohio a competitive state once again.

So, Gov. Kasich and legislators like Sen. Wagoner are fighting to give local governments the necessary flexibility to deal with decreased funding from the state in order for the state to permanently plug the deficit, while at the same time encouraging job growth with business friendly reforms and JobsOhio. We won’t always agree with their methods but never doubt the end-goal or their sincerity to see Ohio thrive. Furthermore, the budget won’t be an easy pill to swallow, but swallow it we must. Ohio’s facing a fork in the road – will we have the courage to take the road less traveled?

Tune in next week for a discussion of other important provisions of Gov. Kasich’s proposed budget.

Facts and figures found in the Sandusky Register, the Port Clinton News Herald, and the Columbus Dispatch.

Quick Time

2011-03-11T17:48:00.000-05:00

So much has happened in the last two weeks that I couldn't pick just one blog topic. So this week is a Quick Time post - lots of opinions in a short amount of time.

WISCONSIN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
So Wednesday night, the Wisconsin Senate decided to take the nuclear option and split the collective bargaining lingo from the rest of the budget reform bill. The Wisconsin GOP Senators then went about passing the collective bargaining bill, signaling the end of collective bargaining for public unions in Wisconsin. This morning, Wisconsin DEM Senators whined and complained on the major network on how unfair the GOPers were in their strategy to pass the bill - ummm, I'm sorry, you left the state you sorry bunch of cowardly wimps. It's like not going to the polls on election day and then complaining about the election results - no one is to blame for the passage of the collective bargaining bill in the Wisconsin Senate other then the Democrats that were supposed to be there but decided to take the easy way out and bail on their constituents.

RECALL OF WISCONSIN REPUBLICAN SENATORS
Seriously, these people are the world's biggest sore losers! Wahhhhh, I don't like you and your decisions so I'm gunning for your job... because the Obama 2012 Campaign crew told me too! Wow. You know what, go recall the Democratic Senators that refused to come back to discuss or even vote on the bill. Oh, no? You decided they are your heroes? Then you need way more help and guidance then this blog can give you.

KASICH'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS
Refreshing. Invigorating. Loved the fact that Gov. Kasich didn't use a teleprompter or read from a written speech. He spoke from the heart - he leads from the heart. He told the state what his plans were and how he was going to achieve those plans. Did he give explicit detail? No, you can't do that in a 65 minute speech. Did he give the state focus, hope and goals? Yes. I look forward to hearing the Governor's detailed plans as they are revealed over the next couple of weeks.

GAS PRICES
I drive quite a bit, so when gas prices go up my checkbook starts to freak out. Although intellectually I understand the economic, political and social reasons gas prices have gone up, I find myself reverting to the age of three as I fight a strong desire to throw a temper tantrum over gas prices. Increased instability in OPEC countries and fear over that instability is driving oil prices higher every day. This leads to increased food and basic good prices... it's a never ending cycle. Tighten your belts folks, it's going to be a wild ride in 2011.

RICK JEFFREY SWORN IN AS AUDITOR OF ERIE COUNTY
Congrats to Auditor-Elect Rick Jeffrey who will be sworn in on Sunday, March 13, 2011 and will officially take office on Monday, March 14, 2011!

Democracy Is A Daily Choice

2011-02-24T09:58:00.002-05:00

Recent events in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Bahrain, Iran and now Libya have dominated the news in the last month. As I watched protesters in several Middle Eastern and Northern African countries gather in public squares and proclaim a deep-seeded desire for a more democratic government, I felt thankful yet sad.

I felt thankful because Americans, whether born and breed here or legal immigrants like my Father, are taught that we live in a free and democratic society with a republican form of government. We are taught our form of government was created by revolutionary visionaries with an understanding of human nature and a desire for people to freely pursue life, liberty and happiness. We are taught the United States of America is a beacon of democracy and freedom to all other countries in the world, to all peoples of the world. I felt thankful because I was born here, because I knew these truths to be self evident, because I believe in these ideals.

I felt sad because so many Americans today have forgotten how damn lucky we are to live in the United States of America. So many of us take our democratic culture and our republican form of government for granted. Worse, some have infested our culture with the mindset that our government is somehow required to take care of people and must have a direct hand in our everyday lives or utter chaos will ensue. I felt sad because the people in countries around the world are all fighting for the type of democratic culture and government we take for granted.

For example, recently numerous Americans who were elected to hold public office in Wisconsin and Indiana, and who wear the label “Democrat,” fled from their jobs and responsibilities. They fled because they wanted to throw a wrench into their state legislative process during tumultuous debates centered on reforming public and private unions. They are cowards and should all resign their positions. They were elected to do a job, not flee from it. Heck, anyone of us would be fired by our employer if we ran away because we didn’t like a company policy or rule.

What these so called representatives are doing is in direct contravention of our country’s core principles of representative government. These representatives have left their constituents WITHOUT a representative in their state legislature. Instead of doing their jobs, they ran from it. Their actions demonstrate a lack of respect for our country’s democratic culture.

Democracy is not just a label we slap onto a country and expect the country to suddenly BE a democracy. It would be like if I proclaimed I was a giraffe – just because I say it is so, does not make it so. Similarly, just because we have a democratic culture does not mean we always will without proper maintenance. We as Americans have to choose to have a democratic culture each and every day. We need to vote in every election. We need to learn and pass down our country’s history. We need to communicate with our representatives and hold them accountable. We need to educate ourselves on the issues. We need to be productive members of our communities.

We need to do these things whether we label ourselves Republicans, Democrats, Tea-Partiers, etc., because first and foremost, we are AMERICANS.

Food for thought – note that Republicans in Congress did not flee D.C. as the Democrats worked to pass Obama’s Healthcare bill. No matter the difference in procedural rules, Republicans in D.C. stayed in town and fought for what they believed in.

Healthcare Law Ruled Unconstitutional

2011-02-17T10:18:00.003-05:00

A couple weeks ago, Judge Roger Vinson of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida handed down his decision ruling the Obama Healthcare law unconstitutional. However, Judge Vinson’s ruling is just the beginning of a much larger and longer battle ahead. To read Judge Vinson’s ruling in State of Florida v. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, click here.

Before Judge Vinson’s ruling, three other federal district courts had already heard and decided cases challenging the Constitutionality of the Healthcare Law. The Western District Court of Virginia and the Eastern District Court for Michigan held the individual mandate is a proper exercise of the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.* However, the Eastern District Court of Virginia held the individual mandate violates the Commerce Clause.**

Here’s a little background on the lawsuit Judge Vinson presided over:

-The suit was heard on two counts: the constitutionality of the individual mandate per the Commerce Clause, and the constitutionality of the changes to the Medicaid program per the Spending Clause.

-The Plaintiffs-Challengers included two individuals, both residents of Florida, who claimed they did not currently have personal health insurance and they would be financially harmed if forced to purchase such insurance by the Healthcare Law. The Plaintiffs-Challengers included 26 states, including Ohio, which claimed each state would be harmed financially by foreseeable increases in each state’s Medicaid expenses. Finally, the National Federation of Independent Business also joined the suit as Plaintiff-Challenger.

-The Defendants were the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of Labor and their respective secretaries.

I’m not going focus on the Medicaid aspect of Judge Vinson’s ruling; this blog post is about the individual mandate portion of the ruling. If you want to read more about the Medicaid aspect of the ruling, click here.

On to the individual mandate. The Plaintiffs-Challengers argued the individual mandate was unconstitutional because it violated the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Commerce Clause is an enumerated power given to Congress in Article, Section 8, Clause 3. It states Congress has the power “[t]o regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States and with the Indian Tribes.”

The Supreme Court of the United States interpreted the Commerce Clause to include three broad categories of activity, which Congress may enact laws and regulate under the Clause: “[f]irst, Congress may regulate the use of the channels of interstate commerce. Second, Congress is empowered to regulate and protect the instrumentalities of interstate commerce, or persons or things in interstate commerce, even though the threat may come only from intrastate activities. Finally, Congress’ commerce authority includes the power to regulate those activities having a substantial relation to interstate commerce, i.e., those activities that substantially affect interstate commerce.”***

Judge Vinson identified the third category as that which applied to the constitutionality of the individual mandate. In his ruling the key distinction for Vinson was whether there must be activity for Congress to regulate, or whether Congress can regulate inactivity. In other words, can YOU be regulated by Congress AFTER you purchase health insurance (activity); or can YOU be regulated by Congress for NOT purchasing health insurance (inactivity).

Vinson discussed the Commerce Clause’s jurisprudence (case law from the past 200 years), which 100% of the time included cases which included activity by an individual, a business or a state(s). Vinson found nothing in the Clause’s jurisprudence that suggested Congress had the power to regulate inactivity. Vinson also reviewed past federal legislation and found Congress had not regulated inactivity in the past; consequently, Vinson determined the individual mandate was a novel and unprecedented act by Congress. For a detailed analysis of the Commerce Clause and its jurisprudence, click here.

Vinson held Congress could only regulate ACTIVITY and not INACTIVITY, and ruled the individual mandate unconstitutional for violating the Commerce Clause. Why? Well, Vinson said it best: “It would be a radical departure from existing case law to hold that Congress can regulate inactivity under the Commerce Clause. If it has the power to compel an otherwise passive individual into a commercial transaction with a third party merely by asserting --- as was done in the Act --- that compelling the actual transaction is itself “commercial and economic in nature, and substantially affects interstate commerce” [see Act § 1501(a)(1)], it is not hyperbolizing to suggest that Congress could do almost anything it wanted.” Emphasis added.

Vinson then reviewed the Healthcare Law as a whole and determined the individual mandate was an integral part of the Healthcare Law and could not be severed from the larger whole. Consequently, Vinson ruled the entire Healthcare Law unconstitutional.

What comes next? Well, a battle through the Court of Appeals and upward to the Supreme Court. Stayed tuned because you can bet this battle is far from over.

*Liberty University, Inc. v. Geithner (2010), 2010 WL 4860229 (W.D. Va.); Thomas More Law Center v. Obama (2010), 720 F. Supp.2d 882, (E.D. Mich).

** Virginia v. Sebelius (2010), 768 F. Supp.2d 768 (E.D. Va).

*** United States v. Lopez (1995), 514 U.S. 549, 558-59.

2011 Election Info

2011-02-10T11:14:00.002-05:00

Note: The blog post on Judge Vinson's decision ruling Obama's healthcare law unconstitutional will be posted next week. I apologize for the delay; blame it on the flu virus.

Although the 2011 Election Cycle may be a relatively quiet one, there are still important issues and positions to vote on. This is a quick run down of important 2011 Election dates and deadlines. All dates and information were found at the Erie County Board of Elections website.

April 4, 2011 is the last day to register to vote in the May 3, 2011 Primary Election. If you need to register to vote and need more information, go to the Erie County BOE website and click on the "Voting Information" link on the left-hand side of the website. You may be eligible to vote if:

- You are a citizen of the United States.
- You are at least 18 years old on or before the day of the election. If you will be 18 on or before the election, you may vote in the primary election for candidates, but not on issues.
- You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days before the election.
- You register to vote at least 30 days before the election.

May 3, 2011 is the Primary Election. For a copy of the 2011 Primary Ballot, please check with the Erie County BOE website or visit the Erie County BOE offices on Columbus Avenue in Sandusky. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. If you are in doubt as to the location of this polling place, call the Erie County BOE at 419-627-7601.

July 6, 2011 any Constitutional Amendments or Laws proposed through initiative petitions are due to the Secretary of State, Jon Husted.

August 10, 2011 all Nominating Petitions of Candidates for Nonpartisan Positions are due to the Erie County BOE by 4:00 p.m. (These may include positions including mayor and village/town councilperson; please check with the Erie County BOE for more information).

October 11, 2011 is the deadline to register to vote in the November 8, 2011 General Election.

If you are interested in voting in any election held in Erie County, Ohio by Absentee Ballot, please go to the BOE website and click on the "Absentee Voting" link on the left-hand side of the website.

Do you want to be an integral part of the election process in 2011? Then volunteer as a poll worker and call the Erie County BOE at 419-627-7601. I've done it for the past three years and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to become more involved in their community. There are four poll workers for each precinct: a presiding judge, a signature judge, a ballot judge and the clerk. You are not able to choose which job you will perform on election day; you are assigned your position by the Erie County BOE.

Below are several ballot issues facing Erie County Voters on the May 3, 2011 Primary, quoted from this Sandusky Register Article .

-Bellevue City — Additional 0.25 percent additional income tax for five years to the general fund.

- Vermilion City — Electric aggregation.

- Berlin-Milan Local School District — A 4.9-mill, five year additional levy to fund emergency requirements.

- Firelands Local School District — A 4.95-mill, five-year additional levy to fund emergency requirements.

- Margaretta Local School District — A 7.75-mill renewal levy for five years to fund current expenses.

- Vermilion Local School District — Two renewal levies, both 9.5-mill for five years for emergency requirements.

- Margaretta Township — A 1-mill renewal levy for five years for fire protection.

- Margaretta Township — A 1-mill five-year additional levy for general operating expenses.

2010 Auditor's Race Under Attack

2011-02-03T10:32:00.004-05:00

As most of you may know, current Erie County Auditor Tom Paul filed suit against Auditor-Elect Rick Jeffrey and the Erie County Board of Elections to contest the November 2010 election results. This suit is much more than a political temper tantrum by a sore loser. This suit is an attack on the very election system and the people who manage the system in Erie County.

I know what you’re thinking – don’t be so over dramatic. I’m not. The Erie County Board of Elections is one of the best in the state, and I’d argue one of the best in the country. Consequently, Erie County has some of the smoothest run and most accurate elections in the state.

Furthermore, before I delve into the murky nastiness that is the Tom Paul Election Contest, I want to say thank you to the Erie County Board of Elections. You all did a bang up job of organizing and managing the November 2010 election. Heck, you do a fabulous job with every election. I should know as I have volunteered as a poll worker for every election since the 2008 Presidential primary and I’ve witnessed the effort and dedication of everyone at the Board of Elections. So thank you to Chris Marinko, Mel Saferstein, Deborah McDowell, Jen Ferbeck, Pat Parsons and everyone who works at the BOE for your hard work and dedication!

Now I’m going to explain the election system so you know why Tom Paul’s Election Contest isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. First, here’s a breakdown of how the ballots and provisional ballots were tallied and then recounted.

On November 23, 2010 the Board of Elections certified and announced the winner of the Erie County Auditor’s race: Rick Jeffrey won 14,070 votes and Tom Paul lost with 14,063 votes. This final tally included all early vote ballots, all absentee ballots, all ballots cast on Election Day and all approved provisional ballots. A total of 693 provisional ballots were cast on Election Day; 620 were approved by the Board of Elections and 73 were determined to be invalid under Ohio law.

Now, on the day of the election each ballot is scanned by an optical scanner (that machine you feed your ballot into) and the results are downloaded onto a memory card. This process is the same if you voted early at the Board of Elections. The memory card is then transported from the precinct to the Board of Elections where the information is downloaded into a database. This is how we receive preliminary election results within hours of the polls closing. Furthermore, contrary to popular rumor all absentee ballots are also scanned at the Board of Elections.

Soon after the election, the Board of Election employees started to review all 693 provisional ballots. Each provisional ballot is reviewed for validity under Ohio statutory law and pursuant to directives issued by the Ohio Secretary of State. Workers at the Board of Elections document the reason(s) why a provisional ballot is determined to be valid or invalid. Some reasons a provisional ballot may be found invalid are: voter voted in the wrong precinct; the voter failed to provide proper identification at the polling location; voter voted after the polls closed; and the list goes on. The reason provisional ballots go through so much scrutiny is to prevent voter fraud. After all provisional ballots are reviewed, the valid ballots are counted and added to the Election Night tallies. Then the Board of Elections certifies the results of the election for each candidate, levy and issue in the county.

As you may know, after the Erie County Board of Elections certified the results, there was a recount of the Auditor’s race. During the recount, each and every ballot cast in Erie County, including approved provisional ballots, was run through a high speed optical scanner at the Board of Elections. The total number of votes cast for the Auditor’s race and for each candidate did not change between the Election Day certification and the recount. There were no discrepancies, no changes, nada, zip, zero, zilch. That folks is how the system should work everywhere, not just in Erie County. That fact speaks to the integrity and dedication to perfection of our BOE employees.

So, the Tom Paul Election Contest comes down to 40 provisional ballots. In his complaint, Paul claims 40 of the 73 invalid provisional ballots were incorrectly determined to be invalid. He claims these 40 provisional ballots should be reviewed again because some (he’s hoping at least 8) ballots may be found valid. He claims the errors, which make these 40 provisional ballots invalid may be attributable to the poll workers and not to the voter. If the error is attributable to the poll worker, then the ballot can be counted in the election. It’s kind of like a Hail Mary pass in football when the clock has 2 seconds on the clock and the team is desperate for a win.

Here’s a breakdown of the 40 provisional ballots and why the Board of Elections found them invalid:
• 32 ballots – voter was registered to vote in the State of Ohio but voted in the wrong county or the wrong precinct
• 2 ballots – voter failed to provide acceptable identification
• 2 ballots – voter failed to sign the provisional ballot envelope
• 1 ballot – voter failed to fill out printed name on provisional ballot envelope
• 1 ballot – voter voted after the polls closed at 7:30 p.m. EST
• 1 ballot – voter’s address does not exist
• 1 ballot – provisional ballot scanned at precinct instead of being placed in the provisional ballot envelope and transferred to the Board of Elections

Tom Paul claims poll workers may have been responsible for these errors. I’m not going to rant and rave on why that is a plainly stupid argument – I’m sure you can figure out why it’s not a poll worker’s fault that someone’s address doesn’t exist or because the voter failed to provide acceptable identification. It’s pretty straight forward. However, despite what common sense says, recent Secretary of State directives regarding standards to validate provisional ballots muddied the waters and make a simple issue a complex one. I’m not going to present legal arguments for why his contest should fail, because frankly this blog isn’t a legal brief. I’m just trying to get the word out on why this election contest is such a big deal.

So, why is the Tom Paul Election Contest such a big deal? First, Tom Paul is pulling at straws to find ways to retain his position as Auditor for the next four years. Instead of bowing out gracefully, he’s clawing for a win he did not earn - makes me wonder if he’s got something to hide.

Second, Paul is claiming Board of Election workers purposefully or negligently did not follow Ohio law in reviewing the validity of 40 provisional ballots. He’s questioning their methods, their integrity and their dedication to the election system. I know many workers at the Board of Elections and I know their methods, integrity and dedication to the election system are above reproach. This one sided mudslinging by Paul is unjust and unwarranted. Erie County has one of the best Board of Elections in the state, and I’d argue in the country. Our elections run smoothly and without scandal – until Tom Paul decided he just couldn’t lose this election and began grasping for straws.

Third, and most importantly, if Tom Paul wins his election contest and any future appeals, this state can kiss election integrity good-bye. If Paul’s arguments succeed, every single provisional ballot cast in this state must be counted, regardless of validity. Voter fraud would run rampant. Effectively, if Paul wins, John Doe could vote in Precinct A by provisional ballot, then walk over to Precinct B and vote by provisional ballot, and both ballots would have to be counted. This should scare everyone living in the state of Ohio.

On February 10 and/or 11, 2011, visiting Judge Richard Markus will hear testimony from the remaining witnesses at the Erie County Court of Common Pleas. Judge Markus is expected to render his decision soon after the last witness testifies. For more information on the hearings next week, please read this Sandusky Register article.

What can you do to help fight this unjust election contest? Support Rick Jeffrey, either with moral support or financial support for his legal defense; email Rick at mayorrj@aol.com Write the Sandusky Register an opinion letter and ask for it to be published – and keep sending your letter until it does. Write to the Erie County Democratic Party and Tom Paul and express your thoughts. Champion the Board of Elections workers by offering a shoulder to lean on and your moral support. In a nutshell – be vocal.

For a detailed time line of the Auditor’s Race and Election Contest, please read this Sandusky Register article.

Gun Reform or No Gun Reform, That is the Question

2011-01-27T10:58:00.005-05:00

The tragic attack by Jared Loughner in Tucson on January 8, 2011 on Representative Gabrielle Giffords and crowd members was horrifying. Soon after the attack, advocates for gun reform began calling for stricter gun control measures, using the Tucson attack as their prime example for why such reform was needed. Specifically, they cited the fact that the shooter obtained his gun and high-capacity magazine legally as a reason to implement new measures limiting gun ownership.

Some of the gun reform proposals made in Congress are:

1. Representative Peter T. King (R-N.Y.), proposed a bill on that would outlaw having a firearm within 1,000 feet of a member of Congress.

2. Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) proposed a bill to bar the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines, such as the one used in the shooting.

3. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) said he will pursue similar legislation to that proposed by Rep. McCarthy in the Senate.

4. Representative Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) is proposing legislation to close the so-called "gun show loophole," (the myth that gun shows are responsible for a large number of firearms falling into the hands of criminals).

None of these reforms would have prevented Loughner from shooting Rep. Giffords, killing six innocent people and wounding many others. Loughner purchased his gun and high-capacity magazine legally under Arizona laws. He carried the gun in public to a public event and opened fire. I’m certain his actions would have been the same had these laws been in effect on the day of the shooting.

Individuals who are dedicated to committing heinous acts with guns are not going to pay attention to gun reform laws. They will pursue their goals no matter what the laws say they can and can not do. Prime example, murder, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon are all crimes in the state of Arizona, yet Loughner still opened fire on Rep. Giffords and the crowd on that fateful day.

Furthermore, the Tucson shooting was an isolated incident by a mentally ill young man. We as a country should not restrict the Second Amendment rights of law abiding citizens because one disturbed man acted alone. All Americans, gun owners and gun reformists alike were horrified on the day of the Tucson shooting. Guns owners did not rejoice at this tragedy – nor are they dismissing it by opposing gun reform.
Here’s my take on why the above referenced gun reform proposals will not prevent another Tucson-esque shooting:

1. Rep. King’s proposal – Unless Congressmen and Congresswomen are going to place metal detectors 1,000 feet from their person at every single public event outside of secure buildings (like the Congress building or their offices in D.C.) it will be impossible to enforce this law. Realistically, a passerby with a concealed carry gun who unknowingly walks within 1,000 feet of a member of Congress would be in violation of this law. Would each Congressperson have a detail of security patting down individuals within the 1,000 foot radius looking for guns? Do you know/recognize everyone by name within 1,000 feet of you at all times?

2. Rep. McCarthy and Sen. Lautenberg’s proposals - Loughner could have still shot, killed or wounded potentially 15+1 individuals with a regular-capacity magazine.* If he had reloaded his gun with a fresh regular-capacity magazine, he still could have fired a similar number of bullets. This proposal is ineffectual and fails to look at the nature of the incident itself – a disturbed young man opened fire on a Congresswoman and a crowd and would have despite any laws on the books.

3. Rep. Ackerman’s proposal – His proposal is to fix a myth. Need I say more?

I hope and pray that the families of those wounded at the Tucson shooting recover swiftly and completely. My deepest sympathies go out to those families that lost loved ones at the hands of mad man. However, I sincerely believe the proposed gun reforms will not prevent similar events in the future. Individuals intent on destroying human life will do so despite any laws on the books. One only has to look at Loughner, suicide bombers, terrorists, drug runners and other criminals who take innocent lives for proof. Americans need to be able to protect themselves from such mayhem and deadly chaos.

*The gun Loughner used was a Glock 19 with a 33 round high-capacity magazine; the standard magazine for a Glock 19 is a 15 round regular-capacity magazine according to the manufacturer’s website. www.glock.com/english/index_magazines.htm

Gov. Kasich's Cabinet

2011-01-20T15:38:00.001-05:00

I just read an article that alluded Governor Kasich was racist and/or sexist and possibly hated gays/lesbians because his cabinet just happens to be made up of all white people, has fewer women than Strickland’s did and has no openly gay members.

“For advocates of diversity in government, the new day that Ohio's new governor promised is looking more like an historical re-enactment.

The members appointed to Republican John Kasich's (KAY'-siks) cabinet so far are all white, a first for the state since the racially tumultuous days of the 1960s.

There are five women on the cabinet. When former Gov. Ted Strickland left office, he had 11 females on his cabinet — including one black woman and Ohio's first openly gay cabinet official.” – Associated Press, Sandusky Register online paper, January 20, 2011: http://www.sanduskyregister.com/columbus/2011/jan/20/kasich-names-first-all-white-cabinet-40-years

I’m not entirely sure why the characteristics of Gov. Kasich’s cabinet member are news worthy. The only thing I can think of is that whoever wrote the article was a Strickland supporter and needs some sort of dirt to throw at Gov. Kasich. Furthermore, what proof does the author have that Gov. Kasich is eager to throw Ohio back into the mid-Twentieth century? None, other than assumptions and innuendo.

Not once did the article list any of the qualifications of Gov. Kasich’s cabinet members, nor did the author offer up potentially more qualified individuals from different races, sexual orientations or genders.

Personally, I’d rather judge Gov. Kasich by his actions as governor, not what the people he appoints to positions look like. I was raised to look beyond a person’s skin color and just see the person. Apparently that’s a lesson that more parents needed to teach their children. Whether a person is black or white has no bearing on how they do their job – that was the basis of affirmative action. Why then, is the make-up of Gov. Kasich’s cabinet such a big deal?

Answer: it’s only a big deal in small minded people’s minds.

Blood Libel and Tragedy in Tucson

2011-01-13T11:28:00.003-05:00

When I heard about the fatal shooting in Arizona last weekend, I was shocked and appalled. Shocked that the attack even happened. Appalled at the loss of life. I watched FoxNews, my go to news source on the weekends, and learned that a deeply troubled, mentally ill young man shot Rep. Giffords before firing on the crowd, killing six others and wounding 14 more. For more information on the shooting, please read this article:

Monday morning I perused my usual Internet new sites, FoxNews, CNN, and BBC among others. After I read an article written by a UK paper, I was angry. I learned the leftist media was blaming the horrific incident on vocal conservative public figures like Sarah Palin and some FoxNews contributors/anchors. I went to the MSNBC website (and no, a bolt of lightening didn’t strike me in my office chair) and started to watch clips of the coverage just to make sure the BBC article wasn’t making a mountain out of a mole hill. Sure enough, the BBC article was correct – MSNBC and other left leaning media outlets were blaming Sarah Palin and her PAC website for the shooting. This is a link to a similar article in the Montreal Gazette.

In modern short hand slang, WTF?! At no point during the initial investigation last weekend, or the investigation since then, has any evidence even pointed a finger at Sarah Palin or FoxNews as the shooter’s motivating factors when he pulled out a gun and took lives and injured others. The fact that the leftist media had the audacity to tisk tisk their conservative counterparts and say, “you should really stop all of your political rhetoric because it gets people killed,” speaks a tremendous amount about the depths the leftist media will go to defame conservatives. They used a national tragedy in a thinly veiled attempt to stop conservatives from speaking out against liberal politicians, agendas and the healthcare bill.

Furthermore, it’s not just the left media that’s “demonizing” conservatives – take a look at a BBC interview with former President Bill Clinton.

We should stop OUR political rhetoric? YOU should stop talking (childish, I know, but also satisfying)! These “reporters” and “talking heads” took a tragedy and tried to turn it into a blame game because a mentally ill young man shot a Democrat who happened to support the health care bill. If he had shot a Republican would these “news people” have said the same things? Would they have blamed President Obama and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid for the violence… I highly doubt it.

Just to be clear, based on current reports on the ongoing police investigation into the shooter, he became obsessed with Rep Giffords back in 2007. Furthermore, nothing in the shooter’s rambling YouTube videos, personal notes or behavior suggested he decided to shoot Rep. Giffords and members of the crowd on that fateful Saturday because of politics, much less because of Sarah Palin or FoxNews.

Finally, I applaud conservatives for defending their right to free speech – including denouncing decisions or opinions of fellow lawmakers. Any bill or resolution brought to a vote in either the House or the Senate limiting speech against elected officials should be laughed out of the chamber. This country was not founded on LIMITATIONS of speech – it was founded on FREE SPEECH. If the American people cannot speak out against elected officials for fear of prosecution under the law, we might as well toss the Constitution through the nearest shredder. To read more about Sarah Palin’s response read this article. To watch Bill O’Reilly’s Talking Points Memo click on the link.

My heart and prayers go out to Rep. Giffords family, to the families and friends of those who lost a loved one on that fateful day, and to those still recovering from their injuries. For more information on those that lost their lives, please read this article.

To watch or read President Obama’s speech from the January 12, 2011 memorial vigil, please click on the links.

Kasich Message to ECYR!

2010-07-08T16:19:00.001-04:00

Video - "Visualizing Obama's Budget Cuts"

2010-04-30T15:30:00.003-04:00

This was forwarded to me by a good friend in Michigan. It's a great visual on how little Obama's budget cuts really matter in the grander scheme of our country's budget and national debt. Oh, and after watching this, I definitely want to stop borrowing money from China! You'll see what I mean.

http://www.wimp.com/budgetcuts/

If you have any information on who created this video, please let me know as I want to post his information and give credit where credit is due. holly@eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com

"VOTE MAY 4TH!" - Holly Kamm

2010-04-29T09:05:00.003-04:00

This week's blog is short and sweet. For all of you registered voters out there, I've got one urgent request: VOTE MAY 4TH!

I'm not going to rant and rave about your responsibility to vote. You've heard it before and you're sure to hear it again. Instead, I'm going to give you some information.

Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 a.m. If you don't know where your polling place is located, or you just want to double check to make sure the location has not changed, please visit the Erie County Board of Elections' website at http://www.electionsonthe.net/oh/erie/

For more information on voting procedures, please visit the Erie County Board of Elections' website or the Secretary of State's website at http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/voterInformation/procedures.aspx

There are 6 parties participating in this year's primary: Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Constitutional, Green and Socialist. If you are not a registered Republican and you wish to change your party affiliation to Republican (i.e. you want to vote in the Republican primary), you must sign a Party Loyalty Form. These forms will be available at the polling locations. If you have any questions regarding voting procedures, please call the Erie County Board of Elections between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at 419.627.7601.

There are several state wide issues on the ballot. For more information on these issues, please visit the Secretary of State's website at http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/voterInformation/whatsontheballot.aspx

There are also several local community issues on the ballot, such as school tax levies, library renewals and community co-op groups for utility negotiations. Please visit the Erie County Board of Elections' website and click on the Candidates and Filings link or go to http://www.electionsonthe.net/oh/erie/cands/050410issues.pdf

There are also several contested primary offices on this year's ballot. For more information on each candidate, please visit our website at www.eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com and click on our Candidates page.

The Republican candidates are:
(An * indicates a contested race)

Rob Portman, U.S. Senate

*Rich Iott, U.S. House of Representatives, 9th District

*Jack Smith, U.S. House of Representatives, 9th District

John Kasich (Governor) and Mary Taylor (Lieutenant Governor)

Josh Mandel, Treasurer

*Dave Yost, Auditor

*Seth Morgan, Auditor

*Mike DeWine, Attorney General

*Steven Christopher, Attorney General (not on the ballot)

*Jon Husted, Secretary of State

*Sandra O'Brien, Secretary of State

Justice Maureen O'Connor, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio

Justice Paul E. Pfeifer, Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio

Justice Judith Lanzinger, Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio

Jeff Krabill, Ohio House of Representatives, 80th District

*Judge Robert Christiansen, Ohio Court of Appeals, 6th District

*Judge Fritz Hany, Ohio Court of Appeals, 6th District

*Judge Steve Yarbourgh, Ohio Court of Appeals, 6th District

Rick Jeffrey, Erie County Auditor

Mike Pisarsky, Erie County Commissioner

Judge Roger Binette, Erie County Court of Common Pleas

Finally, Republicans must elect members to the State Central Committee.
(An * indicates a contested race)

*Paul M. Hoag, State Central Committee - Man, 2nd District

*Jim Hoover, State Central Committee - Man, 2nd District

Diana H. Talmage, State Central Committee - Woman, 2nd District

For more information on County Central Committee Candidates, a full list of all candidates for all parties, visit the Erie County Board of Elections at http://www.electionsonthe.net/oh/erie/cands/050410cands.pdf or click on the website's Candidates and Issues Filings link.

Whew. That's a long list. If you want to get together with your fellow Young Republicans, please join us tonight at our monthly Happy Hour at Rathskeller Wine Bar at 6:30 p.m. The Rathskeller is located in the Historic Homestead on Route 250 in Milan, Ohio. For more information, please visit www.historichomesteadohio.com or www.eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com

If you are interested in writing a blog post, please email the ECYR at blog@eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com

"Reaching Out To Young Voters" - Matt Old

2010-04-22T09:48:00.002-04:00

We are in a new era of technology. The way that we relate to our friends and family has changed dramatically over the past 5 years. Social media networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace have created online communities that dramatically increase communication and conversation. These new social media outlets have produced a realm that political parties and candidates must learn to operate in. These technologies allow those of us in the political sphere the ability to get our message out without the slant and filter of the media, and the ability to reach out to new and young voters.

Barack Obama was the first Presidential candidate to truly utilize this new social media to reach out to the young voter. His efforts proved to be very successful. It is vital that the Republican Party adapts to this new reality as well. I am happy to report that the GOP in the state of Ohio is doing a good job of this. The Ohio Republican Party on Facebook has over 8000 friends. By contrast the Ohio Democrat Party has just over 3000 friends.

Those of you reading this blog know that the days of people getting their news from ABC, NBC, and CBS are quickly coming to an end. Today we get our news from FOXNews.com and Drudge. We no longer have to wait for 6 o’clock or for the paper boy to bring us the news of the day. Our news comes from our computers, cell phones and blackberries.

To meet this new reality, political parties must change the way they do things. In the past political parties reached out to voters by setting up a tent at the county fair, being in a local parade, talking to friends, putting out yard signs, and having cookouts. That type of person-to-person contact is still important in our current political environment, but parties must understand that they need to adapt to the new instant media of today.

I think it is imperative that candidates have a Facebook page. This is one of the best campaign tools a candidate can have to get their message across to hundreds, or thousands, of people they would have otherwise never have met in person. A good Facebook page can be a window into the personality of the candidate, and what they believe in, which is ultimately what the voter wants to know. Regardless of your party a person will probably vote for you if they know you and like you. That is what candidates are trying to accomplish when they send a piece of mail with a picture of their family, or a shot of the candidate walking the dog. Facebook is a tool that allows candidates to show who they are as individuals and update their ‘friends’ on a daily basis.

The 2010 election will be one of the first elections where Facebook will be a major tool in the candidate’s tool box. More and more people are signing into Facebook everyday and they are no longer only college students but every age group. Over time candidates humanize themselves through the use of things like status updates and pictures. This will help the voter get to really know who a candidates is, not only what they stand for.

Along the same lines I am happy to report that in the race for State Representative Jeff Krabill has 700+ friends and his opponent has less than 200.
The candidate and political party that can best combine the traditional means of campaigning and also embrace new social media will be the one who wins the election. I am very pleased that the Erie County GOP is now on Facebook, has a website and a new Young Republican group. I believe this blog will help connect young people across Erie County and give them a place to talk openly about politics and share ideas. I am very proud of the Erie County Young Republicans and look forward to working with them to win this November. All of these elements working together will help us create a permanent place in daily lives of our friends in Erie County.

Matt Old is the Chairman of the Erie County Republican Party and a Berlin Heights Township Trustee.

"Tax Day In America" - By Jeff Krabill

2010-04-15T09:10:00.002-04:00

It’s Tax Day again in America. Don’t you just love it? Everyone has scrambled around, filled out their own tax forms or met with an accountant (at least once), written sizable checks for who knows what purpose and are now breathing a collective sigh of relief.

Here’s a statistic for you... Americans’ tax bill in 2010 is greater than what we pay for food, clothing, and shelter combined. I think that means we’ve reached a tipping point.

Given that it’s tax day, I am also entertained by the political gamesmanship of our Governor, my opponent and their cronies. They are trumpeting the improved tax climate in Ohio, or so they would have us believe. If anyone was paying attention over the past 5 years or so, any improvements in Ohio’s tax structure (e.g., personal income, personal property, etc.) were all enacted by a Republican governor and Republican legislature! Yeah, that’s right. Republicans! The only roles Democrats have played were to first criticize the idea of cutting taxes, and now to cancel the last year of the income tax rollback authored by Republican Bob Taft. While these kinds of political shenanigans have been engaged in by both parties at times, let me borrow from the great American philosopher Rodney King, “Can’t we all just tell the truth?”

But I digress…

Tax Day shouldn’t be confused with Tax Freedom Day. That comes to America’s citizenry on different days in different states. Here in Ohio, Tax Freedom Day falls on April 8, putting us just about in the middle of all 50 states at number 23. Perhaps more to the point, we need a robust public debate on the role of government in our lives and the consequent taxes that are required to support that. This is certainly one of the issues I hope becomes a central point of discussion in my race for the Ohio House of Representatives.

Just to give everyone a taste of the pickle that Ohio’s in right now, three different national studies now rank Ohio’s competitiveness between 45th and 49th in the country. (Go to my website at www.jeffkrabill.com for details and links to the studies.) The only state consistently behind us is Michigan! Part of the reason is our tax structure, but a bigger part of the problem is our regulatory structure. It can now be said that we are beyond not getting new companies to locate here, we are now not even able to keep Ohio’s current employers from leaving. This isn’t tolerable, but the fix isn’t all that difficult to figure out either. Just look at the studies! They lay out in pretty clear terms what has to be done. And believe me, I understand that there will be special interests that won’t like some of the changes. But what’s more important, hurt feelings among special interest fat cats or high paying, quality, long lasting jobs for Ohio’s citizens? I’ll stand with Ohio’s citizens.

On a different note, my opponent’s e-newsletters have become an unending source of sick comedy for many in the 80th District. How about this little gem from Dennis Murray’s latest newsletter…”There is no doubt these are tough economic times, but we are beginning to see the glimmer of hope as the recession eases.” Really, Dennis? Glimmer of hope? The very same week that this little gem of an observation was made Ohio released the unemployment statistics for all 88 counties. Sadly, Ottawa County has reached nearly 20% unemployment, and Erie County is just over 14%!!! That doesn’t strike me as the recession easing any. I’m sure there will be some improvement as we enter the summer months with the consequent increase in seasonal employment, but the 80th District is in arguably the worst condition of any of Ohio’s 99 house districts.

One of the most graphic representations of the impact of unemployment on Ohio appeared in the American Observer. Their map shows where the country was (county by county) in January 2007. Click on http://cohort11.americanobserver.net/latoyaegwuekwe/multimediafinal.html to see in graphic detail just what has happened since then. Watch how gruesome it has become for the state of Ohio. Note that this graphic reflects only the official unemployment, not underemployment.

Finally, consider this…on January 1, 2011, Ohio will be facing an $8,000,000,000 deficit! As unbelievable as this is, it’s not news to those running Columbus these days. In fact, Gov. Strickland and Dennis Murray chose to plug the budget deficit with federal stimulus funds and the looting of a number of restricted funds. It fixed the short term problem, but just kicked the can (the deficit) down the road for someone else to fix. Why not face up to the problem and fix it instead? Well, I’ve used this term before, but I think it still applies to the Strickland/Murray approach to governance – political cowardice!

I guess it can be said…while Ohio’s citizens continue to suffer, Nero continues to fiddle!

Jeff Krabill is running for the 80th District Ohio House Seat. For more information on Jeff and his campaign, please visit www.jeffkrabill.com, friend him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.

The ECYR Challenges YOU To Fight Against Apathy

2010-04-01T06:42:00.000-04:00

If nothing else, the last year has taught me three things about the American people and politics:

1) Elected officials should never underestimate the will, passion or intelligence of the people. The people provided their elected officials with their jobs, and they can just as quickly take their jobs away.

2) Glossy media ads and sweet talking political spinners cannot always pull the wool over our eyes. If they could, the Tea Party Movement would never have taken place and we would all be cheering for Obamacare, TARP and the government take over of two automobile giants.

3) The type of “change” and “hope” this country is demanding has nothing to do with socialist policies, and everything with a return to our roots and a reinforcement of our country’s core governing principles stated in the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.

I learned these three things when I witnessed the American people, for the first time in my lifetime, hold their elected officials accountable for their actions. They stopped sitting by, complaining every so often about corrupt politicians and forgetting to vote on Election Day. They no longer avoided the topic of politics with friends and family because it was too “disruptive.” They did not allow apathy to run their government anymore; instead, they took a stand and demanded to be represented and not parented by their government. Thank God.

I applaud all of those individuals who have taken a stand in the last year. I urge you to continue to educate yourselves on the issues, communicate with your elected officials and stand firm to your beliefs. I implore you to never let apathy run this country, this state, this county ever again.

However, once the passion and the fight over healthcare and taxes dies down and the philosophical and political debates fade behind the organized chaos of our everyday lives, apathy will return. People will once again say “ugh, it takes to long to write an email to my representative to tell him/her why I think the proposed levy/law/tax is wrong… besides, someone else will do it, right?.” People will once again fail to discuss political issues with family and friends because good grief, we can’t have a disagreement over the roast beef and gravy now can we? People will once again follow their government without much thought as to why.

Being a leader takes effort and time; who has either in large stockpiles these days? I certainly don’t. Consequently, apathy will rear it’s ugly head and we’ll return to a time when less then half of registered voters come out on Election Day. We’ll return to a time when most people don’t know the names of those representing them, much less the issues of the day. We’ll return to a time when only very few hold our elected officials accountable for their actions. Does your gut twist in distaste, fear and/or anger over the very thought of these events taking place?

I hope it does. I hope you dread the day we ever return to allowing our elected officials to run amok. I hope it strikes fear into your heart and your checkbook. Why? Well it’s not because I’m meanspirited, although I do always hope the O.S.U. football team gets stranded in Antarctica before they play U of M every fall (Go Blue!). It’s certainly not because I want you to get an ulcer or see your checkbook run down the street screaming for help. It’s because I fervently hope it keeps you involved with your local, state and national leaders. I cross my fingers and pray it makes you educate yourself on the issues. Most importantly, I hope it will force apathy six feet under.

I know what you’re thinking. “Gee Holly, thanks for the indigestion, but didn’t you say earlier that all of that education and communication and whatnot takes effort and time? I don’t have any to spare between work/pets/kids/significant others/family/friends/hobbies. So tell me, what are my options?”

Join the Erie County Young Republicans. Come to a Happy Hour on the last Thursday of every month. Enjoy drinks, food and intelligent conversation about our government representatives and the issues. I guarantee you’ll learn more about your own opinions, the issues and your leaders after one Happy Hour with the ECYR. Oh, and you’ll have fun doing it too.

Come to our monthly social events. Talk about how much you love/hate the latest bill in D.C. while taking in an Indians’ baseball game in May. Debate the pros and cons of the proposed light rail system at our Corn Roast in September. Meet and learn more about local, state and federal candidates at beach bonfires, dinners and rooftop firework displays. Heck, write a post for this blog and share your ideas and opinions via the world wide web. Rub elbows with local candidates when you support your troops by attending and donating care packages at events throughout the year. In a phrase: “be involved.”

Did I peak your interest? Are you wondering what the catch is or if you’re too old to join up? Good news, not only are the ECYR events fun, they are open to ALL Erie County Republicans. Is there a catch? Eh, if you think of low membership dues collected once a year as a catch, then yes. However, that’s the only one. I promise.

So, what do you say? Are you willing to have fun and socialize with your fellow Young Republicans to keep apathy at bay, to stay in touch with your government representatives and become educated on the issues? If you are, check out our website at www.eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com. Also, if you are interested in writing a blog post, please email us at blog@eriecountyyoungrepublicans.com

That’s it for now folks. I hope you enjoyed my brand of humor and logic. Please visit this blog next week when local Republican Rick Lynch shares his opinions with you.

OBAMA & DEMS IN 2005: 51 VOTE ‘NUCLEAR OPTION’ IS ‘ARROGANT’ POWER GRAB AGAINST THE FOUNDER’S INTENT

2010-02-24T12:30:00.001-05:00

Meet John Kasich.

2010-02-23T13:37:00.002-05:00

Welcome!

2010-02-17T19:53:00.001-05:00

The future home of the Ohio Erie County Young Republicans blog.