Posted on 08/12/2005 2:17:45 PM PDT by Antonio Ciaccia
Ohio State political science professor, Herb Asher is in the news again, as his group, Reform Ohio Now seeks to change up Ohio's districts to move Ohio Democrats from the outside to in.
Trying to tap into Ohio citizen disdain for the scandals plaguing state government, Reform Ohio Now is trying to harness this frustration and use it for their political gain. The coaltion, which is comprised of labor unions a Democratic-leaning activists is marketing itself as a bipartisan effort to change Ohio politics.
According to reports, one of the first to start circulating petitions for Reform Ohio Now was Jan Fleming. Fleming, who in this recent news story is being dubbed as merely a seventh grade school teacher in Clintonville. But upon further inspection, the article neglects to inform its readers that Fleming is an activist as well with a liberal group by the name of Uptown Progressives.
The group has come up against oppostion from Republican leaders and a group by the name of Ohio First has formed to oppose Reform Ohio Now's proposed state amendments. Things are so bad right now for the state government in terms of the scandal plagued Taft administration, that in light of this, U.S. Rep Deborah Pryce seems to think that Reform Ohio Now will be able to have their way no matter what. She has advised GOP leaders not to waste valuable resources in opposing the amendments.
But many in the GOP have refused to back down. Recently the Ohio TEL amendment was pushed back from the 2005 to the 2006 ballot so Republicans could concentrate on defeating Reform Ohio Now's measures. Asher claimed that getting the Tax Expenditure Limitation that seeks to restrict out of control state spending is the organization's "first policy success."
The Toledo Blade called had this to say: Banking that Ohio is ripe for rebellion amid scandals reaching as high as the governor's office, groups inside and outside Ohio are pushing the most pervasive constitutional changes to the state's election process in decades.
This is very telling of what Reform Ohio Now seeks to accomplish. They wish to channel citizen frustraion over scandals over to an entirely unrelated cause wreaking of partisanship. "Are you mad about the scandals of the Taft administration? Well instead of attacking the problem, let's redraw the districts so we have more of an advantage in getting our desired candidates elected statewide."
It is a given that Bob Taft is corrupt and overall a terrible leader, but the solutions Reform Ohio Now proposes are not real solutions at all. Ohio law dictates that districting is a function of the state, and changing Ohio's constitution to hand this power over to a partisan organization is hardly a merited proposal.
All I hear from the statists of campus is that Dr. Asher is one of the greatest professors at Ohio State. Yet, when I see what he is doing in his spare time, it raises many doubts. His attempts to fool the citizens of Ohio is a telling example of just how delusional people on campus can be.
Uh oh. Trouble in Ohio is bad news for the GOP nationally. Anyway to get this Taft guy booted from office before he destroys the Republican party there and the state becomes another New Jersey? I hate corrupt Republicans who damage the GOP cause because they are pigs. Republicans are held to a higher standard than the morally relativistic Democrats.
I think this is the best sign yet that the dems are doomed to failure in the next election as well. Instead of focusing on the future they wallow in past disappointments and failures like Florida and Ohio thinking that will bring them a win next time.
Boob Taxt is not a republican (he is a Rino)and most people in Ohio know it so what he and his people does not hurt the conservative voters in Ohio to greatly.
All the Dems do is refight yesterday's losing battles. Rove & Co. are looking to the future and the Dems are mired in the past. Not only is the left rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic -- they're doing so after the ship has sunk.
Exactly, especially with Ken Blackwell ready to take over the reins of the Ohio GOP.
Want to see a DUmmies head explode, just say Ken Blackwell.
Taft is gone in 06.
I certainly hope that Ohio does not flame out like the now Democratic People's Republic of Chicago (aka the state of Illinois) did.
The now indicted former RINO governor, George Ryan destroyed any chance Illinois Republicans have for the next generation.
Where are the national democrats screaming that you can't change the districts in the middle of a decade?
Oh. That's right, this is a democrat push. Democrat's "principled outrage" is trumped by partisan politics.
So, where is the news media that screamed about how bad it was for DeLay to redistrict texas in 2003? Oh, that's right, this is a democrat initiative.
The same people who fight Gov. Arnold in California (who tried to get a ballot initiative to make redistricting non-partisan) are probably funding the ohio effort.
In 2004, the dems in charge knew they had paid for enough dems voters to win the election and that is why they whined and fought so bitterly about the final results. Only when the postmortum was done did they find that much of the cash had not been used to pay voters but had been pocketed by local black, union and precinct dem election foremen.
If the dems can find some honest local theives next, they may be able to steal what they can't win honestly. The recent Confressional election demonstrated have many votes they can manufacture if the cash gets to the folks that actually fake the votes.
Florida went from dead heat to comfortable GOP win. What makes Democrats think Ohio will be any different?
| Average Joe cares about | GOP cares about | Democrats care about |
| Stopping Islamic fascism | Stopping Islamic fascism | Stopping George Bush |
| Illegal immigration | Vincente Fox's feelings | Illegal immigrants' rights |
| Decline of morality | Decline of morality | homosexual advocacy |
| Well-being of troops | Well-being of troops | Well-being of terrorists |
democrats think the recent "close" election puts them within fraud distance.
This whole "Reform" Ohio Now thing is a joke.
It is about empowering the Democrat party in Ohio and creating more government bureaucracy.
"'Republican party there and the state becomes another New Jersey? ""
it wont become anther NJ, NJ was never anywhere as conservative a OH is.
"'There is no state in which the dem theft, dishonesty and corruption campaign is so strong as Ohio."
well up to now it hasnt been very effective has it?
""The recent Confressional election demonstrated have many votes they can manufacture if the cash gets to the folks that actually fake the votes""
the DEMS didnt manufacture votes or try to steal the election for OH-02...the more i read that above quote of yours the more irrational it seems
The GOPs biggest enemy in OH is angry conservatives who stay home in 2006.
Pinging FYI..
Taft is term limited out after next year's election. He never was popular and was lucky to face a Democratic hack last time around.
It is important for purposes of congressional redistricting and campaign financing that the RON measures lose this year.
Next year, the TEL will pass and Ken Blackwell will be elected governor of Ohio.
As pathetic as the Ohio GOP can be at times, the Ohio Democratic Party is about ten times worse.
-Eric
Organizational Endorsements:
Americans for Democratic Action - Cleveland Chapter
Citizens for a Progressive Ohio
The Coalition of Democratic and Progressive Organizations - Central Ohio
Common Cause
Common Sense Roundtable
The Citizens Forum of the Miami Valley
Hamilton County Democratic Forum
Ohio AFL-CIO
Ohio Civil Service Employees Association
Ohio Education Association
Ohio Environmental Council
Ohio Federation of Teachers
Ohio League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
Ohio Public Interest Research Group
Organize Ohio
Oxford Citizens for Peace and Justice
Pickaway County Democrats- Citizens in Action
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio
Portage County Democratic Coalition
Sierra Club of Ohio
Stonewall Democrats - Cleveland
Summit County Progressive Democrats
TheRestofUs.org
Wake Up Ohio
Wayne County Network for Progressive Democracy
The three constitutional admendments to be on Ohio ballots this fall
Putting Ohio's process of determining legislative seats in the hands of an independent, non-partisan commission. Currently, politicians bicker over where seats should be based on their own political interests, creating districts that are uncompetitive and where the issues facing Ohio are rarely debated in elections.
Campaign finance reform for Ohio. The saturation of money into political campaigns is at an all time high. We propose reducing the maximum individual contribution to $2000 for statewide candidates and $1000 for General Assembly candidates. Corporate contributions would be prohibited, and loopholes allowing minors to make contributions would be tightened. This amendment also places overall limits on total contributions by an individual to all candidates and parties while limiting the amount parties can contribute.
Modernizing Ohio's election system. Ohioans deserve easy access to the polls, but often have difficulty finding it. This amendment would allow all Ohioans to vote by mail, if they choose to do so. An independent Board of Supervisors would oversee the conduct and administration of elections, ensuring access and fairness in elections.
As an Ohioan, they seriously scare me.
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