Free Republic

The Senate voted 67-28 to pass a cloture motion, seemingly enough to assure final ratification. Eleven Republicans joined with 56 Democrats to pass the cloture motion. It will take 67 votes to ratify the New Start pact, which would give the Obama administration its top foreign policy goal in the lame-duck session. Among Republicans announcing their support were Richard G. Lugar of Indiana, George V. Voinovich of Ohio, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, and...

Ohio Republican Sen. George Voinovich is planning to oppose legislation that extends any of the Bush-era tax cuts, becoming the first senator to state his opposition to any extension even as the White House and congressional leaders are expected to reach a deal on the issue this week.

For the second time in a week, local gasoline prices have increased - this time to more than $3 a gallon, a price the local area hasn't seen since the fall of 2008. And gas prices across the country could rise by another 25 cents in the near future if a proposed federal fuel tax is enacted. "I wasn't very happy," Domino's Pizza driver Mary Wise said of the weekend price hike. Wise uses her personal vehicle to deliver for Domino's on Second Street in Marietta. "I probably spend around $10 to $15 a day on gas, but I live...

Columbus, Ohio (CNN) - Retiring Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, said Monday that the upcoming lame duck session of Congress should work together on a handful of key issues to demonstrate a commitment to problem-solving rather than partisan bickering. (snip) He suggested that in the lame duck session, the 18-member bipartisan debt commission should endorse recommendations to help repair the country's deep budget deficit. He called on lawmakers to listen to the commission and have "the courage to move forward and do the tough things that need to be done for our country." (snip) "Once we are elected we ought to...

Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio), an outspoken budget hawk who is not afraid to buck his party, is leaning against voting for an extension of tax cuts passed under President George W. Bush. “My gut is probably no,” Voinovich told The Hill. “I think I would probably not vote, period, for it.”

Retiring Sen. George Voinovich said he planned to help push a package of small-business incentives through the Senate next week, a move that would give President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats a key victory on the economy in the final weeks before the November midterm elections. In an interview, Mr. Voinovich, R-Ohio, said he could no longer support efforts by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to delay the measure in hopes of winning the right to offer additional GOP amendments. Most of the proposed amendments "didn't have anything to do with the bill" anyway, Mr. Voinovich said, and amounted...

Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, met with President Obama today at the White House to discuss the national debt, but the main political story of the day, the Massachusetts Senate race, was Topic A when he spoke to reporters. When asked about the Massachusetts Senate race and the future of health care reform, Voinovich said he is still opposed to the pending legislation. “That’s out of the question -- I am not a vote for the health care bill, period,” he told reporters. Voinovich said he discussed with the president his idea for a bipartisan commission to focus on bringing down...

* Outgoing Ohio senator George Voinovich (R., Ohio) has a lunch at the Oval Office today, ostensibly to talk about the national debt. But some are wondering aloud if the Democrats will try to court Voinovich as their new 60th vote on health-care reform. UPDATE: ABC News Tweets: Sen Voinovich at WH today says "I am not a vote for the health care bill, period."

Sorry, I couldn’t word it any more politely than that. But the very prospect of GOP Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio bailing on his party to cast a swan song 60th vote for the government health care takeover bill makes me want to spit nails. Voinovich is meeting with President Obama at 11:30am Eastern today in the Oval Office. Nate Nelson at the Rust Belt blog notes that since Voinovich has already announced his retirement, he has nothing to lose. He’s infamous for turning into a blubbering mass on the Senate floor — while crusading for the illegal alien amnesty...

Sen. Lindsey Graham may be under fire from conservatives back home in South Carolina. But the Republican got a personal assurance from President Obama yesterday that the White House is supporting his efforts to craft a sweeping Senate energy and global warming bill. “The president told me personally he was very open, that nuclear power would be part of the mix, that clean coal would be part of the mix, that he’s for offshore drilling in a responsible way,” Graham said today in describing his Oval Office meeting with Obama. “But we have to have a price on carbon,...

NOTE: In an era when it's still "politically incorrect" to recognize the valuable contributions and legacy of the Serbs, most politicians still don't have the guts to support any cause or action that reflects "positively" on Serbia or the Serbians. Senator George Voinovich, Republican of Ohio, is one of the rare ones who is not concerned about "political correctness" in such matters, and for that he should be applauded. Ohio Senator George V. Voinovich has sent out congratulatory letters to the winners of "The Forgotten 500 Book Report Contest 2009" and Vasilije "Vaso" Katanic has graciously shared his letter on...

That means at least 4 filthy Republicans supported it. Disgrace!

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- U.S. Sen. George Voinovich used biblical verse Thursday to blast gambling proponents, including Ohio Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, who is an ordained minister. Voinovich, the former Republican governor, joined forces with the Ohio Roundtable and Methodist churches to announce a lawsuit they filed Thursday at the Ohio Supreme Court against Strickland's plan to place slots-like video lottery terminals at Ohio racetracks.

Where exactly does “The South” begin, anyway? At Harpers Ferry? Just left of Philadelphia? What is the crossroads that divides “Southerners” from the rest of us, those of us in the East, Midwest, Southwest and West who don’t talk with corn in our mouths? Somebody please buy Ohio Sen. George Voinovich a ticket to the real South, preferably on a slow-moving train, so he can observe the country he helps govern. Last month, Voinovich charged that Southerners are what’s wrong with the Republican Party. “We got too many Jim DeMints and Tom Coburns,” he told the Columbus Dispatch, talking about...

And then there were nine. Senator George V. Voinovich of Ohio on Thursday became the ninth Republican senator to announce his support for the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

WASHINGTON -- Southern writer Walker Percy liked to poke fun at Ohioans in his novels, just to even things out a bit. "Usually Mississippians and Georgians are getting it from everybody, and Alabamians," he once explained to an interviewer. "So, what's wrong with making smart-aleck remarks about Ohio? Nobody puts Ohio down. Why shouldn't I put Ohio down?" Percy, the genial genius, laughed at his own remark. Now, apparently, it's the Buckeye State's turn to poke back. In a fusillade of pique, Ohio Sen. George Voinovich charged that Southerners are what's wrong with the Republican Party. "We got too many...

...In a fusillade of pique, Ohio Sen. George Voinovich charged that Southerners are what's wrong with the Republican Party... Alas, Voinovich was not entirely wrong...

Southern writer Walker Percy liked to poke fun at Ohioans in his novels, just to even things out a bit. "Usually Mississippians and Georgians are getting it from everybody, and Alabamians," he once explained to an interviewer. "So what's wrong with making smart-aleck remarks about Ohio? Nobody puts Ohio down. Why shouldn't I put Ohio down?" Percy, the genial genius, laughed at his own remark. Now, apparently, it's the Buckeye State's turn to poke back. In a fusillade of pique, Ohio Sen. George Voinovich charged that Southerners are what's wrong with the Republican Party. "We got too many Jim DeMints...

Senator Voinvich claims Ohioans can't relate to pro-gun Republicans from the South printable page Submitted by cbaus on Wed, 07/29/2009 - 00:10. Ohio Politics National Politics Guns in the News Gun Grabbers By Chad D. Baus One week after ignoring thousands of phone calls from his constituents and helping a Democrat filibuster kill nationwide CCW reciprocity, Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio told editors at the Columbus Dispatch he knows what the Republican party's biggest problem is. According to the anti-gun Senator, who has decided to retire after recognizing a 2010 re-election bid would meet the same fate as anti-gun...

As President Obama's poll numbers go south, and congressional leaders from his party continue to reveal just how far they're willing to overreach in chasing an ultra-liberal agenda, Republicans are finally seeing some light. After months-- heck years in the dark, advocating conservative ideals is beginning to feel acceptable again. But behind this tonic surge, a political identity crisis brews. Amidst the hoopla concerning the floundering healthcare legislation and a beer summit, a leading Republican quietly made news last week by violating Reagan's 11th amendment, "Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican." Ohio Senator George Voinovich, who is...

Ohio Senator George Voinovich says that the GOP is "being taken over by southerners," the Columbus Dispatch reports. In an interview with with the paper, Voinovich said shrinking demographics and southern senators are alienating his conservative constituents. He cites Republican Senators Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn as the GOP's biggest problem. "We got too many Jim DeMints (R-S.C.) and Tom Coburns (R-Ok.). It's the southerners. They get on TV and go 'errrr, errrrr.' People hear them and say, 'These people, they're southerners. The party's being taken over by southerners. What they hell they got to do with Ohio?'," Voinovich said....

The fallout from Senator Voinovich insulting conservative Senators DeMint and Coburn has been huge, echoing throughout the blogosphere and cable news. In response, Senator DeMint was far more gracious and polite about Ohio’s senile Senator than he had to be. What a classy guy: And so Wolf Blitzer asked DeMint about it on CNN this afternoon: “I wonder what you want to say to Sen. George Voinovich,” Blitzer asked. Said DeMint: “Well, he is apparently very frustrated. He has decided not to run again. And I don’t mind him taking out his frustrations on me. “But the fact is, if...

WASHINGTON — Sen. George Voinovich's comments about the U.S. Senate's southern caucus reverberated in Washington today. But publicly, one of the southerners Voinovich criticized declined to lash back this afternoon. And Voinovich's own campaign finance records show he has had no problem whistling Dixie. The story begins with a conversation the Ohio Republican had with editors from the Columbus Dispatch. When asked about the GOP's biggest problem, Voinovich told the Columbus newspaper: "We got too many Jim DeMints (R-S.C.) and Tom Coburns (R-Ok.). It's the southerners. They get on TV and go 'errrr, errrrr.' People hear them and say, 'These...

Too many conservative senators like Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) are to blame for the GOP's downfall, one of their retiring Republican colleagues complained Monday. "We got too many Jim DeMints and Tom Coburns," Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) told the Columbus Dispatch. "It's the southerners." Voinovich, a native Clevelander who retires after the 2010 election, continued after the southern elements of the GOP. "They get on TV and go 'errrr, errrrr,'" he said. "People hear them and say, 'These people, they're southerners. The party's being taken over by southerners. What they hell they got to do with Ohio?'"...

States offer a hodgepodge of concealed-handgun rules that prevent citizens from protecting themselves when traveling from one state to another. Sen. John Thune, South Dakota Republican, introduced an amendment to the defense authorization bill that would have fixed this problem by granting reciprocity for gun permits across state lines. In a 58-39 vote on Wednesday, supporters fell two short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. This was a victory of fear over facts. Thirty-seven of the 39 no votes were cast by Democrats. The two Republicans who crossed party lines to vote nay were Sen. Richard G....

Car dealer Tom Ganley has announced he’s running for the Republican Party’s nomination for U.S. Senate. Ganley of Brecksville seeks the seat that will be vacated at the end of 2010 by the retiring U.S. Sen. George V. Voinovich, R-Ohio. Starting with a Rambler dealership in Euclid in 1968, Ganley has built the Ganley Auto Group, with 32 dealerships. He is chief executive officer. "I am a businessman, not someone who ever thought about being a professional politician," Ganley said at a news conference in his hometown and subsequent news release to announce his candidacy. "But maybe that’s what’s needed...

Democrats Jennifer Brunner and Lee Fisher both hold leads over Republican Rob Portman in match-ups to fill the seat of retiring GOP Sen. George Voinovich, although neither so far seems to be firing the imaginations of the state’s voters, according to a Public Policy Polling survey conducted June 17.19. Brunner, the Secretary of State, leads Portman 40 percent to 32 percent with 29 percent undecided, and Fisher, the lieutenant governor, leads 41 percent to 32 percent with 27 percent undecided. Portman was a six-term congressman who left the House to take posts in the Bush administration. However, those who view...

Washington, DC - -(AmmoLand.com)- Imagine that. The Senate confirmed this week, by a vote of 62-35, a gun banner who stays up at night thinking of ways to impose more gun control upon American citizens. Harold Koh is that gun grabber, and he was confirmed yesterday to be the Legal Adviser at the State Department. On Wednesday, Senate Republicans attempted to kill the Koh nomination with a filibuster — until eight of them crossed the aisle to help Democrats confirm Koh. The back-stabbing Senators are: Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Susan Collins (R-ME) Judd Gregg (R-NH) Orrin Hatch (R-UT) Richard Lugar (R-IN)...

Editorial: Short takes Friday, March 27, 2009 2:55 AM • OHIO SECRETARY of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat who is running to fill the seat of retiring Ohio Republican Sen. George V. Voinovich, has launched one of the oddest political attacks in recent memory. Brunner said that Voinovich, who voted with his fellow Republican senators in an unsuccessful attempt to block the $787 billion economic-stimulus bill passed last month, should have voted for the measure. The reason? To spare taxpayers the cost of flying Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown by military aircraft from Mansfield to Washington to cast the deciding vote....

WASHINGTON - In more than 11 years in the U.S. Senate, George Voinovich has heard his share of talk, but it's what he's not hearing now that has him frustrated. Speaking Tuesday to county presidents of the Ohio Farm Bureau in town to lobby legislators, the Ohio Republican said recent discussions on the country's economic woes seem to be missing one element. "When I was governor of Ohio, we talked about working harder and smarter. I'd like to hear more comments now about working harder and smarter. I got to tell you, I don't hear that at all here in...

Seems like S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford is taking fire from all sides today — this time from his own party. My colleague Manu Raju passes this along: Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) criticized Sanford's proposal to use $700 million of stimulus cash to pay down the state debt — his failure to coordinate his actions with other governors leaves the Palmetto State firebrand no choice but accept the decision of Congress. "Governors should have gotten their act together and they didn't," Voinovich, a former governor who is not seeking reelection, said Thursday. "They spoke with different voices and now they're going...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH) released the following statement today on the inability to reach a responsible bipartisan compromise on an economic stimulus package: “Our nation and the world need an economic shot in the arm. After spending many days trying to construct a responsible bipartisan alternative to the Democratic stimulus plan, I am disappointed that we were unable to accomplish that. “My criteria for the stimulus bill were the well-accepted three principles that it be timely, targeted and temporary. In addition, I looked at the package from the perspective of whether or not the items...

Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) has pulled out of negotiations on a bipartisan compromise on the Senate’s economic stimulus bill. Three Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Olympia Snowe (Maine) and Arlen Specter (Pa.) — continue to negotiate with Democrats, but Voinovich’s departure could make it more difficult for Democrats to reach the 60 votes they need to pass the bill. Voinovich left a meeting in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) office around 2:30 p.m., saying he did not believe there was a deal he could agree to on an amendment that would cut as much as $100 billion from...

President Obama talks about seeking bipartisan accord ... and he reaches out to GOP senators ... but how many Republicans are even open to the need for fixing the economy through government spending? As The Washington Independent's Dave Weigel points out, that question seems to have been answered in a Senate vote last night. When Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) offered an alternative stimulus plan that would replace all government spending in the stimulus with a series of tax cuts, 36 Republican senators voted for it. To emphasize the point, that means all but four GOPers were perfectly happy with scrapping...

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The 111th Congress has just barely begun as Senate Republicans brace for more grueling elections in 2010 which threaten to further weaken the party's influence in Congress. The latest setback for the party came Monday, when Ohio Sen. George Voinovich -- the 72 year-old two-term GOP senator -- announced he will not seek reelection in 2010. That leaves Republicans with a highly vulnerable seat in a perennial swing state that has drifted Democratic in the last two elections. Voinovich's decision sent Ohio Republicans and Democrats scrambling ahead of what will likely be a competitive primary on both...

Former Republican congressman Rob Portman will announce that he is running for the Senate soon after Ohio Sen. George Voinovich’s retirement announcement, according to multiple Republican sources. Portman would give Senate Republicans an accomplished candidate who is likely to clear the primary field. “He’s great on both policy and politics, and you don’t often find that combination,” said Hamilton County Republican party chairman Alex Triantafilou. “His experience in government, his experience in Washington and his understanding of Ohio would make him a tremendous force in the Senate.”

Voinovich, a fiscal conservative who's forever warning about government spending, is about to be asked to spend heavily to get out of this mess. "In my whole political career, I've never seen anything as serious as what we're going through today, and I've never seen the anxiety and the concern about the future," Voinovich said. But with a price tag approaching $1 trillion, the package could test many of the principles that Voinovich, a two-term senator who was born during the Great Depression, has held in his 43-year political career. Voinovich, 72, acknowledges as much, saying in an interview last...

Sen. George V. Voinovich is expected to announce Monday morning that he will not seek a third-term next year, The Dispatch has learned. Although Voinovich spokesman Chris Paulitz declined comment, Voinovich is scheduled Monday to reveal his decision in a conference call with his most loyal supporters and fundraisers. Voinovich's expected decision would end one of the most storied political careers in Ohio history. During his more than 40 years in politics, the 72-year-old Republican has held the offices of governor, senator, lieutenant governor and mayor of Cleveland. The Dispatch reported Thursday that Voinovich, 72, was reconsidering his longtime stance...

Ohio Republican George Voinovich is expected to announce Monday that he won't seek reelection to the Senate in 2010. A two-term senator, former governor and Cleveland mayor, Voinovich has been a political fixture in his state for decades. But recent press reports from his home state have indicated the 72-year-old lawmaker is considering retirement, and a person close to him told Politico that the announcement will come Monday. His retirement would give Democrats a shot at an open Senate seat in a battleground state that voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 elections and elected Democrat Sherrod Brown to the...

No serious objections expected to Hillary Clinton By ANDREW MIGA and ANNE FLAHERTY – 2 days ago WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton has held lengthy private discussions ............ NOTE: this is all of the story that will be excerpted from the Associated Press. Eight words from them is enough.

U.S. Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio is leaving open the possibility of not running for re-election in 2010. Voinovich, 72, is thinking about the challenging economic situation in Ohio, the direction of the country, and the best interests of his family, said spokesman Chris Paulitz. The senator would let the people of Ohio know quickly if he decides not to seek a third term, Paulitz said. The Columbus Dispatch, citing sources, reported Friday that Voinovich had shuffled his fundraising team and told his staff he might not run again.

U.S. Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio is leaving open the possibility of not running for re-election in 2010. Voinovich, 72, is thinking about the challenging economic situation in Ohio, the direction of the country, and the best interests of his family, said spokesman Chris Paulitz.

First Jeb drops out, then Kit Bond retires, now this. The lifeboats are filling up awfully fast. In other news, I am hearing rumors coming out of Ohio that Senator Voinovich is seriously considering making an announcement next week that he won’t be running for re-election. According to my sources, Rob Portman would likely be the Republican to replace him. This also opens up the GOP gubernatorial nomination for former Republican Congressman John Kasich. It’s just a rumor, but the Quinnipiac poll taken last month wasn’t exactly encouraging.

Jan 3 (Reuters) - With a close Minnesota race still undecided, Democrats will hold no more than 59 seats in the new 100-member U.S. Senate that convenes on Jan. 6. That means Democrats will need the help of at least a few Republicans to hit the 60 votes required to clear procedural roadblocks known as filibusters.

The Honorable George V. Voinovich United States Senate 524 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510-3504 Senator Voinovich: I was a member of the Ohio DAV delegation, which met with you in your Washington office on 27 February 2007. I offer the following observations, both personal and professionally, regarding that meeting which were neither appropriate nor consistent with treatment that constituents might expect of their elected representative in the Senate. First of all, I am a lifelong Republican and support National Republican issues most of the time. I am a member of the Republican National Committee and regularly donate to...

Here is the quote from Voinovich, reported on first today by the Daily Sentinel of Pomeroy, Ohio, during a visit he made to the Meigs County GOP headquarters. The paper reported that: "In relation to Obama, Voinovich told the audience: 'He is left of (Democratic senator from Massachusetts) Teddy Kennedy. With all due respect, the man is a socialist.'" A Voinovich spokesman said what has Voinovich revved up is his belief that Obama doesn't respect states rights, at least not the way Voinovich says they should be treated, under the U.S. Constitution's 10th Amendment: "The powers not delegated to the...

WASHINGTON -- Sen. George Voinovich will vote for the latest financial bailout bill tonight "with a heavy heart." He explains in a statement: "I have spent my entire career focusing on eliminating debt at the local, state and federal level so we don't pass it on to our children and grandchildren.

Voinovich to vote for bailout plan; several other Ohio lawmakers wait for details Kucinich denounces rescue legislation as "driven by fear, not fact" Sunday, September 28, 2008 8:09 PM By Jonathan Riskind THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH WASHINGTON -- It might be bitter fiscal medicine, but it's a vital step toward the cure for what ails America's economy. So says Republican Sen. George V. Voinovich, one of the few Ohio lawmakers willing to commit today to supporting the $700 billion bailout package agreed to by congressional leaders and the White House. "I am going to vote for it," Voinovich said in an...

You can consider Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) as definitely not enthused by former Vice President Al Gore's speech Thursday on U.S. energy policy. Voinovich had an initial one-word response — "ridiculous" — to Gore's speech at Washington's Constitution Hall, in which the Democrat called for the United States to end its dependence on carbon-based fuels and begin using renewable energy to produce electricity within the next 10 years. Voinovich elaborated that ruling out carbon-based fuels such as coal would be unreasonable because of the country's vast energy and economic needs. Instead, he said the country should take a multi-pronged approach...

SEN. VOINOVICH STATEMENT ON LIFTING OF OFFSHORE DRILLING EXECUTIVE BAN July 14, 2008 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after it was announced that President Bush will lift an executive ban on offshore drilling that has been in place since 1990: "Today’s action by President Bush is an important step forward, but it must be matched by Congress lifting its moratorium as soon as possible. Ohio families are being hit hard by sky-high gasoline and diesel prices and we cannot afford to wait...