Monday, January 31, 2011

Blog: New political column to debut Sunday - news-herald.com

Blog: New political column to debut Sunday - news-herald.com

John Hutchenson will prattle on in the same way Dave Jones did.

The News-less-Herald essentially functions as a public relations firm for city councils, school boards, and other appointed boards that seek to raise taxes and employee their friends and family.

Look at Ellen Foley Kessler and her sister Deborah Foley. Ted Klammer appoints Ellen Folley Kessler to Lake Metro Parks Board...Ellen helps Deborah get United Way of Lake County Executive Director Job ($117, 000 per year)...Deborah gets appointed to Mentor Library Board...and the band marches on.

Grendell, LaTourette named to committees - news-herald.com

Grendell, LaTourette named to committees - news-herald.com

Notice something. Latourette is NOT in leadership of an sort. He got assigned to be a vice chairmen of a sub-committee, and the board that over sees the Smithsonian.

That's pretty embarassing. This guy has been in Congress for around 16 years and is a senior member of the Ohio Delegation...but, no leadership.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Columbus Dispatch: Retirement funds: All state workers will pay for fixes

Public Employees will have to fix their own broken system

If we had a decent news organization around here their would be some coverage on the public employee pension fund boards rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Instead, we have the News-less-Herald reporting on the Lake Metro Parks, etc.


There is so much to say about this article. However, the most important part is that unions and their pension funds heard the message: NO NEW TAXES TO SUPPORT YOUR ADDICTION TO THE PUBLIC TIT!

The funny part about this article is that one union official said, "Our membership certainly knows that tax payers are hurting these past few years, but studies have shown the funding level from the employer side (read taxpayers) since about the mid 1990's has been shown to be inadequate...."

Simply disgusting.

Enough is enough. No more mayors and city councils raising taxes to fund their friends' retirement in turn for help getting re-elected.

The dirty secret is the council members working that lowly part time job also vest time in public pension funds for their "service." Also, they buy time towards retirement.



Saturday, January 29, 2011

WELFARE FOR OHIO SCHOOLS: Ohio schools get $400M from feds | Columbus Dispatch Politics

Ohio schools get $400M from feds | Columbus Dispatch Politics

This is putting the schools in the country on welfare, plain and simple. Instead of insisting on fiscal discipline and tough love for sickly school systems, the federal government has put 487 schools in Ohio on the federal tit.

Sure, the new-less-herald and its friends will applaud. Some of us cry, no wait weep at situations like this.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Thoughts on Levy Requests

The other day we learned that Mayfield City Schools is really proud of itself because it is not asking for another levy.  In the article the school system administration brags that it has not put a levy on the ballot since 2008.

Since 2008?  You mean, the public employees in the Mayfield City Schools have not reached deeper in our pockets since 2008?  Are we supposed to commend them?  Doing more with less and learning to live within your means is being a responsible grown-up.

Willoughby-Eastlake Schools  (WES) on the other hand has asked for a number of levies.

Two levies ago, the lying superintendent Keith Miller of WES and his treasurer Cliff Reinhardt begged everyone for a renewal levy...promising no more levies requests.  Guess what happened.  Miller and Reinhardt asked for a new levy.

When will the madness end?

Well, can you blame Miller and Reinhardt for asking when voters narrowly approve the levies?

We are being spent into ruin by public employees.  Ruins.

The sick part about this is the way in which the public employees skip off into the sunset arm-in-arm with elected officials bankrupting our cities, states and the country.

Elected officials, appointed boards and/or elected boards...it's all the same.  Spend someone else's money to print deceptive mailings and print colorful signs.  Call it a safety levy or say it's about the kids.  Make no mistake.  It's all about greed.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Thursday, January 20, 2011

UPDATED--Cleveland Plain Liar: Sherrod OK for 2012 and they want Latourette

Today's Cleveland Plain Liar did their usual hatchet job.  The Plain Liar tried to explain to us that Sherrod Brown is in pretty good shape for 2012...despite only 45% of those polled thinking that he deserves a second term.

The Plain Liar goes onto say that U.S. Rep Jim Jordan is far too conservative to win state wide. Oh yeah?

Why was Connie Shultz-Brown's husband not too liberal to get elected state wide in 2006?  Template.

The Plain Liar goes onto say that Latourette is really the best hope at getting rid of Pan-Leninist Sherrod Brown.  Why?  The implication, because of the slap at Jim Jordan being too conservative, is that Latourette is for more liberal.

A look at the ClubforGrowth's Power Ranking tells us that Jordan is the far better choice.  Jordan is ranked 12th overall while Latourette is an unimpressive 181st.

There you have it folks!  Due to the fact that Latourette is far more liberal and can raise big corporate bucks  he should be the GOP challenger to Sherrod Brown.

Almost anything is better than Sherrod Brown. Almost, maybe even Latourette.  A Latourette run for Senate would make a lot of local fanboys very happy.  Lots of fundraisers.  Lots of seeking pats on the back.

However, Latourette is ver comfortable with the trappings of power...the two homes owned in Virginia by the wifey.  Think he is willing to risk it all?

UPDATE:  THE NY TIMES, DISCUSSING A PLAN BY CONSERVATIVE GOPers, TO CUT $2.5 TRILLION IN SPENDING QUOTES U.S. REP JIM JORDAN.  JIM JORDAN WAS PICKED TO CHAIR A SUB COMMITTEE THAT INCLUDES OVERSIGHT OF GOVERNMENT SPENDING.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Fallout: Here comes the intimidation

It is clear that some elected officials in this country are trying to use the recent, tragic events that took place in Arizona for their own benefit.

Two articles that have come to light show that a Member of Congress, U.S. Rep. Billy Long, may be using the F.B.I. to intimidate critics.   In this case a "blogger" critical of Rep. Billy Long has been visited by the F.B.I. and local Sheriff.

"Local Blogger Claims F.B.I. Intimidation" is not a surprising headline.  Read the article here.

Another article asserts that the U.S. Capitol Police has asked Members of Congress to assemble a list of names that they feel are threats.

Wow!  Members of Congress are assembling lists of people to have investigated!

What a sad day for the Republic.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Final Thoughts on Grendell Gate

Today starts the final chapter of "Grendell Gate."  The last pages of the story will be written in fall 2012.

The Plain Dealer, over at their website, covered the fact that the Ohio House Republican Caucus picked Rep. Richard Hollington to serve in the OH-98 seat State Sen. Tim Grendell did not take.

Grendell did the right thing.  In a nut shell, Sen Grendell stopped the shady Taxn' Trustee Chris Galloway from scheming his way to the State Senate.  Even though the news papers did not cover this aspect--Grendell's decision was in large part to stop Taxn' Trustee Chris Galloway from sliming OH-18, Lake and Geaugua County.

Can one feel bad for Taxn' Trustee Galloway?  No.  Can one feel bad for the local party chairmen that stood by and watched Galloway work for the Ohio Democrat Party?  No.

In summary, Taxn' Trustee Galloway is a paid Ohio Democrat Party Operative (according to public records) that is responsible for unseating a republican judge (Colleen O'toole).

Back to Sen. Grendell.  Sen. Grendell has been a prolific author lately, for instance, in disseminating court records disparaging Trustee Matt Lynch's problems with his tax bill.  Sen. Grendell was condemned by the Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee.  That's a joke.  That's the same group that paid Taxn' Trustee Galloway at the same time he worked for the Ohio Democrat Party...AND...allows Bob Bennett to hold office.  That's right, Bob Bennett.  The same Bob Bennett that was the ORP chairman and BIG fund raiser for Democrat Frank Jackson.

Back to Grendell again....there's back story here!

So how will the final pages of "Grendell Gate" read?  Richard Hollington won't dare face Grendell in a primary in 2012.  No way, no how.  That means Tim Grendell will return to the Ohio House of Representatives in 2012.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Ohio's 129th General Assembly Sworn Today: Who will have the courage to make $8 - $10 billion in cuts?

The new Republican controlled 129th Ohio General Assembly was sworn in today.

Let's cut to the chase.

Ohio is facing a $8 - $10 billion projected budget deficit.  Governor-elect Kasich and 21 of the legislators sworn in today signed an anti-tax pledge.

SEE THE LIST OF PLEDGE SIGNEES BELOW. SCROLL DOWN TO THE LIST OF OHIO SIGNEES.

This means that these folks MUST make $8 - $10 billion in cuts to the next budget and NOT raise $8 - $10 billion in revenue.

Kasich proposes the budget...and the General Assembly must approve it.

Of course, State Senator Tim Grendell signed the anti-tax pledge.

Other signees of interest are Governor-elect Kasich, Rep. Ron Young (OH-63), Rep. Mike Dovilla (OH-18), and Rep. Casey Kozlowski (OH-99).

Rep. Ron Young's reputation proceeds him.  Young was in part responsible for one of the largest tax cuts in Ohio History.  We have some concerns about him though.  We have heard that he is concerned that he did not get enough done during his last terms in office due to his conservative stances.  Watch Young with a cautious eye.

Two more interesting freshmen legislators are Mike Dovilla and Casey Koslowski.  Dovilla represents the Strongsville area.  Dovilla beat Matt Patten.  Koslowski represents all of Ashtabula County and tiny, tiny part of northern Trubmull County.  Thank God Koslowski got rid of Debbie Newcomb.

Little is known about Dovilla and Koslowski in action.  They have said the right things and have signed the pledge.

The real question is: does Kasich, Young, Dovilla, Koslowski, and the rest of the signees have the courage to make $8 -$10 billion in cuts?

Anti Tax Pledge