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Friday, May 16, 2008

May Days

As I said in the previous post, we're moving on from the primary battles here in Ohio -- and in Licking County.

If you're interested in getting involved locally in progressive political action this year, here are some ways to get hooked up:

Sunday, May 18: Fund raiser and social for 12th District Democratic congressional candidate David Robinson in Pataskala.  Starts at 2 p.m. at 4018 Couter Rd.  For information, call 964-9294.

Tuesday, May 20: Fund raiser and social for Vicky Christiansen, Democratic candidate for LC Domestic Court judge, at 4 p.m. at the Buckeye Winery, 7 N. 3rd St., Newark.

Wednesday, May 21: Fund raiser and social for LC Commissioner Mark Van Buren, 5-7 p.m. at Geller Park, 580 Cynthia St. (off 30th) in Heath.  For information, call 587-0609.

Saturday, May 24: Utica Olde Fashioned Ice Cream Parade, assembles at 9, kicks off at 11 a.m. at Utica High School. 

Friday-Sunday, May 30-June 1: Strawberries on the Square, Courthouse Square, Newark.

What did I miss?

-- Gray Hunter

HC, YOU WON HERE. NOW GO AWAY.

I'm not sure quite why, but more than two months after the Ohio primary, Hillary supporters have decided in recent days to vent somewhat belatedly to this normally quiet little web site.

They're angry at Barack Obama and the Democratic Party, and seem to be directed by the Clinton campaign to share their wrath with us and no doubt other Internet bulletin boards and blogs across the nation. 

If you want to see how angry a Hillarite-scorned can get, use our archives feature (category: upcoming events) to go back to the post "Buckeye Barnstormin'" on Feb. 8 of this year.  Then click on comments.

Mrs. Gray Hunter (aka Hummingbird), being a Hillary supporter, loves this eruption of passion for Hillary. To learn why, see post "For Hillary - 3 Reasons," Feb. 15, archives.

Me, I'm just puzzled how we wound up in the line of fire at this late date. 

Why, for example, on May 15, I'd get a personal email from a total stranger, saying: "I am a Hillary Clinton supporter. I saw a sign on O'Reilly that read HCFPinOhio@gmail.com What can I do to help Hillary win?"

Hello!

You won in Ohio two months ago! You need to be talking to Kentucky and Oregon.  In Ohio, we've moved on to $4 gas, lawnmowers and our randy Attorney General.

--Gray Hunter 

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

REP. PAT TIBERI, R-NO

What's gotten into Pat Tiberi lately?

Our 12th District congressman, R-Delaware Co., is either in a funk or has his House voting button stuck on "No."

So much for the "merry month of May." According to www.Congress.org , which tracks major congressional votes, Tiberi in recent weeks has turned thumbs down on:

  • The Neighborhood Stabilization Act of 2008, which provides $15 billion to states and municipalities for the purchase and rehab of foreclosed homes.
  • A series of related housing foreclosure rescue bills allowing the FHA to help refinance up to $300 billion in subprime loans and help communities deal with the so-called mortgage meltdown.
  • Legislation requiring the Department of Labor to issue occupational safety and health standards regarding worker exposure to combustible dust.

Now it's understandable that Tiberi, the born-again budget hawk since Republcans lost their majority, would oppose the expensive mortgage rescue measures sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass, even while some Republicans (including Deborah Pryce) went along.

Democratic sponsors say they want a bipartisan solution to the housing mess, but the package, now in the Senate, faces another Bush veto.  And Tiberi, welded at the hip to the Bush White House, almost always goes along with The Decider.

But why in heaven's name would Tiberi oppose a measure  (HR 5522) which appears to improve workplace safety?

The dust bill, now in the Senate, was adopted 247-165 in the House.  Details can be found at:

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/bills/?billnum=H.R.5522&congress=110

Tiberi (and other Ohio Republicans) may have had good reasons to oppose the dust measure, but it would be nice if he could explain these kind of decisions on his web site  (http://tiberi.house.gov )

It's swell to know, as his web site reports, that the congressman has been honored by the Small Business Council of America.  But some of his constituents out here (which include me) are left wondering what justifies what appears to be YES vote for allowing explosive dust-buildups in factories and mines.

(Gray Hunter)

Monday, May 12, 2008

BE THE TURTLE!

Every time I head out to the car without her, my wife warns me to be careful on the roads -- "there are crazies out there!," she reminds.

So what did I do last week.

Drove 55 mph down I-70 for about 400 miles -- and lived.

We had a very sick little niece at a hospital in Indianapolis, so we decided to drive over and support her and the family.  With gas hovering around $3.75 a gallon (and my Passat requires mid-grade), I decided to use that mpg gauge on my control panel and just see what difference it would make to slow down.

So I locked in on the slow lane and set the cruise control at 55 mpg and headed west, only slightly speedier than the wagon trains which once traveled this route.  I was being the much-mocked "Sunday Driver," talking to my wife, watching the grass (and bugs) go by on the berm and ignoring the alien bumpers which zoomed up behind me like cats on a mouse.

(Now I could tell by their expressions that these drivers were not happy with me, especially if the passing lane was temporarily blocked.  But in 10 hours on the road, nobody honked, raised a finger or otherwise took their criticism to a higher level.)

And at trip's end, I had documented that my Passat Wagon, which normally gets 26-27 mpg on the highway, is capable of 32-33 mpg at the slower speed.  That's about a 20 percent saving, or 70-some cents a gallon. 

The down side:

  • It took longer, maybe an hour longer each way, between Columbus and Indianapolis.
  • That meant my wife got grumpy about an hour earlier, although she didn't seem to worry about "the crazies" since all she saw was the empty lane in front of us.
  • Being a guy, it wasn't pleasant being passed by everything on the road, including a few Amish buggies (just kiddin).
  • Probably lost Dave Robinson (12th District congressional candidate) a few votes, since I had his sticker on my back bumper.

But all in all, it seemed worth it and hopefully as gas prices continue to climb, some of these hot wheelers will decide to start economizing.  My advice, however, is don't commit to 55 if you're running late, or driving on a two-lane road (now that would be suicide!).

And slap a (removable) McCain sticker on your rear bumper just for the fun of it.

Seventy-cents less a gallon, and a roadful of drivers pissed at the GOP.  What's not to like?

-- Gray Hunter

Friday, May 09, 2008

HIT THE ROAD, MARC

Marc Dann was out of sight at last night's Licking County JJ Dinner, but certainly not out of mind.

The sexual harassment scandal threatening Dann's job as Ohio attorney general forced his withdrawal as keynote speaker at the annual Jefferson-Jackson bash sponsored by the Licking County Democratic Club. This not only left a gaping hole to be filled in the evening's agenda, but also threatened to roll back the Democratic tide which swept Ohio politics in 2006.

Marc Dann, said State Rep. Dan Dodd, D-Hebron, has managed to overshadow the gains achieved by Gov. Ted Strickland and other Democratic officeholders over the past 16 months.

"What he has been accused of is very serious, and he has cast a dark cloud over everything we've accomplished," said Dodd.

Dodd this week was one of three House Democratic attorneys appointed by Minority Leader Joyce Beatty to investigate possible use of the impeachment process to remove Dann. Dodd left no doubt where he stands in regard to the attorney general's future.

Democrats won in 2006, Dodd said, because they promised to clean up the corruption which piled up during years of Republican rule.

"They brought shame to our state and we ran with a promise to clean that up, and that's what we'll do whether it involves Republicans or Democrats," he said. "If we don't, our clocks will be cleaned in November" when control of the Ohio House is on the line.

In addition to Rep. Dodd, the packed union hall heard from candidates Howard Hill (Ohio House), Doug Moreland (county commissioner) and David Robinson (U.S. House), as well from two guest speakers: Mark Forni and Cliff Schecter.

Forni, director of farmland preservation in the Ohio Department of Agriculture, warned that Ohio trails only Texas in loss of farms each year.  Ohio is a major agricultural state but still, he said, only about 1 percent of the food consumed here is actually grown here.

Jobs are important, but Ohio has to stop replacing valuable farmland with warehouses and other low-wage commercial developments, he said. "Development should not necessarily have priority over agriculture."

Schecter, author of a new book, The Real McCain, said his research found that the presumed Republican presidential nominee is a poor choice for the Oval Office on many counts.

McCain frequently loses control of his temper, and allows himself to be surrounded and manipulated by lobbyists, Schecter said. "It's not believable when he says he's a reformer."

McCain's foreign policy would be indistinguishable from that of President Bush, he said, and when it comes to the domestic economy, "his response is always deregulation and tax cuts."

On a lighter note, the hall was entertained by several satirical political ballots sung and strummed by county resident musician Allen Schwartz.

While Schwartz didn't pick the Ray Charles classic, Hit The Road Jack, that was certainly the message of the evening – to Marc Dann and to Republicans hoping to make a comeback this year.

(Gray Hunter)

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

UPDATE ON THE JJ DINNER

(From the Licking County Democratic Club)

Speakers at Thursday night's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner will be:

  • Mark Formi
    Executive Director of farmland preservation
    Ohio Department of Agriculture
  • Cliff Schecter
    Veteran campaign strategist, author of the new book, The Real McCain.

GMP Union Hall
350 Hudson Avenue, Newark

6:00 pm Reception
7:00 pm Dinner

Tickets are $35.  Contact the Licking County Democratic Club (740-349-8273). 

DAN ON DANN

(From Buckeyestateblog.com)

Three House Dems Tapped For Dann Impeachment Exploration

House Democratic leader Joyce Beatty (D-Columbus) selected three attorneys from the House Democrats earlier today to lead the Democratic Caucus' exploration of impeaching Marc Dann.

The three members selected were Jennifer Garrison (D-Marietta), Dan Dodd (D-Hebron) and Mark Okey (D-Carrollton).

So our local boy, Dan Dodd, is on board for the Dann investigation.  But the growing suspicion is that this impeachment cruise will be the proverbial slow-boat-to-China rather than any ride on a jet ski.

Sure, Gov. Strickland and state Democratic leaders want Marc Dann gone NOW.  But why would Republicans -- who control the assembly and thus the impeachment process -- be in any hurry to make Marc walk the plank?  As far as they're concerned, Marc Dann is the gift that keeps on giving.

So the prediction from this corner is that unless the Dems can force Marc overboard, this impeachment investigation will drift along for months, at least until September.  True, at summer's end the embattled AG will have to go.  His removal by Sept. 24 is necessary to trigger a ballot vote this November on a replacement AG.

And who would doubt that despite Republican losses elsewhere, the party would have an excellent shot at reclaiming a statewide office they narrowly lost two years ago.

Bottom Line: Marc Dann, the Democrat who two years ago took the lead on exposing Republican corruption, now shares a common interest with the GOP in stalling any impeachment action.  Republicans for four months get a punching bag, Dann gets a chance to try and redeem himself (and look for other work).

Politics can get pretty strange sometimes.

-- Gray Hunter

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

DANN DUMPED FROM JJ DINNER

When Marc Dann visited Newark two years ago in his quest for the state attorney general's job, he got hit by a car following his rally on the Courthouse lawn.

Dann, undaunted and uninjured in the accident, went on to win his race and was supposed to be back this Thursday as keynote speaker for the 2008 Jefferson-Jackson dinner sponsored by the Licking County Democratic Club.  But in recent weeks, Democrats here have been worried that this time it would be the local party -- and its candidates -- who would be the victims if Dann showed up,

So the good news this week has been that the JJ will proceed (details below) but without Dann, who is busy over in Franklin County fighting for his political life.  As you probably know, both Republican and Democratic state leaders have called on him to resign or face impeachment.  So far, only the Youngstown Vindicator, Dann's hometown newspaper, thinks he should be allowed to stay on despite the sex-and-corruption scandal sweeping through his office.

Today's Dispatch says the local Democratic Club withdrew its invitation for Dann to speak.  And we hear that some top local party leaders favored such a pre-emptive strike to keep the embattled AG from tainting local races. 

On the other hand, club officials say they were notified this week by an aide to the AG that it was Dann who decided to bow out.  Whatever.  No doubt, the cancellation was by mutual agreement.

But the dinner will go on, although at this point it's not been revealed who the keynoter will be.  Normally, the only surprise at such affairs is whether you'll get chicken or beef.  This time, only two days out, the menu is set but the speaker is not.  Stay tuned.

-- Gray Hunter

Sunday, April 27, 2008

County Democrats JJ Dinner this Thursday

(From the Licking County Democratic Club)

2008 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner

Thursday, May 8, 2008

GMP Union Hall
350 Hudson Avenue, Newark

6:00 pm Reception
7:00 pm Dinner

Speaker:  TBA

Tickets are $35.  Contact the Licking County Democratic Club (740-349-8273).  The office is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or you can leave a message with your request.

Also coming up:

May 13, 2008 - 7:00 pm
Democratic Club Meeting
County Administration Building
20 S. 2nd St., Newark


May 20, 2008 - 4:00 pm
Fund raiser for Vicky Christiansen
Candidate for Judge of Domestic Relations Court
Buckeye Winery, 7 N. 3rd St, Newark


May 20, 2008 - 7:00 pm
Progressive Reading Group
River Road Coffee House
935 River Rd, Granville
The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama


May 21, 2008 - 5:00 pm
Picnic in the Park
Fund raiser for Commissioner Mark Van Buren
Geller Park
580 Cynthia St, Heath

Friday, April 25, 2008

HANDS OFF!!!

For months, Ohio Republicans have been sniping at newly-elected Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, hoping to frame her as "too controversial" to be re-elected in 2010. 

That would improve the GOP's chances of controlling the State Apportionment Board which begins redrawing the boundaries of state legislative districts after 2010.

The party that controls the apportionment board markedly improves its chances of controlling not only the state legislature but also the Ohio congressional delegation since it's the legislature that maps congressional districts.

To control the board, a party needs to hold two of three state offices: governor, auditor, secretary of state.  Unless somebody loses in 2010, this gives Democrats a 2--1 edge.

The GOP is also hopeful of evicting Attorney General Marc Dann, a Democrat, if "PJgate" proves to have legs.

Although Columbus police have declined to pursue sexual harassment charges against Dann aide Anthony Gutierrez, blogs and TV pundits have been speculating for weeks about who might be tapped to replace Dann if the steamy office scandal snares the boss.

Happily, the attorney general isn't a member of the apportionment board.

But the governor is.

So, helpfully, the New York Times yesterday raised once again the prospect that Strickland might be "promoted" out of the Statehouse and into the vice presidency. 

The rumor at the time of the Ohio primary was that Stickland would go to work for Hillary if she won.  Now it's that the eventual team could be Obama-Strickland.

"Obama advisers have also argued that swing states like Ohio are winnable this fall because they have been increasingly leaning Democratic and have been struggling economically under President Bush. Indeed, some Obama allies hope he will pick Ohio’s popular governor, Ted Strickland, as his running mate if he wins the nomination, both to help carry Ohio and to unify the party (Mr. Strickland is supporting Mrs. Clinton)."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/24/us/politics/24clinton.html?hp

Given the central role gerrymandering plays in politics, Strickland's removal could offset disappointment among Ohio Republicans of seeing Democrats take over the White House next January.  Republican gubernatorial hopefuls are already lining up for 2010.

But hear us, Barack and Hillary:

In truth, Ohio Democrats actually can't stand Ted Strickland. 

Despite what you hear, he's no Woody Hayes or John Glenn and thus won't get our votes this November. Everybody just punched for him in '06 because he's got a cool wife and all those great stories about growing up in a chicken shack down on Duck Run. 

But be warned: If you put our Ted on your ticket, we vow -- with nose pinched and eyes closed -- to vote for John McBush.  Even if Rush is his running mate.

So hands off!!

-- Gray Hunter