AssemblyWatch

Mothers Day: "Arise then... women of this day!"

Lorraine Bieber — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:55:33 EDT

It is indeed puzzling that so many Republican members of Ohio's congressional delegation voted no on H.R. 1113, “Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day” (full warm and fuzzy text here).

...until you consider the origins of Mother's Day.

Julia Ward Howe, who penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic, also authored a mothers' Declaration calling on women to oppose war, and worked to get recognition of a Mother’s Day for Peace. Says Code Pink: "Were she alive today, Julia probably would have told her kids to dispense with the roses and chocolates, and instead join her in an anti-war rally. Yes, Julia Ward Howe was a peacenik."

[Howe] saw some of the worst effects of the [civil] war -- not only the death and disease which killed and maimed the soldiers. She worked with the widows and orphans of soldiers on both sides of the war, and realized that the effects of the war go beyond the killing of soldiers in battle. She also saw the economic devastation of the Civil War, the economic crises that followed the war, the restructuring of the economies of both North and South.
In 1870, Julia Ward Howe took on a new issue and a new cause….She called in 1870 for women to rise up and oppose war in all its forms. She wanted women to come together across national lines, to recognize what we hold in common above what divides us, and commit to finding peaceful resolutions to conflicts. She issued a Declaration, hoping to gather together women in a congress of action.

Howe failed in her attempt to get formal recognition of a Mother's Day for Peace, but her effort was carried on by Anna Jarvis, who had organized women during the Civil War to work for better sanitary conditions for both sides, and then toward reconciliation of Union and Confederate neighbors.

Jarvis’ daughter, of the same name, then took up the campaign for Mother’s Day. After the custom spread to 45 states, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother’s Day in 1914.

Julia Ward Howe's Mothers' Declaration:

Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe our dishonor,
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil
At the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace...
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

Maybe Pryce, Schmidt, Tiberi, Chabot, Boehner, Regula, LaTourette, Hobson, and Turner have a thing against moms. But YOU can make this Mother's Day a Mother's Day For Peace.

Help CodePink help Iraqi refugee moms here.

Send a MomsRising Mother's Day card and tell the presidential candidates to fight for family-friendly policies. here.

Oh and don't forget to call the Congressional Switchboard at 1-800-839-5276 to give the above members of Congress a piece of your mind about H.R. 1113.

Do you have another suggestion for honoring Julia Ward Howe's Mothers' Declaration? Are you a mom working for peace? Leave a comment below.

Ohio's not alone: Indiana voting rights advocates challenge constitutionality of ID law

Lorraine Bieber — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 03:29:52 EST

We received this today from our friends at ACORN:

Project Vote Statement on Supreme Court Hearing of Crawford v. Marion County Elections Board
On Wednesday, January 9, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Crawford v. Marion County Elections Board. The case is about the constitutionality of Indiana's law requiring voters to show government issued photo identification before casting their ballots. Crawford plaintiffs argue that Indiana's strict photo identification requirements disenfranchise minorities and are unconstitutional. A federal appellate judge has written that the law likely burdens those "low on the income ladder." Donna Massey, Project Vote Board Member and supporter of voting rights, issued this statement:
"With Crawford v. Marion County Elections Board, the Supreme Court has an opportunity to strike down a law that has no purpose other than to suppress the votes of minority and low-income Indianans. According to Census data, fewer than half of eligible minority and low-income Americans voted in 2006. Our democracy works best when all voters can easily register and voice their choice on Election Day. Americans have a right to vote, even if they don't have a photo ID.
"Strict photo ID laws for voters are really about denying certain Americans of their right to vote. Research shows that young, poor, minority and elderly voters are more likely to lack photographic identification. A University of Washington study, for example, found that in Indiana 22 percent of African American voters lack proper identification compared to 16 percent of white voters. Twenty-one percent of voters earning less than $40,000 a year lack the necessary ID compared to just 13 percent of those earning more than $40,000. The only reason politicians support these laws is to give their party an advantage over the other.
"Requiring voters to show photo ID is just one of many hurdles partisans put up to make it more difficult for certain people to vote. Too many minority voters are met at their polling places with long lines, partisan challengers, faulty equipment and needlessly strict ID requirements. The right to vote has been under assault for the past eight years by partisans who put winning their interests above the right to vote.
"Strict photo ID laws are a solution in search of a problem. There is no evidence of widespread fraudulent voting in this country. Indiana even acknowledged that there hasn't been a single case of voter impersonation in the state's history. Americans take voting seriously and do not misrepresent themselves at the polls, so politicians shouldn't misrepresent the facts to justify unnecessarily strict photo ID laws for voters.
"As the country's premiere nonpartisan voter registration organization, Project Vote wants to make sure that the Americans we help register to vote can vote and have their votes counted on Election Day. Nothing should come between Americans and their right to vote."

State Treasurer Richard Cordray Proposes Bonuses for Ohio’s Veterans

Lorraine Bieber — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:05:02 EST

It's time Ohio began rewarding the new generation of military veterans by providing them bonuses, much the way it gave back to veterans dating to World War I, State Treasurer Richard Cordray wrote in a letter delivered Monday to state legislators.

Cordray seeks a ballot issue that would ask voters to amend the state constitution to allow the state to issue bonds to pay for the bonuses. The state would pay about $106 million in bonuses to veterans of the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars if the Legislature and voters approve the idea, Cordray said. Ohio traditionally has used the ballot to pay such bonuses and they would cost taxpayers nothing.

Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Massachusetts are among the states offering bonuses to veterans who served in the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan. New Hampshire offered bonuses to Gulf War veterans.

CORDRAY’S PROPOSAL:

• Up to $1,000 for military personnel who served in the Persian Gulf War and in current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan

• Up to $500 to those serving elsewhere during the same timeframes

• $5,000 to families of those killed in action, in addition to other allowable benefits

"While modest, these benefits recognize the service of our war veterans and help with their transition back to civilian life," Cordray said.

Click here to express your support for Cordray's proposal and for Ohio's veterans.

“Ohio’s tradition of honoring the sacrifices of soldiers who served during periods of major conflicts defines our state’s history as well as its geography,” Cordray noted. Veterans have been rewarded through land grants, relief for their families, and voter-approved bond amendments:

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: Large tracts of the Northwest Territory, which later became the state of Ohio, were districts reserved to compensate veterans. This practice continued from 1776 through 1855.

CIVIL WAR: In 1862, a state property tax was levied to create a fund “for the relief of the necessities of the families of non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates.”

WORLD WARS I & II, KOREAN AND VIETNAM WARS: Ohio issued bonds through separate voter-approved amendments to the state’s constitution in order to provide compensation to its veterans.

Under Cordray's plan, the Legislature would decide whether to put the amendment on the ballot next year. If lawmakers decline, Cordray could circulate petitions seeking voter signatures to place the amendment on the ballot.

Rep. Peter Ujvagi, a Toledo Democrat and advocate of veterans' issues, on Tuesday began looking for co-sponsors of a resolution that would authorize the amendment for the ballot.

While Americans remain divided by the Iraq war, the bonus program offers Ohioans a chance to weigh in on how returning veterans are treated, Cordray said. "This is very much Ohio's tradition. I'd like to believe this generation has the same commitment that previous generations have had," he said.

Click here to express your support for Cordray's proposal and for Ohio's veterans.

To read the full text of the proposed amendment, a cost analysis, and background on previous veterans’ ballot issues and military bonuses in Ohio, go to www.ohiotreasurer.gov

ProgressOhio's Open House with Special Guest Jennifer Brunner

Christina Heckart — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 10:10:21 EDT

WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING POWERED BY YOU!

You're Invited to Progress Ohio's First Anniversary Open House

What a year it's been! From the Iraq War to SCHIP, from Town Hall Meetings to Blogging, you have been at the center of it all using Progress Ohio's online tools and offline action.

Come celebrate your work with special guest Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, members of the State House and Senate, community leaders, members of partner organizations, and grassroots activists.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

6pm-8pm

251 S. Third Street, Columbus

Refreshments provided. Park on the street or in the City Center Mall parking garage.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO RSVP!

Since we opened our doors last fall, Progress Ohio has:

* Built Ohio's largest progressive online community with over 270,000 members from all corners of the state

* Reached out to over 100 progressive organizations across the state

* Expanded Progress Ohio content into broader online social networking communities like MySpace and FaceBook

* Watched as 102,000 individual Ohioans have taken action online.

COME CELEBRATE WITH US AS WE HONOR – YOU!

The Myspace/MTV thing just got even cooler

Lorraine Bieber — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:47:34 EDT

When the presidential dialogue was over, the myspace page provided a flektor, enabling viewers to share the vote results (as well as one's own votes) on a blog, myspace, email, or elsewhere. The little star on the pie chart shows how I voted. While the event was going on, the pieces of the same type of pie chart (on the same screen as Edwards) were fluctuating as viewers changed their votes in response to what Edwards was saying.

They're going to do this for all the candidates willing to participate, both republican and democratic. I'll post again when the next one is scheduled.

45 minutes left of Myspace/MTV interactive dialogue with John Edwards

Lorraine Bieber — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:17:16 EDT

This is turning out to be super cool. I'm watching the Myspace/MTV interactive dialogue with John Edwards. As he answers questions, you rate his responses. Meanwhile, you can watch a pie chart showing everyone's ratings. It's fun to watch the pie chart change in real time as people change their responses.

Join in NOW - 45 minutes left. You don't have to have a Myspace profile to watch and participate.
It's at:
http://www.myspace.com/election2008

Happy Birthday Progress!

Eric Vessels — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:30:53 EDT

So it's been a year eh? Time does fly when you're having fun countering the right-wing smear machine with progressive voices. They ended up being so diverse and powerful that many entrenched political figures cowered under the shadows on high.

What I remember is a left-wing crazy assed blogger hooking up with an established political communications professional in an unlikely synergy that would launch a powerful progressive force uniting activists of all types into one strong voice.

I remember strategy meetings in Starbucks. I remember going over website features and designs over a Bob Evans breakfast. I remember flying to Denver to learn from our colleagues (and now good friends) at ProgressNow. I seem to also remember a ton of snow and sitting on a plane for two hours, but thems the breaks in ski country I reckon.

I remember finally coming to light on South Third Street and shooting a video holding Deb Pryce and company accountable to our seniors while furniture was being moved in. Hit the ground running - and haven't let up since. You might remember that video. They didn't care about our statement.

They care now.

Only now the statement is bigger. Not many listen to a dozen voices as those are easy to ignore. It's no longer feasible to ignore more than 250,000 voices all demanding an end to our failed foray into neo-conservatism. The voices demanded an end to 16 years of corrupt one party rule. The voices demanded to be represented.

They are starting to listen.

From the first day we countered the right-wing noise, and you were there. You might have just sat back and read emails. You might have cursed your screen as we all do at times. You might have signed a petition thinking 'what good does this really do?'. You might have signed up for a blog and began to speak out online. You may have even attended or even organized a live event. Whatever you did, you did it with ProgressOhio tools - and it mattered immensely. I'm often asked what it is ProgressOhio does. It's actually quite simple and the confusion amazes me. PO is a toolset for countering right-wing noise and smears and for furthering progressive causes. PO is a concentration of our power and voice. PO works to make sure progressive voices are heard and progressive policies are fought for.

But most of all ProgressOhio was launched with the goal to be powered by and representative of you, the progressive activist. I'm proud to have had a very small role in getting the ball rolling. By the looks of it, the ball is not only rolling but picking up steam. My last visit to the offices at PO was two doors down and double the space. Each time I've been in there have been multiple people working to further the progressive cause, whether directly for ProgressOhio or for partner groups. I've rarely recognized everyone in the office and that left me smilling. It's what we were after.

So congratulations. To YOU. For one year of progressive work. I hope we are able to get together soon and celebrate our accomplishments together. I hope you feel as good about it as I do.

And finally some advice. Whatever it is you do - DO IT! Don't worry about how small it feels. Together it is significant. I think it was said best by a bespeckled bald Indian:

"Almost anything you do seems insignificant. It is very important that you do it. You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Progress Bombaye!

PS - I want a corner piece!

Will the Democratic Party become Republican-lite?

Doug — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 00:00:13 EDT

The Democratic Party has a choice at all levels (local, state and federal)---will it sell its soul and focus on consolidating power like the Republicans did OR will it speak truth to power and let the chips fall where they may?

Unfortunately, last week it appears it will do the former rather than the latter here in Ohio. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner presented her plan to test voting machines to the Republican-controlled Ohio Controlling Board which is delaying or even worse sabotaging further testing.

Franklin County BOE Director Matt Damschroder was prominently quoted in the Columbus Dispatch opposing further testing. How does Damschroder get away with this in a county that is very Democratic?

Where was Franklin County BOE Deputy Director Denny White backing up the need for more tests? Where was ODP Chair Chris Redfern? Where was BuckeyeStateBlog which took a pass on this issue? Senator Steve Stivers and the other Repubs should be getting hammered for blocking or playing Dean Smith's four-corners offense when it comes to more tests.

It seems a large and powerful faction of the Democratic Party is ok with the previous testing of voting machines WHICH WAS DONE UNDER THE WATCH OF FORMER SOS KEN BLACKWELL!!!! Understand why more tests are essential?

C'mon Dems, don't leave SOS Brunner hanging out on a limb. There are heaps of evidence that Ohio's machines are not secure and are incapable of verifiable recounts. Senator Ray Miller and Rep. Ted Celeste should be applauded for supporting further testing. Where are others?

Is the truth about voting machines too much to ask for?

A Voice in The House

Kelley Wenzlaff, The "Mom" for the House! — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 16:22:51 EDT

The Delaware Gazette wants to know if our public servants are really serving the public. They have asked readers to write in with their stories. For what it's worth, here's mine:

I am a stay at home mom, former business owner, and community volunteer. I do quite a bit of public speaking, mostly with conservation groups, children's organizations and women's groups.

About a year ago, I was asked to help a group of Ohio women prepare their personal testimony for The Ohio House on the very difficult issue of abortion.

What I witnessed in the legislature that day was appalling.

If our democracy is sacred, why is politics such a dirty word?

Kelley Wenzlaff, The "Mom" for the House! — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:40:49 EDT

If our democracy is sacred, why is politics such a dirty word?

Because power trumps principle, and fear buys votes.

It’s a sad truth. Power corrupts. Not overtly, but in a seeping quiet shadow of dimming light. Most folks of influence begin with a pure heart, but they quickly learn the efficacy of the art of hate.

The Attack ads we endure prior to each election are beyond shameful. Political media “experts” spend millions of dollars, crafting demonic images of their opponents. They Photoshop faces in dark shadow, play ominous music, use devilish voice-overs, and twist even the most innocent statements into apocalyptic terms. No one likes these tactics. Candidates hate them as much as the voters. But the fact is they work. Psychologist Carl Jung taught “fear is the greatest of all motivators.” People will move away from what they fear much faster than they will reach out for what the desire. Its human nature and the power elite knows it.

We must fight the fear. We must reject the cries for hate used to buy our votes.

Religious institutions also have a long sordid history of using hate and persecution to grow their membership, fill their coffers, and wield political power. Powerful preachers use the pulpit to strike fear in our hearts, crying “The End is Near!” It might be the end of the church, the end of our way of life, the end of biblical prophesy, or even aliens riding by on comets. The “What” we are to fear constantly changes, but the message remains the same. They know if we buy into this perception of attack, we will join their ranks and fight. And when we do, they remain on their thrones.

Here in Ohio folks are all in a stew over illegal immigration these days. Excuse me? When I walk down the street I see nothing but white folks in Dockers pushing strollers to the mall. If not for the giant propaganda machine of the far-right-elite-power-structure, this would be a non issue in this part of the country. It is a function of fabricated hysteria designed to buy votes with the currency of fear and hate. Why can’t people see that?

Lady Liberty is a symbol and beacon of light to the world. She represents all that is good and right in the structure of our government. She represents the ideal that a melting pot of people made up of different cultures and religions can in fact, live together in peace and harmony.

What a beautiful concept.

This principle is our gift to the world, and the standard we must learn to live by. But alas, we struggle. With each generation, we lose sight of the lessons of the past. With each decade we face the same old prejudices again and again.

Yea! I got some ink for the Progressives!

Kelley Wenzlaff, The "Mom" for the House! — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:10:37 EDT

Saturdays Dispatch featured an editorial by yours truely. I am pleased as punch to see The Dispatch publish progressive opinion. If you get the chance, thank them.

And for those of you who missed it, heres the complete text:

George F. Will’s editorial of Monday June 11, “Fearing the facts, Democrats shun their usual rhetoric on the economy” was a real humdinger. He tossed around numbers like a half-drunk poly-sci student trying to impress a bunch of girls in a bar.
Well. I may be “just a middle class mom” but I know a shell game when I see one. His hoodwinking punditry for Bush-enomics omits one tiny little detail. The fact is our federal government reported a 214 billion dollar deficit last year compared to the $236 billion dollar surplus we had when Clinton left office.
By comparing the borrowing habits of the two parties over the years, it is clear the big spenders in Washington are the Republicans. During the past half century, Republican presidents have increased the national debt an average of 9.7% per year while Democrat presidents have kept their spending to a tight fisted 3.2% per year. Republicans consistently out borrow and out spend Democrats three to one, while telling us they are doing just the opposite.

Will sarcastically mimics his critic’s complaints that “wealth is not being distributed in accordance with the laws of God or Nature or liberalism or something.” When the fact is, GOP control makes the rich richer and the poor poorer. Will doesn’t think we should care about that. The truth is during the Clinton administration more middle class Americans became millionaires than at any other time in our countries history. That’s the American Dream folks, and what we should be voting for.

Clinton did this while reducing our debt by $114 billion dollars during his term. He had a straight forward, down home policy on money management. If you cut taxes, you make a corresponding spending cut - Pay as you go. The same way I manage my budget at home. In my house we don’t spend more than we earn. Period. I don’t go on million dollar shopping sprees like a con man with a credit card, and then explain it by saying I am boosting our family net worth by passing the bill off on my kids. That’s crazy. This Republican policy of Paris Hilton money management is nothing but supply side voodoo for the rich. It will leave our children with massive debt and destroy the middle class. It is not a legacy I am willing to live with, and neither should you.

You're Invited to Ohio Healthy Families' Kick-Off Event!

Christina Heckart — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 19:59:04 EDT

Workers should not have to choose between a paycheck and recovery when they get sick.

But, that is the plight of 48 percent of private-sector workers and 79 percent of low-wage workers who lack a single paid sick day.

Middle class workers are counting on you to make paid sick days a reality.

Please accept this invitation to attend a briefing with national leaders on the Ohio Healthy Families Act on June 27, 2007 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The event will be held at the Best Western Hotel at 888 E. Dublin-Granville Road in Columbus. Lunch will be provided. With representatives from the Washington D.C.-based National Partnership for Women & Families, and grassroots organizers from in and around the state, this is an event that you will not want to miss.

Please click here to sign up!

The Ohio Healthy Families campaign will disclose exciting results from the first poll. You will quickly discover why a recent Quinnipiac University poll found that voters overwhelmingly support paid sick days.

With representatives from the Washington D.C.-based National Partnership for Women & Families, and grassroots organizers from in and around the state, this is an event that you will not want to miss.

Please click here to sign up!

Ohio Healthy Families Act Kick-Off Event
Wednesday, June 27
10am-3pm
Best Western Hotel, 888 E. Dublin-Granville Road, Columbus
Lunch will be provided.

CCV's Ohio Ban On Gay Marriage Creating a Legal Mess

Christina Heckart — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:18:11 EDT

From USA Today:

    A constitutional ban on gay marriage in Ohio has led to a new defense for unmarried people who are charged with domestic violence for abusing their live-in partners.

    At least 80 defendants have challenged the state's domestic violence law, claiming it is unconstitutional because it is based on a status that no longer exists: domestic partnership.

    A state constitutional amendment in 2004 prohibited legally recognizing any union other than a marriage between a man and a woman. Defense lawyers say the domestic violence law violates the amendment by creating a domestic status for unmarried partners.

    "The amendment says the state is not allowed to treat unmarried people as if they are married," says lawyer Thomas Eagle. He represents Michael Carswell, a Lebanon, Ohio, man accused of beating his girlfriend whose case is before the state Supreme Court.

    Advocates of the traditional marriage definition agree with Eagle's interpretation and say the Legislature should rewrite the law.

The results of CCV's past efforts at writing the Constitution of Ohio leaves Ohioans with legal justification for getting out of the harsher penalties levied for the crime of "domestic violence".

Seeing the mess they made last time with their "legalized bigotry" Constitutional Admendment, should we now just trust CCV with the recent Stripper Legislation which they basically wrote and pushed on the legislature who didn't want to deal with it . . . and then on to the Governor who didn't want to either?

The Psychology of Governor Strickland

Jill Miller Zimon — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 11:42:55 EDT

The media - blogs (here, here and here for example) and mainstream (i.e., here and here) - have written often this week about Gov. Ted Strickland's support to ban cash payouts. Even the Plain Dealer published this editorial that seems to commend the governor while also contradicting its position last fall in support of Issue 3 (Ohio Learn and Earn - legalizing casinos and slots).

But the governor's pronouncement shouldn't have surprised anyone. And certainly not the PD's editorial board, given that its OPEN staff wrote this over a year ago.

I don't know Ted Strickland. I've only met him a handful of times, although two of those times were fairly up close and personal, via his Meet the Bloggers debate with Bryan Flannery and an off-the-record conversation I had with him following that debate - a conversation that included the topic of gambling.

But, from the MTB debate transcript, I give you the current Ohio governor's very first stated position, during his campaign, on the record, about gambling in Ohio [the context of my one word question, "Casinos," is that we were doing a free association/lightening round kind of thing to elicit answers]:

Jill Miller Zimon: Ok. Casinos.
Ted Strickland: Do you want me to go first, Bryan?
Bryan Flannery: I can go, if you want.
Tim Russo: Nobody wants to touch that one!
Ted Strickland: It is a question that I get frequently. I don’t believe that casino gambling represents the future economic… Ohio’s economic future. I approach this matter, not from a moralistic point of view. You know some people see gambling as sinful or not sinful. I am fairly libertarian in the way adults can choose to spend their recreational dollars, but I am also aware of the detrimental effects that casino gambling brings to a community or to a state. So I am not a candidate for Governor who is enthusiastic about casino gambling.
Tim Russo: Would you support legalized casino gambling in this state in any way?
Ted Strickland: I would not be an advocate for it. If it appeared on the ballot and the people voted for it, I wouldn’t have the capacity to veto that. So I believe that’s the only way that casino gambling could become a reality in Ohio, if I were Governor, for the people to say we want it through an initiative.

Gov. Strickland's current moves are completely and totally consistent with that stance. And anyone who wants to spin the current moves, will do so. But those of us who were there, who care about and respect the record of what was said at the debate and have followed what Gov. Strickland has done, and not done, on this issue, know:

Gov. Strickland made a politically savvy and internally consistent statement about his feelings on the issue of gambling. That statement represents the major league cognitive dissonance that arises from being the leader of a state whose people may want something different than what the leader wants. And the leader can take this way out, for those who choose to see it that way - him included - if he wants.

But he's never not defined that way out before.

This is the psychology of Ted Strickland's campaign, of his win and of his governorship. And in today's climate, with the way most people feel torn about issues - social, economic, personal, legal, environmental - this psychology plays to each of us. Forget how the MSM repeats over and over that people are more polarized than ever. That's wrong. People who do PR and marketing and construct messages - whether political or otherwise - want to force us to label, they want us to think we're looking at a polarized population. And, I'll admit, quickly clinging to a label that seems to make sense is quick and easy.

But it's not enough. Labels rarely are. We are in the age of nuance, no matter how deep you have to look to find it (that just means people have been intimidated into burying it, ask any moderate anything - as in, Republican or Muslim or Jew for that matter - about that) and this governor knows that. (It's also why Ken Blackwell lost miserably.) And it's why his approval ratings are so high.

Wisely, Ted Strickland and those around him have aligned his beliefs and abilities with voters' sentiments. And they've done a damn good job. Spinners can spin all they want, but believe me now and hear me later: it doesn't make a bit of difference to many voters in Ohio because for every issue about which they feel conflicted, someone - either Strickland or someone on his staff - has read that conflict and is putting it into the equation that results in how Strickland responds.

So far - that formula has responded with the flexibility necessary to keep Ohioans happy. What it really needs to do, at least within the next 9-18 months, is show tangible results in our economy and education system if it wants to 1) help elect a Democratic president and 2) stick around beyond one term.

Cross-posted at Writes Like She Talks.

Death knell for HB151, Sudan/Iran divestment? Vote is tomorrow

Jill Miller Zimon — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 10:28:23 EDT

The Ohio House is voting on HB 151 tomorrow. Please contact your state representative in opposition today.

----

According to this article in today's Akron Beacon Journal, State Rep. William Batchelder worries about HB151.

Why?

A little something, oh, like - its impact on Ohio and Ohioans. How novel.

Let's start with the knowledge not possessed by one of the bill's own sponsors, a lack of knowledge that sours the fact that the bill even got out of committee, as well as gives rise to Batchelder's concern.

From the ABJ:

The Iran divestiture bill, sponsored by state Reps. Josh Mandel, R-Lyndhurst and Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, has received intense scrutiny in recent weeks following revelations that many of the most prominent international companies that employ thousands of Ohioans were on a list of firms marked as having financial ties to terrorist-supporting states like Iran.
Mandel said the bill has been narrowed to requiring the pension funds to divest from specific energy sector industries such as gas, oil, and mining, but broadened to now include the Sudan.

I must insert here that, the bolding of "revelation" is mine. As a writer, I know that revelation has an extremely specific meaning and implication for the one using it: he or she is most definitely hoping that the reader will make a very specific inference: didn't know it before, wasn't told before, is now being disclosed, when, before, it hadn't been.

Let's continue:

Mandel said the number of international companies was whittled from more than 170 to 19 currently conducting business in Iran.
He said he did not know how many companies doing business with the Sudan would be on the list, but those firms are not limited to the energy sector.

Don't you think knowing how many companies doing business with the Sudan that will be on that list is something you would want to know before passing the bill out of committee? Kind of like how Mandel and Jones should have known that they owned GE stock, from which the pensions would be required to divest, before they introduced the bill in the first place? (Mandel has since sold his stock.)

What's even more odd is that, thanks to my asking some questions of actual legislators and staff, I know that freshman legislators are particularly and specifically lectured on being careful about sponsoring and co-sponsoring bills - precisely because amendments can make morph them into something other than what the legislator thought they were when they started out. Mandel's lack of knowledge about which companies are affected should be a red flag that he's more committed to the ideology behind what he started out with, no matter the specifics, than he is to providing the best stewardship of Ohioan's lives. Way too reminiscent of the Bush administration and its war policies for my liking.

State Rep. William Batchelder, who, by the way, is chair of the House Insurance committee, a committee upon which Josh Mandel serves, might almost wish that he could remain in the dark, according to this info from the ABJ story:

Charter school rally: Husted, Mandel ignore accountability, profiteering, $$ they've received from Brennans

Jill Miller Zimon — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 09:50:55 EDT

Read the news story here (as opposed to the splog accounts) from the Cleveland Jewish News.

A few points that elected officials who favor school choice never seem to address in these crowd-drawing, media-ready, splog-perfect occasions that highlight, legitimately, the successes in charter school experimentation:

1. There's a name for it, for what ALL charters need to do and should be, but aren't and are therefore the ire of Ohio taxpayers. But neither the news report nor the splogs indicate that this name was uttered, urged or emphasized by State Rep. Josh Mandel or House Speaker Jon Husted.

Can you spell a-c-c-o-u-n-t-a-b-i-l-i-t-y?

Maybe they did mention it - maybe they didn't. I wasn't there and I couldn't find any other news reports of the rally beside the CJN's and this one in the Plain Dealer. But they should be making sure that they do mention it and that that mention makes it into news reports. Because otherwise, they are being disingenuous as to how Mom and Dad's school choice money is actually being spent, and planned on being spent by the Ohio legislature to which they were elected.

2. The CJN writes this:

Mandel echoed Husted’s sentiments and explained that he believes in school choice because “education is a key component to bringing back the Cleveland area, Northeast Ohio, and Ohio as a state.”

He added that during his campaigning days, he heard from parents afraid to send their children to schools such as Glenville. “It rings loud that the decision should be in the hands of Mom and Dad, not a politician or bureaucrat,” he told the cheering crowd.

Okay.

So justify this for the same Moms and Dads:
Link

Are Ohio’s Schools Passing? Education Forum In Columbus Thursday

Christina Heckart — Wed, 30 May 2007 16:07:32 EDT

The school year is coming to a close, and as Ohio’s children are getting their final grades, our public education system is barely passing.

Ohio’s Marks:

The state ranks 20th in state funding for high school students [Alliance for Excellent Education, 2005];
Ohio’s school funding system has been unconstitutional since March 1997.[The Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy in School Funding , 2003]
Ohio ranks 4th in the nation in the number of charter schools [Ohio Education Association, 2006]; and
Only 31% of Ohio students are academically ready for college: 35% of white students, 13% of Hispanic students and 15% of blacks. [Alliance for Excellent Education, 2005]

Please join us on Thursday, May 31st from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm for a public forum to discuss the state of education and what is being done to improve the system.

Please click here to sign up for the event!

America Votes, ProgressOhio, DFA-Central Ohio and PDA Central Ohio are sponsoring the event and bringing in experts from the education community. Panelist include: representatives from the Ohio Federation of Teachers, non-profit charter schools and local teachers.

Speakers include:

Darold Johnson, Government Affairs Director of the Ohio Federation of Teachers
State Representative Tracy Maxwell Heard (HD 26), sits on the House Education Committee
Tom Beck, Teacher at Worthington Public Schools

Thursday, May 31st from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

ProgressOhio Office, 265 S. 3rd Street Columbus, OH 43215

Park on street or in City Center Parking Lot. Light refreshments will be available.

Please click here to sign up for the event!

Tim Ryan (OH-17) takes the $21 Food Stamp Challenge

Lorraine Bieber — Fri, 18 May 2007 00:11:32 EDT

Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan joins Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) in an effort to raise awareness for hunger and for their proposal to add $4 billion to the annual federal food stamp budget. Day one from Tim Ryan's blo g:

This week, I’ll be participating in the Food Stamp Challenge. For seven days, I’ll be living on three dollars of food per day, the same amount an average participant in the Food Stamp Program receives. The Challenge is an exercise aimed to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by millions of Americans, who live day to day, working to put food on the table.

Last Friday, my staff and I held a meeting plotting out how I would spend my $21.00. As we looked over food prices, we were struck by how anyone could expect a person to have a balanced, healthy diet on a mere three dollars per day. On a dollar per meal, a person can’t buy fresh fruit and vegetables. A person can’t buy the milk they need. The kids across the country who go to bed hungry on nights when the budget is stretched too thin deal with the reality of poverty every day, and I want them to know they aren’t forgotten.

There are over one million recipients of Food Stamps in Ohio, nearly 90,000 in the 17th District. I’m participating in this challenge because as Congress crafts this years Farm Bill, we’re going to have to take a hard look at the way the Food Stamp Program is administered. I hope that at the end of the week, I have a deeper understanding of the hardships of these millions of American, and a better idea of how to help them.

Re-allocate Ohio budget's $500K for abstinence-only ed NOW: Fed matching funds for those programs are set to expire,

Jill Miller Zimon — Wed, 16 May 2007 11:49:07 EDT

The U.S. Congress is going to let the matching program expire. From CQ Today:

The authorization for Title V abstinence-education grants expires at the end of June, and those on both sides of the sex-education debate agree that the $50 million-a-year mandatory-spending program — which draws an additional $37.5 million match from the states — stands little chance of winning an extension from a Democratic-controlled Congress.

So much for that "gain of $1.6 million" for Ohio in federal dollars, and the value of re-inserting 500K to draw it down via the Ohio budget bill.

My recommendation? Take that $500K out now and use it elsewhere for goodness sakes since we now know that the Fed money won't be available. Duh.

H/t to Feministing. Cross-posted at Writes Like She Talks.

Update! Event Postponed! Columbus Progressive Issue Forum: The Budget

Christina Heckart — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 06:50:03 EDT

Event To be Rescehduled! Details Forthcoming!

Ever wonder how our state’s budget is put together?

Have questions about how decisions are made?

Come to a State Budget Forum sponsored by America Votes, DFA Central Ohio, PDA Central Ohio and ProgressOhio on April 26th at 6:30 pm. Bring your questions, because we are bringing in the experts to answer them!

Be the expert on your block on the state budget!! Come and hear the inside story on the making of the budget and what the legislature willrespond with.

Gayle Channing Tenenbaum, a volunteer member of the Strickland transition team and a prime player in the writing of the Governor's budget, as well as a well known advocate for children and human services, will present an overview of the state budget for 2008-09.

A local legislator has been invited to present the legislative perspective.

Please join America Votes, PDA, and ProgressOhio as DFA Central Ohio presents the 2nd in a series of informational forums.

Event Date: Thursday, April 26, 2007
Event Time: 6:30 PM
Venue Name: America Votes
Address: 399 E. Main St. Suite 200
City: Columbus
State: OH
Zip Code: 43215
Phone Number: 236-4310