On the Ohio Governor's race (See Ohio goes anti-gay. Again here) It never ceases to amaze me how low the republican party will stoop in their atempt to remain in power in Ohio. Yes, I expect this year's governor's election to be one of the nastiest and dirtiest ones ever. Ken Blackwell is attempting to turn this state into a theocracy of "Christian" values based on the "Christian right" (which is neither Christian nor right). He has been lining up "Patriot Pastors" for his "Ohio Restoration Project" to "return this state to its moral roots". This is dangerous politics and ignores the real problems facing this state. Since the republicans have been on control of Ohio, this state has been hemmoraging jobs and educated young people. This state has a "pay to play" culture in Columbus where those that contribute the most, get the most. We have been ruining the public schools while giving more than $350 million to David Brennan's company, White Hat Management to run charter schools. David Brennan is a well connected contributor to the Ohio republican party and the charter schools run by his company consistently underperform the students in the public schools. The supreme court demanded that the formula for school funding be changed in Ohio, yet those in power have ignored it. The state has consistently underfunded public education and many public schools are going broke. At the same time, the state is also underfunding higher education making a college education more unaffordable. Tuition at Ohio's state supported universities is among the highest in the nation for state funded colleges. This only accelerates te "brain drain" of educated young people from Ohio. At the same time Ohio's tax structure is driving businesses from the state while its citizens are paying one of the highest tax burdens int he nation. We have a balkanized state with an antiquated "home rule" law that prevents communities from working together to attract business and jobs. Yet, the republicans want people to focus on "non issues" like gay marriage like if we allowed to people of the same sex living together in a commited relationship to have the same legal rights of a married couple will bring down western civilization. Campaigning on such issues distracts from the real problems in the state and offers no solutions. The republican party has made a complete mess of the once proud state of Ohio and want the voters to ignore the problems and instead, focus on social issues that affect a small percentage of the population. It's time for the voters to get real and clean house in Ohio. Let's not support or even vote for anyone that has been ignoring the real problems of the state. If Ohio continues down the path it is currently on (and which Ken Blackwell wants to take it), they would be telling jokes in West Virginia and Mississippi about "rednecks from Ohio" and "dumb Buckeyes" taking their jobs.
'from Cool Cleveland'' reader Lee Kamps lee921ATatt.net (:divend:)