Wow!

* Beautiful art is being created at the Columbus College of Art and Design. Students have produced chalkboard art that is absolutely amazing. Clevescene has pics of the drawings online. Some of the art is available on Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop/dangerdust).

* Many school districts are closed today in Ohio because of record cold weather. School districts are scrambling with trying to come up with plans on how to make up the excessive snow days. Districts in the state have 5 calamity days, but many districts have already used all of them.

* Ashland Inc. has announced 1,000 layoffs, according to a Reuters item. There is no word if any of the layoffs will occur in Ohio.

* Americans see Republicans as more extreme, according to a new Pew Poll. The Washington Post has a few of the details:

Democrats hold a sizable advantage on Republicans on several key perceptions of the United States's two major political parties, according to a new poll.

The Pew Research Center poll show Americans perceive Democrats as more willing to work with the other party than Republicans, by a margin of 52 percent to 27 percent....

Republicans vs. Women

The Republicans cannot understand why they cannot attract women voters. Here are a few examples of what the Republicans are saying and doing:

*  In a new book, Republican Rep. Steve Pearce believes that "...the wife is to voluntarily submit..." to her husband, according to a story at HuffPost. Pearce, who represents New Mexico's 2nd congressional district, must be trapped in the Dark Ages.

*  Republican Rep. Vicky Hartzler of Missouri's 4th district, has a view that most women would find disgusting.

RawStory:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) told conservative activists on Wednesday that women should be forced to carry their babies to term because abortion “robs men” of their right to be fathers....

In Rep. Hartzler's view, women should have no rights and be 'forced' to continue with a pregnancy, no matter what her circumstances.  Does Rep. Hartzler think pregnant women should be chained to their beds if they won't cooperate?

* Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed a bill restricting women's reproductive rights in the summer of 2013. He signed the bill into law while he was surrounded by all men. (See ThinkProgress for story and picture.)  Once again, Kasich and the Ohio Republicans blatantly push their agenda to disrespect and disregard the rights of women.

Of course, we can't forget that Kasich pays the women on his staff less than the men. There is no equal pay within Kasich's office. See Citybeat.

* Women voters are always concerned about safety, especially to protect our children.  Unfortunately, some people didn't get the message. 

NorthJersey:

Governor Christie declined to sign a bill that would have required public notification whenever sewer-outfall pipes dump raw sewage into local rivers and bays, legislation that had received overwhelming support by both parties in the state legislature.
The bill also would have required outfall pipes to be clearly marked with signs for swimmers, fishermen, kayakers and other who use the water.
- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/Christie_declines_to_sign_bill_requiring_public_notice_of_raw_sewage_overflows.html?page=all#sthash.hBK3yzab.dpuf

Governor Christie declined to sign a bill that would have required public notification whenever sewer-outfall pipes dump raw sewage into local rivers and bays,.........

Governor Christie declined to sign a bill that would have required public notification whenever sewer-outfall pipes dump raw sewage into local rivers and bays, legislation that had received overwhelming support by both parties in the state legislature.
The bill also would have required outfall pipes to be clearly marked with signs for swimmers, fishermen, kayakers and other who use the water.
- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/Christie_declines_to_sign_bill_requiring_public_notice_of_raw_sewage_overflows.html?page=all#sthash.hBK3yzab.dpuf

So the next time sewage overflows in NJ, the public won't be warned.

•••  Roll Call has this little tidbit about Republican Rep. Pat Tiberi's comments about his constituents:

Italian-American members of Congress broke bread with Claudio Bisogniero, Italy’s ambassador to the United States, on Thursday at a Capitol Visitor Center lunch.

"For those of you who haven’t met him, he speaks incredibly good English, better than many of my constituents and certainly better than Pascrell’s constituents,” said Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, ribbing himself and Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J....

So Pat Tiberi thinks that his constituents don't have a good command of the English language????

Governor Christie declined to sign a bill that would have required public notification whenever sewer-outfall pipes dump raw sewage into local rivers and bays, legislation that had received overwhelming support by both parties in the state legislature.
The bill also would have required outfall pipes to be clearly marked with signs for swimmers, fishermen, kayakers and other who use the water.
- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/Christie_declines_to_sign_bill_requiring_public_notice_of_raw_sewage_overflows.html?page=all#sthash.hBK3yzab.dpuf

Today.........

Today we honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We need to dedicate ourselves to continue his campaign for freedom, civil rights, and social justice. For more information, the King Center has a beautiful and informative website about Dr. King.

•   •   •

Big news in Ohio----- Democratic candidate for Ohio Governor, Ed FitzGerald, has chosen his running mate.

Cleveland:

Democrat Ed FitzGerald reset his campaign for governor Friday, selecting Dayton-area attorney Sharen Neuhardt as his new running mate....

....FitzGerald's pick telegraphs the likelihood that women's reproductive issues, including abortion, will become a significant campaign issue. Women are another key voting bloc for Democrats. Neuhardt is a past board member of Planned Parenthood of the Greater Miami Valley. Last fall, she helped lead a Columbus protest against abortion restrictions that Kasich signed into law as part of the most recent state budget.

"Looking at what the last state budget did to women’s health care, the state legislature and Gov. Kasich ought to be ashamed of themselves," Neuhardt said.....

It would be great to have a Lt. Governor that would address the needs and concerns of Ohio women. Current Republican Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor is nothing more than a puppet of Gov. John Kasich, who is brought out of her cave only occasionally.

News

* More layoffs coming to Ohio?

WKSU:

...Avon Lake's Mayor: More layoffs than expected likely at Ford plant
Northeast Ohio’s auto industry is bracing for layoffs this summer, and more than expected. In late 2011, Ford announced it would invest $128 million to retool its Avon Lake plant to switch from making vans to manufacturing chassis for trucks and RVs. Those plans included the elimination of about 100 jobs. Avon Lake mayor Greg Zilka tells the Plain Dealer he’s now been told to brace for a greater number of layoffs after the plant temporarily shuts down this summer.
The plant currently employs 1,800 people.....

* An Ohio tea party group wants to have a primary challenger for Speaker of the House John Boehner. The Dispatch has details.

* Two Target stores are closing in Ohio. WCPO has the locations.

* Gov. Kasich was asked if he might run for President. Cincinnati.com has his answer. 

* How are Gov. Chris Christie and Gov. John Kasich alike? Besides bullying teachers, disrespecting police, and making drastic cuts to public education, they have something else in common---

  LimaOhio:


...Christie said he Kasich “get along very well because we have very similar approaches to governing.

“We’re both very direct, we say what we believe, and we do so enthusiastically,” Christie said.


>>>> You need to be watching the Rachel Maddow Show at 9pm on MSNBC. She is the smartest woman on television.  Maddow has been fantastic in her coverage of the Chris Christie bridge scandal. 

Ohio's Charters Failing At An Alarming Rate

The Columbus Dispatch found that Ohio's charter schools are failing:

.... 17 charter schools in Columbus closed in one year, which records show is unprecedented....

....A Dispatch analysis of state data found that 29 percent of Ohio’s charter schools have shut, dating to 1997 when the publicly funded but often privately run schools became legal in Ohio. Nearly 400 currently are operating, about 75 of them in Columbus....

....Since 2000, when the state auditor began auditing charter-school finances, 110 schools have been found to have misspent a total of $22.6 million. Many of them are closed....

As long as Kasich and the Ohio GOP continue to protect the charter schools, they will continue to fail and lose taxpayer money.

This Happens Under Republicans

* Is anyone surprised by this news?

USA Today:   E-mails tie N.J. Gov. Christie's Office to Lane Closures

The Hill:  Staff emails link Chris Christie administration to bridge scandal

NorthJersey:  Top Christie aide to Port Authority: 'Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee'

MSNBC:  Christie cancels event after scandal revelations

HuffingtonPost: Chris Christie's Top Aide Linked to Traffic Jam Payback Against Democratic Mayor 

Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

- - - - -

>>>> The Republicans of Ohio tried to keep some other political parties off the ballot in the state. However, that has changed.

The Toledo Blade:

Ohio cannot change the rules on minor parties for the 2014 ballot in mid-game, a federal judge ruled today.
Republican-appointed U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson in Columbus issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of a new law and ordering Secretary of State Jon Husted to follow through with his original directive granting several small parties spots on the primary election ballot.

Read more at http://www.toledoblade.com/State/2014/01/07/Judge-Ohio-cannot-change-minor-party-rules-for-2014-ballot.html#yw1KDcpuBUeod3HM.99

Ohio cannot change the rules on minor parties for the 2014 ballot  in mid-game, a federal judge ruled today....

Ohio cannot change the rules on minor parties for the 2014 ballot in mid-game, a federal judge ruled today.
Republican-appointed U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson in Columbus issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of a new law and ordering Secretary of State Jon Husted to follow through with his original directive granting several small parties spots on the primary election ballot.
The ruling, however, applies only to 2014.

Read more at http://www.toledoblade.com/State/2014/01/07/Judge-Ohio-cannot-change-minor-party-rules-for-2014-ballot.html#yw1KDcpuBUeod3HM.99

Ohio Republicans cannot win elections fairly so they try eliminating other political parties, and throwing roadblocks for minority voters that usually vote for Democrats.

- - - - -

••••  Why do Republican governors like Ohio's John Kasich and Pennsylvania Tom Corbett try to destroy public schools with budget cuts?  A recent article in Philadelphia City Paper illustrates how those cuts have hurt city school students.

Philadelphia City Paper:

...Some Philadelphia high schools reached a counselor-to-student ratio of 1 to 3,000 this fall, according to Philly School Counselors United. That's much higher than the 1-to-250 ratio recommended by the American School Counselor Association.

The School District of Philadelphia, following budget cuts made by Gov. Tom Corbett that aggravated a long-term fiscal crisis, opened this school year with 3,000 fewer staff members than last year. In September, there were only 126 counselors, down 236 from the 362 on staff the year before. Recently, the District rehired some laid-off counselors after Corbett, facing mounting political pressure, released $45 million in one-time federal funds that he had withheld over demands for concessions from the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

Philly School Counselors United pointed to a number of cases that illustrate the crisis: Northeast High School, with 3,000 students, has just two full-time and two-part counselors this year, down from 11 five years ago; Masterman, one of the state's top high schools, began the school year with only one counselor, and recently added a second; Academy at Palumbo, a school of 800 students, has only one....

Kasich and Corbett, like most Republican governors, have displayed their ignorance with their lack of support for public education. Remember that for the future when you go to vote.

* * *

There are more layoffs in Ohio. See ODJFS for details. Why did it take so long to have this latest layoff (Altos IT) posted?

Republicans Fail to Deliver Jobs

What can we do to get more people employed and end homelessness?

When given the opportunity to create jobs, the Republicans have refused to do anything. Their solution always comes to the same thing----the "trickle down" method--- tax cuts to the rich.  Face it. We've given tax cuts to the wealthy and the so-called "job creators, " but nothing has come from it.  Here in Ohio, Republican Gov. John Kasich has continued to shower tax cuts, tax credits, and grant money to his corporate buddies, but our unemployment rate remains higher than the national average.

Added to the unemployed are the military veterans who've returned, but they are also finding it difficult to find jobs. A recent story at Philly.com, highlights some of the struggles that the homeless and unemployed vets are dealing with everyday.

Republican members of Congress state that they support our troops, care for families and children, but their lack of action on a jobs bill shows their real concern.  The Republicans just don't care.


With so many unemployed in our country, why did the Republican leader of the House, Eric Cantor,  schedule so few work days in 2013, and even less in 2014? The Republicans are only concerned about their own jobs, fundraising for their re-election campaigns, and keeping their right wing base happy. The GOP doesn't care about the middle class.