Which companies????

Here is a bit of information that every person should know---HuffingtonPost:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) vetoed a bill this summer to help prevent wage discrimination after receiving letters against the measure from retailers like Macy's and Kroger Food Stores, according to documents newly obtained by the Houston Chronicle.

The bill would have brought Texas state law in line with the federal Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which makes it easier for women to sue employers over wage discrimination....

.....Kroger's director of consumer affairs told the Chronicle he regrets that Thompson is upset and that the company would discuss the bill with her. Macy's did not return a request for comment from The Huffington Post.

Macy's and Kroger fought against wage discrimination? Really? I wonder if Macy's and Kroger in our state feel the same way.

JobsOhio

There was a very interesting radio discussion today on WOSU (89.7). Ann Fisher's program, All Sides, had guests that are reporters based at the Ohio Statehouse. Many topics were discussed, including the growing scandal and lack of transparency surrounding Gov. John Kasich's JobsOhio agency. The reporters noted that the Republican controlled General Assembly set up JobsOhio to have no oversight, no audit by the State Auditor, and exempt from Sunshine Laws. It was also mentioned that JobsOhio is set up to last 25 years and be funded by $100 million from the Liquor Control funds.  One reporter also said that if Kasich is re-elected, there could be a Watergate type investigation to examine the program.  You can listen to the audio of the program at WOSU.

Any commingling of public and private funds is a recipe for disaster. Taxpayers don't even know how their tax dollars are being spent because there is no transparency.

----------

*** If you haven't heard about the bizarre claims Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor is making about the Affordable Care Act, you'd better read Plunderbund.  Here is an excerpt from Plunderbund:

Matt Borges, Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, sent out a fundraising email this weekend claiming that Obamacare is going to raise insurance rates for Ohioans.   His “information” comes from a flawed announcement made by Mary Taylor a day earlier.
 
Borges claims “Ohioans can expect their insurance premiums to skyrocket by as much as 41% next year” thanks to Obamacare and Ohio’s federally-run health care insurance exchange.   His claim is based on a press release put out by Taylor’s office titled “Health Insurance Premiums to Increase 41 Percent Due to Affordable Care Act.”


Not only is the 41% number not true, but Borges and Taylor both imply that the increase will impact everyone in Ohio with insurance, which is absolutely pants-on-fire false....


I guess we can see that the Republicans in Ohio are just not dealing with reality. Every state that has released their health care figures under the Affordable Care Act has shown far lower rates than what was projected.

Health Exchanges

**** The Republicans that have voted 38 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, have no alternative to the plan which will offer health insurance to many that have been excluded in the past. Republicans, especially the Tea Party Republicans, want those with pre-existing conditions, young people up to 26 years of age, and the working poor to just go without health coverage. Why?  The Republicans just don't care.

Even though there are Republicans and groups like Americans for (their own) Prosperity are bringing up falsehoods and previously debunked statements to fight against the health exchanges. The truth has come out about the costs of the health exchanges.

CentralOhio:

As state health exchanges continue to announce lower-than-expected rates for health insurance, experts say both state and regional issues play a part in how much a consumer will pay for insurance beginning in January.....

.....In the 11 states HHS analyzed, the report said "that greater competition and greater transparency are driving down prices in the marketplace." The agency studied rates in California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. In six states, those costs are also 18% lower than small employers had paid in the past for similar plans. Some states may see individual rates go down as much as 50%.....

If you go to a town meeting sponsored by a Republican, ask why he/she keeps voting for repeal of the Affordable Care Act when it will save people money? You might want to ask him/her where are the jobs the Republicans were going to deliver? The GOP hasn't delivered anything to help Americans.

This is a start!

It has taken a lot of time for this to happen, but it is only a start.

HuffingtonPost:

Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity are set to be dropped from the second-biggest radio network in the country, Politico reported Sunday night.

Cumulus, which runs about 40 stations across the country, is prepared to part ways with the broadcasters over the high cost of distributing their shows, the report said. Limbaugh and Hannity--who are the top two most highly-rated talk show hosts in America--are syndicated by Premiere, which is owned by Cumulus rival Clear Channel. If the plan comes to fruition, it would mark the culmination of a series of escalating skirmishes between the company and the broadcasters--especially Limbaugh....

People who support peace, understanding, diversity, and are against racism will be rejoicing. It will be great when Limbaugh and Hannity are off of the air completely.

---------

>>> Bob Evans Farms Foods will close a plant in Ohio, according to a warn notice posted at the ODJFS page. Fifty-two people will lose their jobs. The fact that Bob Evans Farms is closing a plant in Ohio should get some scrutiny because of the money given to Bob Evans Farms by Gov. John Kasich in the early months of 2010 (see 10tv story about money incentives received by Bob Evans Farms). Kasich continues to give money to his corporate buddies, and the working people end up suffering, and losing their jobs.

***  If you missed it, check out the letter to the editor in the Cincinnati Herald.  Not everyone approves of Kasich's attacks on women and workers.

No Miracle?

> Last month Gov. John Kasich bragged about some small economic news in Ohio. This month, with word that Ohio lost over 12,000 jobs in June, Kasich and his Republicans aren't in a jovial mood.

PlainDealer:
Ohio lost the second highest number of jobs in the country in June, just a month after posting the largest job gains, the U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday....

....Hannah Halbert, a policy liaison for Policy Matters Ohio, which studies the state's labor market, said data released Thursday cause concerns.

"Ohio has added only 16,000 jobs over the last twelve months, a very slow 0.3 percent growth rate," she said in an email. "In the prior 12 months -- June 2011-June 2012 -- the state added more than 113,500, (or) 2.2 percent. The data has shown a volatile, up-and-down, pattern for most of this year but overall the recovery remains weak."

Kasich's job growth policies have produced nothing.




****  Some people believe that there are too many regulations for businesses. Republicans have been especially critical of regulations regarding labor, safety on the job, minimum wage, work hours, banking rules, environmental laws, etc. If it were up to some Republicans, businesses could do whatever they want without any interference from anyone. Regulations exist to protect everyone.

Recent events in Texas illustrate why regulations should exist. The April fertilizer plant disaster in Texas that killed 15 people occurred because of lax regulations (see CBS News). The fact that a dangerous factory operated and existed close to homes, and schools is absolutely disgusting. 

Recent news about the death of a woman in Texas at an amusement park is heartbreaking. Regulations and inspections could have prevented her death. Some people think that regulations put an unfair burden on businesses, but now the woman's death has put an unfair burden on her family.

Kasich?

Ohioans already knew that our state was in trouble when Kasich was elected. With the passing and signing of the recent budget, we just have more proof.  Now CREW has Kasich on a list a titled "Worst Governors in America."

Here is a snippet from CREW's report on Kasich:

• Elected in 2010; running for reelection in 2014
• Resisted efforts by the state auditor to procure financial records for a private non-profit he created; fast-tracked legislation to strip the auditor’s office of authority to examine the non-profit’s records
• Instituted a restrictive election law eliminating early voting, which was later reinstated by a federal appeals court

Add to Kasich's file his signature on a budget bill that cut access to women's health care.

Did you hear....

 *** It looks like many Republican governors just don't respect women. We know that Gov. John Kasich of Ohio signed a budget bill that included more restrictions on women's access to female health care, birth control, and abortions. Now Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett also is in the hot seat for some recent remarks about women's health care.

JaneDough:

Pennsylvania Republicans have officially decided against expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, arguing that covering more low-income residents would cost the state too much money. Last week, Gov. Tom Corbett (R-PA) took the debate a step further, saying that residents who are already enrolled in the program — including pregnant women and breast cancer patients — are receiving too much free care and should pay into the system.

“What I hear all the time coming out of the administration in Washington is that it’s the working poor [who benefit from Medicaid],” Corbett told WTAE, a Pennsylvania local ABC affiliate, on Saturday. “Yes it is working, but you should be investing five, ten dollars in co-pay to understand that you go to to the hospital or the doctors, you just can’t keep going and going and going and think everything is going to be covered. You have to know that you have some interest in what’s going on.”

The state’s Department of Public Welfare website addresses copayment information, saying that while children, pregnant women, and breast cancer patients don’t pay the fees, many beneficiaries do contribute for the services they receive. Corbett seems to be suggesting that the exempt enrollees are abusing the free services and that everyone should pay more for health care.....

How in the world did Corbett get elected? With his role in the Penn State scandal, there are many things Corbett swept under the rug, allegedly. 

---------------

>>>  Do you have a hybrid car?  I read this article about the Ford hybrid with great interest.

CBS News:

Ford Motor Co. is offering free upgrades to U.S. and Canadian hybrid customers to improve their fuel economy.

The company plans to recalibrate the vehicle control systems on 77,000 Ford C-Max and Fusion hybrids and Lincoln MKZ hybrids from the 2013 model year.

Some customers have complained that the cars aren't getting the 47 mile-per-gallon fuel economy promised in Ford's advertising....

New hybrid owners might not realize that the high speeds lower the miles per gallon. Driving style, hitting the brake often, and cranking the air conditioner on high, also lowers fuel efficiency.

I've been driving a Honda Civic Hybrid since 2003. The highest mpg I've gotten was 53mpg on the interstate freeway.  Some people I know do not get the kind of gas mileage that I get. If people are not getting high mpg, it is probably because of the way they drive.

Trayvon Martin

People are shocked about the verdict from the George Zimmerman trial. The jury declared that Zimmerman was "not guilty" but did not declare him innocent.  As a mother and grandmother, I feel for the Trayvon Martin's family. They've lost their son, and the man that shot their son is free.

USA Today:

George Zimmerman's business with the criminal court in Florida may be done, but a federal civil rights investigation remains open, and legal experts say he could face a civil suit.
A federal investigation into the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin is underway, and prosecutors from the Justice Department's civil rights division will review evidence from the FBI and the Florida criminal trial, the Justice Department said Sunday in a written statement....

 On top of all this, Zimmerman can now get his gun back. This is indeed a sad day.

...except if you have a uterus...

The Republicans in Ohio want freedom for everyone --- except if you have a uterus.

Here is an image found at LivingBlueinWestVirginia:

10TV has more on the Kasich budget and how it hurts women:

...Dale Butland from Innovation Ohio, a progressive think tank, says Kasich is leading the narrative nationally that Republicans are at war with women.

"From Texas to Ohio, women are fed up," Butland said.  "Ohio Republicans just passed the most anti-women budget in the history of our state.  It contains six new restrictions on women's access to healthcare and Governor Kasich didn't veto a single one.  Women don't want men controlling their healthcare decisions.  Republicans need to learn no means no."

Ohio women should vote against Kasich and his party in the next election for not respecting or trusting women.

They don't care!

Planned Parenthood has released an ad detailing how women in Ohio are in danger: 

http://youtu.be/bTbsApCiLAc

The Ohio Gov. John Kasich and his Republicans in the General Assembly don't care ---

1. that the new Republican budget has cut funds to rape crisis centers in Ohio.

2. that women's health care is being dictated by Republicans who have no medical expertise in women's reproductive medicine.

3. that women in a doctor's exam room will be forced to hear unscientific mumbo jumbo about birth control that was written by people with no medical knowledge.

4. that women will die because of the ridiculously stupid obstacles that they will face if they are experiencing a miscarriage or want an abortion because of the ignorance and ideology of the Ohio GOP and Kasich.

Any woman that votes to re-elect Kasich is allowing ignorance to thrive.

Just say "NO!" to Kasich and the GOP.

Paging GynoGov Kasich

The women of Ohio are responding to the Ohio budget signed into law by Gov. John Kasich. Kasich and his Republican cohorts crafted restrictions to women's reproductive health:  http://tinyurl.com/ll3pwoz

Ohio GOP Feud?

The Columbus Dispatch noticed that Ohio Gov. John ("governor ultrasound") Kasich vetoed money wanted by far right, Tea Party Republican and failing candidate for the Senate, Josh Mandel.

Dispatch:

...Among Gov. John Kasich’s 22 vetoes on Sunday was one cutting the $10 million allocated to state Treasurer Josh Mandel’s office for computer upgrades to combat what Mandel says are constant cyberattacks on his office....

“Mandel has to be furious,” said one well-connected Capitol Square Republican who asked not to be named. “Clearly, John Kasich is playing for keeps.”

Mandel raised the dander of Kasich and his aides by publicly opposing two of the governor’s priorities: expanding Medicaid coverage to 275,000 more poor Ohioans, and imposing a so-called “ fracking” tax on shale-oil and -gas drillers....

The possibility of a feud between Kasich and Mandel is downright exciting! Both of them have large egos and national aspirations. Kasich and Mandel hold similar views on women's reproductive freedom--- they are against it. It is ironic that these anti-big government GOPers that support privacy support the invasion of a woman's privacy in the gynecologist's office.

Plunderbund has details on how Gov. Kasich's budget hurts prenatal care for women, emergency medical care, and rape victims. Kasich and the Ohio Republicans support this draconian budget and they've demonstrated their dismissive attitude for women and women's issues.

(Pic from #standwithohiowomen)

Losing Our Rights

Today, a woman on a talk show said that the Ohio Republicans instituted their own sharia law against the women of the state. Others agree.

1. MSNBC:

...Ohio’s Republican Governor John Kasich, flanked by six other men, signing the state’s new budget into law and, by doing so, catapulting the Buckeye State to the number one spot on the Nation’s Most Restrictive Abortion Laws list.
The budget strips funding from Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading provider of reproductive healthcare, and gives that money to Crisis Pregnancy Centers, the pseudo-clinics that lure pregnant women with the promise of free ultrasounds and can then misinform them about abortions. That’s just the beginning.

It also strips funding from rape crisis centers that advise rape survivors about abortion, a Midwest version of the Bush administration’s global “gag rule.” 

2.  PolicyMic lists the "9 Things You Won't Believe Just Happened in Ohio."

3. ThinkProgress notes: " ...According to a recent poll from the Public Policy Polling group, HB 59 isn’t popular with Ohio voters as a whole, either. Fifty two percent of respondents said they didn’t support the budget specifically because it includes attacks on reproductive rights, like defunding Planned Parenthood and shutting down abortion clinics."

4. The Kasich budget also redefines pregnancy.
 Mother Jones:

...Another provision in Kasich's budget requires that doctors who provide abortions perform a fetal ultrasound and require the mother to listen to or see the heartbeat. Doctors who fail to do so could be prosecuted. The budget redefines a fetus as "developing from the moment of conception" rather than when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. (Most fertilized eggs leave the body before implanting, meaning many women who were not actually pregnant would now be considered to be have been carrying a "fetus" in Ohio.) 
Kasich's budget also sends Planned Parenthood to the end of the line to receive state funding for family planning services, effectively removing $1.4 million in funding.....

Once again, Republicans know more than scientists, doctors, and women.

Ohio

*** Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, Ed Fitzgerald, had this to say about the Kasich-Ohio GOP budget---NewsNet5:

Ed FitzGerald, the Cuyahoga County executive who plans to challenge Gov. John Kasich next year, says the new state budget is a "train wreck" for the middle class.

FitzGerald, a Democrat, tells reporters in Columbus that the budget lawmakers approved Thursday shifts the tax burden to local governments. And he says the Republican governor should veto all the abortion provisions that are included....

Kasich and the Ohio GOP only care about their rich "job creators" who've continued to be coddled by them.

> Kasich, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and all those Republicans that are interested in interfering with women's health care, should see what the late George Carlin said about conservatives. The HuffingtonPost has the entire Carlin quote and video, but here is a snippet from the quote:

"These conservatives are really something, aren’t they? They are all in favor of the unborn, they will do anything for the unborn, but once you’re born, you’re on your own! Pro-life conservatives are obsessed with the fetus from conception to nine months. After that, they don’t want to know about you, they don’t want to hear from you. No neo-natal care, no daycare, no head start, no school lunch, no food stamps, no welfare, no nothing! If you’re pre-born, you’re fine. If you’re pre-school, you’re f....."

"They’re not pro-life. You know what they are? They’re anti-woman. Simple as it gets, anti-woman. They don’t like them. They don’t like women. They believe a woman’s primary role is to function as a broodmare for the state...." 

Once you are born, unless you are rich, Republicans don't give a damn about you.

Most physicians agree that the Republican interference with a woman's health care can be dangerous for women.

Wendy Davis

Women should look to Texas State Sen. Wendy Davis as an example of strength, leadership, and what one person can do. With the help of concerned women in the gallery, Davis was able to stop the Texas GOP's draconian women's health care bill.

MassLive:

Despite barely beating a midnight deadline, hundreds of jeering protesters helped stop Texas lawmakers from passing one of the toughest abortion measures in the country.

As the protesters raised the noise to deafening levels in the Texas Senate chamber late Tuesday, Republicans scrambled to gather their colleagues at the podium for a stroke-of-midnight vote on some of the toughest abortion restrictions in the country....

....In either point of view, a raucous crowd of chanting, singing, shouting demonstrators effectively took over the Texas Capitol and blocked a bill that abortion rights groups warned would close most abortion clinics in the state....

It is time for women across the country to stand up against the Republicans. We will not go back to the days when women had no rights. As Wendy Davis and the women of Texas demonstrated, women must speak up to oppose any infringement of our rights in the workplace, in the doctor's office, and in the state house.

He Said What?

The House Republicans are working on another bill to limit a woman's reproductive decisions. There have been all types of stupid comments made by Republican men on the topics of women, their reproductive system, and biology.

RHrealitycheck:

As the House of Representatives gears up for Tuesday’s debate on HR 1797, a bill that would outlaw virtually all abortions 20 weeks post fertilization, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) argued in favor of banning abortions even earlier in pregnancy because, he said, male fetuses that age were already, shall we say, spanking the monkey.

“Watch a sonogram of a 15-week baby, and they have movements that are purposeful,” said Burgess, a former OB/GYN. “They stroke their face. If they’re a male baby, they may have their hand between their legs. If they feel pleasure, why is it so hard to believe that they could feel pain?”

Do you know the craziest thing about these comments by Rep. Burgess? According to his bio, Michael C. Burgess is an OB-GYN medical doctor. Does he have no empathy for his patients and their lives?

This bill latest bill from the Republicans is just a step toward their ultimate goal---trying  to limit access to birth control pills.

Republican Lunacy in Ohio

It might be time for some Ohio Republicans to get out of their conservative bubble and start talking to Ohio's women. Republicans, especially the males, are so very concerned about what is going on inside a woman's reproductive organs that it seems rather weird. At the rate the Ohio GOP is going, they'll get only 5% of the female vote in the next election.

Here is the evidence from TheExaminer:

A new anti-abortion bill proposed by state Republicans could cost a woman $1 million and a felony charge if they want to have an abortion and don't disclose their personal income.

Republicans across the country have continued their attack on abortion rights over the years and the state of Ohio is continuing to follow the party in their footsteps. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Rep. Ron Hood (R) has introduced House Bill 200 which has the support of over 30 state Republicans. The proposed anti-abortion bill, among other things, would charge women up to a million dollars and hit them with a possible felony charge if they don't disclose their personal income to their doctor prior to having an abortion.

In addition to the felony charge and $1 million fine, the new bill would double the waiting period for abortions from 24 to 48 hours. The new bill would also redefine what is considered a "medical emergency" when a waiver is being sought to "a condition that would result in the woman's death without an abortion, as opposed to one that presents a serious risk to her life or physical health."



Seriously, these Republicans are nuts!!!!!

Ohio's GOP has said that they are "rebranding" their party. Unfortunately, most women would consider the "new" Ohio GOP using prehistoric rules, regulations, and legislation to control women.

I'd like to see some legislation that makes males who seek erectile dysfunction drugs have to prove their (a) income, (b) lack of function to three doctors, and (c) have their names published online and in newspapers for seeking ED medication. 

Here is Ohio Republican Rep. Ron Hood's contact number if you'd like to express your dissatisfaction with his intrusive, and obvious unconstitutional women's reproductive legislation:

Representative Ron Hood
District 78

77 S. High St
12th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone (614) 466-1464
Fax      (614) 719-3961
Email Representative Hood

Getting Personal

Both sets of my grandparents came from Europe in the late 19th century. When they arrived, they had very little, but worked hard to support their families. They never shied away from hard work. Both of my grandfathers worked in the area of construction. They built schools, bridges, homes, roads, and other structures. Much of what they built still remains today.

My grandmothers raised large families and instilled in their children the importance of education, family, the church, and America. They worked hard to feed their families, but also shared with their neighbors. Their children and grandchildren served in our military, and one gave his life during World War II.

The debate over immigration makes me ill. Our country is a nation of immigrants that benefits from their contributions. Those people that are against "the dreamers" and immigrants, would have definitely spoken against people like my grandparents. It is time for some people to stop their hateful talk and obvious prejudice. 

As a country, we need to embrace "the dreamers" and immigrants and welcome them to our American family. Their contributions to our lives may come in the form of a cure for cancer, education, engineering, technology, building, or some other field of endeavor.

Members of Congress need to pass immigration reform now. Those that vote against it will go down in history as being against families, and our country's future.

Job Growth in Ohio

Gov. John Kasich doesn't want you to know certain facts about job growth in Ohio.

A graph posted at the website for Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland displays how things have changed since the recession.

 

Ohio's employment is represented by the small, pathetic, yellow bar. As you can see, it isn't even keeping up with the U.S. growth rate.

>>> Republican Rep. Trent Franks and the House Republicans are still concern about what happens in a woman's uterus.

Slate:

...The Washington Post brings us today's pull-quote from the House, where an Arizona Republican waded into the never-calm waters:

Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), whose measure banning abortions after 20 weeks was being considered Wednesday in the House Judiciary Committee, argued against a Democratic amendment to make exceptions for rape and incest by suggesting that pregnancy from rape is rare. "The incidence of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low," Franks said.

Franks continued: "But when you make that exception, there’s usually a requirement to report the rape within 48 hours. And in this case that’s impossible because this is in the sixth month of gestation. And that’s what completely negates and vitiates the purpose of such an amendment."

It didn't take long for Democrats to hear echoes of Todd "legitimate rape" Akin in those comments. "I just find it astonishing to hear a phrase repeated that the incidence of pregnancy from rape is low," Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a California Democrat, quickly countered at the hearing. "There’s no scientific basis for that. And the idea that the Republican men on this committee can tell the women of America that they have to carry to term the product of a rape is outrageous."

Even RollCall had a piece about Trent Franks and his stupid remark.

The Republicans, especially the GOP men, should stop worrying about women's reproductive organs and get to work on creating jobs. Where are the damn jobs, Republicans?

Thinking of voting Republican? Think again!

* The Republican Party has refused to do anything to create jobs. Do you know the only thing that Republicans in the House of Representatives have done? The GOP has voted 37 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Think of the hours the Republicans have wasted. The Republicans just aren't interested in creating jobs, or helping middle class Americans. The only goal of the Republicans is to stop any progress for this country and our citizens.

If you think that the Republicans have nothing to do with your life, think again.
Ring of Fire:

Last Thursday, Senate Republicans filibustered the Democrats’ bill that would prevent a spike in student loan rates. The student loan rate is set to double, to 6.8 percent, on July 1 of this year if Congress does not take action. The Democrats’ bill would freeze need-based student loan interest rates for two years, giving Congress time to find a long-term solution to the ever-increasing student loan debt, according to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

The Democrats needed 60 votes to overcome the filibuster, but were 9 votes short; the legislation received 51 votes – all from Democrats. Rather than decrease exorbitant interest rates on student loans, Republicans proposed to tie the interest rates to the yield on the government’s 10-year Treasury bill, a proposal that was also blocked on Thursday....

If your son or daughter depends on student loans for college tuition, this GOP obstruction could have serious consequences for you and your college student.

Notice!!!!

Republican Rep. Pat Tiberi (OH-12th) represents my neighborhood. Tiberi has been in the House of Representatives since 2001 and has sponsored 49 bills (see GovTrack).  According to GovTrack, only 3 of his bills have been signed into law by the President.  Of those 3 bills, one of them was the naming of a post office.  Apparently, Tiberi is not interested in getting people back to work. That would take too much work.

**** Polls! Polls! Polls!  Various polls collected and posted at RealClearPolitics shows  Congress has an average disapproval rate of 74.8 %.  Wow.

* The Springboro Community City School District in Ohio is hearing from parents and students who object to the crackpot suggestion from their school board.

RawStory:

Parents and students in Ohio on Tuesday spoke out against a proposal that would allow creationism to be taught in biology classes....

...The Springboro Community City School District is considering a so-called “critical thinking” policy that would require teachers to explore “all sides” of controversial issues. The proposed policy change would direct teachers to discuss creation science or intelligent design when teaching about the theory of evolution....

....Kelly Kohls, the school board president, told WDTN the policy would encourage honest debates about “the strengths and weaknesses of scientific issues.”

According to the website put up by Kelly Kohls, she has several degrees in the area of human nutrition, but nothing in the area of educating elementary or high school students. Kohls is pushing her far right anti-science agenda. If she gets her way, the students of Springboro lose. Students will score lower on state and national exams, and even on college entrance exams.

Kelly Kohls is also the President of the Warren County (Ohio) Tea Party.

Blackburn Is Wrong

Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn (TN-7th District) is wrong!!!!

HuffingtonPost:

Republican congresswoman Marsha Blackburn said on Sunday that women "don't want" equal pay laws.

During a roundtable discussion on NBC's Meet The Press, former White House advisor David Axelrod asked if she would support a law promoting workplace gender equality. Blackburn responded:

"I think that more important than that is making certain that women are recognized by those companies. You know, I’ve always said that I didn’t want to be given a job because I was a female, I wanted it because I was the most well-qualified person for the job. And making certain that companies are going to move forward in that vein, that is what women want. They don’t want the decisions made in Washington. They want to be able to have the power and the control and the ability to make those decisions for themselves."

Blackburn voted against the 2009 Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, a landmark bill for women's rights in the workplace. The law makes it easier for women to file wage discrimination suits against employers. She also voted against the Paycheck Fairness Act of 2009....


Rep. Marsha Blackburn is wrong. How would Marsha Blackburn respond if she were told that she would be paid less than her male counterparts in the House of Representative? Blackburn would protest, but she has not been willing to go to bat for American women across the country. To Marsha Blackburn, her far right Republican ideology is more important than women having equal pay and equal rights.

Women who are supporting their families don't want useless acknowledgements, gift cards to discount stores, or the parking space designated for the "employee of the month" in the parking lot.  If women are doing the same jobs as the men in the company, they should be paid the same.

You might want to contact Rep. Marsha Blackburn's office and let her know that you disagree with her view on equal pay: Telephone (202) 225-2811 - Fax  (202) 225-3004, or Contact Page, Twitter @MarshaBlackburn, or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marshablackburn to voice your views.

Conservatives Still Against Women

As a 62 year old female, I remember the women's rights movements of the 60's and 70's. Although I believe that women have made great progress in equal rights, I am aware of the fact that some people, mostly conservative men, are against women having the same rights as men.

Raw Story:

The Bible makes it clear that men were designed to go out and work while women stay home, according to conservative Christian radio host Bryan Fischer.
Reacting to news that mothers were now the primary source of income in 40 percent of U.S. households, Fischer claimed Wednesday that men were “designed to be breadwinners for their families.”
“That’s the way God set it up, that’s the way he designed it,” he continued. “Husbands are to use their stamina and their strength and their brainpower — not that they’re smarter than women, I’m not saying that — but God has given them a brain and the purpose for using their mental ability is to provide for their families.”

Really? Bryan Fischer is a jerk. Does he realize that many women are the breadwinners?  Where does Bryan Fischer live/work that he has no experience seeing and working with women? Has he met real people who must work to feed and clothe their families? Does he think that only men should be working? 

Even though he claims he is not saying that men are smarter than women, we know what he means and how he regards women. Bryan Fischer and his ilk are examples of the backward thinking conservative men that are stuck in the Dark Ages.

Springboro Schools

* People are talking about the Springboro School Board in Warren County, Ohio.  Check out the bizarre plan that one of the school board members has proposed. Raw Story has the details.

If your son/daughter has plans to go to college, having the science curriculum based on creationism and wild, right wing fabrications, could disqualify your son/daughter from getting into a good college. Students taught a cockamamie course of study instead of legitimate science also might have lower scores on college entrance exams. It is time for the good people of Springboro to stop this right wing takeover of their schools.

>>>> Virginia Republican candidate for governor, Ken Cuccinelli, is as far to the right that a person could go. According to KeepKenOut,-----

• Defunding PP

  Cuccinelli made defunding Planned Parenthood in Virginia a top priority, twice introducing amendments to strip funding.

• Safe & Legal

  Cuccinelli is against abortion, even in cases of rape and incest.

• Birth Control

  Cuccinelli would let bosses decide whether women get access to affordable birth control.

I hope Virginians choose wisely.

Republican Job Creation Score= 0

No matter how hard the Republicans try, they just can't get a scandal investigation going that would impeach President Obama. The public is clearly becoming upset with the Boehner-Cantor-McConnell-Paul Ryan GOP leadership and their conservative enablers.

DailyKos:

...as the latest ABC/Washington Post survey shows ... the GOP isn't enjoying the fruits of its scandal-exposing labors (RVs, 5/16-19, ±3.5 percent):

If the election for the U.S. House of Representatives were being held today, would you vote for (the Democratic candidate) or (the Republican candidate) in your congressional district? Democratic candidate: 48
Republican candidate: 40

Democrats enjoy a whopping 56-33 edge among moderates, and while they get just 20 percent of the conservative vote, that's more than double the 8 percent of the liberal vote obtained by Republicans.....
Where are the jobs the Republicans promised to create? Why are the Republicans more interested in tax cuts for the wealthy than fixing our country's infrastructure with thousands of jobs?  Can you find one thing that the Republican Party has done that has improved the lives of your family?

Meanwhile, despite all the right wing rhetoric, President Obama's approval rating remains high.  According to Gallup, President Obama has an approval rating of 50%.

The Republicans promised jobs but delivered nothing.

Not Just Tea Party Groups

>>> The truth comes out. Many groups were questioned by the IRS.

RawStory:


...At the hearing, outgoing acting IRS commissioner Steve Miller repeatedly objected to the use of the word “targeting.” He said the so-called “be on the lookout” (BOLO) list was an “inappropriate” organizational tool or “shortcut” that IRS staff used to find potential political cases. Miller claimed the tea party groups would have be subjected to extra scrutiny regardless of the BOLO list....

.....“Organizations of all walks and all persuasions were pulled in. That’s shown by the fact that only 70 of the 300 organizations were tea party organizations, of the ones that were looked at by TIGTA [Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration].”

....Of the 298 groups subjected to additional review, 72 were “tea party” groups, 11 were “9/12″ groups and 13 were “patriots” groups, according to the inspector general’s report.


Less than 25% of groups inspected by the IRS were tea party groups. What is all the fuss?

Tea Party

The Republicans are going crazy holding hearings and investigating everything that has hit the news. It appears that immigration reform and other pending legislation will not get the attention that Americans want because the Republicans want to continue to smear President Obama, Former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, and anyone that is not a member of the GOP.

If the IRS gave special attention to the tea party Republican groups, I see nothing wrong with that.  Many tea party Republicans have talked of secession, armed insurrection, eliminating various agencies, and other despicable acts.

Here is a collection of things pushed by various tea party groups---


Washington Times: Rand Paul, Mike Lee, and Sharon Angle want to eliminate the Department of Education.

Huffington Post:
A Tea Party leader acknowledged she supports abolishing Social Security in an appearance this week on "Larry King Live."
St. Louis Tea Party co-founder Dana Loesch said she would "absolutely" eliminate the program, which has existed since 1935....

The Fiscal Times:
...The Manhattan Institute’s Josh Barro, writing for National Review Online, reports those Tea Party organizers took over Maine’s Republican convention in May and adopted a conservative platform that included abolishing the Federal Reserve. The New York Times cited Tea Party candidates Ken Buck in Colorado and Mike Lee in Utah focusing on the Fed, with Lee accusing the Fed of trying to “monetize the debt”.....



Some of the rhetoric that comes out of these tea party rallies is frightening. I find it odd that the tea party advocates smaller government, and eliminating various government departments but now they say the IRS should hire more people to work within the agency.

By the way, the IRS under the Bush administration went after the NAACP.

Voting Against Wishes of Constituents

Why am I not surprised about this latest controversy surrounding Sen. Kelly Ayotte?

Sen. Ayotte recently voted against background checks for gun purchases, even though people in her state support those kinds of checks. There is a new ad that defends Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte.

Think Progress:

As Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) battles public outcry over her vote to kill a bipartisan amendment expanding background checks for gun purchases, a national conservative group based in Iowa is running television ads featuring seemingly ordinary New Hampshire moms and law enforcement officials defending the one-term senator from out-of-state “partisan” attacks. 

But the American Future Fund appeared unable to find voters who agree with Ayotte’s position, as a cursory search of individuals in the advertisement reveals that the supposedly typical New Hampshirites are actually long-time Republican party activists and officials. Polls show that 91 percent of New Hampshire adults support expanded screenings.....

Think Progress has identified all those in the ad as people with strong ties to the Republican party machine in New Hampshire. What? No ordinary citizens support Ayotte's pro-NRA stance? Senators Ayotte, Rob Portman, and the rest (see Mother Jones link) should be ashamed of going against the wishes of their constituents, while they support the NRA.

News

>>>>  Looks like Gov. John Kasich continues to be a big supporter of fracking, despite various communities trying to ban it. (See Vindicator.) Would Kasich support fracking in his neighborhood?

* As the story unfolds in Cleveland surrounding the discovery of three missing women, lots of people are asking questions about how neighbors missed the evidence. If your neighbor covered their windows with black plastic, would you approach them on it? Sometimes it is good to be a busybody or a Gladys Kravitz (from Bewitched).

Ethics Problems in Ohio? Again?

Ethics questions are surrounding the hiring of Robert Cupp to work with David Yost, Ohio Auditor. The Akron Beacon Journal has the story that involves Jobs Ohio, the Ohio Supreme Court, and the office of the Auditor.

>>> Republican leader Eric Cantor is pushing for change in the way workers are compensated for their overtime work. The Town Talk has more on Cantor's plan.

Unfortunately, Cantor's plan comes at a time when typical American workers are not seeing much growth in their own paychecks, while Wall Streeter and CEO's are increasing their profits and bonus pay.

Do boycotts work?

Here is some good news---
DailyKos has the details:

Clear Channel, the parent company of nationally boycotted radio host, Rush Limbaugh, is feeling the Bain – I mean the pain. Yesterday after the stock market closed, the media giant released its 1st quarter earnings report, showing a tremendous loss.

Wall Street Journal, May 3, 2012: CC Clear Channel …reported a loss of $203 million, versus a year-ago loss of $143.6 million. (The Limbaugh boycotts began last year in the first quarter)  Revenue fell 1.3% to $1.34 billion. Revenue from media and entertainment, the company's largest segment, was down 2.2%, Operating expenses dropped 3.5%.
Clear Channel Media, is the vehicle used by private-equity firms Bain Capital LLC. *To see full Wall Street Report: http://www.google.com/... and scroll down to: News for Clear Channel: CC Media, Clear Channel Outdoor See 1st-Quarter Losses Widen Sharply

What? Does this mean that racism, sexism, and arrogance are being boycotted? I certainly hope so.

>> Do you read food labels?

ABC News:

First there were 20,000 dead pigs floating down the Huangpu River, a main source of water for Shanghai. That was followed by thousands of dead ducks in the Nanhe River in the southwest province of Sichuan.
Now the Ministry of Public Safety says today online that it has apprehended meat traders in eastern China who were passing rat off as lamb. The police took in 63 suspects accused in selling more than $1.6 million of rat as lamb....

There is more information here: Food sources.

Facts and Figures

If the federal government manages the presidential archives, how will the federal libraries handle the obvious re-write of history going on at the newly-opened President George W. Bush Library?

RawStory:

...In the newly commissioned George W. Bush Presidential Library on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, a peculiar display has the political world buzzing. 

In this display, called “Decision Points,” participants play a game where they’re forced to make the same decisions President Bush did. On the issue of Iraq, there’s even a wholly new video message from the former president, who comes out when participants choose not to invade the country...

...Video of the exhibit shows what Maddow called “contemporary George W. Bush, recently, still making the case for invading Iraq.” He even cites “the weight of evidence” that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, and the “consensus of the world” to depose him — both of which were and still are fabrications....

The Bushies are still pushing their lies.

>> You might be interested in a little problem that has developed for Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell----
WUSA:

Virginia's Governor is on the defensive in the midst of an FBI investigation. 

The agency wants to know more about his relationship with Star-Scientific, after the company's CEO gave $15,000 to help pay for Bob McDonnell's daughter's wedding; it was a gift that the Governor did not report...

For more on Gov. Bob "transvaginal probe" McDonnell from TPM:

...Here are some of the story’s key facts and figures:
$15,000: Amount of money Williams reportedly paid to foot the bill for the food at the June 2011 wedding of Bob and Maureen McDonnell’s daughter Cailin. The wedding was held at Virginia’s Executive Mansion, and the menu featured poached jumbo shrimp, bruschetta, and stuffed chicken breast. McDonnell did not disclose the gift. A McDonnell spokesman told the Post in March that as the money was a gift to the governor’s daughter, and not to the governor, Virginia law did not require him to report it.

158: Miles between Smith Mountain Lake, southeast of Roanoke, Va., and Richmond, Va. In July 2011, the McDonnell family enjoyed a (disclosed) vacation at Williams’ Smith Mountain Lake house. According to the Post, they drove back to Richmond in Williams’ Ferrari. 

$120,000: Publicly disclosed campaign donations given by Williams and Star Scientific to McDonnell and his political action committee....

There is plenty of additional information related to Bob McDonnell at TPM.

We have two daughters and my husband and I paid for both of their weddings. If one of us was the governor of Virginia, we might have saved a lot of money if we had followed Bob McDonnell's example.

Going After the Middle Class-Again

Gov. Kasich and the Ohio GOP are going after the middle class just like they did with
SB 5. With Kasich up for re-election, you wonder why he'd even allow the Republicans to push for "right-to-work" legislation for Ohio.

Dispatch:

House Republicans have given themselves three options to make Ohio the 25th right–to-work state, including placing a proposed constitutional amendment before voters this fall....

...the effort to defeat Senate Bill 5 at the ballot box was led by a coalition of labor groups, perhaps none more vocal than police unions. Jay McDonald, president of the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, said right to work is “a big deal” for his members.

“My concern is it’s another attack on the middle class in the state of Ohio,” McDonald said. “I think the statistics prove out that they don’t create jobs – six of the 10 states with the highest unemployment are right-to-work states. What is indisputable is wages are lower, considerably lower. It’s another attempt to remove the voice of the worker from the workplace.”

A DetroitFreePress article has some facts:

“Right to work is not high on employers’ things to consider when they move to a state,” Dale Belman, a professor at Michigan State University’s School of Human Resources and Labor Relations, said Thursday. “For existing employers it doesn’t provide a benefit and may be a detriment,” he said, because of worsening labor relations in right-to-work states...

....Of the bottom 10 states with the lowest per capital income, seven were right to work states. 

“There is a lot of evidence that wages and benefits are lower in right-to-work states. There’s a redistribution of wages and benefits toward owners’ capital,” Belman said Thursday....

Ohioans should note those words from Professor Bellman...."wages and benefits are lower in right-to-work states. There’s a redistribution of wages and benefits toward owners’ capital..."

In right-to-work states, workers are on the losing end, and owners will gain larger profits. I guess that is what you get from the anti-middle class Republican Party.

Denying College Students Voting Rights

Ohio Republicans are working their hardest in trying to deny college students the right to vote. Republicans don't like the fact that younger voters tend to support Democratic candidates.

 The Dayton Dayton News has details on the latest cockamamie idea the Ohio Republicans have to try to stop college students from voting.

DaytonDailyNews:

A Republican amendment to the state budget bill would force public colleges and universities to charge out-of-state students the resident tuition price if they issue proof of residence to vote in an election.

GOP lawmakers claim the provision intends to alleviate the financial burden on students. Democrats and voters rights advocates argue the provision is a move to make sure fewer young people, who tend to vote Democratic, can cast their ballot in battleground state Ohio.....

...University officials said they did not request the change and were surprised to see it inserted into the 4,600-page budget bill, which passed the House last week and it now being vetted by the Senate....

The Republican Party only seems to be attractive to old, rich, white people. With efforts from the GOP against everything most educated young people support (like women's reproductive rights, equal pay for women, gay rights, college grants, minority rights, immigrants, middle class workers, school teachers, unions, Social Security, increase in minimum wage, etc.) the GOP just isn't that appealing to people under the age of 40. 

The Ohio GOP will continue to do their part to cut Democratic voters from the rolls.  Unwilling to  change their agenda for modern times, the Republicans continue to promote their neanderthal ideas.

Today

* It was nice that Steve Kornacki invited a variety of guests for his first hosted show on MSNBC, but he should not extend another invitation to Ed Cox. Cox is an arrogant, right wing, talking machine that consumes everyone else's talking time.  There should be a "do not invite" list made up for future guests, with Ed Cox's name on the top.

* You know how Republicans go on and on about President Obama's teleprompter? Republicans and their tea party brethren must have amnesia. Look what can be found very easily----

Pictures:  A, B, C, D, E, F, etc.

Todd Akin's Words

* Give me a break!!!!!!  Republican Todd Akin, failed senatorial candidate, is trying to undo the damage his comments and votes did to women's reproductive freedom. As a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Akin voted repeatedly, along with Paul Ryan, to interfere in a woman's gynecological medical care. He cannot undo those actions or his words, no matter how much he begs.

USA Today:

Republican Todd Akin said he regrets his comments about "legitimate rape," nearly six months after the controversial remarks derailed his bid for the U.S. Senate in Missouri. 

When asked by KDSK-TV if he would take back his much-derided comments, the former congressman said, "Oh, of course I would. I've relived them too many times. But that is not reality." 

The story of Akin's downfall is well known: The conservative lawmaker said in a TV interview last summer that he believes pregnancy can be prevented by a woman involved in a "legitimate rape" because "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."


Really?  Unfortunately, Todd Akin's ignorance and demeaning comments about women and rape won't go away. Todd Akin revealed his lack of education, insensitivity, and right wing religious fervor that diminishes the rights of women. Despite his wish that he could take back what he said, it just can't be done.

The Good, and the Not So Good

* Some good news----
10tv:

The Columbus Zoo says its most recent additions include a monkey that was born last month and is named after a quirky scientist character on the CBS comedy "The Big Bang Theory."

How cute!

* The not so good....

   •   The job losses are continuing in Ohio. A quick glance at the Warn Notices at Ohio Dept. of Jobs and Family Services, shows a growing list of layoffs. We might never find out why these layoffs are happening because Gov. Kasich refuses to divulge the secret, backroom deals of the OhioJobs program that he created. With his own appointed board members, and undisclosed deals with undisclosed businesses, Ohioans are being kept in the dark about how our tax dollars are being used.

  •     Appalachian Trail walker and Republican candidate, Mark Sanford made a huge mistake, yet again.

WashingtonPost:

In a full-page ad appearing in the Post and Courier newspaper on Sunday, former South Carolina governor compared his campaign to the Alamo, described what a tough week it had been (for the Sanford campaign, in case you thought he was talking about something else) and defended himself against the recent leak of court documents showing his ex-wife had accused him of trespassing....

Of course, the people of South Carolina are left wondering why Sanford mentioned the name of someone that fought at the Alamo in Texas. With any luck, Sanford will lose and will have plenty of time to visit the Appalachian Trail.

Monday...

* Those of us that once watched the Today Show will be interested in a story posted at the NewYorkTimesMagazine about the firing of journalist Ann Curry. After reading the article, I was even more disgusted with Matt Lauer and the NBC executives that gave into Lauer's obviously massive ego. When Lauer retires, I might watch the Today Show again.

>>>> There is another substance to keep away from your children---cinnamon. Apparently, young people are participating in "cinnamon challenges" which are dangerous, and life-threatening.  HuffPost has the details.

••• VoteVets has an excellent ad against the candidacy of Appalachian Trail walker, SC Republican Mark Sanford:

Shame on Senate

* I totally agree with Patricia Maisch on her opinion of the Senate.

HuffPost:

Patricia Maisch, a hero of the Tucson shooting that left six dead and another 13 wounded, including former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), was escorted by police out of the Capitol Wednesday for telling senators that they should be ashamed of themselves for blocking a provision requiring background checks for gun sales. 

Maisch was at Giffords' "Congress On Your Corner" event in January 2011 when Jared Loughner opened fire. He was tackled by bystanders as he tried to reload, and Maisch was able to grab the third clip away from him. 

She reacted just as quickly inside the Senate chamber. "Shame on you!" she told senators who'd voted against the amendment, which would require background checks for firearm sales at gun shows and elsewhere....

Shame on those Senators that voted against the background checks, including U.S. Sen. Rob Portman. The teachers, administrators, and staff at the Sandy Hook elementary displayed more courage in trying to protect the children than some Senators showed today.

I support President Obama and his agenda on gun control.  I stand with President Obama and the families of Sandy Hook (CT), Oak Creek (WI), Aurora (CO), Virginia Tech, and all the people hurt by gun violence.

Tuesday's News

* To Boston:
We offer our sympathy and prayers for those victims and their families. We will continue to think of you in our thoughts and prayers.

Mike DeWine and the Ohio GOP

Is this legal?

Plunderbund notes that letters to witnesses to the Steubenville rape came from Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine prior to going to court?  Read Plunderbund and you too will question DeWine's actions.

* * * * *

>>> Don't you wish that Ohio Republicans would stop sticking their noses where they don't belong?

ThinkProgress:

Ohio’s anti-choice lawmakers are hoping the third time will be the charm in their crusade to strip funding from Planned Parenthood affiliates. The legislature is currently reviving an effort to “re-prioritize” family planning funding in the state, which would serve to slash about $2 million dollars from the 32 Planned Parenthood clinics currently operating in the state. This type of legislation has already been debated in the legislature twice over the past year.......

Ohio's Republicans must stop being so obsessive about Planned Parenthood, ovaries, eggs, a woman's uterus, etc., or we will start asking questions about how many elected Republicans use medication for erectile dysfunction.  If Ohio Republicans persist, women in the state will start asking Republican legislators to prove that they really need their male enhancement drugs which are covered by health insurance.

The Vote On Gun Control

* The parents from Sandy Hook visited elected officials today in Washington, DC. 

LA Times:

Family members of Sandy Hook shooting victims are bewildered that Congress is still struggling to pass stricter gun laws, Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday afternoon.

Speaking to a room full of police in uniform at a White House event, Biden bluntly described the opposition that gun measures face. He blamed “the black helicopter crowd” for stirring up fears that the government wants to “swoop down” and seize everyone’s guns.

That opposition has stalled action, Biden said, frustrating the families of victims. “They really don’t get” how Congress can have failed to vote already, Biden told his audience, recounting a conversation with 13 family members over breakfast at the vice presidential residence earlier in the day. “One mom said to me, ‘What is it they don’t understand?’ ”

The arrogance of some elected officials is astounding. Hopefully, the family members from Sandy Hook can reach some of the cold-hearted officials. Frankly, I cannot understand how anyone could deny these families a little peace in providing the legislation they want.

* Sen. Rob Portman (OH-R) wants to play around with the debt ceiling again!!!
DailyKos has the details about Portman's plan. Instead of moving forward, Portman wants to waste time to revisit negotiations and make more cuts. Ridiculous!

What Republican Leadership?

* The Republican Leader of the House, Eric Cantor, is definitely hardly working. Have you seen the "work" calendar he created? It is pathetic because it lacks any real substantial foundation to accomplish anything!.

* ABC News has a post about the service rankings of airlines. We were on an airline recently and I am still recovering from (a) feeling like a sardine because of the lack of leg room, and (b) the fees for bags. Soon the airlines might be using shoe horns to get people in their seats.

*** When I was little, I wanted to be like Annette Funicello on the Mickey Mouse Club. Today, Annette Funicello passed away, according to CNN.

> Plunderbund wants us to know that ECOT is taking money away from our schools.

From the “not news” file comes the continuing sad saga of ECOT, the largest charter e-school in Ohio.  We’ve reported about ECOT many times in the past and this post is a continuing update of the damage that ECOT continues to cause statewide.

ECOT’s 40% graduation rate doesn’t stop them from siphoning students and funding away from over 300 of the top-rated school districts in the state.  A whopping 327 of the 353 districts rated Excellent or Excellent w/Distinction (“A” or “A+”) are losing students and the associated funding to ECOT this year, totaling over $33 million dollars pulled from districts such as A+ rated Strongsville (embroiled in a contentious negotiations and a prolonged teacher’s strike)....

...Charters like ECOT (Ohio’s largest by a mile) are not the saving grace of education in Ohio — they are siphoning students and money away from the best school districts in the state, causing unnecessary strife and lowering statewide student achievement.

Ohio's charter schools are not doing well, but they will get more money from their "sugar daddy"----John Kasich.

Sequester Interfering With Chemotherapy

Do you need chemotherapy? Do you have a family member, friend, or co-worker currently undergoing chemo? The Sequester, the brainchild of John Boehner, Eric Cantor, and the Republicans, now can alter your cancer treatment.

ThinkProgress:

In the aftermath of Congress’ failure to reach a deal averting the sequester, President Obama described the automatic spending cuts as foolhardy, warning, “The pain will be real. The longer these cuts are in place, the greater the damage.” Those words are now coming to fruition, as local cancer clinics all across America are being forced to turn away thousands of senior citizens on Medicare and deny them their chemotherapy treatments as a consequence of federal budget cuts.

The Washington Post’s Sarah Kliff reports that even the sequester’s relatively mild two percent cut to Medicare is forcing clinics to choose between providing care to patients, absorbing debilitating financial losses, or downsizing medical staff. Faced with those unsavory choices, clinics like North Shore Hematology Oncology Associates in New York are refusing to see as many as 5,000 of their Medicare patients....

...Patients seeking to continue their treatments will have to go to larger hospitals, where their out-of-pocket costs for the pricey chemotherapy drugs will be substantially higher....

Unless and until a Republican runs into this problem, this access to chemo will be ignored. The Republicans in the House of Representatives have created chaos, and will be continue to grow.

Lawrence O'Donnell Wins!

On The Last Word, Lawrence O'Donnell interviewed Asa Hutchinson, NRA "consultant" about the NRA's recommendations for reducing gun violence in schools. O'Donnell asked Hutchinson how much he was getting paid by the NRA for his consultation. Of course, Hutchinson refused to answer. O'Donnell also noted that the NRA "committee" that came up with recommendations did not have one educator representing teachers.  By the end of the interview, Hutchinson was sweating profusely on his forehead and upper lip.

>>> The Republicans in South Carolina chose Mark Sanford as their Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in their primary today. Mark Sanford was the governor of South Carolina when he abandoned his office, his family, and his state to go on the "Appalachian Trail" in 2009.  Of course, he was not on the "Appalachian Trail" but with his female friend in South America. Live5News in Charleston, SC, has all the details, including Sanford thanking his girlfriend.

What is that expression about cheaters....?

Kasich Never Supported Marriage Equality

* Gov. John Kasich recently said that he doesn't support marriage equality even though he said he did at one point.


Washington Post:

“The governor’s position is unchanged,” Kasich’s spokesman Rob Nichols said Thursday in a statement to reporters. “He opposes gay marriage and opposes changing Ohio’s constitution to allow for civil unions.”

Kasich was asked Wednesday about Sen. Rob Portman’s (R-Ohio) decision to come out in support of gay marriage.

“I talked to Rob and encouraged him,” Kasich told WEWS-TV. “If people want to have civil unions and have some way to transfer their resources, I’m for that. I don’t support gay marriage.”

ThinkProgress reminds us of Kasich opposition to equality for everyone:

....Kasich holds a long anti-gay record, beginning into his time in Congress, where he voted to ban adoptions by gay parents, as well as for the Defense of Marriage Act and the military’s defunct “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. As governor, Kasich broke his pledge to extend anti-discrimination protections for LGBT individuals, allowing state and contracted employers to fire anyone based on sexual orientation.

Kasich may have felt pressure on the spot to be flexible in his views, as his hardline stance on gay marriage and civil unions is now far outside the norm. Support for gay marriage is at an all-time high. Civil unions are currently banned in Ohio, but a ballot initiative this fall could change that.
 
Let me also remind you that in 2010 I wrote about Kasich's record in Congress at  Ohio15th.blogspot.com:

...Kasich voted YES on banning adoption by gays in Washington, DC, according to Ontheissues:

Voted YES on banning gay adoptions in DC.

Vote on an amendment banning adoptions in District of Columbia by gays or other individuals who are not related by blood or marriage. Reference: Amendment introduced by Largent, R-OK; Bill HR 2587 ; vote number 1999-346 on Jul 29, 1999      Just like the typical Republican, Kasich says he is for freedom except for certain people, women, and those that don't typically support Republican candidates (teachers, union workers, fire fighters, police, state workers, minimum wage workers, the poor, young people, etc.).   Kasich's re-election motto should be---  

Freedom For Some

(just not YOU!)