No Time For You!!!

Republican leader and member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Eric Cantor, turned down an invitation to attend the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington.  Where was Eric Cantor?

HuffingtonPost:


When House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) declined to speak at the March on Washington 50th anniversary rally Wednesday, he was choosing instead to meet with a North Dakota oil and gas lobby group, The Washington Post reports. 

According to the Grand Forks Herald, Cantor met with North Dakota Petroleum Council members in Watford City, toured oil drilling sites and spoke with leaders of the energy industry in Williston on Wednesday....

Eric Cantor just isn't that into the people that support the ideals of Dr. King and the March on Washington.

•  Stephanie Miller had Michael Tomasky of The Daily Beast on her radio program today. Tomasky talked about the far right's plan to try to impeach President Barack Obama. As Tomasky noted, the right has no evidence or reason to bring impeachment charges against President Obama. I suspect that the reason the far right wants to start impeachment proceedings is based on their racism, hatred, and ignorance.  Take a look at those on the right and you'll notice the lack of diversity on their side. The mostly white far right is upset that Obama was elected and that soon whites will be in the minority.

Outreach? Not so much

The Republican Party leaders talk that they are interested in reaching out to minority voters. However, when given the opportunity to participate in a special event, they refuse.

DailyKos:

Conservatives complaining that the March on Washington anniversary celebration seems awfully partisan should note that they have only themselves to blame.

Speaker John A. Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor, the House’s two most senior Republicans, were invited to speak at the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington — but declined. […] “They asked a long list of Republicans to come,” [civil rights activist Julian Bond] continued, “and to a man and woman they said ‘no.’ And that they would turn their backs on this event was telling of them, and the fact that they seem to want to get black votes, they’re not gonna get ‘em this way.”

The actions and rhetoric of the Republicans show their lack of interest in addressing minorities, women, and working people. Don't allow them to have your vote if they can't even show you respect.

Problems?

There are big problems in Pennsylvania with one of the operators of charter schools.

LehighValleyBusiness:


The founder and superintendent of one of Pennsylvania's most successful cyber charter schools is facing federal charges of fraud for scheming taxpayer funds out of the school, according to a 41-page grand jury indictment.
The indictment claims Nicholas Trombetta, 58, of East Liverpool, Ohio, the founder of PA Cyber Charter School, and Mark Prence, 58, of Koppel, his accountant, shifted more than $8 million in Trombetta's income between 2006 and 2012 to others to hide his true income....

....Trombetta faces three counts of mail fraud, three counts of theft or bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, one count of tax conspiracy and five counts of filing a false tax return....

Here is more from TribLive:

In the end, it was nothing more than an old-fashioned skimming operation. At least that's what federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh allege in an 11-count indictment for mail fraud, filing false tax returns and conspiracy against Nick Trombetta.....

.....The indictment is a triple shame. First, there's the alleged violation of public trust. Then there's the fact that Trombetta was considered something of a savior for Midland, the beleaguered Beaver County community that the charter school helped revive. And then there's the taint left on the school, not implicated in the charged funny dealings and considered to be a great success. 

But the indictments also have renewed the debate over the amount of taxpayer dollars given to cyber charter schools — whether they should receive the same per pupil amount as their bricks-and-mortar counterparts, considering the latter's claimed higher overhead.... 

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette has even more details on the indictment and the scheme.

Pennsylvania Gov. Corbett should answer to the people of Pennsylvania about how this scheme robbed school children of their money for education.

News.....

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz was born in Canada and has dual citizenship. Even though Cruz says he renounces his Canadian citizenship, it will take some paper work and several months.

DailyKos:

(Cruz) He's still a Canadian. And while he may want to renounce his citizenship, the process could take a long time:

Senator Cruz may have to wait eight months to stop being Canadian Senator Ted Cruz, who recently discovered that he is likely a Canadian, must win security clearance from Canada's spy agency, fill in a four-page form and then wait up to eight months to sever his ties to America's northern neighbor.

Oh, also too, he needs to pay Canada $100 (in their currency) in order to give up his citizenship. Really, it's a win-win situation for our neighbors to the north: Not only do they get to dump their association with Cruz, they get paid to do it. 

There you go.

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

>>>> A new PPP Poll has Ohio Republicans a little worried:

PPP's newest Ohio Governor poll finds a toss up race, with Democratic challenger Ed FitzGerald holding a slight lead over John Kasich at 38/35. 

The closeness of the race is more of a reflection on Kasich than FitzGerald. He has a negative approval rating with 42% of voters approving of him to 47% who disapprove....

.....-On the other side of the spectrum it's clear that Josh Mandel did a lot of damage to himself in his Senate campaign last year. Our final poll of that contest found him with a 36/50 favorability rating, and he hasn't done much to rehabilitate his image since then. Only 30% of voters approve of the job he's doing as Treasurer to 41% who disapprove, and he trails 40/35 in a head to head with challenger Connie Pillich....

Kasich's approval rating will continue to go down. What has Kasich given us?
Here is a short list:
  Kasich and his Republicans have 
-   passed restrictions on women's access to reproductive health and clinics. Cut aid to to Planned Parenthood, which primarily serves low income women for cancer screenings, Pap tests, etc.
-   stopped most transparency in his administration.
-   allowed JobsOhio activities and those of directors to operate in complete secrecy, without any oversight.
-   forced an Ohio EPA water safety expert to resign, while contributions from coal firms pile up for Kasich and GOP candidates.
-   has appointed mostly white males to heads of departments.
-   Kasich and the GOP pushed SB5/Issue 2 to limit the rights of workers.
etc.............

Thank Goodness!

*** Ed Schultz is going back to MSNBC!!!!!!

MediaBistro:

MSNBC is changing up its weekday lineup in a significant way, moving Ed Schultz from weekends back to weekdays.

Schultz will take over the 5 PM weekday slot starting next Monday, while Chris Matthews‘  ”Hardball” will now air only once per day at 7 PM.....





We've missed Ed!

Ohio Jobs Picture Sad

Although Republicans and Gov. John Kasich call the employment picture in Ohio as as "miracle," it is just a lot of malarkey.

Plunderbund:

The economic recovery in Ohio is officially over.

Despite inheriting a State that was both hardest hit and fastest to recover from the Great Recession before he took office, Gov. John Kasich has fumbled the recovery.  As we noted, most the jobs gained since Kasich took office occurred in 2011 and early 2012 before most of his policies took effect.  Naturally, this has lead to the Ohio and national press corps to start speculating on Governor Kasich running for President....

...Ohio’s unemployment rate stayed at 7.2% as the unemployment rate nationally dropped .2% last month.  The only “miracle” in Ohio’s economic news last month is that Ohio’s unemployment rate didn’t go up.  But over the past twelve months, Ohio’s unemployment rate hasn’t moved.  Like, at all.    And the trendlines over the past months strongly suggest there’s far greater pressure that will drive Ohio’s unemployment rate up than down. 

For the THIRD consecutive month in a row, the number of unemployed Ohioans grew.... 

Kasich's "miracle" job recovery is not happening. People are still losing jobs. A quick look at ODJFS Warn Notices shows more layoffs ahead including 31 at General Dynamics in Springboro.

Did you see this?

Republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa promised a big anti-immigration rally. What he got is astounding!

DemocraticUnderground:

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) held a rally on Monday night for those who oppose the comprehensive immigration reform effort taking place on Capitol Hill. But no one, it seems, felt like going.....

With the paltry response Steve King received for his rally, it is clear that people are just not that into his politics and hate-filled message.

The Need to Know

This morning we find that there are still more layoffs planned in Ohio. The ODJFS Warn Notice page has listed layoffs at JPMorgan Chase (97) and CSC Worldwide (94). Those layoffs bring the total number of people losing jobs in Ohio in 2013 to 5,500 people. Taxpayers in Ohio want to know which corporations are getting "development" money to create jobs, their ties to people on the board of JobsOhio, and if any of the companies listed on the Warn Notice page have received money from the state.

Playing With YOUR Money

Information  about the super secret JobsOhio controversy has been posted on Daily Kos. Here is a short excerpt from DailyKos:

You've heard of JobsOhio, right? It's the public-private outfit Gov. John Kasich formed that gives Ohio tax dollars to private companies that "promise" to create jobs. Gov. Kasich loves to talk about it. 

But he's not telling you the whole story. Last week, the Dayton Daily News broke the news that six of nine JobsOhio board members personally benefit from the special incentives given out. That's right, these Kasich-appointed board members are invested in companies that receive JobsOhio tax breaks. And even Kasich is padding his pockets from JobsOhio, receiving compensation from a company that got public funding.

There's a reason students aren't allowed to grade their own tests, why pitchers aren't allowed to call their own strikes, and why you wouldn't let Al Capone guard the bank vault. Why wouldn't that same principal apply to the public's money as well?.....

Is everyone getting a cut of the action at JobsOhio except the taxpayers?

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