Ohio Sunday Papers – Casinos: State Newspapers No Likey

• Huron County’s 18.3% unemployment rate – Associated Press
• State making more records available online – Columbus Dispatch
• Banks face long climb – Cincinnati Enquirer
• New Schools Fall Short of Strickland’s Standards – Columbus Dispatch
• Editorial: Fool’s Gold (Casinos) – Toledo Blade
• Editorial: False Promises (Casinos) – Columbus Dispatch
• Editorial: Highway Funds, er, Safety – Toledo Blade
• Editorial: Strickland – Let Charter Schools Bloom – The Plain Dealer
• Editorial: Trust in Change (Higher Ed) – Akron Beacon-Journal
• Op-Ed, Dennis Willard: Big Brother, Big Brother, big money – Akron Beacon-Journal
• Op-Ed, David Skolnick: Congressman Ryan Man of the Hour – Youngstown Vindicator
• Op-Ed, Thomas Suddes: Gambling Promoters & Their Self Serving Ideas – The Plain Dealer
• Op-Ed, Jonathan Riskind: Pollution plan fuels bipartisan fight – Columbus Dispatch
• Op-Ed, Joe Hallett: Ohio needs to upgrade Capitol statuary – Columbus Dispatch

The Interview That’s Breaking Up the Band: Modern Esquire Quits BSB

Friends, if you haven’t figured it out, political and news blogging is a deadly serious business.  I’m not talking about the age old question – “Are bloggers journalists?” (They’re not, journalists are journalists and some of them blog.)

I’m talking about the gnashing of teeth going on over at the Buckeye State Blog between the forces of our fair maiden Secretary of State Brunner and the Deadly Machine Politics of Lt. Gov. Fisher.

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Sabety Fires Right Back at Mary Taylor

From the Associated Press today:

Joe the Plumber Lawsuit Documents

Mary Taylor Audited for Hypocrisy, Recklessness

The stakes are too high as Ohio navigates the perilous waters of the current recession.  That’s why state of Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor should have known better than to call the state “unauditable” last week.

The basis for her stretcher (that’s what we used to call lies in Southern Ohio) was the fact that an important end of fiscal year report was past due.  As the Auditor of State, her office has been kept abreast of the issues the state has had in transitioning to its new accounting system known as OAKS.  As the Auditor, she’s been treated professionally and her staff always have had a seat at the table.  In fact, the state auditor’s office was probably better prepared for the OAKS transition than some state agencies.

That’s why she should have known better than to nitpick an administrative hassle and turn it into a potentially financially harmful circumstance for her state. The state of Ohio is not unauditable.

What’s at the root of the current economic crisis?  The financial markets – they’re not working properly.  Every aspect of the financial markets are gummed up and there is a dearth of something even more important than money in these markets: trust.  Mary Taylor’s outrageous pronouncement that the state is “unauditable” was an overreach and could have harmed Ohio’s credit rating.

As a politician, Mary Taylor is living up to that which so many of us have grown sick and tired – grandstanding for purely political gain.  Today, the Ohio Democratic Party brought my attention to something I missed over the weekend.  Mary Taylor’s own end of year reporting was late as well.  I don’t remember her chastising herself on this point last week.

From the ODP:

COLUMBUS – Just days after State Auditor Mary Taylor stood before the entire Statehouse press corps to accuse Governor Strickland of delaying the state audit, it was revealed that the audit of Taylor’s own office was months late, raising questions about the sincerity of her accusations.

As reported by the Columbus Dispatch (“Audit of Taylor’s office also late,” 3/7/09), under Ohio law, the audit of Taylor’s office had to be completed by October 15.  It was not finished until December 8, nearly two months late.

While the Strickland administration acknowledged the delay in both cases is due to the complicated transition to the Taft-initiated Ohio Administrative Knowledge System, Taylor continues to use exaggerated partisan rhetoric even as she begins to backtrack.  Now Taylor admits she “knew there would be delays” months before last week’s press conference.

Let me just back one thing up contained in the paragraphs above from ODP.  In May of 2008, Taylor was informed that the end of year report she was expecting would be late, perhaps not ready until the Fall of 2009.  This was before the fiscal year was even up.  Again in August, Taylor was updated some weeks after the end of the fiscal year.  This time the news was better.  The report would be late, but she could expect it as early as March or by perhaps late Spring.

These are just two instances I have read about or heard about regarding communication between the Auditor’s office and the Strickland Administration.  I know there were more, a source tells me that the Auditor’s office is “copied on everything.”

Mary Taylor is getting ready to run for something.  This context for her reckless behavior as a public servant is not lost on anyone who follows events on Capitol Square.  Let’s hope that the public servants in the Capitol and the state office towers in Columbus can make up for her shameless act.

Audio: Listen to the Wingnut Talk About the Columbus Tea Party Plans

Click Here for About 7 Minutes of Audio from AM-610 in Columbus

Proof That Columbus Tea Party Organizer Is Republican Drone

Out getting the garden ready for some spring lettuce and hit the record button on 610 WTVN when they began talking Columbus Tea Party next weekend.  If Russo’s video didn’t show what a bunch of drones these people are, listen to the clip below.  Here at Clips and Comment we have advanced audio electronics which can filter out the fake, human sounding voices of YAF’ers and Young Republicans to their soulless, pre-programmed core:

Click Here for Tea Party Drone

Go Here for More on the Columbus Tea Party

Ohio Sunday Papers – Ill winds beginning to blow on Cap Square

• Governor’s doubters grow – Columbus Dispatch
• Foreclosure crisis everywhere in Cleveland – The Plain Dealer
• 1933 eviction riots in Cleveland bear similarities to today – The Plain Dealer
• Plummeting stock prices rock four venerable Toledo firms – The Toledo Blade
• Op-Ed, Joe Hallett: Brunner v. Fisher could be Dem nightmare – Columbus Dispatch
• Op-Ed, Dennis Willard: Ohio legislators divided and evasive – Akron Beacon Journal
• Op-Ed, Aaron Marshall: Ohio House Republicans ready to fight – The Plain Dealer
• Op-Ed, Jonathan Riskind: Voinovich far from being lame duck – Columbus Dispatch
• Editorial: Ohio Auditor has waited long enough for data – The Plain Dealer
• Editorial: Stimulus should focus on fixing what’s broken – Columbus Dispatch
• Editorial: Passenger rail – waiting at the station – Akron Beacon Journal
• Some Lucas County agency heads get raises – The Toledo Blade
• Use of furloughs for workers on the rise – The Plain Dealer
• Personal bailouts sought on Ohio site – Akron Beacon Journal
• Where will the local stimulus dollars go? – Akron Beacon Journal
• Ohio stimulus proposals point out crumbling infrastructure – The Plain Dealer
• Fragile mental health safety net – Columbus Dispatch
• Ohio mental health facts – Columbus Dispatch
• Traficant could be back in Ohio soon – Youngstown Vindicator
• Dettelbach rises to top of U.S. Atty list – The Plain Dealer

Plain Dealer, Dispatch Get A Couple Things Wrong on Editorial Pages This Week

There are the kinds of opinions that are like – you know what – (everyone has one).  Then there is what should be the considered, discerned opinion of major daily newspapers.  The newspaper editorials which serve the public best are those based in fact and not shallowly rooted in knee-jerk ideology.

Facts may be analyzed in different ways leading to reasonable people disagreeing on public policy, political motivations, etc.  But when an opinion is based on a careless understanding of the facts – or worse – a purposeful twisting – it’s merely stupidity.  When a newspaper does this, it’s recklessness on a much larger scale.

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Ohio Sunday Papers – Waiting to be Stimulated

• Experienced lobbyists have advantage due to changes in Ohio legislature – The Plain Dealer
• Editorial: Lt. Gov. Fisher could get chance to keep pledge – Youngstown Vindicator
• Editorial: Assault on Education (Charter Schools) – Columbus Dispatch
• Editorial: Brunner should sidestep the conflict – Columbus Dispatch
• Editorial: Triage for a sick economy – Toledo Blade
• Op-Ed, Thomas Suddes: The bumps in Strickland’s road – The Plain Dealer
• Op-Ed, Dennis Willard: Legislators need some backbone – Akron Beacon Journal
• Donations v. Impartiality on docket – Columbus Dispatch
• School funding formula criticized – Associated Press
• Strickland plan would slash online school funding – Columbus Dispatch
• Stimulus requests rolling in to state government – Dayton Daily News
• How Clevelanders would spend stimulus – The Plain Dealer
• Path to stimulus money hazy – Columbus Dispatch
• Ohioans tuned into state’s history – Columbus Dispatch
• Hospitals object to fees for Medicaid – Columbus Dispatch

Candisky Predicts Brunner Will Be Nominee, Butland Says She May Pull a Mary Ellen Withrow

Notes from Columbus On the Record:

• Dale Butland, during the conversation about the Dem Senate primary race said Brunner benefits right now being the only woman in a field with several men.  He said she could do what Mary Ellen Withrow did and take in the bulk of female voters while the guys divide the male vote.
• Cathy Candisky of the Columbus Dispatch predicted a Brunner win in the “Off the Record” segment.
• Butland, in the same segment, seemed to discount his previous comment and said there will only be three viable candidates and it will come down to who can raise $10-12 million.  (This is actually what everyone says, he should have stuck with first theory.
• Republican talking head predicted that state pols are up shit creek come May — there won’t be many capital gains reported in this year’s tax haul.

Idiots on Camera: Cleveland’s ‘Tea Party’ Covered by Blogger Interrupted

Tim Russo at Blogger Interrupted has definitely found his niche.  First was the McCain-Palin Mob Vid, today it’s the Tea Party Mob – Cleveland, Ohio.  Watch it.  Well worth the six minute investment.

For a guy who uses his words at Blogger Interrupted at times like a blunt instrument, (don’t we all), his work with the video camera wherever culture warriors gather is pure finesse.  He doesn’t badger the drones, he quietly asks simple questions, like, “Do you think Obama was born in the U.S.?”  Then he pieces together the lunacy, lays down a soundtrack, and we all get to laugh at the end of long workweek.

Russo needs to do one of these a week and build his site around his style with the video camera.  He’ll get the traffic, consistently, and sell ads.  Angel investors, take a look.

Jon Husted’s Profile in Public Fraud May End Up A Chance for A Jennifer Brunner Profile In Courage

The Dayton Daily News is reporting tonight that the Montgomery County Board of Elections cast a tie vote along party lines, punting to Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to make the final determination on how big a fraud State Sen. Jon Husted, R-Upper Arlington, really is.

Progress Ohio, a public interest group based in Columbus, filed the original complaint in Montgomery County against Husted.  By Ohio law, state representatives and state senators must live in their districts.  Husted claims to be “R-Kettering,” but is actually “R-Upper Arlington.”  He was elected to be “R-Kettering,” but since he has been “R-Upper Arlington” for so long he is illegitimate.  Some have even speculated that he is “A-Upper Arlington.” (“A” is for asshole, party of one – him.)

In a bit of drama tonight, Progress Ohio beseeched Brunner to live up to her Profile in Courage Award by officially declaring Slick Jonny irrelevant.  At any rate, it’s the stated editorial opinion of this blog that Jon Husted should be banned in 38 states and all the provinces of Canada.

What follows is real, from the Dayton Daily News:

Husted testified at his hearing that he is at his Kettering home weekly, but declined to say how often he or his family sleep there. He and his family are rarely seen in Kettering, according to neighbors and Dayton Daily News spot checks. A review of water records show very low water usage at the house, with bills for three quarters in 2007 and 2008 showing less than 750 gallons used.

Twenty-two spots checks of his home since Jan. 5 showed no sign of Husted or a vehicle at various times through the day and night. Newspapers stayed on the driveway for days and sometimes there were no tire tracks in snow on his driveway or indication that it had been shoveled. At night there is usually the same light and television on in the house.

On Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. there was no sign of lights or TV but a package blocked the front door. Two hours later, the same package blocked the door, but the television could be seen flickering through the blinds. The next morning at 10 a.m., the same package was still blocking the door.

Husted denies using a timer to control the television and he refused to say where he parks when he is home. He declined to answer further questions.

Ohio Sunday Papers – It’s the Economy and Education with a smattering of Fisher, Brunner

• Editorial: Lawmakers must stop Strickland from killing charter schools – The Plain Dealer
• Editorial: Governor needs to tweek how he pays for education reform – Akron Beacon Journal
• Editorial: No Stimulus for Teardown – Toledo Blade
• Op-Ed, William Hershey: Ohio Dems Face Likely ‘Family Fued’ – Dayton Daily News
• Op-Ed, Thomas Suddes: Will Ohio House Dems Hold Together on Budget? – The Plain Dealer
• Op-Ed, Joe Hallett: Governor Sinned a Bit in Securing Manna from Washington – Columbus Dispatch
• Welfare rolls soaring in Ohio – Columbus Dispatch
• Toledo aid agencies fear what’s over horizon – Toledo Blade
• Late bill payments cost state – Columbus Dispatch
• Big repairs needed for U.S. automakers – Toledo Blade
• How would you spend $500 million taxpayer dollars? – The Plain Dealer
• Dems’ fight a cost of success – Cincinnati Enquirer
• Op-Ed, Dennis Willard: Race crucial for Fisher, Brunner – Akron Beacon Journal
• Brunner: Senate bid not a conflict – Columubus Dispatch
• Ohio tries to clean up payday lending one more time – The Plain Dealer
• Op-Ed, Jonathan Riskind: Obama’s economic plans leave some edgy, angry – Columbus Dispatch
• Development board’s City Center planning only quasi-public – Columbus Dispatch
• Farmland disappearing – Columbus Dispatch
• Preservationists hope to see some stimulus – Columbus Dispatch
• Ohio businesses must file sales taxes electronically for first time this year – The Plain Dealer
• Ohio officials OK new workers compensation program – Dayton Daily News\
• KELLY PAVLIK COVERAGE – The Youngstown Vindicator

Slick Jonny Husted: How the Hell Did I Miss This Gem?

So, I asked a friend tonight, “Whatever happened to Jon Husted’s residency question over there in Montgomery County? Is he still in office?”

“Yeah, he’s still in office, but I don’t know how — the guy doesn’t even show any water usage wherever the hell it is he says he lives,” they answered.

“Huh?” I thought. “How’s that work?”

Roll Tape! Courtesy of Progress Ohio … at least someone in Columbus is watching.

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