Hole #2

It wasn't enough to dig Ohio's economic hole deeper and deeper thanks to his inaction.

Instead, Governor Strickland decided to dig a second hole for himself to jump into.

And that hole was his decision to solve Ohio's economic crisis with spending cuts and most importantly, state-sponsored gambling.

For months, Strickland has said he wouldn't raise taxes on Ohioans, like the past five Governors have done and like newspapers across Ohio advocated. Why? Strickland was trying to cover his hide for the 2010 election. He was scared of being painted as Tax Hike Ted by the Kasich campaign, ORP and obnoxious bloggers. [DJ note: If your first name starts with T, don't get into politics]

It's a fair concern to have. Obviously, Republicans would happily go after a Governor that raised taxes. It's a tactic we've seen in election after election. Voters expect it. It's nothing new.

Instead of raising taxes, he chose massive spending cuts and gambling.

Bad move, Ted.

Already we are seeing attacks on the Governor from all sides.....except Republicans.

For example, the Dem-friendly Children's groups:

Unions like the SEIU are ticked:

District 1199 urges the public to contact the Ohio Governor, House Speaker and Senate President and urge them to pursue a balanced, fiscally responsible approach to this budget crisis, one that includes revenue increases beyond gambling and doesn't sacrifice the services needed the most.

The clergy...


Hell, even the libraries...


And a couple great quotes from major newspapers around Ohio:

Ohioans understand their state is in a financial crisis. In time, they will grasp the true cost of their future being diminished for political expediency.

and...

I don't know whether the governor uses numbers books as he sets about running the state. But his approach to governing seems as ragged and helter-skelter as a degenerate lottery player clutching a dream book.

Oomph.

Nothing like turning your allies against ya, eh?

And all that after the weekend's poll highlighting Strickland's drastic drop in popularity and statistical tie with John Kasich.

So now do you think Strickland wishes he could have raised taxes?