An article appearing in the Cleveland Plain Dealer in March of this year stated the upcoming deficit was "the biggest issue that we've ever faced in terms of growing our state".
And yesterday, the Dispatch ran with this headline.
The Dispatch article breaks down how both Kasich and Strickland have ambiguously responded to how they'll solve the crisis.
But the Dispatch conveniently glosses over a very important fact.
Ted Strickland was the elected Governor 439 days ago when the looming deficit first came to the public's attention. And that was thanks to Mary Taylor.
I'll never forget Strickland's response to Taylor's analysis. But for those that do, here it is:
The governor has refused to concede that spending the one-time money will create an inherent shortfall in the following two-year budget, or that a tax increase might be needed.Refusing to concede that fact is like refusing to concede the sky is blue. It's beyond obtuse. It's foolish and irresponsible.
But he went on...
"Why do you and others want me to say that I'm going to raise taxes?" Strickland said during a March interview. "We're dealing with the budget for 2010 and 2011, and the standard that I'm being held to is, 'How are you going to balance the budget in 2012 and 2013?' It's still 2009. I just don't get it.Truer words have never been spoken.
Governor, you were elected to make Ohio a better place to live, work, and raise a family. Not to simply make sure a biennial budget was balanced.
Don't get me wrong. I understand that balancing the next budget will require some very tough decisions. But by refusing to acknowledge the problem and work towards solutions, as someone charged with the public trust should, you kicked the can down the road.
You're right. You just don't get it.
Now 439 days later Ohio still had its taxes raised, and we still don't see one iota of progress, or scant an acknowledgment of solving "the biggest issue that we've ever faced in terms of growing our state".
Ohio deserves someone far better than a politician who has a proven track record of refusing to make the tough calls necessary to serve as Governor.
No Governor has been ever asked how to balance a budget beyond their term. That's what Strickland was saying that you've, yet again, taken grossly out of context.
ReplyDeleteYou're pathetic.
Fail. An $8B epic fail. Governing is hard and Strickland took the easy way out.
ReplyDeleteLike punting on 3rd and 17...
And no Governor has faced such a massive financial crisis....and completely ignored it.
ReplyDeleteHe was placed in a position of responsibility by the people of Ohio and he has shown a repeated ambivalence toward an impending crisis. How you can defend that is beyond me.
On a sidenote, you seem to be a very angry person. I hope you can get over that someday.
Just angry at out-of-state liars who astroturf for insane hotheads like Kasich.
ReplyDeleteTed Strickland CUT funding. Not, increase the growth of overall spending like Kasich did in Congress. ACTUALLY CUT OVERALL SPENDING.
Strickland has been incredibly involved with budget battles as you've extensively written about. Not even the Senate Republicans could stomach some of the cuts that had to face instead of a tax freeze.
Yeah, Strickland took the easy way out by delaying an income tax cut a year before his election that Keeling has gone out of his way by falsely presenting as a tax increase.
For John Kasich to claim that he can cut the state budget "responsibily" while repealing Ohio's income and estate tax is insanity. So insane, Kasich has yet to offer even the most basic outline of how it can be done.
You seem to forget that. And you keep writing as IF Kasich has proposed penny one of what he'd do.
He has no plan except to have people like you attack Strickland for the choices he did make while Kasich makes none.