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Issue 2 Then And Now

A year ago, voters rejected State Issue 2 by a 61.6% to 38.4% margin.  A month ago, voters rejected State Issue 2 by a 63.2% to 36.8% margin.

They were two completely different issues, with almost identical results, and one more thing in common: union special interests were involved in both.  In 2011, Big Labor backed the "No" vote, and ended up with the win.  This year, they were asking for a "Yes" vote, and fell flat on their faces.

So why the huge difference?  Put simply... spending.

Thoughts and Prayers with Newtown, CT

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Yesterday, tragedy struck at Sandy Hook Elementary. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.

The teachers, law enforcement officers and rescue workers are heroes. The stories being shared about the courageous acts of the teachers is nothing short of remarkable. A custodian ran through the halls warning teachers and students, a teacher ushered her students into a bathroom to hide them from the suspect, and Victoria Soto, lost her life shielding her students from the suspect.

This is not the time to discuss politics of gun laws. This individual carried out an intent that appears to be pre-meditated. Some news outlets are stating that the individual responsible was mentally ill or had some form of autism. The conversation that needs to occur is about changing the culture in this country and helping those that are mentally ill.

As a nation, we need to come together and make sure those families affected by this tragedy in Sandy Hook know that they are not alone. Many individuals have started funds to help those affected.  May God Bless the victims, and may he comfort those who are affected.

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Kasich gets good news but also room for improvement in latest poll

Quinnipiac University released an Ohio poll yesterday, so let's take a look at where John Kasich stands with the gubernatorial election still almost two years away.

The poll's top line shows their highest approval rating for Kasich to date, but there is also some more catching up to do in the next couple of years.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has a 42 - 35 percent job approval, the first time since his inauguration in 2011 that registered voters have given him a thumbs-up rating, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Gov. Kasich seems to be benefitting from high levels of satisfaction among Ohio voters with life in the Buckeye State.

But the governor does not deserve a second term, voters tell the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll by an almost identical 43 - 36 percent margin. All voters say 44 - 37 percent that another Republican should challenge the governor for the 2014 nomination. By 45 - 41 percent, self-described Republicans say no other Republican should challenge Kasich.

First off, those reelect numbers are obviously not where the administration wants to be. More on that later. Let's move to the positives in this poll.

Unions: Ending forced unionism is like Pearl Harbor

On December 7th, 1941, the U.S. was attacked by Japan, thrusting us into World War II. That attack devastated our Pacific naval fleet, killed 2,402 people and injured thousands more. The subsequent war with Japan would cost hundreds of thousands more American lives, not to mention millions of Japanese.

Recently, we've been told by Ohio and national Big Labor leaders that an equally horrifying and costly event has taken place.

Witness the horror that is the freedom to choose whether you want to join a union or not. Last week, Media Trackers Ohio reported that the union group "We Are Ohio" compared Right-to-Work legislation in Michigan to Pearl Harbor.

Unions deploy their best argument for forced unionism in Michigan: violence

Alternate title: this is what union thuggery looks like.

As the Michigan legislature finalized plans to make Michigan a right-to-work state, and Governor Rick Snyder prepared to sign it into law, thousands of union protesters gathered in Lansing. They brought their most thought out and reasonable and civil debate points with them, right?

Yeah right. They did what unions usually do when you ask them to explain why they believe workers should be forced to join. They use their fists.

Watch one of them attack conservative comic Steven Crowder. Another brave union thug even comes back, grabs his collar from behind and sucker punches him. Finally, the thugs tear down the AFP tent and collapse it while there are still people in it, including women and children.

Obama Ready To Throw Middle Class Americans Over The Fiscal Cliff

If there's one thing President Barack Obama has made clear in the discussions surrounding the fiscal cliff, it's that he's not budging on increasing taxes on "those making $250,000 or more."  Of course, the problem with that logic is the hundreds of thousands of businesses who are structured as pass-through entities (S-Corp's) that will be drastically affected with such an absurd proposal.  Many S-Corporations are some of the biggest job creators in Ohio and throughout the nation--employing millions of middle class Americans--but apparently Obama doesn't much care if they get hit.

Or, to put it another way, in order to screw "the rich," Obama is willing to throw the middle class over the fiscal cliff.

Just ask his Treasury Secretary:

"If Republicans do not agree to that, is the administration prepared to go over the fiscal cliff?" 

[Geithner] "Absolutely. We see no prospect for an agreement that doesn't involve those rates going up..."

Congressman Tim Ryan arrested for public drunkenness

Congressman Moonbeam is back in the news. Remember this guy? He's the congressman from Ohio who thinks the answer to our problems is to...meditate with raisins.

A Plain Dealer article from Saturday goes into more detail, but the idea of staring at a raisin comes from one of the first exercises behind this way of thinking. A student gazes at a raisin and holds it to their lips without eating it then they squeeze the raisin to hear its sound. By the time they actually eat the raisin they are aware of all of the sensory urges that it elicits. Apparently the awareness is the lesson.

Today, the Washington Post reported that Tim Ryan was arrested in Virginia in August for stumbling around in public in a state of apparent intoxication.

Green activist who wants you to live like a caveman visits Columbus

The following is a guest-submitted post.

On Tuesday, Columbus hosted one of the most prominent green activists today, Bill McKibben, on his nationwide “Do The Math” tour. For most of his career, McKibben has acknowledged the widespread deprivation his agenda would cause and tried to put a happy spin on it, but that’s not the message he brought to the Capitol Theater.

McKibben is on the attack full-time now, and his argument, on its face, is that it would be risky to use even a fraction of the world’s known fossil fuel reserves, so we should divest from fossil fuel companies.

But does his plan even make sense?

The top 10 companies with the largest oil and gas reserves in the world, with 71 percent of proven reserves, are all owned by governments like Iran and Venezuela. Divestment from investor-owned American companies wouldn’t solve more than a tiny fraction of the problem, it would just give foreign state-owned industries the upper hand.

As Ohioans know, those American companies are investing heavily in production of natural gas, the use of which is a substantial part of the reason U.S. emissions have been dropping.

Bob Costas: Anti-gun idiot

Unless you live under a rock, you know about this idiotic anti-2nd amendment editorial that Bob Costas chose to deliver during halftime of the Eagles/Cowgirls game last night:


There are so many things wrong with this.

The first of which is...it's a football game, Bob! Nobody is tuning in to hear political arguments. Your comments belong on the Sunday morning talk shows, not Sunday Night Football. Bob Costas took advantage of his position to air his liberal views to a captive audience. If NBC and the NFL knew about this ahead of time, shame on them as well.

Ohio's left twists the truth to attack Kasich

The Plunderpals are at it again. Twisting the facts of even the most minor of news stories to turn it into an attack. This time they focused on a story from the San Francisco Chronicle about comments Governor Kasich made at a meeting of the Executive Workforce Board.

Let's take a look at their analysis of the story.

On Monday, Kasich helped kick off the first meeting of Ohio’s Executive Workforce Board – a 25-member panel that appears to be charged with accomplishing the same exact tasks Frederick failed to accomplish.

Remember when John Kasich, the supposed small government conservative, promised to eliminate red tape, simplify the way state government operates and help get Ohio moving at the “speed of business”?

Plunderbund intentionally makes it sound like Kasich replaced one man with a panel of 25, thus betraying small government conservatives.

As usual, however, they aren't telling you the whole story.

The Obama Plan: Tax Your Way to Prosperity

Perhaps the reason President Barack Obama does not understand how job creation works is because he's never created a job. President Obama has never understood what it takes for a small business to make payroll each week, refinance a line of credit, or even prepare a set of financial statements. But somehow, he has managed to become the CEO of the largest business in the world, the United States of America.

The delusional reality that President Obama lives in is one of the most perplexing situations. He thinks you can simply tax the rich and it will not affect the middle class. What he seems to forget is that "the rich" are the job creators and small business owners. When these business owners have less money in their companies, they create fewer jobs.

Now, it's pretty common knowledge that President Obama is only good at campaigning. Even today, he was campaigning to sell his tax hikes. His public pitch, from the White House, was made with "a backdrop of hand-picked, middle-class voters".

Sherrod Brown wants to extend unemployment benefits beyond 99 weeks

Elections have consequences.

Our consequence is that we are stuck with Sherrod Brown, arguably the Senate's most left-wing member, for another six years. And he's already exhibiting why he is a textbook liberal extremist.

Sherrod Brown says paying a person not to work for almost 2 years just isn't enough. We have to pay them not to work for even longer.

The Columbus Dispatch reports workers who used up six months of state payments could get 73 more weeks of aid under a federal benefits program extended several times. Some advocates want Congress to extend it again.

Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown wants an extension included if Congress makes a deal to avoid the automatic tax increases and spending cuts known as the "fiscal cliff." His spokeswoman says too many Ohioans are still looking for work.

Not matter what the issue, Sherrod Brown's solution is always "more government spending."

Setting The Record Straight On The Judicial Name Game

Much has been made about the races for Ohio Supreme Court this past election, with a lot of focus paid to Name ID over substance.  This past weekend, Ohio newspaper editorialists jumped into the fray.

From the Columbus Dispatch’s Joe Hallett:

Cupp and McGee Brown received “highly recommended” ratings from the Ohio State Bar Association. They are members of arguably the best Supreme Court Ohio has had in the past 30 years.

That didn’t matter. On Nov. 6, Ohio voters replaced them with two candidates blessed with Irish names. McGee Brown was defeated by Sharon Kennedy, a Republican domestic-relations judge who was rated “not recommended” by the state bar. Cupp was beaten by Democrat William O’Neill, a former state appellate judge who had been working as an emergency-room nurse.

And the Plain Dealer’s Brent Larkin:

Republican Justice Robert Cupp was beaten by a Democrat with a far better ballot name: former appellate Judge William O'Neill. And Justice Yvette McGee Brown, a Democrat, failed to keep her seat as the high court's first black woman, losing to Butler County Common Pleas Judge Sharon Kennedy, a Republican.

Looking Ahead To 2014: Kasich Leads Weak Field Of Democrats

Election Day 2012 was just two weeks ago, and it seems like all everyone is talking about is Election Day 2014.  The voting machines have yet to cool down, but speculation on who Democrats will run against Governor John Kasich is all over the news.

From the bumbling failure that is Ted Strickland and that laughable Congressman Moonbeam Tim Ryan, to the angry man continuing the corrupt politics of Cuyahoga County, Ed Fitzgerald, Democrats have an array of dreadful prospects to challenge Governor Kasich.

But that hasn't stopped Democrat Chairman Chris "I Don't Live In My House District" Redfern from touting a liberal polling firm's assessment that Democrats are just one point behind Kasich in a hypothetical 2014 matchup.

It was just great to see PolitiFact Ohio, the intellectually dishonest "fact checker," report on the poll, with their hack-job analysis proving their either incompetent or actually advancing Democrat talking points.

Maybe both.

Ohio Unemployment Falls, Continues To Outpace National Rate

The October unemployment rate for the Buckeye State was released this morning, and it comes in a full 1% lower than the national rate:

Ohio's unemployment rate was 6.9 percent in October, down from 7.1 percent in September, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment increased 13,900 over the month...

The U.S. unemployment rate for October was 7.9 percent, up from 7.8 percent in September... [Emphasis mine]

Ohio's rate has continued to outpace the national rate ever since voters replaced failed Governor Strickland back in November 2010.  And with last Tuesday's election results, it's crucial now more than ever to have strong state leadership. 

When Obama's policies start costing jobs right and left, it's those leaders that will keep Ohio's economy moving.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Your Newest Ohio Supreme Court Justice

It's one thing to lose a distinguished, experienced and knowledgeable  jurist like Justice Robert Cupp.  It's another completely to not only lose him, but have him replaced by an unqualified, ill-equipped former judge turned nurse.

But that's who you elected, Ohio.  Ladies and Gentlemen, Ohio Supreme Court Justice-elect Bill O'Neill.

Stay Classy, Democrats

In the aftermath of Governor Mitt Romney's loss on Tuesday, there's been numerous things said about the now-failed GOP presidential candidate, with many supporters of the President finally admitting that Romney is a pretty "classy" guy.  The President himself even said so:

There were just four people in the room when Obama received the call from Romney: the president, campaign manager Jim Messina and senior advisers David Axelrod and David Plouffe. 

The President expressed satisfaction that it was a “very classy” gesture in terms of how Romney handled the call.

It sure is nice that Democrats think Romney's a nice guy, now that the elections are over.  But where was that civility during the campaign?

Ohio Election Wrap-up

The results out of the election were bad, but not completely so. Here are some good things for Ohio Republicans to take out of 2012:

- Republicans still hold a large majority in the Ohio House, 60-39. ODP Chairman Chris Redfern will return to his seat representing the 89th district, even though he doesn't live there. He is expected to be the minority leader, and a small minority it will be.

- Republicans also still maintain a super-majority in the Ohio Senate, outnumbering Democrats 23-10.

- The Ohio delegation to Congress is 12 Republicans to 4 Democrats. Come 2013, Betty Sutton and Dennis Kucinich will no longer represent Ohioans in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This One Was On Us

Whether we like it or not, Ohio went blue yesterday.  President Barack Obama will get another four years in the Oval Office.  The result left many wondering what went wrong, so that Romney would not only lose, but lose by a significant electoral college margin.  So what happened?

We didn't show up.  That's right, this one was on us. And the sad part is, we had a path to victory, and just didn't take it.

Democrats even lent us a hand.  In the 16 counties won by President Obama, turnout was down a whopping 210,000 from the overall turnout in those counties in 2008.  That alone should have been enough to erase any Obama lead.

But we didn't take advantage of it, as turnout was down almost 125,000 from 2008 in counties won by Romney.  Democrats spotted us 85,000 votes... and we did diddly-squat with it.  And while Democrats will tout that their turnout advantage--another historical high on top of their 2008 high-water mark--it wouldn't have held if we'd had just shown up to the polls.

Democrats Showing Ignorance, Hubris

While many of us continue to comb through the results from last night, it seems Democrats are already turning their attention on 2014, showing not only their ignorance, but also a tremendous amount of hubris.

Photo courtesy of Karen Kasler, via Twitter.

Ohio puts Obama over the top

Obviously a disappointing night.

There were a lot of encouraging signs for our side, but the Obama turnout machine did its job well.

It's really scary to me that we are looking at trillion dollar deficits every year without end. This is completely unsustainable and we are on the road to Greece.

Also frightening is the flexibility we will soon be demonstrating to Russian thugs.

We'll keep fighting, and soon turn to keeping you updated on the 2014 races, which of course include the reelection campaign for Governor Kasich.

Good night, folks.

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Democrats Sending Unsolicited Campaign Messages

Whether they're painting profanity displayed on public roadways, or throwing coffee on Romney volunteers, Democrats seem to think breaking the law is a good campaign strategy.  Having just received a tip from a reader, it looks like our liberal friends are sending unsolicited text messages as well:

Luckily, this particular voter had a sense of humor about it. However, how the Obama campaign obtained his cell phone number remains a mystery. Perhaps the Obama campaign would like to be reminded of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act?

Guess what, the ODP is blowing it in Cuyahoga County. Again.

You likely won't remember, but in 2010 this blog reported about the underwhelming turnout in Cuyahoga County and its effect on the Ohio governor's race.


Well, it's happening again.


Not too long ago, the Ohio Democratic Party showed their first sign of desperation in a tweet - calling out NE Ohio and begging for higher turnout.

@OHDems

Don't regret today! We need your help RIGHT NOW to boost turnout in NE Ohio and put Dems over the edge

Why the call out?

Because in-person voting in Cuyahoga was just at 23% at 5:00pm.

So, what the heck is going on out there?

While we do expect some exit polling to be less than ideal, the real numbers on the ground are looking about as well as we could have hoped.

Turnout is heavy in red counties and underperforming in blue counties.

Rich Lowry from NRO has the rundown:

• Absentee and early vote activity is over 17 percent higher in counties McCain won than counties Obama won, compared to 2008.
• Turnout is higher in counties and media markets McCain carried in ’08 than in counties and markets Obama carried.
• There are 34 counties in Ohio that John McCain won where absentee and early vote turnout is over 120 percent of 2008. There are only 9 counties where Obama won four years ago where this is the case.
• @HotlineJosh: Overall, early vote turnout OH up 2.44% in state. Down -4.1% in Obama/Kerry counties; up 14.39% in Bush/McCain counties.

Classless Democrat Tactics Continue

The stories just keep piling up regarding today's election shenanigans.  And on my drive home from work today, I couldn't help but notice Romney's new campaign signs:

More on early voting data here in Ohio...

Earlier we talked about how early voting data indicated some positive news for Romney here in Ohio. Early/absentee voting in Democratic counties were underperforming 2008 numbers. In red counties that number was significantly up.

Another report this afternoon means even more good news.

Actual reported early voting data requires that early voting will represent no more than 32% of total vote in Ohio, while virtually every poll was weighted for early voting to occupy ~35-40% of total votes cast. 

 Now recall Obama did well in Ohio-specific polls among early voters, but lost to Romney by a significant margin among election day voters.

Obama supporter in Summit earns visit from cops, assault charge

As a Republican, it takes some guts to pass out slate cards and voter information in Summit County.

It's a key county for Democrats and is union heavy.

But that didn't stop Wayne Darlington from working his Coventry precinct as the line of cars grew longer in the parking lot.

Despite being positioned well outside the required distance from the polling location, an Obama supporter took it upon himself to berate Wayne and then, wait for it.....

....throw his 24 oz. cup of coffee at him.

Fortunately, the act was witnessed by two volunteers and the police were called.

Our understanding is the Obama supporter earned a visit from the Sheriff and is being charged with assault.

What is it with Democrats and coffee throwing anyway?

UPDATE: here are several media links covering the story:

OH GOP volunteer says voter threw coffee at his face, will press charges

Summit County: Republican Party volunteer assaulted

Man charged with assault at Summit County polling place

We don't blame you if you feel suppressed by the Black Panthers.

When you think of the Black Panthers, what comes to mind...?

Well, if you ask Wikipedia:

From the beginning, the Black Panther Party's focus on militancy came with a reputation for violence. The Panthers employed a California law that permitted carrying a loaded rifle or shotgun as long as it was publicly displayed and pointed at no one. Carrying weapons openly and making threats against police officers, for example, chants like "The Revolution has co-ome, it's time to pick up the gu-un. Off the pigs!", helped create the Panthers' reputation as a violent organization. 

So, when word has spread that the Black Panthers have swarmed polling locations in Ohio and Pennsylvania, one has to wonder what effect they have on voters.

If you saw someone affiliated with a group known for violence guarding a polling location or Board of Elections, would you be less interested in standing in line to vote?

One might even call this .... [gasp!] .... voter suppression!

What to watch for at 7:30 tonight...

The polls close tonight at 7:30.

At that time, and in the minutes after, we'll learn the early voting/counted absentee results.

Without a doubt, President Obama will be leading.

But by how much?

And what kind of lead will he need to compensate for the election day voters that will most assuredly be pro-Romney.

Conventional wisdom we're hearing is 60-40. That's the margin that matters.

What's Happening in Ohio

With all the polls and chest thumping by both sides, it's been hard to find real, serious data that provides some insight into what may happen here in Ohio.

Until this morning.

Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report has a comprehensive list of absentee/early voting results by county that indicate very good news for Ohio Republicans.

You can read it for yourself by clicking here.

But here's the down and dirty.

Wasserman looked at absentee/early data by county from 2004 and 2008, and compared it to what has been officially reported by the Secretary of State.

The results?

It's Time To Vote, Ohio

This is it.  Today, the only poll that matters comes out, and we the voters here in Ohio will undoubtedly hand the presidency to whoever wins this state.  After months of constant analysis and political campaigning, everything we've worked for comes to fruition in less than 12 hours.

If you haven't voted already, make sure you exercise your civic duty and cast your ballot before the polls close this evening.  If you know of any friends, family, neighbors--any like-minded individuals--that haven't yet voted, make sure they get to the polls.  The future of our nation is far too important for us to sit on the sidelines.

So who's most qualified to lead our nation at this time of economic uncertainty?

"I'm an American.  I make my destiny.  I deserve better.  My children deserve better!  My family deserves better!  My country deserves better!"

This is what we've been waiting for Ohio.  Time to make it happen.

Obama Thinks That Was Enthusiasm? Let's Show Him Real Enthusiasm

It's entertaining to hear from Ohio Democrats trying to spin the latest Obama rally as a success.  For those outside of the Columbus area, Obama held a rally today with The Boss and Jay-Z to help drum up support.  Heck, I know more than a few Republican Springsteen fans that turned out, just for the music.

Sadly for the Obama campaign, the rally could only fill a little more than two-thirds of the 21,000 seat Nationwide Arena, yet Democrats seem to think that was a success:

Final Polls: Romney Poised For Victory

Many in the media, and several slanted pollsters would have you believe that Obama is ahead and has maintained that lead here in Ohio.  And why question them, when the top line of many polls show Obama with a slight advantage (even if it is within the poll's margin of error):

But if you look at the actual data coming out of Ohio, this thing isn't even close.  As Nick pointed out yesterday, Romney has completely erased Obama's 2008 lead, just in the early voting numbers.

Given the discrepancies between the polls and what's actually happening on the ground here in Ohio, I took a look at all the numbers from every poll in the last two weeks, and not only took the data they were putting out, but measured it against the high-water marks for both parties in the past decade.  The results might surprise you:

Has Mitt Romney already won Ohio?

We've previously talked about the early vote game in Ohio and how the early numbers looked good for Republicans and not so good for Ohio Democrats. But those numbers were only looking at absentee ballot requests by mail. Now that early voting is almost complete, how are things looking for Mitt Romney and down-ticket Republicans?

They are looking very good. These numbers were released from the Romney campaign this morning, and include ALL early voting, both by mail and in-person.

Democrats have cast 557,177 ballots. A decrease of 154,911 from 2008.
Republicans have cast 480,843 ballots. An increase of 108,345 from 2008.

That's a net difference of 263,256 votes in favor of Republicans. In 2008, Barack Obama won Ohio by a margin of 262,224. Incredibly, before election day has even arrived, it appears that Mitt Romney has completely eliminated Obama's margin of victory.

The Obama/Brown War on Coal still killing Ohio jobs

Regular readers of this blog are familiar with how the extreme environmental policies of the Obama Administration are killing coal jobs in Ohio. Not only does Southeast Ohio's economy rely on a significant coal industry, but as a state, Ohio depends on coal for 82% of its electricity.

By voting to keep "Utility MACT", extreme left-wing Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown has wholeheartedly lined up next to Obama in his attack. Although he constantly attempts to paint himself as a friend to the coal industry, Ohioans and coal miners know better:

President Obama’s bullying regulatory measures, such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Utility MACT rule, which Senator Brown supported, while other Democrats from coal states like Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) did not, will have a direct impact on coal and coal-fired power plants in Ohio and other states. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce called the rule one of the most expensive in U.S. history because of the excessive burden it places on power plants.

Dr. Freud Would Be Proud, Joe

Vice President Joe Biden was caught speaking his mind again, and this time, it sure would make Dr. Sigmund Freud pretty darn proud:

"There's Never Been A Day In The Last Four Years I've Been Proud To Be His Vice President"

We agree, Joe.  There's never been a day in the last four years we've been proud of either of you.

Double Check Your Ballots on Election Day

Problems are beginning to arise with voting machines in Ohio. On election day, it is very important that you double check your ballots.

In Marion County, Joan Stevens went to vote early. As she tried to cast her vote for Mitt Romney on the electronic touch screen, Barack Obama's name lit up. It took Ms. Stevens three tries before her vote for Mitt Romney was accurately recorded.

Ms. Stevens informed a board of elections member, Jackie Smith, of the irregularity. Ms. Smith mentioned to Joan Stevens that the machine had been having problems all day. Joan Stevens also informed Sophia Rogers, the director of the board of elections for Marion County.

This problem with the machine could be a simple calibration issue. Ms. Rogers took the appropriate step and had the machine recalibrated. In a similar instance in North Carolina, elections officials had the machine inspected and recalibrated, according to FoxNews.

Dispatch: Obama's Bailout Left Many Behind

The Obama campaign likes to make a lot of fuss about the auto bailout, which used $82 billion of your tax dollars to confiscate the interests of auto industry bondholders and gave it to the likes of UAW and foreign companies like Fiat.  Not to mention, the government shuttered numerous car dealerships right here in Ohio.

Something Just Ain't Right: Romney Up With Independents, But Down Overall?

A new poll on the presidential election hit this morning, giving Obama a 50% to 45% edge over Romney in the Buckeye State.  With other polls showing the race much, much tighter, something just ain't right about that +5% Obama advantage.

So, as always, we looked at the numbers.

Quinnipiac has the race broken down with Democrats siding with Obama 92% - 6%, Republicans with Romney at 91% - 7%, and Independents favoring Romney 49% to 43%.  As we've said before, Independents are where elections are won, and almost every poll shows Romney clearly has the edge in this category.  But despite Romney being up 6% among the key electoral demographic, Obama is winning Ohio by 5%?

ODP Chairman Chris Redfern changes his story

Last week, we told you about how Chris Redfern, chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party and wanna-be pirate, is running for state representative in the 89th district. Problem is, the 89th consists of Erie and Ottawa Counties in northern Ohio along the lake, and Redfern lives in Bexley, over 100 miles away.

When the ODP published its list of delegates to the DNC Convention, Redfern even listed his residence as Bexley there as well. After we exposed this on their website, they removed the file to try to hide the truth.

Further, Redfern just bought a new house in the Columbus area this year, his second, and his Port Clinton house in the district is for sale.

Ohio Democratic Party Chairman laughs at Erie and Ottawa County voters - Toledo Blade Photo

Tom Jackson from the Sandusky Register picked up on our story and questioned Redfern.

Romney Showing Strength, Democrats Showing Desperation

As Obama has seen his lead in numerous swing states erode--and even vanish--the Romney campaign has been looking to expand the map.  Latest news out of the Keystone State has Romney making a major push in Pennsylvania with his latest ad buy:

Mitt Romney’s campaign has bought air time in Pennsylvania, saying in a memo that the Democratic-leaning state now represents an opportunity for the Republican campaign. 

“Pennsylvania presents a unique opportunity for the Romney campaign,” political director Rich Beeson wrote. “Mitt Romney is more competitive in the voter-rich Philadelphia suburbs than any Republican nominee since 1988.”

This is a major move by the Romney campaign.  While Ohio is a traditional swing state, and has garnered much deserved attention this election cycle, Pennsylvania is a center-left state, going Democrat in every presidential election in the last two decades.  A month ago, Pennsylvania was swinging as much as 12% in Obama's favor--now RealClearPolitics has it rated as a toss-up.

Romney's move in to the state shows he sees an opportunity to expand the map, making a show of strength in a play for more than the necessary 270 electoral votes to take the White House.

But that doesn't mean Democrats won't try to spin it their way.

Union Group's Issue 2 FAIL Continues

Last week, the union front group We Are Ohio sent out this email, highlighting that they are finally on television, advertising for a Yes on Issue 2, despite the ad saying nothing about what the proposal actually does...

Dennis Willard has been the Communications Director for We Are Ohio since the Issue 2 campaign last year.  He's on staff, paid for by the money unions steal...err... appropriate from their members.

So would someone please tell Dennis that his YouTube page is STILL advertising "No on Issue 2," as we pointed out over two weeks ago?!

Kasich's Approval Carrying Weight in Ohio

On the way into work today, I heard a familiar voice endorsing U.S. Senate Candidate, and Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel.

“I’m blessed to have the privilege to lead our great state, and I’m proud to say we’re turning things around and getting Ohioans back to work... For Ohio to continue to do better, we need new leadership in Washington that will put the best interests of Ohio first. We need new leaders like Josh Mandel.”

The ad is incredibly effective, not simply because of its content--Mandel certainly will help turn Washington around and help keep Ohio's economy improving--but because of the guy delivering the message: Governor John Kasich.

According to the new Ohio Newspaper Poll, Governor Kasich is getting the job done, earning the approval of 56% of Ohioans.  And that number comes not only from Republican allies, but from almost every demographic:

New poll: Renacci beating Sutton by 10 points, hits 51%

After last years redistricting process in which Ohio lost two congressional seats, a showdown was set up in the 16th congressional district. Longtime liberal and Pelosi puppet Betty Sutton was drawn into the same district as Jim Renacci, a self-made businessman serving his freshman term in Congress.

Sutton was elected to the old 13th district seat formerly held by Sherrod Brown, after he left it to join the Senate. This was a very blue district, and Betty Sutton is basically a female clone of Sherrod. This ad from the Congressional Leadership Fund highlights her left-wing voting record.



While some on the left have deluded themselves into believing that Renacci is losing the race, a new poll suggest just the opposite. From Wes Anderson with OnMessage Inc:

Ohio Democratic Party scrubs website of Redfern's Bexley residence

Two days ago, we informed you of the emerging story regarding Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern and his candidacy for state representative for Ohio's 89th district, which consists of Erie and Ottawa Counties. He doesn't live there.

One of the main pieces of evidence is a press release on the ODP's own website. The page is an announcement of who had been chosen as Ohio delegates to the Democratic National Convention. Towards the bottom there is a link that said "The full list is available online as a download here." Clicking on that link brought up an Excel file listing all of the delegates and what city in Ohio they were from.

Obama's perpetual lie about the auto industry

Barack Obama has told some whoppers in his pursuit of a second term. But the biggest lie of all is that he saved the auto industry, particularly here in Ohio. Senator Rob Portman has penned an op-ed exposing the Obama campaign’s dishonesty.

President Obama Doesn't Support Small Business

President Obama’s visit to Cleveland yesterday included plenty of rhetoric but little else for those wondering what he stands for.

Plenty of Ohioans still can’t figure out whether President Obama stands in support of small business owners.  He claims to support the American worker, but how can you support the worker but not the person that employs them?

Ultimately, Ohio’s small business owners are left to deal with his unnecessary rules and regulations that do nothing but slow their growth.  These are the same people that hire the workers Obama claims to support.

I think most people would agree that 4,200 incoming regulations upon small businesses makes it harder them to expand their business and hire new employees.

How about $515 billion; the estimated cost of these regulations?  You can’t be pro worker by forcing small business owners to lay off employees so they can pay for duplicate and overbearing regulations.

ODP Chairman Residency Scandal: New Evidence Emerges

Just this Wednesday, we broke the news that Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern, candidate for Ohio House District 89, doesn't actually live in his district.  And it's not even close.  His actual residence is some 120 miles from HD 89, in Bexley, a suburb of Columbus.

And after some digging, the evidence just keeps piling up.

Yesterday, Third Base Politics was tipped off by a commenter that not only does Redfern not live in the 89th district, the property he maintains there is for sale.

Ted Strickland loses it on CNN trying to rewrite his legacy

This video is a couple of weeks old, but it's still amusing to watch. After the first debate where Mitt Romney wiped the floor with President Downgrade, Candy Crowley of CNN held a conversation about Ohio with former governor Ted Strickland and Attorney General Mike DeWine.

Watch how DeWine politely lets Strickland have his say, but then when it's the other way around, Ted can't keep his cool and constantly interrupts DeWine.



Nice hissy fit, Ted. Denying there was ever a budget shortfall, and calling everyone a liar. That's the best Ted can do to salvage his failed legacy. What makes it even more pathetic? Getting smacked down by Mike DeWine. Priceless.

BREAKING: ODP Chair Running For State Rep, Lives Outside The District

Democrats in Ohio recently have been trying to stir controversy over an apparent clerical error up in Ottawa County, which resulted in some misinformation going to voters in the area.  Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern was all over it:

"There is no excuse... to botch their most basic job, notifying voters when and where to exercise their right to vote," said a statement from Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern, who resides in Ottawa County. (Emphasis mine).

Looks like Chris Redfern certainly has been spending a lot of time focusing on Ottawa County, but apparently he hasn’t spent enough time there. According to the Ottawa County Board of Elections these postcards began arriving last week.  So why did it take so long for Chris Redfern to ask in the first place? Shouldn’t he have known about this before it happened since he “lives” there?

Or perhaps there's another explanation: Chris Redfern, candidate for Ohio House District 89, doesn't actually live in House District 89, as required by the law.

Give Brown The Pink Slip

Dems sue Sheriffs to let inmates vote for Barack

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It has been apparent that the Obama campaign does not have the momentum it had in 2008. To try and make up for their lackluster performance, the Obama campaign is now concerned about those who become incarcerated the final three days before the election.

Fair Elections Ohio has filed a class-action lawsuit to require Ohio’s elections boards to “provide a means of voting for all confined voters that is at least equivalent to that provided for hospitalized persons.”

Republican early vote gains in Ohio are holding

In 2008, Republicans trailed Democrats by a 20-point margin on absentee ballot applications, which included voting by mail and in-person early voting. Three weeks ago, we updated you on the huge gains that Ohio Republicans have made in the early voting game. We told you that based on mail-in applications so far in 2012, that we had narrowed the gap down to 6.5 points, a huge improvement.

A liberal commenter, known for being wrong a lot, retorted that once people started voting early in person, that that gap was going to open back up to 2008 levels. His rationale was that Republicans had the edge in early voting by mail, where as Democrats held the edge in voting in person.

That theory is proven wrong in two ways. First, if you look at Cuyahoga County, the largest in the state, you will see that fully 75% of the early vote in 2008 was by mail. Since the early vote deficit there was a staggering 37 points in 2008, the notion that Republicans win the mail-in vote is preposterous, and apparently was just another lie pulled out of the air in a lame attempt to form some sort of a comeback to the bad news we reported.

Obama Losing Ground in Every Major Demographic

Obama's victory in 2008 was by a 7% margin, what many Democrats want you to believe was a landslide victory.  Considering some major polls had him up double-digits in the days leading up to the election, that's not exactly a "landslide," but a decisive victory, nonetheless.  And Barack Obama did it with support from nearly every major demographic group.

Unfortunately for the President, that support has eroded... dramatically.  According to Gallup, the President has lost significant ground in nearly every major demographic group from where he was in 2008:

Real Leadership On China Will Level The Playing Field

Guest Post by U.S. Congressman Pat Tiberi

Why are 23 million Americans unemployed, underemployed, or so discouraged that they have given up looking for work? Why are 47 million Americans – including 1.7 million Ohioans – on food stamps? Why have median household incomes dropped more than $4,500 since President Obama took office?

The American economy is complex and, no doubt, a variety of factors are in play. But we should not discount the role of China’s unfair trade practices and President Obama’s inability to address these barriers.

Since President Obama took office, as Mitt Romney has rightly been pointing out, the United States has lost over half a million manufacturing jobs, while China has seen a 25 percent increase in its own manufacturing. Indeed, in 2011, China became “the world’s top manufacturing country,” surpassing the United States, which had been world’s largest producer of goods for more than a century.

How did this happen?

Another Issue 2 FAIL

After stealing money from their members, big labor interests were expected to make waves this year asking voters to give up their voice and pass Issue 2 at the ballot this November.  So, when I kept seeing 'No' on Issue 2 television ads, I was left wondering, when is big labor going to release their television campaign?

And then I got this email from We Are Ohio--the union front group that spent enough money to buy a private island defeating Issue 2 last year--touting their new radio ads:

That can't be all.  With all the money they steal... err... assess from their members, unions have to be able to get on television.  So I looked for their YouTube page, only to find this huge FAIL:

Vice President Joey Giggles thinks our serious issues are funny

Last night's debate between Paul Ryan and Joe Biden didn't produce a clear winner. We knew that Biden was going to come out and be very aggressive. He brought the emotion, while Ryan brought reasoned arguments. In the end, I don't think anyone changed their votes.

But anybody watching had to be wondering why our Vice President behaved like such a jackass. He constantly interrupted, made outrageous faces and laughed while Ryan spoke. He was obnoxious and rude. That left a bad taste in the mouths of independent and undecided voters. One lady in CNN's focus group said he acted like "a buffoon".

Here's a quick video the RNC put together showing Biden laughing hysterically over such hilarious issues as Iran possessing a nuclear weapon.



No. We aren't laughing.

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Obama's national campaign spokesman abruptly ends tough Ohio radio interview

Ben LaBolt, national spokesman for the Obama campaign, called in to Cleveland's WTAM radio today for an interview with Bob Frantz. Hilarity quickly ensues as LaBolt keeps trying to push the Romney $5 trillion tax cut talking point, that even Stef Cutter has admitted is a lie. Stick around until the end of the interview after LaBolt angrily hangs up. The traffic guy's reaction is priceless.



These guys can't take a tough interview with real questions.

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Ed FitzGerald: Just another corrupt Cuyahoga County politician

Those of us who live in Northeast Ohio know the name Jimmy DiMora all too well. Other Ohioans may not, so what follows is a very compressed version of the last four years.

Jimmy DiMora on his way to jail - Plain Dealer Photo

Cuyahoga County, home to Cleveland, had been the subject of rumors of corruption for years. Roughly 4 years ago, it was revealed that the FBI had begun an investigation. The highest level culprit was Commissioner Jimmy DiMora, but literally dozens of county office holders and staff were arrested, including the County Auditor and a sitting judge. DiMora was recently sentenced to 28 years in prison for 33 corruption-related charges.

The stench of corruption, kickbacks and payoffs in Cuyahoga County was so bad, that the voters didn't just kick people out of office, they voted to completely overhaul the entire structure of county government. No longer are there three commissioners, but a county council and a county executive.

Obama's Latest Ad Shows His Desperation

After an abysmal debate showing by President Obama, the polls have Romney closing in swing states throughout the nation--and Gallup today has Romney +2% over Obama in their latest national survey.  Voters throughout the nation agreed that Romney presented a strong case for his election, outlining his agenda and providing far more details than Obama.

Obama's Regulatory Mess

President Obama is visiting Columbus today to boost his campaign and will no doubt celebrate Friday’s news that the unemployment rate has dropped below 8%. 

Ohio’s message to President Obama; welcome to the club.

How much better would the national unemployment rate be if the President followed Ohio’s model of actually encouraging business growth?

 

According to the NFIB the Obama Administration has over 4,000 regulations in the pipeline just waiting to be enacted upon small business owners.  This avalanche of over- regulation could cost our economy over $500 billion and stifle small businesses that are already struggling to stay afloat.

Nobody is disputing the fact that reasonable government regulation of business is warranted and necessary, it clearly is.  However, enacting duplicate and needless regulations requires small business owners to shift resources from actually growing their business and hiring new employees to responding to mountains of paperwork.

Best. Parody. Ever. Obama phone lady.

This is one of the funniest song parodies I've ever heard. Just had to share.



And here's another good one!



VOTE!! Which is the funnier Obama phone lady song?





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Debate #1: Romney buries President Empty Chair McTeleprompter

Last night, my friends, was a classic butt-kicking.

Mitt Romney just dominated the debate in Denver. He appeared every bit competent and presidential. He was assertive but respectful to the President. He looked him in the eye both when he was speaking and when Obama was speaking to him. To the low-information voters out there who have just started to pay attention and tuned in to see if this Romney fellow has what it takes to be President, Mitt delivered. Big time.

Obama, on the other hand, was his usual bumbling stumbling self without his teleprompter. He often strayed all over the place getting in his varied memorized talking points. He was on the defensive most of the night and frequently reverted to the old excuse of blaming his predecessor.

He could rarely bring himself to look Romney in the eye. My mother-in-law texted me, "Why is Obama looking down so much?". Indeed, the President appeared to be very much wishing he was somewhere else.

Even his usual cheerleaders conceded that he got stomped. Check out the glorious meltdown by Chris Matthews who exclaimed, "What was Romney doing? He was WINNING!"

Does Obamacare Cover Butt-Kickings?

Ouch.  I don't know how there can still be undecideds out there, but after debate #1, I think there are less of you.

Cross-Posted: TobyToons.com (Conservative Political Cartoons)

Don't Worry Taxpayers, You Got This!

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Thank you for another burden on the taxpayers, President Obama. Lockheed Martin, one of the top 5 defense contractors, released that it would not be issuing layoff notices this year. "Citing guidance from the White House released Sept. 28 that the government would shoulder the cost of potential lawsuits if broad factory closing are required, the company has decided not to issue notices that it previously said would be required under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, Lockheed Martin spokeswoman Jennifer Allen wrote in an email."

Well, isn't that nice. You, me and every other taxpaying citizen in the United States will be paying for the White House's request that Lockheed Martin hold off on sending out layoff notices. It is not a mere coincidence that the White House is trying to delay these WARN notices until after the November election. 

Biden accidentally lets the truth slip

It’s been said that a politician commits a gaffe when he accidentally tells the truth. In a moment of uncharacteristic honesty, Job Biden did just that today in North Carolina. Here he is, explaining that the middle class has been “buried the last four years.”

Will Michelle Obama Eat Her Peas?

The First Lady and her husband are fond of telling everyone, from school children to adults, to "eat their peas". But, will she do the same during her campaign appearance on Tuesday in Cincinnati, when it comes to tough issues that voters want answers to? 

Interestingly enough, I overheard my neighbor speaking to an OFA-Ohio canvasser last night. My neighbor is a registered democrat. So, I can see why the canvasser was targeting their household. What the canvasser didn't expect was to be berated about the failed policies of his candidate. At the end of the exchange, my neighbor said "I'm worried about the spiritual and moral compass of this country. And, your guy isn't the answer.". The poor OFA-Ohio canvasser walked away completely dumbfounded.

Absentee ballot data not looking good for Democrats

One of the keys to Barack Obama's victory in Ohio in 2008 was the early voting game. Ohio Democrats tapped into the enthusiasm advantage they had and got their voters to vote early in overwhelming numbers. On election day itself, John McCain actually won. But Obama had such a large lead with votes already banked, that he won Ohio and put the nail in McCain's coffin.

We have analyzed some polls this year that used ridiculous samples with Democrats outnumbering Republicans by 8 points or more. For example, a recent NBC/WSJ/Marist poll used a Dem +10 sample, and the latest Ohio poll used a preposterous sample with 48% Democrats.

We have argued that these polls are not accurate because in 2008, which was the height of the blue Obama wave, Democrats outnumbered Republicans by 8 points on election day. One of our trolls countered that since every single voter got an absentee ballot application in the mail this year, that Democrat turnout would further increase.