First, I hope things do not turn out the way they seem to right now, i.e. with a loss in an important election. I do try to be an optimist!
In 4 weeks, Ohioans will vote to preserve or cancel a bill called Senate Bill 5, which limits the negotiating power of public-worker unions, so that costs for local governments can be brought down from the stratosphere. Our Republican governor and Republican legislature (23-10 in the Senate, 58-40 in the House) passed this bill, which includes unions for police and fire departments: one can debate whether that was strategically wise.
Second, it is to the credit of Governor John Kasich and the Republicans in the legislature that they passed this bill.
Here is my lament:
Almost immediately, the unions (all of them, not just public sector) organized a “grass-roots” campaign to repeal Senate Bill 5 in a referendum. A massive propaganda campaign was launched: misleading and even downright lying ads and claims sprouted everywhere. Door-to-door petitions were circulated: organizers were seen at parks, rock concerts, spring festivals, and churches. Even my own local Catholic Church was conned into announcing – from the pulpit! – that “Senate Bill 5 takes away all collective bargaining rights from the middle class,” a claim so outrageous that some people resigned from the parish immediately: the pastor published an apology in the bulletin a week later, saying he had misunderstood what the union-member parishioner had said (Ha!), but the damage was done.
Bumper stickers and yard signs popped up everywhere to “Repeal 5!” in November.
Former Vice-President Cheney admitted in an interview this year that one of the W. Bush administration’s biggest errors, if not its #1 biggest error, was to stay silent in the face of all the lying, distorted charges screamed by the Left, not to bother countering point by point the Big Lies proclaimed, and simply to shrug and assume that the game was rigged by the media, and so it was not worth their while to enter such a debate.
Ohio Republicans have copied that mistaken strategy. For months and months, as television and radio ads with Very Earnest Policemen and Firemen and Nurses almost cried on camera about the extremely unfair and even dangerous nature of Senate Bill 5, the Republicans responded with…silence. Only in the last weeks have some ads finally appeared to counter the months and months of falsehoods and warped propaganda.
Things became worse. In the summer, Republicans saw fit to vote for pay raises….for the legislative staff!!!
Staffers for both Republicans and Democrats in the Ohio Senate got pay raises this summer in the aftermath of state budget cuts and the passage of a law limiting public employee unions, state records show.
Payroll data reviewed by The Associated Press show 19 Senate caucus employees – not quite 20 percent of the staff – got pay hikes since July worth about $160,000 combined. Four employees – the chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, finance director, and clerk – saw bumps of more than $8,000 a year each on salaries already around $100,000.
See:
And so they handed the Democrat-Union coalition an ace. It goes without saying that the Democrat minority in the legislature was quite happy to see this! Now it is quite possible that the paper-pushing staff deserved a pay raise: but if we are asking the fire departments and police, whose jobs carry the daily risk of death, to pay more for their retirement and hospitalization, this pay-raise – during such a political campaign – was worse than unwise, it was just downright moronic!
It would have been better for the Republican-controlled legislature to vote themselves and their staff a 10% pay cut as proof of the seriousness of Ohio’s budgetary problems.
No, why would they do that???
And so, it is possible that Senate Bill 5 may still be preserved despite all these stupidities. But right now, I am expecting the worst.
If the worst happens, let us hope that the defeat will be a huge warning to the national Republicans that they absolutely must respond – point by point – to the lies proclaimed by The Left. They absolutely must go on the offensive with positive reasons why a Conservative solution is the right one: e.g. has anyone yet seen or heard an ad against BIG BRObama’s “Jobs” Bill with the simple counter-argument that if nearly $1,000,000,000,000 has not brought down unemployment at all, but has only darkened our economic future with more debt, how on earth will adding another $500,000,000,000 (and yes, let’s use those zeroes as part of our technique to open people’s eyes) suddenly solve anything?
Plus, like Caesar’s wife, Republicans must remain above reproach: weak candidates or incumbents touched by scandal need to be told good-bye. Anything similar to the Ohio pay-raise stupidity during an austerity campaign needs to be avoided like the plague.
And if Senate Bill 5 is defeated, expect the result to be “nationalized” by the Dems and the MSM!
Moe Lane
PG DeFreese
Victoria Coates
Daniel Horowitz
Dan Spencer
Ausonius, how can we help?
explodinghead (Diary) Sunday, October 9th at 6:18PM EST (link)Is the Tea Party or any PAC supporting ads to help defend Senate Bill 5? Is there a website that takes donations to fund the ads?
To Support Ohio Senate Bill 5, Which Reins In Public-Sector Union Power
Ausonius (Diary) Sunday, October 9th at 7:10PM EST (link)Yes, here is the pro-reform website: (I hope this works!)
Support Ohio Senate Bill 5
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
The Ohio tax payers are going to have to live with
carolina Sunday, October 9th at 7:15PM EST (link)the results. I imagine most folks are paying attention to this pocketbook issue. It would be helpful if the voters had some idea just how much it will cost them if SB 5 is defeated. I hope folks have paid attention to the good results in WI.
The Ohio tax payers are going to have to live with
carolina Sunday, October 9th at 7:15PM EST (link)the results. I imagine most folks are paying attention to this pocketbook issue. It would be helpful if the voters had some idea just how much it will cost them if SB 5 is defeated. I hope folks have paid attention to the good results in WI.
The Lack of Such A Campaign Ad With That Information Is Precisely The Problem
Ausonius (Diary) Sunday, October 9th at 7:33PM EST (link)Carolina: that is an excellent idea for an ad, but have we seen anything even close to that.
Not really: there are two occasional spots, with the Mayor of Toledo, an Afro-American and former fire chief, and a small-town teacher, who both quickly talk about costs, but how much can be explained in 15 to 30 seconds?
But these are not as effective as e.g. the nurse talking about heartless Republicans lowering staff levels in hospitals – with the implication that your child or parent will die as a result!
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
National Union Money vs. Ohio Republicans
Ausonius (Diary) Sunday, October 9th at 9:16PM EST (link)Jason Hart has a diary showing how out-of-state money from national unions has influenced the campaign about Senate Bill 5:
See:
Behind The We Are Ohio Curtain
And so whom do we have to counter them?
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
The most recent ad
Paula (Diary) Monday, October 10th at 1:49AM EST (link)shows that schools will have to cut teachers and cities will have to cut firefighters if this doesn’t pass. It’s somewhat more effective than previous ads Better Ohio has presented, but still not comparable to the sob stories the other side is bombarding us with. Actually, I’m not sure the new ad is from Better Ohio – I don’t see it on their website, so it may be from an outside group.
The ad they need to run is a couple of retired teachers living in their pricey retirement community on the golf course sipping lemonade on the veranda.Show the dollar figure of their taxpayer-funded retirement account. Then show retired private sector workers living in a trailer park outside of town and how much their social security check is every month. That is what will resonate with the 75% of workers who work in the private sector and are funding this million dollar retirement funds.
Also, I saw a DNC ad here today promoting Obama’s jobs bill. So what? They want us to call Kucinich? OK, I’ll get right on that.
Paula
My blog: Bold Colors
Follow me on Twitter: pbolyard
Republicans: The Great Frustrators!
Ausonius (Diary) Monday, October 10th at 6:12AM EST (link)Rather than following The Great Cummunicator, they seem intent on aping the failed media techniques of W. Bush and McCain, the first had none and the other chose a technique of pussyfooting around MAObama’s complete lack of qualifications and his radical background.
Your ad proposal is most excellent! So where are such ads? Do Republicans really not have the funds? The ad Governor Kasich has done is nice, but as you mentioned, the emotionalism of the Dem/Union ads will not be countered with a mild-mannered “we need to balance the budget and we aren’t really hurting anybody” statement.
Speaking of whom, Kasich’s proposal to “negotiate” and “compromise” with the Repeal 5 Campaign in the hope of avoiding the referendum, a proposal which of course they rejected, showed only weakness and increased the Unions’ salivation to crush him big-time in a month.
Why did he propose such a thing?! Their counter-offer to his “Let’s compromise” was: Repeal Senate Bill 5!!! And this was predictable. Dems do not compromise: they want Republicans to “compromise” by rolling over 100%.
Just more frustration!
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
Freedomworks just announced a campaign for OH SB 5
carolina Monday, October 10th at 8:22PM EST (link)Their announcement said they are working with local tea party groups. I hope they are able to provide some good support.
Union Money vs. Average People
Ausonius (Diary) Tuesday, October 11th at 8:11AM EST (link)This article says that unions and Dems have spent nearly $2 million dollars on TV ads to repeal Senate Bill 5.
Supporters of lower government spending have spent c. $750,000.
See:
http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/oct/10/sb-5-foes-take-command-in-tv-advertising/?newswatch
Can you buy an election?
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
Ausonius, contact me and I may be able to help
ColdWarrior (Diary) Thursday, October 13th at 12:24AM EST (link)Please send me an email at coldwarrior1978 at gmail dot com.
Thank you.
ColdWarrior
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Propaganda Must Be Attacked: "Virtuous" Silence Does Not Work
Ausonius (Diary) Wednesday, October 12th at 7:57AM EST (link)The most recent poll by Quinnipiac in late September, 6 weeks before the election, showed repeal of Senate Bill 5 favored by 51% to 38%.
To be sure, in July the the gap was worse, over 20%, and we know that Quinnipiac is not the most accurate of the polls.
This demonstrates that yes, elections can be bought, and that silence in the face of relentless propaganda is no virtue.
Also involved: the bill may have been too ambitious in lumping police and firemen with bureaucrats. Several people who favor the bill have mentioned that aspect as a problem.
Plus, getting out the truth these days is not as easy as it might seem: many do not bother to inform themselves.
The Wall Street Journal today has an editorial by Peter Funt on the public’s lack of understanding and knowledge of basic news:
“… today’s boutique media allow many people to skip news altogether. You can set your Internet home page so that it serves up only what you’re interested in. You can watch video via Hulu or YouTube and never encounter a smidgen of news. You can listen 24/7 to satellite radio or other digital music services and not be bothered by reportage from the outside world. …
“When I asked a college media class of 40 students recently if they read a daily newspaper, two hands went up. When I clarified that online newspaper sites qualified, three more hands were raised. Yet everyone in the class claimed to be at least generally aware of the news. I was told that “important stuff” gets relayed by text, tweet or other social media.
While that’s often true, it contributes to the total inversion of the traditional process by which news is disseminated. Anyone who has ever worked in a newsroom is familiar with the most basic debate among journalists: Should we give the public what it wants to know, or what it ought to know? The best prescription has always been a combination of both”
See:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203499704576623022643257778.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEFTTopOpinion
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
Update: Part II of "Moronic Ohio Republicans" Show How To Lose In 2012
Ausonius (Diary) Monday, October 17th at 8:05AM EST (link)Just incredible stupidity!
An old woman appeared in an ad supporting the repeal of Ohio Senate Bill 5, which (rightly) limits public unions’ bargaining power, so that the state treasury cannot be looted by them.
The ad says she supports SB 5′s repeal because firefighters must be able to bargain about levels of safety, and her granddaughter was saved by brave firefighters, blah blah blah.
The Republican opposition trying to save the bill decided in their way of whizdumb to take her speech and use a line out of context in one of their ads….to make it seem as if she were supporting Senate Bill 5!!!
Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. They then act innocent, claiming that she became a “public person” by appearing the Dem/Union ad, and so they did not need her permission, which of course is not the point. They took her words out of context! Anyone who knows the repeal-SB 5 ad understands that immediately!
Instead of countering her ill-thought argument with something sensible, the idiots do something idiotic to make themselves weaker than ever before.
And so now we have the grandmother back on TV and fuming about how “desperate” the pro-SB 5 are by taking her words out of context and making it seem that she supports this dreadful, dangerous bill blah blah blah.
And so – once again – incompetent Republicans hand an issue on a platinum platter to the Dems/Unions/Socialists.
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
Update: $50 Million in Union Money Wins Election In Ohio
Ausonius (Diary) Tuesday, November 8th at 9:01PM EST (link)The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting the repeal of SB5, which restricts public-sector union power, winning by 2/3 in northeast Ohio.
See:
http://www.cleveland.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/11/issue_2_early_ohio_election_re.html
The incompetence of the Ohio Republicans – including Gov. Kasich and the Republicans in the state legislature who stayed mute for months in the face of months and months of lying propaganda from unions on TV and radio – has been startling, dismaying, and depressing.
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
They should have left the fire/policemen out
carolina Tuesday, November 8th at 9:30PM EST (link)like Walker did in WI.
So, folks will get the tax hikes they voted for, and rtw states will get the jobs!
Too bad for OH.
This is like a zombie film
izoneguy (Diary) Tuesday, November 8th at 9:38PM EST (link)Just when you think they are dead and buried they come alive…..
Ohio business’s will be the walking dead before long.
Let’s see how many business people say they have had it with Ohio.
And the Gov. said they had turned the corner……
The point cannot be made often enough: Modern liberalism, as embodied in the Obama presidency, is the defender of the status quo. And the status quo is a road to economic ruin. Political forces cannot redistribute the wealth that the economic system does not produce.
Voters In Ohio Are Passing An Issue Preventing Romneyish Hell-th Care
Ausonius (Diary) Tuesday, November 8th at 10:50PM EST (link)I think that if Ohio voters had been informed of the real consequences in Issue 2, that they will end up with fewer firemen and police when municipal bankruptcy looms, that it would have been upheld.
Issue 3, preventing any kind of RomneyCare, is passing by 2/3! Voters understand that issue! It seems very odd that they would pass this issue for “health care freedom of choice,” yet allow themselves to be blackmailed by public-service unions in the future by canceling Issue 2.
Ohio, however, has been known to send one Republican and one Democrat Senator to D.C.
We will see what happens long term!
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com