The Enquirer reports that Mayor Mark Mallory is in Gifu, Japan to celebrate 20 years of Gifu being a sister city to Cincinnati. He was in China last summer for a similar celebration. I hope the cost of this trip is not being borne by the taxpayers. I have no reason to think it is, but you can be sure we'll find out. I'll reserve comment until we know.And...
Sen. Bob Schuler's Senate seat remains open. The furious lobbying has begun. Sen. Schuler will be missed.
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"Governor Strickland is doing an appalling job for Ohio." Why is this in quotes? Because those words--as true as they are--do not come from me. That is the title of a recent column written by respected political columnist Brent Larkin of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Read his column on Gov. Strickland here. Brent Larkin is not a Republican and hardly a shill for the Ohio GOP. His column is spot-on. About Strickland, he writes, "[N]oboby should believe he's a good governor--because he's not." He then goes on to say, "[t]he lack of leadership this governor has shown throughout this crisis is nothing short of appalling." Tough words. And it doesn't get any nicer after that. Governor Strickland has been a terrible governor of this state. His nice-guy image has certainly worn off as the state faces serious problems that he is incapable of managing. He is playing politics to assure his re-election in 2010 and political observers everywhere are taking notice. The voters are not far behind.
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Speaking of Governors, John Kasich's campaign is in overdrive already. John is a fantastic political candidate and an incredibly intelligent guy. He will be elected our next Governor in 2010.
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Greg Harris voted for the wasteful and unnecessary Environmental Justice Ordinance. He supported Laketa Cole during her dust-up with the police by questioning police tactics rather than condemning her abuse of power. And, now, he is making ridiculous assertions about policing the city. That guy has got to go.
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I can't believe that Al Franken will be a United States Senator. How Minnesotans can get it so right sometimes (Gov. Tim Pawlenty) and so wrong other times (Jesse Ventura and Al Franken) amazes me.
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Back to the Brent Larkin article on Governor Strickland...here are a few more highlights:
- "But that a governor actually advocated a reckless policy that would destroy Ohio's fine system of public libraries shows how completely clueless he is about the state he's lived in pretty much all his life."
- "Strickland acts as if that future begins and ends with his 2010 re-election campaign."
- "[H]is administration operates on an inexcusable double standard."
- "Strickland is, by no small margin, the worst governor for Cleveland in my lifetime."
- "If Strickland were a Republican, this state's many advocates for children would be burning him in effigy on the Statehouse lawn. But while these folks are extraordinarily well meaning, most are also Democrats. So their criticism of this governor is shamefully gentle. "
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I'm off to the beach.
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Have a great Wednesday.
