Saturday, February 28, 2009

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday...

Did you do what this guy is doing when you saw the Obama budget? I did.

And...

I see that there is an announced Democratic candidate for the 2nd Congressional District. Who is he? Never heard of him.

And...

We have a busy week ahead at HQ. This week, I will attend an urban GOP chairman's meeting in Columbus. We will have several meetings with candidates and hopefully launch our new website.

And...

Our Committee 2010 is set to meet the week after next. This important committee will take a look at strategies for promoting our candidates who work at the township, city and village level for higher office. If you haven't already, sign-up to join us by e-mailing Maggie at maggien@hc-gop.org.

And...

I can feel momentum building for the GOP everywhere I go. The spending and wastefulness of the Democrats has finally begun to energize our people.

And...

Have a great Saturday.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Friday Fun

I saw this video this morning and thought it was hysterical...and very true...even if a little vulgar.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

State of the City

I attended the State of the City address last night.

First, I'll disclose that I am a big fan of the city of Cincinnati. I love our downtown and all the great city neighborhoods. Too often, good suburban Republicans see downtown as disconnected, Democrat controlled territory that is hostile. We should not. Hamilton county has a a vibrant city center with a tremendous arts community, professional sports, great dining, and much to offer the region.

So, last night was a celebration of the city. That part of the evening was non-partisan. There is much to celebrate and Republicans should be part of celebrating what is good. I enjoyed that celebration.

Mayor Mallory is eloquent and personable. His remarks focused on the partnerships that exist between city government and the private sector. He did a nice job.

Councilmember Chris Monzel offered his remarks as a "Republican Response" after Mayor Mallory spoke. Of course, I found Chris' remarks to be more in line with how I see things developing in the city. Chris talked about a focus on public safety and basic city services. He talked about his opposition to the Mayor's proposal on street cars. As our senior Republican on the city council, Chris Monzel did a great job.

I rarely complain about our local media on this blog. I find the local folks to be mostly fair. I am disappointed that WLWT, Channel 5, was the only TV station to cover Chris' remarks. I applaud the radio and print journalists that understood the fundamental fairness in covering a Republican on this night and for showing up. This is a city election year and the Mayor is a candidate. After giving the Democratic mayor such great coverage, I wish the other three TV news networks had given our candidate at least some voice. We'll continue to work respectfully with the media.

Finally, we are working on a couple of key issues as it relates to what is happening at city hall. I am watching with great interest the NAACP's actions as it relates to our mayor. My early research tells me that this venerable civil rights organization will provide significant evidence that the mayor and his city administration have not been inclusive of minorities in conducting the city's business. The leadership of our local NAACP feels that way.

As Republicans, we have always stood against quotas and set-asides based on race and we should. But, we can also stand for inclusion and Republicans have always stood for equal opportunity for everyone.

We'll keep watching.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Donate



Want to help out our pary with a donation?

Do it now on this blog. Check out the toolbar on the right side of the screen.

THANKS!

Wednesday

Did you see how quickly Speaker Pelosi would jump out of her seat last night to applaud her President? I thought it was funny. She has great energy for spending your money.

And...

President Obama does deliver a nice speech, but that "shtick" has worn off for me. His remarks last night were good enough. But, I continue to find much of what he does to be "non-presidential." For instance, his remark, "don't mess with Joe," is something fit for the campaign trail but not for a formal address to the Congress. The way the man shakes hands is fit for the basketball court, not for the presidency. And, don't get me started about his dress-down in the Oval Office. I'll learn to suffer these small annoyances, I guess.

And...

I saw Governor Jindal's response to President Obama.

And...

Mayor Mallory will deliver his "State of the City" address tonight. I'll be there. I'll also be attending Chris Monzel's response to be held immediately following it. The media's decision on coverage of our response will be telling about how serious they take fairness.

And...

I have been watching the media coverage (at least the limited coverage allowed by the Judge) in the murder trial in northern Kentucky. Having been in those situations, I am having a hard time holding my tongue. So, I will say two things: the public has every right to know what is happening in that courtroom with every means available to the media to report it AND I'm not seeing self-defense as a viable defense. But, this is why we have juries.

And...

Our Committee 2010 is set to start its work in early March. This committee will be tasked with helping us recruit, train, and promote candidates from our outlying townships, cities, and villages. Our first meeting will be out of downtown and somewhere in the suburbs. If you have not volunteered for this committee, consider doing so by e-mailing Maggie at maggien@hc-gop.org.

And...

It seems the Democrats have a primary brewing between Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and Lt. Governor Lee Fisher. I also see that Cincinnati's own (and a westsider) Commissioner Todd Portune may jump into the race. From where I sit, the voters of Ohio should have every opportunity to make this decision and they should have a full-blown campaign to decide which of these candidates ought to be the Democratic nominee. To deprive the voters of this choice would be un-American and un-democratic. Fight to the finish--I say.

And...

Have a great Wednesday.

Monday, February 23, 2009

NAACP Executive Committee votes "No Confidence" in Democratic Mayor Mallory


The NAACP's Cincinnati office announced today that the Executive Committee of the organization has voted "No Confidence" on Mayor Mallory's leadership. The entire NAACP will take up the issue later in the week.

This is an interesting development. The Democratic Mayor has enjoyed strong support from the African American community and any schism that exists here is certainly bad news for his re-election.

To read the Enquirer blog posting, click here.

We're watching developments closely...

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Tuesday Morning

We've neglected the blog just a little bit as we had a very busy week last week preparing for "the Linc." Thanks to all who attended and participated. We highlighted the future of the Party at the dinner and we feel that it went well. Special thanks to Chairman Kevin DeWine for his participation and his leadership. If you have suggestions on how to improve the dinner, we're always willing to listen. E-mail thoughts to dflammer@hc-gop.org.

And...

This is a another busy week for us at HQ. Today, we will meet with prospective candidates for the CPS Board of Education. It seems many qualified people have stepped forward and shown an interest in running for these positions and that is very uplifting to the Party. The School Board is an unpaid position. Education is a critical component to a great community and we need some new perspective on that Board. I'll be excited to announce our slate in this blog soon.

And...

John Kasich will visit Hamilton County on Thursday for a series of private meetings and then to attend the COAST Fundraiser at the Montgomery Inn. I will be visiting with Mr. Kasich and I look forward to a dialogue with him about the future of our great state. I am an early supporter of his "Recharge Ohio" initiative.

And...

In the last few weeks, the number of people who have come to me and said, "I want to help the GOP" has noticeably increased. The Democrats have unified us in a way that we could not have unified ourselves. America is watching the Democrats do what they always do: spend your money. If they keep it up, the American people are sure to reject it.

And...

I am pained to know that my Congressman, Mr. Driehaus, voted for the nearly $1 trillion so-called "stimulus" package. That vote, coupled with his vote to make Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House (sorry, Sally) disqualify him from being a true representative of western Hamilton County. Mr. Driehaus is a good guy, but he's been in Washington too long. I'll count the days until I can cast my vote for Steve Chabot.

And...

The county's budget woes continue and are getting worse. Can the Democrats who run this county budget lead us?

And...

I have heard many Democrats say, "what's the difference between stimulus and spending?" Even President Obama said words like that. Like so many liberals, they all say it in a condescending way that just irks me sometimes. Let me answer the question: there is a HUGE difference. There are targeted ways to stimulate business development that have nothing to do with spending money. Tax cuts DO spur economic development. Tax cuts are not "tired old methods of the past"...they are tried and true and they work to spur job development and have done so for half-a-century. A "stimulus" package that had even one iota of Republican input would have shown the Democrats that stimulus can mean more than spending. But, the Democrats go right back at it: spend, spend, spend.

And...

Have you noticed how Democrats use the word "invest" instead of "spend." I have. They want to "invest" in all sorts of things that you would never "invest" in. Now, I'll concede that some government spending can rightly and safely be called "investment." Education might be that. Roads and bridges might be that, too. But, "invest" is used interchangeably with "spend" when the Spend-o-crats want to muddy the waters and waste your money on silly pet projects including funding for groups like ACORN.

And...

Thursday is shaping up to be a busy day for us at HQ. In addition to having Mr. Kasich in town, we are having a meeting of our non-judicial nominating committee where I anticipate we will unveil some new city council candidates. The future is now.

And...

Let me know if you have 2 extra tickets for Opening Day. I haven't missed one in 20 years.

And...

I'll miss T.J. He was one of the Bengals with a noticeable passion to win.

And...

Have a great day!

Friday, February 13, 2009

"The Linc"

The Hamilton County Republican Party Lincoln-Reagan Dinner is scheduled for tonight, February 13, 2009 at the Duke Energy Center in downtown Cincinnati. Doors open at 5:30 for cocktails.

We have a full program featuring our 2010 Republican "Stable of Stars." It is not too late to join us. Call or e-mail Debbie Flammer at 513-381-5454 or dflammer@hc-gop.org.

It is going to be a great night!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Happy Birthday President Lincoln



Two hundred years ago today, February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln was born in a small Kentucky town. One of the great Presidents of all time, we should all pause for just a minute today to celebrate this great man's birth.

I recently heard President Lincoln described as an "American secular saint." I think that summarizes it effectively.

President Lincoln's quiet and sturdy leadership was exactly what our country needed during a period of tremendous growth and transition.

Take a minute to read about President Lincoln by clicking here.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Sunday Spotlight: Jim Sumner

Today's Sunday Spotlight shines on Blue Ash city council member and longtime GOP activist, Jim Sumner.

Jim has been a member of the Blue Ash city council since 1991 and has served the citizens of Blue Ash with great distinction. He served as Mayor from 1997 - 2001 and now represents Ward 1 on the Blue Ash city council.

I am proud to say that Blue Ash, a community governed by a majority of great Republicans like Jim, is one of the finest communities in all of Hamilton County. Jim Sumner is a great community leader and the citizens of Blue Ash benefit from his public service.

Selfishly, the Hamilton County GOP also values Jim's service to the "downtown" party through his efforts on our TCV committee and his chairmanship of our non-judicial nominating committee. Jim is a valued voice in the affairs of the party and his chairmanship of our non-judicial nominating committee is critical to our work to select candidates for office.

To learn more about Jim Sumner, click here.

Friday, February 06, 2009

Amy Searcy Named Deputy Director of the Board of Elections

*PRESS RELEASE*
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On February 6, 2009, the Hamilton County Board of Elections selected Magistrate Amy Searcy as the new Deputy Director. The position formerly held by John Williams will be filled by Ms. Searcy effective February 23, 2009. The position of Deputy Director is of significant importance to the Board of Elections and to all the citizens of Hamilton County as the Deputy Director has an integral role in the daily operations of the Board of Elections. The Hamilton County Board of Elections has a long history of working in a bi-partisan fashion to promote fair and efficient elections in the county.

STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN ALEX M. TRIANTAFILOU

"Magistrate Amy Searcy has served the citizens of Hamilton County with great distinction as a Magistrate of the Hamilton County Municipal Court. As a Magistrate, Ms. Searcy has presided over thousand of cases. Furthermore, she has been involved in the elections process for most of her adult career having assisted candidates and worked in her community on causes that are important to her. Her legal background and her experience will make her a fantastic addition to the Board of Elections. We are pleased that Ms. Searcy has taken on this new challenge."

Thursday, February 05, 2009

We Need a Change on the School Board!


The Democrats control the Cincinnati Public School Board of Education. The Board consists of seven people who all endorsed President Obama in 2008. What they must not have endorsed is his call for transparency in government.

The School Board has devised a scam whereby applicants for the highly paid position of superintendent will send their resume and application to a P.O. Box instead of to the Board. Then, the P.O. Box will go unchecked (or so they allege) until mid-March when a panel will quickly review all the candidates at once and then pick a candidate within a week. The School Board has devised this scam to keep the public from seeing who the applicants are and to avoid a public records request from local media. The scam is ridiculous and illegal.

When asked about this situation, Democrat Board President Eileen Cooper Reed said, "If we don't have them, then nobody has them." President Reed is an attorney and ought to know better. You have them when you have control of that P.O. Box and this game violates the spirit of the Ohio Open Records law and denies the public its rightful access to this information.

Ohio law says, very plainly, that the citizens have a right to see employment applications and resumes for public positions. The Ohio Sunshine Law Handbook states: "Resumes submitted for public employment are unquestionably available for public disclosure. (click here to see the law, p. 88)

I understand the School Board will ultimately release this information, but this scheme they are proposing has another surprise. The public may ultimately have to pay the attorney's fees for the attorney who sues to force the School Board to comply with the law. That's right, the taxpayers will be made to pay the legal fees of the lawyers who sue the Board if the Board is not complying with the law.

The Ohio Sunshine Law Handbook also says, "If the court issues an injunction (i.e., if the public body loses), the court shall order the public body to pay all court costs. In addition, the court shall also order the public body to pay the filing party its reasonable attorney fees." The word "shall" is unambiguous and, when the School Board loses, your tax dollars shall be used to pay the winning lawyer.

We need a change on our School Board and I look forward to supporting smart, common sense, candidates to improve the quality of education in this great city and to be better stewards of our precious tax dollars.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Experience Matters


Dare we say it? Experience in executive office matters and President Obama went to Washington with scant experience to lead.

The media will not say it this bluntly, but it needs to be said: the first few weeks of this administration have been marred by missteps and silly errors that prove that Barack Obama was simply not ready to be the CEO of the greatest nation on earth.

The tax problems of four of his top picks to work in the Executive branch is a problem when you consider how the President established vetting procedures for his most important appointments. His team has regularly asked for waivers from the very ethics reforms that he established in the White House. He has bumbled the so-called "stimulus" package by not standing up to Speaker Pelosi and her special interests to rid the package of silly things like contraception and other spending that has little to do with stimulating job growth in this economy. When you combine these things, you see a series of errors that could have easily been avoided with some experienced leadership.

Even if you agree with the spending in the so-called stimulus package, can we really see a "change" in how Washington operates with that bill? No objective observer can say "yes" to that. The bill is simply loaded down with the pet projects the Democrats want instead of being what the Republicans want. That is not what the American people wanted. They wanted to see a fundamental shift in how things work. Speaker Pelosi bowled over the Obama team with that so-called stimulus package and, thankfully, the Senate is likely to clean it up.

For the country's sake, let's hope this group gets it together. They still have a great chance because they have a remarkably charismatic president and a nation starving for something good to happen.

But, up to this point, they've fumbled and shown their inexperience at the Washington, D.C. game.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

FedEx CEO Fred Smith


The Democrats in Washington are helping all of us see, once again, why we are Republicans. The ridiculous pork-laden, welfare, spending bill they are trying to pass as "stimulus" is a reminder of what we ought to be about as a party.

But, I was reminded about why I am a Republican over the weekend as I watched "This Week with George Stephanapolous." Guests on the show that day included Rep. Barney Frank and a CEO named Frederick Smith, the founder and head of FedEx.

I have always been relatively amused by Barney Frank. Frank is a witty, highly intelligent, radical liberal from Massachusetts. He is considered one of Washington's smartest men and he is quietly respected among many Republicans in Washington because of his intellect. I do not cringe at the sight of the liberal Barney Frank like many of my GOP colleagues. He is part of what makes politics interesting and even though I abhor 99% of what he supports, I'll admit to not hating him. There is a famous news clip of Rep. Barney Frank where he says "there are plenty of rich people to tax." See that clip by clicking here. That attitude was obvious on Sunday during "This Week."

The man that caught my attention on the show was the very unassuming, almost boring-looking, grey haired, soft spoken CEO of FedEx, Fred Smith. I was surprised that this man--boring as he looked--was a CEO. I was impressed by how ordinary the man looked, but how extraordinary his thoughts were. So, I started doing some digging.

Frederick Smith lost his father when he was only 4 years old. Mr. Smith graduated high school in Memphis, TN and went on to Yale. At Yale, he wrote a paper for an economics class outlining overnight delivery service in the computer age--in 1966. Upon graduation, he served two tours in Vietnam as a Marine. He returned to the United States and in June of 1971, using a small inheritance, founded a small company called "Federal Express." By 1973, his company was providing overnight delivery service of small packages and documents to 25 U.S. cities using 14 small jets. Mr. Smith used the innovative idea of a "ground clearing system" whereby packages were shipped using a central clearing location. This system was never used before and it transformed the shipping business and is now used by every major shipping business in the world. Mr. Smith is a visionary business pioneer.

Today, 38 years after the founding of Federal Express, Mr. Smith's small upstart company is called FedEx and its many units and subsidiaries are household names. FedEx employs over 250,000 people worldwide and the company is valued at more than $25 billion! All of this from a man who wrote a paper at Yale and built his American dream.

On that Sunday morning show, I watched the contrast between two very smart men--Rep. Barney Frank and CEO Frederick Smith. Rep. Frank was respectful of Mr. Smith and it was not a "fight" between the two. But, watching Barney Frank lecture viewers using the phrase "corporate elite" and then listening to his view of America (one we all know well) reminded me about why I am a Republican. We are the party that supports private enterprise and rewards success in the free market. They are the party that taxes success. The contrast between CEO Fred Smith (creator of 250,000 jobs) and Rep. Barney Frank (tax the successful who create jobs) could not have been more clear.

Critics will say, "Sure, you are the party that supports CEO fat cats?" Not even close. And, that oversimplification misses the point entirely. We should be the party that supports business growth and development as a method of lifting up all people and giving them a chance at the American dream. America ought to be a place where Mr. Smith's success is celebrated and encouraged--not scorned. FedEx operates in 220 nations and employs a quarter-of-a-million people. Mr. Smith's intelligence, vision, hard-work, and entrepreneurial spirit helped employ thousands and ultimately helped countless families raise their kids and live a better life.

President Obama campaigned on the notion that "those that make $250,000 per year or more will have their taxes raised." That is exactly the wrong message despite the results on Election Day. America ought to be a place where every single person strives to make that much money every year. Instead, Democrats tell us that if we do, we'll be punished by the government when they keep more of our money. That kind of class warfare kills innovation, discourages hard work, and hurts job growth in the economy.

We are the party that celebrates and lifts up success. They tax it.