Saturday, June 27, 2009

Driehaus Wrong on Cap and Trade

***Immediate Release***
Rep. Steve Driehaus voted "Yes" on HR 2454, the so-called "Cap and Trade" Bill, further alienating him from his constituents in Ohio's 1st Congressional District. To see his vote and how he joined his Democratic colleagues in raising your taxes, click here.

This controversial tax hike on energy passed under the guise of protecting the environment. It passed on a largely party-line vote of 219-212. With 44 Democrats opposing it (including ultra-liberal Dennis Kucinich), the Democratic leadership needed Steve Driehaus. As usual, they got him.

Mr. Driehaus has forgotten where he came from and is now part of the liberal, big-spending, over-taxing Democratic machine in Washington, D.C. He does what he is told in Washington by the Democratic party.

The "cap and trade" bill is a tax hike on energy. House minority leader John Boehner says it best:
"The so-called “cap and trade” proposal amounts to a carbon tax, plain and simple. The plan would cap emissions, such as carbon dioxide, and force companies to purchase “credits” from companies who use less energy to meet the governments’ emissions requirements. House Republicans agree that we should work together to make real progress in promoting clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment, but “cap and trade” is not the answer.

The Administration’s budget expects to raise $646 billion in “climate revenue” by 2020. That’s $646 billion in new taxes imposed on coal, oil, and natural gas - which currently provides 85% of America’s energy. “Cap and trade” would empower bureaucrats in Washington to dictate energy prices and make choices that are best left to free markets and free people. Proposing new taxes on energy during a recession is not the answer to creating economic growth or job creation."

Statement of Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou
"This vote for "cap and trade" by Rep. Driehaus is further proof that he has forgotten his west-side roots and is now part of the big spending and big taxing Democratic majority in Washington. After his election in November, it was my hope that he would follow a more centrist course in Washington like some of his Democratic predecessors in the 1st Congressional district. He has done the opposite."

"Rep. Driehaus has demonstrated a history of voting just as the Democratic majority in Washington wants him to vote. He supported Nancy Pelosi as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. He voted for the nearly $800 billion stimulus package that will burden our great-grandchildren with debt and has yet to stimulate anything. Now, he has voted for a massive tax on energy at a time when our nation can least afford it."

"Mr. Driehaus' party-line voting history is a far departure from the independent voice of Steve Chabot. Mr. Driehaus has failed to put a CAP on frivolous spending and higher taxes in Washington so the voters should TRADE him for Steve Chabot in 2010."

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Democrat(ic) Money Burn: Cincinnati Public Schools

On Monday, June 22, 2009, certain Democratic Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education members made a proposal that may lead to a further waste of your money.

I could go on at length about the frivolous and unnecessary spending that has gone on at the CPS for years. Democrats run the schools in Cincinnati. Spending is part of their DNA.

What is the latest way they may want to waste your money? They tabled a resolution that includes language that will require that successful bidders on certain school construction contracts pay prevailing wage to persons who win the bid.

Here is the language:

"The Bidder shall certify that it, and its subcontractors or any other contractor performing work on the project covered under the contract of the Bidder, shall pay the prevailing wage rate and comply with the other provisions set forth in Ohio’s Prevailing Wage Law, R.C. 4115.03 through 4115.16, and O.A.C. 4101:9-4-01 through 4101:9-4-28. This includes, but is not limited to, the filing of certified payroll reports."

Are Board members asking the right questions about this? Is prevailing wage necessary under state law? Is it legally necessary to pay prevailing wage for these types of projects? Or, is it simply a way to placate the unions that wield so much power over the Board and the Cincinnati Public Schools.

How about another question. If prevailing wage is not legally necessary for projects like these, how does paying prevailing wage help the children of Cincinnati Public Schools get a better education? Shouldn't the Board be focused on what is best for the children and the taxpayers?

We can have these questions answered when we elect Todd McIntosh, Chris McDowell and John Banner to the Board.

Wenstrup to Formally File Petitions for Cincinnati Mayor

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2009


Wenstrup To Formally File Petitions For Cincinnati Mayor....the race is on

WHO: Brad Wenstrup and local business owners
WHAT: Announcement of petition filing for Mayor of Cincinnati
WHERE: Wooley Electric Co. (1676 Hoffner St., in Northside - corner of Cherry and Hoffner Streets, near I-74 & 75)
WHEN: Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 10:30 a.m.

As the City of Cincinnati faces an ever-growing budget crisis, runaway crime and difficult decisions that require a seasoned leader, Brad Wenstrup officially emerges as a candidate for Mayor. Wenstrup will make a few remarks and be available for questions.

www.BradWenstrup.com.
###

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Sen. Schuler Arrangements

Calling hours: Mon 6/22, 2-4 PM & also 6-8 PM @ Thomas-Justin Memorial Funeral Home, 7500 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati 45236. Funeral mass Tues 6/23 9:30 AM @ St. Vincent Ferrer Church, 7754 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Senator Bob Schuler

Our state, our county, and our party lost a great man yesterday with the passing of State Senator Bob Schuler. Bob passed away yesterday after a valiant battle with cancer.

Bob Schuler was a great man. As a legislator, he stayed true to his conservative Republican principles but always managed to work effectively to achieve great things in government. He was a gentleman. In addition to his strong work in the legislature, Bob was a great father and husband. He will be truly missed.

Bob was well enough to make it to party headquarters only a few weeks ago. He seemed to be getting along quite well and he was completely himself. He offered up his advice on many statewide issues and he was "in the game" in every way.

Bob's "Pasta Parties" became a spring tradition among the party faithful and, true to his conservatism, Bob never asked for more than about $25 at this annual fundraising event. I attended several and the huge crowds were a testament to how popular Bob was.
Bob's accomplishments in the legislature were recognized by many groups leading to his receiving these awards: Ohio Brain Injury Association-Meritorious Award, Ohio Parks and Recreation- Legislator of the Year , Ohio Social Workers-Public Official of the Year, Hamilton County Township Association- Legislator of the Year, Ohio AMVETS- Legislator of the Year, United Conservatives of Ohio-Watchdog of the Treasury.

We should all keep Bob and his wonderful family in our prayers. I will be posting more information about the arrangements for Bob as they become known to us.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Dine at the Quarter Bistro this Monday night and Support the Northeast Hamilton County Republican Club

Enjoy a night of ‘Elegant Wine & Exquisite Fare’ at one of Cincinnati’s premier bistros at
Regular Menu Price
and support the
N.E.H.C.R.C.
“Northeast Hamilton County Republican Club”
place:

Quarter Bistro
6904 Wooster Pike - Mariemont, Ohio 45227
Monday, June 15, 2009

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…..
1 - Mark your calendar for June 15. “Dinner at Quarter Bistro”.
2 - Make your reservations now (Mention NEHCRC).
3 - Dine anytime between 5:00 PM and close. Enjoy!
And help support the programs of the NEHCRC

Enjoy an extensive wine list, French bread in a bag & wonderful worldly flavors!!
The ‘Quarter Bistro’ will donate the profits from this evening
to support the programs of the NEHCRC
Reservations 271-5400
http://www.quarter-bistro.com/

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Join Congresswoman Schmidt this Friday in Raising Awareness for Girls' Education in Afghanistan

Letter from Congresswoman Jean Schmidt:

I hope you will be able to join me this Friday at 7pm as I host an event to raise awareness about girls’ education in Afghanistan. The Taliban and other extremists have targeted women’s education in their effort to halt progress made in Afghanistan. As Afghanistan continues to combat terrorism and extremism, we must remain committed to guaranteeing women access to one of the developing world’s greatest enablers – education.

Our guest speaker will be Zahira Zahir, founder and president of Friends of Zahira Schools. Zahira is a native of Afghanistan who came to the United States in the mid-1970’s when her husband was working as an envoy to the United Nations. When the Soviets invaded, she was unable to return to her country. Zahira and her family started their lives over again in the United States and she became a United States citizen in 1992.

Since the fall of the Taliban, Zahira has actively been involved in improving girls’ access to education in Afghanistan. In 2002, she founded a non-profit – Friends of Zahira Schools – to reconstruct the high school that she attended as a young woman. Because of her unwavering dedication, Zarghoona High School (located in Kabul) currently provides an education to 14,000 students. Instead of holding classes outside under UNICEF tarps as they once did, the students now go to school in a building with new desks and chairs.

On June 12th Zahira will share her experiences with Cincinnati and address the cultural resistance to girls’ education in Taliban strong-holds of Afghanistan. I believe we must support the Afghan government in order to guarantee a brighter future for Afghan women and girls, especially those living in vulnerable parts of the country.

Zahira’s lecture will start at 7:00 pm and will be held at the Mariemont High School Auditorium. A private reception will be held at the National Exemplar Restaurant in the Mariemont Inn at 8:30 pm. The suggested donation for the private reception is $500 per person.
Friends of Zahira Schools is a tax exempt non-profit organization.
The tax ID number is 30-0127177. Checks can be made out to "Friends of Zahira Schools" and sent to:
Zahira Zahir
5505 Seminary Road, #2412
Falls Church, VA 22041

If you will be able to join us, please RSVP to Vanessa.Beary@gmail.com or 513-236-9290.
I hope to see you there!
Sincerely,

Jean Schmidt
MEMBER OF CONGRESS

Friday, June 05, 2009

Democrat(ic) Money Burn, Etc.

Laketa Cole is proposing that the city start a post-partum aid program for new mothers in their first week home after delivering a baby. Read about it here. This might feel good, but is this what city government ought to be considering in the face of a $20-$40 million budget shortfall? Is Ms. Cole for real? Most Democrats want government in our lives everywhere. They feel government ought to offer solutions to everything. That becomes expensive. They raise our taxes to pay for it. Proposing new government programs in the face of a serious fiscal crisis is irresponsible.

And...

The same Enquirer story that I linked to above also tells us that liberal Democrats Greg Harris, Roxanne Qualls, Cecil Thomas, and Laketa Cole want to give away more free water service. It seems the Cincinnati Zoo gets free water (for the record, I do not have a problem with that) and these council members think that lots of other places ought to get free water. New programs and more free stuff. The Democrats are having a field day with your money. Can we get free water at our Republican HQ at 700 Walnut? It seems like a zoo sometimes.

And...

Today's local news is offering ample evidence as to why we need changes in local government. There is a report that the Democrats who run the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education are now trying to restrict public access to certain meetings. Read the story here. Restricting public access and blocking people from public information seems to be a real problem with this Board. We blogged about this problem in February when they tried to hide the resumes of all candidates for Superintendent. Read it here. The voters will have a real alternative to one-party rule at the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education this fall. They can vote for Republicans Chris McDowell and Todd McIntosh or for independent candidate John Banner.

And...

I'm done bashing my Democrat friends today. After all, it is a beautiful Friday and the Cubbies are in town for a three game titanic struggle. I am going to the game tonight with a group of liberal Democrats. Baseball and beer unites everyone.

And...

Rob Portman had a fundraiser earlier this week that was incredible. The event had a presidential feel to it. If there is anyone more qualified, professional, intelligent, and prepared for the U.S. Senate, I wouldn't believe it. Rob will get things done in Washington because he has firm conservative principles, but works effectively across the aisle to solve people's problems. Rob is the man--end of discussion.

And...

I watched President Obama's speech in Cairo on YouTube last night. I disagree with the man's approach to foreign policy, but the speech was balanced and well-crafted. He delivers a nice speech.

And...

Is there a frontrunner for President on our side in 2012. Not yet.

And...

Have you signed on to help Dr. Wenstrup? His campaign is at full throttle. Get involved at http://www.bradwenstrup.com/.

And...

The bashing of Dusty Baker must stop. He's managed a rag-tag, injury riddled team to within 2.5 games outta first. Results matter. I do hate the toothpick, though. He makes up for it with the wristbands.

And...

Have a great weekend.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

A Great Night

A special "Thank You" to Crystal Faulkner and Tom Cooney for hosting an incredible event for the GOP last night. Thanks to all who attended to support our great party. I am optimistic about our future.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Coming Together to Move Our Party Forward, Etc.

Crystal Faulkner and Tom Cooney, two highly successful Cincinnati business leaders, will host an event for the Hamilton County GOP this evening in their home. This event, titled "Coming Together to Move Our Party Forward" was the brainchild of Ms. Faulkner and it is shaping up to be a great event. For more information on the event, click here or call 513-381-5454 or e-mail Maggie at maggien@hc-gop.org. Many thanks to Crystal and Tom for opening their home.

And...

Americans will wake up today to the story of an abortion doctor gunned down in his church yesterday in Wichita, Kansas. George Tiller was a Kansas doctor made famous because he was one of very few doctors in America who performed late term abortions. Every American and every pro-life activist should condemn this act of violence against George Tiller. This type of violence only serves the pro-abortion movement by making the pro-life movement look fanatical. Operation Rescue and other pro-life groups have already condemned the shooting. To read the AP story, click here.

And...

The Obamas spent a night on the town in New York City over the weekend. President Obama took the First Lady to NYC for dinner and a Broadway show. Read the story here. It may be a surprise to my Democratic friends, but I don't have a problem with the President doing that. He's earned the right to have a night on the town. I do have a problem with the disparate treatment a Republican president would get for doing the same thing. I cannot imagine the backlash a Republican "fat cat" would get if he did something similar. I just think the treatment would be different. I'll stop whining.

And...

I am thinking about taking 15 days away from the party because of stress-related issues. Not really. Flippancy aside, I'm worried about Joey Votto. He has been "the man" and his absence leaves a big hole in my favorite Cincinnati sports team.

And...

Is there any doubt that federal government spending is out-of-control? In just the last 12 months, the amount of debt per American household grew $55,000! $55,000 of additional debt per household. If I took on $55,000 more in debt, I would like to have more to show for it. Read more about this, here.

And...

It seems the critics are always louder than everyone else. But in the past week the Hamilton County GOP has gotten some nice words about what we're doing. I've received multiple compliments on several things: our Mayoral candidate, our decision to field candidates for the CPS Board of Education for the first time in years, and our more aggressive approach to the Democratic blunders at City Hall (my thanks to the Mayor and Laketa Cole for making it easy!).

And...

Need a job? Guess who is hiring? Bloated city government. Click here to see the many jobs being offered.

And...

Want to see how NOT to do a campaign website? Go to http://www.electmallory.com/. There are only two options: contribute or volunteer. In other words, "Do something for me." How about providing a vision for the city and giving the voters real information about what you allegedly have done and what you hope to do in a second term? I'm sure there's a way to get there, but I couldn't find it within 60 seconds of being on his website.

And...

Hamilton County's great townships are all governed by Republicans. Colerain, Green, Delhi, Anderson, Sycamore, Symmes, Springfield, Columbia, and Miami townships all enjoy Republican leadership in their government. All of these communities will vote in 2009 to elect Trustees. I'm expecting a big year for us there.

And...

Have a great week!