$100,000.00, etc.

Democratic Commissioners Portune and Pepper have authorized the creation of a new position of an "Energy Czar" in Hamilton County. They authorized a salary of $100,000.00 for this new position. Democrats growing the size of government and wasting your money is not new. Will they raise your taxes to pay for this kind of ridiculous waste of money? Stay tuned.

And...

We are pleased to welcome Gov. Palin to Cincinnati today.

And...

One local media outlet described Gov. Palin as a "political celebrity." Is that fair? She is former Governor of our biggest state and the vice presidential nominee of a major political party. Is Jesse Jackson a "political celebrity?" Is Geraldine Ferraro a "political celebrity?" How about Newt Gingrich? It demeans her to call her a "political celebrity" instead of giving her credit for her accomplishments as a governor and national leader for the GOP. I'm just sayin'...

And...

Joe Lieberman is an American hero.

And...

Amy Murray finished 12th in her run for Cincinnati City Council surpassing Kevin Flynn in the final official tally of votes. This comes as no surprise to those of us who watched this impressive, upstart GOP candidate for council. Her future is bright. Her Friday is even brighter. She gets to have lunch with me today!

And...

Do you read the local Business Courier? You should. The Courier is a great local media outlet and has become a "must read" for me on the web. They have terrific stories about Cincinnati without some of the fluff required in regular news outlets. I urge you to visit by clicking here.

And...

I could write an entire blog post on my next subject: the Obama Administration's decision to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed in a civilian court in New York City. Maybe I will. Let's just say that the decision is outrageous and bordering on dangerous. Liberals are bad at lots of things. They are particularly bad at waging war against Islamic fanatics who have a mission to destroy our society and culture by slaughtering innocent people.

And...

I took some shots at the Mayor on this blog during the election. I'll say something nice today. I thought he did the right thing by showing up at the police shooting earlier in the week. It sends the right message to see him out there with the police. Let's hope he succeeds over the next four years so that our city can continue to grow into the world class place it can be.

And...

Our judicial screening committee is meeting for informal talks about the judicial elections of 2010. Are you interested in running for judge with the GOP endorsement? Let us know ASAP!

And...

The Enquirer blog reports that Commissioner Portune may have spoken to failed Gov. Strickland about running as his Lieutenant Governor. Commissioner Portune would be joining the failed governor on his failing campaign. Is that a good idea?

And...

The John Kasich team had a meeting of regional leaders earlier this week. Everyone left the meeting impressed with the organization and energy behind the campaign. John Kasich is an unconventional candidate for unconventional times. He is a visionary government leader who understands the real challenges faced by Ohioans. He will be the next governor.

And...

I'm looking forward to visiting with friends at the Western Economic Council this morning. I will be appearing with Chairman Tim Burke to discuss Election 2009 and to look forward to ED2010. The WEC is a strong group of west side business leaders and I always enjoy the banter with Chairman Burke.

And...

A Fox News Opinion Dynamics Poll shows Gov. Palin's approval rating at 47%. Speaker Pelosi's is 28%. Would you know this from the mainstream media? Speaker Pelosi has similar approval ratings to President Bush. Has the coverage of Speaker Pelosi's abysmal approval rating been as widespread as the hatred spewed at President Bush? Would one know that Palin is nearly twice as popular as Pelosi?

And...

Judge Bernie Bouchard had UC QB Zach Collaros in his courtroom this week. As expected, Judge Bouchard handled the case with professionalism and dignity. Good job, Judge.

And...

I'll be car shopping this weekend. And watching football.

And...

Have a great weekend!

Democratic Money Burn: Hamilton County Cap & Tax

The two Democrats who run the County Commission are at it again. They are wasting your money.

In a move firmly opposed by Greg Hartmann, these two Commissioners have decided to grow the county bureaucracy and proactively support “Cap and Trade” with federal stimulus dollars locally. Hamilton County received $4.7 million in "energy efficiency" stimulus dollars.

The two Democrats voted to spend this money to create more bureaucracy and to grow the size of government by creating a new countywide position in the form of an “Energy Czar.” This newly created position is expected to make around $100,000.00 per year. At a time where county government is being slashed and countless county employees have been laid off, the Democrats have found it within their means to make this new hire into county government. It is irresponsible. But not surprising. 



It seems the Commissioners both got a little riled up at Commissioner Hartmann for calling it a “mini-Cap and Trade” proposal. Why are these two politicians so afraid of the assertion that these funds are associated with Cap and Trade? Because Cap and Trade could not be more unpopular in Ohio and across the nation and they both know it. These two Democrats are avoiding the truth.



The money the two Democrats authorized to be spent creates a vehicle for Hamilton County government to legitimize, participate in and allow profit to be realized from federal Cap and Trade policies. Commissioners Pepper and Portune are utilizing public funds to tell Hamilton County businesses to both manage emissions AND agree to participate in carbon trading. Sounds like a "mini" version of Cap and Trade to me!

Carbon credit trading is the foundation that Cap and Trade is built upon and the carbon credit trading that Commissioner Pepper and Commissioner Portune supported on Monday would be utilized by businesses being burdened by Cap and Trade. These carbon credit dollars would become part of a proliferating regulatory burden on business in America. Commissioner Hartmann rejected that. Democrat Commissioners Pepper and Portune supported it. 



In the context of the debate on Cap and Trade, it is important to note that economists don’t believe that carbon trading helps to reduce pollution in the long run, since businesses that don't pollute simply sell their energy conservation to the HIGHEST BIDDER. Cap and Trade, or what Republican leaders in Congress call “Cap & Tax”:

1. is expansive government regulation
2. doesn’t effectively reduce carbon emissions
3. costs businesses more money to comply with more regulation
4. kills jobs.

It's as simple as that.



We should be pleased that Commissioner Hartmann stood up against expanded government and bureaucratic regulation that will hurt businesses in Hamilton County. The two Democrats are playing political games by denying the fact that these funds legitimize the federal Cap and Trade proposal. They know how politically charged (and unpopular) that program is. Of course, its no surprise that Mr. Pepper was particularly sensitive about Greg Hartmann’s assertion on Cap and Trade. He’s running for statewide office and is scared of being painted as a big government liberal. It is tough to hide from the truth.

Sunday Spotlight: John Kasich, Etc.

John Kasich is the Republican endorsed candidate for Governor of Ohio. We are lucky to have a candidate of his caliber on our ticket. John has a history of proven leadership on balancing budgets and getting government out of our lives to spur economic growth. To read more about John Kasich, click here. Since John entered this race, I have been impressed with his intellect and his ability to talk about government in ways that most politicians do not. John understands that economic development and job growth come from the private sector and that government ought to create the environment for businesses to thrive and create wealth for everyone. His plan is one that will create jobs and keep people and businesses in Ohio. John Kasich has an excellent chance at defeating failed Governor Ted Strickland in 2010 and Hamilton County will be a big part of that.

And...

Our attention has turned to the 2010 elections. Here are a few of the local races coming up next year:

Congress

County Commissioner

County Auditor

Judges in Court of Common Pleas and First District Court of Appeals

State Representative

With a filing deadline in mid-February, the jockeying has begun.

And...

We are actively pursuing a great speaker for our Lincoln/Reagan Dinner. We have been doing that for a couple of months. It is a difficult process because it is hard to lock-in any person too early because they do not schedule out so far. As the date approaches, nationally renowned Republicans are in high demand. So far, we have put out feelers with every major national GOP personality and I remain optimistic about our chances of getting a top-notch speaker.

And...

Gov. Palin's book comes out this week. She will be in Cincinnati on Friday to sign her book. Here is the news story.

And...

The two Democrats on the county commission in Hamilton County are engaged in an act of "insanity" according to GOP commissioner Hartmann. The commissioners are acting as the county's attorney and are suing the Judges of Hamilton County in the Supreme Court of Ohio. Commissioner Hartmann could not be more correct. More on this later.

And...

This week promises to be quite busy. We will participate in an organizational meeting for John Kasich's campaign, attend fundraisers for Sen. DeWine and for Rep. Peter Stautberg, and have many meetings regarding our efforts for 2010.

And...

The Board of Elections is still counting ballots. There are still some close races where the results could change.

And...

The Bengals are 7 point underdogs today at Pittsburgh. I'll pick the Bengals in an upset. Bengals 27, Pittsburgh 24.

And...

Congratulations to Judge Nadine Allen, the Democratic appointee to the Court of Common Pleas.

And...

Have a great Sunday.

Veteran's Day

Take a moment to appreciate the work of our veterans today. I will do so by attending the dedication of a new memorial in Green Township. It is an important day to celebrate those who serve to protect us.

Soldiers in our Prayers, Etc.

Our prayers are with the families of those soldiers massacred at Ft. Hood yesterday by an obviously deranged and sick man. It is hard not to jump to conclusions about this based on the limited facts, but we should try not to until there is more complete information. Nevertheless, Michelle Malkin wrote an interesting blog post worth reading. Read it here.

And...

Much has been said about the New York 23rd House District Race. The GOP in that area made a glaringly obvious mistake by nominating a complete RINO. Scozzafava had no business being in the Republican camp and the events of the 23rd have now resulted in a Democrat taking that seat for the first time in over a century. As a Republican leader locally, I watched that with interest. I do not see it as a "warning shot" as some will say. I see it as a horrible mistake that should not be repeated. The GOP can survive one mistake in one Congressional district and using that one mistake to bash the GOP in general is a mistake in my mind.

And...

Our GOP comeback will be lead locally by Steve Chabot. Steve Chabot will win his seat back next year. You heard it here first. Steve has the full and complete support of the Hamilton County GOP and we are counting on him to lead us.

And...

The GOP can elect real conservatives if we do it absent the anger. The image of the angry conservative is not appealing to voters and I am constantly concerned with that image. It is hard not to be angry at what we are watching in Washington and what we sometimes see with our own. It doesn't do any good. Was Ronald Reagan's persona that of the angry warrior? Is Rob Portman running an angry campaign? Did George W. Bush? Does Steve Chabot? The answer to every one of these questions is "no." Each one of these people has a "nice guy" image. It is an important lesson for candidates. We can be angry, but our message ought to be a positive message about what we will do when elected.

And...

It is hard to believe that President Obama was elected a year ago. Time flies. He has not been a good President. He has not lead. Leadership means asserting what you want and bringing people along. He refuses. On health care, Afghanistan, and on the economy he has regularly failed to lead. If you want the public option, say so and make it happen. We know you are an ideological liberal and that you do not want to add 40,000 troops to Afghanistan despite the desperate need to do so. Then have the guts and the leadership to not do it and explain why. If you think we need a disastrous second stimulus, you're the President, go and do it. The President's reluctance to lead--even on these three critical things where we Republicans are repulsed--will eventually do him in. People crave leadership and if I were a liberal, I would not be happy with the President for not burning the necessary political capital to pass my liberal agenda.

And...

I am happy to say that I am a Tea Party person. And so should every Republican. The tea party message is very simple and direct: fiscal responsibility, limited government, free markets. For those who wish to paint the Tea Party as a fringe movement, they haven't been to a rally or gathering. The simple message is grounded in the Constitution and in the principles that made our country the greatest superpower in history. The movement is focused on economic issues with a limited focus on the social issues. Social issues are an indispensable part the moral fabric of the GOP, but voting trends tend to prove that the straightforward economic principles espoused by the Tea Party movement will help us win elections. I go to the Tea Party events whenever I can. These folks are sometimes critical of the GOP. So what. I can take it. Sometimes they are right! More often than not, the Tea Party principles will be carried forth by Republicans.

And...

I follow Chad Ochocinco's tweets. The man is hilarious. He is an entertainer and I will admit to enjoying his nonsense.

And...

Responsible Republicans need to understand what is happening with the state budget. Our state is going broke. The shortfalls in the current budget can no longer be made up with the smoke-and-mirrors used by Gov. Strickland. The state needs to be turned upside down. Raising taxes and further driving commerce out of this state is the wrong answer. We need a bold and sweeping agenda focused on economic growth in Ohio. John Kasich has that agenda. Strickland is an abject failure.

And...

Have a nice weekend.

A New Day for the GOP

Congratulations to all the candidates who won races last night. Regardless of political party, public service is noble and people who subject themselves to the rigors of a campaign should be commended for putting themselves into the arena and working hard to serve the public.

We had a good night last night. Of course, there were some disappointments and that is to be expected with the number of races on the ballot. But overall there is reason for Republicans to celebrate and for us to be optimistic about the future.

I am pleased to say that for the first time in nearly a decade, the Republican Party elected three endorsed Republicans to the Cincinnati City Council. We did so during a period where the city is certainly trending against the GOP. This accomplishment can be credited to having two strong incumbents, Leslie Ghiz and Chris Monzel, and three great non-incumbent candidates including our newest member, Charlie Winburn. Leslie Ghiz and Chris Monzel have governed responsibly and have been taxpayer watchdogs on the council. The voters rewarded both of them by comfortably returning them to the city council.

Charlie Winburn returns to the council after a period out of politics. I am proud of Charlie Winburn. He is a dogged campaigner and fundraiser. His targeted campaign was exactly the right strategy and I am pleased that he will return to City Hall.

Our party was lucky to have George Zamary and Amy Murray on the ticket. Both Amy and George are tremendous people--and tremendous candidates. It is important to remember that Ghiz and Monzel both lost in their first campaigns for city council. I will work hard to be sure that we have not heard the last of George and Amy. They deserve the party’s special “thank you” for their campaigns and for their commitment to the city.

Our efforts also defeated appointed incumbent Democrat Greg Harris. Democratic member Laketa Cole also slid to 9th in the unofficial tally of votes. The defeat of the Democrats' hand-picked successor to Mr. Cranley and the severe slide by Ms. Cole is a real sign that the Democrats have failed the voters in the city and the voters noticed.

I am overwhelmingly proud of what we did in the Mayor's race. President Obama won election in Cincinnati with 76% of the vote. Dr. Brad Wenstrup, a person who has never before held elected office, nearly shocked the world last night. As I write today, Brad Wenstrup came to within 5500 votes of beating an incumbent city chief executive with a golden political name in a city full of Democrats. Brad Wenstrup garnered 46% of the vote by bringing together unions, disaffected African-American voters, moderates, and conservatives. His close finish demonstrates that the GOP is hardly "in the wildnerness" in the city of Cincinnati. We all now know who Brad Wenstrup is and what he is capable of doing. We have not heard the last of Brad.

In general, our strategy to field a short slate of five candidates and to run a strong candidate at the top of the ticket resulted in growing our numbers on the city council and having our two incumbents finish high in the order. By running a qualified and highly capable candidate for the high profile race of Mayor, we have a potential candidate for public office who now has the notoriety and political base to win into the future. We also have two experienced and energized new faces to the GOP in Zamary and Murray.

We also had two fine men running for the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education. The GOP has not fielded candidates in those races for a long time and it was my strong belief that we should challenge in those races. Although not successful, Chris McDowell and John Banner changed the tone and the debate in those races and this should have a positive impact on how the CPS conducts business.

All things considered, we had a very good night in the city of Cincinnati.

I am most pleased to report that we did very well in the suburban communities that are such an important piece of the Hamilton County GOP. Our successes there were overwhelming.

In Colerain Township, first-time GOP candidate Dennis Deters finished first in the balloting and joins incumbent Jeff Ritter to round out our Republican majority. The Colerain Township election was highly competitive with a well financed and highly organized Democrat challenging for the open seat being vacated by Trustee Fiedeldey. We were able to maintain our majority by adding a new face to our elected ranks in Dennis Deters.

In Green Township, Tracy Winkler and David Linnenberg won reelection easily. The newest Trustee, David Linnenberg joins Tracy Winkler as an up-and-coming candidate with unlimited potential for the GOP into the future.

In Springfield Township, a place not as friendly to Republicans as it once was, Joe Honerlaw and Tom Bryan continue our Republican majority there. Tom and Joe denied a strong Democrat challenge in a difficult place for us.

In Symmes Township, we continue to keep a Republican majority with Jodie Leis George returning to the Board of Trustees.

In Norwood, the GOP now has a majority of city council having won critical races to return Norwood to Republican governance for the first time in many years. Our strong slate of candidates in Norwood included Jane Grote, Jim Stith, Michael Gabbard, Victor Schneider, Steve Thornbury, and Donna Laake.

In Cheviot, the GOP did not lose a race.

In Blue Ash, we did not lose a race.

We did very well in Deer Park, Reading, Mt. Healthy, North College Hill, Sharonville, Greenhills, Montgomery, Madeira, Evendale, Sycamore Township and other places that I may have failed to mention here.

In the end, we had a very strong election night locally and nationally. We held on to most of our seats and made a few gains along the way.

The future of the GOP will be defined by our ability to find, recruit, retain, and promote great candidates for public office. I want to lead a Republican Party that fields the best candidates in every race. I believe we lived up to that in 2009.

Thank you to all of our volunteers, candidates, donors and supporters who made Election Night 2009 go well. Now is the time to continue the momentum and continue the GOP comeback for 2010.

SPECIAL REPORT
Republican Voter Information

Polling Locations Have Changed! Check your polling location today The Hamilton County Board of Elections has consolidated many polling locations. Your polling location may have changed. To find out where you vote on Election Day, go to www.votehamiltoncounty.org and click on "Where Do I Vote?" Questions about polling locations should be directed to the Hamilton County Board of Elections at 513-632-7000.

Vote for Republican Candidates! Who are they? To find out who your Republican candidates are in this election, click here.

Suburban Elections Crucial to GOP Success Many great Republicans running across Hamilton County To find candidates running in great places like Norwood, Colerain Township, Anderson Township, Springfield Township, Blue Ash, and other great suburban communities, click here. There are many critical races, but let us highlight just a few: Colerain Township Jeff Ritter Dennis Deters Green Township Tracyl Winkler David Linnenberg Anderson Township Peggy Reis Albert Peter Symmes Township Kathy Wagner Jodie Leis Delhi Township Mary Brigham Mike Davis Springfield Township Tom Bryan Joe Honerlaw Miami Township Dan Blanton City of Norwood Click here for the Republicans. City of Blue Ash Click here for the Republicans. City of Cheviot Click here for the Republicans. To learn more specific information about who is the endorsed Republican, click here or call Republican HQ at 513-381-5454 with specific questions.

Vote 5 + Wenstrup to Change City Hall! Do NOT dilute your vote When voting for Cincinnati City Council, we urge you to vote for "Five and Stop." We have Five tremendous candidates running for city council. By restricting your votes to these 5, you give them "super-votes" by not helping other non-GOP candidates on the ballot. So, after you vote for Brad Wenstrup for Mayor, go to the city council part of the ballot and VOTE FIVE AND STOP! The Five and Stop Ballot is: Leslie Ghiz Chris Monzel Amy Murray Charlie Winburn George Zamary

Vote Chris McDowell for CPS Board of Ed!
The Hamilton County GOP has endorsed one candidate for the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education. After all seven Board members supported the election of Barack Obama in 2008, we need some diversity on that Board. Chris McDowell is a tremendous candidate who will instantly become the most intelligent and qualified member of that Board when elected. Learn more about Chris at: www.mcdowellforschoolboard.com.