Congratulations to Green Township's own Debe Terhar on her election as the new President of the Ohio Board of Education. Debe, in her first term, is taking the state by storm. I am so proud of Debe for stepping into this important role and making a difference. Debe is a committed conservative and her work in the education arena is good for the state. Along with her husband, Lou, they ran an outstanding campaign to win this seat for the Republican Party. Finding great candidates for public office should be the priority of any Republican organization and Debe Terhar is a success story for our party.And...
The 2011 election cycle will include races for the Hamilton County Municipal Court. There are 9 judges who face the voters this fall. Municipal Court seats in Hamilton County are broken into 7 districts with 2 judges being elected in each district. Of these 9, the GOP has 5 incumbents who will seek re-election. These outstanding judges will interview for our endorsement in the coming weeks and all of them are off and running. They are:
- Judge Lisa Allen
- Judge Bernie Bouchard
- Judge Brad Greenberg
- Judge Russell Mock
- Judge David Stockdale
- Judge Cheryl Grant
- Judge Matthew Fellerhoff
- Judge Fanon Rucker
- Judge Tyrone Yates
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My thoughts and prayers are with the good people of Japan. I texted REDCROSS to 90999 to make a small contribution. How can you not? Americans have always been generous in the face of tragedy and for our close ally and friend, Japan, we should continue that generosity.
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The criminal who killed two innocent people downtown on Tuesday night in a fiery crash at 9th and Sycamore should get the full measure of justice. The coward ran from police in a high speed chase that resulted in him violently crashing his vehicle into a taxi cab killing two innocent people. To see the disturbing police video and to hear Chief Streicher's news conference, click here.
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Cincinnati City Council passed pension reform yesterday. Kudos to the members who had the courage to make the tough decision to fix this problem. Taking things away from people when you are an elected politician is quite a challenge. We need more courageous government action from elected officials in both parties if we are to fix the state and the country.
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President Obama is a failure as President. I hope the voters make the right call and remove him from the presidency in 2012. Although many of my fellow conservatives feel his ouster is inevitable given his total lack of leadership, President Obama is well-positioned to win re-election. Incumbent presidents are historically tough to defeat. This president will raise and spend an obscene amount of money--something our candidate must be prepared to do, too. The latest failure of this administration is their decision to not be serious about spending reform and spending reductions. I think it is terribly interesting that the country is clamoring for more fiscal sanity and the Democrats propose a very modest $6 billion cut in federal spending. The Republicans are proposing over $60 billion. Put me in the camp that says that number ought to be over $100 billion. Cut, cut, cut. President Obama continues to demonstrate a horrendous lack of leadership on spending.
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Our legal community lost a very good man this week with the passing of Frost Brown Todd attorney Dick Goehler. Dick was the consummate professional. He was an outstanding attorney and friend to many. In addition to his contributions to the legal profession, Dick Goehler was a committed Republican who stayed active with our local party by serving on our Judicial Screening Committee and actively supporting many candidates. His loss is immense and he will be greatly missed. To read more about Dick Goehler, click here.
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I'm a recent convert to all things produced by Apple. I don't go far without my Macbook and I've vowed to never go back to a Windows-based computer ever again. Why? Because they work--all the time. I have an iPad and now, recently, made the switch to the iPhone. These super high quality products simply blow away the competition. Apple is doing it right.
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Our Republican HQ is nearly completely remodeled. We are thrilled with the result. Although the space is smaller, it is cleaner, fresher, and more conducive to productive work. We're getting the party ready for 2012.
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George Will wrote a somewhat biting, yet interesting, column about our current crop of 2012 candidates. He was harsh on Mike Huckabee and Newt Gingrich for some of their rhetoric. Will writes that there are really only five legitimate candidates currently considering a run: Daniels, Huntsman, Pawlenty, Romney, and Barbour. All are governors or former governors. I disagree with George Will on Gingrich and Huckabee as both have many strengths. But, I like George Will and I specifically like that he urges candidates to be sensible in their rhetoric. I don't think that kind of high-mindedness exists on the other side. Remember what the Democrats did to George W. Bush? I haven't forgotten. To read George Will's column, click here.
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On our Redlegs...I have an outlandish idea. Why not start Aroldis Chapman on Opening Day? I know purists (of which I think I am one) will argue why such a stunt is a terrible idea. But, I go to Opening Day every single year and I would love to know that the opening pitch on Opening Day for the defending National League Central Division Champion Cincinnati Reds would be 106 MPH.
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It's not too late to participate in our NCAA bracket challenge. Here is the information you will need:
- http://hamcountygop.mayhem.cbssports.com/e
- PW: elephant
The law in our neighboring state of Indiana on collective bargaining is similar, if not exactly like, the law proposed in Ohio's Senate Bill 5. Have you watched what's happening in Indiana? It is a state with a booming economy drawing jobs in the thousands and launching its governor to one of the highest approval ratings in the country. Indiana is a successful state. And its "middle class" is thriving. The doomsday scenario being threatened upon the passage of SB5 will not materialize. I am convinced that the average public sector employee will not suffer the pain threatened by some loud voices within the union ranks.
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It's my blog, so I'm allowed to offer my two-bit opinion about all sorts of things. So, here goes. The United States should stay-the-heck-out of Libya in every way imaginable. I've heard both sides of the argument in the media and I don't see a vital national security interest in putting our pilots in harm's way. The slaughter there is unfortunate and heart-wrenching and Quaddafi is a bad guy. But, we can't solve every world problem with American power. I applaud President Obama for staying out of this fight. I might be in a minority within our GOP on this one--but I'm entitled.
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The Muskies will face two Big East teams to get to the Sweet 16. Despite my sometimes-ribbing of Muskie fans, I'll be rooting for them in this tournament. I always do. Having two good teams is great for the city, for morale, and for our image nationally. I'm rooting for these Muskies. But...
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The UC Bearcats make a return to the NCAA Tournament this year. My beloved Bearcats face a tough first-round match up tonight against Missouri. The tougher match up will be for me as I battle the urge to fall asleep after the first half.
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I'm not Irish today. I'm Greek every day. And darn proud of it. This doesn't mean I won't enjoy a green beer at the annual Friendly Sons of St. Patrick's Dinner tonight. Putting on the tux and enjoying the camaraderie of the Irish is always fun at that annual event.
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A long blog posting this morning. Have a great St. Patrick's Day.
