Hamilton County GOP

Miss the blog?

2011-10-03T15:21:00.002-04:00

Do you miss the Chairman's blog? The same conversation is happening on Facebook right now.

Check out the Chairman's latest musings about Herman Cain and the media by clicking here.

Hamilton County GOP on Facebook

2011-09-07T10:52:00.003-04:00

Online communication has changed substantially in the last several years. This blog was designed to share information about party events and to create a place for regular discussion. That very same activity now occurs on Facebook. Facebook is a superior platform to share that information because of the many tools that it provides for all of us.

The Hamilton County GOP will regularly communicate using social media, especially Facebook and Twitter.

Please visit us on Facebook at: www.Facebook.com/HamCoGOP

Please follow us on Twitter at: twitter.com/HamCoGOP

Thank you for your continued interest in and support of the Hamilton County Republican Party. Working together, we can change this city, this county, this state, and this country. We look forward to joining you in that fight.

Alex M. Triantafilou
Chairman

Happy Easter!

2011-04-23T22:35:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter!

NCAA Bracket Challenge Winner: John Eby

2011-04-17T09:10:00.004-04:00

Our 2011 Hamilton County GOP Bracket Challenge winner is our friend, John Eby. Congratulations John!

John Eby has previously run for Cincinnati City Council as a Republican-endorsed candidate and he continues to be active in the Westwood neighborhood by supporting candidates he believes are good for our city. John is an outstanding guy.

Keeping our commitment, the Party will be buying lunch for John soon.

Obamacare and the Constitution

2011-03-19T07:34:00.011-04:00

Can your federal government force you to eat broccoli? Sound ridiculous? Not if the individual mandate found in Obamacare continues to be American law. The ridiculous notion that the federal government can force private individuals to buy something they might not wish to purchase should offend every American who understands freedom. Attorney Jack Painter, the founder of the Indian Hill Tea Party, recently presented his legal arguments to a group of students at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. I reproduce them here as I found them highly persuasive and illustrative of why so many of us are so strongly opposed to the big government takeover of health care.

***************************************************

Presentation by Jack Painter

Panel Discussion - Constitutionality of the Individual Mandate

University of Cincinnati College of Law

March 14, 2011

Are there limits on what the federal government can tell us to do, and, if so, what is the source of those limits? We face that question because the individual mandate provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires most Americans to purchase health insurance from a private company or pay a penalty. Intuitively, most of us are uncomfortable with the idea the federal government can force us to purchase private products, but exactly what prevents that?

The source of the Congressional power in question – Article I, Section 8.

The starting point in the constitutional analysis is a principle on which everyone agrees. The federal government is one of enumerated powers, and it can exercise only the powers granted to it in the Constitution.

Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution says Congress has the power to “regulate Commerce . . . among the several States” and also has the power to “make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers . . . .” The first clause is known as the Commerce Clause, and the second clause is known as the Necessary and Proper Clause.

The Obama administration’s initial justification for the individual mandate – the “substantial effects doctrine”.

Initially, the Obama administration tried to justify the individual mandate under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution based on an established Supreme Court doctrine referred to as the “substantial effects” doctrine. Under that doctrine, Congress may regulate purely local activity if it is economic in nature and substantially affects interstate commerce.

But all the Supreme Court decisions applying this doctrine involve activity, such as controlling and using navigable waters, establishing wages and hours for employees, producing wheat for personal consumption, and turning away motel guests based on race. So the Obama administration has been forced to argue that a failure to act (a decision not to purchase health insurance) constitutes activity or, in the alternative, that Congress’ commerce power reaches beyond activity to cover economic decisions.

Judge Kessler of the D.C District Court accepted this argument when she recently upheld the individual mandate on the grounds that Congress has the power to regulate what she called “mental activity.”

The problem is that this argument doesn’t have any logical limits. For example, a “decision” not to take a job or not to sell your house or not to buy a car would be “activity” that is commercial and economic in nature and could be mandated by Congress.

The Obama administration’s fallback position – Justice Scalia’s “essential to a broader regulatory scheme” theory.

So the Obama administration has shifted to the argument that Congress may do anything essential to a broader regulatory scheme to regulate interstate commerce. Here, the broader regulatory scheme includes mandating that insurance companies cover people with pre-existing conditions. The government says that without the individual mandate, that scheme won’t work because people will wait until they are sick to buy health insurance.

There are several problems with this argument.

· The Supreme Court has never adopted this doctrine. It is based on a statement by Justice Scalia in his concurring opinion in Gonzales v. Raich, where he said “Congress may regulate even noneconomic local activity if that regulation is a necessary part of a more general regulation of interstate commerce.” Justice Scalia based that statement on dicta – meaning a comment not essential to the decision – in United States v. Lopez, where Justice Rehnquist said the Gun Free School Zone Act was not an essential part of a larger regulatory scheme and implied that if it had been, the decision in Lopez would have been different.

· There is nothing in Justice Scalia’s concurring opinion that supports extending his proposed doctrine to inactivity.

· Doing so would permit Congress to mandate any form of private conduct. All Congress would have to do is first adopt a permitted regulatory scheme that won’t work without a mandate and then impose the mandate.

The government’s argument in support of the individual mandate advances a theory of government power that has no limiting principle.

The proponents of the individual mandate argue that applying the “substantial effects” doctrine or Justice Scalia’s proposed “essential to a regulatory scheme” theory to inactivity really does have limits because healthcare is different.

But is that true? As Judge Vinson noted in his decision in the recent Florida District Court case, “the mere status of being without health insurance, in and of itself, has absolutely no impact whatsoever on interstate commerce . . . at least not any more so than the status of being without any particular good or service.”

The government responds that everyone will eventually need health care, and because emergency rooms must provide emergency medical care without first inquiring about ability to pay, a decision not to purchase health insurance is necessarily a choice to take a free ride on the healthcare system.

But that is clearly false. Millions of people who do not have health insurance today, including a lot of young adults, will acquire it in the future before they incur emergency medical expenses they cannot afford. And those who remain uninsured at the time they receive emergency medical care will still be legally obligated to pay their bill and won’t necessarily fail to do so. As a result, the most that can be said is that some but not all who fail to purchase health insurance will eventually get a free ride. (According to authoritative studies, the uninsured pay about a third of the aggregate cost of their care out of pocket, and the remaining uncompensated cost is shifted largely to government and has a negligible effect on private health insurance premiums.)

So the principle being asserted by the government is that people shouldn’t be allowed to fail to act if in the aggregate that shifts costs to others. Well, if that’s the principle, what about the failure to go to the doctor for preventative care or checkups? Does that ultimately increase healthcare costs and result in additional cost shifting? If so, does Congress have the power to force people to see their doctors?

Those who say “healthcare is different” also argue that a decision not to purchase health insurance limits the size of the pool of insured individuals and – assuming those not insured are young and healthy – drives up premium costs. But that applies to all forms of insurance, not just health insurance. And that argument also establishes the principle that people shouldn’t be allowed to shift costs to others and again raises the specter of forced doctor visits.

There’s one other problem. The argument that healthcare is different is not a constitutional principle. In the future, courts will never examine the factual differences between programs to see if economic mandates are appropriate. Mandates will be constitutional if Congress deems them to be necessary.

If accepted, the government’s theory would give Congress virtually unlimited power to impose mandates on private conduct.

Let’s assume, however, that Professor Bryant is correct, and the commerce power permits the individual mandate. I’d like to know exactly what Professor Bryant thinks the limits are on Congressional power to mandate private conduct.

Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of the California Irvine School of Law, argues that “Congress could use its commerce power to require people to buy cars.” Presumably, Professor Bryant agrees. He recently wrote that Congress is within its powers as long as it simply requires “the payment of money.”

What are the outer bounds of this federal power? Can the federal government force us to buy broccoli or join a health club? In recent Senate testimony, Former Solicitor General and Harvard law professor Charles Fried defended the constitutionality of the individual mandate and argued that Congress had the power to force people to buy broccoli. What about going one step further to tell us we must eat broccoli or exercise?

The answers provided by Dean Chemerinsky and Professor Bryant are not very comforting. Dean Chemerinsky says, “what people choose to eat well might be regarded as a personal liberty” and thus beyond Congressional control. Professor Bryant stated in his recent Enquirer column that the federal government might not be permitted to force us to exercise.

From what I can determine, their theory is that those actions by the federal government would intrude on personal autonomy and therefore would not be a permissible regulation of commerce. I’d like to know why government intrusion on decisions like whether to go to a doctor and how to pay for it don’t also intrude on personal autonomy.

I don’t know about you, but I find it alarming that the proponents of a broad commerce power can’t convincingly distinguish the individual mandate from forms of government coercion that are clearly inappropriate.

Let me ask this. How many of you in this room are comfortable with the idea that the federal government might be able to force you to buy broccoli, join a health club, or buy a car?

Well, it appears Professor Bryant has some more explaining to do.

The “proper” test under the Necessary and Proper Clause must also be met.

Now let me offer three observations that relate to the “proper” test of the Necessary and Proper Clause.

In McCullough v. Maryland, Chief Justice Marshall said the means chosen by Congress to exercise its commerce power are “proper” under the Necessary and Proper Clause only if consistent with “the letter and spirit of the Constitution.”

This proper test is relevant because Justice Scalia’s proposed essential to a regulatory scheme theory is based on the Necessary and Proper Clause. The substantial effects doctrine seems to be as well, although the Supreme Court has not always been clear on that. Even so, two of the seminal cases developing the substantial effects doctrine, United States v. Darby and Wickard v. Filburn, are explicitly based on both the Commerce Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause.

First observation – The government’s theory puts the burden of protecting liberty almost entirely on individual liberty rights, and that has serious implications.

My first observation is that Professor Bryant’s view of the commerce power puts the burden of protecting liberty almost entirely on the concept of individual liberty rights, and that has serious implications for federalism and the protection of liberty.

It’s hard to read the Federalist Papers or the Constitution without concluding that the vision of our founding fathers was a sea of individual liberty rights with islands of government power. We’ve debated for over 200 years about how many islands of government power exist and how big those islands are. As the islands of government power have grown, we’ve evolved in the opposite direction towards a sea of government power with islands of individual liberty rights.

If I am correct in assessing Professor Bryant’s vision of the commerce power, Professor Bryant is asking us to fully accept the idea of a sea of government power with islands of individual liberty rights.

So what’s wrong with that?

Well, let’s look at what those islands of liberty rights are. They fall into three categories. First, minor limits on federal power under the commerce clause, like those recognized in United States v. Lopez (Congress cannot prohibit guns near schools.) and United States v. Morrison. (Congress cannot regulate gender-motivated violence.) Second, the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights. And third, so-called “unenumerated rights” that the Supreme Court has read into the Constitution through the Fourteenth Amendment under a doctrine called “substantive due process.”

Because the limitations on the commerce power are so minor under Professor Bryant’s theories, the islands of liberty rights really consist of the second and third categories - the Bill of Rights and unenumerated rights.

That means the limits on federal and state power – the fences around their power, if you will – are effectively the same, and as a result the federal government has virtually the same powers as the states. That is inconsistent with the idea stated by Madison in Federalist No. 45 that the powers of the federal government are “few and defined”, unlike the powers of the states, which are “numerous and indefinite.” (The Supreme Court reaffirmed this famous statement by Madison as recently as United States v. Lopez.) It is also inconsistent with the plain meaning of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments.

It also means our liberty is at risk since existing individual liberty rights don’t provide much protection from the possible intrusions on personal autonomy mentioned above. The Bill of Rights enumerates specific rights, like freedom of speech, but it isn’t well suited to protect us against the types of personal mandates we’re discussing, presumably because the framers of the Constitution never envisioned them. That means we have to rely on the so-called “unenumerated rights” that have been recognized by the Supreme Court under the doctrine called “substantive due process.” But those “unenumerated rights” are fairly narrow. One line of cases recognizes a right to privacy and protects only “fundamental” rights, like the right to abortion. Another line of cases, based on Lawrence v. Texas, recognizes a right to liberty itself but at best protects only conduct that is not harmful to others, such as certain private sexual conduct. Based on this Supreme Court precedent, there is a real risk the courts will conclude that our failure to eat broccoli or exercise indirectly harms others by raising healthcare costs and is therefore not a protected right. I believe that’s why Dean Chemerinsky and Professor Bryant hedged on whether the federal government could impose those mandates.

Second observation – The individual mandate is unprecedented, and government mandates like it are vastly more intrusive than mere prohibitions.

My second observation is that the individual mandate is unprecedented, and government mandates like it are vastly more intrusive than mere prohibitions.

To understand this, it helps to categorize government coercion, whether state or federal, into three categories: prohibitions of chosen activity, regulations of chosen activity, and mandates.

· A prohibition of chosen activity occurs when the government says “You can’t do X.” This happens, for example, when a law says you can’t drive above the speed limit or steal from your neighbor.

· A regulation of chosen activity occurs when the government says “If you choose to do X, you must do X in a certain manner.” For example, if you choose to build a house, you must comply with building codes. Or the government says “If you choose to do X, you must do Y as well.” For example, if you choose to drive a car on public roads, you must purchase auto insurance.

· A mandate occurs when the government says flat out “You must do X”, and the coercion has nothing to do with chosen activity. It applies merely because you reside in this country or are a citizen.

The individual mandate falls into this third category of coercion. The federal government coerces you to act in specific ways (purchase health insurance) merely because you are a citizen. You cannot make a choice to forego certain activities and avoid the government coercion.

This is unprecedented. Until now, the only time the federal government has imposed such a flat out mandate is in the case of military conscription, jury service and census participation. Unlike the individual mandate, those mandates are all contemplated by the explicit language of the Constitution. (Military conscription is based on the power to declare war and raise armies found in Article 1, Section 8, Clauses 11 and 12; jury service is contemplated by the Sixth Amendment, which mandates a right to trial by jury in criminal trials; and the census is specifically called for in Article I, Section 2, Clause 3.) Those mandates are also all essential to the very existence of the federal government and therefore considered fundamental duties of citizenship. No one seriously argues that the private purchase of health insurance is essential to the very existence of the federal government and therefore is a fundamental duty of citizenship.

Mandates like the individual mandate are also vastly more intrusive than mere prohibitions. Imagine I tell you 100 things you may not do tomorrow. For example, you may not run on a treadmill, eat broccoli, buy a car, and 97 other things. While your liberty would be restricted, there would still be an infinite number of things you could do. Now suppose I tell you 100 things you must do tomorrow. You must run on a treadmill, eat broccoli, buy a car, and 97 other things. These 100 mandates could potentially occupy all your time and consume all your financial resources.

Some people claim the individual mandate isn’t unprecedented by citing various kinds of government coercion. You should pay close attention, though, to the examples they give. All of them involve what I call regulation of chosen activity. In other words, the government says, “If you choose to do X, you must do X in a certain way or must also do Y.” For example, if you choose to build a factory, you must install certain pollution control devices. These are not flat out mandates like the individual mandate.

Others argue that the power to mandate private purchases is really no different or more intrusive than the power to impose taxes. Both are claims on the fruits of your labor and therefore infringe on liberty. In one case, the government forces you to give money to the government. In the other, it forces you to give money to a private business. Either way, you are out-of-pocket the money.

But that argument ignores the differences between the two:

· We justify the infringement on liberty caused by taxation on the theory that taxes are essential to the very existence of government and, therefore, the payment of taxes is a fundamental duty of citizenship. That justification doesn’t apply to the individual mandate.

· And the framers of the Constitution clearly recognized this unique justification for taxation. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution and the Sixteenth Amendment explicitly give Congress the power to impose taxes. If the Constitution were as explicit about Congress’ power to mandate private purchases, we wouldn’t be debating the issue today.

· In any event, the fact that we gave the federal government the power to impose taxes doesn’t in itself mean we gave it carte blanche to mandate the purchase of products or the payment of money to others. In fact, the history of the taxing power illustrates that one government power doesn’t automatically beget another. Even though the original Constitution explicitly permitted various forms of taxation, a constitutional amendment was still necessary for the government to tax income from dividends, interest and rents.

There’s one other important distinction worth noting. To one degree or another, there is an element of choice in taxation that often makes it a regulation of chosen activity rather than a flat out mandate. You have a choice whether to purchase and continue to own real property and therefore pay real estate taxes. You have a choice whether to invest in tax exempt bonds and avoid taxes on investment income. And you have a choice whether to spend your savings and avoid some or all of the estate tax. Admittedly, these choices have practical limitations, but they are still choices. In contrast, the individual mandate doesn’t involve any chosen activity. It applies merely because you are alive.

Third observation - Ultimately, the types of mandates at issue are inconsistent with the fundamental idea that underlies the theory of rights in the Declaration of Independence.

My final observation is that Professor Bryant’s vision of government is inconsistent with the fundamental idea that underlies the theory of rights in the Declaration of Independence - the idea that we own ourselves and, therefore, have the right to be left alone as long as we honor the equal right of others to be left alone.

Professor Bryant suggested in his Enquirer article that the idea of a right to be left alone supports the individual mandate. After all, he argues, people who fail to purchase health care insurance are imposing higher costs on others and violating their right to be left alone.

But since when do higher costs for things I choose to purchase violate my right to be left alone? And if that does violate some right I have, why is the solution to impose economic mandates that further intrude on my personal autonomy?

And Professor Bryant seems to assume that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act eliminates subsidies to people who currently don’t purchase health insurance. In fact, it just changes how subsidies get paid and apparently expands the number of people eligible for subsidies. Currently, uninsured consumers receive subsidies (largely from taxpayers) but only if they don’t pay their hospital bill. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, people who meet certain tests and are below 400% of the poverty level receive subsidies (entirely from taxpayers) to purchase health insurance.

In any event, the point is that if the government can force us to pay money to a private company for the rest of our lives, and by logical extension, force us to buy a car or join a health club and perhaps force us to eat broccoli or exercise, we have strayed far from the vision of liberty at the heart of our system of government.

Does the individual mandate pass the “proper” test in light of the above analysis?

My analysis of the individual mandate can be summed up as follows:

The government’s argument in support of the individual mandate advances a theory of government power that has no limiting principle.
If accepted, it would give Congress virtually unlimited power to impose mandates on private conduct.
Such a broad federal power would effectively eliminate the distinction between federal and state power that is fundamental to the structure of the Constitution.
It would also lead to improper infringements on liberty because the Bill of Rights and the so-called unenumerated rights currently recognized by the Supreme Court have limited application.
In any event, the individual mandate is unprecedented, and government mandates like it are vastly more intrusive than mere prohibitions.
Ultimately, the types of mandates at issue are inconsistent with the idea of self ownership that underlies the theory of rights in the Declaration of Independence.

Given these conclusions, is the individual mandate “proper” under the Necessary and Proper Clause? Specifically, is it consistent with the letter and spirit of the Constitution?

There are no Supreme Court decisions addressing whether economic mandates like the individual mandate meet this test, but that’s because they are novel and have never existed before.

There is precedent, however, that mandates on state governments are not proper. In the 1990’s, the Supreme Court held that certain federal mandates constituted an unconstitutional commandeering of the state legislatures. These included forcing state governments to take nuclear waste and mandating local sheriffs to run background checks on gun buyers. These cases were ultimately grounded in the Tenth Amendment, but that Amendment recognizes not just state sovereignty but also the popular sovereignty of the people.

Professor Randy Barnett of the Georgetown University Law Center makes a strong argument that the individual mandate fails the “proper” test, and I find it persuasive. If you’d like to read his argument, it’s part of a law review article he wrote that I’ve posted at www.IndianHillTeaParty.org.

He also points out that refusing to extend the commerce power to inactivity will not overturn any Supreme Court precedent and will affect only this one law. And extending the anti-commandeering doctrine to the people may be novel, but the individual mandate is itself novel, just as certain federal mandates on the states were novel before they were struck down.

The stakes are high.

To sum up, I believe the individual mandate crosses a threshold with significant implications and that it is time to acknowledge that and turn back. As Judge Vinson said in his opinion, “It is difficult to imagine that a nation which began, at least in part, as a result of opposition to a British mandate giving the East India Company a monopoly and imposing a nominal tax on all tea sold in America would have set out to create a government with the power to force people to buy tea in the first place.”

I urge you to keep an open mind as you reflect on these issues. When there is broad public opposition to a law because people think it improperly intrudes on their lives, it is incumbent on our elected representatives and those of us in the legal profession to pay attention. The legitimacy of our system of laws depends on the consent of the governed. If we lose that, we put our legal system at risk.

Given the importance of this issue, vigorous debate is critical. I’d like to thank Professor Bryant and Dean Bilionis for giving me a chance to participate in this discussion and be part of that debate.

--------------------------

Jack Painter lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and is a corporate attorney. He is the founder of the Indian Hill Tea Party and on the board of the Ohio Liberty Council. He can be reached at jack.painter@ohiolibertycouncil.org.

Debe Terhar, Etc.

2011-03-17T03:07:00.011-04:00

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

The Democrats have 4 incumbent judges who have received their endorsement in the past and they are:

Judge Cheryl Grant
Judge Matthew Fellerhoff
Judge Fanon Rucker
Judge Tyrone Yates

This should be an interesting election cycle.

And...

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.

And...

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.

And...

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.

And...

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.

And...

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.

And...

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.

And...

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.

And...

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.

And...

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.

And...

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

And...

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.

And...

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.

And...

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...

And...

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.

And...

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.

And...

A long blog posting this morning. Have a great St. Patrick's Day.

2011 Hamilton County GOP Bracket Challenge

2011-03-13T21:10:00.004-04:00

Again in 2011, the Hamilton County GOP is hosting an online NCAA bracket challenge.

Will Lisa Caldemeyer, our 2010 winner, repeat as champ?

You will need to establish a CBS Sportsline account with your OWN User ID and Password. Once passed that, you will be prompted for a password to get into our bracket. That password is: elephant.

Join in the fun at: http://hamcountygop.mayhem.cbssports.com/e

(the above link is new on 3/15!)

Please use the above link and make sure that the bracket you're using says "2011" in the title.

The winner will be invited to lunch with Chairman Triantafilou!

This is being done for entertainment purposes only.

Gov. Kasich, etc.

2011-03-05T07:26:00.008-05:00

Gov. Kasich is leading. And leadership means making the tough calls. In the coming days, Gov. Kasich will unveil his reform agenda and his budget. The budget must trim over $8 billion to come into balance. Failed governor Ted Strickland left a terrible, terrible mess for us to clean up and it is not going to be easy. Already, we have seen the price our party takes for exhibiting leadership and for making some very difficult decisions. I have great faith in Gov. Kasich to turn around our state. Radical change is needed or our economic slide will continue. Gov. Kasich is just the man.

And...

When I talk to Tea Party leaders, I typically ask for one thing: give our leaders the backing they need to make the tough calls. Don't get swayed by the public opinion that sways the traditional political parties who exist to maintain power. Stand with those elected officials who will make the unpopular choices to take things away from people. We are entering an era in American politics where government must take things away and oftentimes government will take things away from some who will vocally tell us we can't. These are very difficult political choices. But, if we want a government we can afford, we must ultimately make sweeping changes. Will we pay a price at the polls? Maybe. Will we save the state and the country? If we do what we must, I'm sure of it.

And...

The personal attacks and heated rhetoric were wrong when we did it at President Obama and Speaker Pelosi during the Obamacare debate. The public sector unions are doing it now and it is wrong now, too.

And...

Speaking of personal attacks, I have been disappointed by some of the petty, insulting name-calling that I've seen on social media and other places in this collective bargaining reform debate. Some people who I respect have lost that respect as they use vile personal attacks on political leaders with whom they disagree. Emotion clouds the judgment. It shouldn't. Dignity should always prevail--in victory and defeat. Some of my friends have forgotten that. Criticize us on policy all you want to. Name-calling and personal insults are useless and only stand to strengthen our resolve. Compromise and negotiation are made more difficult when it becomes personal.

And...

We unveiled our Cincinnati City Council slate for 2011. I'm proud that our Nominating Committee recommended the endorsement of Leslie Ghiz, Wayne Lippert, Catherine Smith Mills, Amy Murray, and Charlie Winburn. These five members can make a difference at City Hall.

And...

If you are not part of the process, don't complain. If your political involvement only includes sitting at your computer and complaining via the Internet, you're not contributing to the solution. If you don't like what's happening in your city, township, county, state, and nation, get off the sofa and get involved! Plato is famously quoted as saying, "[T]he punishment which the wise suffer who refuse to take part in the government is to live under the government of worse men." Are you a better man or woman? Get involved.

And...

ESPN is reporting the tragic death of 16 year old high school basketball player Wes Leonard. This young man, from Fennville High School in Michigan, tragically collapsed and died after a high school basketball game on Thursday evening. A star of the basketball and football team, Wes Leonard suffered a cardiac event suddenly causing his death. To learn more about this tragic story, click here. Why mention this on a political blog? Because it should remind all of us that life is fleeting and precious. The things we do in politics are meaningless and our differences petty when we consider how quickly life can end. If this young man's tragic death makes us all take one step back from the angst, then maybe one small good will come from this tragedy. Keep Wes Leonard and his family in your prayers.

And...

NAACP President Christopher Smitherman appears to be running for Cincinnati City Council. He'll have some work to do to earn my vote. He might start by telling his followers the truth about what has transpired at the Board of Elections. He might also educate Cecil Thomas on court procedure. Calling for the arrest of Board of Elections members for violating a non-existent court order is the type of false hyperbole that has thrust Mr. Smitherman into the spotlight, but leaves responsible leaders in our community with serious doubts about his ability to contribute to the greater good. Smitherman is a gifted and bright guy, but he needs to find a more adult voice as he attempts to re-enter government service.

And...

LaRosa's is the city's best pizza.

And...

The Bearcats are likely to return to the NCAA Tournament. That little progr'm on Victory also is headed there. It should be a fun March.

And...

The defending National League Central Division Champion Cincinnati Reds are a few short weeks from starting up the regular season. And I can't wait. As I've pointed out on this blog before, a good baseball team lifts the spirits of this city like nothing else. Baseball is played 162 times per year which means that a good team can entertain us in the spring, summer, and into the fall. Following the team on a daily basis is a wonderful sidelight to the daily grind of life. Go Redlegs!

And...

Those angry about SB5 call party headquarters. Those angry at the few Republicans not supporting SB5 also call party headquarters. Those angry at both call party headquarters. In the end, the party gets blamed by everybody for everything at some point. And I love it. Because we're in the middle of the public debate.

And...

I respect the position taken by BYU in dismissing Brandon Davies. Our modern society is too full of people lacking standards and lacking discipline. There was no "bait and switch" with him. He knew the rules, he broke them, and he's out. If you don't want to live by the rules, don't go there. A good lesson in 2011 for every kid: a rule is a rule. Even if it prohibits a cup of caffeinated coffee.

And...

The construction at the party HQ continues and is nearly completed. We will be having a grand reopening party when it is all finished.

And...

Have a great weekend.

Queen City Terminal, Etc.

2011-02-26T07:43:00.007-05:00

Want a textbook example of how Cincinnati city government is failing our city in the worst way? Learn more about the Queen City Terminal barge facility. Our region, and our city, must make greater use of the river to promote jobs and to grow the region economically. One developer has a plan to build a large barge facility on the western part of Cincinnati on the river. In fact, that developer had an option to purchase the land. Your Cincinnati city council is unreasonably blocking this proposal for reasons that remain unclear to me. Most of the stated opposition comes from a few homeowners who are concerned about the ascetics of the facility and how it might impact the view from their homes. Although these concerns might be reasonable, they must be balanced against the tremendous economic impact such a facility would have on our city, our state, and the region. To make matters worse, the city of Cincinnati faces a multi-million dollar lawsuit that most observers expect will be successful and cost the city millions in damages. The lawsuit is based on the city's obstruction of this private business' right to develop this property. To read more about this important economic development opportunity and how our council is failing, consider:

"A river-to-rail port is Cincinnati's stake in the future" and "This tsunami of freight is coming. The more modes we have available that work together in an efficient network, the greater will be our competitive advantage over other regions.” (Business Courier, 11/30/09)
"A container-shipping terminal on the Ohio River at Lower Price Hill would produce a $105 million economic impact in its first five years." (Business Courier, 3/9/09)
Project could lead to $4 million to $8 million in tariff revenue for the city. (Business Courier, 8/7/2008
"As we reported last March, the city is facing at least $1.7 million in liability from a 2005 lawsuit..." (Business Courier, 2/21/11)
To learn more about this project and to see an animation, click here.

So, the city faces a near-certain multi-million dollar defeat in court. A private business owner wants to build a facility that will lead to increased city revenue and promote commerce in the entire region. The future of commerce of this kind is likely to be hugely successful. But, our city council will not act to promote economic development and private business.

And...

The media reporting on the collective bargaining issue has not been entirely unbiased. The usual headline in the TV or print media tends to be, "workers stripped of their rights." That language is not subtle. Our nation was built on "rights." Our Bill of Rights is a universally significant declaration of human rights and the concept of "rights" is ingrained in the American psyche. When the media reports that workers are being "stripped of their rights," the reaction is obvious. It will be negative. The choice of that language, maybe not always purposeful, contributes to the perception that collective bargaining reform is bad. A closer look at the issue reveals that public workers maintain many of their "rights." The most important of those rights are the long-standing civil service laws that continue to protect workers. How about these headlines: "Reform giving government more flexibility in managing employee costs passes the Senate" or "Republicans win first round in collective bargaining fight" or "Employee costs crippling state governments lead to changes." These certainly sound more reasonable than "stripping workers of their rights."

And...

The legislative process contemplated by the Ohio Constitution is underway in the Senate Bill 5 Collective Bargaining Reform process. Democracy is at work. Protests are fine. Negotiation is fine. That is how our democracy works. It is why we live in the greatest country on the planet.

And...

I predicted that Parker-Spitzer would not last until Memorial Day. I was partly right. CNN dropped Kathleen Parker in favor of Elliot Spitzer. I wasn't watching and I'm even less likely to watch now. Can ABC drop Christianne Amanpour?

And...

Johnny Gomes drives a Cadillac Fleetwood. Awesome.

And...

Our Lincoln-Reagan Dinner was a huge success. I was very pleased with our turnout. Gov. Daniels was gracious with his time and is clearly a highly intelligent and devoted public servant.

And...

Johnny Bench will be honored with a statue at the entrance to Great American Ballpark. This is a fitting tribute to the greatest catcher to ever play the game. Strangely enough, my greatest memory of Johnny Bench is not from his playing days. It is from Halloween, 2004, as Johnny introduced President Bush at a huge rally in support of the President at Great American Ballpark. It was the perfect political event and among the most memorable of my life. Johnny Bench is a class act. (Read about the statue here.)

And...

I'm going to be a broken record: If every person who must suffer so that government can trim spending is then motivated to vote against the politician responsible for making that cut, our nation is doomed for failure. We will have reached that point where people simply vote themselves greater benefits from the public treasury. Our country will actually be in trouble. The sacrifice must be shared, but there must be sacrifice. Today, I'm not optimistic.

And...

Are you as sick of hearing about Charlie Sheen as I am? Quaddafi is news. Sheen is not. They're both drug-addicted maniacs. One kills people, the other is killing himself. Both need to go away.

And...

Baseball 2011 is coming soon. The defending National League Central Division Champion Cincinnati Reds have Opening Day on a Thursday. Should be a change.

And...

The GOP needs a Senate candidate to defeat uber-liberal Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2012. Every day that passes helps him. Where are all our stars on this one?

And...

Have a nice weekend.

Welcome Gov. Mitch Daniels!

2011-02-23T03:05:00.003-05:00

Gov. Mitch Daniels rides into town later today for the annual 2011 Hamilton County Republican Party Lincoln-Reagan Dinner. The event is scheduled to begin with cocktails at 5:30 p.m. at the Duke Energy Center with Gov. Daniels remarks to occur around 7:30 p.m. For more information, please click here.

And...

Don't forget the Chairman's After Party to follow the Lincoln-Reagan Dinner. It will occur just across the street from the Duke Energy Center at 435 Elm St. at Launch Bar. I hope to see many of you there.

And...

Taking away someone's government benefit or changing the culture of government can be very tough. We're seeing that right now. Courage is key. But so is a reasonable discourse on why changes must come. We need to do a better job of communicating these changes to our friends in the public sector unions. We don't want to hurt your families--we want to save our state and our country. Let's have dialogue.

And...

I'm hoping that the calls for toned-down political rhetoric that came out of the tragic shooting in Tucson, Arizona are being heeded by those opposed to conservatives who are trying to change the culture of government. Are they? And are the liberals still preaching that message?

And...

Regardless of where you stand on Collective Bargaining reform, the Democrats who fled Wisconsin are cowards. They have created a crisis in the basic foundation of our democracy by simply failing to appear. The ends do NOT justify the means here. Those Democrats should all be summarily dismissed from service in government. I would say the same thing about Republicans. Do your job. And respect our democracy. As Republicans, we stood against Obamacare--we didn't run away from Congress and refuse to participate. Cowards, they are. And I hope the voters make them pay a price for their cowardice.

And...

The Hunter/Williams election fiasco has quieted down some, but there is still no resolution. The federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals is now considering whether to hear this case en banc. An en banc hearing would consist of all of the 15 judges in the Circuit considering this important issue. Will the Democrats succeed in changing the rules after the game? Stay tuned.

And...

Brandon Phillips is tweeting like crazy and it couldn't be more entertaining. Follow him @datdudeBP. Terrific tweets from a terrific guy and ballplayer. Dusty's fear of Twitter is typical of his generation. There is nothing wrong with social media and mass communication. These are the tools of this generation and they are wonderful.

And...

The city pension system is in serious need of reform. Like so many other bloated government programs, the city's system is now in near-crisis. Every member of council should set-aside politics for the moment and do what is necessary to fix this pension system so as to protect retirees and taxpayers.

And...

Our Republican Party is wide open to people wanting to switch party affiliation. After all, Ronald Reagan was a Democrat before seeing the light. This enlightenment can happen at any point in a person's career and we should welcome converts.

And...

I'm proud of Chris Monzel and his start as a County Commissioner. Chris has adapted instantly and is a leader for conservative values in his first few weeks on the job. He is bubbling-over with fresh ideas and is already pushing for changes in how county government operates. To get his regular update, the Monzel report, click here to email his staff. Great job, Chris!

And...

We will be interviewing candidates for Cincinnati city council in the next couple of weeks. Don't say we didn't ask! If you or someone you know wants to be interviewed to run, let us know by emailing Debbie Flammer.

And...

We will also begin the interview process for candidates interested in running for Municipal Court. Email Debbie Flammer if interested.

And...

Parker-Spitzer on CNN doesn't make it to Memorial Day. Bill O'Reilly needs a change in format because he used to be a favorite, but he's losing some interest. I like listening to Glenn Beck, but I can't find myself taking him too seriously even when he's making great points. Rush Limbaugh is brilliant, but it's hard to listen to the radio in the middle of the afternoon. Townhall.com and National Review Online are the best online resources for conservative commentary.

And...

I hope to see all of you who read this blog at the Lincoln Reagan Dinner. This annual event is important to our Club and to our cause. Let's come together tonight and celebrate a great 2010 and look to a more prosperous 2011 and 2012.

And...

Have a good Wednesday.

Senate Bill 5--Collective Bargaining, Etc.

2011-02-18T05:55:00.003-05:00

The above picture is what happens when government starts to try and take back the things it has been giving away for a generation. The photo is from the Wisconsin statehouse as union members flooded the statehouse in that great state. This is a tough business. We are seeing similar angst in Ohio. Here are a few things to consider:

I agree with the President that we should not "villify" public employees.
As Republicans, we value the work of public employees and we should work hard to explain to them why these measures are crucial to the future of their own jobs and to the future of the state.
Government is going broke, everywhere. Serious, draconian, and painful changes are nearly mandatory to save us from ruin. This is a first series of painful cuts. Every person needs to understand where we stand as a country and as a state. We stand on the brink of financial ruin.
The cuts to save us from financial ruin can no longer come from "waste, fraud, and abuse" because, in reality, that is not a viable solution. Let's have the adult conversation.
If I were managing a union in this environment, I would be negotiating, not protesting.

And...

I have great affinity for certain public employees especially police officers, firefighters, and teachers. These fine men and women should be treated with dignity and respect during this collective bargaining reform process. They also need to understand that the future of their profession hangs in the balance. Ohio, for example, faces a budget deficit of over $8 billion. Without serious reform, this state will soon begin slashing employees and eliminating the dollars used to pay public employees. The fiscal apocalypse has arrived and we need serious reform now. State bankruptcy is an option far worse than collective bargaining reform.

And...

I spoke to the Reading Republican Club Lincoln Day dinner. I talked about Ronald Reagan's optimism and sunny disposition. I've preached about it here before. The successful candidate for president in 2012 will be the one who campaigns on a positive message of a brighter future. I know lots of angry conservatives. I'm an angry conservative. What has happened in the United States for the last 2 decades justifies our anger. But, the voters want a positive, hopeful vision for the future of our great country. President Reagan is the model for how we ought to conduct ourselves. It is certainly fine to be angry, but in our leaders we should demand a positive and hopeful vision for the future.

And...

Morning Joe is the best morning show on television. The problem? When I come home at night the TV is on MSNBC. After 9 a.m., that station is useless.

And...

Catchers and pitchers have reported to spring training. Why do we always say "pitchers and catchers" instead of "catchers and pitchers"? I'm choosing to put catchers first. Ryan Hannigan and Corky Miller will appreciate that.

And...

I saw Marty Brennaman at Findlay Market last weekend. Marty is a committed Republican. Getting to know him, just a little bit, has been one of the pleasures of this job. Marty is a hall of fame announcer and a hall of fame guy. In person, he's witty, engaging, and outgoing. I happened to be in Madison's at Findlay Market and he was as nice and kind with the fans as any person could be.

And...

Ryan Widmer received three criminal trials. If media reports are to be believed, the hung jury in the second trial voted 10-2 for guilt. Add that to the 12 jurors who convicted him in the first trial and the 12 jurors who convicted him in the third trial, you have 34 jurors voting for guilt and only 2 voting to acquit him. My personal opinion aside, we must respect our jury system. I do.

And...

Congratulations to my friend, David Fornshell, on receiving the appointment to be the next Warren County Prosecutor. I've come to know David over the last few years and he is the ideal candidate to take on this important public responsibility. I will miss strolling three-doors-down at Dinsmore and Shohl and catching-up on politics.

And...

Police Officers are not idiots. And neither is Governor Kasich. He apologized for using that word. He should not apologize for his greater point: public employees work for the taxpayers and should treat citizens with great respect. How many times have you been abused by a bureaucrat? Been to the BMV lately? Gov. Kasich's message should not get lost in this silly controversy over his use of one word. The message to any public employee is this: be as nice to your consumers as private sector employees are to consumers who are paying the bill.

And...

Our party headquarters remodeling effort is coming to a close. It went well. Thanks to Debbie and Maggie for working under these conditions for nearly a month.

And...

I believe the President of the United States was born in Hawaii. That might be his only qualification to be President. This man was not up to the job and it is painfully obvious now.

And...

Dictionary.com allows you to sign-up for a "word of the day" email. Today's word? Libation. It's five o'clock somewhere.

And...

I am a big fan of police officers. I have strongly supported law enforcement. I did so as a prosecutor and a judge. I've done it as a political combatant. The men and women in policing are the most important public sector employees we have. Collective Bargaining reform, sorely needed in this state, should respect their important work. The same is true for firefighters.

And...

Are you coming to our Lincoln-Reagan Dinner on February 23? Click here to buy your tickets online. I can promise attendees one thing: the program will be very tight. We've eliminated much of the talking and we intend to move the evening along. We have an after-party across the street at Launch. Join us for that, too.

And...

When Republicans and Democrats ultimately agree on a budget, they ought to then slash 3% from every single number in the document. Isn't that a great idea? Just reduce the whole thing, equally, by 3%. Who would notice?

And...

Have a great weekend.

Join us after Lincoln-Reagan Dinner

2011-02-16T01:29:00.000-05:00

Lincoln-Reagan Dinner 2011, etc.

2011-02-12T09:57:00.003-05:00

Our 2011 Lincoln-Reagan Dinner will be on Wednesday, February 23 beginning at 5:30 p.m. (cocktails) and dinner at 6:30 p.m. at the Duke Energy Center, 525 Elm St., in downtown Cincinnati. Our keynote speaker will be Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. For more information and to purchase tickets online, click here.

And...

Gov. Daniels is a highly impressive person. He has done a terrific job in Indiana. To read more about "My Man Mitch" (his campaign slogan!), click on this story.

And...

The latest news in the Williams/Hunter contest is slightly good news. Only 24 hours after the Sixth Circuit Court was petitioned to hear the case en banc, the court immediately requested a response from Ms. Hunter's legal counsel. This is slightly good news because they could have rejected the petition without hearing from Ms. Hunter. Requesting a response from the other side tells us that someone is, at least, considering this further. Does this mean they'll take it en banc? No. But, it means they're at least considering it. Waiting is the hardest part.

And...

Interesting how so many in the media and elsewhere seem so happy the military now rules Egypt. I know the future will likely bring elections, but will those elections work to stabilize Egypt or make it more anti-U.S.? We've propped up that country for a long time. Democracy is a good thing. But, so is having a place where terrorists are not training to kill innocent Americans. The months ahead should be interesting. Mubarak was not the right answer. But, will we rue this day? Hope not.

And...

With Jeff Berding's departure from city council and the rumored possible departure of Chris Bortz, we may have the most competitive city council elections we've had in years. Let's hope the voters get it right. Although not Republican, Berding's intellect will be missed on the council. His vote for the streetcar--not so much.

And...

Our GOP-family is growing! Leslie Ghiz and her husband Steve have a new son, Andrew Alexander. Longtime GOP supporter and campaign manager for Steve Chabot, Jamie Schwartz and his wife Kristie welcomed their son, Connor, into the world, too. All seem to be healthy, happy, and sleep-deprived. Children are God's greatest gift.

And...

ArtsWave Sampler weekend starts today. Yes, Republicans can appreciate the arts just like liberals do. In fact, giving to the arts is popular for most Republican donors. The arts enrich our culture and grow our minds. Click here to learn more about Artswave (formerly the Fine Art Fund).

And...

I read George W. Bush's book, Decision Points. A good read. Being the POTUS is hard. Leading is not easy. Leaders take arrows and those arrows can sometimes hurt. The President of the United States is rarely presented with easy decisions. The easy ones are made by subordinates. By time the President gets involved, the calls are complicated. The book is worth reading for anyone in leadership anywhere. Getting to see the difficulty of that job from this book makes me less critical of President Obama. Ok, not really.

And...

Our Republican HQ re-construction continues. We hope to have it concluded within a week. The place will shrink, but it will also be spruced up quite a bit. I'm pleased with this decision. Our grand re-opening should come in early March.

And...

I need to get to one of these CPAC conventions. I'm jealous of those who are there.

And...

No Reds. No Bengals. Bearcats mildly interesting. The progr'm on Victory Parkway is not interesting to me. I might find my way to a Cyclones game.

And...

Are Republicans ever going to talk about cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the defense budget? They better. Tea Party pressure should be on them to do so or face the wrath of voters. Real, painful cuts are needed--and needed now. If we show the country that we're willing to make the tough calls and the President is only trimming-around-the-edges, then we can make a case for honest change in government in 2012. But, if voters get scared and politicians begin arousing the emotions of voters on these cuts to their advantage, shame on us as voters.

And...

Continuing my diatribe on spending, I would say this: We have government we simply can't afford. For too long, government looked for ways to give people things. We must enter an era where government takes things away. That is difficult for any politician. If the voters punish politicians who take things away, then the voters are as guilty as those politicians.

And...

I will never bash the Greeks or the Greek economy. For obvious reasons.

And...

Speaking of politicians making tough calls, have you seen the roll-out of the new Collective Bargaining bill proposed by Sen. Shannon Jones? That, friends, is real change to how our state does business. Sen. Jones is showing courageous leadership and she will need our full support.

And...

We also need election reform in Ohio. Rep. Bob Mecklenborg will lead the charge in the Ohio House. I look forward to working with Bob and Secretary Husted to get that done.

And...

I miss blogging. I'll try to keep it up for the entertainment of my two readers.

And...

Have a great weekend.

Ronald Reagan: 100 years

2011-02-06T08:35:00.006-05:00

Today marks 100 years since the day of President Ronald Reagan's birth. President Reagan receives much deserved praise from the GOP and I can't add much to that in this blog. But it is appropriate that his life and influence on the country and on our party be honored today. I'll do it by blogging. Reagan's work is not finished and, in fact, his vision sometimes fades in the face of those forces in America that forget what made us great. We need to keep fighting the Reagan revolution.

And...

Sorry Steeler fans, but I'm going with the Packers today. I have a poor history of predicting sporting events on this blog, but I'm going with the Packers 28, Steelers 21. If you want to share your prediction today, go to Facebook or Twitter and do it.

And...

I'm still getting lots of questions about the ongoing battle to preserve state law and officially have John Williams, the winner of the juvenile court race, seated into this important job. As of today, the Board of Election's attorneys are preparing to petition for an en banc hearing in the federal 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. This means that we're asking that all of the judges in the Circuit, not just three, hear this case. They will decide whether to hear it in a couple of weeks--or sooner. Right now, we're waiting. This complex case can be summarized in one sentence: they are trying to change the rules after the election and change the outcome they do not like.

And...

My friend, Al Duebber, a Delhi Township Trustee has announced that he's not running again. I want to wish Al all the best. He has done a terrific job for the citizens of Delhi and his service has been honorable and commendable. Good luck, Al!

And...

Will the budget debacle that we just witnessed at Cincinnati City Hall foster any changes to the city council in 2011? History tells us it will not. "Remember in November" works sometimes, but never seems to work in the city. City voters keep returning the same voices to city council then complain about the same results.

And...

Speaking of city council, our Party will be endorsing a slate in early March. If you or someone you know is interested in running, let us know (maggien@hc-gop.org).

And...

I haven't blogged in awhile. If my two readers are still out there, thanks for reading.

And...

Government everywhere is going broke. Not enough of our elected leaders say this to you. We have a government we can't afford because spending is way out-of-line with revenue. The problem with government is that "revenue" means taxes. So, a draconian, painful, and unpopular series of cuts in government service are necessary. Here's the problem: elected leaders in both parties are terribly afraid to make those cuts because they will be punished in the next election. For political leaders in both parties, the only thing more important than balancing the budget is winning re-election. The politician who talks about cutting government in the serious ways it needs to be cut will inevitably feel the wrath of those voters who are hurt. It seems everyone thinks that "government waste" can be cut in a way that no pain will be felt. This is where an "adult conversation" with voters is most necessary. Cuts are necessary in every single aspect of the government.

And...

Lots of behind-the-scenes work has been done with our new Governor to kill the wasteful Cincinnati streetcar proposal. That work continues.

And...

I've been largely quiet in the face of some of the misinformation flowing from those ignorant of what is actually happening at the Board of Elections. The worst offender? Council member Cecil Thomas. As a citizen of this city, I'm disappointed with his fundamental misunderstanding of what is happening at our Board of Elections. I understand why the average citizen might misunderstand the complicated legal proceedings. I have tried to explain it to him, but he is incapable of understanding. I also understand why some use these proceedings to further their own agenda. But Cecil Thomas ought to know better. He should conduct himself as a reasonable public servant. He has hardly done that. He is terribly emotionally invested in this race in a way that is surprising. There is a legal process now playing-out and Mr. Thomas seems incapable or unwilling to understand it.

And...

In Egypt, one political party has ruled for 30 years. There is no partisanship because it is banned by the government. There are no public disputes about policy. The situation begs the question: would those in the streets of Egypt want partisanship? Seems the answer is yes. Politicians sitting together at the State of the Union address forgot about the importance of a healthy, robust debate on issues that divide us. I'm in favor of partisanship and if Egypt had 30 years of partisanship by those battling for their own ideas, they might not be erupting in the streets. Just my two cents...

And...

Township and municipal elections are happening throughout the county. Wonderful communities like Green Township, Colerain Township, Anderson Township, Norwood and so many others will be electing their leadership in 2011. Get involved in your community right now to make a difference.

And...

The support of the Tea Party during this Board of Elections fiasco has been overwhelming. I am very thankful to every single person who has taken the time to attend our meetings and to support the rule of law.

And...

Still afraid of Twitter and Facebook? If you're in politics, it is almost malpractice to not engage social media. The Egyptian revolution started there. It matters. It's not just for kids. And news is being made there every single day.

And...

I miss George Stephanopoulos on Sunday mornings. I miss Tim Russert, still, even more. Christiane Amanpour is not getting it done. I would have picked Jake Tapper. David Gregory is fine. Chris Wallace is better. None of these guys is Tim Russert.

And...

Opening Day 2011 is 52 days away from today. It can't come quickly enough.

And...

Republican Headquarter is under serious construction. We are shrinking and remodeling. Look for an invitation to our grand opening, soon.

And...

Have a great Sunday!

Juvenile Court Race Update

2011-01-28T07:39:00.003-05:00

I rejuvenate the blog today to try to answer the multitude of questions I'm getting about the latest decision handed down by the federal 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.

First, you can read and attempt to digest this opinion yourself by clicking here. Simply click on Opinion #11a0021p.06 and the .pdf file is available.

This case has become highly convoluted both factually and, now, legally. This is not an editorial comment--it is just a fact. Although many have followed the case, I'm not sure that everyone understands all the factual wrinkles and the legal complexities involved. For the handful of us who have lived with this since mid-November (on both sides of the issue), I think we understand it fairly well. I'll do my best to summarize what the 6th Circuit said last night.

Before I do, a word of caution: I've read this decision only twice and I have NOT talked with our team of lawyers from the Prosecutor's office who will further interpret the decision and I have not discussed what it all means. Also, the Board of Elections must now decide next steps and decisions about that will come in the near future after all of us have had a fuller chance to digest this decision.

The 6th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals said several things:

1. Judge Dlott's original order of November 22 was valid and enforceable.

2. That the federal courts continue to have jurisdiction in this matter despite arguments to the contrary by several parties.

3. That the Board of Elections did violate the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution on November 16, thereby justifying the original court action.

4. That Judge Dlott's order of 1/12 was entered without having a meaningful hearing from both sides, so it is vacated (meaning set aside) until such time that the court hears from both sides.

5. The case will now go back before Judge Dlott for further proceedings consistent with the court's opinion.

Again, this is merely a summary and I write it in an attempt to simplify the decision and help supporters understand it.

In the end, this decision is not one favored by conservatives, But, as a lawyer, I understand the arguments and I certainly respect the power of the courts to resolve these disputes. Although not thrilled with the outcome, the system is working and all of us are bound by law to follow court orders.

It appears that the next set of proceedings will likely occur in front of Judge Dlott, unless there is more court action by one or more of the interested parties. The parties have a few options including asking for a review by the entire panel of 6th Circuit judges (an "en banc" proceeding) or a review by the U.S. Supreme Court (although there are a series of other things that must happen before that can occur ).

As I write this blog, there are NO decisions, yet, by the Board of Elections on next steps. That decision may come later today or next week. Speculation by me on this blog about next steps would be inappropriate.

To the many who have followed this case and have asked so many good questions, I sincerely thank you for your interest. I apologize for not being able to respond to every phone call or specific e-mail (although I've done my best). I hope that this blog posting helps answer some of the basic questions.

The big question, "what now?" can't be answered yet this morning. But, will be soon.

Again, thank you to all who have been with us in this odyssey and to all who have made their way to the Board of Elections. I specifically appreciate those who have shown an interest and acted respectfully to understand how our democracy works. Your support and friendship mean a great deal to us.

A special thank you, also, to my fellow board member and good friend, Chip Gerhardt. Chip and his wonderful family have made sacrifices (as have ALL board members and staff on both sides) during this tumultuous ride.

Check back to this blog for more information as I will do my best to keep you posted.

2010-10-22T13:41:00.004-04:00

And you were wondering what all the fuss is over a state legislature race in the southwestern corner of Ohio. After all, Mike Wilson will be only one of 99 state legislators. Why then is he the number two targeted nationwide race by Washington based DLCC? Why does Mike’s opponent plan to spend between $500,000 and $750,000 to defeat him? Read this article: http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,2027031,00.html#ixzz136oeip29

The Washington based Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee [DLCC] is the organization behind about half of the smear ads attacking Mike; they describe the OH 28 race as “a crucial combat zone in one of this fall's hidden, high-impact battles: the fight for control of the state legislative chambers that next year will redraw the electoral map.” We have to return common sense conservative values to Columbus. If we allow the Democrats to control the Ohio House, we lose the Apportionment Board. If we don’t elect Kasich, Husted and Yost, we lose the Apportionment Board and allow the Democrats to redraw and control every state and congressional district in Ohio for the next 10 years.

Recently, the Ohio Elections Commission found probable cause that the TV ads targeting Mike Wilson contained false statments--lies. You know that we cannot match the Democrats financial resources in this race as they have an incumbent raising thousands from special interest groups with their snouts in the dirty trough of government money. But you should also know that it is not too late to help Mike Wilson defeat the uber-liberal, committed progressive Connie Pillich. We are still going door to door, there are sign waves scheduled, phone bank efforts are always in need of additional volunteers, outside poll workers on Election Day. To volunteer right now, contact Lori@CitizensForMikeWilson.com.

It is the strength of Mike’s message, the hard work of all our volunteers, and the support of everyone who wants a strong and vibrant Ohio that will make the difference in this race. Mike will win because Ohio Deserves Better.

Press Statement: "The Girl Who Found $100"

2010-10-14T06:27:00.001-04:00

Rep. Connie Pillich and her mysterious alleged donation of $100 demonstrates how bizarre and twisted she and her colleagues have become in trying to hold onto power in Columbus and in the 28th House District Race.

Statement of Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou
“The latest political stunt by Rep. Pillich regarding a mysterious $100 bill supposedly mailed on her behalf can only leave voters in the 28th House District scratching their heads about the type of legislator she is and the type of campaign she is running. This afternoon, Rep. Pillich called a press conference to announce major, breaking, and critical information to the public and to her constituents. Allegedly, someone wrote a letter with a $100 cash donation to the opponents of a tax levy campaign claiming the donation came from her and according to news reports, it mysteriously ended up in Pillich’s mailbox instead of at its intended recipient. How convenient. Ms. Pillich then notified the press and attempted to make this a campaign issue. She also contacted the police department.

“In a universe where Pillich has left many of us scratching our heads at her decision-making for two years, today’s conspiratorial allegations have reached bizarre proportions—even for her. If one is to believe Ms. Pillich’s assertion, someone tried to set her up as being anti-tax by pretending to be her and making it seem like she was against a tax levy and then conveniently sent her the supposed evidence. Wouldn’t that be a stretch for a liberal Democrat?

“If one were to believe that Mike Wilson had anything to do with this, one would have to believe that Mr. Wilson hopes to paint Ms. Pillich as a person opposed to additional taxes. What planet does Ms. Pillich reside upon?

This bizarre, silly antic by Ms. Pillich and her supporters is exactly why we need serious change in the 28th House District.”

(For more background, click here.)

Liberal David Pepper

2010-10-06T07:20:00.005-04:00

Broken Government

2010-10-02T07:09:00.003-04:00

This is the face of broken government. This is State Rep. Connie Pillich. Her shameful campaign for the 28th House District is the perfect embodiment of why America, the state, and our local governments are terribly broken.

The United States of America borrows 41 cents of every dollar it spends. We are financing our current out-of-control spending by leaving our children with a legacy of debt that is unconscionable. Our state faces an unprecedented $8 billion budget deficit after failed Governor Strickland used smoke-and-mirrors and federal stimulus dollars to balance budgets right up to the year of his potential re-election. Rep. Pillich and her ilk are co-conspirators.

This past week, Pillich and her big-spending, big-government friends in Columbus have begun a series of silly, baseless, and false attacks on Mike Wilson.

Here is how it works in modern American politics: A candidate with the courage to talk about trimming government comes under withering attack from the very special interest groups who have their snouts in the trough of government. Those feeding at the trough spend endless dollars to protect their right to continue to feed. It is shameful and immoral because it hurts the country. Yet, it continues.

In the 28th House District, Pillich is the embodiment of waste in government. She and her uber-liberal friends in Columbus have set this state on a path to have an $8 billion budget deficit. When candidate Mike Wilson offers real solutions based on actually trimming government in a responsible way, Pillich and those with their snouts in the trough go on the attack--and mercilessly.

If America is ever to recover from the path to destruction that liberal Democrats have placed us on, we're going to need to recognize the above scenario and reject those politicians who continue to scare people to win re-election.

I laugh when I hear liberals say that conservatives spread fear. They said these silly things right after the nutty terrorists killed thousands of innocent civilians on 9/11. I suppose we shouldn't be scared after that, huh?

But now, the fear campaigns come from people like Connie Pillich. Fear that veterans will be hurt. Fear that seniors will suffer. Fear, fear, fear. Nonsense.

It is my greatest hope that the legacy of the Tea Party movement and a resurgent Republican Party will be to stand-up to the fear mongering and actually have the courage to make the difficult political decisions to set our government on a course to fiscal sanity. We must not and cannot let people like Connie Pillich and her liberal friends deter our quest to bring government under control.

For more information on Mike Wilson and his quest to slay the beast of out-of-control spending and to bring Connie Pillich back home so she can't do further damage to the state, check out his website at: www.CitizensForMikeWilson.com.

Candidates 2010

2010-09-26T20:35:00.004-04:00

GOVERNOR - LT. GOVERNOR
John Kasich-Mary Taylor

ATTORNEY GENERAL
Mike DeWine

AUDITOR OF STATE
David Yost

SECRETARY OF STATE
Jon Husted

TREASURER OF STATE
Josh Mandel

UNITED STATES SENATOR
Rob Portman

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS -1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Steve Chabot

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS -2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Jean Schmidt

CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT - COMM. 1-1-11
Maureen O'Connor

JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT - COMM. 1-1-11
Judith Ann Lanzinger

JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT - COMM. 1-2-11
Paul E. Pfeifer

JUDGE OHIO COURT OF APPEALS - FIRST DISTRICT - COMM. 2-9-11
Sylvia Sieve Hendon

JUDGE OHIO COURT OF APPEALS - FIRST DISTRICT – UNEXPIRED TERM ENDING 2-8-13
Pat Fischer

STATE SENATOR - 7TH DISTRICT
Shannon Jones

STATE SENATOR - 9TH DISTRICT
Deborah M. McKinney

STATE REPRESENTATIVE - 28TH DISTRICT
Mike Wilson

STATE REPRESENTATIVE - 29TH DISTRICT
Louis W. Blessing, Jr

STATE REPRESENTATIVE - 30TH DISTRICT
Bob Mecklenborg

STATE REPRESENTATVIE - 31st DISTRICT
Mike Robison

STATE REPRESENTATIVE - 32ND DISTRICT
Erik Nebergall

STATE REPRESENTATIVE - 33RD DISTRICT
Jim Stith

STATE REPRESENTATIVE - 34TH DISTRICT
Peter Stautberg

STATE REPRESENTATIVE - 35TH DISTRICT
Ron Maag

MEMBER OF STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Debe Terhar

JUDGE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS - COMM. 1-3-11
Robert P. Ruehlman

JUDGE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS - COMM. 1-4-11
John Andrew West

JUDGE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS - COMM. 1-15-11
Ralph E. Winkler

JUDGE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS - UNEXPIRED TERM ENDING 3-31-13
Megan E. Shanahan

JUDGE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS - JUVENILE - COMM. 1-1-11
John Williams

JUDGE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS - DOMESTIC RELATION - COMM. 1-5-11
Jon H. Sieve

JUDGE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS - DOMESTIC RELATION - COMM. 1-16-11
Susan Laker Tolbert

COUNTY COMMISSIONER - CCOUNTY COMMISSIONER - COMM. 1-1-11
Chris Monzel

COUNTY AUDITOR
Tom Brinkman, Jr.

OPERATION: BOARD WALK - 2010 Early Voting

2010-09-21T14:54:00.010-04:00

In 2008, over 26,000 cast their ballot at the Hamilton County Board of Elections downtown Cincinnati. And the results spoke for themselves, a massive early victory for the Democrats that left us with a severe vote deficit when the polls opened on Election Day. It is our goal this year to beat them at their own game with "Operation: Board Walk".

Join Rob Portman and Steve Chabot
for a Rally on Tuesday, Sept. 28th at 2:00 pm

Buses will depart from Harvest Home Park after the rally.
3961 North Bend Road
Cincinnati, OH 45211

Please be prepared to wait up to 3 hours in line at the Board of Elections. Legally the campaign cannot provide water or snacks so please bring anything you may need.

Christine O'Donnell, Etc.

2010-09-16T06:15:00.006-04:00

The primary win by Christine O'Donnell in Delaware prompted phone calls to our Hamilton County (Ohio!) Republican HQ yesterday. Several of those calls were aimed at the "Republican Establishment." I suppose if you don't understand how things work, you would target our local HQ for these silly calls. A few were profane including a particularly fun voicemail that I saved. Let me make a few things clear to our friends here in Hamilton County: Your local GOP had NOTHING to do with the race in Delaware. We've got our hands full trying to elect our ticket in Hamilton County and in Ohio. The primary in Ohio ended in May (where the Hamilton County GOP did NOT endorse any candidate) and we're on to the business of trying to elect our GOP ticket against liberal Democrats.

And...

Christine O'Donnell seems to be a fine candidate. It is interesting to see the "moderate" wing of the party go after her--just as the "conservative" wing of the party has gone after some candidates who are perceived as moderates. One thing that ought to be clear to anyone claiming a conspiracy: THE VOTERS DECIDE. John McCain was the nominee of the Party in 2008 after the voters made that choice. Christine O'Donnell is our Senate nominee in Delaware after the voters made that choice. There is no secret, backroom, smoke-filled-room deciding our nominees in these high profile races. Our GOP voters make these choices in the primary. From where I sit, we should support O'Donnell just as strongly as we supported McCain for President. These are the nominees of the Party. The Party has to be big enough for both McCain and O'Donnell. On that point, some might disagree. But that is why we have primaries. We have our ticket and now we go to battle.

And...

I am concerned about a Senator from Delaware who exaggerates, plagiarizes, and misleads potential voters. He was selected by the President to be the Vice-President! Do you see the phony outrage about Christine O'Donnell? Compare it to the outrage at Vice President Biden's history of plagiarism and exaggeration in all of his public statements. It seems it's a problem when a conservative does it. But, when a liberal like Biden does it, you become Vice President.

And...

Jim Tarbell supports the streetcar proposal. He can't be county commissioner.

And...

Maggie and I attended the Gubernatorial debate in Columbus on Tuesday night. Kasich very plainly dominated the debate. I have one observation I want to share here. Gov. Strickland played the typical political games that politicians play in debates. He kept calling John Kasich "Congressman" (clearly to link him to the unpopular congress where Strickland himself served--even though John hasn't been there in 10 years and when John left, he left a balanced budget!). Strickland had a canned one-liner attacking John as being anti-Ohio by questioning whether John supported the Buckeyes in their recent game against the Miami (Florida) Hurricanes. All of this is nonsense. It is classic political gamesmanship that I HOPE the voters can see right through. John Kasich stayed above that silliness and didn't go for the "zing" that seems to be such a part of political debates. Isn't John right? Our state is in peril. Our way of life and the American dream is under assault from a political culture that breeds politicians without the courage to make difficult decisions. If these silly "zings" still score points--shame on us as political consumers. John Kasich has a clear vision for making Ohio a business-friendly state where businesses want to set-up-shop and create jobs. He articulated that very effectively in the debate. In the end, that's what it has to be about. Gov. Strickland played the typical political games that have become old and tired in a state that has collapsed under his watch. John Kasich is up in the polls and deserves to be Governor. Strickland and his old style brand of politics have failed.

And...

Dave Yost will beat David Pepper. Pepper will spend a fortune to stop that from happening. But, even David Pepper can't push back this wave. And David Yost is a fantastic guy and a fantastic candidate.

And...

The Reds are headed for the playoffs. Nobody is more excited about that than I am.

And...

I watch MSNBC for Morning Joe. I hear things I disagree with and that's politically healthy.

And...

It is fun to watch John Boehner get all this attention from the President. John is clearly a threat to the elite, left-wing power structure.

And...

I've railed on this before. Isn't it funny how politicians use the words "pay for tax cuts?" Republicans should explain the folly of that language. Letting people keep more of the money they have earned is the default position--the normal state of affairs. Government doesn't "pay" for you to keep more of your own money. When the government cuts taxes, it lets you keep more of what you've earned. Government is not "paying" for anything. Government is keeping less of what already belongs to YOU. Liberals also use the word "investment" when they're spending your money and they use the word "revenue" when they're keeping more of your money or raising your taxes.

And...

I went to the Indian Hill Tea Party this week. I go to Tea Party meetings regularly. The image some have of the Tea Party (and perpetrated by the media) is flawed. The Tea Party meetings are some of the most thoughtful, respectful, and well organized dialogues anywhere in politics. I think that liberals should go and listen to the message. The Indian Hill Tea Party talks of a return to the basic principles that made America a great country. They talk about the Constitution, freedom, and capitalism. Since when is that "fringe?" Don't be fooled by the naysayers. There is a reason these meetings fill-up the room.

And...

Have a good Thursday.

Greek Night at the Phone Banks!

2010-09-12T06:01:00.002-04:00

I hope you can join us tomorrow, Monday, September 13 at 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. as we make phone calls in support of our GOP Victory effort for this election cycle. I am hosting "Greek Night" at the phone banks featuring my Mom's homemade Greek baklava as a special treat for anyone willing to volunteer. Can I count on your support?

Here are the specifics:

What: Phone Banks in support of GOP candidates. We will make phone calls, socialize, and eat.

When: Monday, September 13, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Where: 8220 Northcreek Dr., Suite 210, Cincinnati, OH (45236). (Click here for Mapquest Information)

Why: To help Republicans!

I hope to see you tomorrow!

Presidential Failure, Etc.

2010-09-10T04:34:00.005-04:00

It is far too soon to be counting out President Obama in 2012. The talk, today, of him being a one-term President is both premature and a waste of time. But the damage he is doing to the country with his far-left policies can be slowed by electing a Republican Congress. We have a chance to make a difference by electing Steve Chabot in the First Congressional District and re-electing Jean Schmidt in the Second Congressional District.

And...

I've ignored the blog. Another apology to my two loyal readers. Consider following GOP events on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Alex.Triantafilou) or on Twitter (twitter.com/ChairmanAlex).

And...

Republicans who have a public role should be talking about the economy and jobs. Rob Portman and John Kasich have effectively stayed "on message." As much fun as it might be to chatter about Mosques near the WTC site or Koran-burning loons, the American people have real world problems with unemployment, low wages, and an ever-expanding government debt that will burden future generations. The rest is talk show nonsense that Republicans should avoid.

And...

It is not the job of politicians to create jobs. It is the job of politicians to create a climate for private sector job-creation. This is the core of why I'm a Republican. Jobs are created by businesses--not by politicians or government. The Democrats don't get it. Most Republicans do. This is the fundamental difference between the parties.

And...

Failed Gov. Ted Strickland does not understand the above. In fact, he does the opposite of the above. In what might be one of the silliest political advertisements in history, Gov. Strickland attacked a job-creating Ohio corporation in a political commercial. (Read the story here) A company called Invacare, headquartered in Lorain County, employs over 1,300 people. In this recession and Strickland-job-killing environment, that corporation has actually increased the number of people it employs. Yet, our Governor sought to attack the corporation, by name, in a campaign ad. Is this how this Governor intends to turn around Ohio? By attacking job-creating businesses?

And...

Republicans should not be counting chickens or measuring for drapes--especially in Hamilton County. This is not the Republican-rich county it once was and I've preached that message to every candidate who has to run in this area. There are lots of great Hamilton County Republicans--they just happen to live in West Chester and Mason! This county is competitive and will continue to be competitive into the future. Any Republican taking Hamilton County for granted does so at their own peril.

And...

I am very proud of the five GOP-endorsed judicial candidates running with opposition in this fall's campaign. I've watched these fine men and women coalesce and work together to achieve victory. Here is our slate of GOP-endorsed candidates running with opposition:

First Appellate District
 Sylvia Sieve Hendon
Pat Fischer

Court of Common Pleas - Juvenile Division
John Williams

Court of Common Pleas - General Division
Megan E. Shanahan

Court of Common Pleas - Domestic Relations
Jon H. Sieve

And...

Have you signed-on to help Chris Monzel? Consider doing so today at: www.ChrisMonzel.com.

And...

Want to see the GOP sample ballot? Visit our website by clicking here.

And...

If my name were Driehaus, I would want to change it. But the baseless rumor that State Rep. Denise Driehaus wanted to change her name came to me from my colleague, the Democratic Party Chairman, this week when he openly complained about a rumor that I had never heard. (Click here to read the coverage). He further perpetuated the false rumor by issuing a media release on this very topic. It begs the question: Why the controversy or angst about such a rumor? Could it be that the Driehaus name, once so popular, is now a hindrance because of the horrendous voting record of Congressman Driehaus? Could it be that voting with Nancy Pelosi 94% of the time is unpopular in these parts? Could it be that voting for the massive government takeover of health care remains unpopular? Could be. Nevertheless, baseless rumors about Denise Driehaus potentially wanting to change her name should stop. A fair and open discussion about her voting record and her brother's failures in Washington will not.

And...

Reds fans, like Republicans, should not be complacent. Our beloved Redlegs are slumping a bit after a red-hot August. I'm confident we'll come around and make our first playoff appearance in more than a decade.

And...

Did you know that early voting starts on September 28, 2010? You can vote, for any reason, starting on that date. I know lots of people who can't wait to go and vote. For more information on early voting and on voting in general, click here.

And...

Heading to Columbus today for a Kasich/Portman leadership meeting.

And...

Can you take the day off and work the polls on Election Day? If you can take the day off of work and help us ALL DAY, please email us at HamCoPolls@gmail.com.

And...

This coming Monday, September 13th, I'm hosting a Greek night at the phone banks. Join me at 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 8220 Northcreek Dr., Suite 210 in Kenwood. I'll be featuring my Mother's homemade baklava. To RSVP, e-mail Debbie at dflammer@hc-gop.org.

And...

Lots happening and lots of places to get plugged-in and help us. I get lots of people who say, "What can I do to help?" Now is your chance! Volunteer opportunities are plenty. Call 513-381-5454 to get involved.

And...

Have a great weekend.

2010-07-30T14:16:00.001-04:00

14 Weeks from Republican Governors Association on Vimeo.

NRA, etc.

2010-07-11T07:17:00.006-04:00

I haven't turned-in my NRA card, but I sure have been tempted. This venerable organization is a staunch defender of civil liberties and one that I and many others in the GOP support. On the 2010 gubernatorial endorsement--they flat blew-it. When a nation elects a President or a state elects a Governor, they elect more than one man or woman. They elect an ideology that permeates government at every level. When a Democratic governor is elected, his thousands of appointments to boards, commissions, judgeships, and other places within state government are filled with people who share this ideology. Governor Strickland is no different. For instance, Gov. Strickland has appointed several judges in Hamilton County since taking office in 2007. They are not and will not be staunch defenders of our civil liberties as espoused in the Second Amendment. They are ideologically liberal and, on their own, would never receive NRA support. I'm sure of it. The decision to endorse Mr. Strickland was short-sighted. I'll keep my NRA membership and hope they get it right in the future.

And...

I'm sorry to my two loyal readers for ignoring the blog. It is easier to pop-off on Twitter and Facebook these days. And it takes less time.

And...

The Redlegs, even when they lose, show a fighting spirit we haven't seen from any Cincinnati sports franchise in a long time. I'm "all in" with this ballclub and I'm hoping for victory in the fall both in politics and in baseball.

And...

The momentum on our side is palpable and I'm energized by it. Whether it's a Republican club meeting, a Center-Right meeting, fundraisers, and especially Tea Party meetings, I'm seeing more people, more energy, and lots more enthusiasm. People are ready to take back our government from the leftist policies of the Administration.

And...

The two Democrats who run the county commission have done great damage to the county since taking control four years ago. On their watch, we have closed jails in favor of hiring environmental czars. They have litigated and lost in front of the Supreme Court after the courts tried to reign-in their free-wheeling spending. They have hired outside consultants at taxpayer expense to the befuddlement of everyone watching. They have failed to lead on a solution to the stadium fund disaster. It has been a tumultuous and difficult four years under their leadership. Now, one of them, Mr. Pepper, wants a promotion. And they want him replaced by a fellow who has no idea how anything works outside of Over-the-Rhine. I've had enough and so should the voters. Vote Monzel in 2010!

And...

I recently had an exchange on Facebook from someone who claims that the angst about President Obama is racially motivated. Who didn't see that coming? Ridiculous. It seems liberals have forgotten about what they did to President Bush. Was any person in modern politics ridiculed, belittled, and criticized as strongly as President Bush? Was he not called "an idiot" or "in-the-pocket of big oil," and everything else? How did liberals react when President Bush took the country to war? Not well. They strongly opposed him on policy, so they went after him in very personal tones that President Obama has not yet seen. That's what comes with being leader of the free world. President Obama is not immune because of his race. I'm not so naive as to think that there are not some people, still, who have a problem with the President strictly on race. They exist and shame on them. But we also shouldn't stifle political dialogue simply because the President has an African-American heritage. That would be as wrong as criticizing him for his race, alone. He won, fair and square, and is our nation's first African American President. Now he has to take the same lumps as every other President and that is a good thing for the country.

And...

I'm reading Andre Agassi's book, Open. He's a liberal Democrat, but it is still a good story.

And...

Looks like the streetcar received $25 million from the federal government. I've blogged about that plenty. I do have one question: Can it go up the steep hills to Clifton? Seriously. How does anything on tracks go up a steep hill? I'm not the expert, but I'm curious about how that works. Our County Engineer has the same questions.

And...

________ (fill in the blank), a multi-millionaire, has left Ohio for Florida. I left it blank because you could fill that blank with lots of people other than LeBron James. Successful, wealthy Ohioans have been fleeing our state for years because the business and tax climate in Florida is far better. LeBron did the same thing! This is just one more job lost under failed Governor Strickland's watch. That puts us well over 400,000 jobs that have left this state under his watch; a miserable performance.

And...

Mayor Mallory is off to China for the 2nd time in 6 months. It seems the taxpayers aren't footing that bill, thankfully. But with another looming budget crisis, a total inability to properly fund the pension, and the collection of other problems our city faces--the Mayor should travel less. Cincinnati is a great city, Mayor, stay here more!

And...

Chad OchoCinco is great. For those who see what he is doing as a "distraction" from the real work of football, I say this: It is all entertainment and Chad is entertaining us year around in a different way. I like him.

And...

September 28. Mark the date. It is the first date we can vote in Ohio. More on that, later.

And...

Did you ever think I would link to the Daily Kos from this blog? I will today. Here is a concise, well-reasoned argument for why the Second Amendment is as worthy of support among liberals as the First, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment. If you have ever wondered why so many of us conservatives feel so strongly about guns, you need to read this post. Click here.

And...

I've made sports predictions here before with little success. I shall not be deterred. Spain wins the Cup today.

And...

Have a great Sunday.

Streetcar, Etc.

2010-05-23T14:55:00.007-04:00

Cincinnatians oppose the streetcar plan by a 2-1 margin, according to an Enquirer story and a poll conducted this past week. See the article here. This is not a surprise. The city of Cincinnati has a major crisis with its pension and legacy costs. Is it legitimate to ask why a huge public works project that requires massive city debt is appropriate when the city can't meet its obligation to retirees? If the answer is "we need economic development to spur growth despite the pension problem"--then say it. Some of us are not automatically opposed to a sensible public transit system that serves as infrastructure for future economic development by the private sector. But I'm afraid the city hasn't made the case for this streetcar at this time. Sensible people ought to be open to the case being made, but so far, it hasn't been made. I oppose the plan and so do most Republicans.

And...

The funeral service for Judge Stautberg was incredible. Julie was a wonderful person and her loss is immense.

And...

Rand Paul would take this all back if he could. I have to believe that. I understand the philosophical argument from my Libertarian brethren. And I'm convinced that he is not a racist. But Dr. Paul got off-message and got improperly painted as out-of-touch. Yes, the media was unfair. Yes, he was making a philosophical point. We know how this "gotcha" political game works and we have to play it better than the other team. I predict he rebounds and holds this Senate seat for the GOP. Republicans everywhere should be talking about jobs, the economy, and spending. The rest is a distraction.

And...

President Obama's handling of the BP oil spill has been terrible. This is a man-made catastrophe that should have a man-made solution. The Obama Administration has finger-pointed and dodged. President Bush got killed by the media after a natural catastrophe. Where is the outrage at this Administration's absolute bungling of this oil spill mess? If you don't see the double-standard, you're not paying attention.

And...

Will Jim Tarbell's strong support for the unpopular streetcar proposal sell with county voters? Not a chance. Jim is an interesting character, but he is totally unfit for county government leadership. The voters will see through the shtick and vote for real leadership. Chris Monzel offers real, proven, conservative leadership.

And...

Hey Sen. Specter, how did that party-switch work out for you? Maybe you should call Gov. Crist.

And...

We had a great meeting with a couple of Tea Party leaders this past week. We will find places where we can work together and we have already. The patriots motivated by the Tea Party have brought new energy to conservatism and all Republicans should be happy about that.

And...

If the GOP doesn't get 40% of the Hispanic vote in 2012, President Obama will be re-elected. How are we doing on that? Not so good--in my mind. We need to do lots better.

And...

How about this Reds team?

And...

We have been watching the so-called "Hamilton County Government Reform Task Force" very closely. There are serious problems with that group. More on this later.

And...

Have a good week.

Judge Stautberg Arrangements

2010-05-19T15:18:00.000-04:00

Visitation:

Friday, May 21^st

Gilligan Funeral Home

2926 Woodburn Ave.

4pm – 8pm

Mass and Christian Burial:

Saturday, May 22^nd

Summit Country Day School Chapel

11am

Judge Stautberg

2010-05-19T15:13:00.003-04:00

Rare for us to ever post anything from Democratic Party Chairman Burke, but this demonstrates the kind of person Judge Stautberg was and why so many of us loved and respected her.

Judge Julia Stautberg

2010-05-19T09:59:00.002-04:00

Statement of Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou on the passing of Judge Julia Stautberg

"We are greatly saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend Judge Julia Stautberg.

Julie Stautberg was a fine Judge and a great leader in our courts and in the legal community. Her work with Mental Health Court demonstrated her strong compassion for those suffering from mental disease that needed special attention from the criminal justice system. Her colleagues across the legal profession bestowed on her the great honor of electing her President of the Cincinnati Bar Association. These are only a few of Julie's many accomplishments.

Beyond her many professional accomplishments, Julie had many dear and wonderful friends.

She will be remembered by the many lives she touched with her warm smile and gracious demeanor.

On a personal note, Julie was a former colleague and a close friend. She will be missed a great deal.

Please join me in keeping Julie and her wonderful family in your prayers."

Yalamanchili, Triantafilou, and Public Service.

2010-04-29T07:55:00.005-04:00

This should be obvious: I will be supporting the Republican candidate in the 2nd Congressional District.

But a few words about David Krikorian and Surya Yalamanchili.

The Democratic Party is now dealing with Mr. Krikorian. There is a story in today's Enquirer about his disparaging remarks about his Democratic rival in the primary, Surya Yalamanchili. It appears Mr. Krikorian is disparaging Mr. Yalamanchili's name. To Mr. Yalamanchili, I say this: I feel your pain. On two counts. I have a name with a few extra vowels and I've dealt with Mr. Krikorian, too.

I have previously blogged about Mr. Krikorian and his candidacy.

I blogged in September 2008 that he was not a conservative and certainly not a Republican. Given his decision to run as a Democrat in 2010, I was right.
Later in 2008, I blogged about his ridiculous assertion that Rep. Schmidt was faking injuries she sustained after being struck by a vehicle during a jog. Read that here.
By the end of 2008, Mr. Krikorian had gone way over-the-line and decided to attack me by emailing my priest. I blogged about that, too.

I have no doubt that Mr. Krikorian will feel vindicated about being rejected by both parties. After all, most voters are independent. He shouldn't. If he seeks a home with my fellow conservatives in the Tea Party, they should ask him why he was supportive of ultra-liberal Victoria Wulsin and take a closer look at his quest for political office at all costs.

Serving in public office, especially in the Congress of the United States of America, is a high privilege and a distinct honor. It remains the greatest democratically elected legislative body in the world. Both parties and all citizens should strive to elect people of the highest character, intelligence, and integrity--even when we disagree. Those people should be grown-ups who have a vision for making our democracy work better and improving the lives of people.

Mr. Krikorian is unfit for public office and, in a very rare moment of bi-partisan agreement, I applaud Mr. Burke and the Democrats for rejecting him as well.

Media Release: Hamilton County GOP Staying Out of Primary

2010-04-20T10:55:00.002-04:00

**IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

"HAMILTON COUNTY GOP TAKES NO POSITION ON PRIMARY ELECTION RACES"
April 20, 2010

The Hamilton County Republican Party, through its Executive Committee, makes the following announcements:

1. The Hamilton County Republican Party chooses to make no official endorsements in any of the contested primaries at the county or state level. This includes races for elected office as well as state and county central committee. The Party intends to fully support whichever candidates emerge from the primary election of 2010.

2. The Hamilton County Republican Party did endorse the following judicial candidates who are unopposed in the primary, but who face Democratic opposition in the fall.

a. Judge Sylvia Sieve Hendon for Ohio First District Court of Appeals

b. Pat Fischer for Ohio First District Court of Appeals

c. John M. Williams for Juvenile Court

d. Megan E. Shanahan for Court of Common Pleas

e. Jon H. Sieve for Domestic Relations Court

3. The Hamilton County Republican Party recommended Christopher McDowell to the City of Cincinnati Elections Commission to serve as the Republican member of that body.

Statement of Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou

"I am pleased with the decisions of our Executive Committee. There are several spirited contests for seats at the state and county level and the Party has decided to leave these decisions to the voters without any endorsement from the Hamilton County GOP. We believe this decision gives us our best opportunity to embrace the new energy of fellow conservatives coming into politics because of the disastrous policies of the Democratic Party in Washington, D.C. We welcome that new energy and we look forward to working with the candidates who emerge from the May 4 primary. As for our judicial slate, I am proud of the slate we have endorsed as we continue a tradition of fielding strong candidates for judicial office."

Media Statement: Driehaus Vulgarity Criticized

2010-04-16T14:38:00.001-04:00

"Rep. Driehaus' Vulgarity is Beneath the Office of United States Representative"

In a recent campaign e-mail seeking to raise funds, Rep. Steve Driehaus repeated a common vulgarity used by he and fellow liberals to describe the Tea Party movement. The term, not to be repeated here, is a slang term used to describe a sex act and the term is regularly used by the left to disparage those patriotic Americans moved to political action through the Tea Party movement. A simple Google-search of this slang phrase unveils the filthy sexual nature of the term. Make no mistake, Mr. Driehaus and his liberal friends use that term to regularly disparage the Tea Party movement and they do it on purpose.

Statement of Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou
"The citizens of the First Congressional District entrusted Mr. Driehaus with a position in the greatest democratic legislative body in the world. Today, Mr. Driehaus has disparaged the office he holds by describing a political movement using a disgusting sexual moniker that describes a sex act. Just a few weeks ago, Mr. Driehaus was offended when his children were inappropriately shown in a campaign advertisement. Is Mr. Driehaus prepared to explain his use of that phrase to the children of the First Congressional District? His conduct and his use of that phrase is beneath the dignity of his office. He should be ashamed of himself and he owes the patriots of the Tea Party movement and his constituents an apology."

For more information or comment, Chairman Triantafilou can be reached at 513-381-5454.

*Mr. Driehaus' email went out on April 15, 2010 and was referring to Sean Hannity's visit to the Tea Party rally. In the second sentence of the email, Mr. Driehaus writes, "Hannity and the Tea B****** ..." A copy is available upon request.

This is the enemy...

2010-04-10T04:05:00.004-04:00

NCAA Bracket Winners!

2010-04-06T09:18:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Lisa J. Caldemeyer, the winner of the Hamilton County GOP NCAA Bracket Challenge! Lisa is a Blue Devil herself having graduated from Duke University in 2003. She is doubly pleased today as her alma mater is the NCAA champ and she won our Bracket Challenge. Lisa is an attorney at Graydon Head and a friend to the Hamilton County GOP as she spent the summer of 2004 working as an intern.

Lisa will join the Chairman for lunch, soon.

We did have some confusion on the brackets and a few people made their selections using last year's link. That's ok. We have a winner, there, too. The winner is Humboldt R. Snooches III. Congratulations to Mr. Snooches. We're working to find that person right now.

Thanks to the over 160 people who participated. It was a great tournament and a great final game.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T08:34:00.002-04:00

Happy Easter!

President Reagan

2010-03-31T11:12:00.002-04:00

Democrat(ic) Money Burn: Health Care

2010-03-21T12:07:00.004-04:00

It looks like the Democrats will pass this horrible legislation today. We can't be surprised. The Democrats hold large majorities in both chambers of the Congress. The most liberal Senator of the United States Senate was elected President. The American people elected this government.

There is not much that I can add to the debate and discussion about this behemoth legislation. But I can't resist.

My observations here are fairly simple and straightforward:

Americans of all political stripes need to understand that we have a government we can't afford. Yes, President Bush and Republicans contributed to that, but this President and this Congress have made them look like pikers.
I am very proud that Republicans have steadfastly stood against this bill.
The myth that Republicans do not want to reform our health care system is the most annoying part of this whole debate. The GOP members of Congress have a plan and have many ideas for improving the system. The mainstream media largely ignores it. Our candidates have not adequately touted it.
The small number of moronic protesters who made racially inappropriate remarks today in Washington should be condemned. This bill is bad for America and the liberal agenda of this very liberal President are unpopular and all of that has nothing to do with race. Those few inappropriate protesters hurt our cause.
Without even being there, I can guarantee that 99% of those protesting in Washington were civilized, respectful, and appropriate. I wish the war protesters and the Bush-haters had been this way. I have been around the Tea Party and 9/12'ers and they are patriots. The effort to paint that movement as fringe is wrong.
This thing is getting in the way of hoops.

Deem and Pass, etc.

2010-03-17T07:02:00.005-04:00

The Democrats and Speaker Pelosi have now reached a new low. This so-called "deem and pass" process being contemplated by the Congress to force this health care bill down-the-throats of the American people is irresponsible and undemocratic. It has been interesting to watch the mainstream media come to that same conclusion. Read the Washington Post article here. This tactic has been used by Republicans, too. But never for such a significant piece of legislation. America cannot afford a new, behemoth, social program that will not control health care costs and will explode the deficit.

And...

Will Vice President Biden's Cincinnati visit be enough to buy Steve Driehaus' vote for this debacle of a bill? We'll find out soon. Steve Driehaus is a liberal. He consistently votes with his leadership and he has forgotten his Cincinnati roots. It ought to be our greatest priority to bring him home from Washington before he and his liberal friends do more damage to the nation.

And...

On January 29, 2009, I blogged about what America would see from our then-new President. Check out the blog post here. This gigantic step to the political left has caused conservatives to rise-up. That is good for America and good for our Republican cause. Weeks before the first meeting of the Tea Party movement, I wrote this:

"This country is taking a gigantic step to the political left at this moment in history. This is not the "change" America wanted. In America, the private sector creates jobs and people should keep more of their own money to spend for themselves. We should incentivize job creation and small business growth by cutting taxes. We should curb spending and limit the size of government. None of that thinking prevails in Washington or Columbus or Cincinnati City Hall these days."

And...

Is anyone surprised Tiger Woods is playing in the Masters?

And...

We had a great meeting with one of our GOP candidates for State Representative in the 32nd district, Erik Nebergall. Erik is a business owner and first-time candidate. He is exactly the type of person we ought to get into public life. His experience in business and his experience in raising his family give him great perspective about the role of government. If he wins his primary, he will face Rep. Mallory.

And...

Baylor will not be in the Final Four. Kentucky will. So will Kansas. The little progr'm over there on Victory Parkway will make a quick exodus in Round 2 against a Big East team. The big program in Clifton has seen better days, but brighter days are ahead. And we have a football team.

And...

A jury will get to decide whether serial killer Anthony Kirkland lives or dies. Today, Kirkland goes to court with two highly competent lawyers to fight for his life. Kirkland's victims never had that chance. To the jurors in that case, I would only say this: "If not him, who? And if not now, when?" Capital punishment is the law in Ohio and this demented evil killer should face the ultimate penalty contemplated by law.

And...

When I hear citizens tell me, "both sides don't get it" in the political debate, I understand that more than I should. Sometimes, it feels that way to me, too. The future of the country and of our democracy is bigger than some of the squabbling and nonsense that we all engage in from time-to-time. What is the solution? Elect grown-ups to government. My daily goal is to find the next Rob Portman to put on our slate of candidates everywhere. People seeking elected office should be smart, honorable, principled, and mature. Anyone in public life and with a public role should aspire to that. I fall short sometimes and so do others. That doesn't mean we should give up.

And...

Our Judicial Salute Fundraiser is right around the corner. Save April 22 on your calendar.

And...

May 4th can't come fast enough.

And...

I often hear people say, "I wasn't invited to that fundraiser." If you're willing to PAY, you're probably invited to everyone's fundraiser. Right? The best way to see which events you are "invited to" (all of them...), check out our Calendar of Events. Our calendar of events is a good place to see most of what is happening in Hamilton County GOP politics. If the candidates ask us, we put the events on the website. Even in this primary fight.

And...

Here's a great article on President Obama's flip-flop on openness and democracy.

And...

Opening Day is right around the corner.

And...

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Hamilton County GOP: NCAA Tournament Challenge!

2010-03-14T19:47:00.002-04:00

Again in 2010, the Hamilton County GOP is hosting an online NCAA bracket challenge.

Will Brian Redden, our 2009 winner, repeat as champ? Or, will Maggie Wuellner do the right thing, pick her beloved Muskies to lose early, and stand a chance to win? Could a Democrat win?

You will need to establish a CBS Sportsline account with your OWN User ID and Password. Once passed that, you will be prompted for a password to get into our bracket. That password is: elephant.

Join in the fun at: http://hamcountygop.mayhem.cbssports.com/e

The winner will be invited to lunch with Chairman Triantafilou!

This is being done for entertainment purposes only.

MEDIA STATEMENT

2010-03-12T17:12:00.004-05:00

I reject the Democratic Party Chairman’s demand that Cincinnati City Councilman Monzel terminate the employment of one of his staffers based on a private e-mail. This e-mail, surreptitiously acquired by the city’s major liberal newspaper, was a private e-mail sent on personal time. The words and demeanor of the e-mail are not the type of political speech that I would have chosen, but this is a trivial matter not worthy of the taxpayer’s time. What is most disappointing is the focus on such a trivial matter during a period where our city and our region face significant challenges. Under the Democrats leadership nationally, statewide, and locally, we have seen the job market shrink as government expands. Citizens are demanding real leadership from government and playing political games based on one personal email is a waste of time.

Embracing Social Media

2010-03-02T18:33:00.002-05:00

Ignoring the Blog, etc.

2010-02-27T09:31:00.003-05:00

I've ignored the blog some, lately. We've had a crazy February. I've actually heard some minor complaints from my two loyal readers. I'll try to do better.

And...

Why the picture of the airplane? I'm blogging from 35,000 feet somewhere over middle-America. In-flight Internet service may be the best technological advance, yet. I always marvel at what mankind can do when we let businesses innovate and create. Corporations, CEOs, businesses are not the enemy. They move us forward.

And...

We had a tremendous Lincoln-Reagan Dinner. Our "paid in the park" number was over 600 attendees. A near record. Michele Bachmann was an outstanding speaker. More on her later. We are blessed to have a very committed and highly competent staff at GOP HQ. Debbie Flammer and Maggie Wuellner are top-notch. I don't get the credit--I inherited both. But they are outstanding servants to the party and their experience, demeanor, and dedication should be appreciated by all. We had one helluva party--and they get LOTs of credit.

And...

The Lincoln-Reagan Dinner is always hosted and supported by the Hamilton County Republican Club. The "Big Club" as we fondly call it. Special thanks to Cheryl Vest, Bill Brown, and the other dedicated volunteers who made it a success.

And...

Having been involved in local politics for well over a decade, I have had occasion to come up-close with many politicians. As an activist, volunteer and now as chairman, I get to see the candidates when they are not "on." I've seen some good, some bad, and some ugly. I've had a chance to spend some quality quiet time with some rather remarkable public figures. I have several favorites. President Bush, although I had only limited contact, was always "real." He would jab at you, maybe crab a little bit, but he was "real." And I always was impressed by his charisma. I admit--I liked him. My other two favorite people? The Bush twins. We spent quality time with them in 2004 and they were both so much fun. They were nice and very classy. Well, now I have two new favorite public people: Michele and Marcus Bachmann. I had a chance to really spend time with them over the last 24 hours and they were as nice and "real" and genuine as two people can be. I saw them up-close and I will be a fan for life. Sure, Rep. Bachmann is a tough conservative. She fights for what is right. But she is also a "lady" (yes, Sen. Specter). I enjoyed them both very much and it was a pleasure to have them here.

And...

Want to know which public figures in the GOP I did not like up-close? Sorry. My two loyal readers know that I won't bash Republicans here. Even some who might deserve it. That's for others to do. But, there was this one time when....

And...

Are there any primaries on our side this year?

And...

I caught only a small part of the President's health care round table. We can't deny the President's political skills. The problem with the President and his liberal friends (like Nancy Pelosi) are the fundamental way they see government. It is an entirely different vision and one that simply can not work.

And...

We continue to embrace those energized by the Tea Party. Our challenge is to field candidates who can earn their support. We'll keep trying locally.

And...

I wish I were going to Goodyear, AZ. I'm not. But I wish.

And...

If I hear one more person say, "I don't Twitter," I think I'm going to scream. My question is, "why not?" Twitter is the best source of regular news available. If setup properly, it will become the first website you visit every day. It is the best place for breaking news and provides a set of links to the latest and best stories available. Twitter is fantastic. I'm on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/chairmanalex.

And...

Still not sure if there are any primaries on the GOP side.

And...

An off-duty policeman was shot last night in North College Hill. Early reports indicate that the shots were not fatal and he is expected to recover. We should all be grateful. Police Officers are special people doing important work. Keep this officer in your thoughts.

And...

There is also breaking news of a devastating earthquake and the possibility of a tsunami. Another group of people to keep in our prayers.

And...

Our Judicial Salute fundraiser is set for April 22, 2010. Save the date.

And...

Turbulence.

And...

Have a great weekend.

Judicial Candidates

2010-02-19T06:35:00.004-05:00

Here is our 2010 slate of judicial candidates:

First Appellate District
 Sylvia Sieve Hendon
Pat Fischer

Court of Common Pleas - Juvenile Division
John Williams

Court of Common Pleas - General Division
Robert P. Ruehlman
John Andrew West
Ralph E. Winkler
Megan E. Shanahan

Court of Common Pleas - Domestic Relations
Susan Laker Tolbert
Jon H. Sieve

The Hamilton County Republican Party has a long history of endorsing well-qualified candidates for the courts. Our slate for 2010 is among the greatest we have assembled. Our slate is committed to the basic principle of judicial restraint and all possess the judicial philosophy that judges ought to follow the law--not make it. I look forward to a spirited campaign.

Want to Run for Office?

2010-01-24T07:33:00.003-05:00

Running for public office is a serious commitment. Are you interested in stepping into the public arena? The filing deadline for public office is February 18, 2010 and we are actively screening candidates right now.

1. Judicial Races

Despite the steady rumor mill that seems to be such a part of judicial races, the judicial screening committee of the party has only selected ONE candidate--John Williams for Juvenile Court. Our screening committee is meeting in early February to recommend the GOP endorsement for other candidates. Are you interested in running for Judge? Forget the rumors, let us know immediately.

2. State House of Representatives Races

The job of a state representative is critically important to setting policy for state government. We have many great Republicans already serving in the State House, but we need more. We are actively screening for candidates against the Democrats. Here is a lineup of the local delegation by district:

28th -- Connie Pillich (D) is incumbent. (Three vying for GOP nomination in primary)
29th -- Lou Blessing (R) is incumbent.
30th -- Bob Mecklenborg (R) is incumbent.
31st -- Denise Driehaus (D) is incumbent. (One GOP candidate about to announce)
32nd -- Dale Mallory (D) is incumbent. (GOP actively screening for candidate)
33rd -- (No incumbent--Rep. Yates recently appointed as a Judge) (GOP actively screening)
34th -- Peter Stautberg (R) is incumbent.

For a map of the legislative districts, click here.

Are you interested in running in the 32nd or 33rd against the Democrat? Let us know immediately by contacting Maggie at maggien@hc-gop.org.

This year stands to be a strong year for conservatives, so step up and run. We stand a great chance to make gains!

Chabot Ahead In Most Recent Polling

2010-01-23T05:00:00.003-05:00

A recent SurveyUSA poll has Steve Chabot ahead of Steve Driehaus 59% to 36%--a 17% point lead for Steve Chabot!

SurveyUSA is among the most credible polling organizations in the nation. A recent study of polling accuracy rated SurveyUSA as 2nd in the country in accuracy ahead of such polling companies as Rasmussen, Mason-Dixon, and the Quinnipiac Poll. To view pollster ratings, click here.

This poll also measured President Obama's approval rating in the district. President Obama has an abysmal 42% approval rating with a whopping 55% of those polled disapproving of his job performance. These numbers mark serious trouble for Steve Driehaus because he has been a rubber-stamp for the liberal agenda of Nancy Pelosi and President Obama.

To read more coverage about this poll and what it means, check out this site.

Told ya so...

2010-01-20T23:27:00.003-05:00

About one year ago, I wrote the below blog entry. At the risk of sounding immodest, I was spot-on.

Here it is for my two readers to enjoy, again:

Republished from January 29, 2009
Sometime just before Election Day last year, a close friend and Republican privately asked me, "Will Obama be THAT bad?" "Really, aren't the parties just the same?" "He is just one man and he seems smart and has new ideas." Many Americans (about 60 million) felt that way and elected President Obama.

In that private moment, I agreed with my friend on a few key things: (1) Obama is smart, (2) He has some fresh and interesting ideas that sound good when he says them, and (3) We need to do something because the country is sliding downward.

But, I then explained to him that voting for one man for President means much more than just a new face at the White House. When you vote for President, you vote for a political party and for a set of ideals and principles that the President's party promotes. The principles of his party are ultimately bad for America and begin a slide to the left that will be bad for the American dream well into the future.

I went on to explain that the Obama administration will empower and embolden a very left-of-center Nancy Pelosi. I explained that Obama will likely appoint federal judges that are soft on crime, against logical tort reform, and pro-abortion. I explained that the Obama team will bring in 6,000 new appointees across the government and a large majority of those people will possess the same values as Nancy Pelosi and her very liberal friends. I further predicted that the Democrats will do what they always do: tax and spend.

In the end, it is a slippery slope of liberalism that will slide this nation to the left in a way that hurts the country. The Obama legacy throughout government will be to appoint activist judges and to spend our great-great grandchildren's money on liberal pet projects.

Yesterday, we saw the biggest lurch to the left that we could ever imagine with this ridiculous, pork-laden, non-job-creating, wasteful stimulus package passed by Speaker Pelosi. I am proud of John Boehner and our Republicans and of 11 sensible Democrats who opposed the insanity. Our future as a party will be defined for us by the Democrats if they continue with this drunken spending of our money. George Will called the bill "an exercise in wretched excess." He could not be more right.

This country is taking a gigantic step to the political left at this moment in history. This is not the "change" America wanted. In America, the private sector creates jobs and people should keep more of their own money to spend for themselves. We should incentivize job creation and small business growth by cutting taxes. We should curb spending and limit the size of government. None of that thinking prevails in Washington or Columbus or Cincinnati City Hall these days.

It is a slippery slope that slides left.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2010-01-18T09:38:00.003-05:00

Today we celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King. It is fitting that we do so as his work changed America.

I blogged about Dr. King last year and about the debate regarding his political affiliation. Click here to read that.

Enjoy the holiday and remember Dr. King today.

Massachusetts as GOP territory? And...

2010-01-15T07:22:00.004-05:00

Is the above state now a Republican stronghold? It might be. Massachusetts is on the brink of electing a Republican to fill the seat vacated by the passing of Sen. Ted Kennedy. This is good news on many levels for the GOP. Even if Scott Brown falls short, his candidacy is a wake-up call for the Democrats and for all of America. It sends the important message that average Americans are fed-up with the spending and out-of-control government in Washington. It also pokes a hole in the theory that the GOP is now a southern, regional party. The pendulum is swinging back fast and it couldn't be a better time. I'll predict a Scott Brown victory in Massachusetts.

And...

The disaster in Haiti is biblical in its proportion. Consider helping the Haitian people in this tragedy by donating through the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org. You can also text the word "Haiti" to the number 90999 and this will donate $10 to the Red Cross. I did it. It was easy. And I'll do it again, today.

And...

Congratulations to John Kasich and Mary Taylor for coming together to form a super-ticket for the November election. Failed Governor Ted Strickland is in big trouble because he is a traditional Democrat who believes that economic growth and prosperity are the job of government not the private sector. Free markets drive economic growth--not big government. By next year, failed Governor Strickland will find himself in the same predicament as thousands in Ohio under his watch. He will be unemployed. That's one job-loss that will do us all some good.

And...

We continue to see a strong influx of great conservatives motivated by the Tea Party movement coming into our party. In Green Township on Wednesday night, one couple said to me, "we are off the couch and so are our neighbors." That is great news for our movement, our party, and our ideals. Changing America starts by electing leaders with the guts to make tough decisions and to have the support of the people to do so.

And...

There is a very real angst among people in America right now that cannot be denied. In so many ways, the country is headed in the wrong direction. The same old solutions from the same old politicians has many people angry--and rightfully so. I share that angst. We have a government we can't afford. We have leaders who seem out-of-touch. We spend far too much money on far too many things outside the scope of what government ought to do. We have empowered the federal government to do things far beyond its original purpose. The challenge for the Republican Party is going to be to act DIFFERENTLY when we are empowered by the people to make decisions in government. Let's hope we've learned our lesson.

And...

I had a nice discussion yesterday with Dr. Al Tuchfarber, a noted political scientist and pollster from the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Tuchfarber is predicting a huge year for the GOP. Although we all seem to keep hearing and feeling it, it was nice to have someone as scientifically skilled as Dr. Tuchfarber confirm much of what we believe for 2010.

And...

Our ticket of judicial candidates is lining-up very nicely. Several new and exciting names have surfaced over the last few days and I couldn't be more excited. In a strong Republican year, I see us having another great year in the courthouse. And I anticipate picking-up a couple of seats, too. Look for some surprises there. The planning for our judicial salute fundraiser is well under way and our party is energized to win in 2010.

And...

John Kasich announced his running mate selection via Twitter yesterday. If you're not on Twitter, do it right now. www.twitter.com. By "following" the right tweets, Twitter has become my best and fastest source of news and information. One glance at my Twitter page on my phone typically gives me all the news I need with links to learn more. It is an incredible tool of this generation and people who shun it do so at their own loss. We are in the greatest information age of all time and, as Republicans, we must embrace this new technology or fall behind and fall victim to the stodgy stereotypes that are improperly assigned to conservatives.

And...

Justice Maureen O'Connor from the Ohio Supreme Court was in Cincinnati yesterday. It is always great to see the Justice. She delivered remarks to our Early Bird donors and to our Leadership Council. Justice O'Connor is running for Chief Justice--a position I expect her to win. Justice O'Connor won every single county (all 88!) in Ohio in 2008 and earned more votes than President Obama.

And...

When do pitchers and catchers report?

And...

Temperatures in the 40s this weekend. Is it too soon for a little D2D?

And...

Have a great weekend.

Kasich Announcement to Come Via Twitter

2010-01-13T12:34:00.003-05:00

I have preached the importance of social media networking like Twitter and Facebook to our party faithful for over a year. Tomorrow, John Kasich's campaign is doing the same thing by making a major campaign announcement via Twitter. The Kasich Campaign will have a major press event at 3:o0 p.m, but the announcement from the campaign will come via Twitter a little sooner--at 1:30 p.m.

John Kasich is running a tremendous campaign. He is the right man for this job at this time in our history.

Here is the announcement from the Kasich campaign:

Tomorrow afternoon, I will be making a special announcement which will have a tremendous impact on Ohio’s future. While the rest of the world will hear this announcement at a 3:00pm EST press conference, I am excited to be able to share this information with you exclusively on Twitter at 1:30pm EST.

Please make sure you sign up for a Twitter account and follow me so you can learn about this historic announcement before anyone else. If you’re new to Twitter or just beginning to learn the ropes, please be sure to check out the Kasich for Ohio Twitter Guide. Then, look for my tweet at 1:30pm EST tomorrow afternoon.

Afterward, you will be able to watch the press conference live on KasichForOhio.com at 3:00pm EST.

Sincerely,

John R. Kasich
Candidate for Governor

KindleGate, Etc.

2010-01-10T18:55:00.004-05:00

It might surprise you to know that I am not so sure that buying Kindle's for all of city council is such a mistake. The mistake was to not properly communicate the idea to members of council before springing the idea on them. Even more improper was the tin political ear that such a purchase demonstrates. Nevertheless, I'm not so sure it couldn't amount to a cost savings. I have a personal Kindle and I think it is tremendous. Should the taxpayers foot the bill (for the most expensive model)? Not without a better explanation and more buy-in from members. Poor communication and an inability to work cooperatively by the Chairwoman of the Finance Committee seems to have hurt an otherwise, possibly, good idea.

And...

I am pleased to report that we have an influx of new energy and excitement coming to our Republican party. Many of those energized by the Tea Party movement are coming into our party and seeking to become precinct executives and to become involved in other ways. My message to these great conservatives is very simple: WELCOME! The energy and enthusiasm demonstrated by this movement is important to what we are trying to accomplish in Hamilton County. While many Tea Party activists are unhappy with the direction of the GOP, I believe that our local effort to recruit, retain, and promote strong local candidates can only benefit from new energy and new ideas from strong conservatives.

And...

Our first ever Hamilton County Republican Party Scholarship Program is in full-swing. Our GOP Leadership Council is administering the scholarship program where the Party will award $3,000 worth of scholarships to high school seniors who demonstrate a commitment to the GOP and conservative values. I am a proud of this program and especially thankful to our Leadership Council for overseeing this youth outreach program. We'll publish the winning essay once announced.

And...

The Bengals finished a good season on a disappointing note. At least readers will no longer be subjected to my predictions. Of course, we do have the Bearcats and that little progr'm on Victory Parkway.

And...

Another busy week is ahead for HQ. We're pleased to host John Kasich and Governor Jeb Bush on Tuesday. I will be the guest speaker at Green Township. And a week full of meetings with elected officials, activists and donors.

And...

Do you want to write a guest blog? Please let us know. We welcome a variety of points of view.

And...

Michele Bachmann's appearance in Hamilton County is creating a buzz and a stir that is not at all surprising. She is an exciting speaker and will help energize our party.

And...

Sen. Harry Reid should step down as Majority Leader of the United States Senate because of his insensitive and racially inappropriate remarks about the President of the United States. There has never been a more blatant double-standard about the issue of race that I can recall. Let's examine his remarks. He stated that then Sen. Obama, "as a black candidate...could be successful thanks in part to his “light-skinned” appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one." (click here to read the CNN Report) The remark was offensive in that it pre-supposes that Americans would be more likely to elect a lighter skinned African American than a darker skinned one. That plays on a horrible stereotype. It also means that an African-American politician who speaks with what Sen. Reid considers a "negro-dialect" might not be successful because of a dialect specific to the African-American culture. The remarks are racially inappropriate and play on the stereotypes too common in his generation--but completely improper from our leaders in government. The Democratic support for his remarks only serve to undermine America's efforts to eradicate inequalities based on race. A Republican would be treated differently and that is unfortunate.

And...

Want to volunteer for Rob Portman's campaign? Email Maggie at maggien@hc-gop.org for more information about key opportunities.

And...

Have a great week.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T09:00:00.002-05:00

Let us not forget...

2009-12-29T23:01:00.001-05:00

Michele Bachmann to Address Lincoln-Reagan Dinner

2009-12-28T10:09:00.001-05:00

The Hamilton County Republican Party is pleased to announce that United States Representative Michele Bachmann has agreed to be our keynote speaker at the 2010 Lincoln-Reagan Dinner.

The Lincoln-Reagan dinner is our annual fundraising gathering of Republicans from across Hamilton County. The annual dinner is a longstanding tradition for Republicans everywhere. The Lincoln-Reagan Dinner will take place on the evening of Friday, February 26, 2010 with a specific time and location to be announced soon.

Michele Bachmann is in her second term in the United States House of Representatives. She was elected to Congress in 2006 after serving in the Minnesota state legislature for many years. During her public career, she has been a strong advocate for taxpayers and she is a principled conservative Republican. She is a strong advocate for earmark reform and a serious opponent to wasteful government spending. She is the first Republican woman elected to the Congress from Minnesota.

Most recently, Rep. Bachmann has been leading the fight against the big-government, oppressive agenda of the Obama Administration. She has been a vocal opponent to the out-of-control government takeover of health care by appearing on national news broadcasts speaking about the proposed legislation. She has also come to national prominence as a leader for the conservative movement against the explosive growth of government and our burdening debt.

Statement of Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou

"We are very pleased that Congresswoman Bachmann has agreed to visit Hamilton County for our annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner. She is an outstanding conservative member of the United States House of Representatives and I look forward to hearing her remarks in February.

My vision for the GOP is grounded in the basic conservative tenet of fiscal responsibility and Michele Bachmann is a national leader for fiscal sanity in government. She is leading our party back to its roots and back to success at the polls with her principled conservatism.

Rep. Bachmann represents the future of the Republican Party. I know that her presence here will inspire us to look to a brighter and better future for our party and for our nation.

I urge everyone to come and support the local GOP and hear the inspiring remarks of a great conservative leader."

For more information about Rep. Bachmann, visit her website at www.michelebachmann.com.

To stay current on the events of the Hamilton County Republican Party, visit our blog at: http://hcrp.blogspot.com.

*More information about the specific time and location of our Lincoln-Reagan Dinner will be announced soon.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T10:32:00.001-05:00

Democrat(ic) Money Burn: Strickland Budget Style

2009-12-18T06:44:00.002-05:00

The Democrats passed a budget fix in Columbus yesterday that raises your taxes. Most disappointing is that they did this with the help of a few Republicans. Only a few, though. EVERY single Democrat in both chambers of the legislature voted for this "fix" which is hardly a "fix" of anything other than continuing the tax and spend policies of the Democratic Party. I am proud of the strong majority of Republicans who voted to protect taxpayers.

Want to know the best (or worst) part? The Columbus Dispatch reports, " Income-tax withholdings in 2009 were set assuming the income tax cut would remain, so most taxpayers have withheld too little, meaning they will owe money to the state or get smaller-than-expected refunds when they file returns in the first quarter of 2010." This means Ted Strickland and his Democratic colleagues have made it so that most Ohioans will have to send a check to their state government this year so that Turnaround Ted can continue to kill jobs and make Ohio the least business-friendly state in America.

While I and others are disappointed in the few Republicans who signed-up for this misguided legislation, I am very proud of the strong majority of Republicans who stood for taxpayers. Our candidate for Governor, John Kasich, made the following statement:

"As I have traveled the state over the past three years, it has been clear to me that the people of Ohio understand that raising taxes is counter-productive to job creation and economic growth. The most prosperous states are the ones that are constantly reforming and restructuring, and not raising taxes.

"Today’s agreement is strictly stopgap, and turns a blind eye to the massive shortfalls we will face during the next budget cycle. We better have new leadership and new ideas in place by then. Our state’s future depends on it."

"For far too long Ohio has been stuck in a cycle of tax and spend. Hard choices continue to be pushed off to another day. And today, with this agreement between the Governor and the legislature, we are continuing the cycle and culture of tax and spend. It is a cycle I intend to break."

Governing during a period of economic downturn is difficult. Elected officials everywhere face the challenge of funding the basic operations of government while not asking the beleaguered taxpayers for more money. It is a significant challenge.

John Kasich's message about "breaking the cycle" is almost revolutionary. John Kasich will re-invent state government making Ohio more business-friendly and put faith back in the free market and in the people--not in government. Having gotten to hear John's message and getting to know him some, I have no doubt that he will be a transformational figure for our great state.

Sunday, etc.

2009-12-13T11:48:00.002-05:00

We've been ignoring the blog some lately. Sorry to my two loyal readers. I was out of action last week, but ready to get back to things this week.

And...

The above picture is from Corfu, Greece. On a typical, gray, gloomy Cincinnati December day, I thought it made the most sense. And I couldn't find a Democrat to bash this morning. Correction: I could, but chose not to. There's plenty of time for that.

And...

Do you want to be a candidate for Judge in Hamilton County? Let us know by contacting Maggie Wuellner at 513-381-5454. Our screening committee is seeking candidates for every judicial opening. This will be a great year to run for Judge under the GOP banner.

And...

Interested in running for State Representative? We are screening candidates for House Districts 31 (Denise Driehaus), 32 (Dale Mallory) and 33 (Tyrone Yates). Let us know if you have an interest in any of these races!

And...

It is always great to be invited to so many Christmas gatherings this time of year and the GOP groups certainly know how to have great parties. I just wish I could make them all.

And...

I have blogged about this before, but I'm going to repeat myself. The fundamental difference between the two parties (on economics) in the United States is how they view the role of government. Democrats believe that government ought to be part of the marketplace and have greater control over our lives. Republicans believe that government ought to stay out of the way of citizens and let them have greater control over their own affairs without government help or interference. The failure of President Obama's economic plan to create jobs is the best evidence of the failure of their plan. Government should create an environment for business to grow and create jobs. The Democrats just have it all wrong. And America pays the price.

And...

Speaker Gingrich spoke to several hundred people downtown a couple of weeks ago. I had the privilege of speaking with him and introducing him at his Town Hall forum. He is a brilliant man. I took away one great message that night. The Speaker started his remarks by illustrating how America has fallen away from promoting personal responsibility. He did it in an interesting way. He said to the listeners, please finish my sentence , "If you can't AFFORD A HOUSE..." Then, the audience, over 500 strong, finished his sentence, "Don't BUY a house." We've lost sight of this in America. President Clinton and his liberal allies socially engineered it so that "every American could enjoy the dream of home ownership" and pushed lending institutions into making bad loans. Lending institutions are partly to blame for making these loans, but they needed to stay competitive because government was pushing these low-interest loans. The resulting credit bubble burst killing the economy and creating a massive recession. A disaster.

And...

Bengals beat the Vikes today, 17-14.

And...

That little Xavier progr'm gets beat by the angry Bearcats tonight, too.

And...

Have a great week.

Hamilton County Welcomes Speaker Gingrich

2009-12-02T07:48:00.003-05:00

Hamilton County is pleased to welcome Speaker Newt Gingrich for his "Real Jobs Summit" in Cincinnati tonight at the Hilton Netherland Hotel at 6:30 p.m. The doors open at 5:45 p.m.

I am honored to be serving as emcee for this event and I hope to see many of our great GOP friends there tonight. Click on the above image for more information about American Solutions, Speaker Gingrich's group.

The Surge II

2009-12-02T07:00:00.003-05:00

President Obama sounded like President Bush last night. The President is advocating a "surge" of troops in Afghanistan much like President Bush did in Iraq. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has decided to seriously escalate the conflict in Afghanistan and grow our troop presence to over 100,000.

It is nice to see the President finally acknowledge the success of President Bush's war policy. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

Here is a comparison of President Bush's remarks and President Obama's:

Obama: "We Did Not Ask for This Fight"
Bush: "We Did Not Seek This Conflict"
Obama: "New Attacks are Being Plotted as I Speak"
Bush: "At This Moment ... Terrorists are Planning New Attacks"
Obama: "Our Cause is Just, Our Resolve Unwavering"
Bush: "Our Cause is Just, Our Coalition [is] Determined"
Obama: "This Is No Idle Danger, No Hypothetical Threat"
Bush: "The Enemies of Freedom Are Not Idle"
Obama: "We Have No Interest in Occupying Your Country"
Bush: "I Wouldn't Be Happy if I Were Occupied Either"

I certainly didn't do the work of finding these quotes. Guess who did? Michael Moore! Check out his website to see how livid the left is with the President.

In the end, the President is trying to have it both ways because he's trying to fudge how this plays on the left. That will not work. We'll see.

Conservative Democrat? Hardly.

2009-12-01T06:56:00.004-05:00

Commissioner Pepper, a Democrat running for a statewide position, has tried to sell himself to the voters as a conservative Democrat who is fiscally responsible. He needs to try harder.

Let me explain. Here are Commissioner Pepper's own words written on his blog one year ago. (Check out the full blog posting here)

A decade ago, as part of the vote on whether to raise the sales tax 1/2 cent to pay for the new stadiums, the citizens were made a clear promise: that 30% of the receipts from the new sales tax would be returned to them through a property tax rebate (the "PTR").

This was a clear commitment made prior to the citizens' vote.

And with that commitment publicly made, and about 60% voting yes, the citizens indeed authorized taxing themselves an additional 1/2 cent to pay for the stadiums/riverfront, and to pay for the PTR that would be returned to them. Just like the promise was clear, the citizens' mandate was equally clear.

And it goes on...

In that light, I consider any move to divert dollars from the PTR to be a deeply illegitimate act. It lacks fundamental integrity....When that has occurred, as their elected representatives, we have no discretion or authority whatsoever but to implement and adhere to their decision faithfully. This is particularly true when citizens have consented to put more of their dollars into government for a specific purpose....To violate those orders now would fundamentally breach our mandate at a time when citizens already have lost so much faith in government.

Mr. Pepper flip-flopped and, in his own words, "fundamentally breached a mandate from the citizens."

The facts on this issue are very clear. The voters were promised a property tax rebate if they consented to a 1/2 cent sales tax increase. Mr. Peppers is prepared to break that promise. A vote to deny the rollback is worse than an un-voted tax increase. It is a vote for a tax increase when a tax rebate was the specific mandate of the people! Only Democrats have the audacity to raise your taxes when you have specifically told them not to do so!

Flip-flopping in politics seems to always work against the taxpayers. Politicians change their minds only when it seems to benefit government and not the taxpayers.

Mr. Pepper voted to raise taxes and violate a commitment to the voters that he recognized a year ago as an "illegitimate act."

The citizens of Hamilton County and Ohio deserve better.

$100,000.00, etc.

2009-11-20T06:34:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-17T13:45:00.010-05:00

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.

2009-11-15T07:59:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-11T07:07:00.003-05:00

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.

2009-11-06T06:03:00.004-05:00

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

2009-11-04T20:39:00.008-05:00

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.

2009-11-02T06:05:00.004-05:00

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.

CPS Board of Education

2009-10-31T10:45:00.003-04:00

In last Sunday's Forum section of the Enquire, the paper called for substantial change in the contract with the teachers' union. Despite this call for needed change, the Enquire ignored conservative pro-business candidates who will facilitated the change we need and instead endorsed a slate of three incumbents, whom the Enquirer is currently suing for holding improper closed door meetings, plus a pro-union candidate, Vanessa White. White, who pretends to be pro-business when talking with business leaders, had to be asked several times by Enquirer reporter Ben Fischer what her stance was on prevailing wage before she reluctantly confessed that she favors the current CPS pro-union policy of paying prevailing wage on building contracts.http://cincinnati.com/blogs/politics/2009/10/30/vanessa-white-on-prevailing-wage/ The Enquirer's endorsement of 16 year incumbent Catherine Ingram is also troubling as she is endorsed by the same teacher's union that the Enquirer wants the Board to take a tough stance with. When will the Enquirer learn that if we are to have true change, we must vote for change. The Republican Party has endorsed a pro-kids, pro-business, candidate in Christopher McDowell. When elected to the Board next Tuesday, McDowell will put the interests of children and taxpayers ahead of special interest groups. This is why the Republican Party strongly endorses Christopher McDowell.

Guest Blog Posting by Mark Miller

2009-10-28T21:06:00.003-04:00

Mayor Mallory has been obsessed with population numbers. Midway through his term the Census Bureau estimated that Cincinnati was losing population faster than any other US city. The Enquirer profiled thousands of people leaving for the suburbs, and all the reasons Cincinnati wasn't cutting it for them. Mallory's answer? Challenge the estimates.

He hired a consultant to do a "drilldown study" which substitutes convoluted statistical analyses for actual counting. The study miraculously "found" another 69,000 people, erasing the decline to put Cincinnati back on the list of growing cities.

Problem is that monkeying with estimates eventually catches up with you. Every 10 years the Census Bureau does an actual count of each and every person which is both exhaustive and final. So what will the 2010 census show? Was Mallory's paper exercise real or illusory?

Population counters start with addresses and determine how many people live at each address. So has the number of addresses gone up or down in four years? The number of dwelling units built has lagged those demolished for Mallory's entire term. And the city continues to wreck residences with reckless abandon.

How about dwellers within dwelling units, is it up or down? In Over-the-Rhine alone, 3CDC has systematically vacated and barricaded over 100 multi-family residential buildings. Building vacancies have seen a dramatic rise in every other neighborhood as well.

Even the number of restaurants and other food-service places licensed by the city declined from 2,525 in 2005 to 2,509 in 2008. As of September, that number is down to 2,429. Cincinnati Public Schools has seen a decline in enrollment which resulted in permanent closure and consolidation of several school buildings.

When you get right down to it, the only thing suggesting any growth in Cincinnati is Mallory's questionable "study". Everything else indicates he shrunk the city.

But Mallory hasn't completed his con job. With a record budget deficit, and the entire city under a hiring freeze, he insisted on hiring a "Census Coordinator" to put his spin on the upcoming federal count.

Do we really want another four years of this? Let's end this fiasco now, and elect a real mayor.

*This guest blog posting was submitted by COAST member Mark Miller.

Inevitable Democratic Tax Increase, Etc.

2009-10-28T06:48:00.004-04:00

Democratic city councilwoman Laketa Cole has returned to Cincinnati after a her world travels and now is leading the charge to raise your taxes. That's rich. Ms. Cole took two weeks away during the election season to travel to Hawaii and then to Asia. We've blogged about that before. The process of raising your taxes is a little complicated to understand making it easier on Ms. Cole and the "Furlough Five" to do it without being caught. Let me explain. Every year since 2000, the Cincinnati City Council sets the millage rate to collect taxes at a level that will result in $28.9 million of taxpayer money coming into the city's coffers. Because of changing property values and other such variables, that millage rate is adjusted every year so that taxpayers are not taxed for more than the $28.9 million. This year, Ms. Cole is proposing to set the millage rate at a place where it will cost taxpayers more than the $28.9 million. That, folks, is a tax increase no matter how you explain it! Of course, they want to delay the vote until after the election so as not to have to explain to the voters why they are raising your taxes. Just Democrats being Democrats.

And...

Brad Wenstrup said this to me last week: "We're going to steal home." I believe him. His campaign has been a thing of beauty and his gentlemanly approach to leadership will carry the day. The GOP is not "in the wilderness" in this city and Brad's strong campaign is proof that we will fight everywhere to bring our ideas to government.

And...

Our west side fundraiser is set for tomorrow at the Western Hills Country Club at 5:30 p.m. It is not too late to participate and we hope to have you there. For more information, call Maggie at 513-381-5454 or e-mail her at maggien@hc-gop.org.

And...

I've been around the court system and in trial work long enough to spot a lie. The two pilots who overshot their destination city by 150 miles and who went silent on the radios for over an hour are lying about what was happening in that cockpit. The cover-up is always worse than the crime. Admit the wrongdoing and mitigate the damage. When will people learn?

And...

I went lit-dropping with Charlie Winburn over the weekend. Charlie's campaign is very organized, targeted, and scientific. Charlie has a political machine that is highly impressive. Charlie's team worked me--hard! It was great to be out on a crisp fall day going door-to-door. We were in a targeted precinct in Madisonville. Charlie is a super-high-energy campaigner and he left me in the dust. It was great to be out with our candidates and I intend to do it again.

And...

My response to the Enquirer editorial endorsement of the current Mayor was met with great support. Thanks to the many people who called, e-mailed, or otherwise got word to me with your positive thoughts.

And..

I voted yesterday. Betting my votes are not hard to guess. You can vote, too, at the Board of Elections right now.

And...

As much as I would like to think that next Tuesday, November 3, is the end of the campaign season--I know better. Most politicos know that Tuesday really marks the beginning of the 2010 campaign. We feel it every day. By the end of 2009, every major candidate for 2010 will have been to Cincinnati for a fundraiser and other events. Of course, Josh Mandel practically lives here!

And...

Cincinnati has two good football teams.

And...

Have a great Wednesday.

Wenstrup for Mayor

2009-10-27T11:28:00.000-04:00

Vote 5 + Wenstrup

2009-10-25T08:34:00.004-04:00

Election Day is only 8 days away. For those Republicans in the city of Cincinnati who wish to bring some sanity back to city government, we want to urge you to NOT dilute your vote by voting for non-Republicans.

How does this work? Every vote you cast for a non-Republican HURTS our Republican candidates in a field race by helping the non-Republicans finish as one of the top nine candidates. That's right, your vote for some of the non-Republicans (who sometimes sound like Republicans--but not often enough to receive our endorsement) dilutes your vote for Republicans and actually hurts our candidates. Every vote for a non-Republican is one more vote they get to finish in the top 9 and these candidates are all competing with our candidates for those top 9 spots. Don't dilute our limited Republican vote in the city.

Mayor -- Brad Wenstrup

Five Council Candidates:

Leslie Ghiz

Chris Monzel

Amy Murray

Charlie Winburn

George Zamary

So, we are urging every Republican in the city to:

Vote Wenstrup, then VOTE 5 AND STOP!

Enquirer Endorsements

2009-10-18T10:49:00.004-04:00

The Cincinnati Enquirer published its endorsements yesterday. Congratulations to Amy Murray, Leslie Ghiz, and Charlie Winburn for receiving that recognition.

The Enquirer chose to endorse our current Mayor for a second term. That decision has drawn a response from the Hamilton County Republican Party. The letter I submitted via e-mail this morning is printed below.

Enquirer Made Wrong Choice in Mayoral Endorsement

The Cincinnati Enquirer did our community a disservice on Sunday with its endorsement in the Mayor’s race. As the GOP leader in this city, I am disappointed in the decision for obvious reasons. But the editorial board's basing its decision on criticism of the Republican candidate for his “gentlemanly” attitude does a disservice to the public and to our community for three reasons. First, it apparently advocates for a negative campaign from Dr. Wenstrup aimed at the Mayor. Second, it will certainly have a chilling effect on any person who wants to enter public service without what the Enquirer deems the requisite amount of “political” experience. Third, it demeans the public service of a Major in the United States Army who received commendations for his courageous and meritorious service.

Time and again, pundits and critics of politics take issue with the negative tone of political campaigns. When Dr. Wenstrup, a man of core decency, intellect, and integrity, decides to manage his campaign in a manner consistent with his professionalism--the Enquirer criticizes him for an “inability or unwillingness to sharply attack.” If politics is to ever change from “sharp attacks” and focus on the key issues, the Enquirer’s criticism of Dr. Wenstrup is nothing short of irresponsible.

Second, many fine people in the private sector look at politics and cringe at what they see. These successful, bright, and committed citizens see a political culture where “sharp attacks” and a failure to truly lead is rewarded. The criticism of Dr. Wenstrup for being “gentlemanly” will discourage any talented person who wishes to enter public life and do it professionally and respectfully.

Third, and bordering on being offensive, is the Enquirer’s assertion that Major Wenstrup may not be prepared for the “bare knuckles politics of City Hall.” On this point, one is left laughing. Dr. Brad Wenstrup won the Bronze Star Medal given to members of the armed services for bravery, acts of merit, and meritorious service in a war zone. He also was awarded the Combat Action Badge for his service in an area where there is hostile fire. Dr. Wenstrup served in an area where mortar fire would occasionally cause him to hit-the-deck and he routinely wore full body armor for protection. Yet, the Enquirer asks, “What could happen to him in the bare knuckles environment of city hall politics?” Is the Enquirer serious? Perhaps Brad will receive a paper cut from a sharply worded memo from a political foe. I think he’s up to the challenge.

What will Brad Wenstrup do when the “bare knuckles” of the childish backbiting begins at City Hall? He will draw on his real-life experience of persevering through much greater challenges to lead and to get the job done.

The current Mayor’s “get out of the way” style of leadership is recognized by many, but praised by none. Nevertheless, the Enquirer sees fit to offer him a second term at a time where our city faces enormous deficits and real challenges, and a vacuum of true leadership. The fact that it chose to do so while criticizing a man of valor, integrity and character for being a “neophyte” and a gentleman is regrettable.

The Enquirer missed a chance to encourage people to enter politics based on skills they bring from the private sector. I am concerned about the long term impact of getting good people into government as a result.

Alex M. Triantafilou
Chairman
Hamilton County Republican Party

Hawaii, etc.

2009-10-06T06:11:00.005-04:00

Cincinnati City Council member Laketa Cole will spend the next couple of weeks in Hawaii and then South Korea and Vietnam. The Enquirer reports that here. Some people just make my job fun. Ms. Cole just did. First, let's be fair. This junket is not paid for by taxpayers. Surprisingly. Nevertheless, it is irresponsible and a little arrogant. It is irresponsible to be making a two-week journey halfway around the world when our city faces a growing deficit and looming job layoffs. Especially when you have been appointed to the most powerful chairmanship on the city council--the Finance Committee chairmanship. The trip is a little arrogant because this is the election season. Is Ms. Cole so comfortable in her position on the council that she doesn't feel the need to connect with the voters for two weeks during the final stretch of the campaign season? I'll concede that Ms. Cole is well positioned to win re-election. But, campaigns are important to the function of our democracy because they make our elected leaders go into the community and hear from the voters. My friends in this campaign tell me that the voters are deeply concerned about public safety and the financial state of the city. Ms. Cole should have stayed in the United States and listened to the voters. She's not consulting me on her travel schedule these days. Had she done that, I would've told her to go to Greece!

And...

Rob Portman had a great event at the Western Hills Country Club. The west side showed up big for Rob and that was great to see.

And...

Several GOP candidates received the ever-important Fraternal Order of Police imprimatur yesterday. Brad Wenstrup, Leslie Ghiz, Chris Monzel, Charlie Winburn, and Amy Murray all were recommended by the FOP for election to the council. Good work!

And...

The Hamilton County GOP is hosting two critical fundraisers in the coming weeks. Save these dates:

October 20, 2009 -- 5:00p - 7:00p -- Embers Restaurant

October 29, 2009 -- 5:00p - 7:00p -- Western Hills Country Club

We are having an Eastside-Westside challenge to see which part of Hamilton County can support the GOP the best. More information will follow on this blog. For more information on how to get in on the fun, contact Maggie Wuellner at maggien@hc-gop.org or 513-381-5454.

And...

President Obama is a rookie. Politically, we've seen it time and again. He's too smart to be this bad for long. The GOP needs to offer great ideas and great candidates. Counting on his continued stumbles is not an agenda for the future. We have these candidates and these ideas and I'm excited to see them emerge.

And...

Chris McDowell is running a great campaign for the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education. He's a great man and a great candidate. The kids who attend city schools would be well-served by Chris McDowell on that board.

And...

We are actively seeking a speaker for our Lincoln-Reagan dinner for February. Finding a great speaker is always a challenge. We try to reach every major contender for President. We also try and get other GOP "celebrities." That process is ongoing.

And...

The Bengals are 3-1. A team can play well and lose. A team can play poorly and win. I'll take the latter.

And...

I'm proud of our candidates and our campaigns all across the county. We have great people running in places like Delhi, Springfield Township, Green, Colerain, Anderson, Symmes, Sycamore, Blue Ash, Sharonville and all over. People who care about their communities subject themselves to the rigors of a campaign and there is something noble about that. Many of these jobs are not glamorous, but they make up the fabric of our democracy and I'm always happy to see people willing to serve.

And...

Have a great Tuesday.

Sunday Funny

2009-10-04T18:27:00.001-04:00

The "Furlough Five," etc.

2009-09-30T02:54:00.001-04:00

The dysfunction created by the Democrats who control city government was the topic of a scathing Enquirer editorial over the weekend. The left-wingers who run city government have made a mess of things. Check out the editorial here.

And...

John Kasich is well on his way to unseating the highly unpopular Democratic governor of Ohio. The most recent Rasmussen Poll shows Kasich winning by 1 point (a "dead heat" race). Strickland's failure to lead on the critical issues facing Ohio has caused him to drop out of favor with voters. For those of us working with John Kasich, we know he is just the man to be governor during these difficult times. John has the personality, intellect, and independence to be a transformative force for the state. He has a tremendous campaign team and the momentum to win. I can't wait. Read the latest poll data here.

And...

Early voting started yesterday. Go vote today! For information about voting, click here. To see Republicans running in the city, click here. To see Republican officials in suburban offices, click here.

And...

Roman Polanski allegedly used drugs to seduce and then have sex with a 13 year old girl. Read his original grand jury indictment here. After a plea bargain, he was found guilty of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Before being sentenced, Roman Polanski fled the country and has remained a fugitive from justice. Every American who respects the law and our legal system should applaud the arrest of this CONVICTED criminal. Nobody is above the law in America. Mr. Polanski should have faced the Judge after his criminal conviction and his decision to flee the country should not be rewarded by our judicial system. Justice should be blind and I hope Mr. Polanski gets treated as any other convicted criminal would be treated. The penalty is up to the courts in California. A respect for the law is not a partisan issue and it concerns me that some are publicly criticizing this arrest. Mr. Polanski's decision to flee is reason enough to arrest him. The merits of the case against him and the events of the late 1970s are not the issue at this moment. His failure to appear in a courtroom is the issue. His abject failure to respect the legal process is the issue. For that failure, he deserves what he gets.

And...

Local restaurateur Jeff Ruby is a hero. Remember this when you spend your entertainment dollars. His recent criticism of the "furlough five" city council members who fail to make public safety our first priority is one reason to support him. His constant activism including fundraising for victims of crime is another reason.

And...

A very nice Bengals win on Sunday. Do you follow me on Facebook? I predicted the score within 1 point. I've made enough boneheaded sports predictions on this blog to justify my bragging a little today on me getting it right over the weekend on this call.

And...

I'm currently reading the George Stephanapoulos memoir, "All Too Human." The book is about Mr. Stephanapoulos' years working with President Clinton both on his campaign and in the White House. It is a great read for any political junkie. Although a little dated, the observations about politics and human frailty are timeless. I continue to believe that Stephanapoulos has made the transition from liberal political operative to fair-minded journalist. I may not be joined in that view by many in the GOP. I still believe it. Did I mention that he's Greek?

And...

Michael Moore is threatening Democrats who don't push for a complete government takeover of health care. Go Michael go!

And...

Things are quite busy at Republican HQ with the election approaching. We need your help! Get involved.

And...

Have a great Wednesday.

Greg Harris Must Go

2009-09-29T15:29:00.003-04:00

I urge everyone who watches this video to watch the first 10 seconds a couple of times. This is the fundamental problem with the Democratic Party and with people like Greg Harris. His political DNA causes him to want to "spend, spend, spend." Of course, there are times government must and should spend money. However, people in public service should first ask "how do I NOT spend?" Greg Harris is incapable of this kind of thinking.

Sunday Spotlight: Christopher McDowell

2009-09-27T08:38:00.002-04:00

Chris McDowell is our GOP endorsed candidate for Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education. Chris is a veteran, a father, and an accomplished lawyer in Cincinnati's finest law firm. He is exactly the type of person we want in public service. Learn more about Chris by clicking here.

The future of the GOP can be found in great candidates like Chris McDowell.

Along with independent John Banner, the citizens of Cincinnati have a chance to make a real change in the public schools in Hamilton County.

Mallory Pays Cleveland Consultant $2500 To Write State of City Address

2009-09-20T19:51:00.003-04:00

Local television station WLWT-TV is conducting an investigation into the spending at the Mayor's office. Among other things cited in the News 5 report, Mayor Mallory paid $2,500 to an agency to help him write his State of the City address. (www.wlwt.com/video/20956458/index.html)

Never mind the fact that the Mayor has a staff of nine people and an office budget of as much as $500,000 and still had to look outside for help. And never mind the fact that the Mayor has to pay anyone at all to tell him the state of his city. The firm he hired was in Cleveland. CLEVELAND. The Mayor of Cincinnati had to pay a Cleveland agency to help write the speech detailing his "successes" in Cincinnati!

This is symptomatic of the problems that infest City Hall. It is just another example of the arrogance that we do not need, and the mismanagement that we can no longer afford. This city does not deserve a Mayor who is creating jobs everywhere but in Cincinnati.

Investigate for yourself by visiting the Mayor's re-election website. (www.electmallory.com) There are only two buttons to click on: Donate and Volunteer. In other words, two ways YOU can serve HIM. No message, no plan. Just filling the coffers.

Something must be done, and only you can do it. First, pass the Channel 5 link on to all your friends and contacts so that this message gets out. Second, you can support Brad financially. Visit Brad's donation page here (www.wenstrupformayor.com/?page=contribute) and give what you can.

This city deserves a Mayor who is a public servant. With your help, now and in November, we will get that man elected.

Sunday Spotlight: Trustee Al Duebber

2009-09-20T07:24:00.003-04:00

Delhi Township continues to be a great place to live, work, and raise a family. One lifelong resident of Delhi Township decided to enter public service to keep it that way. That person is Delhi Township Trustee Al Duebber.

Most west-siders are familiar with Duebbers Automotive and Duebbers Carry-out. These landmark businesses have served those from Delhi and surrounding communities for a long time. After building these successful businesses and working in the community in many other respects, Al Duebber continued his commitment to public service by running for Delhi Township Trustee.

Al's work for the community has been recognized by the Community Press newspapers when he was named one of "Ten Who Care" in Delhi Township. He is active in his Kiwanis club and with the Oak Hills schools. Al is making a difference in Delhi Township and across the west side with his work in government and the community.

Al Duebber is also a conservative Republican who has governed true to his principles. Our party remains strong in Hamilton County's suburban communities because of great Republicans like Al Duebber.

To learn more about Al's business, click here.

To learn more about Al's civic involvement and his political career, click here.

Democratic Fight Club

2009-09-16T05:35:00.007-04:00

The County Commissioner's meeting yesterday made for interesting television. The highlight had to be the fight that erupted between Democrats David Pepper and O'Dell Owens regarding the Coroner's budget requests for travel. The Enquirer reported it on their blog here. I rarely complain about the local media, but you will find no mention of the fact that this squabble was an intra-party squabble between Democrats. Several months ago, we had one of our elected officials and one of our commissioners disagree and it was, certainly, reported that they were both Republicans. The level of anger directed at Commissioner Pepper by Dr. Owens was far more serious than anything we've seen during this budget battle thus far. Here is part of what happened:

Dr. Owens accused Commissioner Pepper of asking him to "break the law."

Dr. Owens accused Commissioner Pepper of "disrespecting him."

Dr. Owens pointed out that Commissioner Pepper "wouldn't be here next year"--a clear reference to Mr. Pepper's attempt to climb the political ladder by running for statewide office.

During one testy exchange, Dr. Owens told Commissioner Pepper, "Go to medical school, become a doctor, and run for Coroner."

It was ugly.

These are very difficult times with the county budget. I watched the county commissioner's special meeting and I watched person after person (most of whom I know personally) come before the commissioners and discuss the serious impact this budget crisis is having on their offices. It is a tough time to be in government and it seems the county is running out of money to offer the most basic services. Setting priorities will be very important and it is my hope that the Democrats who run the county budget set those priorities better than their Democratic counterparts in the city have.

President Obama Wrong to Comment On Kanye West

2009-09-15T11:02:00.003-04:00

The President of the United States has apparently added to the public outcry about Kanye West's heinous interruption of the important message being delivered to the universe by 19 year old country music sensation and national spokeswoman Taylor Swift. The President has allegedly called Mr. West a "jackass." For once, the President might be right.

But the President is wrong. He should not be part of the public dialogue on this silliness. I believe that the President does not have the proper respect for the dignity of the office. I like a president who doesn't know or care what Kanye West did. The country is going broke, losing a war in Afghanistan, and our president is now a pop culture critic. It is a change--for sure. An unwelcome one.

This kind of stuff reminds me of why I am a Republican (as if I needed that in the face of what is happening to the country at the moment). I am a "traditionalist" and that is almost as important a word as "conservative." I believe in the sacred traditions of the country and our democracy and our Constitution. Respecting those traditions and foundations of our government is critical to continuing the model of our democracy that is so important to our future. President Obama is just a new rock-star phenom.

Does anyone remember when President Obama went on the Tonight Show and made a derogatory comment about Special Olympians? How quickly that got off the front page, huh? That type of juvenile and unprofessional behavior is not presidential.

President Obama has the intellect and the gravitas to avoid this silliness. He has not done that, yet.

Thoughts on Democrats Ousting Jeff Berding

2009-09-12T12:38:00.006-04:00

The Hamilton County Democratic Party ousted Jeff Berding this morning. They pulled his endorsement for this fall's city council election. This was not a surprise to local political observers or to anyone who read my blog last Friday.

First, Jeff Berding is a Democrat and this blog isn't designed to defend him. There is much with which we do not agree on with Jeff Berding. In fact, his quote this morning should assure Republicans that he is not one of us. He said, [y]ou can take away my endorsement, but you can not take away the fact I am a Democrat...I take a backseat to no one in my commitment to Democratic values.” I am not in the business of defending Democrats--even when ousted from one Democratic group.

Nevertheless, Jeff Berding has sided with the "common-sense" city council members--two of whom are Republicans--in the latest issues to confront city government. He has defied the Mayor and fellow Democrats by seeking to make public safety a budget priority. For this perceived slight to the Mayor, Jeff Berding finds himself a man without a party.

What happened? The Democratic Party of Hamilton County took one gigantic leap to the LEFT today. I wasn't sure there was much room to move left, but they found a way. The Party voted to be intolerant of anyone not supporting their big-spending, pet project agenda at City Hall. There is little doubt that this vote will certainly have a chilling effect on any Democrat who wishes to take an independent approach from the Mayor and the other Democrats who pass things like the Environmental Justice Ordinance or who vote for expensive hi-tech recycling bins. It is unfortunate.

I give Chairman Burke credit for trying to keep it together.

One final thought...can one imagine if our Party ousted a member perceived as more "centrist?" God knows we have a few. Imagine the city's chattering class bashing us for our intolerance. Let's follow the reaction to this story.

September 11, 2001

2009-09-11T06:50:00.006-04:00

Today is a solemn and sad day in American history and one that will never be forgotten for those of us that experienced that awful day.

Where were you on 9/11/01?

I can remember exactly where I was. My son was a little over 2 years old and I was home with him on that day. Normally, my son stayed with his grandparents (my parents), but they were in Greece on this day. I had my toddler in his high-chair and I was feeding him breakfast. I was watching the Today show in the living room and was listening to Katie Couric and Matt Lauer as I always did. The news came abruptly and inexplicably. I was glued to the television until after midnight that day never leaving the house. In my west-side neighborhood, the flags starting appearing on every porch and stoop and by the end of the next day, I think every single person in the neighborhood had out a flag or some other symbol of our patriotism displayed outside their home.

I had trouble calling overseas to talk to my parents. After a day, I finally got through to them in Athens and they were, obviously, stunned. They gave me first-hand accounts of how the Greeks were reacting and what the mood was in Europe. We were international victims and we had the sympathy and prayers of the whole world. It was an interesting and sad time.

Since 9/11/01, some say that this day has been politicized. They allege that President Bush and others used 9/11 to further certain political aims. I couldn't disagree more. President Bush's presidency was transformed only 8+ months into his administration. The President acted decisively and with strength. It was the right thing to do to protect Americans.

Many have ignored the history of 9/11 and President Bush's role. Do you remember the presidential campaign of 2000? President Bush ran on a platform of education, compassionate conservatism, anti-nation building, tax cuts, and energy reform. President Bush was not a hawk bent on invading Iraq or any other country. The 9/11 murders were planned and financed during the 8 years that President Clinton was in the White House. Many people have revised history and have made President Bush the poster-boy for America haters. The America haters existed long before he became President and they planned a massive attack on our country long before he showed up. President Bush was left to react. And react he did. Our country is safer today because he did react.

But today is not a day for political debate. It is a day to remember the thousands of innocent men, women, children, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers, who lost their lives doing nothing out of their ordinary routine. It is a sad day.

Today, I have Dad-duty again. My son, now 10, has a bug that has him laid out with a high fever. No, I don't think it's H1N1. But the irony of being home caring for him today isn't lost on me. We'll talk about 9/11 today because he is at the age where things are starting to make sense and he can be thoughtful about what is happening in the world. It will be the job of his generation to help Americans remember today so that history never repeats itself.

Take a minute to remember those we lost.

Have a great weekend.

The Criddle Chronicles

2009-09-09T11:24:00.002-04:00

Have you read the Criddle Chronicles? Do you get them? You should.

State Central Committeewoman and GOP uber-operative, Christa Criddle publishes her updates and thoughts via e-mail. I'll re-produce them today for your reading enjoyment.

Thanks, Christa, for all you do for the GOP!

--->>> the CRIDDLE CHRONICLES <<<---

"News and Views from the Conservative Voice of SW Ohio"

Volume 2, Issue 24

Monday, September 07, 2009

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“I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” James Madison

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Hi Everyone!

Happy Labor Day … OR as the Dems see it… Happy Celebration Day for all the Workers the Obama Administration can tax to death for their liberal agenda!

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THE INDOCTRINATION OF OUR YOUTH

I got several calls/e-mails from folks asking me about Obama’s address to the School Students which happens Tuesday. Now, in general, I would have no problem with a President or any public figure giving a message of “stay in school”, “work hard” etc. My concern comes with THIS administration and the fact that there always seems to be an underlying agenda. When I first heard that he was doing this address, my “spidey sense” was peaked. I then found the sheet which gave the suggested activities for teachers. Many of the items on the list seemed very innocuous. HOWEVER there were a few things that did bother me.

Teachers were asked to have kids read books about Obama. What kind of books? Who picks the books?

“Students could discuss their responses to the following questions: What do you think the President wants us to do? Does the speech make you want to do anything? Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us?” – Are we able to do what he is asking of us? What if I don’t like what he is asking of them? What if I, as a parent, don’t like it?

This was the MOST disturbing to me: Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals. – What they can do to help the president?? AND MAKE THE STUDENTS ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR GOALS??? So, if he asks them to follow his left-wing agenda and they choose NOT to, are they punished? Students have to respect the OFFICE but I do NOT have to respect the agenda.

The biggest issue is that I do not TRUST this administration. With their repeated attempts to gain government control of all aspects of our lives, it only goes to reason that they may want to gain control of our youth and their impressionable minds. I had visions of the “Obama Jungend Bund”, especially with so many of the teachers being part of the Union and followers of Obama. With all the attention, I presume that the speech will be very bland now and without controversy so they can say “I told you so” however, my concern was always with how the teachers will take it to that next level. How will the liberal teachers handle it? I am proud to say that my kids’ school is NOT going to show this speech.

If I am to look at the GOOD that came out of the last election, it is that the people finally see they need to pay attention to the government and speak up and they are doing so. The people are now paying attention and speaking up. He is NOT going to get a pass to indoctrinate our kids.

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TEA PARTY RALLY!

Congratulations to the Tea Party and Cincinnati 9/12 group for an incredibly successful event this past Saturday. The official crowd estimate was 18,000 patriots- that makes it the biggest Tea Party event in the MidWest! Kudos to all coordinators.

A BIG thanks to all the folks who came out to volunteer for Rob Portman. It was a great success and Rob also expressed his appreciation for all of your help! Rob Portman attended and spoke with and listened to the people at the event for a couple of hours.

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CHAIRMAN STEELE & Health Care

RNC Chairman Michael Steele had a press conference this past Thursday at JTM. He did a great job discussing what the Republicans have been TRYING to put forward. ALL REPUBLICAN AMENDMENTS AND BILLS, over 800 in fact, have been rejected by the Democrats. The Dems will not allow ANYTHING we present to go forward. Our team has been pushing for portability, tort reform and seniors bill of rights. It was nice to actually meet and see him in person. He is very impressive and did a great job answering press questions. Too bad hardly anyone covered it. You could be sure that if Howard “the scream” Dean came to town it would have been top story everywhere.

The Dems want nothing to do with REAL solutions. They want to just push forward the far Left-Wing agenda.

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This week’s BIZ-CZAR News!

Well, with Obama’s growing list of Czars from everything to the AIDS Czar to the Information Czar to our latest favorite Green Czar Van Jones, 9/11 Truther, known communist and apparent racist. It finally came out, after a lot of pressure and thanks to conservative talk show hosts, he resigned this past weekend. You can tell a man by the friends he keeps… and appoints to a position WITH NO OVERSIGHT. Cabinet positions have to at least get the approval of the Senate. Czars are not subject to that oversight, which can make them extremely dangerous to push forward their agenda with no accountability to the people.

Just today, Barak Hussein Obama, with his little buddy Steve Driehaus (aka Nancy Pelosi’s Little Sock Puppet) standing by his side, will announce Ron Bloom as his Manufacturing Czar, today at the AFSCME Picnic at Coney Island. Why does that name sound familiar? Ron Bloom has been the Car Czar. He is the one who has been running “Government Motors” (GM) and Chrysler.

What I read into that is that now he has the limited experience of controlling the Auto Industry, BHO wants him to plot the takeover of the rest of the Manufacturing Industry—and he is doing it with the backing of the Unions.

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NANCY PELOSI’S LITTLE SOCK PUPPET (NPLSP) UPDATE

A.K.A. Steve Driehaus found the time TODAY to hang out with BFF B.H.O. at the AFSCME picnic. Too bad he couldn’t be bothered to face his votes and his constituents at the TEA PARTY this past Saturday. NPLSP was invited to answer questions at the forum part of the event but didn’t have the guts to show his face. Former (and Future) Congressman Steve Chabot was PROUD to attend and mix and mingle with the TRUE patriots of this area.

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STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE

We have a meeting coming up on THIS FRIDAY, September 11 where some endorsements will be made. I will keep you updated on what happens. I encourage each of you to attend some of the upcoming events so you can meet and get to know our 2010 candidates.

Did You Know?

2009-09-08T21:29:00.002-04:00

I fully admit that I saw this video at Leadership Cincinnati today and found it so incredibly interesting that I wanted to share it. Assuming the video contains factual information, it is an incredible commentary on how science and technology have changed the world. It is a message that every person hoping to enter public service ought to appreciate because the "exponential" nature of our world challenges government officials in ways not foreseeable to most. I hope readers enjoy it as much as I did.

Reaction to the President's Remarks in Hamilton County

2009-09-07T14:38:00.002-04:00

President Obama delivered remarks today to a ticketed event at the AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnic at Coney Island. The campaign-style event was designed to influence voters during a period where his popularity is sinking as fast as any President in modern memory.

I listened to the President’s remarks today and have several reactions. The President is a fine speaker, but it is the words that he speaks that are so contrary to what people in Ohio and Hamilton County want to hear. Many in the labor movement have been misguided by the Democratic Party and by this President. The President’s policies are bankrupting America and leaving a legacy of debt that will hamper the ability of future generations to thrive as we have. His fix for our economic woes is to print money at a dizzying pace so as to prop up the economy on deficit spending. His solution on health care offers no answer to the key question: “How do we pay for this?”

As the product of a union household, I was disappointed by some of the class warfare and populist rhetoric from the President of the United States. A growing and thriving business sector is not the enemy to working people. It is how jobs are created and how citizens everywhere find their way to the American dream. Our national leadership should work to create an environment where business can succeed and create jobs for everyone. Instead, our President opted for the same old Democratic rhetoric that pits worker against management and the wage payer against the wage earner. This is not the way to incentivize job creation and wealth creation.

The President challenged Republicans about our plans on health care. Obviously, he hasn’t been listening. Republicans have offered over 800 bills or amendments to bills in the recent months and have been stymied by Democrats at every turn. Perhaps the President can hear about the GOP plan from us in Hamilton County. The GOP stands for portability in health care. We stand for protecting those with pre-existing conditions. We support the pooling of health care to allow small business owners and individuals to get lower rates in the free marketplace by buying in bulk. We favor tort reform that protects doctors from costly and frivolous litigation that drives up the cost of care and leaves doctors practicing defensive medicine. We are for health care reform. We are against a big government bureaucracy that we cant’ afford.

One final thought about all of this. Doesn't the President always speak in a way that makes America sound broken? It is not broken. Not yet. His spending will leave us broke if it continues, but America is not broken.

Wenstrup Values

2009-09-07T06:01:00.002-04:00

Meet Brad Wenstrup

2009-09-07T05:58:00.002-04:00

An Unpopular President, etc.

2009-09-04T03:10:00.007-04:00

It is hard to believe that the Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of summer, is upon us. It seems the summer gets a little shorter each year. Labor Day also is the unofficial start of the fall campaign season. Our candidates have been hard at work all spring and summer, but there is no doubt that things begin to get urgent right now.

And...

I was pleased to meet RNC Chairman Michael Steele yesterday. Chairman Steele visited with local elected leaders and citizens at JTM. The Chairman is engaging and charismatic. Even in a smaller private group, he was at ease and jovial. I truly enjoyed the meeting. He commands the attention of a room because he is articulate and forceful without being crass (like Howard Dean) or hateful. We have great leadership and that will help us in the long term.

And...

Speaking of JTM Food Group, special thanks to JTM CEO Tony Maas. Tony is a great friend and a tremendous supporter to many Republican candidates. Tony is the conscience of the GOP because he always speaks about the importance of faith, a respect for life, and the central role of the family in America. Tony is inspiring and every Republican ought to listen to Tony's message about the important role that values have in the future of our party and nation. I appreciate Tony's great friendship and his strong support of the GOP.

And...

President Obama will be here on Monday at the Labor Day picnic at Coney Island. It is fair to say that he is now an "unpopular President." He is. Republicans told Americans several things last year. First, we said that then Sen. Obama was "the most liberal Senator in the U.S." The man has exploded the size of government and has run up the deficit to levels never dreamed of by most Americans. Second, we said Sen. Obama was "inexperienced." Has his mishandling of the health care debacle not proven his inexperience? Third, we warned about his foreign policy. His administration is weakening our ability to battle foreign enemies by undermining the critical role of the CIA. So far, we Republicans have the right to say "we told ya so." We did.

And...

The Mayor of Cincinnati is once again colluding with the five liberal Democrats on the council to stifle progress and undermine public safety. The Mayor wouldn't even allow a discussion at the Wednesday council meeting of the proposal by the four sensible members of the council to save police officers. Pet projects need to take a back seat to public safety in this environment. "Remember in November."

And...

A very convincing preseason win last night by our beloved Bengals. Dare we be optimistic? I've made peace with Chad Johnson (refusing to use the new name). He has been entertaining on Hard Knocks, but his work ethic and desire to be a great receiver come through. I'm rooting for the Bengals and Chad in 2009.

And...

I had the distinct honor of following hall of famer Anthony Munoz to the podium at a fundraising event for Dr. Wenstrup on Wednesday. I had a chance to speak with Anthony at the event and he is just a tremendous guy. He is "old school" and this conservative likes that.

And...

I'm hearing about trouble with our friends over at the Hamilton County Democratic Party. Will they meet on 9/12 to consider pulling the endorsement of some independent minded Democrats? This is the rumor. In the U.S., we try to fit lots of different political views into two "big tents." It can be a challenge. On this point, I commiserate with my colleague Tim Burke. We shouldn't take any glee in these problems. Well, maybe just a little!

And...

I have made reading this blog mandatory for my 10 year old. So, a quick "shout out" to Michael. He is now my third loyal reader and not voluntarily. Most readers think it is written for 10 year olds, so he should not have any problems.

And...

Have a great long weekend.

Voice of American Rally this Saturday!

2009-09-03T16:24:00.002-04:00

LOCATION:
Front lawn of the Voice of America Park Museum
8070 Tylersville Rd.
West Chester, Ohio 45069

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

12:00pm - Onsite Parking Opens
1:00pm - Music begins, food and merchandise vendors begin
3:00pm - National Anthem
3:05pm - Speakers/Town Hall Program Begins
6:00pm - God Bless America/Event Ends

Hamilton County Welcomes Chairman Michael Steele

2009-09-03T06:19:00.003-04:00

RNC Chairman Michael Steele will visit Cincinnati today and we're thrilled to have him here. Chairman Steele will visit JTM Foods in Harrison, Ohio where he will meet with business owners and other interested citizens who care about health care reform. Chairman Steele is a great national leader for the GOP and I'm looking forward to the visit.

Hamilton County GOP

Miss the blog?

Hamilton County GOP on Facebook

Happy Easter!

NCAA Bracket Challenge Winner: John Eby

Obamacare and the Constitution

Debe Terhar, Etc.

2011 Hamilton County GOP Bracket Challenge

Gov. Kasich, etc.

Queen City Terminal, Etc.

Welcome Gov. Mitch Daniels!

Senate Bill 5--Collective Bargaining, Etc.

Join us after Lincoln-Reagan Dinner

Lincoln-Reagan Dinner 2011, etc.

Ronald Reagan: 100 years

Juvenile Court Race Update

Press Statement: "The Girl Who Found $100"

Liberal David Pepper

Broken Government

Candidates 2010

OPERATION: BOARD WALK - 2010 Early Voting

Christine O'Donnell, Etc.

Greek Night at the Phone Banks!

Presidential Failure, Etc.

NRA, etc.

Streetcar, Etc.

Judge Stautberg Arrangements

Judge Stautberg

Judge Julia Stautberg

Yalamanchili, Triantafilou, and Public Service.

Media Release: Hamilton County GOP Staying Out of Primary

Media Statement: Driehaus Vulgarity Criticized

This is the enemy...

NCAA Bracket Winners!

Happy Easter!

President Reagan

Democrat(ic) Money Burn: Health Care

Deem and Pass, etc.

Hamilton County GOP: NCAA Tournament Challenge!

**MEDIA STATEMENT**

Embracing Social Media

Ignoring the Blog, etc.

Judicial Candidates

Want to Run for Office?

Chabot Ahead In Most Recent Polling

Told ya so...

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Massachusetts as GOP territory? And...

Kasich Announcement to Come Via Twitter

KindleGate, Etc.

Happy New Year!

Let us not forget...

Michele Bachmann to Address Lincoln-Reagan Dinner

Merry Christmas

Democrat(ic) Money Burn: Strickland Budget Style

Sunday, etc.

Hamilton County Welcomes Speaker Gingrich

The Surge II

Conservative Democrat? Hardly.

$100,000.00, etc.

Democratic Money Burn: Hamilton County Cap & Tax

Sunday Spotlight: John Kasich, Etc.

Veteran's Day

Soldiers in our Prayers, Etc.

A New Day for the GOP

CPS Board of Education

Guest Blog Posting by Mark Miller

Inevitable Democratic Tax Increase, Etc.

Wenstrup for Mayor

Vote 5 + Wenstrup

Enquirer Endorsements

Hawaii, etc.

Sunday Funny

The "Furlough Five," etc.

Greg Harris Must Go

Sunday Spotlight: Christopher McDowell

Mallory Pays Cleveland Consultant $2500 To Write State of City Address

Sunday Spotlight: Trustee Al Duebber

Democratic Fight Club

President Obama Wrong to Comment On Kanye West

MEDIA STATEMENT