Posted on 03/30/2006 6:07:55 AM PST by bilhosty
COLUMBUS, Ohio--"There are no words to express the deep remorse that I feel over the embarrassment I have caused for my administration and the people of the state of Ohio." Thus, Gov. Bob Taft complied with a court order to apologize to the people of Ohio. Were that the only instance of poor judgment by an Ohio Republican in recent memory, the state GOP would probably remain in relatively good shape leading up to the elections this November, despite growing indicators against the party nationally. Unfortunately, the governor's ethical lapses--he pled guilty last August to four misdemeanors related to undisclosed gifts from lobbyists--represent only a small fraction of an ever widening scandal that is drowning the Ohio Republican Party.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
What's killing the GOP in OH and elsewhere is the failure of the party to carry out its agenda. The GOP is more concerned about what liberals think about the party than in doing what their members want.
They must be trying to give the Illinois GOP a run for their money.
Gary Condit's good buddy? Yeah, that's the candidate to run after a GOP scandal...
The Court ordered the governor to apologize?
Wouldn't Ken Blackwell be the more obvious choice?
"more concerned about what liberals think about the party than in doing what their members want."
Nailed it. Though I would say "concerned about what the liberal media think."
Yes, the offense was very minor. He reported almost all of his gifts, but failed to report some gifts that were just a little bit over the $75 non-reporting requirement. So it was more of a technicality than anything else.
The problem is that he had previously fired a bunch of people from the Turnpike Commission for doing the exact same thing. He enforced a zero-tolerance policy among mid-level people, and for him to give himself more leeway was very hypocritical.
Ken Blackwell can bring back the GOP to its conservative roots. He is leading Petro by 11 pts in the polls for the GOP nomination for governor, last I saw. Blackwell is being hammered on an almost daily basis by the liberal MSM in Northeast Ohio, though. I hope that Cincinnati, Columbus, and rural Ohio will come through for Blackwell come November, because he's not going to win a majority in NE Ohio.
Sounds like typical self destructive GOP behavior. I bet the dems are 100 times more corrupt, but the GOP doesn't know how to go after them on it. I know this because the dems are always more corrupt.
It really is a cesspool here -- extremely disappointing. I'm backing Blackwell not necessarily because of his views, but because I view his main competition as being either corrupt or hypocritical. The "pay to play" thing has gotten ridiculous and yes, it really does happen. Disgusting.
Yeah, I was just thinking that myself. Plus, if I ever stop long enough on his show while channel surfing, I'm amazed at how UN-conservative he really is. On the plus side, though, if he's governor, maybe they'll cancel his show and I won't have to listen to his whiney voice.
I seem to recall the 1993 vote on the Assault Weapons Ban (AWB). Wasn't there an Ohio congress-critter who vowed to vote against that abortion, but turned at the last minute and sealed the unholy deal?
Wasn't his name Kasich?
I could be wrong.
Kasich's resignation from Congress a few years ago, when he was at the very peak of his influence, always seemed a bit mysterious to me.
I met John Kasich when he was still a state Senator and I was impressed with his knowledge and energy. But I wonder if he will ever return to public life.
Columbus probably won't. It's become a 'Rat town. Last election the area I drive through every day was saturated with "UA For Kerry" signs, UA meaning Upper Arlington, what has been taken to be a tony suburb of Columbus. Demographic shifts have made Franklin County blue for the last four presidential elections.
This is ominous for the national GOP ticket come '08. If OH goes blue, the 'Rats are probably in.
Strickland is already starting to advertise in NE Ohio.
His advertisements are strong. Couple that with the basic disarray of the Ohio GOP and I smell big trouble.
Make him kiss his own arse!
New Jersey is the dems' pay for play playground, they are all getting rich off it. They're corrupt and they hurt people who get in the way. Local government is ALL about money.
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