Bob Taft
Posted on 06/03/2005 11:41:02 AM PDT by Antonio Ciaccia
Campaigning has already begun for Ohio’s next governor’s race. Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman and Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell have left the gates a bit early to try to capture the support of Ohioans. This early campaigning is likely to pay off for the candidates, because no matter who is running in 2006, Ohioans will choose just about anyone who isn’t Bob Taft.
Governor Taft has watched his political career take one of the largest falls from grace in recent history. The state currently holds a $720 million deficit. In a recent approval rating survey, Bob Taft held the bottom spot, making him the most disliked governor in all 50 U.S. states. It is safe to say that Taft has become the most hated man in Ohio—from Democrats to Republicans, Taft just can’t win. In friendly circles, even those with the most conservative influences, just a mention of Bob Taft’s name could result in week-long debates over who dislikes him more.
Taft’s popularity could not be lower, and now it seems he has driven the final nail into his own political coffin. After creating one of the largest deficits in state history, Taft is searching for a way out, and that way out is increasing the consumption tax, better known to all as the “sin tax.”
This idea is not a new one. Bob Taft has had plans to increase the sin tax on his agenda since before 2003. All attempts to push forward the enlargement have been met with strong opposition, and thus far, Ohio has been spared.
Yet now, the likelihood of this pipe dream becoming a reality is much greater than before. Ohio is looking for a quick fix to its financial woes, and the sin tax will provide instantaneous relief to this budget crisis. The new proposal calls for an increase in the tax on beer, wine, and tobacco. Currently taxes already represent 44% of the cost of every beer produced, and the new proposal calls to double that tax, as well as doubling the levy on tobacco.
According to stopthebeertax.com, beer drinkers already provide more than $615 million in state and local taxes. Ohio is the fourth largest beer producing state in the country and its beer industry is responsible for over 75,000 jobs statewide. It is predicted that this increase will have detrimental effects on the industry and could cost workers their jobs.
The increase comes much to the dismay of voters, who in the last election, voted against “Tax Hike” Tim Hagan in favor of a seemingly fiscally responsible Taft. Now, the tables have been turned, and it is Bob Taft leaving the Republican faithful of 2002 in the cold.
Taft’s solution contradicts core Republican values like tax and spending cuts, and worst of all, it drives an even larger wedge into an already struggling state economy. The proposition also comes as yet another threat to state bars and restaurants who after the last two elections suffered crushing defeats in the Clean Air initiatives that prohibited smoking in their businesses. Bars and restaurants still attempting to recover from losses suffered at the hands of the voters in these smoke bans are about to be struck again by a tax that is sure to rock their finances.
Perhaps worst of all, critics say, is the nature of the proposition itself. As a solution to negligent spending, Taft has turned to beer drinkers and smokers to bail him out. This is the main idea behind the “sin tax.” One look at the phrase “sin tax” can become quite alarming to those concerned about the separation of church and state and a paternalistic government as well.
While this in not a direct interference by the church in economic affairs, the wording of the phrase “sin tax” implies that it is an extra tax upon “sinners.” Perhaps the real solution to Ohio’s fiscal dilemma can be found in taxing those who dishonor their father and mother or those who do not keep holy the Sabbath. Absurd as it may sound, this is the principle behind taxing those who enjoy a good smoke or an occasional drink.
This “tax on pleasure” will not solve our state’s problems. According to Peter Bronson of the Cincinnati Enquirer, “Even if we raise taxes another dollar on each pack of cigarettes and each bottle of beer, every resident of Ohio would have to smoke 65 packs of cigarettes or drink 65 beers to raise $720 million. Men, women, and children. I suppose it's possible, but it might be a big setback for the governor's Ohio Reads program if all those grade-schoolers have to take beer and cigarette breaks at school.”
To wake Ohio from its economic nightmare, the answer is not to turn to increasing taxes, burdening small business, and imposing taxes based on whimsical judgments of morality. It will take core fiscally responsible values of cutting spending and lowering taxes to decrease the deficit and to allow the economy to grow. Or perhaps the solution will come in 2006, when Ohio shows Bob Taft the door.
He is truly a dirty RINO.
The worst Taxt increase was the temporary 1% sales tax increase which is supposed to expire soon. Gov. Taxt wants to make 0.5% of that permanent.
Blackwell 2006!
His great-grandfather must be rolling over in his grave.
Bob Taft
And consider this:
Ohio is a mess. A republican is largely to blame for the current condition.
There is a republican president who is spending like a drunken sailor. This president is also cutting federal funding to states, amplifying Ohio's problem.
And finally, the president seems unconcerned about illegals, and offshore outsourcing, (lack of job creation).
Now, do you think the next Ohio governor will be republican?
Coleman coddled the administrators who tried to hide the rape of that special ed girl..
His grandfather was a "progressive" republican.
"Coleman coddled the administrators who tried to hide the rape of that special ed girl.."
I know, he's bottom of the barrell. I'm not saying I'd vote for him. But, typical voter reaction is: republicans are screwing up... vote democrat.
We Ohioans will not be sad to see this nitwit be gone.
Blackwell in 2006!
Seems like there is unanimous consent among us Freepers that Taft is a RINO.
Yet Bush has the exact same shortcomings, but support for him is unwavered.
Bush = Taft
Blackwell was one of the few politicians that had the GUTS to go on TV and ask voters to "Vote Yes" on Issue 1 (Marriage = Man + Woman, and there shall be NO subsitutes)
Leaders like this are what the GOP needs if they want to survive.
Bush=Taft? Not even close. There is absolutely no comparison here. Bob Taft makes certain RINO's look awesome. Bush never raised taxes like Taft. Bush has been for gun rights. Taft has been a roadblock here in Ohio. Bush at least tell you where he stands. Taft's spine is as crooked as the Ohio River.
As far as Coleman, if I am a Republican in Ohio, I want him to be the Democratic nominee. He has been weakened dramatically (he never really was that strong). As much as I rip RINO Bob, at least he would come out against the rape of handicapped children. Trust me, there is a lot of crap the Republicans can attack Coleman on (education problems in Columbus, crime problems in Columbus, corruption). He also, as has been demonstrated recently, cannot take the heat of being attacked.
If the Democrats nominate Ted Strickland, then we are in trouble.
As much as I hate to see it or say it, with an African-American running for each party, race will be an issue and that could make things nasty.
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