GOP targets Council races
The Republicans are running a full state of 9 candidates, while the Democrats could only muster up 7. I previously speculated the Democrats were playing the numbers that they felt they could not beat the all 3 of non-Democrats, only betting on defeating 2 of them. In the case of the GOP I think they are still smarting from 2001 when they only put up 5 candidates, and did not field a candidate for mayor. I would bet that at best 1 non-incumbent will make it out of the 7 challengers. Sam Malone is the best known candidate, but his association with the CCV and their anti-gay campaign will be a factor that will not win the moderate voters, who might be turned off by the Democrats. The Charter Party is still a factor, but their ability to be a third party has been limited in recent years. I will be interest to see if any of the many expected independent candidates will get party endorsements from either the Greens or Libertarians.

BRONSON: Senator Skinflint
Nonconformity is the biggest sin in the GOP. Break from the party line and you are called names. "Skinflint" is such a name. It is rather incorrect. It means "a person who would save, gain, or extort money by any means." Voinovich is not extorting anyone, not trying to gain money, and he is hardly saving money by advocating a 350 million-dolllar tax cut. Bronson can't stand anyone dissing his boy. Dubya is the second coming to evangelical Republicans. Those who dare stand against are made talk radio fodder.

The real problem with Bronson hatchet job is this blind ignorance of what he says. He claims that 4 million Ohio Tax payers will benefit from Bush's proposed tax cut. I doubt his number, he cites no source for it. The total lack of rational thought comes in the obvious, there are about 8.5 million adults in Ohio, so less than half of them will get a tax cut under Bush's plan. I am one of those who will get nothing, the 53% of Ohio taxpayers, according to Bronson, that will get nothing from this tax cut. What the Fuck!!!!! How arrogant does a man have to be to think that we don't notice this? That we somehow have to "trust" the 47% to "spend" and "invest" their reduced taxes. Voodoo economics was pronounced a failure 20 years ago, and Bronson and Bush will stop at nothing to buy votes. I wonder how many more of the 4 million are Republicans than are Democrats.

Congressman Jim Boehner, an accounting "genius" (cough, cough), sounds crazy in this column. He thinks the war will pay for itself? Does he plan to have the US steal the Iraqi Oil? What was he smoking the day Bronson talked to him? If the war will pay for itself, why did Bush ask for 75 billion to wage it? Do people not grasp the lies? Is Bronson dumb enough to agree with Boehner? Are average people stupid enough to believe Bronson and Boehner? I am sorry to say, yes, yes they are.

It is sickening to me that Bronson can write what he did with a straight face.

Voinovich won't listen to his party or his president. But there are 12 million Ohio taxpayers who might have something to say.

Well, there are not 12 million tax payers Peter, but the 4.5 million of us who will gain nothing from Bush's tax plan say "Bite Me Bush, Go Voinovich!"

Personal Stakes
In a letter to the Enquirer (sixth) a mother of a solider writes:

Goths are out of step with Iraq war effort

Dan Klepal's article on April 14 "Crowd largely tunes out Iraq," caused me to feel angry and saddened. Evidently, the war has not come home to some of the people swaying on the dance floor, sporting black leather, and expressing disinterest in the conflict in Iraq.

One such person said that watching the war on TV made it seem less real. As the mother of a U.S. Marine serving in Iraq, it is all too real to me - not a movie, not a video game, but a real war complete with casualties on both sides, mixtures of heroism, cowardice, elation and soul-rending sadness.

While the Goth followers are free to express their view of life, the Iraqi people are only recently able to do that thanks to the efforts and sacrifice of U.S. and British troops. Perhaps grieving families accompanying flag-draped coffins could explain reality to those who don't get it.

Karen Daniels, Melbourne, Ky.

I have to ask Mrs. Daniels how much she cares about the plight of the people of Columbia, Venezuela, or Zimbabwe? How informed is she about the current tax plan debate? Does she know the difference between the various tax plans and their claimed impact on the economy? Does she know who won the World's Cup last year? If she does not know or care about any of these topics it is because she has no personal interest in them. The Iraqi war matter's to her because she has a son over there. She thinks that everyone should care about our Soldiers, as much as she does. The problem is that everyone does not have a personal interest in the war with Iraq. Parenthood is a strong element to person’s life, but it often is clouded with emotion and personal bias. It is no shock that kids are not interested in knowing about current events. I wonder if Ms. Daniels can tell me what happen in Bali last fall, or what the "Road Map" is in reference to the Israelis and Palestinians. I bet Mrs. Daniels knows who Lacy Peterson is, and what her child was to be named if it had been born. Why do grown men know the value and term of the Bengal's #1 draft pick’s contract, but they don't know the difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims?

The bottom line is that bashing a bunch of kids who have no personal stake in a war is hunting fish in a bucket. If you want to attack ignorance, first admit and try to eliminate your own. Instead attack the culture of lowest common denominator that now dominates every institution in society. Money, fame, and power are valued at the cost of knowledge, honor, and dignity. A “Goth” that admits there true feelings on the war is more honorable than one who attacks another for not saying what the knee-jerk jingoists deem as proper.

CPS: Pass the bond issue
The editors of the Enquirer are for the school bond issue, and so am I. Make sure you vote on May 6th!

Old-fashioned station plays the future
WOXY an "Old-fashioned" station? I assume they mean old in the sense of being an independent station in a sea of corporate monolithic sharks. I like the station, but I wish they would play "classic-alternative" music more. I guess I am getting to old to listen to the newest of the new rock. I like a little old school punk, grunge, and new wave mixed in more often. I wonder how pissed WLW is that they don't this kind of glowing press from the Enquirer. Listen to 97X

Another LeBron James in the making?
The kid is only in the eighth grade. He will fit in with the local sports nuts, out to cash in on a powerless kid. I can only speculate what kind of money is changing hands right now trying to determine what school this kid will attend next year. Which powerhouse school will cough up the most dough? Everyone will deny money will change hands, and I of course am only speculating, but when opportunity knocks, smart people can find ways to try and beat the system. I hope we don't see this kids games on local commercial TV or ESPN, but I bet in a few years a US Bank Arena marquee game will occur, bringing to life some sports marketer’s wet dream.

Cincinnati May Become Model For Homeland Security
This headline is just to good to believe. Is Cincinnati the model because we have little to protect from international terrorism? We are wide open to domestic terrorism, which I am sure is lost on this assessment of our security.