The Bigots Are Ready

Anti-gay bigots claim they have the petitions ready to put an Gay-marriage amendment on the Ohio ballot. After these signatures were paid for, I wonder who really got the money for them?

I hope people know that this amendment in my opinion will ban state agencies from granting domestic partner benefits. That is pure hate trying to destroy gays. There is no other motivation with merit to warrant this type of action.

More on Luken

Howard Wilkinson has an article on Luken's past surprises and tribulations in Cincinnati Politics.

More form the Enquirer and Business Courier, and AP.

Chicagonati

For some unknown reason a movie is looking to shoot a movie that takes place in Cincinnati and is considering filming it in Chicago. How could Cincinnati not be cheaper? Hell, I bet the city would pay for movie to be shot here, unless it was the Tim Thomas story or Damon Lynch bio. Maybe it is a about Pete Rose.

Luken's Out

So who is left and what are their chances?

1. Mark Mallory only gains by having one less Democrat to crowd the field. I don't see a huge gain for him with Luken's departure.
2. David Pepper gains the most from Luken dropping out. He gains some money, as if he really needs it, but gains business leaders with influence.
3. Mark Painter gains the conservatives, which will be big.
4. Alicia Reece is likely not going to run, which was fairly obvious as soon as Mallory got into the race.
5. Charlie Winburn has been really quite since his supporters where wearing the Winburn for Mayor t-shirts at Board of Elections back in 2003.

Wes Flinn and Nick Spencer have more.

Also from the Post, WLWT, WKRC, and WCPO.


UPDATE: This announcement nicely drowned out coverage of the CCA's report on the Nathaniel Jones Death.

Fund It

We need a President who does not limit medicine's ability to fight disease using stem cell research. I wish more local doctors had balls, and less religious bigotry.

Uni-Government

Would it or could it work in Hamilton County? Who wants it to happen? In Indianapolis the Dems are now pushing for it, but the Republicans started it.

There have been calls for it locally by certain Republicans. I think their motive is power, not cost savings. Excluding the right leaning people fleeing to the far out burbs, most people in the county are Republicans, so any elections would produce a GOP controlled city government. Would anything good come from that? Well, if you want a right wing social agenda pushed on you, then you might just want it. As a form of government, uni-gov for the county makes great sense. In practice I fear the bigotry of the fundamentalists with money (CCV) controlling the legislature.

GOP Defectors

I don't know how many there are out there but this story reports on some right here in Ohio. I am sure I will not agree with them on many issues, but this year's election is becoming one where people are putting aside certain issues and voting against or in some cases for Bush. The best part is one of the people quote is from not only my part of Ohio, but lives just up the road in Anderson Township.