Exhibit A

If you are looking for an example of the extremism of Tom Brinkman look no further than his attempt to outlaw all abortion, even in the cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother. Furthermore his law would make it a felony to transport a woman to another state where abortions were legal. The last bit likely is against Federal law anyway. This is his only way to get elected, gin up the right, get the mouth frothing anti-woman, anti-abortion voter to come out an vote.

What is sad is that this man who is supposed to be all about saving tax payer money is doing this with the intent of it getting overturned in Federal Court. This is a ploy. He wants to use Ohio tax payer money to wage his political cultural war. If you want to do this kind of thing, raise your own money, don’t use mine. I hope that is what the other half of his brain is saying. He only has two issues: cut all taxes which will destroy all governments and end all abortions. I wonder if he thinks the using the pill is an abortion. I would guess yes. I wonder if his law would outlaw the pill too.

Extreme positions will be used by most candidates running in what will be a low turnout election. You have to get out the vote with hot button issues. Nothing gets the right wing excited like controlling women.

Dems Deal Making?

While reading the Post Article on the Dem weekend meeting, which does not even mention the controversy that Damon Lynch will introduce on the party, we get words that sound like a deal or maybe a ramrod plan was forced through to get a full slate of six candidates to add to the incumbents.

During Saturday's closed-door nominating committee meeting, Burke refused to allow the committee to vote on endorsement recommendations for candidates individually, members said.

Burke insisted that the committee vote on two different slates of six non-incumbents.

Anyone know who was on the losing slate? I assume the Berding was the focus, but I will put out that adding Lynch may have been the deal to appease enough people to get them both endorsed.

This meeting was just for recommendations, but they historically have been listened to. This year we could see a fight inside the Dems. What will be sad is if people are only fighting of Jeff Berding and not Damon Lynch. For all of the pounds heaved on Berding, Lynch deserves more and before he gets my vote he will have to eat many words he has said or put his name on and reverse himself on issues he endorsed.

Lynch a Dem?

Joe Hansbauer is reporting the recommendations of the Cincinnati Democratic nominating committee and they include Damon Lynch III, Jeff Berding, Eve Bolton, Cecil Thomas, Wendell Young, and Smantha Herd.

I just don't get the Damon Lynch recommendation. I mean to say that I understand the politics of it, but not the actual logic of it. He has a following and will get votes. That is Realpolitik. I just don't see how this will do anything but tear apart the city and drive many otherwise moderate or even liberal voters into the hands of the GOP. Lynch is viewed as anti-city. Anyone who leads a boycott with the sole purpose of hurting people who live and work here can't honestly be viewed any other way.

His views on race relations are championed by many and I will of course agree that race relations need a lot of work in this town, but is a man who demanded an "Afro-centric" curriculum be taught in City schools going to be one to bridge the gap?

Cecil Thomas has far more credible credentials on race issues and I think would have strengths in that regard if he was on council. The Berding controversy appears to be over.

It is good that this time around the Dems appear to have filled out all nine slots. Not doing that two years ago was one reason for losing a seat to Charter.

05/05/05

I am surprised I have not seen much about this year's Cinco de Mayo historic date. May 5, 2005, 05/05/05 is surely gain attention from end of the world types. The Police and UC are prepare for the worst just off campus for what has been called Cinco de Stratford in prior years. Mini-riots akin to an Ohio State football victory riot have plagued prior year events. Will this bring out the hooligans? Yea, I don't see it being avoided, but I see police being out in force and ready to clear the streets at the first sign of anything.

If anything does happen, this will be an interesting test of Robert Wilson and Andrew Warner, two UC students running for city council. They walk a fine line on this and will have to make choices in how to reactive if anything happens and most importantly they should leap in front of the local TV news programs who will be out in force just in case something happens. Calling for calm does no good for the calm, but it can be free advertising if they news crews credit you as a candidate.

Mid-Day Mike in Iraq

I wonder if a military controlled Junket to Iraq by WLW's Mike McConnell will be what he says is good enough for him to judge the situation there? If he was unable to go off on his own, then how can he say they country is safe? If an average person has to take extreme actions in order to travel around the city of Baghdad or if foreigners are such danger that they can't leave the Green zone without a military escort, then how is the situation considered moving forward?

In the article most all of the comments attributed to Mike related to the troops, their quality of life and morale. He has not yet, to my knowledge, commented on state of Iraq, based on his visit. The issues he was quoted on are far different than the state of Iraq. I do have to wonder if Mike is naive enough to think the troops he met were not screened for his junket? The military is not going to show him the grunts just off the line. Also, the soldiers are smart enough to know that you don't rock the boat, especially with a bunch of conservative talk radio hosts who would likely happily point out any solider complaining to his superiors for being disloyal to Dear Leader and buying every last bit of propaganda the Pentagon can produce.

I can't listen to Mike during the week, and rarely catch him on the Weekends. If any listeners of his show can summarize his comments on his visit, please chime in. Mike in the past was willing to not just spout off GOP propaganda, unlike most other Talk Radio hosts, but when it comes to issues of War and the military he is one who is unwilling to question the President (generally any president) or the actions of the military. That is a head in the sand attitude that many on the right have, and often leads to a lack in oversight of the military.

Independent Streak

Michael Altman of Queen City Forum has published a column with what I will call his opinion, but which likely will become a fact that when the GOP endorse Charles Winburn for mayor, Leslie Ghiz will put her support behind David Pepper.

If this happens, which like Michael I believe it will, then Ghiz could get more votes than the winner of the mayoral race will. That might be a stretch, but Independent Republicans do well. She would sweep the affluent Eastern Neighborhoods. What I find most interesting is that this will do her a world of good, but I don't see it getting Pepper than many more votes in the General election. It will help him in the primary, where a Winburn would eat away some solid GOP votes. A GOP candidate's endorsement might keep some of those votes in Pepper's camp and make him an even bigger winner come primary day.

Off We Go into the Wild Blue Theocracy

I know people will attack me for posting on the report that the Air Force Academy has aggressive religious indoctrination taking place with alleged instigation and participation by some faculty. I am going to do it anyway of course. I really would like to know if people honestly find this kind of thing acceptable. If you don't, like say a Roman Catholic might under these alleged incidents, do you have any idea then how those of us who have no religion or have a religion that is not monotheistic might feel when government is used to promote any variety of monotheism? Yea, it is not a warm feeling to be an outsider for your beliefs or lack there of. If this is not a case for people to hopefully be respectful of others when make choices in government related activities and institutions, then I don't know what would be. The government does not and should not have a stance the Jesus character nor any other religious concept. Keep it in the private world, and certainly out of the military.

This is not the first time that allegation of aggressive religious indoctrination have been made against officers of the U.S. Military. Is there a problem that needs to be investigated?