Enquirer All About Keeping the GOP in Control

Without shock to me, the Enquirer Editorial Board has issued their views on the Issues: Yes on 2, No on 3, 4, 5. I will focus only on their view on Issue 4.

But to an extent, the board's makeup is a false issue. It wouldn't matter if Dopey, Sneezy, Daffy, Goofy and Bugs were on it. The board would be required to follow mathematical formulas, enshrined in the Constitution, that require districts with the highest possible "competitive balance," instead of the current premium on geographically "compact" districts. This could easily result in absurd districts criss-crossing the state, as sample maps generated by Ohio First have shown, and would be open to plenty of legal challenges. If that's not so, why has RON declined to produce its own maps showing how well this would work?

As for the "bipartisan" aspect of this plan: A MoveOn.org fund-raising pitch for RON called this a way to put six more Democrats in the U.S. House. And instead of waiting for the next census, Issue 4 would require new districts to be in effect for the 2008 election, and again after the 2010 census. Hmm. Now why the rush?

So, someone at the Enquirer Editorial Board finds these districts to be "compact?" Have they looked at districts 6 and 18?

Why is the City of Cincinnati divided between two districts? There is only ONE valid reason: to delude the Democratic votes and elect more Republicans. If the state is more "competitive" and elects more Democrats, then that is how the cookie crumbles. The same thing would happen in California and ever other state, a fair election brings fair results. "Fair" means equitable, not just who can tilt the board their way the most.

It is funny though how the paper restates the propaganda lines of the anti-issue 4 camp (which is just the GOP). The even call the anti-camp by their name (Ohio First) and call Reform Ohio Now by an acronym. Just a coincidence?

Council Picks

Well, here is my list. I am not going to tell anyone how to vote, but I am going to list out candidates I think are good and those that are OK, and those that are bad, and then the rest. Each group is in no particular order. I will have predictions closer to election day. For full details on each candidate check out Smart Voter.

Nine of these folks will get my vote
Chris Bortz
Nick Spencer
Jim Tarbell
Jeff Berding
Leslie Ghiz
Samantha Herd
David C. Crowley
Laketa Cole
Eve Bolton
Wendell Young

Ok, but not getting my vote
John Cranley
Cecil Thomas
John Eby
Robert Wilson

Just Say No
Chris Monzel
Chris Smitherman


Bad and should not get on council
Sam Malone
Damon Lynch, III


The Rest: So little known, so I have no opinion.
Bill Barron
Bennie Green
Antonio Hodge
Gerry Kraus
William S. Mathews, II
Paul McGhee
Ishaq Nadir
Michael Earl Patton
Victor Phillips
Ronnie Stallworth
Curtis Wells
Robert J. Wilking
Eric Wilson

Local Blog Endorsements For Council

Joe Hansbauer makes his council picks.

WestEnder at Clark Street Blog gives his picks too.

My list is coming shortly.

Kevin Drum: White Hot Center

Kevin is, you guessed it, right on target with his analysis of a recent 9th Circuit Court ruling. The culture wars are, at their core, about sex. That is where people's blood boils. That is where fear drives some very misguided humans to want and feel the 'need' to oppress a group of other humans because they fear how and why they have sex.

CPD Problems

If the FOP doesn't like the Sheriff patrolling OTR, then what do they intend on doing to stop crime in OTR? Hell, this could have just been a PR stunt, and that would have been a good thing. Instead of sending in a ton of deputies, Si Leis could have just made it know he was patrolling. That would have been enough to help make people scared to go downtown a little less scared, maybe enough for a few wavering to take the plunge and go out to Main Street.

I am curious about this part of the above referenced article:

Over-the-Rhine business owners and residents say that, while Cincinnati police were doing a good job and crime was decreasing, even more officers are needed.

I like the positive point of paragraph, but I am curious to find out what OTR business owners and/or residents are saying crime is going down. I hope it is going down. I don't know if the stats support such a contention. If they do, then why was Leis going to patrol OTR in the first place? Why didn't the CPD just say they don't need him, and that they have turned the corner on the crime in OTR?

The most laughable comment comes from the FOP president:

Commissioners should stop playing politics with policing, Roberts said.

"They are using a perceived problem for their own political gain," Roberts said of the commissioners. "When you use the situation for individual political gain or individual advancement, that's wrong."

This is the same guy that put forth the idea that if you don't elect Charlie Winburn to office, crime would rise. What a hypocrite.

Council Votes

The Enquirer has nice summary of past City Council votes on selected issues. This brings back an interesting episode from 2004, when a City Beat reporter was issued a subpoena to appear before council. It passed with Cole, Cranley, Malone, Reece, and Smitherman voting to bring Leslie Blade before council. Not a great day for freedom of the press.

GOP Hate, Teenager Style

No, not the usual hate. Instead we have personal hate inside the party. I don't like government institutions being abused to fight a political battle, but hell, this just makes the local GOP look like a bunch of children. The more attention is given to this juvenile behavior, the better.