'Tea Partier' Mike Wilson Sues to Disenfranchise Blacks

So the election results are not even official and a government paid recount is in the works, but 'Tea Party' Republican Mike Wilson is suing for the right to question black votes over all others. Wilson finished behind his Democratic opponent Connie Pillich. Wilson has chosen Lincoln Heights as his target. The predominately black community has three precincts with what Wilson believes have irregular totals of provisional ballots. He wants them to be investigated more than all of the other provisional ballots in the district he is running for State Assembly.

Let's get this straight. Mike Wilson has decided that the number of provisional ballots are too high in the districts that have mostly black people who traditionally vote Democratic. Wilson is targeting black districts on purpose. It is clear he believes that any additional voter turnout in traditional black district must mean voter fraud. He has no evidence of this, other than who lives in the neighborhoods he is targeting. Those stereotypes play into the bigoted and racist elements of society Wilson and the 'Tea Party' movement have failed to expunge from their ranks. In this case I think they are counting on those elements to change public opinion and lay a ground work to claim fraud as the deciding factor.

This is foolish. Id he wants to have all provisional ballots addressed, then have at it, that is fair. Targeting black voters, and I'm not going to mince my words on that, is unconscionable. If he get's one vote tossed out without smoking gun proof that the person voting was not allowed to vote in this election, then any miracle victory Wilson gets will be on the back of racism.

Remember, Pillich had more votes and won after the initial count.

In a race this small, the number of post election night vote changes are always small. Every additional vote Wilson get's should get the same attention as any vote Wilson is challenging. We'll see how Judge Winkler rules. I hope he doesn't play partisan politics and throws this case out and let the final results be presented before it has to go to court and some type of equitable and judicious basis.

How Many Cops Could $1.8 Million Save?

The FOP (the police union) and COAST raised questions about projects the City has voted to fund, while allowing Police layoffs to be considered.  The only project I have heard them mention is the Streetcar.  They lie or just forget to mention that the money for the Streetcar can't legally be used for operating expenses (paying for police salaries), but they still use the Streetcar as a means to get the ignorant portion of the public angry and help them preserve FOP jobs.

What I am wondering is why are they not mentioning the $1,824,500.00 which was voted on by council back in June of 2010 to transfer funds for the purpose of paying for something that will be demolished because of the I-75 Expansion.  Why don't they include that project in their rhetoric?  That's $1.8 million dollars spent this year.  The ordinace passed unanimously, by the way.  Monzel, Ghiz, Winburn, all voted in favor of it.  None of three of them indicated that it would be legal to use these capital funds to pay for operating expenses.  I also didn't read a news article with questions asking why it is necessary for this amount to come from City funds when it is for rebuilding something that will be destroyed because of the highway improvement.

Yes, these are hypocrites and manipulators.  The FOP, COAST, Monzel, Ghiz, and Winburn all don't seem to care that is what they are doing.  If anyone is surprised by that, well, welcome to Conservative politics in Cincinnati.

This Cop Should Be Part of the 144

The Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting that a Cincinnati Police Officer "bilked" money from Kroger and violated the CPD code of ethics for clocking in to work special details at a Kroger store, but then leaving for hours. He reportedly did this multiple times (54) earlier this year.

Will this cop be part of the 144 police officers that are slated to be laid off because of City budget cuts? Spec. Darryl Chatman should be fired today, but if not, he should be part of those to be let go next year. Instead, will the FOP Union defend him without question, and keep him on the force in place of a younger non-corrupt officer?

The FOP has a history of defending bad cops and keeping them on the force. I expect they will continue this vile tradition.

Dear Steve Chabot: The Election Is Over

Someone needs to tell Steve Chabot that the election is over. He won. It is time for the winner to be gracious and stop using his political website to attack Democrats for daring to have internal caucus elections or actually hold views he doesn't agree with. It is a classless asshole that attacks Nancy Pelosi or the President at this point. This is the time when elected officials start preparing to take office. This isn't the time to play politics, this is the time to try and work together. It is called governing. It is what adults do. Chabot needs a time out. He needs to be classy. It is embarrassing for me as a resident of his district that he can't at least pretend to be magnanimous a week after the election. Steve Chabot clearly does not want to work with anyone who disagrees with him.

Chabot owes an apology to Nancy Pelosi. He owes the members of his district an even bigger apology for wasting the time he or his staff took to write the blog post linked above. I'd like to hear from Republicans giving me reasons how this tone is good for America, Ohio, or our Congressional District. I sure you can find a way to defend an asshole, but why would you do it?

Kasich Owes Ohio 400 Million Dollars

The Federal Government is wise to John Kasich's bid to provide welfare to big business with his request to use the $400 Million Federal Passenger Rail grant to fund improvements on freight rail systems, which would benefit out of state corporations, but do nothing for Ohio citizens. Luckily, the Feds
said no. New York Governor-Elect Andrew Cuomo has already asked the Feds to give the Ohio Money to New York State to use for Passenger Rail. That's what a governor is supposed to do: fight for the citizens, not for big business from out of state.

Kaisch cost us (us being Ohioans) that grant. We could have benefited from greatly improved transportation for the people and increased development and integration between Ohio's major cities. I would surmise that the improvements to the Passenger rail lines would have in turn also improved the freight rail lines as well, but sine Kasich is against the public benefiting from improved transportation options, we'll never know. He is the sole person responsible for losing the grant, so he owes us that money (and the jobs he cost Ohio).

So, John, we will accept a cashier's check or money order, but not a personal check.

COAST Protests Greg Hartmann...Wait, What?

Did I miss COAST's protest of Greg Hartmann's plan to use the proceeds from the indigent healthcare fund to pay for the Bengal's Stadium deficit? I'm thinking that not funding healthcare for the poor is going to....oh....I don't know, KILL PEOPLE? Won't there be blood on Greg Hartmann's hands?

I read this and I just assumed that COAST had actually protested the proposal from a government official made a few months ago that at its core takes money from a tax levy voted on by the people with the purpose of funding health care for those who are indigent, but then uses it to pay for the up keep of Paul Brown Stadium, something that benefits Mike Brown, Bengals players, and the employees of the Bengals. Am I clear on this?

Yesterday COAST made a totally false claim about what money has been and will be used to fund the Fire Department. They lied about it. I am sure they are not going to lie about something and claim that Council members have blood on their hands for something that isn't true. COAST surely wouldn't do that and let Greg Hartmann go without protest for his plan that clearly would KILL PEOPLE. They wouldn't do that, would they?

COAST surely would have protested a government official planning on 'stealing' money from a fund expressly voted on and passed by the people in fairly held election? Did I just miss that?

A True CPS Success Story: Taft High School

Please read up on the wonderful news about Taft High School. In less than ten years its graduation rates have gone from 21% to 95.2%. Attendance is up, math & reading scores are way up, and disciplinary actions are way down. That is an amazing job. Students, parents, teachers, staff, and school administrators should feel proud.