Friday, July 27, 2007
Smitherman Liberation Front
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Winburn Stunt Backfires: Streetcar Support Shines!
Another report indicated that alleged candidate for Cincinnati City Council and local NAACP president Chris Smitherman had a confrontation of some type, possibly with security in council chambers. If the political reporters are not paying attention and don't report on his antics, then they are propping up his candidacy just to attract readers or viewers.
The clear message was the Streetcar has strong support from Cincinnati and the handful of people who are against it couldn't muster up enough suburbanites to drive downtown at 6PM on a Wednesday. We also saw Charlie Winburn comes across like a fool, playing a game instead of doing his job. All that's left to see how the mainstream media butchers the story in favor of the nut cases (like COAST and Smitherman) or of the Republican Council members who played more for contributions and Westside votes than they did actually constructively discussing the issue.
UPDATE: Here's the Enquirer Story with more on Smitherman's apparent angry reaction to getting his picture taken. Other than covering the Smitherman outburst, the article gives the usual bias against the Streetcar by given the opposition to the Streetcar more ink than to view of supporters the overwhelming number in attendance. It isn't balanced when you report the number of supporters, but quote a small percentage of them, while giving 2 of 5 of the anti-streetcar speakers opinions in the article, adding to it the anti-streetcar Republicans comments and you get a biased story. What we have come to expect from the Enquirer on this topic.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Smitherman Elected to Head Local NAACP
Also, does this mean he's not running for city council?
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
Luken and Miller Sitting in a Tree
But when the speech started, Miller cheered like a blogger at a Howard Dean rally. "He must have stood up 70 or 80 times," said Luken, who said he himself only stood up half as often.
Greg also showed Councilman Chris Smitherman continuing his rookie mistakes. I think Smitherman has a bit of an ego and over worked sense of self-importance. Pointing out Smitherman's lack of explanation regarding why he needed to know what High School each police officer attended is something that I wish more local media would pick up. It would be very interesting to learn why Smitherman needed to know that less than 60% went to Cincinnati area schools. The line referenced Chris's father being the principal of the #2 school was classic and I think the Whistleblower had it first too.
Thursday, January 02, 2025
Happy Election Year 2025, Cincinnati!
Just when you want to forget about elections and politics, 2025 has arrived and for Cincinnati that means City Council and Mayoral Elections are this fall. Yes, I can see the joy in your face. The glee of a local election is like a melted plastic spatula stuck to the burner on the stove: You can't undue your failure, just fix your mistakes.
The mistakes with local elections in Cincinnati at this point are those who don't vote. Yes, the knee jerk reaction of many who pretend to follow politics is to opine about those in power. Whenever I hear people complain about those in power in a Democratic City, I can put them in one of two camps: 1) They are a Republican/Conservative whining about not being in power or 2) They are a leftist who wants power and can't come to grips with the fact that their extremist views are not popular.
What sucks about local politics is that most of the people paying attention are extremists or cranks. Yeah, you could call me a crank, but I am more of the nerdish observer that is content with a main stream Democratic Majority is not against Business Groups, but wants to have reasonable regulations and checks on them.
When local elections come around we tend to get lots of idiots out there. You know you are. Various fringe groups, special interests, and Right Wing assholes that are looking to get attention. In 2025 getting attention for a local election is very difficult. The public is extra ignorant these days. People under 40 will barely vote. What is sad is that those who actually turned out just a a couple months ago will not bother to vote again for years. I blame them for there idiocy.
Left leading groups want to blame Republicans for why they don't vote. Sure, there are efforts to make it more difficult to vote from Republicans. Yes, these efforts disproportionally affect the poor and racial minorities. That is not an excuse for people who can, but don't vote. The problem is with adults who don't vote. Yeah, adults, everyone who is old enough to vote is an adult. They are charged with being responsible for themselves, but they can't bother to vote. So 18-55 years old would be the age range with shitty voter turnout. People have been worried about alienating the younger voters. Well, they alienated themselves. It is time to just call them out as lazy fucking morons.
IF you can't get off your ass to vote one time a year, then I am will happily call you a lazy fuck. Yes, the lowest common denominator type defense is the first reaction that I get, but that is just as lazy. I am not talking about the exceptions. I am talking about the dumb fucks who spend their free time playing video games and smoking weed. Maybe they watch tik tok or some asshole video from YouTube, but that is such a bullshit way to live.
These ignorant fucks just whine that they can do nothing to change things. The problem: these fucks don't know what needs to be changed. They are passive shits who are feed crap and think they are making choices. They are just sheep. IT is not a surprise that an increasing number of younger men have become so intellectually lazy that they fall for sexist fascism Trumpists preach.
The only ones make an attempt to be activists are those with extremist views. They are making an effort, but are have their own problems with reality. They live in a mythical world that thinks purity is best and protest without achievable goal. They make noise and do little else. When you fail to achieve anything, other than pissing off people who could help your cause, you have no credibility. For Activists, getting attention is more important than achieving goals.
Whilst my rant continues: I must also point out those who are knee jerk against those in office. They don't have a consistent sense of ideology, but think they do when they want to remove other from power. No sense of what that will bring (See Trump), but they think change will be better. The problem is just more ignorance. They can't articulate what needs to change, just that change needs to happen. This mindset hits into populists more than leftists. When they know they can't change, they don't bother to participant and point fingers at others or the system, anything but their own ignorance.
Do not forget that the Republicans and Trumpists will do something this year to hurt the city, it is their way. COASTers or the like will make trouble and get suburban funding to make it happen. They could claim a "legitimate" effort in City politics if they get Chris Smitherman to run for mayor. Based on my observation of Smitherman over the last 20+ years in local politics, it is obvious that his dream is to be Mayor of Cincinnati. He has no realistic chance to win. He has pretended for most of last 20+ years to NOT be a Republican. This past year he sloppily danced around direct support for Trump, something he has avoided. He is surrounded by hardcore Trumpists as his core potential campaign leadership. I do not recall seeing him directly endorse Trump, but he pushed fringe issues championed by Trump and Vance. Before I left Twitter you could interpret his tweets as a bad RFKjr imitation. I think Smitherman is unhinged and delusional. As the Republican Party's sane wing has drunk the Kool Aide or gone on an ethics holiday, they could see it as a wise play to try and demonize the City with Smitherman as their voice and a ploy to gain more black votes for County elections. Exploiting black men is not new for Republicans, but what kind of man allows himself to be exploited?
Yes, happy election year, Cincinnati! This will be a clusterfuck. People will bitch about the lack of candidates that they "like." When people do that, they likely don't have a clue about the candidates. They don't know about any of the issues facing the city and are not going to make any efforts to find out. Unless outside group put shitty Charter Amendments on the ballot, no issues will be discussed. We can't have discussions on issue because any issues to be discussed will be usurped into a national debate that has little or just no relevance to the actual issue. Groups will form and demonize others who disagree with them on the issue. There will be no room for compromise.
The best thing you can do, is to ignore the assholes who are pushing you to join their cause. 98% of them are full of shit and lying about some part of their "cause." I observed this from the Rail Road sale. A bipartisan coalition of asses opposed the sale based on lies. It was sad to see people do this and join forces with extremists. Right Wing extremists and Left Wing Extremists mixed with some who in the past were not extremists and those non-extremists lost a lot of credibility. They burned so many bridges that I don't see how they get back into politics, locally. I don't suppose it matters anyway, least of all toe them.
I expect this year's election to end up two ways: 1) Democratic candidates win a fairly quiet and easy reelection or 2) Democratic candidates win a nasty election, maybe one or two less council members, but maintain their vast control of the City.
The only question at hand: Will the Republican Party OR the Charter Committee actually field any candidates for the general election? I will not be surprised if we don't see them publicly endorse any candidates. When they complain about the lack of choice, they get all of blame for that.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Smitherman, Not Councilman
Chris Smitherman, the head of the Cincinnati NAACP chapter and a former city councilman, did not file to run for city council.The Enquirer had that as a sidebar to the additional announcement that Jim Tarbell did file his petitions to run for Cincinnati School Board. That had been rumored previously and seems a little bit strange. I guess I dont' see Jim having the drive from schools that he did for the City. I'll be interested in his platform.
Also, in yesterday's Enquirer Politics blog post about who had or was going to file to run for council there was one name they did not mention: Child Beater and Republican endorsed candidate Sam Malone. Did he file his petitions?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Does He Need This Much Attention?
Also, I hope Joe Deter is there to Check Smitherman's ID and then sends an investigator to validate Smitherman lives where he claims. We need to make sure he's not faking it. We had plenty of money last year to spend from the county budget, so I am sure we can afford it this year. (Cough, Cough)
Friday, January 13, 2017
A Reminder How John Cranley Worked Against His Fellow Democrats
So spiteful is Cranley that he excluded two Democrats from any committee chair positions at all, and gave a Republican, Christ Smitherman, two committee chairs. Why did he punish them, one asks, well most of the Democrats on Council openly supported Cranley's opponent for Mayor. It wasn't a surprise that he would snub them, but then it makes Tim Burke's comments praising Cranley for support Democratic candidates all the more bullshit. Cranley only supports Democrats that either support him or don't oppose him. The rest of his term has been filled with opposing the five Democrats on a large number of issues and turning those battles into public fights that he especially make petty and vicious. Those issues he's broken with the Party have not shockingly been ones he found allies in Republicans on council and in the community.
- Budget and Finance Chair: Charlie Winburn (R)
- Economic Growth & Infrastructure Chair: Christopher Smitherman (R)
- Education & Entrepreneurship Chair: P.G. Sittenfeld (D)
- Human Services, Youth & Arts Chair: Yvette Simpson (D)
- Law & Public Safety Chair: Christopher Smitherman (R)
- Major Transportation & Regional Cooperation Chair: Amy Murray (R)
- Neighborhoods Chair: David Mann (D)
- Rules & Audit Chair: Kevin Flynn (C)
John is not a good mayor is his first and most important consideration he makes before any choice is how will it effect him and his future.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
If Chiquita Moves, Blame COAST, Winburn, and Smitherman
Added Winburn: “Anytime 400 jobs are at stake, I take that serious. If the city loses this company, then we need to call for an evaluation of city administration.”No, Council Member Winburn, don't shirk your duty and point to the Administration. Point to yourself. If you want to keep Chiquita then you need to do several things to keep them here. It starts with voting on a budget that would free up money to add to an incentive. Then go to the Governor and get him of his ass and do something for Cincinnati. Finally, start acting like you want to make this city into a progressive community that will attract news people and new businesses here. Work to build the Urban Core of the city and agree it must be a vibrant success if the rest of the City and metro area are going to have sustained growth and prosperity. The article goes on about the air service. Well, that's quiet frankly a tough thing for a city or even the metro area to transform. It will take years to attract more direct flights. A more simple and immediate way to improve the city is to support rail projects, like the streetcar or light-right or the East Side commuter-rail. None of these will happen if COAST and Smitherman's anti-rail charter amendment passes. So, if nothing else, don't support the anti-rail forces.
Why does rail matter? Well, ask Charlotte, they have rail transportation and they stand poised to take a major headquarters from our city. Destroying the city may be COAST's and Smitherman's goal, but surely Winburn doesn't want this to happen. If he wants to get "serious," then he should rethink his stance on the streetcar and stop pointing fingers at others and get on board with those try to make this city a better place.
The solution is rather simple: don't shill for the FOP and don't think making the city into another suburb will solve any problems. All of the endorsed Republicans running might gain some respect and maybe even some votes if they took that to heart and lived it. That action would lose many Conservative votes and Suburban contributions, however, which leads me back to my cynical default stance, where Winburn's opportunism lives and keeps progress back, as long as he and other Republicans are in power.
Thursday, November 02, 2017
Council Race Heats Up
We are closer to start making some more predictions about the race. Haha! What I really mean is that I am getting closer to making some wild guesses based on conventional wisdom. Council races are a mix of predictable and surprising. It should be easy to predict 4 to 6 candidates. The 4 Democratic incumbents are heavy CW favorites and the 2 Republicans (including Smitherman) have clear advantages. What holds the 2 Republicans back is the most unpredictable element, voter turnout. One of the most common CW tropes about Cincinnati elections is that the GOP votes more consistently in off year elections than the Dems. Therefore the higher the turnout, the better Democratic candidates do.
I have updated my list below creating some new groups and shifting a few candidates around. Those whom I am giving advantage is based on the campaign and a repeat turnout from 2013. If turnout rises, look for candidates like Smitherman and Murray to fall and potentially be out of the top 9.
Lock
P.G. Sittenfeld* (D, FOP, PWR endorsed)
Likely
David Mann* (D,C, FOP, PWR endorsed)
Chris Seelbach* (D endorsed)
Some advantage:
Wendell Young* (D endorsed)
Amy Murray* (R,C, FOP, PWR endorsed)
Christopher Smitherman* (R but pretending to be I, FOP, PWR and for some reason G endorsed)
Derek Bauman (C endorsed) (D)
Tamaya Dennard (D,C, PWR endorsed)
Greg Landsman (D, FOP, PWR endorsed)
In the Mix:
Ozie Davis III (D, FOP, PWRendorsed)
Michelle Dillingham (D endorsed)
Leslie Jones (D endorsed)
Jeff Pastor (R, FOP endorsed)
Laure Quinlivan (D)
Outside Chance
Henry Frondorf (C, PWR endorsed) (D)
Seth Maney (R, FOP, PWR endorsed)
Tamie Sullivan (G, FOP endorsed) (R)
Chances Dropping
Tonya Dumas (D)
Manuel Foggie
Also Ran
Erica Black-Johnson (I)
Cristina Burcica (I)
Brian Garry (G endorsed) (D)
Kelli Prather (D)
Dadrien Washington (Write-In)
Candidate Twitter List: I have created a list of candidates on Twitter. Here is the actual list Twitter handles for the candidates.
Key
* = Incumbent
D= Democratic Party
R= Republican Party
C= Charter Committee (aka Charter Party)
G= Green Party
I= Independent
FOP= Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police (Union) Endorsement
PWR = Partnership of Westside Residence PAC Endorsement
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Is the Enquirer Biased or Looking for Controversy?
Yes, it is rather obvious that someone has been pushing the story to the Enquirer and the rest of the media around town. I don't know if I believe there is a full borne effort to disrupt the Streetcar project in the newsroom of the Enquirer. There may be individuals who oppose it, but the reporters are getting marching orders.
I do believe without a doubt that there is a desire for scandal, something media outlets nearly universally are guilty of doing, and doing without care in appearances or importance. I believe that desire isn't just in the editors' minds, it in this case is in the reporter's mind.
The only scandal with Bortz is in appearance. He made a public relations error in how he responded to the ethics letter. He didn't tell everything. That's his sin. The local media feels like he lied to them. They are pissed. Furthermore, where there's a lie, there's a scandal, so no matter the circumstances. Bortz and the Streetcar in association are going to get punched by the Enquirer. They will punch with same sin Bortz committed, the sin of omission.
So, the Enquirer is trying to sell newspapers and isn't doing or at least isn't publishing that is has done it's homework. That is bad journalism. It is good business. It brings more eyes to paper.
More evidence that I think sums up the problem comes in their editorial:
The streetcar may be a real step forward for Cincinnati. We don't oppose it. But we object to the way it has - or hasn't - been planned, explained and justified. So far, city leaders have been asking Cincinnatians to support a pig in a poke.Saying you don't oppose something you do nothing to support is as much dancing on the head of a pin one editorial can offer. If the Enquirer supports the Streetcar, then why are they giving people like Tom Luken and Chris Smitherman credibility when they oppose it with no fact or substitute plan for the development it would spawn? Neither person has any credibility, yet they are driving the Story. They are the opposition to the project, so they get the same level, and often a much, much bigger level, of a voice in the debate than the supports of the Streetcar.
Again: Where's the plan?
When other issues are pushed by Enquirer, I rarely see opponents getting the same credibility as Luken and Smitherman are getting. Those other opponents never drive the story. Anti-war protesters didn't get the credibility. People commenting on the death of a Notre Dame football recruit are cut off, not allowed to do anything to drive the story. These groups have limited voice and limited chance to influence the story, but Luken and Smitherman get quoted at will and on topics they know nothing about.
We don't need a manufactured controversy. The Enquirer has been the primary maker of that controversy surrounding Bortz and it is a bias they have, a bias for profit.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Interesting Decisions in Upcoming Trespassing Trial
I had assumed that the arrest was just part one of the pair's protest. I anticipated that the two would ask a jury to find that their actions were justified, much the same way the "Flannery Five" did after being arrested for trespassing at Steve Chabot's office a few years ago.
It looks like I was wrong.
Trials for the two men are now scheduled. Rev. Foster's case has been assigned to Judge Rucker, and is set for May 26. Smitherman's case, assigned to Judge Powers, is set for May 6. Both cases are set for bench trial--that is, trial to the judge. Neither man has filed a jury demand. (In Ohio, one waives the right to a jury trial in a misdemeanor case unless a jury demand is filed at least 10 days prior to trial.)
There's obviously a lot we don't know. Perhaps both have decided to enter a guilty or no-contest plea. Perhaps both have reached plea agreements with the City. Or perhaps both intend to seek a continuance on the trial date. But I'm surprised that neither has (thus far) signaled a desire to air their cause before a jury of their peers.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Cranley Continues His Deception, His Support Relies on the GOP, COAST
When I say rely upon, I mean that's 80 to 99 % of who he must have vote for him to win.
Cranley is trying to deceive Dems and Moderates into thinking that he is not doing the bidding of the GOP and COAST. He's trying to forget the amount of campaign money he is getting (and has historically gotten) from Republicans. He is trying to use the same type of deception that Chris Smitherman uses within part of the African American community, when Smitherman just out right lies about what his support from COAST means.
Cranley is a charlatan. He promises magic to everyone, but really he is only in this for himself and the few who help him. Just look how much his business partners give to his campaign to know the people John values.
The most interesting thing about the COAST Endorsement going public is that it scared Cranley into publicly trying to claim he doesn't want it. He is not even bothering to claim it wasn't an endorsement. He knows it was, but is pissed they made it public. He desperately needs to keep his reliance on the GOP and COAST the worst kept secret. Spread the word, believers! Cranley's is the COAST candidate! Say it loud and without hesitation.
Friday, June 30, 2017
June Update to the 2017 City of Cincinnati Council Candidates
Lock
P.G. Sittenfeld* (D endorsed)
Likely
David Mann* (D,C endorsed)
Chris Seelbach* (D endorsed)
Wendell Young* (D endorsed)
In the Mix:
Laure Quinlivan (D)
Greg Landsman (D endorsed)
Michelle Dillingham (D endorsed)
Leslie Jones (D endorsed)
Ozie Davis III (D endorsed)
Tamaya Dennard (D,C endorsed)
Jeff Pastor (R endorsed)
Derek Bauman (C endorsed) (D)
Christopher Smitherman* (R but pretending to be I and for some reason G endorsed)
Amy Murray* (R,C endorsed)
Outside Chance
Tonya Dumas (D)
Henry Frondorf (C endorsed) (D)
Manuel Foggie
Beverly Odoms (D)
Matt Teaford (I)
Tamie Sullivan (R)
Seth Maney (R endorsed)
Also Ran
Theo Barnes
Orlando Welborn (D)
Dawud Mustafa
Brian Garry (D)
Kelli Prather (D)
Cristina Burcica (D)
Michael Rachford
Kit Earls (G endorsed)
Mary Hall
Damon Lynch IV
Edith Thrower
If anyone has any other names please send them my way (cincyblog@aol.com) or if anyone named above wants to confirm they are not running, I'll remove them future postings of this list. Also, since I have added a party affiliation, if there are changes, let me know.
Key
* = Incumbent
D= Democratic Party
R= Republican Party
C= Charter Committee (aka Charter Party)
G= Green Party
I= Independent
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Spread the World: It's An Anti-Rail Ballot Issue
So when Smitherman and COAST's minions are out over the next week desperately trying to collect signatures, be sure to ask the collector what the ballot issue means, correct them if they say it's about the streetcar, then politely decline to sign.
Be sure to spread the word about NOT signing to all Cincinnati residents. COAST and Smitherman are coming up short and only have another week to get a couple more thousand valid signatures.
Don't bother telling your friends who are residents of the suburbs or Northern Kentucky about this. If they are really anti-streetcar and want to sign a petition, you really can't stop them from doing so. No need to waste your time explaining it to them.
Saturday, November 08, 2008
The New (Old) NAACP
Certainly, Smitherman (with whom I sometimes disagree, but for whom I have a great deal of respect) has revitalized the local chapter of our nation's foremost civil rights organization. Its membership is up dramatically, and over the last couple years, it has helped to shape our local political discourse in ways that it did not during the first part of this decade.
For Smitherman and the NAACP to advance their agenda any further, however, they must develop and put into action a solid get-out-the-vote strategy. Yes, of the three ballot initiatives identified with the NAACP (the "jail tax" opposition, red-light camera opposition, and PR), two passed. But (without diminishing the effort it took to place these on the ballot), these were layups. It's not hard to convince people to vote against the increase of a fundamentally regressive tax or the onerous red-light cameras, which no one seems to like.
This year's election results bear out the NAACP's GOTV failures. In the City of Cincinnati, turnout was just 58%, lagging well behind county-wide turnout of 66%. What's more, of the 134,000 ballots cast, 20,000 (or 15%) recorded no vote (meaning no vote at all, not a "no" vote) on Issue 8, which would have brought a return to proportional representation in City Council elections. Local races and issues always receive a significant undervote, but Issue 8's undervote is extraordinarily high: Issue 7 had just under 13,000 undervotes (about 9 percent).
Of the two NAACP-backed initiatives on this year's ballot, certainly Issue 8 would have had a greater overall impact on Cincinnati than on Issue 7, making it the more important of the two. (In fairness: Issue 8's undervote is likely due in part to extremely poor ballot placement, as it was the only contest on the last page of a four-page ballot. Some voters may not have even realized it was there.) With Issue 8 failing by just 8,000 votes and 20,000 voters participating in the election but sitting out the Issue 8 contest, the NAACP failed to either a) educate the public about the issue, or b) get its supporters to the polls.
While the Cincinnati NAACP still has some work to do, it's terrific to see the re-emergence of this important voice in our community, and it will be exciting to see the continued growth of both the organization and its president.
(Current vote tallies available here.)
Friday, December 01, 2006
Smitherman to Lead Local NAACP?
Friday, October 21, 2005
Fangman Should Resign
When the hell is Ketih Fangman going to call on Councilman Sam Malone to resign? Smitherman is not facing a criminal trial. Malone is facing a criminal trial.
It is so very hard to see a law and order Republican who represents, well, the union of law and order arm of the local government, ignoring a fellow Republican's troubles with the law.
This is Keith Fangman, so I expect this type of Cunningham charade of equity. I am disgusted still when the drivel is put forth in the local media.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Was Smitherman Scammed?
It is good he is doing something, I don't fault that, but he can do it and not worry about letting anyone know he is doing it. When you bring the press along, it is a campaign stunt.
Monday, April 11, 2005
Is Smitherman In?
Smitherman really wants to be mayor. He seems to be power hungry, with the green horned desire to win a lynch pin to his political mindset. He should win back his council seat easily, but will not be one of the top vote getters. He has pissed too many people off and have little to show for it other than making waves (treading water some might say).