Sean Rhiney from Soapbox has a very touching story about a new OTR business, ForkHeartKnife Kitchen.
They are on Twitter now too! @forkheartknife
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Why Is This a News Story?
Why is the Enquirer spend the time on this article about a shoplifting case, valued at $185, that happened way back on April 27th?
Am I missing the importance?
They even have a photo of the suspects.
Since the thieves allegedly stole FIVE containers of KY lubricant, I can only assume the couple has been too busy since April 27th to be caught.
UPDATE: I just say a TV commercial for that exact brand of KY. Why would they name the product in the first place? Is this really a paid advertisement disguised a news story?
Am I missing the importance?
They even have a photo of the suspects.
Since the thieves allegedly stole FIVE containers of KY lubricant, I can only assume the couple has been too busy since April 27th to be caught.
UPDATE: I just say a TV commercial for that exact brand of KY. Why would they name the product in the first place? Is this really a paid advertisement disguised a news story?
Is the Enquirer Biased or Looking for Controversy?
I know, most are going to answer the title's question "Is Enquirer Biased or Looking for Controversy?" with a "Both" answer. The Provost at of The Phony Coney questions the timing of the Enquirer's coverage of the Bortz-Streecar Voting "controversy" as being, shall we say, ill-timed.
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:
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.
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, May 10, 2010
Casablanca and a Burger
A late Spring Sunday evening is a great night to get out of the condo and join your community in watching one of the best movies ever made. The details:
WHO: Venue 222Sounds like the perfect date night too. Any ladies want to go?
WHAT: There’s nothing better than a neighborhood party at Venue 222, Cincinnati’s premier urban event space. Join us with a showing of ‘Casablanca’ one of the most popular romantic dramas of all time. Food for purchase available from Café de Wheels, Cincinnati’s first mobile food truck. BYOBB – Bring Your Own Blanket & Booze.
Casablanca was premiered in 1942, with such stars as Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman – the film has been lauded for its inclusion of all types of stereotypes in popular culture.
This event is free and open to the public.
WHEN: Sunday May 16, 2010 from 6:30 p.m. – 10 p.m..
WHERE: 222 E. 14th Street, Cincinnati OH 45202.
First They Came for the Mexicans . . .
It's time to get concerned about the very visible anti-Mexican (and probably anti-Hispanic) bigotry taking hold in certain parts of the country.
First, we have the "papers, please" law recently passed in Arizona. Defenders of the law tell us that the only burden will be on illegal immigrants. They ignore the new power police are given to ask anyone who "looks illegal" for proof of citizenship. Everything in the statute is based on the state criminalizing the status of an illegal immigrant. Under the Constitution (which applies both to citizens and non-citizens), a law enforcement officer has to have "reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot" to detain someone and ask questions. (Google "Terry stop" for more on this.)
How can an officer tell the difference between a Mexican-American citizen and an undocumented Mexican national? He can't, of course. So in Arizona, just being Hispanic (or probably non-white) gives an officer reason to detain someone long enough to ask questions. Terrific.
Next, we have the California kids sent home for wearing American flags on Cinco de Mayo. Many are treating this as an incident that is only about the free speech rights of the white students involved. (And I agree, their rights were violated; they should not have been sent home.) But what's being glossed over is the intent behind their "patriotic" display that day. Those students weren't just being patriotic. They were telling their Mexican-American classmates that the celebration of their heritage wasn't acceptable. They were making the Mexican-Americans aware of their otherness, showing them that they weren't quite Americans in the same way the flag-wearers are.
How do I know what the students intended, you ask? Simple. Because I never hear of students wearing American flags or "patriotic" colors on St. Patrick's Day. It's acceptable for people to wear green, display shamrocks, and celebrate their Irish heritage on that day. (I've also never seen any negative reaction to all of the black, red, and gold downtown during Oktoberfest.) Irish-Americans are OK. Mexican-Americans? Not so much. Ironic, given the history of discrimination against Irish-Americans.
The Butler County sheriff wants to bring a "papers, please" law to Ohio. In my criminal defense practice over the past six to twelve months, I've seen a growing hostility towards Hispanics. I hope that Ohioans prove that they're better than this.
In times of economic crisis, people often turn to scapegoating. That seems to be happening now in the U.S. Let's recognize it for what it is and end it. Now.
First, we have the "papers, please" law recently passed in Arizona. Defenders of the law tell us that the only burden will be on illegal immigrants. They ignore the new power police are given to ask anyone who "looks illegal" for proof of citizenship. Everything in the statute is based on the state criminalizing the status of an illegal immigrant. Under the Constitution (which applies both to citizens and non-citizens), a law enforcement officer has to have "reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot" to detain someone and ask questions. (Google "Terry stop" for more on this.)
How can an officer tell the difference between a Mexican-American citizen and an undocumented Mexican national? He can't, of course. So in Arizona, just being Hispanic (or probably non-white) gives an officer reason to detain someone long enough to ask questions. Terrific.
Next, we have the California kids sent home for wearing American flags on Cinco de Mayo. Many are treating this as an incident that is only about the free speech rights of the white students involved. (And I agree, their rights were violated; they should not have been sent home.) But what's being glossed over is the intent behind their "patriotic" display that day. Those students weren't just being patriotic. They were telling their Mexican-American classmates that the celebration of their heritage wasn't acceptable. They were making the Mexican-Americans aware of their otherness, showing them that they weren't quite Americans in the same way the flag-wearers are.
How do I know what the students intended, you ask? Simple. Because I never hear of students wearing American flags or "patriotic" colors on St. Patrick's Day. It's acceptable for people to wear green, display shamrocks, and celebrate their Irish heritage on that day. (I've also never seen any negative reaction to all of the black, red, and gold downtown during Oktoberfest.) Irish-Americans are OK. Mexican-Americans? Not so much. Ironic, given the history of discrimination against Irish-Americans.
The Butler County sheriff wants to bring a "papers, please" law to Ohio. In my criminal defense practice over the past six to twelve months, I've seen a growing hostility towards Hispanics. I hope that Ohioans prove that they're better than this.
In times of economic crisis, people often turn to scapegoating. That seems to be happening now in the U.S. Let's recognize it for what it is and end it. Now.
New Store Coming to the Gateway Quarter
A new clothing store is coming to the Gateway Quarter and if the father of one of the owners is correct, it could be open as soon as in a few weeks. The store would take over 16 East 12th Street, the location that up until last month housed Outside, the store run by Terry Lee.
It was very sad to see Terry's store close, but it is a great sign to see the location turning over so quickly. On Sunday a crew was painting the space which is in great shape. I hope they are able to hold at least a soft opening on May 22nd when a great crowd will attend the OTR/Gateway Summer Celebration.
I was not able to get the name of the store or find any marketing information, so if anyone has more information, chime in.
It was very sad to see Terry's store close, but it is a great sign to see the location turning over so quickly. On Sunday a crew was painting the space which is in great shape. I hope they are able to hold at least a soft opening on May 22nd when a great crowd will attend the OTR/Gateway Summer Celebration.
I was not able to get the name of the store or find any marketing information, so if anyone has more information, chime in.
Sunday, May 09, 2010
The Fireworks Are Quieter
First, let me express (cautious) excitement about the Reds. They're currently a game above .500, in second place, and just three games behind the Cardinals. Mike Leake is a lot of fun to watch, despite a tough seventh inning tonight.
Now, let me move on to something that's ridiculously trivial, but that has been bothering me anyhow. I've made no secret of where I live: in an apartment building on Fourth Street between Plum and Central. My apartment is in the back of the building, facing the Duke Energy Convention Center.
In past seasons, I could "follow" the Reds in my apartment even without having the game on the radio or the television. If I heard fireworks, I'd flip the TV channel to FSN to see who just hit a home run. If I heard fireworks late enough in the evening, I'd know the Reds had just won. The sound was quite audible, and echoed off the buildings behind my building.
But this year, things are different. I can no longer hear fireworks from GABP. I was wondering if perhaps the Reds were using quieter fireworks, but when I attended a game for the first time this season (the eleven-inning thriller this past Monday), I thought the fireworks were as loud as ever.
My new theory: the Great American Tower is absorbing or deflecting the fireworks noise so that it no longer reaches the western end of downtown.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
And by the way, my previous concern that the Tower could impact games by causing right fielders to drop balls during day games has proven unfounded, as the building doesn't seem shiny enough to create a glare.
Now, let me move on to something that's ridiculously trivial, but that has been bothering me anyhow. I've made no secret of where I live: in an apartment building on Fourth Street between Plum and Central. My apartment is in the back of the building, facing the Duke Energy Convention Center.
In past seasons, I could "follow" the Reds in my apartment even without having the game on the radio or the television. If I heard fireworks, I'd flip the TV channel to FSN to see who just hit a home run. If I heard fireworks late enough in the evening, I'd know the Reds had just won. The sound was quite audible, and echoed off the buildings behind my building.
But this year, things are different. I can no longer hear fireworks from GABP. I was wondering if perhaps the Reds were using quieter fireworks, but when I attended a game for the first time this season (the eleven-inning thriller this past Monday), I thought the fireworks were as loud as ever.
My new theory: the Great American Tower is absorbing or deflecting the fireworks noise so that it no longer reaches the western end of downtown.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
And by the way, my previous concern that the Tower could impact games by causing right fielders to drop balls during day games has proven unfounded, as the building doesn't seem shiny enough to create a glare.
The $64 Million Question
Today's Enquirer has a "First in Print" story on the decision facing City Council this week: whether to approve the issuance of $64 million in bonds in the hope that this will be sufficient to attract federal funding for the streetcar. There's apparently some division amongst the streetcar supporters on Council, with some wanting to unconditionally approve the bonds, and others (Berding and Bortz) apparently wanting to hedge the City's bet, conditioning bond issuance on the receipt of federal money.
Mayor Mallory has said that the Council should unconditionally approve the bonds, and insists that the bonds wouldn't be issued by the administration until after the federal dollars come in, anyhow. Of course, under our present system of government, this isn't actually the mayor's decision; the City Manager would be solely responsible for the bond issuance once it's approved by the Council. I believe I've heard Milton Dohoney say that the bonds would wait until after federal financing is in place, but I can't find a link to that right now.
An interesting situation is presented. Mayor Mallory has put this on Council's agenda this week because recently, federal officials have told the City that it needs to have "skin in the game" to get federal money. The thought now is that approving the bonds will be enough, and that next month, the feds will reward the City in its next round of TIGER grants. Of course, the feds make it clear that local financing is no guarantee of federal money, but merely a necessary precondition of it.
So here's the question for streetcar supporters: what if Council unconditionally approves the bonds, and next month, the City again gets passed over? And what if a federal official says that merely approving the bonds isn't enough, that the City needs to actually issue them for the feds to know we're serious? Once again, the feds make no guarantees, just tell us we improve our chances if we issue the bonds. Under those circumstances, should the City place a $64 million bet on federal funds becoming available?
And what if we lose the bet?
Mayor Mallory has said that the Council should unconditionally approve the bonds, and insists that the bonds wouldn't be issued by the administration until after the federal dollars come in, anyhow. Of course, under our present system of government, this isn't actually the mayor's decision; the City Manager would be solely responsible for the bond issuance once it's approved by the Council. I believe I've heard Milton Dohoney say that the bonds would wait until after federal financing is in place, but I can't find a link to that right now.
An interesting situation is presented. Mayor Mallory has put this on Council's agenda this week because recently, federal officials have told the City that it needs to have "skin in the game" to get federal money. The thought now is that approving the bonds will be enough, and that next month, the feds will reward the City in its next round of TIGER grants. Of course, the feds make it clear that local financing is no guarantee of federal money, but merely a necessary precondition of it.
So here's the question for streetcar supporters: what if Council unconditionally approves the bonds, and next month, the City again gets passed over? And what if a federal official says that merely approving the bonds isn't enough, that the City needs to actually issue them for the feds to know we're serious? Once again, the feds make no guarantees, just tell us we improve our chances if we issue the bonds. Under those circumstances, should the City place a $64 million bet on federal funds becoming available?
And what if we lose the bet?
Friday, May 07, 2010
New Rendering of Casino Out
A new image of the Casino slated to be opened at Broadway Commons in 2012 has been released. It is an interesting rendering of the building, but this image doesn't appear to show how this building would look with the rest the Downtown backdrop. That's a very important factor. The building needs to fit in with the buildings on an aesthetic level. We can't have a crappy box of drywall as the welcome sign to Downtown at the I-71 entrance.
More on the details of the building is here in the Enquirer.
More on the details of the building is here in the Enquirer.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Friday Night: Click @ CAM
If you are looking for a cool event for a hot May night, put your eyes on Click*, 8PM to 11PM at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Entertainment includes the amazing indie-electronica sounds of You, You're Awesome.
Tickets are $20 before the show, or $30 at the door. So buy your's today!
Tickets are $20 before the show, or $30 at the door. So buy your's today!
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
In Memoriam: Donald Spencer
I just wanted to note my sadness at the passing of Donald Spencer. Mr. Spencer and his wife, Marian, are best described as civil rights icons in Cincinnati. I feel extraordinarily privileged that early in my career, my practice led me to briefly cross paths with the Spencers.
For decades, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer were the civil rights movement in Cincinnati. It's impossible to overstate the importance of their service both to the cause of justice and our community. And in person, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer are the warmest, most caring people you could meet.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Spencer family today. And I hope that today's sad news will cause us all to reflect both on how far we've come in the past half-century, but also on how far we have left to journey.
It's very few people about whom one can say the following: Cincinnati is a better place because Donald and Marian Spencer have spent their lives here.
For decades, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer were the civil rights movement in Cincinnati. It's impossible to overstate the importance of their service both to the cause of justice and our community. And in person, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer are the warmest, most caring people you could meet.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Spencer family today. And I hope that today's sad news will cause us all to reflect both on how far we've come in the past half-century, but also on how far we have left to journey.
It's very few people about whom one can say the following: Cincinnati is a better place because Donald and Marian Spencer have spent their lives here.
A Little On The Election
I'm pretending to be a lawyer again today, so I haven't had a chance to go through the canvass report to drill deeply into the numbers. There is one race, though, that I think is worth mentioning: the contest for the Republican nomination for State Representative in the 28th District.
The current office-holder is Democrat Connie Pillich, who was unopposed in her primary. The GOP primary featured four candidates. The winner was Mike Wilson, founder of the Cincinnati Tea Party. Not only did Mike won, but he did so handily, pulling in 44% of the vote and trouncing the "establishment Republicans" who were running.
The significance of this win should not be under-appreciated. The Tea Party has now proven that--at least in a relatively small race (geographically speaking)--it can mobilize its members, get out the vote, and win an election. Overall turnout in the district was low--about 12 percent of Republican voters turned out--but nonetheless, this is an extremely important development in local politics, and one that we should keep an eye on.
**************
And: can we get some UN monitors up to Butler County to monitor their Board of Elections? Every year, it's something new with them.
The current office-holder is Democrat Connie Pillich, who was unopposed in her primary. The GOP primary featured four candidates. The winner was Mike Wilson, founder of the Cincinnati Tea Party. Not only did Mike won, but he did so handily, pulling in 44% of the vote and trouncing the "establishment Republicans" who were running.
The significance of this win should not be under-appreciated. The Tea Party has now proven that--at least in a relatively small race (geographically speaking)--it can mobilize its members, get out the vote, and win an election. Overall turnout in the district was low--about 12 percent of Republican voters turned out--but nonetheless, this is an extremely important development in local politics, and one that we should keep an eye on.
**************
And: can we get some UN monitors up to Butler County to monitor their Board of Elections? Every year, it's something new with them.
Election Recap
After a Late Night, here are important results of last night's Election:
Issue #1 Cruised to victory 68% to 32%
Jim Tarbell won the Democratic Nom in the end by a comfortable level: 46%-40%-14% (Tarbell-Thomas-Brown).
Chris Monzel rallied his newly adopted suburbanite neighbors to handily defeat Leslie Ghiz (56.5%-45.5%).
The biggest news and I would call it the surprise of the night: Surya Yalamanchili won the Democratic nomination in the 2nd Congressional District over David Krikorian (40%-38%-21%).
I hope all of the candidates and campaign teams can take a short breather, but then the winners can get back to work.
The race for Hamilton County Commissioner is going to be a good one, but the choice is going to be clear: Vote Tarbell.
Issue #1 Cruised to victory 68% to 32%
Jim Tarbell won the Democratic Nom in the end by a comfortable level: 46%-40%-14% (Tarbell-Thomas-Brown).
Chris Monzel rallied his newly adopted suburbanite neighbors to handily defeat Leslie Ghiz (56.5%-45.5%).
The biggest news and I would call it the surprise of the night: Surya Yalamanchili won the Democratic nomination in the 2nd Congressional District over David Krikorian (40%-38%-21%).
I hope all of the candidates and campaign teams can take a short breather, but then the winners can get back to work.
The race for Hamilton County Commissioner is going to be a good one, but the choice is going to be clear: Vote Tarbell.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Election Night Blogging
UPDATE #2: We are on pins and needles but the news is good:
Tarbell 10,520
Thomas 10,240
Brown 3,036
UPDATE #1: Absentee Report for the Dems:
Tarbell: 4,352
Thomas: 4,215
Brown: 1,057
So, I'm about to head down to Arnold's for the Jim Tarbell event and will be setting up shop for the evening. I plan on sitting, eating, drinking, listening, and do some limited blogging from my iPhone. If you want the official results, check out the Hamilton County BOE for the canvass report. If I hear things I can report, I will try to update this post.
Tarbell 10,520
Thomas 10,240
Brown 3,036
UPDATE #1: Absentee Report for the Dems:
Tarbell: 4,352
Thomas: 4,215
Brown: 1,057
So, I'm about to head down to Arnold's for the Jim Tarbell event and will be setting up shop for the evening. I plan on sitting, eating, drinking, listening, and do some limited blogging from my iPhone. If you want the official results, check out the Hamilton County BOE for the canvass report. If I hear things I can report, I will try to update this post.
Krikorian Has a Future With Amway
No matter what happens today in his primary race for the 2nd Congressional District's Democratic Primary David Krikorian has proven himself worthy of job with Amway by adopting Amway's alleged corporate philosophy.
If you want to know more about what I'm talking about, try Snopes.
When I get to reference Amway (now called Alticor) and I get to link to Snopes.com, you can pretty much consider yourself to be tainted. Krikorian may win today's primary, but his chances of ever winning any public office are slim.
If you want to know more about what I'm talking about, try Snopes.
When I get to reference Amway (now called Alticor) and I get to link to Snopes.com, you can pretty much consider yourself to be tainted. Krikorian may win today's primary, but his chances of ever winning any public office are slim.
Polls Are Open! Get Out and Vote!
The polls in Ohio are open until 7:30. If you don't know where to vote, then click here to find out if you live in Hamilton County. A few points to know.
- If you voted last year in November and have not moved, you are still registered to vote.
- If you have never voted in a primary for a particular party, you can ask for a particular party's ballot, which will allow you to vote for the primary races of that party.
- You can still vote for just the Issues, but getting an issues only ballot.
- Current and valid Ohio driver’s license; or
- Current and valid photo identification card issued by the State of Ohio or the United States government; or
- A military identification (“military ID”); or
- An original or copy of a current utility bill; or
- An original or copy of a current bank statement; or
- An original or copy of a current paycheck; or
- An original or copy of a current government check; or
- An original or copy of a current other government document.
Monday, May 03, 2010
Primary Predictions?
Who is going to win in the Primaries tomorrow?
For the Democrats:
I would guess Fisher will win for Senate.
I believe Tarbell will win for County Commission.
For the GOP:
I am going to say Monzel will squeak it out over Ghiz, but I think it will be a close race.
For the Democrats:
I would guess Fisher will win for Senate.
I believe Tarbell will win for County Commission.
For the GOP:
I am going to say Monzel will squeak it out over Ghiz, but I think it will be a close race.
Did Thomas Infer Kroger's Actions Were Racist?
The Enquirer's Jane Prendergast has a blog post today updating last week's Council Committee meeting where representatives from the Kroger Company answered questions about their
closing of the Roselawn Kroger. Here is the quote she includes from Cecil Thomas that prompted the Jeff Berding's comment claiming Thomas was inferring Kroger's actions were racist:
closing of the Roselawn Kroger. Here is the quote she includes from Cecil Thomas that prompted the Jeff Berding's comment claiming Thomas was inferring Kroger's actions were racist:
Thomas said, “Maybe I’ll be a little more specific…There is a perception that you’re moving out of the black neighborhoods, the predominantly African-American communities in the inner city. That’s a perception that’s out…that is a reality, I should say, that’s there.”I would say Thomas's comments were over the top and designed to be confrontational, but don't amount to what Berding is charging.
One Other Thing To Watch Tomorrow
I suspect this blog's readers will be following a couple of races particularly closely: the HamCo Commission races and the Dem primaries for governor and OH-02. But the "under-card" is particularly rife with drama this year, and warrants some attention.
As the Enquirer reported a few weeks ago, during the primary, voters will choose the membership of both parties' central committees, on both the county and state level. The Tea Party* has fielded candidates of its own, mainly for the GOP committees.
The Cincinnati Tea Party seems to be figuring out that the GOP isn't as welcoming to Tea Partiers as the GOP's public pronouncement would lead one to believe. Kevin DeWine and Alex Triantafilou both publicly say that they're happy to see the Tea Party involved in Republican politics. But behind the scenes, both are trying to limit the influence the Tea Party will have on the GOP. The linked post details those efforts on the state level. But those efforts are occurring on the county level, too.
Take a look at tomorrow's ballot (scroll down to page 27). There are a lot of Republicans running for county central committee spots for the first time. Some are Tea Partiers. But a lot more of them are "establishment" Republicans. Many are employed in public service with elected Republicans as their supervisors.
There's clearly an internal struggle going on within the GOP. While they don't want the Tea Party running its own candidates (the best thing that could happen for the Democratic Party, on either a state, local, or national level, would be Tea Party candidates; think Ross Perot), but GOP leaders clearly fear that if the Tea Party has too much of a voice in the GOP's governing committees, current leaders (e.g., party chairs) could lose their positions to newcomers elected by the Tea Party. The establishment GOP/Tea Party rift even became publicly evident at the Mainstay debate the other night, with some harsh words by Chris Monzel for a prominent Democrat and a Tea Partier in the same sentence--though Monzel didn't point out the party affiliation of either person he mentioned. (Apparently, now that Monzel has received the Ohio Tea Party PAC's endorsement, he feels he no longer has any reason to be nice to Tea Party's members.)
The election of the county Democratic central committee is not without drama, either. As we've previously noted (via Howard Wilkinson), Darren Tolliver is challenging Tim Burke for the local party chairmanship. Tolliver is presently the treasurer of the HCDP and was a board member of CincyPAC. The central committee, elected tomorrow, will vote on the chairmanship in the next several weeks. I have no idea whether Tolliver will have the votes, but a wrestling match for the party's gavel hasn't happened around here in quite some time.
So while there are interesting races near the top of the ticket, don't forget to watch the "smaller" races, too. As Tip O'Neill famously quipped, "All politics is local," after all.
*Griff: Come on, man, time to start calling it the Tea Party and its members the Tea Partiers. (Yes, "teabaggers" was a term that its original members used first, without realizing the word's other meaning. But everyone knows the euphemism now.) Even if we disagree with them, they deserve at least to be called by the name they choose. A while back, I called out Alex Triantafilou for using "Democrat" rather than "Democratic" as an adjective. I'm more than a bit hypocritical if I don't call out Griff, too.
As the Enquirer reported a few weeks ago, during the primary, voters will choose the membership of both parties' central committees, on both the county and state level. The Tea Party* has fielded candidates of its own, mainly for the GOP committees.
The Cincinnati Tea Party seems to be figuring out that the GOP isn't as welcoming to Tea Partiers as the GOP's public pronouncement would lead one to believe. Kevin DeWine and Alex Triantafilou both publicly say that they're happy to see the Tea Party involved in Republican politics. But behind the scenes, both are trying to limit the influence the Tea Party will have on the GOP. The linked post details those efforts on the state level. But those efforts are occurring on the county level, too.
Take a look at tomorrow's ballot (scroll down to page 27). There are a lot of Republicans running for county central committee spots for the first time. Some are Tea Partiers. But a lot more of them are "establishment" Republicans. Many are employed in public service with elected Republicans as their supervisors.
There's clearly an internal struggle going on within the GOP. While they don't want the Tea Party running its own candidates (the best thing that could happen for the Democratic Party, on either a state, local, or national level, would be Tea Party candidates; think Ross Perot), but GOP leaders clearly fear that if the Tea Party has too much of a voice in the GOP's governing committees, current leaders (e.g., party chairs) could lose their positions to newcomers elected by the Tea Party. The establishment GOP/Tea Party rift even became publicly evident at the Mainstay debate the other night, with some harsh words by Chris Monzel for a prominent Democrat and a Tea Partier in the same sentence--though Monzel didn't point out the party affiliation of either person he mentioned. (Apparently, now that Monzel has received the Ohio Tea Party PAC's endorsement, he feels he no longer has any reason to be nice to Tea Party's members.)
The election of the county Democratic central committee is not without drama, either. As we've previously noted (via Howard Wilkinson), Darren Tolliver is challenging Tim Burke for the local party chairmanship. Tolliver is presently the treasurer of the HCDP and was a board member of CincyPAC. The central committee, elected tomorrow, will vote on the chairmanship in the next several weeks. I have no idea whether Tolliver will have the votes, but a wrestling match for the party's gavel hasn't happened around here in quite some time.
So while there are interesting races near the top of the ticket, don't forget to watch the "smaller" races, too. As Tip O'Neill famously quipped, "All politics is local," after all.
*Griff: Come on, man, time to start calling it the Tea Party and its members the Tea Partiers. (Yes, "teabaggers" was a term that its original members used first, without realizing the word's other meaning. But everyone knows the euphemism now.) Even if we disagree with them, they deserve at least to be called by the name they choose. A while back, I called out Alex Triantafilou for using "Democrat" rather than "Democratic" as an adjective. I'm more than a bit hypocritical if I don't call out Griff, too.
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