Draft Gore 2008 PAC

Hey I know judicial races aren’t “sexy”; but they are as important as many other races.  We have 7 Republicans on the Ohio Supreme Ct. We have 4 Republicans on our 12th District Ct. of Appeals, potentially 5 after November. 

Right now there are 2 very qualified Democrats running for the vacant seat and newly created seat on this court.  If you live in Butler, Warren, Clinton, Clermont, Warren, Fayette, Madison, and Preble Counties please visit these candidates’ sites.  Give them your support and your vote.

http://www.carterforappeals.com
http://www.electcurlissjudge.com

Let’s elect our ‘farm team’ for the OH Sup. Ct. in these 2 candidates.  After all there are 3 seats up for election/re-election in 2010!!!

Just like 2006, republicans have made Ohio officially into an international embarassment.

I’m not sure if this link will work, but it is an article by Adam Liptak (who wrote the article about Justice O’Donnell for the NYT), published 1/29/08. So, if you’re interested, you can just go to NYTimes.com.

The two Ohio Supreme Court justices referenced are O’Donnell and Maureen O’Connor. Question-- will they recuse themselves (they should, but will they actually do something honorable, or will they be republicans?)(More)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/us/29bar.html?_r=1&sq=liptak&st=nyt&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&scp=2&adxnnlx=1201637359-t0feS+yahDletujo2UcbTw

Poll: Edwards leads major GOP candidates in Ohio

Barack Obama was the winner in Iowa and Hillary Clinton’s planning to be the “comeback kid” in New Hampshire, but John Edwards just might be the Democrats’ best bet to win Ohio, a crucial state in the general election.

Dayton Daily News

Edwards, who finished second to Obama in Iowa, leads all four major Republican candidates — Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee — in the poll in Ohio. Obama and Clinton each leads in just the matchups with Giuliani and Romney.

Got that?  Only Edwards wins Ohio against McCain and Huckabee.

McCain is the GOP Frontrunner in New Hampshire and Huckabee just won Iowa and is leading nationally along with Rudy, and only Edwards looks like he can stop them.

Candidate filing in Ohio closes in less than a week - 4th January - and we still don’t have confirmed candidates in a number of Congressional House districts!

Once again go and take a look at the
2008 Race Tracker Wiki.

Below the fold for details.............

Photo courtesy of here.

Bill Gothard PhD, Founder/President
The Institute in Basic Life Principles
Oak Brook, IL

Dear Dr. Gothard:

For the past couple years, my colleague, the Dean of Cincinnati, has been writing articles about you and your various enterprises. Before then I’d never even heard of you, your institute, your “character-building" seminars, your unaccredited medical school, your unaccredited law school, your nursing program, your Children’s Institute, your bible-centered paramilitary boot camp, your music school, your culinary arts program, your Institute of Photographic Studies, your resort-style training center in Guadalajara, your upholstery training program, your hair design program, etc. As you know, I’m just scratching the surface - the list keeps just on going and according to this 2006 In These Times cover story, The Cult of Character, business is booming:

Photo courtesy of here.

Bill Gothard PhD, Founder/President
The Institute in Basic Life Principles
Oak Brook, IL

Dear Dr. Gothard:

For the past couple years, my colleague, the Dean of Cincinnati, has been writing articles about you and your various enterprises. Before then I’d never even heard of you, your institute, your “character-building" seminars, your unaccredited medical school, your unaccredited law school, your nursing program, your Children’s Institute, your bible-centered paramilitary boot camp, your music school, your culinary arts program, your Institute of Photographic Studies, your resort-style training center in Guadalaja, your upholstery training program, your hair design program, etc. As you know, I’m just scratching the surface - the list keeps just on going and according to this 2006 In These Times cover story, The Cult of Character, business is booming:

As recently reported by The Cincinnati Beacon, presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee has close ties to fringe evangelist/tycoon Bill Gothard, who runs the little-known Chicago-area Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) and a string of affiliated businesses. It’s been widely reported that Gothard’s organizations advocate strict authoritarianism and blind obedience. Allegations of child abuse such as locking kids for extended periods in “prayer closets” and other misconduct have led to investigations.

Sad news.

Perry Kucinich, brother of Rep. Dennis Kucinich, was found dead Wednesday morning at his east-side home.
Perry Kucinich was found by another brother, Larry Kucinich, at about 9 a.m.
The county coroner said that an autopsy is set to be performed to determine the exact cause of death.
There were no signs of foul play.
Rep. Kucinich is in Washington, D.C. and his spokesman said he is on his way home to Cleveland.
There are seven children in the Kucinich family.

Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Congressman and his family.

The despicable immunity provision for telecoms thrown into the FISA bill brought Senator Chris Dodd off the campaign trail and back to the Senate floor, something that all of us who are trying to decide who to vote for for President should take note of. And he did it with just a few Democratic supporters. Most of the dems were either content to cave in to the moronic monkey yet again, or not even bother to show up for the vote.

Here in Ohio, we have a Senator that stood up next to Chris Dodd, and we have every right to be proud of him. The roll call of those defending the Constitution is a small one, but Sherrod Brown is in that roll call.

Here are the names of the Senators who stood up with Chris Dodd yesterday:

Barbara Boxer, Sherrod Brown, Maria Cantwell, Ben Cardin, Christopher Dodd, Russell Feingold, Tom Harkin, John Kerry, Robert Menndez, Ron Wyden

I’m damned proud of all of them, especially Sherrod. I’ve let his office know about it. You should too.

Last week it was Texas, this week Ohio.

Candidate filing in Ohio closes in less than a month - 4th January - and we still don’t have confirmed candidates in a number of Congressional House districts!

Once again go and take a look at the
2008 Race Tracker Wiki.

Below the fold for details.............

First, let me send out a virtual pat on the back to everybody who worked so hard on Robin Weirach’s campaign.  The GOPers know they’re in for a dog-fight come next November.  They’re officially, “On Notice!”

Matt Yglesias generated this eye-pleasing graphic to illustrate how Edwards dominates the field in hypothetical match-ups against the GOP frontrunners.

Also, in case you missed it, the Washington Post had four articles up about Edwards in it’s “Frontrunners” series yesterday—each one examining in detail John’s haircuts.  (ugh!)

The utter banality of our major media discourse continues unabated.

Sue Anne Pressley Montes’—”Beyond the Run of the Mill,”
Anne E. Kornblut—”Holding His Own,”
Dana Milbank—”No More Mr. Nice Guy,”
Fashion Editor Robin Givhan—”Working it,”

Fashion Editor?!?

Kill me now.

Robin did one hell of a job and almost turned the reddest district blue. We are lucky she’s on our side. Thanks Robin.

Here’s what others are saying:
Chris Redfern:

Tonight’s election results show Republicans are more vulnerable than ever in Ohio. In a district that George W. Bush carried with 61% of the vote and where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by 50 percent, the GOP had to scramble to win a special election that should have been a cake walk. Desperate to hold on to a district they had controlled for nearly 70 years, national Republicans had to spend more than $428,000 - or nearly 20% of their entire campaign account. Now the GOP - with even fewer resources on hand - will be even less equipped to play effectively in the 4-5 competitive House races in Ohio in 2008. Make no make mistake, this election shows that in November 2008, voters in Ohio and across the country will choose strong Democrats who will undo the damage of the Bush-Cheney years.

DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen’s Statement:

National Republicans, right wing special interest groups, and 527’s, like Freedom’s Watch, are alive and well in Republican House races. They poured more than $500,000 in to save Bob Latta in a 39% Democratic performing district.
Tom Cole and the NRCC spending 20 percent of their cash on hand to retain one of the most Republican districts in the country—priceless.

They’re both right. Anyways, this race is something to be proud of - Yeah we could have done better, you always can, but - WOW! you don’t get this close without a lot of hard work and it seems like everyone gave it their all.  This is especially true for Brandon English, blogger at the DCCC, he was committed to OH-5 early on and really rallied the online troops. He even worked through Thanksgiving! Thanks Brandon.

Also, I’d want to thank all of the AOG readers who donated to this race. It was an AOG reader that pushed Robins Act Blue over $90K and I know a lot of others donated. Thanks.

15 years he’s been waiting for universal healthcare, even after a broken back!  Great Article:

Ohio Senator Still Awaiting Universal Health Coverage

Brown’s pledge is a “meaningful gesture,” said Gail Shearer, director of health policy analysis for Consumers Union, because lawmakers are generally shielded from the hardships that many ordinary Americans endure to get and keep health insurance.

“If Congress were to pass a law tomorrow eliminating federal employee benefits for members of Congress, it would be a wake-up call and it would be likely to lead to renewed interest in solving the problem,” Shearer said.

Brown said he is optimistic that Congress can make “major progress” over the next year or two, and he is still hoping for universal coverage.

“I’m not judging my colleagues for what plan they are on,” he said. “I just think that everybody in this country should have better health care than many get to have. Maybe in some sense, it gave me some incentive to work on real health reform for people. . . . I just think that if we [lawmakers] get an option for a good health plan, the public ought to have the same option.”

Click to read the rest.

This was a lot of fun last year - you get to meet everyone, share ideas & info - all while snacking on donuts.  Mmmm donuts.

RootsCamp OHIO 2008
...is about Ohioans talking with Ohioans. It’s an opportunity for open dialogue between Ohio’s activists, field organizers, leaders, techies, fundraisers, bloggers—the whole team.  We’ll share innovations, failures, old wisdom and new discoveries, with an eye toward:

Developing our skills and networking to lead the way in 2008 and beyond.
Building organization and sustainability in Ohio’s growing progressive movement.

WHEN:
Sunday, January 13, 2008
9 am - 5 pm
WHERE:
The Vern Riffe Center, 31st Floor.  At the corner of High Street and State Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
PARKING:
Under the Statehouse—access from 3rd St. between Broad St. & State St., or in the City Center Mall parking garage - access from 3rd, Main, or Rich Sts.
Go to http://www.rootscampohio.org to learn more and sign up!

Rootscamp Ohio 2008 is free and breakfast and lunch will be provided.

WHAT IS ROOTSCAMP?
RootsCamp is participant driven, using the “unconference” or “open space” format that is born from the desire for activists, organizers, leaders and politicians to share and learn in a productive, fast-paced, open environment.  RootsCamp is an intense event with discussions, demos, and interaction from participants.  Anyone with something to contribute or with the desire to learn is welcome and invited to join.

http://www.rootscampohio.org

Robin Weirauch, a former IBEW member, thanks the people at the AFL-CIO Phone Banks the Night Before Vote

Is there anyone out there who still harbors the delusion that George Bush or most of his administration possesses the slightest shred of human integrity or the tiniest morsel of respect for the truth, for law, for the people of this country or any other?

Sorry, the question was rhetorical and asked out of personal frustration with the evil festering stew of lies, theft, brutality and domestic and international piracy that this administration has created in the place of what was once the USA.

No, I’m not naive enough to believe that we were ever a perfect country, free of guilt from participation in many and various Machiavellian schemes and plots over the last two centuries, the influence of the power lusts of private wealth have always had far too much influence in our public affairs to allow us to avoid responsibility for the results of our contributions to the general level of human misery. We have committed serious crimes against people in places as varied as Vietnam and Chile, and as far apart in space and time as Nicaragua and Iran.

In the generally business driven efforts to support the interests of entities such as United Fruit, Chiquita Banana, Anaconda, various oil giants, mining companies, and financial institutions we have gone to bat for tin horn dictators in Iran, Cuba, Chile, Cambodia and in other places to numerous to name here.  Even the Mafia found support in the efforts to prop up the fascist pig Batista against communist pig Castro.

Sure does look blue outside today....

Reversal of Fortune.....Ohio Democrat in tight battle for Congress in generally GOP territory.

Check here to see the Fox News Channel’s coverage tonight of the OH-05 special as seen on Brit Hume Special Report. Go here, http://www.foxnews.com/specialreport/index.html, then scroll down to “as seen on special report.”

Volunteer today for Robin’s Virtual Phonebank. It is easy to do and you can call from virtually anywhere.  Contact Jason at phonebank4robin@gmail.com to sign up for Robin’s Virtual Phonebank!

An update from Robin:

Polls are open from 6:30am - 7:30pm. Please be sure to be in line by 7:30pm, and don’t forget to bring ID!

Find your polling place: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sosapps/elections/pollinglocationquery.aspx

As our Senator Sherrod Brown said this weekend, if you can get 5 people to vote today, it will actually matter. Please, contact your neighbors, friends and family and make sure they vote today too.

Let’s go vote!

P.S. If you want to volunteer for my campaign today, please stop by the office anytime at 116 S. Main, Bowling Green or call 419-352-1583. To sign up for phonebanking from home, email phonebank4robin@gmail.com.

Also on the Weirauch front:

Joe Wilson blogs for Weirauch at Huff Post:

Honest leadership matters. As you may know, there is a special election in Ohio on December 11th to decide who will represent a large portion of this key swing state in Congress. We have the opportunity to make sure that an honest and respectable community leader, Robin Weirauch, holds this seat--and ensure that the Republican Party doesn’t have another vote to take away our rights, prolong a failed war and promote their agenda in Iran. Robin will hold Republican’s accountable for engaging in personal attacks that endanger our national security and our reputation in the world.

Republicans abandon Latta:

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) has no plans to campaign in his home state for GOP state Rep. Bob Latta, who is facing a competitive fight to hold a solidly Republican seat in a special election next Tuesday.

Go Robin.