Frightened for the future of Ohio, and my own.

[ArchTeryx]

I must say that this morning's Columbus Dispatch was a 1-2-3 gut punch for me, the likes of which I have never read before. Not even after the election.

First, the lead article describes just how in the tank the economy is in this state. While that doesn't affect me right now, it will when I graduate from Ohio State with my PhD and start looking for work.

Second, the snippet from Insight describing the radical-right shift in the Ohio Supreme Court in the last 12 years, corresponding to the period of biggest economic decline.

And finally, most frightening, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights that Ken Blackwell is proposing, which would force radical cuts in state services, decimate Ohio State and quite possibly threaten my ability to get my degree. Here's a snip from the Dispatch about it:

Blackwell’s plan would gut services for Ohioans
Sunday, January 23, 2005
JOE HALLETT

Nothing would be more just than if J. Kenneth Blackwell were elected to run the government he threatens to ruin.

The Ohio secretary of state is running for governor on a platform that ultimately might render him the most unpopular chief executive in Ohio history. It is worse than gimmicky. It is dangerous to the health and welfare of Ohio’s citizens.

Before he holds one more fund-raiser, issues one more press release or appears on one more TV show in his quest for the governor’s office, the ubiquitous Blackwell has an obligation to answer one question:

How would you cut $8.5 billion out of state spending?

Would you close state prisons and allow felons to go free?

Would you pull the plug on state support for universities, thus requiring students to pay the full cost of tuition and forgo the 48 percent share the state now pays?

Would you close the state’s parks?

Would you close local libraries?

Would you scrap the program which provides in-home care for thousands of elderly Ohioans?

Would you eliminate the local government fund and tell Columbus and other cities they’re going to have to lay off police and firefighters?

If, Secretary Blackwell, you did all of that, you would save $4.7 billion. You still would have to find another $3.8 billion to cut.

Would you, then, close many of Ohio’s schools, crowding children into fewer of them?

Would you slash Medicaid and deny medical care for poor children...?

I can hardly wait to get my degree and get the hell off this sinking ship.

-- ArchTeryx