Ohio.......Issues of Importance - Democratic Underground

NoBushSpokenHere

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Fri Feb-22-08 10:11 PM
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Ohio.......Issues of Importance

Just in case you were pondering what is important to people in Ohio . . .

Long ago, in some back room somewhere in Ohio a decision was made to turn Ohio red through vote eating machines. Republicans donated money to the local Democratic Parties because they had enough of George W. Bush. They openly declared they would not vote for him again and many said they would no longer vote Republican. Voters stood in record numbers to vote for John Kerry. They knew if they turned out in record numbers, Ohio would again be blue and John Kerry would be President. They knew the election results were cooked, they knew Ohio had been stolen. They turned on the news to find people like Carville blaming Kerry's loss on a poor campaign. Rumors in Ohio were the DLC had made a pact with the Republicans the election results would not be contested. Many volunteered to recount the votes with the Green Party. Imagine their surprise when the recount began showing countless problems such as more ballots than people signed into the poll books, tabulation errors, etc., the list goes on. And imagine their surprise when the recount was brought to an abrupt halt prior to completion in all 88 counties. The recount workers saw the proof, but because it was stopped, they had little evidence. The voters knew. They knew the election was a hoax. Anyone with half a brain knew.

Along came election of 2006, with people in key positions ready to watch and catch them in the act of stealing our votes again. Didn't happen. Ohio finally rid itself of the Republicans in power. Ohio also hoped the vote eating machines would be tossed out just like the Republicans. They weren't.

In the meantime, Ohio has lost job after job. Foreclosures have been at record highs for the past 6 or so years. Families losing homes are living in substandard housing, if they are lucky. Vacant homes everywhere, with homeless people sleeping in them without heat. Food lines are becoming longer with each passing week. Crime is on the upswing, people stealing metal out of homes (copper lines, siding, etc.) to sell for money. Drug use is increasing and people are yearning for some sort of health care. Personally I know two people who died from not having insurance. They could not afford to go to the Doctor, and knew they were in dire need of doing so. Existing businesses are scraping to get by.

News reports tell us the prime lending crisis led to all the foreclosures. While it has had an affect, people in Ohio know it was more to do with the job loss, the lack of insurance, the bad workers compensation policies. People cannot get workers compensation here in Ohio, claims turned down, etc. over the past 7 years. This while Republican Noe swindled millions from the workers compensation fund.

Many wrote letters to Congress about the election fraud, job loss, insurance crisis, etc. Not many in Washington listened to the disenfranchised voters of Ohio. People abandoned hope which led to more drug use, alcoholism and crime. Those who have jobs are driving an hour or more to work for low wages. They cannot afford the gas it takes to make the journey, so they charge it to their high interest credit card and wonder how long they can survive.

Ohio elected a wonderful man as Governor, Ted Strickland. They know if anything can be done for Ohio, it's Ted that can do it. They also know he cannot work miracles without the support of Congress and the President.

Ted is campaigning for Hillary. He says she will listen to him as President and that he can get things accomplished for Ohio with her cooperation. Even though Ted is well respected in our state, people do not feel as confident about the her as Ted does. Ohio remembers NAFTA - whether Hillary supported it or not, they know that Bill did. They haven't forgotten it, with each factory closing, with each pink slip, they have remembered NAFTA. They have also remembered reaching out to Congress for help with their elections, and they remember the Congressional members that reacted and remember those that didn't.

I believe Ohio is ready for Obamas message, but the message needs to be clear for Ohioans. Already I have heard criticism of his tv ad which I thought was excellent about not giving tax breaks to those companies that move out but to give companies tax breaks for staying in America. This message is getting lost in Ohio. They hear "Tax Breaks to Companies" and don't realize or believe this will directly help them. You have to remember, Ohio is the state of lost hope, and when people lose hope, it takes more to wake them.

I understand Hillary's ads are not appealing to the poor or middle class of Ohioans. She is appearing to be too superior to them. It's alot different standing in food line, scraping for quarters to buy milk than to be wearing an expensive dress.

Personally, I do not think Hillary will win in Ohio, but I have little confidence in our election system.