Health care a priority for Ohio, Strickland says

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http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1137576909235941.xml&coll=2

-- U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland said that if he were elected governor he would use his Washington connections to push for a national health-care system that increases Ohioans' access to medical care.

"I am absolutely convinced that we need a national health-care system," Strickland said Tuesday after a news conference at which he picked up an endorsement from a union of health-care workers.

"When someone like me says that, the tendency is to think I am talking about a Canadian-style payer system," he said.

"But the funding mechanism we use to reach universal coverage is not as important to me as it is to reach that" type of system...


Ney’s ouster no slam dunk for the Dems

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/011806/news3.html

Democrats are salivating about the prospects of unseating Rep. Bob Ney in November, but they face a surprising number of obstacles in ousting a member who could be indicted in the coming months.

Ney, the embattled Ohio Republican who stepped down Monday as chairman of the House Administration Committee amid corruption charges, remains popular at home and primed for reelection, local Republicans say.

The sixth-term congressman has $600,000 in his campaign coffers, the support of numerous county GOP chairmen and conservative activists, and a positive image among voters, according to a poll being touted by state party leaders.

State GOP Chairman Bob Bennett would not identify the group that conducted the poll — the results have yet to be made public — but maintained that they reflect deep support for the congressman, state Republican spokesman John McClelland said...



State legislators try to iron out election-reform bill

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060118/NEWS24/601180439/-1/NEWS

COLUMBUS - The House and Senate yesterday took a step toward resolving differences over a controversial election-reform bill by naming their conference committee members.

But the most controversial aspect of the bill, requiring voters to show some form of identification before casting a ballot, won't be on the table for discussion.

"It amazes me how it doesn't even include a military ID," newly sworn-in House Minority Leader Joyce Beatty (D., Columbus) said.

"We can send our young folks to fight across the waters, and they can't come in and use their ID ."...