Ohio voters look set to dump Republicans' anti-union law

[L. Coyote]

Some good news!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-ohio-20111105,0,3371048.story


Reporting from Hanoverton, Ohio—
An aggressive Republican drive to weaken the labor rights of government workers appears to have crested, at least in Ohio, where voters are expected to throw out a far-reaching anti-union law this week.

The referendum over collective bargaining for public employees, potentially the most important contest in off-year elections around the nation, is being closely watched for clues about shifting voter trends in a state expected to play its usual outsized role in next year's presidential contest.

Barely seven months ago, newly elected Gov. John Kasich joined other Republican governors, including Wisconsin's Scott Walker, in defying angry street demonstrations to push through a measure designed to curb the power of public-employee unions.

Tuesday's vote "will reverberate in a major way across the country ......

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I really hope so!

Kasich is a first-rate bastard for doing this, and so many other awful things to Ohio.

This is a very important race.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

2. I Can Tell You What I See

I live in Columbus, and I can tell you that this horseshit bill is going DOWN in a big way. How do I know this? Because everywhere I look, all over town, and even in my Republican-leaning neighborhood, there is NOTHING but "No on Issue 2" signs and stickers and flyers. I think I MAY have seen ONE "Yes on Issue 2" sign in this entire town. This "We Are Ohio" group (the big anti-SB 5 group) is really doing a great job of getting the message out. I have "Vote No on 2" people coming to my door and leaving flyers almost every other day, and I've already told them that I support their cause.

I'd like to personally thank John Kasuck for turning some very reliable Republican voting blocs against him and his fellow Republicans. It will be one of the big reasons why Ohio will go more blue this year and help to re-elect Obama next year. It will also be the reason why Kasuck will be a one-term Governor (although I have a theory that Kasuck never INTENDED to be re-elected in the first place--his entire goal was to push through a far right agenda that would essentially destroy Ohio and then run off to some high-paying consulting job in D.C. while Ohio burns).

Don't think the fight is over, though. Kasuck said a few months ago that even though SB 5 (Issue 2) will likely be voted down, he's going to turn right around and sneak its provisions into budget bills that he will propose next year and get what he wants anyway. We have to stay vigilant on this one.

[Motown_Johnny]

4. I lived in Columbus a while, it seems to be far more liberal than most of the state

Not that I don't think this anti union crap is going to be defeated, I do. I am just not sure if Columbus is an accurate representation of the entire state.

[L. Coyote]

11. thanks

[BlueCaliDem]

3. I've only known Kasich from Fuks News. I was AMAZED people in Ohio

voted for him for governor.

It's as if Ed Schultz would run for governor in, say, Washington, and then win!

I'm still flabbergasted that in 2010 the American people were as stupid as they were to have voted for any Republican after twelve years of Republican micromanagement of government, whether it was because they decided to stay home because their feelings were hurt, or because they actually cast their vote for those clowns.

For the life of me, I can't understand how that was even possible. I believed we were smarter than that.

[femrap]

5. Why did Ohioans

NOT SHOW AND VOTE FOR DEMS?????? Look at Obama and that is your answer.

He got everyone's 'hopes' up about 'change' and then fucked up and gave us more of the same. Dems did not GOTV in Ohio...

Kasuck won only by a slight margin and Cleveland was the problem.

And you have a lot of nerve...sitting in lovely S. CA. and pointing your nice and warm finger at Ohio.

And may I remind you....you CA folks elected Raygun as Governor....which led to his AMAZING presidency. So don't tell me who is smart/dumb.

Oh, and didn't you have a RECALL AND ELECT THE TERMINATOR???????????????????

:dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce:

[madmom]

10. I live in Ohio and I also say I can't believe how stupid Ohioans were to vote in kasich after all

the years of taft corruption, years of republican rule has ruined this state and then voters ask for more No they (I did vote democratic) are NOT smarter than that!:banghead:

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[OhioChick]

7. I haven't seen any "Yes on Issue 2" yard signs n/t

[IamK]

8. either way public employees are screwed.....

if it goes "yes" the unions are screwed, if it goes "no" the state employees are facing massive (25%+) layoffs... there is not a good scenario..

[ChoppinBroccoli]

13. Republican Scare-Tactic Talking Point

Complete B.S. Not gonna happen. There have been towns that have tried to pull it off (laying off/scaling back public employees just to make a point) and it backfired on them horribly. My hometown, the town where I grew up, tried to lay off police officers (to the point where they only had 2 active police officers on patrol at any one time), and the Republican official who OK'd it got tossed out of office resoundingly.

My wife is a public employee, and she knows her job is safe. This talking point that they're going to have to lay off public employees is nothing but a scare tactic. They wouldn't dare. The money can be found in one of 100 other places, and the public knows it. Maybe Kasuck should start by scaling back the massive pay raises he gave his own staff.

[truth2power]

9. Please, please, let it happen! Vote "No" on issue 2....

I'm in Cincinnati and I'm not as optimistic as the OP about the defeat of this atrocity. I just hope the people are smart enough this time around, after electing that schmuck, to do the right thing.

Oh Pleez!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. I hope they do, for all our sakes

[Archae]

14. Rachel Maddow went into a lot of detail about this.

She included the 1958 union-busting bill that got the GOP voted out of all but ONE office, Secretary of State.

Kasich is scared, and rightfully so.

If the vote is overwhelming against his union-busting, his political career is over.

[UTUSN]

15. Any results tonight (11-8) ? n/t