One Party Rule - Ohio Style

I think Wall Street got it right. The best of times is when there is divided government and government does nothing. And that holds at any level of government. In Ohio, Republicans control the entire state, from the Ohio Supreme Court all the way down to most county governments. Ohio is about as red as a red state can be.

But some of the stuff going on in Columbus is even raising my Republican eyebrow. The change that Governor Kasich is attempting to implement in Ohio with his Republican House and Senate is every bit as profound as what Obama tried to do during the first two years of his term with his one party rule of extreme leftists on Capitol Hill.

The Columbus Dispatch gave a summary of some of the things currently being processed out of Senate committees onto the floor for a vote.

1) A bill to eliminate the Ohio estate tax. Pro: There are only a few states left in the Union that have a state estate tax. Most Ohioans with money retire to Florida renouncing their Ohio citizenship often taking their businesses with them. It may actually cost the state money with the flight of the wealthy. Con: The Ohio estate tax is a primary source of income to local government, but especially to townships which have limited ability to raise money by some other means. In Ohio, if your estate is over $332,000.00, you are assets are taxed at a rate of 7%.

2) A bill to privatize the Ohio’s Economic Development Program by creating a non-profit corporation to take the helm. Pro: What we had wasn’t working. Con: Freddie and Fannie…Amtrak…and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

3) A bill to give back to the schools the two calamity days eliminated by the Strickland administration. Pro: We live in Ohio. Talk to folks in Geauga and Ashtabula Counties. Con: There is none. The elimination of the two days was the Strickland plan to improve Ohio education. Most stupid thing I have ever seen.

4) A bill to allow those with concealed weapon licenses to bring guns into bars. Pro: Huh? Con: Are they nuts?

5) A bill to alter the collective bargaining rights of public employees in Ohio. Pro: Those bad public employees are screwing the tax payer. Con: It isn’t the law, but the elected officials who caved to every demand made by public employees. Collective bargaining means that both sides have to bargain!!!!! See Opinion.

This is just the beginning. We have all heard Obama say he wants to fundamentally change America. Well, we know how that worked out. Kasich has said the same thing about Ohio state government. Let’s all hold our collective breath.