U.stream Test

Video streaming by Ustream

Live Blog Test

Version 4a

Version 3.0

Test GOP Feed

Test D

Did Zach Space think we wouldn't notice? Is he not aware that this is the Information Age with this crazy thing called the Internet? Well, he's been caught violating his campaign pledge to not accept donations from lobbyists.

The Majority Accountability Project exposes the details in this piece but here are the highlights:

U.S. Representative Zack Space, D-OH, who “pledged to not accept contributions from lobbyists,” has taken at least $4250 from Washington, DC, lobbyists and lobby firms, according to his most recent financial disclosure filed with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), and a review by the Majority Accountability Project.

Space’s quarterly campaign statement, made public by the FEC on July 15, reports he received $1,000 each from the Political Action Committees (PAC) of Patton Boggs and Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal, and $500 from Van Ness Feldman. Space also reported receiving $1750 in contributions from four attorneys with Squires Sanders & Dempsey.

All four firms boast of substantial lobbying before the United States Congress on issues ranging from energy and telecommunications to Indian gaming and pharmaceutical interests.

Space also received $1,000 from the Democratic Freshman PAC, the controversial political action committee headed by a longtime Washington, DC, rainmaker. Another lobbyist associated with that PAC was recently forced out, after majorityap.com noted he had been accused of using his prowess as a campaign fundraiser to gain access to members of Congress.

Worse, the Ohio Democrat reports receiving more than $382,420 in donations from political action committees since the beginning of the year, representing a host of special interests. The majority of those special interests have full-time lobbyists who, as a rule, personally present checks from those PACs at events attended by members of Congress, such as Space.

Zack, you signed the pledge, why can't you keep your word?

Test C

In the comments to this post about E. J. Dionne absurd puff piece on Gov. Strickland, Joe C. writes:

Yes, the incompetent Ohio GOP abetted Gov. Mulligan as far as the budget went by not crediting the Legis-TEL compromise,

This is an excellent point... LegisTEL probably does deserve a LOT of the credit for the "success" of the budget's "fiscal responsibility" and not Strickland.

the surplus created by accelerating the tax rate cuts, and not exposing the creative budget accounting or price-fixing of health care and education. However, people are missing the strategy behind all this - win the presidency in '08!

I'm not so sure that Ohio Democrats are that shrewd... This sort of thinking is reminiscent of the nonsense the lefties spewed about that genius Karl Rove...

The Dems are not going to do ANYTHING that will upset Ohio voters until 2009. That is why "2-year Ted" was tolerated by the leftists, accepted by "moderates", and protected by the Media - his personality is so benign yet starved for validity and his ideology so malleable that he can be easily manipulated - except when it comes to GLBT "rights". He is their Trojan Horse, and they know that they can make him dance whenever they need.

Now, there is some truth to this... Which is why I think it so important for the Ohio GOP to "force" some errors on the part of Stickland and Company. We have to keep the pressure on...

Assuming the Dems win the Presidency in '08 (Voinovich will be a lamer duck by then for '10), look for TS to be "cut loose" in 2009, when he is no longer strategically important. After that, we will see an attempted leftist coup of Ohio, when they'll have a structural electoral advantage. At that time, TS will be told to toe the party line or step down for someone ideologically purer in 2010. His thirst for relevance will require that he assent - puppet-like.

A lot of "ifs" there...

For the next 2 years, Strickland will govern as Clinton from 95-96 after the Repubs saved him (and us) from '93-94 by voting down all of his (i.e. Hillary's) lame-brained ideas. They didn't care about losing the Congress (it was all about them), he just didn't do anything that would upset the apple cart until after the presidential election. In the mean time, he took credit for anything good that happened - regardless of the reasons (the economy, Medicaid reform) - and blamed the Republicans (or previous administrations) for anything bad (terrorism, uninsured, homelessness). After all, he had the Media (as Strickland does) to back him up by validating the action line for him.

This does seem to be the strategy... Take DataGate, for example, what did the lefties use: Taft did it. We'll see how much longer that excuse works...

Until the Ohio GOP and RNC decide to return to what worked from '94 to -02, I'm afraid that Ohio will become bluer (along with conservatives) as we run headlong to MI/NJ status economically. "Taxin' Ted" won't show up for 2 more years, but by then, it will be too late.

I agree that we need to get back to idea-centered politics, particularly here in Ohio...

Test B

I got to thinking about the unemployment numbers for Ohio and starting taking a look around at the surrounding states and this is what I have discovered:



It would appear that with the exception of Michigan, the rest of the states that border Ohio are right around the national average. That should tell us something...

Now here is the same map with business climate:



Thoughts?

Test A

Comparison of Bills Signed Into Law:

Democratic Congress – 48

Iraqi Parliament – 53

Number of Post Offices Signed Into Law:

Democratic Congress – 12

Iraqi Parliament – 00

Just, you know, saying...

Get more information from the Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Rep. Ros-Lehtinen here.

Test Six

The inaugural poll on Butler County Bugle deals with the proposed smoking ban exemption for cigar bars in Ohio. Head on over to the Bugle and cast your vote.

Test Five

From Yahoo News:

Latino leaders and faith-based organizations want Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to disconnect the hotline he created for people to report information about undocumented immigrants, saying it raises the chance of racial profiling.

But Arpaio said Wednesday that he won't disconnect the hotline and stressed that deputies would investigate people only if authorities had probable cause.

The hotline began last Friday and has received about 300 messages, which include tips about family and friends, employment, day laborers, drop houses and crank calls.

Arpaio said officials are analyzing the tips and officials have not acted on any of the calls.

Why not have us shut down every phone line to the police department to report crime?

Arpaio is my second most favorite sheriff in America right behind Butler County's own Sheriff Jones. Our sheriff blogs!

Test Four

This editorial in the Intelligencer is a must read for Strickland fans...

Gov. Ted Strickland apparently believes that Ohioans’ elected representatives in the General Assembly cannot be counted upon to do the right thing in regard to some important issues. Unionization of home health care and child care workers is an example: Instead of allowing legislators to debate and decide the question — perhaps with input from those on both sides of it — Strickland has issued what amounts to his own “law.”

An executive order issued by the governor a few days ago grants collective bargaining rights to home child care and health care workers. After hearing of the order, the powerful — sometimes radical — Service Employees International Union announced that it will begin efforts to unionize the approximately 7,000 home health care workers in Ohio.

Yes, that would be the same SEIU that reportedly has contributed about $1.6 million to Strickland and the Ohio Democratic Party.

Strickland insists that he was just doing the right thing, that unionization will improve the quality of people in the home health care and home child care industries. He neglected to mention the probability that unionization will mean higher costs for those who have to depend upon home health care and home child care workers.

But the bottom line on Strickland’s action is that he apparently didn’t trust legislators — and through them, the people of Ohio — to decide whether the unionization move was desirable. Or, perhaps, he worried that lawmakers wouldn’t share his viewpoint on the issue.

Either way, the governor is out of line in usurping power that most Ohioans believe should not reside in the chief executive’s office.

Emphasis added.

Absolutely right on target... If West Virginians can see this, why can't Ohioans?

Test Three

Earlier this week, I wrote about this story out of Dayton about the Right to Life group that planned on wearing t-shirts with their logo on them to the polls. Turns out that there was a little bit more to that story than what the ePluribus Media and Dayton Daily News articles let on...namely that the idea didn't come from the group but rather the Montgomery County Board of Elections as a marketing gimmick to get people to work on Election Day.

Today, the Toldeo Blade editorializes that Jennifer Brunner should step in and disallow the commercialization of the "Day of Democracy" and ban all logos. I agree that this practice should stop. The Blade goes on to say that they'd be taking this position if a pro-abortion group like Planned Parenthood were in on this too and I would like to believe that, but where was the high and mighty Toldeo Blade when the unions were wearing their shirts to work the polls? As usual, you couldn't find them with a search warrant...

Test Two

I noted this Canton Repository piece yesterday's WMD Blast, but our friends at the Ohio GOP noticed something that I missed:

The party chairman said Brunner wanted county Democratic parties to select attorneys to fill spots on county boards of elections — to help counter purported legal maneuvers by Republican board members to suppress the Democratic vote. The board always has two Democrats and two Republicans.

To which Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine replied:

“Jennifer Brunner should apologize to these honest, law-abiding public officials who took an oath to uphold the integrity of Ohio’s election system,” said DeWine. “Her actions do nothing to build confidence in what has historically been a very fair and bipartisan process. If she has knowledge of illegal election activity, she should report it immediately to the authorities. Unfortunately, this is nothing but a cover for an attempt by Democrats to litigate elections.”

Brunner continues to prove herself to be the most partisan Secretary of State in the history of the great state of Ohio. And once again, we see another Democrat who campaigned on one thing and has delivered the exact opposite. What a disgrace...

UPDATE: No, I didn't get the press release from the Ohio GOP that OHpols.com got, why do you ask???

Test One

Sheri Hammel reports for WCPO that Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor (R) isn't satisfied with just making sure that cities like Dayton are audit ready, she wants Ohio's charter schools in good shape as well:

The Ohio Auditor is getting tough on charter schools that can't get their books straight.
Charter school leaders from southwest Ohio got the warning from Auditor Mary Taylor during a training session Tuesday.

The sessions are meant to teach the schools state rules about finance and budgeting.

According to Taylor, one in four charter school audits turn up problems, mostly procedural mistakes.

25% is a rather large number... I've said it before and I'll say it again, if these schools can't get their act together, they shouldn't be allowed to stay open. I really like the alternative that charters provide to the pathetic public schools, but there really does need to be some standards applied to these schools to make sure that they are on top of their game. Mary Taylor seems up to the task of at least making sure that the money is being spent properly.

WMD Blast Test

TIB Network News:

BLOGS: I'm restarting my experiment in local blogging... Greater Dayton and Miami Valley stuff will now be featured at Gem City Journal and Hamilton/Fairfield/West Chester stuff will be found at Butler County Bugle. Don't worry, the important national and state stuff will still be found right here at WMD. If you are interested in participating in either of these experiments, please let me know...the more the merrier.

RADIO: The TIB Radio All-Stars Show will air its second live episode on Saturday night starting at 7PM Eastern. Tom Blumer of BizzyBlog is back on TIB Radio for a second week in a row!

AP News Alerts:

9:00 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) The Commerce Department reports that orders for big-ticket manufactured goods rose 1.4 percent in June, the best showing in three months.

I blame Bush.

10:53 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) The government reports that sales of new homes fell by 6.6 percent in June, the biggest decline in five months.

I blame Pelosi.

12:10 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) Senate Democrats call for a special counsel to investigate whether Attorney General Alberto Gonzales perjured himself regarding dissent over President Bush's domestic surveillance program.

A new day, yet another call for an investigation from the Democrats. Is this Congress ever going to get around to doing something?

1:50 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy says he will subpoena White House political adviser Karl Rove to testify about the firings of federal prosecutors.

Good thing that the important things have been handled... This will go nowhere... Aren't there some judges that need to be confirmed???

2:50 PM

NEW YORK (AP) The Dow Jones industrial average has fallen 400 points.

I blame Reid.

4:05 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) The FBI director has told Congress the Bush administration's terrorist surveillance program was the topic of a 2004 hospital room dispute, contradicting Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Better get Patrick Fitzgerald on the case immediately...somebody has a faulty memory in DeeCee...the Democrats have a lawyer for that.

Links:

Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner -- has an op-ed in The Hill today. Get the link from the Butler County Bugle...

The Dayton Daily News reports on the lastest finding that shows Montgomery County in third place for national job decline. Get the link and my commentary over at Gem City Journal.

BizzyBlog reports that tech unemployment rate is actually lower than previously reported. As usual, I blame Bush...

YouTube Test

Podcast Test

Click here

Test 4

Test 3

Test 2

Test

Test Post for 2nd Blogaversary

Test test test

One
Two
Three

Test test test

New Template

So...what do you think of this template?

WMD Test

This is a test of the Haloscan Auto Trackback feature.

Pessimism Update

Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao:

"Our economy has experienced 11 straight months of job growth, with 1.5 million jobs created since last August. Today's news shows that the unemployment rate has declined in four regions and in 49 states over the last year while nonfarm employment increased in 46 states and the District of Columbia. These results show that the President's economic policies are working, but more needs to be done. Congress needs to act on the President's proposals to further strengthen the economy by reducing wasteful litigation, providing more access to health insurance for small businesses and making permanent tax relief for working families."

Worst economy since the Great Depression. Heh. Indeed.

John Kerry Delenda Est!

Chad and Phil's Work?

From MSNBC:

John Kerry, Bob Kerrey. It’s easy to get confused.

At least that’s how the Kerry campaign is explaining claims that Kerry — the Democratic presidential candidate — served as vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Oops. Make that Bob Kerrey — the former Democratic senator from Nebraska who did serve as the panel’s vice chairman.

In news releases and postings on Kerry’s campaign Web site as recently as last Friday, the Massachusetts senator is touted as the panel’s former vice chairman. However, according to the Senate Historical Office, Kerry never had the seniority to hold a leadership position on the committee — though he was a member from 1993 until 2001.

They don't even know their candidate.

Update

Blogs for Bush has additional coverage of this story.

Another Update

Confirmed. This was Chad and Phil's work...

John Kerry Delenda Est!

War on Terror Militant Islam Update

The good guys are using charm as a "weapon" in Afghanistan.

Finding friends is a worthy goal...and I agree with the avoidance of the Vietnam-era "Hearts and Minds" crap. This is a pretty complex situation, but I know our guys have what it takes to get the job done right.

And here is an update on the "battle of ideas" within Islam.

John Kerry Delenda Est!

Test Post

This is only a test of the emergency WMD Backup system.

Test Post

This is only a test post of the emergency WMD Backup system.