Posted on:
September 14, 2011
I have been busy off line and so not posting much here. I apologize but life intrudes.
But I wanted to take a moment to post what may be the best editorial cartoon of the year.
That brings some holiday cheer to my heart.
Have a better cartoon this year? Leave a comment with a link.
Posted on:
December 22, 2010
Dec
18
Kevin Boyce stops falling upward; seeks soft landing
- Image by ProgressOhio via Flickr
Let’s be honest, OK? Wunderkind Kevin Boyce was pushed up the ladder a little too far. Let us turn to the source of all truth on the interweb, Wikipedia:
In 1998 he was Charleta B. Tavares’ campaign manager in her unsuccessful bid for Ohio Secretary of State. He was also Chief of Staff for the minority caucus of the Ohio House of Representatives from January 1999 to September 2000.[5][6] On September 11, 2000 he was appointed to the city council after Ransier resigned. He ran for a position in the council for one of three open seats; he successfully gained the seat on November 6, 2001. He ran again for council on November 8, 2005 to serve another four-year term.[6]
Boyce served as the council’s President Pro Tem and Chairman of the Finance and Zoning Committees in early January 2009.[7] In December 2008 it was announced that Governor Ted Strickland had appointed Boyce as Ohio State Treasurer to replace Richard Cordray, who was elected to the vacant Ohio Attorney General post.[1] He was sworn into office on January 8, 2009.[4] Boyce ran for his position for the first time during the 2010 midterm elections against Republican challenger Josh Mandel. Boyce lost the election with 40.2 percent of the vote.[8]
A few terms on city council and he is suddenly ready to be a state wide office holder? Um, no. I don’t think anyone was surprised at his loss this past November, GOP wave or not.
Well, it appears Mr. Boyce is seeking to return to his old stomping grounds:
If Kevin L. Boyce is appointed to the Columbus City Council next month, he’ll immediately have more experience in the job than any of the other council members.
[...]
Yesterday, Boyce was nearly the last of 49 people to file an application for one of two open City Council seats. But his name was one of the first that Democrats had mentioned on election night as a potential replacement for Councilwoman Charleta B. Tavares, who won a seat in the state Senate that night.
This actually makes a lot of sense. Columbus City Council prefers not to deal with that messy thing called democracy and voters seem uninterested – or unable – to change the culture of the council. So Boyce can return and avoid the awkwardness he felt November 2.
Dec
16
Elections have consequences: Tim Ryan edition
Image by House Committee on Education and Labor via Flickr
In this case, enjoyable consequences. It appears “U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan is in serious jeopardy of losing his seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee.”
Ryan of Niles, D-17th, ranks 30th in seniority among the current 37 Democratic members of the committee. Seven Democrats won’t return in January either through retirement or losing re-election bids, placing Ryan at No. 23.
Republicans currently have 23 members on the committee. With Republicans taking control of the House next month, the two parties will switch the number of members each has on committees.
But incoming Speaker of the House John Boehner, a Republican, plans to cut the number of seats on House committees by nearly 10 percent. That’s two less Democratic spots on appropriations: one of them probably Ryan.
The less Tim Ryan has to do with US policy making – and appropriations – the better as far as I am concerned. Since his district seems intent on electing him keeping him away from important committees is the next best thing.
Dec
16
GOP Senators-Elect Oppose Democrat Omnibus spending bill
Image via Wikipedia
And they have sent a letter to Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell to that effect:
Leader Reid and Leader McConnell:
As Senators-Elect and a Senator, we stand united in opposition to the current effort in Congress to pass yet another unseen bill, loaded with wasteful spending.
In November, the American people clearly rejected Congressional action on bloated spending bills that are pushed through at the last minute that few, if any people, have read. Americans rejected massive spending bills, wasteful spending and business as usual in Washington.
We look forward to supporting a disciplined, transparent process that does not rush a 1,900+ page Omnibus Appropriations bill through Congress without opportunity for debate or amendment. The misguided Omnibus Appropriations bill should be rejected in favor of a short-term Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government operational until the 112th Congress with its new mandate in place.
Please reject the effort to pass both the Omnibus and the full-year Continuing Resolution. Come January, we stand ready to fight for fiscal responsibility, spending cuts and budget restrictions that will get our nation back on track. Adoption of a short-term measure will give us an opportunity to confront these spending issues early next year, as the voters demanded.
Sincerely,
Senator Mark Kirk (IL)
Senator-Elect Rand Paul (KY)
Senator-Elect Kelly Ayotte (NH)
Senator-Elect Pat Toomey (PA)
Senator-Elect Roy Blunt (MO)
Senator-Elect Marco Rubio (FL)
Senator-Elect John Hoeven (ND)
Senator-Elect Ron Johnson (WI)
Senator-Elect Mike Lee (UT)
Senator-Elect Rob Portman (OH)
Senator-Elect John Boozman (AR)
Senator-Elect Dan Coats (IN)
Senator-Elect Jerry Moran (KS)
Does this have an impact on the debate? Not sure. But that is a pretty wide range of ideological perspective and unity in opposition is symbolic of something.
