Around Ohio

The federal “CARS” trade-in program (known commonly as “cash for clunkers”) might actually be helping Ohio.  How?

By clearing excess car manufacturers’ inventories and forcing them to crank up factories that make parts and assemble new cars and trucks.  Many of these factories are in Ohio.

So why is the Senate “debating” putting 2 billion more bucks into the program?

2 billion?  After the trillions the feds have thrown around, 2 billion is lunch money.

Funny how there’s always billions to throw around on bank bailouts and auto executives, but when the little guy might get a buck it has to be “debated.”

CARS is stimulating the auto industry. And now that Uncle Sam owns half of the American auto industry, wouldn’t Congress consider that a good thing?

Your Buckeye, John Kazalia.

Amazing! The man who said gambling is not the answer to Ohio’s economic problems now supports gambling at Ohio’s racetracks. You can read more about it here:

Strickland Supports Gambling

Funny how morality takes a back seat when your state–and your political career–are sliding down the drain.

Now Mr. Strickland, why couldn’t we have done this years ago? How much revenue has the state of Ohio lost over the years? While I did oppose this type of gambling in Ohio years ago, my eyes were opened when I realized how many people I know gamble anyway. They drive to Wheeling, Indiana, wherever. They do it online. They take gambling cruises. They do it in their neighbor’s garage. Ohio hasn’t been preventing anything, just losing out on bringing in revenue from it.

And how are you going to do it now that the voters of Ohio have turned it down? It will be interesting to see how they “repackage” this to get around that.

Hmm…I’m beginning to think that the best way to save Ohio is to vote Strickland out of office.

Your Buckeye, John Kazalia.

Based upon this article, I would have to say yes:

Truth About Cars

The crisis in the American automotive industry is having profound negative effects upon the Ohio economy. I hear folks support the Washington bailout because it will, hopefully, save jobs and American industry. I hear folks oppose the bailout because we are supposed to be a free-market economy and business should live or die on its’ own.

While I tend to agree with the latter, I can understand both. But I cannot understand the logic in supporting GM, then boycotting it because Obama is the one who wants it to be saved.

If you were supporting GM before, wouldn’t you want it to be saved? And even if Limbaugh changed his mind, who would use this logic? So if a Republican president saved GM, he would be for it?

Nuts. This kind of blind partisanship is what is wrong with America. Ohio, along with the rest of the nation, needs solutions. Who thought of it is hardly the issue.

Your Buckeye, John Kazalia.

I had to laugh when I saw this:

Strickland Not to Blame for Ohio Job Losses.

Not so much because Strickland said it, because the article comments that Strickland has been in office for 3 years.

Really?!? Has it been that long? And what has Strickland accomplished in that three years?

[sound of crickets chirping]

To be fair, Strickland isn’t responsible for GM and Chrysler’s problems and he can’t prevent NCR from leaving the state. But what has he done otherwise? Not much except some silly proposal to increase the number of days schools are in session.

Really? When school funding is being cut and voters are reticent to pass levies, you want to increase their expenses? Get real.

Strickland’s Turn Around Ohio plan was supposed to stop Ohio from “circling the drain.” But we’re turning around the drain faster than ever. How many things on this plan have really happened? Not many.

Governor, you may not responsible for GM, Chrysler, NCR, and DHL, but what have you done to make Ohio a better place in three years?

I remember hearing that saying a lot while growing up in Toledo in the 1970s.  It makes me wonder:  now that Detroit is on life support, what does that mean for Toledo, and for the rest of the state?

The old adage comes, of course, from Toledo’s role as a supplier of parts to the then “Big 3″ Detroit automakers.  Now when we read of GM, Ford, and Chrysler plant closings, an Ohio plant is almost invariably on the list.

Now some may say, “what do you care, Mr. Hyundai driver?”  Well, I do care, but it is all much more complicated than that.
(more…)