A shift happened this midterm election, and no one can really doubt that the people were looking for change. However, this shift, given the ability of some Republicans to hold on, does not appear to be a large one. Voters were dissatisfied, but the results showed that they may not expect to feel any more satisfied with Democratic control. There is something temporary about this backlash. This week, Ohio became a blue state, but come 2008, Ohio will be a bitter battleground once again. Republicans are down, but they are not out.

We hope that those able to vote in Ohio will turn out and do their homework. Even if the Ohio voting process might have some kinks to be worked out, one cannot let that detour them from voting all together. Ohio officials will have done as much as they can to ensure the proper count of all the votes.

It is hard to tell where the pulled campaign funds will be deverted to, but the Democratic lean continues to build across the United States according to charts on CNN.com.

Ohio was the first state to have their senator supported by the RNC.  This questions rumors of Republicans giving up on Ohio, reporting they already are satisfied with the extent of campaigning.

With elections in one week, the races could not be any closer.

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Pryce’s woes are just another example of the Republicans facing a nation-wide battle to defend themselves and their policies. In the years the Republicans have had to govern, the public has not been satisfied. The fact that an uninspiring Democrat, spouting canned criticisms, can defeat Pryce shows that Ohio is simply tired of the way things are. They want a change. Any change.

In previous Presidential elections, Ohio has played an important role in Republican victories. With a strong Democratic win coming up, Ohio will move from a battleground to a strong Democratic stronghold. Republicans are on the verge of losing one of the most important states for the race in 2008.

It is widely known that Republicans have given up on Ohio and have begun to divert what were Ohio campaign funds into other states.  Democrats rejoice as projected polls show several House seats, which for many years were held by Republicans, to have shifted blue this coming election.   

What can Ohio Republicans attribute this change of heart to?  Perhaps the surfacing of scandal after scandal by Republican representatives can be seen as the major perpetrator.  Democrats have a cornucopia of choices to portray Republican abuse and incompetence.  The major scandal taken advantage of by the Democrats is thanks to Bob Ney, recently found guilty of his crimes.

When CNN sources poll 70% of Ohioans viewing the way state and federal government issues are being handled as wrong, it is blatantly apparent the urgency Republicans are facing in November.  Full Story

Jennifer Duffy, from the Cook Political Report in Washington, says Duffy is the 3rd most in-danger Senate encumbant. Numbers 1 & 2 are also Republicans. The party can’t seem to get out from under scandal after scandal, and now the funding is starting to show that Republicans are expecting some big losses next month. Ohio will likely see a decided blue shift come election day unless the Republicans can pull off a PR miracle.

Ney’s admits to accepting campaign contributions, expensive meals, travel, gambling chips, and other various items in exchange for political pull in the lobbyists favor.  Not only was Ney and the Ohio Republicans taking full advantage of the political power and various “benefits”, but alcoholism seams to also have been a favorite hobby of the congressmen. 

Ohioans have to wonder what they are voting to represent.  A representative actively pursuing the needs of his people, or a party so corrupt that soon more scandals may arise therefore completely smacking the voters in the face?  The stakes are high on a federal level for the Republicans this November.  They seem to be losing many small battles.  Several weeks will tell if it was enough for Democrats to win the war.

To view the full Washington Post article click here.

“The state’s unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in August, significantly higher than the 4.7 percent national rate. Ohio’s median household income in 2005 was $43,493 – $2,749 less than the national median of $46,242. Ohio has about 150,000 fewer nonfarm jobs than in January 2001. In manufacturing, the numbers are worse: The state has lost about 195,000 manufacturing jobs since the start of 2001 – a fifth of its total.”

Both candidates agree on promoting new high-tech and energy jobs along with finding ways to help business cope with escalating health insurance costs.

The former Ohio treasurer, Blackwell, says Ohio’s tax burden is too high with cumbersome regulations and currently has weak laws, attracting many nuisance lawsuits. He would like to decrease taxes, (a statement NO politician could go wrong with), have less stringent regulations, and create stronger laws to discourage lawsuits. He has various ideas as to how to do all this, including eliminating the estate tax and lease the Ohio Turnpike to private investors.

Strickland believes the problems lie more with poor investment into the state’s education system. He would like to state private accounts for parents to use for their children’s college tuition. The state would place $500 in the account the first year with $100 each year after. There is no way I could see a proposal like this ever getting passed in any state. While the idea is nice and could definitely help children and parents deal with the rising cost of college, NO WAY would all the politicians and various interest groups allow a plan like this to go into action. This program would get completely lost and ruined in any government run system. Parents should have the responsibility to START a savings account and not need the government to hold their hands.

He also proposes spending $100 million dollars on preschool programs. He would like to start various “micro-incubator” programs for people to bring ideas for various businesses. An idea like this might work as the Rochester Institute of Technology has a program called the High Tech Incubator (http://www.venturecreations.org/) like this to help people with their ideas. With this, Strickland would like to set aside $250 million dollars for the program.

Both Senate candidates also realize the importance of these topics. They are not offering detailed plans, but ensure the public they can save existing jobs and create new ones while sitting on the Hill in DC. Sherrod Brown (D) would like to fight for trade policies to protect jobs in Ohio that would ban the import of goods made in sweatshops or by prison labor. Mike DeWine (R) – Incumbent supports his trade deals saying expanding trade with other countries has allowed the Ohio job market to grow. DeWine also points to his seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee saying he has helped bring money to Ohio and will even more if elected again.

Overall, it seems to me these four politicians have a good handle on exactly what the public wants to hear. None of these are promises, but I would see them as “pipe dreams” to get the people of Ohio worked up about and have them vote for that candidate. The people of Ohio have to take what is said with a grain of salt and realize these candidates might be able to deliver TEN PERCENT of what their mouths are actually saying.

The FULL ARTICLE can be read at the Plain Dealer site, part of Cleveland.com

Since there is no critical split of votes I do not feel this will have any impact for the Republicans in November.

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