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Monday, June 29, 2009
Mike Turner’s constitutional amendment
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner wants to amend the constitution to keep the United States government from owning stock in corporations.
Turner is the lead co-sponsor of “Preserving Capitalism in America” amendment in the U.S. House of Representatives, which so far has 102 cosponsors.
He said the federal government has reached beyond the original intent of lawmakers, particularly with the Troubled Asset Relief Program, and cites government intervention into GM as an example. “;A majority of Americans oppose the government take-over of the auto manufacturers and want the government out as soon as possible,” Turner said. “Just as troubling as the government’s rapid control over private industry, is its failure to present an exit strategy.” Eight states currently have constitutional prohibitions against government investment in private corporations. Those states are Arkansas, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia. Turner said a constitutional amendment would ”guarantee that the government could not gain control of private enterprise and place our capitalist system at risk.”
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Interim state budget gets Senate OK; disagreement on slots persists
The Ohio Senate voted 32-0 on Monday, June 29, for a seven-day interim state budget and the House is expected to go along on Tuesday.
However, there appeared to be no room for compromise between Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, on video slot machines at racetracks.
Strickland told reporters he wants the legislature to give him authority to set up the slots.
“I’m not going to do it,” Harris said after the vote.
Strickland projects the slots will raise $933 million over two years to balance the new budget.
Most other issues have been settled, Harris and Strickland said.
Asked if libraries would take the deep cuts proposed by Strickland, Harris said:
“Hopefully they do not.”
It also appeared that Strickland will get at least part of his “evidence-based” model for overhauling K-12 education. Harris said the budget would be a “win-win” in education, indicating both sides will get something.
A meeting of the House-Senate budget conference committee scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday was cancelled.
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Boehner uses bathroom expletive to describe climate change bill
House Minority Leader John Boehner, occasionally prone to bouts of alarming frankness for an elected leader, was asked by Capitol Hill newspaper why he read portions of the climate change bill Friday night.
Boehner, R-West Chester, told reporter Molly Hooper that he did it because Americans deserve to know what’s in “this pile of s—t.”
Language, language!
Read the full story here.
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Updated with Strickland comments -Vote set on interim state budget
The Ohio Senate on Monday, June 29, is expected to approve a seven-day interim state budget. The House is expected to give its approval on Tuesday, June 30.
The interim budget is necessary because lawmakers and Gov. Ted Strickland have not reached agreement on a permanent two-year state budget and the new fiscal year starts Wednesday, July 1.
While going along with the seven-day plan, Strickland said he and lawmakers should stay at work until they reach agreement on a final budget. They should skip July 4 parades and celebrations, he said.
Spending for most agencies in the interim budget will be based on 70 percent of current spending levels, “which is generally consistent with the levels of spending both chambers are working toward as part of a two-year budget,” Maggie Ostrowski, spokeswoman for Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, said in an e-mail.
However, debt service and big-ticket spending items such as basic state support for K-12 education and higher education will be exempt from what amounts to a 30 percent cut.
The interim budget also will authorize the governor to use the “rainy day fund” to help balance the budget for the last two days of this year.
The budget would run through Tuesday, July 7.
Harris continues to be at odds with Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and the Democratic-led House over Strickland’s plan to raise an estimated $933 million through video slots at Ohio racetracks.
Strickland wants legislative authority for the slots. Harris said Strickland can do it unilaterally by expanding the Ohio Lottery. Harris also doesn’t want the legislature to authorize a gambling plan without a vote of the people.
Voters have rejected gambling proposals four times since 1990.
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Washington Post profiles Portman
Former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, the presumptive Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010, was profiled in The Washington Post this morning. Read the article here.
