Division I regional track finals
Fenwick graduation 2012
Ponitz graduation 2012
Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2010 > March > 23
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Ohio senator to introduce legislation challenging health care bill
State Sen. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, on Wednesday, March 24, is set to unveil legislation that would prohibit requiring individuals to obtain health insurance policies.
Jones and Sen. Tim Grendell, R-Chesterland, have scheduled a news conference to discuss the legislation which would undo part of the historic health care bill signed into law by President Barack Obama.
Grendell, with Jones as a cosponsor, already has proposed a constitutional amendment similar to the legislation being introduced Wednesday. The idea is to work both on a constitutional amendment and a state law, said Jones.
Grendell and Jones are trying to put the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot by a vote of the legislature while Tea Party activists have started a campaign to get a similar amendment on the ballot by gathering signatures from registered voters.
“We’re advancing on all kinds of tracks,” Jones said.
Permalink | Comments (84) | Post your comment |
Jones drives and tweets. At the same time?
Democrats are accusing state Sen. Shannon Jones of tweeting while driving on the eve of a House vote on a bill that would ban such dangerous activity.
Jones, R-Springboro, sent out three text messages using Twitter between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 23, and arrived in Columbus for legislative meetings around 10 a.m. but Jones said the 9 a.m. messages were sent while she stopped for gas.
“I was driving. Period. And then I was tweeting. Both of those things happened but not at the same time,” Jones said.
Jones, who is critical of the Strickland administration’s plan to bring passenger rail to Ohio, tweeted: “Sshhhh… Don’t tell anyone but I’m driving twice as fast on 71 to Columbus as Strickland’s slow speed rail.” and “Even my soccer mom mobile can far exceed slow rail speeds.”
State Rep. Nancy Garland, D-New Albany, who is sponsoring a bill to ban texting while driving, scolded Jones.
“She obviously enjoys engaging in social media, but sending a text message while driving is not appropriate,” Garland said. “Texting while driving is dangerous and I would hope Sen. Jones would set a better example. Perhaps when my texting bill gets to the Senate, she will take the time to understand the potential consequences of distracted driving.”
The American Automobile Association recently found that someone sending a text message is 50 percent more likely to be in an accident.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment |
Kasich leads Strickland in new poll, 42-37%
Republican challenger John Kasich leads incumbent Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, 42-37 percent among Ohio voters in a poll released on Tuesday, March 23 by Public Policy Polling of Raleigh, N.C.
Kasich, a former U.S. House member from suburban Columbus and former Lehman Bros. investment banker, has the lead even though 50 percent of those in the poll said they didn’t know enough about him to have an opinion. Of the 50 percent who did know Kasich, 25 percent held a favorable opinion and 24 percent saw him negatively.
“Those usually aren’t the kinds of popularity numbers we see for someone leading an incumbent,” the poll analysis said.
The analysis added: “Strickland, though is an unusually popular incumbent.” The poll found 33 percent of voter approved of his job performance, while 47 percent disapproved.
“If you’re a politician right now, if you’re an incumbent, you’re not a popular guy. That’s pretty much universal,” Dean Debnam, Public Policy Polling president, said.
So far the election is a referendum on Strickland, the analysis said.
“One of the reasons Kasich is this far ahead is (that) he’s not Strickland,” said Debnam.
The poll was taken on Saturday, March 20, through Sunday, March 21, with 630 Ohio voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percent.
Permalink | Comments (25) | Post your comment |
Legislation aims to cut college textbook costs
Two Democratic Ohio House members on Tuesday, March 23, unveiled legislation aimed at cutting the cost of college textbooks.
“We must make the dream of attending college a reality for more Ohioans,” Rep. Matt Lundy of Elyria, who is a joint sponsor of the proposal with Rep. Matt Patten of Strongsville, said at a press conference.
Their proposal would: promote the use of e-book technology; require bulk purchasing programs for universities; improve book resale options for students and provide publishing requirements to aid students with disabilities, said Lundy
E-books in some cases cost just 52 percent of what printed books cost, said Lundy.
The bill would provide a two-year timetable for complying with the e-book requirements and publishing requirements for students with disabilities, said Lundy.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment |
Lake County GOP endorses Morgan in auditor’s race
The Lake County Republican Party in northeastern Ohio endorsed state Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights, for the GOP nomination for state auditor on Monday, March 22, Morgan’s campaign announced.
“The momentum and groundswell of support for Seth Morgan is astounding,” Rob Scott, Morgan’s campaign spokesman, said in a press release.
Morgan is running for the nomination against Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost.
