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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > April > 21 > Entry
Editorial: Austria better for Republicans in Greene, Clark
2010 Election
It wouldn’t be an election without John Mitchel on the ballot.
The retired Air Force officer from Beavercreek has been running for something almost every two years since his first major bid for office in 1998, when he ran for governor as a Reform Party candidate.
(Remember third- party presidential candidate Ross Perot? That was his party.)
Since then, he has run, as a Republican, for the U.S. Senate, and also against former U.S. Rep. David Hobson — twice. Now this year will be his second run against Congressman Steve Austria, who represents Greene and Clark counties.
Give the guy credit for persistence.
But he’s still the neophyte that he was in 1998, when he had 20,000 copies of his school funding plan printed.
In 2004, when asked what he wanted to do in the Senate, he said:
“My first act if elected to the Senate would be to lobby the president to sign an executive order to declare the unborn innocent ‘persons,’ thus giving them the full protection of the Fifth Amendment.”
Mr. Mitchel, 62, opposes the Obama health care initiative, the Obama stimulus, the bank bailout under former President George W. Bush, and he supports the (unworkable) FairTax plan, which would eliminate the federal income tax, substituting a sales tax.
He also charges that Greene and Clark counties are steeped in cronyism that results in sweetheart deals for Republican insiders.
Congressman Austria is completing his first term in Washington. He was effectively handpicked by Rep. Hobson to replace him when he retired; Rep. Austria’s wife was on the congressman’s staff.
Previously, Rep. Austria served 10 years in the Ohio Senate.
As a freshman in the minority party, Rep. Austria could hardly be expected to make a big impact. In fact, though, he did get national attention for telling the Columbus Dispatch, in a discussion about his opposition to the Obama stimulus, that Franklin Roosevelt caused the Great Depression (which, of course, began way before the president was elected).
In talking about his job, Rep. Austria emphasizes constituent service, which, of course, does come with the position. But it is the most routine part of it.
He’s much less comfortable taking tough positions. He rarely diverges from his party, although he did vote for the administration’s Cash for Clunkers program.
He said he was persuaded by auto dealers that some of them would go out of business without this incentive.
On the other hand, Rep. Austria opposed the $787 billion stimulus program, without which unemployment would be immeasurably higher, and he is critical of the Bush bank bailout (that occurred before Mr. Austria went to Congress).
(Many economists believe that the bank and insurance failures that surely would have ensued without the Bush administration’s intervention could have pushed the country toward a Depression.)
Rep. Austria has refused to support earmarks, even though that was one way former Rep. Hobson made sure that Wright-Patterson Air Force Base got some of the improvements and commitments it needed sooner rather than later.
Rep. Austria was, for a while, reconsidering that position; then all the Republicans in the House said they wanted a moratorium.
It’ll be too bad if important advocacy for the base falls to U.S. Rep. Mike Turner and Ohio’s U.S. senators alone. That would be copping out, for political convenience.
Rep. Austria doesn’t face a serious challenge this year and is unlikely to any time soon unless he really fumbles. He’s cautious, so he’s not a disaster waiting to happen.
For the privilege of that job security, he really does need to seize the important platform he has. He has work to do to grow into an aggressive advocate for the region and for the issues he cares most about.
Letters candidates submitted from their supporters are here.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: 2010 endorsements, Editorials, Ellen Belcher, Miami Valley Politics, National Politics, National government, Ohio politics, Wright Patterson Air Force Base
Comments
By JustCan'tHelpYourself
April 21, 2010 4:41 PM | Link to this
DDN just can’t stick to describing the candidate’s views without inserting its (largely ignorant of the facts) editorial position. See how it works?
By Foster
April 21, 2010 5:01 PM | Link to this
I don’t understand why you people go back to 2004 to describe a candidate when he is running 6 years later. This whole “endorsement” oped series is a scam. Only incumbents and cronies are endorsed - nobody of substance is mentioned or encouraged to run. Way to go DDN!
By karon
April 21, 2010 7:32 PM | Link to this
These wealthy people oppose anything because they dont wont there taxes raised! Wealthy americans Do not create jobs they only like there tax breaks!
By Mike R
April 22, 2010 1:16 AM | Link to this
First of all, Karon, those “wealthy people” are mainly small business owners who pay taxes at the individual rate. Since 1970 almost 80% of all new jobs created are from small businesses. Secondly, it’s “THEIR” taxes raised and “THEIR” tax breaks. Pronoun. And “American’s” should always be capitalized. Anyhow, thanks for reciting Obama’s hate rhetoric against America’s job creators—between you and the DDN we are hearing it loud and clear!
By Mike R
April 22, 2010 2:25 PM | Link to this
This is just a terrible editorial and it appears the person who wrote this is a bitter person—bitter towards anyone who isn’t a Left-Wing ideologue. For full disclosure, I’m not a Mitchel supporter and probably never will be. However, after reading this I bet more people will vote for him now than if the DDN hadn’t mocked him. As far as Mr. Mitchel wanting to protect unborn babies via the 5th Amendment that’s not an idea unique to him. In fact, since Roe vs. Wade many people throughout the country believe abortion is a violation of the 5th. To go a step further, there’s a whole organization of DEMOCRATS who are pro-life. There are more than 20 members in Congress who belong to DFLA with Bart Stupak the prominent voice. Now, I don’t know Ellen Belcher and if she’s the one who wrote this article and if she’s a promiscuous person who believes abortion is just a form of birth control then I can understand her point—though I and many many others don’t condone such behavior. Taxes…Yes, taxes. The DDN is completely wrong with their assessment that the Fair Tax plan is “unworkable.” That’s just not factually correct as either the Fair Tax or a Flat Tax could be implemented much easier than ObamaCare and that’s just the plain truth. The DDN is being intentionally dishonest about Austria’s comment saying FDR started the depression. The day after that interview the Columbus Dispatch reported that Austria clarified his remarks. This next point is very important. There were at least 4 depressions in the U.S. before the Great Depression averaging in length of just over 4 years. FDR’s policies made the Great Depression last for 10 years (over twice as long as average) and it probably would have been even longer if it weren’t for World War II. Here’s another part where the DDN is intellectually dishonest. They say without the now $800+ BILLION stimulus unemployment would be immeasurably higher! REALLY! Print the data you have showing just how high unemployment would be! Would it be 11%? Oh, wait, that’s Ohio’s current unemployment figure. Would it be 13%? Oh, that’s California’s figure (12.8%) or would it be 15%? Oh, darn, that’s Michigan’s rate (14.9%). So what actually is “immeasurably higher” unemployment? 20% like Spain? 25%? Or, maybe it’s the current 10.2% (not seasonally adjusted) rate we have now after OBAMA PROMISED it wouldn’t go OVER 8% if the stimulus bill passed!! Ah…Good ole Earmarks! Austria doesn’t support earmarks and you make that sound bad. I guess you think the Gov’t can spend (waste) your money better than you. I bet if Alaska went ahead and built the “bridge to nowhere” you would have editorialized just how terrible that is. Of course, you can’t hide your venom for Palin—after all she’s now representing a 3rd Party—Good God—sort like the Reform Party Mr. Mitchel joined!
By fortressdayton
April 22, 2010 4:30 PM | Link to this
Worthless editorial.
By Ice Bandit
April 22, 2010 9:43 PM | Link to this
Again, why is the house organ for the Democrat National Committee, also known as the Dayton Daily News, endorsing Republicans? Perhaps this rag would have a little more street cred if one of the editors wasn’t (literally) in bed with a local DNC potentate…
By Mike R
April 23, 2010 2:21 PM | Link to this
I wouldn’t classify this as an endorsement—just a few back-handed compliments to Austria.
By Endorsements
April 24, 2010 11:27 PM | Link to this
“Austria better” makes it an endorsement.