CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Republican candidate for governor of Ohio has diagnosed the mental condition of his own political party. John Kasich says it has an insane batch of officeholders. His actual words are "some Republicans lost their minds." He pinpointed the insanity bout as starting in 2002. He did not offer any names of those afflicted, but said those who lost their minds wrecked the economy. Kasich rendered his opinion in November during a campaign swing in Marietta, and liked it so much he has posted it on his blog. This is the link: http://blog.kasichforohio.com/?p=1024 In case it disappears, the Bellwether will print the verbatim text:
Kasich pointed to his service as chairman of the U.S. House Budget Committee in the mid-1990s as an example of the fiscal leadership he has provided.
“We balanced the budget in 1995 (Fiscal 1996), with a large surplus,” he said. “And between 1995 and 2002, before some Republicans lost their minds, the country was pretty prosperous, people had money to spend.”
He said that changed when politicians began spending the surplus monies on pet projects for their own districts.
Kasich's flub was to blame the Republicans for the fact that the country isn't prosperous these days, and that the party's fiscal insanity is the true reason for the economic mess Ohio and the nation are facing. As he runs for Ohio governor in the months ahead, how can Kasich possibly pin responsibility on Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, who was elected in 2006? Kasich says he knows the cause -- Republicans who lost their minds. He should start revealing the names. One is led to wonder: Could Rob Portman be among them? Portman is running for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination in Ohio, and served in the House until 2005 representing OH-02 near Cincinnati. Portman gave up the OH-02 seat to join the George W. Bush Administration as trade rep and budget director.
Bill, Kasich is right. Republican leaders like Jon Husted and Kevin DeWine voted for Bob Taft's sales tax increase and an increase in the gas tax.
ReplyDeleteRepublicans were in charge for 16 years, what did they do to eliminate collective bargaining, or reduce state spending?
Look at how much the budget grew under Republican rule in the State of Ohio.
If Kasich is right, then why is he a Republican? If they are nuts and he is sane, why doesn't he check out of the asylum? It seems to me that Kasich is on the same page as Michael Steele, the Republican National Committee Chairman, who has doubts about hsi party's ability to govern. Kasich ought to name names of those he thinks lost their sanity. Who is on the list? Steve Chabot? Jean Schmidt? Who are the Republicans that are off their rockers?
ReplyDeleteWelcome back to the blogging, pedantic yellow shirt guy with a beard!
ReplyDelete