Weapons of Mass Discussion

Is August the Month of Slaby Syndrome?

2008-08-20T18:37:00.003-04:00

This just in from the Cincinnati Enquirer:

EAST PRICE HILL-- An 11-month-old child was found dead this afternoon in a car outside the main building on the campus of Cincinnati Christian University on Glenway Avenue in Price Hill.

Cincinnati Police Lt. Mark Briede said the female child was left in the car by her mother, who worked at the school.

Sgt. Joe Briede of the homicide unit said the mother called 911 about 4:30 p.m. to report the child was dead in the car seat in the back of the car. The child was believed to have been in the car since this morning.

The Hamilton County coroner's office and homicide investigators are on the scene.

Investigators were planning to interview the parents at the Criminal Investigations Section downtown.

We at WMD followed with disgust the story of Brenda Slaby, the so-called educator who left her own child to die while shuttling donuts into her staff at Glen Este Middle School. Slaby was found not guilty despite a history of neglect documented by day cares and others, and was paid to leave her job as principal with a six figure settlement. We note as the Enquirer does:

Last August, a 2-year-old child died after she was left inside a hot car for nearly eight hours while her mother went to work at Glen Este Middle School.

The mother, Brenda Nesselroad-Slaby said she forgot the child was in the car. No charges were filed.

Will we now be deluged with commercials about this to raise "awareness" of what should be common sense---DON'T LEAVE YOUR BABY IN THE CAR!!!!!!!!!!

Sad, truly sad....

Butler County: Zettler Sticks Nose in to Seniors Surplus; Still Running Negative

2008-08-20T13:30:00.004-04:00

Intrepid reporter Josh has posted a letter from Jack Zettler being negative, as usual. While I agree that the surplus ought to be refunded to the taxpayers, this sort of rhetoric is not welcome or necessary:

“The surplus money collected is not the elected official’s found treasure to be squandered on their next pet project or to be used to hire more of their friends and relatives,” Zettler said in a prepared statement.

This is politics as usual and not change we can believe in...

Hey, Jack, you are running for Auditor -- against the better qualified and better mannered Roger Reynolds -- not County Commissioner... I'm just saying...

OH-16: "D.C. Power Bosses Insult Voters In 16th District"

2008-08-20T13:12:00.002-04:00

This just in...

CANTON - Once again, an outside group is trying to exert its influence in the 16th Congressional District race.

This time it took the form of a direct mail piece put out by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

"This is very unfortunate and misleading," said Sen. Kirk Schuring.

"Senator Boccieri ought to denounce these tactics immediately and join me in asking third parties to stay out of this race."

Senator Schuring on three previous occasions has denounced third-party attack ads.

Here are some facts the DCCC attack machine conveniently left out:

Their attack says Sen. Schuring voted to raise his own pay $9,000 per year in 2000.

Fact: Senator Schuring did not accept the money and has not taken a pay raise since February 2003. In fact, he's the lowest paid Senator in Ohio and has not accepted more than $24,000 in earned compensation.

Their attack says Sen. Schuring voted to raise gas taxes, costing Ohio families $250 million per year.

Fact: Senator Schuring's vote was actually part of the overall transportation budget that created jobs and brought critical improvements to U.S. Highway 30 and Interstates 77 and 71. These three arteries are critical links to the transportation of goods and raw materials that move in and out of the 16th Congressional District.

"This is another example of how broken Washington has become. They don't understand the needs of our citizens. Local businesses here in the district were overwhelmingly in favor of this budget because of the way it improved Ohio's transportation system. This bill was an effort to boost our economy and create jobs," Schuring said.

"Its not surprising that someone from Youngstown wouldn't understand the important issues facing people in the 16th District. Perhaps if Senator Boccieri were from the district, he'd understand these issues a little better," said Schuring Campaign Manager PJ Wenzel.

Ohio Update

2008-08-20T10:08:00.007-04:00

08POTUS: Rasmussen reports their latest poll is awarding the Great State of Ohio to John Sidney McCain. The Republican hasn't quite hit 50% yet, so we still have a LOT of work to do...

OH-07: Sharen Neuhardt (D) and State Rep. Steve Austria (R) squared off at a debate in Bremen at the Chamber of Commerce. The Lancaster Eagle Gazette has the play by play and reax.

REP. TUBBS-JONES: Our thoughts and prayers are with Rep. Tubbs-Jones as she battles back against a massive aneurysm. The news doesn't sound very good at all. UPDATE: Rep. Tubbs-Jones has past away. Godspeed. I don't think I agreed with her on much, but she served her country with honor; and for that I celebrate her life and salute her for having the courage to be a leader. UPDATE 2: OhioMediaGuide is now saying that at the family press conference, they are saying that the Congresswoman has NOT died. UPDATE 3: The Cleveland Clinic has stated that Rep. Tubbs-Jones has died. Here is a statement from Republican Leader John Boehner:

"Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones was a passionate representative who worked tirelessly to make Cleveland a better place for her constituents. Working out of neighboring offices in the Longworth House Office Building, Stephanie and I forged a friendship out of our shared belief that one person can make a difference. We were friends who, through the years, shared many laughs even as we engaged in legislative battles from opposite sides of the political aisle.

"Ohio and our nation have suffered a great and unexpected loss today. My thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and constituents."

MORE OHIO NEWS AND VIEWS AS THEY COME AVAILABLE...

Montgomery County Dems Cry "Wolf!" in Publicity Stunt Aimed at Rep. Turner

2008-08-20T09:10:00.004-04:00

HT: OhioMedia Guide

The Dayton Daily Democrat told the whole story for a change. The far leftist rag Mother Jones accused Rep. Turner of failing to disclose an income source of his wife, which might have been a violation of the Ethics in Government Act. Unfortunately for Mother Jones, Jane Mitakides, and the Montgomery County Democratic Party, Rep. Turner DID properly disclose the relationship as this DDN excerpt shows:

In response, Turner sent the Dayton Daily News a letter from Turner's lawyer, Martin Foos of Faruki Ireland & Cox, confirming that Peebles Homes of Beavercreek was a subsidiary of Turner Effect.

He also solicited an opinion from Stan Simpson, counsel for the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct for the U.S. House of Representatives, indicating that Turner need not have disclosed the subsidiary.

"The manner in which "Turner Effect" is disclosed on your Member's report satisfies the disclosure requirements, even assuming that the company owns a subsidiary," Simpson wrote.

An ethics watchdog confirmed it.

"The rules don't require Congressman Turner to disclose his wife's subsidiary," said Naomi Seligman, a spokeswoman for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a government watchdog group.

If those uber-liberals at CREW sign off on it, then the Montgomery County Democrats seriously blew the call...

As usual, this is another in a series of actions undertaken by Ohio Democratic parties that overplay the Culture of Corruption angle. Note to Chris Redfern and pals (like Jack Zettler): This isn't 2006...

OH-02 Update

2008-08-20T08:32:00.002-04:00

This came in from the Krikorian campaign sometime yesterday. I finally stopped laughing long enough to post it...

IndependentPoliticalReport.com has just ranked David Krikorian within the top 5 independent/third-party candidates of 2008 nationwide.

IndependentPoliticalReport.com
Article - August 15, 2008
IPR correspondent Trent Hill

Top 10 independent/third-party candidates of 2008: Bird, Pollina, Sheehan lead the way
Excerpt:

"4.) David Krikorian is an independent candidate for Congress in Ohio's 2nd district. He entered the race polling 13.4%, has polled as high as 26.5% in one county and 16.7% in another, and has raised $150,000. Krikorian will face Republican incumbent Jean Schmidt and Democratic challenger Victoria Wulsin on Election Day."

IndependentPoliticalReport.com Article...

This November 4th, David Krikorian plans to make history by defeating his Republican and Democratic opponents sending a clear message to the parties that America has "had enough".

David Krikorian is a family man and Cincinnati-based business owner. He is not a professional politician and doesn't plan to spend the rest of his life in Washington. Like most Americans, David has seen enough partisan bickering, and too little in the way of creative and effective solutions to the issues and challenges ordinary Americans face every day. He has simply "had enough" of politics as usual, and he is doing something about it. David's campaign is not accepting contributions from PACs or special interest groups. When elected, David, a true Independent, will only be accountable to the people.

If David Krikorian is ranked in the top five independents in this cycle, it is going to be a particularly BRUTAL cycle for independents...

And not to be outdone, Vic Wulsin's communications director sent out this laugher:

Last week, Jean Schmidt's campaign had this to say to the website PolitickerOH:

Pfaff said Democrats are desperately launching attacks on Schmidt, who will “trounce” Dr. Vic Wulsin (D-Indian Hill) on Election Day.

“This is a red herring from the Democrats because they have the weakest candidate in the country,” he said of Wulsin, adding that their attacks are “baseless and juvenile” and lower public discourse.

Wow. Talk about lowering public discourse!

If you disagree with Schmidt's spokesperson, help Vic Wulsin fight back by giving $95 right now.

Schmidt's taxpayer-funded campaign spokesperson was responding to a press release issued by the Clermont County Democratic Party last week. The Clermont Dems found out that Jean Schmidt paid only 95$ in taxes on a 47 acre piece of property that could be worth as much as $4 million.

That's right. She paid $95 in taxes on a $4 million property.

Help defeat Jean Schmidt by donating $95 to Vic Wulsin today!

Apparently, Schmidt pays next to nothing in taxes by using a loop-hole intended for small family farmers, even though Schmidt's business is a commercial real estate development company. As Clermont County Democratic Party Chair Dave Lane says, something sounds "fishy."

Politicians in Washington just don't think they need to play by the same rules we live by. And unfortunately for families in Southern Ohio, Jean Schmidt is just another dishonest politician.

We know that Vic Wulsin is different. Vic Wulsin says she is tired of politicians putting themselves first, putting money first and putting special interests first.

Vic Wulsin will stand up for what is right in Washington and put Southern Ohio families first.

Vic needs your help to fight Jean Schmidt's smears and spread her positive message that government should be accountable to the people again, but she needs your help. Can you give $95 help send Vic Wulsin to Congress?

Thanks,

Kevin Franck
Communications Director
Wulsin for Congress

Do you smell that? That, my friends, is the smell of desperation in Camp Wulsin...

Why Won't Republicans Go All In?

2008-08-20T08:08:00.003-04:00

There is a very fascinating article in CQ Politics this morning that everyone who is a lover of freedom and individual rights ought to read. Poker players know this already, but the GOP has not been doing its part to advocate individual freedom here at home. Instead, they have caved to social conservatives who want to ban everything they deem to be sinful.

Poker pro Greg Raymer says it best in the article:

“My point is simple. Is the Republican Party no longer the party of personal freedom and individual responsibility?” wrote Greg Raymer, a professional player who won the 2004 World Series of Poker. “Why has this party, that used to protect my rights, now become the party that wants to create a nanny-state?”

It is an embarrassment that the Democrats have been leading the charge on this. The GOP should really get its act together and work this out.

The Poker Players Alliance is doing their part...they are using the GOP Convention's Platform Committee website to urge a change in direction.

The Difference Between Losers (Bengals) and Winners (New England)

2008-08-19T17:20:00.004-04:00

I don't blame Marvin Lewis anymore, especially after he just got his legs cut off and the stinkface treatment by Mike Brown (a WWE reference, see Rakishi). He was a highly sought after defensive coach, intense, and on fire. But he has spent half a decade in ~~football hell~~ Bengals land, so he has had to drink the koolaid which sterilizes men and makes them turn into Mike Brown and Alan Cutler. Here is what Lewis had to say about the 27/10 Bengals loss Sunday:

"I was pleased that we did some things we set out to do,"Marvin Lewis said "We controlled the line of scrimmage and effectively ran the football.

Carson Palmer wasn't always a loser. He was a great winner. He won the Heisman, I do believe, and contended for a few national titles at USC. However, even he has been drinking the sterilization punch:

" I'm not concerned at all. I'm confident in the guys we have. The guys we have will prove themselves in game situations, and we just didn't do the things we wanted to do tonight," said Carson Palmer.
"We had some mistakes that obviously need to be corrected," Lewis said. "But we did some things we came in here to do."
"I'd be worried if we were playing Baltimore on Sunday, but we've still got some time," Palmer said

And why shouldn't we worry? Is it that 10 year streak of making the playoffs? Nope. Is it that continued 20 year run of winning seasons? Ouch. I know, it must be that solid offensive line...Eeek...Wait, the solid play of the defensive secondary? Ick....Hmmm.....

Now, contrast the loser, pathetic joke of an organization that has not won in decades, has no tradition of winning things other than convictions and lawyer fees; and a winning, tradition bound organization like New England. Here is what New England, who by the way were the team of this decade, won at least one Super Bowl (can Chris Henry spell Super Bowl?), and actually take players in and make citizens of them (see Dillon, Corey; and Moss, Randy), as opposed to giving thugs their 8th chance; had to say about losing a preseason game:

We got a lot of [expletive] work to do," said linebacker Mike Vrabel.
"Well, I think it's pretty obvious that we've got a lot of work to do based on all three phases of the game," said coach Bill Belichick. It was a lot of little things, but those little things add up to big things. Start with me. We all have to do a better job."
"Yeah, I put a lot of stock in these games," defensive end Richard Seymour said. "We've got a lot of work to do."

Hmmm....an organization that is built on personal responsibility, vs. one that begged for a stadium promising a winner but only gives cancerous whiners like C. Johnson and disgusting druggie perverts like Chris Henry....

But, their sports talk guys are probably soft and not hardcore like Alan Cutler...right....

It starts with accountability. IF the owner won't do it, the fans have to. If the fans hold the ownership accountable, things can change again. That is what New England did. But, we are so starved here for winners we will accept damn near anything, especially if a disgusting fitness expert with his Mike Brown kneepads yells it into our ears.

A Contrast in Owner Attitudes...

2008-08-19T17:14:00.002-04:00

Mike Brown of the Bengals farts and craps in the faces of Bengals fans and common decency, and idiot shill sheep like Alan Cutler rejoice. Let's compare the rather idiotarian thinking of Brown with this gesture by Bob Castellini of the Reds:

Dear Fans,

Thank you for your loyalty and support of the Cincinnati Reds. You are extremely vital to the success of the Reds, and it is important we share with you the thinking behind our recent personnel decisions.

Since taking ownership of this franchise, we have aggressively tried to improve our Major League roster for the purpose of restoring championship baseball to Cincinnati. We have sought and signed proven players. We have extended the contracts of select current players. We added Dusty Baker, a proven winning manager. And, we have capitalized on our burgeoning younger players like Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Johnny Cueto.

We had high expectations for the 2008 season. Unfortunately the team has not played up to our expectations and we have sustained injuries to key players within our starting lineup and rotation.

We opted to trade Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn at this time because we believe it provided the best outcome for the long-term success of the organization. By executing these inevitable changes now, we secured more players as part of our focus towards building a deeper, stronger inventory of young talent.

We are pleased that the trades allow Griffey and Dunn the opportunity to play for teams in tight division races. Both Ken and Adam made significant contributions to the Reds and we are extremely proud and grateful they wore the Reds uniform.

While the run production generated by these two veterans will not be quickly replaced, we chose to endure the short-term ramifications for the sake of building a strong, competitive team for 2009 and many seasons to come.

The vast majority of our 50 draft picks were signed, culminating last week with first-rounder Yonder Alonso and a pair of talented pitchers. Our expanded scouting operations also signed Juan Duran from the Dominican Republic and Yorman Rodriguez from Venezuela, who are arguably the best amateur free agent position players from their respective countries.

As we near September, we will continue to provide valuable playing time to our young players and new acquisitions who we feel can become significant contributors at the Major League level. We ask your continued trust and patience as we build the roster that will get us back on top. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you at the ballpark.

Now, I know I have been hard on the Castellinis and Jocketty for trading Jr. However, this at least shows they are listening to the fans, who want something more than platitudes. But, the truth will be on the field and in leadership, not in letters on message boards or dollar hot dog days or free tickets. But, at least they did not bring back a known thug who bought liquor for under age girls, like the Bengals did and which Alan Cutler approves of.

Bengals and Chris Henry: Mike Brown Lies, Burns Coach and Alan Cutler Swears to It

2008-08-19T16:26:00.003-04:00

Noted Bengal jocksniffer and shill and spineless sad sack of spit Alan Cutler has a new thug jock to sniff for the Bengals: repeat offender, coming soon to a jail near you, Chris Henry. Here is the release from the Bengals:

The Bengals today signed free agent WR Chris Henry.
Henry (6-4, 200; West Virginia) is a fourth-year NFL player. He rejoins the Bengals after being released by Cincinnati on April 3 of this year. He played in 35 games with 11 starts for Cincinnati over the 2005-07 seasons, with 88 receptions for 1370 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Henry will be on a four-week NFL suspension to open the 2008 regular season, due to violation of the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy.
Henry is eligible as of today to join whatever team preseason activities are assigned to him by the coaching staff. He is eligible to play in the final two preseason games. His suspension will begin on Mon., Sept. 1, the start of the practice week for Cincinnati's Sept. 7 regular season opener. During the suspension, he will be held out of practices as well as Games 1-4. He may resume full activities on Mon., Sept. 29, the start of the practice week for Game 5, on Oct. 5 at Dallas.
A player with a history of off-field problems, Henry was released by the Bengals this spring after being charged with assault following an incident in Cincinnati. But charges against Henry were dropped after a trial resulted in a hung jury, with six of eight jurors voting to acquit him. Henry has no further matters pending in the courts.
The NFL placed Henry on indefinite suspension following the assault charge, but the suspension was subsequently revised to four games.

One piece missing from this release is the usual comment from the coach, Marvin Lewis. Every other release involvling player movement has some type of coach reaction. Not this one. That is telling, and it reeks of Mike Brown being an idiot again.

Alan Cutler, meanwhile, defended the decision. He said it was all about winning and that Henry gives us a better chance to win. Hmmm, I guess the first four games are cakewalks? Check the schedule. I don't think so. Also, defense and lack of tackling are the main problems. Is Chris Henry going to play Dline or linebacker? Is he going to replace Leon Hall and show us how to cover the deep ball? Hmm? Obviously, Cutler came to the radio this morning fresh from a kneepad session with Bengals owner Mike Brown. Cutler will berate the Reds, run solid citizens out of town, but he will shill for Mike Brown til the cows come home. Well, Cutman, let's see what people are saying about the move, shall we, you shill and morally bankrupt jocksniffer:

The head coach got trumped by an owner with a forgiving heart and a poor track record for assembling football teams. Marvin Lewis might coach the Bengals. He doesn’t run them.

That was Paul Daugherty, award winning reporter for the Enquirer and fellow sports talk host
But wait, there is more:

Chris Henry back to Cincinnati? Really? I guess Marvin Lewis isn't calling all the shots in Bengals-land.-Don Banks, CNNSI NFL writer

They can't be this stupid, can they?"
-NFL agent cited on Lance McAllister's blog

ProFootballTalk.com
That the Bengals would so quickly embrace Henry, even on a one-strike policy, tells us that, in Cincinnati, principle always will yield to the desire to win. It's precisely why the team has been infested by so many turds over the past several years.

Daugherty also says: It's hypocritical, fraudulent and lacks integrity.

If we had a class organization, they would not have a shameless idiotarian hack who kisses rear like Cutler on the air as the host of the Bengals radio network. If we had a class organization, we would stick to our guns. Both Brown and Lewis had this to say as late as July when the talk about resigning Henry was brought up:

ESPN, July 22
Marvin Lewis
"I'm not interested," Lewis told reporters Tuesday, before the team's annual preseason luncheon. "I don't think it would be productive for our football team. You have to be a productive part to be an NFL player, and there's responsibilities to being an NFL player. It's a privilege, it's not a right. There's a lot that comes with being an NFL football player."
Mike Brown
"That's all history now," Brown said. "We're going forward and trying to go forward with the kind of guys we can count on, the kind of guys who are not just good players but good citizens."

Marvin also said on July 27: We keep spending all this time on the knuckleheads instead of on the good guys; that's a problem," Marvin Lewis said. "When you spend all your time coaching knuckleheads and not spending the right amount of time with the right players in the right direction because you're putting out fires over here, putting out fires over there ... ."-Bengals.com, July 27

This tells me that Mike Brown, moron and proof the apple can fall off the planet, galaxies far from the tree, slapped his coach and cut his legs off to sign a thug and scumbag. Nice work, moron. Here is some video evidence of Brown lying.

And Alan Cutler makes excuses and talks about how this gives the Bengals a better chance to win...Again, will Chris Henry make a tackle? Will Chris Henry be able to stop the deep ball? Can Chris Henry play offensive line and give Palmer some time to pass? Will Henry not screw up again so he can actually show up and play? The answer to all but the last question is no. The answer to the last is: I dunno. Somehow someone who thinks taking a toke or being a thug is more important than their job and their family and livelihood is going to be a best chance to win. Cutler is so stupid and a shameless shill it should be embarrassing to HOMER 1530, much less Cutler's family. He calls Lance McAllister soft, but I bet Lance doesn't have a set of Mike Brown kneepads for everytime the subject comes up. Cutler is stupid.

Then, he had the audacity to compare Chris Henry to Josh Hamilton, like we owe it to Chris Henry....Uh, no, moron. Josh Hamilton lost his right to play baseball and had to work his way back. He had to prove he was clean and his life changed. Or, as Lance put it on his blog:

Did I miss something?
Chris Henry=Josh Hamilton?
Did Chris Henry get booted from the game for three years, change organizations, pee in a cup, stay clean and out of trouble for 18 months? Had the Reds been burned by other player's behavior? Wow...don't pull a hammy with that stretch.

Lance, Cutler can't pull a hammy, because he is a self-appointed fitness expert, remember? And you are just jealous because you are soft and he is so "hardcore"...Uh, yeah, right.

We don't owe Chris Henry a damn thing. The guy crapped away his chance. Playing football is a privilege, not a right. What has Chris Henry said or done to show he realizes he screwed up? Also, let's look at his stats when he played last year:
Year Age Tm Pos G GS Rec Yds Y/R TD Lng R/G Y/G Att Yds TD Lng Y/A Y/G A/G YScm RRTD Fmb
2005 22 CIN wr 14 5 31 422 13.6 6 47 2.2 30.1 422 6 2
2006 23 CIN 13 4 36 605 16.8 9 71 2.8 46.5 605 9 0
2007 24 CIN 8 2 21 343 16.3 2 52 2.6 42.9 343 2 0
Career 35 11 88 1370 15.6 17 71 2.5 39.1 1370 17 2

So last year he appeared in 8 games, and had 321 yards...woohoo. Yeah, that is a difference maker.

What does this do to the coach in the locker room, or the enforcement of discipline? Once again, the lunatics are running the nuthouse. Nice work, Brown. I am done with this franchise. The Bengals have sucked for 20 years, absent the aberration in 05. It is not worth your effort to support a team that takes your money, lies to you, and spits in your face. Bengals fans need to wake up, and not only not go, not support any new stadiums, but volunteer to pack up the semis and move this team out of town and demolish that stadium. It is a complete joke.

And having a person of no integrity, a shameless shill, call others soft and say we are liars for not admitting we really want Chris Henry, is an embarrassment to 1530 HOMER. Alan Cutler is soft when it comes to the Bengals, but he is softheaded on everything. He was run out of Pittsburgh, and he must have some good blackmail material in Lexington, because he keeps getting a paycheck there. We know what he does to keep his job in Cincy...and it ain't pretty.

And what is most sad is some people will put up with this, because they will believe this idiot shill who says it gives the Bungles a better chance to win. How did they do with Chris Henry? One winning season. Wow, a real difference maker. NOT! The Bengals are a bunch of losers, and it starts at the top with the Brown Family.

David Fulcher is not impressed with this. Neither is Eric Thomas, and I am sure Anthony Munoz, a man of deep integrity and the greatest Bengal ever, is probably shaking his head. All these guys actually won with the Bengals. One hell of a birthday present, eh Munoz?

I stand with Lance McAllister on this one:

Chris Henry returning is par for the course for this organization.
If it wasn't so sad, it would be hilarious.
So much for it being a privilege, not a right to play in the NFL.
So much for being tired of wasting time on knuckleheads.
So much for needing guys you can count on.
This just in.....the Bengals are a fraudulent organization.
But I think many are missing the biggest issue in all of this.
Mike Brown called this shot....and in doing so...sapped what little power/control Marvin Lewis had left. But shockingly, rather than be horrified of that fact, many fans will celebrate the return of a thug.
As for the fan reaction...it simply comes down to what you want to say about yourself. How badly you need to win? Are willing to sell your soul while shaking hands with the devil?
As some point today the words and phrases, "holier than thou" and "sanctimonius" will be thrown around. If preffering not to house a criminal that can't stay out of trouble with the law and can't be counted on is "holier than thou" and "sanctimonius", then I'm guilty as charged.
Book me and process me. I'll put my head on the pillow and sleep soundly tonight.
Have some pride as a fan.
If Chris Henry is the answer...what exactly is the question? A desperate and incompetent organization chose to resign a troubled WR that can't play til week five.
A WR that will miss 25% of this season....after missing 50% of it last season.
So much for privilege, accountability and dependability.
Rather than hiring a GM, drafting better and spending more on scouting, Mike Brown chose to try and polish a toy that he repurchased at a garage sale.
Par for the course. A gimme putt.

I am now a free agent football fan. I root for the Packers and the Jets (as long as Favre is there.) The Bengals, Brown Family, and Alan Cutler can go to hell. Heck, they came back from there this morning to make this announcement after shaking hands with the devil and selling the last microsliver of a soul they have.

Me, I will remember when the Bengals won with integrity and talent. The 1980s when they were playoff contenders quite a few years and went to two Super Bowls. Sad that the Bengals will sell Chris Henry jerseys but don't carry Ken Anderson jerseys at all, a man who was honest and one of the most underrated QBs ever.

Hey, fans of Cincinnati, Marvin Lewis, and Alan Cutler, Mike Brown just sang this song to you:

So Bengals fans, how does Mike Brown's @$$ taste? Alan Cutler probably knows, because he kisses it at least 10 times a day.

Butler County: 2000 Flashback - Politics in Prosecutors Office

2008-08-19T16:23:00.002-04:00

Intrepid reporter Josh asks a very good question -- one that I had myself, actually -- about one of the questions that was asked at last night's meeting. Josh tells this better than I would, so let's go to the blockquote...

After Hamilton attorney Tim Evans and Barbara Schneider Carter, a magistrate with common pleas court domestic relations division, gave their speeches seeking the party’s nomination to run for juvenile judge, the floor was opened to questions. Someone asked both how long they had been a registered Republican.

Evans said he had been a member of the party all his life. Carter said she was raised a “Cincinnati Chabot Republican,” and had always supported the party, but changed her party affiliation when she worked for John Holcomb. Holcomb was the last Democrat serving in county-wide office when he died in 2000.

Her statement: “It was expected when I joined the prosecutor’s office under Holcomb that we register as Democrats.”

Emphasis added.

Now, the question that answer raised is this:

Didn’t U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales lose his job for something similar? Does the same rule exist under Republican Prosecutor Robin Piper?

Of course, intrepid reporter Josh asks it as if he expects the answer to be "yes" since Robin Piper is a Republican. But I'd like the real answer...and am going to attempt to get it. Something that I think intrepid reporter Josh MIGHT have had an easier time doing than I will...

Let's Play 'Name That Party!'

2008-08-19T14:31:00.003-04:00

HT: OhioMediaGuide

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that police were called in to former Cuyahoga County Recorder Pat O'Malley's place and they discovered that his kids were being neglected and possibly abused.

The word Democrat couldn't be found in the story with a search warrant.

The reason O'Malley is a "former" Recorder is that he plead guilty to an obscenity charge a couple of months ago.

OH-16: The Schuring Energy Plan

2008-08-19T14:09:00.004-04:00

This just in...

The Schuring Energy Plan

For too long, challenges facing our nation have gone unaddressed by those in Washington. The current energy crisis is a prime example of how Washington is broken and has lost its ability to plan and use common sense to solve problems. The Department of Energy was created more than 30 years ago, and it has done very little to solve our energy problems in that time.

Our nation no longer can afford to ignore this serious issue because the stakes are too high. We must start down the path of energy independence now. If we don't, the transfer of our wealth to foreign countries, many who don't particularly like us, will not only cripple our ability to infuse capital into our own economy, but will continue to threaten our national security. In addition, rising energy costs will impede our ability to compete in the global economy and ultimately cost Americans jobs. We need a long-term plan with short-term objectives in order to achieve energy independence. Here is my proposal:

1. Build a Bridge to Energy Independence

Getting to that state of independence requires that we build a bridge to advanced energy technology while weaning ourselves from our over-reliance on oil. We'll do this by achieving a series of short-term solutions outlined here. Gas and oil prices directly affect household budgets and a businesses ability to grow and create jobs.

Our inability to tap American resources has led to a widening gap between demand and domestic supply over the last three decades, forcing us to import foreign oil. U.S. oil production has declined from nearly 10 million barrels per day in 1970, to 5.1 million barrels per day in 2007. In 1973, the U.S. imported 6 million barrels per day or 34.8 percent of our total supply.

By 2006, net oil imports had reached 12.4 million barrels per day or 60 percent of our total supply. By increasing our domestic oil production, we will reduce the price at the pump and help businesses grow and create jobs.

Repeal the congressional moratorium on drilling offshore: Eighty-five percent of the Outer Continental Shelf, 43 million acres, is currently off limits to development due to the congressional moratorium.

Drill in ANWR: Drilling will utilize only 1/10th of 1 percent of the ANWR acreage and at least 12 billion barrels of recoverable oil is available now.

Tap into American shale reserves: According to the U.S. Department of Energy there are currently 800 billion barrels of proven shale reserves in America, three times larger than those of Saudi Arabia.

Build new oil refineries: One component of achieving energy independence is having the capability to refine the resources discovered in America. We haven't built a refinery in 32 years. In order to keep pace with domestic oil supply, we need to start building refineries.

Utilize clean coal technology: Clean coal can help put Ohioans back to work. Eighty-seven percent of Ohio's energy is already generated by coal. We need to continue to capitalize on this inexpensive energy source by using the latest in advanced clean coal technology.

Build new environmentally safe nuclear plants: We need to work to establish partnerships between industry and local, state and federal authorities to encourage development and deployment of new and proven nuclear technologies.

Properly regulate speculators: We cannot allow those who are intentionally gaming the futures market to go unchecked. We need regulatory reform that will reign in those who manipulate the futures market to influence prices.

Raise the bar for oil companies: In order for oil companies to receive federal tax breaks or other incentives, they need to provide evidence that profits are being used to increase domestic production and build refineries.

Encourage common sense energy conservation: Our nation's energy policy must encourage practical ways to conserve energy wherever possible in our homes, our cars and our work places.

Increase automotive fuel efficiency: We must continue to encourage auto manufacturers to produce fuel-efficient vehicles. Seventy percent of our oil consumption comes from transportation-related expenses, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. When our automobiles achieve higher fuel efficiency standards demand for gasoline will fall and reduce our need for oil.

2. Aggressively Pursue Advanced and Alternative Sources of Energy

We're on the threshold of many exciting breakthroughs in new energy technology. Wind, fuel cells, solar, hydrogen, bio fuels and electric hybrids are examples of emerging renewable energy sources. We must unleash the power of American ingenuity and productivity with a stimulus package that grows businesses and creates jobs.

Establish a capital investment program: This program will stimulate innovation by providing seed capital to businesses engaged in the research and development of alternative and advanced energy resources. Create more partnerships between the private sector and higher education: Promote collaboration for the research, development and commercialization of renewable energy products.

Develop our energy economy: Promote and support energy businesses and industries that will help to grow our economy and create jobs here in the 16th Congressional District.

Promote energy independence as a way to keep our nation safe and strong: Use the Department of Defense to promote advanced and alternative energy breakthroughs by awarding private sector contracts that will incorporate alternative energy resources for a new generation of defense systems. These technological breakthroughs for this endeavor will produce an abundance of commercial applications that will help to secure our energy independence.

Portman Talk on NRO

2008-08-19T13:15:00.002-04:00

Two posts worth noting that talk up Rob Portman for Veep. The first is by Larry Kudlow and the other is by Yuval Levin.

Me? I still think it is a very long shot...at best.

New Addition to the WMD Team

2008-08-19T11:30:00.004-04:00

Please welcome Don Carpenter to the WMD family. Don was a blogger over at Cincinnatus Standard for awhile and is one of my fellow Butler County GOP happy warriors. You can find his introductory post here or scroll down an extra story...

Welcome to the team, Don!

Pennsylvania Update

2008-08-19T11:21:00.001-04:00

Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner -- continued along the I-90 corridor today with a stop in Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District for an event with Rep. Phil English. English says “we're facing an economic crisis that is driven by the high and unstable cost of energy.” The answer, he says, is “greater energy independence.”

English is backing an “All of the Above” energy reform strategy to help lower gas prices, create new jobs, and strengthen our economy.

According to WYTV, English “believes a way to claim that [energy] independence is to open up more land” for environmentally safe energy exploration and production. In addition, he has sponsored a series of other pro-energy initiatives, including:

Legislation providing tax incentives for businesses and homeowners who improve their energy efficiency (H.R. 5984).

Legislation permanently extending the tax credit for alternative energy production, including wind, solar and hydrogen (H.R. 2652).

A discharge petition on legislation (H.R. 2279) to expedite the construction of new refining capacity on closed military installations in the United States.

Thanks for the Invitation

2008-08-19T09:39:00.003-04:00

Matt has invited me to share some thoughts with you on this wonderful blog which, I know for a fact is very well read by a lot of people within the party and outside as well. I look forward to engaging some of you with debate with always the utmost amount of respect along with the ability to agree to disagree. My name is Don Carpenter, I am an active Republican, conservative to the core and looking to spread the word about responsible government, fiscal responsibility and personal accountability. I don't always expect everyone to agree to with me, however I will listen to all sides of an issue. I am ready to go full tilt for the campaign season and if you have a desire to help us out, just let me know, I will put you to work!

Mike Crites

2008-08-18T20:34:00.002-04:00

I got an opportunity to listen to our Attorney General candidate, Mike Crites, tonight as well. Let me tell you this: Dick Cordray had better hope that viewership of any debates is low, because Mike Crites is going to clean house. Crites is a VERY impressive candidate. If he gets enough money together to get his message out, Cordray is in for a BIG surprise...he is the real deal.

Butler County: GOP Candidate for Juvenile Court

2008-08-18T20:32:00.002-04:00

I just returned from the Central Committee meeting and our candidate is going to be Tim Evans. Jeff Milbauer withdrew from the race tonight and Barbara Carter is going to be an excellent candidate down the road, but the night belonged to Tim.

Bush Did What?!?!?

2008-08-18T14:58:00.004-04:00

This is simply astounding. Those of you who think WMD bows and worships the Bush administration ought to take special notice of what I am about to say...

If President Bush was aware and responsible of this activity, he deserves every condemnation heaped upon his administration for it. That the State Department would even consider reparations to Libya for American retaliation over a terrorist attack is absurd, but that's the State Department for you.

The only reparations that Libya deserves is $0.35 so they can call somebody who cares...

I am pretty disgusted with this news...and the American people should be as well.

Butler County Auditor: Zettler Spouts Off Again

2008-08-18T14:14:00.010-04:00

Not learning an early lesson about letting sleeping dogs lie, Jack once again fires off his mouth about "recent scandals" that occured before Roger Reynolds took office. Now, intrepid reporter Josh is going to play along and let Jack get away with distorting the truth, but I'm not playing that game. Jack wants Butler County residents to believe that Roger Reynolds failed to take action on scandals which occured long before Roger came to office that intrepid reporter Josh and his pals only reported on after Roger got elected.

Roger Reynolds represents the kind of new blood that I was talking about the other day. The kind that is there on the front lines to expose and rid the party and the county of the kind of rot that Republicans have tolerated for far too long.

This quote is particularly disgusting:

Zettler believes Reynolds isn't up to the task. "Quite frankly, there's a rule among Republicans that thou shall not speak badly about another Republican," he said.

Jack, this is the sort of thing that is going to make you wish you hadn't opened your mouth. The Butler County Republican Party is undergoing a number of significant changes and as I have said before, there is a movement engaged in Butler County to root out the bad apples. If you think that is possible without speaking badly about my fellow Republicans, you clearly haven't been reading what I've been saying... And you haven't been paying attention to the intense reaction by my fellow Republicans to the Kay Rogers story.

When the Kay Rogers story broke, I asked the Ohio GOP for a condemnation and I wound up getting a zero-tolerance policy out of it. When your drunkard former Chairman got pinched, what did Chris Redfern and the Ohio Democratic Party have to say? Not a word... So, tell me another one on how Republicans won't stand up and speak against those who don't reflect our values. UPDATE: How long did it take Ohio Democrats to decide to take action against Marc Dann again???

I got involved with the Republican Party because I was sick of the nonsense, Jack. That you continue to perpetuate the myth that positive action hasn't taken place denegrates the hard work of many like me who are now much more energized to turn out the vote for Roger and other Butler County Republican reformers just like him.

You can say that again, Roger...

New York Update

2008-08-18T11:05:00.003-04:00

NY-29

Boehner kicked off the day by headlining a breakfast fundraiser for New York’s 29th Congressional District Rep. Randy Kuhl.

Kuhl has been a leader in demanding action on an “All of the Above” energy reform strategy. He supports “increased offshore drilling and drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, along with more nuclear power plants and increasing production of alternative fuels.”

He also filed a discharge petition to force Democratic leaders to schedule a vote on H.R. 5656, legislation authored by Reps. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) and Mike Conaway (R-TX) to promote federal use of American-made alternative fuels derived from domestic oil shale, tar sands, and coal-to-liquid technology.

Last week, Kuhl returned to Washington to protest Democrats’ month-long break and demand a vote on the American Energy Act, noting that “We're going to be here every day 'til Congress is back in session.”

You can watch Kuhl’s latest ad, “Demand a Vote,” by clicking here:

NY-27

Next up, Boehner will attend a fundraising lunch in New York’s 27th Congressional District for GOP challenger Dan Humiston, a successful small businessman and community leader. Dan is taking on second-term Democrat incumbent Rep. Brian Higgins, who - because of his “no-drilling, no-refineries and no-nukes” stance - “share[s] in the blame” with Pelosi for inaction on energy reform.

Humiston’s campaign is laser-focused on pro-growth policies that will strengthen the economy and create new jobs. One way to grow the economy is to unleash the American-made energy kept under lock-and-key by Democrats in Congress. And after just a few years in office, Higgins has racked up a dubious anti-energy and anti-growth record, including his votes to:

Block action on the American Energy Act, Republicans’ “All of the Above” energy reform plan.

Block consideration of a bill that would increase refining capacity, allow energy exploration in the Alaskan Coastal Plain and deep ocean energy zones, and provide incentives for the development of alternative fuels.

Raise taxes on families and small businesses, slash the child tax credit, raise the Death Tax, and more.

Allow the largest tax increase in American history.

Higgins also hasn’t signed on to the Kuhl discharge petition or Rep. Lynn Westmoreland’s (R-GA) pledge that reads, “I will vote to increase U.S. oil production to lower gas prices for Americans.”

Dan Humiston is taking advantage of modern media technologies – including YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn – to connect with voters and share his message of reform. Learn more about his campaign at: humistonforcongress.com.

NY-26

Finally, Boehner wraps up the day with a reception in support of Chris Lee, the GOP candidate in New York’s 26th Congressional District. Lee is running to succeed Rep. Tom Reynolds, who says “Western New Yorkers will value Chris's business experience and find him to be a true leader who wants to go to work on behalf of our community.”

While Lee’s Democratic opponents hemorrhage money in an attack-filled primary, Lee has been active in promoting an “All of the Above” energy reform plan.

“We can achieve energy independence through exploration, conservation, and the development of American-made alternative energy sources,” says Lee, a successful small businessman who knows what it takes to create new jobs and grow the economy.

In fact, Chris “turned his family’s business from a small machine shop into a successful, international business with over 20 manufacturing companies spread throughout North America, Europe and Asia.”

Learn more about Chris at his campaign website: chrisleeforcongress.com.

Butler County: Juvenile Court Update

2008-08-18T09:51:00.003-04:00

We have three really good candidates for Juvenile Court and deciding which of these highly qualified individuals should get the honor of defeating Kathleen Dobrozsi Romans in November was a difficult choice.

Barbara Carter is going to be a force to be reckoned with someday, but I just don't think she is quite ready to take on a countywide race just yet.

Jeff Milbauer has worked with Judge Niehaus for thirty years both as an attorney and as a magistrate. The downside that he faces is that he's run quite a few times and hasn't been able to pull it off demonstrating that he still needs to work on his support organization.

Tim Evans is the right candidate. He is, as I noted the other day, a stellar attorney and has some judicial experience. He has the support of some pretty heavy hitters in the Republican Party and has the ability to self-fund the race. That last point is worth emphasizing as party resources are going to be at a premium in this cycle.

My initial research indicated that Evans might be a bit too "establishment" for my tastes as a number of his outspoken supporters are also friends of Mike Fox, but it turns out that Fox and Evans have an unpleasant history. Anyone who is in that boat surely deserves a lifeline from me...

To be honest, I'd be happy with any of these three candidates; but unless something drastic happens between now and then, I will be voting for Tim Evans at tonight's Central Committee meeting.

Ohio Update

2008-08-18T08:54:00.004-04:00

PolitickerOH reports that Hamilton County GOP Chairman Alex has leaked (item 2) that John McCain will be in Dayton for a big rally at the Nutter Center on August 29th. UPDATE: ABC has now picked up this story.

I will agree with PolitickerOH on the Quote of the Day:

"There's no one who wanted to see a change more than me. I stepped up to make a difference to get things on track and I think we've been very successful so far."

-- Republican Roger Reynolds, who is the Butler County auditor, on his re-election bid. (Hamilton JournalNews)

MORE OHIO NEWS AND VIEWS AS IT COMES AVAILABLE...

Obama Flip-Flop #35: Soft Money

2008-08-17T11:13:00.001-04:00

Obama Flip-Flop #35: Soft Money

You can check out the entire list by clicking here.