Lorraine'sBlog

7/18 Listening Tour Event: Sen. Ray Miller -- Affordable Housing

Lorraine Bieber — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:42:50 EDT

Over the past month, Ohio Senate Democrats have held several Listening Tour events focused on economic security issues. Each event has been convened by a member of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

“The Listening Tour is a statewide series of public forums designed to build awareness of and support for the legislative vision of the Senate Democratic Caucus through a comprehensive Economic Security Agenda. These public forums will serve as a catalyst to develop specific legislation to spur job creation, provide quality health care, advance clean-coal technology, reduce crime, invest in our urban neighborhoods, end foreclosure and promote affordable housing. The Listening Tour is an opportunity for the public to inform the Senate Democratic Caucus as it develops legislative solutions for issues relevant to local communities throughout the state of Ohio.”

The last scheduled event will be held from 1-4 PM on Friday, July 18 at the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus. This session, focused on affordable housing, will be convened by Senator Ray Miller.

RSVP here

"During the various Listening Tours that will take place throughout Ohio, Senate Democrats will share our vision for creating a more vibrant economic future through legislation that addresses the relevant needs of the communities that make our state great," said Senator Ray Miller, who will hold an event in Columbus July 18. "We look forward to better serving the public through informed, compassionate policies that will invest in our economic infrastructure to generate prosperity and opportunity for all Ohioans."

Complete list of Listening Tour events:

Friday, May 30, 1-4 p.m.: Lorain County Community College (Health care) – Senator Sue Morano (D-Lorain)
Monday, June 2, 1-4 p.m.: St. Clairsville (Clean-coal, energy) – Senator Jason Wilson (D-Columbiana)
Friday, June 13, 2-5 p.m.: Akron, University of Akron – Martin Center (Transforming a local economy: The Akron Experience) – Senator Tom Sawyer (D-Akron)
Friday, June 20, 1-4 p.m.: Kent State University-Trumbull (Home foreclosures and economic security) – Senator Capri Cafaro (D-Hubbard)
Wednesday, June 25, 5:30-7 p.m.: Cincinnati (Community-based strategies for confronting urban crime) – Senator Eric Kearney (D-Cincinnati)
Friday, June 27, 1-4 p.m.: Cleveland, City Council chambers (Urban solutions for urban problems) – Senators Shirley Smith (D-Cleveland), Lance Mason (D-Cleveland) and Dale Miller (D-Cleveland)
Friday, July 18, 1-4 p.m.: Columbus, Center of Science and Industry (Affordable housing) – Senator Ray Miller (D-Columbus)

RSVP here

UFCW Nursing Home Workers On Strike

Lorraine Bieber — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:33:13 EDT

UFCW Caregivers at Liberty Liberty Hillside Acres Nursing Home in Willard, Ohio are on strike, and they need your help.

Caregivers at the Liberty Liberty Hillside Acres Nursing Home are now on strike as a result of the unfair and insulting proposal from owner Linda Black-Kurek, President of LBK Health Care Inc.

The caregivers are asking for a fair contract with a living wage and affordable health care.

Voice your support for the caregivers by sending a message to Linda Black-Kurek

These caregivers would rather be providing care to the residents than walking a picket line. But they also have families and need to pay rent, put gas in their cars to get to work, and they need affordable health care.

Can the UFCW Caregivers count on help from Progress Ohio members like you?

You can help the caregivers by contacting Linda Black-Kurek and let her know you are outraged that such a successful home is unwilling to share its success with its employees. Let her know that paying these employees a fair wage and affordable health care is a necessary cost of doing business, especially with the quality of care these workers provide.

Click here to send a message to Linda Black-Kurek

Thanks for your support!

UFCW and ProgressOhio

Americans United for Change Announces New TV Ad Blasting U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot for Voting Against 21st Century G.I. Bill

Lorraine Bieber — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:02:33 EDT

Chabot Held to Account for Standing in the Way of Quality College Education for Ohio Troops Returning Home from Iraq and Afghanistan

Washington D.C. – Americans United for Change announced its latest TV ad campaign today calling U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot (OH-1) to the carpet for voting against legislation to establish and fund a 21st century G.I. Bill that ensures our fighting men and women returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan no longer have to worry about paying for a quality college education.

The spot entitled 'Lip Service' will air over the Memorial week recess on a mix of cable and broadcast television in the Cincinnati media market. AUFC also announced similar ads airing in the districts of U.S. Reps. Michele Bachmann (MN-6), Tom Feeney (FL-24), and John "Randy" Kuhl (NY-29).

With no help from these Bush apologists in Congress, the U.S. House recently passed an amendment to an Iraq/Afghanistan/Domestic priories supplemental appropriations bill that restores full, four-year college scholarships and makes the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan part of an American economic recovery, just like the veterans of World War II were. The U.S. Senate followed suit yesterday, overwhelmingly passing similar legislation by a 75-22 margin, despite President Bush's repeated veto threats.

The goal of the Bush Legacy Project is to cement into history how two terms of failed conservative policies – supported by Bush and his allies in Congress including Sen. John McCain and Rep. Chabot - have weakened America's security abroad while neglecting and undermining important priorities here at home.

"For all the lip service Congressman Chabot pays back home to the sacrifices our troops are making overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan, he sure have a funny way of showing his support in Washington," said Jeremy Funk, spokesman for Americans United for Change. "Chabot stood with President Bush and opposed a 21st century G.I. Bill that reflects the needs of a struggling economy and skyrocketing tuition costs. That Steve Chabot can vigorously support spending of $12 billion a month to continue this President's failed Iraq war policies but not a fraction that amount on these brave soldiers' education when they return home signals just how radically skewed his priorities really are. In fact, the first two years of the new GI bill would cost what we spend in just two days in Iraq. For all Chabot's empty rhetoric about supporting the troops, when faced with a simple choice of voting for 'em or against 'em – he voted against 'em."

"The original GI Bill launched millions of families on a course to achieving the American dream – and set the American economy on the right course after a draining war. It returned $7 to the economy for every $1 spent on it," added Funk. "Current GI educational benefits pay only about 60 percent of a public college education and 30 percent of a private college education. That's simply not enough, especially in an economy slipping further and further towards a full scale recession. Ensuring that these men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan don't have to worry about how they're going to afford a quality education is the very least we can do to truly show our appreciation and support. But, for whatever reason, Steve Chabot just said 'no.' It's a real question of priorities, and he clearly has his all mixed up.'"

YOU DID IT: Payday Lending Bill PASSES!

Lorraine Bieber — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:30:03 EDT

Congratulations go out to members of the Progress Ohio Community and to the Ohio Coalition for Responsible Lending, who for the past year have been writing letters, signing petitions, testifying in the Ohio legislature, and making calls to elected officials in an effort to pass this legislation.

The bill, already approved by the house, puts a 28% rate cap on payday loans. It passed the Senate today with a vote of 29-4. The four no votes were Senators Buehrer, Mumper, Seitz and Schuler.

The Ohio legislature has been under heavy lobbying from the Payday Loan Industry, which has given its employees paid time off to come to Columbus for rallies at the State House.

From NBC-4:

Finance Chairman Sen. John Carey said the industry presented them with no other alternatives. Testimony on both sides was compelling, he said, but the welfare of Ohio's citizens eventually won.
"I think it was a flawed business model to begin with," Carey said. "We also heard from people who got into trouble. They used it and found they couldn't get out. They talked about the collection practices: People calling their friends and relatives trying to collect. Not really understanding what they're doing when they walk through that payday lending door."
Tom Allio, chair of the Ohio Coalition for Responsible Lending, sympathizes with workers who might lose their job but said it’s the lenders who are to blame for keeping people in a cycle of debt. “Payday loans are toxic,” Allio said. “They’re a flawed product. They put stresses on individuals, families and communities as well as the economic health of Ohio.”

Because there were some minor changes, House concurrence is expected next week. The bill will then go to the Governor for signing.

Mothers Day: "Arise then... women of this day!"

Lorraine Bieber — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:55:33 EDT

It is indeed puzzling that so many Republican members of Ohio's congressional delegation voted no on H.R. 1113, “Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day” (full warm and fuzzy text here).

...until you consider the origins of Mother's Day.

Julia Ward Howe, who penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic, also authored a mothers' Declaration calling on women to oppose war, and worked to get recognition of a Mother’s Day for Peace. Says Code Pink: "Were she alive today, Julia probably would have told her kids to dispense with the roses and chocolates, and instead join her in an anti-war rally. Yes, Julia Ward Howe was a peacenik."

[Howe] saw some of the worst effects of the [civil] war -- not only the death and disease which killed and maimed the soldiers. She worked with the widows and orphans of soldiers on both sides of the war, and realized that the effects of the war go beyond the killing of soldiers in battle. She also saw the economic devastation of the Civil War, the economic crises that followed the war, the restructuring of the economies of both North and South.
In 1870, Julia Ward Howe took on a new issue and a new cause….She called in 1870 for women to rise up and oppose war in all its forms. She wanted women to come together across national lines, to recognize what we hold in common above what divides us, and commit to finding peaceful resolutions to conflicts. She issued a Declaration, hoping to gather together women in a congress of action.

Howe failed in her attempt to get formal recognition of a Mother's Day for Peace, but her effort was carried on by Anna Jarvis, who had organized women during the Civil War to work for better sanitary conditions for both sides, and then toward reconciliation of Union and Confederate neighbors.

Jarvis’ daughter, of the same name, then took up the campaign for Mother’s Day. After the custom spread to 45 states, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother’s Day in 1914.

Julia Ward Howe's Mothers' Declaration:

Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe our dishonor,
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil
At the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace...
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

Maybe Pryce, Schmidt, Tiberi, Chabot, Boehner, Regula, LaTourette, Hobson, and Turner have a thing against moms. But YOU can make this Mother's Day a Mother's Day For Peace.

Help CodePink help Iraqi refugee moms here.

Send a MomsRising Mother's Day card and tell the presidential candidates to fight for family-friendly policies. here.

Oh and don't forget to call the Congressional Switchboard at 1-800-839-5276 to give the above members of Congress a piece of your mind about H.R. 1113.

Do you have another suggestion for honoring Julia Ward Howe's Mothers' Declaration? Are you a mom working for peace? Leave a comment below.

5th Anniversary of the War In Iraq: Columbus

Lorraine Bieber — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 12:13:57 EDT

Following an interfaith prayer service at St. John's Evangelical Protestant Church, Columbus commemorated the 5th Anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq in the State House atrium.

The program included speakers, poetry, music, and breakout forums on Economic Justice and Healthcare. Full program here.

The event was sponsored by the Central Ohio Peace Network (COPN).

Related:

"Blessed Are The Peacemakers" - Full transcript of David Robinson's speech at the 3/19 event

5 Years Too Many: Peace Takes Courage (VIDEO)

Columbus Dispatch: Group Says War Hurts Ohio Services

Columbus Dispatch: Faiths join in prayers for peace: Personal commitments part of Iraq-war service

Cinci Federation of Teachers Responds to Enquirer Editorial

Lorraine Bieber — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:31:43 EST

See below for the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers' response regarding the Cincinnati Enquirer's editorial on the Cincinnati school levy. Please leave a comment and make your voice heard!

CFT Responds to Enquirer Editorial
Without ever having a dialog with the teachers of Cincinnati Public Schools, the Enquirer based its opposition to the March School Levy on teacher pay and district performance. The editorial staff asserted that high teacher salaries created the financial crisis of the district, making this an “unwinnable battle to control its budget.”
The reality of the situation is that an unconstitutional and unfair state funding system drives the financial crisis of every public school system in the state of Ohio, but especially urban districts like CPS. This funding system denies inflationary increases in revenues and forces every Ohio school district to beg for support from property owners every four years or face insolvency—making every school district appear that it cannot manage its money. Cincinnati Public Schools stretched our funding formula twice as far as other districts by reducing teachers, staff, and services to the point it can no longer do this without out permanent damage to the educational programs serving students.
Since 2004 nearly 1000 teaching positions (30% of all teachers) and 300 staff positions disappeared from our schools while only 15% of the students in the district moved to school district funded charter and voucher schools. The loss of these students will cost Cincinnati Public Schools and the tax-payers approximately $73 million next year in the form of tuition, transportation and other services; yet their academic performance will be no better and in most all cases far worse than if they stayed in CPS schools. The Enquirer demands performance from the public schools but turns a blind eye to the failures of the charter and voucher alternatives. The editorial board’s demand and concern for achievement and school performance rings rather hollow when viewed in this light.
Since the Enquirer attacked teacher pay as the real source of the district’s financial problems it is important to explore the issue. Urban education is among the most difficult and stressful of careers in our country. People who choose to teach here do so because of a commitment to children coming from a desire to make a difference in this world. Urban educators are a special breed. They work long hours—often 10 hours a day and sometimes 12 hours when there are special events and huge homework assignments to grade. Teachers also engage in continual professional development in order to maintain their various licenses and are now required to earn at least a Masters Degree. A salary of $60,000 (average CPS teacher salary) would insult similarly trained professionals in private industry. Nurses with a two-year Associates Degree earn more than a Masters level teacher in his or her first year in Cincinnati Public Schools. They will continue to earn more than teachers throughout their careers.
It is true that CPS teachers earn a little more than some of our suburban counter-parts, but it is also true that urban students present additional challenges. Further, CPS teachers are among the most highly trained teachers in the state of Ohio. CPS has more National Board Certified teachers than any school district in Ohio. Even though the Enquirer refuses to acknowledge it, CPS also has many performance pay structures. Through negotiations the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers and the district created one of the most sophisticated and successful lead teacher certification and teacher evaluation systems in the country. Along with National Board Certification and the new Teacher Advancement Program, they form the core of an innovative performance pay system. Until former Superintendent Frailey removed the incentive, CPS and CFT also developed and maintained a highly successful building incentive program that rewarded teachers and staffs of any building that met performance benchmarks. The teachers union does not stand in the way of performance innovations of this sort, and in fact, the union helped to create some of these structures as long as 20 years ago. CPS teachers are more rigorously evaluated than any teachers in our state and quite possibly in the nation. CFT and CPS have demonstrated a commitment to quality teaching that few other school districts in Ohio have matched and that accounts for why Cincinnati Public outperforms other urban districts in Ohio and is considered a national model.
For the Enquirer to roll out tired arguments about teachers and unions that don’t convey the reality of Cincinnati Public Schools is sloppy journalism, reflects an uninformed opinion, and undermines our community’s knowledge and understanding of our true progress. Perhaps if the Enquirer would take the time to engage in a dialog with teachers and their union about all of these issues our community would be better served.

Tim Kraus
President,
Cincinnati Federation of Teachers

Nearly 1,000 Letters To The Editor re: SCHIP!

Lorraine Bieber — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:00:24 EST

Yesterday, Progress Ohio sent out a call to action - we asked you to write Letters To The Editor using our "Speak Out" tool.

The topic: The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

The message: Urge Ohio Congressional Representatives Steve Chabot (OH-1), Jean Schmidt (OH-2), Jim Jordan (OH-4), Bob Latta (OH-5) and John Boehner (OH-8) to stand with Ohio's families and vote to override Bush's veto of SCHIP reauthorization.

In just 24 hours, the Progress Ohio community has generated almost 1,000 Letters To The Editor to 64 different Ohio newspapers.

Top 10 newspaper recipients: Columbus Dispatch, Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cincinnati Enquirer, Mansfield News Journal, Akron Beacon Journal, Canton Repository, Newark Advocate, and the Lorain Chronicle-Telegram.

On behalf of the 122,000 Ohio kids whose health care coverage hangs in the balance, Progress Ohio staff extends a HUGE THANK YOU to those of you who have taken action on this issue!

Progress Ohio--powered by YOU.

Our original call to action:

The health care coverage of 122,000 Ohio kids hangs in the balance. Can you spare a minute to help?
Click Here To Take Action
Next week, Congress will vote to override Bush's veto of the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). We need each and every one of the 18 Congressional Representatives from Ohio to stand with Ohio's families, and vote to override Bush's veto.
13 of them, including 6 republicans, are with us on this. Four are not.
At least not yet.
This week, as part of our ongoing multi-pronged effort to bring Steve Chabot(OH-1), John Boehner (OH-8), Jean Schmidt (OH-2), and Jim Jordan (OH-4) into the fold, Progress Ohio is spearheading a Letter To The Editor (LTE) campaign.
Our partner organizations in other key states are targeting their Representatives with LTE's as well. We need active members of the Progress Ohio community (that's you) to help us do our part here in Ohio.
Click Here To Take Action
Why Write A Letter To The Editor?
Legislators and their staffs do read LTE's to get a sense of public opinion. Also, LTE's can help generate overall media buzz on an issue.
About Progress Ohio's Speak Out tool
The email addresses for the newspapers' editorial boards are already in there, sample letters are there too. In just a couple of clicks, you'll be done.
Click Here To Take Action
You ARE public opinion. Write a Letter To The Editor to make your voice heard.

Frances Strickland To Speak At RootsCamp Sunday

Lorraine Bieber — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:12:32 EST

Progress Ohio, America Votes, and the Ohio Progressive Leadership Network are pleased to announce our 9:30 AM welcome speaker:

First Lady of Ohio, Frances Strickland

Mrs. Strickland will speak about sustaining Ohio's progressive movement through 2008 and beyond.

First Lady Frances Strickland has shared Ted's vision for a better future for Ohio with thousands of people across the state. Often seen brandishing her guitar and leading the crowd in a sing-along, Frances brings an irreplaceable creativity and enthusiasm to her work for Ohio.

Our lunch speaker:

Robert Creamer of Progress Ohio's national partner, Americans United For Change. Creamer's recently released book is entitled Listen to Your Mother: Stand Up Straight: How Progressives Can Win, with a foreword by Tom Matzzie of MoveOn.

Says Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio):

"If every activist in America read Listen to Your Mother: Stand Up Straight, we could change our country. This book will help bring on the New Progressive Era. It's that good."

Find out more about RootsCamp here.

RootsCamp is Sunday, January 13, 9-5 at the Riffe Center, 31st Floor, corner of State & High Streets, Columbus, OH 43215

RootsCamp: Come. Talk. Learn. RootsCamp is a conference for organizers, leaders, tech, fundraisers, bloggers and anyone else who is working for change. It's an opportunity for open dialogue about leading the way in '08 and beyond.

RootsCamp is participant-driven. Want to lead a session? Write your topic on a card and tape it to the wall. Add more sessions throughout the day as ideas are generated. YOU set the agenda.

RootsCamp: Ohio jobs for Ohioans. Organizations who are hiring in '08, bring your job descriptions; job-seekers bring your résumés - we're going to have a jobs fair.

RootsCamp is FREE. Breakfast/lunch provided, and plentiful coffee.

RootsCamp is organized by the Ohio Progressive Leadership Network, and sponsored by Progress Ohio, America Votes, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens, UFCW Local 1059, UAW CAP Council, League of Young Voters, Licking County Democratic Club, Ohio Young Democrats, Ohioans for Democratic Values, Clintonville Community Market, and Licking County Women's Caucus.

Ohio's not alone: Indiana voting rights advocates challenge constitutionality of ID law

Lorraine Bieber — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 03:29:52 EST

We received this today from our friends at ACORN:

Project Vote Statement on Supreme Court Hearing of Crawford v. Marion County Elections Board
On Wednesday, January 9, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Crawford v. Marion County Elections Board. The case is about the constitutionality of Indiana's law requiring voters to show government issued photo identification before casting their ballots. Crawford plaintiffs argue that Indiana's strict photo identification requirements disenfranchise minorities and are unconstitutional. A federal appellate judge has written that the law likely burdens those "low on the income ladder." Donna Massey, Project Vote Board Member and supporter of voting rights, issued this statement:
"With Crawford v. Marion County Elections Board, the Supreme Court has an opportunity to strike down a law that has no purpose other than to suppress the votes of minority and low-income Indianans. According to Census data, fewer than half of eligible minority and low-income Americans voted in 2006. Our democracy works best when all voters can easily register and voice their choice on Election Day. Americans have a right to vote, even if they don't have a photo ID.
"Strict photo ID laws for voters are really about denying certain Americans of their right to vote. Research shows that young, poor, minority and elderly voters are more likely to lack photographic identification. A University of Washington study, for example, found that in Indiana 22 percent of African American voters lack proper identification compared to 16 percent of white voters. Twenty-one percent of voters earning less than $40,000 a year lack the necessary ID compared to just 13 percent of those earning more than $40,000. The only reason politicians support these laws is to give their party an advantage over the other.
"Requiring voters to show photo ID is just one of many hurdles partisans put up to make it more difficult for certain people to vote. Too many minority voters are met at their polling places with long lines, partisan challengers, faulty equipment and needlessly strict ID requirements. The right to vote has been under assault for the past eight years by partisans who put winning their interests above the right to vote.
"Strict photo ID laws are a solution in search of a problem. There is no evidence of widespread fraudulent voting in this country. Indiana even acknowledged that there hasn't been a single case of voter impersonation in the state's history. Americans take voting seriously and do not misrepresent themselves at the polls, so politicians shouldn't misrepresent the facts to justify unnecessarily strict photo ID laws for voters.
"As the country's premiere nonpartisan voter registration organization, Project Vote wants to make sure that the Americans we help register to vote can vote and have their votes counted on Election Day. Nothing should come between Americans and their right to vote."

RootsCamp Ohio 2008

Lorraine Bieber — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:57:24 EST

If you haven't already, sign up for RootsCamp '08. It's a free, open conference about all aspects of progressive organizing - field, fundraising, online, etc.

Anyone can lead a session (come early to sign up for a time slot). Session topics that have already been proposed are here.

To see who else is coming and to sign up, click here.

From rootscampohio.org:

We'll share innovations, failures, old wisdom and new discoveries, with an eye toward:

Developing our skills and networking to lead the way in 2008 and beyond
Building organization and sustainability in Ohio's growing progressive movement

WHEN:            Sunday, January 13, 2008    9 am – 5 pm (free breakfast & lunch)

WHERE:          The Vern Riffe Center, 31st Floor. At the corner of High St. and State St, Columbus, OH 43215.

PARKING:        Under the Statehouse - access from 3rd St. between Broad St. & State St., or in the City Center Mall parking garage - access from 3rd, Main, or Rich Sts.

Brunner Discusses EVEREST On YouTube

Lorraine Bieber — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:43:16 EST

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's video discussion of the EVEREST study (Evaluation & Validation of Election-Related Equipment, Standards, & Testing).

I want secure and accessible voting systems in place by November, 2008.

I stand with thousands of other Ohioans in urging the Ohio legislature and other decisionmakers to move forward with restoring integrity to Ohio's elections.

NEWS ALERT: Hostage situation at Clinton's New Hampshire office

Lorraine Bieber — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:23:35 EST

This just in from CNN:
(CNN) -- Police are at a Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign office in New Hampshire to address what CNN affiliates are reporting as a hostage situation.
The affiliates said the incident began about 1 p.m. at the headquarters in Rochester.
WCVB-TV in Boston said it is unclear how many people were being held.
WMUR in New Hampshire said the hostage-taker was an armed man.
The WMUR Web site said a witness, Lettie Tzizik, told the station she spoke to a woman shortly after she was released from the office by the hostage-taker.
"A young woman with a 6-month or 8-month-old infant came rushing into the store just in tears, and she said, 'You need to call 911. A man has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape,'" the Web site reported.
Clinton was in the Washington area at the time of the incident.
More info from Boston's WCVB:
Clinton was attending a National Democratic Committee meeting in Virginia, but has canceled a 3:30 p.m. EST speech. New York TV station WNBC reported that the suspect has demanded to speak to her.

Police said a man in his 40s, with salt-and-pepper hair, is in the building and has what appears to be an explosive device strapped to his body, TV station WMUR reported.

Authorities were sending a tactical bomb unit to assist local police, and the area was evacuated, said Maj. Michael Hambrook of New Hampshire State Police.

Bill Shaheen, chairman of Clinton's New Hampshire campaign, said someone walked into the satellite office with what appears to be a bomb strapped to his chest. Two staffers, whom he described as volunteers, were held hostage and others were released.

"Hopefully, they're going to negotiate this so no one gets hurt," Shaheen said.

There are several police officers positioned across the street from the office, crouched down behind cruisers with guns drawn, Boston TV station WCVB reported.

"I walked out and I immediately started running, and I saw that the road was blocked off. They told me run and keep going," Cassandra Hamilton told WCVB. She works in an office adjacent to the building.

Nearby businesses have been evacuated, and the nearby St. Elizabeth Seaton School and Spalding High School have been locked down.

Presidential candidate Barack Obama also has an office in Rochester, and it has been evacuated. There were no reports of any injuries.

Progressive Talk radio is coming back to Columbus!

Lorraine Bieber — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:54:09 EST

You did it!
Thanks to the efforts of Ohio Majority Radio and longtime radio executive Gary Richards, central Ohioans will once again hear progressive talk from favorites like Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz, and Randi Rhodes. We'll also hear coverage of local high school football, boys and girls basketball, and other local sports.
It all starts at 6 AM this Monday, December 3rd. Tune to AM 1580 WVKO.
How can an individual listener like you help keep Progressive Talk radio on the air?
Contribute to Progress Ohio's radio ad campaign fund!
By donating to Progress Ohio's radio ad campaign fund, you will not only be helping keep Progressive Talk on the air, you'll be supporting Progress Ohio's 112 community partnerships.
It's been a long road to secure Progressive Talk radio in Columbus. After all this hard work, let's do everything we can to keep it on the air.
Now that it's back, click here to support WVKO's Progressive Programming.

State Treasurer Richard Cordray Proposes Bonuses for Ohio’s Veterans

Lorraine Bieber — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:05:02 EST

It's time Ohio began rewarding the new generation of military veterans by providing them bonuses, much the way it gave back to veterans dating to World War I, State Treasurer Richard Cordray wrote in a letter delivered Monday to state legislators.
Cordray seeks a ballot issue that would ask voters to amend the state constitution to allow the state to issue bonds to pay for the bonuses. The state would pay about $106 million in bonuses to veterans of the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars if the Legislature and voters approve the idea, Cordray said. Ohio traditionally has used the ballot to pay such bonuses and they would cost taxpayers nothing.
Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Massachusetts are among the states offering bonuses to veterans who served in the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan. New Hampshire offered bonuses to Gulf War veterans.
CORDRAY’S PROPOSAL:
• Up to $1,000 for military personnel who served in the Persian Gulf War and in current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Up to $500 to those serving elsewhere during the same timeframes
• $5,000 to families of those killed in action, in addition to other allowable benefits
"While modest, these benefits recognize the service of our war veterans and help with their transition back to civilian life," Cordray said.
Click here to express your support for Cordray's proposal and for Ohio's veterans.
“Ohio’s tradition of honoring the sacrifices of soldiers who served during periods of major conflicts defines our state’s history as well as its geography,” Cordray noted. Veterans have been rewarded through land grants, relief for their families, and voter-approved bond amendments:
REVOLUTIONARY WAR: Large tracts of the Northwest Territory, which later became the state of Ohio, were districts reserved to compensate veterans. This practice continued from 1776 through 1855.
CIVIL WAR: In 1862, a state property tax was levied to create a fund “for the relief of the necessities of the families of non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates.”
WORLD WARS I & II, KOREAN AND VIETNAM WARS: Ohio issued bonds through separate voter-approved amendments to the state’s constitution in order to provide compensation to its veterans.
Under Cordray's plan, the Legislature would decide whether to put the amendment on the ballot next year. If lawmakers decline, Cordray could circulate petitions seeking voter signatures to place the amendment on the ballot.
Rep. Peter Ujvagi, a Toledo Democrat and advocate of veterans' issues, on Tuesday began looking for co-sponsors of a resolution that would authorize the amendment for the ballot.
While Americans remain divided by the Iraq war, the bonus program offers Ohioans a chance to weigh in on how returning veterans are treated, Cordray said. "This is very much Ohio's tradition. I'd like to believe this generation has the same commitment that previous generations have had," he said.
Click here to express your support for Cordray's proposal and for Ohio's veterans.
To read the full text of the proposed amendment, a cost analysis, and background on previous veterans’ ballot issues and military bonuses in Ohio, go to www.ohiotreasurer.gov

VIDEO: "What if it was YOUR child, Rep. Chabot?" New TV ad from Americans United

Lorraine Bieber — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:01:33 EST

Americans United for Change, a Progress Ohio partner, has unveiled a new TV ad campaign taking Republican Representative Steve Chabot (R-OH) to task for continuing to stand in the way of healthcare for 10 million kids.

The new ad, which will air in the Cincinnati media market, asks Chabot “What if it was your child, Congressman Chabot? What if your child didn’t have health coverage?” and ends with “How do you sleep at night, Congressman?”

Chabot has repeatedly voted against reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) - legislation that would continue to provide healthcare coverage for 6.6 million kids and provide coverage to nearly 4 million more low income children, including thousands in Ohio.

On October 24th, without the support of Rep. Chabot, the U.S. House passed a revised version of the bipartisan children's healthcare bill that included language to address any and all of his bogus concerns about illegal immigrants, adults and children from high-income families benefiting from the program.

But even with these concerns effectively taken off the table, Chabot still chose to stand with Bush over the thousands of parents in his district who go to bed every night praying their children don't get sick or hurt. Though the legislation to reauthorize and enhance SCHIP has passed the House and Senate for the second time with wide bipartisan majorities, Rep. Chabot continues to side with Bush's Republican allies in the House who intend vote to once again to sustain a promised veto of SCHIP.

"Rep. Chabot is all out of excuses, yet he continues to play a partisan game with legislation that would mean healthcare for thousands of kids from working families in Ohio," said Brian Rothenberg, Executive Director of Progress Ohio. "Rep. Chabot should explain how he can support spending half a trillion dollars fighting an endless war in Iraq, but oppose spending a fraction of that on healthcare for his most vulnerable constituents here at home: low-income kids? Those are truly frightening priorities. The fact is, for what we spend in just one week in Iraq, 800,000 children could get health insurance for an entire year."

"It's time for Rep. Chabot to stop the partisan rhetoric and provide the treatment our kids deserve. These are not illegal immigrants - these are not adults and children from high-income families. These are kids whose parents work hard but can't afford private insurance and are not disadvantaged enough to qualify for Medicaid. Rep. Chabot will certainly get another chance to do the right thing and help provide 10 million American children the healthcare they need and deserve. However, if he continues to stand in the way of healthcare for kids while supporting a blank check for President Bush's failed war in Iraq, one would have to ask him "How do you sleep at night, Congressman?"

Election Day Stories Are In!

Lorraine Bieber — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:47:05 EST

Progress Ohio sent out an email Monday that reminded our members to vote. We also asked you to tell us about your election day experience: how long did it take you to vote? What identification did you show? Did you vote by mail or on a machine?
The stories are in. We received responses from all over the state – Hamilton, Cuyahoga, Montgomery, Coshocton, and Belmont Counties, just to name a few. Voting experiences were diverse, ranging from reports that "voting was flawless," to reports of machine failure, to observations that the law passed by the Ohio legislature last year is illegal and creates more problems than it solves.
We have forwarded all the reports (names, addresses and email addresses removed) to the Secretary of State's Voting Rights Institute. We've also sent them to the Election Incident Reporting System (EIRS), a joint project of the Lawyer's Committee For Civil Rights Under Law, the NAACP, and People For The American Way.
There were many reports that voting went smoothly – there were no lines and the machines worked fine. Those who said they voted early or by mail were unanimously positive about their experience.

Franklin County:
Great! I voted last weekend via absentee ballot and it works out for me just fine. My wife had not voted for over 30 years. She has now voted in every election since the absentee ballot became available without having to state a reason.
Seneca County:
The last time I voted in person at the polling place was in 2004. It is so much more convenient to vote an absentee ballot. No lines, no bad weather, and plenty of time to think about your choices. My husband and I both vote by mail.
One Cuyahoga county polling place did not open on time, and as a result at least one voter left without voting:

I arrived at the voting location at 6:22 am. I was not allowed to come into the warm area in the entrance of the library until 6:28 am. Then I waited and waited. It was 6:52 am when I made the decision to leave and not vote since I was already going to be late for work.
I thought there were going to be contingency plans in place to ensure that people can vote. Last year's experience was an opportunity to learn lessons. Obviously, this is being ignored.
If you want people to vote - do what you say - open the polls at the time you specify.

Facility problems were also an issue:

Hamilton County:
Very few signs. Would have been hard to find If I hadn't voted there before.
Thick cloud of cigarette smoke to walk through to enter polling place because of employees smoking in doorway. Inside of building was smokey, too.
No voting booths -- had to sit at a table with no privacy to fill out optical scan ballots.
Franklin County:

Actually, because we are NOW Voting at the Aladdin Shrine Center, 3850 Stelzer Rd., Columbus, OH 43219 there were no problems. However, since we had to enter towards the BACK of the building, the marked DISABILITY PARKING is ONLY TOWARDS the very FRONT of this building! It's VERY NICE not to vote in a building that smells like a FLOOD!

Other voters reported machine malfunction:

Cuyahoga County:
My brother and I arrived at the polling location at 6:25 am. There were a few people ahead of us. There was a good feeling in the air. That changed when I and several other people at my precinct had difficulty or were unable to vote due to bad card reads. The polling place volunteer put the card in the reader several times, I and several other people would take the card to the voting machine and it would pop out saying bad read or dead card.
It was going on 6:45 am when the polling place volunteer walked over to another precinct in the voting hall and had to use one of their cards.
There were 4 cards they tried and 3 of them were "dead" according to the machine and volunteer.
Cuyahoga County:

Touch screen. no paper trail. I stopped, told worker and was directed to another machine. Hope machine was corrected or shutdown.

Voters presented utility bills, driver’s licenses, and bank statements at the polls due to the new (as of 2006) requirement that all voters show ID at the polls. One Clermont voter commented:

I heard many comments on needing voter ID, no one seemed happy about that. One poll worker, the one in charge of precinct B at Pierce Township replied "Don't you remember all of the complaints about Ohio in '04, this is the solution." I'm not sure anyone believed that was the case!

Lucas County:
I did have to present an Ohio driver's license and then voted on a computerized machine from Diebold.We did not receive a copy of our voting record but were able to view it.I vocalized my belief in the illegality of requiring voter ID as well as not providing the voter with a paper trail,all for naught I am sure.
Franklin County:
I brought 3 forms of ID this year because of last year's problems. And it was a good thing I did. A pollworker rejected my driver's license because it had my old address. I knew she was in the wrong, but I didn't feel like arguing. I showed her a current utility bill. Voters who either weren't as prepared as me, or who didn't know the ins and outs of Ohio Revised Code Section 3505.18 like I do, might have been disenfranchised today. Even if we all agreed that ID should be required at the polls (and we don't!), it's a bad law - complicated and confusing to both pollworkers and voters. I can't wait to elect a new state legislature in '08 and overturn House Bill 3!
We also asked members to tell us why they vote:

Franklin County:
I voted because local elections are very important as they decide issues that affect a person every day such as quality of education, trash pickup, etc.

Stark County:

Well, "of course" one votes. Like, I want a different form of government? NOT !!

Almost everyone who voted in person yesterday noted that there were very few people voting yesterday. While the short (or non-existent) lines helped make election day go smoothly for many voters, one Belmont County voter commented:

I voted around 5:00 this evening and was expecting to wait in line because of people voting after they got off work. I got right in--no problems and no lines. One of the poll workers told me that I was the youngest person he'd seen all day (I'm 21 and polls close in two hours ). How sad.

Please keep the stories coming! Click here to let us know how Election Day 2007 went for you. To be part of the public dialogue, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Tomorrow is Election Day. Are You Ready?

Lorraine Bieber — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:05:39 EST

On Tuesday November 6 the voters of Ohio will have the chance to determine the course of their local governments - cities and school boards as well as local tax issues.
Here at Progress Ohio, we want to make sure you have the tools you need to cast your vote and make your voice heard.

BRING ID WHEN YOU VOTE
Click here for more information about valid identification

VOTE AT THE RIGHT PLACE
Click here to find YOUR polling location

QUESTIONS?
Click here to contact your local Board of Elections (listed by County)

REPORT YOUR VOTING EXPERIENCE
Click here to let us know how it went. Or be part of the public dialogue by posting a comment below.

POLLS ARE OPEN 6:30 AM TO 7:30 PM.

ACTION ALERT: Call Rep. Chabot about SCHIP today

Lorraine Bieber — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:51:06 EDT

This Halloween, Rep. Steve Chabot is all tricks and no treatment. Tell Chabot to stand with Ohio's families and vote to override Bush's veto!

Earlier this month, when we sent out an email asking you to call Rep. Chabot about SCHIP, hundreds of you stepped up to the plate. Less than an hour after the email went out, a member of Chabot’s staff had already received so many calls that she asked one Progress Ohio member “what the heck is going on up in Ohio?”

The Progress Ohio community will keep up the pressure until Chabot puts the needs of his most vulnerable constituents, Ohio’s kids, ahead of Bush’s game of partisan pay-back.

Call Chabot’s office today: (202) 225-2216

After you make your call, be sure to post a comment below letting us know how it went.

Tips:

Keep your call short and specific.
Remember that your main purpose is to urge Chabot to vote YES to reauthorize SCHIP (pronounced S-CHIP), and override Bush’s veto.
Are you or someone you know affected by SCHIP? Be sure to mention it during your call.

Other points:

This legislation is supported by 80% of the American public, including 70% of Republicans.
By opposing SCHIP, Chabot is not only going against Ohio families, but also the republicans in the Ohio House of Representatives, who designated expansion of SCHIP a legislative priority.
Chabot is one of only 4 members of Ohio’s congressional delegation who is continuing to place his loyalty with President Bush rather than Ohio’s families.

On a roll? Call the other Ohio congressional representatives who voted “no” on children’s healthcare:

Jean Schmidt (OH-2) Phone: (202) 225-3164
Jim Jordan (OH-4) Phone: (202) 225-2676
John A. Boehner (OH-8) (800) 582-1001
Senator George Voinovich (202) 224-3353
Main congressional switchboard: (800) 828-0498

UFCW needs our help!

Lorraine Bieber — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:24:19 EDT

Our friends at UFCW Local 1099 have been in intense contract negotiations with Kroger for some time and the company's tactics have reached a low point. Recently in Cincinnati, Kroger has threatened to fire long-standing UFCW members and hard-working employees for reasonable public outreach activity related to their health care needs.

This is unacceptable.

What Kroger's executives don't know is that UFCW Local 1099 has backup: you and the rest of the growing Progress Ohio community.

Click here to sign a letter to the decisionmakers at Kroger letting them know you stand with UFCW Local 1099, and that you'll be watching Kroger's executives to make sure they do the right thing.
The letter and the list of signatures will be delivered by UFCW to David Dillon, Kroger's CEO, and we'll keep you posted as this situation develops.

When our friends need help, the Progress Ohio community will come through. Stand with UFCW Local 1099 -- send a message to Kroger's executives today.

Do you shop at Kroger? Be sure to mention that in the comments section.