ProgressOhio

PPP: Kasich Would Lose A Election Do-Over With Ted Strickland By Twenty

2012-02-08T20:56:38Z

After a little over a year on the job, Ohioans appear to be having voter's remorse over the election of Republican John Kasich as Governor. Kasich holds a 53% job disapproval rating compared to just 33% approval. Independents disapprove by a 38-47 rate, just 9% of Democrats approve compared to 80% who do not, and 25% of Republicans disapprove while only 58% approve. When asked who they would vote for if they could do last fall's election for Governor over again, Ted Strickland leads by 20 points, with 56% of voters say they would vote for him and just 36% for Kasich..

"Ohio voters sent John Kasich a strong message in November by repealing Senate Bill 5 and his numbers haven't improved any since then," said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. "He remains one of the least popular Governors in the country and that could help Democratic prospects in the state this fall."

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ACTION ALERT: Stop Congress from Ending Unemployment Insurance!

2012-02-08T20:16:55Z

Congress is at it again. Attacking those most vulnerable so they can pay-back their corporate contributors and their ALEC masters.

Will you stand with us at a Rapid Response Action to Extend Unemployment Insurance for out of work Ohioans? We are going to Senator Portman's Columbus office THIS FRIDAY at 11 am to tell him that Ohioans want Congress to work for our communities, not Portman's 1% allies.

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Attend 'Roccupy Columbus' This Friday

2012-02-08T18:11:00Z

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Josh Fox Director Of The Oscar-nominated Documentary Gasland Lends His Voice To The Ohio Anti-Fracking Movement

2012-02-08T14:27:14Z

Stefanie Penn Spear reads Josh Fox's statement at Gov. John Kasich's State of the State address in Steubenville, Ohio.

Watch It:

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Ohioans Chase Kasich to Steubenville Hold "The State of the 99%" Protest Rally

2012-02-08T01:19:25Z

Steubenville, OH - Education. Environment. Voting Rights. Workers' Rights. Attack after attack - Kasich and his allies are working for their corporate special interests, continuing to ignore the will of the people. After the beating Kasich took on Issue 2, he knows the people are against him. So instead of having the State of the State at the Statehouse in Columbus, Kasich is breaking 200 years of tradition and running away to a small venue in hopes that no one will make the effort to travel there.

Over 200 did!

View Slideshow

View Larger Images Here

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Grade Card For Gov. Kasich's First Year In Office

2012-02-08T00:56:59Z

The Senate Democratic Caucus has created a grade card for Governor Kasich's first year in office.

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Leader Budish Responds to Gov. Kasich's State of the State Address

2012-02-08T00:33:08Z

COLUMBUS- Ohio House Democratic Leader Armond Budish (D- Beachwood) released the following statement in response to Gov. Kasich's State of the State address at Wells Academy in Steubenville, Ohio today.

"Gov. Kasich has done little for public education and the struggling working and middle class families across this state over the last year. A year into his term he has slashed hundreds of millions from education and has yet to present a long-term solution to the unconstitutional funding system, instead forcing local schools to pass new levies raising property taxes. Rather than tear down public education and demonize teachers, as the governor has done, we must invest in our children so that they are completely prepared to compete for well-paying jobs in a global economy.

"While unemployment is at its lowest rate since January 2009, Gov. Kasich's attempts to take credit for rescuing the economy are farcical. He stood up and spoke out against policies such as protecting the auto industry, which saved over 8,000 manufacturing jobs in Ohio alone. Almost all jobs created in 2011 were created in the first six months, before the governor's policies took effect. During the last six months, the state actually lost jobs and many people have stopped looking for work but are still unemployed. And I encourage him to remember, Ohio's unemployment rate dropped two full percentage points from 10. 6 percent to 8.6 percent before his policies even took effect.

"Gov. Kasich has rained lavish benefits on special interests and major Republican friends, giving huge tax cuts to the wealthiest among us, while selling off state assets and selling out the middle class. Democrats have stood up and fought to protect working families and middle class Ohioans from the assaults on workers' rights, women's rights and voters' rights. And we will continue to fight against the Republicans' overreaching radical agenda."

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Bolster The Income Tax To Meet Ohio's Needs

2012-02-06T21:51:34Z

A research brief released today by Policy Matters Ohio analyzes a proposal that would reinstitute the state income-tax rate of 7.5 percent on income over $250,000 and implement a new, 8.5 percent rate on income over $500,000. This combination would generate about $650 million annually, according to an analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), a national research institute with a sophisticated model of state and federal taxation system

That would allow the state to reverse nearly half the cuts made to public schools and local governments in the current two-year budget. Those cuts are hitting Ohio's schools and communities hard, prompting teacher layoffs, undercutting public health and leaving some local governments struggling to maintain their police levels.

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Get On The Bus To Protest Kasich's State Of The State!

2012-02-06T18:47:26Z

The bus is rolling out tomorrow morning. Will you be on it? RSVP RIGHT NOW and get one of the last spots!

The annual State of the State address is scheduled for February 7th but for the first time in the history of the State of Ohio, its not going to be at the Statehouse.

After the beating Kasich took on Issue 2, he knows the people are against him. So Kasich is breaking 200 years of tradition and running away to a small venue in hopes that no one will make the effort to travel there.

Will you join us to protest the State of the State? Can you grab a FREE BUS from Columbus, Cleveland, or Youngstown to/from Steubenville on Feb 7th and stand up for the 99%? Click here to RSVP for the FREE BUS.

SPOTS LEFT ON THE BUS:

Columbus: 13

(Leaves from 1395 Dublin Rd. Columbus, OH 43215 @ 7:30 am)

Cleveland: 3

(Leaves from 3250 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44115 @ 7:30 am)

Youngstown: 7

(Leaves from 1105 Elm St. [Elm & Illinois], Youngstown, OH 44505 @ 8:30 am)

If you don't RSVP, spots will be on a first come, first served basis. Don't get left behind, reserve your spot RIGHT NOW!

John Kasich has the wrong vision for Ohio. It's time for Kasich and the rest of the politicians to do the right thing. The days of rewarding campaign contributors with Ohio's tax dollars are over.

The corporate takeover of Ohio stops here.

Join us in Steubenville on the 7th. Make your voice heard.

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ALEC's Grip on Ohio's Legislature Puts Corporations Above People

2012-02-06T17:49:35Z

New Report Documents Influence of American Legislative Exchange Council in Columbus

COLUMBUS, OH - A new report released today by People For the American Way Foundation, Common Cause, the Center for Media and Democracy and ProgressOhio reveals the deep ties between the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and Ohio's legislature.

Through a side-by-side comparison of ALEC legislative models and actual Ohio bills, the report shows how Ohio's legislators are working in tandem with corporate leaders to deregulate key industries, privatize education and dismantle unions.

The report, ALEC in Ohio: The Corporate Special Interests that Help Write Ohio's Laws, is available here.

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Putting Rivalries Aside: Mayors Unite Against Illegal Guns

2012-02-04T14:08:52Z

Boston Mayor Tom Menino and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg don't agree on football - but they strongly agree that we can keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people while supporting the 2nd Amendment.

This Sunday, during Super Bowl XLVI, Mayor Menino and Mayor Bloomberg will appear in a new television advertisement promoting common sense reforms to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Watch It:

Join Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a bipartisan coalition of more than 600 mayors from across the country, to help crack down on illegal guns.

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Stop this Radical Threat to Workers' Rights Today!

2012-02-03T18:01:41Z

The rights of the men and women who work at airlines and railroads are in jeopardy.

Over 75 years ago, Democrats and Republicans worked together to craft the Railway Labor Act to resolve labor disputes in the airline and railroad industries. Under the Act, the National Mediation Board administers union representation elections in the industry.

Until today.

Radical anti-union members of Congress are attempting to rewrite this important labor law and change the role of the National Mediation Board without debate or discussion. They have included drastic changes to the law in the FAA Reauthorization bill.

Click here to write Congress today and make sure that these changes are removed from the FAA Reauthorization bill.

The changes these radicals are seeking would:

Make it much harder for airline and railroad workers to hold union representation elections.

Threaten airline and railroad workers' right to a secret ballot during union representation campaigns, allowing for management intimidation and retaliation.

Allow airline and railroad management to decertify unions without an election in a merger.

The FAA Reauthorization bill is an important piece of legislation that must be passed to ensure safe, efficient air travel. It is not the place to make drastic changes to rules that protect the rights of workers to join labor unions.

We must stand together to let Congress know that unrelated, controversial changes to labor law have no place in this bill.

Watch the video then use this form to write your Senators today and make sure that these changes are removed from the FAA Reauthorization bill. Or text FAA to 69866 to connect to your Senators' offices.

Watch It:

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Komen Apologizes For 'Recent Decisions,' Pledges To Continue Funding Planned Parenthood

2012-02-03T17:12:13Z

Komen for the Cure just released the following statement from Nancy Brinker and the Susan G. Komen Board of Director

We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women's lives.

The events of this week have been deeply unsettling for our supporters, partners and friends and all of us at Susan G. Komen. We have been distressed at the presumption that the changes made to our funding criteria were done for political reasons or to specifically penalize Planned Parenthood. They were not.

Our original desire was to fulfill our fiduciary duty to our donors by not funding grant applications made by organizations under investigation. We will amend the criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political. That is what is right and fair.

Our only goal for our granting process is to support women and families in the fight against breast cancer. Amending our criteria will ensure that politics has no place in our grant process. We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities.

It is our hope and we believe it is time for everyone involved to pause, slow down and reflect on how grants can most effectively and directly be administered without controversies that hurt the cause of women. We urge everyone who has participated in this conversation across the country over the last few days to help us move past this issue. We do not want our mission marred or affected by politics - anyone's politics.

Starting this afternoon, we will have calls with our network and key supporters to refocus our attention on our mission and get back to doing our work. We ask for the public's understanding and patience as we gather our Komen affiliates from around the country to determine how to move forward in the best interests of the women and people we serve.

We extend our deepest thanks for the outpouring of support we have received from so many in the past few days and we sincerely hope that these changes will be welcomed by those who have expressed their concern.

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Lawmakers Announce Formation of "Responsible Shale Energy Development" Caucus

2012-02-03T17:02:46Z

Group to Address Lack of Responsible Policies on Hydraulic Fracturing in the State

COLUMBUS - Recently a group of Ohio legislators announced the creation of a caucus comprised of Senate and House members who are promoting legislation to strengthen relatively weak laws surrounding shale oil and gas exploration in the state.

"I think we looked around and kind of realized that a strong group of legislators are all working on legislation to bring about substantive and thoughtful laws for a practice that has been given pretty wide latitude by the Kasich administration. I also think that some of us are a little irritated that the Governor is saying 'we have to do this right,' yet no one in his administration has proposed to deal with the gross violation of private property laws that exist, the blatant discrepancy in seeking a fair revenue for the state, or the serious concerns about public and environmental health," Hagan said.

Responsible Shale Energy Development Caucus (RSED) members have introduced legislation that directly addresses some of these issues, and some members are currently working on legislation to bring greater accountability and responsibility to Ohio's oil and gas extraction laws.

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ProgressOhio Statement on Fracking and Future Revenue

2012-02-02T20:54:23Z

The following statement can be attributed in whole or in part to Brian Rothenberg, Executive Director of ProgressOhio:

"ProgressOhio believes first and foremost the health and safety of Ohioans should take precedence over any discussion of revenue generated from fracking. ProgressOhio stands firmly with the 72% of Ohioans who are in favor of a moratorium on fracking until issues such as environmental impact, water quality, disclosure of chemicals and waste disposal issues are resolved.

While the aim of generating more revenue for our local communities is valid, we believe that Ohio should be examining and eliminating some of the over $7 billion in tax loopholes and expenditures, including tax breaks for private jets, that leaders on all part of the political spectrum agree are wasteful and ineffective.

What is the State's cost to replace an entire aquifer that has been contaminated by toxic chemicals and unregulated drilling? What is the State's cost to replace infrastructure and repair damage after earthquakes caused by wastewater injection? More importantly, what is the cost to the people of Ohio, our health, our children, and our communities when the short term profits of big oil and gas are put before our property rights and our rights to clean water and air?

Until we can have a moratorium in place and the science proves our communities are safe, the environment is unharmed and earthquake ramifications are understood, talking about splitting up the spoils of fracking money is premature. The State of Ohio needs to put our people before corporate profits."

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Attn: Cleveland, Youngstown and Columbus: FREE BUS to Protest Kasich at State of the State!

2012-02-02T18:46:37Z

John Kasich is on the run but we need your help to fight his extreme corporate agenda.

The annual State of the State address is scheduled for February 7th but for the first time in the history of the State of Ohio, its not going to be at the Statehouse.

After the beating Kasich took on Issue 2, he knows the people are against him. So Kasich is breaking 200 years of tradition and running away to a small venue in hopes that no one will make the effort to travel there.

Will you join us to protest the State of the State? Can you grab a FREE BUS from Youngstown to/from Steubenville on Feb 7th and stand up for the 99%? Click here to RSVP for the FREE BUS FROM CLEVELAND. YOUNGSTOWN or COLUMBUS.

Why are we protesting the State of the State? Why are we rallying for the 99%?

Because Gov. Kasich isn't standing up for us and someone needs to be fighting for our future and our communities.

We are at a make or break moment in Ohio. While our citizens continue to struggle, John Kasich is giving away the state to his biggest campaign contributors.

Education. Environment. Voting Rights. Workers' Rights. Attack after attack - Kasich and his allies are working for their corporate special interests, continuing to ignore the will of the people.

Can we count on you to stand up for regular Ohioans and stand up against Kasich's bus at the State of the 99% Protest? We can send a message for the 99% but we need your help. Click here to RSVP and get more information on the protest.

On February 7th, we will prove him wrong. Citizens from across Ohio are going to come together and protest Kasich's fire-sale of Ohio to his corporate friends. We will show him that the 99% won't sit back while he rewards his 1% campaign contributors.

John Kasich has the wrong vision for Ohio. It's time for Kasich and the rest of the politicians to do the right thing. The days of rewarding campaign contributors with Ohio's tax dollars are over.

The corporate takeover of Ohio stops here.

Join us in Steubenville on the 7th. Make your voice heard. We have a free bus but you must CLICK HERE to RSVP and get more information.

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Innovation Ohio Report: Fairness, Fracking and the Future

2012-02-02T17:56:04Z

Ohio's oil and gas resources have caught the attention of drillers, investors and political leaders alike. Thanks to a process known as hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"), substantial reserves of oil and gas trapped deep under the surface can be extracted and brought to market, with a potential value of hundreds of billions of dollars.

Innovation Ohio has released a report, "Fracking, Fairness and the Future," in which they call on Governor Kasich and state lawmakers to ensure that Ohio workers, landowners and taxpayers receive a fair share and a fair shake if the state decides to allow expanded drilling for oil and gas.

"Though a shale boom potentially could bring tens of thousands of jobs to Ohio, environmental concerns have raised doubts about whether fracking and its associated processes are safe. However, environmental issues are not the primary focus of our report. Because creating jobs will do little good if we poison our people and destroy our state, we believe it is self-evident that fracking should be halted if threats to public health and safety cannot be resolved. But if fracking does go forward, we believe that the economic benefits should be shared fairly with ALL Ohioans, not transferred out of state or allowed to flow down a one-way street in the direction of Big Oil."

IO's recommendations include: charging industry a reasonable severance tax and sharing the revenue with local governments hit hard by budget cuts and poised to deal with the local impacts of increased drilling; establishing a landowner's bill of rights; and creating a "Hire Ohio" policy to ensure new jobs go primarily to the Ohioans who need them.

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February 25th is Rootscamp Ohio 2012! Get Your Free Tickets Today!

2012-02-02T00:35:10Z

Rootscamp Ohio is the one event a year where it doesn't matter whether you're a blogger, an elected official or a super-volunteer that had never been politically active before SB5 - if you're a progressive and have something to share, we want to hear from you.

Please join us on Saturday, February 25^th for Rootscamp Ohio 2012, a unique chance to network, share and learn from your peers across the state.

Tickets are free and space is limited so make sure you can attend by RSVP'ing today!

What: Rootscamp Ohio 2012

Who: Progressives from across the state.

When: Saturday, February 25th, 2012

Sign-in starts at 8:30 AM and the opening session is at 9:30 AM.

Where: Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA)

390 Worthington Rd. Ste. A

Westerville, OH 43082-8329 [map]

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Sen. Brown's 'Putting the People's Interests First Act of 2012' Would Require Members of Congress to Divest Themselves from Stock Holdings or Separate Themselves from Buying, Selling

2012-02-01T19:34:14Z

The Putting the People's Interests First Act of 2012 Would Build on STOCK Act by Setting Strict Firewall to Prevent Any Conflicts of Interests that Could Arise by Members of Congress Owning Stock Affected by their Official Duties

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) on Wednesday, offered an amendment that he said would strengthen the pending STOCK Act by requiring senators and their senior staff to divest from individual stock holdings in companies that could be affected by their work.

"Members of the House and Senate should focus on serving their constituents, not their stock portfolios," said Brown, speaking from the floor early Wednesday afternoon. "While the STOCK Act is an important step, we can draw an even clearer line by preventing our colleagues from voting on issues that affect their financial investments...There's no reason they need to be in the business of buying or selling stocks that could be influenced by their actions."

The Putting the People's Interests First Act of 2012, which is being sponsored by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), technically prohibit members of the Senate and staff from owning individual stock in areas affected by their congressional work but does allow investment in broad-based funds such as mutual funds and allows for assets to be placed in blind trust.

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Obama Leads Battered Republican Field in Ohio

2012-02-01T17:21:29Z

Public Policy Polling

Things are looking up for Barack Obama in the crucial swing state of Ohio. His opponents are unpopular, his own numbers are on the rise, and as a result he holds a healthy lead over the entire Republican field of candidates.

Obama has broken even with Ohio voters. 48% now approve of him with an equal 48% disapproving. His net approval has increased 8 points from 41/49 when PPP last polled the state in early November. The most important thing that's happened since then is Obama's base rallying around him. He's gone from a 73% approval rating with Democrats to 82%. And although he remains unpopular with independents he's still seen a 13 point net improvement with them from -26 (30/56) to -13 (40/53).

While Obama's becoming more popular, his opponents are moving backward. Only 28% of Ohioans have a favorable opinion of Mitt Romney to 56% with a negative one. Independents (30/53) and Democrats (14/73) pretty universally dislike him and he's not that hot with Republicans (43/36) either. Ron Paul (27/57) and Newt Gingrich (25/59) are even more unpopular. Rick Santorum actually has the 'best' numbers of the Republicans in Ohio at 35/48.

Santorum also, in contrast to most of our polling, comes the closest to Obama in Ohio. He trails by 6 points at 48-42. Romney's down 7 at 49-42, Paul's down 10 at 48-38, and Gingrich trails by 12 at 51-39.

Full Results Here

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Kasich Announces Public Lottery For State Of The State Tickets

2012-02-01T14:39:42Z

COLUMBUS - Today Gov. John R. Kasich announced that a block of tickets to his 2012 State of the State address on Tuesday, February 7, in Steubenville will be distributed to the public via an internet lottery. Interested individuals can register for the ticket lottery at: http://governor.ohio.gov/tickets/

The governor's State of the State address is historically delivered in the Ohio House of Representatives chamber at the Statehouse in Columbus, where public seating is limited. This year's address--the first delivered by a governor outside of the Statehouse--will be delivered to a special joint session of the General Assembly convened at Wells Academy, the top-performing public elementary school in Ohio and part of Steubenville City Schools. Wells shares a spacious auditorium with the Steubenville High School which allows for more Ohioans to attend.

Names will be collected until 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 2, and individuals selected for tickets by random lottery will be notified via e-mail by noon on Friday, February 3.

State Of The 99% Ohio:
Protest and Rally At State Of The State!

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Senate Democratic Caucus New Leadership Team Officially Sworn In

2012-01-31T23:10:11Z

Cincinnati's Eric Kearney takes over as Minority Leader

Columbus - The Senate Democratic Caucus has a new leadership team after an official swearing-in ceremony today in the Ohio Senate. Senator Eric H. Kearney (D-Cincinnati), an attorney, businessman and lifelong resident of Cincinnati, was elected Minority Leader. He is joined on the Caucus leadership team by Assistant Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni (D-Canfield), Minority Whip Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) and Assistant Minority Whip Edna Brown (D-Toledo).

"I am honored to have three dedicated and hard working Senators join me in leadership," said Senator Kearney. "We are a Caucus of big ideas and I look forward to putting those ideas into action to improve the lives of all Ohioans."

Senator Kearney has served in the Ohio Senate since December 2005. He represents the 9th Senate District which includes Cincinnati, Norwood, Deer Park, Silverton, Springfield Township, Golf Manor, St. Bernard, Elmwood Place, Cheviot, Addyston, North Bend, Columbia Township and Cleves.

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Ohio Mayors Join Freedom to Marry Campaign

2012-01-31T16:55:15Z

Columbus, OH -- Six Ohio Mayors are among a growing list of local officials who have joined Freedom to Marry's "Mayors for the Freedom to Marry" campaign, which supports marriage equality for same-sex couples.

The Ohio Mayors who have signed the pledge to date are:

Frank Jackson of Cleveland

Mark Mallory of Cincinnati

Don Plusquellic of Akron

Edward Kelly of Cleveland Heights

David Berger of Lima

Sara Drew of Stow

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House Democrats Outline 2012 Priorities to Strengthen Middle Class

2012-01-31T16:19:41Z

Initiatives focus on Jobs, Communities, Rights and Opportunities

COLUMBUS - Ohio House Democrats announced the beginning of their legislative agenda for 2012 to strengthen working and middle class families. The priorities build upon the Compact with the Middle Class announced last year and focus specifically on four categories - jobs, communities, rights and opportunities.

"While Statehouse Republicans continue their overreaching partisan priorities, House Democrats are committed to common-sense solutions that put working and middle class families first," said House Minority Leader Armond Budish (D-Beachwood). "We will place a renewed focus this year on creating jobs, rebuilding Ohio communities, protecting the rights of Ohioans and improving education and workforce training opportunities."

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Rep. Pillich Introduces Legislation to Make State Watchdog More Accountable

2012-01-30T20:20:30Z

Questions raised about performance, integrity and accountability of IG Meyer

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Connie Pillich (D-Montgomery) introduced legislation today to create greater accountability and oversight for the office of the Inspector General by requiring a bipartisan appointing process through the four legislative leaders. This legislation will ensure the state's top watchdog maintains the necessary distance from partisan political activities.

"Recent activities have brought attention to the need for greater distance from political partisanship by the state's top watchdog. The Inspector General is charged with the responsibility of investigating wrongdoing in state government and protecting taxpayers from waste, fraud and abuse within the executive branch. Under no circumstance should Inspector General participate in any activity that could raise questions about the integrity and independence of the office," said Rep. Pillich.

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Reps. Sutton and Hoyer Tour NASA Glenn Research Center

2012-01-30T18:46:06Z

Congresswoman Sutton and Congressman Hoyer
listen to presentation at NASA's Flywheel Laboratory

Sutton and Hoyer discuss importance of center to jobs and research in NE Ohio

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Betty Sutton (OH-13) and House Democratic Whip Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05) toured NASA's Glenn Research Center, where they spoke with officials about scientific and economic impact the center has on Northeast Ohio.

"The work these men and women do here at NASA Glenn not only helps to keep our country on the forefront of aerospace research, but provides good-paying jobs at a time when Ohioans need them most," said Sutton. "I want to thank Congressman Hoyer for his visit to our state and for taking time to see firsthand why it is important that we continue to support the work done here at this critical research center."

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Fair Elections Ohio Statement on Possible 'Repeal and Replace' of HB194 by the Ohio Legislature

2012-01-30T17:58:35Z

"The recent suggestion of Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted that the Ohio General Assembly should repeal House Bill 194 has ignited several debates including whether it can actually be done while a referendum on the measure is pending.

While Fair Elections Ohio appreciates Secretary Husted's suggestion that HB 194 should be repealed, the apparent result seems to be a desire by some members of the legislature to substitute other changes before the November 2012 general election. This will create more confusion than good.

Fair Elections Ohio urges no changes to Ohio's election laws in 2012, especially between the primary and the general elections. Our repeal effort has achieved consistent election procedures for Ohioans in 2012, allowing voters to utilize nearly the same rules as were in place in the last presidential election.

While the Ohio House and the Senate agreed to previous compromises with the assistance of former Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner in 2010, they failed to become law when there was time to implement them. For 2012, the time for compromise has passed, and election officials and Ohio voters deserve to know the rules well in advance.

Fair Elections Ohio respectfully suggests the best thing for the Secretary to do is to execute his duties to educate the public about the current rules governing elections. The law specifically requires that he "Conduct voter education outlining voter identification, absent voters ballot, provisional ballot, and other voting requirements." (R.C. 3501.05(Z)

Fair Elections Ohio's efforts are and will continue to be focused on increasing voter participation and to protect the rights of every Ohio voter to access and fair elections. For this reason Fair Elections Ohio believes no election laws should change at this time, and HB 194 should remain a question for the voters to decide.

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Press Pass: Consumer Watchdog Richard Cordray

2012-01-29T17:09:16Z

Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection bureau, believes the new organization can "make the markets work better."

"We can drive out the fraudulent practices, we can make prices and risks clearer for consumers and the other thing is, we can focus a little more on financial literacy and helping people understand the things they need to do to be responsible citizens so they can do a better job," Cordray said.

When pressed on charges from Republicans that his appointment is a 'power grab,' Cordray said his bureau will be judged based on results.

"If we can get these markets to work better," he said, "we can get things simpler and clearer for consumers to make more informed choices it's a good thing. Everybody recognizes that."

Watch Meet The Press' entire conversation with Director Cordray above to hear more about the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the story of his experience as a contestant on Jeopardy.

Watch It:

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State Of The 99% Ohio: Protest and Rally At State Of The State!

2012-01-27T23:27:04Z

Visit State Of The 99.com for more information!

Sign-up using FaceBook

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Becky Williams Elected As National SEIU Vice President

2012-01-27T19:05:45Z

Congratulations to Becky Williams, President of SEIU1199 WV,KY,OH on her election as a vice president for SEIU International!

The Columbus Dispatch Reports:

Becky Williams, the president of Service Employees International Union District 1199, has been elected a vice president for SEIU International. She will continue to serve in her local position.

The union said Williams "will expand the voice of our local," working with SEIU President Mary Kay Henry and the board to "improve the lives of working people and their families and to achieve greater social and economic justice."

SEIU is the second-largest state employee union. It is comprised mainly of professional and health-care employees.

In addition to this new role, President Williams continues to serve as a national leader on the SEIU International Executive Board (IEB) and is a member of IEB Health Care Council, the Midwest Area Leadership Council, and the International Member Strength Committee.

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Lawmakers Propose Common Sense Solution to Controversial HB 194

2012-01-27T18:34:17Z

Legislation will ensure all votes are counted and rules are evenly applied

COLUMBUS- State Reps. Kathleen Clyde (D- Kent), Tracy Maxwell Heard (D- Columbus) and Alicia Reece (D- Cincinnati) announced today a common sense legislative solution to increase voter access, establish a more accurate voter database, and improve that ballot counting process. This week, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted called for the repeal of the controversial House Bill 194, which is currently facing a voter referendum in the fall.

Democrat's election law reforms would restore the requirement that poll workers direct voters to the correct polling place. It would ensure early voting lasts thru the Monday before Election Day and it would restore less burdensome vote-counting rules.

"In response to the colossal failure in legislative leadership by the Republicans, we again are saying work with us. Here are our priorities for creating better elections in Ohio that promote more participation in our elections, and ensure that more ballots are counted. We were shut out of the process last time, but we hope that the Republicans learn from their mistakes and work with us," said Rep. Clyde.

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Climate Activists Call Foul at Rep. Boehner's Office over Keystone Pipeline and Campaign Cash from Big Oil

2012-01-27T17:42:25Z

Activists in Striped Referee Uniforms "blew the whistle" on Rep. Boehner's Big Oil Campaign Donations and Agenda to Force through Keystone XL Pipeline

Cincinnati, OH- Climate activists fed up with the influence of corporate money on Congress stormed Spk. Boehner's office today in striped ref uniforms to "blow the whistle" on congressional corruption. Activists in uniform blew literal whistles and threw penalty flags to draw attention to the corruption of Congress by corporations and Big Oil, as evidenced by the ongoing campaign to force through the pipeline.

"I'm a writer, and I would never accept money from someone to bias any of my articles. That's why I'm sick of Congress saying the millions they get from Big Oil hasn't affected their votes on Keystone XL. Shame on John Boehner for vowing to continue his campaign to force this pipeline," said Andrew Culp, writer and teacher.

Rep. Boehner accepted $1.1 million from the fossil fuel industry before voting to expedite the Keystone XL "Tar Sands" Pipeline in December, according to OpenSecrets.org.

"I travelled to Washington, DC to stop this pipeline. Meanwhile, Speaker Boehner has sold us out for $1.1 million. I don't trust his agenda to force through this pipeline any more than I trust the corporations backing the project." Said Amanda Morgan, student at University of Cincinnati.

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Ohio AFL-CIO Files Objection To RTW Summary

2012-01-27T04:37:55Z

As Indiana was passing Right To Work (For Less) out of their state House of Representatives yesterday, the Ohio AFL-CIO was submitting a challenge to the Ohio Attorney General over the submission of petition language that could put Right To Work (For Less) on the ballot as early as this November.

You can download and read the Ohio AFL-CIO objection here.

Ohio Governor John Kasich spoke today about Right To Work (For Less) and agrees this is not the time to start trying to destroy what is left of Ohio's private-sector middle class

Watch It:

"The preponderance of evidence gathered from extensive independent research shows that the so called 'right to work for less' policies are in fact damaging to local economies as they lower wages and often create an environment that is conducive to job flight instead of fulfilling the promises of their proponents," said Tim Burga, Ohio AFL-CIO President. "We will continue to fight every day to ensure every worker has the dignity and protections they deserve at work to raise their families."

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VIDEO: AWOL Mandel

2012-01-27T04:07:28Z

Mandel caught on tape raising money from lobbyists while neglecting his job in Ohio

WASHINGTON, DC - Only one day after the Associated Press reported that Ohio Treasurer and Senate candidate Josh Mandel has never attended a Board of Deposit meeting, he skipped yet another one to attend a high-dollar fundraiser in Washington, DC. American Bridge trackers caught Mandel on his way to the fundraiser in DC, as well as his absence from the Board of Deposit meeting.

"I don't know how Josh Mandel can look Ohio voters in the eye and claim to be 100% dedicated to his job, instead of running for Senate. I suppose he had a lot of practice keeping a straight face from all the times he told voters he planned to serve a full 4-year term," said Matt Thornton, spokesman for American Bridge 21st Century.

Watch It:

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Fair Elections Ohio Statement On SOS Husted Calling For HB194 Repeal

2012-01-26T20:04:39Z

The following statement was issued by Fair Elections Ohio Campaign Director, Greg Moore:

"Fair Elections Ohio welcomes the comments of Secretary of State Jon Husted and legislative leaders in calling for the repeal of HB 194. They join the growing chorus of citizens across the state of Ohio who signed over half a million petitions that successfully placed this issue on the November 2012 ballot. We will support any and all measures that will ensure that HB 194 never becomes the law of the land in Ohio.

Fair Elections Ohio and our broad based coalition will continue our work to build a strong grassroots statewide campaign that will ensure that HB 194 is defeated at the polls this fall. We hope the Secretary, the legislature and the Governor will all take this opportunity to expand and not suppress the voting rights of any Ohio voter."

See Related:

Senate President not happy about Husted's call for repeal | The Columbus Dispatch http://bit.ly/wrRgLi

Video: http://bit.ly/wNKGCS

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Rep. Szollosi Denounces Passage of Bill that Weakens Protections for Asbestos Victims

2012-01-26T14:33:35Z

Questions why this legislation is necessary, will only add to pain of families and victims

COLUMBUS - Assistant Minority of the Ohio House of Representatives Matthew A. Szollosi (D. Toledo) released the following statement after the passage of House Bill 380 this afternoon.

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Rep. Nicholas Celebrezze Sworn in to Ohio House

2012-01-26T14:25:23Z

Appointed to vacant 15th House District seat

COLUMBUS - Former Parma City Councilman Nicholas J. Celebrezze has been called on to represent the 15th House District following State Rep. Timothy DeGeeter's election as Parma City Mayor.

Rep. Celebrezze has spent his career as a public servant. He served six years as a city councilman and has worked as a Cuyahoga County Adult Probation Officer and Assistant County Prosecutor; he is excited to be returning to public service representing the people of the 15th District in the legislator. Rep. Celebrezze was officially sworn into the Ohio House during today's session.

"It is a true honor to be representing the great community of Parma in the Ohio House of Representatives," Rep. Celebrezze said. "I look forward to serving the people of the 15th District and fighting for Ohio's working families. I will do everything I can to make sure my constituents' voices are heard in Columbus."

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AP: Ohio Treasurer Is A No-Show At Deposit Board

2012-01-25T19:59:44Z

COLUMBUS: Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel hasn't attended a single monthly meeting of the powerful but mundane state board that decides which banks will hold billions in state deposits.

Ohio Treasurer Is A No-Show At Deposit Board

It's common to send a designee to most meetings, but the total absence of Mandel, a first-term Republican, makes him unique among modern-era treasurers.

Meeting minutes, news clippings, and interviews by The Associated Press show every state treasurer since at least the early 1980s has some record of attending the Board of Deposit in person. The treasurer serves as chair.

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Ballot Board Decides Medical Marijuana Amendment is Single Issue

2012-01-25T19:30:02Z

COLUMBUS - The Ohio Ballot Board, chaired by Secretary of State Jon Husted, today determined that a proposed amendment concerning medical marijuana consist of one issue.

Petitioners will need to collect 385,253 signatures, which is equal to 10 percent of the total vote cast for Governor in 2010. As part of the total number of signatures needed to place the measure on the ballot, petitioners must also collect signatures from at least 44 of Ohio's 88 counties, and within each of those counties, collect enough signatures equal to five percent of the total vote cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election, 2010.

Members of the Ballot Board include: Secretary Husted, Chair; Fred Strahorn, Vice Chair; State Senator Keith Faber; Mark Griffin; and William N. Morgan. Ballot Board meetings are open to the public.

Additional Information

Ballot Board Certification Letter

Procedure for a Citizen Initiated Constitutional Amendment

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Your Chance to Personally Help Rewrite Ohio's Constitution

2012-01-25T18:04:06Z

We all want to make a difference in Ohio, but opportunities like this don't come along often.

Ohio legislators are seeking twenty Ohio citizens to join them on the first ever Ohio Constitutional Modernization Committee. The committee will review the state constitution and can make recommendations on important issues facing our state like redistricting, school funding and judicial elections.

If you'd like to be considered, you must submit a cover letter and a resume to the committee co-chairs at the addresses listed below before February 1st:

    Speaker William G. Batchelder
    77 S. High Street
    14th Floor
    Columbus, OH 43215

    State Rep. Vernon Sykes
    77 S. High Street
    10th Floor
    Columbus, OH 43215

For more information, you can read news coverage on the committee here.

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Rep. Carney Passes Bi-Partisan Business Legislation

2012-01-25T16:31:06Z

Legislation improves state's ability to attract and retain businesses

COLUMBUS- The Ohio House of Representatives yesterday enacted legislation sponsored by State Rep. John Patrick Carney (D-Clintonville) to modernize Ohio's laws governing corporations. House Bill 48 was passed by a margin of 72-20.

House Bill 48 brings Ohio's corporate law into line with modern business practices, and passed with bipartisan support. Rep. Carney stated, "House Bill 48 improves the corporate laws of Ohio and makes it a more inviting state for entrepreneurs to form and establish their businesses."

Rep. Carney's legislation marks the first major revision of Ohio corporation law since 1970. With House Bill 48, Ohio's corporation law will now be at the forefront with other major commercial states.

HB 48 now awaits the signature of the governor.

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State Representative Alicia Reece Calls for Federal Election Monitors

2012-01-25T15:00:52Z

Letter to Attorney General Highlights Concerns over Provisional Voting

COLUMBUS - State Representative Alicia Reece (D-Cincinnati) has written to United States Attorney General Eric Holder, requesting that the Department of Justice send federal election monitors to Hamilton County for the 2012 election. The letter, mailed to the Attorney General this week, raises concerns over the procedure for counting provisional ballots miscast due to poll worker error and cites the unresolved 2010 Hamilton County Juvenile Court race as evidence that federal assistance is needed.

"We are not heading in the right direction on provisional ballots and efforts to correct the problem are being ignored," said Rep. Alicia Reece in her letter to the Attorney General. "Federal monitors will help restore confidence in the democratic process among voters."

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Word Cloud Of The 2012 State of the Union Address

2012-01-25T02:20:08Z

Word Cloud of The 2012 State of the Union Address

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Watch the State of the Union Tonight With ProgressOhio and USAction

2012-01-24T21:05:34Z

Tune in right here tonight to hear Barack Obama's last State of the Union Address before the election.

We'll be live-blogging the speech starting at 8:30pm. with an expert panel that includes USAction staff, leaders from around the country including Progressohio Executive Director, Biran Rothenberg and real Americans who've been impacted by Congress and the President's decisions.

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Leader Budish Questions How Gov. Kasich will Fill Budget Gap Created by JobsOhio

2012-01-24T18:55:08Z

State will lose hundreds of millions in liquor profits

COLUMBUS- Ohio House Democratic Leader Armond Budish (D-Beachwood) released the following statement in response to yesterday's announcement that JobsOhio is set to take control of Ohio's liquor profits for a onetime payment of $500 million. State liquor operations bring in tens of millions a year to the general revenue fund.

"I could have supported the lease of our liquor profits if two simple conditions had been met: the deal was fair to the people of Ohio, and it would not blow a hole in the budget. Unfortunately, the deal is not fair. Gov. Kasich is turning millions of dollars over to a few of his big business buddies at JobsOhio and getting little in return. Equally important, the deal takes approximately $150 million a year away from the general revenue fund for education, police, fire and critical social services, creating a structural budget deficit over the next 25 years," said Leader Budish.

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Senator Tavares Introduces Reproductive Rights Resolution

2012-01-24T15:13:28Z

Calls on General Assembly to stop assault on women's rights

Columbus - State Senator Charleta B. Tavares (D-Columbus) announced today that she is introducing a resolution in the Ohio Senate to designate the week of January 22-29, 2012 as "Reproductive Rights Awareness Week." The announcement coincides with the 39th anniversary of the U. S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision.

As of June this year, states enacted 162 new provisions related to reproductive health, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a New York-based policy and research center. Of those new laws, 49 percent seek to restrict access to abortion, a near doubling of 26 percent in 2010. Eighty abortion restrictions were enacted this year, more than triple enacted in 2010 and double the previous record of 34 abortion restrictions enacted in 2005.

"This flurry of restrictive access to a legal medical procedure is negatively impacting the health and welfare of women throughout the Nation," stated Senator Tavares. "This resolution was developed by women to bring education, awareness and action to protect women's health and safety and to ensure reproductive rights under the federal law."

Senator Tavares is one of 18 legislators from throughout the U.S. who participated in the July 15-17 2011 Strategic Action Convening on Reproductive Rights and Justice sponsored by the Center for Women's Studies. The group of female lawmakers pledged to introduce a resolution in their 15 states designating a week in January for awareness of reproductive rights. They hope the resolutions will provide a rallying cry to pro-choice advocates nationwide.

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Rep. Antonio Introduces Resolution on Reproductive Rights Awareness Week

2012-01-24T14:45:12Z

Resolution proclaims the week of Jan. 22-28 as Reproductive Rights Awareness Week

COLUMBUS -State Representatives Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) along with Senator Tavares (D-Columbus) today introduced companion resolutions to proclaim the week of Jan 22-28 "Reproductive Rights Awareness Week" to encourage public awareness, conversation, and support for reproductive rights and justice.

"Access to contraceptives and comprehensive reproductive health education and information is a human rights issue that requires our support to ensure the health and wellness of women across Ohio," said Rep. Antonio.

The resolution states that contraception enables women to better prevent unintended pregnancies and plan for pregnancy when they do want to have a child, and that publicly funded contraceptive services and supplies prevent nearly two million unintended pregnancies each year in the United States. The resolution also states that racial disparities exist with regard to sexual health care and medically accurate sex education. Legislators throughout the country are introducing this resolution in uniting and reaffirming reproductive rights and justice.

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Reps. Celeste and Foley introduce the Ohio Fair Employment Act

2012-01-24T14:35:51Z

Bill would give out-of-work Ohioans equal footing in job search

COLUMBUS- State Reps. Ted Celeste (D-Columbus) and Mike Foley (D-Cleveland) introduced legislation today that would end the discrimination of unemployed Ohioans by prospective employers in job advertisements. The Ohio Fair Employment Act would bar employers from posting job advertisements that state that applicants must be currently employed/recently unemployed.

Speaking at the Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation (COWIC), Reps. Celeste and Foley discussed the current state of unemployment in Ohio, and how their legislation will help the 469,000 Ohioans currently unemployed. They cited statistics from a recent report from the National Employment Law Project, which detailed an increasing number of employers who refuse to consider currently or recently unemployed Americans for jobs.

"Almost half a million Ohioans are without work, and to deny them even a consideration for a job simply because they're unemployed is incomprehensible," said Rep. Celeste. "Everyone deserves an opportunity, regardless of their current employment status."

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Rep. Sutton Invites Father of Fallen Solider as Guest to State of the Union

2012-01-23T19:37:40Z

Solider from Green, OH died in 2007 while serving in Iraq

WASHINGTON, DC - Honoring America's men and women in uniform and the families that support them, Congresswoman Betty Sutton (OH-13) will welcome Mr. Les Kuglics, the father of Staff Sgt. Matthew Kuglics, a soldier who died while serving in Iraq, as her guest at tomorrow's State of the Union Address.

"It is my honor to invite Mr. Kuglics as my guest to the State of the Union address," said Sutton. "As we welcome home our service members who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is also important to recognize those who have given their lives in service and the families that must endure in the face of such great loss. The entire Kuglics family is a reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of so many military families across our nation, and the debt we owe to them as a country."

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Rootscamp Ohio is Back! Get Your Free Tickets Starting Today!

2012-01-23T17:47:41Z

Please join us on Saturday, February 25^th for Rootscamp Ohio 2012, a unique chance to network, share and learn from your peers across the state.

Tickets are free and space is limited so make sure you can attend by RSVP'ing today!

What: Rootscamp Ohio 2012

Who: Progressives from across the state.

When: Saturday, February 25th, 2012

Sign-in starts at 8:30 AM and the opening session is at 9:30 AM.

Where: Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA)

390 Worthington Rd. Ste. A

Westerville, OH 43082-8329 [map]

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The Gay Rights Movement In 6 Minutes and 52 Seconds

2012-01-21T13:34:13Z

Filmmaker Ryan James Yezak's moving video on the gay rights movement has gone viral.

Take a look and you'll know why.

Watch It:

Click here to be part of this effort to create change: http://kck.st/zUspXy

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Move To Amend Rally - Columbus Ohio

2012-01-21T01:17:34Z

View More Images Here

The grassroots across the country are organizing and educating people about how corporate personhood and unlimited contributions distort and corrupt our political process. Our government needs to return to its constitutional roots. It is of, for, and by the "people", not the corporations. We can change it, but we need to stand up now. ProgressOhio has joined with national and local groups to mark the Citizens United anniversary and renew a call to end unlimited corporate influence in our political system.

Today at 3 pm at the Federal Courthouse in Columbus we rallied and protested in solidarity with other actions at Federal Courthouses in all 50 states and over 120 cities, including the Supreme Court in Washington, DC.

Slideshow:

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Shadows On High: "We The People" Not "We The Corporations"

2012-01-20T16:12:48Z

It's common sense, or at least it used to be.

Corporations are not people. Only people are people.
Money is not speech.
The People should decide elections, not big money corporations.

This Saturday is the second anniversary of the United States Supreme Court "Citizens United" decision. In that case, the Supreme Court explicitly stated what they have been working towards in case after case for over 100 years: corporations are people and money is speech, so corporate "persons" can't have their speech limited by contribution limits or disclosure requirements.

Practically overnight, Super PACs and other groups sprung up to take these corporate dollars and support pro-1% politicians. The 2012 GOP Presidential primary has already seen record spending by corporate dollars and it is only going to get worse once the general election begins.

In 2008, the Obama campaign raised $745 million, a record fundraising total in any campaign ever. That same year, one company, ExxonMobil, made over $45 Billion in PROFITS. If they were to spend just 2% of their profits to influence an election, they could outspend any candidate and effectively silence millions of people. And that is just ONE company.

Our democracy is not for sale. We may not always agree on every issue, but most people, outside of the corporate "persons" believe that "We the People" should make the decision, not big multinational corporate money operating from the shadows.

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Ohio Puts Hold On Injection Well Permits

2012-01-20T14:35:41Z

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday it will not approve any additional brine-injection well permits until it completes an injection-well report.

The report, which will include new depth regulations, is expected to be released in early February.

This is the third new regulation or restriction regarding brine-injection wells made by ODNR or Gov. John Kasich's office in a week.

ODNR last week expanded its ban on brine-injection wells to within a seven-mile radius of a well on Youngstown's West Side, near the epicenter of 11 earthquakes last year. The U.S. Geological Survey also reported a magnitude-2.1 tremor occurred in Youngstown on Friday.

On Monday, Kasich's office confirmed that injection wells, which accept brine -- a salty, chemical byproduct of natural-gas and oil drilling -- will not be allowed to exceed 8,000 feet in depth. ODNR said injection wells can no longer be drilled into the Precambrian, or bedrock, formation, where injection wells could trigger seismic activity.

Related:

Rep. Hagan Disappointed by Slanted Hearings On Seismic Activity In Youngstown

Ohioans Stand Up At Stop The Madness (Anti-Fracking) Statehouse Protest

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Rep. Sutton Promotes Jobs Plan During Factory Tour

2012-01-19T20:33:15Z

Congresswoman spoke with employees about creating manufacturing jobs in Ohio

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Betty Sutton (OH-13) toured the Will-Burt Company's manufacturing facility in Orrville, Ohio to talk about her 'American Jobs First' initiative and to hear from workers on the importance of creating new jobs in Ohio.

"Ohioans want us to set aside cheap talk and political rhetoric and put people back to work. The people at Will-Burt are an example of what we can do if we put American jobs first; by strengthening American manufacturing we strengthen our communities and our families. It's time to stand up for American jobs and bring my 'American Jobs First' initiative to the floor for a vote."

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Sen. Brown: 'Don't Let Wall Street Banks Use the Assets of Middle Class Ohioans to Pay the Penalty for Breaking the Law'

2012-01-19T19:08:28Z

As Big Banks Prepare to Settle Case on Mortgage and Foreclosure Fraud, Brown Urges Involved Parties to Reject Wall Street Plan to Allow Banks to Use the Assets of Hardworking Americans to Pay the Penalty for Illegal Foreclosure Practices

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As officials near a settlement agreement with the nation's largest banks following last year's robo-signing crisis, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) urged Administration officials and state attorneys general to hold banks financially accountable for illegal practices and to protect the pensions of Ohio's workers. The current settlement terms allow mortgage servicers to use mortgage capital to pay penalties--hurting investors, but not the banks that broke the law.

In a letter to Associate Attorney General Thomas Perrelli, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, and Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Brown said that mortgage servicers should be required to provide meaningful assistance to Ohio homeowners who lost their homes illegally, but not on the backs of other working Ohioans.

"Instead of taking full responsibility for illegal foreclosures, Wall Street banks are trying to use the assets of middle class Americans to pay the penalty," Brown said. "Penalties for Wall Street's illegal practices must ensure meaningful relief for the more than one in five homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than their house is worth. But Wall Street banks must not be allowed to pass the buck to investors. The reported settlement terms would amount to a slap on the wrist, allowing banks to write down the investments of many of my constituents, without sacrificing anything. Teachers, first responders, law enforcement officials, and other pensioners and retirees should not be penalized for wrongdoing by Wall Street."

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House and Senate Leaders Question Inspector General Meyer's Participation in GOP Fundraiser

2012-01-19T16:13:28Z

Budish seeks immediate suspension, long-term ability to carry out duties is questioned

COLUMBUS- Ohio House Democratic Leader Armond Budish (D-Beachwood) and Senate Democratic Leader Capri Cafaro (D-Hubbard) sent a letter to Gov. Kasich today questioning the conduct of Inspector General Randall Meyer after news he participated in the most partisan of activities - fundraising for the Republican Party. The Ohio Inspector General is a non-partisan agent responsible for investigating fraud and corruption of state officials.

"In order to maintain the integrity of the Inspector General's office, I am calling on Gov. Kasich to immediately suspend Mr. Meyer. I believe this suspension will give the Governor the opportunity to review the facts and make an informed decision about Mr. Meyer's future ability to fairly and objectively carry out his duties," said Leader Budish.

Leader Cafaro added that, "Inspector Generals are expected to hold themselves to a higher standard and that includes avoiding partisan political activity in order to protect the integrity of the office."

A copy of the letter can be seen below.

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Call To Action: Occupy the Courts this Friday! Corporations Are Not People & Money Is Not Speech!

2012-01-18T19:48:48Z

On Friday, January 20th, in Columbus and 65 other cities across the nation, Federal Court Buildings, including the U.S. Supreme Court, will be "occupied" by a wide variety of activists and Occupiers. Responding to the January 21, 2010 Supreme Court Decision: Citizens United v. FEC, citizens will call on the courts to sponsor a moratorium on bankruptcies and home foreclosures, to advocate for immigration reforms and criminal justice reforms, and to stop limitations on our voting rights.

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Senator Turner Introduces Sexual Assault Legislation

2012-01-18T18:52:32Z

Bill will ensure rape victims have access to medical treatment after an assault

Columbus -State Senator Nina Turner (D-Cleveland), today introduced Senate Bill 283, the Compassionate Assistance for Rape (CARE) Act. The legislation would help to ensure that sexual assault survivors are offered medical treatment following an assault.

"It is absolutely imperative that victims of sexual assault are provided with the full array of treatment information and options when they seek medical assistance," said Senator Turner. "This legislation will make sure they receive the level of care that they deserve."

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Reps. Antonio & Garland Introduce Sexual Assault Legislation

2012-01-18T18:22:19Z

Bill ensures rape victims are given accurate, unbiased information on medical treatment after assault

COLUMBUS -State Representatives Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Nancy Garland (D-New Albany) along with Senator Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) today introduced legislation to ensure sexual assault survivors are provided with medically and factually accurate, unbiased information from hospitals.

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Join The Cleveland Voter Coalition Campaign Kickoff: It's Not A Moment It's A Movement

2012-01-18T17:30:28Z

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Republicans Continue to Push Overreaching Partisan Agenda, Says Dem Leader

2012-01-18T14:47:57Z

COLUMBUS- Ohio House Democratic Leader Armond Budish (D-Beachwood) released the following statement in response to the unveiling of the Republican's 2012 legislative priorities.

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Rep. Hagan Disappointed by Slanted Hearings On Seismic Activity In Youngstown

2012-01-17T19:20:42Z

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Robert F. Hagan expressed disappointment today with a House Agriculture and Natural Resources subcommittee hearing in his district, and issued the following statements.

"The events that unfolded at YSU this morning lacked any substantive analysis or investigation into injection wells and recent earthquakes in Youngstown. Instead, the hearing amounted to little more than the continuation of the oil and gas industry's public relations campaign. Instead of thoughtful answers to probing questions, industry representatives were all too eager in seeking greater latitude for their industry to 'do what they think is right.'

Well, I remain unconvinced that the community's questions are being taken seriously. ODNR still has answers to provide regarding seismic activity and injection wells all over the state, including communities like Marietta and Youngstown. It is almost shameful how brazen the industry is in pushing their agenda over public safety."

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I Am A Man: Dr. King & the Memphis Sanitation Strike

2012-01-16T13:01:55Z

The name of Martin Luther King, Jr., is intertwined with the history of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s in the United States. The Montgomery bus boycott, the freedom rides, the Birmingham campaign, the March on Washington, the Selma march, the Chicago campaign, and the Memphis boycott are some of the more noteworthy battlefields where King and his followers--numerous in numbers, humble and great in name-- fought for the equal rights and equal justice that the United States Constitution ensures for all its citizens.

King, building on the tradition of civil disobedience and passive resistance earlier expressed by Thoreau, Tolstoy, and Gandhi, waged a war of nonviolent direct action against opposing forces of racism and prejudice that were embodied in the persons of local police, mayors, governors, angry citizens, and night riders of the Ku Klux Klan. The great legal milestones achieved by this movement were the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

In the later 1960s, the targets of King's activism were less often the legal and political obstacles to the exercise of civil rights by blacks, and more often the underlying poverty, unemployment, lack of education, and blocked avenues of economic opportunity confronting black Americans. Despite increasing militancy in the movement for black power, King steadfastly adhered to the principles of nonviolence that had been the foundation of his career. Those principles were put to a severe test in his support of a strike by sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee. This was King's final campaign before his death.

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Tuesday In Columbus: Join SPAN Ohio For A Screening Of The Healthcare Movie

2012-01-14T17:18:40Z

Join event sponsor SPAN Ohio and state director Kurt Bateman for a screening of The Healthcare Movie, a documentary film narrated by Keifer Sutherland about the development of healthcare delivery and the two divergent paths taken in North America in the 20th century.

Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - 6:30 pm

Duration: 2 Hours 15 Minutes

Bexley Public Library Auditorium, 2411 East Main Street Columbus, OH 43209

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; showing starts at 6:45 p.m. Running time 65 minutes.
Free and open to the public, however, only 50 seats available. Light refreshments provided and discussion to follow.

Contact: Kurt Bateman, span@spanohio.org

View Trailer: The Healthcare Movie:

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Support Locked-Out Cooper Tire Workers This Saturday!

2012-01-13T15:42:25Z

Members of USW Local 207L gave up $30 million in pay and other benefits to help Cooper Tire in its time of need.

With their help, Cooper made more than $300 million since 2009. The company paid its executives millions of dollars in bonuses, bought a new corporate jet, then refused to bargain with us in good faith.

They locked USW union employees out and gave replacement workers their jobs.

Watch It:

Cooper Tire is just flat wrong.

Please sign the petition and urge Cooper to end the lockout!

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ProgressOhio Employee Minister Kyle Earley Wins Ohio's 2011 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Award

2012-01-13T14:15:29Z

The annual Ohio Martin Luther King awards program recognizes service and achievements of Ohio residents and organizations in areas consistent with the teachings and example of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King's commitment to seeking racial, social and economic justice through non-violent struggle benefited not only the victims of oppression, but society as a whole. Annual awards are intended to lift up both concrete achievements and the continuing spirit of Dr. King's dreams for this nation.

Each year the Commission seeks to recognize organizations and individual who have committed to help others through exemplary service. We strive to continue this tradition of recognizing Ohio's most passionate citizens.

ProgressOhio employee Minister Kyle Earley of Cleveland won Ohio's 2011 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Award.

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Reps. Antonio & Celeste Along with Sen. Edna Brown Renew Request for Moratorium on Executions

2012-01-12T16:15:13Z

U.S. District Judge Gregory Frost delays a fourth execution due to another failure of Ohio's capital punishment system

COLUMBUS -State Representatives Nickie J. Antonio (D- Lakewood) and Ted Celeste (D-Columbus) along with Senator Edna Brown (D-Toledo) sent a letter today to Governor Kasich to renew the call for a moratorium on executions in Ohio. The letter was sent in response to U.S. District Judge Gregory Frost's decision to delay next week's execution, due to the State's failure to follow its own protocol. Between the Governor and Judge Frost together they have delayed four executions due to capital punishment procedures that the State has been unsuccessful to properly carry out.

A copy of the letter can be seen below:

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Rep. Fedor Sponsors 3rd Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Day

2012-01-12T15:06:05Z

Statewide Advocates Gather to Stop Modern-Day Slavery

COLUMBUS -State Representative Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) and the National Association of Social Workers hosted the Third Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Day at the Columbus Statehouse. Special guests included Attorney General Mike DeWine, Amy Allen of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Attorney James Moroney, Lucas County Judge Connie Zemmelman, Franklin County Judge Paul Herbert, Montgomery County Judge Gregory Singer, and Theresa Flores, survivor and Director of Awareness and Training for Gracehaven.

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Rep. Hagan to Seek Answers from ODNR

2012-01-11T20:34:22Z

Legislator Skeptical that State Officials are Prepared to Answer Tough Questions

COLUMBUS - State Representative Robert F. Hagan (D- Youngstown) will co-host a meeting this evening with local officials to discuss recent seismic activity in Youngstown and how it is related to wastewater injection wells in the area. The meeting is open to the public and news media. The invitation from Hagan's office to ODNR and the Ohio Geological Survey were still unanswered this afternoon, although it is expected that ODNR representatives will be present to address community concerns. The U.S. EPA, OhioEPA, and USGS declined the invitation earlier this week, citing ODNR's primacy on the issue.

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State Senators Eric Kearney and Nina Turner Formally Introduce Foward Ohio Plan

2012-01-10T21:47:36Z

Columbus - Today, State Senators Eric Kearney (D-Cincinnati) and Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) formally introduced Forward Ohio, (Senate Bill 278) a new economic development plan that will help Ohio's unemployed, and position the state's economy for growth. Initial estimates by the non-partisan Legislative Service Commission state that Forward Ohio could create up to 16,000 jobs.

"With the start of the new year, it is imperative that the General Assembly focus on creating the conditions for prosperity and job growth in our state. Too many Ohio families are hurting for us not to act. The longer we wait, the further we fall behind - it is absolutely critical that we get our state moving once again," said Senator Turner. "I look forward to working with all of my colleagues in Columbus to advance the Forward Ohio plan and help jumpstart our state's economy."

Specifically, Forward Ohio will authorize programs and tax credits to encourage the hiring of unemployed individuals, to make changes to the Unemployment Compensation Law, to authorize grants and tax credits for the rehabilitation of distressed areas and the expansion of broadband connections to rural areas, to create a revolving loan fund and a bonding program for small businesses, and to make changes to the Minority Business Bonding Program.

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Senate Education Committee Unanimously Passes Safe Schools Bill

2012-01-10T20:19:33Z

Bill Includes Two Out of Three Provisions Promoted by Equality Ohio

Columbus, Ohio -- This morning, the Ohio Senate Education Committee passed HB116, also known as the "Jessica Logan Act", unanimously. This bill includes provisions that protect Ohio students from the rising trend of cyber-bullying and require school districts to provide more comprehensive training on anti-bullying policies. The bill, however, was amended in committee this morning to exclude a provision that would prohibit bullying based on any real or perceived characteristics of the student, such as race, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, and the bill did not include enumeration of particular characteristics.

Since the current anti-bullying law was passed in 2006, Equality Ohio has worked closely with coalition partners, including the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, the Ohio Psychological Association, and the University of Toledo Law School Safe Schools Project, to pass a comprehensive bill that strengthens the law to include cyber-bullying, training, and enumeration. We are certainly pleased that the committee has passed provisions relating to cyber-bullying and training, and we look forward to these provisions becoming law in Ohio. "Protecting students against cyber-bullying and improving training on anti-bullying policies will have a positive effect on our schools and make them more safe for students," says Ed Mullen, Executive Director of Equality Ohio.

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Ohioans Stand Up At Stop The Madness (Anti-Fracking) Statehouse Protest

2012-01-10T19:56:22Z

View More Images Here

Columbus, OH- January, 10th A protest on the west lawn of the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus drew hundreds of participants who support a moratorium on high volume hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, and wastewater disposal injection wells.

People came from all over Ohio to speak out against the destruction that fracking is causing in their communities. Ohio House Representatives Bob Hagan, Nickie J. Antonio, Denise Driehaus, Roland Winburn, Mike Foley, Teresa Fedor, Tracy Maxwell Heard, and Ohio State Senators Mike Skindell and Charleta Tavares spoke at the event, asking Gov. Kasich to protect the public health and pass SB 213/HB 345 to impose a moratorium on Fracking permits and waste-disposal injection wells throughout the state which is home to 177 injection deep well sites.

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Senator Schiavoni Applauds Passage of the Jessica Logan Act

2012-01-10T16:45:38Z

Bill would require school officials to educate students on anti-bullying policies

Columbus - State Senator Joe Schiavoni (D-Canfield) today applauded the passage of House Bill 116 in the Senate Education Committee, now known as the Jessica Logan Act. The bill incorporates several concepts from Senator Schiavoni's SB 127, which also addresses current anti-harassment policies in Ohio's schools and the growing problem of cyber bullying.

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Sen. Brown Announces Neighborhood Revitalization Projects in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland

2012-01-10T15:38:17Z

COLUMBUS, OH -- U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced new resources for neighborhood revitalization projects in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland today. A representative of Brown's office will join a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) official in Columbus today to highlight the Poindexter Village neighborhood project on the near east side of Columbus. Resources were awarded through HUD's Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant program.

"By rebuilding neighborhoods devastated by the economic crisis, we will improve surrounding property values, create new jobs, and foster long-term economic growth," Brown said. "These public-private partnerships will continue to make our cities great places to start a business and raise a family."

HUD's Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant program helps transform public and assisted housing in distressed communities.

More information on the program can be found below:

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As U.S. Remembers Tucson Shooting, Virginia Tech Massacre Survivor Calls For Background Checks

2012-01-09T19:37:30Z

Thousands of people gathered Sunday in Tucson, Arizona, for a candlelight vigil remembering the six people killed in last year's deadly shooting that left Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords gravely wounded. Giffords, still recovering from her injuries, addressed the crowd. Meanwhile, Jared Loughner, who was arrested and charged with attempting to assassinate Giffords, has pleaded not guilty and been found unfit to stand trial because of mental illness.

Despite repeated calls for greater gun control in the year since the shooting, little has been done and the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for gun purchases has not been fully implemented.

"I think a lot of Americans already think that we do background checks on everybody and are surprised to learn that we don't ... at the minimum we should be doing a background check," says Colin Goddard, who has worked tirelessly for gun control since he survived the 2007 shooting on the Virginia Tech campus that left 32 people dead. He works with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Watch It:

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Weekly Address: Continuing to Grow the Economy in the New Year

2012-01-07T13:53:53Z

President Obama shares his New Year's resolution: doing whatever it takes to move the economy forward and ensure that middle class families regain the security they've lost in the last decade.

Watch It:

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Tell Ohio Legislators: "We Want a Fracking Moratorium NOW!

2012-01-06T20:15:50Z

On New Years Eve, a 4.3 magnitude earthquake hit Youngstown, OH. Despite there never being a recorded earthquake before, this was the 11th earthquake in Youngstown this year alone. Why the change? In 2011, D&L Energy began disposing of over 200,000 gallons a day of toxic frack water from Pennsylvania and Ohio (or enough to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool every 2 to 3 days) by injecting it underground. Not surprisingly, by 2011 this toxic mixture had forced its way into a previously unknown fault and presto chango, earthquakes in Youngstown.

Preliminary reports from seismology experts from Columbia University say that even if they permanently stop this injection well, the earthquakes are probably going to continue for up to a year. But the chances of Gov. Kasich and the ODNR permanently stopping injection wells is about as possible as, well, an earthquake in Youngstown before this year.

On Tuesday, the first meeting day of the Legislature in 2012, No Frack Ohio and concerned citizens from across Ohio are joining up to protest hydraulic fracking wells and injection disposal wells being located in our communities. Can we count on you to help send the message?

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Reps. Goyal, Murray Announce Legislation to Create Public Financing System for Supreme Court Justice Races

2012-01-06T18:41:49Z

Bill eliminates conflicts of interest for candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court

COLUMBUS - State Representatives Jay P. Goyal (D-Mansfield) and Dennis E. Murray (D-Sandusky) today introduced legislation to create a public financing system for Ohio Supreme Court campaigns. The system, if passed, would use various means of funding without using any GRF money.

"The campaign finance system Rep. Murray and I are creating would do much to improve the current system, which has become increasingly unpopular," said Rep. Goyal. "Members of the public, as well as the judiciary itself, have expressed significant dissatisfaction with the current system and have advocated for change. Our legislation would improve the judiciary's credibility and appearance of impartiality by eliminating any skepticism of the current electoral process."

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Rich Cordray Wants To Hear From You!

2012-01-06T18:20:56Z

Earlier this week, President Obama appointed Richard Cordray to be the new director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The CFPB is new organization with one important mission: fighting for American families. The folks at the CFPB go into the office every day to make sure that credit cards, mortgages, and loans work better for the people who use them.

On Thursday, Mr. Cordray put out a special video and sent an email to the CFPB email list asking the American people to share their stories about your experiences with everyday consumer financial products like credit cards, mortgage agreements and loans.

Check out the video and email below and then head over to ConsumerFinance.gov to share your story.

Watch It:

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Rep. Driehaus Calls for Hearings on Fracking Bills

2012-01-06T17:12:45Z

Sends letter to Rep. Hall asking for hearings on House Bills 345 and 351

COLUMBUS -State Representative Denise Driehaus (D- Cincinnati) sent a letter to Representative David Hall, Chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, today requesting hearings for House Bills 345 and 351, which would place a temporary moratorium on fracking in Ohio and increase transparency within fracking processes. Over New Year's weekend a magnitude 4.0 earthquake hit the Mahoning Valley and it is believed that the drastic increase in seismic activity is due to the activity at several injection wells in the area where fracking by-products were being disposed.

A copy of the letter can be seen below:

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Private Sector In 2011 Added Most Jobs Since 2005

2012-01-06T15:14:47Z

Today's jobs report shows that the economy ended the year on a relative strong note, with the private sector adding 212,000 jobs last month.

The Washington Monthly's Steve Benen notes that "the U.S. private sector has now added 1.89 million jobs in 2011, well ahead of last year's private-sector total of 1.2 million, and the best year for businesses since 2005."

This chart shows monthly private sector job losses or gains under the Bush and Obama administrations:

HT: Think Progress

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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Launches Nation's First Program For Supervising "Non-Bank" Financial Services

2012-01-05T20:42:19Z

Nearly 20 million Americans use payday loans, which offer short-term funds at very high interest rates. Studies have found that the average interest charged on a two-week, $100 loan is about $16--a 400 percent interest rate.

Many people who rely on payday loans are often in desperate need of cash, making them more likely to agree to astronomical interest rates and hefty fees for late payments. But, more often than not, payday loan terms are not clearly explained upfront, if at all. Payday loans end up putting more strain on those who are already struggling financially, including people who have already depleted their resources due to extended unemployment, illness, or emergency, as well as members of the military and their families, who are often targeted by short-term lenders.

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, launched the nation's first program for supervising "non-bank" financial services, an extension of their bank supervision program that began last July. (A non-bank is a company that provides consumer financial services, but doesn't take deposits or have a bank, thrift, or credit union charter.)

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Reps. Antonio & Carney Create Ohio Health Benefit Exchange Agency

2012-01-05T17:00:20Z

Bill will create agency to implement health exchanges in Ohio

COLUMBUS -State Representatives Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) and John Patrick Carney

(D-Columbus) introduced legislation today to create the Ohio Health Benefit Exchange Agency. This will establish the Ohio Health Benefit Exchange Program and include an exchange for individual coverage and a Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP Exchange). The exchange program will provide affordable coverage options for individuals and small business employers to provide health coverage for their employees throughout Ohio.

Rep. Antonio said, "We must be pro-active in designing the health exchanges and not leave the health care option decisions for the people of Ohio up to the Federal Government. This legislation to create the Ohio exchange is intended to increase consumer choice of health plans."

This legislation will make quality health benefit plans available to individuals and employers who qualify beginning Jan. 1, 2014. This exchange must be established and implemented in order to comply with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed by Congress and to make Ohio eligible to receive an exchange establishment grant.

"We need clarity and certainty on these issues," Rep. Carney said, "Those who are operating small businesses in Ohio are very anxious because of the Department of Insurance's lack of a clear direction on whether Ohio will be establishing its own exchange. After months of inaction and the forfeiture of millions of dollars in federal grant opportunities, we have decided to take matters into our own hands as a legislature."

Senator Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate, SB 277.

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Rep. Heard Joins Calls for Public Hearings in the Mahoning Valley on Recent Earthquakes

2012-01-05T16:43:48Z

Sends letter to Rep. Hall asking for hearing on temporary moratorium bill

COLUMBUS -State Rep. Tracy Maxwell Heard (D- Columbus) sent a letter to State Rep. David Hall, Chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, today joining her colleagues Sen. Joe Schiavoni and Rep. Sean O'Brien in calling for a public hearing in the Mahoning Valley to investigate recent earthquakes. She also requested a hearing on HB 345, which would place a temporary moratorium on fracking. Over the weekend a magnitude 4.0 earthquake hit the Mahoning Valley and it is believed that the drastic increase in seismic activity is due to hydraulic fracturing.

"I fully support the economic opportunity and jobs that this industry can bring to Ohio, but what has occurred in the Mahoning Valley is deeply troubling. It's evidently clear we must take a step back and examine fracking, not only the process but its potential impacts to our environment both long-term and short-term," said Rep. Heard. "I stand ready to work with my colleagues to find a solution that will protect the citizens of Ohio and our environment."

A copy of the letter can be seen below:

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Rep. Hagan Urges 'Indefinite Moratorium' On Injection Wells In Letter To Kasich

2012-01-05T15:26:32Z

In a letter to Governor John Kasich from State Representative Bob Hagan, Hagan called for an indefinite moratorium on the injection wells until citizens can be assured the wells are not changing Ohio's natural environment.

Hagan also stated in his letter he believes ODNR seems to be steeped in communications regarding the positive aspects of oil and gas exploration in the state and he questions if they and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency are able to objectively and genuinely assess what is happening in Ohio.

Officials with ODNR continue to investigate a possible link between the recent valley quakes and the operation of brine injection wells.

Read the full letter below:

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Video: President Obama Speaks on Appointing Richard Cordray

2012-01-04T21:06:38Z

President Obama appoints Richard Cordray to be the nation's top consumer watchdog as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Watch It:

Full remarks below:

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New State Legislative Districts Violate Ohio Constitution, Says Lawsuit

2012-01-04T20:56:26Z

GOP used political interests instead of state constitution to draw new lines

COLUMBUS - A lawsuit being filed in the Ohio Supreme Court today charges that Republican state leaders blatantly violated the Ohio Constitution by egregiously gerrymandering Ohio's new state legislative districts. The suit challenges the constitutionality of the new lines because of over 250 community divisions and evidence that other criteria was used such as political indices and campaign contributions.

"Republicans violated the Ohio Constitution by ignoring restrictions on splitting apart communities and instead used criteria designed to maximize their political advantage and campaign cash," said House Minority Leader Armond Budish (D- Beachwood).

Article XI of the Ohio Constitution was adopted specifically to prevent political gerrymandering by imposing detailed, objective, and politically neutral requirements on Ohio's reapportionment process. In particular, the Constitution requires that districts be compact and contiguous, and that counties, townships, cities, villages, and wards not be split unnecessarily. Yet, the Apportionment map adopted on Sept. 30, 2011, divides 51 counties, 108 townships, 55 cities and 41 wards, totaling 255 divisions.

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Congresswoman Fudge Applauds Cordray Appointment

2012-01-04T19:18:18Z

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, OH-- Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) made this statement regarding President Obama's decision to proceed with the recess appointment of Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

"America's consumers will be in good hands with Rich Cordray heading the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). As Ohio Attorney General, Rich Cordray was a strong, bipartisan voice for holding big banks accountable for abusive servicing practices that have led to unfair and unlawful foreclosures. Cordray recovered over $2 billion wrongly looted by Wall Street banks and returned it to Ohio homeowners, taxpayers, pension funds and municipalities. I support the President's decision to proceed with Mr. Cordray's appointment ."

"Deceptive mortgage lending was a fundamental cause of the financial crisis and of the worst recession since the Great Depression. It is a great loss for the nation that Republicans in the Senate can get away with impeding the confirmation of Rich Cordray, at a time when consumers are being taken advantage of every day. Whether it's credit cards, student loans, or overdraft fees, working families and middle class Americans are suffering because of the lack of oversight. We fought for and won a new consumer bureau, so the public interest would be a top priority. Leadership committed to the public interest should have been the Senate's top priority as well."

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Bye Bye Miss American Pie: Michele Bachmann Drops Out of Presidential Race

2012-01-04T17:32:19Z

Rep. Michele Bachmann suspended her presidential campaign after placing sixth in Tuesday's Iowa Republican caucuses, she announced today.

"Last night, the people of Iowa spoke with a very clear voice, so I have decided to stand aside," Bachmann said at a news conference, flanked by her parents, husband and five children.

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ProgressOhio Statement on Cordray Recess Appointment to Lead The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

2012-01-04T16:31:13Z

Brian Rothenberg, Executive Director of ProgressOhio issued the following statement on the Cordray Recess Appointment to head The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau:

"Politicians didn't win today, consumers did. It's about time someone in Washington stood up for consumers and the 99% who are being nickel and dimed by banks and wall street. As head of the CFPB, Richard Cordray will stand up for Ohioans and regular people across the country.

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Big Banks Beware: Cordray Recess Appointment Ensures Wall Street Won't Run Our Economy

2012-01-04T15:56:13Z

While Senate Republicans Stood For 1%, President Obama Stands Up for 99%

Washington, DC - This morning President Obama did what Republicans in the Senate refused to do - show leadership on preventing another Wall-Street-created economic crisis by appointing former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Cordray has a powerful record of standing up for the middle class against the big banks, having taken on the likes of Bank of America and Citigroup for their mortgage servicing practices during his tenure as Ohio's top law enforcement officer. As head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Cordray will continue his work ensuring that military families and seniors do not fall victim to the same reckless, casino-style Wall Street scams and abusive financial products and services that precipitated the financial crisis.

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President Obama To Appoint Rich Cordray To Head Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Today!

2012-01-04T15:45:16Z

President Barack Obama plans to use a recess appointment to install Richard Cordray as head of the country's new consumer financial protection watchdog, sidestepping Republican congressional opposition to his pick.

"Today in Ohio, President Obama will announce the recess appointment of consumer watchdog Richard Cordray," White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer announced in a tweet.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created by the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial oversight law to police the market for consumer products such as credit cards and mortgages.

Republicans have charged the agency is a regulatory overreach, and last month they blocked an attempt by the Senate to confirm Cordray, a former Ohio attorney general, to be the bureau's first director.

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Sen. Brown Calls For End To Free Pass For Banks That Abandon Foreclosed Homes

2012-01-04T15:28:00Z

After a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department released new guidelines that amount to a free pass for banks to abandon foreclosed homes--fostering crime and leaving local taxpayers on the hook--U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today called for tougher standards to prevent the needless evictions of Ohio families and to forestall neighborhood blight.

"Too many Wall Street banks are walking away from too many Ohio Main Street communities," Brown said. "And when they do, they leave behind homes that are often vandalized and left to crumble. Ohioans are seeing their property values plummet as abandoned homes on their block or in their neighborhood are left to decay or stripped of anything of value. Meanwhile, cities and counties are left footing the bill for banks' irresponsibility.

"Wall Street has had its way in Washington for too long. That's why we must pass the Foreclosure Fraud Prevention and Homeowner Protection Act, and empower the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to speak for Ohio homeowners. It's in everyone's interest--from banks and homeowners, to our communities and local governments--to find ways to keep people in their homes," Brown added.

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Progressive Talk Radio Returns To Columbus

2012-01-03T16:00:47Z

Great news! Progressive Talk Radio is returning to Columbus.

Tune in to WVKO 1580 AM to listen to popular radio hosts Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Mike Malloy, and Leslie Marshall, seven days a week.

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Senator Schiavoni Calls for Public Hearing to Discuss Recent Earthquakes

2012-01-03T15:46:00Z

Columbus - State Senator Joe Schiavoni (D-Canfield) today called for the Ohio Senate to hold a public hearing in the Mahoning Valley regarding recent earthquakes that may have been caused by a wastewater injection well. Senator Schiavoni released the following statement:

"Because of the recent earthquakes the Mahoning Valley has experienced, I believe it would be very beneficial for the residents in my district to be provided with an explanation of hydraulic fracking/deep well injection. As the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Public Utility Committee, I am requesting a special committee hearing be held in the Mahoning Valley as soon as possible so Senators can gather more information.

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Ohio and Seven Other States Fail To Meet Health Insurance Consumer Rate Increase Disclosure Standards

2012-01-03T15:06:20Z

A bog post by Kathleen Gmeiner, Project Director, Ohio Consumers for Health Coverage from over the holidays that we wanted to bring to your attention:

An interesting e-mail came into my box recently from Consumers Union. CU looked at 50 state insurance department web sites and recorded what each state is doing to alert its residents to health insurance rate increase requests, and allow consumers to have an avenue for input. This follows the finalization of a rule on September 1, 2011 requiring states to post on their websites insurance companies' requests for rate increases of greater than 10% and provide a way for consumers to submit comments on the rate requests.

Of course, I immediately scrolled down to Ohio and here's what it says:

No information about rates or rate review.

Only seven other states had the same notation: Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

What is particularly disturbing about Ohio's lack of progress is that in the fall of 2010 Ohio received $1 million to expand its rate review capacity, and $4 million was added in 2011.

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Attorney General DeWine Issues Compliance Report on State Awards for Economic Development

2011-12-29T20:22:32Z

With all the secrecy around it and its' actions does JobsOhio even require compliance reporting?

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today submitted an annual report to the Ohio General Assembly regarding business entities that were granted economic development awards from the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) with performance periods ending in 2010 detailing the extent those entities complied with the terms and conditions of the awards they received.

"In these challenging economic times, it is critical that Ohioans know whether companies receiving public money or tax credits from the Ohio Department of Development are delivering on their promises," said Attorney General DeWine. "I am pleased to provide this analysis of our findings to provide a benchmark for performance and to ensure transparency for Ohio taxpayers."

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Minimum Wage Goes Up In 8 States Including Ohio On January 1

2011-12-28T13:58:26Z

While the federal minimum wage remains at $7.25--$2.60 an hour less (after adjusting for inflation) than it was in 1968--some states have instituted a higher minimum, or even indexed the minimum wage to inflation.

In eight of those states--Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont and Washington--the minimum wage will go up automatically on Jan. 1, raising wages for more than a million minimum-wage workers.

Workers covered under Ohio's minimum wage law will see a 30-cent increase in their hourly wage taking them to $7.70 an hour.

In 2006, on behalf of Ohio's lowest wage earners, the Ohio AFL-CIO and the coalition, "Ohioans for a Fair Minimum Wage" successfully placed the Constitutional Amendment on the ballot, which tied Ohio's minimum wage rate to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI has increased over 4% from September 1st 2010 to September 31st 2011.

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The Year in Review SB5 Repeal

2011-12-27T15:38:55Z

Some of our favorite images from the SB5/Issue 2 Citizens Repeal Campaign.

View larger images here

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ProgressOhio

PPP: Kasich Would Lose A Election Do-Over With Ted Strickland By Twenty

ACTION ALERT: Stop Congress from Ending Unemployment Insurance!

Attend 'Roccupy Columbus' This Friday

Josh Fox Director Of The Oscar-nominated Documentary Gasland Lends His Voice To The Ohio Anti-Fracking Movement

Ohioans Chase Kasich to Steubenville Hold "The State of the 99%" Protest Rally

Grade Card For Gov. Kasich's First Year In Office

Leader Budish Responds to Gov. Kasich's State of the State Address

Bolster The Income Tax To Meet Ohio's Needs

Get On The Bus To Protest Kasich's State Of The State!

ALEC's Grip on Ohio's Legislature Puts Corporations Above People

Putting Rivalries Aside: Mayors Unite Against Illegal Guns

Stop this Radical Threat to Workers' Rights Today!

Komen Apologizes For 'Recent Decisions,' Pledges To Continue Funding Planned Parenthood

Lawmakers Announce Formation of "Responsible Shale Energy Development" Caucus

ProgressOhio Statement on Fracking and Future Revenue

Attn: Cleveland, Youngstown and Columbus: FREE BUS to Protest Kasich at State of the State!

Innovation Ohio Report: Fairness, Fracking and the Future

February 25th is Rootscamp Ohio 2012! Get Your Free Tickets Today!

Sen. Brown's 'Putting the People's Interests First Act of 2012' Would Require Members of Congress to Divest Themselves from Stock Holdings or Separate Themselves from Buying, Selling

Obama Leads Battered Republican Field in Ohio

Kasich Announces Public Lottery For State Of The State Tickets

State Of The 99% Ohio:Protest and Rally At State Of The State!

Senate Democratic Caucus New Leadership Team Officially Sworn In

Ohio Mayors Join Freedom to Marry Campaign

House Democrats Outline 2012 Priorities to Strengthen Middle Class

Rep. Pillich Introduces Legislation to Make State Watchdog More Accountable

Reps. Sutton and Hoyer Tour NASA Glenn Research Center

Fair Elections Ohio Statement on Possible 'Repeal and Replace' of HB194 by the Ohio Legislature

Press Pass: Consumer Watchdog Richard Cordray

State Of The 99% Ohio: Protest and Rally At State Of The State!

Becky Williams Elected As National SEIU Vice President

Lawmakers Propose Common Sense Solution to Controversial HB 194

Climate Activists Call Foul at Rep. Boehner's Office over Keystone Pipeline and Campaign Cash from Big Oil

Ohio AFL-CIO Files Objection To RTW Summary

VIDEO: AWOL Mandel

Fair Elections Ohio Statement On SOS Husted Calling For HB194 Repeal

Rep. Szollosi Denounces Passage of Bill that Weakens Protections for Asbestos Victims

Rep. Nicholas Celebrezze Sworn in to Ohio House

AP: Ohio Treasurer Is A No-Show At Deposit Board

Ballot Board Decides Medical Marijuana Amendment is Single Issue

Your Chance to Personally Help Rewrite Ohio's Constitution

Rep. Carney Passes Bi-Partisan Business Legislation

State Representative Alicia Reece Calls for Federal Election Monitors

Word Cloud Of The 2012 State of the Union Address

Watch the State of the Union Tonight With ProgressOhio and USAction

Leader Budish Questions How Gov. Kasich will Fill Budget Gap Created by JobsOhio

Senator Tavares Introduces Reproductive Rights Resolution

Rep. Antonio Introduces Resolution on Reproductive Rights Awareness Week

Reps. Celeste and Foley introduce the Ohio Fair Employment Act

Rep. Sutton Invites Father of Fallen Solider as Guest to State of the Union

Rootscamp Ohio is Back! Get Your Free Tickets Starting Today!

The Gay Rights Movement In 6 Minutes and 52 Seconds

Move To Amend Rally - Columbus Ohio

Shadows On High: "We The People" Not "We The Corporations"

Ohio Puts Hold On Injection Well Permits

Rep. Hagan Disappointed by Slanted Hearings On Seismic Activity In Youngstown

Ohioans Stand Up At Stop The Madness (Anti-Fracking) Statehouse Protest

Rep. Sutton Promotes Jobs Plan During Factory Tour

Sen. Brown: 'Don't Let Wall Street Banks Use the Assets of Middle Class Ohioans to Pay the Penalty for Breaking the Law'

House and Senate Leaders Question Inspector General Meyer's Participation in GOP Fundraiser

Call To Action: Occupy the Courts this Friday! Corporations Are Not People & Money Is Not Speech!

Senator Turner Introduces Sexual Assault Legislation

Reps. Antonio & Garland Introduce Sexual Assault Legislation

Join The Cleveland Voter Coalition Campaign Kickoff: It's Not A Moment It's A Movement

Republicans Continue to Push Overreaching Partisan Agenda, Says Dem Leader

Rep. Hagan Disappointed by Slanted Hearings On Seismic Activity In Youngstown

I Am A Man: Dr. King & the Memphis Sanitation Strike

Tuesday In Columbus: Join SPAN Ohio For A Screening Of The Healthcare Movie

Support Locked-Out Cooper Tire Workers This Saturday!

ProgressOhio Employee Minister Kyle Earley Wins Ohio's 2011 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Award

Reps. Antonio & Celeste Along with Sen. Edna Brown Renew Request for Moratorium on Executions

Rep. Fedor Sponsors 3rd Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Rep. Hagan to Seek Answers from ODNR

State Senators Eric Kearney and Nina Turner Formally Introduce Foward Ohio Plan

Senate Education Committee Unanimously Passes Safe Schools Bill

Ohioans Stand Up At Stop The Madness (Anti-Fracking) Statehouse Protest

Senator Schiavoni Applauds Passage of the Jessica Logan Act

Sen. Brown Announces Neighborhood Revitalization Projects in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland

As U.S. Remembers Tucson Shooting, Virginia Tech Massacre Survivor Calls For Background Checks

State Of The 99% Ohio:
Protest and Rally At State Of The State!