1. MICHAEL JACKSON: This whole media frenzy makes me ill. Our military men and women are at war across the globe and warrant only a few minutes of coverage each day on most networks. Several of them have been rewarded for their gallantry in combat within the last week. A number of veterans who were similarly recognized during their careers have passed away within that same time, with absolutely no coverage. Several notable celebrities other than MJ passed away with little regard from the usually sycophantic media. Ed McMahon, a combat marine, passed with very few noticing. Farrah Fawcett, in my humble opinion one of the most beautiful women in all of human history, died after a heartbreaking battle with cancer. Her death was buried by MJ coverage. The entire spectacle illustrates the complete superficiality of the media and their lack of wisdom in deciding who and what to cover. Instead of providing real news coverage, they choose instead to worship at the altar of celebrity, and in this case, one who was generally recognized as a pedophile and cretin. Sure, he was acquitted of the molestation charges, just as O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murder. This only demonstrates the biggest fault of our justice system: one gets the justice one can afford. MJ admitted that he spent his time sleeping with little boys. Do you know any other men in their forties who have made a similar admission and are not incarcerated? His famous “Neverland” ranch was simply a lure for young children. The simple fact is that the media has completely overlooked MJ’s creepy side and held him up as some sort of supernatural being without sin. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead of making him responsible for his own actions, especially his drug addictions, he is being portrayed as a victim of his upbringing and wealth. Boo-hoo, poor Michael had a rough childhood and made a boatload of cash, and somehow that excuses the sexual assault of young boys. It’s sickening. His music, while entertaining to some, was not profound, deep, or philosophical. It was bubble gum pop and nothing more. His dancing and constant crotch-grabbing served only to further sexualize youth, something he no doubt knew and enjoyed. As for me, they can’t get him in the ground fast enough. Farewell and good riddance.
2. GOVERNMENTAL BLACKMAIL: Here in Columbus, Ohio, we are the capital of government by force. Governor Strickland is battling with Republicans over the state budget. Teddy is trying to force the state legislature to incorporate electronic gambling machines at horse tracks into the budget to help deal with a $3.2 billion deficit. This might not be so offensive were the Governor not ignoring the fact that gambling in several different forms has been repeatedly rejected at the ballot box by the citizens of this state. That makes this current attempt very close to communism. Strickland is choosing to ignore the will of the people and force something on them that has been roundly defeated more than once. He is using the budget deficit as a wedge to force the citizenry to accept casinos and casino-style gambling. Shame on you, Teddy: does the will of the people have no meaning to you at all? The Ohio Constitution was amended by voters in 1972 to allow a state-run lottery, but prohibits “schemes of chance” including slot machines. Strickland is trying to skirt the law by having the state lottery run the machines. Nice try, Teddy, but what you are doing is sheer despotism. All he needs to do is take the issue to the voters, but he knows it will be rejected like all the other efforts before it. Gambling proponents always cry about Ohio losing revenue to surrounding states that allow all sorts of gambling. What they fail to mention is that we are also missing out on the organized crime, prostitution, and drug trade that invariably accompanies the business of gambling. Ohio voters have decided time after time that they are unwilling to allow organized gambling other than the state lottery, which was originally proposed as a means of financing schools but has turned into a cash cow for free-spending liberals. Strickland has already expanded the lottery by executive fiat to include keno and now he thinks he can use the budget process to force the issue further.
2. GOVERNMENTAL BLACKMAIL: Here in Columbus, Ohio, we are the capital of government by force. Governor Strickland is battling with Republicans over the state budget. Teddy is trying to force the state legislature to incorporate electronic gambling machines at horse tracks into the budget to help deal with a $3.2 billion deficit. This might not be so offensive were the Governor not ignoring the fact that gambling in several different forms has been repeatedly rejected at the ballot box by the citizens of this state. That makes this current attempt very close to communism. Strickland is choosing to ignore the will of the people and force something on them that has been roundly defeated more than once. He is using the budget deficit as a wedge to force the citizenry to accept casinos and casino-style gambling. Shame on you, Teddy: does the will of the people have no meaning to you at all? The Ohio Constitution was amended by voters in 1972 to allow a state-run lottery, but prohibits “schemes of chance” including slot machines. Strickland is trying to skirt the law by having the state lottery run the machines. Nice try, Teddy, but what you are doing is sheer despotism. All he needs to do is take the issue to the voters, but he knows it will be rejected like all the other efforts before it. Gambling proponents always cry about Ohio losing revenue to surrounding states that allow all sorts of gambling. What they fail to mention is that we are also missing out on the organized crime, prostitution, and drug trade that invariably accompanies the business of gambling. Ohio voters have decided time after time that they are unwilling to allow organized gambling other than the state lottery, which was originally proposed as a means of financing schools but has turned into a cash cow for free-spending liberals. Strickland has already expanded the lottery by executive fiat to include keno and now he thinks he can use the budget process to force the issue further.
Then there’s the city of Columbus. A special election on August 4 will allow voters to decide if the city’s income tax should be raised by 25 percent, from 2 percent to 2.5 percent. The current city budget is $630.5million, and the proposed hike would generate an estimated $90 - $100 million dollars. As usual, Mayor Michael Coleman, a committed liberal big spender, is threatening major cuts to police and fire services should the initiative fail. He expects us to believe that the city has already cut everything available and that those services are the only things left. That is pure poppycock. No salary cuts for city officials have been proposed, no wasteful programs have been examined, and he continues to push for federal money to partially fund a ridiculous and unnecessary light rail system that would serve only a few. Coleman seems to be able to find all the cash he needs for his numerous asinine pet projects, but if he doesn’t get more cash, policeman and fireman will take the brunt of the threatened cuts. The mayor is resorting to the typical blackmail tactics used by Democrats for years: we need more money, but if we don’t get it, essential services will be the first to go. Columbus Public Schools continually rank among the worst and pay their administrators exorbitant salaries, but those are held sacrosanct. Most people who work in the city itself do not live there. They have, over the past three decades or so, moved to the surrounding suburbs for better homes and schools. The proposed tax would hit them the hardest, and their use of city services is minimal. If you think that’s bad, take a look at what one suburban school district is trying.
Southwestern City Schools (SWCS) encompasses the Columbus suburb of Grove City and parts of western Franklin County. The district is far superior to Columbus Public, thanks to a large property tax base of decent homes, something Columbus lacks. The last SWCS levy failed last March. The new proposed levy would add $254 in property tax each year per $100,000 of home value and would generate an estimated $21 million in revenue. Here we have another school district with a bloated administration paid equally bloated salaries. The district is attempting to blackmail voters by threatening to cut, of all things, every sports program and the band. Never mind that many students get athletic or musical scholarships to further their education. Never mind that many of the schools are lit up like Christmas trees even during the summer. Never mind that the district has repeatedly demonstrated financial ineptness at managing funds in the past, including several administrator retreats held at resort hotels complete with sizable alcohol tabs. The district is trying to hit parents where it hurts most to force passage of the levy. It is nothing less than intimidation and extortion. Hopefully the voters have enough courage to reject the levy and force the district to make more sensible cuts.
I told you we were the capital of government blackmail. Local governments are using gangster tactics to force the citizenry to approve tax hikes in a time of economic crisis instead of cutting waste and abuse. What was that Thomas Jefferson said about the tree of liberty?
UPDATE: COMMUNIST TEDDY STRICKLAND HAS FORCED THE COWARDLY OHIO LEGISLATURE TO ALLOW SLOT MACHINES AT OHIO'S SEVEN RACETRACKS. ONCE AGAIN HE RULES THE STATE THROUGH TERROR LIKE KIM JONG-IL. WHY DO DEMOCRATS ALWAYS RULE THROUGH EXECUTIVE FIAT ON ISSUES THAT THEY KNOW THE VOTERS OPPOSE? CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WEAK AND USELESS OHIO LEGISLATURE: YOU SHOULD SUSPEND YOUR ACTIVITIES AND RESIGN IN SHAME.
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