by Brian Powell
I used to think the yellow rays in the latest Ohio license plates represented the sunrise – hope, new light, the endless opportunity of the day ahead. The nation’s economic tribulations have generally hit Ohio harder than most places, and I’m sure that desperate voters went to the ballot box this past November with the image of an Ohio sunrise in their minds. November 2010, we thought, would be the dawn of a new future for Ohio – new political blood would invigorate policy debate, bring to the table creative solutions to Ohio’s difficulties and provide a disciplined new focus to problem-solving at the state level.
This is not what Ohio voters received. It’s clear to me now that those rays on our license plates represent a sunset, not a sunrise. Ohio’s visions of progress and revitalization are growing dimmer, not brighter, thanks to a far-right socially-conservative agenda being heaved through the Republican-controlled Senate, House and Executive. Irresponsible and ideologically polarizing bills are being proposed daily by Ohio state legislators who act as though the people of Ohio have turned as “red” as states like Kansas or North Dakota.
Here is a list of just a few of the bills passed or proposed in the Ohio legislature only a couple of months into their new term:
1. Senate Bill 5 – would weaken and limit collective bargaining for unions representing about 350,000 teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public workers. Opponents of the bill call it a union-busting power grab. [WKYC.com, 03/21/11]
2. House Bill 159 – “Legislation requiring Ohio voters to show a government-issued photo ID before casting in-person ballots…Minority Leader Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, called the bill a “partisan attack on the right to vote,” targeting the elderly, the young, minorities and poor.” [Dayton Daily News, 03/23/11]
3. House Bill 3 – Despite out-of-control budget deficits, Ohio Republicans are considering a bill that would eliminate the estate tax and impede the state’s ability to pay off its debt.
4. House Bill 45 – Permit citizens with concealed carry permit to bring guns into bars and liquor stores.
5. House Bill 73 – Would eliminate fee requirements for transporting radioactive waste and materials
6. House Bill 125 – “A House committee delayed a vote Wednesday on legislation to give Ohio the most restrictive abortion law in the nation as concerns swirled about whether it could withstand a legal challenge.
House Bill 125 would outlaw abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be medically detected, generally about six or seven weeks into a woman’s pregnancy.” [Dayton Daily News, 03/23/11]
7. House Bill 79 – “HB 79 reaches further than the Hyde Amendment, which has prohibited public funding of abortion in most instances since 1977, and existing state laws. Whereas current law requires an individual to write two separate checks, one for her general health care coverage and one for optional abortion coverage, HB 79 would not even allow a woman to use her own personal funds to purchase abortion coverage.” [Gary Dougherty, State Legislative Director, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio, 03/09/2011]
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Even taking the looming redistricting into consideration, the people of Ohio will never be as conservative as lawmakers seem to be presuming, and with a list of priorities as revealing as the one above, you can be sure that Ohio’s progressives will be out in full force come Election Day 2012 to vote for a different direction – one where we can watch the sun rise.
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