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Thurber's Thoughts

  • Quote of the Day

    "To live is messy but liberating: free societies enable the citizenry to fulfill their potential – to innovate, to create, to accumulate – while recognizing that some of their number will fail. But to attempt to insulate free peoples from moral hazard is debilitating and ultimately fatal." ~ Mark Steyn [...]
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    Posted: December 20, 2009, 11:47am EST

  • In Case You Missed It ...

    Most people who get their news from the Internet didn't miss the news of Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) objecting to the unanimous consent to forgo the reading of health care bill amendment SA#2837 (co-sponsored by our Sen. Sherrod Brown). As a result of his objection, the clerk started to read' [...]
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    Posted: December 19, 2009, 8:13am EST

  • Quotes of the Day

    "...and by the way, Mr.Speaker, the Second Amendment is not for killing little ducks and leaving Huey and Dewey and Louie without an aunt and uncle. It's for hunting politicians, like in Grozny, and in the colonies in 1776, or when they take your independence away." ~ Robert Dornan, US [...]
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    Posted: December 18, 2009, 7:47am EST

  • Guest hosting on WSPD

    I'll have light postings through next Tuesday because I'll be filling in for Brian Wilson from 3-6 p.m. on NewsTalk 1370 WSPD. We're playing musical chairs due to morning show host Fred LeFebvre's vacation. I'll try to post links to the issues we discuss on air after the show, but [...]
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    Posted: December 17, 2009, 8:28am EST

  • Does Toledo home weatherization program prove that stimulus funds weren't needed

    WSPD News is reporting the following:Applicants Still Sought for Home WeatherizingFunded with $8M in Stimulus MoneyBy WSPD's Nik RajkovicA large portion of federal stimulus money is still available to qualified homeowners in Lucas County to install new insulation, repair windows or replace water heaters. William Farnsel with Neighborhood Housing Services [...]
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    Posted: December 16, 2009, 4:50pm EST

  • Commissioners approve PLAs while cutting positions

    You wouldn't know it from the coverage in the paper, but yesterday the Lucas County Commissioners voted unanimously to increase the costs of all projects they undertake.They did so by approving a new policy requiring project labor agreements for all constructions projects valued at $25,000 or greater. The resolution setting' [...]
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    Posted: December 16, 2009, 8:55am EST

  • Bill of Rights Day

    I didn't realize it was actually a 'day,' but according to Holiday Insights, it is - and today is the date the 10 Amendments - the Bill of Rights - were added to the Constitution.Originally, 12 amendments were proposed, but two of them (one dealing with the number of representatives' [...]
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    Posted: December 14, 2009, 5:39pm EST

  • Cleveland's foreclosure mess made worse by government

    The City of Cleveland contributed to the foreclosure crisis by helping low income people buy homes with mortgage payments they couldn't afford. So far, the loss in the federally-funded Afford-a-Home program is $2.3 million.The Cleveland Plain Dealer has the special investigative report:The city of Cleveland has aggravated its vexing foreclosure' [...]
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    Posted: December 14, 2009, 5:14pm EST

  • Getting the wrong message

    I was listening to the newscast this morning on WSPD and heard a sound clip of Toledo City Council President Joe McNamara talking about his recent election and his current 'exploratory' committee for the Ohio Senate seat being vacated by Theresa Fedor due to term limits.In the sound bite, he [...]
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    Posted: December 14, 2009, 8:00am EST

  • Quote of the Day

    Because we're doing Christmas decorating - including our tree - and I'd rather focus on that than on a political blog post today:"If the legislature clearly misinterprets a Constitutional provision, the frequent repetition of the wrong will not create a right." ~ Amos v. Mosley, 77 SO 619. Also see [...]
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    Posted: December 13, 2009, 8:32am EST

  • Caveat emptor vs. victimization

    Let the buyer beware!I was just astounded by this story in today's paper about a woman suing her lender and others because she's in a house she cannot afford.First, she's not a victim, despite the way she is portrayed.She purchased a house for more than it was worth and blames [...]
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    Posted: December 12, 2009, 10:35am EST

  • The negative consequences of meddling

    The issue of the South Toledo YMCA is again in the news. In case you've forgotten, the Y Board decided to close down that location and give the property to Cedar Creek Church. A bunch of neighbors, fueled by the The Blade - followed quickly by politicians - all decided' [...]
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    Posted: December 11, 2009, 9:39am EST

  • Cutting CEO pay does nothing to help 'the poor'

    The Financial Times has an interesting headline which captured my attention: GE chief attacks executive 'greed.' It's the same as what we're seeing in other stories - executives are greedy because they make so much money. There is no relation to the tasks they perform or the skills needed to' [...]
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    Posted: December 10, 2009, 9:27am EST

  • If you don't understand the problem, your solutions make things worse

    I don't know if you saw this, but if not, you need to! It's a graph comparing the private sector experience of presidential cabinet appointments since 1900 - and it shows that President Barack Obama's cabinet has significantly less business experience than his predecessors.It's probably no surprise that Republican presidents' [...]
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    Posted: December 09, 2009, 8:45am EST

  • Live from Copenhagen

    Americans for Prosperity invites everyone to tune in for a "Live from Copenhagen" event "exposing the outrageous hypocrisy and the dangerous cap-and-trade policy coming from the United Nations Climate Change Conference." Today, from 12-2 p.m., they'll be hosting a special segment of their Hot Air Tour (exposing the ballooning costs' [...]
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    Posted: December 09, 2009, 8:28am EST

  • Plunder vs. revenue

    "What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." ~ Thomas PaineRemember - every time a politician talks about 'revenue enhancements,' you need to translate their poli-speak: they mean 'tax increase' - in one form or another - to you.And what they're saying is that they need your' [...]
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    Posted: December 08, 2009, 10:56am EST

  • Quotes of the Day

    "Under our form of government, the legislature is not supreme ... like other departments of government, it can only exercise such powers as have been delegated to it, and when it steps beyond that boundary, its acts, like those of the most humble magistrate in the state who transcends his" [...]
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    Posted: December 08, 2009, 9:31am EST

  • Breaking: Tea Party tops GOP

    Rasmussen has released their latest poll which has a stunning wake-up call for the Republican Party: Tea Party Tops GOP on Three-Way Generic Ballot.From the report:Running under the Tea Party brand may be better in congressional races than being a Republican. In a three-way Generic Ballot test, the latest Rasmussen [...]
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    Posted: December 07, 2009, 10:00am EST

  • Connecting the acorns - er - dots

    Jesse Hathaway has been doing some great work on his blog Athens Runaway lately and his latest post, "Acorns? In MY State Elections?" is no exception.He rounds up some of the state goals of ACORN, the 'community organizing' group known for their voting fraud issues, which show the supposedly non-partisan [...]
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    Posted: December 07, 2009, 9:03am EST

  • Quote of the Day

    Though perhaps I should have a new category of quote of the year..."In Tennessee we believe when it comes to taxes if 10% is good enough for God on Sunday, it's for damn sure good enough for the government on Monday." ~ Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) [...]
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    Posted: December 04, 2009, 5:59pm EST

  • How much is 'enough' when it comes to a death tax?

    Apparently, about half - for now...Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted in favor of keeping a 45% death tax on estates valued over $3.5 million. The $3.5 million is NOT indexed to inflation. The tax was scheduled to be repealed next month.Our rep, Marcy Kaptur, joined 25 other Democrats and [...]
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    Posted: December 04, 2009, 8:28am EST

  • FirstEnergy gets extension for stupid light bulb program

    OhioWatchdog is reporting:The plan for the distribution of more than 3.5 million compact fluorescent light bulbs to Ohioans is not finished yet. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, PUCO, extended the deadline for receiving a plan from FirstEnergy from November 30, 2009 to December 15, 2009.PUCO spokesman Matt Butler said, [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2009, 2:40pm EST

  • Lucas County 1996, 2009 PLAs nearly identical

    I've received the copy of the 1996 approved Project Labor Agreement resolution passed by the Lucas County Commissioners as well as the 1997 resolution that rescinded the policy. The first two pages are the resolution which repealed the policy and the remaining pages are the original policy:1996 Lucas County Project' [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2009, 2:25pm EST

  • PLAs already tried - and rejected! - in Lucas County

    As it turns out, project labor agreements (PLAs) have already been tried - and rejected - in Lucas County.In September of 1996, the Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution requiring union contracts for all companies who received a bid for county work above $50,000 - whether they were unionized [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2009, 11:31am EST

  • Toledo 2010 proposed budget

    Well, here it is! It's also linked permanently in the left-hand column.It's 402 pages and in .pdf format which makes it hard to use, but at least it's on line.I've been sick the last couple of days and just don't have the energy to sit and go through the whole [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2009, 10:41am EST

  • Quotes of the Day

    "Since this is an era when many people are concerned about "fairness" and "social justice," what is your "fair share" of what someone else has worked for?""Government pressures on mortgage lenders to accept less than the full amount they are owed may win votes for politicians, since there are far" [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2009, 1:49am EST

  • Commissioners again defer project labor agreement vote

    I've previously written about the push to institute Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) for all Lucas County contracts - and the fact that the commissioners deferred a vote on the measure until today.Today, they deferred the resolution until Dec. 15.Interestingly, The Blade's coverage of the commissioner meeting focuses solely on the' [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2009, 1:53pm EST

  • Commissioners extend deadline for dog registrations

    At today's Lucas County Commissioner meeting, the board unanimously voted to extend the deadline for dog registrations from January 31, 2010 to February 26, 2010.From the resolution:The Lucas County Auditor’s recommends providing an extension of the dog license registration deadline that normally expires January 31st of each year, to February [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2009, 12:06pm EST

  • What is about politicians and spending tax dollars on flowers???

    The Drudge Report has a link to this story from Politico about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spending $2,993 on flowers.At first, I thought, that's not bad, considering that she's the speaker and she probably has to send flowers to people who are sick, who just had a baby or to [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2009, 7:57am EST

  • Quotes of the Day

    From Liberty Tree:"Most people know more about their congressmen via smear campaigns than they know about their own neighbor via conversations, and a lot of people know more about Britney Spears via tabloids than they know about their own congressmen via voting booklets. Does anyone else see the problem here?" [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2009, 7:25am EST

  • Lucas County to 'governmentize' private sector jobs

    Lucas County Sheriff James Telb has decided to move in house the job of appraising foreclosed properties, effectively having government take over private sector jobs.I'm not a fan of how Telb has doled out this task, making sure that politically connected individuals get the lucrative contracts. But that concern is' [...]
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    Posted: November 30, 2009, 8:44am EST

  • Quotes of the Day

    Two quotes while we all recouperate from the Thanksgiving festivities and I fight off a cold..."We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes nonwork." ~ Milton Friedman"Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it." ~ Mark Twain [...]
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    Posted: November 29, 2009, 7:55am EST

  • Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Day Proclamation

    From Abraham Lincoln Online - his 1863 presidential proclamation, which established the Thanksgiving holiday:Proclamation of ThanksgivingWashington, D.C.October 3, 1863This is the proclamation which set the precedent for America's national day of Thanksgiving. During his administration, President Lincoln issued many orders like this. For example, on November 28, 1861, he ordered [...]
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    Posted: November 26, 2009, 10:42am EST

  • Emotion rules the day with 'texting-while-driving' law

    Earlier this month, I wrote an email to all members of Toledo City Council asking them to address the issues raised in this Cato Institute article about texting-while-driving laws.From 12 members of council, only three bothered to respond. One was District 2 Councilman D. Michael Collins, the sponsor of the [...]
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    Posted: November 25, 2009, 7:35am EST

  • Quote of the Day

    "The state tends to expand in proportion to its means of existence and to live beyond its means, and these are, in the last analysis, nothing but the substance of the people. Woe to the people that cannot limit the sphere of action of the state! Freedom, private enterprise, wealth," [...]
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    Posted: November 25, 2009, 7:34am EST

  • Commissioners delay vote on project labor agreements

    Yesterday, I wrote about the proposed resolution to require project labor agreements (PLA) for all Lucas County work.Today, the commissioners decided to defer the resolution until Dec. 1.That means there's still time for you to weigh in on the negative impacts of this proposal.Pete Gerken: pgerken@co.lucas.oh.usTina Skeldon Wozniak: twozniak@co.lucas.oh.usBen Konop: [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2009, 3:03pm EST

  • The definition of stupidity....

    I often mention Tom Blumer, who writes at BizzyBlog, for his writing on economics and accounting issues. One of his recent posts is a must-read for this area.Kelo, GM, and the Stimulus: Three Big Government-Induced Failures details three examples that, as Tom puts it, "clearly demonstrate that government should be" [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2009, 9:15am EST

  • 'Not business friendly' Post #17 -You're going to have a union contract whether you want one or not!

    Well, that's if Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop and the Northwest Ohio Building and Constructions Trades Council have their way.Tomorrow the Commissioners have a resolution on their agenda titled: Incorporating Project Labor Agreements into Bidding Specifications for all County-Supported Projects.Here's the summary:Whereas this Board of County Commissioners is responsible for [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 12:13pm EST

  • Quote of the Day

    "When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, 'just men who will rule in the fear of God.' The preservation of [our] government depends on the faithful discharge of this" [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 7:54am EST

  • Another 'I told you so' on Toledo's budget

    In 2008, I questioned the revenue assumptions of Mayor Carty Finkbeiner - especially the projected revenue from red-light cameras. Item #3 from the list I sent to Finance Director John Sherburne (who never replied) was this:3. You've doubled the number of speed cameras but the projected revenue from all those' [...]
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    Posted: November 21, 2009, 10:53pm EST

  • Of dogs, political agendas and the rule of law

    I've written briefly about the latest issue regarding the Lucas County Dog Warden. Now, Tom Skeldon has announced his retirement and that should end the discussion.But it hasn't.People are very emotional over the issue of euthanasia of animals - and they should be. It's not a pleasant subject, but a [...]
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    Posted: November 21, 2009, 8:53am EST

  • Promises of tax cuts and the state's $851 million budget deficit

    The state of Ohio is facing an $851 million budget deficit following a decision from the Ohio Supreme Court that a source of funding, income from slot machines at racetracks, is subject to a ballot challenge and cannot be implemented as planned.Just like most politicians who don't want to make' [...]
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    Posted: November 20, 2009, 7:51am EST

  • Quotes of the Day

    "Our job is to give people not what they want, but what we decide they ought to have." ~ Richard Salant, former President of CBS News"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President or any other public official save exactly to the" [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2009, 9:12am EST

  • Bogus jobs numbers in the stimulus

    The Washington Examiner has been compiling various news reports about the bogus numbers of jobs 'created or retained' by the stimulus funds.In their spreadsheet, they even list a Toledo example:Koring Group reported hiring 52 people, but it turns out that they double-counted jobs that “only lasted about two months.” The [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 8:27am EST

  • Random thoughts of deference, dogs, destruction and deficits

    It's raining where I am and there's a lot going on - so some random thoughts on various issues.* My uncle is Chinese. He's a U.S. citizen and has been for decades. But being Chinese gives him unique perspective on the Asian cultures and the practice of bowing. President Barack [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2009, 8:57am EST

  • A new amendment to the Constitution

    I received this in an email - and I like it!!!!Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives, and Congress shall make no law that applies to" [...]
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    Posted: November 15, 2009, 8:58am EST

  • The Chicago Way and the shooting at Ft. Hood

    I'm a big fan of Chuck Muth and his latest column gives us a lot to think about. But there are two messages from his column we ought to heed.What Hollywood Can Teach Us About the Fort Hood MassacreMost Americans have this whole Fort Hood massacre all wrong. Maj. Nidal' [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 8:49am EST

  • Quotes of the Day

    "True liberty cannot exist apart from the full rights of property, for property is the only crystallized form of free faculties... The whole meaning of socialism is a systematic glorification of force... No literary phrases about social organisms are potent enough to evaporate the individual, who is the prime, indispensable," [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 8:46am EST

  • Quotes of the Day

    Postings this week may be a bit light as I'm on the road...so please enjoy what these Chief Justices of the United States had to say about the limited powers of the federal government:"We start with first principles. The Constitution creates a Federal Government of enumerated powers." ~ William H.' [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 10:18am EST

  • If you enjoy your freedom, thank a Vet!

    "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it." ~ Thomas Paine Last night, I slept very soundly. I had no fear of being pulled out of my bed in the middle of the night and carted off to some detention [...]
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    Posted: November 11, 2009, 8:54am EST

  • Two must-read petitions

    I urge you to read these two petitions:The Candlemaker's Petition - Petition of the Manufacturers of Candles, Waxlights, Lamps, Candlelights, Street Lamps, Snuffers, Extinguishers, and the Producers of Oil, Tallow, Resin, Alcohol, and, Generally, of Everything Connected with LightingThe Healthcare Producers Petition - A Petition from the Producers of Health [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 12:42pm EST

  • Happy Birthday U.S. Marine Corps!

    From Marines.com:Founding of the Marine CorpsA legacy is bornDuring the American Revolution, many important political discussions took place in the inns and taverns of Philadelphia, including the founding of the Marine Corps. A committee of the Continental Congress met at Tun Tavern to draft a resolution calling for two battalions [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 4:49am EST

  • If health care bill just like Social Security and Medicare, how long until bankruptcy?

    In looking at the news coverage of Saturday's vote on the Pelosi health care bill, nearly all reports include this statement:"A triumphant Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, likened the legislation to the passage of Social Security in 1935 and Medicare 30 years later."And I just have to shake my head [...]
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    Posted: November 09, 2009, 6:33am EST

  • Thanks, Marcy Kaptur, for destroying liberty

    "The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation and foreign commerce." ~ James MadisonSome may say that [...]
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    Posted: November 08, 2009, 9:15am EST

  • Quote of the Day

    While we work today on the set-up of the live auction of fine wines for the Mobile Meals Wine Gala, and then attend the event to help raise money for a terrific organization and cause, here is a quote we all should remember:"To suppress minority thinking and minority expression would" [...]
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    Posted: November 07, 2009, 7:19am EST

  • Cash for votes in Athens County

    Jesse Hathaway who blogs at Athens Runaway has good coverage of the goings on, so I hope you'll read his blog for all the details of the cash for votes in Athens County.It starts with an email from the Ohio University College Democrats offering $5 for bringing in people from' [...]
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    Posted: November 06, 2009, 7:36am EST

  • Texting while driving

    UDATED with responses from council members at the bottom of the post.Toledo is considering a 'texting while driving' law - to prevent it, not encourage it, though in Toledo you can never quite be sure...I've sent an email to all members of city council asking them to address the issues' [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2009, 7:46am EST

  • Quotes of the Day

    On democracy and majority rule:"And what sort of philosophical doctrine is this -- that numbers confer unlimited rights, that they take from some persons all rights over themselves, and vest these rights in others. ... How, then, can the rights of three men exceed the rights of two men? In" [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2009, 7:40am EST

  • Election Day!

    Here are some quotes to think about as you go to the polls:"If pigs could vote, the man with the slop bucket would be elected swineherd every time, no matter how much slaughtering he did on the side." ~ Orson Scott Card"Vote: The instrument and symbol of a free man's'" [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2009, 5:47am EST

  • Bubbles allowed in flu shot lines

    You can list this one under the 'for goodness sake' category - or maybe it qualifies for 'stuck on stupid' status.The Ohio Department of Health today issued a press release about what to bring with you to entertain your children while waiting in line for a flu shot. Bubbles are [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 5:54pm EST

  • The Blade's non-endorsement for Toledo mayor

    Yesterday, the local daily paper, The Toledo Blade, decided to 'sit out' the race for Toledo mayor by not endorsing either candidate.First, let me say that this is one of the single best things that could happen in Toledo politics. For too long, politicians have asked 'how high' when the [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 5:45am EST

  • Happy Halloween!

    There are a lot of scary things going on these days, and I'm not talking about the ghost and goblins wandering around and attending parties or trick-or-treating.We've got government takeover of auto industries, banks, insurance companies and - if they are successful - the entire health care industry. We have [...]
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    Posted: October 31, 2009, 9:09am EDT

  • We're not in Kansas anymore....

    My friend Earl Glynn, who writes at Kansas Watchdog, had a very interesting post about a store that moved 100 feet in order to leave the state of Kansas and go into Missouri - to avoid the higher taxes and more burdensome regulations.The store was in the enviable position of [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2009, 9:01am EDT

  • New health care bill is out!

    Well, it's here - the combined House of Representatives health care bill. It's only 1,990 pages and contains the word 'shall' only 3,425 times.Oh - and it has a separate 13-page bill to repeal the sustainable growth rate caps on Medicare spending ... and it doesn't say how it's going' [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 11:27am EDT

  • No on Issues 1 and 3

    For many of the same reasons as I oppose Issue 2, I am also against Issues 1 and 3.Here is the Ohio Issues Report from the Ohio Ballot Board that provides the ballot language for the measures, the actual text of the proposals as well as pros and cons of [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 9:59am EDT

  • No on Issue 2

    My post opposing Issues 1 and 3.Issue 2 is a constitutional amendment to create a 13-member Livestock Care Standards Board to prescribe standards for animal care and well-being that endeavor to maintain food safety, encourage locally grown and raised food, and protect Ohio farms and families.Issue 2 - summary, full [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 8:21am EDT

  • Conflicts of interest vs. free speech

    Maricopa County, AZ, is the talk of the blogosphere today after the County Manager decided he wanted to know who was talking to bloggers.Apparently, there is a dispute between the Manager/County Supervisors and the County Attorney's office (which is supposed to represent the other elected officials) and, as part of [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 8:05am EDT

  • Quotes of the Day

    "If I want to be free from any other man’s dictation, I must understand that I can have no other man under my control." ~ William Graham Sumner"For this future emancipation, we have to rule out ideologies that aim at reinforcing the state, the police and controls in general, and" [...]
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    Posted: October 25, 2009, 8:41am EDT

  • Saturday roundup

    * Whenever you hear a politician say "revenue enhancements," you need to translate this government speak. "Revenue enhancements" for government mean "income subtraction" for you.So remember: revenue enhancements = income subtraction.* Karen Shanahan has a second 'fact-checking' piece on Keith Wilkowski, this time having to do with his record on [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2009, 8:33am EDT

  • Guest hosting on WSPD

    I'll be filling in for Brian Wilson this afternoon from 3-6 p.m. on NewsTalk 1370 WSPD. If you're not in the listening area, you can listen live on the Internet.Accordingly, I'm saving up all the things I'd blog about so I'll have plenty to talk about on air.It's 'Fishing Line [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 8:30am EDT

  • DeMint to offer constitutional amendment on term limits

    NetRightNation has the text of the podcast from Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) on his plan for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits in Congress."Fifteen years ago, Republicans -- who had been out of power in Congress for forty years – made term limits a centerpiece of their “Contract with" [...]
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    Posted: October 22, 2009, 5:31pm EDT

  • Carty is right - again

    UPDATE: Toledo Finance Director John Sherburne has issued a letter to city council regarding the debt proposal. The letter is below Carty's at the bottom of this post.Original post:I know, I know - it doesn't happen often, but when it does, we need to acknowledge it.Yesterday, Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner [...]
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    Posted: October 22, 2009, 8:22am EDT

  • There was no plan

    Toledo City Council and Mayor Carty Finkbeiner have debated, for what seems like years, the issue of garbage collection. Questions of whether or not to automate the process, contract it out, purchase new trucks, purchase cans for the citizens, what to do with the workers who have a contract that [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2009, 8:21am EDT

  • Meteors expected from Halley's Comet debris

    From SpaceWeather.com:METEORS FROM HALLEY'S COMET: Earth is entering a stream of dusty debris from Halley's Comet, and this is causing the annual Orionid meteor shower. If forecasters are correct, the shower will peak on Wednesday morning, Oct. 21st, with dozens of meteors per hour. The best time to look is' [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 7:26am EDT

  • Toledo government's 'loss' is taxpayers' gain

    Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner is at it again with a 'letter' to both mayoral candidates and Toledo City Council, chastising them for not 'raising revenues' for the city. (see bottom of post for the three-page letter)He again cites his proposed increase in the trash tax and the elimination of reciprocity [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 4:32pm EDT

  • Shanahan fact-checks Wilkowski's JEDZ claim

    Local blogger Karen Shanahan has gotten into the 'fact-checking' field by actually researching a specific claim of Toledo mayoral candidate Keith Wilkowski regarding his involvement in a JEDZ between Toledo, Monclova and Maumee.She finds the claim 'wanting' - or maybe 'exaggeration,' or even 'lie,' might be a better term.Another example [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 10:34am EDT

  • Quotes of the Day

    "The [classical] liberal, of course, does not deny that there are some superior people -- he is not an egalitarian -- but he denies that anyone has authority to decide who these superior people are." ~ Fredrich August von Hayek"The essential characteristic of Western civilization that distinguishes it from the" [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 7:44am EDT

  • No thanks, Toledo City Council - I can make up my own mind on Issue 3

    As an elected official, I tried not to use my elected position in support of or against specific ballot measures. As a commissioner, part of my job was to vote on placing levies on the ballot. While there were times I voted in favor of the public having their say [...]
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    Posted: October 17, 2009, 8:30am EDT

  • Parents still know more than their children

    When I was in the third grade, I told my parents that I didn't need to go to school anymore. I said that I knew how to read and write, add, subtract, multiply and divide and, with that knowledge, I didn't need to actually report to school every day.I wasn't' [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2009, 8:58am EDT

  • TOBAL-itis infects Toledo

    No - it's not related to Swine Flu - but it's as infectious and as insidious as any physical disease...Cato Institute has a terrific article, "There's No Way to Enforce a Texting While Driving Ban," explaining the illness and it's a must-read for all Toledoans ... well, everyone else, too.Forget [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 12:06pm EDT

  • Random thoughts on a rainy day

    * Average temperatures for this time of year in Toledo are around 62 degrees. Highs of 45 just don't add up - I sure could use some of that global warming 'believers' are always talking about.Oh - and I use the term 'believers' as the opposite of 'deniers' since the' [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 9:27am EDT

  • Government tyranny in wake of Toledo bar shoot out

    I picked up my Mom and Dad at the airport last night after their trip visiting my brother in Portland, OR. They asked what was going on in Toledo and said they saw the news story about the bar fight/shoot out .... in Portland ... and in Seattle ... on [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 8:59am EDT

  • Happy Birthday U. S. Navy!

    Today is the birthday of the United States Navy and in honor of those who have served (including my Dad, my brother and my father-in-law) and those who still do, here are some photos I took of the Navy Memorial in Washington D.C.The flags:The center of the circular memorial with [...]
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    Posted: October 13, 2009, 9:14am EDT

  • What you get for the money

    With apologies to HGTV and their show of the same name, here's a terrific article about ACORN and what it does from fellow State of Ohio Blogger Alliance member Tom Blumer, who writes at BizzyBlog and NewsBusters.As Tom explains, several news reports about the amount of work being done and [...]
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    Posted: October 13, 2009, 8:03am EDT

  • The end of personal responsibility in America - from dependence to bondage

    If I 'need' a new furnace, should I be able to go out and get one and then tell the seller that I really can't afford it so he should just give it to me - or not make me go into debt to pay for it?If I 'need' a' [...]
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    Posted: October 11, 2009, 9:38am EDT

  • Quote of the Day

    "Just before the death of flowers,And before they are buried in snow,There comes a festival seasonWhen nature is all aglow."~ Author UnknownIt's a crisp Fall morning and just too nice to ruin it with talk of politics, 'idiocracy,' stuck on stupid actions or ranting.Despite the cooler weather, I have what [...]
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    Posted: October 11, 2009, 9:10am EDT

  • The insanity of government-mandated energy programs

    The insanity of certain government mandated energy-saving programs is on full display here in Ohio with the recent issue of the 'gift' of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to homeowners in the state.The Bullet Points:* Ohio politicians pass 'bold, new' energy law (aren't they great???)* Law puts mandate on energy' [...]
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    Posted: October 09, 2009, 7:33am EDT

  • Basic questions to ask before implementing a new law

    "[W]here there is no law, there is no liberty; and nothing deserves the name of law but that which is certain and universal in its operation upon all the members of the community." ~ Benjamin RushI recently read Leslie Carbone's book, "Slaying Leviathan: The Moral Case for Tax Reform," and [...]
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    Posted: October 08, 2009, 8:33am EDT

  • Children of Liberty to premier movie "Not Evil, Just Wrong"

    This in via email:The Children of Liberty to host “Cinematic Tea Party” October 18th(Toledo) The Children of Liberty is proud to present “Not Evil Just Wrong”, a world premier film event.What: World premier of the film “Not Evil, Just Wrong,” which takes on the conventional wisdom on global warming. We [...]
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    Posted: October 07, 2009, 3:14pm EDT

  • Did you know? Government already coerces your health care choice

    I guess I wasn't aware of this fact until reading this article in the Wall Street Journal:"A centerpiece of the debate over ObamaCare is government coercion and the right to choose a health-care plan. So it's worth watching a lawsuit now making its way through the federal courts that seeks'" [...]
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    Posted: October 07, 2009, 7:32am EDT

  • Quote of the Day

    Toledo City Council would be wise to remember this quote as they consider another law to prevent behavior they don't like. "We lay it down as a fundamental, that laws, to be just, must give a reciprocation of right; that, without this, they are mere arbitrary rules of conduct, founded'" [...]
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    Posted: October 07, 2009, 7:23am EDT

  • Quote of the Day

    oh, how far we've come...."The ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppression of another, is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken policy. An equal dispensation of protection, rights, privileges, and advantages, is what every part is entitled to, and ought to'" [...]
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    Posted: October 06, 2009, 12:15am EDT

  • Stupid quote of the day

    "I'll tell you another thing about Glenn Beck. He wouldn't know the difference between a football, a bat and a hockey court." ~ Democratic consultant James Carville on Oct. 5.um....a hockey court???? Of course, the correct term is hockey rink. But even better than that, Carville can't get his analogies' [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2009, 5:35pm EDT

  • Sen. Schumer ups job losses exaggeration

    I've previously written about President Barack Obama's misrepresentation of the job losses when he took office, but apparently, that exaggeration just isn't enough. Now Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is upping the ante:"Before the stimulus, we were losing 700,000, 800,000 jobs a month, a huge amount."See? Now it's up to 800,000 [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2009, 12:24pm EDT

  • Downsizing government

    Cato Institute has launched a new website that should be used by everyone - though I doubt it will be. Downsizinggovernment.org, which focuses on the federal government, will:"...help policymakers and the public understand where federal funds are being spent and how to reform each government department. It describes the failings" [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2009, 11:49am EDT

  • And they said we wouldn't end up with 'death panels'

    I thought this was an interesting article from the National Post, addressing Canadian health care decisions:Choosing healthNational Post Published: Monday, October 05, 2009 Opponents of U.S. President Barack Obama's proposed health care reforms have just been handed a powerful talking point by Ontario's government.Democrats cobbling together the U.S. plan want [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2009, 9:10am EDT

  • What 'duties' did Szollosi and Collins duck?

    The Toledo Blade has an editorial blasting councilmen Frank Szollosi and D. Michael Collins for their decision to leave city council's meeting Tuesday rather than vote on a tax increase, giving Mayor Carty Finkbeiner a tie vote to break ... which would have resulted in said tax increase (even though [...]
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    Posted: October 03, 2009, 1:46pm EDT

  • #DAD09 - Larry Kudlow

    Larry Kudlow - CNBC and CEO of Kudlow and Co.:* wants to say things calmly but forcibly....* we've been through the worst economic down time in a long time - one of the worst since WWII - recommend to you that the #1 domestic issue is going to be the' [...]
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    Posted: October 03, 2009, 12:48pm EDT

  • #DAD09 - Phil Kerpen

    Phil Kerpen - Director of Policy for Americans For Prosperity Foundation:* apologizes for running late - Larry Kudlow coming up...* we're seeing free-market & political system changing dramatically with the takeover of insurance companies, banks and car companies...* four more takeovers are on the way:* energy - Van Jones wanted' [...]
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    Posted: October 03, 2009, 12:29pm EDT

  • #DAD09 - John Fund

    John Fund - Wall Street Journal:* opponents of freedom in health care don't want to debate the actual issues ... Bill Clinton resurrected out the 'vast right-wing conspiracy' claim ... even though 60% of the American people think the plan costs too much...so vast...* at the rate they're going, it's' [...]
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    Posted: October 03, 2009, 11:45am EDT
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