Quick update on the Ohio effort to repeal SB5, the union-busting law promoted by former Fox news personality Governor Kasich:
COLUMBUS – Today We Are Ohio released the following statement regarding the decision by the Ohio Ballot Board to make a “no” vote on Issue 2 a vote to repeal SB 5, the unfair attack on employee rights and worker safety.
“We Are Ohio is pleased that Ohio Secretary of State Husted and the Ohio Ballot Board chose to follow the Ohio constitution and legal precedent by making a ‘no’ vote on Issue 2 a vote to repeal SB 5,” said Melissa Fazekas, spokeswoman for We Are Ohio. “While our opposition may try to play political tricks to confuse voters, today’s decision by the Ohio Ballot Board will make that harder. Now that another hurdle has been cleared, We Are Ohio is focused on making sure our more than 1.3 million supporters know to vote ‘no’ on Issue 2 in November.”
We Are Ohio is a citizen-driven, community-based, bipartisan coalition that has come together to repeal SB 5, the unfair attack on employee rights and worker safety. We Are Ohio includes public and private sector workers and employees, police officers, firefighters, teachers, nurses, pastors, small business owners, Republicans and Democrats, local elected officials and business leaders, students, Moms, Dads, family members, and your neighbors.
Proposed ballot language:
SHALL THE LAW BE APPROVED?
YES (To approve the law)
NO (to reject the law)
So now it’s “vote no on issue 2”
Brian R.
This reminds me of a Simpsons episode: “Don’t Do What Donny Don’t Does.”
Linda Featheringill
Excellent!
People who aren’t familiar with Ohio elections might be a bit confused about why we are pleased with this. After all, this yes/no designation is only logical.
But believe me, folks, the clarity of this designation is a victory, a small victory but a victory nevertheless.
geg6
Much as I like to make fun of my neighboring state, OH, especially when it comes to sports and sports related things, I am so rooting for you guys on this! We are one of the next dominoes, what with Governor Fracker watching this fight very closely. If you think heading over the border will help, let me know. I’ll be happy to do some work on this during my free time. I’m only a few miles away from Steubenville, Boardman, Youngstown, East Liverpool, and Poland and only slightly further to Lordstown and Akron. I’d even hold my nose and drive up to Cleveland. ;-)
JPL
Any odds on whether or not the Koch brothers sponsor mailers stating that a yes vote protects employees?
Omnes Omnibus
I have seen, in Ohio, some weirdly worded ballot measures in the past. The proposed language here is exactly what is needed. Clear, to the point, and hard to misunderstand.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
It is indeed sad to recognize what a hard fought and amazing victory this is, in terms of Ohio ballot language. Thanks for posting about it, kay.
BruinKid
Meanwhile 3 states over in Iowa, you or someone else may want to write about Stephen Colbert’s awesome smackdown of Rep. Steve King (R-IA) for his stupid comments on birth control leading to our civilization dying out. (Or based on his prior comments, the white civilization dying out.)
Dennis SGMM
Congratulations on a well earned victory. I envy you just a bit because I live in California where crafting deceptive ballot initiatives has been honed to a fine art.
Felonious Wench
Kay, you rock!
dpCap
So “reject the law” means “repeal”? Why didn’t they just say “repeal the law”? Already it’s confusing matters.
JCT
Definitely awesome victory.
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it depressing that so much effort is required these days to ensure that our presumably straightforward democratic process is not subverted?
It’s frightening.
Mike Lamb
@Linda Featheringill: If you say so. I was reading Kay’s excerpts and I couldn’t tell what side was in favor of this change….
Mnemosyne
Phew! Conservatives love to pull that kind of shit here in California, with Prop 8 probably being the most egregious recent example. Let’s face it, when you ask people to vote “no” so that gay couples can get married, you will always have a certain percentage of voters who get confused.
This at least is reasonably straightforward: no to get rid of the law, yes to keep the law.
kay
dpcap,
They cannot say repeal the law because the law was never enacted.
Ohio does not have a repeal process, technically. Ohio has a citizen over-ride of a proposed law.
So repeal would be just wrong, legally, which is what we are ohio folks argued
Succesfully
dpCap
gotcha, thanks kay.
Dan
@geg6: Send me an email (see my web site) if you mean that for reals. I can definitely find something for you to do around there.
iriedc
Great “nose to the grindstone” work, Kay!!
evinfuilt
If voting no is what is needed, can we use the republican version of voting, where all the people who decide not to vote automatically become a no?
debbie
Good news, and sorely needed. The other news I heard this morning: Kasich’s spent more than $63,000 in his first six months in office on jetting about, far more than his predecessor. When asked about it, his spokesman said it was necessitated by the need for Kasich to take care of all the issues that Strickland had ignored.
And then this afternoon: Wendy’s is returning its corporate headquarters to its previous location in Dublin, Ohio. In exchange for $12, 000,000 in incentives, they have agreed to create 50 jobs.
Brilliant negotiation, John-boy!