• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Mediocre white men think RFK Jr’s pathetic midlife crisis is inspirational. The bar is set so low for them, it’s subterranean.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

Democracy cannot function without a free press.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

Donald Trump found guilty as fuck – May 30, 2024!

Fight them, without becoming them!

Jesus watching the most hateful people claiming to be his followers

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

Tide comes in. Tide goes out. You can’t explain that.

The unpunished coup was a training exercise.

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

If America since Jan 2025 hasn’t broken your heart, you haven’t loved her enough.

Just because you believe it, that does not make it true.

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

Mobile Menu

  • Seattle Meet-up Post
  • 2025 Activism
  • Targeted Political Fundraising
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • COVID-19
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • 2025 Activism
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • Targeted Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Absent Friends / I can’t find the Republicans

I can’t find the Republicans

by Kay|  October 17, 201112:50 pm| 37 Comments

This post is in: Absent Friends

FacebookTweetEmail

I wrote about how Mike Huckabee from Fox News is parachuting into Ohio to push Kasich’s union-busting law, and there was a great point raised in the comments:

How hard up is Kasich that he is calling in a celeb from Fox? Do you see any Ohio GOP heavies campaigning for this? Like…um…the last 2 Republican governors, Taft or Voinovich?

Good question. Where are the Ohio Republicans? Voinovich and Taft are missing, but, more importantly, sitting Republican members of the Ohio Congressional gang seem to be AWOL in the war on workers.

Here’s Sherrod Brown:

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown told members of the Fraternal Order of Police union that a “pretty small group of radicals” is attacking the collective bargaining abilities of public employees in Ohio and other parts of the country. Brown, speaking Monday morning at the FOP’s annual statewide meeting at the Memorial Civic Center, said that his senatorial office cannot be involved in the fight against Ohio Senate Bill 5. But he offered his personal support to help repeal the law through a referendum issue expected to be on a statewide ballot in the November election.
“What astounds me is the hostility I see in this state” for public employees, including state workers, teachers, police and firefighters,” said Brown.

Brown is right, of course, his office can’t be directly involved, No On Two is a non-partisan state issue, but he has an opinion and he offered his personal support.

And here’s Marcy Kaptur:

“In Ohio, we’re painfully aware of Wall Street abuses,” Kaptur said. “Right now, we’re standing up to the anti-worker agenda of a governor who came from Wall Street via Lehman Brothers.” She said, “Ohioans should fight back against Wall Street greed by defeating State Issue 2, which would limit the rights of teachers, firefighters, and police officers to participate in discussions with employers about wages and benefits in their respective professions through normal collective bargaining.”

I called Congressman Latta’s office and I was told it’s a state issue and they don’t know where he is on it. I called Senator Portman’s office and I was told it’s a state issue and they don’t know where he is on it.

Well, sure it’s a state issue, and the We Are Ohio folks have been very careful to keep it non-partisan, but it’s a huge issue in Ohio, and that’s where Latta and Portman have to go to get elected. Ohio. The state. Where we have state issues.

I know they can’t campaign for Governor Kasich’s anti-union law, although they certainly campaigned for Governor Kasich, but one would think they’d have an opinion on the multi-state conservative effort to destroy unions.

This is Nate Silver on union voters and Republicans and Democrats:

More tangibly, Republican efforts to decrease the influence of unions — while potentially worthwhile to their electoral prospects in the long-term — could contribute to a backlash in the near-term, making union members even more likely to vote Democratic and even more likely to turn out. If, for instance, the share of union households voting for Democrats was not 60 percent but closer to 70 percent, Republicans would have difficulty winning presidential elections for a couple of cycles until the number of union voters diminished further.

Could the (apparent) hesitancy to weigh in on this by Ohio Republican congressional leaders have anything to do with the fact that a lot of union households vote GOP?

I don’t remember all this polite reluctance to weigh in on a non-partisan state issue in 2004, when GOP leaders put a state issue on my ballot to amend the state constitution, ban same-sex marriage, codify bigotry in Ohio and drag former President Bush over the finish line.

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « Extra Cheesy
Next Post: Nice and easy does it every time »

Reader Interactions

37Comments

  1. 1.

    Paul in KY

    October 17, 2011 at 12:54 pm

    Excellent comments by Sen. Brown. Sure am impressed by your commitment to your fellow Ohioans, Key.

    Don’t let up!

  2. 2.

    kerFuFFler

    October 17, 2011 at 1:05 pm

    Thanks Kay for another great post! I always feel like I learn something from your submissions. You’re my favorite at Balloon-juice.

  3. 3.

    cleek

    October 17, 2011 at 1:06 pm

    have you tried turning over some rocks? i can usually find a few crawling around there.

  4. 4.

    amk

    October 17, 2011 at 1:13 pm

    And why would they do that ?

    that a lot of union households vote GOP…

    To do an exhausting, back-against-the-wall fight now ? Nuts.

  5. 5.

    Villago Delenda Est

    October 17, 2011 at 1:16 pm

    Guys like Kaisch and Huckabee, blinded by their short term avarice, don’t see the long term benefits for everyone of having a contented, happy work force…which means collective bargaining as a means to achieve that end.

    They want to be able to steal labor, basically…and while that looks good for making next month’s yacht payment, it’s not good for the long term social stability that makes it far less likely that their yacht doesn’t have an “accident” down the road.

    Don’t go poking at the bear, dumbshits.

  6. 6.

    Feudalism Now!

    October 17, 2011 at 1:21 pm

    It’s almost like they don’t want to be personally connected to legislation that has a visceral negative reaction from constituents. The wide array of constituencies involved in We Are Ohio frightens the oligarchs and re noise machine. There is very limited support or call for the oligarchs draconian re-invisioning of collective bargaining and the veil is lifted on what their true agenda is. A weaker position for the working class.

  7. 7.

    Mike

    October 17, 2011 at 1:27 pm

    I can tell you that I personally know a bunch of traditionally loyal republican voters in Ohio who happen to be either employed as or related to cops, firemen, and teachers. The venom they have for Kasich is incredible considering their political history. I mean veins popping out of heads anger. I don’t know if it’s enough to get them to vote Dem (they are still harbor the Limbaugh view that Dems “take” money from “deserving” folk and “give” it to the “undeserving” ones); however, they will be out in force in a few weeks to vote no on Issue 2, and they might just switch to Dems for at least statewide and local races. It’s a start, at least. They are spitting mad! And some of them who are in unions hate their union, too, but they still don’t like being made to be the scapegoat in all of this.

    I’m still very nervous about issue 2. The lies spread on TV abound, and when people are feeling insecure, they are more likely to screw their neighbor as a way of venting their frustration. PPP should have their Ohio results soon. I wait with baited breath.

  8. 8.

    Paul in KY

    October 17, 2011 at 1:37 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est: They don’t believe there would ever be an uprising like that in a million years. Also, if there was, the security apparatus is much better armed (compared to the teeming masses) than it was 80 or 90 years ago.

    That is why they are so smug (right now).

  9. 9.

    Senyordave

    October 17, 2011 at 1:42 pm

    @Mike: Maybe I could see hating your union if you are a teamster, but if you are a public employee and you hate your union, you deserve to be shit upon. I have no sympathy for people who consistently vote against their own self-interest.

    I wonder how many just substitute “brown and black skinned” for “undeserving”.

  10. 10.

    amk

    October 17, 2011 at 1:44 pm

    @Senyordave: +1

  11. 11.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    October 17, 2011 at 2:01 pm

    What are the polls saying? If this is defeated I can see an opening crack in the Rove and the Koch Brothers iron juggernaut. Citizens United defeated in this a great feeling.

  12. 12.

    Chris

    October 17, 2011 at 2:06 pm

    What Paul said.

    British elites, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, were among the few (Bismarck was another) who understood that investment in the people’s well being was investment in their own stability and safety. American elites … not nearly that smart, much more like the French.

    Even if you could get them to see the logic of investing in the people, they’d just end up throwing a tantrum, complaining how unfair it is that the world works that way, and refusing to do it out of pure spite.

  13. 13.

    NonyNony

    October 17, 2011 at 2:06 pm

    At first I was kind of surprised that the national Republican faces weren’t out stumping for this.

    But it’s not that surprising, actually. If Ohio had a Republican figure that was well respected, who could say “hey working class voters, go vote for this because I said so” then pulling that guy into the argument might help.

    Ohio’s national Republicans right now include Rob Portman (who gets a giant “who the fuck is that guy” from Republicans in the state), George Voinivich (who is still hated as the guy who said no to George W Bush that one time and cried on television), and Bob Taft (who is still hated as that doofus who was either corrupt or an idiot – the jury is still out). And then there’s King John Kasich – who’s hated because he’s an arrogant douchebag who has the world’s most punchable face.

    So it’s actually not surprising to me that Kasich would be reaching out to Republicans who might actually be somewhat popular. Maybe he can pay Sarah Palin some money to come in and stump for him – I’ll bet she’d do it for a few thousand bucks or so. For a state whose politics happens to be completely dominated by Republicans, there aren’t that many Republicans in the state who garner much respect with voters these days.

  14. 14.

    Tom

    October 17, 2011 at 2:08 pm

    On a similar note, other than hearing that MLK was/would still be a Republican. I missed seeing any Republicans at the MLK event this past weekend. Did I blink? Kind of a big deal–being honored on the National Mall.

  15. 15.

    Ivan Ivanovich Renko

    October 17, 2011 at 2:11 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    They want to be able to steal labor, basically…

    They’re getting so obviously Confederate that a blind man could see it with a stick.

  16. 16.

    rikryah

    October 17, 2011 at 2:23 pm

    Senyordave: +2

  17. 17.

    rikryah

    October 17, 2011 at 2:44 pm

    I’ve said since Wisconsin that the thing that makes these types of protests different, for the most part, is that the folks that the GOP usually appeals to by disrespecting ‘ those damn protestors’’

    ARE THE ONES DOING THE PROTESTING THIS TIME.

    It’s why that SB5 bill in OHIO is doing bad. The people they want to appeal to help pass it, ARE THE ONES OUT THERE RUNNING AROUND TALKING ABOUT VOTE NO ON SB5.

    Of course, these are the folks who thought that the GOP was talking about ‘eerrrrrbody but them’, as they ran down groups over the years, not knowing that the GOP didn’t give a shyt about them. But, now, that it’s IN THEIR FACE, that they can’t turn around and point to someone else and say ‘ the GOP MEANS THEM’…….

    No, you stupid mofos, the GOP HAS ALWAYS MEANT YOU TOO.

  18. 18.

    The Dangerman

    October 17, 2011 at 2:59 pm

    Can someone give me the ridiculously short version of what’s on the ballot and what I should be hoping passes/fails? I’ve heard Measure 5 and Measure 2 and, well, I’m confused (it’s Monday and I’m drinking Decaf, so take pity on me).

  19. 19.

    kay

    October 17, 2011 at 3:11 pm

    @The Dangerman:

    I can give you 1, 2 and 3.

    One is on when judges have to retire. 70 (current law) or 76.

    Two is the union-busting law. No on Issue Two.

    Three is the Tea Party lunacy on the ACA. They want to repeal the federal health care law at the state level, which is insane. No on Issue Three.

  20. 20.

    kay

    October 17, 2011 at 3:15 pm

    @The Dangerman:

    This is a short run-down.

  21. 21.

    kay

    October 17, 2011 at 3:16 pm

    @rikryah:

    and, rikrah, I don’t know if we’re going to win.

    I don’t think it’s a slam-dunk or anything, so keep your fingers crossed :)

  22. 22.

    The Dangerman

    October 17, 2011 at 3:18 pm

    @kay:

    Three is the Tea Party lunacy on the ACA.

    Surely, the Tea Party realizes that Federal Law trumps State Law; what a waste of money.

    Was Measure 5 the bill that passed last time around that is getting voided by 2? I thought the bill already passed and now it’s getting overridden? Or perhaps I’m thinking Wisconsin.

    Fuck it all, I may have to make a Starbucks run to try to come up to speed here.

  23. 23.

    kay

    October 17, 2011 at 3:21 pm

    @NonyNony:

    If Ohio had a Republican figure that was well respected

    It just pisses me off. The gang on Morning Joe can’t wait to tie Democrats together as one amorphous blob. Any Democrat anywhere does anything, it reflects on ALL Democrats, everywhere.

    Why don’t they do that to Republicans?

    Republicans never have to defend this crap, as a Party, which is a big part of the reason Republicans are never on defense.

  24. 24.

    kay

    October 17, 2011 at 3:26 pm

    @The Dangerman:

    SB5 was the state law that Kasich signed. Issue Two is the repeal of that law.

    It’s not really a “repeal”. The way Ohio law works, the law never went into effect, but that’s not important.

    Voting NO on Issue Two is repealing SB5. No on Two.

    As far as the Tea Party lunacy, Issue Three, pretend health care law repeal, that’s a funny story.

    The Tea Party tried for two years to collect enough signatures, and failed.

    They had to turn to the Ohio GOP to get it done, and on the ballot.

    That’s because they’re a great grassroots, independent movement :)

    The Ohio GOP had to bail their asses out because they’re too lazy to collect their own signatures.

  25. 25.

    kay

    October 17, 2011 at 3:30 pm

    @The Dangerman:

    Just vote NO on One, Two and Three, unless you feel strongly that judges should stay on the bench past 70, then vote YES on One.

    I don’t know why you would want to keep Kasich’s appointees on the bench as incumbents for longer than you had to, but that’s your call. I myself think judges should retire at 70 and give someone else a chance.

  26. 26.

    DZ

    October 17, 2011 at 3:34 pm

    @Chris:

    What is your problem with the French? They have national health care, a very good retirement system, unemployment insurance that doesn’t run out, almost no poverty and world-class trains. WTF?

  27. 27.

    Chris

    October 17, 2011 at 4:35 pm

    @DZ:

    Sorry dude: didn’t mean to attack the current French system (I’ve got dual citizenship there and wouldn’t mind at America adopted some of it).

    Was talking about their elites from back in the day (200 years ago): the unwillingness of the aristocracy to pay their fair share (which played a part in causing the revolution), the “let them eat cake” divorce from reality, that sort of thing. It’s exactly the entitlement mentality you run into when looking at American elites from this day and age.

  28. 28.

    Sly

    October 17, 2011 at 5:10 pm

    @kay:

    It just pisses me off. The gang on Morning Joe can’t wait to tie Democrats together as one amorphous blob.

    My suggestion is to not watch Morning Joe.

    1) Your sanity and perspective is much improved.

    2) Morning Joe loses… what? 5% of its audience if you personally stop watching?

  29. 29.

    kay

    October 17, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    @Sly:

    I don’t watch it. That wasn’t my complaint.

    I think it’s a valid complaint, which is why I wrote it, although I appreciate your concern for my health.

  30. 30.

    kay

    October 17, 2011 at 5:43 pm

    @Sly:

    I think the “audience share” defense of cable tv is nonsense. It isn’t that they have a huge audience. It’s that all of the people who set the terms of these debates and appear on these shows go out and resell whatever they were sold on the show.

    If audience share made cable news irrelevant, Fox wouldn’t be successful at selling Republicans, and they are successful at selling Republicans.

    Beginning in 2005, I watched cable news sell “voter fraud” like a product. Huge success. Voter fraud is complete and utter bullshit, there isn’t a single stat or state where “voter fraud” holds up, but the hosts and guests on cable news were very successful at selling it.

  31. 31.

    cokane

    October 17, 2011 at 7:43 pm

    well Taft’s presence would hurt Kasich as Taft left office in ignominy. Voinovich has probably just retired from politics and was never a strong conservative.

  32. 32.

    The Dangerman

    October 17, 2011 at 8:21 pm

    @kay:

    I don’t know why you would want to keep Kasich’s appointees on the bench as incumbents for longer than you had to, but that’s your call.

    Oops, sorry; I was searching for information as a Californian from California. I’m just watching from afar.

  33. 33.

    ellenelle

    October 17, 2011 at 8:35 pm

    have not read all these comments here (apologies), but kay, have you seen any of the details of huckabee’s speech? seems he is suggesting folks drive ten family members and friends to the polls, and if they won’t go with you because they don’t support the initiative, then make sure they don’t go at all, even “slash their tires.”

    there’s a law against that, isn’t there?

  34. 34.

    ellenelle

    October 17, 2011 at 9:15 pm

    @ellenelle:
    correction:

    “let the air out of their tires.”

    he was allegedly “clearly joking,” but about as serious as palin was about those crosshairs, i suppose.

  35. 35.

    Exurban Mom

    October 17, 2011 at 10:46 pm

    @kay: Oh, the Teatards were out in force collecting signatures on this bill in my community. For months and months, they set up their little table in front of the post office. It was disgraceful.

    The issue is receiving VERY LITTLE media coverage, and I haven’t seen one ad yet, on either side of the issue. I’m hoping the default position of voting NO on ballot initiatives that don’t involve gambling or preventing gay marriage will kick in, and my fellow Ohioans will vote down both issue 2 and issue 3.

  36. 36.

    kay

    October 17, 2011 at 11:05 pm

    Ellenelle,
    Huckabee told the same joke in Virginia in 2009.
    It’s not funny because he’s not funny but it is apparently just one of his stock lines as a FOX News correspondent-grifter.
    I don’t think it’s illegal.
    Moronic and meanspirited, but not illegal.
    It’s kind of great that he tells the same dumb joke at every Tea Party event.
    He’s just phoning it in at this point, and cashing the checks.

  37. 37.

    Kat

    October 18, 2011 at 5:01 am

    They sure are spending the money on this dead horse. My mailbox in Dayton is stuffed with flyers weekly, on why I should vote yes. I stopped reading it long ago. Now it just fills up the trash can. Go Bengals !

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

On The Road - Albatrossity - Flyover Country Spring 2
Image by Albatrossity (5/18/25)

Recent Comments

  • HopefullyNotcassandra on Sunday Diversion: ‘A Dumb New Way To Think About The Dismantling Of The Federal Government’ (May 18, 2025 @ 7:01pm)
  • Denali5 on Failure to Launch (Open Thread) (May 18, 2025 @ 6:59pm)
  • Jay on Sunday Diversion: ‘A Dumb New Way To Think About The Dismantling Of The Federal Government’ (May 18, 2025 @ 6:58pm)
  • Jackie on Sunday Diversion: ‘A Dumb New Way To Think About The Dismantling Of The Federal Government’ (May 18, 2025 @ 6:57pm)
  • Another Scott on Sunday Diversion: ‘A Dumb New Way To Think About The Dismantling Of The Federal Government’ (May 18, 2025 @ 6:57pm)

PA Supreme Court At Risk

Donate

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
War in Ukraine
Donate to Razom for Ukraine

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Meetups

Upcoming Ohio Meetup May 17
5/11 Post about the May 17 Ohio Meetup

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)
Fix Nyms with Apostrophes

Hands Off! – Denver, San Diego & Austin

Social Media

Balloon Juice
WaterGirl
TaMara
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
DougJ NYT Pitchbot
mistermix

Keeping Track

Legal Challenges (Lawfare)
Republicans Fleeing Town Halls (TPM)
21 Letters (to Borrow or Steal)
Search Donations from a Brand

PA Supreme Court At Risk

Donate

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!