Democratic News

When my staff reminded me I was approaching the deadline to submit my thoughts on Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy this year, I was dry.  Weary. Heavy-hearted. What could I say?

The report is not good. We are losing ground in areas already won – and fewer people seem to be paying attention every year. Sometimes, it feels as if the clock is spinning backwards.

All the issues Dr. King fought so hard to improve for ALL people – education, wealth creation, voting rights – are now back on the battle field.

We have a generation of children who couldn’t even define the American Dream let alone aspire to it.

Too many forgotten invisible people.

Too many living a nightmare with no dreams to hope for.

I heard Dr. Cornell West speak last night and he suggests we wake up – that perpetual dreaming is an unnatural state. Interesting.

The only way the dream becomes reality is through power.

The irony is that in this democracy of ours, we-- the people --have the power.

The disenfranchised, disconnected, the disregarded.

Those are the power bearers and they simply don’t know it, or no longer believe it.

We can make the dream a reality in one election cycle by making sure you are properly registered RIGHT NOW, showing up on election day or whatever narrow window Secretary Husted decides to allow for early voting – AND VOTE.

Vote for people who care about you, know your issues have demonstrated some commitment to the community and its issues.

Pay attention to who keeps their word and who doesn’t. You determine term limits based on performance.

Show up at town hall meetings, council meetings and legislative committee hearings.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.

Trite maybe – but truly that simple.

Show up and change the world.

Do you think they would be trying so hard for so long

On Thursday, State Representative Jack Cera (D-Bellaire) received the 2014 Jack Wolfe Legislator of the Year Award from the Ohio Assoc. of Election Officials. The Ohio Association of Election Officials is a professional organization representing the members and employees of Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections, their directors and deputy directors.  The OAEO is a bipartisan organization dedicated to ensuring fair and accurate elections for all Ohioans.  It offers educational programs and training courses for its membership and employees. Rep. Cera was on hand at Thursday’s event to personally receive his award. 

“It is an honor to be recognized by this bipartisan group because they strive to craft solutions that are good for the entire state. In fact, the OAEO does such a great job in working together that we need this organization to teach the legislature how to work in a bipartisan manner,” said Cera upon receiving the award.

State Rep. John Rogers (D-Mentor-on-the-Lake) recently introduced the “Student Safety Act,” bipartisan legislation to increase student safety by requiring specific security features for newly-constructed school buildings. 

State Reps. Heather Bishoff (D-Blacklick) and Robert Hackett (R-London) on Thursday introduced a bipartisan measure to clarify social media privacy laws for students, school employees and school districts. 

State Rep. John Rogers (D-Mentor-on-the-Lake) will urge colleagues to support his Paycheck Freedom Act—House Bill 253—before the House Commerce, Labor and Technology Committee this afternoon. The bill would ensure Ohio workers have the freedom to choose their preferred from of compensation. Some businesses currently pay their workers with ATM-like debit cards that can generate latent fees and surcharges.

“Ohioans should have the freedom to choose how they receive their hard-earned wages,” said Rep. Rogers. “People should be able to decide how they budget and spend their wages without worrying about hidden fees. Many Ohioans cannot afford to lose more take-home pay.”

The Paycheck Freedom Act would ensure that workers have the ability to receive payment via direct deposit, standard paper check, or paycheck card by requiring that employers offer at least one alternative to paycheck debit cards. Eleven other legislators are cosponsors of HB 253, including four representatives from the Northeast Ohio area.

Numerous states have passed legislation addressing payroll debit cards including, Colo., Del., Kan., Maine, Md., Mich., Minn., Nev., N. H., N. J., N. D., Okla., Va., and W. Va. 

State Representative and Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President Alicia Reece (D-Cincinnati) released the following statement this afternoon in response to the passing of long-time political strategist Arnold Pinkney:

"Today we lost one of Ohio’s most influential political strategists, business pioneers and public servants, Arnold Pinkney. His influence in politics and community service stretched far beyond his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Arnold Pinkney was as a special advisor to the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus and an advocate for minority businesses, voting rights and equal opportunity for African Americans. We will continue to fight for these issues in honor of his legacy.”

Rep. Reece announced today that OLBC will have a special recognition of Arnold Pinkney’s legacy at their annual Black History Day of Action at the Statehouse on February 19, 2014.

Today, Former Speaker and Minority Leader State Rep. Armond Budish (D-Beachwood) mourned the passing of long-time civil rights advocate Arnold Pinkney.

“Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to Arnold’s family today,” said Rep. Budish.  “Mr. Pinkney was a dedicated leader and public servant not just to the African American community, but also to all of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.  His imprint on this region has been historic, and he will be sorely missed but not forgotten.”

Mr. Pinkney, who recently received the Cleveland NAACP’s highest award, Ambassador for Civil Rights, was a political activist who ran numerous successful campaigns in the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the state of Ohio.

State Rep. Mike Foley (D-Cleveland) is in Egypt this week to serve as a monitor for the country’s first election since the July ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi. In the election slated for Tuesday and Wednesday, Egyptians will be asked to take the first step in rebuilding the Egyptian government by ratifying a new national constitution.

It was 50 years ago today that President Johnson declared a war on poverty in this nation. Still, many in our state are left to wonder whether the battle rages on in Ohio. Only six other states have more people in poverty, and over the past few years, our poverty rates have been higher than the national average.

Ohio’s median income dropped 11 percent over the past 12 years, meaning more Ohioans have likely slipped in their economic position and could be one mere emergency away from financial ruin. Families that were once middle and working class now  know the harsh consequences of living in a society that seems to continually edge out broad-based economic opportunity and, instead,  focuses on investing in the wealthiest among us.

24 percent of Ohio’s children are impoverished; yet the state has cut over $1B to public education in recent years.

18 percent of Ohio's women are living in poverty but the last state budget included sweeping prohibitions on women’s access to healthcare—especially for low-income females.

10 percent of senior citizens in Ohio are impoverished. The recent budget raised property taxes for seniors who are likely just outside the traditional definition of poverty, but that increase-- coupled with another 12.5 percent property tax increase and a 4.5 percent sales tax increase-- means Ohio’s seniors who are barely getting by are faced with policies that will eat away at their financial security.

134,000 Ohioans are now faced with the possibility of losing food benefits through restrictions imposed by Gov. Kasich. How can we expect poor Ohioans in need of basic necessities to find work when our state spent 1/3 of 2013 as a national leader in job loss?

The 24^th largest economy in the world shouldn’t be a national leader in poverty or job loss. We need to find a new approach that addresses our shrinking middle class. Tax cuts aimed at put

On Wednesday, Rep. Mike Sheehy (D-Oregon) announced the passage of House Bill 399, legislation which designates the first Friday in May as Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness & Education Day. The bill was inspired by a constituent in the district who testified before the Toledo opioid sub-committee hearing over the summer.

State Reps. Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Dan Ramos (D-Lorain) sent a letter to Gov. John Kasich on Wednesday calling on him to impose a moratorium on executions in Ohio to further review the new execution drug combination policy and provide a thorough report of last Thursday’s execution. This comes after last week’s controversial execution, in which the State used an untested two-drug lethal injection method. The family of inmate Dennis McGuire plans to file federal lawsuit against the state, citing the U.S. constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.