They're trying to frame this the right way, but the fact that
Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell's TABOR baby is being shelved until 2006 is a huge victory for Dems in Ohio.
As noted on Friday, the group Citizens for Destroying Ohio (I think that's their name) had collected enough signatures to put this disastrous state spending amendment on the ballot this coming November. Now, instead of doing that, they are waiting until 2006.
From my view there are the real reasons for this... and then there are the stated reasons.
First, the stated reasons. From today's
Youngstown Vindicator:
Blackwell, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor, said Monday he wants the proposed constitutional amendment, originally proposed to be on the ballot this November, to be part of his campaign platform.
"I intend to be the GOP nominee for governor and expect this amendment to be a major element of my platform for fiscal restraint for government and job creation for the private sector," Blackwell said in a statement.
Almost plausible, but unlikely. The real reasons:
- Ohio Republicans are not trusted with ANYTHING right now, and a state Constitutional amendment being pushed by the corrupt party in power is extremely unlikely to pass. So it's Just Wait Til Next Year, hoping that the political winds will have shifted in the meantime.
- The anti-TABOR opposition was gearing up, and Republican opposition will be much stronger this fall than pro-Republican voting. Paul Hackett's run in the 2nd Congressional District shows Dems are eager to hit the polls again. Democrat opposition groups had geared up to make this their big battle in 2005, and Republicans didn't like their chances. Postponing the vote until 2006 gives them a better chance to have TABOR slip through while people are focused on other races in Ohio. (Although if Blackwell's run really includes a strong TABOR push, it could be back out front and center. It will be interesting to see if his vow today holds up next year.)
- This may be the most important reason of all. Republicans were blindsided by the success of Reform Ohio Now's petition drive to get a campaign reform amendment on this fall's ballot. Reform Ohio Now is calling for a repeal of Republican-passed law that inflated campaign contributions as well as calling for a new redistricting plan that would not allow the party in power to simply gerrymander the state in order to retain power. Both of these initiatives strike at the heart of the Republican strategy to dominate Ohio, and both are likely to pass.
From
today's Cleveland Plain Dealer:
The sudden decision by an anti-tax group spearheaded by Secretary of State Ken Blackwell will allow embattled Republicans to pour more resources into challenging another ballot initiative aimed at dismantling political and elections rules that critics say have contributed to pay-to-play politics in Ohio.
This is a huge victory for those who believe we really do need change in Ohio. Assuming that Reform Ohio Now survives Republican legal challenges (which have already begun), it is VERY likely that these amendments will pass in November, a huge defeat for Republicans who have been feeding off the backs of Ohioans who are hurting financially. (And now, not having to spend resources on defeating TABOR, these same groups can put those resources toward campaigning FOR the Reform Ohio Now amendment.)
For once, the news is good here in Ohio.