It is my intention to do a series of diaries outlining Ohio Governor Elect John Kasich's Shock and Awe War against the People and State of Ohio, with a goal of at least a diary a month.
I will try to be non-emotional and simply present a series of facts that illuminate Mr. Kasich's bull in the China shop mentality as it relates to government, and in particular, how his attitude and approach to government negatively impacts the people and state of Ohio.
Everyone knows that he and incoming the Wisconsin governor rejected $400 M and $800 M respectively in federal high speed rail infrastructure improvement funding, forcing the federal government to divert those funds, and the economic development and jobs growth to other states.
In the case of Ohio, this rejection of $400 million in infrastructure funding has also created these ripple effects:
- A January 1, 2011 article in the Columbus Dispatch titled "Killing train kills private projects" documents the loss of 16,700 jobs and $3 billion in other, mostly private development along the proposed path of the train. Source: Archived article, joining Dispatch required to view
- In Columbus, where I live, we lost:
Locally, certain not to happen is construction of a $15 million facility planned for Columbus by US Railcar Co. The plant would have employed up to 200 when fully staffed, said Mike Pracht, president and chief executive officer of the Columbus-based railroad-car manufacturer.
- For the purpose of this discussion, please read the following comment from the article referenced above:
But Kasich was unrelenting in his opposition to the now-defunct rail plan.
"The governor-elect's focus is on creating private-sector jobs," Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said. "He's focused solely on creating private-sector jobs, not on a train that will cost taxpayers $17 million a year that will be slow and that very few people will ride."
Nichols acknowledged the 3C train could create some private-sector jobs, but he said the development benefits would be outweighed by the public costs.
"You can spend $20 billion and see how many jobs you'll create. Build a bridge to Ontario.
"We had the debate. The train is dead. The matter is closed."
The emphasis in the last line is mine. This is descriptive of the bull in the China shop mentality of the Kasich team I mentioned above. There was no debate. Only a pronouncement by an as yet unseated Governor Elect, no debate in the legislature, no public comment period, just a dictatorial rant by a politician who was full of himself. John Kasich has REJECTED $400 Million in direct federal investment in Ohio infrastructure improvement which would have also improved freight rail infrastructure. John Kasich has REJECTED 16,700 Ohio jobs which cannot be outsourced. John Kasich has unilaterally REJECTED $3 Billion in other economic development before he ever set foot inside the Governor's Office bearing the title of Ohio Governor.
Appointments:
A front page story in today's Dispatch headlined "For $1, Kasich hires private help to spur job creation" discusses the appointment of a longtime friend named Mark Kvamme, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist to head the Department of Development with the goal to created a public/private entity called "Jobs Ohio" with the goal to, within six months, privatize the Ohio Department of Development, which under the Strickland administration, had been selected by Site Selection magazine, as the number one state in job site expansion in the nation for four years running. John Kasich wants to eliminate a state agency with this record. Mr. Kvamme is not just a friend, he's a big Republican contibutor, including a contribution of $10,000 to the Ohio Repubican Party State Central and Executive Committee, $15,000 to the New Century Project, which lists an address on East Dublin-Granville Road in Columbus, and which appears to give only to Republican candiates. He also contributed to Kasich 2000, George W. Bush and the National Republican Senatoral Committee. I used the search term Kvanne, Mark at the FEC Individual Database FEC Individual Search Engine link. Dispatch article, link may expire.
Now, does this California venture capitalist have a conflict of interest? Can he return to his previous job in 5 or 6 months with a list of the best Ohio business plans, has John Kasich allowed a friendly corporate raider access to the best Ohio development ideas, and to permit him to create a conduit to his hot line? I cannot answer that question, can you? Has the Ohio press corps taken any time to examine in some kind of detail the potential conflicts of interest in this and other Kasich appointees, or do they simply fail to investigate because they almost in lockstep, endorsed John Kasich? Will the Republican Senate ask difficult questions of this group of appointees, or will they simply be a rubber stamp for John Kasich, and permit this crowd to run roughshod over the economy and the people of Ohio?
This is the only Kasich appointee I have time to profile today. As I stated before, I seek to build a case to cause the governor to stand for a recall election if, and only if, he continues to fail the State and People of Ohio. He has a good start on this with his rejection of billions of development and thousands of Ohio jobs which cannot be outsourced.
My next diary will cover more appointees, and will profile the first 2 or 3 weeks of Republican Government by Fiat in Ohio. I encourage other Kossacks to do similar profiles on their new Republican Governors and statehouses. Illumination is the best disinfectant. Let's illuminate.