The Cincinnati Enquirer reported yesterday that President Bush will visit Cincinnati on October 6 maybe for the final time, his 13th visit there over the course of his eight year reign of terror.
Full story is here.
My thoughts and a call to action after the jump...
First a bit of personal background:
I lived in Cincinnati from 1987-1998 moving there to take a job after graduating from Miami University in Oxford in '87. I had the "pleasure" of living in Cincinnati when Issue 3 was passed by the voters there, eventually incorporating legalized discrimination against LGBT folks into the city charter. Here's what Issue 3 said:
"The city of Cincinnati and its various boards and Commissions may not enact, adopt, enforce or administer any ordinance, regulation, rule or policy which provides that homosexual, lesbian or bisexual orientation, status, conduct, or relationship constitutes, entitles, or otherwise provides a person with the basis to have any claim or minority or protected status, quota preference or other preferential treatment."
The small but vocal, and ultimately unsuccessful fight against Issue 3 was my entry to political action. This FAQ page has some good background on the repeal effort, which was eventually successful in 2004, after boycott efforts cost Cincinnati millions of dollars in tourism and convention business. The repeal effort was aided by corporate Cincinnati in much the same way that I hope that companies like Google opposing Prop 8 will be helpful in CA this time around. Not surprisingly the original Issue 3 was instigated by "Citizens for Community Values" (link skipped to save your eyes from bleeding) and its mastermind, the thrice-married recovering porn addict Phil Burress, who'd only back McCain after McCain vowed to oppose same-sex marriage in CA.
So, after migrating from Cincinnati to Chicago in '98 and on to NYC in '05, I still occasionally drop in on the Enquirer website to see what's happening back home. In their story about Bush's Oct 6 visit, they describe the purpose of Bush's visit as follows:
Bush will be the featured speaker at a day-long conference at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza on the presidency and the courts, sponsored by the Cincinnati Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society and the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at Ashland University in northern Ohio.
Yes, that's right. The man whose administration has made a mockery of our judicial system while shredding the constitution will the featured speaker at an event about our judicial system. Oh the irony. Or maybe not, considering that it's sponsored by The Federalist Society.
CALL TO ACTION (a few of them, in fact)
First and foremost to voters in OH-1, get actively involved with the campaign to replace Steve Chabot R-OH with Steve Driehaus. Wherever you are as you read this, throw him a few bucks if you can by donating here. My sophomore year at Miami, I was an RA in one of the dorms there and Steve was one of my freshmen. He's smart, engaged in progressive politics at the state level, and our best shot at knocking off Chabot in years. See Brownsox's excellent summary of OH House races for info on how close this race has become. I can't think of a better way for residents of OH-1 to celebrate the end of the Bush/Cheney era than by showing Chabot the door as well.
Next, to residents of Northern Kentucky. Use the fabulous hand-made signs by "Alaska Women Reject Palin" as your inspiration, and greet Pres. Bush on his motorcade route along I-275 and I-75 into Cincinnati. Let him see you on every overpass and at every interchange. Be creative. Be visible. Be vocal.
And finally to anyone within driving range of downtown Cincinnati, see above instructions to Northern KY and repeat. The Hilton is located at 35 West Fifth Street (Fifth between Race & Vine). I'm sure there'll be a security perimeter set up, but if you're visible along all of the Brent Spence Bridge access points to downtown, GWB will surely give you a friendly middle-finger wave on his way in. Make sure that the Cincinnati media balances their reporting of GWB's arrival with your celebration of his impending January 2009 departure from the White House!
And last but not least, volunteer for the Obama/Biden campaign in Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana.