Just deserts, unemployment and higher taxes
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Not unlike Hillsboro City Auditor and HCP columnist Gary Lewis, I've offered more than enough opinions on the gerrymandering process that we all endure every 10 years.
The fact that the Ohio Supreme Court, which made a recent visit to Highland County, agrees with my argument is of little consolation and no consequence.
Barring any major concessions by the one-party rulers, it looks like Ohio is headed for two primary elections in 2012. In case anyone needs a reminder, consider that it's quite difficult to get more than 40 percent of registered voters to cast a ballot in any given election. Next year, Ohio may surpass the 40-percent plateau by forcing the 20 percent who still give a hoot to vote twice – once for locals and again in a separate primary for the congressional and presidential races.
The cost to taxpayers? More than $15 million statewide is the early estimate.
On the bright side, if this all comes about, Ohio Republicans will likely know the 2012 GOP nominee before they vote. In other words, the one-party rulers will have rendered Ohio meaningless in the Republican primary presidential election.
Talk about just deserts. (And, yes, dammit, the word is deserts. We ain't talkin' strawberry shortcake here!)
As I was saying, that's almost as funny as the media reporting the 2000 election results in Florida, first giving the state to Little Al Gore, before realizing parts of the western (and Republican) panhandle were in the Central Time Zone where polls hadn't closed. After much debate and controversy, Bush ultimately won the Sunshine State and its 25 electoral votes. (Of course had Little Al won Tennessee, he'd have been prez!)
* * *
America's current occupant of the White House is sitting on the nation's worst employment record in three generations.
Were he held to reasonable standards by the mainstream media, he might be held accountable for his ineptitude. Many of us, of course, have long given up hope on a fair and balanced national media.
But with a national unemployment rate double that when he took office, what's the Hope and Change president offer: A third year of unemployment "compensation."
Years ago, we considered "compensation" the money earned by an employee from an employer in the form of salary or wages.
Today's definitions vary. But if Congress were to agree to yet another extension of unemployment "compensation," reasonable minds must ask: At what point does unemployment "compensation" become welfare?
The president's latest Ponzi sch, er, plan, also calls for small incentives for businesses who employ someone who's been on unemployment a long period of time. Such a proposal further explains that the current occupant of the White House has little comprehension of private business management.
There are myriad problems with the president's plan, not the least of which is this: What's to prevent certain businesses from laying off some of their current staff just to take advantage of the tax credits given for hiring someone on unemployment? This would have the same unintended consequences of the infamous "cash for clunkers" debacle that drove up the prices of used cars nationwide.
There's another problem with extending the unemployment cash. Human nature being what it is, it's quite likely that a majority of those on unemployment for two years and longer probably aren't the best candidates for new hires. Many might as well move to the next line at the local One-Stop center.
* * *
If Ohio's productive workers and employers were taxed enough already (where have I heard that phrase), here's the question of the day: How many tax levies will Ohio voters decide in this general election? Hint: Ohio only has 88 counties.
What's that? You guessed five levies per county? Wrong.
OK. You're thinking now, aren't you? I like that.
You there, in the back. I see your hand. Ten levies per county? Nice try. Sit back down.
As it stands, Ohio voters will decide on roughly 1,100 tax levies across its 88 counties between now and Nov. 8. (That's about 12.5 levies per county on average.)
There are big levies, small levies, new levies, old levies, renewals and modifieds. More than 1,000 ways to procure (take) your hard-earned dollars.
For those who are also on the receiving end, it's understandably a good deal. The tradeoff is actually pretty sweet. More often than not, there are increases in wages and benefits (or, at the very least, assurances of no reductions in total compensation). Yes, there are a few exceptions, but Ohio voters can take this rule of thumb to the ticket window and place a winning bet 9 times out of 10.
But what about the many residents who work every day in the private sector and struggle to make ends meet? They pay the taxes that furnish the big homes and automobiles for many on the receiving end; items they cannot afford for themselves. Many people just continue to pay the higher taxes as if they were doing a public service. (They are, more than they know.)
In a recent story about the numerous local, state and federal taxes, Charlie Cox, a 68-year-old retired car salesman in Westerville, told The Columbus Dispatch that “enough is enough.”
“I love my neighborhood, and I love my schools, and Westerville has great ideas,” said Cox, who has campaign sign in his yard that reads: “The Time Has Come. Vote No On Everything."
“They spend money before they know where it’s coming from, and it gets to the point where you have to say: ‘Stop’.”
Of course, for anyone who disagrees with old Charlie, you always have this easy alternative: Write a check. That's right. For every tax levy you support – or encourage others to support – calculate your personal liability and send a check or money order to the appropriate government agency.
That way, even if enough intelligent voters reject an ever-increasing confiscation of their hard-earned dollars, you will rest easy, knowing you've done your part.
Maybe a decade ago, I made this same suggestion just prior to a general election tax levy. The "nays" beat the "yeas" that year, but more than 2,000 people voted for the levy. A few months later, I questioned the county agency as to how many people – among levy supporters – sent a check for their respective new taxes. "Two," I was told.
Not at all surprising, human nature being what it is…
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
The fact that the Ohio Supreme Court, which made a recent visit to Highland County, agrees with my argument is of little consolation and no consequence.
Barring any major concessions by the one-party rulers, it looks like Ohio is headed for two primary elections in 2012. In case anyone needs a reminder, consider that it's quite difficult to get more than 40 percent of registered voters to cast a ballot in any given election. Next year, Ohio may surpass the 40-percent plateau by forcing the 20 percent who still give a hoot to vote twice – once for locals and again in a separate primary for the congressional and presidential races.
The cost to taxpayers? More than $15 million statewide is the early estimate.
On the bright side, if this all comes about, Ohio Republicans will likely know the 2012 GOP nominee before they vote. In other words, the one-party rulers will have rendered Ohio meaningless in the Republican primary presidential election.
Talk about just deserts. (And, yes, dammit, the word is deserts. We ain't talkin' strawberry shortcake here!)
As I was saying, that's almost as funny as the media reporting the 2000 election results in Florida, first giving the state to Little Al Gore, before realizing parts of the western (and Republican) panhandle were in the Central Time Zone where polls hadn't closed. After much debate and controversy, Bush ultimately won the Sunshine State and its 25 electoral votes. (Of course had Little Al won Tennessee, he'd have been prez!)
* * *
America's current occupant of the White House is sitting on the nation's worst employment record in three generations.
Were he held to reasonable standards by the mainstream media, he might be held accountable for his ineptitude. Many of us, of course, have long given up hope on a fair and balanced national media.
But with a national unemployment rate double that when he took office, what's the Hope and Change president offer: A third year of unemployment "compensation."
Years ago, we considered "compensation" the money earned by an employee from an employer in the form of salary or wages.
Today's definitions vary. But if Congress were to agree to yet another extension of unemployment "compensation," reasonable minds must ask: At what point does unemployment "compensation" become welfare?
The president's latest Ponzi sch, er, plan, also calls for small incentives for businesses who employ someone who's been on unemployment a long period of time. Such a proposal further explains that the current occupant of the White House has little comprehension of private business management.
There are myriad problems with the president's plan, not the least of which is this: What's to prevent certain businesses from laying off some of their current staff just to take advantage of the tax credits given for hiring someone on unemployment? This would have the same unintended consequences of the infamous "cash for clunkers" debacle that drove up the prices of used cars nationwide.
There's another problem with extending the unemployment cash. Human nature being what it is, it's quite likely that a majority of those on unemployment for two years and longer probably aren't the best candidates for new hires. Many might as well move to the next line at the local One-Stop center.
* * *
If Ohio's productive workers and employers were taxed enough already (where have I heard that phrase), here's the question of the day: How many tax levies will Ohio voters decide in this general election? Hint: Ohio only has 88 counties.
What's that? You guessed five levies per county? Wrong.
OK. You're thinking now, aren't you? I like that.
You there, in the back. I see your hand. Ten levies per county? Nice try. Sit back down.
As it stands, Ohio voters will decide on roughly 1,100 tax levies across its 88 counties between now and Nov. 8. (That's about 12.5 levies per county on average.)
There are big levies, small levies, new levies, old levies, renewals and modifieds. More than 1,000 ways to procure (take) your hard-earned dollars.
For those who are also on the receiving end, it's understandably a good deal. The tradeoff is actually pretty sweet. More often than not, there are increases in wages and benefits (or, at the very least, assurances of no reductions in total compensation). Yes, there are a few exceptions, but Ohio voters can take this rule of thumb to the ticket window and place a winning bet 9 times out of 10.
But what about the many residents who work every day in the private sector and struggle to make ends meet? They pay the taxes that furnish the big homes and automobiles for many on the receiving end; items they cannot afford for themselves. Many people just continue to pay the higher taxes as if they were doing a public service. (They are, more than they know.)
In a recent story about the numerous local, state and federal taxes, Charlie Cox, a 68-year-old retired car salesman in Westerville, told The Columbus Dispatch that “enough is enough.”
“I love my neighborhood, and I love my schools, and Westerville has great ideas,” said Cox, who has campaign sign in his yard that reads: “The Time Has Come. Vote No On Everything."
“They spend money before they know where it’s coming from, and it gets to the point where you have to say: ‘Stop’.”
Of course, for anyone who disagrees with old Charlie, you always have this easy alternative: Write a check. That's right. For every tax levy you support – or encourage others to support – calculate your personal liability and send a check or money order to the appropriate government agency.
That way, even if enough intelligent voters reject an ever-increasing confiscation of their hard-earned dollars, you will rest easy, knowing you've done your part.
Maybe a decade ago, I made this same suggestion just prior to a general election tax levy. The "nays" beat the "yeas" that year, but more than 2,000 people voted for the levy. A few months later, I questioned the county agency as to how many people – among levy supporters – sent a check for their respective new taxes. "Two," I was told.
Not at all surprising, human nature being what it is…
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]