Strickland Can’t Keep Promise
From epluribus media
Former Democratic Ohio Congressman Ted Strickland, when running for governor last year, gave assurances that if elected governor he would work to restore dental coverage to thousands of low-income, Medicaid-eligible adults Republicans, two years earlier, had excluded from coverage during tight budget times and to raising reimbursement rates to health service provides like dentists and doctors.
Meanwhile, another recent indicator of Ohio employee confidence in the health of their state shows that it has fallen to its lowest level since July.
But now, as the first Democratic governor in 16 years, Strickland, himself a poor boy from Appalachia in southern Ohio, said the dramatic increase in Medicaid cases over the past three months, and the costs associated with that increase which could amount to as much as $65 million over the course of a year, now prevent him from making good on his campaign commitment to turn around Ohio by turning around a decision by former Republican Gov. Bob Taft that showed how un-compassionate a conservative he was to Ohio’s growing low-income population.
Meanwhile, another recent indicator of Ohio employee confidence in the health of their state shows that it has fallen to its lowest level since July.
You get what you vote for. This was all predicted. You got Gov. Mulligan, a uniquely unqualified candidate, in over his head and flailing at what to do on any given day on any given issue (that doesn’t include paying off a union). The good thing is that at least he is paralyzed and not making things worse.
Thank God, at least Blackwell put the state on autopilot for 2 years with the Legis-TEL. KB has done more for the state though losing than Strickland has in 10 months as governor.
Except that Strickland’s budget didn’t need Legis-TEL, his budget comes below it.
Blackwell’s Legis-TEL was passed in a failed attempt to avoid the electoral disaster Blackwell’s platform was going to be for the entire GOP ticket in 2006. It was a sell-out in order to prevent what appeared to be a voter’s revolt that was too late because the damage was done.
Sorry but a vast majority of Strickland’s intiatives have been signed into law or well on there way. The General Assembly can’t help but try to shadow Strickland’s every political move. There is no alternative agenda being presented by the GOP. Strickland’s approval is near 70% (of course, Joe C. will claim these polls are meaningless, but his credibility was shot to hell when he claimed these very same polling outfits were wrong for showing Strickland killing Blackwell by over twenty points, which is exactly what he did.)
You can’t re-write history Joe C. as much as you wish it. Strickland has passed more legislative initiatives in his first year in office than Blackwell or Taft did during their entire statewide careers. Your party doesn’t have the spine to offer their own agenda. The best they can do is try to hitch a ride on Strickland’s and then try to take a couple of potshots now and again. Four seats in November ‘08, and the Democrats will control the Ohio House of Representatives. A political feat no minority party has done without redistricting.
Blackwell’s legacy is the second worst GOP performance for a gubernatorial candidate in Ohio’s history. The State GOP, Kevin DeWine included, has absolutely no alternative vision for Ohio and no real strategy to win. You guys are what the Ohio Democratic Party was in 1995.