Issues

Budget Deficit

"Defense Speding" by Kim Kendall President Eisenhower said, "Beware of the military industrial complex". Arms dealers in America and the world preach more weapons. So let’s...

Candidates

2006 Candidates Review Buz Cormany's highlights of the Medina Chamaber of Commerce Forum on 10-19-06 with input from the Gazette, Plain Dealer and PBS
Another View On This Past Election Although I am very happy about our recent national and statewide success, I am bitterly disappointed about Medina County's exclusion from that success.
Who $upported William Batchelder's Campaign? Medina Gazette Staff Writer, Hannah Schaefer’s article about William Batchelder III was right on the money. When questioned about donations to the GOP from Robert Meyerson, Batchelder said he was not influenced by any political donations from Meyerson.
Is Front Page Political Advertising Appropriate? I was very disappointed with the Medina Gazette’s cartoonish front-page photograph of Republican State Representative, William Batchelder in Tuesday’s (April 10th) free edition.
The White Knight - John McCain The white knight, John McCain, and his shining armor are quickly turning tattle-tale gray. That depends of course on who is looking at him.

Civic Participation

Medina County Municipal Court Election The story of the on again off again election for the Medina Municipal Court is not really a story about the law or even an election. It is a story about people.

Civil Rights

Alert the Media on This Issue Please contact your local media by clicking on the box above.
Disabled Americans Persons with disabilities need help so that they won’t need help. That one’s a little tricky and chances are, if you’re not a person with a disability, it will take you a moment to understand.

Crime and Justice

Guns Utah Democrats support the right of citizens to possess firearms for lawfully defending their families and property and for sporting purposes.
Bush Denial of Barbarism Beginning when recently resigned Attorney General Alberto Gonzales stated that the Geneva Convention was “quaint”, to the torture committed at Abu Ghraib, to our new Attorney General, Michael Mukasey, who refused to acknowledge water boarding is torture, I believe all Americans need to speak out loudly.

Economy

Corporate Responsibility Ohio must adopt safeguards that reward those who work hard and play be the rules, and punish greedy corporation CEOs that slash jobs, send jobs overseas and destroy pension funds.
GEORGE W. BUSH: FAILED TO GET THE JOB DONE FOR OHIO George W. Bush has a failed record on the economy in Ohio. He has stood by while our trade deficit has grown by record amounts and while American workers have watched their jobs sent overseas. He has failed to address rising health care costs for families and businesses, further dragging down our economy.
A Message from Marc Dann and Eric Fingerhut About Ohio's Economy We are at a crossroads. Before June 30th, the General Assembly will vote on new budget policies and an overhaul of Ohio's tax structure.
Ohio Republicans' Risky Rare Coin Investment A botched $50 million investment in rare coins managed by GOP super-donor Tom Noe and ex-con Mark Chrans has shed light on the poor investment practices of Gov. Bob Taft and Ohio Republicans.
"Gasoline Prices" by Kim Kendall Our president stood before the American people and lied. He said he would do something about gasoline prices if he could.
Tax Reform Ohio’s middle class families deserve a break. The growing deficit in Washington is being stacked on the backs of the nation’s middle class who will suffer when forced to repay the alarming amount of debt.
Outstanding Public Services Across Ohio local Democratic leaders have proven that they are fiscally responsible and can provide outstanding government services with little or no additional support from Columbus or Washington.
“Capitalism undisciplined by morality will self-destruct.” Editorial comment from Buz Cormany
Ohio Jobs & Economy Are you financially better off than 4 years ago?
TWO HEADED NICKELS "House Bill 626 sponsored by State Rep. Chuck Calvert perfectly describes his party’s solution to every problem – More Tax Cuts for the Rich." And who do the Republicans want to replace him with?
Corporate Responsibility The Democrats must work to adopt safeguards that reward those who work hard and play be the rules, and punish greedy corporation CEOs that slash jobs, send jobs overseas and destroy pension funds.
Tax Reform America’s middle class families deserve a break. The growing deficit in Washington is being stacked on the backs of the nation’s middle class who will suffer when forced to repay the alarming amount of debt.
Her Econ Issue The Economy is important
Blackwell's Revenue Restriction Would Cripple Ohio A proposed constitutional amendment being championed by J. Kenneth Blackwell would restrict the state from spending money on critical services like police and fire, schools, and health care for the elderly is a plan Ohio cannot afford.
Power at the Pump The Democratic Senators' strategy to provide short-term relief and long-term solutions to Ohio's energy scheme.
The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus presents: The State of Black Ohio In advance of Gov. Taft's State of the State address, the OLBC offers their own State of Black Ohio.

Economy & Jobs

Support Fair Wages for Hurricane Victims Act President Bush has suspended the Davis-Bacon Act in hurricane ravaged areas, and contracts may pay as little as $5.15 per hour. The “Fair Wages for Hurricane Victims Act" would repeal Bush’s suspension of Davis-Bacon.
Clerk of Courts - Lori Henry is the Incumbent Tuesday’s Medina Gazette Clerk of Courts editorial history lesson was long on history but short on math. There are $26,000 important points that weren’t made in the Gazette’s editorial.

Education

Blackwell's 65-Cent Gimmick Blackwell announces yet another gimmick that would harm Ohio's individuals and families.
Higher Education Funding Creating new jobs in Ohio is critical To do so, we need a highly trained workforce ready to tackle the good-paying jobs of the future. We believe...
Education Adequate funding for all Ohio public schools is critical
INVESTING IN EDUCATION TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALL A Real Plan to Leave No Child Behind. George Bush has underfunded No Child Left Behind by almost $27 billion, shortchanging America’s children...
Ohio School Funding Are your schools better off than 4 years ago?
Senate Bill Seeks to Limit Debate in Ohio's Colleges and Universities Calling Ohio's professors "card-carrying Communists," in a Jan. 27th Columbus Dispatch article, Sen. Larry Mumper (R) introduced S.B. 24, which aims to take power from the hands of educators and into the hands of right-wing reactionaries.
When Will Ohio Fix Public Education? I can no longer remain silent in my need to address the severe, poorly researched attacks on public education and our teachers by right wing politicians and media sources who do not have a clue as to what is required to teach our children and adolescents.
Teachers questions Taft's curricula Gov. Bob Taft's plan to require tougher math and science classes for high school students doesn't add up, some educators and researchers said.

Environment

Ohio's Environment Will Ohio resources be safe for the future?
Arctic Refuge Drilling The Senate has just voted 51-49 against the Cantwell amendment to keep Arctic Refuge drilling from the Senate Budget Resolution. Click the link below to view a list of how senators voted.
Bush Administration Directs Agencies to Ignore Clean Water Act "For the first time in over 30 years of cleaning up our waters, we're going backwards," said Paul Schwartz, national policy coordinator for Clean Water Action.
Legislative Action TAKE ACTION AT THE CAPITOL! During the legislative session there is always something going on at the capitol. You can take part and make your voice heard there!
Medina County Park District Medina County is very fortunate to be blessed with a visionary, dedicated group of people who ... have saved some of these treasures for the rest of us.
An Inconvenient Truth Last night, June 19th, again at 12 midnight on Ch. 25, I had the good fortune to view an hour long interview between Charley Rose, and former Vice President Al Gore about his book and recently released documentary film "An Inconvenient Truth".
An Inconvenient Truth - Follow Up In an earlier letter, 6-19-06, to our party's website, I related an interview I watched on WKYC, Ch 25 with talk show host Charley Rose and former democratic presidential candidate, Al Gore.
"An Inconvenient Truth" - Part III This is my third article dealing with global warming. ... I like so many other Americans, have been slow to recognize and become convinced that all this complex data being collected and coordinated over the years is beginning to make sense.

Executive Power

Executive Power and the Line Item Veto Does it not seem odd that our inflexible, belligerent President, George Bush, has only vetoed one bill submitted by Congress in his nearly six years in office?
Isn't Old News Still News? Whenever anyone brings the U.S. Administration's past blunders to the attention of Tony Snow, President Bush's press secretary he blows it off as old news.
Bush Failures How often would any of us trust again and again anyone, whatever the relationship, who continually mislead, misinformed, lacked knowledge, and showed contempt toward us?

Foreign Policy

What Drives US Foreign Policy? As we have been bombarded with an abundance of information and opinion before and after the Baker-Hamilton Report on Iraq, what horrendous issue is sometimes mentioned but continually given short shrift? I propose that issue to be Israel-Palestine, readily recognized but buried for 58 years under unconscionable propaganda that Israel was entitled to a nation carved out of Palestinian land.
Politics Makes Strange Bedfellows For those of you who do not subscribe to the Cleveland Plain Dealer and for those subscribers who may have missed it, this past week a crucial question was raised. Thomas Friedman, syndicated columnist for the New York Times, offered a little foreign policy quiz
Dangerous Planning in the White House "The Administration wants to contain Iran and blame it for our problems in Iraq--but it's new strategy may be helping our enemies in the war on terrorism." So reports Seymour Hersh in the March 5 issue of The New Yorker magazine. As you may remember Mr. Hersh is the reporter who broke open the story of the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War.
Diffusing Iran by suppressing the Israeli lobby Each day the world is becoming less stable driven by Middle East events. With the pull out of Soviet advisors in Iran it may well signal an impending military strike by the US or more probably Israel.

Getting Our Fair Share

"One Party Rule" by Buz Cormany Do we tolerate one party rule-dictatorship-here in Medina County?

Health Care

Prescription Drug Coverage Ohio Democrats are leading the way toward prescription drug assistance
Beau's Stance On Health Care Reform Mr. Cannon states that we already have a system in place for poor Americans to find and provide themselves with health care. He touts the...
Ohio Health Care Can you afford adequate health care these days?
Ohio's Health Care - Bill 13 Why must it be a given that democrats have to be the ones to instigate, plea on behalf of, push for, fight for, any legislation that will benefit the average citizen and the greater good....
Health Savings Accounts - Do they work for hourly wage earners? President Bush is now selling health savings accounts under sponsorship of Wendy’s International who until now was one of my [Buz Cormany's] favorite fast food hamburger stops.
Where's the Generic Version of Provigil? I recently discovered again that free is never free enough for many of our religiously strident free enterprise entrepreneurs. They conspire to be free, not to compete, but to sabotage what should be consumer benefits of a competitive market.

Homeland Defense

Military Engagement Ohio Democrats support our troops fighting to protect our freedom. We support our flag and we pray for our soldiers and their families during these trying times.
Ohio's Communities Is your community safer than 4 years ago?
Military We must support our troops with not only yellow ribbons but with proper armor and adequate ordinance. From a multi-billion dollar weapons system to a new pair of boots, the level of support needs to be much higher than it is right now.
"Knight in Shining Armor" by Buz Cormany What began as a deliberate abuse of truth and power has deteriorated into an arrogantly obscene spending of "captial" that has not only taken a horrible toll upon our very dedicated forces in Iraq but has left our homeland military rescue forces terribly short of manpower.
"What Happened to FEMA?" by Buz Cormany In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the Gulf region we began to hear of the very agonizingly inept response of our federal government to the cries of the victims.

Immigration

Immigration It is time to make significant and sweeping reforms to our immigration laws, procedures and attitudes. We must have true reform and not false solutions that are nothing more than trying to paint a burning building.

Iraq War / Peace Events

"President Bush - IRAQ War Similar to World War II" by Buz Cormany It is almost embarrassing to even comment on President Bush's outrageously ridiculous comparison of World War II to our attack on Iraq...
Iraq - De Ja Vu of Vietnam??? I recently heard a portion of the 1969 speech given by President Nixon and his reasons that it would be a national disaster to withdraw from Vietnam. If you would insert Iraq for Vietnam, Bush’s speech was virtually a word for word copy of Nixon’s.
Prisoner Abuse The knowledge of prisoner abuse committed by the U.S. is not going to fade away.
Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 In a recent discussion with friends I raised the issue of U.S. treatment of detainees, which broke open after the scandalous abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. I along with many others were cautiously relieved when John McCain's Anti-Torture Amendment was signed into law.
Conservative Writers Support Liberals? We are all familiar with the adage "politics makes strange bedfellows". And bedfellows or not, politics can spring some stunning surprises.
Short Essay on the War There is a revealing term being used in the editorial pages and partisan political chatter that, I think, unjustly criticizes our great...
Vietnam on My Street On my street, the kids went to war when they graduated high school.

Minimum Wage

It's Time to Change Minimum Wage I trust many of you have already heard our Ohio State Democratic legislators are presently hard at work on a ballot initiative for November 06 to raise the state minimum wage to $6.85 per hr.

Rural Issues

Rural America Today, Americans in rural communities face special challenges in finding good jobs at good wages, providing their children with quality education, finding high-quality affordable health care and meeting transportation and communications needs.
Medina County Assets What draws people to live or move to a community or a region in addition to proximity to work?

Seniors

Seniors Seniors deserve protections from those who engage in elder abuse. The state should provide adequate funding for home care services so seniors...
Ohio Democrats Stand Up to Bush's Social Security Privatization Plan Ohio's leading Congressional Democrats are speaking out about President Bush's Social Security privatization plan that would destroy one of America's most successful programs ever produced.
Vote FOR the Medina County Home I cannot think of a more deserving organization to speak to the core values of our Democratic Party than the Medina County Home.

Social Security

Help Us Petition Congress on Social Security The MCDAC is working with a Medina County Committee called Save Social Security. We are conducting a petition drive to gather signatures to send to our elected representatives in Congress.
"Letter to the Website" from Buz Cormany President Bush confidently assumes he knows what is best for us, but does he really?
Who does Senator DeWine Represent? DeWine's vote proves that his allegiance is to the radical right wing ideology of the Republican Party and not to the people he purports to represent in Ohio.

Supreme Court

"John Roberts" by Kim Kendall If you view the media reports on John Roberts, the Supreme Court nominee, you would think he was a moderate. Here is John Roberts documented record

Taxes

Stop These Obscene Tax Cuts Poverty has risen for four years straight while our national government has passed tax cuts for the wealthy.
November 8th Voting Fellow Democrats, After Tuesday, November 8, can there be any doubt of how much work we need to do to begin clearing up the brain washed...
Who's Paying Taxes? Excerpts from “Perfectly Legal” by David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize-Winner Reporter for the New York Times.
Estate Tax As much as the wealthy cry and complain about this tax, our government is well aware of the amount of revenue that would be lost.

Values

"Democratic Values" by Buz Cormany Democrats - rally around the core values that we know to be our traditional identity.
Military and Adulthood Shouln't the same rights be granted to all military personnel??
Is our Nation Up-to-Date or Out-of-Date? I think most of us are embarrassed to be exposed as out-dated, or – horror of horrors – old fashioned. ... But where are our nation's values leading us?
Democratic New Year's Resolution What better time for a New Year’s resolution and my view on some ideological and pragmatic goals for our county, state and national democratic party?
How to decide, who to vote for? Having just gone through the recent county, state, and national primary elections and looking to fall 2006, I believe a recurring question needs to be addressed again. What system of logic do we use to disseminate valid information from the myriad of campaign speeches and conflicting performance claims of the various candidates?
What is Democracy? Our president, George W. Bush, adamantly declares that every human being is born by nature desiring to live under such a system. I tend to agree. However, Mr. Bush becomes very upset when a country or a faction of people votes for a type of democracy (they're not all the same) or a leadership of which he disapproves.
Where has today’s leadership turned our moral compass? Having anticipated for some time a train trip across the fields, prairies and mountains of the west I recently contacted AAA to plan the routing, schedule and cost.
How Old is Old Enough? A recent Gallup Poll asked 1,001 adults if they would oppose a federal law that would lower the drinking age to 18. With an error margin of 3% up or down, 77% said they would oppose. How is it then I have not heard any protest among our population that our 18, 19, and 20 year olds are somehow considered mature enough to volunteer to lay their lives on the line for their country.

Veteran Affairs

Veterans The Federal government needs to improve upon its responsibility to provide veterans with the benefits they were promised when they served our...
Veterans The Federal government needs to improve upon its responsibility to provide veterans with the benefits they were promised when they served our country.

Women's Rights

Take Note by Molly Ivins Behind a smoke screen of high-profile female appointees and soothing slogans, George W. Bush is waging war on women.
How Women Earned the Right to Vote Learn the History of how hard it was for women to get the right to vote.
OHIO WOMEN IN THE 2004 ELECTION What's my Stake and Why It's Important to Vote!!!

Working Families

DEMOCRATIC ‘AMERICAN JOBS PLAN’ With 8.2 million Americans looking for work and nearly 2 million private sector jobs lost in the last three years, Democrats are fighting to create good-paying jobs by investing in technology, manufacturing, and infrastructure, while removing incentives that encourage the off-shoring of U.S. jobs.