I’m Not a Crook

On November 17, 1973, President Richard Nixon told 400 Associated Press managing editors that he had not profited from public service. “I have earned every cent. And in all of my years in public life, I have never obstructed justice. People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook.
Well, I’m not a crook,” he declared.
~Library of Congress

Forty-one years ago, President Nixon first uttered that infamous phrase, “I am not a crook.” That was a lie, and Nixon was eventually forced to resign because of his involvement in the Watergate scandal. Unfortunately, the Republican president wasn’t held accountable for his illegal actions, and he was legally excused by his successor, Gerald Ford. This politician with a definite lack of ethics was rewarded with an official pardon, and Richard Nixon was rebranded and respected as an “elder statesman” for the rest of his life.

The study of ethics involves the concepts of right and wrong in human endeavors. As stated on its website, “The Ohio Ethics Commission promotes ethics in public service to strengthen the public’s confidence that government business is conducted with integrity.” This commission that focuses on political ethics was established in 1973, the same year that tricky Dick announced, “I’m not a crook.”

Fast forward to 2014, and Ohioans continue to see the unethical behavior of prominent Republicans. Treasurer Josh Mandel and Congressman Jim Renacci took campaign donations coerced from employees of an Ohio marketing company run by Benjamin Suarez. The donations were part of a pay-to-play scheme to buy favor from the governor- Suarez needed Kasich to send a request to California’s governor to end a lawsuit over false marketing of weight-loss products. Despite Gov. Kasich’s insistence that he was not involved in the Suarez scandal, federal prosecutors revealed last summer that an internal memo proposed that Kasich contact the California Attorney General on Suarez’s behalf, and he followed through on the request.

Kasich’s administration has been touched by many unethical and often illegal deals. From the illegal appointment of the Department of Health director, to the JobsOhio scandal, to the fracking in state parks scandal, to the “freeze” on renewable energy achieved after burying a report that was damaging to his agenda – the governor’s actions keep his administration very busy fielding public records requests.

Low voter turnout assured that the Republican governor won’t be held accountable for his illegal actions, and his re-election rewarded the crook with an unofficial pardon in the form of another four year term.

Why isn’t the Ohio Ethics Commission dealing with this issue to strengthen the public’s confidence that government business is conducted with integrity?

Think.

Understanding John Kasich

Looking back over some recent pre-election posts, I think that I may have been a bit hard on the governor.  While I do not agree with many of the decisions John Kasich made during his first term as Ohio governor, I’m sure he means well. Right?

Mr. Kasich probably means well- even though he used the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and its website to promote the benefits of fracking in our state parks. Kasich once said, “Stewardship of the environment is nothing less than a moral obligation — because God made it and gave it to us to properly manage,” so he must not understand the environmental dangers of hydraulic fracturing.

Mr. Kasich probably means well- even though he supports the idea of stripping away workers’ rights to unionize and collectively bargain.  He’s self-described as “just another kid from an ethnic blue collar, hard-working town,” so he must not realize what anti-worker legislation would do to “his people.”

Mr. Kasich probably means well- even though he constantly uses the hardship that follows his budget cuts as a tool to help people understand the urgency for his extreme initiatives. Kasich often speaks about providing different groups with “tools,” so he must think it makes perfect sense to give himself a powerful tool as well.

Mr. Kasich probably means well- even though he has orchestrated many ALEC initiatives in the last 3+ years, such as voter suppression laws, stand-your-ground, concealed-carry, prison privatization, right-to-work, anti-environmental protection, women’s healthcare choices, drastic local government and public school budget cuts, charter school expansion, and so much more.

Mr. Kasich probably means well- since 27% of Ohio’s eligible voters elected him to another four year term. They must know something about the governor that I don’t know. Right?

So, it could be that I need to rethink what I write from now on and try harder to understand John Kasich. Perhaps I am being too hard on the fellow. Maybe he really means well…

NAH!

Think.