Ohio Unions Out-Spend, Out-Spin to Beat Back Reform
by Jason HartThough the Wisconsin union circus produced widespread union-reform fatigue, you might be wondering what went wrong with Issue 2 in Ohio. As an Ohio conservative who happened to start researching government unions a few months before the General Assembly tackled reform, here’s my educated guess!
Executive summary: The unions spent several boatloads on dishonest class warfare, and Ohio voters failed to see through it.
First, some theories I don’t subscribe to. With the future of Issue 2 looking bleak leading up to Tuesday, there have been rumblings that Governor Kasich and/or the Ohio Republican Party backed away from Issue 2 for fear of getting egg on their faces. I’ve seen no indication this is true.
A fairer guess is that including police and firefighters doomed Senate Bill 5; I hesitate to jump to this conclusion, if for no other reason than I advised excluding police and firefighters. It’s worth noting that police and firefighters figured heavily into the union smear campaign, but the bill’s reforms would have been assailed by unions of all stripes regardless of who was affected.
Perhaps the worst explanation – popular with that special brand of Ohioan whose motto is, “I’m a lifelong Republican, but” – insists Senate Bill 5 was an overreach. Ohio’s existing government union law isn’t a little broken; it’s completely broken. Republicans attempted to reform the Democrats’ 1983 bill in a single shot rather than spend the next 3 years fighting with unions. Blaming Issue 2’s defeat on this calculation misses the bigger picture.
What does the bigger picture look like?
Out-of-state union donations, grossly understated by Ohio media, far exceeded the “Yes on 2″ campaign’s entire budget. The Ohio Education Association (OEA), a despicable band of hypocrites whose average pay in 2010 was more than $95,000, took an extra $54 from every member to kill Senate Bill 5. OEA alone dumped more than $5.8 million into “We Are Ohio.”
Did the unions spend $30 million exposing an ill-advised portion of Senate Bill 5, or pushing some compelling argument about the need for powerful public unions? Hah! The unions spent more than $800,000 collecting signatures for the referendum; bragging that this constituted “grassroots” support was the most honest aspect of their campaign.
“We Are Ohio” claimed passing Issue 2 would mean fewer firefighters and nurses, leaving Ohio houses to burn and patients to perish. They released a radio ad saying Issue 2 would “take us back to the days of Jim Crow,” misrepresenting at every turn the effort to limit union power as an attack on Ohio’s middle class. They lied that Republican politicians exploited a “loophole” in the bill, though elected officials have never been subject to collective bargaining. They insisted local budgets were dandy before Kasich’s election.
Even without spending unprecedented amounts to mislead Ohio’s electorate, unions are built for fighting reform; union bosses become millionaires on the strength of their class warfare. In my opinion, Issue 2 came down to two questions:
- How many Ohio government employees see through the Progressive narrative shoved down their throats courtesy of their mandatory dues?
- How many Ohio taxpayers with friends & family in public work think for themselves when told Governor Kasich is out to steal workers’ benefits and punch their babies?
OEA & Co. don’t have to lumber into a defensive stance when their stranglehold is threatened. They just keep doing what they do every day – painting themselves as victims and taxpayers as villains. It worked, to the detriment of everyone except the union bosses.
Sadly, a majority of Ohio voters chose to ignore fiscal reality. In return for killing Issue 2, Ohio can expect:
- More tax hikes than would have been necessary with Senate Bill 5
- More layoffs of teachers, firefighters, and police than would have been necessary with Senate Bill 5
- More service cuts than would have been necessary with Senate Bill 5
- None of Senate Bill 5’s drop-dead obvious reforms to benefits & automatic pay hikes
- More lost House seats as employers and citizens flee
Those who voted No on Issue 2 have guaranteed the results they were told their votes would prevent. This is bad news for anyone who doesn’t get rich from the government union racket, especially the thousands of young public workers whose jobs will be sacrificed on the altar of union demands.
Follow my post-Issue 2 descent into madness on Twitter: @jasonahart
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103 Comments
Kasich should just pay these unions with play money.
This is what happens when those sucking off the government tit outnumber those who don't,Ohio,good luck with that down the road.
I was totally unaware that OHIO was the Ostrich capital of the U.S………. heads in the sand and clueless rubes.
So…. When Ohio finishes off their private sector and everyone becomes a UNION lackey with no more pockets to pick, they will begin to turn on themselves… bigger badder UNION thugs against smaller less formidable UNION thugs… and each one will be fighting over the slices of pie …… I can't wait to see the feathers fly, just like the businesses that will high tail it out of a soon to be bankrupt state… RIP OHIO…
Gov. Kasich was right to say this evening that there would be no stimulus funds available for state municipalities. Now that the citizens of Ohio have voted to keep costs where they are now they must figure out how to pay the bills. Opening people's eyes to the fact that there is no magical money tree will take time. Otherwise they will have to decide between financial collapse and anarchy Greek style.
Well, Wonder if the unions will move out of Ohio, once they've sucked the state dry. That'll be the time to squash them like the blood sucking ticks they are.
It's like Ohioans voted themselves into slavery.
""If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”
—Samuel Adams
Courtesy of We Are Ohio, play money will soon be all our local governments have left!
why not just exclude the police and firefighters and pass the bill again (SB 6?).
there is nothing stopping them from passing it again, except balls.
I agree that they should not have included police and fire-fighters, like Wisconsin, but, hell, They're Broke!
People are going to lose their jobs and the unions will find some way to blame the Republicans. If the Ohio Repubs are smart they will constantly be tying the cuts that have to take place and the taxes that have to be raised to the public union greed.
But, I'm not real sure that the Ohio Repubs are very smart.
I reckon we'll be seeing some new Ohio transplants soon enough.
LET THE LAYOFFS BEGIN!
The morons of Ohio are too stupid to figure out the Soros types and their merry band of Marxist criminals played them for the fools they are.
They will destroy their own state and their children's future because they were too dumb to figure out that the rich union bosses and Marxist corrupt bureaucrats only want to steal more.
They will get what they deserve.
Ohio is a toilet.
Anyone with a brain, flee Ohio!!
There's speculation that, starting in January, the General Assembly may pass some of the more popular aspects of the bill piecemeal. Unfortunately, there are a number of Republicans in that body without a backbone in theirs.
Im not sure that Republicans, at least the ones that are supposed to be running the party, are very smart anywhere.
All the hell they have to do is find people who can put two intelligent sentences together. Why is that so @#$% hard!?
Illinois rammed through income tax increases. It was cheered as a victory when they did it…..just like Ohioans are cheering tonight.
Illinois is in worse shape than ever…..and so too will Ohio be just the same.
Just goes to show….
It has to get worse before it gets better.
HMMM. I guess it is pretty tough to blame this beatdown on voter fraud. I wonder if ol' Scott is reading the tea leaves? Oh, by the way, did you see the voters in Mississippi voted down the anti-choice referendum too. Pretty bad night to be a member of the Tea Party.
I wonder how Ohio will like it when all of their able bodied industrious young people vote with their feet? Everybody can not work for the Government. Where will Ohioans be when NO YOUNG PEOPLE STAY THERE? What will their overtaxed homes be worth? They really need to awaken from a Big Labor induced spending coma and THINK.
The same Ohio voters said No to the Health Care mandate, too. I'm surprised you didn't mention that.
Watching Ohio levies get torpedoed, too. Would have liked to see issue 2 prevail, but the failing levies guarantee the layoff of public union employees.
Hope the non-tenured enjoy the bus wheels. Either way, less of you …. thank God
Exactly. Issue 3's resounding win sends the real message. The only civic backed initiative gives more ammo for the SC case.
The liberal Cleveland rag foolishly states that the defeat of issue 2 now makes Comrade Zero a favorite … hardly. LL
That's ok,
The fools who think they can keep living off tax payers money will have a rude awaking when the sh** hit's the fan. Don't come begging and kissing our asses when your starving.
NO SOUP FOR YOU!!
Well, let's see. That is an easy one. The main reason is the people do not understand the law because it has been demagogued by the Republican party. Additionally, it is moot. I do believe the issue of federal supremacy was settled at Appomattox Court House 156 years ago. Speaking of the Affordable Health Care Act, did you see, two Republican appointed judges on the Circuit Court upheld the law today?
I considered a job in Wisconsin a few years ago. I decided to stay in Ohio. After all, at the time, Wisconsin was a lot bluer than it is now, and it had no CCW permit law.
Darn Magic 8 Ball isn't working!
Regular Ohio voters will definitely live to regret this. The unions will destroy that state.
Ohio's a toilet??? Not hardly. I voted FOR issue 2, but it's kind of tough when going against National Union $.
Perhaps you would like to comment on the resounding passage of issue 3 … slapping Comrade Zero's Health care in the face. So far, it is the only voter based initiative to kick that ahole in the nuts and will carry a lot of legal weight in the SC case.
So while you bash ALL of Ohio as fecal matter, perhaps when the SC throws out the Chief Communist's crap bill with the help of OHIO's issue 3 passage, you'll rethink things a bit.
Sooner or later these unions run out of other peoples money. Sorry Ohio you have now become Detroit. Pack up and move before you have to pay some union worker to move into your house.
Why don't we take a page out of the liberal playbook. If we lost at the ballot box, why not run to the courts? If worked for gay marriage in California.
Onward and upward. Kasich and the GOP need to pass right-to-work (no forced unionism), paycheck protection (no forced dues for politics), and other bits of SB 5. Don't back down to Big Labor in the face of this defeat. But, be smarter, this time.
Pardon my cussing but I feel that this is one of those times where it is appropriate. My fellow Ohioan are _____NG IDIOTS.
Yes, I did read about that decision. Claimed it wasn't their jurisdiction……pffffffttt!
Weird that Obama gave a waiver to the Amish, though……..for the same reason.
Well, GOOD! Can we please go to the Supreme now?? I am really tired of all this screwing around.
Ohioans did two things that stand out here,1 they voted a pay increase for their unions that will double the pay of unions over that of the private sector and 2 they will soon look just like Michigan begging from the liberals for handouts at a monthly interval.If the voters of Ohio would have spent one minute looking at the Wisconsin law and results, not one firefiighter, police officer or teacher has been laid off since becoming law.
Yes, most levies went down with votes 2-1 against. And Issue 3 passed by around the same margin – bad news for Obama and Obamacare.
Exactly. Issue 3 was a real slap to Obama, whatever lies the libs tell themselves.
What decision did you read? Two of the three judges affirmed the lower court's decision upholding the law. The last one deferred, but held if the law had a minor adjustment, it would easily pass muster under the Taxation Clause.
Kasich and the Ohio Republicans threw the Ohio tax payers a life preserver and they threw it back…..ROTSA RUCK as thelazy and corrupt union donut eating goons drain the last drop of blood out of your lifeless state coffers….you GET what you DESERVE!!!!!
Money, meet Marxism.
Marxism, meet Money.
I now pronounce you spouse and spouse.
Crap, I'm reading from the gay marriage ceremony….wait, that's not a coincidence…
Gee, I never thought the Supreme Court really cared about public opinion. After all, there job is to interpret the Constitution as all good conservatives know.
Uh, Ohio soundly rejected Obama by passing Issue 3, rejecting Obama & Obamacare by a large margin.
I left in August, took brain w/ me.
Well, then that is the Republican strategy. Make 2012 about Obamacare. HMMM The last time I looked, most Americans liked: no more pre-existing exclusions, letting their policy cover their minor children to 26, to name a few of the provisions.
Conservatives demonized teachers way too much and it turned off voters.
I think it was Kavanaugh (?) who said it wasn't under their jurisdiction until 2014. Was he the same one who said it would pass under the Taxation Clause, even though they told us IT'S NOT A TAX?
Agreed! Get things one step at a time and bankrupt the unions if they want to fight all of them.
That's not what Sonya Sotomayor said!
"Liberals With Big Piles Of Money And Lapdog Media Win The Vote"….
"Middle Class Taxes Will Continue To Make Government 'Workers' Comfortable, While Middle Class Suffers"….
"Democrats Collect Record Sums Of Money From Gov't Unions"…..
You are correct. Kavanaugh held it was a tax and the Anti-Injunction Act prohibits a federal court from ruling on the constitutionality of a tax law until it is in effect. However, he did rule it needed some minor adjustments and it would easily pass constitutional muster.
I am sorry but you are wrong. Please remember Brown v. Board of Education.
YOUR UNION DUES AT WORK FOR THE DEMOCRATZI 'LOON' PARTY…EVEN IF YOU DON'T!
BANISH THE UNION ‘GOONS’ – BOTH PUBLIC & PRIVATE
IS YOUR STATE “RIGHT TO WORK”? – http://www.nrtw.org/rtws.htm
MICHIGAN SEIU STEALING MEDICAID PAYMENTS FOR UNION DUES!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4g9ILNUr_8&fe...
Ohio is a stupid state. They deserve all the hell they have.
I live in Illinois. I thought we were thstupidestst, I guess Ohio is are equal.
I am moving to Texas or Utah. Getting out of this liberal cesspool of corruption here in Illinois.
Ohio, you are a very stupid state!!!!!!
The teachers kind of demonize themselves, as they care more about their union than the students they teach. How else do you explain why our public school system is the laughing stock of the world.
I have lost ALL respect for fire fighters and police. Once they get involved in politics all bets are off.
I don't give a sh## about these greedy SOB union people, including now the fire fighters and police.
Never again will I support with my money any cause to help the police or fire fighters.
Everyone is on their own now!! If Obama wins in 2012, America will be dead to me.
Teachers, policemen, firefighters.. sucking off the government tit huh.. Should we privatize those fields?
I voted for Issue 2. We here in Ohio were inudated by anti Issue 2 ads from firemen and police groups warning us that services would be severely curtailed because they would not be allowed to negotiate staffing levels. Not once did I see a response from the pro Issue 2 side calling them out on their scare tactics. It's like those asking us to pass Issue 2 just laid down and allowed themselves to be stampeded. The advocacy for Issue 2 was weak tea. That's a large reason why it was defeated along with the fact that professions like firemen, police, nurses, and educators still elicit a lot of support from the public. Voters, even Republicans, don't automatically think of union bosses.
Ive always loved this. Actually have this exact quotation tattooed down my left rib cage.
Unions knew the consequences, start firing people Kasich.
Does any of this surprise anyone?
The Democrat party has spent 50 years dumbing down our children through the Marxist school system.
They threw God from our children's classrooms.
They've allowed as many non Americans as possible to live, work, and in many cases vote here.
We the people are in the minority.
We have allowed all of these things to happen right before our noses.
Maybe we don't deserve the America that so many gave their lives to protect.
Maybe the America we grew up in is dead.
I'm saddened for my children and grandchildren. I feel shame for not doing more, but, I'm just one man. All I can do is vote. Maybe some here are right.
Maybe it's going to take a second revolution to fix America. I hoped and prayed it wouldn't come to that, but, it appears inevitable.
No Macwell you are not wrong, it will take a second revolution to fix america,…..and something much worse will happen if this socialist is elected again for a second term,…..a full civil war will break out in this country,which the police will not be able to control. I hope it dosen't happen , just remember the dirty scum liberals caused all this happen,….they will also pay the price next year……this country must be saved at any cost for your children and grandchildren
That quote will live forever. It;s is as true today, as it was back when.
One of my all-time fave quotes. Perhaps we should broadcast it–loudly–at all the OccupyFail sites.
To quote Chrissie Hynde: "Eh, oh, way to go, Ohio!"
I see a BIG tax increase in Ohio's future. You voted for it, you got it.
Easy fix. In accordance with federal guidelines, Kasich can just issue an Executive Order and do it anyway.
Isn't that how it works now?
Lucky Indiana, right in the middle between Illinois and Ohio, and just South of Michigan. Looks like the Hoosier state will be a beacon to businesses that tire of the struggle in those surrounding states.
But please, do NOT come to Texas. We don't want any more ignorant Democrats in this state.
Correct. DC is not a state.
Another reason for right to work states.
The unions spent 80 million dollars on their crusade, with that kind of money to spend in one state, they should help their members and pay for a portion of their benefits, that's funny.
They will drain the tax payer dry, I don't understand why voters let this happen, are they outnumbered.
Unfortunately I live here. I will NEVER vote for another fire, police, or school levy as long as this crap is going on. So sick of the unions running this state into the ground. Also, thanks to all the so called "conservatives" that voted against this. Enjoy the higher taxes morons! Take a look around Dayton where GM USED to be. Being a union butthead really worked out for them…
Do Ohioans know how to read or do they know what they are reading? We are 15 Trillion in debt and their sugar daddies in DC are broke.
they should pass it again if not only to bust the unions piggy bank,and hopefully the out of state voters bus will break down this time??
well Ohio,you deserve what you get then!!..Layoffs will be coming,and those "reforms" will look good to you then,cuz you'll wish you had a job then!!..thats okay though,cuz your union bosses will be well taken care of,and maybe you'll get a thank you card in the mail from them,haha!!
An Ohioans opinion…….
If Ohio had stuck to going after teachers unions, issue 2 would have passed. People still respect firefighters and police and EVERY commercial was about them. Teachers were NEVER ONCE mentioned in ANY commercials.
remember high tech jobs are sent overseas because its cheaper,depriveing college grads jobs,manufacturing jobs also overseas due to union labor costs,automotive unions agree to install foriegn parts as long as they get pay raises,etc. this closes down american mfgs.more job loss???most kids don go to college to learn plumbing,carpentry,etc.oh wait obamas crew destroyed the houseing industrie also,ONLY OBAMA SUPPORTERS WORK AT GREAT PROTECTED WAGES,THE REST COULD STAND IN THE SOUP LINES??
"the voters in Mississippi voted down the anti-choice referendum too. Pretty bad night to be a member of the Tea Party. "
Apparently a bad night for those who have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, too.
It's really ridiculous! How could public workers be unionized and negotiate with government for benefits? If the teachers, police, and firefighters are allowed to do that, can the soldiers in military do the same thing? Oh, God, why are people so dumb, and the libs and unions are so greedy and evil !?
Ohio is a union-heavy state and this probably would have gone down even without all the money that was funneled here. Everyone I know is in a union or has family in one–that's the nature of the blue collar economy we have here, where people with a high school education fight to get into GM or learn a trade and become unionized and college educated people are teachers, nurses, leave the state or are part of the 1/3 that voted yes on Issue 2. Sadly the less educated/ill-informed won this round, but hopefully Kasich plans to keep fighting this issue.
After this vote on 2, Ohioans you now will deserve the consequences.
It's ok… free speech and all that :~)…… Or did they vote the constitution invalid last night too? It would not be a surprise if they did.
You may have typed it too fast for him to understand….. he's a s l o w reader.
If you come here you have to promise to behave.
Can't wait…….
Ask most who vote this way what their political philosophy is, and you'll likely get: " Those wascally Wepublicans are mean!"
Unfortunately he is going to have to pay them with money from the taxpayers pockets. He should communicate it very clearly when taxes need to be raised where the money will be going.
Stay out of Arizona too, as we need people with spines to fight our own illegal immigration issues. Ohio, you've just made your own bed – so lay in it!
I say again that this administration did a poor job of explaining this bill to the taxpayers…the people who are working and do not have a chance to read a 54 plus page bill. He should not have allowed "We paid for Ohio" to spew such lies for so long. The unions have set into motion the destruction of this state, as more companies; some of which Kasich has worked hard to keep here leave. I dare these communities to place tax levies on ballots. Many were shot down yesterday and the anger will just keep increasing.
On a positive note; As the Republicans begin to just pass the rest of this bill in pieces, the unions will have used up most of their ammunition to fight it as well as when the layoffs begin their will be less dues to fund the lie and spin machine. Either way the unions lose as Nov 2012 will inevitably arrive.
I used to live in Ohio. Believe me, Ohio voters, particulary north of I70 are brainwashed to death. Toledo, Youngstown, Akron, Cleveland are all virtual ghettos in many parts of towns, and they continue to vote D and be pro-union. Kasich now needs to follow through with whats needed-start laying off state employees. It would be nice if they could include the bloated STAFFS of most of these pols.
They will destroy every state in the country if we, the majority of sensible people in America don't start standing up to their corrupt ranks more. We need to stop their insane expectations everywhere!
I saw this coming in the mid-90s, when I left Ohio and moved my family to Arizona. Glad I did-outside of the illegals, Arizona is a much better place to live, and at least most of our pols listen to the voters, except for the idiots named McShame and Grijalva.
Also forgot to mention the voters of Virginia let the Republicans take the senate in state.They needed 20 senators to tie and got it with the Republican Lt Gov voting the tie breaker.Dems have held the senate in Virginia almost forever, big loss for Comrade there .https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2011/EB178FD6-875D-4B0D-A295-900A0482F523/Unofficial/7_s.shtml
Minor children, 26 yrs old. I see you can live in mom's basement a while longer.
Nice knowin ya Ohio. Bye Bye!
Thanks for nothing OH–for choosing yourselves over the good of the entire state!
Want to know what's up next–read the following:
Repealing SB 5 won't save unions http://www.cleveland.com/obrien/index.ssf/2011/08...
Issue 2: The hidden price of 'no' http://www.cleveland.com/obrien/index.ssf/2011/11...
And those of us in OH who had the common sense/facts to vote "Yes", don't want to hear any whining/crying when you start to lose your jobs, incur pay cuts or see programs eliminated.
And, since you people also voted down your local school levies as well as Issue 2, where exactly do you think the $$$ is going to come from to educate your children? Better start saving your pennies for education so that you can home school because OH/your town won't be able to!
Amen Chris–from one Ohioan to another–agree completely!
It is really hard to type that slow, my thought process is too high.
Thank god for that!
You can say the Union out spent and out spin all you want. The responsiblity falls on the voters of Ohio. The have chose their course. Now raise the taxes to pay the bill and watch the population continue to fall and raise the taxes even more for a declining base and watch the population continue to fall….
No need. Just start issuing layoff notices.
At some point in time the proverbial "s@$t" will hit the fan; as the euro zone is NOW finding out or will soon find out. Many of these states will or will not make it throught those events, as might this nation. The question before those states is now "will you spend yourselves(ourselves) into a third world nation status?" It seems OHIO has said "yeah" that appears to be a "good" idea! really? We'll all see-time will tell all.
AS CALIFORNIA GOES SO GOES THE NATION???OH GOD NO , IF OHIO BECOMES THE CROSS-DRESSER CAPITOL THEN IT WILL BE TRUE???their only half way there??
I will . I am an asset to any community that will have me.
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