Ohio Valley Politics

Earlier today the Chris Dodd campaign sent out this email that’s got me scratching my head:

Tim,

I made a few small changes to your email draft — you’ll see them below.

Would have sent to the entire list myself, but I could only figure out how to send this test.

I know you’re concerned about sending another fundraising email, but we’re only $40,000 short of hitting our November goal, and that money will help keep us on the air and talking about ending the war in Iraq and the Constitution. And honestly, our supporters online are so terrific and have come through for us every time.

Plus, with votes on the war and retroactive immunity coming up, our leadership will help keep the pressure on other presidentials to keep their word.

Ask people to give at this link so we can track the goal publicly.

http://chrisdodd.com/goal

Thanks,

Sheryl Cohen
Campaign Manager, Chris Dodd for President

Below this was a typical html fundraising email.

So was someone having a bad day? I don’t think that’s the case. Reread the third and fourth paragraphs real quick. Doesn’t that sound a little verbose for an internal communication? In any case this was an email that shouldn’t have been sent.

When the FCC auctions off the 700 MHz wireless spectrum the tech giant Google will most likely be among the bidders. The company announced this morning that it will formally apply with the FCC to participate in the auction on Monday.

The 700 MHz spectrum is currently used to provide the UHF channels 52-69 but will be vacated by 2009 as these channels switch to digital broadcasts.

“We believe it’s important to put our money where our principles are. Consumers deserve more competition and innovation than they have in today’s wireless world. No matter which bidder ultimately prevails, the real winners of this auction are American consumers who likely will see more choices than ever before in how they access the Internet.”

– Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google

Google has been involved in the events surrounding this auction for a while now but with Monday being the deadline for bidders to apply some were starting to wonder if Google had backed down.

So why is this on (mostly) political site? Because Google’s involvement in this process has mostly been focused on getting the FCC to stipulate that the band not be restricted to certain devices and software like most currently are. The FCC applied some of Google’s suggestions to a part of the spectrum.

The Official Google Blog has a post up explaining the auction process and their reasons for participating.

Rep. Zack Space’s efforts to spread broadband internet apparently haven’t passed unnoticed in Columbus.  He’s been appointed to the Ohio Broadband Council by Governor Strickland.

“I am honored that Governor Strickland has invited me to join on this Council. We have made some great progress in Southeastern Ohio toward bringing broadband to everyone, and I am sure I can bring my experiences to the statewide effort.

“Governor Strickland knows as well as I do that the future of Ohio’s economy depends on our ability to compete in the modern, high-tech economy.  If we do not have this infrastructure in place, there is no question that we will be left behind.  Every day we do not have broadband is another day that companies will bypass the Ohio when looking to relocate.”

“Simply put, our economic future depends on the availability of broadband access.”

– Rep. Zack Space

This also marks the first time Strickland has asked a sitting Congressman to join a gubernatorial council.

The Ohio Broadband Council was created by Gov. Strickland earlier this year to:

Direct a unified, statewide broadband development effort

Develop the phased implementation of Broadband Ohio

Develop a strategic plan for statewide broadband deployment, determining the resources necessary for its implementation

Coordinate all broadband activities that receive state-appropriated funds and pursue new federal and private-sector investments in broadband

Establish policies and promote new public and private broadband networking investments

Develop a strategic plan to achieve digital inclusion

A few weeks ago the Columbus Dispatch published a story about Rep. Zack Space’s decision to stay at a less expensive hotel on an upcoming trip to Greece as part of a House delegation after the Dispatch asked about the $400/night rate the planned hotel charges.

This of course prompted the usual response from everyone’s (least) favorite sore loser, Bob Bennet.

“If it smells like a junket and looks like a junket and feels like a junket, it probably is a junket. I want to know how this fact-finding trip benefits the people of the 18th Congressional District when he is on Agriculture, Transportation and Veterans’ Affairs. I don’t know what we can learn from the Greeks about agriculture. … I look forward to his report on how it’s going to impact the 18th District.”

I initially made the decision that I would just let this go and file the stories away until the next time a Republican went somewhere and didn’t stay in an Econolodge. Later on I realized that it would be for the best to just go ahead and show just how much B.S. this story was.

First off, Space was invited on this trip by the  House Foreign Relations Committee specifically because of his Greek Heritage. He’s also been asked by the House Agriculture Committee to examine how Greeks are recovering from the recent fires they’ve had there.

And the hotel decision? Space had nothing to do with it. The hotel selected, Hotel Grande Bretagne, is the first choice for US official delegations visiting Greece. Also recommended are the similarly priced Athens Hilton and the Ledra Marriott.

Space has now agreed to pay all his costs for the trip out of his own pocket (not his campaign cash), something I doubt the two Republicans on the trip are doing.

 Read More: Greek News - Republicans Attack Ohio Congressman Zack Space and His Greek Ancestry

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I don’t really know what to say about this one other than that it’s going to make some people mad.

“This is the best chance we have had in a very long time to create some clarity on 2^nd Amendment issues.  If the Supreme Court strikes down this ban, it will set a precedent that will have a real impact on gun owners across the U.S.

“Finally, gun owners could be given the right they are promised in the Constitution.”

– Rep. Zack Space

Congressman Zack Space has returned from his trip to the United States -  Mexico border with other members of the House of Representatives.

“Illegal smugglers and Border Patrol agents play a game of cat-and-mouse every day – an occurrence that will only continue to grow until we make this crisis a top priority. Our Border Patrol agents are doing an amazing job with the resources they have, but they are being overwhelmed by the enormity of this crisis.  They simply do not have the tools and support necessary to stem the tide of people wishing to enter our country illegally.

“The U.S.-Mexico border is much more porous than I had imagined.  My experiences there have shown me the need for more fencing, more agents, and more technology.  If we cannot stop the flow of people across our border, we will never be able to secure our country from those who wish to do us harm, take jobs Americans need, or drain our public resources.”

– Rep. Zack Space

It’s interesting to note that after returning from the border Space said that he feels that the 700 mile fence we’re building along the border is necessary.  I’ve never really bought into the saying that good fences make good neighbors, but rather that building a fence was just a way around dealing with a bigger problem.  No matter how big or well guarded a fence is, there will always be ways to get around it.  The Berlin Wall should have taught us that. I’m not saying illegal immigration isn’t a problem, but in the long term I see a fence as nothing more than a stopgap solution. We need to come up with some sort of comprehensive immigration reform plan.

I also can’t help but laugh at the irony of the situation.  Free trade allows companies to leave the United States to take advantage of cheap foreign labor.  That “cheap foreign labor” then comes to the United States seeking better paying jobs.  I’m no expert on the topic but I don’t really see how this can last in the long term.

My inbox has been a little backed up over the last couple days. Looking through it I noticed that several press releases sent out during that time from Congressmen Space and Wilson’s office had a common theme, children.  Because of this I’m combining all of these into a single post.

First off is this statement from Charlie Wilson on his recent votes supporting several bills targeting online predators and child pornography.

“Our children are our most precious resource and we must do everything we can to protect them. This legislation takes important steps to ensure that predators can’t reach into our own homes to prey on our children.”

– Rep. Charlie Wilson

According to the release the bills were:

· H.R. 3845 - PROTECT Our Children Act of 2007

· H.R. 719 - Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act of 2007

· H.R. 4120 - Effective Child Pornography Prosecution Act

· H.R. 4134 – Internet Crime Prevention Education Program Act, authored by Rep. Linda Sanchez

· H.R.4136 - Enhancing the Effective Prosecution of Child Pornography Act of 2007, authored by Rep. Chris Carney

· H.R. 3461 – SAFERNET (Safeguarding America’s Families by Enhancing and Reorganizing New and Efficient Technologies Act of 2007), authored by Rep. Melissa Bean

Wilson has also added a new page to his website to help parents deal with the recent batch of toy recalls during the holiday season and signed on to cosponsor the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act (H.R. 4040).

From Zack Space’s office comes an announcement that the House has passed Space’s proposal to help bolster the Head Start program in rural areas.

“The Head Start program has proven itself to be a valuable tool in starting children on their way to productive adulthood, but the program needs to do more to reach rural students. There is no reason that those children born in rural areas should have less access to such a great program simply by virtue of where they live.

“This proposal will ensure that children all over the region have a better chance at success in life through access to this program.  This is a long-term investment in the economic future of Southeastern Ohio.”

– Rep. Zack Space

According to the press release, Space’s proposals (which were included as an amendment to the Head Start reauthorization bill) will help with:

• Developing innovative and effective models of professional development for staff living in and serving populations in rural communities;
• Removing barriers to parent involvement in Head Start programs in rural communities;
• Removing barriers to providing home visiting services in rural communities; and
• Removing barriers to obtaining health screenings for Head Start participants in rural communities.

What kind of self-respecting Ohioan would I be if I didn’t do my part to point out Michigan’s loss?

Ohio State beat Michigan today with a final score of 14-3. This is Michigan’s fourth straight loss to Ohio.

In case you live outside of Ohio (or just want to celebrate) I’ve included a little audio with this post for “cultural learning”. The title gives it away, but you might not want to play this at work or near small children. It isn’t that bad though, after all it’s played by the OSU Marching Band.

For more Ohio State music try this page. For more information about the Ohio State - Michigan rivalry read it’s Wikipedia entry.

The annual Colony Film Festival (formerly the River City Film Festival) will be held tonight and tomorrow in Marietta. If you’re interested in going, films start at 7:30 P.M. and admission will be $10 on both nights or $15 for a two day pass. It will be held at the Mid-Ohio Valley Player’s Theatre (229 Putnam St.) and proceeds will go towards restoring the Colony Theater across the street.

Here’s a clip from Saturday’s keynote presentation “A Forest Returns“, a documentary about the creation of Ohio’s only national forest (Wayne National Forest).

The documentary’s creator, Athens resident Jean Andrews, will be on hand to answer questions after the film’s 8:10 P.M. showing.This film really interests me. It’s almost impossible to imagine that this area of Ohio was almost completely without trees just 100 years ago. I’ve known for years that almost all the trees in the area were second-growth but as I sit here looking out my front window at hundreds (if not thousands) of trees it’s just beyond my ability to picture what it would look like without them.

You can find the full schedule after the jump.

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Rep. Charlie Wilson’s office sent out a press release today outlining his reasons for supporting the Restore Act (H.R. 3773).

“I’m pleased we had the chance to revisit this vital issue. In August I felt I had to vote for an imperfect bill because without it this country would have been unprotected. Now we have comprehensive legislation that addresses the issue of national security in the proper way while protecting our civil liberties.”

– Rep. Charlie Wilson

I haven’t had a chance to look over the bill that passed the House tonight but I’ve heard the FISA bill that’s likely to go before the Senate won’t include retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies. Wilson’s press release also points out that the bill is endorsed by the liberal group “Center for American Progress“.

Rep. Zack Space will be traveling to Texas and Arizona over the weekend to tour the United States - Mexican border.

Space, along with several other members of the House, will be touring several locations such as Tucson, Arizona and El Paso, Texas in an effort to gain a firsthand view of the problems surrounding illegal immigration.

I don’t hate Dennis Kucinich, I don’t hate Dennis Kucinich, I don’t hate Dennis Kucinich… Ahh, who am I kidding?

During yesterday’s roll call vote on the Iraq War funding bill tied to troop withdrawals Dennis Kucinich voted against it.  Once again we have a case of a bill not going far enough for Kucinich. Seriously the man needs to learn that even a small step in the right direction is better than nothing. 

His primary opponent, Rosemary Palmer, gets this.  She’s put out at another press release slamming Kucinich for is his inability to work well with others.  She’s also announced a press conference (which is open to the public) where she will announce her ” non-partisan plan” to bring our troops home from Iraq.

Also from the Palmer campaign comes yet another witty video:

Last night Charlie Wilson voted to support an Iraq War funding bill that ties funding to troop withdrawals.

“Setting a date certain gives Iraqis the incentive to work on things for themselves and to meet some benchmarks.”

– Rep. Charlie Wilson

This isn’t the first time Wilson has voted for a new direction on Iraq, but it’s good to know he’s sticking with that decision.

You can find the full roll call vote here.

The Library of Congress’ online congressional information portal, THOMAS, is getting an overhaul. The new site, which is currently in beta testing, can be accessed here and allows users to easily view bills by sponsor and category along with the traditional search.

There’s one obvious feature missing though, RSS feeds. Sure it’s nice to be able to go to a page and see all the bills that Zack Space has introduced without having to go through a bunch of NASA related bills involving a different Zack, but it would be so much better to be notified every time he proposed a new bill. That would make it a snap to follow all 18 Ohio congressmen.

Well after digging around the site I found some good news. Buried away near the bottom of the FAQ page was the following:

RSS feeds are not yet available for THOMAS. We do plan to add this feature in the future.

Yes, you read right. You’ll soon be able to keep track of Congress using RSS without using 3rd party sites.

While we’re on the topic of redesigned websites, go check out the new ProgressOhio.

The group “Americans United for Change” has launched yet another ad slamming Rep. Steve Chabot for his repeated votes against the SCHIP program and urging him to vote to override the veto on the Labor-HHS-Education spending bill tomorrow.

You can listen to all the ads from this campaign here or just listen to the Chabot ad below.