I received a very large post card style campaign literature piece, printed on both sides, that was very colorful with its red, white, and blue theme and its glossy finish in the mail today from the proponents of State Issue 1, that will appear on the May 4, 2010 state-wide ballot in Ohio.
The front of the post card which had the addressee information on it had at the very top in very, very large, bold type
"FINALLY! A JOBS PROGRAM THAT DOESN'T RAISE TAXES."I turned the lit piece over to read more.
that was followed on another line by a very huge
YES
(and the words)
for Issue 1
for Jobs
both of which were also big but somewhat smaller than the huge YES that was in front of them. Next to these large words in very small type was:
Paid for by United for Jobs and Ohio's Future
Alex Shumate, Treasurer
41 South High Street, Suite 200
Columbus, Ohio 43215
underneath which in bold type was:
www.unitedforjobsohio.com
Underneath all that (in a large type face that was between the larger type and the smaller type) was this:
United for Jobs and Ohio's Future
I read it not once, not twice, but at least three times in an attempt to learn precisely what is Issue 1. Much to my dismay, no where on this expensive lavishly printed production piece does it ever provide any information about the issue itself.
It did contain the following information, however, on its reverse side:
STATE ISSUE 1: CREATE JOBS WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.Being undaunted, I searched the net for the exact wording of Issue 1. It is as follows:
Ohio needs a jobs program that DOES NOT RAISE TAXES.
Yes Issue 1 does not raise taxes but will generate additional Revenue through the jobs and businesses that are created.
Yes Issue 1 invest in Ohio Entrepreneurs.
Yes Issue 1 empowers the free market, not the government, to energize Ohio's economy.
Yes Issue 1 turns Ohio ideas into Ohio jobs.
MORE JOBS.
WITHOUT
MORE TAXES.
YES for Issue 1
Yes for Jobs
United for Jobs and Ohio's Future
ON MAY 4TH,
PLEASE VOTE YES ON
STATE ISSUE 1
WWW.GETTHEFACTSONISSUE1.ORG
Issue 1: Ballot languageThat ballot language also appears on a page of the website of the Lucas County Board of Elections. You may view it here; however, I strongly suspect that the embedded link will no longer work some time after the upcoming May 4, 2010 election has been held and sometime before the next election, because LCBOE will probably delete it and use that space for another issue in the future.
The following language will appear as State Issue 1 on the May 4 statewide ballot:
Proposed Constitutional Amendment
To extend the Ohio Third Frontier program by authorizing the issuance of additional general obligation bonds to promote economic growth.
Proposed by joint resolution of the General Assembly to amend Section 2p of Article VIII Constitution of the State of Ohio.
This proposed amendment would:
• Continue funding for research and development purposes by authorizing the state to issue $700 million of general obligation bonds to renew and continue programs for research and development in support of Ohio industry, commerce and business.
• Limit the amount of all state general obligations that may be issued for, and the amounts of proceeds from those state general obligations that may be committed to, those research and development purposes, to no more than $450 million total for the period including state fiscal years 2006 through 2011, no more than $25 million in fiscal year 2012 and no more than $175 million in any fiscal year thereafter, plus any amounts that in any prior fiscal year could have been but were not issued or committed.
• Require state agencies awarding funding from those state general obligations to obtain independent reviews of and recommendations as to the merits of proposed research and development projects. The Governor, the President and Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives must be provided information regarding the independent reviewer prior to any award, and the state agency proposing the award must also notify those officials if the recommendations of the independent reviewer are not adopted by that state agency for the proposed project and the reasons for not adopting those recommendations.
If adopted, this amendment shall take effect immediately.
A “Yes” vote means approval of the amendment.
A “No” vote means disapproval of the amendment.
What a bunch of bullfeathers from the proponents of Issue 1! Why don't they put on their propaganda that Issue 1 allows the State of Ohio to issue general obligation bonds? Why don't they tell us that these bonds require the State of Ohio to repay bond holders, even to the extent that the State of Ohio has pledged to use all legally available resources, including tax revenues, to do so?!!!
I find their campaign literature piece to be less than honest, if not downright deceptive. Not raise taxes, eh. But what if ----??? All I know is that general revenue bonds are required to be repaid in some manner and that the repayment procedure permits the state government to use our tax dollars, yours and mine, as a source to repay those bonds, pure and simple!
And what of the hypocrisy of the proponents of Issue 1, at least the proponents who are part of the two organizations that put out this specific campaign literature, the lying, deceiving piece of crap that it is?!!!. I mean after all, the master illusionary deceptive proponents, state "Issue 1 empowers the free market, not the government, to energize Ohio's economy." I mean, come on, give me a break! What do they think -- that I got a big 'S' (for stupid) tattooed on my forehead?! On the one hand, they seem to give the impression that the government is not involved and that it is all about the free market; on the other hand, they want the State of Ohio to be the party to issue general obligation bonds that would require the taxpayers of Ohio to repay those bonds, if need be.
If you are a registered voter in the State of Ohio, you decide for yourself on how you will vote on Issue 1 this May 4th. Click on each of the three subject lines (containing embedded links) below to read information that may assist you in making an informed decision:
Ohio Third Frontier Bond Renewal, Issue 1 (2010)
Official Issue 1 Argument in Favor, VOTE FOR JOBS! VOTE YES ON ISSUE 1
Argument Against Issue 1, Vote No on Issue 1
Me? I am pro jobs, but I am anti misleading advertising. Oh, by the way, I HATE HYPOCRITES!!!
4 comments:
Unfortunately, unlike yourself, a large percentage of the people who will receive that flyer either a) are stupid or b) are too lazy to do the research- even if it only requires reading a newspaper article or paying attention to a TV report. This is the group of people any political, or any advertising, group, is trying to reach- the ones who are happy to be told what to think. The man in the White House is evidence enopugh of that. Good luck convincing people to look at the issues before voting (or not voting). Just remember those who prefer being told what to think outnumber us.
Roland,
Despite your efforts in extracting the facts that others would prefer would remain overlooked, I fear that you (and other thinking individuals seeking the meat of the issue) will remain in the minority and this issue shall pass.
I wholeheartedly agree with your evaluation but have resigned myself to the inevitability that the sheeple will again win out on this, despite the obvious (to those who do their own research) risks of doing so in a bad economy...
You are right on top of it again Roland! It is taxpayer support that provides these bonds and that will have to make up any losses that occur.
It is also the case that while this bill purports to empower the free market, and seeks independent reviews for awarding of funding, ultimately it is state government that will pick the winners and losers in this entrepreneurial lottery.
Since when did government making such choices become "the free market"? I know that this term has become all but meaningless in today's economy, but this is an abuse of the voters (and the English language) that deserves to be called out.
Thanks for doing so...
Thanks, CW, Dave, and Tim. I hear y'all. And, I do believe that the sheeple (as Dave would say it) are indeed gullible and too lazy to get the real facts on anything, who prefer being led to slaughter than to think for themselves.
I'm still thinking about writing that book "Gullible's Travels."
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