University of Toledo: President Dr. Lloyd Jacobs Should Resign Or Be Fired

Is there any confusion over the title of this entry? If so, let me clarify by stating I am of the opinion that Dr. Lloyd Jacobs should resign as President of the University of Toledo; if Lloyd Jacobs does not resign, then he should be fired. I have written about the University of Toledo before on several occasions here on Roland Hansen Commentary.

The last time I made an entry about UT was on March 23, 2008 in the entry University of Toledo: A Success As A Failure OR A Failure At Success?

The most current incident at UT that has grabbed my attention involves the firing by Dr. Lloyd Jacobs, a medical doctor surgeon turned University President earning a $385,000.00 annual salary plus benefits, of a University of Toledo administrator by the name of Crystal Dixon who wrote an article as a private citizen that describes her religious beliefs on the topic of homosexuality as it relates to the topic of discrimination. Rather than me paraphrasing that news article, take a look at it yourself by clicking on the following embedded link to The Blade article University of Toledo official fired over column.

While I do not share the beliefs of Crystal Dixon, I support her right to state and write about her beliefs. It is my opinion that Dr. Lloyd Jacobs over-reacted in his official response in his capacity of President of the University of Toledo. I further believe that not only has he misused and abused his authority in this situation, but I also believe that President Jacobs has put the taxpayers of Ohio in jeopardy. In the event that a lawsuit is filed by Ms. Dixon, it may very well be decided in her favor with a financial settlement that may include back wages and damages in the tens or thousands of dollars.

A quick search on the internet discloses many, many references to this latest incident, which I also believe demonstrates misfeasance and malfeasance on the part of Lloyd Jacobs.

Below are just a few of the references I found:

Renew America: Civil wrongs in the name of civil rights

WorldNetDaily: Firing raises 1st Amendment, equal protection issues

LifeSiteNews: Black University Employee Suspended for Objecting to Comparison between Black and Homosexual Discrimination

CampusReportOnline: Unholy Toledo

Free Republic: UT administrator fired for speaking out

Stop The ACLU: Moonbat Educator of the Week

SwampBubbles: Press Release - Response To Dr. Lloyd Jacobs Firing Crystal Dixon

You know something? I've changed my mind.
The heck with asking for the resignation of Dr. Lloyd Jacobs as University of Toledo President! He should be fired immediately!!

Lucas County Republicans: Wack Off - Wack On and the Stainbrook Saga

I had started to post a comment in my previous Roland Hansen Commentary Lucas County Republicans: Wack Off, Stainbrook One, Reichert Zero but had a change of mind. Hence, this new Roland Hansen Commentary entry with its own heading. Apparently Wack was on, then Wack was off, but now Wack is back and never really left as is indicated in the latest news story to which I link at the bottom of this Roland Hansen Commentary.

At the moment, with the court ordering a delay in the Lucas County Republican Party organizational meeting, it appears that Jon Stainbrook just won Round Two in his coup d'etat attempt to gain Chairmanship of the Lucas County Republican Party.

While there has been a flurry of people who have been slamming Stainbrook's actions, behavior, and temperament, a close reading of the news reports cause me to question the integrity, honesty, truthfulness, and modus operendi of the current Lucas County GOP leadership of Bob Reichert and Doug Haynam along with the continued assistance from 'Wack Off - Wack On' who has a felony conviction record and who after that conviction became a paid Lucas County Republican staffer but is now a volunteer worker in the Lucas County Republican Party Headquarters.

You might better understand my perspective, if you have completely and carefully read the previous articles to which I have linked in Lucas Couty Republicans: Wack Off, Stainbrook One, Reichert Zero and go now to the following embedded link to carefully and completely read the article Judge delays Lucas County GOP meeting.

There is a plethora of Stainbrook attacks elsewhere on the web but very little, if any, in the way of comments on the actions of the current Lucas County GOP leadership and in-crowd. It appears to me that most blogosphere commentators are centering their comments on the personality of Jon Stainbrook rather than the issue of the struggle within the Lucas County Republican Party itself. My intention here is an attempt to shine some public light on the activities and behaviors at Lucas County Republican Party Headquarters and the folks involved there-in, which I believe is an aspect that is being overlooked by other commentators.

Lucas County Republicans: Wack Off, Stainbrook One, Reichert Zero

A lot of criticisms and commentaries, much of it derogatory, have been levied against the Lucas County Democratic Party for the past several years regarding scandals, party infighting, power plays for leadership, and so on and so forth.
But, what about the Lucas County Republican Party? The Lucas County GOP has had its own share of troubles; and, the problems did not end with the departure of former Lucas County Republican Party Chairwoman Bernadette Noe or with the trial and conviction of her husband, Tom Noe, who was also a former Lucas County Republican Party Chairman.
It has been quite some time now since the Lucas County Republican Party has fielded a full slate of candidates in general elections. Even worse was the almost total void of Republican candidates in the most recent closed primary election. Is there even a Republican Party in Lucas County, Ohio?
Apparently, there is a Lucas County Republican Party and it is replete with scandals, party infighting, power plays for leadership, and so on and so forth. What? You haven't heard?
The latest happenings involve several people including a former student of mine at the University of Toledo, Jon Stainbrook, who I remember as being intelligent and astute as well as one of those rare college students who actively participated in class discussions.
One of the big scandalous stories involves a sort of silver lining, or perhaps it should be called a silver disappearance. Read the Blade on-line article about the case of the disappearing silver here.
Ultimately that scandal led to the resignation of the Lucas County Republican Party Executive Director and the Republican Wack Off story that can be read in this embedded link to The Blade on-line.
If you'd like to read some one else's take on all this Republican stuff, head on over this-a-way to read the Letter to the Editor that Mike MacGuffie sent to The Blade.
As I see it, with the executive director now gone in the Republic Wack Off saga, Jon Stainbrook has won round one in his attempt to wrestle the leadership from the present Lucas County Republican Party Chairman Bob Reichert who has basically found zero Republican candidates to run for elective office in Lucas County as of late.
With the Republican Wack Off, the score is now Stainbrook one and Reichert zero.
It appears that Round Two is now unfolding as reported in this Blade news story.
Interesting stuff, eh? I sure look forward to the day that there is a strong two party system back in Toledo, Ohio and in all of Lucas County. And, of course, we need all those active and involved independents to keep the two parties on the straight and narrow.
Let's hear it for DIRT! I like it when I see Democrats, Independents, and Republicans working Together for a better community for us all.

Lucas County Educational Service Center: Angela Zimmann, Governing Board Member

While I have not previously made any entries in Roland Hansen Commentary about the Lucas County Educational Service Center (aka Lucas County ESC or LCESC), those who have followed my cyberspace musings are aware that I have made comments about the Lucas County Educational Service Center and the LCESC Governing Board on Toledo Talk, on Swamp Bubbles, on Roland's Ramblings, and several other places around the wide wonderful world of the web. My comments have been rather diverse, both complimentary and not complimentary, about the office operations, staffing, services, programs, administration, and the Governing Board as a body and also some individual members of the Board.
My first foray into the LCESC here on Roland Hansen Commentary is in regards to Angela Zimmann, the newest member of the Governing Board of the Lucas County Educational Service Center. Dr. Zimmann was elected to the LCESC Governing Board in November 2007 and took office in January 2008. During her campaign, Angela Zimmann certainly had her plate full. She was completing her doctoral work at Bowling Green State University, teaching English classes at BGSU, attended to family matters including the maintenance a family life as wife and mother as well as experiencing some tragic personal losses in the illness and passing of a parent, and maintained a campaign schedule complete with appearances, fundraisers, and a campaign web site in the form of a blog. That is only a sampling of some of the multi-tasking performed by Angela Zimmann during the campaign season. I find the fact that she could serve concurrently in so many roles to be rather remarkable and admirable.
That aside, the primary purpose of this entry is to highlight the blog that Angela Zimmann created and has maintained since assuming her duties as a member of the Lucas County Educational Service Center Governing Board. You really should take a look-see at the blog Lucas County Educational Services Center Updates by Angela Zimmann.
My hat is off to Dr. Zimmann. Kudos and compliments and much appreciation go out to her for her efforts on opening and maintaining public discourse in her position as an elected official and in providing information on the LCESC to the public.


Now, as an aside and not related to the titled entry:
I still do not understand how there is no conflict of interest and how it is ethical and legal for Joan Kuchcinski, another member of the LCESC Board, to be receiving payments of hundreds and totaling in the thousands of dollars for professional services rendered as an individual while maintaining a position on the very same Governing Board that also authorizes those payments!!!

City Manager or “Strong” Mayor?

Some people in Toledo, Ohio are re-visiting the size and composition of Toledo City Council – AGAIN!
Over the years, Toledoans have changed the number of members on city council and have also changed the manner in which those members have been elected. The numbers of persons on Toledo City Council have varied with the size of council being small, medium, or large. Toledo City Council members have been elected on an at-large basis, on a district basis, and by a combination thereof. Toledoans have also switched back and forth between weak and strong mayors, with mayors being selected by city council from amongst its members and by mayors being directly elected by the voters.
If it isn’t enough to again change the size of city council and the manner in which it is composed, some Toledoans are also clamoring for a switch in the form of municipal government – AGAIN!
Throughout the years, the City of Toledo has gone through several changes in its form of government. The city has gone from being headed by a strong mayor as the CEO to a “professional” city manager as the CEO and then returned to a strong mayor.
So, why are folks talking about returning once again to the city manager form of government? Perhaps there may be a clue in the previous Roland Hansen Commentary entitled Elect a Competent Mayor for Toledo, Ohio. Additionally, some of the people advocating a council-manager form of government assert that having a professional public manager serving as the CEO would eliminate the politics in city operations.
Okay, if I understand this correctly, some people believe that getting rid of the strong mayor form of government and replacing it with a council/manager form of government will result in de-politicizing municipal operations with a professional public manager as the city’s CEO that is more competent than a strong mayor. I find that perspective somewhat “odd” in several ways even though I have a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in general public management.
I have lived through several of the changes in the form of government of the City of Toledo and have experienced the actions and the effects of those different forms of government. Under the previous council-manager form of government, the mayor would appoint the city manager, however the appointment required the approval. Consequently, the mayor would make the appointment of an “acceptable” manager in such a manner as to obtain the required approval of a majority of council. That’s politics. Also, under the previous council-manager government, the mayor and/or council would fault the city manager when things were not to the liking of the citizens, and the city manager would fault the council and/or mayor. That’s politics. The city manager would appoint persons to management and non-management positions. It was not unusual for the city manager to take the thoughts of council members and of the mayor into consideration when making those appointments, some of which went to friends and/or relatives of the mayor or council members. That’s politics.
Age, citizenship, and residency are the only qualifications to be Mayor of the City of Toledo. Other than being a citizen of the United States and a resident of the City of Toledo who is of voting age, there are no other eligibility requirements to be Toledo Mayor. Many, if not all, of the people critical of the “strong” mayor form of municipal government think there should be more qualifications to be the city’s chief executive officer which is why they favor a city manager over a strong mayor.
Regardless, the fact remains that Toledo does have a strong mayor form of government at present. I understand why people want a competent person to be Mayor of Toledo. I understand why people desire a Mayor who is a good administrator, a good manager, a good CEO, etc., etc. I understand why people want the Mayor of the City of Toledo to have the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to be effective in the position. I understand why people may think the Mayor should have a certain level of education and experience.
What I do not understand is why those very same people are not actively calling for a change in the form or system of government we have at either the state or national level.
To be Governor of Ohio, one needs to be of age, be a citizen, and be a resident of the State of Ohio. That’s all; there are no other qualifications. I have not heard of any groundswell of support for a different form or system of state government in which the CEO of the State of Ohio would be an appointive professional public administrator.
To be President of the United States of America, a person must be at least 35 years of age, be a natural born citizen of the United States, and have been a resident for at least 14 years. That’s it, nothing more. Age, citizenship, and residency are the only qualifications to be President, the most responsible position in the world. There are no requirements in regards to education, experience, knowledge, skills, or abilities. Why are the proponents of a city manager form of municipal government not calling for a change in the Constitution of the United States of America that would require minimum qualifications of education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the chief executive of the United States of America?

Elect a Competent Mayor for Toledo, Ohio

OMG! Oh, my goodness! Here we go again. It seems that Toledoans are already bashing potential candidates for the position of Mayor of the City of Toledo. That observation may be demonstrated by examining this blog entry and message thread in Glass City Jungle.
Harrumph, that election is still a year and-a-half away!!!
Just two-and-a-half years ago, Toledoans dethroned incumbent one-term Mayor Jack Ford (D), and returned former two-term Mayor Carty Finkbeiner (D) in the general election after having held a primary election that had included many candidates. One of those primary election candidates was Keith Wilkowski, who is presently exploring the possibility of another run to become Mayor of Toledo.
Regarding the 2005 primary election to select the Toledo mayoral candidates, does anyone remember this blog entry from HistoryMike?
It is interesting that Toledoans bemoan what they perceive as a lack of competent candidates for Mayor. Come to think of it, Toledoans generally perceive candidates for any elective office as incompetent. Ergo, the elected officials are perceived as incompetent. And yet, when given an opportunity, the majority of the voting-age public in Toledo tends to do several things, all of which are negative, when it comes to the electoral process. One: competent potential candidates are criticized promptly and persistently. Two: critics (many in the blogosphere choose to remain anonymous) are quick to criticize candidates but slow to put themselves forth as candidates, or to put forth positive suggestions on the issues for the potential candidates, or even for suggesting a specific person as a candidate who might be a competent Mayor. Three: the majority of voting-age public fail to vote. Consequently, a minority of the people selects the nominated candidates in the primary elections and therefore elects the successful candidates in the general elections.
Let me elaborate on that last statement. It is my observation that, generally speaking, approximately one-half (50%) of the voting-age public is registered to vote. Of those who are registered to vote, approximately one-half actually turn out to vote; that translates into one-fourth (25%) of the voting-age public voting in elections. In a one-on-one majority election, it only takes 50% plus one of the votes to elect the candidate; that ultimately equates to 12.5% of the voting-age public choosing our elected officials. It is possible to be elected with even less in a plurality race, like school board elections in Ohio where those voted into office need only to gather the highest number of votes amongst the candidates. Therefore, in reality, the electorate actually consists of a minority.
Let the Toledo naysayers continue to disparage our current Toledo mayor and our potential candidates for mayor and scare away those who might have otherwise considered running for Mayor of Toledo. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. It is those naysayers who really create the situation of which they are so critical. The fault is theirs. It is they who are to be blamed, not the mayor nor the candidates for mayor.
For those who are of the opinion that I am incorrect, I challenge you to identify yourself. I further challenge you to step up to the plate in either offering yourself as a candidate for Toledo mayor or working on behalf of a candidate for a competent mayor of Toledo. Don’t just be a negative unconstructive critic that cries for change; actively work on behalf of change in a manner that puts forth positive suggestions and ideas!

Postscript:
Dare I say that I think most political naysayers are amongst the 75% of the voting-age public who do not vote, meaning those who do not even bother to register to vote and those who may be registered but don’t bother to vote??!!!
Gee, somehow, I do not think Toledoans are unique in this regard. I kind of get the feeling that people are the same throughout the United States.

This message has been another service of Roland Hansen Commentary – and you have my word on it.

The Pope; The Dalai Lama; The British Prime Minister; The South Korean President

Okay, so you read the title of this blog entry and are wondering what do these four have in common. I'll tell you. All four have just made historic visits to the United States at pretty much the same time.

An interesting obsevation was made over at The Adam Hansen Weblog in the entry There's something happening here that made me think and think again.

Amongst all the happenings of the four in their visits to the United States, the traditional mass media reported:
Pope Benedict XVI blessed the ground;
The Dalai Lama spoke of religion in Ann Arbor, Michigan;
Gordon Brown met with Hillary Rodham Clinton, John McCain, and Barack Hussein Obama;
Lee Myung-bak met with George W. Bush.

Oh! You want more news about their visits. If so, go visit the google search results for news about:
The Pope
The Dalai Lama
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak

So, what was it that caused me to think and think again?
I'll tell you in the form of a question.
Why is so much attention being given by the "Press" to Pope Benedict XVI and so little attention being given by the "Press" to the Dalai Lama, Gordon Brown, and Lee Myung-bak?

Clinton, McCain, Obama and the IRS

I remember when the campaign platforms of candidates for the President of the United States of America included a plank on reform of the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) and the national tax code, laws, and regulations.

One strong proposal advocated in past presidential campaigns was that calling for a flat tax. That proposal in its various incarnations would greatly simplify the federal income tax system. Under a flat tax system, a set base level of income would be exempt from the income tax, but income above that level would be taxed at a flat level for everyone regardless of marital status, family size, total income level, etc.; and, there would be no deductions. The bottom line of a flat tax system is that a percentage of income over a base level would be assessed; this is not unlike many municipal income tax systems.

As follows, I am providing a few links to some web sites about the Flat Tax to help provide some more information:
National Center for Policy Analysis: Idea House: Flat Tax & Alternative Tax Systems
Forbes.com: On My Mind: A Kinder, Gentler Flat Tax
FreedomWorks: The Flat Tax: Issue Homepage
The Heritage Foundation: Issues: Taxes: A Brief Guide to the Flat Tax


The entire presidential primary campaign season appears to have totally ignored the issue of federal income tax reform. Except for John Edwards, I do not recall any of the earlier candidates ever addressing tax reform in the United States.

I certainly have not heard Hillary Clinton, John McCain, or Barack Obama stake out a position on the IRS. Do any of the present three major announced candidates even have any thoughts on the Internal Revenue Service or the federal (national) tax code? What thoughts do Clinton, McCain, and Obama have about reform of the federal income tax? Are Clinton, McCain, and Obama satisfied with the IRS? Do they believe public policy on taxes is fine and acceptable, as it presently exists? Perhaps, none of the three have the intestinal fortitude to take on the IRS. After all, it was the IRS that finally nailed Al Capone.

Or maybe, just maybe, Clinton, McCain, and Obama have the perspective that the extremely large IRS bureaucracy and all the national laws regarding federal income taxes are an intricate component of a national economic development and jobs creation policy.

Right! I see you scratching your head and wondering what in the world is Roland Hansen going on about now.

Well, think about it. How many jobs are there within the IRS itself? How many jobs have been created because of our complex federal income tax system? By that last question, I refer to such jobs associated with accountants, tax service companies, tax preparation computer software, paper mills, ink producers, the printing industry, the materials handling and transportation industries, etc. Then there is all the postage associated with mailings, all the related fuel usage by all involved in the entire process, and on and on and on. If the United States did go to a flat rate federal income tax, look at all jobs that would be eliminated at the IRS and all the jobs that would be eliminated by industries that directly and indirectly provide ancillary service to the IRS and its mission. What about all those people who would lose their jobs? Would many of these people then become unemployed and turn to welfare? What cost would we pay if public policy did indeed reflect a substantial turn of direction on the issue of flat tax and/or some other comprehensive tax reform? What would be the trade off?

I want to know where Clinton, McCain, and Obama stand on the IRS. I want to know their positions on taxes. After all it is a very taxing issue to confront. Personally, I think Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Barack Obama will continue to side step the IRS and income tax reform.

In a tangential but somewhat related issue in regards to the two remaining active Democratic presidential primary candidates: so much for John Edwards insisting that they include a focus on the economically disadvantaged (formerly known as the poor and the needy) in their campaigns!!!
John Edwards, please come back; the country needs you, we need you, I need you!

I feel all tax and spent on this IRS thing. I’m out of here.

Ohio: Lucas County Commissioners and Political Posturing

Give me a break! All the damn political posturing by the Lucas County Commissioners is nauseating.

Read the latest Blade newspaper article Konop skips event to attend one of his own.

A few excerpts from the article that especially caught my eye are the following:

“I cannot, in good conscience, pontificate on the State of the County to campaign contributors, recipients of no-bid contracts, and assorted politicians,” Mr.Konop said in a statement.
“So, I will forgo the State of the County and instead have an honest dialogue with working-class members of our community.”

Mr. Gerken didn’t mention Mr. Konop in his speech, but he did call for unity.
“We need to show that we can do the long haul. We need to stay together,” Mr. Gerken said. “Fighting with each other might boost political fortunes in the short-term, but it does not help in the long term.”
Mr. Gerken also defended the Lucas County Improvement Corp., a frequent target of Mr. Konop.

During her speech, Ms. Wozniak said she wanted to look at ways to restructure county government.
“Our form of county government is older than the airplane, older than the automobile, and older than the telephone,” she said. “We don’t fear change because we know that business as usual has not worked.”
She said she wanted the University of Toledo’s Urban Affairs Center to present options on how to change the county government.

My reaction to each of the above is: Cut the crap. Quit all the political posturing, all of you. Who are you each trying to fool by asserting you are not practicing the fine art of political posture?

Mr. Konop:
You raise some very valid concerns but going off and politicking through press releases and one-person media events is s-o-o-o transparent!
Some things never change. Remember this Roland Hansen Commentary?

Mr. Gerken:
Give me a break! That was a slap at Ben Konop if ever I saw one. And for you to defend the totally inept and ineffective LCIC that rips off us taxpayers in royal fashion. Hang your head in shame!
My thoughts on LCIC have been expressed before in this particular Roland Hansen Commentary and in this other Roland Hansen Commentary.

Ms. Wozniak:
Yeah, right, like I really believe you are willing to change Lucas County government! You have been involved in Lucas County politics and have been a Lucas County Commissioner for how long now???
If you are truly interested (or anyone else, for that matter) in reforming the structure of county government, read Change Lucas County, Ohio Government!

I am so sick and tired of the games and consistent lack of positive governance displayed by the Board of Commissioners of Lucas County!

And you know what?
The same goes to the Toledo City Council and to the Toledo City Board of Education.

Skybus and ATA Airline Execs: Throw Their Asses In Jail!

I read the article "Unexpected Skybus closure leaves travelers scrambling" and it left me seething. Upon reading the article, it became quite apparent that the big shot execs knew in advance that they were taking money under false pretenses from unsuspecting travelers.

This crap from Skybus is not any different than the Judy's Jewels entry "ATA Screws Passengers Again". Over the years, Judy had made several entries that included ATA as part of the subject matter, such as this one entitled "Fly Away" among others; unfortunately her very earliest entry got gobbled up in the blogosphere when the blog host server had been changed.

Do you remember the Enron scandal and the consequences of the Enron scandal?

Do you remember the Martha Stewart scandal and the consequences of the Martha Stewart scandal?

The actions of the executive officers of Skybus and of ATA airline industries are criminal, criminal, criminal. All the while those rich fat cat executives were taking money from consumers who were booking and paying for air travel tickets, those fat cats knew all along that the pre-paid ticket sales would not be honored and yet those same rich corporate pigs were collecting their outrageously huge salaries. Tell me they shouldn't be held accountable. If they were elected or appointed government officials, all hell would have broken lose by now.

Where is the onslaught of public outcry? Where are all the investigations? Where are all the capitalists who advocate a free, open, government regulation-free marketplace hiding? Why aren't they yelling and screaming or are they the same as the executives and stockholders who have become even more rich by stealing money from unsuspecting trusting airfare purchasers?

Skybus and ATA execs took money under false pretenses; they knew they were not going to stay operational even as they continued to sell more and more tickets. Isn't that the same as theft and/or larceny by trick? Plain and simple: isn't that the same as stealing?

Skybus and ATA airline ececs should be prosecuted as individuals to the fullest extent possible permitted by law - AND MORE! They are as guilty as all hell. I say fine them, confiscate all their personal property and assets both liquid and fixed, throw their sorry asses into prison, and throw away the key!!!