Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Commies, Socialists and Union Thugs Defeat Ohio Issue 2


Too tiny and nice to be a union thug.
 
I WOKE UP TODAY AND LOOKED in the mirror and felt pretty good. Well, yeah. There were all those wrinkles to dampen the mood. I could have done without those.

Still, the face reflected back didn’t look like a communist and I may be getting old, but I don’t remember ever signing up to get my Party card, either.

Certainly, I was proud of what Ohio voters did at the polls yesterday. They defeated Issue 2 in what can only be described as an ass-whipping for Governor John Kasich.

It wasn’t even a little close: 61% opposed, 39% in favor.

So: how did the losing side like the bitter taste of defeat? Apparently, the salad, the entree and dessert weren’t to their liking. I went to John Kasich’s Facebook page to see what people were saying: you know, how did they feel about democracy in action? Dustin Long, who supported both Issue 2 and Issue 3, decided that the voters were patriotic and perspicacious when they stood up to “Obamacare” and gave approval to Issue 3. But the defeat of Issue 2 had only one explanation: “A voter swayed by irrational fear would have upheld the same moral principal of freedom in each vote. The unions led a successful fear campaign.”

Despite the crushing defeat, David Dexter was ready for just about anything. “Well,” he said,
the Union Mentality has spoken. They want cuts and layoffs. Don’t bail the local communities out John with any State Aid...let ‘em lay off the Police, Fire, and Teachers who are jumping around happy right now. I have guns. I have fire extinguishers, and I have my old text books... don’t need those professionals to survive.
I think the moral of Mr. Dexter’s story is that if his old textbook catches fire he’s going to shoot it. (Then again: I could be misinterpreting his intentions.) 

Carol Sue Armbrust Manning agreed with David, calling on cosmic powers to provide some sort of retribution: “If Karma is in the mix, the ones that voted No on 2 will be the 1st to be laid off.”

Marilyn Verback was furious and fuming. The fire fighters, police and teachers were “puppets of the union machine [used] to prop up their loss of power and democratic/socialist political agenda.”

Jonathan Lindsay put it simply. For opponents of Issue 2, it was “all about GREED.” 

Sallie Raymond-Mullinger didn’t feel it was greed. The problem was stupidity: “This bill was voted down because a friend of a friend of a friend knew someone associated with a union. I wonder how many of the no voters even knew what they were voting against?”

Percy Williams “nailed” it, of course. He said opponents of Issue 2 were “union thugs.” Jennifer Tyree Willison agreed and did a little quick adding and subtracting and came up with a rather interesting theory in support of Percy’s position: “I think that was a close vote considering the number of union thugs and their family members who voted.”

So: are union members raising little thugs? Kindergarten thugs? It makes you fear for the future of Ohio.

Another angry Kasich supporter attributed defeat to “propaganda.” A second warned that “Marxists” were behind it all. Lisa Bloxom, whose Facebook profile picture is an American flag, referred to those who voted no as “sheeple.” (That was pretty creative, I’ll give her that.) Leslie Hass said defeat was all the fault of “union idiots.” I think she meant members of unions were idiots. I don’t think she meant there was a union for idiots.

Sally kept coming back and posting: It was “union drones” that did it. “Power mad unions.” “Is there no end to union greed?” she wailed. 

Vince Miller kind of lost sight of the spirit of democracy and called one opponent of Issue 2 a “moron” and a “retard.”

Then Barbara Hartson pinned the tail on the donkey:
“We will get those greedy communists have faith Gov! the Lord is for us who can be againsts us? It’s their lesson to learn and they chose to keep the thugs raking in the money as their members loose their jobs! Stupidity of voting no on that! As if they are minions saying yes master! Anything you say master! Lol”

I read that and I thought: I need to go take a second look in that mirror in the bathroom. And so I did. Yep: still the same wrinkles. Still an ex-Marine who was willing to fight for his country in 1969 (but got stuck at a desk job in California). A retired teacher—busted ass my entire career. Good retirement benefits.

I’ll grant you that.

I once read 157 books in three years so I could teach World History effectively the last part of my career. Didn’t get paid for that. Didn’t care. Greedy? No more than your average “Yes” voter, I imagine. Raised money for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation twice, by bicycling across the United States (in 2007) and this past summer. Raised money by painting an old three-story mansion in 2010 and donating all profits from a $17,000 job to the same cause.

I spent the summer of 2010 painting
to raise money for JDRF.
I don't feel like a greedy union thug.

I don’t think that makes me a commie—but maybe I’m delusional. 

I don’t know. I look at my wife. She’s a little too petite to be a “union thug,” I imagine. She’s a dedicated speech therapist, though. Never calls in sick, never loafs, goes in early, comes home late, and when she does she tells me she’s excited because she finally broke through and got an autistic child to speak.  

My wife and I did go out canvassing Sunday before election and did try to drum up “No” votes for Issue 2. I know I wasn’t carrying a lead pipe to bludgeon those who said they were going to support the issue. I know my wife carries a bulky purse, but I think I can speak for her, as well.

Call me a “retard” if you want. I look at all the cops and firemen and teachers and I see the good, solid American middle class. 

I don’t want to support a governor who wants to attack those in the middle class. I want a leader who will promise to help those below rise up into that middle class.

That’s the “American Dream,” as I understand it. 

And I think Governor Kasich, Republican law-makers in the General Assembly, and supporters of Issue 2 lost sight of that.



P.S.: ANOTHER ISSUE 2 SUPPORTER RESPONDED to comments I made in a different post (and after he noticed my Facebook profile picture) by insulting the Bengals.

I thought that was absolutely too much!



Chrissy and Ted Cwiok (he's a fire fighter), with daughter Gracie and son Kyle.
Mom and dad both voted against Issue 2.
They look great to me. 
Not exactly your stereotypical "union thugs."
Union thug, Steve Ball, left.
Can't be a commie, right, because he's blue.
Jennifer Chast:  newlywed, excellent teacher and union thug.
Mark Chast, husband.
Chris Loomis, 26, fan of vintage autos.
Doesn't look like a thug.
Is this the icy smile of the cold-blooded
union thug?
Two Loveland teachers.

Sure, Timmiera Lawrence bakes cookies for her family.
Sometimes even union thugs need a snack.
(I think her son, E. L., is responsible for the bathing suit look.)
Jeff Sharpless with daughters, Rachel and Jessie.
Almost always votes Republican.
Secretly:  a commie????
Okay:  this Issue 2 opponent (Lori Chisman Barber) looks dangerous.
Unfortunately she doesn't fit the stereotype, either.
She was going to vote YES till she spent "4 loooong hours" reading the bill.
"Republicans are supposed to be for less government.  This bill created more government."

14 comments:

  1. Great article, you nailed it! The pro SB5/issue 2 crowd is the same flat Earthers that wrecked our economy and caused the mess they're blathering about. Their greed caused the recession, and they want someone to blame. They are the most despicable of the despicable, and if the Hindus are right, they will be reborn dung beetles, and even that will be too good for them.

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  2. Wonderfully put. This Union thug needs to go tuck in her child and grade a couple hundred papers before morning.

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  3. Thank you.. excellent article I posted to my fb page. I am a teacher 33 years special ed. I love my job! The feeling I got from Building a Better Ohio was that it is okay to denigrate and marginalize an entire profession and we history buffs know that never ends well.

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  4. I think I love you... Great piece of work!

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  5. Nice writing as usual!!!Mr.Vial you rock!!

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  6. Thanks for an amazing piece of writing. I'm 21+ year fire/medic union thug who terrorizes the Tea Party people with my Ford Focus sporting that annoying little red IAFF sticker!

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  7. Actually, I would worry more about the future of Ohio for a different reason. The retired teachers who scream and yell at a County Commissioner's wife because according to them, he voted yes on Senate Bill 5. It scares me to death that someone educating our children has no recollection of how the system of government works. State senators vote on senate bills, not commissioners. Neither side in this should be throwing stones.

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  8. At what point do we stop and say what have you done for your fellow Brother or Sister ,What have you done for your Community, What have you done for your Country.There are those of us that decided not to choose wealth but took the path to teach our children,Police our streets and put out the fires or rescue those in need.I love my job and serving mankind! 26 yrs as a Firefighter Paramedic,20 Yrs In the Army and I asure you Im not RICH! I asure you Im not a thug and I asure you Im not a communist....But I asure you I will still serve the people that threaten my Insurance,Pension and benifits because thats what I have choosen to do...Im glad there were so many strong hearted patriots that faught fort there rights and Won.

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  9. First of all, THANK YOU teachers, fire fighters, police officers, and other state employees for all the hard work, long hours, and selflessness. The governor's attitude towards us all isn't going to be easily forgotten.

    Kasich needs to take a long, hard look at how he's running his operation. The blatant lies, the half truths, and all the dirty manipulation are the reason why we'd vote him out right now if Ohio had the right to recall.

    Here's hoping he takes this lesson to heart, drops the games and sits down for an honest discussion with open minded consideration of all possible solutions brought to the table, regardless of party or union affiliation. Had he worked with us rather than try to bulldoze over us, he wouldn't be back at the drawing board like he is today.

    Didn't most of us learn to play nice in elementary school? Perhaps that's the problem. Kasich wasn't taught by an Ohio teacher.

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  10. Your post kinda missed the point about communism/socialism. There is no communist/socialist "look". You can wrap yourself in the American flag and support socialist policies all day..just look what the Unions and dems do with fire fighters and teachers. Issue 2 was about if we could afford to give government workers free healthcare, retirement plans and prop up the status quo.
    Apparently you think that the status quo is OK, which any clear logical human being would arrive to the point it is not.
    Despite what you look like (as American as Apple Pie) you support socialist policies. Please just man up and admit it. But I guess that's how issue 2 was voted down..misrepresenting the facts, blurring the lines and a bunch of BS. OK too much coffee...hope this sparks some debate:)

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  11. Cincinnatikid, issue 2 was about breaking up the unions, period. If it had only been about a couple of bullet pointed pay/benefit decreasing issues....it would've passed, hell..I'd have probably voted for it. Fact is that was only a small part of it. Please tell me how the defeat of SB5 makes me (20 year firefighter) any more likely to become rich by stealing your tax dollars? If there is no money in the bank the next time we go negotiating....we don't get raises, we don't get increased benefits, and we might take a paycut. For the record, I'm also a 20 year conservative and I hate the debt & oppressive taxes that are being thrust upon us in this country.... I will take a paycut tomorrow if it helps my community and eases the taxpayer burden...or especially if it reduces our debt. That's not what this was about though, it was about eliminating our seat at the discussion table and it was a sick "misrepresentation of facts, blurring the lines, and a bunch of BS".

    As far as socialist policies being endorsed here, spare me. I go to work when I'm supposed to and every time I step foot on that truck I'm risking my ass for you. I provide you a service and I risk my life, limbs, and health doing it. I'm not complaining, just saying I earned my pay because of the job I do. If we determine I'm making too much, fine...but "WE" better be the ones to determine it. If pooling our money together in order to be able to pay for good fire departments, police departments, and public teachers is communist..... then by God I guess this conservative has had the wrong ideologies all these years.

    Good grief, the idea of these services is communist now? Without them, we're anarchists....so good luck with that.

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  12. Love it!! Thanks for what YOU do!

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  13. Today what's fair is foul and what's foul is fair in the media.

    A grass-roots movement of true participatory democracy gets the message out fair and clear: This is an attempt to strip all meaningful power away from the good people's unions.

    And the media tells us that this is a lie and that Unions hurt the middle-class and kill jobs, right before a commercial for that corporation(say coca cola) which just deported your union and non-union job on a quest for the lowest wages in the world and countries (eg. Columbia) that will allow terrorist groups (eg. the AUC) to assissinate union leaders.

    Not a wheel turns without our brains and our brawn.

    It's time for labor to call for:

    An immediate end to job offshoring and closures of profitable plants.

    We need to form one big union from Seattle town to Baghdad to Melbourne to Tokyo, so those corporate criminals have no place left to run to exploit people and pay starvation wages: Take away the incentive for job deportation.

    Those companies that still deport jobs and close profitable plants must be punished at home as well. It is amazing how many companies are subsidized and it is time that good people's tax dollar's are reclaimed from welfare for treasonous corporations which ship our jobs and our money out the door.

    The time for action is now: We must stop the deportation of our jobs while they are still here, for once they have been offshored the battle to reclaim them would be at least tenfold more difficult.

    No doubt the true mongers of fear would frame this idea in their traditional narrative of hate. They rely on the false belief that we must constantly appease corporations, or they might leave us like a fickle date. But this great land America is the cradle of innovation and creativity- and the greatness of American ingenuity is so strong that we can make products that no one else can (through socialist government funding of technology development which even intelligent conservatives must admit is the key to America's greatness). As the third richest person Warren Buffet said no entrepreneur ever turned down a great and unique idea due to high tax rates, and the same applies to higher wages (so long as we force em!). And as Bill Gates said financial transations should be taxed at a higher rate (he apparently isn't scared by the trickle-down myths).

    The truth is that if we base government decisions on the stock market, then what we have is a virtual senate of the ultra-rich can control the government (by taking stocks in or out to get to instantaneously vote while us suckers get no voice at all). The existence of a virtual senate follows logically from the fact that i) the gov t responds to the stock market's reactions and ii) a large amount of the stock market is owned by a relatively small group with similar interests. But if we just stop listening then we take back their haughty power for the common people.

    Yes the mainstream media will run the story like every other, " unions- pth", trying to convince people that union members get too much, when the fact is that non-union members get too little. And if there were no unions, the corporations would be free to pay the non-unions even less than they get now, while pulling in record profits.

    Yes the media wants to turn non-union against union, out of jealousy, spitfulness and greed. Just like they want you to be jealous of people who are starving on wellfare getting a "free-ride"- while what their given each year amounts to less than a percent of what we gave to bail out our banks- which apparently deserve a sort of "socialist" paradise- "which we need to stimulate efficiency through competition" although I don't see why they would word that hard if they get millions in bonuses for running their company and our country into the ground.

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  14. Yes they want to turn us all against each-other; divide us based on pettiness. Why they are so unabashed that they would sooner turn races of brothers and sisters against each other than see us stand in solidarity. The stripped against the polkydots - That would just suit them.

    Because they are mean; they want you to be mean too; want to convince you there's not enough to go around. But we have so many resources, so many scientists, engineers, and skilled workers. There is work for every single hand, and resources for a roof for every head. But they deport our jobs to keep us unemployed and fighting with each other. They force us into unfair and artificially devised competition to both divide us and keep men hungry enough to scab.

    That is why it is time for all good union and non-union people to stand in solidarity, demand the end of exporation of union and non-union jobs alike, and the enactment of FDR's economic bill of human rights.

    It is time for the advances in technology and productivity, the great globalization, which the good people have funded all along, to be used for the betterment of society, for all the people, rather than for their destruction.

    There's a better world a comin' can't you see?

    When we're all one union then we'll all be free


    There's a better world a comin' can't you see?

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