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."