Let me put the disclaimer at the top. Sen. DeWine is by far the better candidate when compared to very very liberal Brown. But the Lima News has a good post and video of DeWine’s visit to Lima OH.
With that said it appears that Republicans in Ohio are sweating the midterm elections. Several of the reasons, as it appears to me, are as follows:
1. Republican candidates who are no so conservative run as if they were real conservatives. The promise lower taxes, tort reform, smaller government and ethics in government. Then when securely in office they can’t seem to get, or won’t get, lower taxes, tort reform, smaller government while running around creating scandals just waiting to be discovered.
2. Then when we are in trouble and under pressure it seems as if some of the ‘conservative’ stances are backed off and more ‘moderate’ tones are taken. Everyone looks around wondering what the real differences are between the parties are. When in reality the ‘conservative’ Republican was never really all that conservative… just ‘more’ conservative than the liberal.
I miss the Reagan era when Reagan just said what he believed and never backed off his core values. He let the chips fall where they may. So now to the DeWine round-table answers.
Cooperation with the otherside:
DeWine, a Republican, talked about legislation he’s co-sponsored with Democrats on health care, education, adoption, public safety and the environment during a community forum and editorial board meeting at The Lima News.
DeWine mentioned several prominent Democrats by name while talking about bills he has co-sponsored, including health care legislation he has worked on with Sen. Ted Kennedy.
On the war
On the Iraq War, DeWine said he has “no confidence” in Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, but stopped short of saying he should be fired, saying that was a decision for President Bush.
The United States has to stay in Iraq until the country’s military and democratically elected government can support themselves, but make clear we plan to “get out as quickly as possible.”
On Oil
Reducing the country’s dependence on oil can create jobs in Ohio, DeWine said, through work with wind energy, such as a program in Bowling Green, or developing clean coal technology. DeWine voted for the recently passed energy bill, but said more work is needed.
DeWine opposes drilling in Alaska, because he believes it won’t solve a problem and diverts attention from a larger debate about how to reduce dependence on oil, foreign and domestic.
On Immigration:
On immigration, DeWine voted to build a wall on the Mexican border and supports the Senate version of a bill that would give a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who have been in the country at least five years. The bill says illegal immigrants with otherwise clean criminal records could apply for a three-year guest worker card, and then reapply for another three years, after which they would be put at the bottom of list for citizenship.
“Right now these people are in the shadows. We have to give them an incentive to come forward,” DeWine said. “it’s not amnesty. That’s waving a wand. It’s not reasonable to think we can just toss 12 million people out.”
I don’t feel like going into it all. Mike DeWine needs to win this election. But the oil position is wrong. We can drill and do it right while providing more oil and help Ohio. Immigration… try to give the illegals incentive to come forward? People wonder why Republicans can’t get more conservative issues passed? Send to office more ‘conservatives’ who believe in smaller government and lower taxes (not just talk it) and see if something isn’t done.
