Maybe it's the stress of the times, or something, but I find it incredible that a consulting firm -- American Healthcare Solutions -- would communicate directly to the public after severing ties with a client -- Twin City Hospital.
If you missed it, AHS president and CEO Jan Jennings slammed the Twin City Hospital Board of Trustees in a statement, saying that the board failed to take its advice, which was to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
You can read Jennings' letter here.
Jennings perhaps took a cue from Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, who certainly said what was on his mind after LeBron James bolted for the Miami Heat.
OK, so if you're a hospital in trouble and you were looking for a consultant to help you get out of a mess, would you hire AHS now, knowing that the firm might come back to bite you?
All of this, of course, is academic. The bottom line is that Twin City Hospital is in deep trouble. Its civic-minded Board of Trustees know that whatever decision it makes will have long-lasting implications and it will make a game-changing decision soon. It has to.
* * *
After last week's post, I received an e-mail from a man who clearly is angry about the state of Twin City Hospital. Here's part of it:
You are wrong this time. A man from Pittsburgh is trying to model TCH after an "average hospital" for this "average community." There is nothing average about either. Open the books and follow the money. Outsiders are selling the community down the drain. JUST INVESTIGATE WHERE THE MONEY WENT...
...I went home this week, sat in the TCH waiting room, and when I was asked what I wanted, I replied that I wanted to report a murder…..SOMEONE KILLED THE HOSPITAL?
I have been an actuary for over 30 years. I have offered to audit the books for nothing. I HAVE HAD NO REPLY.
A man opens a clothing store. The 1st customer is 2 foot tall. The 2nd customer is 10 foot tall. He calculates his average customer to be 6 foot tall. The owner orders all shirts, pants, and suits to fit his average customer. ...6 foot tall! The first 6 letters of customer spell CUSTOM. Outsiders are telling the board who their customers are and they are just supplying bad information.
Certainly there is enough blame to go around. I think Twin City Hospital's best bet is to quickly align itself with a larger institution. Is that institution Union Hospital? Who knows, but if I was on the Twin City board I'd be talking to Union's board.
Affixing blame at this point seems to me to be an exercise in futility. My guess is that along the way a lot of people screwed up.
* * *
LeBron James has for years been providing clues that he didn't want to be part of the long-term future of the Cleveland Cavaliers. As fans, we didn't want to pay attention to them, figuring that a kid from Akron would pick his hometown team over all others no matter what. Here's a sampling of clues:
-- Wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap.
-- Hanging out with the Dallas Cowboys at a Browns game.
-- Never, ever saying that his favorite NBA team while he was growing up was the Cleveland Cavaliers.
-- Continually referring to himself in the third person, obviously believing that he was "The King."
-- Never mentioning his love of the Cleveland area or Cavaliers during his MVP award get-togethers in Akron.
-- Tattoos on his body that speak volumes about his narcissism, i.e. "Chosen 1" and "Loyalty." Obviously the "Loyalty" was to himself and his entourage.
-- Tanking in Game 5 vs. the Boston Celtics. Winning a championship in Cleveland would not aid his free-agent getaway. How does he use the excuse he wants to win if he wins in Cleveland? He wanted to play ball with his buddies in South Beach.
-- The dust in the air, the pretend-picture taking, the dancing... this is not what winners do. Ever see Kobe Bryant do any of that stuff?
-- Failing to shake hands with Orlando Magic players after the Cavaliers were defeated in the 2009 playoffs, clearly underscoring his immaturity and lack of character.
I'm sure there are plenty of other examples. It's just not worth it to go on. The day after James made his announcement, the sun came up and life went on. Funny how that works.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Saving Twin City Hospital
Twin City Hospital officials have been less than forthcoming with details surrounding the state of the hospital's finances.
Let me see if I can help.
Twin City Hospital is ... broke.
It's really that simple. The hospital can't pay its bills, one of which was to Canton Aultman Emergency Physicians Group, which staffs the emergency room with doctors. Rumor has it that TCH owed $2 million to the provider.
At some point, vendors, such as the Aultman Emergency Physicians Group, will quit providing services and/or delivering supplies if they don't get paid.
So, last week, it's safe to presume, TCH was put on notice by the provider that it wasn't going to staff the ER anymore unless there was a payment of some kind. So, the hospital, without the benefit of cash flow, announced the ER's closing.
In the meantime, someone in the community bailed out the hospital with presumably a hefty donation of cash.
Some of the comments posted on the local newspaper's website indicate that there is something unique in TCH's predicament. There isn't.
Hospitals across the country are hurting and many are relying on rainy day funds to get by the uncertainty caused by the recession and health reform. TCH, which serves an area that has double the poverty rate of its northern counterpart -- the Dover-New Philadelphia area -- was down for the count before the fight started.
If TCH has 35 ER visits daily, as was reported in the newspaper, how many of those are backed by private insurance? What's your guess here? Half? Less than half?
Certainly, TCH is an important part of the Dennison-Uhrichsville community. And its board members are good people attempting to figure out how to save the place. But the reality is that Twin City Hospital's future probably lies in the strategy of a much larger institution with deeper pockets, such as Aultman Hospital or Cleveland Clinic. (The Clinic's logo is everywhere in Greater Cleveland and is attached to neighborhood hospitals east and west.)
Perhaps a Union Hospital role in the interim is a possibility.
Such an association would be a good thing for TCH. Whether the board can pull it off is another thing.
I hope the Twin City community cuts some slack for members of the hospital board of directors, who signed on to help steer the ship, not keep it from sinking.
Patience, people. This might take some time.
Let me see if I can help.
Twin City Hospital is ... broke.
It's really that simple. The hospital can't pay its bills, one of which was to Canton Aultman Emergency Physicians Group, which staffs the emergency room with doctors. Rumor has it that TCH owed $2 million to the provider.
At some point, vendors, such as the Aultman Emergency Physicians Group, will quit providing services and/or delivering supplies if they don't get paid.
So, last week, it's safe to presume, TCH was put on notice by the provider that it wasn't going to staff the ER anymore unless there was a payment of some kind. So, the hospital, without the benefit of cash flow, announced the ER's closing.
In the meantime, someone in the community bailed out the hospital with presumably a hefty donation of cash.
Some of the comments posted on the local newspaper's website indicate that there is something unique in TCH's predicament. There isn't.
Hospitals across the country are hurting and many are relying on rainy day funds to get by the uncertainty caused by the recession and health reform. TCH, which serves an area that has double the poverty rate of its northern counterpart -- the Dover-New Philadelphia area -- was down for the count before the fight started.
If TCH has 35 ER visits daily, as was reported in the newspaper, how many of those are backed by private insurance? What's your guess here? Half? Less than half?
Certainly, TCH is an important part of the Dennison-Uhrichsville community. And its board members are good people attempting to figure out how to save the place. But the reality is that Twin City Hospital's future probably lies in the strategy of a much larger institution with deeper pockets, such as Aultman Hospital or Cleveland Clinic. (The Clinic's logo is everywhere in Greater Cleveland and is attached to neighborhood hospitals east and west.)
Perhaps a Union Hospital role in the interim is a possibility.
Such an association would be a good thing for TCH. Whether the board can pull it off is another thing.
I hope the Twin City community cuts some slack for members of the hospital board of directors, who signed on to help steer the ship, not keep it from sinking.
Patience, people. This might take some time.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Ramblings
Congratulations to 28-year-old Josh O'Farrell on being named by the Democrats to be Allan Sayre's successor in the Ohio House of Representatives.
O'Farrell also will face off against Republican Allen Landis, 55, of Dover in the November election. The winner, of course, will represent the 96th House District for the next two years and will have to deal with a state budget that will be awash in red ink.
Both candidates seem to be in the right stages of their lives to take on such a thankless job. O'Farrell is the father of a 1-year-old, who I'm assuming is not yet involved in youth league sports (these days one never knows) while Landis is retired from Greer Steel and presumably has plenty of time on his hands.
Being a state representative in Ohio is far from glamorous. Many of the Legislature's members haven't been there long enough to have a handle on anything. Term limits have killed the institutional knowledge that state reps like Bill Hinig had. So, there's a huge learning curve down there in Columbus.
In addition, the winner likely will hook up with another state rep and look for a hole-in-the-wall apartment to sleep in when they can't get back to their homes. Add to that the chicken and Swiss steak dinners, the endless speeches by grandstanders and the one-issue constituents that continually will hound them over immigration or abortion or whatever. And that drive to and from Columbus very early in the morning or very late at night over and over again. Don't forget that most people believe that state representatives are overpaid (legislators are paid about $59,000 annually).
A lot of people seemed to be surprised that Sayre jumped at the opportunity to take a mid-level job in the county auditor's office. I wasn't. I'm sure he'll feel like he's on a permanent vacation. And he gets to see his kids grow up.
Oh, and he also won't have to host a golf outing/fundraiser, which helped him pay for all those signs that had to be planted every other election year.
I welcome O'Farrell to the local world of politics. He holds an undergraduate degree from Notre Dame and a law degree from Wake Forest, so it would appear he's certainly smart enough. His candidacy is refreshing to say the least.
So, it's not surprising that Twin City Hospital has lost three top administrators, including the chief, Marge Jentes, over the last couple of months. For TCH, though, there are many problems. One source who knows something about health care offered this speculation:
"The 10 highest paid people are physicians employed by the hospital in their primary care medical office. It could be the revenue generated by the hospital-owned medical practices hasn't been sufficient to cover their operating overhead, including the doctors’ salaries.
"The State Franchise Fee -- a tax -- hasn’t helped either, costing TCH $300,000 plus over the two-year state biennium. And just like other hospitals, the amount that Medicare and Medicaid pay hospitals doesn’t cover the cost of caring for those patients...
"I don’t know what their cash reserves are to weather the storm, but if they’ve turned management of the place over to this Pittsburgh firm I’d guess there’s not much cash in the bank to overcome operating losses in the short term."
The "storm" is the recession and with people losing jobs with benefits, that means they get less health care and when they do, they can't pay for it.
American Healthcare Solutions is the consulting firm hired to solve TCH's problems. You can bet that it will at least save the cost of its fee if not the hospital.
O'Farrell also will face off against Republican Allen Landis, 55, of Dover in the November election. The winner, of course, will represent the 96th House District for the next two years and will have to deal with a state budget that will be awash in red ink.
Both candidates seem to be in the right stages of their lives to take on such a thankless job. O'Farrell is the father of a 1-year-old, who I'm assuming is not yet involved in youth league sports (these days one never knows) while Landis is retired from Greer Steel and presumably has plenty of time on his hands.
Being a state representative in Ohio is far from glamorous. Many of the Legislature's members haven't been there long enough to have a handle on anything. Term limits have killed the institutional knowledge that state reps like Bill Hinig had. So, there's a huge learning curve down there in Columbus.
In addition, the winner likely will hook up with another state rep and look for a hole-in-the-wall apartment to sleep in when they can't get back to their homes. Add to that the chicken and Swiss steak dinners, the endless speeches by grandstanders and the one-issue constituents that continually will hound them over immigration or abortion or whatever. And that drive to and from Columbus very early in the morning or very late at night over and over again. Don't forget that most people believe that state representatives are overpaid (legislators are paid about $59,000 annually).
A lot of people seemed to be surprised that Sayre jumped at the opportunity to take a mid-level job in the county auditor's office. I wasn't. I'm sure he'll feel like he's on a permanent vacation. And he gets to see his kids grow up.
Oh, and he also won't have to host a golf outing/fundraiser, which helped him pay for all those signs that had to be planted every other election year.
I welcome O'Farrell to the local world of politics. He holds an undergraduate degree from Notre Dame and a law degree from Wake Forest, so it would appear he's certainly smart enough. His candidacy is refreshing to say the least.
* * *
The first thing consultants do when they are hired to solve a failing or struggling business is examine salaries from top to bottom because for most businesses that is the No. 1 expense. And it's not the employees on the bottom rung who necessarily have to worry, it's the people at the top.So, it's not surprising that Twin City Hospital has lost three top administrators, including the chief, Marge Jentes, over the last couple of months. For TCH, though, there are many problems. One source who knows something about health care offered this speculation:
"The 10 highest paid people are physicians employed by the hospital in their primary care medical office. It could be the revenue generated by the hospital-owned medical practices hasn't been sufficient to cover their operating overhead, including the doctors’ salaries.
"The State Franchise Fee -- a tax -- hasn’t helped either, costing TCH $300,000 plus over the two-year state biennium. And just like other hospitals, the amount that Medicare and Medicaid pay hospitals doesn’t cover the cost of caring for those patients...
"I don’t know what their cash reserves are to weather the storm, but if they’ve turned management of the place over to this Pittsburgh firm I’d guess there’s not much cash in the bank to overcome operating losses in the short term."
The "storm" is the recession and with people losing jobs with benefits, that means they get less health care and when they do, they can't pay for it.
American Healthcare Solutions is the consulting firm hired to solve TCH's problems. You can bet that it will at least save the cost of its fee if not the hospital.
* * *
I caught a piece on "Nightline" the other night about a family in New Hampshire that is "unschooling" its children. It's no wonder that Americans are getting beat in science and mathematics by kids schooled in Asian cultures.
Hopefully, I'm not the only one out there who believes this family is out of control and unlikeable to boot. If this is our future, we're sunk.
Check it out here.
* * *
Just a few years ago, I thought that newspapers would be around for some time to come. That was back when newsrooms were well-funded (relatively speaking) and when paging favored the reader rather than the bottom line.
OK, I've changed my thinking. Publishers across the country have devalued their products by slashing the budgets of newsrooms and the result shows in all of them. A $1.75 (in Dover-New Philadelphia) for a downsized Sunday Akron Beacon Journal with a six-page sports section?
It's getting to the point that the best part of a Sunday newspaper is not the news and features, but the advertising supplements.
And that, folks, is sad.
* * *
I'm hoping that the consultant that is working with the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District comes up with a viable plan to save Atwood Lake Resort and Conference Center, but I'm not optimistic.
When I was an editor employed by Copley Press Inc., we were treated to periodic work sessions at the company's resort -- La Casa Del Zorro -- in Borrego Springs, Calif. It was a beautiful place in the middle of the desert with a four-star restaurant and A-1 service. One could comfortably live in one of the resort's villas indefinitely.
Copley Press sold the resort -- a drain on cash flow in good times -- at the same time it divested itself of its newspapers. In a matter of months, the resort's buyer went bankrupt. La Casa Del Zorro now is shuttered.
Times change.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Jentes out at Twin City Hospital
It's always been my belief that the recession will hurt in waves. Banks, homeowners, manufacturers were hurt first. Up next are governments, including schools, and healthcare, including your local hospital.
Proof?
Marge Jentes is out as CEO of Twin City Hospital. Here's the memo she sent to employees on Monday, May 17:
To: staff
Subject: American Healthcare Solutions
At a special Board meeting this evening, the decision was made to contract with American Healthcare Solutions for the day to day operations of the hospital. As part of this agreement, AHS will be providing all Administrative oversight. I want all of you to know that I fully support this decision. I know that all of us have been impressed with the insight and professionalism that the AHS team has demonstrated in their short time on sight here at TCH and I know that each and every one of you will continue to give them your full cooperation going forward.
While I am sorry to leave TCH, I am also thankful for the opportunity that I have had to work with all of you. Together, we have accomplished many things and now you will have the opportunity to work with a great group of people to ensure that what we have built together will be here for the community for many years to come.
My sincere thanks and best wishes to all of you!
mj
Marge Jentes
American Healthcare Solutions troubleshoots failing and/or financially troubled hospitals and attempts to right the ship by examining all aspects of the budget, including staffing, salaries and pension payments, and then by making hard choices.
Read into that what you will.
Proof?
Marge Jentes is out as CEO of Twin City Hospital. Here's the memo she sent to employees on Monday, May 17:
To: staff
Subject: American Healthcare Solutions
At a special Board meeting this evening, the decision was made to contract with American Healthcare Solutions for the day to day operations of the hospital. As part of this agreement, AHS will be providing all Administrative oversight. I want all of you to know that I fully support this decision. I know that all of us have been impressed with the insight and professionalism that the AHS team has demonstrated in their short time on sight here at TCH and I know that each and every one of you will continue to give them your full cooperation going forward.
While I am sorry to leave TCH, I am also thankful for the opportunity that I have had to work with all of you. Together, we have accomplished many things and now you will have the opportunity to work with a great group of people to ensure that what we have built together will be here for the community for many years to come.
My sincere thanks and best wishes to all of you!
mj
Marge Jentes
American Healthcare Solutions troubleshoots failing and/or financially troubled hospitals and attempts to right the ship by examining all aspects of the budget, including staffing, salaries and pension payments, and then by making hard choices.
Read into that what you will.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Alan Sayre: Goodbye, Columbus
One of the truly good guys in politics -- Alan Sayre -- is stepping down as state representative of Ohio's 96th House District.
He has accepted a position -- chief deputy auditor -- with the Tuscarawas County Auditor's Office. Sayre, assistant majority floor leader, was on the November ballot and was to have faced Dover's Allen Landis, who won the Republican primary earlier this month.
Don't think for a minute that the race scared him. Sayre made the decision primarily because of his family. He has two children and Columbus has kept him from seeing them grow up. I can understand. Kids grow up fast and Sayre and his wife Stephanie have two school-age children, who are involved in activities that a parent doesn't want to miss.
And there's probably also that damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't thing going on, too. I've heard that a lot from frustrated politicians over the years.
Sayre said the Democratic Party chairmen from the three counties that comprise the 96th -- Tuscarawas, Harrison and Belmont - will meet and discuss successors. Presumably, whoever is chosen to fill in for Sayre also will be the November candidate.
Sayre, a moderate, served his district and the state with honesty and dignity. He'll be missed.
He has accepted a position -- chief deputy auditor -- with the Tuscarawas County Auditor's Office. Sayre, assistant majority floor leader, was on the November ballot and was to have faced Dover's Allen Landis, who won the Republican primary earlier this month.
Don't think for a minute that the race scared him. Sayre made the decision primarily because of his family. He has two children and Columbus has kept him from seeing them grow up. I can understand. Kids grow up fast and Sayre and his wife Stephanie have two school-age children, who are involved in activities that a parent doesn't want to miss.
And there's probably also that damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't thing going on, too. I've heard that a lot from frustrated politicians over the years.
Sayre said the Democratic Party chairmen from the three counties that comprise the 96th -- Tuscarawas, Harrison and Belmont - will meet and discuss successors. Presumably, whoever is chosen to fill in for Sayre also will be the November candidate.
Sayre, a moderate, served his district and the state with honesty and dignity. He'll be missed.
Big yuck: Bank customer shows gun to teller
What's up with the dude who showed a gun to a teller at the First National Bank of Dennison branch on the Boulevard while he cashed a check.
It was a joke, he said.
Joke?
There are some things one shouldn't joke about. In a community that has had a dozen or so bank robberies in the last year, brandishing a weapon while one gets a check cashed IS NOT FUNNY.
What, you don't think tellers aren't a little nervous these days?
IT'S NOT FUNNY.
I'll leave in-depth analysis to the folks who cover the team on a daily basis, but methinks there is a chemistry problem. And maybe LeBron really does want to go to New York or Chicago. He vacations in Chicago, you know.
What do we call this episode? "The Elbow"? "The Rondo"? "The Choke"? What?
If LeBron leaves the Cavaliers this summer, move over Art Modell. James will become the most hated figure in Cleveland sports.
How about that for retail dominance?
This is from Dollar General's corporate website: "Dollar General saves you time by staying focused on life's simple necessities: laundry detergent, toilet paper, soap, shampoo, socks and underwear...maybe a gadget or two that you just can't live without. The average Dollar General customer completes her shopping trip in less than 10 minutes."
And a gadget or two that you just can't live without. God help us.
Gibbs is leading Fred Dailey by more than 100 votes and that apparently is enough, at least in Gibbs' mind. If he's right, he'll face U.S. Rep. Zack Space of Dover in the November general election.
Here's Gibbs' mission statement:
"Federal spending and borrowing is so out of control that our national security and individual freedoms are at risk. I am committed as your Congressman to cut the spending and borrowing, and eliminate the practice of earmarks. Washington needs to send the pro-business signals that create confidence in our economy and ensure it is on solid ground so that businesses can confidently make investments and create jobs. The only way to restore confidence is to get spending under control, cut taxes and cut the red tape that is choking our economy."
A lot can happen between now and November but Space should take note of what happened in a West Virginia congressional race on Tuesday: A 14-term incumbent, Rep. Alan B. Mollohan, was tossed in the primary. In addition, an ABC News-Washington Post poll found that 57 percent of Americans will be looking at candidates other than the incumbent during this election season.
And if you don't know what cap-and-trade is now, you will.
It was a joke, he said.
Joke?
There are some things one shouldn't joke about. In a community that has had a dozen or so bank robberies in the last year, brandishing a weapon while one gets a check cashed IS NOT FUNNY.
What, you don't think tellers aren't a little nervous these days?
IT'S NOT FUNNY.
* * *
If you're a Cleveland sports fan as I am, the sad performance by the Cavs Tuesday night was another dagger in the heart. This team doesn't have the heart to win a championship. That was evident Tuesday as the Celtics clobbered them.I'll leave in-depth analysis to the folks who cover the team on a daily basis, but methinks there is a chemistry problem. And maybe LeBron really does want to go to New York or Chicago. He vacations in Chicago, you know.
What do we call this episode? "The Elbow"? "The Rondo"? "The Choke"? What?
If LeBron leaves the Cavaliers this summer, move over Art Modell. James will become the most hated figure in Cleveland sports.
* * *
Hooray for Dover, which is poised to become a two Dollar-General-store town. The new Dollar General store on N. Wooster Ave. is set to open within the month and the old one -- in downtown Dover -- is going to stay in business!How about that for retail dominance?
This is from Dollar General's corporate website: "Dollar General saves you time by staying focused on life's simple necessities: laundry detergent, toilet paper, soap, shampoo, socks and underwear...maybe a gadget or two that you just can't live without. The average Dollar General customer completes her shopping trip in less than 10 minutes."
And a gadget or two that you just can't live without. God help us.
* * *
State Sen. Bob Gibbs, whose farm is located in Holmes County, declared himself the winner in the eight-candidate race for the Republican nomination for the 18th District House seat.Gibbs is leading Fred Dailey by more than 100 votes and that apparently is enough, at least in Gibbs' mind. If he's right, he'll face U.S. Rep. Zack Space of Dover in the November general election.
Here's Gibbs' mission statement:
"Federal spending and borrowing is so out of control that our national security and individual freedoms are at risk. I am committed as your Congressman to cut the spending and borrowing, and eliminate the practice of earmarks. Washington needs to send the pro-business signals that create confidence in our economy and ensure it is on solid ground so that businesses can confidently make investments and create jobs. The only way to restore confidence is to get spending under control, cut taxes and cut the red tape that is choking our economy."
A lot can happen between now and November but Space should take note of what happened in a West Virginia congressional race on Tuesday: A 14-term incumbent, Rep. Alan B. Mollohan, was tossed in the primary. In addition, an ABC News-Washington Post poll found that 57 percent of Americans will be looking at candidates other than the incumbent during this election season.
And if you don't know what cap-and-trade is now, you will.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Who are those guys (and gal)?
Republicans must think that U.S. Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, is vulnerable. That's apparently why eight people are facing off in the Republican primary on Tuesday.
That's right -- eight people. You think they're smelling blood?
Here's the list:
Beau Bromberg, Newark;
Fred Dailey, Mount Vernon
Dave Daubenmire, Thornville
Bob Gibbs, Lakeville
Ron Hood, Ashville
Hombre Liggett, Dover
Jeanette Moll, Zanesville
Michael D. Royer, Malvern
According to the Columbus Dispatch, Moll is the favorite although Gibbs, a state senator, is the guy the party wants. The Dispatch says straw polls put Liggett in second place with Gibbs second from last.
Republicans should remember this when they go to the polls: More than anything else, Zack Space's residency -- Tuscarawas County -- will have a far larger impact on the results than his stand on cap-and-trade or healthcare reform. Tuscarawas County contains the largest pool of voters in the district and if Space runs well there, he will likely retain the seat if only breaking even everywhere else.
And voters traditionally have given passes to their congressmen while complaining at the same time how worthless Congress is.
That's not to say that Space will have an easy ride to re-election. He won't, but unless something unexpected happens between now and November, he should win re-election no matter whom Republicans nominate on Tuesday.
That,. folks, is ridiculous.
No. Vote yes on Issue 2.
I think the main premise of the Tea Party is that the government ought not to be spending money it doesn't have. OK, so what does it think we ought to cut? Medicare? Social Security? Defense? What?
Therein lies the problem. As far as I can tell, there is no consensus. Except the anger thing. And the fact that its members don't like President Barack Obama.
That's right -- eight people. You think they're smelling blood?
Here's the list:
Beau Bromberg, Newark;
Fred Dailey, Mount Vernon
Dave Daubenmire, Thornville
Bob Gibbs, Lakeville
Ron Hood, Ashville
Hombre Liggett, Dover
Jeanette Moll, Zanesville
Michael D. Royer, Malvern
According to the Columbus Dispatch, Moll is the favorite although Gibbs, a state senator, is the guy the party wants. The Dispatch says straw polls put Liggett in second place with Gibbs second from last.
Republicans should remember this when they go to the polls: More than anything else, Zack Space's residency -- Tuscarawas County -- will have a far larger impact on the results than his stand on cap-and-trade or healthcare reform. Tuscarawas County contains the largest pool of voters in the district and if Space runs well there, he will likely retain the seat if only breaking even everywhere else.
And voters traditionally have given passes to their congressmen while complaining at the same time how worthless Congress is.
That's not to say that Space will have an easy ride to re-election. He won't, but unless something unexpected happens between now and November, he should win re-election no matter whom Republicans nominate on Tuesday.
* * *
Here's an easy prediction: former Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher will defeat Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Brunner recently called out Fisher for referring to her as "Jennifer" during a recent debate. She said Fisher was not respecting her by referring to her by first name.That,. folks, is ridiculous.
* * *
The state's voters are being called on to change the location of the Columbus casino (State Issue 2). That's what happens when we screw with the Constitution rather than legislating change. Should voters in Tuscarawas County care about where the folks in Franklin County put their casino?No. Vote yes on Issue 2.
* * *
Prediction: The Tea Party phenomenon will fizzle as soon as people realize that it really offers nothing but anger at the way things are going.I think the main premise of the Tea Party is that the government ought not to be spending money it doesn't have. OK, so what does it think we ought to cut? Medicare? Social Security? Defense? What?
Therein lies the problem. As far as I can tell, there is no consensus. Except the anger thing. And the fact that its members don't like President Barack Obama.
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