Thrown Out Of Work? Have A Drug Test

Friday evening, when everyone was freaking out about Irene, Chris Hayes was freaking out about something more directly man-made, the Ohio Republican Party's latest plan to kick the unemployed while they're down. A video of the segment is embedded above. "The legislation," opined the always astute Hayes, "is being driven by the apparently unkillable prejudice that the poor are shiftless, drug-addled lay-abouts scheming to get their hands on your precious, precious, gooey tax dollars."



Buoyed by what an embarrassing failure Rick Scott's drug testing bill has been in Florida-- all it proved is that poor people use far less drugs than the average American, probably because they can't afford them-- Ohio Republicans see it as another battle in their vicious class war against the poor. They're coming up with their own bill-- one that is much worse than Rick Scott's! Perhaps next Ohio Republicans will follow Rick Scott and Florida Republicans down the political sewer of cutting back on the health clinics that serve... who else?... poor people. So many ways out there for well-financed right-wingers to attack poor people.

To balance the budget, state lawmakers slashed funding for county health departments, and along with other federal cuts, it resulted in $55.6 million being cut this year from the health agency's $2.9 billion budget.



Already, 172 county health department workers have been targeted for elimination statewide. Some have already been laid off, left or switched jobs, including doctors, nurses and support staff.



Another round of layoffs will happen next month and raise those statewide totals, including 30 staffers in Orange County. Osceola County laid off 37 workers earlier this year, shrinking its staff to 200, and dozens more health workers will be let go next month in departments across Florida.



To make ends meet, some health departments have shut down offices and reduced services for immunizations, women's and prenatal health, children's dental care, AIDS treatment and other needs. County clinics often provide free services for the poor and underinsured working poor.



"They have a good system," said Dewey, who recently moved from Illinois to Central Florida with her 11- and 14-year-old kids. "But there's so many people who need help. I don't know how they can cut their budgets."



Local health officials also monitor for contaminated drinking water, rabies, flu and mosquito-borne illnesses and staff special-needs shelters during hurricanes. Osceola's layoffs cut across its entire department, an official there said.



"We knew those cuts were coming and the impacts would be devastating in some circles," said Laura Goodhue, executive director of the Florida Community Health Action Information Network, a group that advocates for more access. "A lot of people depend on health departments for care."

Back in Ohio, Tim Schaffer, a former p.r. hack who was elected to the legislature from Fairfield County in 2000, serves as Chairman of the Senate Ways and Means and Economic Development Committee. Previous to Friday's MSNBC exposé (above) revealing his role in the GOP class war against working families, Schaffer was best known for a harebrained bill that allows Ohio gun nuts and violent criminals to carry concealed weapons in bars and restaurants provided that they are not consuming alcohol. The bill was strongly opposed by bar and restaurants owners and workers and by both the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio. But the MTA, the Republican Party and John Kasich love it and Schaffer's bill passed and was signed into law.



Tim Grendell, long one of Ohio's most controversial GOP nut cases, and who is conspiring with Schaffer against the unemployed on this mandatory drug testing bill, was also first elected to the legislature in 2000, to represent Geauga County. He's the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary-Criminal Justice Committee. He was one of the few Republicans to oppose Ohio's union-bashing anti-collective bargaining law and is thought to be working with Schaffer on this one to regain his right-wing cred with party extremists. (He had previously been a key backer of Schaffer's guns-and-booze bill.)



And, like Hayes pointed out in his monologue, Grendell and Schaffer want anyone seeking unemployment insurance to pay for their own drug tests. I guess that's because the Florida law it's based on is not only showing that poor people use less drugs but is winding up costing Florida taxpayers a lot of money-- rather than saving them any. Rick Scott's mean-spirited foray into class warfare is costing Florida taxpayers over $40,000 a month in reimbursements for basically showing that welfare recipients aren't a bunch of drug addicts. Hayes:

The Florida and Ohio drug testing laws come at a time when Republicans are launching a new attack on the working poor. In his presidential announcement speech, Texas Governor Rick Perry expressed outrage that 46.4% of households paid no federal income tax in 2011... He's not outraged that the injustice that nearly half of American households work but are paid so little that their take-home pay barely covers basic necessities. He's outraged because they're not paying more taxes.

Rick Perry feels pretty

Nick Ruiz, Blue America-endorsed candidate running for a central Florida congressional seat currently held by a garden variety teabagger, is outraged too-- but not because working families aren't paying enough taxes. No fan of his state's extremist governor, Ruiz thinks both Florida and Ohio are unfairly targeting people who have been thrown out of work.

"The whole drug testing-private-prison complex paradigm is the fantastic conjuration of conservative imbeciles who have no faith in the working poor of America. It is literally the abandonment of Americans that is being purveyed by fanatics like John Kasich (R-OH) and Rick Scott (R-FL) As if drug abuse had some moral component. It does not. Rather, it is a disease, like cancer or heart disease, and all medical authorities reveal drug abuse as such. But let's not forget, conservatives like these don't believe in global warming, don't believe in evolution, and do believe they have the God-given right to control the female body, and police sexual orientation. These hypocrites epitomize the Big Government they decry as a way of life.



"The facts are simple. People abuse cigarettes and alcohol everyday-- shall the Republicans deny these people benefits as well? And who else? The disabled, or mentally incapacitated? We've been down this road before as a people. It leads to great suffering, abuse and inhumanity. To deny citizens, employed or not, basic public services like unemployment insurance or other welfare programs because of a disease is categorically inhumane and should be denounced as such."

If you'd like to help replace a crackpot teabagger (Sandy Adams in this instance) with Nick, think about contributing to his campaign fund. One lucky contributor today-- regardless of how big or small the contribution-- will get a thank you note from Blue America along with 3 autographed books-- The Truth by Al Franken, Framing the Debate by Jeffrey Feldman, and The Audacity of Greed by Jonathan Tasini. Just contribute (any amount) to Nick Ruiz's campaign here and you'll have a shot at getting all 3 signed books.





UPDATE: How About Lie Detector Tests For State Legislators!



What a great idea I just ran across from Dave the Wave at Daily Kos. Voters in Ohio are proposing a new law requiring all Ohio legislators, administration officials, and the governor pass monthly lie detector tests related to kickbacks,  campaign contributions, sweetheart contracts, voter caging, and lobbying activity.



Each month government officials would be required to pass a battery of questions regarding government expenditures and legislation. Officials who failed the tests would be suspended pending further investigation and subject to recall elections.

Sample of the questions:



1. Have you accepted any campaign donations as a condition of access to your office?



2. Have you failed to report any offers of campaign donations as a prerequisite to performing a service or awarding a contract?



3. Have you discussed proposing legislation for receiving campaign contributions with anyone?



4. Have you lied to your constituents about the purpose of any proposed legislation?



5. Have you accepted campaign contributions from any interest groups without revealing the source of the contributions.



6. Have you spent time soliciting campaign contributions during normal work hours from 8:00 AM till 5:00 PM?



7. Have you or any member of your staff participated in attempts to reduce the participation of legal voters by sending false information regarding voter eligibility, time or date of elections?

And... aren't these questions perfect for Florida as well?

Cincinnati Wing-Nut Steve Chabot's Constituents Jeer His Anti-Choice Fanaticism

On Monday an Iraq War vet and progressive Ohio state legislator, Rep. Connie Pillich, did a guest post for us here about her battle against John Kasich's fascist anti-union agenda. At the time I found a floor speech she gave in Columbus that I thought showed what she's made of and asked for readers to consider chipping in a contribution for her campaign. I reposted it above. Why again? And so fast?



Her opponent is a pathetic John Boehner clone named Steve Chabot, who Cincinnati voters fired in 2008 and who managed to slip back into office in the Great Shellacking of 2010, mostly because of dissatisfaction with the Democrats' tepid agenda for what they promised would be Change. In 2008, 155,089 voters (52%) elected moderate Democrat Steve Driehaus over the incumbent Chabot, who they gave 140,469 votes (48%). Two years later far fewer voters came out for the rematch. But Chabot only lost 36,699 votes, while Driehaus had a catastrophic 62,417 voter falloff (allowing Chabot to regain the seat with 51%, even edging Driehaus in Hamilton County, which is a relatively Democratic stronghold.



Next year, voters won't have to chose between a conservative Democrat and a more conservative Republican. Connie comes from the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt wing of the Democratic Party. She's all about the legitimate aspirations of ordinary working families. And Chabot is... still as extreme and far from the mainstream as ever. Monday be was abusive towards constituents who wanted to talk with him about unacceptably high unemployment in the region and was booed and jeered at his own Cincinnati town hall meeting-- and it centered on his virulent opposition to federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

After a citizen asked the congress-man why he stood “against funding Planned Parenthood when public funds are not used for abortion,” Chabot argued that the money was fungible so he opposed funding because “they are the largest abortion provider in the United States.” This response brought loud jeers and shouts of “no!” from the audience. When Chabot later accused Planned Parenthood of using federal funds for abortion, one constituent asked, “Do you have any proof of that happening?” Chabot declined to respond.



...By Chabot’s logic, Congress ought to strip federal funding for any religious organizations that receive federal funds to finance their charitable and social work because “money is fungible.” Yet it’s difficult to imagine Republicans will use the same standard to target groups like the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops any time soon.



Still, the questioner makes an important point that ought not be missed in the discussion: Planned Parent is vitally important to women’s health care, especially poor women. Despite Sen. Jon Kyl’s (R-AZ) assertion that abortion is “well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does,” in fact, it accounts for just 3 percent of their services. The other 97 percent includes such procedures as breast cancer exams, STI testing, and cervical cancer screening.



Yet if Chabot and Republicans in Congress had their way, Planned Parenthood would lose $330 million in federal funding that would otherwise be used to provide critical medical services to women across the country.

So... if you'd like to see a strong progressive woman working for working families in that seat instead of a crackpot like Chabot, you can help Connie win the election here.

Guest Post From Rep. Connie Pillich (D-OH): Ohio's Senate Bill 5

State Rep. Connie Pillich is running for the Cincinnati-bassed House seat currently occupied by GOP corporate shill Steve Chabot

Now that the recall elections are over in Wisconsin, all eyes should be turning to Ohio. In Ohio, an even more restrictive anti-collective bargaining law was passed by the Republican-dominated legislature and signed into law by the Republican governor in March.



While teachers were demonstrating in Madison, thousands of fire fighters, police officers, teachers, nurses, hospital workers, school bus drivers, and many others were protesting in Columbus. We just didn’t get the national press.



Ohio’s law restricts collective bargaining for all public employees, including safety personnel such as police officers, fire fighters, and nurses. The law, called Senate Bill 5, was introduced by one lone state senator without a single co-sponsor. It quickly drew the ire of public employees, their unions, and their friends.



In its original form, SB 5 prohibited all collective bargaining for all public employees. Later it was amended to permit what the sponsor called collective bargaining for wages. This “bargaining” eliminated arbitration, giving the final say on any contract to the employer. In reality, this is nothing more than collective begging. One does not need to be an attorney to understand the patent unfairness of such a provision. The bill also contains unconstitutional provisions and hurts veterans.



Using the power of social media, public employee unions urged their members, their families, and their supporters to attend the committee hearings on SB 5. Hundreds and thousands heard the call. They began to pack the State House on committee hearing days. The Republican hierarchy began to panic at the response. Had they really not anticipated this reaction? By eliminating collective bargaining, they not only were taking away people’s rights, they also were jeopardizing their livelihoods and safety equipment.



Ohio’s State House has been the site of many protests and gatherings over its 150-year history. The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board is well-equipped to accommodate large crowds who attend committee hearings and sessions. They prepare over-flow rooms for the crowds, setting up thousands of chairs and piping in the audio from the committee room. CSRAB prepared for these protests as they had done for others. But too many people came.



I made sure to walk from my office over to the State House during the protests. I not only wanted to show my support for the public employees, but I also got a pick-me-up from visiting. As a Democrat serving at a time when the Republican majority was introducing such draconian legislation, I loved stopping by the State House to see several thousand of my friends. I would walk over, roam through the crowds and find people from my district. Every now and then, people would erupt into a cheer, or start clapping their hands. Other than that, it was pretty peaceful as they strained to listen to the committee proceedings. I would chat for a while, and then I would head off to my next appointment. But on February 22nd, everything changed.



On that day, the doors to the State House were barricaded to keep Ohioans out.



Every door to the State House, the Senate Office Building, and the Atrium-- which connects the two-- was blocked by State Troopers. They granted entry only to state legislators, staff, people on official business, lobbyists, and 700 citizens who wanted to listen to the hearings on Senate Bill 5. The remaining thousands who wished to listen to the hearings were forced to wait outside in sub-freezing temperatures for hours while vast expanses of the large State House complex remained empty.



Attempts to learn who ordered the paltry limit and who had the authority to modify that order were rather fruitless, as troopers suggested I call the dispatch clerk (no answer) or the Columbus Fire Marshall (there isn’t one).



State Rep. Teresa Fedor marched right past the State Troopers and opened the doors herself, letting dozens more in. State Rep. Bob Hagan convinced Troopers to allow an additional 500 people in. Other state reps. were permitted to escort dozens more. But thousands continued to wait outside in the cold. We handed out cookies, coffee, and doughnuts and led spectators in cheers and chants. Fire fighters played bag pipes.



Unable to get relief from the barricaded doors through the chain of command, Democrats opted to seek an injunction in court to keep the State House open. Under the threat of a lawsuit, Republicans opened the doors and permitted many to enter late in the day.



It is an abomination that we had to resort to such action. The State House is the people’s house! It is normally open to everyone. It provides the forum for people to petition their government. It is the very essence of our First Amendment rights to assemble and speak freely. To deny entry to ordinary citizens who merely wish to listen-- and chant and clap-- is nothing short of tyranny.



Is this what we have come to? I had to wonder.



Governor Kasich signed SB 5 into law on March 31st. Public employee unions and their supporters immediately began a referendum effort to put SB 5 on the statewide ballot in November. On June 29th I joined about 6,000 people as we marched to the Secretary of State’s office. We delivered 1500 boxes of petitions holding 1.3 million signatures of people demanding to put SB 5 on the ballot. SB 5 will be Issue 2 this November. A “No” on Issue 2 means a repeal of SB 5.



With a majority of Ohioans opposing SB 5, the lines are being drawn. Business groups and chambers of commerce are officially endorsing the embattled bill. The middle class, working families, fire fighters, police, teachers, nurses, and those who appreciate them are lining up on the other side. This issue and the division it is causing are symptoms of the growing polarization in our state and nation. SB 5, if enacted, will be another step in the dismantling of the middle class, ruining the livelihood that has sustained so many families and local communities. And shutting down the engine that has driven our national economy for 60 years.



This week, Governor Kasich announced he is interested in “talking” with SB 5/Issue 2 opponents. I suppose he has seen the polling that shows a huge majority of Ohioans oppose SB 5. He claims he hopes to find a compromise that will avoid the costly referendum election this fall. Opponents are pleased that he has finally admitted that the bill is flawed, unfair, and unconstitutional, as well as harmful to veterans. But the idea that he suddenly wants to talk is ludicrous. Where was he when thousands descended on the capitol last winter? Instead of talking, he hid behind locked doors.



If Gov. Kasich is really interested in compromise, he and the Republic legislative leadership should show an act of good faith: Convene the legislature and repeal SB 5 this month. Then all parties can sit at the same table to craft a mutually agreeable solution. Anything short of a full repeal this month would destroy all goodwill between the two sides. And, it will reveal the Governor’s statement for what it truly is: a campaign tactic in this difficult battle.



The mobilization of ordinary, working people in response to the draconian content of SB 5 and the tyrannical efforts to keep people out of the State House has been amazing. It has been the one bright spot in this year of terrible legislative policy by the Ohio Republicans.



Rep. Connie Pillich



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UPDATE From Howie



I looked around the archives for a video that would show something of Connie's soul as a public servant. I found several. I want to share this one with you just as I ask you to consider chipping in for her election campaign at our ActBlue page.