Disclaimer: The following is meant to stimulate discussion and does not necessarily represent the views of the GCYR, any member(s) who didn’t contribute to the post or the Republican Party at any level.

How time flies! It seems like just yesterday I was debating my friends about whether Y2K was going to do us all in. Okay, maybe it doesn’t seem like yesterday, but it is hard to believe I’ve arrived in the fourth decade I’ve been alive in!

As I rang in 2010 with some friends, I reflected back on what New Years 1999/2000 looked like. I was 14 years old, living with my dad in West Virginia. I was all about stage theater, even though I was rarely cast above a chorus role, so my dad allowed me to invite my theater company friends over for a new years party in the basement. I couldn’t drive. I didn’t work. I had never lived outside of West Virginia. I had adults all around me (parents, counselors, ministers, teachers, neighbors…) helping me with every decision: what classes to take, who to hang out with, how late to stay out, what food to eat, what church to attend, what colleges/majors to consider, what to spend my money on. And that was great! I owe an enormous portion of my success and happiness as an adult to all those people who spent time helping me learn the ways of the world.

I’m almost 25 now, though, and those same people would not be so patient if I still required that kind of help. If my dad’s accountant daughter called him up asking for $20 to go to a movie with friends or if I somehow ended up with scurvy because I preferred to eat frozen pizza for every meal, well… there comes a time when the people in my life would run out of patience for an adult who still needs to be tended like a child.

As a teenager, I had a few fender-benders with my car. I tried out several churches and took classes on multiple world religions before I picked a church. I transferred colleges and I changed my major - twice. And yes, there were moments, if not periods, of discomfort in each of these experiences. However, it was not during the times when people imparted knowledge upon me that I learned how to do things and took responsibility for myself - it was during the times they stood back and let me try to use those skills myself.

Going in to 2010, I can’t help but look at this big, ugly, filibuster-proof liberal tri-fecta we have in Washington and shrug. From schools to healthcare, guns to road construction, retirement benefits to union votes, this administration wants to run it all! Just like a child or a teenager, it’s true there will be less uncertainty and fewer trials if the government is “in charge” of everything, but we have to take a look back and decide if that’s affordable. For instance, I can agree more people will have access to healthcare if the government runs it, but over time more people will rely on that healthcare who would have otherwise provided for themselves. I believe government should be like a parent - providing for those (people/states/countries) that are having an emergency but with the goal always being for them to eventually provide for themselves. And, like a parent who has a limited amount of patience, there has to be a line we draw where we run out of money and recognize that “to each his own” should apply to responsibility, not just freedom.

It is hard for me to understand why our Congress is approving close to a trillion dollars in additional spending in the very same week they are raising our debt limit to $12 trillion. I certainly wouldn’t run my household or my business that way, and if I knew somebody who did, I certainly wouldn’t choose that person to run my life in my absence. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to Election Day 2010 as a chance to tell my elected officials at all levels that I value my freedom, even if it comes with some responsibility, and that they need to stop spending so much money!

What do you think??

Posted by Tiffany Hoke, VP of Finance & Administration

The Greater Cleveland Young Republicans co-sponsored a debate among local leaders regarding the various Cuyahoga County Reform initiatives.  GCYR President Joe Amschlinger called out AFL-CIO Labor Leader Harriet Applegate about her beleif that there are checks and balances in Cuyahoga County government - forward to 46:57 on the first link to hear Joe’s question and the bumbling attempt to defend the corrupted government of Cuyahoga County.

http://www.cityclub.org/Media/Audio/CityClubPodcast-090826.mp3 (source: WCPN/NPR Podcast of 8/26 City Club Debate)

http://www.wcpn.org/WCPN/news/27620/ (source: WCPN/NPR story on the debate)

http://clevelandmagazinepolitics.blogspot.com/2009/08/county-executive-or-not-city-club.html (source: Cleveland Magazine Blog article on the debate)

Members of the Greater Cleveland Young Republican Club meet with a delegation from Venezuela and found more common ground than you might think.

http://www.laprensatoledo.com/Stories/2009/082809/Venezuelan.htm (source: La Prensa)

That’s right.  A municipal government is considering reducing the pay of employees.  Don’t worry.  These are the working shlubs not tithing to a public service employees union.  Its just the department heads and other non-union working stiffs that will forgo raises and may take cuts.

Who are these council members?  Are they nuts?  Is it those snooty Gates Mills or Pepper Pike employees that might be getting their pay cut? Nope!  Is it Parma, ha ha even you knew it wasn’t them.  It must be an affluent suburb, right?

Wrong. It’s Mentor, Ohio.

Remember: we are the GREATER Cleveland YR’s.  Not the Cuyahoga County YR’s.  We do go to other cities and counties for social engagements and make friends.

Anyhow, our friends in Lake County are setting an example that Cuyahoga County Democrat henchman like Mayor Dean Dipiero and Parma City Council better take a look at: cutting pay and staff.  Sadly, that means their siblings kids and their friends that marched in parades for them and Bill Mason may not be able to buy that iPhone or donate to next year’s commissioner campaigns.

Mentor has an employee pay rol 364 deep.  The unions have not gotten to 118 people.  So, 118 City of Mentor employees may face reduced pay and reduced benefits.  This includes, get this, council staff!  This same council staff is reported to get not vacation or sick time!  Of course, the rest of the pay roll are union members and will continue to receive 3% cost of living adjustments.

Can you imagine telling Joe Cimperman or Martin Sweeney that they have to work more than 20 weeks a year on less that $72,000?! Or, how about that their $25, 000/year expense accounts or going to be cut.

Maybe the municipalities in Cuyahoga County will wake-up.

Not going to happen.

Let’s face it.  While not perfect (by a loooooooong shot), Ohio’s Senate passed a budget that contains an amendment DIRECTED at reforming Cuyahoga County’s (lack of efficient, ethical) government.  The exact amendment was worded such that it would apply to large Counties with a population right around…you guessed…Cuyahoga County.

For months and months the Plain Dealer has beat the County Reform drum.  In fact, about every other week the editorial page and Metro section staff (air) publish the “dirty laundry” laying around the rooms and hall ways of our 10, 000 strong county government.  These exposes have included such hits as the infamous “mug shots” of county employees and their connections to the elected officals’ office in which they take up space.  It is clear that the Plain Dealer has been pushing an agenda; do not trust the Plain Dealer because it too will be bankrupt soon.  Heck, the Plain Dealer like County Government must lay off people.

The Senate Republicans have proposed a plan put together by Senator Tim Grendel and Senator Tom Patton.  This YR has met both and thinks both mean well.  However, the plan proposed by the honorable Senators is does not go far enough to reform.  In fact, one could make the argument that it actually may make government bigger!  Basically, the plan would replace the three county commissioners with thirteen county councilman and an executive.  Furthermore,  the auditor, recorder and treasurer would be rolled into one appointed roll; fiscal officer.  The coroner and engineer would also be appointed.  This leaves the sheriff and prosecutor up for election, by…get this…, the people!

This isn’t even a start.  Also, it means we would end up with more corrupt career Democrat politicians. This seems to increase government and manufacture more patronage machines.  Anything on ethics, spending, anything?

Local democrats are moaning and wailing.  County Commissioners fired off a letter charging that this is be driven by the Plain Dealer and Republican Party in so many words.

However, given the amount of money the Federal Government is spending investigating corruption in local government can we afford to listen to the same people whose homes and offices are being raided, and whose employees are being indicted on extortion?

It seems that the State of Ohio is hanging onto sanity for dear life via Senate Republicans.  The Governor and the State’s House of Representatives have served up a $56 billion budget to Ohio tax payers who also will have to pay the bill.  Governor Strickland, House Speaker Armond Budish, and Senate President Bill Harris have pledged NOT  to raise taxes.

However, you and I know that we can not pay for this budget without borrowing and raising taxes.  So, what’s goin’ on?  You got it!  Uncle Obama is sending us check via the so-called “Stimulus” spending.  Now, anyone with a pulse, expect Ohio’s News Media, is asking “What happens when Uncle Obama stops sending checks?”

Enter Senate Republicans, Stage middle right (not exactly from the right you notice).  Sentate Republicans have proposed a very, very modest 1.8% decrease in the over-the-top State budget.  This will be largely accomplished by cutting, GASP, earmarked projects (approx. $140), and around $400 million from State Agencies.

Senate Republicans do not deserve accolades, kudos, or even a pat on the back: THEY PROPOSED A MEASLY 1.8% reduction in spending.  How about proposing a 20% reduction and settling for 15%, boys!?

“The Red-Coats are coming! The Red-Coats are coming!” The horse was running as fast as it could run. The man was crying at the top of his voice, “The Red-Coats are coming! Get ready!” If it was midnight. That is the reason history calls it, “Paul Revere and the mid-night ride.”

The load was getting heavier and heavier! Then came the “Boston Tea Party” and the “Stamp Act.” To add one more thing to the heavy load of taxes the British put on the Stamp Act to raise more taxes. That was when Patrick Henry made the famous speech and spoke those words that have been ringing down through the ages, “Give me liberty or give me death.” I wish people had the “back-bone” to say the same thing today.

Unfortunately, North East Ohio, Cuyahoga county more specifically, lacks a screaming voice in the night with a blazing torch warning of the perils of a bloated oppressive government imposing onerous taxes on its residents.  Instead, we have a News Paper that has dutifully campaigned for tax-after-tax-after-tax.  The residents of Cuyahoga County have been all too willing accomplices with local elected democrats and The Plain Dealer.

Case in point: on May 6th, 2009 Cuyhoga county Residents had ballots containing eighteen issues, of which fourteen were legislation seeking to seize more public capital.  Thirteen of fourteen tax issues were passed by Cuyahoga county Residents on May 6th, 2009.  The only tax issue not passing was the Parma School Levy.  Despite use of young children by Parma’s Superintendent and School Board to hawk a tax increase by strategically placing billboards with their faces voters soundly rejected the measure.  The price paid: 50 teachers must go.  Thank local democrat party insider J. Kevin Kelly, the Cuyahoga County Democrat Party and its Chairman as well; they cost 50 teachers their jobs.

The rest of the twelve tax issues passing ranged from added income taxes in Brooklyn and Warresnville Heights to added taxes for school levies in North Royalton and Bedford.  Despite the worst economic downturn in a life time local elected democrats asked you raise taxes and almost everyone obliged!