Ohio Voters Call for Big Ideas

We all knew Ohio was going to matter in the 2008 presidential election. We just didn't know it would be this soon.

As the candidates and their surrogates scurried from the Mahoning Valley to the Miami Valley, we heard the echoes of 2006.

Here's what we--as participants and observers--learned then.

In 2006, Ohio voters resoundingly shouted "stop" to a government which they believe betrayed them. Voters said "no" to pharmaceutical firms writing Medicare law, the insurance industry drafting health care legislation, oil companies dictating energy policy. No more job killing trade agreements. No more special tax privileges for hedge fund managers. No more privatizing government services to line the pockets of campaign contributors.

Now in 2008, voters are asking for something more.

During my first 13 months in the US Senate, I convened more than 85 roundtables, open discussions with community leaders and activists, to learn how we all could work together. Their local problems are more often than not our national problems. Plant shutdowns sending jobs overseas. High energy prices afflicting businesses, homeowners, and renters. Woefully underfunded water and sewer and highway needs.

Voters are looking for big ideas much more than the typically cautious, incremental change at the margins that is usually offered up at campaign time.

Ohioans sense a structural shakiness to our economy. A shrinking, anxious, middle class. Frustrated Ohioans working harder for less money. The loss of hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs with an out-of-control trade deficit. A three billion dollar-a-week war with no end in sight. And, exploding budget deficits infecting the next generation.

As Ohioans have told me, we need to increase buying power among the two-thirds of the American people who have, in too many cases, maxed out their credit cards and borrowed all that they could. Families who, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich points out, have two wage earners and work longer hours than almost anyone else in the world.

More than anything, Ohio voters want to hear big ideas. Perhaps a Manhattan project for infrastructure and alternative energy. Maybe a Marshall Plan that would build our manufacturing base and create good paying jobs. Or a tax and trade policy which rewards corporations that play by the rules and are loyal to our communities and our nation.

The candidate with big ideas will likely win on November 4th. More importantly, come January 2009, the new president will have a blue print for how to repair a fundamentally crippled economy.

-- U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (OH)

Comments

[Bocababs]

Yeah...Ohi­o is waiting on BIG WHITE IDEAS. Look at who voted last night.

[nazgul]

"Voters are looking for big ideas much more than the typically cautious, incremental change at the margins that is usually offered up at campaign time. "

Which is why they voted for Hillary McSame, the triangulator, the Washington insider?

[Slainte]

Unfortunately, Senator, Ohio may want big ideas, but yesterday's vote merely proved the State electorate too ignorant to deserve that of which you speak. When 20% of the electorate, mostly in our unsavory rural areas declares race to be a major part of the decision making process and then vote against an African American candidate, for that reason alone? Any corporation thinking of entering into business in our State should be aware of the rampant racism that still exists and is encouraged in Ohio.

And it doesn't help matters having, our Governor, or yesterday's primary winner, openly supporting the sale of "Osama for Obama" t-shirts at their victory event. It's enough to make me want to help our State go Red again. It hasn't been that long. At least the Republicans are honest about their swiftboating.

[MilwaukeeDan]

Slainte, I couldn't agree with you more, I'm not sure what "big ideas" the senator is talking about. It was Mrs. Clinton's husband that screwed the Midwest with NAFTA, and they still voted for her. Could it be that those "hundreds of thousands" that lost their manufacturing jobs no longer call Ohio home(I run into many former Ohioans in Florida). Talk about disconnection from reality, jeez.

[S5Whiskey]

Relevant and to the point. Thank you.


Take notes Senator Brown.

[McSnarky]

Sorry, but my Bull-Crap-O-Meter pegs clear off the charts when I read garbage like this. Come on, "unsavory rural areas" are racist for voting for Clinton? How racist is it to make a blanket condemnation like that? I've got news for you, defining groups of people simply based upon their group identity is the epitome of racism, or didn't you know that? Is it racism or just good citizenship when upwards of 90% of African Americans vote monolithically for the black candidate? Let me guess, in your ultra-pure urban view of the world that's just good civics. Get real.....

[WAdem]

McSnarky is correct here. You can be an advocate for racial equality and still recognize that race will impact the general election. Blacks have to recognize that while they overwhelmingly supported Obama during the primaries, this will not be worth spit in red states come November when everyone votes. The bigots turn out to vote in the South. Sorry.

[Nommo]

Ohio had the opportunity to be a big idea and instead went down the same thorny crown path. Now, how does that go, "fool me once...?

[McSnarky]

Funny how an apparent supporter of The Messiah uses the thorny crown reference.­...

[Nommo]

Not funny at all. Did you read where the "king of porno" just died. Funny thing is, that for all he did, he could not begin to match the salaciousness of Bill, Hillary, Monica and Ken-boy.
And all on our taxes.

It is what you'd call a wasted life, but you would never call it funny.

Ha Ha.

[TLV]

And you are endorsing.­.....?

[scooperss]

Actually we're still waiting for Congress to do the job that it was elected to do in 2006.

[vippy]

I have to agree with it. Have we ever been duped by this congress. Now the voters of Ohio, who
are really in a precarious situation jobwise, voted for Hillary. I just don't get it. In her past
she was against unions, she always voted on the side of the GOP, therefore she is being called
a GOP Lite. Bill said, that when she is in the White House Bush1 will assist her. Helloooo!!!!
I don't expect many changes from Obama either, we let the good candidates go already.
A leopard does not change his spots and Hillary won't either. She is for the corporations and she
will owe them. Her healthcare plan will cost us plenty but then you voted for her.

[davidly]

"...we let the good candidates go already. "

And an Ohioan at that!

[anika]

yeah and it would be nice if freshmen senators leading sub-committees on NATA and afghanistan did their jobs .... -- we elected them for action not talk ....