Ohio Legislature Leads Nation Toward a U.S. Balanced Budget Amendment

From the Balanced Budget Task Force

LEESBURG, Virginia (November 20, 2013) - Today, the Ohio General Assembly answered Governor John Kasich's call to action by passing a resolution, with bipartisan support, demanding that Congress set the time and place for a Convention of the States to draft a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Article V of the Constitution provides both Congress and the states with equal authority to propose an amendment. Under Article V. of the U.S. Constitution thirty-four states need to pass a similar resolution to initiate a convention for the sole purpose of drafting a balanced budget amendment.

The total U.S. debt has increased every year since 1957. Now, only 12 countries out of world's 196 have a higher debt to G.D.P. ratio than does the U.S. (102%). Among these are Greece - 157%, Zimbabwe-151%, Jamaica-146%, Italy-127% and Portugal -124%.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Admiral Mike Mullen stated, "I've said many times that I believe the single, biggest threat to our national security is our debt."

Read more here.

KASICH CALLS FOR FEDERAL BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT

Ohio’s Fiscal Health, Other States’ Balanced Budget Requirements Are Models for Washington

COLUMBUS – Frustrated by the increasing inability of Washington to responsibly manage the nation’s finances, today Ohio Gov. John R. Kasich called on states to lead the effort to enact a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  He also called for the Ohio General Assembly to help jump start the effort by passing a resolution calling for a constitutional convention that would approve a balanced budget amendment.

Kasich issued the following statement:

Read John Kasich's Obamacare Letter

Ohio Governor John Kasich has released his letter declining to establish an Obamacare Insurance Exchange.  Read it below:
Kasich Letter Declining to Establish Insurance Exchange

Read more about Ohio's response to Obamacare here.

Kettering Voters 2, Council 0

Good news in the fight for liberty and limited government

Grass roots activist group, Citizens for a Better Kettering, conducted an initiative petition drive and election campaign that resulted in voters handily approving two charter amendments on Nov 6.  We achieved this despite a fierce opposition campaign that appears to have been orchestrated by disgruntled Council members.

One charter amendment limits the number of consecutive terms that a person may serve on Council, so as to in sure a more regular infusion of new citizen leadership. 

The other charter amendment reforms Council pay practices by:

1:  cutting Council pay in half after the current terms are over to bring pay in-line with other large suburbs
2:  banning the Council from raising its pay within a current term
3:  making pay raises visible 
4:  improving disclosure of pay

Incidentally, these issues received high levels of approval from Democrat leaning precincts.  This was a bi-partisan win.

COAST legal counsel Chris Finney provided assistance in drafting the legal text of the amendments and successfully represented Citizens for a Better Kettering in Federal court to protect their right to petition the government.

Learn more about Citizens for a Better Kettering here.

Mary Taylor Explains Kasich Decision Against State Run Insurance Exchange

Lt. Governor Mary Taylor released the below video explaining Governor Kasich's decision to not participate in the Obamacare Insurance Exchange program.

We are thrilled to share this video with you.

Gov. Kasich opts of out ObamaCare

Ohio tells Obama and Sebelius it elects not to participate

COAST is pleased to announce that Governor John Kasich today wrote to the Obama administration to announce that Ohio would not operate a federally-mandated health insurance exchange, but rather chose to relinquish that responsibility to the federal government. 

Conservative attorneys cheered the Kasich decision, including Ohio's Maurice Thompson from the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law:  "We are pleased that the Kasich Administration heeded the clear effect of the Health Care Freedom Amendment (passed in 2011), which prohibited Ohio from enacting a state based Obamacare exchange."

In addition to opting out of the Orwellian federal health insurance exchange, Kasich also (i) refused to relinquish to the federal government the right to regulate its insurance market and (ii) turn over to the federal government the right to determine Medicaid and Children's Health insurance Plan (CHIP) eligibility.   

As this analysis from the 1851 Center shows, all three decisions were the right choice to continue the nationwide resistance to ObamaCare and ensure continued (as much as is possible) local and individual control of health insurance policy and decisions.

Today marks a deadline established by the Obama administration for States to make certain elections under ObamaCare. 

COAST thanks Governor Kasich for making the correct decisions on these issues.

Kevin DeWine out..major Taftie eliminated

The intrigue at the Ohio Republican Party has reached a climax, with the resignation of Kevin DeWine as Chairman last night.  The Dispatch has it here.

We do not want to minimize this accomplishment as DeWine and his co-conspirator to undermine conservative values, John Husted, are a pox on the GOP in Ohio.  Typical of the moderate Republican who poses as a conservative, DeWine and his posse on the GOP Central Committee campaigned as having "Tea Party Values," but having no idea what that actually means.

While serving as a state legislator, DeWine was a slavish vote for the Bob Taft, high-tax agenda.    As Party Chairman, he made a conscious decision to exclude Tea Party reformers from the ranks of GOP leadership, thus alienating this important and energized constituency.

So, before the squabble starts over the next Chairman, we want to take a breather to thank Governor Kasich for ridding Ohio of Kevin DeWine and the corrupting influence he has had upon Ohio and the GOP.  

Tax cut battle brewing in Columbus -- it's GOP v. GOP

The reformist wing of the GOP, the one fighting for lower taxes and limited government is once again butting heads with the Bob Taft wing of the GOP, the one that thinks that higher taxes and spending are just dandy.

Read here, the Toledo Blade's summation of the fight brewing over Governor John Kasich's vow that "every new penny generated from this “fracking" revenue would go toward income tax cuts. versus the plan of Rep. Ron Amstutz (R., Wooster), chairman of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee to gut the Governor's proposal.