29 Comments
User's avatar
⭠ Return to thread
Kate Fall's avatar

Bad timing for Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who authored an OpEd published in the Columbus Dispatch on Sunday on the same topic as Biden's "divisive" speech. DeWine focused on anti-Semitism rather than racism, but it's an anti-White supremacist article, and good for him. He hasn't gotten any pushback as far as I can tell. All just goes to show it's not the message the right-wing objects to, it's the messenger. Democrats simply aren't allowed to mention racism at all anymore without a national media fit being thrown.

https://www.dispatch.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2023/05/15/from-holocaust-to-nazis-at-columbus-ohio-drag-brunch-protest-history-teaches-can-repeat-mike-dewine/70212876007/

Expand full comment
Terry Mc Kenna's avatar

DeWine's op-ed was personal and included a remembrance of his father's WW2 experiences. DeWine has been a decent governor - at least seen from NewJersey. But the GOP is crazy.

Expand full comment
Oldandintheway's avatar

DeWine is at least a human with feelings, but he is very conservative. He allowed all the gerrymandering. Ohio is becoming one of the most racist states in the country, with many openly Nazi rallies. The elected j.D. Vance to the Senate. I commend DeWine for his op-ed.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
May 16, 2023
Comment removed
Expand full comment
Oldandintheway's avatar

True. I don’t have a ton of information, but from the few people I know there and what I read, Ohio seems like it as dangerous as Florida orTexas.

Expand full comment
Tracey Henley's avatar

An awful lot of them object to the message as well.

Expand full comment
Carolyn Spence's avatar

I think he'll feel some backlash today.

Expand full comment
knowltok's avatar

The guy ain't perfect, but as Republicans and Republican governors go, there's a hell of a lot worse out there.

Expand full comment
TomD's avatar

Ain't none of them perfect.

Expand full comment
steve robertshaw's avatar

How'd he get through their primary in that Red state?

Expand full comment
knowltok's avatar

He was the heir apparent of Kasich.

He did get a trumpy challenger in 22, but in some ways Ohio hasn't fully gone off the deep end yet.

Expand full comment
Cheryl Kelly's avatar

Almost. JD Vance???

Expand full comment
knowltok's avatar

I won't deny it isn't getting there, but we aren't flying migrants out of state, declaring war on The Mouse, or electing football coaches. We also aren't expelling house members, re-electing Lindsey Graham, or working overtime to chase doctors out of the state.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
May 16, 2023
Comment removed
Expand full comment
Fran B.'s avatar

I truly disliked him as Lt. Governor, but saw a mellowing in him when he became a Senator. That may have been after his daughter died. Like you said, he has come under the thumb of our legislature. I have to keep reminding myself that he has a humanitarian side. He and his wife have done a lot of work in Haiti for children.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
May 16, 2023Edited
Comment removed
Expand full comment
Ken Peabody's avatar

I'm glad I moved out 40 years ago.

Expand full comment
Michele Pfannenstiel DVM's avatar

Echoing this as an OH resident as well. It may not be FL, TX or TN here but the GOP is running the state into the ground.

Expand full comment
Eastern Promises's avatar

As someone whose son is about to go to college in Ohio, I must say that the state is beautiful. The people were nice, has relatively decent roads, and a decent economy. Like many Midwestern States, however, it has suffered somewhat of a brain drain; many of its best and brightest have or are leaving the state, especially young people. While it is not as bad as say, Indiana or Iowa, its pretty bad. These policies are not helping it.

OH has never been a particularly liberal state, like say, MN or IL. However, it was never as conservative as IN. At one point, IA was more liberal than OH. Not sure that is true anymore. OH is gerrymandered to the hilt; IA is not. Yet the GOP hold every statewide office except 1 and every House Seat. In OH, Dems still have one senate seat and 5 house seats. My point is that there is still hope for OH. Sadly, for IA, not so much :(

Expand full comment
Dan-o's avatar

As a fellow Ohioan, I completely agree with Mr. Max. I was very happy with Dewine's handling of the covid problem. But he has gone along with all these other things which shows where his head/heart really is. I know there are are sane people here, and a lot of the trump sign have come down in the last 6-12 months. Are they just hiding for now?

But, there is a guy in my neighborhood with an "ULTRA1 MAGA flag in his front yard, and a F*** Biden sign on his pickup truck.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
May 16, 2023
Comment removed
Expand full comment
knowltok's avatar

Can't sign on for government restricting political advocacy. Period. Full stop.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
May 17, 2023
Comment removed
Expand full comment
knowltok's avatar

Yes, seriously. And plenty of people do fly that flag as well as others burn the stars and stripes.

1. You know what those signs and flags mean, and it is political.

2. Who gets to decide which political speech is past the pale? Today Max E is in power and outlaws "Let's Go Brandon" signs on your own private property. First offense a fine, second offence 10 days in jail, third offense ... firing squad? Tomorrow the guy with the "Biden Sucks" flag has the whip hand. What does he outlaw?

You know (or should) that you and I are in general agreement on a lot of things, but when you say, "There ought to be a law ...." you sound a lot like my authoritarian neighbors.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
May 16, 2023
Comment removed
Expand full comment
Kate Fall's avatar

I'm glad you came in. It's great hearing from local people what's really going on in Ohio.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
May 16, 2023
Comment removed
Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
May 16, 2023
Comment removed
Expand full comment
Dan-o's avatar

Yup, yup, yup, yup. All correct.

Expand full comment