Failed Obama Presidency Will Lead to Democratic Loses in Ohio in November

When he was the speaker of the United States House of Representatives and a United States Congressman from Massachusetts, the late Tip O'Neill said, "all politics is local." By that, he meant that no matter what the election is being run, even a race for an office such as United States Senator is really decided by local issues. In some respects he is right, and many times local issues are the biggest issues considered. Sometimes, however, national issues do matter. It is my contention that in this year's statewide elections in Ohio President Obama and his many failures will have a huge impact, and many state office seekers will lose, such as Governor Ted Strickland and U.S. Senate candidate Lee Fisher, the current Lieutenant Governor. Partially because of the failures of the president.

When he ran for President, Bill Clinton said, "it's the economy stupid," as he tried to convince voters that Republicans had failed in that aspect, and whatever other things they may have accomplished were irrelevant. In Ohio, the failures of President Obama, and his massive attempts to seek government control over American life and the American economy are affecting not only a national candidate like Lee Fisher, who is running against Republican Rob Portman, an attorney and the former Director of Management and Budget for former President George W. Bush, but even a statewide candidate like Governor Strickland, who is seeking reelection against John Kasich. Portman is also a former United States Representative and a United States Trade Representative.

Polls have shown Portman with a 20 percent lead over Fisher, and he has raised millions more in dollars, although some polls now show an about 11 percent lead. Why is that? He has pledged to support President Obama's policies, polices that are not well received in Ohio.

According to nrsc.org, Fisher has even said the President's takeover of healthcare "doesn't go far enough," saying there should be a public option. Ohio citizens are more likely to agree with Portman that "the health care bill doesn't solve the problem, it makes it worse," as American citizens will now be forced to have healthcare or pay a fine. According to business experts, already many businesses are reluctant to hire new employees. Many businesses may drop their own insurance, pay a fine, and allow employees to purchase insurance because of the high costs of the new bill. States will have many more regulations they must enforce, with fewer employees to do so, in a bad economic time. Many expect deficits to balloon, despite the President maintaining they will decrease.

Portman, however, has supported health care reform he thought would work, such as a prescription drug benefit for those on Medicare, allowing suing HMO's, and other issues.

Even though both candidates are willing to compromise on extending former President Bush's tax cuts, the anti-business, anti-job attitude of President Obama will still hurt Lee Fisher more. Fisher has said he would extend all tax cuts, if that is the only way to get tax cuts for the middle class. Portman has said he would support a bill that would not extend tax cuts for the upper class, if that is the only way to get tax relief, although he would prefer all keep their tax cuts. Fisher has said he would prefer to not extend tax cuts for the wealthy, echoing Obama. The more business people are taxed, many of whom are actually small business owners, not the wealthy the Democrats claim, the less likely small business owners will be to hire new people to help heal the poor economy. Fisher also says increased taxes on the wealthy would pay for health care reform.

Ohio residents see how electing Fisher would stifle business. These are only two of the ways President Obama is contributing to his defeat.

As for Governor Strickland, Ohio has lost more than 400,000 jobs and 20,000 businesses, and people will compare him to Obama. His answer to everything has been to raise taxes, as has President Obama. Ohio Republican Party Chairman and former U.S. Senator Mike DeWine called Strickland's record a failure.

Those are only a couple of the ways (though there are many others) that all politics is not local. A failed presidency will lead to Democratic loses in November.

Citations:

Rob Portman, no author listed, en.wikipedia.org

Failed Jobs Czar Lee Fisher Says Health Care Takeover 'Doesn't Go Far Enough', no author listed, nrsc.org

Health Reform Bill Summary: The Top 18 Immediate Effects Jeremy Binckes and Nick Wing, HuffingtonPost.com

ontheissues.com

Five Years After Campaign Launch, Strickland's Turnaround Ohio Plan a Failure, no author listed, turnedaroundted.com