Voter First Ohio Certified for November Ballot; Now the GOP Lies Begin
Submitted by Anastasia Pantsios on Tue, 08/07/2012 - 12:25am.
We made it!
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/08/06/Redistricting-c...
In November, voters will get to decide whether we keep our corrupt and tilted system of drawing legislative and congressional districts, or replace it with a nonpartisan system that favors voters rather than politicians.
Secretary of State Husted certified 406, 514 valid signatures, over the 385,000 threshhold.
Since the new system would immediately draw new districts, taking away from Republicans the unfair advantage they gave themselves intended to last for the next decade, they are already whining (I've already seen a Facebook post from a rightie about "sour grapes," clearly not comprehending that this isn't about parties but about restoring a voice to ALL voters) and attacking the initiative. They've already tried to claim it's not transparent enough, never mind that the latest redistricting was COMPLETELY nontransparent in every aspect.
Now they're whining that obviously Voters First Ohio is evil and partisan because "unions and liberal organizations" are funding it. Yeah, and rightwing organizations and powerful wealthy corporate interests that like to purchase Republicans are funding the opposition. So that's a pretty lame argument, especially since unions and liberal organizations represent actual working people and shadowy billionaire-funded groups don't.
But lying is all they've got. Voters First Ohio would be a major step in restoring balance to Ohio's state government and to its congressional delegation so that in the future, when half the voters vote for a Republican for the state senate and half vote for a Democrat, the breakdown is about 50/50 and not 2/3rds Republican. This would mean a legislature forced to focus more on people's real interests and not on an endless sideshow of extremist legislation.
That's exactly what the Ohio Republican Party and its deep-pockets owners are afraid of.
We're going to need your help. Go here: http://votersfirstohio.com/
Voters First Ohio
No Vested Interest
The Ohio League of Women Voters played an active part in getting this proposal on the ballot.
The LWV is well-respected as a non-partisan group, one that seeks the best for all citizens.
Their leadership in this contest should be emphasized, to bring in those wavering or without sufficient nowledge of the issue.