What SB 5 and HB 194 mean for Obama's Ohio campaign

[wyethwire]

The kickoff to the 2012 shenanigans begins with a blood and guts, in-the-trenches battle in Ohio that will be a bellwether for Obama’s success in his re-election bid next year.

http://drjasonjohnson.com/2011/08/11/ohio-fight-over-sb-5-is-a-preview-of-obama-2012-campaign_n_08112011/

Ohio is a funny place when it comes to electoral politics, especially on the presidential level. It is almost impossible to win the White House without winning Ohio, but at the same time the state flips governors from Democratic to Republican and swings for Republican or Democratic presidents faster than you can say “Ken Blackwell cheated.”

http://drjasonjohnson.com/2011/08/11/ohio-fight-over-sb-5-is-a-preview-of-obama-2012-campaign_n_08112011/

Avid news watchers have probably already heard about SB5 in Ohio, which was essentially the same anti-union bill that is causing Wisconsin to go into conniptions since Scott Walker was elected. But there is a lesser-known but equally important bill that passed, HB 194, that could radically alter next year’s elections. The bill, if fully implemented, would severely hinder voting opportunities for citizens in the state, targeting the poor and less mobile, essentially key Obama voters.

[wyethwire]

1. More from the article

Like many states in the fall of 2010, Ohio saw a blood red sweep from top to bottom, with Republicans taking the governor’s mansion, most of the top statewide seats and the state legislature. This is particularly shocking since John Kasich’s victory over Ted Strickland was fairly slim but he still ended up with almost absolute power to push through policy in the state. The result of this has been a concerted effort on the part of the GOP to push through policies that are not only examples of core conservative principles but also direct attacks on any constituencies that might support Democrats, statewide or nationally in the future. That’s why the Obama campaign has decided to plant their flag smack dab in the middle of the Buckeye state this fall.

http://drjasonjohnson.com/2011/08/11/ohio-fight-over-sb-5-is-a-preview-of-obama-2012-campaign_n_08112011/

[ChoppinBroccoli]

2. Ohio Will Smack Down SB 5

According to the latest polls here in Ohio, SB 5 is going to go down hard.

And for people who are bewildered by the fact that Kasich won in Ohio, how's this for a little perspective? 16 million people voted for John Kasich last fall. 11 million people signed the petition to get the SB 5 referendum on the ballot THIS fall. And Kasich's approval ratings are among the lowest in Ohio's history for a Governor's first year in office. I predict that his approval ratings will start to rival Bob Taft's soon (Bob Taft, who left office with a 19% approval rating, the lowest of all 50 Governors).

Kasich and the Ohio Republicans' greed will be a big benefit to Obama in Ohio. Their power grab has mobilized Ohioans against them, and has turned several traditionally Republican voting blocs against them as well. And having other issues that people are passionate about on the ballot during a presidential election is good for turnout (I contend that without the gay marriage issue, John Kerry would have soundly defeated Bush in '04, but the religious wackos all showed up in droves to vote for it).