Duane Tron speaks out loud and clear

From Duane Tron, Sept. 10, 2006

Subject: Re: Bob to Dave

Dear All,

I hate to hurt Bob's feelings but both current political parties in this state stink! It isn't as much about a flipping political party as it is about finding the right people to do what is right! Party politics have become an abomination, they have become the people's worst enemy, and the Democrats aren't any better then the Republicans! I'm getting really sick and tired of hearing the crap that one party is better than the other. The DEMOCRATS controlled our retirement system when all of the crap, abuses, and poor management was taking place. The Republicans have made a mess out of education by defying the Ohio Supreme Court regarding funding of public schools. The Republicans shoved worthless charter schools down our throats and much more. To sit back and tell me the Republicans WILL do a better job than the Democrats or tell me the Democrats WILL do a better job than the Republicans is living in Lah! Lah! Land! They BOTH failed the people and they have BOTH failed to take care of the people of this state and nation.

Prior to Hurricane Katrina the City of New Orleans was the most corrupt and despicably run city in the United States. Who controlled New Orleans? It has NEVER been politically controlled by Republicans! Golly gee whiz! Washington, DC is fraught with crime and corruption and the Democrats have controlled DC for four decades. Columbus has become rampant with lousy leadership and corruption and it has been run by Republicans for two decades.

I have encountered a handful of really great Republicans and Democrats in the Ohio General Assembly and then the rest just stink the place out. Republican Bob Taft is undoubtedly one of the worst governors in the history of the state. The man has been a 21st Century Nero! Let me make an observation! I think Voinovich and DeWine have done a terrible job representing the people of Ohio in the Senate. On the other hand I think Strickland and Brown have done a terrible job of representing Ohio in the House. When I review the voting records of each and every one of them, I find all of this partisan BS that has impacted our citizens in some very bad ways! Why is it we can't get any new blood infused into running this state? Why can't we find some honest and committed people who will go to Columbus, and DC, and represent the welfare and interests of the "people" and not the special interests?

This is why I OPPOSE endorsing ANY candidate as an organization! I don't know it all but I know a heck of a lot more about the people who are running than the overwhelming majority of the people of this state! This is what really frustrates me! Both party machines are controlled by a very small and powerful group of people. They make all of the decisions and THEY decide who will run and who will not! If you are not a part of that powerful little inner circle you have nothing to say about anything. This is why I keep arguing that it's time to form a NEW political party in Ohio and the nation. We need a new party that isn't fraught with special interests and corruption. If you read the articles about campaign contributions by special interests, such as the HC providers, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies you need to get the spread sheets and note how much they contribute to BOTH parties in every election. Why? They want to cover all of their bases by giving to both sides. This creates a win/win for them because they have covered all of the bases.

US Senators McCain (R) and Feingold (D) co=sponsored a bi-partisan Bill to regulate campaign finance in this country. Senator McCain has argued for years that the present system of campaign finance is broken, and is contributing to the ongoing corruption, the buying of votes, in this country. When the bill was reported out, and voted on in both Houses of Congress, it had been changed so many times, and watered down so badly, that it didn't even resemble what the Senator's had proposed and wanted! Both McCain and Feingold threatened to vote against it. Thus, they still haven't truly reformed campaign finance in this country so the business of buying and selling votes continues unabated! For the record, a majority of BOTH Democrats and Republicans came out against the reform legislation and they sabotaged it so it wouldn't pass in it's original form and with its original intent! Why? They would be voting out their gravy train! They continue to protect the mentality of "entitlement and privilege" in this country because it's where THEIR bread is buttered. I have been a lifelong student of politics and know what I'm talking about. In the present Congress there are about ten 'statesmen' and the rest are just a bunch of politicians, political hacks!

I speak from a point of objectivity! I don't endorse, nor condone, bad leadership from either party. I'm not wowed and overwhelmed by ANY politician! I have more respect for the men who pick up the trash at my house than I hold for all of the politicians! I have experience working on Capitol Hill and I know the games they play and how the system works, even if ever so poorly at times. Pardon my cynicism!

This is why I oppose any organization from coming out and endorsing ANY candidates. We can discuss them and then we can make up our OWN minds as to who we want to vote for. In November I have a real dilemma because I personally don't trust Blackwell or Strickland! I feel like we have been subjected to the choices of "dumb" and "dumber!" My personal opinion is surely Ohio can do better. I have declared myself an Independent in recent years because the views of the Democrats don't represent my views in foreign policy, the military, and national security. The views of Republicans don't represent my views on most domestic policies such as health care, employment, and education issues. I always feel that I'm being forced to choose between "bad" and "worse."

Now I have shared why I REFUSE to be a party to endorsing any candidates as an organization! I think our RTA handles this quite well. We have an annual picnic and we invite ALL candidates for public office in our county, and state, to attend, campaign, pass out position papers, speak briefly (limited to a five minutes speech), interact and talk with members and share their views with us. Most come each year and a handful won't participate! You can guess which ones don't ever receive my vote, EVER! What is truly amazing? The overwhelming majority always show up and talk to us. They are smart enough to know the clout we can provide! I recommend that RTA's start a program like this across the state, in election years, and do it a few months prior to the general election. It is fair and objective and allows members to meet and talk with candidates! This is a plan that takes us back more to our grassroots! Just a suggestion! Please note we invite ALL candidates, including independents! This is how to handle this matter and do it fairly and intelligently.

What if we get someone who is combative, or out of control? They would be escorted out and asked to leave! We invite law enforcement candidates and this assures more civil conduct by those participating! We have NEVER had a confrontation or uncivil situation at a gathering! This is a time for them to talk, share, and make their points! In our county it has worked well over the years! Much of the leadership in our county is among what I describe as decent and competent! I believe political leaders in Columbus could learn a lot from them!

When I retired I chose to come back here to live. Why? Most people still don't lock their houses. Many leave the car keys in their cars. During the past 30 years we have experienced two armed robberies. Two punks from Dayton robbed the local bank branch. They were run off the highway between here and Sidney and captured by police in a cornfield. The other robbery was at a carryout outside of town and the robbers were also captured following I can count the number of burglaries we have had on both hands. We haven't had a murder occur in the town during the 35 years we have been associated with the community. There was one murder outside of town about 20 years ago. Everyone looks out for each other. When I had several serious surgeries in 1995 our neighbors came over and plowed the snow out of the driveway and off of the sidewalk in the winter. They came and mowed the lawn for us in the summer. They all refused any pay for helping. We offered to pay them and they said, "no way!" I had a bunch of brush, and tree limbs, I needed to have hauled away and my neighbor across the street paid to have it hauled with his and refused any money last week. We had to have an electrician come in because of a problem we were having and he charged me $40.00 for all day. He was a former student! I had two diseased trees I needed removed and a former student came in and cut them down and hauled them away for $50.00. I had four tree stumps I needed removed and another former student brought his stump removal machine over and took all four out for $90.00. My starter went out in my truck and I had another former student fix it. He charged me $225.00 and that was for a new starter, oil change, draining the fuel-water separator, and labor. I asked him why the cost was so low? He smiled and replied, "That's Mr. Tron's price!" The 'new' starter cost more than he charged me for the entire job. I know they charge other people a heck of a lot more for their services than they charge me. The moral? We take care of each other here! I took care of them when I taught them and they now show kindness and care for me and my wife! Paybacks don't have to be hell! Kind of like what we would like to see happen more often in Columbus and elsewhere! Is this a brag sheet? NO! It's a testimonial to the power of doing what's right and treating people right. It's about the power of caring about others!

Our problems with STRS aren't the result of decisions being shoved down our throats by the Ohio General Assembly, or any other state elected officials. Our problems stem from the lousy leadership of the OEA controlled STRS Board. How do we know this for a fact? Because PERS hasn't endured the same kind of abuse that we have from STRS. Why? Because OAPSE has battled for its retirees instead of screwing them. At this time I consider issues with the governor, education, jobs, taxes, etc. to be peripheral to why CORE came into existence! CORE came into existence as a result of the abuse of retirees by an out-of-control OEA majority at STRS. An OEA majority that didn't care how they treated retirees and engaged in an ongoing pattern of abuse and poor decision-making! We did succeed in getting representatives from the AG and Auditor's offices removed from our board. We have succeeded in getting some reforms passed! When we start concentrating on all of the other crap going on in the state we tend to lose our focus of why we came together? We came together to REPAIR the damage that was done to our retirement system while we were all asleep at the switch! The General Assembly didn't force STRS to reduce the HC contribution from 3.5 % to 1%. Our HC representatives went to the STRS Board, and then went to the General Assembly, and asked them to allow STRS to reduce the HC contribution to 1%. Folks lets get back on task and become focused as to the problems facing each of us in OUR retirement system! I don't believe that it's the responsibility of ORTA, CORE, etc. to be in business to try and fix all of Ohio's problems! We need to get our situation fixed and we can spend our OWN time working on those issues for which we are impassioned in other areas! After all if my memory serves me correctly the OEA majority at STRS used the excuse that they needed to change the tier formula to 35 years and 88% to prevent a future teacher shortage in Ohio's schools. We all know that was bunch of hogwash and it was NEVER the responsibility of STRS to try and make sure Ohio had enough classroom teachers. They were messing in an area that had nothing to do with ORC 3307.15

Are decisions that impact education, health insurance, retirement, and schools political? YES! Do I want an organization deciding how I should vote on them? NO!

Duane Tron