Don Gatchell: Ted Strickland is the Better Choice for Ohio Governor

From Don Gatchell, October 12, 2006

Subject: Strickland Letter to the Editor.doc

Letter to the CORE Membership

Ted Strickland is the Better Choice for Ohio Governor

Ted Strickland is the better choice for Ohio Governor. He has been a true friend to all of Ohio, not just to the 500,000 people in his Congressional District.

Even though his opponent launched a campaign to smear his reputation, Ted has relied on his religious education to help him "turn the other cheek." He is one of nine children so he understands the worries that many Ohio families have. Ted understands the "wish list" of Ohioans includes more good-paying jobs, good schools for our children, affordable college education, smaller medical bills and lower health insurance costs.

Too many Ohio jobs have gone to other states and even other countries. Also, the school funding issue is still being ignored, college tuition bills continue to rise and medical costs are sky high. Many Ohioans still do not have adequate health insurance. In fact, Ted has paid for his own health insurance and will continue until all Ohioans have adequate health coverage.

Kenneth Blackwell and I were grad students in the 1970's at Xavier University. In fact, he was the grad assistant who taught my first education course. Kenneth is an articulate speaker with a great deal of political experience. However, he cannot provide the leadership the Ohio Governor's office desperately needs now. Too many Ohioans are still upset with the massive '04 election problems that happened under Mr. Blackwell's watch as the top elections official.

Both candidates for Secretary of State said their primary goal is to restore voter confidence in Ohio's election system.(a) Even President Bush expressed his displeasure with Mr. Blackwell.(b) The reason: in 2004 Mr. Blackwell created a 'conflict of interest' by serving as both the chief elections officer and the President's campaign chairman in Ohio. It was also revealed that he held shares of stock in the Diebold Company, a maker of voting machines, during the time counties were supposed to be buying new machines.

Kenneth Blackwell is too tightly associated with the excesses and the ineptitude of the party of Gov. Taft. He claims to have distanced himself from Mr. Taft. However, this past summer the Tafts hosted a large fund-raiser for Blackwell and raised thousands of dollars for his campaign.(c) The Taft party controls the governor's office, the top state administrative offices and both houses of the General Assembly. This is literally a government monopoly that has eroded the founding fathers concept of "checks and balances."

The ineffectiveness of the last eight years must end in November. We need a strong government leader not influenced by the Taft party "pay to play" politics. Ted Strickland will help restore a government system like our forefathers envisioned. He will prevent ineffective government by ending the one-party monopoly rule we have endured.

Ted Strickland's campaign for Governor of Ohio is supported by a wide range of people to include women, men, young people, senior citizens, urban & rural folks, NRA hunters, military veterans, many Republicans, Democrats, Independents, unions and corporate executives. Recently, several major Ohio newspapers endorsed Mr. Strickland. It looks like most Ohioans agree that Ted Strickland is the better choice for our next Governor!

Don Gatchell, Jr. Member,
CORE & ORTA
Chillicothe, Ohio

Sources for Citations:
(a) Cleveland Plain Dealer 9-27-06
(b) State of Denial: Bush At War, Part III pub. 2006 By Bob Woodward
(c) Cleveland Plain Dealer 9-27-06