Retired Ohio public school educator to one of his former students, Congressman Jim Jordan; and to OH House Speaker Jon Husted: You don't have a clue!

From Duane Tron, March 7, 2008
Subject: A Fistful of "Stinky" Charter School Audits from the Ohio Auditor, Mary Taylor....what more will it take?

Dear Congressman Jordan & Ohio Speaker Husted,

And you insist on continuing to waste our hard earned tax dollars on these worthless money pits that are sucking the life blood out of Ohio's public schools. When are we going to stop funding this miserable 'social' experiment and failure? When are you going to stop touting these corrupt, unaccountable, and unregulated political scams?

We are watching factory after factory close and move Ohio jobs to China and Mexico but God forbid anyone mess with YOUR charter schools. Neither of you are smart enough to figure out that as hundreds of thousands of Ohioans lose their jobs it is undermining Ohio's economic infrastructure. You fail to recognize that as Republicans we have lost our direction, our credibility, and the trust of the people of Ohio. In fact the Republican Party has lost credibility with the American people. I am watching the decline of the Republican Party and you and other Republicans have been so busy doing your own thing you haven't even been wise enough to recognize the plummeting decline of the GOP across the country.

Several so-called economic gurus keep announcing that we aren't in a recession! That's because in Ohio we've been in an economic depression! They're correct! We bypassed the recession and sit and watch company after company close its doors and move OUR jobs to China and Mexico! The Republican Party is going to continue to get the shit kicked out of it until politicians such as yourselves wake up, or we are able to replace you with leaders who realize the magnitude of the crisis we are facing. Congressman, you know me well enough that I rarely utter a profanity but you all are overdosing on 'stupid' pills and the frustration just crops out as a result.

As someone who grew up in hard times I fully realize and understand the magnitude of the crisis facing the people of Ohio and across the entire nation. You can tout your personal political ideology all you want but it isn't going to repair the damage that has been done to the US economy during the past 16 years. Ronald Reagan is rolling over in his grave right now. Forest Gump said in the movie, "Stupid is as stupid does," and we're witnessing more "stupid" than the American people can afford! Stupid is truly doing the job right now as we have a lot of stupid.

Jim, if you hang onto your ridiculous political ideology when Rome is burning, you will be deemed as irrelevant by future historians. Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures.

A few facts:

• The US government is over two trillion dollars in debt and the debt is projected to go to three trillion dollars by 2009

• The US trade deficit is at the highest level seen in years due to the increasing prices of crude oil and gas prices

• A jump in prices at the pump to $4/gal is going to spark uncontrolled inflation

• The uncontrolled increases in gas prices is going to undermine national security

• US consumers have racked up over one trillion dollars in credit card debt and it continues to increase at unacceptable rates

• Unregulated banks have announced that they are going to increase unsecured credit card interest rates to exceed 28% compounded starting May, 2008

• Unregulated health insurance providers are monopolizing the entire industry and engaging in price rigging of premiums and hospital costs

• There isn't any free market at play in the energy and oil industries as they have a cartel that sets prices across the board. There isn't any competition among oil companies!

• You both talk free markets but we can't buy cheaper prescription meds from Canada as Congress provides "protectionism" for pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the importation of cheaper drugs. You are hypocrites in this respect!

• Companies can get huge tax breaks while shipping US jobs to China and Mexico by the millions while damaging our economy and national security

• We have a health insurance crisis unlike anything I have witnessed during my 63 year life

• We have a Congress that is more interested in investigating steroid use among professional athletes than dealing with a failing economy, people losing their homes in record numbers, and growing unemployment.

Wait until the entire US tax base starts eroding and there isn't enough money to pay for essential services for the American people.

Wait until unemployment hits 15% or higher.

Neither of you are old enough to remember the riots that swept the country in the late 1960's. Neither of you remember turning on the TV and watching major US cities burning amidst rioting and looting. This is why you are unable to envision what I am talking about. Me? I remember the past and I can envision similar scenarios unfolding in the not too distant future in America. You live among a privileged generation that doesn't know what it's like to do without! I grew up on the end of the Great Depression and I know what it's like to live in a four room house with no indoor plumbing, no central heat, no running water, no hot water, raising our own vegetables and canning them, and much more. You don't really understand or appreciate "HARD" times! You've never been there but I'm afraid you're going to get to experience what we experienced and it will be even worse than any time in the past. I am keeping a copy of this letter for future reference to prove what I said to you at this moment in time!

You don't have a clue as to what it's going to be like when fifty million American's don't have good paying jobs and lose their homes. You don't have a clue as to what it's going to be like when the number of uninsured Americans increases from 48 million to one hundred million. You don't have a clue what's going to transpire when millions of Americans default on credit card debt because they can't pay it back. You don't have a clue what's going to take place when local and state governments can no longer collect needed tax revenues to operate. You both think I'm just some stupid and eccentric old man who is full of shit?!

I'm going on record saying neither of you, and most politicians, have a clue as to where we're heading in this country. In 1929, the US government was financially solvent and operating in the black. When the next crash comes the government will be more broke than the American people. The government lacks the financial resources to bail the country out this time. Not good! If you're all so damn smart why didn't you foresee the home mortgage crisis and meltdown that has hit the markets like a semi truck. I listened to Cavuto on Fox repeatedly bring a bunch of kids who're wet behind the ears on TV and announce, "there isn't any crisis in the home mortgage industry!" Right! "There isn't any meltdown in the housing markets and the housing economy!" Right! "Subprime mortgage companies are solid and the markets are just a little jittery!" Right! "We aren't in a recession and we aren't going into a recession!" Right! The housing meltdown is negatively impacting every segment of the economy. Couple this with the out-of-control health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, banks, the ridiculous oil & gas industry, huge tax breaks for major corporations shipping jobs overseas, tax cuts for the wealthiest ten percent of Americans and we have a mess spiraling out of control!

Jim, I am making the following promise. You will see the day that you will think I was the smartest man you ever met! You have my word on it. I might not be around for you to tell me but that day is coming. I just got out of the hospital yesterday after being treated for chest pains and blood pressure issues. My health insurance company wouldn't allow my doctor to keep me in the hospital for necessary medical tests so my doctor had to send me home and schedule the tests on an outpatient basis. The health insurance company told the hospital they had to discharge me Wednesday evening at about 7:00 pm and Mary had to take me back to the hospital at 7:30 am Thursday morning for more medical tests. The moral? Stupidity has taken over this once proud and wonderful country! And I have to pay 20% of the costs out of my pocket for being ill. Sure makes me proud to be a retired educator/teacher who devoted my life to educating children, in substandard facilities, and at substandard wages for most of my life. What a reward for a life of public service? I served six years with the United States Navy during a time of war. I served my community as a volunteer firefighter and member of the EMS for 20+ years only to be so highly rewarded, and held in such high esteem and regard, by those of YOU serving in government!

Blessings to both of you!

Sincerely,

Duane Tron
St. Paris, OH 43072

Subject: A Fistful of "Stinky" Charter School Audits from the Ohio Auditor, Mary Taylor....what more will it take?

State auditor criticizes charter school finances
By Staff report
Dayton Daily News
Friday, March 7, 2008

DAYTON — Five charter schools in the city were cited by Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor's office for financial problems in their annual audits ranging from missing documentation to failing to make payments for worker's compensation and medicare.

The audits, released Thursday, March 6, show two — Academy of Dayton and New City School — with budget deficits of $722,600 and $202,319 respectively at the end of last school year.

Three cited by Taylor were begun by William Peterson, a former charter school superintendent over five schools who resigned under pressure last year.

The schools formerly run by him that were cited are Colin Powell Leadership Academy, Peterson Entrepreneurial Training Enterprise and Arise Sports Management Academy.

All the audits were for the 2006-07 school year except Colin Powell's, which is for the prior year. Powell closed in January after Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann filed suit accusing the school of failing to live up to its requirements as a non-profit because of its poor academic performance.