John Kasich Suddenly Learns About ‘Compromise’

Pity poor John Kasich. After enjoying the rousing round of Republican victories in the 2010 elections that saw him win the governorship of Ohio without so much as a majority of Ohioans voting for him, Kasich had to watch last week as Republicans in Wisconsin lost two seats in the legislature there. Then, of all the indignities, the two Democrats up for recall there this week retained their seats.

Now, normally Wisconsin state politics have nothing to do with Ohio state politics.  However, when both states pass draconian anti-union laws within weeks of each other-laws that were eerily similar, they sort of do.

So, perhaps it was no surprise that less than 24 hours after watching the results of Wisconsin recalls, Kasich suddenly found himself standing at a podium in Columbus, casting a conciliatory tone. Further, he and the Republican leaders of the Ohio State House of Representatives and Senate sent a letter to the leaders of the main mouthpiece for repeal, We Are Ohio. In it, the governor calls for compromise and a meeting of the minds, inviting up to ten union leaders to meet with state lawmakers to talk reform.

This is not to say that Kasich has seen the error of his ways.  The letter contains no admission of over-reach, only reiterates that the governor believes that portions of the bill are necessary to ensure Ohio’s future. There are no offers of what the governor and his lackeys might be willing to change, no words of ‘Okay, we overdid it’. ‘Sorry’ isn’t exactly a commonly used word in politics, unless one is caught drinking and driving with a stripper in the car.

What is Kasich getting for his best “Baby, please, give me another chance” act? From Melissa Fazekas of We Are Ohio (who is my hero for this week), not a whole lot: “Just like the bill was flawed this approach to a compromise is flawed as well. Our message is clear. These same politicians who passed this law could repeal it and not thwart the will of the people. They should either repeal the entire bill or support our efforts and encourage a no vote on Issue 2.”, Fazekas offered yesterday.

While this is certainly the voice of an organization that believes it has the votes necessary for repeal, there is some risk involved in this approach. There’s little doubt that by slapping away the soaked-in-Koch-bucks hand of Kasich and the Republicans, the advocates of We Are Ohio risk being painted as the ones who are rigid and uncompromising, possibly costing themselves votes of the small number of voters who are undecided on the issue.

Then again, for the liberals who have tired of watching the President and other lawmakers capitulate at the national level, such principled stands warm our dark, bleeding hearts.

Image via Progress Ohio)

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