NBow37

Exactly. Just like in 2008 it was "Anyone but republicans".

80/20 odds the Enquirer will screen it out because you make too good of an argument

I think its a broader issue than just Kasich. WTF is going on with the GOP today? Between Palin and Trump and Bachmann and the rest, the moderates are getting completely pushed out.

I agree. Such a weird position to take from their standpoint. I realize why the editor of the Enquirer hates the idea but it makes no sense. Also, there are grumblings out there that Carl Lindner is fighting hard against the project behind the scenes

My favorite was " Using the urinal next to you when there is clearly another one open" Other ones I liked - "Leprosy", "Grocery carts with one bad wheel", "Godfather Part 3", "Not wiping off seat at gym", "The Shake Weight", "Jared from Subway", "Jar Jar Binks", "Punching Babies and drowning puppies"

Giggity? Giggity!

Good news. Lets get this construction going!

- Kasich was unapologetic about the yanking of $51.8 million in state funding for Cincinnati’s proposed streetcar from Downtown to the Uptown area – a move that was a serious setback to the plan. When it was suggested that many of the young professionals who live downtown and along the proposed streetcar route – the kind of young people Kasich said he wants to keep in Ohio – support the project, the governor said the project does not make economic sense. “It would soak up all our new capital improvement dollars; and there is nothing to indicate that spending money on that is going to create something cool….having a streetcar is not going to prevent them (young people) from getting out of town.” http://cincinnati.com/blogs/politics/2011/04/14/kasich-haley-barbour-for-president/

Highly recommend watching this. Bill Cunningham goes after Kasich http://www.700wlw.com/pages/onair_willie.html?article=8436406 John Kasich also refers to himself in the third person at one point

I, personally, would like to see more dependence on foreign oil

In case you guys haven't noticed, #ThingsJohnKasichFindsCool is absolutely hilarious on twitter right now

Dutchman, The opposite effect would do wonders Just yesterday I was at McDonalds and two mules were arguing over state politics. One got up and angrily left - proclaiming loud enough for all to hear: "You're as stubborn as a Kasich"

I have to disagree with you on the downtown to OTR loop being "completely useless." In fact, I think its the most important part of the whole project. There are countless examples I can think of where having a rail system in place for getting to and from downtown and OTRs major attractions would be hugely beneficial to the city. Just think how much easier it would be for people to come downtown for a night out, park once, and be able to go to a ball game, dinner afterwards, possibly the casino after that, and maybe even a stop at a bar in OTR after that before finally taking the streetcar back to where you parked at the end of the night? That's just one of about a million scenarios where I could see the downtown circulator being awesome to have. I know I would use it alot. In contrast, I doubt I would have ever used the uptown connector as it was planned. Why would I ever want to go to uptown only to be dropped off next to Krogers? For the immediate future I see the uptown connector as unneccessary. It will be great in the future once uptown starts to grow and improve and the benefits of the downtown loop become more apparent to people. That's just my opinion, but I'm sure alot of other OTR residents agree with me that the downtown circulator is incredibly important. I agree with everything you say here. But I also agree with Jimmy and Sherman in that without big local companies publicly supporting the project, it is a PR nightmare. The Enquirer and 700wlw will just keep bashing it unless some of the companies jump on board. Normally, I wouldn't care about what some of the lies they are putting out, but since there will probably be a ballot initiative in November that would essentially block all rail going into city limits until 2020 under the false pretense of it being "just about the streetcar", its very important

If it gets some big time local businesses on board (Graeter's, Skyline, larosas, P&G, Chiquita, Reds, or whomever), it will gain some really good PR. If it gets some contributions from these kind of companies, COAST will have an uphill battle with their ballot initiative. The enquirer and 700wlw will start to change tune. We'll see what kind of magic Mallory can work behind the scenes.

I have a theory and I think it's already been on here. What if the rejection of the state funding actually helps private funding to the project? Maybe these companies that support the streetcar getting built actually sat back thinking it would get built without their contribution after the state initially approved funding? Do you see any new people and/or companies stepping up to help? P & G? Chiquita? Reds/Castellini? Obviously not Mike Brown or bengals.

Nice. Someone contact Horstman to come so they can stop claiming they don't know all the facts once and for all

No politics involved at all..

Some highlights from the speakers: "Dustin Clark (UC Student Gov't): "85% of students in a poll say that they want rail transit in Cincinnati." Bill Waking from Christ Hospital says that if the @CincyStreetcar is built that the hospital will expand Rob Richardson, from UC, simply holds up a "No on Issue 9" sign and says, "Yes, the people of Cincinnati do support this." David Dossen from Sibcy Cline Realtors: "If the scoring system doesn't matter, then why is there a scoring system?" Quinlivan: "We're not building streetcar for grumpy old men, we're building it for young people who want it." Laure Quinlivan "There's a new sheriff in town. But he hasn't performed lobotomies" Mallory mentioned law prohibiting to allocate funds to the streetcar doesnt come into effect til June! Puzzling Roxanne Qualls: "The @CincyStreetcar will create jobs and development." Mallory says if state agency doesn't approve full $52M for streetcar, all statewide projects should be cut proportionately. Mallory: "Voting should remain true to the goals of TRAC. This project will transform our city." COAST's Chris Finney says that @CincyStreetcar is an "amusement park ride". Comparing the streetcar to the stadium(which he voted for) Luken's neighbor says that weather, yes weahter, inhibits streetcars. Luken's daughter says that the public in Cincinnati doesn't want streetcars

Christ Hospital spokesman said they will expand if streetcar is built

Opponents only used 4 of their 10 allocated slots to speak. Christ hospital spokesman in favor of it being built

Columbus

Lots of double talk from Wray.

This is gonna get ugly..This will be a central campaign theme for years to come and huge money from all over the country will be poured into Ohio on both sides of the issue. This is essentially a national battleground for this issue, not Wisconsin. Kasich has got to be kicking himself for trying getting this passed with zero negotiations, especially with firefighters and police included. If this gets on the ballot, I dont see any chance of SB5 passing. The unions were willing to negotiate, and contribute more yet Kasich wanted it all to go his way. Now he's likely to end up with nothing. If and when it is repealed, Kasich ruins his credibility for future plans - even among his own party. It's looking like in 2012, Ohio will be a very blue state adding more disagreement to his plans. I think what we are going to see is Kasich speed up everything in his agenda over the next year and a half On top of that, the National GOP is not happy with Kasich. Ohio obviously is a key battleground state for the Presidential Election and no republican has ever won the White House without Ohio. Kasich is singlehandedly turning lifelong republicans into democrats.

You can follow live on twitter with the #TRACstreetcar tag. Not expecting good things though. Looks like a packed house is up there including the Mayor

I misread an earlier article. Ya the bill has no chance of getting through the state congress. But is this “fall back option to write the power of recall into the Ohio Constitution by collecting almost 400,000 signatures of registered voters" a plausible reality?