Sad news; pancreatic cancer has taken the former moderate-Republican congressman at age 62.  He was a good man who had the good sense to bail on a GOP hijacked by the radical right.  LaTourette was a moderate, even somewhat progressive, on social issues.  RIP.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/08/former_ohio_congressman_steve.html#incart_m-rpt-1

He was a good man. He did a lot for Cleveland. He singlehanded saved DFAS/DOD which grew into 2,200 jobs. He was one of the reasons I believed the Republican Party would stay moderate. When he left, so did I.

He did more for Cleveland than any legislator except Lou Stokes, and he never had a city resident as a constituent.

 

Indeed, if both of those two were still in office when TARP hit, National City Bank would still exist.

He did more for Cleveland than any legislator except Lou Stokes, and he never had a city resident as a constituent.

 

Indeed, if both of those two were still in office when TARP hit, National City Bank would still exist.

 

Not to steal any of LaTourette's well-deserved praise, but I think having Marcy Kaptur gerrymandered into representing Cleveland/Cuyahoga County is a huge win for the region. She is the Democratic version of LaTourette - a reasonable centrist whose district come first. 

He did more for Cleveland than any legislator except Lou Stokes, and he never had a city resident as a constituent.

 

Indeed, if both of those two were still in office when TARP hit, National City Bank would still exist.

 

Not to steal any of LaTourette's well-deserved praise, but I think having Marcy Kaptur gerrymandered into representing Cleveland/Cuyahoga County is a huge win for the region. She is the Democratic version of LaTourette - a reasonable centrist whose district come first. 

 

Hope you're right, or becoming so.  But my take is she puts Toledo first.

He did more for Cleveland than any legislator except Lou Stokes, and he never had a city resident as a constituent.

 

Indeed, if both of those two were still in office when TARP hit, National City Bank would still exist.

 

I agree.  I read somewhere that Latourette pulled in more recovery stimulus funds than Kuchinich, who was too caught up in narcissism aka campaigning for President.

He did more for Cleveland than any legislator except Lou Stokes, and he never had a city resident as a constituent.

 

Indeed, if both of those two were still in office when TARP hit, National City Bank would still exist.

 

I agree.  I read somewhere that Latourette pulled in more recovery stimulus funds than Kuchinich, who was too caught up in narcissism aka campaigning for President.

 

True.  As great as Dennis was at constituent service, he didn’t do a very good job taking care of his district or the region as a whole.

 

The proposed move of the DARPA office was a classic example.  He and Jones were organizing street demonstrations, which prove nothing, accomplish less, but get them attention.  LaTourette’s staff went over the proposal with a fine tooth comb and discovered so many mistakes it turned out the move would cost, not save, and it was cancelled.

 

In his defense, most of his time in office he was a fringe member of the minority party.

 

I agree.  I read somewhere that Latourette pulled in more recovery stimulus funds than Kuchinich, who was too caught up in narcissism aka campaigning for President.

 

Senator Metzenbaum's office used to say that he was a "national Democrat" and that his contribution to Ohio was the "big picture" stuff that rose above district concerns. I'm sure Kucinich feels the same way.

 

Personally, I'll take the LaTourette approach every time.