RUTHFULLY YOURS

So which IRS divisions are still functional, apart from those responsible for collecting tax dollars and targeting conservative groups? The IT department is supposedly to blame for more than two years of missing emails, and the congressional relations team seems to entertain delusions of competence, even as it misleads a sympathetic Senate committee. The list of, er, coincidences lengthens.

On Monday IRS Commissioner John Koskinen met with Finance Chairman Ron Wyden and ranking Republican Orrin Hatch to explain the apparent hard-drive meltdowns that erased the communications to the rest of the executive branch from Lois Lerner and six IRS colleagues. The bipartisan duo learned that the IRS discovered the gap late in February, though by then the investigation had been underway for nearly a year.

In early April the IRS relayed the information to the Treasury, and the Treasury informed the White House the same month. But for some reason Congress and the public were left out of this information daisy chain until last Friday. The IRS has no explanation for the two-month blackout period.

At the Monday meeting with Senate Finance, Mr. Koskinen also neglected to mention the detail of the six other IRS employees whose computers also crashed at the same time as Ms. Lerner’s, though he must have known. IRS staff didn’t tell Senate staff in a meeting the same day either. Mr. Hatch revealed in a letter Thursday that he found out about this in a press release from the HouseWays and Means Committee.

This turn of events is all the more remarkable because Messrs. Wyden and Hatch were about to close a Senate investigation that involved 700,000 pages of documents and 30 interviews. They had agreed on consensus findings of fact that were being drafted, but Mr. Hatch asked for Mr. Koskinen to formally attest that all relevant communications had been produced to Congress. Forcing the IRS chief to go on legal record may help explain why the email gap was finally disclosed after two months, instead of even later or never.

Mr. Koskinen’s lack of candor is either evidence of ineptitude or deliberate abuse, and the Senate committee has reopened its probe. To recover the emails, Congress will need to expand its inquiry beyond the IRS proper to the Treasury, Justice Department and even the White House.

Although Tablighi Jamaat promotes itself as tolerant, American security officials say it is a “recruiting ground” for al-Qaeda, and French intelligence officials describe the group as the “antechamber of fundamentalism.” The French Tablighi expert Marc Gaborieau says the group’s ultimate objective is nothing short of a “planned conquest of the world” in the spirit of jihad.

Local citizens—including many Muslims—are concerned that the project is actually a smokescreen for an ambitious plan to establish a hardline Islamic enclave in East London.

“What marks out Tablighi Jamaat is its unwillingness to enter into dialogue with representatives of different religions and non-religious beliefs. Jamaat does not promote social integration of women. Tablighi women are required to observe purdah, or seclusion. In public places, Tablighi women are required to cover their entire body with a burkha and face veil and must always be accompanied by a male relative. Therefore the female members of this movement—as well as future generations—do not integrate into mainstream British society.” — Tehmina Kazi, Director of British Muslims for Secular Democracy, in her 2011 Summary Proof of Evidence. This month, she abruptly withdrew from giving evidence on the first day of the Inquiry after being “persuaded” by Muslim hardliners.

By successfully silencing Kazi, Tablighi Jamaat has effectively removed a highly effective obstacle. Now all eyes will be on Eric Pickles, the cabinet minister who will decide later this year whether the mosque project goes ahead.

A radical Islamic group is one step closer to building one of the world’s largest mosques in London after a star Muslim opponent of the controversial mega-mosque was intimidated into silence.

Tablighi Jamaat—a fundamentalist Islamic sect opposed to Western values such as democracy and human rights, but committed to “perpetual Jihad” to spread Islam around the world—is fighting a no-holds-barred battle to build a massive mosque complex in West Ham, a neighborhood in the East London Borough of Newham.

The proposed mosque would be built on a 16-acre site near the Olympic Stadium, and would have a capacity for more than 9,000 worshippers. It would be outfitted with towering minarets, an Islamic library, a dining hall, tennis courts, sports facilities, hundreds of parking spaces and apartments for visiting Muslim clerics, all of which would make the East London mosque the largest religious building in Britain and the largest mosque in Europe.

Tablighi Jamaat—an Arabic term that means “Society for Spreading the Faith” or “Proselytizing Group”—is the largest conservative Islamic proselytizing movement in the world.

The nanotech-based detection system is ready for the market, based on the results of a study by researchers By David Shamah June 19, 2014 Quick Watch0:57 A patient uses the NaNose breathalyzer (Photo credit: Courtesy Tel Aviv University) A cancer-detection technology that “sniffs out” malignant tumors is set to be commercialized, after a study showed that a device based on the Technion-developed “NaNose” system successfully detected lung cancer in patients with up to 90 percent accuracy.

At the heart of the device — which looks like a “breathalyzer,” usually used to detect alcohol levels — is a chip based on the NaNose technology developed by By detecting the special “odor” emitted by cancer cells the NaNose system can detect the presence of both benign and malignant tumors much more quickly, efficiently and cheaply, said Dr. Hossam Haick of the Technion, who helped develop the technology. “Current cancer diagnosis techniques are ineffective and impractical.” NaNose technology, he said, “could facilitate faster therapeutic intervention, replacing expensive and time-consuming clinical follow-up that would eventually lead to the same intervention.” Haick, along with fellow researchers Prof. Nir Peled, of Tel Aviv University’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine, and Prof. Fred Hirsch, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver, presented the study on the NaNose-based breathalyzer device’s successful cancer detection at a conference in Chicago. According to US government statistics, lung cancer kills more Americans annually than the next three most common cancers — colon, breast, and pancreatic — combined. The reason, doctors say, is because lung cancer is so difficult to detect. The only way to detect early-stage lung cancer is through an extensive process involving blood tests, biopsies, CT scans, ultrasound tests and other procedures. Even then, detection is difficult, said Peled. “Lung cancer is responsible for almost 2,000 deaths in Israel annually, a third of all cancer-related deaths. Lung cancer diagnoses require invasive procedures such as bronchoscopies, computer-guided biopsies or surgery.” “Mostly, the patient arrives for diagnosis when the symptoms of the sickness have already begun to appear,” said Haick, describing the drawbacks in current detection protocols. “Months pass before a real analysis is completed. And the process requires complicated and expensive equipment such as CT and mammography imaging devices. Each machine costs millions of dollars, and end up delivering rough, inaccurate results.” The NaNose-based breathalyzer, on the other hand, doesn’t require anything more than a patient’s breathing into the device in order to come up with an initial diagnosis. Lung cancer tumors produce chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which easily evaporate into the air and produce a discernible scent profile. The NaNose chip detects the unique “signature” of VOCs in exhaled breath. In four out of five cases, the device differentiated between benign and malignant lung lesions and even different cancer subtypes. A study conducted by the researchers on the system’s efficacy was presented at a recent American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago.

ust the day before the three boys were kidnapped, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, welcomed Hamas into the Palestinian Authority government while lambasting Israel for detaining terrorists and and taking action to prevent Hamas terrorist attacks from Gaza and the West Bank. Ashton, though never slow to condemn Israel, took five days to denounce this kidnapping. Both her words and her actions have legitimized and encouraged Hamas.

Both the U.S. and the EU have paid the salaries of Palestinian terrorists by means of grants to the PA; they also fund this propaganda and incitement.

Like every government, Israel has an absolute duty to protect its citizens, and undermining this terrorist threat is an essential part of that responsibility.

The world has undergone gut-churning revulsion this week at the videos of rows of kneeling young Iraqi men callously gunned down by Al Qaida terrorists in Mosul. But time and again, in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, Hamas has shown itself to be just as capable of such brutal cold-blooded killing. That knowledge has galvanized Israel’s desperate hunt for those who abducted teenagers Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach as they hitchhiked home from their school in Gush Etzion a week ago.

As a member of Cobra, the UK national crisis management committee, I was involved in British efforts to rescue our citizens kidnapped by Islamist terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan. No modern-day military action is so fraught: the odds are stacked against the captives, the whip hand is with the captors, it is a race against time, and it becomes extremely personal.

The victims look out at us from their photographs and we look into their eyes. We learn about their hopes, their families, their friends, and their daily lives. Nothing – nothing – stands in the way of our efforts to bring them back. Although we hope for the best, we prepare for the worst.

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/ohio-2014-candidates-for-congress-where-they-stand?f=must_reads

To see the actual voting records of all incumbents on other issues such as Foreign Policy, Second Amendment Issues, Homeland Security, and other issues as well as their rankings by special interest groups please use the links followed by two stars (**).

U.S. Senate

Sherrod Brown (D) Next election 2018
Rob Portman (R) Next election 2016

UNITED STATES CONGRESS

US HOUSE OF REP LOGO

District 1
Steve Chabot (R) Incumbent

http://chabot.house.gov/ http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Steve_Chabot.htm **

http://www.stevechabot.com/ Rated -4 by AAI, indicating anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE There is no question that our health care system needs to be reformed. Costs continue to rise and far too many are unable to purchase coverage for their families, but that didn’t require a complete takeover of our current system. I support repealing the massive healthcare power-grab by the federal government and replacing it with measures that would ensure that American families have access to affordable and quality care-this can be done without breaking the bank.

I authored legislation called the “Healthcare Insurance Affordability Act.” This would provide every American the ability to deduct 100 percent of the cost of their health insurance premiums.

ENERGY America must move towards energy independence in a manner that does not threaten the environment, or kill job creation. I believe we need to consider all available options including wind, solar, bio, nuclear and drilling right here at home. I am a strong proponent for the Keystone XL pipeline that would bring thousands of barrels of oil to the U.S. each day, not to mention, create thousands of American jobs. Some of those jobs would be created right here in Cincinnati at our Siemens plant.

BALANCED BUDGET I believe the federal government should have to operate in a fiscally responsible manner, just as most American families and small businesses do. The money being spent by the government is your money. That’s why I have been a consistent advocate for a balanced budget amendment to our Constitution. This year we’ve surpassed $15 trillion in debt! This is unacceptable. It’s time that Congress make the tough decisions to stop wasteful government spending.
Fred Kundrata (D) Challenger

http://www.kundrataforcongress.com/splash/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

Creating Jobs and a Strong Economy
Strongly Supporting Public Education

(Supporting our local schools and giving teachers the resources they need to see their students succeed.)

Supporting our Veterans
Supporting our Senior Citizens
Supporting the Social Safety Net for our Most Vulnerable Citizens
Promoting Peace and Keeping America Safe
Strengthening Labor Unions
Expanding the Middle Class

District 2
Brad Wenstrup M.D. (R)Incumbent

http://www.usabrad.com/#about-brad http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Brad_Wenstrup.htm **

https://wenstrup.house.gov/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY Our nation is blessed with abundant natural resources, including vast stores of untapped oil and natural gas. In fact, Ohio is well positioned to become a major player in the natural gas boom. Yet our nation remains far too reliant on foreign energy, and Americans continue to pay unacceptably high prices at the pump. I support policies that will expand access to all forms of American-made energy, including the Keystone XL pipeline, which will create jobs and provide increased energy supplies, and increased American energy exploration on private and federal lands.

I also believe the EPA’s unilateral pursuit of regulatory action without congressional oversight, including the unaccountable attempt to regulate carbon, has created tremendous uncertainty for businesses and consumers at a time when we can least afford it.

HEALTHCARE As a doctor who served patients for over 26 years, I know that America’s health care system is broken. The President’s healthcare law puts too much control in the hands of the federal bureaucrats, stifles innovation, undermines our individual liberty and will lead to increased costs and lower quality care. I am committed to defunding and ultimately repealing Obamacare and replacing it with more patient-centered solutions that actually lower costs. That is why one of my first actions as a member of Congress was to cosponsor legislation, H.R. 45, to fully repeal this ill-conceived law. We need a health care system that keeps the government out of the doctor’s office, returns decision making from bureaucrats to patients and doctors, fosters competition, and increases health care choices.

NATIONAL SECURITY Killing Bin Laden was a significant benchmark in the War on Terror, but it wasn’t the conclusion. When serving as a Combat Surgeon with the U.S. Army in Iraq, Brad saw the effects of violent anti-American activism first hand. Whether it’s Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, or other places around the world – there are still far too many havens for terrorists who want to kill Americans. Starting with securing our borders, and continuing with a strong, able, and ready military, Brad believes that we must remain active and vigilant to ensure our nation remains safe and free.
Marek Tyszkiewicz (D) Challenger

http://www.electintegrity.com/issues

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

IMMIGRATION REFORM Marek is one of four children of Polish immigrants. His parents worked hard, followed the rules, and became naturalized citizens. They lived the American Dream and raised four sons who all became productive members of this society. The demographics of our country are rapidly changing. Our population is aging and baby-boomers are retiring. The ratio of seniors to workers is the highest it’s ever been. To keep our economy moving and to fund programs like Social Security, we need more, younger tax payers.

Unfortunately, our current immigration system is broken. We have undocumented workers, without background checks, who don’t pay taxes. Companies hiring undocumented workers are rewarded with unfair competitive advantages against those playing by the rules. Marek supports comprehensive immigration reform. We need a fair and realistic federal immigration process that registers undocumented workers and gets them on a path to citizenship, gets them paying taxes, and creates a level playing field for all companies.

ENERGY AND OUR ENVIRONMENT Marek believes climate change is a real issue. The argument against environmental protection and climate change is that it hurts corporate bottom lines. Let’s work with these companies to increase environmental standards without costing jobs. Together we can innovate how we do business and save the bottom line for them and for the planet. Marek does his part in the effort. His small business is a designated EPA Green Power Partner and uses 100% green electric service supplied by regional wind farms. Marek drives a Chevy Volt and charges it using 100% green energy.

PROTECTING PRIVACY Marek believes we all have the right to live our private lives with integrity and without government intrusion into our decisions and data. When it comes to our personal and private lives, small government is best.

District 3
Joyce Beatty (D) Incumbent

http://www.beattyforcongress.com/ http://beatty.house.gov/

http://www.beattyforcongress.com/Issues.aspx http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Joyce_Beatty.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE Joyce Beatty has been a long advocate on health care issues. As a stroke survivor herself and now a member of the National American Heart Association board, she understands that access to affordable health care is essential. Joyce Beatty stated throughout her campaign that she will stand up to anyone who attempts to slash Medicare or gut the Affordable Care Act. Everyone, including Joyce Beatty, agrees that we must cut spending and tighten our belts; however, she would like to see a thorough review of discretionary spending before Congress makes cuts to Medicare. Medicare allows our older Americans to grow old without the fear that they will not have heath care. This is a system that should be looked as a triumph and be championed.

ENERGY Voted against the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

ECONOMY AND JOBS Joyce Beatty understands that having a good paying job is the first step in having a good life and being able to provide for themselves and others. Joyce has stated throughout her campaign for Congress that her top priority is fostering an environment conducive to creating jobs.

The economy is improving; however, Joyce Beatty understands that it still isn’t where it needs to be for everyone in the 3rd District. Joyce will advocate for tax incentives for companies that hire, support funding for small business and entrepreneurs, and champion additional aid programs that will put central Ohioans back to work.
John Adams (R) Challenger

No current campaign website.

District 4
Jim Jordan (R) Incumbent

http://jimjordanforcongress.com/ http://jordan.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Jim_Jordan.htm** Rated -4 by AAI, indicating anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE First and foremost, we need to get health care reform done right, not done fast. Passing another thousand-page bill without amendments or debate will do nothing to help the economy, create jobs, or reform health care. Right now, the thousand-page health care bill will cost taxpayers about a billion dollars per page and will impose new taxes on individuals and businesses. It will force Americans from private healthcare into a government-run system that will put Washington bureaucrats in charge of rationing care. This government takeover would add $239 billion of deficit over ten years, pushing our already unstable finances further toward bankruptcy.

We need health care reform that puts medical decisions in the hands of doctors, families and patients, not government bureaucrats or insurance companies. We need to make our high quality care more affordable, and I believe we can do so through a number of reforms, like offering financial assistance to those who cannot afford coverage, expanding options to include health savings accounts and allowing families and individuals to buy coverage with the same advantage given to businesses.

ENERGY America is far too dependent on Middle Eastern oil. Having suffered years of record high gas prices, the American people deserve greater freedom from Middle Eastern manipulation of the oil markets. We need to increase domestic oil and gas supply by exploring and utilizing more of the energy resources we have at home. We must also help keep our nation on the cutting edge by exploring alternative sources of energy and better ways to make use of them. At the same time, we must be careful stewards of precious natural resources-taking care to avoid strategies that damage our landscape, environment and pose health risks to our citizens. In response to President Obama’s rejection of TransCanada’s application to build the Keystone pipeline, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) issued the following statement:

“The law clearly says the President can only block this project if he determines it ‘would not serve the national interest.’ How are thousands of new jobs, cheaper energy and greater security not in our national interest?” “With this decision, the President has chosen to side with radical environmentalists over the American people. Those hurt most by his decision are the millions of Americans who need these jobs the most.”

IMMIGRATION I am steadfastly against illegal immigration and amnesty for illegal immigrants. My strategy for dealing with the many problems posted by illegal immigration is threefold: secure the border, robustly enforce our immigration laws and fix the system so that it works for those who want to come to our country legally-by working hard, learning the language and becoming Americans. Our country has always been a nation of immigrants. In large part, this is what has made us great, but illegal immigration is unfair to the many people from around the world who want to come to the United States legally, as well as being a serious threat to our homeland security.
Janet Garret (D) Write in challenger

http://janetgarrett.com/

District 5
Bob Latta (R) Incumbent

http://www.lattaforcongress.com/ http://latta.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Bob_Latta.htm ** Rated -3 by AAI, indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY AND REGULATIONS April 2, 2014 – At an Energy and Commerce Committee joint hearing between the Subcommittees on Energy and Power and Environment and the Economy, Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH) today questioned Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy regarding the unnecessary and over burdensome regulations imposed by the EPA on businesses and their impacts on Americans throughout the country.

“The EPA has imposed excessive regulations on American businesses, especially in the manufacturing sector, making it harder for them to expand and hire,” said Latta. “This unnecessary red tape is harming real American businesses and families with tidal wave effects throughout our nation’s economy. It’s time for the EPA to refocus its efforts on implementing standards that are reasonable and allow American ingenuity to thrive.”

Supports construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

HEALTHCARE Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) to voted in favor of repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), also known as ObamaCare. Latta issued the following statement after the bill passed on the House Floor this afternoon:

“With promises of providing health care that is more affordable and widely available, ObamaCare has proved to do just the opposite. I voted in favor to repeal the President’s health care law because hardworking Americans deserve real health care reform that decreases costs, lowers taxes, enhances the quality of care, and protects jobs. I will continue to work with my colleagues toward health care solutions that are accessible and patient-centered.”

IMMIGRATION http://rsc.scalise.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=319584 “What you’re seeing in the Senate right now, they’re trying to do something different than they’ve done back in 1986, when Congress passed the amnesty bill,” Latta said. “What you don’t want to do is a situation where you do something right then, but you don’t fix the problem. This isn’t just a carte blanche deal. If the president’s plan doesn’t address the border, it will take a lot of work to get that legislation passed.”

With an estimated 11 million people in the United States illegally, 8 million of whom are working, Latta said the right thing to do is address it. “So many people are here, the question becomes, ‘What happens now?'” Latta said. “We want to make sure the system is not broken, that the borders are secure. They should learn English. It’s a building block, a commonality in our country, and get on this path. At same time, you have all these folks who are already in the system and trying to get their citizenship legally; make sure that they don’t get hopscotched.”
Robert Fry (D) Challenger

http://heritagechurchofgod.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2:dr-robert-fry&catid=1:staff

District 6
Bill Johnson (R) Incumbent

http://billjohnsonleads.com/ http://billjohnson.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Bill_Johnson.htm ** Rated -5 by AAI, indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE One of Bill Johnson’s first votes after being sworn into office was to repeal President Obama’s new health care law, “Obamacare.” Since then, he has voted to repeal all or parts of Obamacare approximately 40 times. Johnson believes that America’s health care system needs to be improved, but should not be taken over by the federal government

Bill Johnson is also working to advance solutions to replace the law once we have succeeded in repealing it. He’s a proud cosponsor of the “Empowering Patients First Act.” This bill would make coverage more accessible and lower costs by providing tax incentives to individuals to purchase health insurance coverage, rather than having it mandated by Washington. By increasing patients’ control over their health decisions, coverage will become more affordable and accessible, and will also offer more choices and result in higher quality care.

ENERGY Supports construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments. In order to achieve energy self sufficiency, we must move full speed ahead on domestic oil and natural gas development and coal production, but we also must begin expanding our nuclear footprint and determine what role wind and solar power and other renewable technologies will play in that equation. America has significant energy resources, and if Washington would get out of the way and let the private market drive energy innovations, we would learn to produce, store, distribute, and use energy in ways we’ve never imagined…it’s called “American Exceptionalism”.

FOREIGN POLICY America has always been “the” leader in promoting freedom and protecting and preserving democracy around the world. I remain an unwavering supporter of Israel, our strongest democratic ally in the region, and I will continue to insist the U.S. Support Israel’s efforts to maintain its military edge over potential threats.

I have been an outspoken critic of one of America’s largest debt holders, China, and its manipulative economic and business practices. I have been fighting against America giving aid to China, against China’s human rights violations, and against their military buildup and aggression. But, it’s not just China that threatens America’s national and economic security. I strongly believe that a nuclear armed Iran is unacceptable. We cannot allow such dangerous technology to fall into the hands of an irrational rogue regime, and we should use all diplomatic, political, economic, and, if necessary, military options at our disposal to prevent it. To that end, I have cosponsored several bills that place further sanctions on Iran.

After spending nearly 27 years in the Air Force, I know that America’s freedom is not free…it comes at a great price. And, I know the extraordinary sacrifices that our soldiers and their families make. While I would like to see our troops return home as soon as possible, I also believe we face a capable adversary who demonstrated on 9/11 that they can bring the battle to the streets of cities right here at home. Therefore, we need to fight the war on terror on our terms and in their back yard, not ours. Military commanders on the ground in the war zones should make operational decisions, not bureaucrats in Washington. And, we must ensure that our troops have the necessary resources and support to be successful in their mission.
Jennifer Garrison (D) Challenger

http://jennifergarrison.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE Like a lot of Americans, I was frustrated and angered by the process by which Congress enacted the Affordable Care Act. There are admirable parts of the law-covering pre-existing conditions, helping more Ohio families to get health coverage, and raising the age by which children can remain on their parents’ plans. But there are serious concerns, such as rising premiums on small businesses and the treatment of multi-employer plans that negatively impact many labor families. I’ll work to fix the Affordable Care Act so that it works better for people in our part of Ohio.

ENERGY Since my time in the legislature, I have continued to serve the community and to create jobs in Southeastern Ohio. I helped create the Southeastern Ohio Landowners’ Association (“SEOLA”) that has successfully negotiated over $ 300 million of shale oil and gas mineral leases, providing landowners with some of the best financial outcomes, while also protecting their land and water. I am also a member of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association and the Washington County Ohio Shale Task Force. Working with SEOLA and these organizations, I am helping to ensure that generations of Ohioans will have safe, well-paying union jobs while landowners’ rights are protected.

I am also proud to stand with Ohio’s coal industry. This important industry provides good-paying jobs and a reliable, domestic energy source. I supported clean coal technology during my time in the statehouse. And, I spoke out against President Obama’s proposed overly burdensome regulations on new coal-burning power plants.

Keystone XL Pipeline – There are too many politicians in Washington who put the interests of their party ahead of the interests of their constituents. I’ll take a different approach and one example of that is the Keystone XL Pipeline. I think President Obama is wrong to have blocked approval of the pipeline because the pipeline will create good paying jobs for Americans in the construction trades.

Moreover, the President’s refusal to green light the pipeline has hurt our efforts to become energy independent. The United States currently imports approximately 7.5 million barrels per day, with domestic crude oil production at 9.1 million barrels per day-Much of our imported crude oil comes from unstable Middle Eastern and Latin American countries. We are allies of Canada and it is smarter to be trading with our North American friends than with unstable regimes.

UNIONS America’s middle class is being undermined and part of the reason is that unions are being undermined. I have always supported organized labor, prevailing wage laws, and collective bargaining rights; and, I was proud to speak out against Senate Bill 5. I was raised in a union household. Unions provide a living wage, a trained and safe workforce, health care for working families, and an ability to retire in dignity. I’m proud to have the endorsement of Ohio’s AFL-CIO, Affiliated Construction Trades (ACT) of Ohio, the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters and its locals in the 6th district and many other labor groups because I will always stand with working families.

District 7
Bob Gibbs (R) Incumbent

http://www.bobgibbsforcongress.com/ http://gibbs.house.gov/#

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Bob_Gibbs.htm ** Rated -2 by AAI, indicating anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE I understand the need to make medical care more affordable for families and increase the access to quality coverage in this county. However, Obamacare does not accomplish that goal; in fact it makes it worse. Once fully implemented it will cost more than $2 trillion, raise taxes by $800 billion and add over $700 billion to the deficit. Additionally, it does nothing to address the core issues behind rising health care costs. We need to work together in a bipartisan and open manner to increase Ohioans access to health insurance while removing the burden on taxpayers and small business.

Here are some of my ideas for things I would like to see included in any new healthcare reform:

If you like your current health care plan, you should be able to keep it.
Make healthcare coverage patient-owned and portable across state lines, job to job.
Doctors and their patients should be the only ones making critical and sensitive health care decisions, not government bureaucrats.
Coverage of pre-existing conditions.
Protect and expand health saving accounts.
Decrease frivolous lawsuits that cause doctors to practice defensive medicine which increase costs.
Patients should be able to keep their current doctors and not forced to choose new medical providers.

FOREIGN POLICY As the world’s only superpower, we are in a unique position to promote democracy and convey to the world the values our country was founded on. I also strongly believe Israel’s right to protect itself. The U.S. and Israel have always maintained a special relationship since its creation in 1948 and our economic and military aid has been a major component in cementing and reinforcing those ties. Many of the same forces that threaten us are direct threats to Israel. As a stable democracy in a sea of uncertainty, it is a tremendous importance that relationship must continue.

ENERGY Responsibly Develop our Domestic Natural Resources – “Ohio is ready to play a major role in supplying the American energy demand, creating jobs and economic impact here at home.” Bob Gibbs knows the shale formation in our area is an example of how America can tap its own resources to become more energy independent while adding tens of thousands of Ohio jobs. Bob also supports the immediate approval of the Keystone Pipeline project, which will increase our oil supply and reduce our reliance on Middle Eastern oil.
Dan Phillips (L) Challenger

No website

District 8
John Boehner (R) Incumbent Speaker of the House

http://www.johnboehner.com/ https://boehner.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/John_Boehner.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE John believes we can lower health care costs for families and small businesses without destroying jobs, adding to the deficit, or putting Washington politicians between doctors and patients. That’s why John is leading the fight to fully repeal and defund the president’s fundamentally-flawed law that’s driving up costs, wreaking havoc on small businesses, and forcing people off of plans they like. John’s small business background puts him in a unique position to help address our health care challenges. He supports reforms that will break down barriers that prevent small businesses from providing affordable, high quality care; that rein in junk lawsuits that drive up costs; and that make it easier for Americans to get the coverage they need – and keep it.

ENERGY John believes we need an “all of the above” energy strategy to create jobs, lower gas prices, and liberate America from its dependence on foreign oil. That’s why he’s leading the fight for the American Energy Initiative, an ongoing effort to expand energy production and stop policies that drive up prices and hurt job growth — policies like the “cap and trade” national energy tax.

John supports legislation expanding environmentally safe drilling and production of American-made energy in the arctic coastal plane, offshore, and the Mountain West. And he supports increasing production of clean and reliable sources like emissions-free nuclear power, hydroelectric, Ohio’s abundant next-generation coal and other alternative sources of energy. http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/197387-boehner-keystone-xl-decision-not-complex – February 04, 2014 – Boehner blasts Obama for delays on Keystone Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Tuesday criticized President Obama for not approving the Keystone XL pipeline, calling it a simple decision.

Boehner railed about Keystone during a press conference after being asked if the oil-sands pipeline was too “complex an issue to attach” to legislation raising the debt ceiling. “Complex? The Keystone pipeline is complex?” Boehner said. “It’s been under study for five years! “We build pipelines everywhere in American everyday. Do you realize there are 200,000 miles of pipelines in the United States? “The only reason that the president’s involved in the Keystone pipeline is because it crosses an international boundary. Listen, we can build it. There’s nothing complex about the Keystone pipeline. It’s time to build it,” Boehner added.

PROTECTING AMERICA John Boehner is fighting to make sure our armed forces have the resources they need in a timely manner. The last thing soldiers and veterans deserve is for Congress to hold their funding hostage to inside-the-beltway politics. Boehner believes defending America and providing our brave men and women with the tools they need to defeat our terrorist enemies is the most solemn duty of the federal government.
Tom Poetter (D) Challenger

http://www.poetterforcongress.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE The Affordable Care Act should not be repealed. Seven million people signed up on the state exchanges. Medicaid has been expanded in half the states of the Union, which means that around eight million people will be enrolled. I would improve the Affordable Care Act by introducing a public option. That would mean that Americans could have more of a choice in how to spend their healthcare dollars and be able to invest in a plan that was not managed by a private company. They could put their money into a government-run option. A government-run option would not be beholden to its shareholders to make money; all of the money invested would go directly to medical care instead of into a private company’s coffers. We did not have an adequate conversation about this as a country in 2009 and 2010 and we owe it to our citizens to have this conversation.

IMMIGRATION I believe that we are going to be locked in one the greatest, most political debates in some time as the Republicans in the House try to save face and try to cultivate votes by working on an immigration bill in 2015. But the Speaker promises only to address the key issues piecemeal, and not take on the great sweeping problems that plague us as a nation. Mainly, we need a bill that reduces the fear experienced by resident workers, scared of being deported, of coming out of the shadows. We are going to have to give in on extreme demands for security of our southern border, but this compromise must be accompanied by a clear path to permanent residency and to citizenship. This is the least we can do for those who live and work here bravely, paying taxes and contributing both to the economic and cultural capital in our society but who feel disenfranchised and unable to come out of the shadows.

JOBS AND ECONOMY Our economy is recovering, but it has been slow moving and difficult for many who are out of work, or can’t find good jobs outside the service sector, or have given up looking all together. We need to emphasize job training programs and accessibility to post-secondary education, both of which are almost always necessary for individual economic success in the 21st Century. We need to have a stronger federal emphasis on these areas, making job training more effective and easier to access, and tuition support more readily available to citizens who want to go to or return to college. Higher education has to be more affordable.

These are essential commitments to reclaiming ground lost by the middle class, to help citizens into the middle class, and to lift citizens out of poverty, without saddling them with even more debt. And we need to find ways to encourage and incentivize businesses of all sizes to invest their cash reserves in the creation of new jobs. We have a talented workforce in this region, strengthened by union representation and skilled labor. Let’s put our minds and hearts together to capitalize on our strengths, and rebuild Ohio, especially aspects of our crumbling infrastructure, with District 8 as a beacon to the state and the country for innovation and teamwork.

District 9
Marcy Kaptur (D)Incumbent

http://www.marcykaptur.com/ http://www.kaptur.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Marcy_Kaptur.htm ** Rated +1 by AAI, indicating a mixed Arab/Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE Strong support for Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and strong efforts to enroll constituents.

ENERGY Voted against the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS U.S. foreign policy must reflect the needs of new levels of interdependence globally. Our foreign policy should encourage economic and democratic growth and protect national security. While maintaining our sovereignty, the U.S. supports the efforts of international organizations in peacekeeping and crisis management. As a partner for peace, the U.S. can assist in negotiations in the troubled regions of the Middle East, Africa, and elsewhere. Northern Ohio has a proud immigrant tradition that has enriched our community with diverse and worldly citizens.

CHINA Congresswoman Kaptur serves as a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Sino-US relations are never far from the congressional agenda: bilateral trade imbalance, national security, human rights, currency manipulation, intellectual property rights, or cyber-warfare. For more on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, click here.

EASTERN EUROPE Congresswoman Kaptur serves as co-chair of the Congressional Hungarian-American Caucus and also the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. She is a member of the Congressional Caucus on Poland and the Congressional Caucus on Central and Eastern Europe.

Our nation has much to gain from alliances with the emerging democracies that were formerly under Soviet domination. Congresswoman Kaptur, a Polish-American, is always seeking opportunities to deepen the relationships between Northern Ohio and Eastern Europe. Stronger ties can strengthen both regions economically, strategically and culturally. Also, much has been done to recognize those who lost their lives in the fight against oppression by commemorating the Holocaust, the Great Ukrainian Famine in 1933, and the Katyn Massacre. It is important that we remember and honor those who lost their lives and suffered at the hands of Nazi and Soviet oppression.

MIDDLE EAST The ongoing Middle East conflict is perhaps the most vexing diplomatic quandary in the world. As a superpower, the U.S. has both the opportunity and responsibility to help bring stability to this volatile and strategic region. The U.S. must be an honest broker for peace and revisit a peace process. We must encourage people-to-people contact in the region so we can eliminate hatred and highlight common bonds between neighbors. The pathway to peace can be paved by grass-roots diplomacy in addition to governmental compromise. Peace in the region is possible if all sides distance themselves from extremism and open themselves to frank dialogue. The U.S. can help usher in a new era of hope for the region and the world.

IRAN – is on the precipice. It is nearing nuclear weapons capabilities while at the same time facing a popular democratic uprising from its own people. The acquisition of nuclear weapons by Iran would destabilize an already volatile region. Diplomacy, not military action, should be used to deal with Iran. Additional sanctions may be a useful tool in keeping Iran in check, but the U.S. must ensure that the democratic movement is not suffocated. The problem is the oppressive and fanatical Iranian regime, not the overwhelmingly pro-western people of Iran.
Richard May (R) Challenger

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Richard-May-for-Congress/763525076993028

District 10
Mike Turner (R)Incumbent

http://www.miketurner.com/ http://turner.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Mike_Turner.htm ** Rated -3 by AAI, indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) released the following statement after the Obama Administration announced a decision to delay the implementation of the employer health care mandate until 2015: “This announcement proves what I have said all along about Obamacare – it is a flawed law which is nearly impossible to implement. Even in its earliest stages we have seen how this monstrosity has been a near total failure. Both in increased healthcare costs for Ohioans, and the reduction of hours for many workers, this is a law doing exactly the opposite of what we were all promised. We don’t need more delays and more red tape with the implementation of Obamacare. It must be repealed and replaced immediately.”

ENERGY

Voted YES on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling.
Voted YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases.
Voted NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution.
Voted for construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

Robert Klepinger (D) Challenger

https://www.facebook.com/RobKlepCongress

District 11
Marcia Fudge (D) Incumbent

http://marcialfudge.com/ http://fudge.house.gov/issues/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Marcia_Fudge.htm ** Rated +1 by AAI, indicating a mixed Arab/Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

Voted against construction of Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

Eradicating Childhood Obesity Ensuring our children have an opportunity to succeed is important to every parent. Making sure they are healthy enough to enjoy a long, productive life is a large part of the equation. I have dedicated myself to the cause of eradicating childhood obesity because we have no more time to waste. A study conducted by University Hospitals found that the obesity rate in Ohio is 36% for children 10 -17. If we don’t face this epidemic head on with practical solutions, 23 million children run the risk of being the first American generation to live shorter life spans than their parents.

NUTRITION

Eradicating childhood obesity;
Increasing access to healthy foods, especially in underserved communities;
Decreasing the rate of hunger, especially among children and seniors; and
Bringing fresh food to cities through non-traditional farming (i.e. urban farming).

JOB CREATION

Creating an environment that fosters job growth for the underemployed, unskilled, undereducated, chronically unemployed and long time unemployed;
Focusing on sustaining current jobs by supporting the national labor movement (i.e. trade agreements and bargaining rights); and
Promoting infrastructure projects as a method to create jobs.

VOTER PROTECTION Safeguarding the rights of voters, especially populations that are traditionally targeted by voter suppression. This is Rep. Fudge’s current civil rights priority.
Mark Zetzer (R) Challenger

http://www.markzetzer.com/

District 12
Pat Tiberi (R) Incumbent

http://tiberi.house.gov/ http://www.tiberiforcongress.com/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Pat_Tiberi.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY Strong proponent of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

HEALTHCARE Congressman Tiberi believes the Democrats’ trillion-dollar government takeover of health care should be repealed and replaced with common-sense measures to lower the cost and expand access to those who are uninsured or under-insured. Congressman Tiberi believes:

Pre-existing conditions should be covered and no one should be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition.
A person should be able to keep their health coverage if they lose their job, change jobs, or move to another state.
Healthcare decisions should be made by patients and doctors together, not by government bureaucrats.
Healthcare reform should include wellness and preventative measures.
Individuals and small businesses should be able to band together and to receive the same health benefits as large companies.
If you like the healthcare plan you currently have, you should be able to keep it.
Healthcare plans should be able to be purchased across state lines to increase access and lower the cost.
Lawsuit reform is an important element in healthcare reform to decrease the cost of defensive medicine.
Healthcare reform should be done in a fiscally responsible way. We shouldn’t be burying our children in mountains of debt. There’s a way we can reform healthcare without putting our children’s financial future in jeopardy.

JOBS AND ECONOMY During this time of economic uncertainty, I am working in Congress to make our futures a little brighter. While I know it isn’t a permanent solution, I have supported multiple temporary extensions of unemployment compensation to help families pay their bills while workers are looking for a new job. Whether it’s making healthcare more accessible and affordable, helping cut taxes for families and small businesses, or keeping rising costs of energy in check, I believe in giving families the tools they need to succeed. Below are resources that may help you find a job or connect you with the benefits or resources you need to get by in these difficult economic times.
David Tibbs (D) Challenger

http://www.tibbsforcongress.com/issues.html

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE President Obama was correct when, in a recent speech on climate, he said “we don’t have time for a meeting of the Flat Earth Society.” The signs of climate change, which some now call climate chaos, are everywhere. We have the most bizarre storms, droughts, record heat and cold, flooding, and on and on. And then there’s logic. How could we expect to pollute our air with billions of tons of carbon over hundreds of years and imagine it would have no effect. But we now know that responsible and sustainable energy production systems can supply our energy needs . Indeed, we see them all over. Solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal – there are a host of technologies to get our energy directly from Earth, Air, Fire and Water. And yet these are inevitably downplayed and under-utilized because of the massive profits energy companies like Exxon, BP, Shell and others get from dirty fossil fuels. At this point they are not responsible partners.

They prove this lack of responsibility daily. Whether we look at mountaintop removal for coal extraction, fracking for natural gas extraction, drilling for oil or most any other fossil fuel related activity, we see their dishonesty and greed in clear evidence. Perhaps even more appalling is their refusal to consider climate science, as though hundreds of years of burning fossil fuels has had no negative effect on our climate and global ecology. We need a sustainable way forward. One greatly ignored facet of energy in our culture is how much locally generated energy is possible. Such distributive systems [like the Internet], are vastly more robust than monolithic energy generating stations that fail us when power lines are downed or blow up like Chernobyl or Fukushima. Rooftop solar, personal windmills and much more are possible with our commitment to sustainable energy. Having buying cooperatives like Ohio’s Energy Aggregation Policy can also go far in encouraging sustainable energy production. The truth is, we must move beyond fossil fuels as quickly as possible, and take on the mammoth task of mitigating climate change.

HEALTHCARE I argue for universal healthcare, with a strong component of education toward wellness. A ‘single payer’ system as it’s called, with the federal government as that single payer. Indeed, such is the case in most democratic, industrial nations. I also argue for local food, as it has vast potential to effect our level of wellness. Eating and engaging in the production and processing of local food creates wonderful opportunities to make better decisions about our health. And we gain great benefits in exercise, and camaraderie with our communities as well. Other local projects, like hemp production, can provide additional benefits. Hemp has a number of medicinal purposes, known throughout the centuries, and only in the last century buried.

IMMIGRATION REFORM America has a long and rich heritage of immigration. Democrats have always embraced our country’s diversity, but we also recognize that we need to fix our broken immigration system. Democrats support comprehensive reform grounded in the principles of responsibility and accountability:

Responsibility from the federal government to secure our borders: The Obama administration has dedicated unprecedented resources to securing our borders and reducing the flow of illegal traffic in both directions.

Responsibility from unscrupulous businesses that break the law: Employers who exploit undocumented workers undermine American workers, and they have to be held accountable.

Responsibility from people who are living in the United States illegally: Undocumented workers who are in good standing must admit that they broke the law, pay taxes and a penalty, learn English, and get right with the law before they can get in line to earn their citizenship.

Comprehensive immigration reform is essential to continue the tradition of innovation that immigrants have brought to the American economy and to ensure a level playing field for American workers.

District 13
Tim Ryan (D) Incumbent

http://www.timryanforcongress.com/ http://timryan.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Tim_Ryan.htm ** Rated +1 by AAI, indicating a mixed Arab/Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

CHINA AND CURRENCY MANIPULATION China currently has their currency pegged to a basket of six other currencies, which allows them to increase their purchasing power for U.S. goods. This is often referred to as “currency manipulation”. As these six currencies fluctuate, the Chinese Yuan fluctuates accordingly (the purchasing power is constant). They can purchase dollars for very cheap, and in turn, purchase U.S. made products for a lot cheaper than we can with our own money. In conjunction with several of his peers in Congress, Tim introduced H.R. 2378 – The Currency Reform and Fair Trade Act, to help bring the currency markets to a more level playing field. This bi-partisan legislation will remove all unfair disadvantages that the U.S. and the U.S. consumers face. Read more about H.R. 2378

HEALTHCARE Over 45,000,000 Americans are uninsured. No one in America should have to declare bankruptcy because they can’t afford to pay their medical bills. Premiums should not be increasing at a rate six times the rate of our GDP (18% vs. appx. 3% GDP growth). On a World Health Organization scorecard, Americans are the unhealthiest. In the 17th District, there are 72,000 uninsured individuals. With health-care reform, we can help prevent 1,660 families escape bankruptcy due to medical bills. This new legislation is absolutely necessary for the long-term sustainability of our well-being as a people, a great nation and the leader in economic growth for years to come in the 21st century.

Additional Readings: The Brookings Institute, an independent non-partisan research organization, has constructed a plan to prevent long-term cost increases in the healthcare system. Surprisingly, there is a lot of carryover with Obama has introduced. Read the full report (PDF) by the Brookings Institute.

PREVENTING THE NEED FOR ABORTIONS Congressman Tim Ryan and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) have taken the tug-of-war debate on abortion to a completely different level: taking the necessary measures to reduce the need for abortion. It’s not the traditional pro-life stance, and it’s not the traditional pro-choice stance. The aim is to prevent the need for females to even have an abortion. Prevention measures include sex education, funding for contraceptives and increased funding for programs that assist new mothers. This $647 million dollar package is a critical investment for our families in America.

ENERGY Voted Against Construction Of The Keystone Xl Pipeline Without Limiting Amendments.
Thomas Pekarek (R) Challenger no website

District 14
Dave Joyce (R) Incumbent

http://joyce.house.gov/#dialog http://joyceforcongress.com/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Tim_Ryan.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE While America has the highest quality health care in the world, we should take measures to reduce health costs and increase access to care. Further, we must ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to quality and affordable health care.

Although I was not in office when the Affordable Care Act passed, I have serious concerns about the law causing people to lose their insurance and driving up health-related costs. I support common sense measures to reduce health-related costs for individuals and small businesses, such as tort reform and allowing Americans to purchase health insurance across state lines. I also believe Americans deserve a patient-centered health care system in which patients and doctors make decisions without the interference of government.

ENERGY Supports construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments I believe in an all of the above energy policy that utilizes and develops all available energy resources including coal, wind, and natural gas. I oppose any energy policy that will burden small businesses with new energy taxes. Further, it is important that we tap into our domestic energy sources to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, protect America’s national security and bring jobs to Northeast Ohio.

ECONOMY AND JOBS Creating jobs and growing the economy must be the number one priority for this Congress. For too long, regulations and taxes coming out of Washington have discouraged job growth. It is well overdue that Washington get out of the way and allow Ohio businesses to do what they do best: create jobs. Additionally, we must address our nation’s growing debt crisis, which breeds economic uncertainty and discourages job growth. It is my number one priority to do everything possible to encourage job creation and economic growth in Northeast Ohio, including fighting for lower taxes and against unnecessary regulations that inhibit the growth of small business.
Michael Wager (D) Challenger

http://www.michaelwagerforohio.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE Nearly 40 years after the gasoline shortages and price spikes of the 1970s, the United States is still without a comprehensive policy to address our dependence on foreign sources of oil and increase our development of natural gas and renewable sources of power. I support a broad-spectrum approach that produces affordable and clean energy, including cleaner carbon fuels, solar, wind, bio-fuels, nuclear energy and next-generation battery technologies. The science of climate change requires us to seek changes in our national strategy and comprehensive energy legislation to address this issue. In the search for sustainable energy solution, we must remain mindful of our obligations to protect environmental and public health as we must balance environmental protection with economic stability and growth. This balance necessarily needs to include adequate standards, properly monitored and enforced.

WOMEN’S RIGHTS Notwithstanding the great strides made in women’s rights and gender equality, there are continuing gender-based inequalities in our country. Women make an average of 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. Pay discrimination is still evident in the American workplace. I am the father of four daughters, and I applauded the enactment of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to assure that women who have suffered discriminatory pay can seek their legal remedies. I will support further legislation that eliminates continuing inequities in the workplace.

U.S. ISRAEL ALLIANCE The United States and Israel share a special alliance. Following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the United States was the first country to recognize Israel (only 11 minutes after its founding). For more than 60 years, this relationship has been a demonstration of shared strategic interests and shared values. I strongly support America’s alliance with Israel and our commitment to protect Israel against terrorist threats and Iranian development of nuclear weapons as well as our continued effort to achieve peace in the Middle East.

District 15
Steve Stivers (R) Incumbent

http://www.stevestivers.com/#close https://stivers.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Steve_Stivers.htm ** Rated -3 by AAI, indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June 2012 to uphold the President’s health care law was a disappointment. I believe Americans deserve a better health care solution. Congress needs to fully repeal it and move forward with a deliberate, thoughtful approach that reduces the cost of health care across the board. The law is a huge burden that has hurt our economy by driving up costs and making it less likely that businesses will hire new employees, as well as placing a crushing financial burden onto future generations. It will continue to cause job loss, increase the U.S. national debt, and expand federal bureaucracies and programs.

The vote I made in January 2012 for the health care law’s repeal was the first step in our efforts to eliminate those mandates hurting our small businesses and families. Since then, I have voted 40 times to repeal, dismantle, or defund the health care law’s most harmful provisions because doing otherwise would support the job-destroying status quo, and that is unacceptable. I support health care reforms that improve accessibility, especially for those with pre-existing medical conditions. Americans deserve access to the care they need, from the doctor they choose, at a lower and more affordable cost.

ENERGY Supports construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments. Gas prices in Ohio and across the nation are increasing at a time when Americans can least afford it. We must support all options available to us, including renewable energy, clean coal, and expanded drilling here at home. Congress needs to implement an all-of-the-above energy plan that capitalizes on our nation’s strengths and increases our nation’s energy independence.

We need American energy to solve America’s energy problem. We need to take advantage of the technological innovations that will help us reduce our dependency on foreign oil. That is why I introduced The American Made Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, a bipartisan bill which will create jobs, reduce the price of gas at the pump, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. My plan opens up untapped oil resources in the Outer Continental Shelf which will raise revenue from new offshore drilling leases and provide a new dedicated source of revenue to fund infrastructure projects, creating thousands of new jobs. The measure was also part of the energy and infrastructure jobs bill announced by House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) in late 2011.

BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT In my lifetime of 48 years, the federal government has only managed to balance its budget five times. Clearly, our federal government has a systemic problem which deserves a systemic solution. That solution is a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) to the United States Constitution. The BBA will force Congress to rein in the out-of-control spending. The recent debate over the budget has only strengthened my resolve, and the fight to address the critical issues facing our nation is not over. I will continue efforts to work toward a fiscally-responsible budget today to ensure a better future for the next generation of Americans. It is what our children deserve. We face this tough economy not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans. Our debt cannot be blamed on one President or one party because it was created by many years of uncontrolled spending and borrowing. However, the time for a serious measure that balances our budget and works to fix this pending disaster is now.
Scott Wharton (D) Challenger

http://whartonforcongress.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

WOMEN’S RIGHTS A vocal band of far-right politicians in Washington (and Columbus) have chosen to use their political power to rollback time on the rights of women in the U.S. Attempts have been made to repeal the Lily Ledbetter Act which bans pay discrimination against women in the workplace and anti-choice amendments make their way into otherwise unrelated bills in Congress.

I support:

Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment
A woman’s right to make reproductive health choices for herself
The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
The basic notion that men and women should be treated equally in all aspects of society including education and the workplace.

HEALTHCARE Scott believes there is a moral and economic imperative to reform the nation’s healthcare system. He supports the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and believes that Republicans and Democrats should work together to fix the law rather than repeal or defund it.

Here are some of the reasons he supports the Affordable Care Act:

The 80/20 rule – Insurance companies must spend at least 80 percent of yours or your employer’s premium on actual healthcare. No more than 20 percent of your premium payment may be spent on executive salary increases, profits or marketing. Under the ACA, millions of dollars have already been rebated to employers and consumers due to this rule.
Health Insurance Marketplaces – Each state has either a federally or state-run health insurance exchange as of October 1, 2013. Plans in these exchanges must meet minimum standards of coverage and the exchanges offer consumers and businesses a market where insurance companies are competing for their business. For small businesses, these Health Insurance Marketplaces will offer services that will make it an easier administrative lift to enroll and manage employees in employer-sponsored plans. For consumers, the marketplaces will bring some order to an overly complicated process of purchasing one’s own health insurance and ensure standards of coverage and competition for your dollar.
Pre-existing conditions – Insurance companies, beginning in 2014 may no longer deny coverage to people with pre-existing health conditions such as asthma or being a cancer survivor.

District 16
Jim Renacci (R) Incumbent

http://renacci.house.gov/ http://www.renacciforcongress.com/

http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Jim_Renacci.htm ** Rated -3 by AAI, indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

FOREIGN POLICY

ISRAEL – Israel and America are united by a shared set of values. Throughout both their histories, Israelis and Americans alike have chosen to value freedom, liberty, and democracy, and have created societies of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Moreover, Americans admire Israel for staying true to its democratic principles of human rights and tolerance in the face of unrelenting terrorism. We also admire Israel’s courage in its ongoing struggle to defeat terrorism despite the many threats that it confronts on a daily basis. In addition, our partnership is continually reinforced by our extensive cooperation in matters relating to research & development, trade, intelligence gathering, and defense.

With Israel’s sworn terrorist enemies consolidating power along the Jewish state’s borders and across the Middle East, it is urgent that the United States stands firmly by Israel in its struggle to live in peace and security. Israel is ground zero of the struggle in the Middle East between radicalism and moderation in the Middle East.

Ceding ground on Israel to our mutual and ideological enemies would only empower those who are actively working against our interests in the region, not only in Israel but in Lebanon, Iraq and elsewhere. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon the Unites States to support Israel in its right to self-defense both in diplomatic stance and in foreign assistance.

IRAN Spearheading the radical forces of instability in the region is Iran. The Islamic Republic, defiantly pushing to become a nuclear power, represents the single greatest threat to Israel’s security. Dealing with Iran, we must keep all measures on the table while leveraging our economic power to convince it that continuation of its nuclear weapons program is not in Tehran’s best interests. We need to work tirelessly with our allies around the world to prevent investment in companies tied to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, particularly in the oil sector.

PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST As we lean on our European and Arab allies to shore up a united front in our struggles with Iraq and Iran, we will be urged to increase pressure on Israel to make difficult concessions to the Palestinians. As long as the Palestinians do not implement their commitments under stage 1 of the Road Map (fighting terrorism and ending anti-Israel incitement), Israel should not be forced to make painful concessions that will hinder its ability to defend its citizenry.

The Palestinians responded to Israel’s August 2005 pullout from Gaza, a painful sacrifice meant to foster good will, by using the vacated territory to launch several hundred rockets into Southern Israel. A weak Fatah proved unwilling or unable to prevent rocket launchings from the vacated areas, and Hamas last year wrested control of Gaza by force. We must learn from these lessons.

ENERGY Supports construction of Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments. I strongly believe that the United States’ dependence on foreign sources of energy is one of our greatest national security concerns, and that we cannot afford to halt or discourage domestic exploration. It is critical that we implement policies that support our economic, environmental, and security interests. Unfortunately, this administration has launched a regulatory assault on America’s power sector, which threatens to destroy countless jobs and drive up the price of energy for American families and businesses. It is critical that all economic consequences and affected industries are considered as we develop solutions to make our nation more energy efficient and independent. Encouraging economic growth and getting Americans back to work remain two of my highest priorities. Although EPA’s proposals remain at the directive of the Executive Branch, I will continue to support legislation in the House that bolsters economic growth and reduces burdensome regulations. Therefore, I will continue to be a strong proponent of an “all of the above” policy that protects Ohio’s energy supply and the jobs that rely on it. Not only will this approach create new American jobs, it will strengthen our national security, lower energy prices, and improve our energy independence. It is critical that we utilize all of our resources, including natural gas, clean coal, and American-sourced oil, as well as alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, hydropower.

HEALTHCARE The greatest problem facing our health care system is the increasing cost of providing care. Unfortunately, the Affordable Care Act passed in the 111th Congress failed to effectively address this major concern. The U.S. spends more on health care today than any other country does, yet it ranks 37th in the world in healthcare. We must take measures to reduce costs and make access to health insurance more affordable for everyone. The key to making health care more affordable lies with increasing competition and eliminating unnecessary overhead costs on the system, not with a new government takeover of the health care system.

While there are several parts of the law that I do support, such as eliminating lifetime or annual spending caps on essential benefits, preventing insurers from unjustly cancelling policies, closing the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole,” and increasing wellness incentives, the President’s health care reform law does not effectively address any of the cost issues that already prevent Americans from seeking or receiving appropriate health care. The solutions we come up with as a nation must focus on the doctor-patient relationship, not on how the federal government can insert itself into every aspect of our health and our lives. I support health care reform that allows consumers to purchase insurance across state lines, and I believe that tort reform will reduce health care costs further. Tort reform would help curb the number of junk lawsuits filed against doctors, which would in turn lower the cost of malpractice premiums and reduce overhead costs on hospitals. Additionally, tort reform would help reduce the wasteful practice of defensive medicine and reduce health care costs by as much as $200 billion a year. I will continue to work to put forth solutions that will lower costs, increase access to care, and protect the doctor-patient relationship.
Pete Crossland (D) Challenger

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pete-Crossland-for-Congress/265237250309017

http://online.wsj.com/articles/u-s-search-for-girls-disappoints-nigerians-1403133926

JIHAD, MASSACRES, FAMINES, PANDEMICS, KIDNAPPINGS, ATROCITIES IN AFRICA….THEY JUST HAVE THEIR FIVE MINUTES OF INTEREST ………RSK

Nigerians Despair as Search for Girls StallsFrustration Mounts as Students Remain Missing Despite American Intelligence Effort; Boko Haram Takes Bolder Steps

When Rev. Enoch Mark heard American drones were flying into Nigeria to find his two kidnapped daughters—among the 223 schoolgirls held hostage by Boko Haram—he thought his prayers for a speedy rescue might be answered. Two months later, he has lost faith.

As U.S. officials stitch together preliminary intelligence gleaned from the skies, the insurgency on the ground is rapidly seizing territory and eliminating Christians and Muslims who oppose it.

On Sunday, Boko Haram burned down a village called Kwaraglum near Chibok, the town where girls were abducted from their boarding school in April, said a local vigilante stationed nearby. That same day, they also struck another nearby town, Ndagu, said Simon Jasini, whose older brother was among 10 people killed in the raid. The group is suspected of a bombing on Tuesday that killed 14 people watching the World Cup in the city of Damaturu, said a resident who accompanied state officials to the hospital.

Back in Chibok, Rev. Mark and what family he has left head up a mountain each night so they can sleep hidden behind rocks.

“Boko Haram may attack at any time,” he said.

The gap between the public perception of American air power and what can be actually delivered in short order is on display in this remote corner of northeast Nigeria.

People here and abroad cheered the arrival of U.S. drones in May, hoping they could find 223 girls scattered across hostile territory. The drone operation has yielded little public information as to the girls’ whereabouts—or altered a lopsided battle between Boko Haram and Nigeria’s military, which has ruled out a mass rescue.

The fact pattern and references to anti-Islamic “hate speech” sound depressingly similar to so many other cases abroad. Yet this incident occurred courtesy of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ (CAIR) Chicago chapter, showing how precious and precarious American free speech rights are.

A Chicago suburb chapter of ACT! For America, an anti-sharia group, screened on May 17 the film Geert Wilders Warning to America at the Des Plaines Public Library (DPPL) after having met there since fall 2013. In the film, the Dutch politician Wilders addresses an American audience with his well-known thesis that “Islam is not a religion, Islam is a totalitarian ideology.” Amidst interspersed images of Islamic atrocities worldwide, Wilders, among other things, demands an end to construction in Western societies of mosques and Muslim schools, the latter termed by him a “fascist institution.”

Library parking lot flyers advertising the film drew opposition from CAIR-Chicago and the Islamic Community Center (ICC) of Des Plaines against the film screening. The library, a “safe haven for knowledge, education, and enlightenment… is now being tarnished,” CAIR-Chicago executive director Ahmed Rehab stated. Rehab worried about perceptions of the library endorsing the event. ICC board president Fazal Mahmood also questioned the appropriateness of a publicly-funded library as the film’s venue.

“I’m just practicing common sense not to let hate spark in our community,” Rehab said. Rehab “believed there should be limits on freedom of speech when it harms or incites someone else,” yet nonetheless conceded ACT!’s speech rights. “I understand and respect freedom of speech, but where do you stop?” Mahmood also said.

Media reports also persistently noted ACT! for America’s “hate group” listing by the Southern Poverty Law Center without, however, mentioning SPLC’s leftist partisanship. Also unmentioned were CAIR’s deeply disturbing, numerous associations with precisely the kind of people against whom Wilders warned, including CAIR’s status as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation case over financing of terrorism. Rehab himself has had such connections while asserting “Jewish control over the media” and that the “history of the Jewish film producers in particular have shown that they predate on weak minorities by default.”

To fathom even further the potentially fatal absurdity of the Bergdahl-Taliban prisoner exchange, just imagine that it’s June 1943. Rather than Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Obama is in the Oval Office. The American armed forces have captured and then detained scores of high-level Nazis at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, which America opened in southeastern Cuba in December 1903. Currently, 149 Nazi heavyweights remain at Gitmo. Nonetheless, Obama wants to close the Guantanamo Detention Camp because, well . . . just because.

Among Gitmo’s top Nazis, Berlin has insisted for years that it wants five specific prisoners released: Heinrich Himmler, Adolf Eichmann, Joseph Goebbels, Rudolf Hess, and Wilhelm Keitel. The German government unwaveringly has demanded these five detainees as they have negotiated this matter with Obama. For his part, Obama clearly has demolished America’s previously stalwart policy of not negotiating with Nazis.

Thus, Obama has agreed to exchange the Nazi Five for Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. soldier who left his post in the desert of North Africa as General George S. Patton battled Nazi general Erwin Rommel. Did Bergdahl simply wander off, AWOL, and then get swiped by the Afrika Korps? Did he, more affirmatively, desert the Army? Was he, even worse, a full-out Nazi collaborator? Now that he is back in American hands, debriefing Bergdahl should answer these and other questions, which rage at home.

The controversy began as soon as this story broke. Bergdahl’s parents came to the White House to stand beside Obama in the Rose Garden as he announced the prisoner swap. Perhaps in solidarity with his son’s captors, Bob Bergdahl sported a square moustache.

“I’m your father, Bowe,” the elder Bergdahl said. “The people of Germany, the same.” He thanked Obama in English and then added, “Sieg Heil! Deutschland über alles!”

These comments seemed to parallel another statement that the elder Bergdahl tried to erase from the record. As he once wrote: “I am still working to free all Nazi prisoners. God will repay for the death of every German child. Amen.”

Iraq is broken, and we can’t fix it. At this point, there’s no good reason to try.

There’s a lot of political finger-pointing on who’s responsible for losing Iraq. That’s the wrong question because we never “had” Iraq to lose. Nevertheless, both presidents George W. Bush and Obama must be blamed for the failure to meet our war goals there.

We can, with 20/20 hindsight, see that the Iraq invasion was a mistake. Though Bush and many of us believed sincerely that Saddam Hussein’s regime was an immediate threat to the United States, we know now that Saddam was boasting of capabilities he didn’t have.

Obama shares the blame in an almost equal proportion. Every American president inherits the world his predecessor left behind. When Bush left office, the Iraq war was five years old. We still had tens of thousands of troops there trying to impose democracy among warring Shiites, Sunnis, al Qaeda and the rest. The troop surge under Gen. David Petraeus had established a security that he often labeled “fragile and reversible” and even then, only in parts of the country.

Obama campaigned against the Iraq war mainly because it was Bush’s war. When he took office, his Iraq policy established a timetable for withdrawal and pretended that none of the other facts on the ground even mattered. As a result, those facts – and their political and military effects – have asserted themselves and caused Iraq to break apart.

Diplomacy isn’t going to repair Iraq. History proves no reconciliation between Shia and Sunni can be made that will last longer than it takes one to reload. As Obama might say, there is no viable military option. The neocons are prattling on about the need to deploy American troops to protect some fragile sprigs of Arab democracy which exist only in their collective imagination.

They were wrong in 2003 and are wrong today for the same reasons. You cannot build democracy on an Islamic culture because it will never allow separation of church and state or the other freedoms enshrined in our Bill of Rights.

Two former [Labor] Australian Foreign Ministers – Bob Carr (2012-2013) and Gareth Evans (1988-1996) – have published an article this past week engaging in a semantic tug of war with Australia’s current [Liberal] Foreign Minister – Julie Bishop – over Australia’s recently declared policy of refusing to describe East Jerusalem as “occupied territory”.

East Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria were conquered in 1948 by Transjordan and illegally annexed in 1950 – when Transjordan then changed its name to “Jordan” and the 3000 years old geographic designation of “Judea and Samaria” to the “West Bank”.

East Jerusalem and the West Bank were lost by Jordan to Israel in the 1967 Six Day War.

In 1980, the Israeli Knesset passed a Basic Law declaring reunified Jerusalem the eternal capital of Israel, while providing for freedom of access to each religion’s holy sites – a decision not sanctioned by the United Nations.

“Occupied territory” carries the clear connotation that such territory indisputably belongs to someone else. Yet East Jerusalem and the West Bank have not been under any internationally recognised sovereignty or control since Great Britain handed back its administration of the Mandate for Palestine to the United Nations in 1948. Israel refers to the West Bank as “disputed territory”:

“The West Bank and Gaza Strip are disputed territories whose status can only be determined through negotiations. Occupied territories are territories captured in war from an established and recognized sovereign. As the West Bank and Gaza Strip were not under the legitimate and recognized sovereignty of any state prior to the Six Day War, they should not be considered occupied territories.

The people of Israel have ancient ties to the territories, as well as a continuous centuries-old presence there. These areas were the cradle of Jewish civilization. Israel has rights in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, rights that the Palestinians deliberately disregard.”