00:00:37 | >> TWO WEEKS AND COUNTING AND NEITHER OF THE MAJOR PARTY |
00:00:40 | CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT ARE COUNTING OUT OHIO. |
00:00:42 | AND WHILE THE CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT, US SENATE, CONGRESS |
00:00:44 | AND FOR THE OHIO HOUSE AND SENATE CRUISE THROUGH THE |
00:00:46 | STATE, THEIR MESSAGES ARE BEING HEARD AND READ OVER AND OVER. |
00:00:48 | BUT THAT'S LEAVING LITTLE ROOM FOR DEBATE ABOUT THE |
00:00:51 | CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT WOULD CHANGE THE WAY THE |
00:00:54 | DISTRICT MAPS FOR MANY OF THOSE LAWMAKERS ARE DRAWN. |
00:00:55 | AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ABOUT ISSUE 2 - THIS WEEK IN "THE |
00:00:59 | STATE OF OHIO." LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LEFT TILL |
00:01:06 | ELECTION DAY, AND THE CANDIDATES ONCE AGAIN ARE SWINGING THROUGH |
00:01:08 | OHIO. PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS IN OHIO |
00:01:11 | LATE ON THURSDAY, AND WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK, AND ALONGSIDE |
00:01:13 | HIM WILL BE FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, FRESH OFF HIS |
00:01:18 | WELL-RECEIVED RALLY WITH ROCK STAR BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN TWO WEEKS |
00:01:22 | AGO. OBAMA AND VICE PRESIDENT JOE |
00:01:25 | BIDEN MADE A RARE JOINT APPEARANCE IN DAYTON THIS WEEK, |
00:01:28 | AND THEN BIDEN CAMPAIGNED IN CANTON AND IN MARION. |
00:01:31 | REPUBLICAN NOMINEE MITT ROMNEY WAS ALSO IN OHIO STARTING IN |
00:01:34 | CINCINNATI AND THEN HEADING TO COLUMBUS AND THEN DEFIANCE. |
00:01:36 | AND HIS RUNNING MATE PAUL RYAN WILL BE IN OHIO THIS WEEKEND, |
00:01:41 | BUSING HIS WAY THROUGH NEW PHILADELPHIA AND ZANESVILLE, |
00:01:45 | THEN ON CIRCLEVILLE, YELLOW SPRINGS AND DAYTON, AND THEN TO |
00:01:48 | CELINA, FINDLAY AND ALSO IN MARION. |
00:01:50 | THE STATE'S ELECTIONS CHIEF SAYS 1.6 MILLION RESIDENTS ARE |
00:01:55 | USING THE EARLY VOTING OPTIONS IN THE PRESIDENTIAL |
00:01:58 | BATTLEGROUND, AND MORE THAN 800,000 PEOPLE ALREADY CAST |
00:02:01 | BALLOTS WITH TWO WEEKS TO GO UNTIL ELECTION DAY. |
00:02:03 | SECRETARY OF STATE JON HUSTED SAID THIS WEEK THAT MORE THAN |
00:02:05 | 1.4 MILLION VOTERS HAVE REQUESTED ABSENTEE BALLOTS, AND |
00:02:08 | NEARLY 619,000 HAVE MAILED THOSE BALLOTS. |
00:02:10 | MORE THAN 189,000 PEOPLE HAVE VOTED EARLY IN PERSON. |
00:02:14 | MEANWHILE, A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS GRANTED A REQUEST BY A GROUP OF |
00:02:18 | VOTER ADVOCATES TO EXPAND THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH |
00:02:22 | PROVISIONAL BALLOTS ARE COUNTED IN OHIO. |
00:02:24 | U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE ALGENON MARBLEY |
00:02:28 | SAID PROVISIONAL BALLOTS CAST NOT JUST IN THE WRONG PRECINCT |
00:02:30 | BUT IN THE WRONG POLLING LOCATION ALTOGETHER MUST STILL |
00:02:33 | BE COUNTED. THE STATE HAD OPPOSED THE |
00:02:36 | EXPANSION, SAYING IT COULD CREATE ELECTION DAY CHAOS |
00:02:39 | BECAUSE OF NEW TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR POLL WORKERS. |
00:02:41 | AN OUTDOOR ADVERTISING COMPANY SAYS IT IS PULLING DOWN VOTER- |
00:02:45 | FRAUD BILLBOARDS IN OHIO AND IN WISCONSIN AFTER COMPLAINTS THAT |
00:02:48 | THEY WERE MEANT TO INTIMIDATE VOTERS, AND HAS REPLACED THEM |
00:02:52 | WITH BILLBOARDS WITH A DIFFERENT MESSAGE. |
00:02:54 | CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR SAYS SOME 145 BILLBOARDS IN CLEVELAND, |
00:02:58 | COLUMBUS AND MILWAUKEE ARE BEING TAKEN DOWN. |
00:03:00 | A GROUP OF CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEYS AND A CLEVELAND CITY |
00:03:04 | COUNCILWOMAN HAD COMPLAINED THAT THE BILLBOARDS WERE MEANT |
00:03:07 | TO DISCOURAGE LAWFUL VOTING, ESPECIALLY BY BLACKS. |
00:03:11 | POLLS HAVE SHOWN THAT BLACK VOTERS HEAVILY SUPPORT |
00:03:14 | DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA. |
00:03:16 | CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR HAS REFUSED TO IDENTIFY WHO IS |
00:03:20 | BEHIND THE BILLBOARDS. HOWEVER, THE COMPANY SAYS IT |
00:03:22 | DECIDED THE BILLBOARDS VIOLATE ITS POLICY AGAINST ANONYMOUS |
00:03:25 | POLITICAL ADS. THE STATE AUDITOR SAYS HE'S |
00:03:29 | FINISHED A SECOND ROUND OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER MORE |
00:03:33 | OHIO SCHOOLS ARE ALTERING ATTENDANCE DATA, POSSIBLY TO |
00:03:36 | IMPROVE THEIR APPEARANCE ON STATE REPORT CARDS. |
00:03:39 | AUDITOR DAVID YOST SAYS HE PICKED 81 BUILDINGS IN 47 OF |
00:03:42 | THE 184 DISTRICTS THAT HAVE MONEY QUESTIONS ON NEXT MONTH'S |
00:03:46 | BALLOT, TO FIND OUT IF MORE OHIO SCHOOLS ARE MANIPULATING |
00:03:51 | ATTENDANCE DATA BY REMOVING STUDENTS FROM ENROLLMENT LISTS. |
00:03:54 | REPORT TO THAT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND BUILDINGS WE HAVE |
00:04:07 | LOOKED AT IN THIS SECOND PHASE, WE FOUND NO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, NO |
00:04:12 | SCHOOL BUILDINGS, I SHOULD SAY, WITH ANY EVIDENCE OF |
00:04:17 | DISCREPANCY. >> ATTENDANCE DATA IS AMONG THE |
00:04:21 | STATS USED TO EVALUATE A DISTRICT'S PERFORMANCE FOR |
00:04:23 | STATE REPORT CARDS. THE FIRST PRELIMINARY AUDIT OF |
00:04:25 | ATTENDANCE DATA FOUND WHAT YOST CALLED ATTENDANCE REPORT |
00:04:28 | RIGGING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN CAMPBELL NEAR YOUNGSTOWN, |
00:04:31 | CLEVELAND, COLUMBUS, MARION AND TOLEDO. |
00:04:33 | A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF STATE LAWMAKERS WANT OHIO TO BECOME |
00:04:36 | THE 33TH STATE TO REQUIRE INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR AUTISM. |
00:04:38 | REPS. CHERYL GROSSMAN OF GROVE CITY |
00:04:41 | AND LOUIS TERHAR OF HAMILTON COUNTY, AND SEN. |
00:04:43 | BILL SEITZ OF CINCINNATI, ALL REPUBLICANS, WERE JOINED BY |
00:04:46 | DEMOCRATIC REPS. TED CELESTE OF COLUMBUS AND |
00:04:49 | NANCY GARLAND OF NEW ALBANY TO ANNOUNCE THE PROPOSAL THAT |
00:04:51 | WOULD REQUIRE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS BE COVERED UNDER THE |
00:04:56 | MENTAL HEALTH PARITY ACT OF 2007. |
00:04:58 | THEY'RE AMONG 30 LAWMAKERS WHO SUPPORT THE PLAN, AND SAY OHIO |
00:05:01 | IS THE ONLY STATE IN THE MIDWEST WHERE COVERAGE FOR |
00:05:05 | AUTISM ISN'T MANDATED. WHO ARE TREMENDOUSLY IMPACTED, |
00:05:19 | CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO, BY VIRTUE OF AN INABILITY TO HAVE |
00:05:22 | AN INSURANCE COMPANY PAY FOR THIS SERVICE, THEY GO THROUGH |
00:05:25 | THEIR LIFE SAVINGS, THEY GO THROUGH THE MORTGAGE OF THEIR |
00:05:28 | HOMES, THEY ARE IN DIRE STRAITS. THIS WILL MAKE A DRAMATIC |
00:05:33 | DIFFERENCE. >> BUT BUSINESS LEADERS ARE |
00:05:36 | OPPOSED TWO YEARS AGO, GROUPS INCLUDING THE OHIO CHAMBER OF |
00:05:39 | COMMERCE WERE ABLE TO HALT THE LAST ATTEMPT TO ADD AUTISM TO |
00:05:42 | THE STATE'S LIST OF MANDATED CONDITIONS. |
00:05:45 | THEY SAY REQUIRING THIS COVERAGE WILL DRIVE UP HEALTH |
00:05:47 | INSURANCE COSTS. >> WE HAVE HEARD OVER THE YEARS, |
00:05:56 | EVERY TIME A NEW MANDATE IS PROPOSED, THAT THIS ONE WILL |
00:05:59 | ONLY COST A LITTLE BIT. SINCE 2002, THE AVERAGE |
00:06:03 | EMPLOYER HEALTH CARE COST HAS GONE UP 97%. |
00:06:06 | SOME OF THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO HEALTH CARE MANDATES. |
00:06:10 | WE DO NOT NEED ANYTHING RIGHT NOW THAT WILL ADD ADDITIONAL |
00:06:14 | COSTS TO EMPLOYERS TRYING TO PROVIDE THAT COVERAGE. |
00:06:16 | >> BUT THE ORGANIZATION AUTISM SPEAKS SAYS A STUDY OF FIVE |
00:06:19 | STATES WHERE AUTISM IS COVERED SHOWS THE AVERAGE COST WENT UP |
00:06:22 | 15 CENTS PER EMPLOYEE IN THE FIRST YEAR AND 31 CENTS IN THE |
00:06:25 | SECOND. AND AUTISM SPEAKS SAYS THE STATE |
00:06:27 | SPENDS OVER $250 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN SPECIAL |
00:06:29 | EDUCATION FOR KIDS WITH AUTISTIC DISORDERS, AND SOME OF THAT COST |
00:06:32 | THAT COULD BE AVOIDED IF THEY WERE DIAGNOSED AND GOT |
00:06:34 | TREATMENT BEFORE THEY START SCHOOL. |
00:06:36 | AND THIS WEEK BROUGHT THE FINAL US SENATE DEBATE BETWEEN |
00:06:41 | INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT SHERROD BROWN AND REPUBLICAN TREASURER |
00:06:44 | JOSH MANDEL. THE TWO MET FOR A SESSION THAT |
00:06:47 | WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON NBC AFFILIATES STATEWIDE. |
00:06:49 | THERE WASN'T A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION IN THIS DEBATE, BUT |
00:06:54 | THE CANDIDATES DID VERBALLY SPAR DURING A QUESTION ABOUT |
00:06:57 | RAISING THE RETIREMENT AGE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY MANDEL SAID HE |
00:07:00 | WOULDN'T FOR BABY BOOMERS, BUT IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR |
00:07:05 | PEOPLE FOR HIS AGE 35 AND A LITTLE OLDER. |
00:07:08 | BROWN SAID HE WOULDN'T RAISE THE RETIREMENT AGE ON PEOPLE IN |
00:07:11 | PHYSICALLY DEMANDING JOBS SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION AND FOOD |
00:07:16 | SERVICE. >> I WOULD NOT RAISE THE |
00:07:22 | RETIREMENT AGE, BUT I WOULD THINK ABOUT RAISING THE CAP. |
00:07:25 | THAT IS THE WAY TO SOLVE -- IF WE CAN FIND A WAY, MAYBE A |
00:07:30 | $300,000-FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. |
00:07:33 | WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT IN DETAIL, BUT I AM GIVING YOU |
00:07:37 | SPECIFICS, AND I WILL ALWAYS DO THAT. |
00:07:39 | >> I GUESS I HAVE NOT HEARD AN ANSWER AND ANYONE WATCHING AT |
00:07:43 | HOME HAS NOT HEARD AN ANSWER. I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME BACK |
00:07:47 | TO SENATOR BROWN. WHAT DID YOU DO WITH ALL THE |
00:07:50 | MONEY IN THE SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST FUND THAT IS SUPPOSED TO |
00:07:53 | BE FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS? >> I CAME HERE TO TALK ABOUT |
00:07:58 | ISSUES, NOT TO MAKE ACCUSATIONS. >> PLEASE, TELL EVERYONE IN |
00:08:04 | HOME. >> SINCE 1940 WHEN THE FIRST |
00:08:07 | SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK WHEN NOW, WHEN FDR SIGNED IT, THERE HAS |
00:08:10 | NEVER BEEN ONE LATE PAYMENT, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ONE FAILURE |
00:08:14 | TO PAY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY. THE FACT IS IT HAS WORKED FOR 75 |
00:08:18 | YEARS. THERE ARE ACCOUNTING ISSUES THAT |
00:08:20 | I DISAGREE WITH THAT I WISH WE WOULD CHANGE IN SOCIAL SECURITY, |
00:08:25 | BUT THE FACT IS IT IS RELIABLE. IT WILL BE RELIABLE FOR THIS |
00:08:29 | GENERATION, THE NEXT GENERATION. >> WHERE DID THAT MONEY GO FOR |
00:08:33 | SOCIAL SECURITY? WHAT DID YOU DO WITH IT? |
00:08:35 | >> LET ME MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION. |
00:08:37 | >> THE US SENATE RACE CONTINUES TO BE THE SECOND MOST EXPENSIVE |
00:08:43 | RACE IN THE NATION IN TERMS OF CANDIDATE FUNDRAISING AND |
00:08:45 | SPENDING, AND AN ESTIMATED 38 MILLION DOLLARS HAS BEEN SPENT |
00:08:48 | BY OUTSIDE GROUPS AS WELL MORE THAN TWICE AS MUCH AGAINST |
00:08:50 | BROWN THAN MANDEL. WITH ALL THE ADS, CALLS AND |
00:08:53 | FLIERS FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL AND US SENATE RACES IN OHIO, |
00:08:55 | THERE'S LITTLE ROOM FOR THE TWO STATEWIDE ISSUES THAT ARE ALSO |
00:08:58 | BEFORE VOTERS. ISSUE 1 ASKS WHETHER THE STATE |
00:09:02 | SHOULD HOLD A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. |
00:09:04 | WE'LL GET TO THAT QUESTION NEXT WEEK. |
00:09:06 | ISSUE 2 IS THE SO-CALLED REDISTRICTING AMENDMENT, A |
00:09:10 | COMPLICATED ISSUE THAT WOULD TAKE THE AUTHORITY TO DRAW MAPS |
00:09:13 | FOR CONGRESSIONAL AND STATEHOUSE DISTRICTS OUT OF THE |
00:09:15 | HANDS OF LAWMAKERS AND THE STATE APPORTIONMENT BOARD AND |
00:09:18 | GIVES IT TO A 12 MEMBER COMMISSION OF CITIZENS WHO |
00:09:22 | AREN'T POLITICIANS OR LOBBYISTS. LAST WEEK I MODERATED A DEBATE |
00:09:25 | BEFORE THE COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN CLUB TO SORT |
00:09:27 | THROUGH THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST ISSUE 2. |
00:09:31 | DEMOCRATS, LABOR UNIONS AND PROGRESSIVE GROUPS HAVE SAID |
00:09:35 | THE COMMISSION WOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT AND |
00:09:38 | BALANCED. FORMER CONGRESSMAN ZACK SPACE |
00:09:41 | FROM DOVER IN EASTERN OHIO MADE THE ARGUMENT FOR THE AMENDMENT, |
00:09:45 | WHICH HE SAYS CHANGES A BROKEN SYSTEM. |
00:09:47 | >> IS HARD TO ARGUE THAT WE HAVE NOT BECOME OVER-POLARIZED, |
00:09:55 | PARTICULARLY IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND THAT THIS POLARIZATION |
00:09:59 | HAS CREATED STAGNATION AND THIS FUNCTIONALITY. |
00:10:02 | THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS THAT WE USE IN OHIO, AND THAT NO |
00:10:06 | STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY USE, IS A PRIMARY CONTRIBUTOR -- AND |
00:10:12 | THAT MOST STATES AROUND A COUNTRY IS, IS A PRIMARY |
00:10:15 | CONTRIBUTOR TO THIS STAGNATION AND THIS FUNCTIONALITY. |
00:10:18 | THIS IS A TIME WE HAVE SOME PRETTY COMPELLING ISSUES WE NEED |
00:10:22 | TO DEAL WITH IN THIS NATION. THE PRACTICAL EFFECT OF THE |
00:10:26 | POLARIZATION THAT EXISTS RIGHT NOW AND THE REDISTRICTING |
00:10:29 | PROCESS WE HAVE IS THAT MOST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS ARE NON- |
00:10:34 | COMPETITIVE. THAT MEANS YOU CAN PREDICT THE |
00:10:38 | OUTCOME OF WHICH PARTY IS GOING TO WIN LONG BEFORE THE NUMBER |
00:10:42 | COMES AROUND. THE PRACTICAL EFFECT OF THAT IS |
00:10:45 | THAT IF YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN IN A REPUBLICAN-LEANING DISTRICT OR |
00:10:50 | A DEMOCRAT IN A DEMOCRAT-LEANING DISTRICT, THE ONLY POLITICAL |
00:10:54 | JEOPARDY YOU HAVE AS A POLITICIAN IS IF SOMEONE GETS |
00:10:58 | YOU FROM YOUR RIGHT IF YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN OR YOUR LEFT IF YOU |
00:11:01 | ARE A DEMOCRAT IN A PRIMARY. THAT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM |
00:11:05 | BECAUSE IT FORCES MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN MOST CONGRESSIONAL |
00:11:10 | DISTRICTS TO GRAVITATE TOWARD THE EXTREMES. |
00:11:12 | ISSUE TO IS NOT PERFECT. YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO COME UP |
00:11:15 | WITH LANGUAGE THAT SATISFIES EVERYONE. |
00:11:19 | BUT THE IMPERFECTIONS OF THIS AMENDMENT, I THINK ARE GROSSLY |
00:11:24 | OUTWEIGHED BY IT IN NEED THIS COUNTRY HAS TO CREATE A WALL |
00:11:27 | BETWEEN PARTISAN SOME -- PARTISANISM AND REDISTRICTING. |
00:11:36 | >> REPUBLICANS, BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS AND SOCIALLY |
00:11:42 | CONSERVATIVE GROUPS HAVE CAMPAIGNED AGAINST THE ISSUE, |
00:11:45 | SAYING THE COMMISSION WOULD BE UNLIMITED, UNACCOUNTABLE AND |
00:11:47 | UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND THAT LAWMAKERS ARE MOTIVATED NOW TO |
00:11:50 | LOOK INTO THE ISSUE. REPUBLICAN FORMER STATE SENATOR |
00:11:52 | JEFF JACOBSON SAID ISSUE 2 IS THE WRONG WAY TO CHANGE THE |
00:11:54 | SYSTEM IF THE GOAL IS TO ELIMINATE POLITICS FROM IT. |
00:11:56 | >> THE ISSUE WITH OHIO'S REAPPORTIONMENT PROCESS IS THAT |
00:12:02 | COMPLETE CONTROL RESTS WITH ONE SIDE. |
00:12:03 | EVERY 10 YEARS, STARTING IN 1970, NO MATTER WHO IS IN |
00:12:08 | CHARGE, DEMOCRAT REPUBLICAN, THE OTHER SIDE GET STEAMROLLED. |
00:12:12 | THERE IS A SIMPLE SOLUTION. MAKE BOTH PARTIES AFTER -- HAVE |
00:12:19 | TO AGREE ON THE MAP. TWO YEARS AGO, THE SENATE PASSED |
00:12:23 | SUCH A PROPOSAL, BUT THE HOUSE LEADERSHIP BALKED BECAUSE THEY |
00:12:28 | WRONGLY BELIEVED THAT THEIR PARTY WOULD CONTROL THE PROCESS |
00:12:31 | AFTER THE LAST GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION. |
00:12:33 | HERE WE ARE TWO YEARS LATER AND ISSUE TWO IRONICALLY MAKES THE |
00:12:38 | SAME GAMBLE. WHEN THEY COPIED THE CALIFORNIA |
00:12:41 | AMENDMENT, WHICH WAS ALSO CALLED VOTERS FIRST, THEY ACTUALLY |
00:12:46 | REMOVED CALIFORNIA'S REQUIREMENT THAT A MAJORITY OF BOTH PARTIES |
00:12:49 | COMMISSIONERS AS WELL AS THE MAJORITY OF INDEPENDENCE WOULD |
00:12:51 | HAVE TO APPROVE THE PLAN. THAT LEAVES THE OHIO PLANT OPEN |
00:12:56 | TO ONE-PARTY DOMINATION AND BOTH PARTIES WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY |
00:13:00 | CAN TO GAIN IT. THE STAKES ARE TOO HIGH. |
00:13:02 | ONE EXAMPLE, PARTY CHAIRMAN WILL GIVE A LESS TO THEIR JUDGES OF |
00:13:06 | WHO SHOULD BE PICKED AND WHO SHOULD NOT BE PICKED FOR THE |
00:13:11 | COMMISSION. CALIFORNIA'S COMMISSION REQUIRED |
00:13:14 | A CONFLICT OF INTERESTS DISCLOSURE. |
00:13:19 | THIS DOES NOT. REFORM IS NEEDED, BUT WE SHOULD |
00:13:26 | NOT GAMBLE OHIO'S FUTURE ON A PLAN THAT PRETENDS IT IS ABOVE |
00:13:30 | PARTISANSHIP WHILE STILL ALLOWING ONE SIDE TO STEAMROLL |
00:13:33 | THE OTHER. >> I ASKED THE BACKERS OF ISSUE |
00:13:36 | TWO ABOUT THEIR TAGLINE, PEOPLE, NOT POLITICIANS AND HOW THEY |
00:13:44 | PROPOSE TO KEEP POLITICIANS OFF THE COMMISSION WHEN THEY ARE |
00:13:46 | SOME OF THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE IN THE STATE WHEN IT |
00:13:50 | COMES<NO VIDEO><VIDEO OK>:; LAWMAKERS. |
00:14:02 | >> HOW CAN THEY DRAW THOSE LINES AND NOT THINK ABOUT THEIR |
00:14:07 | POLITICAL FUTURE? HOW CAN THEY DRAW THOSE LINES |
00:14:10 | AND NOT THINK ABOUT THEIR PARTY? IT IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO |
00:14:14 | ASK EITHER PARTY AS INDIVIDUALS TO ACTUALLY DO THIS. |
00:14:17 | WE DO NOT EXPECT ANGELS, BUT WE DO SAY, WHEN YOU HAVE A CONFLICT |
00:14:23 | OF INTEREST, YOU SHOULD RECUSE YOURSELF. |
00:14:25 | THAT MEANS THAT THESE DISTRICT LINES SHOULD BE DRAWN BY AN |
00:14:29 | INDEPENDENT COMMISSION. WE SAID TO OURSELVES, OK, WE |
00:14:33 | WANT TO KEEP OUT THE FOLKS THAT HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AND |
00:14:37 | THAT IS WHY WE SAY OK, WE DO NOT WANT FEDERAL CANDIDATES, FEDERAL |
00:14:42 | OFFICIALS, STATE ELECTED FOLKS. THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE A DIRECT |
00:14:47 | CONFLICT OF INTERESTCATHERINE TURCER SAID IT'S. |
00:14:48 | THAT IS WHY WE -- THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE A DIRECT CONFLICT OF |
00:14:54 | INTEREST. IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF A SCHOOL |
00:14:58 | BOARD, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ISOLATE EVERYBODY. |
00:15:00 | POLITICIANS COULD SERVE ON THE STATEWIDE COMMISSION, AND THEY |
00:15:11 | CAN BE STRONG PARTISANS WITH LOTS OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE. |
00:15:12 | >> IF YOU ARE A LOCAL OFFICIAL YOU CAN BE PART OF THIS |
00:15:17 | COMMISSION. IMAGINE IF THE MAYOR GETS |
00:15:19 | PICKED. HE WOULD HAVE A LOT OF |
00:15:21 | DIFFERENCE FROM OTHERS BECAUSE HE IS SEEN AS A LEADER. |
00:15:23 | ON THE OTHER HAND, HE IS A VERY PARTISAN DEMOCRAT. |
00:15:26 | THIS DOES NOT ISOLATE POLITICS, IT EXCLUDES A GROUP OF |
00:15:31 | POLITICIANS WHILE ALLOWING THOUSANDS OF OTHERS. |
00:15:33 | IF I AM RELATED TO SOMEBODY WHO IS INVOLVED IN POLITICS IN A |
00:15:37 | SMALL WAY, I AM PROHIBITED FROM BEING ON, NOT BECAUSE OF |
00:15:41 | ANYTHING I DID. WHAT ABOUT EX-SPOUSES? |
00:15:50 | WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CAMPAIGNS BUT NEVER |
00:15:54 | GIVEN MONEY? THIS DRAWS A LINE IN A WAY THAT |
00:15:58 | IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BE FAIR ABOUT. |
00:15:59 | IT LEAVES US IN A SITUATION WHERE LOTS OF PEOPLE GET IN WHO |
00:16:04 | SHOULDN'T AND LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE THERE ARE NOT. |
00:16:08 | IN FACT, IT PUTS JUDGES IN THE POSITION OF HAVING TO DECIDE HOW |
00:16:13 | PARTISAN YOU ARE. THE JUDGES ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE |
00:16:16 | TO DECIDE IF YOU ARE ALLOWED TO BE ON THE COMMISSION OR NOT. |
00:16:18 | WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO? INVESTIGATE YOUR BACKGROUND? |
00:16:22 | WELL, THEY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP EFFORTS FOR |
00:16:25 | CANDIDATES. ARE WE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN |
00:16:28 | BACKGROUND CHECKS? JUDGES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE |
00:16:31 | OUTSIDE OF POLITICS. WE ARE ASKING THEM TO GET INTO |
00:16:34 | THE NITTY GRITTY OF POLITICS. >> I ASKED THE VOTE NO SIDE |
00:16:39 | ABOUT THEIR TAG LINE "YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE IS BEING |
00:16:41 | THREATENED", AND WHETHER THAT WAS A BIT EXTREME, GIVEN THAT |
00:16:44 | OHIOANS DON'T ACTUALLY VOTE ON THE MAP ITSELF. |
00:16:46 | JACOBSON SAID IT ISN'T. >> THE LEGISLATURE DECIDES WHAT |
00:16:53 | CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS LOOK LIKE. |
00:16:54 | YOU VOTE FOR YOUR LEGISLATURE. SECONDLY, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT |
00:16:58 | LAST FEW YEARS. IF YOU DO NOT LIKE AN ACT OF THE |
00:17:01 | LEGISLATURE, YOU CAN REFERENDUM IT. |
00:17:03 | THAT IS THE CITIZEN'S RIGHT TO CHALLENGE ANY VOTE OR BILL |
00:17:07 | PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN HERE, BUT IF |
00:17:11 | CITIZENS FEEL THE REDISTRICTING LAW IS UNFAIR, THEY CAN TAKE IT |
00:17:14 | TO THE VALID. >> BUT SPACE SAID IT'S ABOUT |
00:17:18 | TIME PEOPLE WHO AREN'T POLITICIANS HAD A ROLE IN THE |
00:17:20 | PROCESS THAT DETERMINES WHO WILL REPRESENT THEM. |
00:17:22 | >> THE NOTION THAT CITIZENS ARE SOMEHOW INVOLVED IN THE |
00:17:27 | REDISTRICTING PROCESS AS IT NOW EXISTS IS UTTERLY LAUGHABLE. |
00:17:30 | I'M NOT FOCUSING ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. |
00:17:36 | IF THE DEMOCRATS HAD CONTROL, THEY WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME |
00:17:39 | THING. BUT THIS IS A BACKROOM PROCESS |
00:17:43 | WITH NO TRANSPARENCY AND NO ACCOUNTABILITY. |
00:17:46 | >> THE CURRENT MAPS HAVE BEEN PILLORIED BY MANY EXPERTS AND |
00:17:50 | EDITORIAL WRITERS THE CONGRESSIONAL MAP ESPECIALLY, |
00:17:53 | WHICH IS EXPECTED TO TIP 12-4 IN FAVOR OF REPUBLICANS. |
00:17:54 | IT'S BEEN NOTED THAT FOUR YEARS AGO, THERE WERE 10 DEMOCRATS |
00:17:58 | AND 8 REPUBLICANS IN THE US HOUSE, AND PRESIDENT OBAMA WON |
00:17:59 | OHIO BY 4 POINTS, AND GOVERNOR KASICH WON TWO YEARS LATER BY |
00:18:02 | TWO POINTS. JENNY CAMPER, WHO SPEAKS FOR |
00:18:06 | ISSUE 2'S OPPONENTS, SAID THIS AMENDMENT COULD BE FRAUGHT WITH |
00:18:08 | PROBLEMS AND DOGGED BY LAWSUITS OVER ITS CONSTITUTIONALITY. |
00:18:10 | QUAKE CERTAINLY, THE MAP HAS RAISED QUESTIONS AND IS |
00:18:19 | CERTAINLY THAT CAN BE DEBATED. BUT ISSUE TWO IS OFFERED OUT AS |
00:18:23 | A SOLUTION FOR HOW WE IMPROVE THE MAP MAKING PROCESS. |
00:18:25 | IT IS OFFERED UP NOT JUST AS A SOLUTION, BUT AS A PERMANENT |
00:18:29 | SOLUTION, THE LAST SOLUTION. IT WOULD GET LOCKED INTO OUR |
00:18:34 | OHIO CONSTITUTION. BUT LET'S REMEMBER, ALL THE |
00:18:38 | ORGANIZATIONS AND NEWSPAPERS THAT HAVE SEEN THE FLAWS |
00:18:41 | CONTAINED IN THIS SAY THERE IS A BETTER WAY. |
00:18:43 | A COUPLE OF OUR NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER FOLKS HAVE POINTED TO THE |
00:18:47 | CONSTITUTIONAL MODERNIZATION COMMITTEE COMMISSION AS THE |
00:18:49 | PLACE TO ADDRESS A BETTER MAN MAKING PROCESS. |
00:18:54 | >> SPACE SAID ISSUE 2'S BACKERS HAVE HEARD THAT CLAIM THAT |
00:18:58 | LAWMAKERS ARE MOTIVATED NOW TO FIX THE SYSTEM OVER AND OVER. |
00:19:00 | >> THE LEGISLATURES HAVE TIME AND TIME AGAIN HAD AN |
00:19:04 | OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A BETTER WAY AND HAVE FAILED. |
00:19:07 | THEY HAVE FAILED FOR THE PRIMARY REASON THAT THE PARTISANISM AND |
00:19:11 | THE POLARIZATION THAT EXISTS THAT ISSUE TO IS DESIGNED TO |
00:19:16 | REMEDY PREVENTS THEM FROM DOING THAT. |
00:19:21 | IT IS A SELF PROPAGATING SYSTEM. >> JACOBSON ADDED ON, SAYING A |
00:19:28 | BAD MAP IS NOT ENOUGH OF A REASON TO VOTE FOR THIS |
00:19:30 | AMENDMENT. >> TWO WRONGS DO NOT MAKE A |
00:19:35 | RIGHT. JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A MAP THAT |
00:19:37 | SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE NEEDS TO BE FIXED -- AND WE AGREE THERE ARE |
00:19:41 | ISSUES THAT NEEDS TO IMPROVE -- THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT, |
00:19:45 | ESPECIALLY WHEN IT GOES INTO THE CONSTITUTION AND IS VERY |
00:19:49 | DIFFICULT TO CHANGE AFTER THAT. YOU CAN FIX THE PROBLEM BY |
00:19:51 | MAKING IT WORSE. WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN WASHINGTON |
00:19:54 | MORE TIMES THAN I CARE TO MENTION. |
00:19:56 | THE FACT IS THAT THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT WE HAVE A PARTISAN |
00:20:03 | ELECTORATE IN THIS NATION. DEMOCRATS ARE MORE LIBERAL. |
00:20:07 | REPUBLICANS ARE MORE CONSERVATIVE. |
00:20:10 | NO MATTER WHETHER THE DISTRICTS ARE CLOSE OR FAR APART, THE FACT |
00:20:12 | IS YOU'RE GOING TO NOMINATE PARTISANS. |
00:20:16 | >> SPACE COUNTERED BY SAYING MODERATE VOICES IN THE |
00:20:20 | IDEOLOGICAL MIDDLE ARE BEING IGNORED IN THE CURRENT MAP- |
00:20:22 | DRAWING SYSTEM. QUITE THE IDEOLOGICAL CENTER IS |
00:20:27 | CHRONICALLY UNDER UP -- UNDER- REPRESENTED AS A RESULT OF THE |
00:20:32 | MAP WE HAVE IN PLACE. AS A RESULT, THE VOICES NEAR |
00:20:36 | THE METAL ARE BEING IGNORED AS WE FIND OURSELVES DEBATING SOME |
00:20:39 | OF THE MOST PROFOUND ISSUES IN GENERATIONS. |
00:20:42 | THINK ABOUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. |
00:20:45 | WE ARE SEEING A SHIFTING BALANCE OF POWER TO THE EAST. |
00:20:50 | WE HAVE THE SPECTER OF CLIMATE CHANGE. |
00:20:53 | WE HAVE THE SPECTER OF TERRORISM. |
00:20:55 | WE HAVE AN ECONOMY WE NEED TO FIX AND WE CANNOT EVEN AGREE ON |
00:20:58 | THE SIMPLEST OF THINGS BECAUSE OF THE RAMPANT PARTISANISM THAT |
00:21:02 | EXISTS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND IT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE WAY |
00:21:07 | WE DRAW THESE DISTRICTS UP. >> AND ISSUE 2 BACKER CATHERINE |
00:21:13 | TURCER SAID JACOBSON KNOWS THE PROBLEM WITH REDISTRICTING |
00:21:15 | INSIDE AND OUT. >> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A |
00:21:20 | WINNER-TAKE-ALL SYSTEM. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT THE |
00:21:23 | WINNERS REALLY LIKE THE SYSTEM. THEY LIKE IT THE WAY IT IS. |
00:21:26 | WE DID OUR REACH TO ALL SORTS OF FOLKS. |
00:21:28 | I WANTED TO THROW THIS THAT YOU BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS |
00:21:33 | IMPORTANT. THIS WAS DECEMBER 17TH, 2008, I |
00:21:38 | BET YOU REMEMBER THIS. BASICALLY, WHAT WAS GOING ON IS |
00:21:42 | MY FRIEND OVER THERE, SENATOR JACOBSEN, WAS ON HIS WAY OUT. |
00:21:46 | HE WAS DOING HIS FAREWELL THING. THIS IS WHAT HE SAID. |
00:21:49 | HE SAID REDISTRICTING IS THE MOST FUN ANYONE COULD EVER HAVE |
00:21:53 | IN POLITICS WITHOUT GOING TO PRISON. |
00:21:56 | >> AFTER THAT SLIGHTLY UNCOMFORTABLE MOMENT, JACOBSON |
00:22:09 | RESPONDED. >> YOU ARE RIGHT. |
00:22:11 | IT IS WINNER-TAKE-ALL. THE THING I CANNOT UNDERSTAND IS |
00:22:16 | YOU TOOK THE CALIFORNIA PLAN AND YOU TOOK OUT THE PARTS THAT |
00:22:23 | REQUIRED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. IN CALIFORNIA, YOU HAVE TO GET A |
00:22:27 | MAJORITY OF THE REPUBLICANS, A MAJORITY OF THE DEMOCRATS, AND A |
00:22:30 | MAJORITY OF THE INDEPENDENCE TO PASS A NEW PLANT. |
00:22:33 | NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, YOU CANNOT HAVE A PLANT WHERE IS |
00:22:41 | WINNER TAKE ALL FOR ONE SIDE. IT WAS THERE IN THEIR PLAN AND |
00:22:44 | YOU TOOK IT OUT. THAT IS THE PROBLEM. |
00:22:46 | IT IS VERY HARD FOR THOSE OF US ON THE OTHER SIDE TO SAY THIS |
00:22:51 | WAS AN ATTEMPT TO BE BIPARTISAN OR MAKE SURE WE DID NOT HAVE |
00:22:55 | WINNER-TAKE-ALL WHEN YOU MADE SURE WHEN YOU DRAFTED IT THAT |
00:22:58 | THAT WAS STILL THERE. >> TURCER SAID THE ISSUE 2 |
00:23:07 | AMENDMENT WASN'T BASED SOLELY ON THE CALIFORNIA PROPOSAL OR |
00:23:09 | ANY SPECIFIC PLAN, BUT WAS IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS. |
00:23:11 | ISSUE 2'S OPPONENTS SAY THEY'D RATHER VOTERS REJECT ISSUE 2 |
00:23:14 | AND LET THE LAWMAKERS ON THE BIPARTISAN CONSTITUTIONAL |
00:23:17 | MODERNIZATION COMMISSION COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL. |
00:23:19 | >> THE LEAD OF WOMEN VOTERS AND SUPPORTERS HAVE PROBABLY PUT |
00:23:24 | MORE ENERGY INTO THOSE AREAS THAT ADDRESS REDISTRICTING. |
00:23:29 | >> I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT THE LEGISLATORS WHO DID THIS IN A |
00:23:33 | BIPARTISAN WAY HAVE NOT BEEN DISCOURAGED. |
00:23:35 | THEY ARE REDOUBLING THEIR EFFORTS. |
00:23:37 | IN ADDITION, IT WAS VERY CLEAR FROM THE EDITORIALS THAT THE |
00:23:41 | PEOPLE WHO SAID THEY WERE AGAINST IT, THE CLEVELAND PLAIN |
00:23:45 | DEALER, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH, THE AKRON JOURNAL AND OTHERS |
00:23:50 | SAID YOU HAD BETTER NOT LOSE THIS OPPORTUNITY. |
00:23:53 | WE AGREE THIS IS THE WRONG WAY BUT THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT TO |
00:23:56 | MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THAT MESSAGE HAS BEEN HEARD. |
00:23:59 | THERE IS A LOT OF AGREEMENT ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. |
00:24:03 | I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE EFFORTS TAKE PLACE IN THE NEXT |
00:24:07 | GENERAL ASSEMBLY AFTER THIS IS DEFEATED. |
00:24:10 | >> BUT ITS BACKERS ONCE AGAIN SAY THEY CAN'T LEAVE THAT TO |
00:24:14 | CHANCE. >> EVERY TIME WE HAVE AN |
00:24:20 | OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM -- WE WANT REFORM, WE WANT |
00:24:24 | CHANGE, BUT WE JUST DO NOT LIKE THIS REFORM. |
00:24:27 | THAT WAS THE CRITICISM IN THE 1980'S. |
00:24:30 | HERE WE HAVE THE FLIP AND THE SAME ARGUMENT. |
00:24:32 | I THINK ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL MODERNIZATION COMMISSION THAT |
00:24:38 | WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE GOTTEN OFF THE GROUND IN FEBRUARY, THE GOT |
00:24:41 | APPOINTED IN SEPTEMBER, THIS IS THE KIND OF THING WHERE I HOPE |
00:24:45 | THAT THEY WILL GET SOMETHING DONE, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT |
00:24:49 | THIS, IT IS VERY HARD TO STUDY AWAY A PROBLEM. |
00:24:54 | THIS IS A TRUE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY CHANGE THE SYSTEM. |
00:24:58 | >> I'M AFRAID I'M VERY SKEPTICAL OF THE ABILITY OF THE |
00:25:05 | LEGISLATURE AND THIS SYSTEM TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM ON ITS OWN |
00:25:08 | IF WE DO NOT GET THIS PASSED. >> AND SPEAKING OF THE |
00:25:13 | CONSTITUTIONAL MODERNIZATION COMMISSION, THAT RELATES BACK TO |
00:25:15 | ISSUE ONE,AND WE'LL PICK THAT UP NEXT |
00:25:20 | WEEK. AND THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK. |
00:25:22 | FOR MY COLLEAGUES AT OHIO PUBLIC RADIO AND TELEVISION, THANKS |
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Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions