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Today’s Top StoriesOpinionOhio & The PresidencyTop Stories:Ohio's budget crisisDueling hearings: slots vs. more cutsSenate to check estimates of gambling income; House looks for $1 billion if it falls through As Ohio enters its second day with an interim state budget, the political gamesmanship has escalated with dueling hearings today in an increasingly partisan stalemate. State explains estimate of slot-machine revenueSenate Republicans plan to grill officials in Gov. Ted Strickland's administration today on how they calculated revenue estimates from proposed electronic slot machines, saying there are more questions than answers. Bipartisan support blossoms for city's tax boostAfter winning the endorsement last week of former Mayor Dana G. "Buck" Rinehart, a proposed Columbus income-tax hike gained support yesterday from six more prominent Republicans. Not much contest in schools electionThe Columbus school-board race -- a crowded battleground just 10 years ago -- now lacks enough candidates for the November ballot to fill all the open seats. Clinton Twp. gives police 6% raises by divided voteThe lowest-paid police department in Franklin County received approval last night for 6 percent raises that will go into effect in stages over the next year. Push health-care reform, Obama urgesWASHINGTON -- With lawmakers on Capitol Hill struggling to reconcile clashing views on overhauling the nation's health-care system, President Barack Obama made a new appeal to the public yesterday not to let Congress put off action on his top legislative priority. States scramble to patch budgetsSACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Legislators in more than a half-dozen states where revenue is evaporating in the recession are working frantically to stave off government shutdowns and devastating service cuts. California failed to meet a midnight deadline and might need to issue IOUs instead of paying bills. Obama lied, Bolivian chief saysLA PAZ, Bolivia -- President Evo Morales accused Barack Obama of lying yesterday by pledging to change America's historically heavy-handed relationship with Latin America and then halting $25 million in annual trade benefits for Bolivia. S.C. lawmakers call on Sanford to resignCOLUMBIA, S.C. -- Top South Carolina Republicans and at least a half-dozen newspapers are calling for Gov. Mark Sanford's resignation. Opinion:
Jeff Stahler Editorial Cartoon Editorial: Ending slaveryAmericans are starting to wake up to the reality that girls and young women are being taken from American streets and in some cases even from safe suburban homes and coerced into the sex trade. Editorial: Other viewpoints• PRESIDENT BARACK Obama, who made a pledge to bring greater transparency to government during his administration, needs to implement that philosophy at the door to his new home. Thomas Sowell: In medical care, like in everything, you get what you pay forMost political and media discussions of medical care have an air of unreality reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. There is an abundance of catchphrases but remarkably few coherent arguments. The endosements of The Columbus Dispatch Previous editorials and columns Ohio & The Presidency:
No state has been a better barometer of the nation as a whole in presidential elections than Ohio and a historic 2008 election reaffirmed its status as America's bellwether. Democrat Barack Obama powered his way to a 4.6 percentage point Ohio victory against Republican John McCain by campaigning as if he were running for governor. Obama won 51.5 percent of the vote to become the first Democrat since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 to capture more than 50 percent in Ohio. Even so, Ohio was the most closely contested of the nine states that voted Democratic after supporting Republican George W. Bush in 2004. Daily BriefingOther BlogsGot a Tip?Blog 
From the Statehouse to the White House, your window on government and politics.
The best of the blogsDispatch Senior Editor Joe Hallett picks the best of the blogs. National Ohio Got A Tip?Got a news tip or story idea about politics or government? Send them our way:
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A Civil War general, an astronaut and a crook or two have represented Ohio in Congress over the centuries. MultimediaAudio PodcastsNo. 52: What's Wrong With the GOP? Thursday, May 21, 2009 Dispatch political reporters Alan Johnson and Mark Niquette and senior editor Joe Hallett talk about state and national politics. No. 51: Rolling the Dice Again Tuesday, May 12, 2009 Dispatch political reporters Alan Johnson and James Nash handicap the new crop of ideas to bring gambling to Ohio. Wednesday, May 6, 2009 Dispatch political reporters Alan Johnson, Mark Niquette and Jim Siegel talk about the latest twists in the state's efforts to put together a new budget. Monday, April 27, 2009 Dispatch political reporters Alan Johnson, Cathy Candisky and Jim Siegel discuss the omnibus amendment. Friday, April 23, 2009 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson and Mark Niquette talk about developments in the state budget process. Friday, April 3, 2009 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson and Mark Niquette and senior editor Joe Hallett say it's not too soon to start thinking about the next round of Ohio elections. Wednesday, March 18, 2009 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson and Mark Niquette talk about reaction to Gov. Ted Strickland's economic and education plans. No. 45: Trying to Follow the Money Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson and Mark Niquette discuss how Ohio's budget might be affected by the federal stimulus package. Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson and Mark Niquette talk about Gov. Strickland's State of the State address. Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009 Dispatch public affairs reporters Jim Siegel, Mark Niquette and James Nash talk about a new initiative to bring gambling to Ohio. Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson, Mark Niquette and Jim Siegel discuss the leadership lineups in the Ohio Legislature. Friday, Dec. 5, 2008 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson and Jim Siegel talk about the state's looming $7.3 billion budget shortfall. Friday, Oct. 17, 2008 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson, Mark Niquette and Cathy Candisky talk about new events in voter registration disputes in Ohio. No. 39: Campaigns and Lawsuits Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson and Mark Niquette talk about the presidential campaigns and election-related lawsuits. Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008 Dispatch public affairs reporter Mark Niquette talks to senior editor Joe Hallett, who is covering the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008 Dispatch public affairs reporter Jim Siegel talks to Washington bureau reporter Jack Torry, who is covering the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Friday, July 25, 2008 Dispatch political reporters Alan Johnson and Mark Niquette talk about John McCain's latest trip to Ohio. Thursday, July 10, 2008 Dispatch political reporters Alan Johnson, Jim Siegel and Mark Niquette talk about Mark D. Lay and payday lenders Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Dispatch senior editor Joe Hallett and political reporter Mark Niquette talk about the idea Obama could win the presidency without winning Ohio. No. 33: Legislation, Replacement and 'the Bull' Friday, May 30th, 2008 Dispatch political reporters Alan Johnson and Jim Siegel talk about business before the Ohio Legislature, the state's new attorney general and "the Bull." Monday, May 19th, 2008 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson and James Nash talk about the events that led to the ouster of Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann last week. Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson and James Nash talk about the sexual-harassment investigation in Ohio Attorney General Mark Dann's office. No. 30: Can Reregulation Work? Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Dispatch public affairs reporters Alan Johnson and Jim Siegel talk about the state's efforts to regulate electric utilities again. Capitol SquareGo behind the scenes at Broad & High Streets. Download our weekly look at state government. |
