Hey, everyone.
First, I want to apologize that I have not been writing as much on The Angry Democrat. With the election right around the corner, I have been focusing heavily on local news, candidates, ballot issues, taxes, and government spending here in Ohio.
If you live in Ohio, please subscribe to The Angry Ohioan at:
That is where you will find my exclusively Ohio-focused news and political commentary.
I am trying to keep The Angry Democrat focused on overarching political ideas, national news, public policy, Democratic strategy, and my general political waxings and wanings so it does not become completely bogged down with Ohio politics.
However, if you think everything should be consolidated into one place, please let me know. I have been thinking about that too.
In the meantime, please stay subscribed and consider supporting what I do. There has been a lot happening in Ohio, and I have published quite a bit over the past couple of weeks.
Here is what you may have missed.
The Metanoia Project Needs Our Help
The most important thing I wrote about was the Metanoia Project.
Metanoia has operated a seasonal winter shelter in Cleveland for approximately 20 years. It runs on a small budget but produces big results for people who might not use the traditional shelter system.
I volunteered there in 2019. I worked the showers, handed out towels, socks, underwear, and toiletries, and talked to people who used Metanoia as a springboard back into employment and stable housing.
Now the organization is struggling to raise enough money to open this winter.
This is the kind of project that communities should be supporting: a small budget, limited political theater, and real results. Please read the article, share it, and consider whether you know anyone who can help keep Metanoia open.
My Cuyahoga County Ballot-Issue Recommendations
The Cuyahoga County Democratic Party released its endorsements for Issues 3 and 10 through 14.
I wanted to offer my own recommendations and explain my reasoning because simply telling voters to vote yes or no is not enough.
Issue 3: Voter Identification
My recommendation: NO
Ohio already requires photo identification for in-person voting. Issue 3 would place that requirement into the Ohio Constitution, making it more difficult for the state to adapt if better, more secure, or more accessible identification technology becomes available.
Issue 10: Developmental Disabilities Levy
My recommendation: NO
Issue 10 would add a new 2.25-mill property-tax levy for 10 years while the existing 3.9-mill continuing levy remains in place. I support services for people with developmental disabilities, but I do not believe county leaders have demonstrated enough fiscal responsibility or sufficiently explained why taxpayers should provide another approximately $99.7 million every year.
Issue 11: Health and Human Services Levy
My recommendation: NO
Issue 11 combines two separate questions into one vote: whether to renew the existing 4.7-mill levy and whether to add another 2.5 mills. The existing levy remains authorized through 2028, and the proposed increase would raise substantially more than a reasonable adjustment for inflation.
Voters should be able to decide whether to continue the existing funding separately from whether the county needs another approximately $110.76 million annually. Combining those questions into one proposal is dishonest.
Issue 12: Council Confirmation of Board Removals
My recommendation: YES, with a caveat
Issue 12 would require County Council to confirm certain removals of board and commission members initiated by the County Executive. I support adding that check on executive power, but I also believe Council should have an appropriate mechanism for initiating removal proceedings instead of merely reacting when the executive decides to remove someone.
Issue 13: Division Between the Law Director and Prosecutor
My recommendation: NO
Issue 13 would divide legal responsibilities between the independently elected County Prosecutor and a Law Director who serves at the pleasure of the County Executive. I would rather have contracts, negotiations, legal advice, litigation, discovery, and institutional knowledge housed within one legal department under the elected Prosecutor, with Council receiving legal advice that is institutionally independent from the executive.
Issue 14: Charter Review Commission Appointments
My recommendation: YES, with caveats
Issue 14 would divide appointments to the Charter Review Commission between the County Executive and County Council instead of allowing every nomination to originate with the executive. I support distributing appointment power, but Council’s appointments are not guaranteed to provide minority-party, ideological, or geographic representation, and eight of the nine appointees would no longer receive cross-branch review.
Ohio’s 90-Day Gas-Tax Holiday
Ohio’s 90-day gas-tax holiday passed the General Assembly, and the entire thing was a convoluted political mess.
Amy Acton proposed a gas-tax holiday. Vivek Ramaswamy later supported the idea, Republicans called a special session, Democrats attacked the bill as a political stunt, and then several Democrats voted for it anyway.
Meanwhile, the state is creating a roughly $725 million hole without clearly explaining where the replacement money will come from.
People will save money at the pump, and some families will genuinely feel that relief. But the politics made no sense, the Democratic positioning was all over the place, and the bill created more questions than answers.
Cuyahoga County Council District 5
The District 5 race between Mike Gallagher and Courtney Scheff came down to fiscal responsibility.
Gallagher made county spending, the jail, reserves, taxes, and executive overreach the center of his campaign. Scheff talked about responsible oversight but continued supporting many of the same services, programs, and priorities promoted by County Executive Chris Ronayne.
At a time when the county is approaching more than $1 billion in justice-system construction commitments and asking residents for additional taxes, Gallagher’s warning was the one I believed County Council most needed to hear.
Cuyahoga County Council District 11
The District 11 forum between Democrat Christine McIntosh and Republican William McLaughlin was frustrating for a different reason.
Both candidates seemed well-intentioned, but neither demonstrated much innovation, creativity, or vision for the seat. McIntosh leaned heavily on her experience, collaboration, and knowledge of government processes, while McLaughlin repeatedly acknowledged problems without consistently presenting detailed solutions.
Ohio Senate District 23
The Ohio Senate District 23 forum featured Republican Robert Dintaman and Democrat Bride Rose Sweeney.
Bride demonstrated why she is one of my favorite Ohio legislators. She was prepared, disciplined, specific, and able to explain both what she believes and what she has accomplished. Robert appeared well-intentioned and sincere about working across the aisle, but too many of his answers relied on generic promises about bipartisanship and talking to people instead of explaining what he would actually do.
The Cleveland Browns and Our Addiction to Bad Leadership
I also wrote about how the Cleveland Browns have become a perfect proxy for politics.
The organization gives Northeast Ohio an expensive, dysfunctional product, makes bad decisions, asks taxpayers for more money, and still expects loyalty. Fans become angry, complain, and swear something has to change, but then they return, buy tickets, purchase merchandise, and hope next year will be different.
That sounds a lot like politics.
What Is Coming Next
I have a long list of topics I want to address over the next several weeks.
What would the next two years look like if Democrats take both the House and Senate? What happens if Republicans keep control of both chambers?
I also plan to write more about artificial intelligence, data centers, jobs, industry, political fundraising, and potential conflicts of interest.
The third fundraising quarter has closed, and new campaign-finance reports should begin appearing in about 12 days. Once those numbers are available, I want to look at who is raising money, where that money is coming from, and what those relationships may tell us.
Please stay subscribed, share these posts, and consider supporting the work.
Also, let me know whether you prefer keeping The Angry Democrats and The Angry Ohioan separate or whether you would rather see everything consolidated into one place.