by Tula Connell, May 3, 2011
Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich has taken hypocracy to a new low. After months of pushing a bill to kill collective bargaining rights for public employees, he now has issued proclamations making this week “Public Service Appreciation Week” and “Teacher Appreciation Week.” Seriously.
Kasich signed the draconian bill into law, and workers–many of them teachers and other public employee–now are gathering signatures to put repeal of the bill on the November ballot. Kasich’s actions prompted this respsonse from Ohio State House Miniority Leader Armond Budish:
Gov. Kasich’s statements forced me to check my calendar, and much to my surprise today is not April Fool’s Day….While he’s putting out statements of praise, he and his Republican cronies are working to systematically destroy public employees and teachers… So Gov. Kasich, do you commend the police officer for doing his job well before or after you call him an ‘idiot’? Do you thank teachers and firefighters for the invaluable work before or after you slash their wages and benefits?
Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga called Kasich’s proclamation “superficial” and “disingenuous” given Kasich’s support for the legislation.
Those words describe Kasich’s two-year budget as well. Like many Republicans who ran and won in 2010 by promising they would create jobs, he has done the opposite after getting elected. Kasich’s budget would result in the direct loss of 51,052 jobs in that state, according to a study by Innovation Ohio.
