Laugh or cry? I report. You decide.
The Republican lawmaker who drafted the training curriculum that schools would have to follow to allow teachers in Ohio to carry guns owns a gun training business that seemingly fits all the required steps in the bill.
Ohio schools could start arming any staff member as soon as mid-fall, but the training requirement has raised concerns about the involvement of a specific senator.
Although he denies any wrongdoing, state Sen. Frank Hoagland, a Republican from Mingo Junction, is being accused by critics of drafting the bill so his business could benefit financially.
Hoagland helped with the rewrite of House Bill 99, which allows any school board in Ohio to choose to arm school staff members with up to 24 hours of training.
The senator owns a business called S.T.A.R.T., which represents Special Tactics and Rescue Training. It is a firearm training and threat management business.
While the bill was being heard in the Senate Veterans and Public Safety Committee, hundreds came to oppose the bill. Throughout the entire hearing process, more than 350 people submitted testimony against the bill, while about 19 testified in favor.
One of those who testified in support was Dinero Ciardelli, the CEO of S.T.A.R.T. He did not identify himself as being with the company, but he did not legally have to. Hoagland just so happens to be the Chair of the Senate Veterans and Public Safety Committee, so he watched his colleague testify in favor of his bill.
The story: probably not a conflict of interest. On Mars.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
You know the NJ saying “Make a law, make a business.”
old NJ apparently now taking over the nation
Or in this case, make a business, then make a law.
Arming teachers, another stupid idea from the pro gun GOP knuckle-draggers (nothing against actual apes). Will the teacher have a loaded gun strapped to his/her waist all day or will the gun be stored somewhere in the classroom, unloaded? The details of how this lame-brained scheme will work make it inoperable from the get-go. So what happens when the teacher takes the kids out for recess, to the lunchroom, to the gym, to the library, etc. Of course these very same GOP twits will have convulsions if you so much as mention banning semi-automatic rifles or hand guns.
Joe J: use your imagination. Every teacher will have an AR15 strapped to his or her back. Be prepared!
or maybe more Boebert style, each teacher wearing six-shooters at the hip
A six-shooter is no defense against an AR15.
Boebert’s colleagues in the legislature had better keep a big distance if Boebert shoots off her pistols as much as she shoots off her mouth.
In TN we’re always on the lookout for bears. Can’t be too careful
Today, this actually elicits praise and admiration from one’s Republican colleagues.
“Laugh or cry?”
Those two aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive so I’ll go with both!
Sadly, pay to play is the American way. AOC was shocked to see lobbyists actually writing legislation when she first arrived in Washington. There is so much money influencing politicians it is difficult for the voice of the people to be heard.
If I went to Washington, I’d be shocked not to see lobbyists writing legislation.
But it must be the age difference.
Hopefully, someday in the not too distant future we will end the quaint custom of having members of Congress debate and vote and just let the lobbyists (AIs ?) do their jobs without the rude, unnecessary interruptions.
Ohio is a gerrymandered cesspool thanks in part to Trump appointed federal judges. Grifters get rich and evangelical or conservative Catholics get their religion imposed through the state’s legislation.
Of course it happened…. reported today, a 10 year old abuse victim couldn’t get an abortion in Ohio. She’s 6 weeks and 3 days into the forced birth process.
At least, the grifters are identified but, the enemy of the 10-year-old have an immunity card.
It is shocking to me how much, politically speaking, Ohio today is like Louisiana in the late 80s/early 90s. See Louisiana today for what Ohio will look like in 10-15 years.
I suspect that morality’s replacement with equal measures of grift and Jesus, guns and babies account for the change. While there was racism present in the 70’s, there was a sense that it wasn’t fair which I don’t see today.
I appreciate you introducing me to the humor of Dylan Moran. I’ve had such fun with the escapism, courtesy of his take on baristas, dog ownership, differences in men and women, …
You may like the old, quirky British comedy series Black Books. It’s also with Bill Bailey, who is an incredibly talented comedian.
Thanks Greg, a Bloody Mary adorned with a shrimp on a skewer provokes a smile but, add the description, “a prawn dancing on a pole stick,” and it’s lol funny.
Moran’s quips about science-know-nothing-about-it are perfect for how I feel about all of the times I naively trotted onside at night and looked to the sky for some wondrous event predicted by the news station’s weatherman, with the warning that it only occurs as often as Tommy Tuberville has an intelligent thought. Each groggy saunter met with nothing seen and me, dejected. Hope unexplainably prevailed for decades.
Linda, I started reading The Pope at War: The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler by David I Kertzer a day ago. You want this book. Starting to fill in a whole lot of blanks.
New factoid of which I was unaware: the creation of Vatican City as an independent state was the result of a deal made with Mussolini when he eliminated the separation of church and state in public life. When Ian Kershaw and Garry Wills praise the work, you know it’s a serious piece of scholarship.
The Catholic Church has honed its PR and fundraising tactics over hundreds of years. Two examples today- Elon Musk and 4 of his 7 children posed in a photo op with the Pope even while Musk admits not being a Christian. Of course, Musk stated his praise for Jesus’ “turn the other cheek” message- the perfect authoritarian advice to subjects. The second report is about the advice an archbishop gave to the 16- year-old survivor of the human smuggling case in Texas that led to the death of 53, men, women and children. The advice was that the girl should smile as much as she could in her messages to family back home so that they would know she was o.k. It’s a short walk from the recommendation for her to the role that victims of priest abuse are expected to play.
Thanks for the book recommendation. I’ll get a copy.
The conservative churches gave a segment of voters the abortion talking point which gave them self-righteousness they could use to camouflage unethical and immoral behavior in other spheres.
The selection of Trump by religious leaders was the culmination of depravity. Steve Bannon, Leonard Leo, Pat Cipillonne, Laura Ingraham, …
“Musk stated his praise for Jesus’ “turn the other cheek” message- ”
Well, that’s not particularly surprising. Turn the other cheek is the typical response to his critics. And often, he turns both (butt) cheeks at the same time.
Poet-
In a different response to employees, Musk leads with a verbal attack.
Speaking of cheeks, or cheek:
I though the verbal attack was Bill Gates’ patented response to ritics.
But maybe Musk liked it so much that he has adopted it as his leadoff, followed by a turn of butt cheeks.
Greg-
A reference to Fry from a novel, The Plot, about student writers, “tenses rolled around within the paragraphs (sometimes within the sentences)! Grammatically, the worst of them made Donald Trump look like Stephen Fry.”
“the creation of Vatican City as an independent state was the result of a deal made with Mussolini when he eliminated the separation of church and state in public life.”
Maybe during their fall session the Supreme Majority can make a deal with Trump or DeSatanist (whoever wins the Battle for Evil) to establish “Courtican City” surrounding the Supreme Court where worshipers can go to pay homage (and also to pay indulgences to nullify all those murders with AR15s, of course)
And they can add another chair for the Pope so he has a place to celebrate with his Bishops when he comes to town.
Of course, Roberts and the other members of the Majority should all get the special funny hats and the crooks.
Even if not the hats, definitely the crooks.
A research team at the University of Colorado reports that data indicate there will be a 24% increase in deaths of women as a result of Roe’s overturn. The team only looked at medical issues not the number of men who murder women when they have babies the men don’t want.
Linda
Not to minimize the impacts of the Supreme ruling, but I was under the impression that that estimate was made for the case in which a nationwide abortion ban is put in place/passed by Congress.
We are not there yet, but that is obviously the eventual goal for the Evangelical and Catholic Christo-fascists like Alito et pals.
Because the analysis you mentioned only considers likely increase in maternal deaths from health issues due to forced continuation of pregnancies, not only does the estimate not include the effects of violence against women as a result of unwanted pregnancy, it also doesn’t include the effect of poverty on women’s health, poverty that could be the direct outgrowth of forcing women to have unwanted children.
I read an interesting article yesterday.
While the US moves toward theocracy and back to the dark ages on abortion, women’s rights in general, science policy and other issues, developing countries are progressing toward equality.
The US is basically planting the seeds of its own demise. In particular, a country that denies science or simply demotes it to a class well below religious ideology will simply not survive.
We do have an excellent candidate for governor in Dayton mayor Nan Whaley, but DeWine will be reelected because hate of libs is greater than self-interest or a rational love of place and country. Not only is climate change making the Ohio summers more like the Deep South, the politics or from there are infecting the nation and the world. (One of the reasons I harp on Drive-By Truckers. There’s not a scholar in the world who can explain this trend more accurately or succinctly as they do through the stories they tell. If you can’t get past the music, read their catalog of lyrics as poetry.)
https://www.npr.org/2016/06/21/482780892/songs-we-love-drive-by-truckers-surrender-under-protest
America’s Future
(The Road to Courtbull)
We’re headed toward Afghanistan
We’re on the road to Hell
We’re under thumb of Tommyban*
As everyone can tell
*Taliban, Clarence Thomas style
Poet-
Sun Tzu- If you don’t know your enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.
Abe Lopez who worked for Christie Christie is a Republican leader in the Hispanic community. He praises the new training program in Florida. Teachers are given a $700 stipend to learn the founding fathers had no intent to separate church from state. The creator’s law grants us our rights not the government.
We all know what the Catholic/evangelical God thinks of women.
Thomas Says (to women)
Tommy says
To “Wipe my ass!”
A Tommybanning streak*
Tommy says
“You’re second class”
So do** and never speak
*Creep also works
*Screw also works
Tommy says
“Abortion’s sin”
With Tommybanning touch
Tommy says
“So let me in”
“I love you very much”
Teachers are given a $700 stipend to learn the founding fathers had no intent to separate church from state.”
If I were a teacher, I’d take the money and then spend all the time in class pointing out the bullshit to the other people in the class.
And pointing out the bullshit to the students in my own classes.
Mr. Tommyban (with apologies to Harry Belefonte)
Night -o
(Darkness come and we want go home)
Night is a night, is a night is a night is a night is a night-o
(Darkness come and we want go home)
Work all day in a Court of bum
(Darkness come and we want go home)
Stack cow pies ’til the evening come
(Darkness come and we want go home)
Hey Mister Tommyban, Papally a banning
(Darkness come and we want go home)
Bum, Mister Tommyban, Document abandoning
(Darkness come and we want go home)
Gut six laws, seven laws, eight laws… lunch!
(Darkness come and we want go home)
Six laws, seven laws, eight laws… lunch!
(Darkness come and we want go home)
Roe is “No waaay-o”
(Darkness come and we want go home)
Roe, is “no way”, is “no way”, is “no way”, is “no way” is “no waaay-o
(Darkness come and we want go home)
A stinking bunch of ripe manuwa
(Darkness come and we want go home)
Feed the deadly black tarantula
(Darkness come and we want go home)
Gut six laws, seven laws, eight laws… lunch!
(Darknessxcome and we want go home)
six laws, seven laws, eight laws… lunch!
(Darkness come and we want go home)
(Tommyban is a play on both Tallyman and Taliban, of course)
Tommyban refers to the ban on abortion of course, but “Tommyband” would also work as a reference to the Supreme Majority.
Six of one and a half dozen of the other
Yes, Poet, you correctly clarify the University of Colorado’s research. An addition, the predicted number reflected deaths per year.
It has been ever thus since first was TRUMPeted the new era of Republican policy and politics. Corruption high. Corruption low. Corruption wheresoever you go.
My old friend, Pongrascz, suggested around 2005 that the theme of 21st century history was looking like corruption. Now, almost two decades later, he looks like a soothsayer. Across the globe, corruption has become commonplace to the extent that one yawns at another exposure of graft and cruelty.
I remember the days when revelations like these would have at least led to the immediate resignation of the politician. Now only Democrats accused of sexual peccadillos resign. Republicans appear to be immune.
Sick!
With or without the grift the entire idea is revolting .
If Tim Ryan can’t use these kinds of happenings against JD Vance, then it is clear that lots of folks in this country have been brainwashed into believing this is a good idea. And those folks frequently live in low population states that give them 100x more power in the Senate than those of us living in NY.
I wish Ohioans could see this. I wish progressive – but unfortunately pro-ed reform and pro-charter – Sherrod Brown uses his bully pulpit and fights every single day from now until the election to talk directly to Ohio residents. Is he too lazy to do so?
I must admit, I will be holding my nose and almost closing my eyes when I vote for Ryan. He is trying to win by campaigning that he’s a Democrat who can work with the Idiot. Never forget that his is a protege of Jim Traficant. Get a load of how bad this ad that’s running all time is:
Ugh, wth?? During the primary I thought he was embracing progressive ideas.
It is shocking that Ohio Dems don’t understand that they need to hit the Republicans hard. This kind of ad just reinforces the Republicans’ favorite narrative that they do good things for working class folks.
I do believe Tim Ryan is far closer to Sherrod Brown than the Joe Manchin in policy. I don’t know why he believes he needs to come off as Manchin and not Brown to win Ohio.
The only way Ryan can win is if there is a massive campaign to paint JD Vance accurately! How ironic that just getting an opponent portrayed accurately is so difficult for the Democrats. Trump and J D Vance, champions of the working class and not champions of billionaires like Peter Thiel. I have no idea why Democrats have such a hard time to get voters to see the truth. Instead, voters in both parties seem to ignore any good things and always focus on the flaws of the Dems, and ignore the fact that the Republican has those flaws 100 fold, without any of the good points!
And of course Ryan represents Youngstown, where Trump was incredibly popular (well, in the suburbs that is). Never forget that Jim Traficant defeated Lyle Williams, the Republican barber
Oh, no, Greg! I can’t even bring myself to watch this (am gearing up what are sure to be horrendous campaign ads in IL–actually, the gubernatorial ones have already started-+the G-d fearin’ grassroots* “down-home farmer” candidate**). An Ohio friend who moved to OH from IL (& sorry he did) sends us terrible news.
*More like a$$roots: a millionaire+, took $2 million+ subsidy for. the USDA. (He’s been called a “welfare queen.)
“Down-home farmer” like the worst governor in America, bruce rauner,
in his Carhartt jacket on his motorcycle.
& the s post just makes me cry, not laugh.
Whoops, I put my response to these on the wrong thread above. WordPress!
If it’s all you can remember
Then it’s been that way forever
Not a Nobel prize-holding writer in the world who can sum up American politics as well.
I went to the S.T.A.R.T. Facebook page. I found “August 27, 2015 – START is looking to hire competent drug free professionals for the gas and oil industry.” One of their trucks says “SPILL RESPONSE” across the side. Some of their shooting contests are named after AADE Gas and Oil.
Interesting.
I also found that S.T.A.R.T. will sell you a S.T.A.R.T. bottle opener for $25 and they have a S.T.A.R.T. nutcracker statue at Nutcracker Village.
Awesome.
Nothing disturbingly strange going on here. Move along.