Issue 2 Town Hall was a Great Success

From the good folks at The Ohio Liberty Counsel:

Note: I am having some difficulty embedding the video. Please click on the link to see the Town Hall.

Issue 2: Either Way the Farmer Loses

I spotted this snippet today on Progress Ohio toward the end of a post supporting Issue 2, which truly made me depressed.

Agriculture is Ohio’s largest industry and proper regulation is necessary, however, the creation of a new political board with broad powers and backed by agri-business is not in the best interests of the citizens of Ohio. (SH: But PETA and HSUS are?)

Agriculture has existed in Ohio for at least 200 years without a standards board bureaucracy. Moreover the Ohio Legislature and State Board of Agriculture has the authority to negotiate with animal rights groups and implement prudent changes. (SH: Is this a good idea? Why is our General Assembly negotiating with these fringe radicals in the first place…but oh yes, it was our worthless General Assembly that put the farmer and the citizen in this position in the first place!)

The Humane Society has stated that they will attempt to impose restrictions on farms with or without Issue 2. (SH: Impose; Hitler and Stalin imposed many draconian laws too, but the last time I checked HSUS is just a special interest group.) If the purpose of Issue 2 is to mitigate potential reforms from the Humane Society, it’s a waste of time and energy. (SH: Wow, maybe the State AG should consider applying an Ohio version of the Rico Statute against HSUS.)

Ohio Farmers know their craft and I think they are willing to work with animal rights and public health groups to address any potential areas for improvement. (SH: Why do we have to work with anybody but the consumer? How is working with some nut cases that elevate animals above humans going to make me a better farmer?)

Please join me the Ohio Liberty Council, the Ohio Sierra Club and the Ohio Farmers Union in voting NO on Issue 2. (SH: Boy, this guy almost convinced this traditional conservative to vote for Issue 2 after all of that BS.)

Either way, if Issue 2 passes or fails, the statist is out there ready to place some sort of control on our, the farmers, life. So either way the Ohio farmer loses, and in the end the Ohio consumer loses too.

Update: Check out this post, Why Issue 2 Can’t Stop the HSUS, it should make you mad as it did me, if of course you are concerned about freedom and liberty, and not control.

Ohio Legislative Black Caucus Endorse Issue 2, Why?

Renee from Glass City Jungle is reporting that the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus endorsed Issue 2. I wonder what these Democrats know that this farmer doesn’t?

“The OLBC is proud to endorse Issue 2,” said Rep. Sandra Williams (D-Cleveland), President of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus. “The OLBC has a history of promoting public policy initiatives that will help all Ohioans build a better future. Issue 2 will maintain the viability of Ohio’s agriculture by reinforcing consumer confidence in Ohio-raised food.”

If passed, Issue 2 will create the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board (Board). With the creation of this Board, it will ensure that Ohioans are making decisions about livestock and poultry care in their state. “Issue 2 is about making sure we have safe, local, affordable milk, meat and eggs for our families,” said Rep. Carlton Weddington (D-Columbus).

Certainly educated people can discern complex matters, but how can a non-elected board of non-farmers (with one HSUS or PETA representative, read the bill, it’s in there) ensure confidence in 90 percent of the food we eat, which is not grown in Ohio. Can they do something about the factory farms in Nebraska, China or Mexico where we get most of our food stuff? Can this non-elected board of non-farmers (with one HSUS or PETA representative) ensure the right decisions are made concerning how animals are raised in Nebraska, China or Mexico? Can a non-elected board of non-farmers (and one HSUS or PETA representative) ensure we have inexpensive food for our state when 90 percent of our food stuff is produced outside of Ohio? The answer to these questions is NO. So their job will be to focus on less than 10 percent of the food Ohioans produce, which we eat: Can we say this board is a waste of money too!

What Issue 2 is going to do is to put one more nail into the coffin that contains Ohio’s small and mid size farming community. Issue 2 will help HSUS and PETA gain a stronger position and help kill our animal husbandry practices businesses because they have a place on the board. At the same time the board gives Big Agro even more power within the state, all the while they slowly move to foreign countries just like the auto industry did (GM is still around folks and doing very well; it’s now in China). Remember they don’t need an appointed place at the table, they’ll buy a place at the table.

Ask yourself why did the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus go against the Ohio Democrat Party? My take is because this is such a bad bill few truly know what is at stake or the resulting consequences. This should never have gotten on the ballot. But there’s always the outside chance Big Agro paid these urbanites off to get their endorsement.

I say to all you know-it- all urbanites and suburbanites, if you don’t like the way animals are being raised, then stop buying food from the processors that sell it, but stay off of my farm. And to all you Big Agro types that want to use fecal matter to feed your chickens and cage them five high or raise your cattle on feed lots, that’s your choice, but stay off of my farm too! I raise my chickens in a manner I deem right. In order to have real food freedom we have to let the consumer make the choice, not some special interest group!

I am against Issue 2 because this violates the fundamental right of private property (period). We can’t have half freedom folks. There is only freedom or tyranny. Again, I oppose ISSUE 2 because it is threat to private property and the Ohio Constitution. I also strongly oppose HSUS and PETA because they are a threat to my freedom to be a farmer. And lastly I oppose Big Agro because they are a threat to my freedom to be a competitive farmer. Are you getting it yet; Issue 2 is about freedom.

Vote NO on Issue 2!

Vionovich Sinks the ‘Climate Change’ Knife Deeper into Ohio’s Back

I spotted this snippet from old Comrade Giorgi Vionovich on page two of a sickening article detailing the US Senates disastrous efforts to kill America.

And Voinovich said Democratic sponsors have not reached out to him to negotiate on the legislation. “I think Senator Kerry and Senator Boxer are trying to get the most aggressive bill they can get out of the Senate EPW Committee,” he said. “As a result of that, I don’t think that they are as interested in negotiating as they might ordinarily.”

Voinovich added that he expects Democrats to press for more bipartisan talks early next year once leaders start counting votes and after the conclusion of a major U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“If they understand they can’t get cloture on what comes out of committee, I think we’d be more likely to get really serious after we get back after Copenhagen,” he said. “And at that stage of the game, we’ll have much more clarity where everyone’s going.”

Yep, Giorgi has his hands squarely wrapped around the knife the environmental leftists are thrusting in the back of the United States and Ohio.

You know what’s sad; there are people in this state that still think Republicans stand for capitalism and freedom. Sad isn’t it?

Issue 2 Town Hall at Ohio State – OFA co-sponsor

For those that are close to Columbus:

Spread the word and come participate in this town hall forum about this important issue with lasting implications for agriculture in Ohio.

Oct 19

Mon 8:00 PM

http://www.ohiofreedo…

Will Yost or Cordray Keep the FBI out of BMV

It looks like the FBI wants national access to every state in the Union to begin facial recognition scanning, which will make every person having a drivers license a perpetual suspect, much the same way we are now with the “no fly list.” So I wonder which candidate, Yost or Cordray, will keep the FBI out of Ohio’s BMV?

Issue 2: State Sovereignty Resolutions

From fellow Ohio blogger and OFA member, The Ohio Republic:

Issue 2 is to create a Livestock Care Standards Board. Ohio has more than 400 boards and commissions. Why do we need one for this purpose? The idea is noble enough. We want our farm animals to be humanely treated (which by the way, will result in a better quality of food), but why can’t we just set the standards in the Ohio Revised Code, and let the Attorney General sue those who are in violation? Why do we have to establish a bureaucracy? There is also some evidence to suggest that this is an attempt by agribusiness to circumvent the more stringent standards that would likely follow an investigation by the American Humane Society slated for next year. This argument was well presented by Patricia A. Powers in a letter to the editor of the Columbus Dispatch Oct. 10.

We don’t need another board: vote NO on ISSUE 2!

Hey, wouldn’t it be great if our lame politicians eliminated many of these boards and renewed Ohio’s regulatory landscape?

Wooster 9/12 Project Opposes ISSUE 2

It looks like some of the good folks in Wooster 9/12 Project and Wooster Tea Party oppose ISSUE 2, and these are small and mid size farmers. One of their members and blog contributor, Katie Myers, had this to say about the buffoonery:

I am a conservative, born and raised on a farm, card carrying member of the Farm Bureau and depend on agriculture for my livlihood and I have some serious concerns with Issue 2. Back in July, I was very on board with Issue 2. I agree that we don’t need a third party coming into our state and telling us how to farm! In August, however, when I began my policy research and saw the ballot languauge I was appauled!
A constitutional amendment for a self interest group? Yes, it is my self interest group, but regardless a high-jack of the constitution is a high jack of the constitution. If you would like to read an informative article I wrote about Issue 2 follow this link http://countrysideconservancy.wordpress.com/ and here are a few questions that I have and I have posed to many leaders in the community with NO RESPONSE!

Click on to their site and read the rest of Ms. Myers’ posting, as well as the very important concerns about the motives of HSUS and PETA. And let me say it again, HSUS and PETA are not friends of the farmer; in truth they are closer to being our biggest foe. But like the other folks from Wooster, I am opposed to ISSUE 2 because it attacks freedom, liberty and the Ohio Constitution. It’s likely friends we’ll be digging in to fight HSUS and PETA if we defeat ISSUE 2.

Husted Still Searching for Integrity

Most of us are aware by now that the Ohio Supreme Court ruled in favor of Sen. Jon Husted (Republican-Kettering) or maybe we should say ruled against an incompetent Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, because they ruled on the law and the law alone. So while the democrats were correct in their assertion, as were many right-leaning bloggers in this state, Husted is not really a resident of Kettering, but he is by the written law; Brunner should have known this.

So now lets talk about the integrity issue. If Husted is willing to get around laws to serve his own personnel agenda, what else will he do, or for that matter, what else is he doing right now that we don’t know about. Think about this for one minute.

This is the kind of action Ohioans have come to see as normal fair as result of the Bob Bennett type of backroom politics. Former ORP political boss Bob Bennett and his cronies handpicked Husted. Bennett picked both of the DeWines, Portman, Kasich, Taft, Austria, Evans, to name a few and look where Ohio is today, and look at what these men have done to our State through the shady ways.

We are amidst of a very long recession; we have no industry to speak of, and our agriculture is dwindling. In what can only be considered bizarre, the republicans took and used the socialist template and ruined Ohio…Republicans mind you. Worst of all they opened the door for the rabid socialists to gain control of the State.

So Jon Husted has his eyes set on higher office. Do we really want more of the same or is it time for change. I say change. I left the Republican Party long ago because all I see and read is how the republicans double cross and lie to their supporters. Shame on Husted, and shame on the Republicans of Kettering. You might want him representing you, but when it comes to higher office I say hell no.

Manna Storehouse Raid Trial Begins–to be Videotaped by CVN

The good folks over at the Journal of Whole Food and Nutritional Health are closely following the Gestapo raid the Ohio Department of Agriculture conducted at the Manna Storehouse. They also have all of the historical reports going back to that fateful day. Here is a short snippet summarizing the story:

The court case is the result of a before-Christmas 2008 Lorain County SWAT-team raid on The Manna Storehouse, an organic food coop in LaGrange, Ohio owned and operated by John and Jackie Stowers. The Stowers and their ten children and grandchildren were detained in one room of their home for six hours while the sheriff’s team confiscated sixty boxes of fresh farm food, computers, phones and business records. The food included USDA-certified meat from the Stower’s children’s mini-farm and the nearby Amish community. The Stowers were suspected of not having a retail food license, and the raid was instigated by the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Lorain County Department of Health. Son Chad, father of the baby and toddler and wife Katie also present during the raid, was serving with the Navy Seabees in the Operation Iraqi Freedom at the time of the incident.

This event really highlights the need to reject ISSUE 2. If ISSUE 2 passes these Gestapo like raids will be an everyday occurrence.