I have voted as a Democrat for over 30 years, and this is most likely the last time. Now that I saw how corrupt the party is in Cuyahoga County, I am going to drop my affiliation and become an Independent. I want to vote against some of the stuffed shirts I met when I bid for the County Council position. I was shocked at how the party infrastructure did not care about issues or platforms or the positions of candidates on corruption, reducing poverty or in fact anything. They did not want to know your history of solving problems, implementing public policy or even how many people you as a candidate helped to vote. All the party leaders cared about was patronage and who's turn it was for the seat. So, I am leaving the party that appoints people as a thank you for their service instead of the value of their ideas or their ability to get things done.
In those 30 years, I have never voted for a Republican so I could never jump to that corrupt party. The Dems in Cuyahoga County have squandered their previous power and have absolutely no authority down in Columbus. They have been in power in Cuyahoga for 35 years and have no fear of losing any of their positions of power here locally. They are comfortable controlling the County, the City and most of the inner-ring suburbs. There is no pressure to solve problems and make tough decisions. Even massive corruption did not knock them out of their positions handing out contracts and work. It is my belief, the Cuyahoga County Democratic party is rotten to the core, and I don't need the headache.
Republicans are also rotten but on a much bigger scale. They are a party that is in power exclusively to enrich the wealthy while campaigning as the party of the people. The Republicans have fooled people into voting against their own interests for decades. They are a party of hate for immigrants, hate of poor people and anyone different from them. They run for office with two made up goals of being against abortion and any raising taxes, but the reality is that if abortion was illegal the Republican Party would disappear. The tax cut from last year is going to cripple our country for decades, and the reality is that if they don't like government so why run for to administer that government? It is like Al Gore campaigning to be CEO of Exxon. The Republicans see failings in people and try to find a legislative solution to "reform people" like forcing work among the disabled or the hungry. So, the Republican party rots from the head while the Dems are rotting from the tail.
Here is who I am voting for in the Ohio May Primary, and I know I am just some guy from Cleveland Hts. You don't need to read any further because what do I know? I don't have a huge following; I don't influence groups of people, and I am just a low paid service worker.
1. I am voting for Joe Schiavoni for governor. I love Dennis Kucinich, and I went to Iowa to work on his Presidential campaign. He was one of the best US Representative I have ever seen because of his constituent services, but working for Fox News cost him my vote in the primary. Also, his defense of Syrian Butcher Assad is pretty hard to swallow. I have also decided that I am not voting for anyone over 70 years old from now on. These old folks need to retire and let younger citizens take these jobs. I like Cordray, but he seems like a good boring candidate with no real fixed positions especially on guns in our society. I would rather see a person run who has some strong positions (that they advertise on their website) especially against assault weapons in our society. I could never vote for Judge O'Neill, because of his odd behavior, his age and his protest against the Browns who took a knee. I wish Betty Sutton was still a candidate she is an honest and an honorable politician. No matter what happens, I will vote for one of these guys in November, because the two Republicans are deplorable candidates who will do harm to Ohio.
2. I am voting yes on the statewide ballot issue for redistricting, but it will only help a little. It will still allow the Rs to gerrymander, but just not as much.
3. Blaine Griffin is a good guy for Central Committee. I worked with him at the City.
4. Jeff Johnson is better than Williams for State Senator, but only because he is so outspoken. He was found out to be a corrupt politician, but he at least listens to people. He will call out the hypocrisy down in Columbus. Williams does nothing and is basically a wall flower in my opinion.
5. For Common Pleas judge Kilbane is far better than her competition. I use the Judge4Yourself website for my judicial pics.
6. McGinty is the highest rated judge over Santoli who was endorsed by the Plain Dealer. In my book, a Plain Dealer endorsement is a strike against a candidate, because the editors are normally wrong.
7. I wish that there was a Democrat running against Judge John O'Donnell. He found the cop who got up on the hood of Timothy Russell's car to shoot the two unarmed homeless people to death in East Cleveland not guilty. His grandstanding decision by getting off the bench and reading his verdict while walking around to describe the scene was excessive. I would never vote for this guy for letting Officer Brelo off because the People could not prove that his bullet was the one that killed Russell or Williams. It is insane logic to miss the forest for the trees. "I am sorry your honor but all of the bank robbers fired on the security guard and you cannot prove that it was my bullet that killed him, so you will have to find me not guilty of murder."
8. In my opinion, Rendon is the best of the other judicial race from Judge4Yourself over Rucker and Hagan. The other two candidates got "not recommended" by the Bar Associations in this crowded field.
9. Vodrey is one of the best rated in the other competitive judge race in a crowded field. He was a housing court magistrate while the other two higher rated judges were prosecutors (Howard) or very wealthy (Rein). I would give the nod to a housing magistrate anytime.
9. Finally, County Council is the race that I applied for and am not happy with either candidate. Houser has close ties to our troubled County Executive, and had no ideas for what he wants to do in this office. So, at least Cheryl Stephens is female and from Cleveland Hts.. She has experience in the Cleveland Hts Council, so I am going with her. She is more likely to be forced to actually do something, while Houser is just looking for the next opportunity.
But what do I know?
Brian Davis
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