Election day is approaching fast, and by now much of the public has heard the arguments for and against Issue 1, the constitutional amendment on the ballot that would make citizens, not politicians, responsible for redistricting. 

People from a broad spectrum of groups that support workers and a fair political system have worked tirelessly, canvassing door to door to combat the steady flow of misinformation from the opposition.

A lot of money has gone into the campaign against Issue 1, but who is behind these donations? Just a little bit of digging turns up the usual suspects, and they are all tied to finance capital and the fascist candidate for president, Donald Trump.  

Citizens not Politicians – the grassroots, non-partisan coalition that has worked for the passage of the amendment – clearly (and proudly) displays the organizations and businesses that support Issue 1 on their website. Prominent among these are unions like the AFL-CIO and the IAFF, and endorsements come from groups on the left, right, and center, from businesses and faith organizations.

By contrast, the “No On 1 Team” section of the dubiously named and fake grassroots Ohio Works, Inc., is a veritable who’s who of those who make their living off the oppression of the working class. At the very top, in a picture that is unsurprisingly ten times the size of anyone else’s, is the smiling face of the twice impeached, once convicted former president. The anti-worker history of this charlatan is well documented, and it is no surprise the vast majority of labor unions are openly supporting his opponent. 

Next in line are the parade of sycophants from the Ohio state government who stand to lose the most from the passage of Issue 1. From Governor Dewine to Attorney General Yost, Secretary of State LaRose, and the Republican House and Senate caucuses, the naked ambition and self-interest is clear. The GOP knows that the stranglehold they have on the state exists only because of extreme gerrymandering. As proven by the repeated passage of statewide initiatives like the one that protected a woman’s right to choose, Ohio voters are much more progressive than the far-right agenda pushed by the gerrymandered statehouse in Columbus. 

Likewise, there are very few surprises to be found among the organizations who have come out publicly against Issue 1. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Ohio Oil & Gas Association stand firmly in the corner of finance capital and will defend those interests at all costs. The Ohio Health Care Association is part of the most powerful lobbying organizations in the country for an industry that is notorious for its working conditions. And the Buckeye Firearms Association is a radical, far-right second amendment group that is in lockstep with Trump.

There are, however, a couple of endorsements that might give workers pause. The Ohio Farm Bureau and the Ohio Manufacturers Association (OMA) ostensibly should be concerned with the interests of laborers. Unfortunately, closer inspection of each organization demonstrates that these groups serve the interests of the industry, not the workers themselves.

In 2022, the Ohio Farm Bureau stood against rail workers who were preparing to strike over the draconian attendance policy put in place by the largest railway in the country. Instead of standing with their brothers and sisters in solidarity, the Farm Bureau wrote a letter to Congress urging them to intervene and prevent the strike, which they did. A review of their history shows the Bureau standing against reforms that would protect migrant workers, the Build Back Better Act, and in favor of ending supplemental unemployment for workers hit by the ravaged pandemic economy. It is clear the Ohio Farm Bureau supports one thing: profits.

One might also mistakenly think that the Ohio Manufacturers Association would at least be somewhat interested in protecting their most valuable resource: workers. Not so, according to their most recent “Major Policy Goals.” Included in this list is lower taxes, a “lean” workers compensation system, cheaper energy, a “fair, stable, and predictable” justice system, and less economic regulation. Not one of these policy goals includes a single issue that benefits labor. Like the Farm Bureau, the OMA seems solely interested in what they both call “business climate.” The fact that their preferred climate involves deregulation and no worker protections goes a long way to explaining why these groups are so invested in the status quo.

The opposition to Issue 1 in Ohio has tried its best to muddy the waters with confusing ballot language and dishonest ads and signs. For anyone who might be confused, they need only look at who stands for the amendment and who stands against. For those aligned with Trump, for those who stand with corporate interests, the choice is clear. For those who stand with workers and the rights of citizens to self-determination without rule by corporate oligarchy, there is another way, and it will be on the ballot this November 5th. 

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Nicholas Pollock is a social worker from Columbus and an active member of the Anna Hass Morgan club of the CPUSA. He is proud to be a part of the Mike Gold Collective, a group of writers working together to support working class democracy.