Thursday, July 6, 12noon-3pm
Senator Portman's office, 37 W. Broad St.
Activists are mobilizing across the country to stop the GOP healthcare bill in its tracks. On Thursday, July 6th—during the 4th of July recess when Senators return to their home states—there will be sit-ins at Senate offices across the country demanding Republican Senators vote NO on the bill.

The so-called “Better Care Reconciliation Act” introduced in the Senate would take away health insurance from 22 million working, poor, and disabled Americans, gut Medicaid by almost $800 billion, and provide a massive tax cut for the wealthiest 2% of the population. The passage of this bill means that thousands of middle-class and poor people will die so that the rich can get richer.

Inspired by ADAPT’s courageous nonviolent sit-ins last week targeting Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, we believe greater nonviolent direct action is called for to elevate the impact and unpopularity of the healthcare bill within the media and to pressure Republican Senators to vote NO on the bill. 

On May 1st COTA overhauled its transit system by increasing routes and connections, including to more jobs, such as at Rickenbacker on the far southeast side, which has an estimated 21,000 warehouse-related positions.

But more routes and increased frequency for those without their own transportation to an expanding Central Ohio and to more jobs apparently wasn’t the only improvement in mind for the transit authority. COTA also boosted the number of routes and frequencies to a place fueling an increasing addictive form of entertainment in our community – gambling.

COTA has two lines going to Rickenbacker, but four lines going to Hollywood Casino on the west side. Keep in mind there are jobs at Hollywood, but the majority of people taking these lines are going there to gamble.

What’s more, the four lines to Hollywood travel through some of Columbus’s poorest neighborhoods where the last thing these people need is a place where they lose what little money they have.

I delayed writing this article until today, June 24th. The deadline lies just two days away. You see, the ground keeps shifting.

Donald Trump was elected President last year in part because he appeared to support states’ rights – let ‘em decide for themselves. Some reformers may have interpreted his Republican brand of libertarianism as something more than just a slick salesman. Some may even have voted for him because they thought he would legalize. The noise coming out of the White House differs widely from that heard on the campaign trail. And it changes daily.

As one of his earliest cabinet picks, Trump nominated his former campaign minion, then Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, to become U.S. Attorney General. Dark clouds began to loom.

The lieutenant governor is the afterthought of Ohio politics. Little attention is paid to the No. Two in state government. Candidates for the post are usually selected in order to balance the ticket rather than on issues. The usual white male nominee for governor needs a woman or better yet a Black woman.

I am stepping forward to break the mold by offering to be a candidate for lieutenant governor based on my stands on issues important to Ohioans.

This month I will offer the Hartman Platform on education issues. In future columns I will detail my stands on other issues.

The first plank in my platform changes the taxpayer subsidies for state-assisted colleges and universities. It could save hundreds of millions annually. I would change the system to provide tuition subsidies based on the normal time is takes to earn a degree. For instance, a student seeking an associate degree will receive subsidized tuition for two years. After that, the rate without the subsidy will be charged. Similarly, bachelor's degree students will receive a subsidized rate for four years. After that, full price will be paid.