The City Council race in Columbus is shaping up to be an interesting one. Yes We Can candidates Jasmine Ayres and Will Petrik are running on progressive platforms that include affordable housing, policing reform, renewable energy, and a living wage. Beyond a few token initiatives, the current City Council only pays lip service to these concerns. As Berniecrats, Petrik and Ayres intend to push hard for real reforms.

It remains to be seen whether Left Democrats will be able to win seats on City Council without the corporate campaign backing enjoyed by the three candidates endorsed by the Franklin County Democratic Party. If Ayres and Petrik do manage to get elected in November, it remains to be seen whether they will be able to reform the local political machine from the inside. The FCDP establishment holds the levers of power in the party, and they have made it clear that they like things as they are. They will resist to the death any changes that displease their corporate sponsors.

President Donald Trump’s move to decertify the Iranian nuclear Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), entered into a little over two years ago, was applauded by Israel, Saudi Arabia and a couple of Persian Gulf States, but by no one else. Quite the contrary, as the European and Asian co-signatories on the agreement, having failed to dissuade Trump, have clearly indicated that they will continue to abide by it. Also, the decision to kick the can down the road by giving Congress 60 days to increase pressure on Tehran in an attempt to include other issues beyond nuclear development like its ballistic missile program and labeling the country’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group are likely to create confusion as Washington is unable to communicate directly with Iran. That uncertainty could possibly lead to a fraught-with-danger Iranian decision to withdraw completely from the agreement.

Monday, October 16, 2017, 7:00 – 8:45 PM.  Environmental Film Series.  Screening of An Inconvenient Sequel with lively discussion led by leading OSU and local experts.  Al Gore shares how close we are to a real energy revolution.  Location:  Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering & Chemistry (CBEC), Room 130, 151 W. Woodruff Ave., Ohio State University.  Details at epn.osu.edu.   (Free pizzas and beverages @ 6:45 PM.  Sponsored by the School of Environmental and Natural Resources & Office of Energy and Environment.  

Monday, October 16, 2017, 4:30 - 6:30 PM.  Learning From Your Community: The State Of Free Speech And Civil Progress In Ohio.  This panel will discuss the state of free speech in Ohio and at Ohio State, as well as how to proceed civilly while honoring marginalized voices. This will be followed by a Q&A/discussion. The organizations helping sponsor this include ACS, the Multicultural Center, NICD, Sustained Dialogue, and the Council of Student Affairs.  Location:  Moritz College of Law, OSU, 55 W. Twelfth Ave, Columbus, in Saxbe Auditorium.  

“Dear NFL: We will not support millionaire ingrates who hate America and disrespect our Armed Forces and Veterans. Who wins a football game has ZERO impact on our lives. Who fights for and defends our nation has every impact on our lives. We stand with the Heroes, not a bunch of rich, entitled, arrogant, ungrateful, anti-American, degenerates. Signed, We the people.”