The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 5, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

After three chaotic years with a politician-led commission and an anti-voter legislature failing to produce Ohio redistricting maps without gerrymandering, a ballot measure proposing a citizen-led redistricting commission will likely be put to the voters in November.

The Citizens Not Politicians campaign hopes to replace a redistricting commission which included the governor and party leadership, with an all-citizen independent commission. The current experiment lasted only six years, but long enough to further entrench GOP incumbents for a veto-proof majority in the state House and Senate.  The GOP holds 10 of 15 Congressional seats, garnering only 54% of the vote.

When maps were vetoed by the Ohio Supreme Court based on the state constitution’s provision that, QUOTE “No general assembly district plan shall be drawn primarily to favor or disfavor a political party,” the responsibility for drawing maps ping-ponged between the commission and the state legislature. 

Citizens Not Politicians proposes a 15-member citizen commission of Republicans, Democrats and independents, none of whom can be current or former politicians or lobbyists. 

It forbids redistricting for partisan advantage – gerrymandering – and requires a fully transparent process.  Organizers needed 413,000 voter signatures from 44 counties.   They submitted over 731,000 signatures from 57 counties.  

Secretary of State Frank LaRose, no friend to either fair redistricting or ballot initiatives, must now validate the signatures.   

We’ve linked to the ballot measure and the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Ohio Legislative Budget Office/Office of Research & Drafting – Briefing on Ohio’s Legislative Redistricting Process
Common Cause – THE FIGHT FOR FAIR MAPS: A HISTORY OF OHIO’S REDISTRICTING PROCESS
Center for American Progress – Ohio votes under ‘extreme’ gerrymandering that favors Republicans
Citizens Not Politicians – Summary of Ballot Measure Proposal
Citizens Not Politicians –  Full Test of Ballot Measure Proposal
Statehouse News Bureau – Ohio redistricting issue likely this fall as group turns in more signatures than needed

Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio redistricting reform group submits more than 731,000 signatures, sets sights on November

Groups Taking Action:
Citizens Not Politicians, Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause Ohio, League of Women Voters OH, Fair Districts Ohio, Indivisible Central Ohio, People Not Politicians Ohio

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #OhioNews #OhioPolitics #Gerrymandering

The post Following Three Chaotic Years of Politician-Run Redistricting, Ohio Organizers Submit Ballot Measure Signatures for Citizen-Led Commission appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 5, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

February 3rd, 2023, 38 Norfolk Southern rail cars detailed in East Palestine, OH, 20 of which carried hazardous materials, and 11 of which caught fire.   The Railway Safety Act was filed shortly after in Congress, but in 2023, Norfolk Southern and the rail industry spent millions to kill it.

The Railway Safety Act increases fines for safety violations, updates inspection regulations, requires a minimum two-person crew for certain trains, retires older tanker cars, and provides funding for safety research, among many provisions.   

Money-in-politics groups Public Citizen and Open Secrets analyzed political spending by Norfolk Southern, its competitors, and rail industry associations on contributions to candidates and SuperPACs, and spending on lobbying.  They found that Norfolk Southern and its subsidiaries mobilized anarmy of 41 lobbyists and spent over $2.3 million dollars on lobbying in 2023, up 30% from before the derailment.   

In what’s known as the “revolving door” of former members of Congress cashing in on their connections,  Norfolk Southern’s lobbyists include former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, former U.S. Senator John Breaux, and former U.S. Representative Patrick Meehan (R-PA), among dozens of former Congressional and White House staffers.

That doesn’t include the rest of the industry.  Just in the 2024 election cycle, the rail industry has donated over $2.3 Million dollars to candidates and PACs to date, roughly 65% to Republicans and 35% to Democrats.  It spent another $24 Million dollars on lobbying.

That money bought inaction. The bill, introduced in March 2023, remains stuck in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 

We have links to OpenSecrets and other resources at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
The Hill – (2023)  Railroad pushback to safety regulations scrutinized amid East Palestine disaster
U.S. Congress – HR 1674 Railway Safety Act
Open Secrets – Transportation Political Influence – Railroads Summary
Open Secrets – Norfolk Southern Political Spending
Public Citizen – One Year After Ohio Train Derailment Disaster, Report Finds Norfolk Southern’s Federal Lobbying Spending Increased 30 Percent
Public Citizen – Lobbying After Disaster Norfolk Southern Corporation Lobbying Spending in the Year Since The Ohio Train Derailment and Toxic Fire
Associated Press – Railroads say they’re making safety changes to reduce derailments after fiery Ohio crash
TTD – (Union Press Release) AHEAD OF EAST PALESTINE ANNIVERSARY, RAIL CHIEFS RENEW CALLS FOR SAFETY REFORMS

Groups Taking Action:
Public Citizen, Common Cause, Issue One, Represent.Us

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #EastPalestine #BigMoneyOut #RailroadSafety #OverturnCitizensUnited

The post It’s Been a Year Since the East Palestine Toxic Train Derailment.  Since then, the Rail Industry Spent Millions in Congress to Stop More Regulation. appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Oct. 5, 2023

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

Ohio’s Legislative Majority Continues Quest to Lock Down Power, Proposing Ban for Ranked Choice Voting and Closed Primaries

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

After ignoring Ohio’s constitutional ban on partisan gerrymandering and attempting to make it harder to pass citizen ballot initiatives, the majority in the Ohio legislature is now attempting to ban ranked choice voting and close party primaries.

Ohio Capital Journal reports that Tuesday, a house committee heard testimony on HB 208 and 210, restricting who can vote in a party primary. SB 137, banning use ranked choice voting, got its first hearing last week. 

Ohio’s current primary rules allow voters to choose either party’s ballot, but  choosing a ballot automatically affiliates the voter to that party. To unaffiliate, voters must manually change affiliation back, or simply ask for a different party’s primary ballot in the next election.  Both HB 208 and 210 would require newly registered voters to affiliate 30 days in advance of a primary. HB 210 requires changing affiliation by Dec. 31 of  the year before the primary.  If passed, Ohio’s 6.2 million unaffiliated voters can’t participate in a primary election unless they join a party. 

SB 137 bans ranked choice voting in state elections, and would withhold state funding to any municipality which enacts it.  Detractors say that RCV takes too long, and is too complicated for voters to understand. Supporters of RCV argue it allows more choice of candidates, encourages better candidate behavior, and is easy to do. 

We have links to the bills and articles at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio senators consider election law changes to close primaries, prohibit ranked choice voting
Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio House bill to close primaries gets first hearing
Ohio Legislature –   HB 208 Primary election voting procedures
Ohio Legislature – HB 210 Political party registration
Ohio Legislature – SB 137 Prohibition against ranked choice voting
Morrow County Ohio – How Do I Declare or Change Political Party Affiliation?
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law – Online Panel – An Electoral Game-Changer: What if Ohio (and other states) used Alaska’s new Ranked Choice Voting system?
Axios – Record number of Americans say they’re politically independent

Groups Taking Action:
Rank the Vote Ohio, League of Women Voters OH, FairVote, Open Primaries

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org
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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #OhioPolitics #RCV #OpenPrimaries

The post Ohio’s Legislative Majority Continues Quest to Lock Down Power, Proposing Bans for Ranked Choice Voting and Ending Open Primaries appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Aug. 10, 2023

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

Ohio Voters Defeat Republican Effort to Raise Citizen Ballot Initiative Passage to 60% in Victory for Direct Democracy

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

With an unofficial 57% to 43% margin, Ohio voters soundly defeated the effort by the Republican-majority legislature to raise the threshold for passage of citizen ballot initiatives.  Issue one would have also required minimum numbers of qualifying signatures in 88 counties rather than the current 44.  

Almost 700,000 citizens voted early, and just over 3 million votes were cast out of just under 8 million registered voters, 38.5%.  Turnout for last year’s primary election was 52%.  Still, the legislature’s tactic to slip Issue 1 past voters in  a historically low-turnout August election failed, with heavy turnout around Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, according to the Associated Press. 

With the 50% + 1 threshold preserved, voters now consider the “Ohio Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Initiative, which has already gathered the signatures necessary to qualify for the ballot.   A USA Today/Suffolk University poll suggests that 58% of Ohioans support the November initiative.  

Ohio will be the seventh state to consider a referendum on abortion rights.  California, Vermont & Michigan enshrined reproductive freedom in their constitutions, while voters in Kansas, Kentucky and Montana defeated efforts to limit abortions in THEIR states.

We have links to details on Issue 1’s defeat and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Politico – (2022) Republicans look to restrict ballot measures following a string of progressive wins
Ohio Secretary of State – Aug. 8 Special Election Results on Issue 1
Associated Press – Voters in Ohio reject GOP-backed proposal that would have made it tougher to protect abortion rights
CNBC – Ohio voters reject GOP effort to cripple abortion rights amendment
BallotPedia – 2022 abortion-related ballot measures
BallotPedia – Ohio Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative (2023)

Groups Taking Action:
One Person One Vote, Ohio Voter Rights Coalition, Ohio Citizen Action, Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, All Voting is Local

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE! 
Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org
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Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DirectDemocracy #OnePersonOneVote

The post Ohio Voters Defeat Republican Effort to Raise Citizen Ballot Initiative Passage to 60% in Pro-Voter Victory appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 17, 2023

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time) 

Today’s Links now below the script

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

Reports from around Ohio suggest a strong early voting turnout for a constitutional ballot question designed to defeat a November question on reproductive rights.  Issue 1 would change the threshold to pass for ALL Ohio ballot questions from 50% plus one to 60%, and importantly, require qualifying signatures from 5% of voters in each Ohio county. 

After ending August special elections due to their high cost and low turnout, the Ohio legislature and Governor Mike DeWine hurriedly resurrected the Aug. 8th election when it became apparent a citizen ballot initiative to enshrine reproductive rights was being organized in Ohio.  

Media around the state report relatively high early in-person turnout in many counties, but an August special election is typically 10% or lower in many counties.   WKRC reports that early predictions from election officials in Hamilton County in southwest Ohio suggest a 30-40% turnout.   The Columbus Dispatch notes that election officials in Union County reported slightly higher number of early in-person voters than even the 2020 Presidential election.  Ohio’s November 2020 turnout was 74%.  

Early in-person voting continues through August 6th, but voters are advised to check local schedules and locations.   APPLICATIONS for absentee ballots must be received by your local board of elections by August 1 at 8:30.  Completed ballots must be postmarked by August 7th.  Election day is August 8th. 

We have details on Ohio’s special election at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Ohio Secretary of State – VOTING SCHEDULE FOR THE 2023 ELECTIONS
Ohio Capital Journal – Early voting begins for Issue 1 asking to make it harder for voters to amend the Ohio Constitution
Columbus Dispatch – August special election bringing in more early votes than expected around Columbus
WFMJ 21 – Valley Boards of Elections report strong turnout for early voting in August special election
Dayton Daily News – Issue 1: Election officials’ turnout estimates vary widely as early votes pour in
WOSU Public Media – Ohio voter guide: What to know about the August special election
WOSU Public Media – Early voting for Aug. 8 special election draws long lines at Franklin County Board of Elections
Times Leader – Groups say ‘hell no’ to Issue 1

Groups Taking Action:
Ohio Citizen Action, Common Cause Ohio,  One Person One Vote Coalition

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #OnePersonOneVote #OhioPolitics

The post Early Election Turnout for Ohio Legislature’s Anti-Voter Constitutional Amendment Strong, as Century-Old Pro-Voter Ballot Initiative Rules Hang in the Balance appeared first on American Democracy Minute.