Rail safety bill is facing obstacles

June 16, 2023

The rail safety bill, sponsored by U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance in response to the East Palestine train derailment disaster, is having some issues in the Senate and likely faces a roadblock in the House of Representatives. Regarding the lack of movement, Brown, D-Cleveland, told me: “I never promised you, David, or promised anybody in East Palestine that this was going to be easy. That’s certain. But I’m optimistic because so far, we’ve done it right.” The legislation was introduced March 1 by Brown and Vance, R-Cincinnati, and was approved 16-11 May 10 by the ...

Don’t expect a big August vote turnout

June 9, 2023

Turnout for nonpresidential elections is usually poor, but those who come out for August special elections take that percentage to a new level of bad. Last year’s August special primary election for state legislative seats became necessary after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled the Ohio Redistricting Commission violated the state constitution by drawing gerrymandered General Assembly maps. Statewide turnout was 8 percent. he Republican-controlled Legislature voted in December to eliminate all August elections except if a local government or school district in fiscal emergency wanted to ...

Vance backing Moreno won’t scare challengers

May 27, 2023

As a U.S. senator for less than five months, Republican J.D. Vance is hardly in a position to be a kingmaker. But he’s giving it a try, endorsing Westlake businessman Bernie Moreno in next year’s Republican primary for Ohio’s other Senate seat held by Democrat Sherrod Brown. In his Moreno endorsement, Vance said: “It’s time to turn the tides on the establishment insiders who sell out our country to special interests and elect more political outsiders like Bernie, who will always put America first in Washington, D.C.” Like Vance, Moreno made his fortune in the private ...

Vance stands up to Cruz on rail safety bill

May 15, 2023

When it comes to his bill to increase rail safety after the East Palestine train derailment disaster, criticizing fellow Republicans who oppose it doesn’t concern U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance. The freshman Republican senator from Cincinnati responded to criticism from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to the bill during a Wednesday session of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Cruz said he is open to rail reforms, but that the bill co-sponsored by Vance and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, goes too far. Cruz said the bill would “empower” Transportation ...

After tragedy in East Palestine, a commonsense rail safety solution

May 12, 2023

Orginally published May 10 by The Daily Signal Three months ago, a failing wheel bearing caught fire on a Norfolk Southern train transporting large volumes of hazardous materials. By the time sensors alerted engineers, it was too late to avert the catastrophe that was to come. When the wheel bearing disintegrated, dozens of train cars derailed in the heart of East Palestine, Ohio, a quintessential, small Midwestern town of just under 5,000. The cars burned for days before a so-called controlled release of the chemicals they contained was conducted to avoid a larger explosion. That ...

In spring, all things seem very possible

May 8, 2023

There’s nothing like a clear, crisp spring morning to make one believe that anything is possible. Here in beautiful Gas Valley, the sun is shining, the grass is green, and the barn swallows have come back from wherever they went. I’ve had two cups of coffee and feel like I could take on the world. Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead! Three weeks ago I planted an early garden during a lovely global warming anomaly with temperatures spiking at 84 degrees. I’ll report on the success, or lack thereof, in a moment, but first, here’s Planting the Garden Round Two. “I don’t ...