If you have not cast your vote early then you have two more days. Two days to gather information. Weighing the relevant facts to make informed decisions. To make those decisions we depend on candidates explaining their positions and decisions.
But in this midterm election there is one candidate who has been trying to hide some information and trying to distract with irrelevant bits of information. That less-than-forthcoming incumbent is getting my letter this week.
Dear Gov. John Kasich,
It’s me, Melissa.
I couldn’t help but notice when last month the negotiations for a public debate between yourself and challenger Ed FitzGerald fell apart. That was the first time in nearly three decades that Ohio voters did not get a chance to hear a debate between the candidates for the state’s highest office.
Your campaign spokeswoman said you would be “seeking other, additional avenues” to discuss your accomplishments, and “answer whatever direct, tough questions people may have.”
Well, you were asked one of those “direct, tough questions” last week at an endorsement interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer by your opponent, Mr. FitzGerald.
“Why was it important to have a piece of legislation that literally imposed a gag rule on rape crisis counselors?
Okay, Governor Kasich. There’s your direct question. Whatcha got?
“Would you like to answer that, Governor?””Do you have a question?”
Just to be clear, Governor: that was you, not answering, but ignoring the question–of someone sitting next to you! I mean, actually pretending the question did not happen. And it’s not a trivial question, either. In fact, it’s one I bet many Ohio voters would like to hear you answer.
That legislation Mr. Fitzgerald referenced is the budget bill you signed into law last June. A budget bill that included some of the country’s most stringent and regressive restrictions on women’s ability to exercise their reproductive rights. And some of the worst of those restrictions that are about information. Like the new provision that says funding for services for pregnant women can only go to an entity that “is not involved in or associated with any abortion activities, including providing abortion counseling or referrals to abortion clinics, performing abortion-related medical procedures, or engaging in pro-abortion advertising.”
That provision is likely to strip public funding from Planned Parenthood in the state. Even though no public funds are ever used for abortion, this law means that there may soon be no public funding for critical services like cancer screenings either just because Planned Parenthood provides information about abortion.









