Buckeye State Blog - So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish - Comments

good luck

zygela — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:16:31 -0700

Very well-written good-bye, save for the Dann criticism (some of his hires are obviously suspect, but "betraying principles for himself" is a bit of a reach). Anyway, good luck.

Good luck, Jerid

BuckeyeNation — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:49:48 -0700

I echo the sentiments expressed by others here. Maybe it won't be too long where you get a law job where this type of blogging will be encouraged.

jerid, you rock

bryan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:35:25 -0700

jerid -- thanks for being a strong, consistent voice for democrats in ye olde blogosphere. you built bsb into the must-read it has become for lowly politicos of all stripes.

if you'll pardon my soapbox for a moment...

i truly hope dems across ohio realize the vital role you and so many other bloggers have played in getting us where we are today. your willingness to build people up, hold people accountable, and give them another chance should always be welcomed by our state and local parties, as well as our electeds. in the end, we will all be judged -- i'd prefer the limelight from my fellow dems than a rapacious gop in campaign mode.

thanks again for your hard work, dedication, and friendship. you have a lot of folks who are waiting to see what you do next -- and will gladly support you when you make your move.

Good Luck

Randy — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:24:03 -0700

(Sent via email earlier, now posted for all to see) Jerid, I've viewed your blog a few times over the past few years, but yesterday David told me he was moving in, so I came to visit your blog again and read your exit biography. It struck me that, even though I'm one of those conservative sometimes-Republicans one of your commenters (Susan) despies, you & I aren't that much different. In college I received federal aid to pay my way. I think both of us would agree that there is a need to help people who need it and I don't think either of us would want to help a free-loader. We just may vary in the definitions. I wanted to wish you a lot of luck in your coming ventures.

GOOD LUCK! - O Say Can You See!

Schmennis — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:41:12 -0700

You are welcome for all the fish and good luck with all your future "Double back-flips, through a hoop, while whistling the Star Spangled Banner"

......ALL THE BEST!

A Hard Thing to Leave

Ohio2nd — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:06:54 -0700

Best of luck, Jerid. I know that this is a hard thing to walk away from. ESPECIALLY painful must be not being able to blog about this thrilling and edifying primary. It's been fun watching you step into the founders shoes. It will be even more fun seeing what you do from here. Chris

Small world...

tjqhzonff — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:59:00 -0700

I'm going through the nursing home hair pulling for my dad at the moment. A real PITA. I think its about the best reason I've come across for a national health care system. And yeah, I really want to have my future grandchildren be able to ask me "Say Gramps, what was a Republican?".

Anyway, Good Luck to Jerid. Although I do have to say that I've found the "gainfully employed" schtick to be rather overrated.

Best of luck...

djcalev — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:02:36 -0700

to you Jerid, and thanks for doing great work with BSB. -Dave

Jerid, you quitting wanker....

modernesquire — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:06:11 -0700

I can't believe it. I've been posting here since 2006, been through two admins now, and officially the longest front pager here. What the hell? Russell blogs here until he leaves for Cordray. Jerid blogs here until he gets a summer job with prospects for permanent employment. And yet here I am . . . left behind again!

What the bloody hell does it take for me to get out of here? I haven't gotten so much as a bloody unpaid internship offer from my work here. Did the ODP or any of the big blogs offer me so much as a snack pack for my plan to cover the Puerto Rico primary? Noooo...

Sure, I've never put my sad mug on the site every time my candidate lost. Maybe it's cause I'm not a pretty boy or speak with a sophisticated British accent, but I've been kissing Democratic ass for two years and not so much of flipping Christmas card from Chris Redfern.

So, Jerid, you magnificant bastard, go! Just Go! Go ahead and just cut and run.... Flap your wings like so many others have and fly away to greener pastures and let us stand in awe at the magnificant grace as you soar away from us. No, don't look back, like Lot and his wife, flee here like the Sodom and Gomorrah this site is. We are not worthy of your charming vistage anymore, and will carry on with the memory of better times before you realized that there's no career in filtering this cite from Hickmania and comment spam on porn, cheap viagra, and easy credit you censoring bastard.

All joking aside, good luck, Jerid. Thanks for all the fun. I'll miss you here. I bet you'll be surprised how many hours are in a day when you aren't blogging. :)

For the fish

MarkJablonski — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:05:20 -0700

Jerid, Hate to see you go, but am glad you're gainfully employed. I'd give you more of a heartfelt farewell, except that I'm sure to run into you at school come August. Peace be with you.

It won't be the same without you.

bonobo — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:34:04 -0700

You've done a great job, best of everything to you.

jobs are cool, I guess

Mark C. Gaffney — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:01:57 -0700

Jerid-- As you know, I was blown away when I first ran into you at that ODP Chair race forum in 2005. I didn't have any idea you were involved in Democratic politics. Not much later, I became convinced that you were one of the best-informed and wisest voices on Ohio politics. I remain convinced of that, and I'm proud to have known you for so long. Here's to opening your own practice so you can say whatever you want!

Thanks and all the best wishes for your future endeavors

ohio_observer — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:45:10 -0700

Jerid, I am going to miss you. I hope you are able to get involved in future once again.

you know

saggitarius — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:28:57 -0700

that I do not approve of this message, I feel I've made my "you can't really leave" aim's very clear to this point

Good luck

Muffet — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:42:18 -0700

to you, Jerid. It's a new world you are entering, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Being a full time law employee may limit your time, but it won't limit your heart. In fact, it will expand your heart, for you will see the majesty of the law at work, in the lives of real people, who need it. Thanks for everything you have given us. We'll keep on keepin' on.

So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish

Jerid — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:44:12 -0700

Real life caught me. I'm leaving the Buckeye State Blog.

When I was 20, I temporarily dropped out of college to thruhike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. One of my top five memories in this life is of an evening I spent on the beach of Maine’s Flagstaff Lake, sitting in the middle of the woods skipping stones into dark waters by my lonesome. Pebbles sliding across the deep blue; watching the ripples spread.

One of the biggest ripples in my life started in 1984; I was straight out of the womb when poppa Kurtz, a foreman at GM Harrison Radiator, hopped off a platform and injured himself at work. A few weeks later my dad was walking to his car after his first Friday back to the job when he collapsed in the Moraine plant parking lot. Hitting the pavement was the first sign that the undiagnosed avascular necrosis, stemming from the original work injury, had eaten through both of his hips, crippling him. Life throws you a curveball.

You see, I believe in the power of the Federal Government to help people help themselves – as it helped me. While my parents litigated for six years against Harison Radiator for worker’s compensation and a disability retirement package, Uncle Sam helped with the bills. As the economic pressure slowly crippled my parents marriage - like my dad’s legs - to the point of domestic violence, Social Security kept my Scooby Doo lunchbox full. And it's seemed as if every time I'm about to slip through the cracks, the government's safety net catches me. Whether it was paying for advanced college classes in high school (making it possible for me to graduate on time and achieve my AT dreams), making college economically viable for me, or getting me through law school, I've always had a soft landing. Not to say my parents, two Ohio University dropouts, made all the best choices for our happy home, but they tried. They tried damn hard.

I believe in the principles of the Democratic party because, from experience, it takes care of folks like me. That's why I believe zealously in people like Barack Obama, Mary Jo Kilroy, Bill O'Neill, Vic Wulsin, John O'Grady, John Boccieri,Tim Ryan, Nancy Garland, Mike Foley, the list goes on. Lord knows in this past year I've met some of the most passionate, caring folks I'll ever know - both politicians and staffers. They help cats like me get on our feet and make the best of ourselves. That's why I've blogged here for over the past year - because, like so many others much better than myself, the meek need fighters.

Not to say we as a party don't have our own failings. Look only as far as Marc Dann or Ray Miller to find those that greedily betray our principles for themselves. But it's up to us to keep the party in check, and keep that minority from tainting the whole.

But as you can see, I've unfortunately accepted a legal position this summer that limits my political voice. I'd hoped to finish out the 2008 election cycle electing the next President of the United States, but it's apparent now that this summer, and my ensuing hunt for full time employment, are going to curtail my political expression [pst, wanna hire me?]. Not to say I'll be on the sidelines forever, just right now my hand's been forced. And [chuckle] as I've got to remind all the enterprising GOPers out there, my views at this site have always been entirely my own, not sponsored or approved by any past or future employer [sigh].

As for the future, you've got two very capable land lubbers coming on board the Jolly BSB. From here on out, Dr.Truth and David Potts (formerly or currently from Ohio Valley Politics) will be running the show. And I promise I'll have that new BSB platform up for all very, very soon.

Holler. Y'all have been real. Thanks for putting up with me. And sorry for being a Debbie Downer with the intimacy of this post, I just felt like letting all of you know there always was a bigger reason for the flippant rants and funny pictures. For reals.

Stay in touch: jerid.kurtz@gmail.com or (216) 392-8198.