OH-14: Bill O'Neill Is At It Again

Bill O’Neill isn’t letting his ‘08 election defeat slow him down, yesterday he announced he’ll once again seek to show Rep. Steve LaTourette the exit.

In ‘08, O’Neill suffered a 20% loss to LaTourette, in large part due to a significant fundraising gap. Now in 2010, with less high profile Democratic pick-up opportunities for OH-14 to compete for attention with, perhaps the stars may finally align and let us finally get some vengeance for LaTourette’s little games.

You can find O’Neill’s announcement remarks reprinted below.

Good morning, and God Bless you all for showing up on this snowy day. My task today is simple. I want to tell you why in 2010 the voters of the 14th Congressional District are going to be given a CLEAR CHOICE between the politics of no and the policies of yes.

Today, at the end of the line, we standing here do proclaim this event marks the end of the line for Congressman Steve LaTourette. It is the end of the line, because I, along with the rest of the voters of the 14th Congressional District, have reached the end of our tolerance for having a Congressman who practices the POLITICS OF NO.

It is obvious that our economy is in a shambles, and that working families have experienced real suffering of historic proportions in the past ten years. But today, I want to talk about the role government has played, and the role it should play. As Teddy Kennedy said, it is the difference between seeing things the way they are, and asking “why”…and seeing the way things should be, and asking “why not”.

Let’s talk about the end of the line. This efficient, clean, ecologically friendly commuter train was built in the 1920’s and it’s dream simply needs to be completed…even 90 years later! I look to the East and the South, and I have a vision of a train network that ties the region together, breaks gridlock, creates jobs, and unites communities with each other, students with colleges, and workers with jobs. Think of Mentor, Stow, Ashtabula, Solon and Painesville…people who live in those cities have but one choice when it comes to their transportation needs. Spend $10 a day for gas; $10 a day for parking; and 10 hours a week in your car…OR STAY HOME. My opponent sat for 12 years on the transportation sub committee in Congress…and in that time, while BILLIONS were spent for concrete and traffic jams… not one inch of track was laid to finish our grandparents’ dream of a cheap and efficient way to get to work. When asked about commuter rail to Solon and Mentor, he says “NO” and I pledge , send me to Congress and the ANSWER IS YES. This is a jobs issue, plain and simple. We need to get back on track, and this is a good place to start.

Speaking of jobs, now that Chrysler is in bankruptcy and General Motors is under government control, now that our once proud steel industry has been shipped overseas, wouldn’t you think that a member of Congress would be willing to support reasonable attempts to bring health care costs under control? As a Registered Nurse I understand this is a complex question to be sure, but one that can and must be answered. Our government currently takes care of the health care needs of all poor people and all old people with no questions asked…but if you are a working person, or a small business owner in America, you are on your own, and that is a scary place to be. As I said, the voters of Northeast Ohio, once and for all, will have a clear choice this November. When it comes to universal health care access, I am an enthusiastic YES, and yes, you guessed it, my opponent is a NO.

And lastly, let’s talk about the government and the banks. It should be readily apparent that government does not, and should not, create jobs. The role of government is to create a climate where jobs can flourish. That’s why I feel so strongly about mass transit, as a jobs issue, and health care, as a jobs issue. But no issue demonstrates the difference between myself and my opponent more eloquently than banking. As a member of the Financial Services Sub-Committee, My opponent voted to de-regulate the banks and now we are all paying the price…to the tune of billions of dollars. Bankers collected billions in profits and bonuses…and now neighborhoods sit vacant as a testament to the folly of NO when it comes to regulating banks. Once again, the voters of Ohio will be given a clear opportunity. When it comes to FIRM BUT FAIR REGULATION OF Banks, I will be a YES, and once again, as history demonstrates, my opponent will be a NO.

And there you have it. Send Bill O’Neill to Congress and two things will happen instantly. The politics of No will end. And the policies of yes will put us back on track. Thank You.