Ohio Senate Dems reshuffle the deck chairs on the Titanic

Here's the makeup of the current Ohio Senate Democratic leadership that could not capitalize on yet another pro-Democratic wave election in Ohio where Ohio went for the Democrats up and down the ticket, yet somehow skipping the State Senate:

• Senate Minority Leader: Ray Miller (habitual campaign finance violator)
• Assistant Senate Minority Leader:  Shirley Smith
• Senate Minority Whip: Lance Mason
• Assistant Senate Minority Whip: Capri Cafaro

Here's your State Senate Democratic leadership in the next General Assembly (HT: Columbus Dispatch's Daily Briefing blog):

• Senate Minority Leader: Capri Cafaro
• Assistant Minority Leader: Shirley Smith
• Senate Minority Whip: Ray Miller (I thought he was stepping down from leadership to focus on legislation)
• Assistant Minority Whip:  Jason Wilson

So the only personnel change is that Lance Mason is out; Jason Wilson is in.  Mason was appointed to Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas by Governor Strickland.  If not for that, we'd have the same people running the leadership that failed to deliver on a single promise they made after their coup.  Unfreaking believable.

It's essentually a Cleveland-Youngstown coalition.  And it's the same coalition that brought us the do-nothing coup in the current General Assembly.  I'm sorry but this has been the geographical leadership coalition that plagued us in the House in 1990s that failed to deliver any electoral progress.  Take a look at the geographical diversity of the current House leadership, and you'll understand why it was able to gain seats and take the majority.  The Senate is playing from the wrong playbook.

Well, Senate Minority Leader Cafaro (can I call you "Capri?"), here's your chance to wow me and show me what you can do that Ray Miller couldn't.

BTW, I still HATE the idea that a serial campaign finance violator like Ray Miller is still in the leadership.  This shows that his "stepping down" was a sham to preserve his coup coalition and keep it in power.

All you Cafaro defenders out there (both of you), make your case why I should be excited about our prospects in gaining seats in the Ohio Senate in 2010, even though we failed to do so in two straight Democratic tide elections.  This is as if Marvin Lewis realized all he had to do was make Carson Palmer the WR and Chad Johnson the QB to start winning.  Anyone (except you Cleveland fans) out there would be willing to shell out money to see that game? 

I'm waiting for someone, anyone, to tell me why I should have any faith that this is a positive change.  Until then, I'm going to wonder if we'd just be better served having a unicameral legislature or just waiting until redistricting.

[UPDATE:]  Our new leader speaks with the Plain Dealer:

"I think our caucus was looking for something completely different and new and a creative approach to both policy governance as well as a political sea change as far as our branding is concerned," said Cafaro...

Which is why the caucus elected essentially re-elected the same slate of leaders with two swapping roles and one new addition to replace a departed member?

Cafaro said "it was the will" of the 12-members to keep Miller in leadership.

"It was not my unilateral decision to make," she said. "That is what happens when you don't create a slate."

Okay, I'm not saying Cafaro is dumb.  I'm saying she thinks you are.  Of course, it wasn't her unilateral decision to make about where Miller stayed in leadership.  She's responding to an allegation nobody made.  But if you honestly believe that this wasn't a slate election, and it just happen to be the same coalition that created the coup in the first place, then I've got a bridge in Youngstown to sell ya!  Miller stayed in leadership to keep him in the coalition. 

Am I the only one who finds it odd that Miller would announce publicly he's stepping down as Minority Leader, but neglect to mention he's running for Minority Whip?  It's because the fix was in and the deal was struck and Tom Roberts never had a chance.

I have to admit that I'm utterly amazed at the people who ranted and raved about how Chris Redfern became ODP chair, or how Sherrod Brown muscled Paul Hackett out of the Senate primary, have suddenly been struck deaf, blind, and mute.