DISCUSSION: THE PERFECT FIT?

Of course, Democrat Governor Ted Strickland is obligated to support Democratic candidate Celeste DeHoff who is Tuscarawas Township trustee and Stark County Democratic Party chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.'s protege.

But wouldn't it make more sense for Ohio if he were to take a page out of the book of Democratic U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman and do what's best for the state (in this instance) over his political party?

Since the Ohio Chamber of Commerce has a huge stake in the success of the Strickland administration plan, doesn't it stand to reason that Strickland would want a solid chamber of commerce guy in the Ohio House to support his economic development efforts - the one one issue in Ohio these days?

Todd Snitchler, the Republican candidate for the Ohio House (50th) has vastly superior chamber of commerce credentials over the Democrat candidate Celeste DeHoff. He's a past president of the Lake Chamber of Commerce and currently president of the Lake Development Corporation which has a very strong association with area chambers of commerce.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) recalls a recent presentation that Snitchler made to the Uniontown Business Association (the non-political, political event it was), outlining how he went to the Massillon Chamber of Commerce for advice on setting up the Lake Development Corporation.

It is somewhat mystifying to The Report why Strickland has turned to the Ohio Chamber.

Hasn't the Ohio Chamber of Commerce had a large role with the Ohio Republican Party (which some say are joined at the hip) in constructing economic development plans over the past 20 years? Haven't those 20 years been a economic disaster for Ohio? Is the Strickland administration so bereft of new ideas that it has to turn to the "old idea" machine?

The saying is: "If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten."

Apparently, the Strickland administration has dipped, once again, into the reservoir of stale ideas that haven't worked.

Ohioans and Stark Countians can only hope that Strickland gets lucky and pulls a rabbit out of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce hat.

Who better, The Report asks, to help Strickland than chamber devotee Todd Snitchler? Who does Strickland care more about - the future of state of Ohio or the success of a Democratic candidate for the Ohio House?

What choice do you think he should make?