WHAT IS THIS GUY DOING IN GOVERNMENT?

Staunch Republican Todd Snitchler (R - Uniontown, 50th House District) will undoubtedly be horrified to be compared to the stereotypic view of union members that many Republican political leaders push in the general public political discussion.

But an analogy fits in a ironical, politically eerie way. And so the SCPR makes the case.

As readers see in the graphic accompanying this piece, *Tim Botos of The Rep reported (State legislators discuss future projects, Route 30) on Friday's Canton Regional Commerce meeting (like home cookin for Snitchler) at the Canton USW Local 1123's Golden Lodge (err, sorry about the mistake - at Brookside Country Club) the highlighted Snitchler statement.
Snichler's reported statement is sort of like a union member saying: "What, you want me to install the light bulb? Oh, no! My job is only to bring the light bulb, if you want to get it installed that will take another worker - according the the work rules."

The Stark County Report's take on Todd Snitchler is that he is caught up so much in right wing Republican ideology (there aren't many Republican moderates left) that he is just every bit as rigid as a person working a union job who only does exactly what the work rules spell out; nothing more, nothing less.

The SCPR recently read a column written by Snitchler in The Suburbanite (of Green, Ohio). It was an "OMG, I can't believe a thinking person believes and writes this way" moment (Snitcher, is, after all - an attorney).

The analogy to the union guy? Todd devotedly follows the rules of laissez-faire ultra conservative Republicanism.

What? Citizens have a need for government to create jobs. Well, Snitchler says that's not my job according to my ideology based work rules.

If this is the true Todd Snitchler, then - thinking wise - he is not much of an improvement (maybe, no improvement) over "Joe - err - John the Plumber" Hagan. who In the opinion of the SCPR, as state representative, wasn't equipped to or would not (most likely "could not") think his way out of a "wet paper bag." And he didn't have to. Hagan was soaking wet in partisan politics.

When Snitchler took center stage at "Tax Day, Tea Day - Canton, Ohio" on April 15th, the SCPR mused" "Well, he's a new representative, perhaps somewhat starstruck trying to make his own way into stardom and, in time, he will return to reason."

But will he?

He continues to show that he doesn't think - at least on politics and public policy matters - but let's others do his thinking for him.

Not all lawyers think very well. Though analyzing, parsing, making sense of points-of-view and the like is our stock-in-trade; some apparently get through law school "by wrote" (which is quite an achievement) and do not pick up on critical thinking skills that are part and parcel of a powerful mind which law schools endeavor to produce.

It could be that Snitchler does quite well in this regard in other contexts, but - again - not on political and public policy matters.

Snitchler's so far demonstrated "thinking for himself" deficiency on political and public policy matters is a huge disappointment.

The SCPR has a number of reports that Snitchler is good to be in touch with constituents to attend to their ministerial needs and is an amiable, courteous and respectful of constituents sort of guy. Such is definitely an improvement over Hagan.

There are too many Ohio General Assembly members who share Snitchler's limitations on both sides of the isle (Democrat Stephen Slesnick of Canton being another).

With all the problems that Ohio faces, it is unlikely, given the likes of Snitchler and Slesnick being our "idea" people; that the Buckeye state's problems are going away any time soon.