DISCUSSION: ARE STARK COUNTY REPUBLICANS OELSLAGER AND SNITCHLER VOTING FOR THE GOOD OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OR FOR THE GOOD OF OHIO?

Dennis Willard of the Akron Beacon Journal (Beacon Columbus Bureau - remember? The Repository doesn't have one after getting rid of Paul Kostyu) wrote an interest piece in today's edition.

It seems as if Republicans from Washington down through Ohio are voting the "party line." We recall Congressman John Boccieri (D-Alliance) complaining about how not one Republican voted for President Obama's stimulus bill.

Has the Republican Party put out the word across the land: "We are going the be the party of no."

Willard's work had to do with how Republicans voted right down the party line on Governor Strickland's Transporation Bill (House Bill 2). Willard put it this way:

In the first vote on major legislation in the new session — since Democrats took the majority with a slim 53-46 margin — all but one Republican opposed Gov. Ted Strickland's $7.6 billion two-year transportation budget.

Quite a change from two years ago, when Republicans controlled the House and the transportation budget passed with a 98-0 vote. (emphasis added)

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) checked on the votes of Stark Countians Republican Scott Oelslager (Plain) and Republican Todd Snitchler.

How do you think they voted?

Both voted no - the official Billy Batchelder (GOP Minority Leader) line.

Maybe Snichler and Oelslager voted this way because the thought on their own it was the way to vote.

The Report is skeptical.

So what The Report is going to do is track "key" votes and see whether or not the consistently vote the party line.

If they do, then we will surely know that they care more about the Ohio Republican Party than the people of Ohio and Stark County.