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With the Tea Partiers
Ohio Rising
Meet the folks who shot down Obamacare in Ohio earlier this month.
Those familiar with the Tea Party movement know that one of its more sophisticated coalitions is the Ohio Liberty Council (OLC), a collection of 80 Tea Party and 9/12 groups spread across the Buckeye State. As an umbrella organization, the OLC has developed a model of connecting various local groups in a way that allows them to retain their autonomy while working toward the common goal of greater freedom and less government.
One leader of the Ohio Liberty Council is Chris Littleton, who until a few years ago was not politically involved at all (a familiar theme among Tea Party organizers). When asked why he got involved, Chris is very blunt: “One letter: W. During his presidency, I went from college student to husband to father. Obviously priorities change, but one thing seemed very clear to me over that time—this wasn’t any version of America which I liked, and it certainly wasn’t centered around the principles on which the country was founded.”
Chris here reflects another common theme, namely that the frustration that exploded onto the public scene in 2009 had been brewing for some time under the Bush administration and Republican Congress. “Ds and Rs had become irrelevant, and no one had the fortitude to do the right thing,” he recalls. “Our ruling class was driving us off a cliff and didn’t even care.”
So Chris and his friends decided to do something about it. “By February of 2009 we had decided to start our own little revolution thinking we would help re-plant the seeds of liberty neighborhood by neighborhood, starting in Ohio. Little did we know that just a month later, in March of 2009, the second phase of the liberty movement would begin with the first round of protests and rallies in response to Obama’s stimulus.”
He admits it’s been an interesting journey these last few years. “There have been plenty of frustrations. Most of them revolved around the realization of some new fact: realization that more people want to complain, or maybe just attend a rally, than actually do something constructive. Realization that there is so much hypocrisy from within the old conservative movement that many times they would rather maintain the status quo than actually do anything to jeopardize their power base. Realization that practically without exception—even the lowest level of elected officials think first of their own careers, and rarely—if ever—even possess the capacity to do good.”
Those realizations are what led Chris and his friends and fellow Tea Party leaders to form the OLC. “The last few years have been one continuous learning curve—all driven by the question: how do we go from merely being frustrated to achieving the policy objectives we desire?” So over a few beers, Chris, and his friends Mike Wilson (who is the president of the Cincinnati Tea Party, the flagship of the Ohio tea parties), Jason Rink, and Joe Bozzi sat in Chris’s basement and, as Chris puts it, “decided it would be a great idea to have a statewide coalition of Tea Party and 9/12 groups working toward a common objective.” The Ohio Liberty Council was born.
Founded on the premise of “federalism in action,” the OLC acts as the umbrella group for more than six dozen groups, but doesn’t manage, fund, run, or advise on any day-to-day activities of any group in the state. It is merely intended to be a conduit for that kind of joint activity when needed. After an initial rally the summer of 2009, the OLC had local leaders meet to discuss the council’s objectives. “All the participating leaders from the event were invited to help define five strategic objectives of the organization which as of that day became: Strengthen State Sovereignty, Affect Elections, Accountability of Elected Officials, Educate the Community to Principles of Liberty, and Grow Awareness of the Movement,” Chris told me.
In February 2010, Chris and the OLC decided they were ready for a significant undertaking: to block Obamacare from going into effect in Ohio. “At that time, the health care bill debate was at its peak, so a handful of us sat in a restaurant in Cincinnati and thought—we could launch a citizen initiative to address the individual mandate. Why? Because it’s the strongest defense we could offer as a state, and we knew nothing was more important. It also fit every strategic objective we had established for ourselves.” Chris secured the help of Maurice Thompson from the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law to draft the Ohio Healthcare Freedom Amendment. After the idea was presented to all the Ohio leaders, every single group leader committed to help with this citizens’ initiative, which would require the valid signatures of almost 400,000 registered voters in Ohio.
They formed a formal organization, the Ohio Project, to lead the signature-gathering effort. Chris describes the entire experience as an amazing one of learning on the fly, and of people stepping up to perform key roles as required. He singles out was a physically disabled attorney named Alan Witten. “Alan served on the ballot committee, acted as Treasurer for the effort and he and his wife literally transformed their house to be the nerve center of the largest volunteer signature gathering effort in Ohio history.”
By last summer, Tea Party and 9/12 volunteers from across the state had gathered more than 441,000 signatures. Later in the summer, the signatures were certified and the Ohio Healthcare Freedom Amendment is on the ballot as Issue 3, to be voted on November 8. (As we go to press, polling shows it stands a good chance of passage.)
Looking ahead, Chris told me, “2012 will be about the election, but more than that—2011 and 2012 will give us something we never had before—expertise on how to impact elections. And if you can run a successful campaign from top to bottom to achieve a particular policy objective, why can’t you primary the right person?” He added, “If you possess the ability to have genuine electoral impact, then you have the most powerful lobbying tool in the world—engaged citizens with objectives and experience. At that point, we’ll have what we all desire: the ability to secure public policy consistent with our principles of personal and economic liberties for everyone. Society must uphold liberty as the goal, not just a cliché—and that’s the key to everything.”
About the Author
Ned Ryun is the founder and president of American Majority, a political training institution. His “With the Tea Partiers” column run each month in the The American Spectator’s print edition. You can follow him on Twitter @nedryun.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (32) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Ned Ryun
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http://spectator.org/archives/2011/11/18/ohio-rising
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Nancy in NC| 11.18.11 @ 6:30AM
Wow, what a great and encouraging piece. So many of us in the tea party feel discouraged and wonder if we are making a difference...it's great to some some positive results.
Alan Brooks| 11.18.11 @ 8:39PM
To head off any Paulbots who might post adverts for him here, there is more of a chance for you to unearth Jimmy Hoffa's corpse than there is to elect Paul president.
We are going to hammer that in until you wish you'd never heard of Ron Paul.
Clint| 11.19.11 @ 9:52PM
Who'e "We" ObamaBoy, Israel Firster Brooks ?
" In Bloomberg’s Iowa poll, Paul sits at 19%, a point behind Cain and slightly ahead of Gingrich and Romney. And another Bloomberg survey released Wednesday shows Paul pulling in 17% in New Hampshire as well, far behind Romney but comfortably in second place. In a Public Policy Polling survey this week, the Texas Congressman leads President Obama 48% to 39% among independent voters — the only Republican hopeful to earn that distinction."
The Tea Party Rebellion Steps On Brook's Face.
Brian Mc| 11.18.11 @ 6:45AM
Here's wishing them all the best. Might be that the "Tree of Liberty" is doing fine, after all. Ignorance and contentment are killing this Republic and these folks seem to have the right formula to combat it!
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 11.18.11 @ 7:09AM
Ohio is still doomed.
Can we sill dig deep & fight?| 11.18.11 @ 2:44PM
Mr. O'Stalin, not necessarily disagreeing. Just elaborate. These patriots mentioned in the article seem to sincerely believe it worth their great expenses of time and effort to save and preserve.
What tells you otherwise? (not disagreeing, just want to read what you are seeing and experiencing)
Quartermaster| 11.18.11 @ 6:11PM
Issue 2 was the Public Union thing and it went down 2 to 1. That one thing determined Ohio's financial future. The state budget was not much of a battle ground before I left at the end of 2005, it is now, and will be for the foreseeable future as the public unions hold it in their hands.
Ohio is in the financial state it is in because of militant unionism. It's the heart of the rust belt and has been bleeding population for more than 30 years because of it. Add in the fact that the Ohio GOP is RINO central (they elevated Bob Taft to Governor and turned their backs on Ken Blackwell, a good conservative, who also happens to be black) and have seriously damaged both the state and the GOP brand. Nationally, George Voinovich and Mike DeWine, Ohio's former US Senators, are typical of the Ohio GOP. Both were Dems with an "R" behind their name.
victor| 11.19.11 @ 11:53PM
As Yogi would have said on several occasions:
"It's deja vu all over again."
Having moved from New Jersey East to New Jersey Midwest, I can certainly agree with Yogi.
Jersey was just as RINO Central as Ohiya is.
They threw over a perfectly good conservative by the name of Steve Lonegan for a wimpy, limp wristed version of a conservative: Crispy Creme Christie.
Eight years before they did the same thing to Bret Schundler who almost lost to Bob Franks in the primary. I happened to meet with Bob Franks at a Schundler campaign stop and suggested that he run for senate against Frank Lausenburg just so he'd run and lose and retire. He demurred and said that he might consider it.
Four years later, Schundler lost to Forrester, another "moderate" republican.
Yeah QM, I know this story all to well.
It is nice though to hear libs on the radio squeal about republicans of all stripes.
A little funny and also a bit scary.
Good thing Jersey doesn't have public questions on the ballot. The pro union dems might have done the same thing to Christie.
Bout the only thing good about Crispy Creme is that he is able to tell the unions to sit down and shut up.
Americana| 11.20.11 @ 9:52PM
Thank you for the run-down Quartermaster. I think what I enjoy more than anything, any reading I do here on this site, is being able to read how local folk see it where they live, work, grew up, or where they've moved. Last week an article here featured a more inner city neighborhood in St. Louis. Some comments there were much better than even the staff writer's article.
Q., I am sad to hear this. Ohio seems like it just ought to be everything that is good and wholesome about America. It seems like it ought to be the land of the real people. Not the pretentious fakes like in D.C., Boston, NYC or even now Atlanta.
Q., please keep posting and telling us how it really is.
David T| 11.18.11 @ 9:31AM
I'm not a big fan of ballot initiatives, recalls, and referendums, but I voted for Issue 3 simply because I wanted to poke Obama in the eye. So many of our Founders believed direct democracy was tantamount to mob rule. We need to return to our republican roots, beginning with repeal of the 17th Amendment.
sayings| 11.18.11 @ 2:48PM
Mr. David T., isn't this the old saw that we'll have a better republic when our vaunted, wise, sagely state senators gather to select our 2 U.S. Senators? (they select the 2 U.S. Senators on our behalf)
Oh....pluuuuueeeezzzzzzze!
If you trust your statehouse senators to make wise decisions for you, your family, your state, please get on a raft and paddle to Cuba. We don't need you here.
Your statehouse is a den of two-faced vipers. Same as mine.
Ken (Old Texican)| 11.18.11 @ 10:28AM
Congratulations, Ohio Teaparties!
Well done!
Cromulent| 11.18.11 @ 10:44AM
Wow. Something good coming out of Ohio. Not that it will do any good on Nov. 26.
sayings| 11.18.11 @ 2:52PM
What happens November 26th? Please share with us what you mean.
Mr Soul| 11.21.11 @ 9:05AM
he must mean OSU/Michigan game. Should be a dandy.
steve in ohio| 11.18.11 @ 12:16PM
The victory was quite remarkable because Issue 2 (reversing the limitations on collective bargaining) went the unions' way. Ohio is alot like West Virginia--a liberal state that dislikes Obama.
Holdin' Feet to Fire| 11.18.11 @ 2:58PM
Steve in Ohio, would you do me a favor (maybe others would be interested to see this, too), plesae.
I am not a Buckeye state guy. But I'd like to see the wording that all you folk saw in the ballot booth last Tuesday as you decided Issue 2.
Having now seen how three different states very poorly (I think on purpose) word Yes/No propositions for key decisions on election days, I would like to see how Ohio drafted up the wording for your Issue 2.
Last year in November 2010 elections we had three questions for Yes/No. My state deciders-that-be so convoluted the wording on 3 different Yes/No decisions that this ensured voter confusion. Hardly what I call good government.
Please post here the Issue 2 wording as you saw it in the ballot booth. Thanks you.
Chalkdust| 11.19.11 @ 8:33AM
West Virginians are not liberal, it's just dominated by unionism and very slow to change, even when hit over the head by a EPA 2x4.
When for years your main source of printed "information" is a liberal bastion called the Charleston Gazette, it's very hard for people to separate fact from fiction. Thanks to the new age of information, where people can seeks other means to help themselves to understand their world, liberal politician and their fellow travelers in the newsprint business are beginning to lose traction.
Ron| 11.18.11 @ 12:20PM
And where was this coalition in the Prop 2 ballot initiative? Were they for or against wrecking Ohio's economy?
It is a shame that a once vibrant state will go the way of Kalifornia and Michigan...
Margie| 11.18.11 @ 4:02PM
It'll only go that we if we let it.
No complaining, let's get to work.
This is good news to me, I didn't know how this all came about, and as a recent transplant to the state I'm glad to find out that there are people who give a darn and make a difference.
Not only do I congratulate them heartily, I plan on getting involved with them.
victor| 11.19.11 @ 11:56PM
Ron:
"Were they for or against wrecking Ohio's economy?"
They were for the unions, which means they were against the economy.
Having been a member of three unions, I can state the all they care about is their benefits and pensions.
Whether the company survives is another matter.
Americana| 11.20.11 @ 9:55PM
Victor: That means literally that union members are the dumbest people alive.
Ed| 11.18.11 @ 12:48PM
I voted against both measures, but Issue 2 was voted down for reasons of quirky local politics. Obviously, a lot of people voted against Issue 2 and for Issue 3. What was going on? My take on this is that a lot of people who used to be called Reagan Democrats split their vote. Reagan Democrats are pro-defense and are conservative on social issues, but are more pro-labor on business and workplace issues. As noted above in an earlier posting, there are also many Reagan Democrats in West Virginia. Reagan Democrats do not like Obama, and his support has tanked in border states like Virginia and Kentucky. I think that Obama will lose Ohio in 2012.
Margie| 11.18.11 @ 3:58PM
It's because too many people are either not informed or ill informed. And yes I said ILL informed! They're sick in their thinking, heh.
Sadly the Left has taught them well and they either grew up believing Unions are great and all those horrid creatures on the Right just want to destroy them because their parents were in them (as I had) or they just believed what the Leftist politicians sold them, along with their partners in crime in the MSM told them.
Either way, it is going to take individuals like me and others of like mind to re-teach them as we meet them. As a recent Ohio transplant, I'm aware of this problem and probably most living around me are Liberals bought and sold into this type of thinking.
My next door neighbor is an old ex-hippie but very humble. Ex-hippie's they key word here. We've already had some great conversations.. when the Union thugs came round door to door getting people to go to the latest OWS protest here, she was going to go. I explained to her that I totally disagreed with them and why.
I said I personally love it when other people make lots of money, and that they should get to keep it. That Obama's the one they should all be mad at because he's the one doing all the damage to the economy, not Wall street.
That got us into a whole conversation about how Obama is punishing businesses that make this country great.
It was a whole new perspective to her! And she's no spring chicken.
Truth is wonderful!
Tom| 11.20.11 @ 3:06PM
As a newbie to Ohio, the contrast to my previous home of Florida is startling. The Reagan Democrats up here, if that's what they are, are indeed tunnel-visioned when it comes to their unions. They seriously damaged Gov. Kasich this month on his attempt to get a grip on the unions via Amendment 2 which was beaten nearly two to one. Meanwhile, as someone else said, the population dwindles as jobs go where costs are under control. Lots of people who work for the Big Three are out of work while states like Alabama where my Hyundai are made are doing relatively well (I say relatively, I mean it's still an Obama economy). I hope they figure it out here before it's too late.
Naturalborn Texicanette| 11.20.11 @ 4:16PM
I honestly wish people would not get all goofy over the "silver-tongued devils" on the candidate list who often only have the ability to say the "right" things to get people to vote for them.
Overall, I think the debates are basically a waste of time and energy. The snap-shot," gotcha" moments reveal only that these men are human as we all are.
Those who are wisest will look at the whole person and not only at their ability to "talk".
I want a "doer" not a talker. A person who has abundant past experience in government, backed up by a series of consistent and successful policies, actions, proposals, and who is honest and straightforward with me. Someone who understands and has experience in creating jobs, lowering taxes, building our economy, and who can correct the damage the Obama wrecking crew has done to this great country.
I honestly wish people would take a longer, stronger, and more detailed look at Perry. He's a proven governor, strong on defense with an honorable and strong record of personal military service. Unlike others, he readily admits when he makes a mistake, and he has the knowledge and the motivation needed to build a strong economy and promote the creation of more jobs.
It ain't over yet, folks. But time is ticking away. I urge you...no...I challenge you to study those who are running for president at this crucial point. I believe this election will make or break the United States of America.
So, think hard.
Discover.
Examine.
And pray like you've never prayed before.
Then choose.
And may the Lord God of Heaven be with you as you exercise your God given right to help determine the future of this great nation we live in.....
Americana| 11.20.11 @ 9:58PM
Well written and expressed, Ms. Texicana. Thank you.
I too have no idea why the premium place on debates. Once one wins, well, does a President ever again have to stand up and debate anybody about anything? We all know -- No is the answer.
Our governors and mayors don't have to do this either.
Plus the debates are way too showy.
Margie| 11.20.11 @ 6:16PM
I'll vote for whoever becomes the Republican nominee.. I just hope it isn't Romney, Huntsman or Paul.
That's basically my prayer!
D Roamer | 11.20.11 @ 11:38PM
A great victory for the Tea Party. Next align for another campaign against closed shop unions; if it can happen in Wisconsin, it has a chance when the voters see what developed in Wisconsin. Here in California, the land of fruits, nuts & flakes. No solution other than divide the once golden state into West and East California. The East will flourish while the West will not.
LadyImpactOhio | 11.27.11 @ 7:20PM
FYI I think the Ohio Work Place Freedom Amendment is not a good idea for 2012. Please see my reasoning in the article linked.
http://conservative-outlooks.c.....e-you-act/
JEC| 12.1.11 @ 12:55PM
Conservatives should put Obamacare on the ballot in as many states as possible in 2012.