On Tuesday morning, many Ohioans experienced what can be described as a “Wizard of Oz� moment. The day started off routinely enough. Coffee. A shower. Maybe some breakfast.

Then it all changed. The people of Ohio opened their local newspaper and read coverage of President Bush’s tour of a Cincinnati tool factory. The President talked up the economy. “This economy of ours is strong,� he was quoted as saying. Confusion and doubt took over.

The readers wondered: “What happened while I was sleeping? What’s going on here?�

The President’s words made the people of Ohio ask themselves: “If he’s in Ohio, then where am I?�

After recovering from the initial shock, many of the readers just shook their heads. Then they turned to a different section of the paper and got back into their daily routine: they combed the classifieds and looked for a job.

The reality on the ground in Ohio—especially in Ohio’s 6th District—does not match the President’s rosy words. Not even close.

Eight of Ohio’s 88 counties have unemployment rates of seven percent or higher. Four of those counties are in the 6th District, where factories are shutting down and workers are losing their jobs.

As a result, families are losing their homes. (According to RealtyTrac, more than 7,000 Ohio properties entered foreclosure last month alone.) More children in rural Ohio are living in poverty (up 5.6 percent since 2000, according to a report from the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey Institute). Ohio is being left behind.

Something needs to change, and it starts with good jobs. Providing companies with incentives to invest in struggling areas is a good start. Backing our local schools with real funding—not rhetoric—will ensure we have a strong and steady local workforce. A meaningful increase in the minimum wage will show our workers that we value hard work, we respect what they do, and we care about their families.

Bringing common sense solutions to our inadequate and extremely costly health care system will benefit all Americans, including business owners who struggle to stay competitive with overseas companies.

When we achieve these goals, Ohioans won’t have to shake their heads when they open the paper and read about politicians who talk about our “strong economy.�  They won’t have to turn the page and look for a job either. They will have jobs because—finally—the words on the page will match the reality on the ground.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 29th, 2006 at 9:23 am and is filed under Politics, Economy/Budget .