Ohio governor candidate issues working-class program

CLEVELAND — Before a packed house at the August monthly delegates’ meeting of the North Shore AFL-CIO Federation of Labor, Ed Fitzgerald, Democratic candidate for Ohio Governor, calmly, simply and eloquently presented his five point working-class program for the state. 

Despite the vicious, massively-funded campaign of the Republicans, and the scandal-mongering of some of the corporate media, Fitzgerald stood tall and steadfast as he showed what is really at stake in this election and the stark difference between his program and the the anti-labor, anti-civil rights, anti-woman, anti-local government, anti-public education policies of incumbent Republican Gov. John Kasich. 

He also showed that even after two weeks of scandal-mongering, the latest polls show the race continues to be close with Fitzgerald trailing by only six points.  The grassroots efforts of Labor 2014 and the Democratic Party have only just begun.  There are one million more registered Democrats than Republicans in Ohio.  This means that if labor and the Democrats reach voters with Fitzgerald’s program and explain the difference between him and Kasich, Fitzgerald will win. Defeating Kasich will be a huge blow to right-wing extremism in Ohio and nationally.  Below is Ed Fitzgerald’s program.

Five major differences between Ed Fitzgerald and John Kasich

1.  Ed is for public education.  That includes restoring funding, respecting teachers, reducing standardized testing and supporting early and higher education.

• Kasich slashed the public education budget and promotes poor-performing, scandal-ridden, for-profit charter schools.

2.  Ed is for workers’ rights, including the right to bargain and a higher minimum wage.

• Kasich pushed for passage of SB 5 and, make no mistake, will push for passage of right-to-work legislation.

3.  Ed is for civil rights, including women’s rights, marriage equality and voting rights.

• Kasich restricted women’s rights, opposes marriage equality and suppressed voting rights.

4.  Ed supports local communities including local government funding, public safety – and safe drinking water.

• Kasich slashed local government funding, cut public safety, cut heroin treatment and sold out to the industry on water safety.

5.  Ed wants an economy that works for all of us, especially the middle class which is suffering under Kasich.

• Kasich consistently supports policies that benefit the wealthy while stealing money from the middle class to pay for tax giveaways to the rich.

Photo: Ed Fitzgerald Facebook page.