National Health Care from the Governor of Ohio?

In a campaign speech for Ohio Governor delievered by gubernatorial candidate and Rep. Ted Strickland (D-Lisbon), the Congressman claimed he would use his insider DC connections to push for a national health care system that would supposedly benefit "all Ohioans." Strickland said, "I am absolutely convinced that we need a national health-care system." He tried to quell potential criticism about such a health care system modelling the system put in place by our neighbors to the North in Canada, by describing their system as a "paper trial." This speech did earn Strickland a key union endorsement from SEIU District 1199, which mostly represents hospital and health care workers.


Analysis: This speech hightlights what is fundamentally wrong with the Strickland campaign and why I think he will ultimately lose his bid for Ohio Governor. Strickland is focusing on alot of federal issues, particularly as evidence here, health care. How could the Governor of Ohio possibly push for a national health care system? And if such a system is truly Strickland's pet project, why is he running for governor? Such legislation is drafted and debated on Capitol Hill in Washington, not in the Governor's Mansion in Bexley, Ohio. It's amusing to see Strickland brag about his DC connections that could benefit Ohio. Apparently Strickland isn't aware that he is a member of a minority party that currently holds no power in Washington. The election of a GOP governor, assuming national Republicans hold onto both houses of Congress, is the best kind of connection Ohio could have to DC.