Training and Experience
Military Background
Especially when it comes to the Save America Act; we're finding that it's incredibly problematic because it's targeting people who are typically democratic voters so the overreach from an act like that is something we speak ardently against.
Overall though, we've found that the current system has disenfranchised challenger parties like ours because it favors simplistic duopolistic voting. Rank Choice or STAR Voting, something more like a survey model where I can say- my first choice is X, my second choice is Y, and my third choice is Z is much more favorable to challenger parties because it sees more of the grey complexity that is how people view and think,
Given the fact that 49% of Ohio identify themselves as politically homeless- it makes alot of sense to change the way we're voting
As it pertains to abolishing property tax- we are in favor of it but you first have to address a few key strings:
1. Investors in residential real estate
2. How we're addressing education
It's a case of a balance sheet- inflows, we can replace our property tax revenue with local consumption based taxes especially on luxury goods and you can also look at the sin taxes like marijuana, cigarettes, gambling (especially the lottery), and alcohol.
In the case of outflows- we have a lot of money going to corporate subsidies, international donations, and the school system- in particular with the school system if you remove teaching towards the test and compliance based programs you can significantly reduce the budget because those systems are costly to manage.
It's about balancing the budget
This is a tough one because rising costs are being caused by a number of things outside of our control- the war and tariffs which both will cause supply chain issues. We've talked alot about deregulation for the small business because the amount of taxes and regulations impacting the small business owner has essentially been constricting them out of business.
On top of that if we can create a more collaborative environment for resources in the given locales like opener and more collaborative coalitions for mental health nonprofits, housing, small business incubators- you can drive jobs back to the smaller communities which will in theory drive more business back to the mom and pop shops- especially if you eliminate the subsidies that have gone to mainly large scale corporations
As mentioned, we'd focus on ending compliance based testing programs which are costly to manage and create additional bureaucracy in administrators.
Similar to business, where my boss trusts me to do the work- and in theory my boss is supposed to be either more educated, more certified, or more experience than me- we should move towards a model where because this teacher has indicated they have a mastery over math or a mastery over English, I should trust them that they're teaching their students mastery. We can use testing for diagnostic purposes, you could also have more portfolio based modeling for students; but at the end of the day, if that teacher is a master of the topic and the department head or admin over them has said they're doing an adequate job- who am I to say otherwise?
The first step in loving thy neighbor is to step outside to meet them. We've become so engrained in our own echo chambers that if you're left or right, that's your sole identity. I want to have people recognize that we're all people and the bulk of us are wanting what's best for the community we're just disagreeing about how to do that. The way to break echo chambers is to be curious, not judgmental. Ask questions first, clarify why someone believes something, and be open to dialogue. We win when we win together.
We've already started doing this- we've hosted townhall events across the state where we've invited democrats, republicans, libertarians, and independents to just talk about the issues and how to solve them. And we do it in a way where we're trying to listen more than we talk.
I will make this clear- what's gone on in Ohio with the constant redrawing of legislative district lines has shown just how toxic our institution is. It wasn't perfect but something like what was proposed in 2024 with issue 1 where you have a nonpartisan committee that takes into account all recognized parties in the state is something I'd love to come back up on the ballot. Candidly it was short sighted when the GOP shot it down because they don't recognize that when the Dems come into power, the power struggle to remove them will be just the same as the power struggle the dems are facing in unhousing the GOP.
Make it equitable (which issue 1 was attempting to do) and give the people the chance to actually vote for what they want. Make politicians stand on their own merit.
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