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Monday, April 14, 2008
Cut off Freedom Center from any further public funds
Posted by Media Release
As most Ohioans face tax day deadline tomorrow, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is already working hard to get their hands on more of our money. On Tuesday April 15th the Freedom Center and their ultra-wealthy supporters are holding an exclusive reception for Members of the State Legislature at 137 East State Street starting at 5:30 PM. They aim to quietly purchase Legislators so they will vote to continue enslaving the taxpayers for their mismanaged operation, and they hope these efforts can remain outside of public view.
For years the Freedom Center promised to operate self-sufficiently, a promise they have leveraged to receive approximately $60 million in taxpayer funds to date.
The Blue Chip Young Republicans believe that the Freedom Center should be forced to live up to their promises. At our March 24th club meeting, we voted unanimously to oppose sending any additional taxpayer funds to this private museum.
“It is fitting that the Freedom Center has chosen tax day April 15th to hold their Buy a Legislator Reception. They have been feeding like pigs at the public trough for their entire existence and they have no intention to stop,” stated Club President Jeff Capell. “For those Ohioans who haven’t paid their 2007 taxes, don’t send the money to the State of Ohio, send it straight to the Freedom Center instead.”
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14 Apr 2008 at 06:28 pm | #
wtf?
today, when ky-r davis is quoted as calling obama a “boy” - you want to post something to denigrate the importance of always remembering and never forgetting what has caused the continuing and unrelenting racial oppression that exists in this community so strongly.
i say - cut out all the lobbying funding for candidates and use it to make the NURFC bigger every time a black man is wrongfully convicted, every time a black kid is taken from their mother because of poverty isssues, every time an instance of racial injustice, cruelty, or innuendo is utter, acted, or observed ---- build it soooo bigggg that the closet racist will finally reframe from such behavior in the shadow of a monstrosity built in their
14 Apr 2008 at 10:09 pm | #
~
How hypocritical.
You do not see the young elephant dung chippers seeking to take the tax-dollars away from any other museum except what their, cincinnatus standard, whistle-blower terms the slave center.
If the young elephant dung chippers where interested in tax payer funds they would be asking why the Camargo Country Club receives tax breaks under CAUV.
Their position is race based.
The young dung chippers are all bent out of shape because ‘God hates Fags’
~
15 Apr 2008 at 01:29 pm | #
Imagine: a young Republican group expressing shock that an organization would be holding a legislative reception in Columbus. Over the past 25+ years, I’ve been to enough receptions held by the GOP in Washington and Columbus, and here in Cincinnati to know, first-hand, that the reception has been a staple event of the Republican Party (Democrats, too) for years and years. I would wager that a strong majority of your membership has attended at least a couple of legislative receptions.
So you can’t really be raising an arched eyebrow that the Freedom Center is holding a legislative reception. There is nothing secret or hidden about our reception, which we are co-hosting with State Street Consultants, our Columbus lobbyist representatives. It’s being held in broad daylight at State Street’s offices, and we’ve invited members of the General Assembly and others to come and hear about the Freedom Center’s programs and activities. I’ll guess that State Street has hosted similar events for other organizations a a time or two in the past, and will do so again in the future.
So what is the point of this statement. We already know you don’t like the Freedom Center and don’t think we should have any access to public funding, event if we are serving the general public. Fair enough. But if you are suggesting—which you seem to be—that our reception is a “Buy a Legislator” event, then you are close to accusing the Freedom Center of commiting a criminal act.
Surely that’s not what you intended . . .
Paul Bernish
Chief Communications Officer
The Freedom Center
15 Apr 2008 at 09:09 pm | #
Paul, please be as forth coming about what transpires in the back room. As part of the general public you claim to serve, tell me; what is it you’re doing for me?
15 Apr 2008 at 11:57 pm | #
Paul and other overpaid Freedom Center executives do seem to get defensive when they get called out for violating their promise not to seek additional taxpayer funds. This, after they have generously received about $60 million in taxpayer subsidies to date.
Here and at the Enquirer Politics blog you can continue to insist that this is just a friendly neighborhood reception, but I don’t think too many people are buying it.
Bernish says the center is not lobbying legislators for state capital support at tonight’s reception.
“We weren’t even going to talk about the state capital bill,” Bernish said
Let’s see: The Freedom Center has invited the entire Legislature to a Columbus reception. They’ve lined up a powerful Columbus lobbying firm to host it. Freedom Center CEO Donald Murphy and the ultra-rich John Pepper are heading to Columbus to be there.
And you’re not even going to talk about your budget requests for the upcoming budget? Of course not, you’re going to chit-chat about the NBA and American Idol at this free Legislative reception being hosted by your high-power lobbyists, and wait until tomorrow to start lobbying for more handouts. Come on, this doesn’t even pass the smell test. You are right about one thing. Many of our members have been to receptions before, and that’s why we can smell this one for what it is - an effort to milk the taxpayers out of yet more funds.
16 Apr 2008 at 01:37 am | #
Toby - if you don’t understand the importance of this museum to this region - then you have your head in the sand. What the Freedom Center does is celebrate and expose the very freedoms that this nation was built on - it’s challenges, its faults, its glory and its failure to a number of different people over the course of our history - jews, women, blacks, - those sought to be exploited by a more powerful group.
this is what the freedom center does for you. it celebrates the survivial of our constitution and our rights
16 Apr 2008 at 07:20 am | #
#6: “this is what the freedom center does for you. it celebrates the survivial of our constitution and our rights”
That’s not something I need my tax dollars to be wasted on. I find I have the ability to do that every day, and it doesn’t cost me a dime, or for that matter, millions of dollars.
Paul, how much did it cost to get Dale “4 Sale” Mallory; to celebrate his freedom to sell his vote?
16 Apr 2008 at 08:02 am | #
anon 1:37am,
“this is what the freedom center does for you. it celebrates the survivial of our constitution and our rights”
What rights and constitution? Everything that we have held sacred for over 200+ years has been purchased by the corporate masters that stand behind this national disgrace. We happily parrot noise about freedom and liberty while most of us suffer from delusions. Wake the fuck up and know that any liberty we had was based on national wealth and it has been stolen by the very thieves that want to make us all slaves. The NURFC is putting makeup on the hog.
16 Apr 2008 at 09:34 pm | #
"We already know you don’t like the Freedom Center and don’t think we should have any access to public funding, event if we are serving the general public.”
Thanks for the scolding Mr. Bernish. How dare any taxpayer ever question where there money goes and for what reason? The audacity! We should all just freely and happily open up our wallets and empty our bank accounts to any private entity who comes along and thinks they deserve taxpayer money.
Here’s a novel idea for you - and one I would support. If you are serving the general public as you say you are, why don’t we settle the issue of public funding once and for all and put a Freedom Center levy on the ballot? Let the “general public” you so self-righteously “serve” decide for themselves if the NURFC is deserving of taxpayer support.
Anon 1:37 wants us to believe that, “This is what the freedom center does for you. It celebrates the survivial of our constitution and our rights.” One of those rights is the right to vote. Surely the FREEDOM Center wouldn’t oppose voters’ rights.
17 Apr 2008 at 06:52 am | #
General George C. Scott wrote........Here’s a novel idea for you - and one I would support. If you are serving the general public as you say you are, why don’t we settle the issue of public funding once and for all and put a Freedom Center levy on the ballot?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now that would be interesting.
Why don’t we quit pussy-footin around and move the damn thing over to the Union Terminal area. I have heard that remark several times. Then, that building can be put to good use that would be consistent with the Banks.
Of course, The Banks will soon lose its upscale status with the news of 10% of the residents being of the Section-8 variety. But Wait - - - that building could serve as a jail for the section-8 Banks residents who burglarize, rob, rape, and assult the residents and visitors. Newport must be getting a good laugh out of this.
17 Apr 2008 at 07:03 am | #
<b>Freedom Fighters says:
14 Apr 2008 at 10:09 pm | #
How hypocritical.
You do not see the young elephant dung chippers seeking to take the tax-dollars away from any other museum except what their, cincinnatus standard, whistle-blower terms the slave center.
If the young elephant dung chippers where interested in tax payer funds they would be asking why the Camargo Country Club receives tax breaks under CAUV.
Their position is race based.
I think the position that the Freedom Center needed to be built in the first place was millions of dollars of bigotry and slap in the face to the very people they claimed to be building it for. Thousands of black folks didn’t even WANT the place built and yet it stands (thanks a lot Oprah). And now, despite a lot of the programs that the center provides, ask most black folk about it, and I think you’ll find a city of African Americans who would love to tear the damned thing down brick by brick.
20 Apr 2008 at 05:02 pm | #
Mr. Bernish - Where are you? Will you support the voters’ Constitutional “freedoms” by proposing a freedom center levy? Your silence is deafening.
22 Apr 2008 at 12:04 pm | #
It’s now been nearly a week since I challenged Mr. Bernish to support a Freedom Center ballot initiative in the County and still no response.
I can only assume that the FREEDOM Center actually has no interest at all in promoting FREEDOM at the ballot box, preferring instead to ply legislators with dinner, drinks, and donations to achieve their goals of bilking more money from taxpayers.
You came on here and took a pot-shot at the young Republicans, and than ran away like a total coward to hide in your taxpayer supported hole as soon as people dared to challenge you.