Former Dayton congressman Tony Hall was the featured speaker at Montgomery County Democrats annual “Frolic For Funds” fund raiser last Thursday, March 29. Hall said that in his work addressing world hunger, he had eight opportunities to meet Mother Teresa. He said the first time he met her, Mother Teresa explained her mission. Asking the congressman to stretch out his hand, she took his hand and counted these five words on his thumb and fingers: “For the least of these.”

Hall said he has always been proud to be a Democrat because Democrats care about the poor.

Hall said that he was deeply moved by what he saw in Calcutta, almost to the point of despair and Mother Teresa told him that not everyone can come to Calcutta, but everyone can, “Do the thing that is in front of you.” Hall built on those words in his short talk and said that Democrats in Dayton have much to be proud of for making the city better and for making people’s lives better.

Hall said that the task before us to make the world a better place seems too enormous and said that at one time a newspaper reporter said to Mother Teresa that what she was accomplishing was just a “drop in the bucket.” She corrected him, that, “It is just a drop in the ocean.” But, she said, “If I didn’t do it, it would be one less drop.”

Hall was congressman for the Dayton area for 24 years. After he left congress, he served as “United States Ambassador to the United Nations for Food and Agriculture” from 2002 to 2006.

In 1993, Hall fasted for 22 days as protest for congress turning away from its work to help world hunger.

On the eve of resuming contract negotiations, 50, or more, members of The Dayton Newspaper Guild yesterday marched in front of the Dayton Daily News building, 1611 South Main St. The Guild is protesting that the owner of DDN, Cox Media, is outsourcing jobs and is eliminating seniority rights.

In an e-mail message, the Guild wrote: “The newspaper wants to end job security for its most experienced workers by eliminating seniority-based layoffs. And even while the company gives nonunion newsroom managers raises and bonuses, it continues to deny small merit raises for hard-working union employees who kept the newspaper profitable during the recession. The newspaper and the Guild have been in contract negotiations for weeks. But so far, the newspaper has shown little interest in compromising on key elements of a potential deal.”

Lou Grieco is serving in his sixth term as president of the Guild and says that Guild members have been without a contract since 1989.

Rick McKiddy with DDN Guild President, Lou Grieco. Rick is the Democratic candidate seeking election to the Ohio Senate to represent Montgomery County's 6th District.

On the Guild’s web-site, Grieco is quoted as saying: “It’s time the Dayton Daily News be held accountable for its unjustified assault on middle-class journalism jobs. Newspaper executives have shown an unwillingness to compromise at the bargaining table that is far outside the mainstream. Their bias against the middle class must end. The Guild has tried to work toward compromise, but on key issues, the Company just wants to dictate terms. Our members are shocked, angry and hurt. They have been loyal during the toughest times in the Company’s history. They are working harder than ever, they have made sacrifices, they have successfully embraced change with genuine courage. And this is the thanks they get.”

The web-site points out that after the last protest rally, March 16, Cox Media refused to report the event: “Cox Media Ohio chose not to inform its own readers of the Dayton Daily News, viewers of WHIO-TV, and listeners of WHIO radio about the protest. The company likes to brag that it ‘covers both sides’ and is unbiased. But it abandons that philosophy if it thinks news coverage might ‘hurt the company.’ ”

It was a beautiful spring day as Newspaper Guild members met in front of the Dayton Daily News building to attempt to bring public attention to their disagreement with Cox Media.

For the first time in Ohio history the Ohio Assembly is set to repeal a law that is subject to a referendum. The Ohio Senate today will vote to repeal HB-194.

In protest to the Republican voting suppressing law, HB-194, Democrats worked to place a referendum on the November ballot to repeal the measure. Over 300,000 signatures were certified. The Obama campaign is urging Ohioans to protest this move by Republicans to frustrate the referendum process.

Friend —

We’ve all spent the last year fighting for our voting rights, so you need to hear this:

Republican state legislators are planning to quietly bypass Ohio’s voters tomorrow by attempting to put a stop to this fall’s HB 194 referendum that folks like you worked so hard to put on the ballot.

Instead of giving Ohio’s voters the chance to reject HB 194 in November, they want to repeal the law — and we can only imagine what they’re primed to replace it with.

This Republican majority has put up roadblocks to the early and absentee voting that nearly one-third of Ohioans used to cast their votes in 2008.

When they passed HB 194, supporters like you fought back, gathering over 300,000 signatures to put this law up for a referendum on November 6th. The other side can see that Ohio is ready to repeal this law once and for all — but they don’t want to give voters that chance.

We can’t let them get away with it.

So before the Republicans in Columbus head for their vote, will you join me in making a pledge that no matter how things shake out today, you won’t let up in this fight?

We don’t know exactly what’s going to happen tomorrow — and we have to be ready for whatever they throw at us.

These politicians are not only ignoring the will of Ohio’s voters — they’re actively trying to silence our voices. Consider this: Ohio’s legislature has never before repealed a law that is the subject of a referendum.

Just as we did last spring, and again in the fall, we’re going to do everything we can to make ourselves heard. And if the past year is any indication, we can’t let up for one minute while these attacks on voting rights continue.

Add your name, and say you’ll fight back whenever our voting rights are threatened:

http://ohio.barackobama.com/Fight-for-Voting-Rights

Stay tuned,

Greg Schultz
Ohio State Director
Obama for America