Plunderbund Podcast

The Supreme Court and Ohio Election Lawsuits

The Plunderbund Podcast is back.  Joe is not available, but Lycurgus Group VP and General Counsel, and former prosecutor, Josh Engel takes over hosting duties.  We are joined this week by Professor Paul Moke.  In addition to teaching political science at Wilmington College, Professor Moke has been involved in a number of election law challenges to Republican efforts to restrict voting in Ohio. We discuss the recent Supreme Court decisions on abortion and affirmative action, and try to predict where the Court is going next.  We then discuss the three (yes, three!) major ongoing lawsuits challenging aspects of Ohio's election laws.  Let us know your thoughts and ideas on Twitter. Links: Earl Warren and the Struggle for Justice [https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B01946RN82&asin=B01946RN82&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_idSExb9SJ8H6J] Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt [http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/15pdf/15-274_p8k0.pdf] Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin [http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/15pdf/14-981_4g15.pdf] NEOCH v. Husted [http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/NEOCHvhusted.php] Ohio A. Philip Randolph Institute and NEOCH v. Husted [http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/.randolph.php] Ohio Organizing Collaborative v. Husted [http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/organizingvhusted.php]  Follow: Plunderbund: @plunderbund [https://twitter.com/plunderbund] Joshua Engel: @joshuaadamengel [https://twitter.com/joshuaadamengel]

What Might the Kasich Administration Be Hiding?

What is the Kasich Administration hiding? The Plunderbund Podcast is joined this week by Catherine Turcer, Policy Analyst for Common Cause Ohio. We discuss open records law in Ohio, including a new reform proposal and recent Ohio Supreme Court decisions that make some law enforcement records easier to access.   Plus we make some big news.   Let us know your thoughts and ideas on Twitter.   Links: SB 321 [http://search-prod.lis.state.oh.us/solarapi/v1/general_assembly_131/bills/sb321/IN/00?format=pdf] Ohio Sunshine Manual [http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/YellowBook] Senator Robert Kelly [http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Robert_Kelly_(Earth-616)]   Follow: Plunderbund: @plunderbund [https://twitter.com/plunderbund] Catherine Turcer: @catherineturcer [https://twitter.com/catherineturcer] Joshua Engel: @joshuaadamengel [https://twitter.com/joshuaadamengel]

Abortion Rights and the Supreme Court

The Republican War on Women. The Plunderbund Podcast is joined this week by Jaime Miracle, Deputy Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.  We discuss restrictions on abortion rights, the recent Supreme Court arguments on the Texas law that seeks to close down abortion clinics by imposing onerous regulations, and whether someone can be both pro-choice and a feminist. Plus , we ask: Who should play John Kasich, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump in a movie version of the 2016 Presidential Race? And, should Ohio enact a new law to prohibit Troy McClure from “going to Seaworld?” Let us know your thoughts and ideas on Twitter. Links: NARAL Prochoice Ohio [https://www.prochoiceohio.org/] Argument Transcript: Texas Abortion Restrictions [http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/15-274_l53m.pdf] Senate Bill 195 [http://search-prod.lis.state.oh.us/solarapi/v1/general_assembly_131/bills/sb195/IN/00?format=pdf] Follow: Plunderbund: @plunderbund [https://twitter.com/plunderbund] Jamie Miracle: @jmiracleoh [https://twitter.com/jmiracleoh] Joshua Engel: @joshuaadamengel [https://twitter.com/joshuaadamengel]

BONUS: The Music of John Kasich

Last summer, John Kasich tried to be everything to everyone in terms of musical tastes. He told The Hill, “I like Linkin Park. I like U2. I like a lot of different bands. I like some stuff that Justin Timberlake does.” Remembering that he was in a GOP Primary, Kashch remembered to pander, adding, “I’ve found on the road that I have been able to listen to some beautiful, soothing Christian music, which I really hadn’t done before. I find it to be really good.”   In February, Kasich told CNN of another musical goal, bringing back Pink Floyd. He said, “And if I’m president, I am going to once and for all try to reunite Pink Floyd.”   Last fall a musician named “Jumpin” Joe Matsko, 81 wrote a song for the Kasich campaign. The song is called Man of the Hour and it sings the praises of Ohio, the Buckeyes football team, and John Kasich.   We reveal a shocking truth: Jumpin’ Joe plagiarized the Kasich song from a song he wrote about Mitt Romney for the last election.   LINKS:   Kasich’s Taste in Music [https://youtu.be/avLqwWZBSnM] Kasich on Pink Floyd [https://www.youtube.com/pMTZzsro3SY] “Man of the Hour” by Jumpin’ Joe Matsko [https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Xj38lFtrTk] “An American” by Jumpin’ Joe Matsko [https://www.youtube.com/embed/eLkSoJ0PO94] Jumpin’ Joe’s Songs [https://www.reverbnation.com/josephmatsko]

Education in Ohio

The Plunderbund Podcast focuses on education in Ohio with special guest Denis Smith. Denis is an educational consultant who worked for the Ohio Department of Education’s Office of Community Schools from 2007 to 2011. This week we answer the question: does John Kasich’s rhetoric on education match what is happening in Ohio? John Kasich touts his educational record on his presidential campaign website. He says, “For American students to be prepared for success in an increasingly competitive global economy, they must receive strong education support from parents and educators, including high expectations—especially in math and English. John Kasich has put this priority to work in Ohio.” The discussion covers teacher evaluations, Common Core, and the union busing politics of the Kasich Administration. We also take a deep dive into the Charter Schools scandal. Ohio ranks among the top five states in the number of charter schools. The state has, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, more than 370 charter schools that enroll 132,000 students. But the charter schools have faced financial and educational quality problems. This all came to a head last year when David Hansen, Kasich’s former charter school chief and husband of Kasich’s chief of staff, Beth Hansen, was forced to resign after it was revealed that he didn’t include the grades of online charter schools in a $71 million grant application to the federal Education Department. Links: John Kasich Website on Education [https://johnkasich.com/education/] Politico: Charter School Scandal Haunts John Quash [http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/charter-school-scandal-haunts-john-kasich-220700] Education Week’s Annual Quality Counts rankings [http://www.edweek.org/media/ew/qc/2016/shr/16shr.oh.h35.pdf].  White House Report on Education Gap [https://fattah.house.gov/uploads/White%20House%20Report%20Education%20July%202015.pdf] Denis Smith Testimony on Charter Schools, July 15, 2014 [https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.progressohio.org/docs/D.SmithtestimonyFINAL.pdf] Follow the Plunderbund Podcast Team on Twitter: @plunderbund [https://twitter.com/plunderbund] and @joshuaadamengel [https://twitter.com/joshuaadamengel]