DeWine continues using AG’s office to push personal religious agenda

[rug]

By Joseph Mismas
April 2, 2013

Last March Attorney General Mike DeWine brought Ohio into a money-wasting lawsuit to challenge contraceptive and family planning provisions in new federal healthcare regulations. Eric correctly pointed out that DeWine was not actually representing the people of Ohio, instead using his position to inject his own political and religious beliefs into what should be the most secular and non-political office in the state.

Records obtained from the AG’s office backed up this claim, showing that no Ohioans asked DeWine to join the lawsuit and, in fact, many were quite angry that he did. Ohioans wrote to DeWine telling him to “Leave women’s bodies and choices alone!” and to “Stop trying to destroy the separation of church and state” and to “do the job you were elected to do -enforcing the laws of the state of Ohio” and reminding Mr. DeWine that “No one elected you to force others to adhere to your personal beliefs.”

DeWine didn’t get the message.

Last week he did it again, joining other Republican Attorneys General in sending a letter urging the Obama Administration to restrict access to contraception for Ohio’s women by allowing any employer to opt out of paying for contraceptive coverage.

http://www.plunderbund.com/2013/04/02/dewine-continues-using-ags-office-to-push-personal-religious-agenda/

[cleanhippie]

1. This is what happens when unfounded, ignorant beliefs, religious or not, are given legitimacy.

Until we, as a country, determine that personal beliefs not based on reality and the world we live in, deserve nothing more than marginalization and have no place in public policy, will we all be free from things like this.

[rug]

2. More to the point, it's when they are given power.

[cleanhippie]

4. Agreed, but first comes legitimacy, then power.

Remove the first, they lose the second.

[rexcat]

3. DeWine...

does not believe in birth control. He is a stanch catholic who had eight children. He does not give a hoot about what Ohioans want and he does not believe in church-state separation.

DeWine is opposed to legal abortion. In the Senate, he was the lead sponsor of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. DeWine opposes same-sex marriage and sponsored the Federal Marriage Amendment.

As an Ohioan I can say that DeWine is typical of the conservatives in this state!

[rug]

5. What kind of opposition does he have?

[rexcat]

6. He has been involved in politics...

Last edited Wed Apr 3, 2013, 01:27 AM - Edit history (1)

since he was 25 years old. He is 66 years old now. He has lost one race since entering politics and that was to Sherrod Brown in 2006 for the US Senate. He defeated Democratic incumbent Richard Cordray in 2010 for Ohio Attorney General. Cordray was also one of the best AG's Ohio has had in many years. Cordray was recently a recess appointment by President Obama as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

2010 was the year the republicans sweep the Democrats out of office in Ohio. They had a super majority in the Ohio Senate, a large majority in the Ohio House and controlled the Ohio Supreme Court, the governorship, the AG and everything else.

DeWine is from Greene County which is stanch republican country (just north of Dayton and considered part of SW Ohio).

Until the people of Ohio figure out that the republicans are not for them but for the corporations not much is going to change. There is some hope considering Obama won last year in Ohio. There may be a sea change but we won't know until next year with our next gubernatorial election. On the other hand the Democrats need to get some quality candidates running for state office. That could be an iffy proposition considering what happened in 2010.

on edit: I live in SW Ohio so my perception of Ohio politics is skewed for SW Ohio is very conservative and the county and city we live in is radically conservative. The only reason we live where we do is because of the school system and my wife works for a major corporation that has an R&D facility in town and that is where she works. My twin boys graduate next year from HS. Once they complete their college degrees we are out of here! My only requirement is to live in a community where we are part of the political majority and the standard of living is decent. That will exclude a lot of places in this country.