Tim Rudd
When is a tax not a tax and then a few pages later a tax again?

Well when a majority of the wise robed ones on the U.S. Supreme court wants it to be for a little legerdemain when the issue of Obamacare constitutionality is involved. How the court majority could find that the Commerce Clause cannot force the purchase of something but hold that you can tax the same non-activity boggles the mind.

One can understand taxing a particular activity (e.g. an income or sales tax, even a VAT tax) but taxing nothing seems pretty close to forcing one into purchasing something.

This type of twisted logic coming from Washington should not necessarily surprise anyone since the inauguration of the current occupant of the White House. The President’s answer to any problem is that government has all the answers, will pick the winners and losers, and the answer is always more government.

Had enough? Well it is time to start getting geared up for the general election this fall. Want to do something? A Victory Center has opened at 813 Eastgate South Drive. Volunteers will be manning phones in efforts to ensure a Republican victory this fall.

The folks at the center could also hook you up for some door-to-door if you would like to help.

I hesitate to bring up another issue but will out of necessity. If you are like me you are constantly getting solicited from the Republican National Committee, the Ohio Republican Party, and candidates for donations.

All of those mentioned have their own needs and priorities but there is one little secret that all of them tend to leave out. Each of them turns right around and expects support from the local party. I am not speaking of direct monetary support but support in the form of manpower and getting out the vote activities.

Your local Republican Party maintains a headquarters in Batavia for its monthly meetings and to run its campaigns. Each election we produce a sample ballot to help educate and aid in your voting.

At a minimum we mail to everyone requesting an early voting ballot our slate card. We get volunteers to man the polls on election days. We aid in each of the campaigns starting with the presidential and going down to county wide campaigns. If a political event is happening in Clermont County, such as the successful 2008 Sarah Palin election visit at the fairgrounds with 7,000 in attendance, the local party is involved. We maintain an air conditioned booth at the Clermont County Fair and support the Junior Fair Livestock Sale. I have highlighted some of the most visible of our activities but there are many more activities in which we participate. Unfortunately almost everything we do comes with a cost.

We could use some help with this very important critical election. Any donation you can send us would be appreciated. You can mail us at the Clermont County Republican Party, P.O. Box 431, Batavia, Ohio, 45103.

Tim Rudd is the Clermont Republican Party chairman.