Yes, Ohio must do more to keep and attract businesses and the vital jobs they supply. Kudos to the Republicans for trying. But this video is sandpaper dry and leaves little to the imagination because, well, it offers little to imagine.
What would have been great to see and hear would have been the actual proposals and an explanation of how they would benefit Ohio citizens. Saying “jobs” repeatedly shows emphasis but it comes across here about as actionable as George’s father in Seinfeld yelling “Serenity Now!”
There is also a disconnect between the call at the end of the video for Democrats to hear the GOP ideas and work with the Republicans, and the criticism of the Democrats that is at the beginning of the video. Not that the criticism is undeserved, but is “slam and invite” a good tactic?
I don’t expect everyone at the Statehouse to grab a soft drink and break out in song, but there might be a more personable way to “get to yes.” And if, because of politics, there really isn’t a way to work together, then drop the suggestion and just present and promote your ideas.
Another scene in the video has a representative raise a stack of papers to prove that indeed the GOP proposals exist and that the Republicans aren’t simply the party of no. However, it’s also a reminder of the bills the Congress has considered and voted on … without reading. The stack shown on the video isn’t 1,000 pages, but that’s the unflattering image it brings to mind.
Since this is a montage of press conferences, it’s clear the venue is limited. But the biggest factor missing, besides the actual proposals with their benefits explained, is passion. Will this get the troops fired up, let alone the average voter? Perhaps most important, would this entice a business to think, “Hey, Ohio is pumped. We should go there (stay here)”?
Is all this asking too much? Well, considering that this morning the Dispatch ran a story that noted Ohio has 3 of the top 10 poorest U.S cities, no.
