Our Governor-elect John Kasich held a press conference to announce his selection of Thomas Charles as Ohio's new Public Safety Director. He'll be the state's top law enforcement official. It just so happens that Charles' wife and son are both Highway Patrol officers. Nothing necessarily wrong with that. A reporter asked Charles if this might present a possible conflict of interest. Not an unreasonable question.
Charles didn't answer because Kasich butted in and launched into a diatribe: "We have so many stupid rules and regulations that prevent us from getting the best people to [work in government]. And I blame it on all of you (i.e. the media), all this 'transparency' and 'conflicts' and all this other stuff. I want to just tell you, it is a problem."
So let me see if I get you, John-Boy . . .
Doing whatever you want without restriction, GOOD. Rules, regulations, BAD.
Sugar-coated puffballs from the press, GOOD. Pertinent questions, BAD.
Secrecy and opacity, GOOD. Transparency, BAD.
Cronyism, nepotism, conflict of interest, GOOD. Independence and objectivity, BAD.
Does that just about sum it up?
He hasn't even taken office yet, and Kasich is already bitching because public government is not the same thing as his beloved private sector. No shit, Sherlock.
Venting his frustration, John-Boy complained, "I find myself tripping over anthills on the way to the pyramids."
Then pick up your fuckin' feet, dude!
