Ohio’s No Vote a Stinging Rejection of Obama Health Law

Ohio’s No Vote a Stinging Rejection of Obama Health Law Thursday, 10 Nov 2011 09:30 AM By Betsy McCaughey Share: More . . . A A | Email Us | Print | Forward Article 0 inShare This week's decisive vote in Ohio is a bellwether of the 2012 presidential election. With few exceptions, no presidential candidate has won the nation without winning Ohio. Ohioans seem to speak for the nation. So their repudiation of the Obama health law — the president’s signature legislation — should serve as an ominous warning. Ohioans voted 65 percent to 34 percent for Issue 3, which prohibits any state or federal law from forcing Ohioans to buy health insurance. There were plenty of union voters casting their ballots against the Obama health law. In fact, what brought out union voters in droves was Issue 2, repealing a controversial law that limited the power of public employee unions. Under the law rejected this week, unions could negotiate over wages, but not health benefits or pensions, and they could not strike or demand binding arbitration. The vote, 61 percent for repeal, was a stinging repudiation of Gov. John Kasich’s attempts to curb the cost of government. Kasich said he was trying to protect taxpayers from unions that demand higher pay and more benefits than private sector workers. Despite the strong turnout drawn by pro-union advertising, the Obama health law was roundly rejected. With it comes a warning to Ohio’s Sen. Sherrod Brown, up for re-election next year. Brown cast the 60th vote to impose government mandated healthcare. Ohioans may make him regret it.