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The State of Ohio

The State Of Ohio Show September 10, 2021

Season 21 Episode 36 | 26m 45sVideo has Closed Captions

Voting Maps Deadline, COVID Numbers, Remembering 9/11

09/10/2021

The State of Ohio

The State Of Ohio Show September 10, 2021

Season 21 Episode 36 | 26m 45sVideo has Closed Captions

Voting Maps Deadline, COVID Numbers, Remembering 9/11

Proposed maps for new Ohio House and Senate districts are greeted with skepticism and frustration. COVID numbers soar above last winter’s surge levels. And remembering how Ohio saw the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

09/10/2021

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The State of Ohio is a local public television program presented by Ideastream

The State of Ohio

The State Of Ohio Show September 10, 2021

Season 21 Episode 36 | 26m 45sVideo has Closed Captions

Proposed maps for new Ohio House and Senate districts are greeted with skepticism and frustration. COVID numbers soar above last winter’s surge levels. And remembering how Ohio saw the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

09/10/2021

Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

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<font color=#AAAA00FF>Support for the state wide</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> broadcast of the state of Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>comes from medical mutual, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>providing more than one point</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> four million Ohioans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>peace of mind with a selection</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of health insurance plans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>online at Medd Mut.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>dot com slash Ohio </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by the law offices of Porter</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Wright, Morris and Arthur LLP.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now, with eight locations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> across the country,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Porter Wright is a legal</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> partner with a new perspective</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to the business community.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Morad Porter Wright dot</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> com and from the Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Education Association,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> representing 100 24000 members</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who worked to inspire</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> their students to think </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>creatively and experience </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the joy of learning online</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at Ohga dot org,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>proposed maps for new Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> House and Senate districts</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>are greeted with skepticism</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and frustration.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Covid numbers soar above</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> last winter surge levels</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and remembering how Ohio saw</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the 9/11 terrorist attacks.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>All this week in</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the state of Ohio.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Welcome to the state</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of Ohio, I'm Karen Kasler.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Time is ticking down</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> toward this coming</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Wednesday, September 15th, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the day that the Ohio </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Redistricting Commission</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> said it would have maps</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of Ohio House and Senate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> districts finished</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>after blowing through </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the constitutional deadline</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of September 1st</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that voters approved in 2015.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>This week, the commission</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> voted to accept the maps</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>submitted by Republican Senate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> President Matt Huffman</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>as the ones they'll work off</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of for final versions.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Though the Maps creators </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>admitted they were told</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> not to use racial</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and demographic data</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and coming up with them.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Can you explain why you didn't </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>consider any parts</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of the Voting Rights Act</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in your consideration</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of these maps before us today?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Well, I said we didn't</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> consider.

Racial data or</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>demographic data in our maps.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But we were directed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> not to use that data</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by the legislative leaders,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and so we did not use it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Yeah.

So I would count myself</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as a legislative leader,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and I don't think that I share </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that information with you and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I hope this is not an ambush.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>This is simply a question.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The Voting Rights</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Act is certainly </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a part of our election</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and electoral fabric.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so really just trying</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to get a better idea of how</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we are not in compliance</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with that with these maps.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So hopefully we can</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> have some deeper</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>conversations about that.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But but again, thank you</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for your responses.

Thank you.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And just another note, follow</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> up to the leader psych's.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We just can't leave it</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to chance.

It's prescribed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in the Constitution</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that we comply with it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So you have to have </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>some evidence, has to be </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>intentional or deliberate,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> some evidence that you comply</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with the requirements</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of the Constitution.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Democrats have said</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> since Ohio voted 53 percent</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to 45 percent for Donald Trump</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in twenty twenty.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The map should reflect that.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>An early analysis</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> by a national expert suggested</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the maps will tip heavily </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>toward Republican </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>supermajorities continuing </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in both the Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> House and Senate.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Well, the Thursday meeting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> was announced less than a day</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>before there were people </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who mobilized to be</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> there to comment.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And many of them were angry.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It appears that this</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> commission's majority members</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>have decided to rush</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> through a four year solution</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>rather than work in good faith</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with the minority party.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I suppose the cheating out</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in the open is a</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>slight improvement </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>over the secretive cheating </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>used in 2011 to create</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> our current district maps.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We are done with backroom</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> deals, lack of preparation</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and excuses because </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the majority party </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is so secure in their </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>power due to the partizan </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>gerrymandering of</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the last decade, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we are seeing a troubling</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> repeat of strategies</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that were deployed in 2011 </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to dilute the political</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> power of Ohioans.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There are no excuses.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We are tired.

You are not</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>going to silence me</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for the next 10 years.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I have had enough.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Ohioans have had enough.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We did not vote for this.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We all we all worked</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> hoping that you would act</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in good faith and do what</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the voters want you to do.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>This is not what we voted for.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>This is not the process.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>This is not acting in </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>good faith.

This is not a</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> meaningful process.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>This is just a charade</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to make it look like</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>something's changed.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I'm disgusted</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as a citizen of the state.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The recent hearings </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>showed that the public</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> demands for maps.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Are you all working across?

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The aisle to make sure</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that that happens.

Are you?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Based on what we're seeing,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you're not for public hearings</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that would set starting on </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Sunday with a final vote </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>on the House and Senate maps</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> expected on Wednesday.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Still no word on the process </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by state lawmakers to draw</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the new congressional map,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>which will drop from 16</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> districts to 15.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So one member of Ohio's </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>congressional delegation</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> will lose their job.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>More than 21000 Ohioans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> have died of Covid.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That's more than the </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>populations of Ashlin,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Maria Worthington, Lebanon,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Miamisburg or Portsmouth.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It's also more than</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the populations of </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Wapakoneta and Ravana</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> together, or New Albany,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>plus Oberlin or Tip</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> City and East Liverpool.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Nearly 10000 Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> kids tested positive</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for Covid in the last week.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>According to the state's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> coronavirus website.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And people under 18</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> make up a quarter</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of all coronavirus</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> cases in Ohio and in the US.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Doctors and health systems, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>as well as the Ohio Department</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of Health and Governor </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Mike DeWine are urging schools</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to institute mask mandates.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Dr.

Patty Manning Courtney</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with Cincinnati Children's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Hospital says she's heard </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>people say there's no need to </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>get vaccinated or wear masks</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> because the coronavirus</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>needs to be dealt with as cold</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and flu viruses are.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But she says Covid </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is different, especially in</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> kids and as adults.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It feels irresponsible to to</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>go down that line </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of thinking and take and to</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> just sacrifice in some ways.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Some children and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> some individuals </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>will get very, very sick.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>This week, a Butler County</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> judge ruled a Cincinnati</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>hospital will not be forced </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to continue to treat a Covid </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>patient on a ventilator</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with ivermectin,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>an anti parasitic drug</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that's been touted</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by online sources</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and even some politicians</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>as a Covid treatment.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Though the CDC and major</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> medical groups say</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>it is not approved</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> or recommended for that,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the patient's wife</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> had sued to allow </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>her husband to get the drug </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>prescribed by a doctor</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> from Centerville </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who isn't board certified,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who hadn't seen the patient</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and didn't have privileges</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at UC Health Westchester.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The health system</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> had argued for the freedom</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to decline to use the drug</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> under a new medical conscience</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>clause in the state budget, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>allowing health care providers </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to refuse treatments</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that violate their beliefs.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That clause was among </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the topics discussed </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>last month at the Columbus</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Metropolitan Club</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and a panel I moderated</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on the state budget.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I frankly find that provision</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> pretty unconscionable.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>In this country.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We're all equal and under</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the law and under in God's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>eyes, we're all equal.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And here we are setting up</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a pretty dangerous situation</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>where someone could be </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>denied the most basic</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of health treatment</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because of who they are, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>what they believe,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> what they look like.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And it just feels like</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> such a step beyond that's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>not who I think Ohio is.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And it's certainly</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> not the kind of policy,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>as Representative</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Sark's mentioned earlier,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that's going to bring</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> people to this state.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That is not a welcoming</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> policy.

And it's frankly</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>one of those that </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>whenever I look at</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> some of the things, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>including some of the other</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> things mentioned in</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>your list, Karen,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that's divisive for</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the sake of being divisive.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And it's really unfortunate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that this has taken up</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>so much public space </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and that it's actually made it</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> into our public policy.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Karen, if I just add so look, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I often describe</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> no offense director,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>but I often describe the </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>budget process as the process</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of allocating disappointment.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And what I mean by that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is, is no matter what we do,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>there's always people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who are unhappy, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>no matter what we're</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> how much we spend.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There's always more</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that we can spend.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I always liken it to</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I had three daughters </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and my oldest is here and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I often liken it to Halloween.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Did you get enough</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> candy, trick or treat?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The answer's always no.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>She they never got enough.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so we can always and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> we will always have debates.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>What are the appropriate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> levels in the investments</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that we're doing?

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And in addition, care</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> into a lot of dollars, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a lot of zeroes.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There are a lot of policy</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> decisions.

And you know what?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I can find dozens.

Dozens</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of things inside the budget </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that I disagree with</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> from a policy standpoint</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>or from an appropriations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> standpoint standpoint,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>but from a macro level,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>when we're looking </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>at this budget and I've dealt</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with 14 of them,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we invested in those things</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that are important to Ohioans.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We invested in our children </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>record K through 12</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> education funding.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We did more to help low</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> income individuals on college.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We did more to meet health</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> needs.

I had an amendment that helped,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, homeless youth.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We have the library council</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> here in front of us.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I had an amendment </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that restored the library</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to its to its full funding,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>one point seven percent.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so the most important</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> things to the state of Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we invested in adequately</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and in my opinion.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>In spite of all its flaws or </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>problems, is one of the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> strongest, best and pro child</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>budgets that I had seen</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in twenty eight years.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So that's what leaders like, and I'll come</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So thank you.

And one of the </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>things that I thought</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> was very interesting </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>about this budget,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> when I started, I did a panel</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with a member of the Senate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Finance Committee, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and we both were amazed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and pleasantly surprised</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with how little how few policy</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> implications were in there.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So thank you, Director,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for giving us at least </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a moment for to be able </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to do that until,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of course, the legislator </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>got our hands on it</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and then ruin that moment.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But it it would have been</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a great opportunity</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to have a budget </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that just financed the state</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for the next two years.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Yet we saw it padded</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with different policies.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And it always happens</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and it does always happen.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But, you know, we try</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> we try to be hopeful people.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We didn't make it that time.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But that particular provision,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, I took exception</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with the governor's comments</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> about it doesn't happen.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I took exception</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> because for a person</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who has never been</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> discriminated against</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>based on what they look like</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> or who they love, it</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>probably has never</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> happened to you.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But for those of us </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who have had different </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>experiences in this world, that is</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> like a dagger to your heart.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And it just shows the lack</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of willingness to understand</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the lived experiences of</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> people who maybe don't reflect</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the demographics of our</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> current executive branch.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so I worried so much</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> about that provision</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>as someone who cares deeply </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>about people's health </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and wellness in the public </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>health, because we we're in</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a middle of a global pandemic.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And you're saying to us</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in our budget document</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that the state of Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> thinks it's OK for you</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to come in at your</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> most vulnerable state</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to get help and during</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a medical crisis maybe</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and someone can turn you away </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because they don't</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> like what you look like </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>or who you love or what</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> your life experiences are .</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I think that is</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> absurd and completely</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>harmful for this state </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>on an individual level</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and at a statewide level.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so I do take exception to </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>anyone who says, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>oh, this doesn't</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> really happen or it's </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>not that big of a deal.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>If you don't find yourself</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in that situation</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because you don't meet</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> those demographic</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>boxes to be checked again,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> or no one's ever called you</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a minority, whether it's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> racial, religious, ethnic,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>immigrant status, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>this is probably not</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the conversation </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you want to weigh in on</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> so heavily and with so much</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>authority.

Director.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I just wanted to build on </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>some of the comments about </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the investments in this budget</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that Senator Honegger made,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because I do agree</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that this is the best budget</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that Ohio has ever seen, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because it it invests</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in what we need now</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and what we need long term</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to build for the future.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So, for example,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> it invests in our workforce.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It invests in ensuring</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that we have credentialled</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>work workers with those</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>certificates that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> they need for in demand</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>jobs of the future.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That's a big part of why</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> employers will come to Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and why they are coming to </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ohio is because we have people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who can do the jobs</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that they need to be done.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> It invests in our communities.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It invests in our school</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> system.

But in in</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that community, Buckett,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> we are investing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in our small towns</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and our villages to rid our</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>communities of long</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> term blight, to rebuild our</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>towns in our local areas</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>so that people want</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to move to our area.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It's important that we have</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> strong, stable communities</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and that we have a strong,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> stable workforce</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in order for us to be long</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> term, both economically</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and physically and emotionally</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> healthy in Ohio.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so it is it all is a part</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of a long term plan that is</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in this budget for today.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>While the budget </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>took effect immediately after</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> it was signed on July 1st,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the nonmonetary policy</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> issues in the budget,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>such as a ban on</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> communities imposing fees</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for plastic bags, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a requirement that schools </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>notify parents of sex </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>education, goes beyond </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>abstinence only and </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>limits on hospitals</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> where certain abortion </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>providers can work</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> take effect on September 30th.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>For the last few weeks,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the nation has been observing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the 20th anniversary </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of the terrorist attacks</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of September 11th, 2001.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Here's what our coverage look </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>like on this show on September </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>14th, 2001.

From Statehouse</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> correspondent Joe Ingles.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The terror could be seen </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>live on television</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> sets throughout the building.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>As all of this was happening,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> people in charge of the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>state house quickly decided </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to secure the well</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> known public icon.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There is no business </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>being conducted here</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in the state house.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Entrance into the state</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> house had been restricted.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Guards had been posted</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at each door.

Joe,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think this is a time for us</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to be paranoid, not panicky.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And when anything</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of this magnitude,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>which we've never</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> faced before happens.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>People want to be</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with their loved ones.

I can </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>certainly understand that.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I you know, I think we know</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> what the country felt like</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>on December 7th now.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But a state of war does exist</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>as it has been so dramatically</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> thrust upon us today.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We need to make sure that </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we act in and respond</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in a responsible</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>manner to protect</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> both lives and property.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And that's what we're</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> doing here today.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>All non-essential employees</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> were trying to get out</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of the parking garage,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> but that wasn't easy.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Downtown Columbus</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> streets were jammed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because many other people </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>were trying to leave</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at the same time.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Employees in federal buildings</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> were being sent home to.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So or some city employees, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>people walking down </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the streets were</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in a state of disbelief.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>A little nervous about things,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, but just wondering</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>what happened over there,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> but who is responsible?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And then some of the outcome, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>whether Nasdaq and the stock</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> markets could drop now,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>whether the city is </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>going to be here or </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>just kind of questions about </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>what's going on right now,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> what we plan on doing about.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>He actually pretty much</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> put it real well,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we've been talking</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> about it all morning.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We teach over at Columbus</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Works.

We've been working</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with our students all morning</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and trying to keep them</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>calm and discussing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> what is going on.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We're all in shock.

It's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> it's it's a horrible thing.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The skies over the city </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>became eerily still</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as the constant stream</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of jets flying over </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>downtown was replaced</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with one lone helicopter.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Travelers at major airports </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>around the state</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> found themselves stranded</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>as federal authorities</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> ordered an indefinite end</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to all commercial flights.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Meanwhile, leaders</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in cities throughout Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>were telling residents</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of their communities</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to remain calm.

Our emergency</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>operations center is in</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> full tilt right now.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The city of Columbus</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is taking measures.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Let me emphasize</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that the city of Columbus,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>there is no indication</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of any threat against our city</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>or our citizens at this time.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And we have been in constant</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>minute by minute</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> communications with the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>appropriate federal and state </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>authorities to monitor</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the national situation.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Flags outside the statehouse</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> were lowered to half staff.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Governor Taft wanted</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> statehouse reporters</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>gathered inside his </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>office to understand</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> how he felt about the attacks.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There's no question</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> this will this will change</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>how we live our lives, and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> particularly it will change</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>how we travel by air.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But there may be</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> many other impacts as well</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in terms of how we how</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> we move, how we travel.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There could be an impact </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>at the national level</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in other ways as well.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Certainly, there's going to</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> be, I'm sure, a tremendous</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>investigation by the Congress</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and by the administration</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>into our security procedures,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> our intelligence systems,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to determine how</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> this could have happened </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and how we can prevent it</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> from ever occurring again.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Taft told reporters</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a 70 member Ohio task force</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>trained in search</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and rescue missions</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>was already helping victims</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> some 500 miles away.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And he urged all Ohioans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to help by saying prayers</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for the victims and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the rescue workers.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But that wasn't his</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> only suggestion.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>A few hours ago,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I spoke to a special assistant</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to New York, Governor Pataki,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to offer our assistance.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I want to encourage</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Ohioans to accept</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the offer and the request</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of Governor Pataki.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And Mayor Giuliani</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for donations of blood,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a blood bank in central</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Ohio was packed as</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>people poured in</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to give the gift of life.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>People trying to cope </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with the tragedy</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> packed the statehouse atrium,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>subjecting themselves</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to security searches</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to take part in one of the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> largest memorial services</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>ever held in the building.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Oh, Lord, please</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> fill our hearts right now</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and the grieving</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that we're going through.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Uh uh.

Be peace on Earth</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and let it begin with me.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ohioans continued to look for</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> ways to cope with the crisis.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Thousands took part in a fund</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> drive for the American</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Red Cross, sponsored</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> by some local radio stations.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Organizers said some people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> driving through the line</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>were giving hundreds</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of dollars for the cause</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and people showed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> their support in another way.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Stores selling flags</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> reported a spike</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in the number of people </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>wanting to buy a lottery</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to show their patriotism.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>At one point, just hours</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> after the tragedy,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ohioans who looked skyward </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>could see a clear symbol</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of the nation's resolve.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>President Bush and his </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>military escorts</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> returning to Washington.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Joe now joins me</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to talk about that </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and what's happened since.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So, Joe, what sticks out </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>at you as you watch your</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> coverage from 20 years ago?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Well, aside from the fashions</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and those sort of things, the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>technology and the technology,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> we could go down that road.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But anyway, the thing </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that really sticks out to me</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is how real this was.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We had our bureau</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> chief at that time,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>your predecessor, Rob Schober,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> was stuck out in California,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>couldn't get back.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So Bill Cohen and I were doing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the show on our own.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And Bill actually</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> hosted the show.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But more than that,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I remember the bravery</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of the people involved.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Task Force One, the group</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that helps with search</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and rescue here in Ohio.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>They went out to New York City </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to assist in the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> recovery efforts.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And Laura Bischoff,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the reporter now for USA Today</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Network and the Ohio bureau,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> she's one of them.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>She was with the Dayton</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Daily News back then,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and she went to Ground</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Zero with Ohio Task Force One.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>They were working</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on 12 hour shifts, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>alternating 12 hour shifts.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And they were down</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on ground at Ground Zero.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I remember talking</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to some of them, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and one guy said</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> it was just the pit of hell.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It was it was a war zone.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Clear, clear as day to him.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And they were they</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> didn't find any survivors.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>They found kind of </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>like the mundane things like,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you know, the sweater</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>somebody had on the </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>back of their office</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> chair or office memos</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and then gruesome</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> things like a human foot.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And they were in</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> very dangerous situations.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I mean, it's it's a smoldering</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> disaster site that,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, stretches </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>across an entire lower</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Manhattan, really.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And they were rappelling</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> into tough spaces</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and just enjoying doing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the work very methodically.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I think it was just</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> really emotionally draining</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for them, as well</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as physically demanding.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Well, I'm struck</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> when watching the coverage</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that you did back on</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> September 14th, 2001,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by during that time of panic</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and uncertainty and fear,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> something that we</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>are familiar with right now.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There was a drive</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to come together and to</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to try to help each other.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>For the most part,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> though, Muslims, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>immigrants would say that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that's not the love</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and message that they felt.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That was not their</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> perspective, especially in </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the aftermath of the attacks.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>What do you recall about </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the mood and approach</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> people had to daily life</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>as well as to watching</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> what happened afterwards?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You know, I also recall</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the fear and the uncertainty</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that was surrounding that </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>time, and people didn't know </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>whether Ohioans were going</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to be a target, you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and that that made it very,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> very scary for some folks.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But it also was a</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> great time of unity.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And my colleague at the time,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Bill Cohen, remember that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think there was</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a strong sense of unity</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>right after 9/11, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>not just unity, but we all</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> kind of took a step back.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And even our leaders said,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, this shows</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> how precious life is</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and let's not spend</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> our lives with with</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>unimportant things tonight.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Go home, hug your wife,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> hug your husband,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>hug your children, spend time</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with them, fill your life</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with the important things.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I thought that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> was so beautiful.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But it didn't last </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>all that long, because </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>just a few weeks later, as the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> economy started to crumble,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>President Bush and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> other leaders said,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you know, we got to get</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the economy going.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Go out and buy a lot of stuff.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>To me, that ran counter</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to the earlier feeling</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that material goods</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and all this junk we buy.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That's not that's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> not so important.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Our families are important,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> our friends are important.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so one thing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I took away from from</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>from that whole thing is</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> even though sometimes</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>an emergency, a crisis does</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> shake Bishop a little bit</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and get us to see</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> what's important in our lives.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Sometimes that doesn't last long.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> So you close that package on</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>September 14th, 2001,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with an observation </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>about flags and how</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> they really became </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a symbol of coming together</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in those post attack days.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Right.

You know, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>everyone was putting out their </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>American flags and we even saw</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> newspapers printing flags,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>big flags and paper </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that people were typing up</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on their windows.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It was rather unusual.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And that is it for this week</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for my colleagues </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>at the Statehouse</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> News Bureau of Ohio </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Public Radio and Television.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Thanks for watching.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Please check out our website</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at State News dot org.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And you can follow us </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and the show on Facebook </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and Twitter.

And please</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> join us again next</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>time for the state of Ohio.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We leave you with images </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>from the annual display </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>memorializing the lives</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> lost at the World Trade</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Center, the Pentagon and </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in Shanksville, Pennsylvania</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on September 11th, 2001.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Support for the state wide </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>broadcast of the state of Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> comes from medical mutual.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Providing more than one point</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> four million Ohioans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>peace of mind with a selection</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of health insurance plans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>online at Medd Mut.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>dot com slash Ohio </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by the law offices of Porter</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Wright, Morris and Arthur LLP.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now, with eight locations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> across the country,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Porter Wright is a legal</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> partner with a new perspective</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to the business community.

</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Morad Porter Wright dot</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> com and from the Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Education Association,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> representing 100 24000 members</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who worked to inspire</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> their students to think </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>creatively and experience</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the joy of learning</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>online at Ohga dot org.</font>

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