The Becker Report – May 2020

Beckerisms

Peaceful Protests, Riots, and “Black Jobs Matter” – Huh?

I first saw a Columbus protest video early Thursday evening (May 28, 2020). My initial thought was that it was another economic protest against Governor DeWine’s policies resulting in a record 26.2 percent unemployment rate. (Btw, the first video I saw was a mostly white and peaceful crowd.) Later, I saw a peaceful protester holding a banner that (at a glance) I thought said, “Black Jobs Matter.”
All of that made sense to me until the videos surfaced of the violent thugs destroying property and looting businesses. (Kudos to the Columbus police and the Ohio Highway Patrol for their great work considering the resources that they had.) It appears that the results of Governor DeWine’s policies were a contributing, rather than primary, factor fueling the civil unrest.
I ask that all Ohioans pray for the families of the deceased as well as the innocent victims of the violence and the circumstances that ignited it.

Becker for Governor in 2022???

It is humbling that so many people have asked me to run for governor and to restore conservative Republican leadership to the executive office. (Now that I’m thinking about it, “restore” might not be the right word. I don’t know that we’ve ever had a conservative governor in Ohio; at least not in recent history.
Regardless, I’m not giving it any serious consideration at this time. But, I’m a never say never kind of guy. Don’t expect any announcements anytime soon.
I’m just as frustrated as my constituents and agree that a major change is necessary. I’m looking forward to somebody stepping up to demand an end to the madness and get Ohio’s economy and social events back on track.

How would “Governor Becker” have handled the COVID-19 situation?

I would have done many of the same things Governor DeWine did such as keeping people informed and encouraging the vulnerable (high risk groups) to take appropriate precautions. However, I would not have:

• Hired Department of Health Director, Amy Acton. (She’s a pro-abortion Obama former campaign operative.)
• Illegally canceled an election (especially hours before the polls were scheduled to open).
• Illegally conspired with the Secretary of State to set a new election date. (This is the exclusive domain of the General Assembly.)
• Illegally ordered the shutdown of the schools. (This is the exclusive domain of the state school board.)
• Ordered every citizen and resident of Ohio to be under 24/7 house arrest (with a list of exceptions) under penalty of a second degree misdemeanor. (It carries a 90 day jail sentence and a $750 fine.)
• Unconstitutionally suspended civil liberties.
• Ordered hospitals, doctor’s offices, dentists, etc. to refuse patient care. (This has resulted in needless suffering, worsening of treatable conditions, and unnecessary reliance on opiates to mask treatable pain.)
• Ordered the shutdown of businesses. (This has resulted in massive unemployment, increased poverty, increased depression, increased despair, and increased suicides. Additionally, necessary state budget cuts will impact schools and social programs when they’re needed most.)
• Ordered that all employees of all businesses must suffer the indignity of wearing a mask. (On that topic, I support allowing those employees to quit their job and then collect unemployment benefits. It’s unconscionable to require all workers in all businesses to wear a mask as a condition of employment. This is a variation of Right-to-Work that I also support.)

House Bill 618: Need Ohio Working – (NOW) Act

HB 618 calls for the immediate reopening of Ohio by modifying all past, present, and future orders of the governor and/or the Department of Health. It makes those orders advisory rather than mandatory unless those orders are first approved by the general assembly.
With the exception of doing something stupid like shutting down an election the night before, the authority of local health departments is unchanged. Therefore, in an emergency, local departments could swiftly act, with the force of law, to implement whatever controls they feel are necessary.

Had HB 618 been in effect at the beginning of this year, the following would have occurred:

• Department of Health Director, Amy Acton’s and/or Governor DeWine’s orders would only be advisory unless first approved by the General Assembly.
• The polling locations would not have been closed anywhere in the state.
• Local boards of health may have taken action within their jurisdictions to “flatten the curve” without flattening the economy and unraveling the fabric of Ohio.
• Rather than a wrecking ball applied to every square inch of Ohio, local jurisdictions would have taken a measured approach where needed.

The only pushback I’ve gotten regarding HB 618 is; what if the general assembly can’t meet because of the emergency? I have two answers to that:
1) People are smart enough to follow “strong recommendations” out of Columbus in an emergency assuming that the emergency is real. If the General Assembly can’t meet because of the emergency; it’s real.
2) The authority of local health departments is unchanged (with the exception of doing something stupid like shutting down an election the night before). Therefore, they are free to take any action necessary, with the force of law, within their jurisdictions.

To mask, or not to mask, that is the question:

Some believe that wearing a mask helps to protect themselves from viruses.
Some believe that wearing a mask helps to protect others.
Some believe that wearing a mask is prudent and simply the right thing to do.
Some believe that wearing a mask gives people a feeling of moral superiority; that they care more and that all others are selfish.
Some believe that those who wear masks are moral narcissists.
Some believe that wearing a mask promotes fear and control.
Some believe that the requirement to wear a mask is insulting, degrading, humiliating, and an infringement of civil liberties.

Democrats laugh at Governor DeWine behind his back while Republicans roll their eyes

The Democrat legislators have been playing brilliant politics by standing by Governor DeWine as he destroys Ohio’s economy. They are fueling the fear by unanimously wearing masks to show how dangerous they believe the health “crisis” is. They will soon shift their message to: “Look how the Republicans have destroyed Ohio’s economy and the fabric of Ohio’s society. Vote Democrat to restore order and get Ohio back on track.”
Conversely, the Republican rallying message will be: “Vote Republican. We suck less.” Although that statement remains true, it is unfortunately beginning to ring hollow.

Becker Bills in the Ohio House of Representatives

HR 55 – Build the Wall. This resolution urging congress to fund a physical barrier across the southern border has been assigned to the Transportation Committee and has had one hearing.
HB 39 – Replica Vehicles. John Patterson asked me to do this bipartisan bill with him. It creates a special category for these unique vehicles. It is in the Transportation Committee.
HB 153 – Working Officials Requirements Key (WORK) Act. This bill requires county elected officials to show up at their office at least five times every 30 days. It is in the State and Local Government Committee and has had two hearings.
HB 176 – Convention and Visitors’ Bureaus. This is a bill I’m doing with Tom Brinkman. It requires open records.
HB 182 – Abortion Insurance Coverage. The bill stops insurance companies from paying for abortions. It does not apply to self-insured private companies nor does it prevent any company from directly contracting with an abortionist. It has been assigned to the Insurance Committee and has had its first hearing.
HB 219 – Sunday Alcohol, Liquor, and Especially Spirits Act (SALES). I’m doing this bill with Representative Jim Hoops. In short, HB 219 removes the Sunday option. All businesses currently allowed to sell alcohol during the week will also be allowed Sunday sales. Voters retain the option to vote their precinct dry. It has been assigned to the Commerce & Labor Committee and has had multiple hearings.
HB 389 – Allows nonprofit organizations to give away alcohol for fundraising purposes. John Rogers reached out to me to do this bipartisan bill. It simply legalizes the common practice of churches raffling off booze at fundraisers.
HB 505 – Restores local control for zoning authority of halfway houses. This is a bipartisan bill. Representative Crossman asked to be part of it.
HB 538 – Human Life Protection Act – Upon the reversal of Roe v. Wade, Ohio becomes a pro-life state.
HB 618 – Need Ohio Working – (NOW) – This bill reopens Ohio for business and prevents the abuse of power from happening again. It has been assigned the the State and Local Government committee.

Video Central

Banking Expert: What You Need to Know About Today’s Economy (25 minutes)
New York and the Coronavirus Shutdown (1 minute)
How Do Lockdowns Impact Mental Health? (18 minutes)
What Does Separation of Church and State Mean? (5 minutes)
The Fallen Soldier (6 minutes)
5 Things You Need to Know During COVID-19 (3 minutes)
Jihadi Shoots Sailor in Chest: She Gets Up, Stops Attack on Corpus Christi Base (13 minutes)
What Is the Medical Impact of the Lockdown? (18 minutes)
Peaceful Civil Rights March vs. Violent Rioters and Looters (1 minute)
America Must Get Back to Work (2 minutes)
Restaurant Defies State Order and Stays Open (5 minutes)
Reagan: Get Government Out of the Way (1 minute)
MSNBC: Americans Are Too “Obsessed” With Freedom (3 minutes)
Lies About Israel Lead to Lies About Everything (5 minutes)
Family Separation at the Border (2 minutes)
Intersectionality: Disney Writer vs. Ben Shapiro (4 minutes)
What You Need to Know Before Buying Firearms (21 minutes)
Social Justice Isn’t Justice (5 minutes)
The Bravery Deficit (4 minutes)

Event Calendar

June 1, 2020
Union Township GOP meeting at Norlyn Manor at 7 PM.
Note: This meeting appears to be in conflict with the governor’s lockdown orders. However, the governor’s lockdown orders appear to be in conflict with the US Constitution, the Ohio Constitution, and the Ohio Revised Code. I personally intend to continue giving the governor’s lockdown orders all of the respect and adherence that they deserve.

June 17, 2020
Clermont County GOP meeting at HQ in Batavia at 7 PM.
Note: This meeting was scheduled months ago and unconfirmed. Additionally, see prior note.

Becker – Vetted, Tested, and Proven!

“Clermont County State Rep. John Becker, one of the most conservative members of the Ohio House…” according to Cleveland.com (August 2019).
Becker wins “Sponsor of Liberty” award by the Republican Liberty Caucus of Ohio (October 2018).
“Becker has a legitimate claim as the state’s most conservative legislator,” according to The [Cleveland] Plain Dealer (September 2017).
“Rep. John Becker, suburban Cincinnati Republican… [holds] the unofficial title as the General Assembly’s most conservative lawmaker,” proclaimed the Columbus Dispatch (September 2015).
Becker wins prestigious William Wilberforce Leadership Award (April 2015). “GOP Ohio House freshman Becker is no shrinking violet,” headlined the Columbus Dispatch (December 2014).
“Becker…is arguably the most conservative member of the Ohio House,” said The Cincinnati Enquirer (January 2014).
Ranked as a top tier “most archconservative” by the Columbus Dispatch (September 2013).

If you prefer to donate online, please click this link or one of my donate buttons at www.BeckerGOP.com.  

Introduction (38 seconds)	Second Amendment (36 seconds)
Taxes (49 seconds)	Energy (55 seconds)
Pro-Life (42 seconds)	Creation Science and Evolution (42 sec.)
State Government Spending (45 sec.)
State Government (37 seconds)

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Disclaimer
Nothing in this newsletter constitutes legal advice. I am not an attorney and do not play one on TV. This newsletter is not sanctioned by the GOP, ORP, or any organization, or affiliation. Much of it is simply my opinion. I am fully and solely responsible for my opinion. Although I strive for accuracy, this is not “The Gospel according to John.” Additionally, I don’t necessarily try to be “fair and balanced.” After all, I didn’t get into politics to be a news reporter. My agenda is to influence public policy consistent with Southern Ohio conservative values. For more information on my motivations or how to get involved, see: What is a Central Committee?