Rooster in Review: Take a bow, JobsOhio!
Everyone at JobsOhio should be forced to crawl to work.
Today's big news is that Ohio’s pie-in-the-sky Intel plant, originally projected to be operational later this year, won’t start running until at least 2030.
It’s another masterclass decision from JobsOhio, the state-sponsored liquor slush fund that operates as a jobs program for the politically connected. The gutless stooges on the Controlling Board extended JobsOhio for another 15 years and untold billions of dollars earlier this month.
Even in the best-case scenario, it would always be questionable how landlocked Central Ohio would supply the water needed to operate the plant, especially in drought years like the one we endured in 2024.
It’s a textbook example of what drives me insane about the coverage of grandiose business plans. Executives and politicians have every reason to lie and paint the rosiest possible projection of these “game-changing” moves, and the press always faithfully regurgitates their numbers because any pushback would be seen as “bias.”
Thankfully, that will never be me. I’m from Marion. I know a scam when I see one, and I wish I could have made money by betting against this Intel plant every step of the way because it might have been enough to retire to Titty Island by the time I was 45 years old.
Oh well! It’s the subscription peddling life for me.
Speaking of that lifestyle, I’d be honored if you freeloading hogs huffing fumes in the parking considered a financial subscription to The Rooster.
On top of all the listed perks like commenting ability, free Statehouse tours (starting March 10th), and book giveaways, you will sleep with the peace of mind knowing you’re helping put psychic damage on the bipartisan lizard cabal that controls Ohio’s state and local governments.
Thank you for your consideration.
This week in Ohio Man…
Every day, an army of scammers arises to separate hard-working Americans from their money. And while I don’t earn a living consulting these scammers, one piece of free advice I’d have is to pick literally any profession other than law enforcement officials as marks for their illegal operations.
It’s a lesson one Ohio man learned the hard way this week.
From the Department of Justice:
CLEVELAND – Vall Iliev, 69, of Stow, Ohio, has been charged in a three-count information with smuggling foreign-made body armor and then selling it to law enforcement agencies and others, as legitimate, domestically-made certified products. From around 2017 to October 2023, the defendant allegedly imported body armor from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and sold it under claims of being made in the United States and bearing a falsified trademarked label. Body armor is commonly used by those in law enforcement and other agencies for protection from ballistic threats to the torso area.
Well, that sounds like an easy way to spend your golden years in federal prison.
Remember, folks: Fraud is a risky retirement plan.
This week in The Rooster…
The pursuit of power. The notorious con artist Vivek Ramaswamy officially enters the gubernatorial race as shiny Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein tees up his mayoral run with a soft profile in The Columbus Dispatch.
The February Mailbag. Answering the readership’s burning questions about Ohio politics and life in general.
How the gears grind. Matt Huffman has lobbyists lining up outside his office like dope fiends, with video interviews of State Reps. Phil Plummer, Brian Stewart, Levi Dean, and Mark Hiner.
Slapshot Carter, report to Hell! The name Slapshot Carter will go down as one of the biggest losers in Ohio State history, with some thoughts on last night’s candidates’ forum on Refugee Road in Columbus.
THOSE WMDs. The real-life superhero who beats cops to bike thieves… The unraveling of a dancer… The last frontier for gay rights… Vocal color in public radio… After the fall: What’s the reason for Mike Tyson’s continuing appeal?
A recent ProPublica article https://www.propublica.org/article/aquabounty-pioneer-ohio-gmo-salmon-fish
mentions JobsOhio, and with your excellent reporting I knew exactly of which they spoke. Fight On, Bike On
The media loves to slobber over big pie-in-the-sky "economic development" projects that the rest of us can see are riddled with holes, liabilities, and inconsistencies. Hey media, whatever happened to the idea of turning Cleveland's Tower City into a blockchain mecca called "Blockland"? I remember you gushing over it like it was the salvation of NE Ohio. You could ask the charlatan who sold you on the idea but I hear Bernie Moreno's office doesn't respond to calls.