William Weld, avowed fiscal conservative whose last run in 2016 was alongside Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson, a former New Mexico Governor, announced Monday that he will do what some tease they will do—stand up to President Trump next year.
"Ours is a nation built on courage, resilience, and independence," Weld said, according to CNN. "In these times of great political strife, when both major parties are entrenched in their 'win at all cost' battles, the voices of the American people are being ignored and our nation is suffering."
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John R, Kasich,Ohio's imperial
executive eleader from 2011 to 2019
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After eight years of Kasich catechism, the once great State of Ohio finds itself in a real fiscal pickle. Among his worst administrative mistakes, Kasich left state infrastructure is such terrible shape that new GOP Governor Mike DeWine, to make up for Kasich's Lehman Brother's style bonding out Ohio Turnpike revenues, had to propose raising revenue with a hike in the gas tax of 18 cents. DeWine's uber-conservative GOP lawmakers think a 10.5 cents gas tax hike is enough despite it being far short of what Ohio needs to repair its one-time leading system of roads and bridges. DeWine or another governor will be forced into another showdown in the coming years with a GOP-led legislative that refuses to raise taxes without offsetting other taxes, especially the income tax.
Staying in the 2016 race far after it was clear to everyone that he was getting crushed and could not recover. John Kasich has shown what a political coward he is, by training and experience. Kasich could have challenged Ohio's sole statewide Democrat, Sen. Sherrod Brown, in 2016, but chose to let that unique opportunity to show how popular he and his policies were pass by. If Kasich had challenged Sen. Brown and won, he would have earned a 6-year term in the U.S. Senate, the respect of all naysayers and a perfect perch to run for president. But Kasich lost all his primary races by big margins except his state primary, proving why he had previously opted for guaranteed paths to victory.
“I have no idea what I’m doing in 2020,” Kasich said last November at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, a state he bet his farm on and lost to Trump, the Washington Post reported. “What I don’t want to do is go into it again and diminish my voice, to get back out here and get the beans beat out of me.”
Weld, a familiar face to Granite State voters, having served two terms as governor of neighboring state Massachusetts, is courting New Hampshire voters again and in a big way. By announcing this early, Weld steals the wind out of Kasich's sails, leaving the National Chaplain an also ran who likely won't run now, since doing so will stop his CNN payday and force him to raise money to keep up with the Trumps and Welds.
If Kasich ever decides to take the advice the titles of his books suggest—"It's Up to Us," "Stand for Something"—he might show he's more than another calculating politico who knows words about actions are easier to say than taking actions that matter. Leaving Ohio in a mess, that includes a for-profit charter school system that's bilked taxpayers for billions while delivering next to nothing in education advancements, a budget out of balance that can only be balanced with cuts instead of new revenues, income inequality that is shameful by any standard and social engineering, especially as it pertains to women's health and the many hurdles to constitutional abortion rights he signed into law, Kasich becomes another asterisk in the book of political graveyard politicos.
Had he put his backbone where his mouth is by declaring himself to be a presidential candidate for the third time since he entered public office in 1982, Kasich would have commanded media attention like never before. But choosing to be all talk and little action, Kasich consigns himself to the political trash heap of history. Now just another failed candidate, Kasich will have an asterisk next to his name signifying that for all his bluster about leading a greater life, he left Ohio is poor shape despite the rest of the nation advancing in fine fashion from The Great Recession of 2007.
As a sitting governor of a major state in 2016, Kasich could hardly raise any funds and whined that he couldn't get his message out, even though Ohio media followed him like a new born calf follows its mother.
Meanwhile, Weld told a national TV audience what Kasich has been afraid to say. "I really think if we have six more years of the same stuff we've had out of the White House the last two years that would be a political tragedy, and I would fear for the Republic." Weld continued, "I would be ashamed of myself if I didn't raise my hand and run."
Kasich, who found a new payday as a CNN political commentator after leaving office in early January, showed he's all talk and no walk. Always the glib governor, Kasich has toyed and teased media with fake news about his aspirations to bring people together, but has little to offer after two terms on that very topic.
Weld deserves all the attention he can command, now that he's done what others who don't want the "beans beat out of them" suggest they might do but so far have failed to do.
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