The Spectrum: Former Sen. Brown; Ohio's DOGE
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — This week on The Spectrum:
Former Senator Sherrod Brown is dipping his toe back into public policy.
Learn about the new initiative he launched in an effort to put workers' issues at the forefront in Washington.
Ohio is getting its own version of DOGE. Hear about who's involved and what they'll be doing.
The Ohio Civil Rights Commission is accused of violating civil rights. See what a federal court found the group and its director liable for.
The nation's top security officials go on an on-line app to detail a planned military assault. Is that classified information? Our strategist, Republican Mark Weaver and former Democratic Ohio State Senator Lou Gentile weigh in.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
27 minutes ago
- USA Today
Will Trump's big bill kill people? Here's the truth about Medicaid cuts.
Will Trump's big bill kill people? Here's the truth about Medicaid cuts. | Opinion Republicans are doing what's right, morally and fiscally. They're requiring able-bodied adults to work as a condition of receiving Medicaid benefits. Show Caption Hide Caption Disabled protesters removed from House committee hearing Disabled demonstrators protesting a Republican proposal to cut benefits were forced to leave a House committee hearing and arrested. Perhaps you've heard: Republicans are about to kick millions of people off health insurance. That claim is all over the news media as Congress debates the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Advocates on the left even say the proposed changes will kill people. Such claims have no basis in reality. The point is to frighten Republican lawmakers into giving up on necessary reforms. Instead, the GOP should double down. Congressional Budget Office is biased, and often wrong The source for this fearmongering is the Congressional Budget Office. As the Foundation for Government Accountability shows in our new research, CBO staff consists largely of registered Democrats and the agency is often wrong in its projections. Washington elites and their media allies like to hold up the CBO as an all-seeing oracle. In theory, it's a nonpartisan federal agency inside Congress that accurately predicts how legislation will play out in the real world. In reality, CBO is overwhelmingly staffed by Democrats and its findings are less than trustworthy. We painstakingly analyzed the voter registration of every CBO employee. Our finding: A staggering 79% of CBO staff are Democrats. A mere 12% are Republicans. That's actually worse than senior bureaucrats at the most liberal federal agencies, including Housing and Urban Development, the State Department and Health and Human Services. And when you look at key CBO departments, the liberal bias is even more stark. The Health Analysis Division is 93% Democrat and zero Republican. That's the department now driving the news about the dangers of the Republican bill. In other words, CBO may well be the most liberal government outfit in all of Washington. And surprise, surprise: It does Democrats' bidding. Tell us: Republicans want massive cuts to Medicaid. What do you want? | Forum Opinion That fact should persuade Republicans to ignore CBO's analysis of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. In May, CBO asserted that about 10 million people would lose their Medicaid coverage by 2034 if the bill passed. CBO blames Republican reforms like Medicaid work requirements, more frequent eligibility checks and the removal of illegal immigrants from Medicaid. But think about what's really happening. A group of Democratic bureaucrats are criticizing Republican efforts to roll back Democratic priorities. This isn't nonpartisan policy analysis. It's political damage control. CBO projections were wrong on 'Obamacare' And wouldn't you know: The leftist CBO is frequently wrong. The agency has a long history of underestimating the benefits of Republican policies like tax cuts and health care reforms. The CBO also routinely minimizes the damage of Democratic policies, especially the soaring cost of government expansions. In 2010, when the Affordable Care Act passed, the CBO said only 13 million able-bodied adults would be covered under the law's Medicaid expansion in all 50 states. But within a decade, 50% more able-bodied adults had jumped onto Medicaid, even though only two-thirds of states had expanded the program. Opinion: GOP must cut Medicaid now. Or risk debt crisis and devastating cuts later. CBO's error made "Obamacare" look more affordable than it is, and taxpayers have spent tens of billions of additional dollars on able-bodied adults who push vulnerable Americans and individuals with disabilities back in line. For more than a decade, CBO has been consistently wrong on Medicaid expansion's real-world impact, underestimating enrollment and the cost to taxpayers. But when CBO analyzed the Republican repeal of Obamacare's individual mandate in 2017, it overestimated how many people would lose coverage. It said 4 million people would lose private health coverage and Medicaid in the first two years alone. But by 2020, about 13 million people had gained coverage. CBO could hardly have been more wrong. And the agency is still in charge of making predictions. Now, the CBO is once again warning about massive coverage losses, and their media allies are dutifully repeating the assertion. But congressional Republicans should see through the charade. Case in point: CBO's predictions about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act include 1.6 million people enrolled in Medicaid in multiple states. They won't lose coverage in the state where they live, but CBO still counts them among those losing coverage. In addition, 200,000 'losses' are people who aren't even on Medicaid. CBO just assumes they'll join in the years ahead. GOP is doing the right thing with Medicaid The truth is that Republicans are doing what's right, morally and fiscally. They're requiring able-bodied adults to work as a condition of receiving Medicaid benefits. That will allow states to focus on Medicaid's intended recipients such as individuals with disabilities. Republicans are also removing ineligible people and illegal immigrants from Medicaid rolls. CBO makes it sound like those coverage losses are wrong, but what's really wrong is letting millions of people take advantage of taxpayers. Republicans are looking out for Americans − taxpayers, individuals with disabilities and future generations. The Congressional Budget Office, on the other hand, is looking out for the Democratic agenda of growing government at any cost. Republicans in the Senate should ignore the fearmongering and move forward with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as soon as possible. Hayden Dublois is data and analytics director at the Foundation for Government Accountability, where Addison Scherler is a data investigator.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
It's the last day of work for a leader of a tiny CT town. Public opinion forced her out.
Today the clock starts ticking on finding an interim leader in a tiny Connecticut town. It's first selectwoman Paula Cofrancesco's last day on the job after resigning amid a scandal produced by an alleged child sex abuse case. Meanwhile, the remaining two members of the Board of Selectmen will be in charge: Democrat Gina Teixeira and Republican Robert H. Brinton, Jr. They are also responsible to take the first steps in finding an interim first selectman until November, when the regular election is held. Teixeira, who has a busy full-time job as a staff attorney for Disability Rights Connecticut in Hartford, said she is willing to handle town business in the meantime and she assumes so as Brinton, who couldn't be reached for comment. He is the town engineer in Orange. 'My plan is to be available as needed,' she said. 'It's a crisis situation.' Cofrancesco announced her resignation in May, effective June 6 at an annual town meeting after calls from residents for her to step down reached a feverish pitch. Cofrancesco came under fire in the wake of a report that blasted her handling of alleged child sex abuse by a town employee working with kids. That former employee, Anthony Mastrangelo, 25 at the time of his arrest, is facing sex assault and risk of injury to a minor charges. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and is free on bond. Now starts the task of finding a new first selectman. It could be fast or it could drag on until sometime in September. The process in this case gives Republicans an advantage because Cofrancesco is of that party. Cofrancesco could not be reached for comment. Since Bethany doesn't have a charter the town will follow the process outlined in state statute Sec. 9-222, 'Filling of vacancy in office of first selectman or selectman.' The statute says the remaining selectmen, in this case Teixeira and Brinton, can either take the position themselves or have 30 days to agree on a replacement. If the vacancy were not filled within 30 days the town clerk would within 10 days after have to notify the elective Republican town officers and they get to pick someone. It has to be within 30 days. If someone's not happy with the choice, a member of either party can petition for a special election for an interim replacement. For the petition to be successful they must have a number of electors at least equal to five percent of the names on the last-completed registry list, but not fewer than fifty electors. In this case if each step before a special election went out to the full 60 days , it would put a special election into about September. Regular Election Day is Nov. 4. Roger Senserrich, spokesman for the Secretary of State's office said that agency would become involved if there were a special election. To start the process Brinton and Teixeira are scheduled to meet Monday at Town Hall. If Monday's meeting were made public, the two selectmen would likely to go into executive, or private, session for part of it, if names are discussed. Cofrancesco has been under fire for about a year after the public, including irate parents, questioned her handling of allegations of sexual assault of girls by parks and recreation employee Anthony Mastrangelo, who was 25 at the time of his arrest. It is alleged he touched the girls during his employment. A fifth alleged child victim came forward after Mastrangelo babysat at her house. An investigation on the handling of the allegations revealed the State Police dropped the ball by not making an arrest sooner and that Cofrancesco failed to take action quickly to fire Mastrangelo and warn parents. The investigation also revealed a close friendship between Cofrancesco and the Mastrangelo family. It was so close they went on vacation together and Cofrancesco and Mastrangelo's mother planned meals together by email. When questioned about the vacation at a public meeting Cofrancesco told residents the meeting on vacation was by chance. Cofrancesco at first vowed she wouldn't resign, but residents didn't back down and began an appeal to the governor's office to have her ousted. Cofrancesco resigned effective June 6, saying although she didn't agree with the investigation report, the matter had become a 'distraction' to the town. Residents applauded when she resigned, but at the same time many were also further angered by what they read as a her continued lack of accepting responsibility. At the height of the demands for her to leave, those joining the list of residents calling for her resignation were state Sen. Jorge Cabrera, state Rep. Lezlye Zupkus, a Republican like Cofrancesco, the Bethany Democratic Town Committee, and Democratic Selectwoman Gina Teixeira, and the Republican Town Committee. The investigative report was based on a review of more than 125,000 electronic and paper documents — emails, text messages, town policies, and related attachments—and on interviews of 48 current and former town employees, elected officials, concerned citizens, and parents of the victims, according to the the law firm Pullman & Comley, LLC. She began her first term as first selectwoman in 2019.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How Musk's Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly Happened in Front of Our Eyes
For all the time he spent in the Oval Office, the richest man in the world is foreign born, and one thing he can never do is sit at the Resolute Desk as the elected most powerful man in the world. But Elon Musk was able to buy his way into becoming the 'First Buddy' and for a time he was able to bond his ultimate wealth with President Donald Trump's ultimate power. Trump allowed Musk to take a chainsaw to federal agencies with the promise he would cut trillions in federal spending. Trump believed Musk could do it and hereby make room for the big tax cuts that are the primary goal of the president's 'Big, Beautiful Bill.' Trump promises the BBB and a host of tariffs will lead to a 'golden age' protected by a 'Golden Dome' run from an Oval Office newly adorned with gold leaf. In this bonding of money and power, Musk declared his affection for Trump as a teenager might, via social media. In his instance, on a platform he bought for $44 billion in 2022, changing the name from Twitter to X. 'I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man,' Musk posted in February. Musk often brought along the toddler son he also named X to the Oval Office. The boy picked his nose during one visit and wiped the result on the Resolute Desk. The famously germaphobic Trump was seemingly so enthralled with Musk's money and online sway that he said nothing and simply had the desk refinished. But however successful Musk had been as a businessman, he fell far short with his Department of Government Efficiency, which the whole country came to know as DOGE., His young minions created maximum chaos while achieving a small fraction of the promised savings, often ignoring the law as they did it and then falsely reporting the results. Decent and devoted civil servants who had devoted their working lives to serving the public were dismissed as useless bureaucrats by DOGE goons with nicknames like 'Big Balls.' As Musk's association with such reckless cruelty impacted Tesla's business, Trump sought to boost it by displaying a Cyber Truck and a red Model S Tesla outside the White House. Trump said he was buying the Model S because he liked the color. The car stood in the White House parking lot as Tesla investors clamored for Musk to return to his business. DOGE continued to fall short on the promised savings. And that made it more difficult for Trump to justify the cost of the BBB. If Trump and Musk had discussions about his departure, they were private. Trump held a sendoff ceremony in the Oval Office last Friday. Musk had a black eye that he explained away by saying his young son had hit him. He looked tense, but it seemed that might have been the result of a news report about his suspected drug use At one point, Musk looked around the freshly gilded office he would never be able to occupy despite his billions of dollars and millions of followers on X. 'The Oval Office finally has the majesty that it deserves, thanks to the president,' he said. Trump presented Musk with a golden key to the White House, where he can never reside. Both men said nice things about each other. 'One of the greatest business leaders and innovators the world has ever produced,' Trump said. 'Elon's service to America has been without comparison in modern history.' Musk pledged, 'The DOGE teams will only get stronger over time.' But as a full blown narcissist, Musk could not just let it end so far short of success. He had to show his power by smashing something. On Tuesday, Musk took the first step toward what would become a break-up in front of millions. Musk had said nothing negative about the BBB at the White House farewell and there had been no significant changes to it since them. But he now denounced it on X as 'a disgusting abomination.' 'I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore,' he wrote, now calling the BBB 'this massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill.' 'Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong,' he added 'You know it.' He subsequently vowed to 'fire' any legislators who supported it. Remarkably, the equally narcissistic Trump did not immediately respond, and it seemed he may have remained under the spell of Musk's money and online clout. But on Thursday, during a televised Oval Office meeting with new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump allowed that he was 'very disappointed in Elon.' 'Elon's upset because we took the [electric vehicle] mandate and–you know, which was a lot of money for electric vehicles,' Trump then said.'He only developed a problem when he found out I would cut the EV mandate,' Musk must have been watching. 'Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,' Musk wrote on X. 'Such ingratitude.' The two major world figures kept posting when they could have just gotten on the phone. They instead played it out so it was read live by millions who comprised an intended audience. 'Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public,' Musk wrote. 'Have a nice day, DJT!' What was most distressing about this deliberately public dispute between the world's richest man and its most powerful was that neither seemed more emotionally mature than your basic junior high student. However it goes from there, Trump will be out of power on January 20, 2029. Musk may or may not still be the world's richest man; Tesla stock fell by 13 percent during Thursday's exchange. But however much money he wins or loses, he will never have for even a minute the power an elected president has for four years. He may be able to briefly buy a president, but he cannot become one.
