Update at 3:53pm- According to Gongwer, the deal is finalized and a budget compromised has been reached.

Yesterday, Senator Jon Husted was on the ORP’s YouTube account talking about putting gambling before voters. Perhaps they shouldn’t have posted that video, as the Senate appears to be caving by allowing Strickland to go through with his gambling proposal by executive order and will pass enabling legislation to make sure he has the authority to do so.

Politically, it might be wise to box Strickland in a corner and make him own a gambling issue which is sure to fall short of hopes.

However, shouldn’t the objective be to drag on budget debates and hack away at government spending? By caving, the Senate Republicans are allowing Strickland to move past this devastating issue, then set up Ohio with a multi-billion dollar deficit for the next budget, with spending increase mandates which are tied to the current one-time-only “stimulus” expenditures, and sets Strickland up to: 1) campaign as a fiscal conservative, and 2) pass a MASSIVE tax increase if re-elected.

Related posts:

1. More on the Senate GOP Caving
2. And We Have a Budget! Ted Strickland and the Gang of 5 Spineless Senate Republicans Raised Your Taxes
3. Ohio Senate Republicans Cave on Ted Strickland’s Tax Increase
4. Senate Budget Debate- update
5. Ted Strickland’s Education Funding & Tax Hikes