Nothing says "trasforming Ohio for growth" like slashing education.

It started out hopefully, as Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich rolled out his state's budget to reporters:

Let me give you a couple of the things that will surprise you. Basic foundation aid for K-12 slightly increases.

Of course, given that Kasich is a Republican, and thus constitutionally incapable of telling the truth, the reality was much different:

Now, it's Republican voters who are upset.

Battered by angry crowds at suburban school district meetings in recent days, House Republican lawmakers will offer up changes Thursday limiting the budgetary pain inflicted on schools by Gov. John Kasich's budget proposal. House Finance Chair Ron Amstutz said many changes to the $120 billion, all-funds budget proposed by Kasich are coming, including tweaks to a controversial blueprint for funding schools over the next two years authored by the Republican governor. "We are looking to take the edge off of this problem across the spectrum of school districts -- not just for the upper" property wealth districts, said Amstutz, a Wooster Republican shepherding the budget through the GOP-controlled House. "But we are concerned about the districts getting high percentage cuts." Taxpayers from those districts, many in traditional Republican territory, are also concerned -- and downright angry. Hundreds of them have been giving GOP lawmakers an earful at recent community meetings.

Notice that little part about "not just the upper property wealth districts"? Curious, huh? You see, those are the people making the most noise–rich white Republicans, who clearly interpreted "budget cuts" as "cutting those other districts in inner Cleveland who are leeching off the system". They clearly didn't mean their pristine and obviously well-deserving corner of non-socialist conservative utopia!

It's nice to talk about "tightening your belts" as long as the discussion is academic and others feel the pinch. But Republicans aren't interested in tinkering around the edges. They're engaged in a whole-scale campaign to dismantle government and finally realize Grover Norquist's vision of drowning government in a bathtub. And in such a campaign, the collateral damage will be felt far and wide.

Ohio voters should pay attention. This is what happens when Republicans take charge. They don't even believe that children should be well-educated.

Then when 2012 rolls around, they can take the time to render their final verdict on the GOP agenda.

(Via)