One?

Issue One, a referendum on the state constitution of Ohio that precedes a second referendum in November on whether to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution, is up for a vote tomorrow.   The abortion referendum is expected to get 58 percent of the vote.

However, the referendum up for a vote tomorrow - in literally the middle of summer, when a lot of people aren't paying attention - would raise the minimum majority for a referendum to change the state constitution to pass to 60 percent.

Republicans who crafted this referendum for a dastardly end run around the will of the people in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus - whose domeless rotunda, as seen above, looks incredibly weird - are counting on their base to come out strong tomorrow while running misleading ads pertaining to transsexual issues and education issues related to non-heterosexual perspectives to get independents to vote for Issue One.  I haven't seen any polls showing where the vote to raise the bar for popularly amending the Ohio state constitution stands, but Democrats have their work cut out for them to fend off this referendum.  Organizing Democrats is like herding cats, whereas Republicans organize themselves like a K-9 police unit organizes its German shepherds - with ruthless efficiency.

We are indeed living in scary times.  The people who dreamed up this idea will do anything to prevent their right-wing agenda from being thwarted, so they can continue to do nasty things like criminalize abortion, scale back voting rights, privatize public amenities, and burn more of the fossil fuels that cause climate change, which causes severe weather.

Speaking of which, my area in New Jersey is expected to get thunderstorms today.  Thanks, Big Oil. 

P.S.  Hey, Ohio Republicans: Focus more on immediate concerns, like getting a dome for your Statehouse!