Hello all:
The OFT Convention was held in Cleveland recently and several of our members attended. These are some of my thoughts about it:
One of the highlights for me of the OFT convention is the chance to hear from people who hold or aspire to public office. We get to see their soundbites on television but seeing them in person is different. Sometimes it is possible to interact with them personally but even without that it is interesting.
I know many of our membership have little or no interest in politics. Sometimes I think that some of us feel that politics are beneath us. What we should have learned in recent years, however, and what will be reinforced for us again later this year, is the idea that politics shape the dimensions of our professional life and that elections matter.
One of the speakers at the OFT convention was State Representative Connie Pillich. She is running for the office of State Treasurer this November. Connie is a Democrat from the Cincinnati area and she represents a majority-Republican district. She has served in that position for three terms – and one of her elections was decided by five votes.
Yes, five.
In Ohio there have been a number of recent elections that have been decided by relatively small numbers of votes. The demands being made upon our profession, which cost so many of us so much time and angst would be different if some of those elections had ended differently.
So, for me, the OFT convention reinforced the importance of voting and taking action in support of the candidates and issues I am for. And I intend to vote for Connie Pillich. You should very definitely vote for her too. (After all, I promised her that I would get her five votes.)
Brian Schaner
CHTU Vice President
