No mincing words

COLUMBUS

I’m still not sure whether to scoff at or cheer for outgoing state Rep. Steve Dyer.

The Akron-area Democrat and former newspaper reporter was ousted following a bitter election campaign that made his 5-year-old son cry. He isn’t mincing words about his early exit.

“I’m disappointed to be giving this farewell prematurely,” he said during one of the House’s final sessions.

I should back up a moment: Lawmakers returned to Columbus last week following a break of more than six months, and they spent much of their final sessions saying goodbye to one another in sometimes-lengthy floor speeches.

They passed a couple of bills — one aimed at combating human trafficking, the other designating an annual Ohio Turfgrass Week.

Otherwise, they spent their time singing praises to one another and talking about how hard departing members have worked.

Eye-rolling stuff

It’s usually lightweight, eye-rolling stuff that wouldn’t sit well with unemployed Ohioans wondering why the Legislature didn’t do more to help them find jobs.

In the House, the speaker yields his podium to outgoing members, allowing them a few moments to say thank you to staff and others and to make any final comments about their time in office.

Dyer’s farewell was among the longest — and most pointed — of the week.

He contrasted Democrats’ views of school funding reform, health care coverage and other issues with the stances of Republicans. He laid out an approach to dealing with next years $8 billion budget hole. He recited part of Dr. Suess’ “Green Eggs and Ham.”

And he continued talking even after Speaker Armond Budish stood up and tried to stop him.

On the Democrat-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate’s failure to pass needed legislation, Dyer offered this:

“The Senate won’t pass bills we passed over here because Democrats did them. Really? We won’t pass bills here because Republicans did them. Really? How bout let’s pass the bills because they make sense because the people want them.”

On dirty campaign tactics, he lectured, “We’re the people our families love, not the caricatures our campaigns promote. We are real people with real emotions and real families who feel real pain when the people they love are hammered with real negative ads.”

On his former colleagues in the news media, he pleaded, “We’re going to need a strong, questioning Fourth Estate next year, because there will be lots of everyone-should-share-the-pain-equally talk. It is your job to ask why.”

Pretty compelling stuff. Or over-the-top sour grapes.

I haven’t decided which yet.

Marc Kovac is The Vindicator’s Statehouse correspondent. E-mail him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog.