Endorsements for Ohio's 2012 Primary Election #EversoleReport

My 10 Favorite bars in America....

10.        Cadillac Ranch (Cincinnati)—First let me start by expressing my well known disdain for chain bars and restaurants. I will always prefer a dive that nobody has ever heard of. I think chains are destroying the character of our American cities. With that being said, I will now tell you why I love Cadillac Ranch regardless (Yes, CR is a chain; there are 13 locations across this great land).

The Ranch (as a group of friends and I affectionately refer) is a 10,000 sqft bar/restaurant in the heart of downtown Cincinnati. They serve the best fried food, play both types of music, country and classic rock, and most importantly serve delicious/strong drinks (for a chain that is). CR is a great place to enjoy dinner and then come 10pm, roll right into the binge drinking activities. Did I mention they have a mechanical bull? The drunken middle aged women really seem to take a liking to it around 12. 

9.       Kelly’s Irish Times (Washington DC)—Another interesting choice by me, this  time not because Kelly’s is a chain, but because I have only been to this fine establishment one time, and let me tell you, it left a mark.

Kelly’s is a small Irish pub on the Senates side of Capitol Hill. During my journey there from the House side of the Hill (lead by my fearless guide, Meghan) I thought I would never reach this much talked about happy hour spot, but then alas it seemed to descend from the heavens. Kelly’s is a small, old, wonderful place to go on a Friday afternoon and have a casual beer (or 7 in my case). The happy hour deals are great and it is filled with House and Senate staffers alike. I can’t think of a better place to relax on a hot summer afternoon inside the beltway. 

8.   Hofbrauhaus (Newport, KY)—I know, I know, another chain. This is a much smaller chain than the Ranch. The original Hofbrauhaus is a brewery turned bar in Munich. Since then the bar has spread to the United States, with locations in America’s finest drinking cities; Miami, Chicago, Milwaukee, Las Vegas and of course Cincinnati (Newport).

Hofbra is a massive place with bench style seating. On the weekends you can always catch some great live entertainment, and the beer calendar is top notch. Different beer each month, brewed by the Hofbrauhaus. The $8+ price tag for a single beer may cause some anxiety at first, but when you see the size of the mug and the ABV, you are going to be very happy. Drink fast, or it’ll get warm!

7. Molly Malones (Cincinnati)—Perhaps I am a little bias when it comes to Molly Malones, after all, I do live in the apartment above it. Prejudices aside, Molly Malones is a great Irish Pub in one of Cincinnati’s finest neighborhoods, Pleasant Ridge.

The interior is very classy, almost like an O’Charlies (but not a chain), the large bar is a beautiful dark wood and the lines of Jameson behind the bar are even more stunningly pristine.  The folks who come around Molly Malones are regulars and everyone really does know everyone’s name. It is a great week night bar, and a great place to have a few before heading out on the weekends. Oh, and did I mention St. Patrick’s Day. 

6. Timothy’s Bar and Grill (Dayton, OH)—Timothy’s Bar and Grill sits on the edge of the University of Dayton Campus. Tim’s, as the students call it, has been a UD staple for decades. Tim’s is probably best known for its wild Thursday nights and its signature drink, the Wall. A wall is a disgusting mess that will knock you on your ass, rather quickly. If you drink 6 in a night, you’ve built a house.

Amenities at Tim’s include a large, filthy dance floor, a lovely smoking patio and a number of crying, dramatic 19 year old women. I also won a free trip to Daytona at Tim’s my senior year, for that, my loyalty will be lifelong.

5. Brickyard Bar and Grill (Daytona Beach, FL)—Every summer for the last 6 years I have made a trip to Daytona Beach. One time for senior trip, once for spring break and the other 4 for the Dayton 2 Daytona trip. Every time I go to Daytona Beach, a stop at the Brickyard Bar and Grill is an absolute must.

I will add, this is the only place on the list known for their food, more than their drinks. The burgers and fries are the best I’ve ever had. The NASCAR memorabilia and atmosphere are simply wonderful, but do not be fooled, the drinks make the Brickyard a word class establishment. The bartender, Bee, makes the best Old Fashioned I’ve ever had. Her husband “Big D” makes the best burgers I’ve ever had. If you miss out on this hidden treasure, give up on life.

4. Eighteenth Street Lounge (Washington DC)—Eighteenth Street Lounge is without question the most pretentious location on my list. ESL is a trendy, urban, expensive bar in the heart of a trendy, urban, expensive neighborhood of Washington. The massive three story building was once home to our 26^th President, Teddy Roosevelt. The entire inside is hard wood floors, Victorian era furniture and low lighting. The best DJ’s in the city play there all weekend long, and the biggest names in politics and entertainment host parties at the ESL.

While the drinks are unnecessarily expensive and the people are not always friendly, if you want to feel like you’re on an episode of the Real World, this is the place to come. I also have a soft spot in my heart for this bar because I met both Andrew Breitbart and Laura Bush here.

3.  The Kennedy Union Pub (Dayton, OH)—Cafeteria by day, watering hole by night. The KU Pub on the campus of the University of Dayton has been a favorite of UD students for decades. After class on Friday students will file into the dining room where they had their lunch just a few hours before, to enjoy a few ice cold pitchers of their favorite brew with classmates and friends. There really is something special about drinking in the student union. It becomes even more special if you do so before you even return home to drop off you books.

The KU Pub holds a soft spot in the hearts of all UD students. That point was reiterated to the University officials in 2010 when UD announced the Pub would be closings its doors. The student body and alumni pulled together in a truly inspiring manner to raise awareness, money and ultimately, get the Pub open again. So once again, come Friday afternoon you know where you can find the lucky few who get to call themselves Dayton Flyers.

2. Anything in Mt. Adams (Cincinnati)—Cincinnati is a city that I am very fond of, but I will be the first to tell you it can get a little boring. When you’ve been to New York, LA, Miami, DC, Chicago, Vegas, etc… Cincinnati can seem a little low key and often can remind you how “Midwestern” it is. If there is one neighborhood in Cincinnati that lets you forget all of that it is Mt. Adams.

The narrow, winding, steep streets of Mt. Adams make you feel like you’re in a European village rather than a city in Ohio. The quaint shops, restaurants and bars that line the streets add to that effect. During the week it is a quiet, upper-class neighborhood where folks drive their Volvo’s, walk their dogs and sip latte’s. When the weekend comes, Mt Adams turns into the best party Cincinnati has to offer.

Mt. Adams offers world class dining, the best views of the skyline available and some of the coolest bars in the Midwest. The best part; all of that class and sophistication goes out the window on any typical weekend night around 1:45. At that point the hills of Mt. Adams are as loud as any college town, and the streets are soon to be flooded with thousands of twenty-somethings, just trying to make their way back to the suburbs. 

1.       Flanagan’s Pub (Dayton, OH)—Many are going to scoff at this, many will disagree, some might think Flanagan’s isn’t even a quality bar, to all of those people I say- piss off.

Flanagan’s is nestled quietly on the outskirts of the University of Dayton campus. Wednesday and Thursday nights Flanagan’s sells $1 well drinks all night. This is an amazing deal, and you can really have a good time. Just ask my friend Brett.

There is not a whole lot to say about Flanagan’s… I guess you just have to be there. It is a big open room, with lots of tables and lots of chairs. It is always filled with my best friends and the cheapest drinks. The family that owns it are great people and they love the community and costumers they serve. At the end of the day, there is nothing more I could really ask for in a bar. Thanks Flanagan’s.

Today we learn a lesson from yesterday

Today before we go out to enjoy this beautiful weekend I wanted to take just a moment to reflect.

Today is February 18^th and we have a lot to think about on this day. Most people don’t realize, but this is a very significant day in our nations history. 

First, it was 10 years ago today that we lost Dale Earnhardt. Dale should not only be remembered as the champion racer that he was, but also as a strong and patriotic conservative that loved the country he called home. Dale will always have a place in the heart of all red-blooded Americans who love and appreciate freedom. Thanks Dale.

Next, it was this day in 1964 when President Johnson punished European nations for trading with Cuba. Granted the sanctions Mr. Johnson imposed were miniscule, but still it was something and it was a symbolic swipe at an evil dictator.  President Obama could learn something, even from Mr. Welfare State himself, LBJ.

Our current President has done nothing but talk soft to Cuba and even go in the direction of removing economic sanctions with our tiny neighbor to the south. Sure, the liberal group “Happy Planet Index” can make the claim that Cuban’s are the 7^th happiest people on earth and Americans fall at number 114 (really, I’m not making that up… look it up, really), but we know that isn’t true. When you see 20 American citizens climbing onto a floating pile of sticks and almost getting eaten by a shark just so they can get to Havana and start a new life, you let me know and Ill say you’re right.  Like I said before, we know Cubans are not happy people and we know that is the fault of their oppressive government. Freedom is the lifeblood of a happy and fulfilled society.

Liberals have always said military action to promote freedom and her ideals isn’t the answer, but apparently to todays libs neither is economic sanction.  The President and his team of corrupt lawyers shouldn’t be taking a reduced stance on Cuba; they should be taking an increasingly hard stance on all evil dictators.

Lastly, let us remember that today was the first day that Jefferson Davis served as the President of the Confederacy. I always find the civil war to be a loud reminder of just how precious our liberty is.  The people who lived through that time and the President who got our nation through that time are truly our greatest generation. We must look at the history of this time and understand that our problems must be put into perspective and the hateful rhetoric from the left is in nobody’s best interest. Life is fragile and so is our wonderful nation, if not protected and cared for with great diligence and strength.

Let us remember the words of Ronald Wilson Reagan,   “freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It nust be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children what it was once like in the United States where men were free”.

Thanks friends-- Happy Friday. 

Liberals protest, conservatives debate.

Today hundreds of protesters descended on the statehouse in Columbus to protest proposed senate bill 5. In Wisconsin they've been protesting for the better part of two days.

When the President said a few years ago, it's time we all put skin in the game, the left howled with praise. Mr. President-- Please talk to your biggest supporters, unions and union organizers.

Public unions and public employees need to stand up and realize that this isn't just a recession for private sector employees. It's a recession for all of us. Public employees out earn their private counterparts in nearly all jobs. The main function of a labor union is outdated. However, a private company can decide if that's true for themselves. When it's tax payer money on the line- steps need to be taken to ensure tax payer protection.

We need more governors like we have in Ohio, Wisconsin and New Jersey. People who will stand up and take on the teachers unions- and the other public unions in the state.

We have a new reality in America and it's time everyone wake up. Union contracts can no longer pay you $70k annually to sweep the floors at the state house. Nor can they allow for under preforming teachers to get raises without merit based evaluation.

If a public employee has to contribute 7% to his own pension and 12% to his own healthcare, then so be it. Welcome to life for the rest of the country.

The entitlements that public unions have been giving state and local workers for the last 60 years needs to come to an end. The time is now and Governor Kasich is standing up and doing what the democrats have promised to do- but refused when given the chance.