Tag: West Chester

Amanda Ortiz of West Chester, Ohio: Democrat of the Year

I warned what would happen in West Chester Township during the November 2025 election, and it’s playing out just as I said it would.  I don’t want to pick on Amanda Ortiz personally—she seems like a pleasant enough young lady, a veterinarian and mom who presented herself in a way that felt approachable and non-threatening—but the reality is that her victory as a West Chester trustee represents something much larger and more dangerous than one local race. I warned everyone during the campaign that we should have stuck with Mark Welch, the longtime trustee who had helped build West Chester into the thriving, well-managed community it had become under Republican leadership. Instead, we now have a radical Democrat on the board, and the consequences are already starting to reveal themselves in ways that should worry every taxpayer and resident who values fiscal responsibility and growth without the typical left-wing overreach. Mark Welch was the only real hedge against the lean-Democrat influences that were already creeping into township decisions, and by losing him, we have opened the door to a shift that could erode the very foundations of what made West Chester successful in the first place. I have said it before, and I will say it again here: this was not just an election loss; it was a calculated Trojan horse maneuver by the Democrats, and the proof is right there in how they celebrated it afterward.

Let me walk through exactly how this unfolded because I believe people must understand the playbook Democrats are using in Republican strongholds like Butler County, Ohio, and across the country. Amanda Ortiz ran a campaign that deliberately downplayed her partisan affiliation. She did not go door-to-door shouting that she was a Democrat. She positioned herself as a nice mom, a community-oriented professional who cared about infrastructure, parks, and listening to residents rather than developers. Her website and materials emphasized “people over business,” which sounds reasonable on the surface, but in practice, it is code for a regulatory mindset that slows growth and increases costs for everyone else. People who were moderate or independent, or even some Republicans who were tired of seeing the same faces, listened to her and thought she represented a fresh, safe choice. They got suckered, plain and simple. I heard it from so many voters after the fact—folks who admitted they had no idea she was a card-carrying Democrat until after the ballots were cast. She kept it quiet, ran as a non-partisan in a technically non-partisan race on the ballot, and relied on the fact that most people do not dig deep into local trustee races. That is how Democrats win in places like West Chester, where the population has grown rapidly, and people are busy raising families rather than following every political nuance. They sneak in under the radar, sounding rational and moderate, and only reveal their true colors once they are safely behind the lines. I have watched this strategy play out time and again, and it only benefits Democrats in Republican areas because it creates ambiguity that allows them to peel off just enough votes from the center without mobilizing the full conservative base.

The proof of how Democrats viewed this victory came shortly after the election, at the Butler County Democratic Party’s Spring 2026 Gala. They awarded Amanda Ortiz their Democrat of the Year honor, and the room was packed with the party’s heavy hitters celebrating what they openly called a monumental win. I have followed local politics long enough to know that a township trustee seat in West Chester would normally not draw this statewide and even out-of-state attention, but here it was, front and center. Governor Andy Beshear from Kentucky flew up to speak at the event, using the platform to bash Vice President JD Vance and energize the crowd. Beshear, whom I have long maintained won his own close election through questionable means involving teacher unions and irregularities out of Louisville and Lexington, was there to lend his star power to this “victory.” Amy Acton was there too—the former Ohio Health Director under Governor Mike DeWine, who became the face of the COVID lockdowns that devastated our state’s economy and small businesses. She is now running for governor herself in 2026, and her presence alongside Beshear and the rest of the “misfit toys,” as I like to call them, sent a clear message: this seat mattered to them. Kathy Wyenandt, the chair of the Butler County Democrat Party and the architect of so much of their behind-the-scenes maneuvering, was at the heart of it all. She has always been nice to me personally, cordial and polite whenever our paths cross, but I have learned over the years that her brand of niceness is strategic. When you lack the raw political power to force your agenda through head-on, you smile, you build relationships, and you slip your candidates through the cracks. That is exactly what happened with Ortiz. No one knew who she was a year before the election, yet the party machinery got her across the finish line by keeping her Democrat identity low-key and letting her play the moderate mom card.

I have talked about this construct before in my writings and on my platforms, but it bears repeating here because Amanda Ortiz embodies the new Democrat strategy in places like Butler County. Their bench is shallow. They do not have deep pools of talent or proven leaders who can win on ideas alone in conservative territory. So instead, they recruit friendly faces who can pass as independents or moderates, avoid any mention of national Democrat policies that would scare off voters, and rely on the fact that local races often fly under the radar. Ortiz herself acknowledged in her acceptance remarks how grateful she was for the support of Kathy Wyenandt and others, as without them, she would not have been elected. That is code for admitting the party did the heavy lifting while she stayed in the background as the palatable front. Meanwhile, Mark Welch had been there for years, carrying forward policies that George Lang and others had helped establish—policies that turned West Chester into a model of explosive growth, strong infrastructure, and fiscal prudence. Welch was not flashy, but he was steady. He understood the balance between development and quality of life. He had built relationships and institutional knowledge that kept the township humming. Republicans around him, influenced by advisors who thought they needed to court moderates by pairing him with Lee Wong—a candidate who leans a bit more toward the center and attracts crossover appeal—made the fatal mistake of playing it too safe. They advised Welch not to go on the attack, not to “punch Democrats in the face” by exposing Ortiz’s true affiliations and the broader agenda she represented. Instead, they tried to run a cordial, moderate campaign, assuming Butler County’s Republican lean would carry the day. That was a miscalculation, and it cost us the seat.

I remember talking with Mark Welch around election time, and he expressed readiness to move on to other things after so many years of service, but he stayed in the race largely to hold the line for the township’s future. He had been a bulwark against the kind of creeping leftward drift that Democrats specialize in once they gain a foothold. West Chester’s success did not happen by accident. It came from years of Republican-led decisions that encouraged business growth while protecting the residential quality of life. The cash reserves, the infrastructure investments, the explosive population boom—all of that was built on policies that prioritized results over ideology. But now, with a Democrat on the board, I fully expect to see that foundation tested. Democrats are not known for preserving the status quo in places like this; they tend to burn through reserves with new spending priorities, push for more regulations under the guise of “sustainability” or “equity,” and gradually shift the culture. I have seen it in other communities, and the pattern is predictable. The explosive growth that fueled West Chester’s prosperity will be at risk if the board starts listening more to activist voices than to the taxpayers who actually fund the operation. That is why this seat mattered so much to the Democrats. It was not just one trustee position; it was a crack in the armor of one of Ohio’s most reliably Republican townships. They poured resources into it, celebrated it nationally by bringing in Beshear, and used it as a rallying cry because they see it as proof that their Trojan horse model works.

Too many Republicans fell for the moderate trap. I have been vocal about this for years, and people dismiss me as the guy in the cowboy hat who shoots guns and talks tough—but they always work in the background to steer people who should listen, away, but the record shows I am right more often than not. Look at the FirstEnergy scandal a few years back, where Democrats framed legitimate energy policy debates as corruption, and Republicans got defensive instead of fighting back on principle. Some ended up in jail because they failed to defend the traditional bases of power against the incursion of renewable energy. The same dynamic played out in West Chester. Advisors told Mark Welch and the local party to play nice, to embrace moderates like Lee Wong, to avoid aggressive attacks because voters supposedly wanted civility. But history proves otherwise. Look at George Lang’s campaigns—he has always been cordial in public, willing to talk to anyone, including Kathy Wyenandt, but when it comes to winning, he knows how to draw the line and mobilize the base. Successful Republicans do not win by bleeding over Democrats; they win by energizing their own voters and exposing the opposition for what it is. Donald Trump proved this time and again. He did not play nice; he punched back, exposed weaknesses, and forced the other side to defend indefensible positions. That is how you get turnout and loyalty. Playing in the middle of the road gets you run over. I told people during the campaign that if we wanted to keep West Chester red and strong, we had to treat this race like the battle it was. Instead, the gloves stayed on, and Democrats slipped Ortiz through.

This connects directly to what is happening at higher levels, too. Amy Acton is using the same playbook in her run for governor—positioning herself as a doctor who cares about people, downplaying the economic destruction her lockdown policies caused during COVID. She destroyed small businesses, prolonged unnecessary restrictions, and Ohio still has not fully recovered in many sectors. Yet she is out there smiling, talking about “power back to the people,” and Democrats are lapping it up. Beshear’s visit to the gala was no coincidence; he sees Ohio as a battleground and this local win as a template. Kathy Wyenandt has orchestrated this model for years. She ran for state senate herself back in 2020, lost, but stayed embedded in the county party, building relationships and waiting for opportunities like this. She is nice when she needs to be because she understands power dynamics. When Republicans hold the majority, as they do in Butler County, the only way for Democrats to advance is through deception and incremental gains. Sneak in a trustee here, a school board member there, keep the races non-partisan on paper so voters do not scrutinize the D next to the name, and slowly erode the conservative advantage. It is a long game, and they are patient. Meanwhile, too many Republicans think civility will win the day. I have heard it from moderate voices: “Don’t listen to that crazy Rich Hoffman; and his cowboy hat, bullwhips and talks about punching people.” But the truth is, elections are not won by being the nicest guy in the room. They are won by showing a path to victory and fighting for it.

I have always believed that people vote for winners, not for moderates who split the difference. Trump’s success was built on that truth. He did not apologize for being aggressive; he celebrated it. Vivek Ramaswamy is going to have to learn the same lesson as his own campaign heat up. Playing nice with the establishment or trying to bleed over left-leaning voters only works if you are already in a dominant position, and even then, it is risky. In a place like Butler County, where registered Republicans far outnumber Democrats, the winning formula is to expose the Trojan horse before it crosses the gates. We should have hammered the fact that Ortiz was the Democrat Party’s chosen candidate. We should have highlighted her endorsements and the national figures waiting in the wings to celebrate her. Instead, the campaign listened to advisors who thought Lee Wong’s moderate appeal would carry the ticket. Wong brings in some crossover, sure, but at what cost? When the race tightened, that strategy left Welch vulnerable. People took for granted how good Welch had been. He had helped implement policies that kept taxes reasonable, infrastructure moving, and growth exploding. West Chester’s success was built on Republican vision, and now Democrats are positioning themselves to claim credit while quietly undermining the principles that made it possible.

Looking back, I can see the buyer’s remorse already setting in among some voters who supported Ortiz, thinking she was a safe, independent choice. Christians, especially people of faith who value traditional values and fiscal conservatism are particularly vulnerable.  We need that same clarity here. Moderates and independents who listened to Ortiz’s pitch about parks and walkability did not realize they were voting for a party that celebrates lockdown architects like Acton and out-of-state governors who benefit from questionable election practices. I stand by my view that Beshear’s first win involved enough irregularities through teacher unions and urban strongholds to tip the scales. The details from Louisville and Lexington have never been fully addressed, and this fits the pattern of Democrats resorting to deceit when ideas alone cannot prevail. Whether it is election irregularities or Trojan horse candidacies, the result is the same: power gained through misdirection rather than merit.

The interconnections here are fascinating and telling. Kathy Wyenandt, Amy Acton, Andy Beshear, and the entire Butler County Democrat machine rallied around Amanda Ortiz because they recognize a model when they see one. A minor trustee seat became their national rallying cry because it showed they could infiltrate Republican territory without triggering a full defensive response. They will copy this playbook everywhere—find a likable face, run non-partisan, keep the D quiet, and celebrate quietly at galas with big-name guests to build momentum. It worked here because Republicans underestimated the threat and overestimated the value of moderation. George Lang has shown the right way: be cordial when possible, but fight to win when it counts. I remember specific elections where challengers who got “down and dirty,” as the saying goes, came out on top because they connected with voters who want strength, not appeasement. The secret sauce is showing you are willing to win, not just participate.

As I reflect on all of this, I cannot help but reference my own book, The Gunfighter’s Guide to Business. It lays out the philosophy I have lived by: in any competition, whether business or politics, you prepare for the fight, you understand the terrain, and you do not hesitate to draw when necessary. Playing nice only works if the other side respects the rules, and Democrats have shown they do not. They use sweetness as a weapon when outgunned, then reveal their agenda once inside the gates. I told everyone this would happen with Ortiz. I warned that Mark Welch’s experience and steadiness were irreplaceable in the short term. People dismissed it as over-the-top, but now the proof is in the award she received and the high-profile attendees who showed up to congratulate her. Democrats are proud of this win because it validates their shallow-bench strategy. They do not have a deep roster of stars; they have to manufacture victories like this one. That is why Beshear came from Kentucky and Acton showed up—they see it as a blueprint for flipping Ohio one local seat at a time.

The months ahead will test West Chester in ways we have not seen before. With Ortiz on the board, I expect more emphasis on “resident voices” that conveniently align with progressive priorities—more spending on social programs disguised as infrastructure, pressure to slow development under environmental pretexts, and a gradual shift away from the pro-growth policies that built our cash reserves. The explosive growth we have enjoyed will begin to be strained under new ideological weights, and the positive gains Mark Welch helped secure will be spent down. That is the Democrat nature: they inherit success and then erode it. I have seen it in school boards, county seats, and trustee races across Ohio. Non-partisan labeling only helps them in red areas because it hides the ball. Voters who lean conservative or independent think they are making a safe choice, but they are actually handing power to people whose national party pushes policies that would never win in a straight-up partisan fight here.

Republicans in Butler County and beyond need to learn the lesson: expose the Trojan horse early, attack the strategy aggressively, and mobilize the base by showing you are fighters, not moderators. Lee Wong’s approach might bring in a few crossover votes, but it leaves the door open for the very incursions we saw with Ortiz. Trump proved you win by being unapologetic. Vivek will have to internalize that as primaries approach. Amy Acton will try the nice-moderate route for governor, but the way to beat her is to knock her off her feet with the truth about lockdowns and economic damage. The same goes for every local race. Kathy Wyenandt’s model relies on Republicans playing nice. Deny her that, and the weaknesses become obvious. Their base is thin; they rely on deceit because ideas alone do not sell in places like West Chester.

People who voted for Ortiz because she seemed like a nice alternative to a longtime incumbent are already starting to feel that buyer’s remorse I mentioned. I talk to them regularly—moderates, independents, even some who thought they were supporting a Republican-leaning independent. They tell me they did not realize the full picture until the gala photos surfaced and the awards were handed out. That is the danger of low-information local voting. Trustees matter. They control budgets, zoning, and infrastructure—decisions that directly impact your property values, taxes, and daily life. When Democrats sneak one in, it is not harmless; it is the thin edge of the wedge. I do not doubt that the Democrat Party will try to replicate this in other townships, school boards, and county offices. The gala was not just a celebration; it was a strategy session disguised as a party. Out-of-state attention from Beshear signaled that this is now a national template. A trustee seat in West Chester drew Kentucky’s governor because Democrats see Ohio as winnable if they can chip away at the red wall one non-partisan race at a time.

I take no pleasure in saying “I told you so,” but the record shows I did. I urged people to support Mark Welch, to recognize the threat, to fight rather than accommodate. Listening to the moderate voices who advised playing it safe cost us. West Chester is too important to let it slip through niceness and naivety. The township’s success was built on strong Republican leadership, and preserving it requires the same aggressive defense that Trump and other proven winners have demonstrated. If we learn from this, expose future Trojan horses before they arrive, and reject the idea that moderation equals victory, we can reverse the damage. Democrats are proud of Ortiz because she represents their best shot at relevance in a county that should be solidly red. Their celebration with Acton, Beshear, and Wyenandt shows how desperate and coordinated they are. Our response must meet that coordination with clarity, energy, and a willingness to punch back. That is how elections are won, how communities stay strong, and how we prevent the kind of regret that is now settling over too many voters who gave Amanda Ortiz a chance she never should have had. The future of West Chester and similar communities depends on remembering this lesson: nice gets you nothing when the other side is playing for keeps. Fight smart, fight hard, and win.

Footnotes

1.  Journal-News article on longtime West Chester trustee unseated, November 6, 2025, detailing Amanda Ortiz’s victory over Mark Welch.

2.  Ballotpedia entry for Amanda Ortiz’s 2025 campaign for West Chester Township Trustee.

3.  Amanda Ortiz for Trustee campaign website, outlining her platform and background.

4.  ABC News report on Andy Beshear’s remarks at the Butler County Democratic Party Spring Gala, March 22, 2026.

5.  Ohio Capital Journal coverage of Amy Acton’s announcement and campaign for Ohio governor, January 2025 onward.

6.  Butler County Democratic Party official website listing Kathy Wyenandt as chair.

7.  Overmanwarrior.wordpress.com post from February 4, 2026, discussing the West Chester election and Democratic endorsement of Ortiz.

8.  Historical context on FirstEnergy scandal drawn from public records and Ohio political reporting.

9.  Election results from the Butler County Board of Elections, November 2025.

10.  George Lang campaign references from prior Butler County and state-level coverage.

Bibliography

•  “Longtime West Chester Twp. trustee unseated in election.” Journal-News, November 6, 2025. https://www.journal-news.com/news/longtime-west-chester-twp-trustee-unseated-in-election/CD2ADHRUKVC2JOIQSCMINM3MWE/

•  Ballotpedia. “Amanda Ortiz (West Chester Township Trustee).” https://ballotpedia.org/Amanda_Ortiz_(West_Chester_Township_Trustee_Board_At-large_(Butler_County),_Ohio,_candidate_2025)

•  Amanda Ortiz for the Trustee official site. https://www.amandaortizfortrustee.com/

•  ABC News. “Democrat Beshear lashes into Vance in Ohio.” March 22, 2026. https://abcnews.com/Politics/democrat-beshear-lashes-vance-ohio-escalating-tensions-ahead/story?id=131307193

•  Ohio Capital Journal. “Dr. Amy Acton is running for Ohio governor.” January 7, 2025. https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/01/07/dr-amy-acton-is-running-for-ohio-governor/

•  Butler County Democratic Party. Official party page and leadership listing. https://www.butlercountydems.org/our-party

•  Overmanwarrior.wordpress.com. February 4, 2026, archive post on the West Chester election. https://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2026/02/04/

•  Additional election data from the Ohio Secretary of State and the Butler County Board of Elections certified results, November 2025.

•  Hoffman, Rich. The Gunfight Guide to Business (self-published, referenced for philosophical context on competitive strategy).

•  Various local reporting on Lee Wong, Mark Welch, and George Lang campaigns from Cincinnati and Butler County media outlets, 2021–2025.

Rich Hoffman

More about me

Click Here to Protect Yourself with Second Call Defense https://www.secondcalldefense.org/?affiliate=20707

About the Author: Rich Hoffman

Rich Hoffman is an aerospace executive, political strategist, systems thinker, and independent researcher of ancient history, the paranormal, and the Dead Sea Scrolls tradition. His life in high‑stakes manufacturing, high‑level politics, and cross‑functional crisis management gives him a field‑tested understanding of power — both human and unseen.

He has advised candidates, executives, and public leaders, while conducting deep, hands‑on exploration of archaeological and supernatural hotspots across the world.

Hoffman writes with the credibility of a problem-solver, the curiosity of an archaeologist, and the courage of a frontline witness who has gone to very scary places and reported what lurked there. Hoffman has authored books including The Symposium of Justice, The Gunfighter’s Guide to Business, and Tail of the Dragon, often exploring themes of freedom, individual will, and societal structures through a lens influenced by philosophy (e.g., Nietzschean overman concepts) and current events.

The Anti-Business Amanda Ortiz: A socialist experiment people will quickly regret

The recent election in West Chester Township, Ohio, marked a significant shift in local governance when political newcomer Amanda Ortiz unseated longtime incumbent Trustee Mark Welch in the November 4, 2025, general election. West Chester Township, located in Butler County and known for its strong economic growth, low tax burden, and high quality of life, has long been a model of conservative-leaning, business-friendly administration in a largely Republican-leaning area. The township’s success stems from a deliberate balance between residential appeal and commercial/industrial development, which generates substantial tax revenue to fund services without heavy reliance on property taxes from homeowners. This model has positioned West Chester as one of the most desirable places to live in the United States, attracting families and businesses alike.

The 2025 trustee race involved four candidates vying for two at-large seats on what they call a nonpartisan Board of Trustees, but there is no such thing. Incumbent Lee Wong retained his position with 26.1% of the vote, while Amanda Ortiz emerged as the top vote-getter at 27.1%. Mark Welch, who had served for 12 years and was widely credited with contributing to the township’s prosperity through pro-growth policies, finished third with 24.3%. Alyssa Louagie received 22.5%. Ortiz’s victory was narrow but decisive, reflecting voter turnout and a desire among some residents for fresh perspectives focused on “resident-first” priorities.

Amanda Ortiz, a veterinarian, has lived in West Chester since 2016, not very long, with her husband, Matt, and their two young daughters. She holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University (earned in 2010) and has worked in private practice and at a local cat shelter, focusing on animal welfare, rehabilitation, and placement for abused or neglected animals. Her campaign emphasized shifting township decisions away from developer priorities toward residents’ needs, including better roads, safer intersections, more walkable communities, improved parks, bike lanes, sidewalks, and collaboration with local schools. Her platform slogan, “People over Business,” highlighted concerns about overdevelopment and the impact of rapid commercial growth on quality of life.

Ortiz campaigned as a community-oriented candidate and mother, stressing resident-focused governance. She received support from groups such as Matriots Ohio, an organization that promotes women in local politics. While the trustee race is officially non-partisan under Ohio law for township positions, questions arose post-election about her political leanings. Some residents and observers noted endorsements or alignments that suggested Democrat sympathies, though her campaign materials did not prominently feature party affiliation. Her website and social media focused on practical, family-centric issues such as pedestrian safety and parks, rather than overtly partisan rhetoric. Critics, including some who felt misled, pointed to her as embodying a “concerned mom” archetype common in suburban Democrat circles—prioritizing protective measures for children, such as traffic calming, bike paths, and limits on aggressive development that might increase truck traffic or visual impacts near homes.

Mark Welch, by contrast, represented continuity with the township’s established pro-business approach. During his tenure, West Chester maintained a healthy mix of residential and commercial properties, with industrial and warehouse developments along corridors like State Route 747 contributing significant tax revenue. These developments help keep residential property taxes low, fund schools and services, and allow the township to operate in the black without excessive burdens on homeowners. Welch and similar trustees have supported strategic growth that attracts jobs and revenue while preserving the residential character that draws families to the area.

This highlights a common tension in growing suburbs: rapid commercial expansion, particularly warehouses and logistics facilities near major roads like I-75 and SR 747, can bring economic benefits but also drawbacks. Residents on the western side of the township, or near these corridors, have expressed dissatisfaction with the volume of such developments, citing increased traffic, noise, and landscape changes. Some developments in the area predate Ortiz’s election and involvement, but her campaign rhetoric about prioritizing residents over developers resonated with those wary of unchecked growth. Post-election, discussions have included concerns that her third vote on the board could tilt decisions toward more restrictive policies on commercial projects, potentially disrupting the revenue balance that has kept taxes low.

This dynamic reflects broader patterns in American suburbs. Many high-growth areas in Ohio and elsewhere attract newcomers fleeing high-tax, heavily regulated blue states or cities, seeking lower taxes, safer streets, and better schools. Yet once settled, some voters support candidates who advocate for “quality of life” measures—slower growth, stricter development regulations, and enhanced safety features like bike lanes and stop signs—that can inadvertently strain the economic engine sustaining low taxes. Democrats or left-leaning independents often emphasize resident protections, environmental concerns, and family safety, sometimes at the expense of pro-business policies. In conservative-leaning townships like West Chester, non-partisan races can obscure these differences until after the vote, leading to feelings of deception when post-election actions or affiliations emerge.

The “protective mother” instinct is a real phenomenon, rooted in biology and amplified by modern parenting culture. Mothers of young children often prioritize risk aversion—slowing traffic, adding buffers near roads, enforcing helmet laws, or limiting perceived hazards—which can translate into policy preferences for greater government intervention in everyday life. While sympathetic in personal contexts, these instincts in elected office can lead to overregulation that stifles growth or unfairly shifts costs. In West Chester’s case, the township’s success relies on commercial tax contributions offsetting residential demands. If policies tilt too far toward restricting warehouses and industrial sites in favor of purely residential zoning, revenue could decline, leading to higher property taxes or service cuts—precisely what many residents moved to Butler County to escape.

Economic literacy plays a key role here. Conservative trustees like Welch understand that a balanced tax base—residential charm paired with commercial vitality—is essential to fiscal health. Democrats or progressive-leaning officials sometimes focus on spending priorities (schools, parks, social services) without grasping how revenue is generated. Ohio’s ongoing property tax debates, school funding challenges, and shifting revenue streams make this balance even more critical.

Ortiz was sworn in on January 13, 2026, alongside returning Trustee Lee Wong, with Butler County Common Pleas Court Judge Erik Niehaus administering the oath. Her term runs through December 31, 2029. Early actions include participation in township initiatives, such as updates to development moratoriums along corridors like Cincinnati-Dayton Road and SR 747, to support planning studies. These steps suggest ongoing attention to growth management, which could align with her campaign promises but test the board’s commitment to economic balance.

The election outcome serves as a cautionary tale about voter complacency in non-partisan races. Longtime incumbents like Welch can be taken for granted, especially after years of success. Voters seeking “something new” may overlook underlying differences until policies shift. In West Chester, a community that has thrived under pro-growth leadership, the addition of a trustee who prioritizes resident protections over business expansion could lead to noticeable changes—higher scrutiny of developments, greater emphasis on walkability and safety, or resistance to certain commercial projects. If these alter the tax base or growth trajectory, residents may face the hard lessons of ideological shifts in local government.

West Chester’s story is not unique; similar dynamics play out in suburbs nationwide, where prosperity breeds experimentation with new ideas, sometimes at the risk of eroding what made the place attractive. The coming years will reveal whether Ortiz’s approach enhances or undermines the township’s model. For those who supported continuity, it underscores the importance of vetting candidates beyond surface appeal. For others, it represents a chance to test resident-focused governance in a high-performing community.

Ultimately, local elections matter profoundly because they directly shape daily life—taxes, services, development, and community character. West Chester’s trajectory under its new board will offer valuable insights into balancing growth, resident concerns, and fiscal responsibility in modern America.  And I would bet that people will regret voting for this liberal experiment quickly.

Bibliography and Further Reading

•  Journal-News article: “Longtime West Chester Twp. trustee unseated in election” (November 6, 2025) – Primary source on election results and candidate statements.

•  West Chester Township official website: Board of Trustees page and news releases (e.g., swearing-in on January 13, 2026).

•  Amanda Ortiz campaign website: amandaortizfortrustee.com – Platform details and priorities.

•  Ballotpedia: Entries for Amanda Ortiz and Mark Welch (2025 candidate profiles).

•  Butler County Board of Elections: Official 2025 general election results.

•  Additional context on Ohio township governance and non-partisan races from Ohio.gov election resources.

Rich Hoffman

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Vote For Mark Welch on November 4th 2025: Its all about keeping West Chester great and taxes low

I think it’s an easy decision to vote for Mark Welch for West Chester Trustee.  He has been in that position since 2013 and is running for another term. West Chester has thrived during his tenure.  Several other people are running for Trustee this time as well, including another incumbent, Lee Wong, and a few others who are various degrees of Democrats.  Mark is a solid Republican who carries several endorsements, including those of Warren Davidson.  Given the nature of the 2025 election in November, I think Mark is the best pick, but we can’t take anything for granted.  There have been many new people from more Democrat areas who have moved into the area, and the hope of the opposition is that they’ll be able to take over the West Chester trustees, as they have been trying to do for many decades now.  However, we’ve managed to keep the politics relatively good, anchored behind Mark, which has created a very pro-business environment in West Chester, resulting in significant revenue and low taxes.  However, we have had some people fall off the rocker over the years, and Mark could use some help as a trustee.  But first, he needs to get re-elected.  And his message is one that everyone can understand. If you like West Chester, as many do, and see it as one of the best places in the world to live, which it is, then vote for Mark Welch, because he’s a big reason that it has been great for so long.  When rival people who want to run for his seat say we need to “change,” consider what that means.  To change from good to bad.  Because that is the only kind of change they intend.  The only type of change Democrats could give West Chester is to make it change from good to bad. 

The foundation was set when Mark Welch joined Senator Lang as a trustee all those years ago.  Before that, it was just George Lang who fought off two other trustees, one of whom was Lee Wong, who is also up for re-election.  When Mark won, he replaced one of the two liberals, and suddenly there was a two-vote majority. Over the last decade, they have kept taxes low and business interactions very friendly, which has helped maintain home values and made the township one of the most competitive anywhere, earning it the title of ‘best place to live’ many times.  George Lang has since moved on to other political positions and taken the West Chester message to the Ohio Statehouse, where he has done a great job as the current Senate Majority Whip.  And Mark has held down the fort.  We replaced George’s seat with a tea party-type person who was good for a while.  But people change over time, and she has gone wobbly in the knees and is more Democrat these days.  So Mark needs help.  Lee, even with all his problems that have been well chronicled over the years, votes with Mark a lot.  However, without Mark on the board, Lee will likely vote for the Democrats, which is the current situation.  Mark is the one who stands between success and failure in government in West Chester.  Democrats, seeing some of the changing demographics in the area, are licking their chops at a chance to interrupt a Republican foothold position, as they have on the Lakota school board, which just voted as all Democrats do, to implement the most significant school tax increase in Ohio history, which is also on the ballot for the November election.  They hope that enough Democrats will vote for the levy to carry some of these Democrat challengers over the top and to knock off Mark, after many years of trying. 

The meet and greet for Mark Welch was held at Lori’s Roadhouse, which is an excellent spot for that kind of thing.  Those who attended had a chance to really get to know what Mark and his wife, Karen, are like.  I filmed Mark’s speech and some of the activities at the event, so that people who weren’t there could have the opportunity to see the person beyond the yard signs.  Many people asked me what I thought about the race while we enjoyed the atmosphere.  There were a lot of GOP officeholders there to support Mark, so he is well represented with great enthusiasm.  However, many people were nervous about this one because the Democrats seem more confident than usual that they’ll pick up that critical seat.  And what I told everyone was that I thought Mark would win his seat back.  That people weren’t willing to change West Chester into something less desirable, and that they would keep Mark in his position as long as he wanted to run.  But it will come down to engagement.  Republicans need to show up to this election and vote against the Lakota levy, vote for Lakota School Board candidate Ben Nguyen, and, of course, vote for Mark Welch, as everything points to.  Low taxes and a resistance to Democrats, who always want to expand government, spend money, and micromanage people in detrimental ways.  Republicans will need to treat this election as if it had Trump on the ballot.  And if they do that, many good things will happen in this election.  However, people must take it seriously and show up; they can’t sit out on this election.  In many ways, it’s more important than last year’s when Trump was running for President. 

It’s challenging to raise money at fundraisers, and it’s expensive to print signs and host some of these political events.  And Mark and Karen have done the work.  I thought it was very classy that Mark called Ben Nguyen up on the stage, who is a very sharp young man, and introduced him as the future of Butler County politics, which I tend to agree with.  And Ben said something very true: it is cheaper to give money as a donation to these Republican politicians who will stand in the trenches and hold back tax increases than to pay for the massive tax increases that Democrats always want to put forth.  And that is certainly true of Mark.  If he had not been a West Chester Trustee, taxes would have gone up in West Chester a long time ago.  But because he was there over the last 10 years, West Chester, Ohio, has thrived in ways that are unique to the rest of the country.  As a result, people have had opportunities for truly fulfilling lives.  As I listened to Mark’s speech, I thought about all the charming aspects of West Chester that I enjoy, such as taking clients to Top Golf, going out to dinner at Jags, and the many books I buy at Barnes & Noble.  The nice roads, the many businesses, the parks, the hospitals, and the excellent highway access.  The low taxes.  Mark is at the center of all that and is a big reason why West Chester has remained great all this time.  And we want to keep it that way with a vote for another term.  Supporting Mark is significantly less expensive than the taxes that all the Democrat challengers wish to implement.  Nobody should take this election for granted.  Show up and vote.  Don’t give the Democrats a seat at the table because the only change they can bring with them is various degrees of bad.  And we certainly don’t want that.  So, vote to keep Mark Welch as trustee of West Chester and keep the community as the one that the world needs to watch and emulate for themselves. 

Rich Hoffman

Click Here to Protect Yourself with Second Call Defense https://www.secondcalldefense.org/?affiliate=20707

The Bike Paths of Agenda 21: They cost a lot of money and very few people use them, especially in conservative West Chester

I’m probably the last person not to like bike paths.  I use the newly created bike paths and trails in the West Chester and Liberty Township areas extensively for the videos I make with these articles I write.  I have spent thousands of hours on them filming these videos, so I would say it’s safe to say I am an extensive user and have walked every mile of all of them many times over.  However, I understand why West Chester Trustee Mark Welch is not a fan of the proposed connecting bike path that has been discussed for running through West Chester, from the Mason area, aiming to link the Little Miami River to the Great Miami.  There is a long-planned fantasy to connect those rivers through this part of southern Ohio, and logic is not at the center of any considerations.  This issue recently arose when I was writing an article about vertiports in West Chester, and Mark and I discussed the bike paths and parks that are part of the United Nations’ Agenda 21 and 2030 sustainability plans, which end up in local planning offices across the United States.  The blind commitment to bike paths from foreign planning commissions that cost a lot of money is going to be a centerpiece to the re-election of Mark Welch and whether we embrace a future off the lessons of the past, or we follow the mindless dictates of foreign influence and their radical ideas about climate science that are at the heart of building more green space to inspire humans not to use their cars so much, and to get healthier lifestyles that don’t put too much burden on the top heavy cost health care industry that is corrupted by labor unions and pharmaceutical company monopoly status. 

The current dream is to connect bike path infrastructure along Tylersville Road, West Chester and to meet up with the existing bike path built near the Trinity Pub in Port Union.  Before I outline my next comments, I see numerous positive uses for these bike paths. I have a grandson who is riding them all over the state.  He and his dad are planning a trip to Cleveland from their home along the Loveland Bike Trail, which is used pretty extensively. However, proportionally speaking, we are still talking about under 2% of the population that uses them at any particular time.  They are not being used in the way that Agenda 21 sustainability planners envisioned in their communist fantasies.  Nothing ever works out as planned.  However, I think they are pretty neat in a luxury-oriented culture.  It’s nice to have them, but they are not used by most taxpayers, not even occasionally.  So Mark’s position in West Chester is to put the issue to a vote, and if people vote in favor of spending money on the bike paths, then he’d be all for it.  However, paying good money from the current tax base is not a good idea, as it is using government power in the wrong way.  Bike paths are not a core competency of government, and for the trustees of West Chester, it’s too much to ask them to take on.  But for the bottom feeders who are trying to knock Mark out of this race and to take his seat, completing these bike paths with taxpayer money will be one of the foundations of their campaigns as a feel-good sentiment that does not have broad appeal, but might sound like a good idea without context. 

The bike path that starts at Port Union, near the Trinity Pub, cost approximately $13.8 million to construct.  It was relatively easy because it runs along the property that used to be part of the Erie Canal, which ran from Hamilton down into downtown Cincinnati through the Mill Creek Valley.  Before there was even a railroad, or I-75, there was the Erie Canal.  That’s why Port Union is named that way, because that was a port of entry for getting on the canal.  So, what was left of it was open, unused land that was perfect for building a bike path to preserve parts of it for historical perspective.  The land was relatively easy to acquire, and to the north of it was raw farmland with minimal residential properties to contend with.  And that is the constant theme of most of the bike paths that have sprung up all over Ohio, including the one my nine-year-old grandson plans to use to ride to Cleveland and back.  I think it’s a pretty bold and cool idea for him and his dad to do, as I show them here using the bike paths for training for that adventure together.  But most of those bike paths are built along rivers and railroads, and don’t involve much eminent domain.  However, to cut through West Chester, it will be costly to create the bike path because there is a lot of private property to acquire, and numerous eminent domain cases will be a significant issue.  So it’s nowhere near as easy as building the bike path at Port Union.  Bike paths, under the best conditions, cost approximately $ 250,000 to $ 500,000 per mile.  The cost increases significantly when private property is involved, as it would be in West Chester, Ohio.  A concept that the Agenda 21 planners never anticipated, given that their monetary policy was based on Modern Monetary Theory, where they planned for governments to print fake money. In Europe, the concept of private property often takes a back seat to state needs and desires.  The people who want bike paths in West Chester are those kinds of Democrat thinkers. 

So, I spend a lot of time at the one by Trinity Pub, and I hardly ever see anybody there.  When the Trinity Pub was built, it was intended to be a hub for the bike path, and it would be a great idea if people used the trail.  But that little restaurant has barely hung on and is under its latest set of owners, who are trying to get things going there, but without much success.  I’d like to see them make it, but the bike path hasn’t helped them at all because nobody uses it.  So with all this expense involved, why do them?  Although I like and use them, the cost does not make sense.  Especially when private property acquisition is involved, these bike paths form an extensive network, and I was surprised to see how nice they are, even in remote areas between Middletown, Ohio, and Franklin, along the Great Miami River.  They are nice to have, but they are part of a luxury culture that can afford them.  They will never be used in the way the Agenda 21 planners envisioned, as a means to replace cars, save the planet from human beings, and keep people from traveling on vacation because they had plenty of parks in their neighborhoods to visit.  All the central planners involved in America got suckered by this European fantasy, and Mark Welch has declared himself not to be one of those suckers.  If voters want to raise their taxes to pay for something that they will never use, then fine.  But in the back of all logic, it says that people don’t care.  Especially if they have to pay for it out of their own pockets, and when it comes to the West Chester Bike Path to connect the Little Miami River to the Great Miami River, they just won’t. 

Rich Hoffman

Click Here to Protect Yourself with Second Call Defense https://www.secondcalldefense.org/?affiliate=20707

Vivek Ramaswamy is Coming to West Chester to Announce He’s Running for Governor: ‘Truths’ are that Ohio can have the greatest economy

You might have heard that Vivek Ramaswamy will announce his run for governor in Cincinnati on February 24th, which I think is fantastic.  There is a long story to that, but needless to say, I’m happy to see that Vivek intends to bring to Ohio an economy that would rival the country of Taiwan.  When I first learned that Vivek was planning to run for governor with President Trump’s complete blessing, I was just a little excited by the prospect that the author of Woke Inc and three other similar books that have come out over the last few years was going to be the governor of a state I care about quite a lot.  I have never liked that Ohio was called a Rust Belt state, as if it were some washed-up carcass of years gone by.  I know Vivek a bit, as I’ve met him several times.  And I know many people who work closely with him, as very good friends.  From the first time I met him at the Middletown Republican Party headquarters at a small event where we could all talk to each other, I knew there was a lot very special about Vivek Ramaswamy.   I know what he wants to do and am very excited to see it.  Remember in December of 2024 when I told everyone about the Hyperloop in Monroe, Ohio, and longevity clinics to challenge traditional healthcare strategies? I said all those things knowing that Vivek intended to run for governor as a direct extension of the Trump administration.  That he was turning away from working with Elon Musk and D.O.G.E. to do this vital thing.  And now it’s going to be announced officially that he’s coming to his hometown to do something that I can only say could be spectacular for the State of Ohio. 

Knowing I would be a part of this announcement, I figured I’d catch up on his books, especially the last one, Truths.  I love Vivek’s books, but I didn’t read this last one as I usually would on the first day of publication or upon receiving an advanced copy because it came out in September of 2024, just a few weeks away from the biggest election of our lives.  It did a good job setting up what Trump’s next term should look like.  But I didn’t want to put the cart before the horse.  I had already read Peter Navarro’s book, which I thought would be similar to Vivek’s book at that point in the campaign, I was not nervous, but I was only thinking about getting Trump into the White House.  Then I’d catch up and think about how great it would be to do the many things Vivek outlined in his new book.  So, knowing that I would see him at his announcement, I wanted to tell him at least honestly what I thought of his book, so I picked it up and read it, and I absolutely loved it.  It was more refreshing to read a book like that, which essentially is about everything that Trump is doing in the White House at a feverish pace, in hindsight.  But I can’t say that I have enjoyed a book this much in recent memory because reading it before the election would have seemed like a remote fantasy.  But reading it after the election and seeing Trump do everything he’s doing, Vivek would know as he has been in and around the President for quite a while now, has been astonishing.  It was a pleasure to read Vivek’s Truths, knowing that we have a chance to make everything happen and then some.  Most of the time, books about politics complain about what is being portrayed to describe what could be.  But Vivek’s Truths is about what things are, Truths that are unshakable realities, and articulates the necessity to return to a more common sense world. 

Oddly enough, or maybe not so odd, I first met Vivek Ramaswamy through an introduction by Nancy Nix, the great auditor of Butler County.  And I wasn’t sure what to think of the very vivacious young man.  I sat in the front of the room just three or four feet from the future presidential candidate and now future governor and listened to his marvelous speech.  I think he’s probably the best orator in the world right now; there isn’t anybody like him.  He has a sound mind, and I instantly liked him.  I suggested a few years later that I’d like to see him be Trump’s vice president once Vivek endorsed Trump.  I thought that would be a dream team.  But Vivek is running for governor; after reading all his books, I think having him be the guy in Ohio is the best thing that could happen.  I believe that under Vivek’s leadership as governor, Ohio could become one of the world’s top economies, knocking off California.  What he’s poised to do is remarkably optimistic but not unreasonably difficult, for him.  So I get where he’s going with all this and why he’s coming to West Chester, Ohio, to make his big announcement.  Ohio can be the tech capital of the world, and with Vivek Ramaswamy as the governor and another good friend of mine, Senator George Lang, with his pro-business caucus in Columbus, the foundations for excessive greatness is a seed already planted that will grow rapidly. 

Most of all, it is by the support of President Trump that this window of opportunity most presents itself.  If Trump’s goal is to make America Great Again, Vivek’s role in all that is worthy of someone of his talents is to show that Ohio is the torch everyone else should follow.  I have been to Columbus a lot over the last several years, and at some of those momentous events, there is a pent-up energy just waiting to spring forward.  We said in those times that if only Trump were in the White House, many good things could happen.  But then there was the following question: we’d need a governor who got it and would sign things that could make great things happen that all people in Ohio would enjoy and thrive from.  And with Vivek in the governor’s chair, there isn’t anybody else in the world at this time like him.  I am very excited for Ohio to have this opportunity.  Once Vivek announces there won’t be any other candidates worth looking at, that’s not a knock against any of them personally.  This is a chance of a lifetime, and there isn’t anybody for second place.  I’m looking forward to seeing Vivek again and to hearing his official announcement.  But more than that, I am excited to see Ohio lead the country and the world in tech innovations and economic stimulation.  There is so much that only Vivek will be able to do in Ohio, and the structure is in place for him to do it behind the scenes and on the checkered floor of the Ohio Statehouse.  It just takes someone with the guts to do it, and Vivek has those guts.  And, as he said in his book Truths, he knows the truths and how to get to them in a thriving economy as a state leader and many great things to come thereafter.  These are very exciting times indeed.

If you want to see Vivek in person, just register at the link below:

https://www.vivekannouncement.com/

Rich Hoffman

Click Here to Protect Yourself with Second Call Defense https://www.secondcalldefense.org/?affiliate=20707

Air Taxis in West Chester, Ohio: The future is now, and its very exciting

The future is now

It’s going to happen at this point anyway.  My bringing it up now is more of a formality of connecting the dots and explaining to anybody who will listen how the future economy under President Trump will look.  I have conversations about making Ohio the number one state for business-friendly conditions all the time.  I attend many seminars on economic development and Chamber of Commerce incentives for depressed areas looking to rebound.  And when I say the only thing holding back this technology is the FAA, politics has changed.  Deregulation under Trump will get stuffy bureaucrats out of the way, and a second wave of aviation and aerospace development will be unleashed.  The other day, I talked a lot about Hyperloop and how and why a terminal should be built in Monroe, Ohio. But today, I’m talking about an old idea that is about to be unleashed and create an all-new transportation mode: skycars, or more technically speaking, VTOL air taxis.  I can say from personal experience that Joby Aviation, up the road from West Chester and Liberty Township, is at the front of the market.  They have air taxis ready to go, built, tested, flushed out, and prepared for delivery to market in 2025/2026; essentially, all that is standing in the way is the FAA approval process.  Joby Aviation is making a piloted version, but they will quickly become fully automatic and will work by calling one on your phone and having them pick you up and perform just like an Uber.  The future is here, now.  All that needed to happen was that politics would have to get behind it.  We don’t already have these air taxis in use because the Biden administration was a slow and Marxist micromanager that stalled all these efforts.  If Trump had stayed in the White House in 2020, these Joby air taxis would have been out for a few years by now.  So once we get a Trump administration back in the White House and install a pro-business mindset back into America, Joby and a few other companies are going to move quickly, and technical innovation on this front will happen at a blistering pace. 

Knowing all that, I would propose that we get all the minds together in West Chester and Liberty Township and become the first areas in the world to develop official Sky Ports.  Abu Dhabi and China are already deep in development.  And Europe is already all over it.  But they don’t have Joby Aviation right down the road and a stable environment to perform the early day development of the technology, which could make Ohio the first to fly again.  Here’s how and why it would work.  For instance, there is a nice little piece of property across from Ikea in West Chester that is just big enough for a sky port, a mini runway kind of helipad where these air taxis would land and take off like a helicopter, but much quieter and with much more stable flight.  This always happens to me; people come and see me from out of town.  They stay at the many hotels and have to get back and forth between CVG and West Chester, and their biggest problem is the traffic down I-75, which gets back to the airport to catch their flight when doing business in West Chester.  This air taxi system would take all that worry away and improve life for many people. 

For instance, when business guests were ready to leave their hotel, they would walk or catch a little transport from their hotel to Sky Port by Ikea. Theoretically, a sky taxi would be waiting for them.  In this case, a piloted version of the Joby VTOL vehicle would be waiting for them just like an Uber, dialed up by their phone with the ticket, and everything would be paid.  The guests would arrive and get into the craft like a car.  The sky taxi would fly them down to the airport at CVG and land at the front of the terminal, likely on top of the parking garage there, and fly over all the traffic, making the trip in about 15 minutes, which usually takes over 50 minutes.  Another problem I have is bringing people from West Chester who are in town without a car to sporting events.  I typically pick them up and drive to the Great American Ballpark to attend a game for the evening.  Getting downtown with all the rush hour traffic is a pain in the neck.  It would be much better to get into an air taxi and fly straight to the stadium, land in a nice, safe place along the river, and get to the game in about 10 minutes instead of an hour during those peak hours of 5 to 6 PM.  When the game was over, the passengers would just let the air taxi service know you were about to leave, and they would come and pick you up just like an Uber driver now.  Only it would be a VTOL instead of a car.  The same air taxi service could be set up to get to Kings Island from all over Cincinnati.  It could also be set up to serve politicians from their districts directly to the Ohio Statehouse.  There are a vast number of immediate applications that would benefit immediately from the low price of freshly poured concrete. 

After the FAA permit process, the next barrier would be to win over the public.  So, the sooner people see these vehicles working and overcome their fear of flying, the more the concept will expand rapidly.  At first, it would be similar to a helicopter ride experience that you see in very safe tourist areas.  Only this air taxi concept is even safer and much quieter.  It would be at a small volume, maybe a few flights every hour throughout the peak hours of a business day.  But enough people are interested now to make that happen with the Joby Aviation vehicles right out of the box.  However, the flight frequency would quickly increase to a flight every couple of minutes, and even several flights from several pads at the Skyport would come and go all the time.  It will also greatly enhance the business climate wherever sports reside.  So, I think Ohio has a unique opportunity to be the first.  West Chester, precisely because of its hotels and business traffic, could be the first in the world to demonstrate this technology and benefit economically from the visionary approach.  I’m just connecting the dots here for the many people I know in this business who need to know about each other.  And to explain that this isn’t some far off Jetson’s fantasy concept.  I’ve been involved in these Skycars for over three decades now, so when I say that they are here, I can say it with confidence.  Air taxis are here; they will happen and will be the hottest ticket in town for the next half of a decade.  People will find them very convenient, safe, and pleasant.  And they will become nearly as common as a personal car in a very short time.  The VTOL market needed a president like Trump in the White House.  The rest was waiting for the permit approval, which is about to happen as you read this.  If not sooner. 

Rich Hoffman

Click Here to Protect Yourself with Second Call Defense https://www.secondcalldefense.org/?affiliate=20707

We Have Free Elections Because of Guns: Criminals know who has them, and who doesn’t

When on Meet the Press recently, President Trump was asked why Democrats didn’t steal this election, too, as they had the one in 2020, as if to insist that his statements about that previous election were a provoking conspiracy theory.  Trump said simply that he thought the election was too big to rig this time, which is a good, honest statement.  But it’s not the rest of the story.  It’s only part of the reason why Democrats were not able to steal this 2024 election the way they had 2020, and likely, many other elections leading up to Trump’s first term in the White House.  The truth is, it’s guns that make a free society possible.  Without the threat of guns, our government, especially this last one run by Joe Biden and his gangs of thugs and criminal-driven losers, would have taken over everything.  Without a society of guns, there would be no freedom.  The bad guys would move to take over all of society and rule from fear if given even an inch of opportunity.  So, to answer the rest of the question regarding Trump’s Meet the Press interview, why didn’t Democrats steal this last election, or that they tried but couldn’t get away with it this time?  Or, why was the election too big to rig?  What kept the election too small to overcome Trump?  And that answer is guns.  A society that has high gun ownership and is willing to use them at a moment’s notice.  Guns force the government to stay somewhat honest, not because they are inclined to do so, but because they fear a public that shoots and kills them the moment they get out of control.  We cannot have honest elections without the bad guys fearing an angry public that is willing to use guns to stop their evil intentions.

I had the opportunity to host many people this past week who are not from West Chester.  They came from all over the country, and guns were in the news.  One of the news stories was the UnitedHealthcare CEO, who was gunned down in the streets of New York.  That provoked a conversation about West Chester, Ohio, considered one of the safest areas in the nation.  But there was an attempted break-in and the resident shot the perpetrator just for standing on his balcony at an apartment complex.  And the comments were, “West Chester isn’t very safe because there was just a shooting.”  And speaking from much experience, I clarified that guns were critical in both cases.  There are many criminals who would love to break in and rob people blind in Butler County, Ohio, and Mason, places criminals know have much money and lots of things to steal and innocent lives to ruin.  But they don’t because they are respectful of the law, leaving everyone alone.  No, they are bad, vicious people who would rob, rape, and murder anybody, anywhere, anytime, if they could get away with it, just as there were plenty of people who would have stolen this 2024 election if they could have gotten away with it.  But the bad guys know that fundamentally, Americans have many guns, and if they do break the law, it’s not the prosecution of those crimes that is their most significant risk; it’s surviving the crime.  And that West Chester is safe because guns provide a deterrent.  I had just returned with my guests from downtown Cincinnati, and they were talking about the news stories they had noticed upon visiting. I had driven them through some of the worst neighborhoods in the city to show them the policy contrast.  Places where there was a lot of gun ownership.  And places that had policies against guns that had allowed, by default, crime to grow in the power void. 

The killing of the  UnitedHealthcare CEO was another example.  It is foolish, no matter how civil you think society is, to walk down any street, anywhere, without a gun.  Now, in the case of  Brian Thompson, the killed CEO, he was shot in the back deliberately, and it’s hard to defend against that kind of attack.  He was just walking along the sidewalk, and he was shot unexpectedly and without warning.  He should have been more aware of his surroundings.  But part of the scouting report on making a killing like that is whether the shooter believes they will get away with the crime if they perform the task.  The shooter was not concerned that Brian Thompson would have turned around and shot back if he missed or didn’t hit his target ruthlessly.  People are not honest; you cannot have a lawless society based on trust.  To have rules, you must be able to enforce them immediately at the point of occurrence.  The court system is not fast enough to deal with all the crimes, and the criminals know it.  Too many criminals work hard to be bad people and hope to take advantage of your trust to commit crimes and enrich themselves at your expense.  It isn’t brilliant to expect otherwise.  There should always be a preparedness for violence against you by anybody.  And the best way to stop it is by carrying deadly force everywhere.  And forcing the bad guys to stay honest and to leave you alone.  If Brian Thompson had been carrying a gun and were willing to use it, he would probably be alive right now.  When the target is armed, it is much harder to shoot them for many reasons. 

That goes back to our discussion about why one region is safer and why the ratio isn’t that one place has better laws than others.  It comes down to how much gun ownership is available and to what reach people have them.   Gun-free zones are hazardous places, statistically.  The more guns you have in society, the less violence you have.  And to my point, that story about the break-in in West Chester was good.  It reminds other criminals of what they already know but makes it fresh in their minds.  That if they are just standing on someone’s balcony at an apartment complex, they could be shot and killed.  Protection of private property is the key to a civil society, and the word gets out quickly.  Don’t abuse people’s property and their sense of self-preservation.  Or they can, and will, be shot and killed.  So that news story was helpful.  Occasionally, bad guys do need to get shot to remind the hoards of other criminals that they should not break into people’s homes or inflict violence upon them in any way.  Because without guns around under the care of private citizens, criminals get pretty bold.  And that is the same regarding honest elections.  Those who would seek to steal a vote and alter the nature of a free people to pick their government will try to steal elections if they do not fear people with guns preventing them from doing it.  And that this 2024 election was too big to rig because there were too many guns from angry people who were onto the scam.  So, Democrats couldn’t get enough votes to steal this election as they had others in the past.  The limits to their power were in gun ownership, and that kept the bad guys from stealing this last election, and why we finally have President Trump going back to the White House.  We have free elections because of guns. 

Rich Hoffman

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The Epic Vision of George Lang: What government can and do best

The Country Music Festival at the Voice of America Park in West Chester, Ohio, in August of 2024, turned out well.  Obviously, many people had a lot of fun, and it was a very positive experience for tens of thousands of people.  I have a special relationship with that park that goes back a long way because of Senator George Lang, which is worth discussing.  I appreciated the use of that particular park for a lot of sentimental reasons, and it was a very nice evening on the Friday night that Jason Aldean and other country music acts were performing from the vantage point of the Butler County GOP tent.  I had a rare moment to consider that all was right in the world as I looked out over the vast crowd enjoying themselves under a setting sun and a wonderful evening under the stars as the moon peaked out and hung in the sky to listen to the music.  I reflected on similar events around the country, and few could come close to the benefits of the VOA Park in West Chester, Ohio, because of its amenities and commercial access to the outside world.  It’s a huge space to set up something like that Country Music Festival, but still close to the highway and major commercial enterprises, complete with double lane roads and a well-managed civilian population.  I considered it the best that a society could offer and was a great example of what the world everywhere should be like.  But what a lot of people don’t know is the history of the park, and I’m not talking about its location being the site of the Voice of America, which would broadcast anti-communist propaganda to every corner of the world and bring down many authoritarian regimes.  Hitler referred to the site as the Cincinnati Liars because of the effectiveness of the VOA broadcasting station, which is still there and was part of the festival environment all these years later.  It was an excellent place to have a nice night for a community that deserves nice things to happen to it.  It’s been a rough couple of years, so there were plenty of reasons to celebrate. 

One thing about my life is that there aren’t many moments to enjoy a few hours of anything.  Usually, I have packed into every moment of every day many lifetimes of events.  So I don’t leave much time to enjoy life for a few hours.  But under the invite of George Lang and his lovely wife Debbie, my wife and I had a nice date night at the Country Music Festival under the added comforts of the Butler County Republican Party tent that was right off the main stage and had a great view of all the events of the weekend.  Many people tell me that I’m burning the candle at both ends and that I should take more time to do things like that, which I wouldn’t have done without the invite.  But I don’t think so. I do what I do, and I enjoy doing it, including long days of work where my life has a lot going on.  While my wife could complain, she doesn’t.  She understands.  But with all that said, the chance to take a deep breath and have some well-catered food in an air-conditioned tent with so many friends was very well received by my family. 

And speaking about George Lang, as I’ve said before, well, after he’s done with politics, I will likely still be friends with him and his wife.  We’ve all known each other for many years now, starting during his trial, where he was a target of Democrat activism as they were making a move to harm the GOP in Butler County over essentially a turf war.  Can you indict a ham sandwich in grand juries?  Yes, I have much experience with that side of the fence now and will have much to say about it.  Regardless, I thought what Democrats tried to do to George Lang over his relationship with the future Speaker of the House, John Boehner, at that time was horrible.  It was a window into what the courts have been trying to do to Trump now; only George was an early victim of it, and it was scary as he went through it in court.  I tend to like to help people like that in any way I can when they are being picked on by some cruel elements of the outside world, which, at this point, I have done for many people over the years.  But with George and his family, we have stayed friends ever since and have developed some great respect over a long period.  All this occurred when George was a trustee in West Chester before he ever went to Columbus as a state representative.  So, I remember the conditions that helped build the foundation for the VOA Park because the nice park where the Country Music Festival was happening was not always there. 

The decision to let Metoparks manage the property started with George Lang as a trustee, who had in mind a minimal government approach, which is why that particular park is so unique in the world. Typically, a large park with such a significant footprint in the community would be run by the city nearest it.  But George and several other local politicians have fought to keep West Chester as big as it is, as small of a government as it can be, which is a lesson that every community, not just in America, should learn from.  As George and I watched the setting sun over the festivities of that evening and remembered all the years, I had to remind him of his role in all this from a policy standpoint.  If he weren’t such a small government guy, the VOA Park would be another over-managed failure.  However, the decision to let the best at park maintenance manage the park paved the way for its current use.  Which, for me, is a continuation of it being the Voice of America.  I run this blog site essentially from there as a tip of the hat to its historic use as the Voice of America.  I have written many millions of words and read many, many books from that park over the years because it’s where I like to visit to get my thoughts about lofty concepts worked out.  Essentially, that’s because of my friendship with George and his wife, knowing the backstory of the park and how it could only exist with a small government approach to big things.  And that’s what made that Country Music Festival so unusual, something you could drive all over the country and not see so well done as it was in West Chester, Ohio, one of the best places to live anywhere.  And that’s not just me saying that.  It’s known throughout the real estate world.  And that is because it has stayed a small government and resisted the temptation to become a city with mayors and city council members screwing everything up with too much bureaucracy.  It took vision to have the view of government that George Lang has expressed, and what a lot of people don’t know is that his epic vision that helped create that magnificent park is being applied to the state of Ohio right now in ways that will benefit it for many decades to come.  For all those reasons and more, being at that festival that evening, I could only think of how proud I am of him and all the excellent work that goes on behind the scenes that nobody will ever know or understand.  But that ultimately makes the world a much, much, better place.  Good government is the kind of government you never see, but that makes all the possibilities of human existence happen under its power by removing the barriers that would otherwise prevent it.  George Lang is a master of that, and many millions of people are enjoying the efforts he has put forward for their benefit, which was on full display at the Country Music Festival at the VOA Park in West Chester, Ohio, during the exciting year of 2024.

Rich Hoffman

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George Lang’s Business Ratio: The New Bass Pro in West Chester, Ohio

Over the last several weeks, it has been interesting to hear from so many people upset that I support George Lang, the current State Senator in the 4th District in Ohio, and will continue to do so.  They think he is a RINO and that somehow I can’t tell the difference between a rhino and an elephant.  And the concern continues because I know many politicians, and I like many of them, and I’ve been very open about it.  People new to politics or who don’t have an excellent understanding of what the government is supposed to do for all of us get wrapped up in the horse race criteria that the media creates for them, so supporting candidates for various positions becomes a kind of football game where some people in Ohio support the Cincinnati Bengals because they happen to live south of Columbus while people in the north support the Cleveland Browns.  Those in Columbus fight over which is the better, depending on the record.  But in the end, it’s all rigged, and they are all the same guys and corporate products designed to sell advertising to people.  Politics is much the same kind of thing, and what we usually end up with are people who don’t do a very good job once in office.  They talk the talk but never walk the walk.  And the people I tend to support do so on merit-based standards.  I judge them more on what they actually do than what they say, and when it comes to George Lang, who doesn’t say much about himself too often, he does a lot in the background that is very successful.  And one of these, there was undoubtedly a topic of conversation ahead of the March primary; I had the good fortune to attend the opening of Bass Pro for a unique sneak peek ahead of the crowds with George.  And we geeked out by what we saw.  But as we enjoyed a private tour and I did a scouting report on some of my hard-to-find .500 magnum ammunition and acquire much-needed 209 shotgun primers, I was reminded of why I like George so much.  Not that it’s a struggle, but when I say he’s a great politician and has done all of us such a great job, I look at Bass Pro moving to West Chester as part of the great free enterprise initiatives that George Lang has built over the years, things that operate in the background, and the case for George Lang makes itself quite clear. 

I remember when George and I were friends as he was a trustee in West Chester 15 years ago, and he struggled to fight to keep the trend of the area toward small government and generate much economic wealth, as a township instead of a city.  I have a rule I talk about all the time, which I discuss in great detail in my book, The Gunfighter’s Guide to Business, which people worldwide have been enjoying because the balance of government is the key to a country’s success.  Just as it was set up to do in America, the government needs to be big enough to support the needs of a country or a community but not too big to become authority figures, which is tricky business among anybody in the human race, anywhere in the world.  But few places have done it better than West Chester, Ohio.  I have been a part of it since the beginning, starting when we used to call it Union Township, and it was mostly farmland and open fields.  It was strange to stand in the new Bass Pro parking lot with my wife a few days later during the grand opening when she remembered me racing cars against other rival people in that area.  Things have changed quite a lot.  However, the form of government formed around the growth of West Chester Township is a success story that traces back to George Lang.  To have such a community run by three trustees is unusual in the world, where so much wealth is generated among so many people, and to have such a high standard of living is almost unheard of.  But George established much of that in those early days, and the trustees there now have continued those policies and resisted the temptation to turn West Chester into a city with a mayor and city councils running everything.  The success in West Chester is that George Lang and future trustees have embraced the capitalist concept of free enterprise and kept government as small as possible to allow businesses to grow, and as a result, West Chester has been, and continues to be, one of the best places in the world, not just the country.  I’ve been all over the world several times.  And I’ve been all over the United States and seen a lot of very nice communities.  There are few places as good as West Chester, Ohio.  I would argue that no place is better.  The reasoning is that the government ratio has been figured out and maintained in West Chester mainly because of George Lang’s precedent.

The Bass Pro story is a good one.  We have been fortunate to have a Bass Pro in Forest Park and a Cabela’s in West Chester by Liberty Center.  Since Bass Pro bought Cabela’s over the last decade, I have mixed feelings about them combining resources to make this new Bass Pro in West Chester, which opened on February 21st, 2024.  I liked both previous stores and hated to see them go.  But the property for the new one was established over a decade ago, and once they were planning to move to the new location, Forest Park made them an excellent deal on their lease, so they stuck around while the market settled down and the agreement with Cabela’s matured.  The giant outdoor store market has found its balancing act, as Field and Stream have discovered.  How big can you be and still be small enough to survive?    I tend to judge all Bass Pro stores based on my favorite, the one in Springfield, Missouri, the headquarters of a vast store, as I have discussed before.  As George and I stepped into the new Bass Pro, it was more Cabela’s in its presentation than Bass Pro, but it’s a fantastic size and filled with everything anybody could ever hope to have regarding outdoor life.  My family spends a lot of time exploring and traveling, so a store like this is a wonderful addition to our life.  The new West Chester store is enormous.  It is noticeably different from the one in Forest Park, but it is right-sized to fill the needs of the current outdoor market.  Having the ground on the Streets of West Chester is far better for them than in any of the other two previous locations. 

And that’s the trick: why did Bass Pro select that location in West Chester instead of other regional places?   The Forest Park site was failing because the community failed, as has Fairfield, Springdale, and Sharonville around the area.  All those places have moved in the city direction and have added government in the form of mayors and city councils that slowed down the growth rate because they started looting off their businesses to support the government.  West Chester is very business-friendly, and the tax structure is not penalizing.  If you keep your government small, they don’t have the ability to loot off the community.  And additionally, we have kept the government school of Lakota under check for well over a decade now, so they haven’t been able to suck the life out of West Chester and Liberty Township the way the schools do in other parts of the world.  The result is that investments like those that take a Bass Pro Shop to build and develop can happen, where different communities would choke off the opportunity at the development phase.  Working in the background as one of Ohio’s most powerful senators, George Lang is bringing those same sensibilities to the entire state of Ohio.  And he’s doing a great job.  Whenever I go to Columbus to talk politics, the word about George is that he stays focused on his Business First Caucus and doesn’t get wrapped up in much else.  He is applying the West Chester model, which he helped to build from the start to Ohio in general.  The Ohio Senate listens to him, as does the House, and he has the ear of the governor in a healthy way.  You don’t see George running for every microphone to broadcast everything he does.  When I took a few pictures of him at the opening of the new Bass Pro, he was a little shy about taking credit.  But I know the details behind the scenes, and he deserves much credit.  And that’s also why I’m so supportive of him over these many years and continue to be.  George understands how to support just enough government to make it functional.  And takes away the flash of temptation for it to grow into a monster.  And everywhere George has been, his fight has been to keep government small and manageable.  Bass Pro is just a recent but obvious example.  And it was great to see it happen.

Rich Hoffman

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Why Would Julie Shaffer Launch her Re-election Campaign in a Wine Bar: Bad Decisions, bad behavior, and bad politics hiding behind kids

You would think that a person running for re-election to the school board of Lakota would launch her campaign somewhere smart, like a library or even at the local Barnes and Noble bookstore. But no, Julie Shaffer is running for her fourth term, and from all that vast experience, she picked a wine bar to launch her campaign, which was mentioned in a Journal News puff piece by her long-time associate in the media, Michael Clark. I have a long history with these people, so the irony could never be more obvious. Considering what everyone knows about Julie Shaffer, you’d think she would have known better. There was a National School Board Conference a few years ago where she and others got a lot crazy, and she ended up disgracing herself in many ways. I learned about it from people who were with her and tried to help her clean up after the event. But it goes much further than that. All the local politicians know about it and confirmed it in the aftermath. So, I was never much of a fan of Julie Shaffer, but I treated her fairly in the beginning until she showed herself to be quite a left-winged radical with vicious political intentions that, of course, like they all do, hide it behind the smiling faces of kids. However, the more I learned about her over the years, the more she showed herself to be one of the big problems at Lakota as she intends to bring progressive mindsets to the students. She was one of the first to support genderless bathrooms at Lakota before the alphabet sexual deviancies were announced on the news every day as they are now. 

Let’s just be polite about it: Julie’s condition at that National School Board Conference with other Lakota representatives was not pleasant. It involved severe intoxication and various states of undress, according to witnesses who were there and tried to help her. But there’s more, which came out during the latest drama with the former Lakota superintendent who apparently let people know that he had video of it all on his phone, and people were enjoying it. And knowing what everyone now knows about him; apparently, even he was embarrassed by the behavior of the Lakota leadership at that conference. I personally didn’t see the video; I had no desire to, even though it was an option from those close to the superintendent. We’re not talking about a “Girls Gone Wild” video in the sense that everyone was young and beautiful. These are middle-aged, beat-up potato sacks getting way too crazy when they should have been representing the Lakota district as proper education representatives. So just drinking too much would have been too much. Anything after that, which was a lot, was simply unforgivable. The whole video issue came up as many who had heard this story were wondering why Julie was so willing to give a free pass to what we learned about the former school superintendent. The belief was that she couldn’t afford to cast any opinions about his behavior because she had done equally disreputable acts. With all that in mind, it was baffling that she would launch her campaign at a wine bar to remind everyone of this embarrassing event. She’s a seasoned politician now, so she should have known better. But obviously not. 

This raises the real issue; deviant behavior is often more than what you see on the surface. Over the years, Julie has been one of the biggest cheerleaders for progressive changes while hiding the effort behind a non-partisan school board. School boards are very partisan, often filled with radical democrats with big government ideas about everything and an eye toward spending to match it. And we see how she arrives at these thoughts when you learn about her personal lifestyle. Like many progressive big government people, Julie is attracted to an extensive social safety net because she has problems controlling herself. If you want to be taken seriously as a leader of anything, you just never conduct yourself like she was caught doing at a National School Board Conference. When she says in that Michael Clark “puff piece” that “I believe that this is a fight for the heart and soul of a district that has been a destination district for many years but is being harmed by extremism, politics, and divisiveness.” She’s running in a very conservative district with people who care about things like drunkenness, overt sexual displays of disgrace, and lousy judgment. And like a lot of Democrats, she has been hiding her political tendencies behind the unspoken rules of bipartisanship. These public schools are not for the kids, as people like her claim; it’s for the adults to have free babysitting and to act like a bunch of teenagers when left alone in a hotel lobby while traveling out of town. In that article, she said that “this election will be a decision by our community about what they want Lakota to represent in the future.” 

And that’s why her behavior at school board conferences matters to the rest of us, although we may not want to disgust ourselves with the details. While Julie has worked to attack conservative voices in passive-aggressive ways for years, it’s evident that she has been fighting for the disgrace of children, not the preservation of them. And it shows up in her private actions. Then, like a lot of people who are so inclined to Democrat politics, they seek to hide their bad behavior behind big government mechanisms, which then shield them from reality. And there is a cost to all those big government ideas which Democrats use like a mask to hide what bad people they really are when they think nobody is looking. So, of course, they hate people who judge them for what they are. I wouldn’t call it “right-winged politics” as much as I would call it common sense. Anybody who wants to be a leader of anything should know that even at the late hours of the night when the alcohol with friends is flowing freely, it’s best not to participate and to lead by a higher example. I know many people who travel a lot, and they don’t end up in the compromised state that Julie was, where she had to be put back together by fellow school board members after disgrace had already chronicled the event for posterity. What’s even more stunning than all is that she would bring attention to it even during her campaign announcement. Talk about being tone-deaf. This will be a tough campaign for her, but she can only blame herself. She is offering herself as a leader of Lakota schools and is attempting to say that anybody who judges her behavior is a “right-winged radical.” But to the rest of the world, it’s just the rantings of people who can’t control themselves when they leave home. And the same can be said about her budget decisions as a school board member, where the same rationalization comes into play. And the track record is not a good one at all.

Rich Hoffman

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