Brunner: Whirlwind first days bring much change

LIMA - President Barack Obama's first days are like Franklin Roosevelt's early time in office, laying groundwork for significant change in the country's social and economic culture, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner said Thursday.

Brunner spoke to Allen County Democrats celebrating Obama's first 100 days in office. Obama will use current economic conditions to transform health care, education, green manufacturing and alternative energy, Brunner said.

The country has seen changes in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, children's health care, stem-cell research funding, wilderness land protections, relationships with other countries and the approach to Cuba, Brunner said.

"That's the resting heartbeat of the White House and he's not slowing down," Brunner said.

Brunner will run next year for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. George Voinovich. She faces a primary with Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher.

The race is in its infancy, but Allen County Democratic Party Chairman Rick Siferd offered a public endorsement of Brunner, saying he preferred her to Fisher as the party's candidate for the seat.

"My personal preference is for Jennifer Brunner," Siferd said. "She will make a great senator."

Brunner said she is receiving a lot of support from rank-and-file Democrats.

A strong supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act, Brunner said as a senator, she also would work on changes to the Help America Vote Act.

As secretary of state, Brunner is advocating changes in early voting and how voters identify themselves. Brunner wants to rely on a driver license with a name that matches a face or two other documents that identify a voter, rather than the current more extensive list of options.

The current law confused poll workers, despite good training, Brunner said, and led to too many provisional ballots being cast.

Brunner also wants to shrink the time for voting early and expand locations. She would change the number of days from 35 to 20, cutting off early voting at 5 p.m. Sunday, giving elections boards Monday to catch up and prepare for a Tuesday election. She also supports creating up to four early voting locations in each county.