Back in the day, Ted Strickland (D – Ohio) had some cross party appeal. (Which is really the only way to go very far in Ohio.) He was a fairly popular governor until getting knocked off his perch by John Kasich. Ted was considered friendly to gun owners and not as quick on the tax and spend button as some of his more liberal Democrat friends. But now he’s preparing to run for Rob Portman’s Senate seat and he seems to be adopting the language of the furthest left fairly quickly, particularly when seeking to raise money among union supporters.

Most of you will likely recognize this language.

Now, during his Senate campaign, it appears that Ted is continuing his leftward shift. He has apparently adopted a page from fellow-progressive Elizabeth Warren’s playbook. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Strickland made a campaign appearance Thursday in northeast Ohio, where he engaged in some interesting rhetoric.

He had this to say about successful people in America, captured on video at the event:

“The richest among us haven’t gotten there on their own either. You know, those who are well to do drive on roads that the taxpayer provides. Go to hospitals where the public has supported and made and created and are cared for by doctors who are trained in large part at public expense.”

Yep… we remember that line of attack very well from the last presidential campaign. IJR (who I quote in the above link) recalls that Elizabeth Warren was fond of making that speech, but I remember it best from when Barack Obama busted it out at one campaign stop. You didn’t build that! It’s a liberal slogan which continually frustrates those who actually do build and manage businesses, as well as workers who hope to achieve similar success themselves. Of course, the inherent lie hidden in the argument is found when you realize that the business owner contributed to those streets and schools and hospitals as well, and generally at a higher rate than everyone else thanks to our progressive tax system. And all of those other taxpayers are using the roads and the goods that travel on them, showing up at those emergency rooms and sending their kids to the schools. It’s a group effort, and as much as some community organizers hate to have to admit it, business owners are part of that community as well.

Here’s the video. Strickland seems to really be embracing his inner Obama, so we’ll have to wait to see just how eager the people of Ohio are to hear the new tunes he’s singing.