Feb 4, 2010

The Charade Of Public Input





I've never been known as a diplomat. Bernie O'Hare says I kick them when their down (Tony Phillips), I kick them on their way out of town (Joyce Marin) and today when their not around (David Jones). One of things I have the least tolerance for is public input meetings; As if these wheeling, dealing bureaucrats care about what you think, you are merely the peanut gallery. Pennsylvania is going to hold a public input meeting on closing the Allentown State Hospital, after they have already made the decision. Perhaps that's more honest than implying that the public opinion matters. This post is actually about Johnny Callahan, who spoke yesterday at the public input meeting about whether to grant the Sands Casino an extension on their gambling license. Johnny took advantage of the situation to project his leadership skills; So we had a Congressional Candidate getting some face time at a meaningless meeting, as if the license renewal is in question. Johnny's babble was that the Sands Casino should provide a timetable for completing the Hotel. Johnny should be careful for what he wishes. If and when that hotel is completed, it will be at the expense of Hotel Bethlehem's occupancy rate. Oh well, that will be another press conference for another time. Perhaps they will allow public input.

9 comments:

  1. Regarding the upcoming DPW public meeting on the 97 year old asylum, previously known as Allentown Homeopathic Hospital for the Insane, I have noted that with the closing of similar institutions across the commonwealth (i.e. Mayview, Harrisburg State), when the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) can find gullible relatives, public officials, and now bloggers, the closing can be delayed for years. These decisions never have anything to do with quality care for the patients. It is always about jobs and money.

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  2. gary, i'm sure the doctor from lehigh valley hospital who spoke out against the closing was not influenced by the union. i know i was not influenced by the union, and i sincerely doubt that the upset families were. no one argues against the premise that a state institution is not the best setting for patients. the issues are, is the state acting in the best interest of this particular set of patients still at allentown state, and is eliminating the state option in the best long term interest of the citizens. it is too easy for the bureaucrats to subscribe legitimate public opposition as propaganda by a group (unions) or obstruction by naysayers.

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  3. Michael, Johnny and SEIU. What a combination that is.
    Johnny, if elected will you vote for your constituents or SEIU?
    Just a question.
    Bob Romancheck

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  4. This blog has all the best photos all the time.

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  5. anon 11:33, i think to appreciate the retro TV pictures i use, one has to be at least in their late 50's, which misses most of the blogosphere by at least 20 years, and often much more. however, the pictures entertain me, and that's important.

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  6. Perhaps you are correct.

    But, it is a fact I am only 40 and I do know today's picture is Howdy Doody with Buffalo Bob.

    I know that this show was easily the most popular TV show for children in the 1950s, too.

    I know about Clarabell the Clown, as well.

    At any rate, the bottom line, in my opinion, is that the blogosphere, whether collectively able to realize such or not, would certainly be missing out on so much if you stopped posting pictures tomorrow.

    Anon 11:33

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  7. anon, thank you kindly. however, although it looks like howdy and bob, i believe it's a detroit knockoff program from the 50's. although i have an image of buffalo bob smith and the peanut gallery, i could not enlarge it enough to suit me for this post.

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  8. Well, this confession only reinforces the following statement -

    "Where would the majority of the blogosphere be without you to point out Detroit knockoff programs for us?"

    I showed the picture earlier to a guy who is 30. He thought it was Howdy Doody, too.

    Without you, we'd be going around today deplorably misinformed about Howdy Doody making an appearance in the LV blogosphere.

    We might not know anything of the State Hospital situation here in Allentown, either.

    Which makes me wonder - what else would the local blogosphere NOT be informed of without this blog?

    (more than than Howdy Doody, that's what, in my opinion)

    Anon 11:33

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  9. anon 11:33, actually without this blog, according to some city officials, you would be missing out on misinformation and naysaying.

    now to the important stuff, the host just doesn't look like buffalo bob to me, and i can find no reference to there ever being an alternative host. bob always (to my knowledge) wore a fringed jacket and howdy wore a checkered shirt.

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