While Allentown is beginning it's week on Mondays, The Anti-Corruption League is gathering in a North 4th St. coffee house. It's leader, Robert Trotner, has been supporting idealistic concepts and candidates for years. Of course, when you juxtaposition Trotner's ideals with Allentown's reality, he is about 0/20. Never the less, he forges on. Yesterday he was hoping that somehow, someway write-in candidate Ray O'Connell saves the day for Allentown come November. O'Connell, as of this time, has yet to verify his off ticket write-in candidacy.
Robert Trotner on left, with Eugene McDuffie
Mike,
ReplyDeleteGood intentions coupled with an inability to take good advice, listen to reason, or learn from those who actually know what it takes to mount and win a campaign adds up to just another part of the problem in Allentown.
In the primary, Robert supported a candidate in the primary who had no chance of winning, he made no effort to unify the vast opposition behind a single candidate or even just two or three, this failure led to the election victory of the corruption candidate he claims to be against.
Now, unbelievably, he and others are ready to double down on dumb and repeat the folly in the general by encouraging write in efforts. If Ray O'Connell wants to be blamed for facilitating another Ed Pawlowski election victory then by all means get in the race. Ed's win will then be Ray's fault! And it will be Robert's Fault. And it will be the fault of everyone who fails to make DEFEATING Ed Pawlowski in the general election this fall.
All this said, I fully expect exactly that to happen. Why? Because this is Allentown where stupidity reigns supreme.
scott@7:10, why can't you be nice like me? understand that in this town there is only news 3 days a week. the Morning Call writes saturday, sunday and monday on friday. and even on tuesdays has very little to report.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteThere is no room for nice in politics. There is no room for "think", "feel" , "hope" and/or "belief". Democrats make the mistake of assuming that because they, or someone they know won an election they are experts at winning when the truth is they won because of straight party voting by their fellow Democrats who routinely and unthinkingly vote that way.
The straight party voters will be pushing the Ed Pawlowski spot on the voting machines this fall so there will be no easy win for any write ins. Therefore one must have a plan, a team, a message and yes lots of money if they hope to win. That won,t happen. What will happen is these self appointed saviors of the city will in fact give us another Ed Pawlowski victory. It is that simple, and if they proceed they deserve to be blamed for it.
All that said, keep up the good work Mike.
As a former independent candidate, you must realize that for all the good intentions in the world, it takes votes and an organization, and most of all money to be elected to a major public office.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a write-in candidate can be elected to the school board. However write-in votes for Mayor simply are votes for the incumbent. Also, I believe there is a law or two that prohibits Ray O'Connell running as a write-in candidate after losing the Democratic primary ?
I'd like to ask a question, and perhaps it may be viewed as silly by some, but I believe it should be asked irregardless.
ReplyDeleteMr Armstrong above referred to Mayor Pawlowski as the "corruption candidate", and I won't take issue with that, as his view is as valid as anyone else's.
However, until the arrival of the FBI agents in city hall ... two summers ago now? I believe that the city council and all government officials in Allentown stood in line and marched in lockstep with Mayor Pawlowski and his policies.
Now, given that there is a cloud over the city government by the FBI investigation of activities within it, but the Mayor, for one reason or another has not been accused of any crime. There is much rumor and speculation yes, but what crime, or crimes has he actually accused of omitting ? Is there a rush-to-justice here ?
Or is this simply a case of the wolves of the Democratic party turning on one of their own, all of whom in the past benefited and even ran for re-election on the polices of Mayor Pawlowski and just are tired of being the followers after many years?
dave@8:32, the "sore loser" rule would prohibit him from running as an independent or being on the ballot, but to my knowledge he can still wage a write-in campaign.
ReplyDeletejamie@8:53, i don't think that with nine people now pleading guilty to committing crimes either in conjunction with pawlowski, or at his bequest, there can be any reasonable doubt of his guilt, even if it doesn't rise to the level of conviction.
ReplyDeletei further believe that all current members of city council cooperated with pawlowski, and are tainted to one degree or another.
if i was a democrat and voted in the may primary, i would have strongly considered bennett as the most distant from the administration.
i am supporting hyman.
ReplyDeleteJamie@8:53, Many members of City Council did cooperate with Mayor Pawlowski prior to the FBI raid. Jeaneete Eichenwald and Daryl Hendricks did not and did not have Pawlowski's support unlike Julio Guridy, Cynthia Mota, & Jeff Glazier. At the time of the raid Roger MacLean, Candida Affa, & Dr. David McGuire were not on City Council. Dr. McGuire filled Jeff Glazier's council position when he was named Controller after Mary Ellen Kovak resigned because of being charged. Of the three council member that came on after the raid, only Candida Affa is a staunch Pawlowski supporter.
From 1916-1919 Alfred Reichenbach, a Democratic politician, served as the nonpartisan mayor of Allentown. The time was ripe because WWI was upon us and difficult times demanded courageous leadership.
ReplyDeleteNow, a century later, we face seemingly intractable problems on all sides because of our mayor. The time is right for #allentownunited to select someone who has the ability, experience, and knowledge of government to transition us to a better time. A miracle is possible.
By the way, to set the record straight, all but one of our endorsements won the primary for school board. I am actually 4/1000 now lol. I just wanted to set the record straight.
Thank you, Michael, for writing what I consider to be a very flattering blog with your usual kern sense of humor.
Yes there is a miracle happening in Allentown but it is a miracle for Ed Pawlowski who no doubt can't believe his good fortune to have people like Robert Trotner involving themselves in Allentown's mayoral campaign.
ReplyDeletescott@6:22, despite robert's enthusiasm for local politics, i must point out that o'connell's decision to wage a write-in was not dependent upon robert, nor will robert's facebook presence on behalf of ray be a factor. you and i both know that facebook and blogs have little influence.
ReplyDeleteMike, Robert was encouraging write ins on his Allentown Proud Facebook page. Apparently he still is. That's not the sort of leadership that is helpful at this point. You pointed that fact out with this post. Like you, the least of my concerns is "being nice".
ReplyDeleteWhat is the number of Dem voters who DID NOT vote for Pawlowski in the primary compared to the number of voters that voted for Pawlowski? How many of those non-Pawlowski Dem voters would write-in Ray O'Connell in November's election? Ray was 2nd behind Pawlowski.
ReplyDelete