Over the weekend I was sparring on facebook with a NIZ cheerleader who contended that he did all his shopping in center city, patronizing the local businesses. I know what businesses are there, knew his assertion was nonsense, and told him so. Another antagonist popped up and commented, the writer if you read any of his blog truly hates Allentown he never has anything nice to say about it. Although, that also isn't true, let me reply. I bill molovinsky on allentown as the junction of local history and politics. The historical posts don't have an attitude, and the politics for the last decade are nothing to brag about. Needless to say, if I hated Allentown, I would have moved out of the area long ago. I would not have run for local office, nor would I write about it almost daily. That said, those looking for only nice sentiments should buy greeting cards, not read blogs. If you insist on rose colored glasses, stick with just reading the Morning Call. If you want to read how some politicians can walk on water, while others are deemed snakes in the grass, there's another local blog which is better suited to you.
Although, I can be as delusional about my life as the next person, I try and keep this blog in check with reality. Likewise, by not allowing anonymous comments, I try to enhance the blog's accountability.
My post yesterday about O'Connell's budget found very few in agreement. Although my statement about a profile in courage especially rubbed some the wrong way, not too many politicians would be willing to face the voter's wrath to maintain the current level of city service. Because of my restricted comment policy, many people wrongly equate a lower number of comments with lower readership. I've been told by numerous elected officials that they read the blog, while they don't find it complimentary, they find it fair... for me that is feedback enough.
photocredit: The Morning Call
"Profiles In A One-Party Town's Political Patronage"
ReplyDeleteThat could/would/should be a book that would take a tremendous amount of courage to write, I simply have to believe.
Respectfully,
ROLF OELER
Mike,
ReplyDeleteYou do a huge service by promoting discussion and dialogue on city issues and concerns. While others attempt to silence healthy debate and normal disagreement you provide a platform for it. It's truly incredible that otherwise intelligent people view disagreement as a problem or an impediment to progress.
one other point, unlike others bloggers you don't resort to name calling/slander to those who disagree with your perspective or opinions.
scott, i'm particularly concerned about an attack on Robert Trotner
ReplyDeleteOn Bernie O'Hare's blog about the tax increase he took aim at Robert Trotner in the comment section. He "accused" Trotner of being a long time Pawlowski supporter, and now a O'Connell supporter. I've known Robert for years, and he certainly wasn't a Pawlowski supporter. But this is about the comments O'Hare then hosted about Trotner. O'Hare likes to use the word "schadenfreude" to describe the behavior of others, in truth it is his stock and trade. He allowed anonymous commenters to call O'Connell a "liar", "coward" and "as-hole". Likewise, he allowed his anonymous commenters to call Trotner a "blowhard" among other slurs. Trotner has been a true grass roots activist in Allentown. In addition to the internet radio show, he hosted numerous "get togethers" at local coffee houses for aspiring office seekers. We who care about local politics owe Robert a debt of gratitude.
I have had profound disagreements Robert on politics and policy, so what, that doesn't make him a bad person. As far as I can tell he, like us, does what he does and says what he says because he believes it is best for the city or the nation.As far as Bernie's blog goes, frankly, it's just not worth posting there. That's my advice.
ReplyDeleteOne thought. It is often said on this site by MM and others that one of the inherent problems preventing good city management is that we are a "one party town." DUH.
ReplyDeleteExactly where does one find any major city that isn't? Whether it be solid Republican cities in red or blue states or vice versa, the trend virtually everywhere for at least the last 40 years has been steady one party rule on the local level. Nationwide, we are seeing an urban - rural split more along cultural lines than necessarily party lines, but, that is a dynamic for another discussion. Good city management flows from transparency, evidence based foresight, and lack of corruption. No one party has a monopoly on virtue...it is the caliber of the elected officials, not the party they belong to, that is the problem. Too often Allentown has had aspiring ticket punchers who simply wanted another notch on their resume, rather than any