Sep 12, 2022

Allentown Verite


On Saturday night, the proverbial red carpet was out in front of the 19th Street Theatre, and the well-heeled, after kissing cheeks, were invited for a photo-op in front of a special backdrop. They were there to witness the premiere of Broke(n), a documentary on the problems of the poor, struggling in Allentown or anywhere else in America. 


At the same time Saturday evening, vendors on Hamilton Street were wrapping up from the afternoon Beerfest held there. Mayor Matt Tuerk, in another one of his at the event videos, reminded his social media friends that Allentown would be cracking down on speeding, after the tragedy earlier in the week.


Also on Saturday, Nazareth held a gathering promoted as Kindness and Inclusivity. Announcement signs were distributed to merchants, and Allentown's Ce-Ce Gerlach, among others, was invited to speak. Despite the title of the event, there was tension between two groups, and even accusations of hidden agendas. There is too much Stimuli money floating around, and too many popular platitudes for eager grant writers chasing that money.

8 comments:

  1. Yikes! I only got through part of the movie so far, but it's a sad commentary on the city. I remember when people used to look at this city for stories of success.

    I suppose that the movie will conclude that more government programs and more government money (aka YOUR money) is needed to solve the problems highlighted in the film. I doubt any of the "well-heeled" will question the role of government in creating the problems, or that the democrat party has had near-total control over Allentown City Hall for the last two decades (just like that same party has controlled many other failing cities across our nation).


    As to Ce-Ce Gerlach appearing in Nazareth, I can only hope that means she's moving her grifting business out of Allentown.

    One can still dream in Allentown, even when things are broke(n).




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  2. anon@8:30: I wish submitted comments were less partisan than yours, but that said, the Allentown Republicans have not even nominated a full slate of candidates in years, and those presented had less credentials. Look how they threw away the governorship this cycle.
    Joe Biden eliminated one problem repeatedly mentioned in the film, student debt. (Although none of those interviewed were losing any sleep over it anyway)

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  3. Anon 8:30 here:

    I disagree with your assessment of the PA Governor race. While Shapiro and his allies will try to paint Mastriano as an extremist, it's Shapiro that let our kids sit at home instead of at school and who let crime rise in cities like Philadelphia by not removing (or even speaking out against) a pro-criminal DA. To me, he's the extremist in that race.

    As to student debt, I don't think anything's actually been done. I doubt I'm alone in believing that the President doesn't have the power to do this on his own, and expect any attempt at forgiveness to be challenged in court. Even if it would stand, most of those owing would need much more forgiveness (like the young woman who racked up tens of thousands in student loans so she could party with her classmates). I, and many others (of all political parties), have a problem with paying for her choices.

    As to Allentown republicans, the meaning behind my original comments was actually much less partisan than the way you took it. In fact, I don't think any one party has a monopoly on good ideas.

    My point was that the democrats that run our cities (Allentown included) seem to believe they do. In reality, it seems more like they have a monopoly on bad ones. As quick as one democrat policy is implemented in one of our failed major cities, it is spread to other failing (democrat-run) cities as well.

    But those policies are spread and implemented well before ANY evaluation of that policy takes place, and nothing seems to improve. Doubt that, just look at how the Defund-the-Police movement spread, and what it's done to our cities.

    Apparently, democrat elected officials in our cities seem to believe more of the same bad policies will make things better. I believe that's called the definition of insanity.

    More government isn't making things better in our cities. I'd be happy if every now and then one of the leaders in those cities produced a scorecard for how they think their policies are doing. Or maybe just a moment of honest thought before they make us guinea pigs in their latest policy experiments.

    Instead, they think they have a monopoly on caring (they don't) and they'll attend movies that show how things are broke(n), using such films to pursue more of the same that got us there.

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  4. anon@10:30: although I prefer not to make endorsements on this blog, I did endorse Barletta in the spring, and put his campaign logo on the sidebar. I was afraid that the Republicans wouid throw away their chance at Harrisburg, and they did. Mastriano will only get the MAGA Republican votes, and no independent votes, whatsoever.

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  5. "Mastriano will only get the MAGA Republican votes, and no independent votes, whatsoever."

    I find that surprising, since independents are so, well, independent. I don't picture them voting in lockstep, even with each other.

    Since you hooked me in. Why are you against Mastriano?

    Like you, Barletta was my choice in the primary. But Shapiro's been so bad on everything - soft on crime, bad on covid, etc.

    Elected democrats seem to take every issue to the extreme. For instance, I'm ok with trying to make every kid feel welcome at school, but I draw the line at allowing biological males to use female bathrooms and compete in sports against biological females. That just doesn't make sense. I could cite similar examples, but won't.

    The bottom line is that I see Shapiro supporting the same failed democrat policies that are destroying our nation. Mastriano might not have been my first choice, but that alone makes him the better choice in my mind.

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  6. anon@12:58: this will be my last reply. I prefer not to comment on my own posts, and certainly not a back & forth.
    I considered Jan. 6 borderline treason. although our system is not perfect, and there could be some vote counting shenanigans, there are mechanisms for recounts. At any rate, for the sake of democracy, the loser must concede before Jan. 6. It will take a long time for the Republican party to bounce back from Trump. Candidates like Mastriano will only prolong the failure cycle.

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  7. It's interesting that commenters are eager to redirect their anger at Wolf to Shapiro. Shapiro has worked very hard, and worked across the aisle to go after criminals, big offenders criminals. He stood up to Chesapeake Gas who were screwing their lessors/owners with additional fees like "advertising costs." This made him "bad for business" which he isn't. He went after pedophiles who were hidden by their religious sects. This made him anti-church, which he's not. He went after criminals in places of power, including government, who took advantage of their power, as in the Bradford County DA who, as a defender, was trading professional services for sex in his office. (https://www.stargazette.com/story/news/public-safety/2021/07/09/bradford-county-da-chad-salsman-sentenced-sex-charges/7918516002/) that made him anti-republican, which he is not. Mastriano's association with white supremacists, January 6th, his glorification of confederate history, and his belief that God should be in government is too scary. I'm a republican who won't be voting for him.

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  8. While I am no fan of Mastriano, he is what happens when their are 8 candidates running in a primary for the same position. This said, in November I support any and every Republican over any Democrat. In just the past decade the Democratic Party has move from a fairly mainstream party to a radical far left party. It now supports many positions it adamantly opposed just ten years ago. Is there any doubt this quick move to the far left won't continue? Meanwhile the Republican platform has changed very little in the past 50 years. Meanwhile the Democrats flush with cash have been flooding the airwaves throughout the summer only to see polling indicates Shapiro is below 50% and Mastriano is down just 5-10 points. The real race begins now and Republicans are just starting to get their message out. Don't write off any Republican candidate, the voters are scared and angry.

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