Josh Siegel has set up a very ambitious transition team for his coronation as County Executive. He has checked all the progressive boxes, such as affordable housing, which isn't usually in the county's purview. BUT, in fairness to Mr. Siegel, he the youngest person ever elected to the position in Pennsylvania. His appointees are a who's who of local Progressive politics.
The committee which warrants this blog post is Local Resilience and Response to Trump Administration:
Chair: Jon Iron, Lehigh County Commissioner
Jasmine Rivera, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Immigrant Coalition
Mary Erdman, Immediate Past President, Lehigh County League of Women Voters
Adam Hosey, Policy and Political Director, Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
Nicole Folino, Community Services Manager, Second Harvest Food Bank
While federal constraints, such as grants, have always concerned local government, I have no recollection of the county ever having a special committee to monitor and respond to a specified presidential administration.
Some readers of this blog, disturbed by my expansion out of Allentown, have accused me of TDS. I suppose my case at worse, is very, very mild compared to everyone mentioned above. BTW, I have not been invited to join any of the committees.
I'm not here to be polite or popular
Of course you would think your TDS is mild. That’s a primary symptom.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the MAGA people, anyone who doesn't worship Trump 100% in everything he does has TDS.
ReplyDeleteEven if you are a conservative republican
They are so afraid of criticisim, and so thin-skinned, it's sad. But they sure can shovel it out
Not the case at all.
DeleteWhat’s the benefit of a ridiculously simplistic response? Many Americans want the country to be great, want an end to endless war, detest woke, want girls safe in the locker room and want women’s sports for women. Some people actually support Israel without supporting 💯 of its policies. They want order in the immigration system and a nation’s capital that is clean and secure.
They want a great country.
That seems eminently reasonable, patriotic even.
They are MAGA, but don’t necessarily agree with every single Trump policy and recognize widespread TDS where it exists but don’t throw the term around willy nilly any more than the terms “racism” or “fascist”.
The symptoms of TDS are not generally subtle. Over use of the term TDS is as counterproductive as denying its many virulent as well as more garden variety manifestations that are all over the MSM.
Yes, it effects most, not all, of one political party and virtually all of the corporate MSM to some degree.
Denial is not a river in Egypt.
If the shoe fits wear it.
Get out and travel. It’s a big beautiful country.
mj adams
If an individual has absolutely ZERO positive to say about the current President and spends an inordinate amount of time bashing every single thing about the man and weaves criticisms into most every conversation that individual may have TDS. If an individual believes that Trump is an existential threat to democracy, decency and life in the Universe, it could be TDS.
DeleteObsession is one clear indicator of the syndrome.
Adams@9:20: I appreciate your signing, BUT as a son of a captain, you must know how wrong Trump is with almost everything. The former admiral resigned rather than blow up civilian boats, while the current one is being thrown under the bus by Hegseth, who is TOTALLY unqualified for defense secretary. End of endless wars? What is the fleet doing off Venezuela? Thanks for protecting girls in the locker room, but Trump destroyed the economy with wily nilly tariffs.... only the $billions going into AI centers are keeping us afloat.
DeleteIf anyone on this thread believes that they have more time professionally addressing ATOD treatment or prevention than me this is a good time to step up and speak.
DeleteI support order on border crossings and ports of entry, safety in Washington D.C., security for girls in all rest rooms and locker rooms, women in women’s sports, an end to endless wars, questioning NATO, a return to manufacturing in the United States, the deportation of unvetted migrant criminals, direct military action against narco terrorism like that against ISIS, the terminal disruption of the Iranian nuclear program, an immediate settlement for the conflict in Ukraine, the unambiguous support for the state of Israel and the advancement of the Abraham Accords.
So even though I have only voted Republican in a handful of local, regional and national elections in life ( I ALWAYS vote), so there’s that.
Adams@10:48: your support for Israel is stronger than in Israel and elsewhere by Jews. Israel committed domicide in Gaza and is allowing settlers in the West Bank a free reign. BTW, the Abraham Accords is dead and over. Putin and Netanyahu couldn't have hoped for a better friend than Trump.
DeleteDear Mr. Information, I will let you google responses for Trumps current popularity in Israel.
DeleteAll the very best to you and yours.
It is obvious that democrats really have no polices to remedy the problems that they have often created. So we can expect it will all be about Trump. Trump will be the cause of all our ills, yet they still will not have policies that can fix these problems.
ReplyDeleteRay, NOT TRUMP IS the Democrats policy!
DeleteGet with the program.
I still remember what my beloved mother told me many, many years ago: "If you cannot say at least one thing nice about someone, (President Trump) say nothing at all. Good advice. Molinsky, pay attention.
ReplyDeleteanon@7:13: Did she tell you to say your well known predator/harasser/anti-semitic slurs anonymously?
DeleteIn fairness, the county affiliated Lehigh County Housing Authority has been around forever.
ReplyDeleteanon@7:39: Although the Housing Authority is not affiliated, your point is well taken...the county has an extensive Human Services dept.
ReplyDeleteLet's talk about the whole team....each one of these selected individuals are questionable 🤔
ReplyDeleteThe transition team consists of the following committees that will begin meeting in December.
Human Services Subcommittee:
Chair: Marci Lesko, President and CEO of the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
Kate Cohen: Vice President, Institutional Advancement River Crossing YMCA
Marc Rittle, Executive Director, New Bethany
Brad Osborne, Former Lehigh County Commissioner & Chair of Board
Eric Ruth, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kellyn Foundation
Housing Subcommittee:
Jonathan Strauss, Co-Founder and Partner Cortex Residential
Abby Goldfarb, Executive Director, Lehigh Conference of Churches
Robert DiLorenzo, Director of Planning and Construction, City Center Group
Phil Malitsch, Director of Land Development Tuskes Homes
Asher Schiavone, Director of Government Affairs, Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors
Economic Development and Regional Growth Subcommittee:
Jason Salus, Montgomery County Treasurer
Dave Nasatir, Chair of Firm, Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippell LLP
Alex Michaels, President and CEO Discover Lehigh Valley
Frank Facchiano is COO and Executive Vice President, Member Relations, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce
Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, Vice President of Business Development and Attraction, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation
Paul Anthony, Business Manager/Financial Secretary International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 375 and President of the Lehigh Valley Building Trades
Labor/Personnel Subcommittee:
Joe Scoboria, Business Representative, AFSCME 13
Andy Hilt, Business Agent, SEIU 668 for Lehigh County
Danielle Joseph, Executive Vice President, Business & Diversity Councils, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce
Chris Naylor, Legislative and Political Director, UFCW 1776
Public Safety Subcommittee:
Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca
Jeani Garcia, Director of Operations, Promise Neighborhoods
Katarah A Jordan, CEO of Boys and Girls Club of Allentown
Jeremy Warmkessel, President of IAFF Local 302
Tinku Khanwalkar, Member of Pennsylvania Prison Society, Member of Allentown Environmental Advisory Council focused on environmental sustainability, justice and equity
Local Resilience and Response to Trump Administration:
Chair: Jon Iron, Lehigh County Commissioner
Jasmine Rivera, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Immigrant Coalition
Mary Erdman, Immediate Past President, Lehigh County League of Women Voters
Adam Hosey, Policy and Political Director, Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
Nicole Folino, Community Services Manager, Second Harvest Food Bank
Batts wife and his prodigy the victim poster mom. Not surprised.
DeleteIn fact the Housing Authority is a stand alone institutional entity.
ReplyDeleteThe young Country Executive elect is immature, a political extremist, a serious wokester with a clear case of TDS….and the political hack is a text book narcissist.
ReplyDeleteThis bods poorly for Lehigh Co.
For the record, I’m a native of Lehigh County and spent the majority of my life as a registered, active, Democrat.
mj adams
Human Services Subcommittee:
ReplyDelete• Chair: Marci Lesko, President and CEO of the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
• Kate Cohen: Vice President, Institutional Advancement River Crossing YMCA
• Marc Rittle, Executive Director, New Bethany
• Brad Osborne, Former Lehigh County Commissioner & Chair of Board - assumably the default Republican
• Eric Ruth, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kellyn Foundation
All of these individuals are interconnected with each other financially. Either hold seats on each other's boards, provide funding for, or consultants for.
somebody submitted several comments, listing each committee with supposed faults and conflicts. although I accept anonymous comments, potential slurs and worse, do require a verifiable signature.
DeleteFirst timer here. Interesting read. I'm not a Maga supporter but nor am I a Segal supporter. However irregardless I don't think it's appropriate to ever have a committee publicly to combat any president no matter what party they are. Using tax payer dollars in this form is irresponsible
DeleteThose suburban blue blowout voters are sure going to regret voting in Josh Siegel. Just wait until he tries to force the Townships to take in the un-housed, provide for low income housing and integrate their beloved lilly-white public school campuses.
ReplyDeleteYes...and then Jon Irons can give Lehigh County land and reparations funds to the Lenni Lenape
DeleteAny one participating in a transition committee for county government named such an inappropriate title is immediately suspect.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, the tax payers need to look into each name on that this. And why so many are not Lehigh County residents
DeleteTo read Siegels Wikipedia page is to believe that he is the political Second Coming, and the “youngest” Second Coming to boot.
ReplyDeleteThose lily white suburban school districts are about to get schooled in some serious social justice.
ReplyDeleteWe heard you the first time at 10:17: Different municipalities have different demographics. As progressive as Siegel may be, that is a reality beyond his adjusting.
DeleteThis blog is not comment centric, and adverse to repetitiveness. Submitters, especially anonymous, should not take offense if their repetitive comment does not appear.
This post, and perhaps the blog, will be no longer accepting comments mentioning the border, girl's locker rooms etc. too, too, too :) repetitious. Sorry for you that Trump is limited to two terms.
ReplyDeleteYou say Yrump is wrong on everything.
ReplyDeleteA reader comments on the position policies he’s instituted. You say you’re not gotta let that comment stand.
What is really going on here?
Let me add Yoump moved the Embassy to Jerusalem.
anon@12:30: Moving the embassy in his previous term was appreciated.
ReplyDeletean unpublished comment states that Trump is popular in Israel...he is for freeing hostages.
This post was intended to be about Siegel having a "special" committee to deal with Trump directives.
Josh Siegel is a very disturbed kid. The state of politics in Allentown and Lehigh County is nothing short of tragic. It would be humorous if the stakes weren’t so high.
DeleteI fear it may get even more desperate in the relatively near future.
Thank you MM for your attention to these pressing local issues.
Good day, sir.
I’d like to weave together a bit of today’s news as a real life example of the real danger of TDS.
ReplyDeleteBack on January 6th, 2021, someone planted bombs outside of the RNC and DNC HQ in Washington, DC. While I understand we still have much to learn, I would hope that we all can agree this is a serious crime, and had the potential to kill or injure many people.
But instead of focusing on the bombs and the bombers, we were fed several false narratives designed to politically damage Trump and his supporters. In fact, for years the full attention of the FBI and DOJ seemed to be focused on tracking down every last attendee at the protest who (in many cases) believed the building they entered and walked through was open to do so. Politicians crafted narratives the inflict maximum damage on the 45th President with the political purpose of stopping him from running for office again. Meanwhile, scant attention was given to those who apparently planted actual bombs earlier that morning.
Now maybe it’s just me, but I would say that the bomber is more of a threat to us than most of those arrested, charged, and convicted at the Capitol that day. But half the country was consumed by TDS and blaming Trump, and the other half was consumed with defending him. And most of the country lost sight of who we should really be pursuing, if they were even aware that there were bombs planted that day.
Today an arrest was finally made for the planting of bombs 5 years ago. I’m sure we’ll learn in the coming days the motivation of the person who planted the bombs, and that will also then be twisted as every issue is today.
Because that’s where we are today, on almost every issue, with one side trying to twist every issue around how it can damage Trump, and the other side dutifully defending. All the while, the real problems go unsolved at best, and unaddressed or unknown at worst.
I don’t know the solution, but we need to do better.
I do know that county-level committees to feed TDS aren’t the solution, and only help the small-minded politicians who create them. They will surely be used to reward political supporters, and distract us from the shortcomings and failures of those same politicians, which is exactly what they’re designed to do.
Once again, comments that mention TDS or that concept, may well not appear, no matter how long they are. There are places for you. The Lehigh Valley Tea Party changed their name to Lehigh Valley MAGA and hold regular meetings. Not sure you can join as "anonymous", but perhaps....
DeleteI believe that the author of the following post indented to be anonymous, if I'm mistaken, he can gladly take ownership with another comment.
ReplyDeleteLocal Resilience and Response to Trump Administration:
• Chair: Jon Iron, Lehigh County Commissioner- one way thinker hasn't implemented any legislation or created any new policies.
• Jasmine Rivera, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Immigrant Coalition - Philadelphia resident with no real attachment or knowledge of LV.
• Mary Erdman, Immediate Past President, Lehigh County League of Women Voters
• Adam Hosey, Policy and Political Director, Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
• Nicole Folino, Community Services Manager, Second Harvest Food Bank - a manager of an organization current stability is unstable and dependent on governmental funding although it was developed with tools and principles to be self sufficient.
Where are the real voices and leadership of the Lehigh Valley. Where are the officials, leaders, and executives who we see really put in the sweat equity. Wheres the diversity Josh preaches. This was a political move if I ever seen one. Each individual on this list has publicly endorsed Josh and have one agenda in mind. Unfortunately the ones who will suffer are the residents of Lehigh Valley. If I had a crystal ball I would be it would show bankruptcy, high crime, a dismantled emergency response system, an increase in non-profit leadership salaries, less opportunities for self sufficient development and more dependence on assistance.I definitely see less equity and no inclusion. Just one mans thoughts. Lehigh Valley we need better, we must demand more!
I have passed over a couple anonymous comments taking members of other committees to task.
ReplyDeleteIt’s all part of Operation Stormy Daniels.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your contribution Mike.
I love that this guy stands up for labor. He’s never had a real laboring job in his life.
ReplyDelete