When I left you earlier today, I painted John Stoffa at the banks of the Rubicon, pondering whether to take the plunge and seek a second term. It's hard to imagine him, an older man who should be enjoying his retirement, continue to suffer the mean-spirited abuse inflicted on him.
It's worse than blogging!
So let's say we're left with a race for the Democratic nod between council prez Ann McHale and state Rep. Rich Grucela, who hails from the ranks of local government.
Who do you like? I've loaded an unscientific poll on the left sidebar.
Update: I've been taken to task for failing to include Ron Heckman, currently a Lehigh County administrator, in the mix. So I've prepared a new poll that includes all three. This poll assumes that Stoffa is stepping down. Should he decide to seek a second term, it is unclear whether Grucela would enter the fray.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Monday, July 14, 2008
24 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
First of all since Heckman is definitely running you might want to incluse him in the poll. Also, I thought Grucela had no interest?
ReplyDeletehe's not going to give up that cushy Harrisburg job.
While you are inclusing him you might want to include him also..
ReplyDeleteOutsider's view again - I vote for "none of the above" and tell he Ds (and Rs) to put a fresh face up for the race. It seems like there are so many issues that need to be dealt with, that a new/fresh point of view is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteI freely state that I'm a firm believer in term limits for all elected positions (local, state and federal).
I could be totally off base w/ this (I have no idea how long McHale and Grucela have served in public office) but it just seems to me like they've been around a long time.
The Banker
Anon 2:38 & 4:02,
ReplyDeleteI've been told heckman intends to run, but don't view him as a serious candidate because he did very little campaigning when he ran for bethlehem city council, losing a race he should have easily won. But I will put up a new poll and include him.
Banker,
Since "none of the above" is an option we don't have when we are actually voting, it won't be an option here.
NOTA should be, but that's a separate topic.
ReplyDeleteI can't vote then, don't know enough about the candidates.
The Banker
I'd like to see Maher from the Nazareth Area School Board. He's well practiced in tilting at governmental windmills. I also support the ABS and ABA candidates. Anybody But Stoffa and Anybody But Angle.
ReplyDeleteThe person you mention is not running, but the names on the poll are a reasonable supposition. So who do you like? Cast a vote.
ReplyDeleteStoffa would be even more ineffectual in his second term than he is in his first.
ReplyDeletelink for heckman shows that he is no longer the administrator for that program. I don't think he works there any more.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure Ron still is at LC. Last I heard, he was acting director of MH/MR. When I click on google links, his name does not pop out.
ReplyDeleteLet;s see Stoffa has no D support on Council. He has no D party support. He has no Labor support. I think Tom Foolery is correct. Stoffa should switch parties and run. Afterall, Cusick is hardly an impressive standard bearer for them.
ReplyDeleteLet's see. Stoffa just has the support of the people. Now instead of taking anonymous shots at Stoffa, vote for a Dem.
ReplyDeleteCaeser built the aquaducts and viaducts that irrigated the ancient world. Stoffa can't even run a third class county government.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but he's fixing the windows at Gracedale, which have been broken since the time of Caesar.
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to see how many people recommended either NOTA (me), Heckman (who you added to the ballot), Maher, and Stoffa as an R.
Small sample, but sure looks like voter dissatisfaction to me - and that may be the single biggest issue of the upcoming election. It's going to be real interesting!
The Banker
It is unfortunate that two other popular Dems with integrity- Steve Samuelson and Bob Freeman are not interested in the job. NorCo voters demonstrated their disgust with politics as usual when Stoffa was elected. He has kept his promise to lead by example and to be accountable to the electorate, unlike his adversaries on county council. They seem more interested in scoring political points and embarassing a popular county executive than in serving the people.
ReplyDeleteOne point about Bethlehem's race. Donchez and Mowrer were incumbents who had no chance of losing. Reynolds was a star high school basketball player who was well known in the community. Heckman's chances there were slim when he started his campaign.. County wide in primarys he has always done well. I know. I ran against him and lost..Up county he would do much better than McHale and in Bethlehem he will do much better than Grucela, if he ran.. I'm sure he can be competetive. In the end it comes down, sadly enough, to how much money can be raised..So we'll see..
ReplyDeleteCan Heckman run? I remember when he had to drop out the race for Mayor a few years back because as a county administer he had control over federal grant money, and his candidacy would violate the Hatch Act.
ReplyDeleteHe is no longer in that position or anything similar that would prevent him from running..
ReplyDeleteRon Heckman is just what Northampton County needs- a leader-something the County has not had for the past 3 years.He is honest- another unique quality in the County- not confrontational- doesn't lie, and, doesn't put people down, as we have seen in Radio and in the newspapers for the past few years.Let's hope the Expressa nd the call can finally print something without having an agenda. I'll be working for Ron, if he asks, and, I know a lot of my friends plan to do the same. Good Government is not far away!
ReplyDeleteRight on to the writer about Ron Heckman- Honest, capable, decent,and educated. I agree that the Express and the Call, not to mention a former Radio host, have been cruel, unfair, and dishonest about people whom they disgaree with.I asked my priest the other day what he thought of people who use their job as a Columnist or Radio host to rip and tear people apart they disagree with, and, he summed it perfectly-AMORAL.....
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure Heckman would agree that the MC, ET or "columnists" or a certain "radio host" have been cruel, unfair or dishonest about people with whom they disgree. He does strike me as a decent andf nice guy. It's his supporters who appear to be a tad off.
ReplyDeleteMany have said that about Stoff'a supporters. Thats a pretty strange shot to take at someone.
ReplyDeleteYou don't make the case that Heckman is a decent or nice guy by taking shots at newspapers and (wink, wink) radio hosts. All you do is demean yourself. There's nothing strange at all in that observation.
ReplyDelete