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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, July 14, 2008

Will Stoffa Cross the Rubicon?

Cold winter rains filled the Rubicon one January day over two thousand years ago. The usually decisive Caesar had spent most of that day dawdling, trying to decide whether to cross that river with what was left of his legions. To do so would be treason. It would plunge Rome into civil war. Finally, as night fell, Caesar guided his horse into the swift stream.

"Let the dice fly high," he declared. The rest, as you know, is history.

Caesar's enemies, the optimates, were intent on preserving a status quo in which a few powerful families made all the decisions. They had no interest in any of Caesar's popular reforms. They eventually killed him, but not his ideas.

Today, on a much smaller scale, history repeats itself. The powerful few still resent and fear any person who stands for popular reform. They detest Northampton County Council member Ron Angle. He rightly calls these patricians to task for scheduling "special meetings" just to accommodate St. Luke's, something they would not do for a plebian like you or me. They despise county exec John Stoffa, who spurns "pay to play" in favor of open and accountable government.

Some of these patricians are Republicans. Others are Democrats. But just like their fellow optimates over two thousand years ago, they fear popular reform. They laugh at a county executive who doesn't demand a special parking spot like them. They think nothing of spending $650,000 in taxpayer money for ridiculous renovations to the meeting room, but include no facilities that would permit the livestreaming of council meetings for the plebs. What they fear most is a county executive who refuses to participate in their legal bribery, where government is for sale to the highest bidder. So these patricians do their best to stop every Stoffa incentive, whether it is open space or something as simple as keeping two months of expenses in reserve. They try to smear Stoffa when he considers - gasp! - selling a piece of his own property.

The last thing they want is for Stoffa to cross the Rubicon and seek a second term. One term of honest government has been a disaster. Two terms will be the deathknell to their kind of politics.

Stoffa is still looking over the Rubicon, being no more indecisive than Caesar himself. But the county exec has already fired a shot across the bow of patricians interested in preserving the status quo - he has called on Dem Bossman Joe Long to resign.

Where, you might ask, are Stoffa's legions? That question was asked about Caesar, too. But you see, there are a lot more plebians than patricians.

I only have one piece of advice for John Stoffa. Stay home on March 15.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I knew you loved the guy but comparisons to Caesar? At least Caesar could make a decision. Stoffa doesn't know whether he's running or not, doesn't seem to have a party behind him much less an army, and Angle (Brutus) seems to be his biggest ally. That itself is scary enough.

Bernie O'Hare said...

1) There is little difference between the optimates who ruled in ancient Rome and the powerful few who make the decisisons here in the LV.

2) Caesar spent considerable time going back and forth before crossing that Rubicon, although he certainly was far more decisive than John Stoffa or any other leader I've seen in my lifetime.

3) Angle, like Sotffa, is a populare. They both demonstrate the inadequacies and unresponsiveness of our major parties, which have been overtaken by monied interests, whether it is unions (Dems) or Big Oil (Rs).

Anonymous said...

I don't think there are many people out there who are fed up with the major parties. However, Angle is more about Angle than he is about being a man of the people. He could never get elected County wide to anything. Both times he tried, he failed..

Anonymous said...

Actually I meant to say I think most people are fed up with the major parties. However until they all switch to independents we'll get more of the same.

Bernie O'Hare said...

We can get more of the same until people switch to indie. Or some of our leaders can insist on local party reforms.

Angle, so far as I can remember, only sought countywide office once. Did he run for council at large?

Anonymous said...

Yea, he ran as a Dem in 1989.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, let me start by saying I hope Stoffa runs.
Now as to this Caesar thing. While we all enjoyed reading Caesars Gaulic Wars and the countless tellings of the life of Caesar, a few things to note. He was the first to destroy the Republic and started a line and tradition that would give the Roman Empire the well deserved reputation as the cruelist and most despotic empire on Earth. Caesar may have meant well but a benevolent dictator is first and foremost a dictator. You as a student of histoy knows that the Roman Senate was an elite club, so was the Continental Congress. Caesar had a major ego and we do not know what years of unbrideled power would have done to him.
Finally, Bernie buddy you have predictably slipped a cog, John Stoffa -Julius Caesar, more like a Monty Python bit.
Cross the Rubicon, Ron Anle-Vox Populi(sic), I like John but he gets confused crossing the Seemsville Creek. Decisive leadership and John have never been confused with each other.
The new Northampton Empire with John Stoffa and Ron Angle. Sounds like something I remember from 'Life of Brian' or 'The Holy Grail'. Watch out for the French guard,'I fart in your direction".
You are one funny Dude.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Yes, Caesar was a ruthless bastard. I do believe he was a populist whose life was cut short, but I am well aware that many others have a different view.

I's also agree that I have slipped a cog ... or two, in comparing Stoffa to Caesar. No one can really be compared to Caesar, but I like that Rubicon analogy and had to make it, and do think there are similarilities between the powerful few who ruled in Rome and the powerful few who rule here. Other than that, I'm pretty much out of my mind.

Anonymous said...

The Stoffa Caesar comparisons are great. Afterall, Stoffa is always talking about "if he were King". Well, by enterting into his illegal insurance contract he is acting like one.

Jake said...

Please excuse me for interrupting , what appears to be, a Worship Service for John Stoffa. I keep hearing hosannas sung but wonder why he has ignore my e-mail requesting his assistance and support. Bernie, I sent you a copy. Is it a hot potato or has he given lip service to the challenges that face Gay Folks who have voted for him?

Just wondering?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Jake,

When I send an email to someone, I've learned not to assume automatically that it has been delivered. This is especially so for an email to someone in government, where there are sometimes hundreds of emails in just one day.

As I told you at the time, I was willing to make sure he got the email, but I don't remember hearing back from you on that point. I'm still willing to do so.

Stoffa is very familiar with the issues that face the gay community and can explain why to you himself. Since he has not responded to your email, why not give him a call? I'm sure he'd listen to your concerns.

I do like Stoffa and make no apology for it.

Anonymous said...

"Bernie, let me start by saying I hope Stoffa runs.
Now as to this Caesar thing. While we all enjoyed reading Caesars Gaulic Wars and the countless tellings of the life of Caesar, a few things to note. He was the first to destroy the Republic and started a line and tradition that would give the Roman Empire the well deserved reputation as the cruelist and most despotic empire on Earth."

actually, Sulla can lay claim to that achievement. he preceeded J.C. by about a generation.

Bernie O'Hare said...

True, Sulla's was Romes's first dictator. But he was restoring the Republic for the optimates, so that was OK. He ordered Caesar to divorce his wife, and he refused. Why Sulla did not have him executed on the spot remains a mystery. There's no question that Sulla saw something in Caesar. He even commented that there were "many a Marius" in Caesar, referring to Caesar's populist uncle, another soldier.

But I digress.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Actually, Sulla was not Rome's first dictator. He was Rome's first brutal dictator. He made Caesar look like an altar boy.

Jake said...

Bernie below is a copy of a mail that was replied to the other day and was never posted. I wonder what your response is? I should say that I have gotten responses to my E-mail's to Charlie Dent. Here is a suggestion since I do have e-mail's of you offering to post my experience on your blog. Why don't you post the e-mails that was sent to Stoffa on your blog here (As you have offered to expose my experience of hypocrisy and under handed dealings here in the Promised Land? I can add in detail my experience with my dealing with the Northampton DA's office and why we believe we were railroaded into dropping the stalking charges against our closet case neighbor whose affections we rejected. Plus, I will include in detail my expereince with the Lower Saucon Police.





Bernie

I have many e-mail's that have not been responded to by people in authority. Including a mail to the Lower Saucon Police that has been ignored. And a response from your friend John (certified registered mail) who omitted answering any questions presented to him. I have learned that many in Government are not willing to leave a footprint when the topic of Gay Civil Rights is concerned or discussed. Or play a shell game in their verbal response. I don't speak with people (I learned my lesson), I would rather that they address the topic in a mail so I can reference what they have said and their advice. I guess I can surmise that I can assume that you are saying that my having any expectation of a response without making a pest of myself is unrealistic. He is the one who made a Public Comment that I am giving him an opportunity to walk his talk and not just give lip service to an aspect of his constituency. I know he is busy. But that is an excuse. I have no other reason to believe that he has ignored it. Should I send the same mail every day? I know the game. I do recall telling you that I haven't gotten a response after what I believe was a reasonable period of time but I sort of recall you telling me he is busy.

After all, I did Vote for Him

Jake

Bernie O'Hare said...

Jake, Send me the email you sent to Stoffa and I will gladly hand deliver it to his office. I did have it from you, but when my PC crashed, I lost some email.

I will gladly assist you in any way I can. If you feel Stoffa is ignoring you, and have made a reasonable effort to contact him, I'll note that.