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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Tony Phillips, A Republican Who Listens

Allentown Mayoral candidate Tony Phillips will open his campaign headquarters on Monday at 1101 Hamilton Street. Local celebrity Ken Matthews is running the effort, and calls it a "challenging yet exciting time."

Phillips, one of Allentown's three remaining Republicans, is waging an uphill battle against a heavily-financed Democrat in a Democratic stronghold so partisan that its residents incredibly selected lightweight Sam Bennett over moderate Charlie Dent.

It's been my experience that Democrats usually stick up for the little guy while Rs sit around sipping martinis at the local country club. Not so in Allentown. Pawlowski has pretty much ignored struggling small business owners, whether they are Hamilton Street merchants adversely impacted by bus routing changes, a local golf course restaurateur, or a struggling downtown tavern owner. As can be seen in QCD comments, a local saloonkeeper is getting little sympathy in her struggle against Pawlowski's desire to put her out of business.

"My support for Mayor Pawlowski is now 200%. This woman profits by selling booze to drunks and creating this environment WHERE DRUGS ARE BOUGHT AND SOLD EVERY NIGHT and trying to tell us she has no choice but to do this to be able to educate her kids in white trash Parkland."

A lot of sympathy for a struggling small business there, eh? What does publicly financed Allentown Brew Works, managed by a Dem committeeman who is one of King Edwin's men, sell? Of course, the drunks are higher class. I'm sure the patrons use more refined drugs, too. I guess that makes all the difference in the world.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

We,(5 Minutes of Flavor/Lifestyles of the GSS), did an interview with Tony Phillips and, although he does speak softly, if you turn the volume up on your computer, you should be able to see and hear a pretty decent conversation regarding his vision for the Allentown, PA. The interview can be seen on www.lifestylesofthegss.piczo.com

Thanks for the plug, MM,

Alfonso Todd

Anonymous said...

Under Long the little guy is ignored for the gentry Democrats. Very Sad. I never thought the Democrats would not endorse in a primary, a very Republican thing to do.

Anonymous said...

A black man running as a Republican in Allentown has about as much chance of winning as, well,
you do. Since you don't live in Allentown that explains best what HIS odds are.

PA Iconoclast said...

If Tony had real political stones he would have run as a D against Pawlowski. That wouldn't have resulted in Tony's name on the ballot but it sure would have been funny watching King Edwin spin in circles while frothing at the mouth. This is all theater - Tony will lose and then move to the 'burbs as soon as his term is up. Watch.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"If Tony had real political stones he would have run as a D against Pawlowski."

Whay should Tony remain loyal to that party? Seriously. Pawlowski sure as hell has been no voice for the little guy.

Anonymous said...

Retired ASD teacher here.

I already wrote about my encounter with Tony at an IronPigs game last summer. We had a nice chat. I was impressed with his understanding of the shortcomings of the current administration's vision.

I am not eligible to vote for Tony, but do plan to contribute to his campaign. Tony COULD be a catalyst to effect change in Allentown, even if in defeat.

That's a good thing, No?

LVCI said...

Anonymous said... "A black man running as a Republican in Allentown has about as much chance of winning as, well, you do."

That's what they said about Obama. Don't be too sure.

Then there is the "I'm not voting for, but rather against" factor. Those are the voters that are not voting for a candidate, but rather against someone they don't want to get back in. I would be described as one of those.

I welcome the fact that there are a number of people throwing their hats in. This will result in a broader base of ideas. I look forward to that and will be following this election more closely then I had in the past.

Anonymous said...

"Rs sit around sipping martinis at the local country club"
So Bernie, is that your perception of the modus operandi of, for example, Charlie Dent?

Bernie O'Hare said...

That has been my lifelong perception of Rs, and that certainly did include Charlie Dent. Ironically, it appears that locally, the situation is reversed. All too often, it is the Dems who are country club elitists while the Rs have been out there trying to help the little guy.

Locally, we have been a party that steps on all dissent and shouts down the little people. Thankfully, there are still some Democrats who are democrats.

Take a look at the most recenet meeting of the two local parties in NC. The Dems meet in a back room and make an endorsement voted on by a handful of committee members with no notice to anyone. The Rs provide big notice, have a breakfast meeting, invite everyone to speak, and heralds themn all.

Ideologically, I am still closer to the Dems, but the way they act locally is repulsive.

Anonymous said...

"I'm sure the patrons use more refined drugs, too. I guess that makes all the difference in the world."

unfortunaely, you are right.

the lesser refined drugs, and by that i mean crack cocaine, carry much stiffer sentences than that of the more "refined" nature.

yup, fill up the prisons with crack offenders so there's no room for the really bad people, like sex offenders. then move the sex offender into my neighborhood and give me and my daughter a paper, yeah, because that makes it okay.

Anonymous said...

The only race that should be considered, is the mayoral race. Tony Phillips has a reputation of being a good guy working hard for Allentown. This is why so many people who see Allentown becoming a better place to live, and work, is supporting Tony Phillips.

Anonymous said...

horrible alternative. I won't vote for either of these clowns.

A fool who listens who a condescending know it all... next!

Anonymous said...

Bernie O'Hare is not a Condescending know it all.

Bernie is THE CONDESCENDING KNOW IT ALL of KNOW IT ALLS!

Phillips is clueless. If he had a clue, he would be talking to people who actually vote.

That's his achilles. How many of the Allentown irregulars he is talking to will be there on election day for him, on an off year election? Turnout barely broke 23% in 2005.

Ed's dem machine will get out the base vote. Party over.

Anonymous said...

Cannot go anywhere with out the idiot Villa showing up.

A black cloud over the Lehigh Valley blogdom.

Can the republicans prevail? I hope so. The mayor is a misguided political animal who has little understanding of the community.

Spends too much time in the dark body cavities of his financial supporters.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 11:43 is someone other than Villa.

How do I know this? I am a condescending know it all, baby.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,

Just ignore this race. Phillips is not a serious candidate. You make yourself look uninformed to anyone who knows him.

Anonymous said...

Retired ASD teacher here.

Well, anonymous 12:56pm. Phillips might not be a serious candidate in your eyes, BUT . . . Tony's candidacy WILL cause problems to the "same old, same old."

That's healthy!

Anonymous said...

don't sleep on Tony. he will win and i will make sure at least 100 of my personal friends will vote for tony. Allentown will be shocked when they see a larger amount of voters this year! This is my mission!

Ken Matthews said...

Cut the Baloney !

Vote for Tony



Tony4Mayor.com

thanks

Anonymous said...

"don't sleep on Tony. he will win and i will make sure at least 100 of my personal friends will vote for tony. Allentown will be shocked when they see a larger amount of voters this year! This is my mission!"

This is Alfonso Todd for sure.

Anonymous said...

Now Anon 2:29 EVERYONE knows I sign MY name to everything I write. So, it wasn't me, but thanks for the compliment. (smile)

Alfonso Todd

Anonymous said...

Now Anon 2:29 EVERYONE knows I sign MY name to everything I write. So, it wasn't me, but thanks for the compliment. (smile)

Alfonso Todd

Anonymous said...

Thank for the up arrow Bernie.
I think it is interesting too, that it has been the R's who have the bigger tent and more open process, locally I just do not understand the term liberal, becasue they are anything BUT when it comes candidates.

PA Iconoclast said...

Bernie at 8:34 AM wrote "Whay (sic) should Tony remain loyal to that party? Seriously. Pawlowski sure as hell has been no voice for the little guy."

Miss not the point Bernie. I agree that King Edwin is no friend of the little guy. But, what I'm saying is that Tony has embarqued on a Quixotic quest to topple the corpulent one. Really, Tony is one smart guy. Angry too. He's also not a Republican in any form. He ran as a Republican to twist His Grandness in knots. He'll succeed but he will not win the Mayoralty.

During the bond restructuring in October 2007, Tony, in Council Chambers, made commentary to the effect that he believed the City is finished and would not continue to raise his child in Allentown. It was a heat of the moment thing to be sure (although he may be correct) but he said it, nonetheless.

And, joining the Republicans wasn't any way to prove he was on the side of the little guy.

On a side note, let me make an accurate observation that probably borders on ad hominem, but it is in line with your very correct observation that many local Democrats are really disgusting people - Joe Long is a douchebag. A total and utterly contemptible one at that. NCDC needs to get rid of him.

PA Iconoclast said...

Anon 2:11 could be the Reverend that had the falling out with the Rex Corpulus Edwinus.

Anonymous said...

Hey Matthews, when you got into bed with Polka Joe, you shot your own credibility to shreds.

You're as crazy as he is, but I understand the need to be in the public eye.

So now you're a stand up comic on the A-town reality show,
"Last Comical Candidate standing"

Too bad you're going to get cancelled in November.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Gee, doesn't Democratic talk Radio air on Timmer's station every Thursday? Is their credibility shot to shreds, too.

Ken, get ready for the Pawlowski personal attacks. That's their style. Ignore the issue. Attack the person.

Anonymous said...

My mother is the owner of Trinkles Cafe. And this mayor has put so much stress on her it hurts me everyday. You know Lauren Markowitz went to the hospitial because she had thoughts of sucide cause she thought the mayor was gonna out her on the streets which he is still trying to do, the cops stalk my mother everyday at trinkles. And she ask to work with the mayor but only gets put down for living in fogelsville and sending her kids to a good school and not the shit schools of allentown. Just SAD...!

Anonymous said...

As for my mother, owner of trinkles, Tony Phillips is a very good friend of my mom, both went to Allen and were good friends then. And my moms boyfriends' brother, Joe Brudnak (R) is running for city council and will win that one for sure! the number of signatures needed have just been reached. So we will have the last laugh mayor ed! lol!