I have hinted here and there, in the comments on this blog, that a group of New Democrats is rising here in the Lehigh Valley. Tired of Bossman Joe Long's heavy handed machine style of politics, they want to take the local party out of smoke-filled back rooms and bring it back to the people.I thought they would wait until after the election, but frustrated Christmas City Democrats made their first move last night. Here's an account from someone who was there.
"The Stoffa/McHale primary has led to action among Democrats in Bethlehem who want the county committee and state committee to STAY OUT OF LOCAL POLITICS. Sparks flew at tonight's Bethlehem City Dems meeting. Joe Long was directly challenged by a member of the group for being a leader of the Party Machine, instead of encouraging Dems to decide for themselves whom they should support in primaries. This same Dem suggested Joe should resign!
"The state Dem committee decision to financially support City Councilwoman Jean Belinski and Northampton County Judge candidate Barbara Hollenbach were openly criticized, and the committee (which normally allows itself to be lulled into the long-winded empty rhetoric of "Boss" Long) voted "Everyone to Two" to renounce the practice of favoritism toward secretly selected candidates in primaries. Plans are being made to take back control of Dem politics from the Bosses and other backroom dealmakers.
"Jeepers! It made me believe in the party again!"
Just as Stoffa is experiencing completely unsolicited support from people who get his message of good government, it appears that local Democrats are now beginning to embrace his July recommendation that Joe Long resign for the good of the party. Stoffa told Long Democrats are witnessing the following:
"* a steady decline in the quality of candidates
"* a failure to maintain party unity as seen in crumbling local committees, reduced emphasis on consensus-building activities, declining attendance at the annual County Party picnic, and a lack of significant fundraising events
"* a lack of a working volunteer recruitment/development program
"* primarily inactive local committees
"* decreasing effectiveness in recruiting, grooming, and training potential candidates ... suggesting a lack of vision and commitment
"* failure to maintain an up-dated website
"* your policy of holding party elections before new committee people are officially elected
"* lack of a effective, productive Executive Committee
"* a lack of support for your leadership among the many locally-elected Democratic officeholders I have consulted
"* your silence in the face of such activities as negative and misleading robocalling as well as anonymous mailings which violate Pennsylvania Campaign Law; something good Democrats never support and former leaders such as Marty Bechtel and Gene Hartzell would never have condoned
"* your ill-advised use of a political consultant now under investigation by the state Attorney General's office
"Northampton County Democrats deserve better leadership -- especially in this most critical election cycle. While I do not dispute your loyalty to Democratic Principles, I am no longer convinced that you are the right person to lead the Northampton County Democratic Party."
36 comments:
"New Dems" are only "new" in Northampton County. Everywhere else, we're called "Democrats," except for maybe Chicago. Blagojevich I heard is moving to Norco, the last place left where he can get ahead.
Stoffa is not a "NEW" Democrat and certainly not a Party standard bearer. Neither are you O'Hater, you wack job. The two of you can form the New Lunatics or something.
Stoffa didn't start anything. The biggest reason folks arre moving against Joe Long is Joe Long. Outside of a few people like Dertinger, McClure and Barro, most Dem's like your buddy Grucela and others tolerate Long. Since most campaigns neither win or lose based on Long, he is primarily ignored.
Stoffa's little letter was as ineffectual as joe Long himself. In fact Long and Stoffa are somewhat similar, they are both legends in their own minds.
The Party can and will do fine when polarizing figures like Long and Stoffa just go way and let real Democrats get back to work.
Fellow Democrats,
Stand up! You should not allow your party's principles to be trampled upon in the name of sleazy politics.
Did you see the recent fliers in the mail from the PA Dem Committee supporting Bethlehem incumbent Belinski and judge candidate Hollenbach over other PA Dems?
Did you know, when you sent in that check to PA Dems, that big smart guys (smarter than you, or so they think) would be deciding who should run and who should get your money in PRIMARY elections against other Democrats? That means your money sent to benefit their hand-picked DEMOCRATS and, perhaps, not YOUR DEMOCRATS, but you aren't important enough to have a choice.
That's not the Democratic Party I signed up for 30 years ago.
Bethlehem Democrats are rising up and saying NO to County and State party control. Get involved before the Dem party is exposed as being as infected with party politics as the infection that BROUGHT THE REPUBLICANS DOWN!! We are supposed to be better. Start at a local level. Who paid for the expensive mailer that came to your home today: a local committee or the PA Democatic Committee?
Choose local, and make up your mind for yourself! Belinski and Hollenbach: take your Harrisburg politics and your Harrisburg endorsements and stuff them up for collective arses.
To Ann McHale:, even if Boss Long had told me TO vote for you, I wouldn't have. You are in the "deep muddy" of politics by choice, and no one can emerge from that without serious dry cleaning bills. I'd rather stay clean (albeit slowly, and not particularly effectively) with Stoffa than mired in the muck of Harrisburg. We are Democrats; we are supposed to have ethics.
Vote appropriately. Please.
Annon 12:55, All that to get to your point and smear McHale and support the Incompetent and slimy Stoffa. I doubt you are even from Bethlehem.
New Democrats don't include old Republicrat Stoffa.
Bill Larioux
Anon 12:44,1:03,
Actually, Stoffa is the person who first put his finger on the problem. Now that may bother you, Senator Boscola and Ann McHale, but that's the way it is.
McHale represents what is wrong with Northampton County Democrats. She is a country club Democrat used to seeing decisions made behind closed doors. Boscola actually allowed the party to endorse people over her own brother. She should at least be speaking up for the right of Democrats to make that choice, instead of sitting silently while Joe Long makes his power plays.
And now they're using their influence to get the state party boys to use money that should be spent in state house races to support candidates who have not been endorsed in the way that matters most - a primary election.
Yes, the New Democrats are rising to put an end to the machine style policitcs of Joe Long, Ann McHale, Charles Dertinger and Lamont McClure. Stoffa represents a return to integrity and honesty in government, a return to caring about the common man. He is THE new Democrat. I suspect to see many others filling those ranks andwill have much more to say after the election.
Bernie,
Your facts are not correct. Check the finance reports after the election and you will see that belinski and hollenbach paid for their mail. The state party offered all Democratic candidates the option of using the state party bulk mail permit which is the one of only two non-profit political permits in the state (the state R's have the other). It is a signifigant savings in postage. The only prohibiting criteria was that it had to be a positive piece and you can not use it if you are running agianst an incumbent D even if you are endorsed. This helps Stoffa as he would have acces to it and Mchale does not.
I am sorry it is late and I did not finish my though in the last post. The candidates in question paid the state committee for their mail and the state committee paid the printer and the postage with said money.
Anon 1:31,
I appreciate your information, but I stand by my claim that bethlehem City Ds are in revolt.
Assuming everything you say is true, did anyone bother to inform Stoffa he could take advantage of the state party bulk mail permit? I know he went out and bought his own. Did anyone bother to inform Karen Dolan? I doubt it. How about judicial hopefuls Sam Murray, Mike Koury, Candy Barr Heimbach, Jim Narlesky, or Karl Longenbach? I doubt it.
Long will tell some people things he does not tell to others. The bullshit needs to stop. Long really needs to resign. He is hurting his party by foisting weak candidates who get trounced and then takes credit fior candidates he never helped.
He failed to even invite the incumbent Democratic county exec to Democratic gatherings within the county. He can't get along with Cunningham, and had Onorato in here a few weeks ago for a secret meeting with Pawlowski.
He is divisive and needs to go.
Annon 12:44 is just about dead on. Your mancrush with Stoffa non-witstanding, many Dem's have been moving away from Long for some time.
Stoffa is not the great white hope of the Party. Dem's know he is still controlled by Republicans Angle and Bradt, so he is really no more respected than Long.
Remember Stoffa let Long work for him throughout the 2005 general election. Stoffa spent many a Saturday at the Long home, so stop the feigned outrage.
The "new Dem's" are less your dramatic revolution as they are a natural evolution away from an ineffectual Pary Chairman.
Don't let anyone believe that the State dems are only paying for postage in the Belinski race. Last time she ran she spent about $4000.
and ended up with about $10.000 worth of mailers paid for by the State Committee. Rooney was supporting her because she was an ally of his buddy Schweder. maybe this time they only help with the postage but last election there is absolutely no doubt that they helped with her mail!
Bernie,
I'd like to know who the "new" democrats are. Are they people brought in from the Obama campaign or are they people who have been around for a while that are speaking up now.
I'm from Lehigh County so I have no clue what the heck is going on up in Northampton. I think your campaign finance report criticism on McHale is a little off base because it looks to me like a standard race for County Executive with no obscene contributions. However, not being from Northampton I know little else of what is going on up there.
Anon 1:32
If Belinksi paid the state party, why is it not on her campaign finance report?
it's all just smoke and mirrors democrats are democrats period.
Belinski didn't show her contributions from the state party
last time and came away unscathed. Why would she bother to do it now??
Inner party squabbles are the only political disagreement that happens in NorCo. It's still Democrats having a food fight with Democrats. The winner will be another Democrat. They have had control of the county for 12 years and the deterioration in finances and quality of life is apparent. Rs are a local joke and would have nothing if not thrown an occasional bone by Stoffa. One party rule has been bad for the county. Demographics indicate we can expect more. All red and all blue are not a good thing.
New Dems and Long Dems: Long Dems are pre-techonology, pre-education, pre-inclusion, and pre-open-ness. New Dems are post World War II.
Jacob,
It looks like a standard campaign finance report to you because Cunningham is running your County.
Jacob,
It looks like a standard campaign finance report to you because Cunningham is running your County.
My father is such a Republican.
A son of an immigrant who never learned enough English to converse with his own grandchildren without a family translator
...who didn't have indoor plumbing until he installed it himself when his older sisters were able to work and save extra money, for the family, taking turns taking bathsin a titanium tub on the kitchen table, taking turns (he was the sixth in line).
The son, grandson, and nephew of diehard life long United Mine Workers Assocation members who registered with whatever party John L. Lewis was at the time, one of whom was killed in the mines due to unsafe conditions, fought for child labor laws, compensation, and life insurance benefits and celebrated in the Union Hall with my little cousins on their shoulders as they wheezed their cheers when the Black Lung Benefits Act was passed in '69 which they all eventually died of.
The first person in his family to go to college, all on his own, much less get a Masters who dedicated his life to social work and Human Services.
Whatever will he do with those millions he has earned from those double pensions working for both Counties?
To Anonymous
Re: Cunningham
Cunningham has over 700,000 in his report. This is of course in preparation for a run at the Governor's mansion. He's going to need to double that to be viable statewide.
$20,000 for a county wide contested primary for the executive office is not something I find that unusual for a county with a quarter of a million people in it.
all our parents grandparents suffered and lived to tell about to.
i guess you and your brother will inherit his fortunes
"The "new Dem's" are less your dramatic revolution as they are a natural evolution away from an ineffectual Pary Chairman."Bullshit. I've been speaking to them. They are concerned about the back room shenanigans and Long's top down approach. They are disgusted by a party that endorses in the primary. If the party produces candidates that do not believe in tranaprency, the result will be government officials with a similar attitude. We already have them - Dertinger & McClure are prime examples.
I will have more to say about the New Democrats after the election.
If, as an anonymous poster stated, "The only prohibiting criteria (to using the permit) was ... you can not use it if you are running agianst an incumbent D even if you are endorsed," than how could Belinski use it against both me and Jay Leeson, two incumbents running in this election?
Four years ago, when Belinski had this same advantage, I was told it could only be used by incumbents. Then why was Hollenbach given the perk?
I was not offered this advantage, and I wouldn't take it if asked unless it was available to all Dems, including the challengers.
And, I'm really mad this has happened again. Why would our State Committee offer advantages to one candidate in an All-Dem primary that will decide the election?
What on earth is a new dem?
While I agree that new party leadership is needed in Northampton County, and the democratic party should not be endorsing any candidates in the primary, I did NOT feel that the campaign pieces I've received from either Jean Belinski or Barbara Hollenbach were endorsements of the candidates by the Democratic Party.
However, Senator Boscola's endorsement of Hollenbach definitely is.
It was primarily Karen Dolan who took off on a profanity laced emotional tirade at the Bethlehem demos committee meeting. The same Karen Dolan who accepted over $5,000 from Mayor Callahan five years ago to run and get elected.
This inner democratic party bickering is childish and as long as any incumbent can avail themselves of the statewide party services, I'm fine with proceeding in that fashion.
It's legitimate.
Anon 1:34: Where you at the meeting last night? You seem to know alot about it. Any other people express problems with the mail pieces?
The mail pieces I received had "Paid for and Authorized by the Pennsylvania State Democratic Committee" on them. That seems like an endorsement, or at least favorable treatment.
I think the bigger problem is with the State Party selectively choosing who to help. Which is what I think Karen Dolan's problem is with this. Either help them all or do not help any of them. But do not choose one candidate out of the 6 or 8.
Obviously that should be "Were" not "Where"
Also, I do not have as big a problem with Boscola or any elected official endorsing or supporting a candidate. Elected officials always need to be elected again, and if you are unhappy with who that official endorsed, then you can vote against them.
When the state party does it, that is where the problem is. This body is supposed to work to get Democrats elected over Republicans, not work to keep the incumbent's in office against other Ds.
If by profanity you mean the word "bullshit," then I suppose you could have characterized Ms. Dolan's passionate confrontation as "profanity laced," but since we are all grownups, I think we can handle it.
I can sympathize with her frustration. What transpired in her race, as well as the judicial race, is out of line. The state party should either give everyone equal access to their mailing indicia or no one.
She was not the only one who was upset, either, so please don't try to portray this as one person's crusade against the current party leadership.
The motion last night to condemn Committee favoritism of Dem candidates in primaries passed with two nays and all other votes were Aye. The meeting was well-attended. This is not a one-person campaign.
I did use the word bullshit. I think it was the perfect word to describe the answers we were getting from Joe Long, although I apologize to anyone who was offended.
Were other people upset with the mailers? Willy Reynolds was the first to speak, and many in attendance contributed to the language of the motion. There was only one committee member who openly expressed disagreement, and he did so by storming out of the building, verbally attacking me, and then returned a while later and verbally attacked me again. It was pretty awful because I thought he was a friend, but he was the only one, and I'm used to personal attacks: I'm in politics.
I absolutely DO agree that all candidates should be able to access the state committee equally.
The question should be, who's responsibility is it to take advantage of that?' Is it the party's or the candidate's? I don't know.
My mention of Senator Boscola's endorsement was meant to point out what a real endorsement is like.
Councilwoman Dolan's profanity was not acceptable whether adult or not. She's a teacher. Certainly she could have expressed herself in a more professional and respectable manner in front of an assembled group.
The terms "paid for" and "authorized" do not mean "endorsed." They mean what they say. The organization paid for them and authorized their printing.
Now what needs to be determined is, did Councilwoman Belinski pay the state committee to have them produced, how much, and what financial benefit was derived? If it was only more preferable rates based on a larger organization's volume rate, that should be fine, again as long as any Democratic candidate can do the same thing?
It seems to be that a number of conclusions are being made without all of the facts.
Perhaps the state committee should be required to write, 'Paid for with funds from the candidate and approved by the ...."
That would be fairer and offer more disclosure.
And, I in no way meant or insinuated that Dolan was the only person upset with this.
The problem with these things is that people read into it what others say based on their own feelings, not by listening to what is actually being said or written.
And in response to the person who posted at 1:52, you've explained my feelings totally accurately.
Give me an impassioned honest person who speaks truth to power any day over a self-righteous prude who defends what is clearly wrong.
Favoritism is favoritism. This has been going on for years.
"she's a teacher"
So that means she's not human? To paraphrase Emma Goldman, "If I can't say 'bullshit' I don't want any part of your revolution."
Not to mention that the person who condemns Dolan for referring to bullshit as bullshit, makes no effort to condemn the Dem committeeman who called her a "bitch."
I know the latter term is far more offensive and might be regarded as containing overtones of sexism.
O'Hare you are the biggest "sexist" there is around here. You attack battered women and Hispanics.
This New Dem crap is silly. The Belinski deal is right from the Schweder/Rooney camp. They have done this before. The war of the Roses or maybe Thorns, still rages in Bethelehm. On one side you have Cunningham/Callahan and the new crew. On the other is the old landed gentry of Bethlehm, Rooney, Schweder, Delgrosso and the "Bethelem Names" that you hear year after year after year.
It is amazing you can weave a non-entity like Stoffa into something that has nothing to do with him. The Bethlehem Party organization has always seperated itself to a degree from the County. The idiot Long has just made it more striking. By the way, you always mention Long's protege's Dertinger and McClure but never Barron. Interesting.
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