State rep. Joe Brennan, a former Northampton County Council member and strong advocate of government transparency, has a challenger to his state House seat. It's right-winger David Molony, a prominent acupuncturist, who wants to stick it to him. Molony and his wife, Ming Ming, are both licensed as Oriental Medicine Practitioners, and own Lehigh Valley Oriental Medicine Center in Catasauqua.Molony made his candidacy official last night at the Fullerton American Legion. According to his announcement, "there will be food, soft drinks and juices. Lots of neato folks as Dave announces his candidacy to the world."
Gee, I just hope nobody challenged him to a game of darts.
There must be serious money in acupuncture. Since 2000, Molony's contributed $42,918.00 to federal dudes like George Bush, Rick Santorum and Pat Toomey. He's also been a generous donor of at least another $30,000 (I did not add it up exactly) to Republicans seeking state office. In a letter to friends, he pledges "to invest a lot of time and a bunch of money to win this."
If I were Joe, I'd quit the state house and enroll in some school of oriental medicine right now. Forget politics, there must be serious coin in those damn needles.
But fortunately for us, I believe Joe will fight for his seat. I say this, not just because Brennan has been an exceptionally dedicated state rep who has been willing to cross the aisle to work with Republicans like Craig Dally, but because Molony scares the hell out me. It's not his needles, but his Orwellian ideas.
Get a load of this, which comes straight from one of Molony's fundraising letters.
"Did you know that a very high percentage of cars are stolen between 2 and 6 AM? Police can't pull over anyone without a probable reason. Why can't the state provide a very low cost sticker for your car that allows police to pull ovr any car with this sticker between 2 and 6 AM with the fact that bought a sticker that says you probably won't be out at that time of night?"
OK, and why stop there? Why not put stickers on our houses allowing police to barge in whenever they feel like it, or have the state surgically implant a chip inside each one of us so they can scan our criminal history and bank accounts?
If this guy is giving money to people like Santorum and Toomey, why is he promoting ideas that are essentially Marxist?
Molony also slams Brennan as some lever puller who "should be doing more than voting for the party line." Brennan, you may recall, joined a Republican-led effort to break the state budget impasse, embarrassing House leaders in working out a deal. He even supported Republican Craig Dally's candidacy for judge. Funny, I don't see a single Democrat among the many political beneficiaries of Molony's largesse. So this claim, coming from a partisan, is just Molony baloney.
I like his common sense straight talk on ideas. Brennan may be a man crush but I want to hear more from this guy.
ReplyDeleteIn the DC area, there was a service like the one Molony suggested where you could put a sticker on your car if you weren't generally out late at night and it gave the police permission to investigate if your car was on the road during those designated hours. But it was a voluntary thing that you paid for. I'm not sure if it still exists. But, as I said, it was a commercial enterprise. Funny that a guy who is so far to the right wants the government to have more power in this instance.
ReplyDeleteI think Joe is a great rep and will work hard to help him gain re-election. I've been very pleased with his responsiveness to his constituents as well as his diligent work in Harrisburg.
Stickers,stickers......wait let me get my new age crystals out and check his chakra! Penn Dot can't get addresses straight let alone issue us stickers for the police officers spending time waging war on crime to be stopping folks at night.
ReplyDeleteI can just see it now, some poor individual working a 3-11 shift, tired and wanting only to get home and hit the hay when out of the bushes comes a State Trooper,"excuse me Ma'am but I see you have ONSTAR but your vehicle is not equipped with our"OFFICIAL" possession of vehicle sticker that is required." But "Officer I have my license,my vehicle registration and insurance info along with a note from my grandmother reminding me to stop for milk" Shining the light on my now sweating brow, "yes,but you do not have your Identity sticker, which by the way you can purchase at PENN DOT for a mere $49.99" after you fill out 10 forms and swear to give up your firstborn if you are non-compliant"
Shades of George Orwell and Capitalism at it's finest. From my shiny black emachine key board........ (in my best Charlton Heston voice)
Competition is a good thing. Joe is no Angel and his background is well known in political circles.
ReplyDeleteShould be interesting if the guy runs a hard campaign.
If this guy is as much of a wing nut he seems on this posting - this race is over - That distict not noted for it's wingnuttery. Any word on an opponent for Freeman?
ReplyDeleteThis post is certainly funny. I'll challenge you to a game of darts any day, but you have to promise to paraphrase better.
ReplyDeleteWhat does this mean?
"Why can't the state provide a very low cost sticker for your car that allows police to pull ovr any car with this sticker between 2 and 6 AM with the fact that bought a sticker that says you probably won't be out at that time of night?"
It must have been late when you wrote this.
This idea as I wrote it among my other positions regards a sticker purchased by individuals who do not expect to be out at that time of night and thus expect that anyone in their car at that time will most likely be a thief. They are willing to have police pull them over should they be out at that time to check their ownership. It is an option that people in crime ridden areas may choose to have.
The blog sounds as if the writer is a conspiracy nut, but I know that can't be so. He must have just misunderwrote.
Dave, I'm no conspiracy nut, just a nut. Thanks for dropping by. I'd like to say more, but I was thinking of putting your name down as a reference when I apply to some school of Oriental Medicine. Man, why the hell would you want to run for office? People will just be sticking needles into you.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
According to Open secrets federal donor list, I spent 46,433 since 1990, some of it on Democrat candidates, and according to the PA Dept. of State site, I spent 13,350 since 1993.
ReplyDeleteAdd those up to about 50,000 bucks in 19 years, and that is a cheaper hobby than buying a bass fishing boat!
No to mention that I headed up the team that worked federally and on legalizing acupuncture in many states and making folks at the NIH and FDA aware of Oriental Medicine issues, testifying before Congressional Committees and an NIH committee repeatedly.
I want to run for office because I think I can do a better job representing the people here, plain and simple. As you say, I don't need the job to make a living.
FYI, I do have a work ethic that leads me to lengthy work weeks, which has proved useful in allowing me to save up so I can take the time necessary to do the job well, while not having a negative effect on my family finances. I am not wealthy, but I am not in debt, and have a wife who supports me in this run. It may sound hokey, but I feel it is time for me to serve my country and state.
I am not far right, nor far left, but see both have ideas that are useful. I was a Democrat and big supporter of Roy Afflerbach when he was a Senator, but got disillusioned with the party apparatis as I was exposed to it more.
Meeting Senator Rhoades while working on acupuncture legislation (I was instrumental in getting a number of bill through) showed me how Republican values, when pursued with a moral compass past partisanship, can help a lot of people who seriously need it without harming others to do it.
Regarding Orwell, things are actually closer to Monty Pythons "Brazil" than to Orwell's 1984, especially in NY, NJ, and PA.
Ready for darts?
Dave, fair warning do not be decieved by Ohare. He will make you think he is an upright fair guy.
ReplyDeleteHe is not. He has already dedcided to destroy you anyway possible. He love Joe and that means you have to go.
Just take care and frankly whatever you post here will be twisted and misquoted by Ohare or one of his goofy minions.
Yep, I'm related to Dr. Evil, too.
ReplyDeleteI think Dave can tell I like Joe, who I first met when he was a member of county council and actually advocated more transparency on council and in county campaign finance. He was ahead of his time.
Thank you, anonymous.
ReplyDeleteI understand that the press, in whatever form, generally prints whatever side of a story they wish to make a story exciting or that will make their beliefs credible, and of course to increase readership via textual fisticuffs...
Its my view that as long as I'm allowed to clarify on an issue to make a point of correction, to look at these discrepancies as what I said or written after their being filtered through the mind of the writer/commenter. So, on this blog so far I generally don't much mind discomboobulation of what I write or say. I expect the reader to read it all and decide what is most credible.
Everybody's partisan on different issues and some folks are so on all. I can live with that.
Bernie.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the cartoon, which I liked, by the way, I wish to point out that when I do acupuncture it doesn't hurt to speak of.
I was wondering, though, if the person getting the needles was supposed to be Joe, or you?
Also, what was the ailment?
Where do I send the bill?
I realize that due to HIPPA, you may want to contact me privately with this information.
Dave, The last thing I need is another bill. But send it to Charles Dertinger.
ReplyDeleteThe northern tier of this District always gets screwed. Millions of State grant money to Bethlehem. Letters of consolation to the rest.
ReplyDelete