Lehigh Valley Congressman Charlie Dent is being assailed on the left by Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan. On the right, independent Jake Towne is nipping at his heels. "I am for liberty. I hate war. I love life. And I have no fear." In one of his numerous emails, he egotistically compares himself to Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown.On his campaign web page, he praises "valiant winter patriots" (he talks that way), who passed out 7,000 flyers in Bethlehem and Easton last weekend. Then he starts quoting from The 300, comparing his campaign volunteers to Spartans.
King of Sparta: "You threaten my people with slavery and death."
Persian, aka the "Two-Party" System: "This is blasphemy! This is madness!"
King of Sparta: "Madness? THIS.... IS.... SPARTA!!"
In addition to being just like Hall of Famer Jim Brown, Jake Towne thinks he's King Leonidas.
Jake, this really is madness.
eat hearty for tonight we dine in...the northampton county council chambers
ReplyDeleteDid Dent write this entry too? Maybe the teabaggers will move to the right giving Callahan an easy victory.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post Bernie and the links to the website. While you are certainly free to interpret me however you wish - although you have declined offers to meet or discuss over the phone where I would have a chance to elaborate - for your readers let me quote what I wrote just so they do not believe your entertaining but incorrect suggestion.
ReplyDelete"Later I found myself reflecting on why these unpaid volunteers would still campaign in the ice and rain -- it certainly was not for me (I am quite a simple person - really.)
They certainly had other things to do - one volunteer had final exams and I am sure they would have all preferred to be some place a lot warmer. Why on earth would they volunteer?
It is so that our country does NOT COLLAPSE without the efforts of the valiant few who realized that the only way to secure their own liberty is to fight for it.
It is so that it will not be said that not everyone stood around and watched while their country's economy and moral society disintegrates under the furious assault of the oligarchs and lawless rogues who sit in Washington and pay no heed to the rule of law and the Constitution's limits on their power."
http://towneforcongress.com/economy/volunteers-storm-the-15th-district-as-media-exposure-expands-1
the only way to save our country is to make sure the democrats don't win.
ReplyDeleteJake,
ReplyDeleteI have linked to your comments. I have also quoted you accurately. You astonish me. You compare yourself to a football Hall of Famer and a Spartan King. If it takes a big ego to win elective office, you should be pronounced winner now. Even Ron Angle has never compared himself to Leonidas or Hall of Famer Jim Brown.
You have not adequately explained why you suddenly left Shanghai or why, after returning here, you immediately announced a run for Congress. You have not explained where you are working now. In your web page, you claim to be a "repatriated" American. That bothers me, too, bc it implies that you were a citizen elsewhere.
Yes, I have so far put off meeting you. It is not your politics or unusual views; but partly, it is you. During the last election cycle, when there were all kinds of municipal offices in dispute, you insisted on sending out numerous news releases that I had no time to cover. You wanted me to apparently drop my local coverage in favor of you, a fringe candidate who has never run for anything.
I am perfectly willing to cover you, but it will be in my own time and own way.
I think it's very telling that despite being so dismissive of Jake's candidacy, Bernie still feels the need to try to marginalize him. Is that on directive from the Dent campaign? Dent has to be spooked that conservative true-believer candidates are organizing all over the country to dislodge professional career politicians like himself. Even though I am a liberal, I'd much rather have Callahan debate a principled opponent, unlike Dent who has no policy knowledge and lets the RNC choreograph what his voting record will be for the 111th Congress. I hope Jake will be allowed to debate both men next year. We need a real contrast of actual ideas.
ReplyDeleteJonathan,
ReplyDeleteI haven't marginalized Jake Towne. He's done that to himself. He has every right to run, and i have every right to comment on his candidacy.
But your support does not come from prinicple. Like the goatherder who betrayed leonidas, you betray Jake Towne, setting him up in the vain hope he drws enough votes from Dent so that Callahan can squeak by.
May you live long.
Dear Bernie -
ReplyDeleteMy replies:
"You have not adequately explained why you suddenly left Shanghai or why, after returning here, you immediately announced a run for Congress."
I resigned my engineering position in Shanghai to return home to run for Congress. If you visit my website, you can read my bio, resume, and motivation for running here. Or you can ask me.
http://towneforcongress.com/jakes-bio/biography
http://towneforcongress.com/jakes-bio/motivation
http://towneforcongress.com/jakes-bio/resume
"You have not explained where you are working now."
I do not have a full time job currently so that I can focus on running for US Congress.
"In your web page, you claim to be a "repatriated" American. That bothers me, too, bc it implies that you were a citizen elsewhere."
I have been an American since birth and have not held citizenship in any other country. An "expat" position is where the home country pays a comparative salary plus compensation for living outside the country. If I used "repatriate" - I am not sure where you found this - I meant it only in the context of returning home.
"Yes, I have so far put off meeting you. It is not your politics or unusual views; but partly, it is you."
You certainly do not have to meet me if that is the way you feel.
"During the last election cycle, when there were all kinds of municipal offices in dispute, you insisted on sending out numerous news releases that I had no time to cover. You wanted me to apparently drop my local coverage in favor of you, a fringe candidate who has never run for anything."
You certainly do not have to write anything you do not want to. I don't believe I have ever made any inference that you must write an article about me, but feel free to let me know - if you do not wish to receive press releases, just tell me. I figure that you would at least like to look at them to try and help out your favored candidate, Representative Dent.
In the end it should come down to the candidates ideas and the way they would like to see the country run..
ReplyDeleteMe personally, after reading we are some 4 trillion dollars in debt, i would seriously urge some people to consider Towne.
@ Jake -- i dont even really read any of Bernie's blogs much anymore.. After his full support of the vandalizing skateboarders of Nazareth , his opinion really doesn't matter much.. keep up the good work with the campaign.
I see. A vote for Jake Towne is a vote against those evil skateboarders.
ReplyDelete