Now he's in a completely different kind of race against the Porsche of Lehigh Valley politicians, state senator Lisa Boscola. Today, he's hosting a news conference at The Bethlehem Rose Garden to complain about Boscola's frequent constituent mailers, paid for at taxpayer expense. He'll be introducing legislation to ban them.
Connolly claims he was inspired to run while volunteering for Charlie Dent's 2008 re-election.
Matt might be surprised to learn that Congressman Dent sends out informational mailers, too. Here's what he said when I asked him about it in 2008:
"Well, if I could have the media publish this information, that would be great. but they don't. A lot of my press releases are ignored, so this is one of the few ways left that I can communicate. By the way, we keep limitations on how much franked mail we send out. I have returned $200,000 in federal funds from my MRA. I run a frugal office. We don't spend a lot of money on a lot of frills. But we do feel that, from time to time, it is necessary to send out an informational mailer."
Boscola could easily make the same argument. Unfortunately, I will miss his news conference and am unable to ask him whether he ever raised this issue with Dent.
Connolly's campaign is being managed by Lehigh County Comm'r Glenn Eckhart.
I think we know exactly how this is going to go
ReplyDeleteJean Girard: Bon. So, what if you just said: "I love really thin pancakes"? That is a fair compromise, no?
Kyle: That is a fair compromise.
Herschell: Very fair, actually.
Ricky Bobby: No! Because then everyone would know I really meant crêpes!
Kyle: That's actually a pretty good compromise right there.
Jean Girard: Why do you want me to break your arm so badly?
Ricky Bobby: You don't understand. You don't understand because you don't understand liberty. You don't understand freedom. So you put a crack in my arm like the crack in the Liberty Bell! You hear me?
Cal Naughton, Jr.: [leans down to talk to Ricky in a low voice] Hey. This is just between you and me, okay? I mean, forget all these other guys. But he did give you a pretty decent out. But it's your call.
Ricky Bobby: [whispering] What do you think?
Cal Naughton, Jr.: Don't say it.
Ricky Bobby: Yeah. I'm not gonna say it. Nope. Break it, Pepé Le Pew!
Jean Girard: As you wish.
[He breaks Ricky's arm]
Ricky Bobby: [in pain] He actually did it!
"Well, if I could have the media publish this information, that would be great. but they don't"
ReplyDeleteThat's code for "they won't be my shameless mouthpiece so I'll spend taxpayer dollars on glossy materials. If the media won't tell taxpayers how wonderful I am, then I'll use taxpayer dollars to tell them."
Funny thing is, that taxpayers know is wonderful and who isn't. If politicians did more listening and less talking, then they might really understand what voters want. Instead, they send mailers telling voters what the politicians wans them to hear.
Jon, I must be getting old. I saw that movie and still have no idea what you are trying to say.
ReplyDeleteIf Connolly isn't careful, Boscola will powershift his gear knob. She is very good at that.
ReplyDeleteSpeed Racer
"Speed Racer"
ReplyDeleteIf you want to make a comment like that, you're going to have to identify yourself. It's funny, but inappropriate.