Those are excellent qualifications for anyone interested in a rewarding career as a blogger, but they're not the first things we look for in an elected official. But that's exactly what we have in the race between Charles ("don't call me Charlie") Dertinger and Joe ("Got creatine?") Emrick. It's enough to make me pray for some third party candidate.
Here's the battleground: 137th Legislative District: (Boroughs of Bangor, East Bangor, Nazareth, Portland, Roseto, Stockertown, Tatamy; Townships of Forks, Lower Mount Bethel, Palmer, Upper Mount Bethel, Upper Nazareth, Washington).
Democrat: Charles DertingerWebpage located here.
When he was a member of Northampton County Council, he once told me he has no obligation to listen to a word I say because I own no real estate.
But suddenly, he cares about the little guy. On his Facebook page, he lets everyone know that Charles (Yes, he refers to himself in the third person) took a "strong stand on the need to preserve Gracedale Nursing Home, truly one of the jewels of our region, which is located in the center of the 137th district." Of course, this has nothing to do with his state house race or any deep-seated concern for teh elderly. His campaign finance reports this year make very clear that what he's really interested in preserving are those union jobs. You see, those unions are his real constituents, not you. Here's what he's raked in from through June 4 this year:
IBEW LU 5 3/8/2010 $250.00
IBEW LU 325 3/10/2010 $100.00
IBEW LU 712 3/29/2010 $100.00
IBEW LU 139 4/9/2010 $100
STEAMFITTER'S LU 1/29/2010 $500.00
LABORERS LOCAL 1174 2/4/2010 $500.00
PLUMBERS LOCAL 2/11/2010 $500.00
IBEW LU 1600 2/15/2010 $2,000.00
IBEW LU 102 2/22/2010 $1,000.00
IBEW LU 102 4/20/2010 $500.00
HEAT & FROST INSULATORS & ALLIED WORKERS LU 3/5/2010 $1,000.00
IBEW LU 3/5/2010 $1,000.00
IBEW LU 1249 3/8/2010 $300.00
IBEW LU 840 3/10/2010 $500.00
CEMENT MASONS LU 592 3/10/2010 $500.00
IBEW LU 456 3/17/2010 $300.00
IBEW COPE 3/20/2010 $2,500.00
PA STATE BUILDING & CONSTR. TRADES 4/28/2010 $1,000.00
CARPENTERS PAC - $500.00
PENNSYLVANIA AFL-CIO 5/1/2010 $500.00
IBEW LU 812 5/13/2010 $100.00
STEAMFITTERS LU 5/6/2010 $500.00
SHEET METAL WORKERS 5/10/2010 $500.00
IBEW LU 5/13/2010 $1,500.00
PLUMBER LU 5/24/2010 $650.00
IUPAT 5/29/2010 $2,500.00
REINFORCED IRONWORKERS RIGGERS & MACHINERY 6/1/2010 $500.00
WESTERN PA LABORERS 6/4/2010 $300.00
STEAMFITTERS LU 6/4/2010 $500.00
Incidentally, he's not worried at all about the rising costs of government pensions. He thinks we can just raid our rainy day funds, as he claims here.
If you want to hear how petty and divisive he can get during a council meeting, listen to the clip below. (Note: If you have an old dial up modem, click here, look for the 64Kbps M3U (Lo-Fi) at the left sidebar and you can stream the audio).
He's also lazy. In my annual review of Council attendance, Dertinger ties for last place in 2006, 2008 and 2009. He's third from the bottom in 2007.
Republican: Joe EmrickWebpage locate here.
Instead of discussing any state government issues, Emrick uses his webpage to brag that he "strongly defeats" his primary opponent, who spent no money. He pretty much continues patting himself on the back at his Facebook page, where he has himself photographed standing next to the Lycoming College Athletic Hall of Fame. He's running for the state house, not to be captain of the football team.
His campaign finance for 2010 reveal practically no PAC money. But he is favored by local aristocrats Elmer "crabbypants" Gates ($500) and L. Anderson Daub ($3,500).
In January, he stormed out of a Republican Committee meeting when things went against him, even lashing out at Peg Ferraro.
He also thinks that submitting to an interview with a blogger is beneath him. But then again, so does Dertinger. Come to think of it, they're probably right.
In his favor, Emrick has cut taxes in Upper Nazareth Tp twice, and did get a webpage going in Upper Nazareth Township.
Since you hate both and would make fun of any comments they made, why the Hell would either sit with you. You have done the nearly impossible O'Hare, you have taken an already shoddy bad reputation and made it worse.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations.
Why not get Ron Angle to run!
ReplyDeleteI tried. But Ron is busy right now in Northampton County, where he finally can make a difference.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the consistent negative blogging directed towards Dertinger. The guy has always stoods for reasonable provisions for the poor, and elderly, and consistancy with our regional comprehensive plan through prpoer land use. Take for instance ... farmland preservation..preserving farmland keeps our taxes low. More houses=more taxes.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you do not agree with the way that he conveys his message, but he has shown himself to be fair, firm and consistent.
In the near future, we as a nation will begin to take apart many good programs that form the backbone of our infrastructure. We are already starting to see this locally, and I disagree with it. Charles has always advocated for these programs, for that I am thankful. At the present time, many people feel as though he is our strongest advocate against a wave of excess conservatism,,,the voice in the wildreness asking for moderation.
For the record, I am a Blue Dog Democrat who believes strongly in bipartisianship as the way to solve the huge problems on the horizon.
C,
ReplyDeleteCharles is, in my view, among the worst people in office I ever saw. You say he advocates for the poor? How does this jibe with his claim that he has no obligation to listen to people who own no real estate?
You are bipartisan? He is the most partisan elected official, save for McClure, that I'e ever seen. He has flat out told nonpartisan Rs that he would not support them for cabinet level positions in the Stoffa administration simply bc they are Rs. He stood against a real bipartisan, John Stoffa.
His real constituent basis is the union, which throws money at him every time he runs. Look at the money. That's only the beginning. Hes there to serve them, no one else.
He claims to be for open space, yet voted against Stoffa's open space plan.
He's lazy, having the worst attendance record at committee hearings.
He spends most of his time in NYC, and is downright secretive about what he's doing.
I could never support him for anything. I am not crazy about Emrick either, but I don't really know him. I know "Charles."
ha ha ha, Emrick "stormed out".
ReplyDeleteDid you fail to mention the executive meeting was over when he left? Or that he took the high road and left before the mob dragged him into a screaming match? Oh yeah, the full story isn't newsworthy.
Just incase you didn't know, Angle is never considered too busy to run for a second, third or fourth office. ha ha ha.
Angle is being smeared this year in the papers. Dertinger would have the smack down in the polls against angle.
Angle is being smeared in the papers. He gets smeared here, too. That's nothing new. He's told me that 99% of the LV knows who he is, and the other 1% is lying. Those smears do not affect him. They just reinforce the views of those who hate him while making people like me rise to his defense.
ReplyDeleteThe district was polled before state Republicansvisited Angle and asked him to run, He's crush Emrick. And he'd really destroy Dertinger. But he's not running bc he has things to do in NC, where he is finally making a difference.
Emrick did himself no favors at that county party meeting,. He lost a lot of the suppoport he'll need if he wants to win. Instead of being cocky about it, he should approach the people he offended and make amends. He'll need them.
I understand he did poorly in his taped debate against Dertinger for Business matters. So he better stop talking about his football career and start talking about state issues and what, if anything, he can bring to the table.
Jeeze.
ReplyDeleteWow, if R's are pissed off because a person left a meeting at the end, they are bigger cry babies now than in 2008. No wonder why you will loose more seats in 2010.
ReplyDeleteBecome democrat and get a backbone.
Angle is making a difference in Northampton County. Right, he is selling Gracedale and wants to throw old people in the street. Sounds like he is bringing his private business ways to the public sector. If he thought he had a chance in the State House seat he would have run in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteOn a state level they would have the money to throw his past and present ways at him and no sane person would support that record.
I feel very confident using broad strokes to declare that nobody in particular, and everybody in general who goes third person in any context is an insufferable dick. Their narcissism is remarkable.
ReplyDelete"he is selling Gracedale and wants to throw old people in the street."
ReplyDeleteHe has no intention of throwing old people onto the street. He's going to use them to plug up oil leaks.
Hit the wrong thread but I will repeat. Steve showed Angle to be a liar and a hypocrite regarding Gracedale.
ReplyDeleteAngle wanted Steve to keep quit but Steve's conscious is better than Angle's and the truth came out.
I'll have a few things to say about Steve tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteBoy is this legislative district in trouble if the voters choice is between "Sir Charles" Dirtinger and "Clueless Joe" Emrick! Another strong argument for reducing the number of State Reps by at least 1/2. What a waste of taxpayers $$ to have these puny districts represented by cretins.
ReplyDeleteWrite in "Bernie O'Hare" for state rep. he lives in that district. What is your campaign slogan O'Hare?
ReplyDeleteEven I could never vote for me.
ReplyDeletePut O'Hare in Harrisburg. Get him the Hell out of the Lehigh Valley. That is why I wanted Angle to run, I know people who can't stand him say they would have helped him just to get him the Hell out of the area where he will do less harm.
ReplyDeleteWhere is Joe Cap when we need him? He would make a difference.
ReplyDelete