CNN gets its facts wrong. It inaccurately claims John Callahan raised Bethlehem's sales tax. Callahan certainly promoted the idea, but failed. CNN correctly concludes that the Bethlehem Mayor is perceived by many as a "big spending, big deficits" Democrat. Bethlehem has been awash in red ink for the past two years.
The Rothenberg Report also rates this race as "Republican favored."
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Wednesday, September 29, 2010
12 comments:
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As I understand it, CNN's local affiliate is WFMZ which provides their local feeds [not exactly owned by a liberal].
ReplyDelete"A recent poll"
Good Lord I hope their not relying on Muhlenberg's. They were almost 10 points off on the Heydt/Pawlowski race. Not that Dent isn't ahead.
It would be nice to cite which poll they are referring to
I think it's a pretty big jump to conclude this:
ReplyDeleteCNN correctly concludes that the Bethlehem Mayor is perceived by many as a "big spending, big deficits" Democrat.
From this:
Also a downside: the fact that Callahan raised the local sales tax in his town, which gives the GOP a nice little argument as they try to paint him as a "big spending, big deficits" Democrat.
"try to paint him" just doesn't translate into "perceived by many."
Regardless, however numerous these "many" haters are, they are clearly on the wrong side of the solid majority who give Callahan high job approval ratings as Mayor.
As to "red ink", maybe you think John Callahan should have been able to call the financial crisis in 2007, and then out-predict Ben Bernanke and the President on the true depth of the recession in 2008. I personally am not prepared to hold public officials to such a high standard of precognition.
Bottom line is, Bethlehem (and all cities) are in the red because Charlie Dent and the Republicans are failing to support expansionary policy that will boost the national economy. That's why Bethlehem's revenues are still depressed. State and local governments are not to blame for depressed revenue - federal politicians are.
I'm with Geeting. Callahan's made all the right moves and Bethlehem's mess was caused by Rs dating back to Eisenhower. The blame thing is getting old.
ReplyDeleteWho cares what CNN says, the Valley needs to put Callahan in Congress. As for the sales tax -- great idea but we will never get the burbs to understand the concept. Half of the money raised would have gone to lowering school taxes, the other half was to be split by ALL of the muniicpalities to reduce property taxes and offer additional grants to municipalities with high tax exempt properties. Its called regional sharing and its time has come. Right on John Callahan.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDelete"Who cares what CNN says, the Valley needs to put Callahan in Congress."
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Sorry, but the economy has gone south since the Democrats took over Congress after the 2006 elections.
We simply can't afford to have any Democrats in Washington.
"Callahan's made all the right moves and Bethlehem's mess was caused by Rs dating back to Eisenhower."
ReplyDeleteSo now Callahan people just jump right over the blame Bush strategy and we are now blaming Eisnehower??? Mayday, mayday, mayday. There is a failed Congressional campaign going down.
"Half of the money raised would have gone to lowering school taxes, the other half was to be split by ALL of the muniicpalities to reduce property taxes and offer additional grants to municipalities with high tax exempt properties."
ReplyDeleteI'll be right over.
When Callahan conducted his conference with the COG on his vaunted sales tax, much of his time was spent on how to spin it and deceive the public. It is a egressive tax that hurts the poor.
ReplyDeleteJon, I love it when your head explodes
ReplyDeleteCan we begin discussing Dent's '12 opponent? Will it be Orloski? Who's next?
ReplyDeleteIf the party of no was in power that last 2 years there is no action they could have or would have taken that would improve the current difficult economic circumstances.
ReplyDeleteKnow how you get an 11 trillion deficit? Start it out with a 4 trillion dollar war in Iraq.
The economic forces at work are well beyond the efforts of any democrat or republican to alter significantly in a short amount of time. Its no different now. The President gets both credit and blame for things over which he has little control.
But vote your wing nuts in and mix them with Mitch Mitchell's and John Bohner's Herbert Hoover economic nostrums and the party will begin.
LVCI -
ReplyDeleteThe "pol" CNN is citing is WFMZ editorialist Dick Dean. Does that help? LOL!