"Everyone expects me to blow up tonight. It's not going to happen, by the way.
"When I joined this Council 11 years ago, one of the things I looked at when I looked at my colleagues, was honesty, truthfulness and integrity. It's one of the reasons why I like John Stoffa, and some Republicans wonder why I like a Democrat. He has those things. I served 11 years with Mr. Dowd. His word is as good to me today as it was 11 years ago. Whatever he tells me, I believe him. I've only served one year with Mr. Gilbert and Ms. Thierry, but whatever they tell me, I would believe. They've been honest and above board.
"When you can't take people's word in the business world I live in, you don't do business with them anymore. In the political world, I guess that's not an option.
"At least three people on this Board simply lied to me. And it's America. I don't know that they put anybody in jail for lying. But you lied to me. Why lie to me? Tell me the truth.
"Yes, I'm sometimes easy not to get along with and yes, I'm not warm and furry, Mr. Dietrich. I never was. But when I take a job, I believe it's my job to do that job. "A year ago when some of my colleagues asked me to be President, I had to think about it, quite frankly.
"I took that job a year ago because I had a feeling from a majority of this Board - not all of this Board, but a majority of the Board - that there was an agenda that they wanted to move ahead. They wanted a better County, they wanted a more efficient County, they wanted a less costly County, they wanted a County that wouldn't have skyrocketing taxes. I sent roughly thirty hours a week, every week, or more, for the past year. I'm not grumbling about that.
"By the way, my wife sends her thank yous to you people who voted against me, she reminded me of that the second time as I left the house so that I would remember that.
"I wanted to see that job done. For instance, the TIF. One thing about being a businessman, if you're a good businessman, and there are those who claim I'm a little too good, is you know how to run a business. This County is a business. It really is a business. That's what it comes down to. We provide human services, jails, we're a business.
"I would ask you Mr. Cusick, wold you have had the ability to walk into somewhat enemy territory and negotiate a deal and get $5 million for Northampton County? It takes a pretty good businessman to do that. I did that. "When Mr. Stoffa said, 'Here's the budget,' and somewhat throwed up his hands, I understand why he did it, and I apologized for my remarks - I should have sad those remarks in the back room - I took that budget and I sat down with three people, three of the most knowledgeable people in this County, and we produced a budget. It was a zero tax increase budget. It was the budget that I believe the majority of this Board wanted.
"I sat in a room, maybe a month and a half ago, when I was told by my colleagues, of which some lied to me, 'We want you to be President again next year. You've done one hell of a job, You, Mrs. Ferraro, told me at least ten times in the past six months,'Angle, 90% of the time I'm in agreement with you and you've done one helluva' job.' "If you didn't want me for President, that's OK. My party is Republican. I understand why the Democrats give it to me. It's America. I would expect no less from them than to give it to me. We're living in America. That's why we got a great two-party system. If you didn't want me, why didn't you come to me and say - 'We changed our mind. We have five votes. We now have a couple of Democrats with us. We'd like somebody else." - instead of allowing me to come in here, set there, and get stabbed in the back.
"Not very good payment for one year, nearly 30 hours a week of working to make this a better County. Am I mad? No, I'm not at all mad. Am I disappointed? Yes, I'm very disappointed. would have expected better from my Republican colleagues.
"I will continue to work for Region 4. I'll continue to work for this County. I'll continue to work for this Executive. But I'm going to have a lot of difficulty working for three people who lied to me."
Angle then devoted some special attention to Council member Tom Dietrich, who had complained about the Bulldog's enrollment in the County pension plan. He produced documents showing every penny in his father's estate as well as his pension papers and trust account he has set up for Region 4, in which he has deposited his entire salary during his Council tenure. Of all the problems swirling around his family, Angle mentioned his colorful father and said, "That was a private matter, same as your life [to Dietrich] is a private matter or same as your life [to Cusick] is a private matter. Don't spend your time, the past three, four days, knocking Ron Angle. If you're gonna' be the leader, be a leader, come up with an agenda, move your agenda ahead, and make this a better County. I intend to keep right on doing that. But I don't know as I can do it with three of you because it's hard to deal with liars. I can deal with my two Democratic colleagues here. The didn't lie, they're just working for their party, God bless them, that's what they're supposed to be doing."
"Thank you for the time."
He is complaining that the lied to him during a closed door meeting sponsored by the tea party led republican party. He just doesnt get it
ReplyDeleteBizarre rambling by Angle? This guy has some psychopathic sense of self grandeur.
ReplyDeleteAll I and me. Nothing about the greater good for the people .
ReplyDeleteGet the F over it and do your job.
ReplyDeleteBooo whoo
ReplyDeleteThis is a golden opportunity for Mr. Angle, he should run for "Controller" He would be better in that position. Mr. O'hare wouldn't you agree?
ReplyDeleteThe silence from the Tea Party led Republicans about the closed-door meetings to elect people to leadership on county council is shameful. 6 of your 7 party-backed candidates violated state law. Toothless or not, laws like this exist to ensure that democracy is transparent. Your silent endorsement is stunning.
ReplyDeletesince when is the republican party "tea party led"? last time i looked no member of the tea party is in a leadership or controlling position in either county of the republican party. there are members of the tea party IN the republican party, as there are in the democratic party but by no means are we 'leading' anything.
ReplyDeleteHe can show a the financial documents he wants. He is still in the pension plan illegally and is looking for a bigger county salary to fatten that pension. Taking the salary is one thing, but taking the pension is completely another. If state law required it fine. He asked to be a member and has had the option to leave and he wont. What "tax break" could a guy get for donating a small percentage of a small salary when he makes hundreds of thousands of dollars? What a joke.
ReplyDelete"This is a golden opportunity for Mr. Angle, he should run for "Controller" He would be better in that position. Mr. O'hare wouldn't you agree?"
ReplyDeleteYes, he'd be good. I understand some others are interested.
What Angle fails to realize is that he is his own worst enemy. Not the Gracedale group, not the council members who voted him out, not the voters who plan NOT to elect him again for anything. Ron Angle himself has begun his own downfall. From the time he was a kid and allegedly stole soda bottles from neighbors for the refund money to the present he has been involved with shady deals. Reading your post about his address to council showed what a pathetic, self-centered , mean-spirited person he is. He patted himself on his back so much I thought he'd put a hole in it. I won't deny he did some good things for the county but his behavior on the dias as president was horrible.
ReplyDeleteI sincerely believe this man needs professional help. When you agree with him he is a charmer but when you disagree with him he becomes an uncontrollable beast. Who wants to deal with that instability. Mr.
Cusick needs to be given a chance. Angle saying he cannot work with the three that "lied" to him further demonstrates how self-centered he is. He'll sacrifice the good of the county to get back at them---how vendictive.
This is "rich"
ReplyDeleteLOL
To Bernie @ 10:48. As soon as the pay wen't up everybody is hopping in line. F&@king public servants .
ReplyDeleteThe generalizations about tea partiers and bluebloods are funnier than Walt Garvin's Bermuda shorts or Ron Angle's pleas for integrity.
ReplyDeleteRs took over council before the first tea bag was dangled. Check your calendar or Google it. And Peg Ferraro has spent more money than a liberal with your credit card. She hasn't a clue about fiscal responsibility when she deigns to show up and do the job she takes our money for.
And I can't help but think of the supposed bluebloods meeting at her questionably compliant trailer. Good times.
"Rs took over council before the first tea bag was dangled. Check your calendar or Google it."
ReplyDeleteSince you asked, is one of Bernie's articles that include the Tea Party. Notice the date is from BEFORE R's took office in 2010 in Norco:
http://lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com/2009/12/will-tea-party-activist-challenge-dent.html
Also, I remember 9/12 and Tea Party candidate forums in 2009. Regardless, it has become clear since that time that the Norco R's are controlled by the Tea Party. That's been one of the Tea Party's primary goals: to control the conservative party. They never publicly declared their intention to violate the sunshine law though. We had to simply assume politicians might do that.
It's rich that most of the old white teabaggers collect one public pension or another.
ReplyDeleteSuck at the tit, while swatting others away. You got to love it.
I think the Weeper of the House, Speaker Bonner summed it up when pressed on "open and transparent" government. He stated some Bills will be more open than others. He won't allow amendments on some bills even though that was one of the complaints against the Dem's.
Cheer for the new crowd, same as the old crowd.
Lincoln's shadow
Who wrote Angle's speech? it seemed out of character for him. He rarely reads from a script.
ReplyDeleteBernie wrote it for him. I know for a fact. Angle told me as much.
ReplyDeleteIt's a beaut too. Truly self-congratulatory, self-pitying sour grapes.
" Since you asked, is one of Bernie's articles that include the Tea Party. Notice the date is from BEFORE R's took office in 2010 in Norco:
ReplyDeletehttp://lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com/2009/12/will-tea-party-activist-challenge-dent.html "
The post cited is from December 2009. The council majority was elected in November 2009. That's a month earlier for the chronologically challenged. Nice try. Thanks for playing.
The tea party was around BEFORE Rs were elected to Council. Anon 3:10 is inaccurate. They had forums, questionnaires, etc. Stoffa got the lowest grade of any candidate. Dietrich ran out of one of their meetings in tears. They were in place before the primary. They certainly do not control the Council Rs, nor do Council Rs control the local tea party.
ReplyDelete"Bernie wrote it for him. I know for a fact. Angle told me as much."
ReplyDeleteFirst, it's news to me that Angle had a prepared speech. It seemed extemporaneous to me. He had his back to me, but I saw no notes. Council Prez Cusick is quoted as saying he thought Angle was sincere, so I suspect he was speaking from his heart. I liked when he produced his estate documents and offered to show them to Dietrich, who had been complaining about these personal matters.
Second, I wrote no speech for him, but am glad you recongnize that it was a beaut.
Anonymous 4:42
ReplyDeleteYou might want to attend a Northampton Tea Party Meeting before you speak. One of the things that frustrates many of the members is that the Tea Party will not come out and endorse a candidate even one of their own. You might recall Charlie Dent getting petitions signed while Matt Benol did not do that at the meetings because of his affiliation to said organization. The Tea Party is determined to remanin an educational organization that wishes its member well if the decide to run.
Lincoln's Shadow
ReplyDeleteNice to see diverstiy added to the group with you being the first obvious homosexual to join us given your familiarity with the disgusting term of "tea bagger"
Anonymous 4:42
ReplyDeleteYou might want to attend a Northampton Tea Party Meeting before you speak. One of the things that frustrates many of the members is that the Tea Party will not come out and endorse a candidate even one of their own. You might recall Charlie Dent getting petitions signed while Matt Benol did not do that at the meetings because of his affiliation to said organization. The Tea Party is determined to remanin an educational organization that wishes its member well if they decide to run.
Republicans lying? What has this world come to?
ReplyDeleteBattle Cry,
ReplyDeleteYou might want to re-think your nonprofit, nonpartisan status. You might become more effective and even educational if you started backing some candidates and became a PAC instead of a nonprofit. I don't mean to tell you what to do. You might even want to form a separate PAC instead of buying a billboard ad on Route 22.
Bernie O'Hare said...
ReplyDeleteBattle Cry,
You might want to re-think your nonprofit, nonpartisan status. You might become more effective and even educational if you started backing some candidates and became a PAC instead of a nonprofit. I don't mean to tell you what to do. You might even want to form a separate PAC instead of buying a billboard ad on Route 22.
4:04 PM
If we wanted to alienate ourselves, we might do that Bernie. There are quite a few tea parties in the area, that went the way of being a PAC, and now that the Nov election is over and they 'won' they have gone the way of the dodo. Can you imagine what it would have done to our membership if we had endorsed Mat Benol over Charlie Dent or if we had endorsed Sam Roeher over Tom Corbett. The LV912TP is a much stronger educational organization then it could ever be as a PAC
Joan C,
ReplyDeleteThe answer to that is to strictly separate your political from nonpolitical activity with a separate PAC. Other groups do that and are alive and well. In any case, you are one of the people who works hard and is at the forefront of this group, and you are in a better position than I to make that call.
Very good article about your group at Easton Patch.
Mr. O'Hare
ReplyDeleteMy local Tea Party group is a growing organization. It concentrates on educating the populace but I do hope at some point we move to assist those we have educated who might need to know how to run for office. As we all know that process is more then signing some petitions to get on the ballot. A winning strategy must be in place. And in order to put your policies in place you must support those among you who believe in the values you have
A winning strategy must be in place. And in order to put your policies in place you must support those among you who believe in the values you have
ReplyDelete8:15 PM
why not just excercize your second ammendment rights as advocated by Sharon Angle
or
Send out fliers with bullseyes and rifle crosshairs on your opponents
Like Sarah palin does
Those seem to be an effective way to eliminate the compitition
ensure yourselves seats in governmemt to effect your lunatic fringe agenda
this as proven by yesterdays event in Arizona
Poor Ronny boy wahwah.Iwant my maypo wahwah!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow. What a childish rant. There are some serious issues there. Shouldn't that nonsense be said in private? Waaaaaaaaaah, I'm a little puss.
ReplyDeleteIf we wanted to alienate ourselves, we might do that Bernie. There are quite a few tea parties in the area, that went the way of being a PAC, and now that the Nov election is over and they 'won' they have gone the way of the dodo. Can you imagine what it would have done to our membership if we had endorsed Mat Benol over Charlie Dent or if we had endorsed Sam Roeher over Tom Corbett. The LV912TP is a much stronger educational organization then it could ever be as a PAC
ReplyDeleteNo, what would happen if you backed candidates that supported your agenda? Run and hide when the voters soundly rejected said agenda? Your comment makes no sense. No one gives a shit about your "education" except those that eat your own dog food.
What is really childish is an anonymous personal attack. It';s also the mark of a coward.
ReplyDeleteMr. O'Hare
ReplyDeleteMy local Tea Party group is a growing organization. It concentrates on educating the populace but I do hope at some point we move to assist those we have educated who might need to know how to run for office. As we all know that process is more then signing some petitions to get on the ballot. A winning strategy must be in place. And in order to put your policies in place you must support those among you who believe in the values you have
Unless they are the candidates that lost overwhelmingly in the last election. Nothing to see here people, move along. (Sorry Benol.)
An attack? I think the consensus is that Angle was being childish and egocentric. Don't speak in a public forum (especially with childish sour grapes) if you don't want to be called on it. Sorry, "attacked" over it. Give me a break.
ReplyDeleteExcuse me? If someone lies to you, I think it's only natural you'd be upset. If three people lie to you, you'd be even more upset. If they hide it from you, you'd be more irritated still.
ReplyDeleteThat's what happened, and we're talking about three elected officials. Apparently there is some sort of Angle rle that allows people to lie to him, attack him and even shoot his sheep, and he may take no offense.
If you want to call someone childish, then act like an adult. Big boys sign their names to their comments. They don't slither under rocks like you. Own your words. If you can't do that, then it's very likely you shouldn't be making the comment at all.
O'Hare, perhaps you should disable anonymous comments if you believe everyone that uses the feature is a coward and slithering under rocks.
ReplyDeleteBut to the issue and away from your own petty name calling, Mr. Angle used a public forum to decry other politicians lying to him. We don't care. That is politics. If your skin is that thin, stay home. Perhaps the three council members you despise so simply changed their mind when another alternative presented itself? Is Mr. Angle owed some sort of allegiance?
I don't believe EVERYONE uses the privilege of anonymity to launch personal attacks. Just cowards like you.
ReplyDelete