Local Government TV

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

The Rise and Fall of the LV Tea Party

On Friday, I had lunch with Lou Hershman, who is running for Allentown City Controller against an opponent with no experience, no education and no independence. For over thirty years, Hershman served Allentown as a Controller and Council person. Even now, he's a thorn in the side of most Council members with incessant questions and points about the Queen City's budget deficit.

Hershman will likely be defeated this Fall, not because he is the weaker candidate, but because he's a Republican in a city ruled by Democrats. The Fleckster, who has been tapped by Pawlowski to run the campaign for Hershman's opponent, will dredge union halls and homeless shelters on election day. That little army will march up and down the streets with fliers, as well as man the polls. A dedicated and knowledgeable candidate will likely lose to a person whose chief attribute is that she is a Pawlowski puppet.

It's a similar story in Bethlehem. Three Republicans - Al Bernotas, Tom Carroll and Tony Simao - are waging an uphill battle for three seats on City Council. Like Lou, they've been attending meetings for years. Now their Democratic opponents - Bob Donchez, Mike Recchiuti and J. William Reynolds - are very good candidates, too. But in a City dominated by Democrats and unions that can get out the vote, the GOP trio has virtually no chance in a race that should be closer.

What could change this?

The LV Tea Party. Locally, I saw it as the only group willing to speak up for the one special interest forgotten by politicians - the taxpayer.

During Lehigh County's recent budget hearings, they were a constant and vocal presence. They also took part in the discussion of the bi-county health bureau, and even appeared at several Northampton County Council meetings. Tony Simao, who films and posts Bethlehem City Council meetings on his own YouTube channel, is one of them. They're becoming regulars at local school boards. I even spotted one of them at a  Hellertown Borough Council budget meeting late last year.

But as suddenly as they rose, so they have fallen. Founder Kim Schmidtner at one time boasted there were over 1,300 members. But at a meeting in early June, the tea party established a quorum with just 57 people. People have lost interest. Perhaps it was inevitable, as is the case with most grassroots groups. One thing is clear. The arbitrary actions of its leadership have accelerated the process.

Their so-called "unofficial" blog - maintained by a loyal member of its top heavy executive board - is not-so-strangely silent on the subject. Instead of encouraging individuality, the party is hamstrung by rules enforced by bullies like Joe Hilliard, the intolerant Maximillien Robespierre of Lehigh Valley conservatives. His history is that he destroys every group he joins.

So I'll tell you myself about the disintegration of the LV Tea Party. It probably means I'll be excommunicated again, but I don't really give a shit. I attended its divisive monthly meeting on August 5. It was supposed to be a frank discussion among members about the party's future direction and a revelation of the "inner turmoil" that has "crippled" the group.

The first thing I noticed when I entered was a large collection of tables at the front of the room, behind which Robespierre's Committee of Public Safety - the executive board - was seated.

Instead of promoting an honest exchange of views, Acting Chair Tom McFadden did his best to stifle discussion. He announced that the executive board would be monitoring conversations on their forum with more intensity. He cut some people off, refused to recognize others and prevented people from talking. When I tried to make my point about candidates who need help, and they include tea party members like Ronnie DelBacco, I was interrupted so much that it would have been better not to have been there at all.

And that's what happened. Many people, some of them first-timers, began walking out, vowing to never return. "You sound like the God-damned Democrats," complained one rank-and-file member to McFadden.

In addition to stifling dissent, McFadden allowed Robespierre Hilliard to drone on and give an arrogant defense of an attempt to seek his ouster, in advance of a hearing scheduled for later that evening.

Over the past several weeks, there have been numerous resignations. Founder Kim Schmidtner herself has resigned, first as Chair, and then as a member. Executive Committee strongman Bryan Eichfeld, who claims he learned everything he knows from Hilliard, blames personal attacks from the membership.

But others have stepped down as well, objecting to the divisive and bullying tactics from an authoritarian executive board being piloted by Hilliard.

Joan Campbell, the Secretary and backbone of this group, resigned as Secretary and as a member of the Executive Board after being called "naive" and "dense" by Hilliard. Ronnie DelBacco, an Easton School Board candidate, got tired of the nonsense, too. Donna Rovito stepped down from the Health Care Reform Committee even though she is perhaps the most knowledgeable voice, conservative or liberal, on the topic in this area. "There is no room in a grassroots organization for egos or dictatorial pronouncements, yet two members of the Executive Board in particular have crossed too many lines, and fractured the leadership of this organization to the point that in order to carry out the work I believe MUST be carried out to ensure America's health."

After the August 5 meeting, I expect to see the LV Tea Party fade away. It has arrogantly conducted meetings without even bothering to acknowledge the presence of prominent attendees like Doug Reichley, Dean Browning, Ron Angle and Charlie Dent. And although it has never filed for IRS status as a nonprofit, it refuses to engage in the political process, hurting good people who care about their government. Instead of a potent political force, it has devolved into a Book of the Month Club.

In addition to allowing Hilliard to present a defense before a hearing on charges that he violated by-laws, several executive board members insisted on speaking in his defense when the Hilliard expulsion finally got underway, and many members had already walked out. Board member Bryan Eichfled was incensed that I was chosen to present the charges against Hilliard since, according to him, my sole purpose in being there is to splinter the group. This is the same intolerant nut job who wanted Northampton County Council to sign a kooky limited government resolution that would essentially prevent the federal government from funding anything besides the Defense Department. Even arch-conservative Pat Toomey refused to sign that nonsense.

As for my motivations, any group that fails to be accountable or transparent should be splintered. A group that discourages the very kind of individual freedom upon which this country was founded, should be discarded. It makes no difference to me whether it is the Northampton County Democratic Committee or the LV Tea Party.

Mat Benol, the LV Tea Party's original chair, has already formed another group, TEA-LV.

Will it catch fire? We'll see.

Nationally, the tea party is a potent political force. But here in the Lehigh Valley, they prefer to discuss Ayn Rand books to death.

57 comments:

  1. Wow, a group that idolizes anarchy can't get its shit together. Given the way they showed themselves to the nation during the past budget debate, if they didn't self-destruct they would just be ignored.

    The flat earthers made more sense.

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  2. Bernie,

    Two points:

    First, you threatened the LVTP for getting involved in campaigns last year. You threatened to file charges with the FEC. Now you want us to get involved in campaigns? Is this another Bernieism? (Hypocrisy and inconsistency?) I can provide your blog quotes if you deny this.

    Second, you fail to mention that you represented the side that wished to remove me as an ex-lawyer. An overwhelming majority supported me and rejected your sad arguments. In fact, at a few points you were laughed at. (Yes, I bullied the whole group to support me.) And once again, you provide false reporting. The vote was 58 to 26. A bit more than your falsely reported attendance number. Another Bernieism. (Oops, don't let the facts get in the way of Bernie's agenda.)

    Meanwhile, the Mat Benol/Joan Campbell faction lost much credibility with the membership. As did you.

    But you can go lick your wounds with Mat Benol and Shawn Millan.

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  3. Local group or not, their ideals are held by many in this area who don't need an organization to tell them how to vote. That's how the other side works, because it needs to.

    Meanwhile, hows your Hope and Change going? Got malaise?

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  4. The bylaws were written in a vacuum. Whoever wrote them killed the group. Completely hamstrung the members. And without goals and wins, people walk away. I think this was an accident, and although they'll never admit it, it was inexperience in putting together such a document that brought it on. They were either too lazy or arrogant to get the advice they needed for putting together a membership organization.

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  5. time to rid bethlum of the former and present union council flunkies. wee willy is nothing but a rubber stamp, donchez has been there for 16 years and is a major part of the financial problems of the city. they are counting on the bethlumites to act as they usually do as "sheep being led to the slaughter". wake up people and shed yourself of the union shackles. once you rid yourself of donchez and reynolds you can set you sights next year on dolon another union teacher dem. these people are all followers of the corrumption ,not leaders for change

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  6. These so called tea party people do not get it. They have wrecked the country due to their hard line stance. Radicalism from the left and right have no part in our government and should be ignored. A middle approach is best.

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  7. Having attended Allentown council meetings this summer, council shows polite respect to Hershman's endless questions but hardly any get answers. Hersham's been asking about some kind of audit report apparently required to be released earlier this year. Council smiles. Hersham goes home empty-handed.

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  8. anon 6:45

    same thing happens in bethlum. questions are asked but no answers. just blank stares from the so called leaders of the community. not sure if a couple of them even have a pulse.

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  9. Anon 6:40 -

    Let me get this straight - the Congress and President go on a two-year spending spree that adds over $5 TRILLION to the national debt (pushing the total debt to over $14 TRILLION).

    The President then wants another $2 TRILLION and change to keep up the madness.

    And you think the people that want to stop the spending are the ones who don't get it? What planet or alternate reality are you living in?

    You're seeing the results of what happens when a government spends beyond its means. Ironically, the only plan put forth that would have actually dealt with the problem (Cut, Cap & Balance) came from the "Tea Party" Republicans. It would have gotten us to a balanced budget in the "radical" time frame of 7 to 8 years. Naturally, the plan was pronounced "dead on arrival" by Senate Democrats and the President said he would veto it.

    So if you're looking for who's responsible for wrecking the economy, I'd start with the President and his cronies in the Senate.

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  10. Actually, the tea party is shrinking rapidly at the national level too. The most recent NYT poll showed the lowest number of self-identified tea people yet, back down to the 18% they were at in April 2010. Looks like we've hit peak tea.

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  11. The sheep who got caught up in the hope and change nonsense and are now blaming a group that showed up about five minutes ago to point out the obvious. It's akin to blaming the fire on the guy who pulled the alarm, rather than the arsonist who started it.

    Obama was a community activist who never created a job. He was only a US Senator for two years, most of which he spent running for president. He voted "present" on every controversial issue in his brief stint, including debt limit increases.

    We elected an unprepared, inexperienced academic and we're paying for it.

    The trials and tribulations of some local group are irrelevant. The movement is philosophical and doesn't need an instruction guide.

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  12. geeting, keep up the "hope and spend" and we'll likely see the rarest of political animals - a one term president -

    tea partier in principle

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  13. Wow, Joe Hilliard certainly is proving himself to be a very arrogant but at the same time insecure bully. I note it is always someone else, never Joe who has the problem. The truth seems to escape him as well as what was announced about the vote was that a majority actually voted to remove Mr. Hilliard, they just lacked the necessary 2/3 majority. Of course, the way that vote was taken after so many people left in disgust over Joe's behavior is alway an issue.

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  14. tea partier in principle, your signature is relevant because most pollsters for the last decade claim the election rests with the independents, who by definition, are without organized party. how many people attend a tea party meeting is meaningless, come the november vote. whatever they are, it's fair to say they're not democrats.

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  15. MM's correct. Attempts to organize libertarian-leaning independents are curious. The groups that have organized are a fraction of this philosophical movement, and largely that portion the Republican party has attempted to co-opt. The Tea Party that pundits are attempting to quantify, qualify and deride is a caricature of their own creation. The real Tea Party exists in the philosophy of those who quietly show up at the polls and vote their conscience.

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  16. Typical Hilliard. He is smarter than you and will make sure you know it!

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  17. Jon, the decline in tea party member per your poll is dwarfed by the number of independent voters who have turned anti-Obama.

    In fact, his polling stats of independents dropped another 9% just in the past couple of months.

    I hope this is a continuing trend where the insane far left and the insane far right are minimalized.

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  18. Anonymous 6:40AM
    I am so waiting for your solution to the mess that we are in. I'll just wager that you are planning to challenge Charlei Dent.

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  19. "First, you threatened the LVTP for getting involved in campaigns last year. You threatened to file charges with the FEC. Now you want us to get involved in campaigns?"

    Hey Robespierre, I threatened to challenge your nonporift status when yiu engaged in political activity while claiming to be a nonprofit. What I discovered during the removal proceedings that you instituted is that you never filed the damn papers and have no nonprofit status. So yo can do whatever you want.

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  20. "Second, you fail to mention that you represented the side that wished to remove me as an ex-lawyer"

    Hey Joey, I am not one of your little yes men. If you knew how to read, you'd see that I definitely did mention that I spoke for the group. "Board member Bryan Eichfled was incensed that I was chosen to present the charges against Hilliard since, according to him, my sole purpose in being there is to splinter the group."

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  21. "The vote was 58 to 26. A bit more than your falsely reported attendance number" At the June tea party, there was a quorum with 57 people. That is fact. In August, when you stacked the place with all your supporters, there still were only 84 people, far below the 1300 boasted by Schmidtner. You are in your death throes. Like you do with every group you join, you have killed the LV Tea Party. Cigrats.

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  22. Anon 8:22, I think the vote was in Hilliard's favor. He packed the place. They all sat in front of him, and turned around to lecture others.

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  23. Wren, I can tell you Donchez will be overwhelmingly re-elected, and should be. He can be criticized for not being tough enough or whatever, but his weakness is his strength. He tries to look for the good in people and is default position is to assume the best in others. That is a typical Bethlehem attitude and representative of the City as a whole. He is a good and decent man and will win easily. If I lived there, I would vote for him.

    Reyolds is a big question mark. He is studious, does his job and definitely cares. He might be too close to Callahan. The Mayor is entitled to have supporters on Council, but I don't like the way Reynolds tried to minimize the City's financial plight.

    I am leaning against Rechiutti, who has lost before and is another Callahan plant, but need to know more about him.

    I really like Tom Carroll, Tony Simao and Al Bernotas. They are all well spoken, dedicated and very knowledgeable. Al is a bit brusque, which might turn people off in Bethlehem. He knows his style turns some people off, but he is no phony. I'd consider him the weakest of the three GOP candidates.

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  24. "The bylaws were written in a vacuum. Whoever wrote them killed the group."

    That would be Robespierre Hilliard.

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  25. Independents are turned off by Obama. The only thing that angers them more are congressmen who are identified as teabaggers. You folks will have to go all sneaky and stealth if you want to win.
    Grover Norquist is your downfall. Don't ask don't tell!

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  26. The tea party is the best thing that has happened in this country since the election of the little man in the white house. While I have never attended a meeting I am with them all the way, and am thankful for their participation.

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  27. Bernie:

    Please do not consider brusque and weakest as synonyms. There are six candidates for three seats. By far I have the best credentials of all the candidates. I will fight for me, I will fight for my neighborhood, and I will fight for my city. I am outspoken, and I do not dance around the issues. If the residents of Bethlehem want the politest candidate, they will vote for Bob Donchez. If they want the candidate who will get the most done for each resident, they will vote for me.

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  28. Al, I wish you luck but great men have run and fell to the Bethlehem in crowd. Sorry but wee willie and Mike the r are shoo-ins. donchez, don't even bother, he is in before the votes are counted.

    Better have five aces up your sleeve

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  29. Maybe Hilliard would like to tell us all why he is now actively going after anyone who spoke against him. Seems to me as if he likes to use his status on the Executive Board of the Tea Party to threaten people.

    HERE HERE!

    Tell us about the multiple threats you've made since Friday night Joe. Or are you going to be a coward and blame everyone else?

    HERE HERE!

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  30. Al, I have little doubt that you consider yourself the strongest of all 6 candidates, and you certainly put in the time and energy. I'd agree that there are really 6 strong candidates, and it is somewhat of a mistake to call you the "weakest." Perhaps the better term is "most outspoken," as you've just demonstrated here.

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  31. Al Bernotas is only the most qualified if you are ranking the candidates by inappropriate and insulting comments. Being the oldest, does not make him the most qualified; it just means he is closer to losing it and Bethlehem already has 2 current council members in that category.

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  32. Just so the record is clear, two of the three Democrat candidates for City Council have received money from Callahan. Specifically, Rechutti received $5,000 after he lost in the primary in 2009, only later to be appointed by Callahan to the Parking Authority. Reynolds continually speaks as the voice for Callahan on Council and Donchez sits there smiling, getting along with everyone all the while the debt mounts and the taxes increase.

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  33. They are a pretty sorry bunch but the voters of Bedlam keep electing them.

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  34. Jon
    You have no idea of the size of the tidal wave coming your direction

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  35. I believe that the teabaggers are the victims of their own success. Now that the voters know what is behind the curtain, they are less enchanted. The tea went from a choice to a threat and showed themselves to be the bunker mentality irrational extremist they are.
    Chuck C.

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  36. the nicest thing that can be said about the bethlum council race is that you have 6 self promoting fools running for what they have no idea. Then you have the sleep at the wheel voters who main concern is who is providing the free beer. the dems are running to get their tickets punched for the future. the reps are are running against callahan but not for the city. build your casino, play you music, eat at your over price elitist restaurants but you are still going down the tubes. you are just fools following the fools you elected because you don't know any better. what a pathetic scene.

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  37. Wren, I swear to God, I think you laugh your ass off as you write these comments, and probably only mean 10% of what you write. Be honest, are you Callahan in disguise?

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  38. What did you get to eat? since there is no magnificent twelve or whatever?Did he pay for you?or did you pay?
    HANK CHIRNASKI

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  39. BO,

    I am insulted that you would even think that I am the boy mayor. But as insulted as I am I will enlighten you more in the morn

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  40. Wren is a teabagger!

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  41. I have no affiliation. That's what allows me to laugh at you aholes

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  42. Aren't all candidates self promoting? Doesn't that come with the territory?

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  43. Sorry I hit the send button before I finished my name -

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  44. I went on their web page tonight, For suggesting that the group needs to be politically active, I've been called a cancer, a liberal plant and a person with no intelligience [sic]. That tells me all I need to know about this crew of losers.

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  45. The newest achievement - The Tea Party Downgrade.

    Your intransigence only cost you about 900 billion in equity losses overnight. Does it give you any pause at all? Of course not. Onward Tea Party morons, marching like lemmings to the tune of the Koch brothers pied pipers. When you are reduced to a tent and canned goods, they will remind you to keep true to your principles.

    You may have had the temporary stage but now you are starting to truly annoy the moderate middle whose life savings are disappearing before their very eyes thanks to you.

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  46. The tea party is a "confederation" of angry people. Is the debt an important issue, absolutely. Must Washington, and all governments address it, no question. On that score alone they got many votes.

    Once in power their throw the elderly in the river and keep supporting the "rich" job creators with policies that have not worked in the past ten years has left them wanting. They refused to even discuss options, they became the caucus of three year olds.

    They failed to really read the history they love to quote out of context, about how our most cherished document, the US constitution is a massive compromise.

    If I had to categorize the teabaggers, I would say they are more into the articles of confederation than the US Constitution.

    All the tri-cornered hats and 300 year old quotes won't address all the issue the US and the world faces today. People want mature level headed policy makers. We don't want a bunch of Jim Joneses, willing to destroy the village in order to save it.

    Reality Now

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  47. If Joe Hilliard had a job he might not have as much free time on his hands.

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  48. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  49. Why doesn't Joe Hilliard have a job? Does anyone know?

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  50. anon 6:01, what the Hell are you talking about. Are you obsessed with man parts?

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  51. 6:01 seems to be obsessed with race as well.

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  52. Hillaird = Bloviator.

    Hear, hear!

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  53. MAn, you really have a hard on for Republicans. It seems your primary mission is to get Republicans elected and keep them in office. Have you ever said a good word about Democrats or their base EVER? It's almost like the alternate universe of Fox News where "democrats bad" is the mantra and never ever strayed from.

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  54. Very sad. If they formed that pac as you suggested and gave money to Ronnie Boy, you might lay off them enough to go through these growing pains without criticism?

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  55. This is so disappointing.

    On the LVTP discussion board Mr. Hilliard proposed a blanket "amnesty" and professed a desire to move on from personal attacks. He even joined me in apologizing to all concerned and agreed that just MAYBE things had gotten out of hand, and that we all need to find ways to work together, probably as different groups, to achieve our goals.

    Did that "amnesty" not extend to everyone, or beyond LVTP's own web site? I see that Joe has attacked Mat Benol and Joan Campbell here....I do'nt know why he didn't attack me, too, since I was one of the people who signed a petition....

    Funny, I haven't read any personal attacks on him since we all agreed to try to play nice....Perhaps instead of bragging about the 58 people who voted NOT to remove him (of those remaining in the room after about half the members left in disgust or distress) he should give some thought to why 26 people voted to oust him, not only from the executive board, but from the group (that's a bylaws thing - there's no provision to remove someone from leadership alone - it's either all or nothing, and I know many people had a problem with that.)

    Perhaps actions like the attacks on the same people he has attacked in THIS forum, at the same time he is advocating a new cooperation between independent but cohesive groups on the LVTP forum, is part of the reason for some of those 26 negative votes.

    I'll agree that it was a bad idea for the folks who signed the petitions to ask Bernie to represent us, purely because of the history between Joe Hilliard and Bernie - sadly, that history caused the hearing to devolve into personal attacks on both your parts. I suspect that many people were simply horrified by that particular spectacle....I know I was. Bernie, we shouldn't have dragged you into such an unfriendly situation - it was shortsighted of us.

    Seriously, there is an important role for the "tea party" in the nation and in the Lehigh Valley. If LVTP wants to be the professorial arm of the local tea party, that's great. Other groups will meet other advocacy needs - and if we can all really work together, attacking problems and issues from different directions, we'll be even more effective.

    TEA-LV, a new group organized by Benol and Campbell on Meetup.com is a good step in that direction.

    The Lehigh Valley Coalition for Health Care Reform, also on meetup.com, is another important step. Perhaps there's a local tea party PAC in the future. We'll see.

    And we'll try to be there, hopefully working hand in hand with LVTP, to meet the needs of the Lehigh Valley residents who want to do more than yell at their televisions. Stay tuned.

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  56. I really wish this TEA-party wouldn't be lumped in with other national tea-parties. This party was called out a long time ago, on this blog, as nothing more than a bullying-tool for angry people who had a habit of not even voting in the past (Hello Kim) and elitist R's who aren't happy with democracy in their own party. Unlike other national parties, this local tp appears to be more focused on yelling at people, shaking their fists, and demanding only their way. Early on the LVTP history, people walked out on them because of their lack of solutions. Now it seems there own [formerly] very vocal members are walking out. Hasn't Mr. Chris Miller admitted on this blog he left the LVTP?

    Please don't lump this local rabble into the productive members of the 'other' tea-parties.

    - A Tax-Enough-Already Citizen.

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  57. The teabaggers are now having to swallow their own garbage. This is funny.

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