This is a "liberal" argument?
Let me get this straight. Geeting justifies displacement of largely minority merchants who actually were part of a "10 Minute Neighborhood Plan." Their customers consisted largely of people who walked there.
Then, in the same breath, he laments the fact that Allentown doesn't have a "10 Minute Neighborhood Plan" for locals to buy fresh food. In a not so subtle way, what Geeting is really saying is that Allentown really needs a "Trader Joe's." So subsidize it, already, just like the Brew Works.
Geeting brays on about subsidizing "delicious" Latin American Street Food, too. That's at best comical, and worst offensive, given the clearly stated policies of the City of Allentown to cleanse the downtown of any "ethnic presence." Give them Johnny Mananas instead of authentic Mexican. If that fails, give them subsidized tacos and burritos at Burrito Works. I am sure the food concourse at the arena will be loaded with lots of "authentic" ethnic food.
Maybe even a Korean food stand.
This is not "liberal" thinking. This is elitism. That's why CACLV's Alan Jennings should have refused to be part of the NIZ Board.
Geeting and other cheerleaders are ignoring, even justifying, the complete lack of transparency and accountability in the NIZ, the abundant conflicts of interest and rampant pay-to-play. Personally, I am shocked that these self-proclaimed urbanists can sleep at night, lying next to slithering snakes like J. B. Reilly.
"They came for the Korean merchants, and I didn't object - For I wasn't a Korean merchant;
They came for the low income residents and shoppers, and I didn't object - For I wasn't a low income resident or shopper;
They came for the homeless, and I didn't object - For I wasn't homeless;
They came for the Latinos, and I didn't object - For I wasn't a Latino;
Then they came for me - And there was no one left to object."
[With Apologies to Martin Niemoller, German Protestant Pastor, 1892-1984]
58 comments:
I love it when you stomp that moron. Thanks.
When I read the comment about how people are lining up on the issue, I also disagreed. There is a roll for having the government invest in projects to improve things. The rail system was aided by Government land grants and the Highway system is government funded.
Arenas and restaurants are not in the same category so the public benefit derived is much murkier to me, yet I do not consider myself a conservative.
The lack of transparency and apparent conflicts of interest stand out as the biggest concerns I have for the project, although the public benefit is questionable to me overall.
"given the clearly stated policies of the City of Allentown to cleanse the downtown of any "ethnic presence." "
over-the-top, and offensive. when you get this hyperbolic, you loose.
I remember the playground in Cedar Beach. Talk about hyperbole! A meeting place for parents from the West End?
Remember all the racism that was at the core of that project? The protesters from the chuch of life? Where are they now?
From what I can tell, as I pass by almost daily during different times of the day, interest is waning.
I expect in a few more years after the plastic has aged and broken from misuse and abuse it will look like any other neglected playground in Allentown.
Only activity will be nefarious and the current administration will be asking "what do we do now?"
Suspect the arena will be the same. Here today and gone tomorrow, as all the principals move on to other things.
A passion for more money.
Anonymous said...
"given the clearly stated policies of the City of Allentown to cleanse the downtown of any "ethnic presence." "
over-the-top, and offensive. when you get this hyperbolic, you loose.
er..what offensive? That he described what happened?
First the bus stops along Hamilton, then remove an entire city block...smells a little funny, wouldn't you say?
VOR
Bernie. Thanks for comparing the redevelopment supporters to Hitler. I think this is a a clear example of Godwin's law in action. And a sure sign that we have reached the end of rationale debate on this topic. You have made your points--anything past this point is largely ad hominium attack. Maybe its time for everyone to go back into their respective corners and wait to see what actually develops.
Things also look mostly positive for the displaced businesses. More good news for the downtown.
http://discussions.mcall.com/20/allnews/mc-allentown-hockey-arena-merchants-20120219/10
Must be a slow news day. I have compimented ya many times when your at your best ,Bernie but this shows ya at your worst.I now know what hyperbolic means.I gotta agree with most posters so far.
"This is not "liberal" thinking. This is elitism. That's why CACLV's Alan Jennings should have refused to be part of the NIZ Board."
Bernie -
Sorry, liberalism is elitism.
They always know what's best for us - whether it's what to pack in our child's school lunch, how much salt we put on our food, or forcing us into a one-size-fits-all health insurance scheme.
They have gotten in bed with big-government Republicans to give taxpayers (in Allentown, the suburbs and throughout the state) the coming debacle known as the arena. God help us.
Jon: The cornfield developers (i.e. Reilly, Butz, Jaindls etc..) are the ones funding Pawlowski's war chest. Over 75% of his campaign donations from Lehigh Valley come from the suburbs. People from the cornfields subcribe to LV Style Magazine, eat at the Cosmopolitan once in while and will drive in to see a hockey game and quickly drive out. These artsy snobs coming into Allentown occasionally will not transform Allentown. Trust me, AHL hockey in Allentown will be awesome, the cornfields will continue to get developed, Allentown will continue to decline and Pawlowski will continue to build his war chest and boost his political career.
Bernie,
Jon is your typical Democrat/liberal/media person. They will defend whatever their side does, or wants to do. While they openly view Republicans/conservatives as corrupt, stupid or both. They endlessly equivocate to excuse and/or justify the left's transgressions and excesses. Why do they do this? Because in today's media and intellectual environment they can. At least you are holding Jon to account.
Scott Armstrong
Scott A
Anon 7:51 Not sure this is a clear application of Godwins Law, it is not a direct reference, although as this discussion lengthens, the probability of an occurrence is inevitable.
"Maybe its time for everyone to go back into their respective corners and wait to see what actually develops.
7:51 AM"
That is exactly what they are counting on. And, of course, everyone will do as you suggest. They always do.
And, later, as the decay accelerates, the debt spirals out of control, and the winners in this shellgame are long gone with their ill-gotten gains, "EVERYONE" will be screaming "Why didn't somebody do something to stop it."
Bernie, you answered the question in another NIZ thread regarding what can be done. Of course, you and those who can should never give up. But, I have much less faith than you that anyone will get or stay angry enough to prevent this from happening again. I was speaking to a professional who works in Allentown and asked him what he thought of the NIZ situation. His response: "What is the NIZ?"
Trying to bring him in slowly, I asked if he heard about the new hockey arena project. He said "Oh, yeah. Isn't that great?" I asked if he, a supposed small-government guy, knew of the debate going on.
His response: "No, but my kid plays hockey, it will be great to have hockey here. But, they should have put it out by the baseball stadium and made a complex, not in the middle of the ghetto."
And, then, he left for the day and drove back to his house in the suburbs.
As you say, we get the government we deserve.
-Clem
"over-the-top, and offensive."
It should be offensive because that's precisely what happened. Where have you been? pawlowski tried before to get rid of the mostly minority merchants on Hamilton Street when LANTA changed bus routes and he refused to lift a finger. Now he has done it more directly. One tenant tried to relocate just a block up on Hamilton and was specifically told by the owner that Allentown does not want him in that block.He had to go to 7th, where he belongs.
Yes, it is offensive. Racism tends to be offensive. So does gentrification. But it is not over the top. It is what has happened.
"Bernie. Thanks for comparing the redevelopment supporters to Hitler. I think this is a a clear example of Godwin's law in action."
Excuse me? I made no reference to Hitler or Nazism. My sole point was to repeat an oft used phrase about what happens when good people do nothing about injustice. Had I been comparing Pawlowski to Hitler or hailstone to Himmler, you'd have a point. But I have not done that and would not compare what is going on here to the horror of the holocaust.
"Things also look mostly positive for the displaced businesses."
I know several businesses that have been adversely affected. Yes, they were paid more than their properties are worth, but not enough to make up for the lost business experienced. I'm considering doing a more through
review of the toll this has taken.
How can the city take properties that will be owned and operated by a private entity?
"when you get this hyperbolic, you loose.[sic]"
A person is guilty of hyperbole when he exaggerates. Unfortunately, there is NO exaggeration in my post on this topic. I wish I could say that the enlightened residents of the LV stood up for the Korean merchants when they were shoved out of the way. I wish I could say that the Alan Jennings of this world stood up for low income shoppers, who would walk from their homes to those dollar stores, but he didn't. I wish I could say that Life Church or Julio Guridy or the other churches in Pawlowski's pocket stood up when the homeless and Latinos on that block were whisked aside. But they didn't.
Geeting isn't a liberal. He's a self-fancied wonk who thinks there is a better answer for everything. Well, he's no policy wonk (he studied linguistics and music in college) and he's certainly never shown an ability to reason anything. Frankly, Bernie, that you give this guy as the face of NIZ effort is offensive to people who have some interest in seeing this think happen in a transparent fashion. I think Michael Donovan has done a much better job.
And all this talk about liberals being the elites who know more than the rest of us completely negates this dozy: The radical right knows so much more and is so morally superior that they can tell us who to marry, when to have sex, that contraception is an affront to God and that my wife can stay at home and enjoy the emotional benefits semen gives to her life. That, my friends, is elitism, conservative style. My guess is the conservatives would like to take that big hole in the ground on hamilton street and erect a shrine to abstinence only education, gay haters like Jerry Falwell and xenophobes like Pat Buchanan.
Retired ASD teacher here.
Be it Democratic, Republican, or Independent, this is Elitism run amuck, BECAUSE IT CAN!
If you must label, I am a staunch Conservative, but that’s not the point here, neither is racism nor, to me, logic.
The Polish Pirate in Allentown and his buccaneers are now in charge. They prey upon a citizenry that is mostly helpless, uncaring, or too old to defend. They are enabled by a willing media and opportunistic politicians who see funding that simply MUST be spent.
The arena is an extremely risky, very expensive, unproven and long term obligation that will endure long after the ship has sailed away. Do we no longer respect how long 30-50 years is? How much $180-200 million dollars (plus interest) is?
Frankly, Allentown’s leadership can do whatever it wants to its citizens. Just leave me out of it! Your NIZ is not my NIZ. The concept of forced, regional taxation to support such non-essential additions revolts me. Where will it end?
I hear Nazareth wants to build a regional nudist resort downtown. That’s a good thing, NO? Your contribution is expected.
That's my point. Ths is not a liberal v. conservative thing. It is those who want goof government v. those who don't, so long as it furthers their elitist policies And you can find samples of elitism on both sides of the political spectrum.
My guess is the conservatives would like to take that big hole in the ground on hamilton street and erect a shrine to abstinence only education, gay haters like Jerry Falwell and xenophobes like Pat Buchanan.
9:28 AM
Yep. Good "guess", because there have been so many proposals for shrines to those guys up until now...
Just could not keep the loony lefty from coming out. Could you, loony lefty?
-Clem
I think goof government is what liberalism dictates. It requires a great deal of faith in good intentions becoming workable policies.
Ein was fuer negativer Artikel!
Der Palast des Sports muss errichtet werden.
JOSEPH GOEBBELS
8:10, I'd also direct your attention to today's post by Michael Molovinsky.
Bernie
Has Browne met with neighboring government officials?
A meeting has been scheduled for the third time, but has not yet occurred.
Geeting is offensive. He does not speak for the Left or for Liberals. He is a mouthpiece for the ultra-wealthy Left as evinced by his job being a paid blogger for George Soros.
As for those attacking Bernie for being over the top with his rhetoric I would remind you of a tract published in the early 1700's by Jonathan Swift titled: A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland From Being a Burden on Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick
I would like someone (perhaps JON GEETING?) to explain to me exactly how the NIZ is NOT just like the (Big) Communist Government in the old Deutsche Demokratische Republik picking Olympic winners and losers with their infamous LEISTUNGSSPORTBESCHLUSS Directive of 1969 ...
Unfamiliar with the Leistungssportbeschluss?
http://lvironpigs.wordpress.com
OR
http://www.goironpigs.com
MANFRED EWALD
@ 9:55 Bernie. I read that piece by Molovisnky already. But, here is the thing--you can't stop an entire project that has the potential to revitalize an entire city for one shop. I realize that that is harsh, but, the general community has more of a right to that land than the individual owner. (We probably disagree philosophically here, but that is what it comes down to). Every other business owner cited in the MCall piece seemed to be well off and already experiencing better sales in their new digs. One shop is not. Would you deny the nearly 1-billion dollars of net development in the downtown because a single shop owner was harmed?
The General Community has more of a right to land than the Individual Owner?
Is that the fact, Comrade?
Most interesting statement.
The General Community has more of a right to the Wealth of an Individual Property Owner, as well.
With that in mind, I openly question whether or not Comrade John.Jay is, in fact, paying his fair share of personal income taxes ...
... or if he is just some kind of ueber-wealthy Liberal Elitist like Bill Clinton or Al Gore?
CITIZEN,
PEOPLE's DEMOCRATIC CITY WITHOUT LIMITS
@9:55aka john jay. please read that morning call article again. only two out of 34 businesses claim to be doing better; the tax preparer and the hair salon. the tax preparer simply moved across 8th street. if she's doing better has nothing to do with the NIZ, but now is tax season. the hair salon claims her clients would rather go to emmaus than center city allentown; again, no credit to allentown. the daycare went out of business. one merchant ended up with 5% of their former business over in east allentown. the pizza parlor went from an attractive hamilton street store, to a much smaller basement location facing 8th street. that article had an agenda, apparently the same as yours.
"you can't stop an entire project that has the potential to revitalize an entire city for one shop."
John Jay or Andrew Bench (I don't know why you can't use your real name),
This is utilitarianism, the philosophy of the greatest good for the greatest number. It was made famous by Spock in Wrath of Kahn, although it really goes all the way back to John Stuart Mill.
Put in another, less flattering way, it is an "ends justifies the means" philosophy. In fact, it is a basis for the justification of slavery since enslaving a few does provide the greatest good for the many. This philosophy falls short because, in the end, it fails to protect minorities and others who have no lobby at work for them. Perhaps this is why John Paul II objected to it.
Another flaw is that you are making a prediction. You have no way of knowing that this NIZ will, in fact, be successful. From all the evidence I've seen, it will fail. The greater needs of the few AND the many will have been squandered.
But even if one accepts your utilitarian philosophy, it is precisely the opposite of what you argue. In this NIZ the needs and desires of the few - wealthy developers like J.B. Reilly - are being advanced over the interests of the many - the surrounding LV communities as well as the thousands of downtown Allentown residents who have already suffered.
Bernie, just a few quick comments. I am not proposing that utilitarian philosophy is the end of moral reasoning. No one theory of moral reasoning is adequate to explain proper moral action. Sometimes Kantian method are more appropriate, particularly when trying to protect minority rights as you correctly point out. Also, your slavery argument may work if the only "goods" you consider are economic goods, but, distributive justice does not need to be so confined. That however, is a story for another day.
I would contend to you, however, that distributive justice MUST be considered in the context of government action because it is axiomatic that government should attempt to do the most good for the most people while imposing relatively fewer hardships through its actions. To be able to perform this analysis whatsoever, you must be thinking in the sphere of a cost-benefit analysis because government must achieves its goals with limited resources.
Our remaining disagreements concern assumptions about who will ultimately benefit from the NIZ. To me, the ultimate beneficiaries of the project do not yet exist. They are the people who will benefit from a dense urban area and the resulting economic dynamism that that brings--along with reductions in the use of cars, sprawl, and waste.
So, yes, I work on the assumption that the project will succeed. And this is the most important part. I have that belief because ultimately this project succeeds or dies based upon our perception of it. Economics and everything else is just a construct of our imagination. If we have the belief that things will work, they will work. Its that simple. If we have the belief that the downtown can once again be a great and important shopping area it can once again be a great and important shopping era.
It all depends on our perspective. If we instead want to think of the downtown as a crime infested, Tamany Hall run, piece of crap, then that is what it is. Our imaginations are what the world ultimately is. That is why I write and beg for optimism. Because we make or break this project in our own minds.
So in your world, perception is reality. In my world, reality is reality. The downtown is perceived to be crime-infested bc it is crime-infested. City Hall politics is perceived (not be enough) as Tammany Hall bc it is Tammany Hall. The principle that huge infusions of public cash will resurrect downtown Allentown has been disproved, time and again. That is the reality, not a perception.
Having said all of that, I do not oppose a NIZ in some form, if properly conceived and administered. This one is not. It is designed to benefit the few at the expense of the many.
Bernie, I will finish my side of the debate simply by asking what makes your perception of Allentown more "real" than my perception. You and your friends must believe the downtown is crime-ridden and the politics crooked. My friends and I believe that the downtown is safe, the politics par for the course, and the architecture gorgeous. Human reality cannot be measured like an ounce of gold. We can only hope to convince others of our own vision.
Having said that, I cannot understand why someone would prefer to be glum about this NIZ (if you like the idea generally) rather than optimistic. It is just about broadening one's perspective about who will ultimately be benefited and in what ways. You chose to stop drawing the line at the developers; I envision much broader classes and groups being benefited. I think what makes my position hard to accept is that it takes an act of imagination to see who will benefit. But, if we believe in that image and act with it in mind, it will come into reality.
John or Andrew,
If someone is mugged in downtown Allentown and you do not see it, does that mean it did not occur? If the wife of the state senator who drafted the NIZ legislation is working for a lobbying firm that has NIZ beneficiaries in its client portfolio, but you don't know it, does that mean it is not there?
We've not gone from the greater good argument to the perception argument. All too often, that is simply an excuse to avoid looking at the dark side of what is really going on. Kinda' like the ostrich with his head buried in the sand. Nothing to see here, etc.
No, Andrew, reality is more than one's perception. It is the objective quantification of what is happening. My mind will confabulate reality, as that is the way human minds work. But there is a distinct difference between reality and the way we perceive it.
lol, if you say so.
"How can the city take properties that will be owned and operated by a private entity?"
Sadly, the Supreme Court has allowed it in Kelo v. New London (Conn.), which ruled that taking property and ceding to another private entity for economic redevelopment was an acceptable "public use" for a city to claim eminent domain under the Fifth Amendment.
When Kelo was decided in 2005, the Court took stark ideological sides - the "liberals" and "moderates" ruled on behalf of the city taking property, while the "conservatives" (Scalia, Thomas, O'Connor and Rehnquist) voted against the city and for the owner who didn't want to sell.
Justice O'Connor wrote in her dissenting opinion:
"Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party, but the fallout from this decision will not be random. The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms.”
Justice Thomas wrote:
"This deferential shift in phraseology enables the Court to hold, against all common sense, that a costly urban renewal project whose stated purpose is a vague promise of new jobs and increased tax revenue, but which is also suspiciously agreeable to the (developer), is for a 'public use.'"
The final sad irony is what happened to the project that led to the case. The proposed New London redevelopment project that was going to create thousands of jobs and generate all kind of revenue fell apart - the Kelo lot remained vacant and has since become a city dump.
"lol, if you say so."
John or Andrew, I perceive a little humor. But is it?
sorry , that was a little glib . but in some ways actually a very serious retort .
But , here is what i would say . Things do happen in reality . I get that and am not denying it . What the question is about is how we perceive those events occurring . Someone gets mugged . Ok , I can either treat that as evidence of a horrible crime culture , or a one off thing , or just an inconvenience . Maybe it would make you think of Allentown as crime ridden -- to me its just something that happens . And , true story I spend a lot of time downtown ( often a night and in a suit ) and have never been mugged .
Same with this Senator Browne business . It is true that Mrs . Browne is now working as a lobbyist . That is a fact in the real world . I can either perceive that as a horrible thing or I can perceive it as a normal consequence of our political system .
Yeah , facts happen . But , the narratives we create around those facts are the true realities of life .
Lol, I also congratulate your blog Mr. O'Hare. We are dealing with some very complex aspects of 20th century phenomenological philosophy here which one might not expect to come across on a blog about local politics :)
Bernie, you are to admired for all of the liberal bullshit you put up with in these comments.
How does John.Jay sound all that different from, say, Karl Marx?
@ anon 5:19. I for one am very appreciative that Mr. O'Hare is willing to discuss things reasonably even when he doesn't agree. That is the basis of democracy after all. We could all take a lesson from him.
I want to hear from people who disagree. it is only those who get personal who bother me.
"How does John.Jay sound all that different from, say, Karl Marx"
John jay is way to polite, and evidently erudite, to deal with the likes of you. so I will.
If you're too much of a chowderhead to understand that ALL theories of government and economics, even democracy and capitalism, are based to a great degree upon utilitarianism, then you don't merit a response. Back to the peanut gallery with you.
john.jay is perfect example of how to make folks more comfortable with decline. decline comes easily. getting people to accept it is tricky. john.jay is an outstanding ambassador for the decline.
It's Chow-dah-head where I went to college, Comrade.
And, clearly, you cannot separate John.Jay from Karl Marx ...
... OR YOU WOULD!!!
Which is why you courageously anonymously, Professor.
"post anonymously"
but i suppose a genius such as yourself, comrade anon 6:49, already knew that
Definitely will not be buying tickets to the $ 160 million dollar hockey arena.
Be sure to tell the Brooks Brothers, Comrade Chow-dah-head.
:)
Hey Anon 6:49,
Anon 6:49 is more Progressive and more Elite than you and, therefore, easily knows better than you.
So, kindly shut up now, pick up that phone and order the most expensive Phantoms season tickets possible already.
Thank you.
The only way the Phantoms will be seeing any of my money will be at the point of a gun.
Congratulations, Cheerleaders.
I wonder how many OTHER people you are absolutely pissing off like there will never be another tomorrow over this $ 160.0 million dollar Palace of Sport thing?
Yeah, I'm the only one ... just keep telling yourselves that.
ROLF OELER
"Anon 6:49 is more Progressive and more Elite than you and, therefore, easily knows better than you."
Yes, yes I am. In every conceivable aspect you could imagine. Now, off with you. Shoo.
First they eliminated the railroad workers
Then they eliminated the Steel workers
Then they elimianted the public sector unions and employees Teachers, policeman, Fireman and Municipal workers.
And then there was no one left to complain about or pay for Amerika.
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