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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

The Donald's Angels

The Donald's Angels (L to R): Peg Ferraro, Gloria Lee Snover and Mary Barket
(all three are from Northampton County) 
Blogger's Note: (An earlier version of this story was published on 12/19 at 1:01 pm.)

Let me preface this by telling you that I am a Democrat. I voted for Hillary. But when Peg Ferraro invited me to watch her vote at Pennsylvania's Electoral College yesterday, I readily agreed. I was very proud to see three women from NorCo among the 20 who cast their votes on behalf of the Keystone State. I was pleasantly surprised to see that nine electors were women

As we made our way down Second Street to the Capital, we could also see a few protesters headed in the same direction, carrying signs. One was wearing what appeared to be a Russian soldier's uniform. But Capital police did their best to keep the electors away from any possible confrontations. Electors were parked and directed to the House floor via the basement, while demonstrators were a floor above. I saw none inside the capital until the electoral college convened promptly at noon. Then you could hear them from the House floor, but their sound was muffled and stayed that way until some made their way into the gallery above.

Secretary of State Pedro Cortes chaired the college until Rob Gleason, the state GOP chair, was unanimously elected as President of the College by voice vote.

Cortes, who noted that this was his third experience with an electoral college (he handled two of them when Ed Rendell was Governor),said that the votes from all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, will be tabulated in a joint session of Congress on January 6. But when he added that the electoral college reflected the people's choice, someone in the gallery shouted, "No, it doesn't!"

Rob Gleason noted that this marked the first time since 1988 that the GOP controlled the electoral college. he characterized it a "peaceful body that will lead to a peaceful transition."

Joyce Haas of Centre County, who was elected VP, said the voice of Pa.voters was heard "loud and clear" while someone in the gallery shouted, "He's not our President." She continued, saying it is "time to come together."

In his brief remarks, Governor Tom Wolf called the electoral college "a process of peaceful transition. We don't need armies, we don't need uprisings or violence to change our country's leadership. All we need is 538 people in rooms just like this, all across the country, doing what you're doing today. ... [W]e gather to follow through on the mandate given by the people."

Wolf invited the electors and their guests to join him for lunch at his official residence.

Interestingly, electors vote by secret ballot.

All 20 voted for Trump.

"Shame on you," cried people in the gallery above. "He's not our President" shouted a woman. Another shrieked, "Now your daughters and granddaughters won't be able to get abortions."

It wasn't until we were leaving the capital that I realized how much state officials were concerned about safety. A capital police officer who escorted Peg in also took us out. And when we got to Peg's rented van, the whole area was swarming with state troopers. One capital police officer told me there had been 12 arrests. But The Inky has reported only one.

On Facebook, a woman calling herself Phoenixsong Alysia Stellamaris states,"fuck every last one of those electors for their part in destroying the last vestige of democracy by electing an overtly fascist candidate."

This is the kind of polarizing behavior that just drives people apart. Trump is our president. I am more than willing to give him a chance. If he succeeds, we all win. If he fails, we all lose. but I'll be watching. That's what you do in a democratic government.

Blogger's Note:  You can see my Facebook album of pics here, and can also view a video of Governor Wolf's remarks here.

Peg and some of her friends and family. 

50 comments:

Anonymous said...

Only the extreme right wiungnuts and left cuckoo's ever thought it would be any different.

Anonymous said...

Wait, I thought "extreme right wiungnuts" helped elect this Trump guy? Get your story straight, precious moderate. And learn how to spell wingnut correctly while you are at it.

Anonymous said...

The "wingnuts" were sure the election was rigged until Trump won. Then they claimed that Putin was the most honest person in the world and would never have tried to interfere in the election. When a few goofballs exercised their freedom of speech and petitioned electors to not vote for Trump. Reality was and is that the vast majority of people of both parties have accepted the outcome of the election and were not thinking the college would do anything strange.

So I think the point being made by 3:03 is valid in that only the whackoes on both sides of the isle were getting all crazy about this issue.

Peter J.Cochran said...

Anon 6;57 Nobody ever said Putin was the most honest person in the world. You made that up .Putin and the Xi of China will test the boarders and see what the technology is and what we as a government will do about it . That's the the way it is. SO- NEW MANAGAMENT shortly. I will say both state heads will be in Washington in about 6 months -- Obama has set his agenda to dismantle this government and Trump will put a hard right rudder on that Obana ship to attempt to get it straight. . Wait-- the Russians and the American will get along fine as world powers.

X said...

Bernie Bernie,
I was just making a synical statment about the deplorables making statements about the president elect not being her president! I voted for Obama as a independent only to realize I had been disciminated against because I was not a party favor and truly still ain't!
Sorry if I offended some but they have also offended many as we now see. The gagicle still continues and according to what I have distilled as truths that damm Trump seems to be winning and not whining. With all this no hope shit slinged and people jumping from windows in despair because of the truma suffered by this election and its antics can be said for both sides!
REpublican redd
humanist by design

Please Please, human people get allong as we all are Americans and at this point in time we need a reel mover and shaker in the office of the presidency. Just give it a chance and just maybe with the implimentation of job creation on American soil it will be a good start to a positive future were the takers will be left out to take no more of Americas assets and sell them to the top bidder?

ninoshinkicker said...

I've always considered myself a Cold Warrior (though the non-combatant type). Some of the most successful weapons in that war has been Radio Free Europe, Radio Marti aimed at Cuba, Voice of America, Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. All of those entities were publicly known and funded by our government....of both parties. What was their mission? To effect the political process, to the extent there was one, in enemy countries.
It amazes me that anybody in our country would be shocked that foreign entities would play with the internet. It seems to me that the real culprits are those who had such loosy-goosy 'protection' for their internet systems. Imagine running a presidential campaign with a gmail account? Oy!

Robert Trotner said...

I'll be watching too. Trump did not acquit himself well in the human being department and certainly did not appear presidential in the campaign. His actions so far in draining the swamp are far less than inspiring. His ties to Russia are disturbing. In all these areas, to my eyes he is far inferior to any other candidate. Also, his antibigotry messages to his followers have not been ibsoiring. I would have wished any other Republican but he. But he's our president.

Anonymous said...

So whats left? Elizabeth Warrens promise to impeach him? how do you impeach a President elect who hasn't even taken power yet?

You know, with the Democrats, it's always someone else's fault that they lost.

Anonymous said...

How wonderfully un-American. I wonder what else we can do to make our country more like glorious mother Russia!

Anonymous said...

Trump 304 - - - Clinton 227 - - - Other 7

Landslide Victory Number 1 Above.

Trump lost 2 votes. Clinton lost 5.

Trump wins another landslide

Merry Christmas.

Anonymous said...

5:07 Your comments are inappropriate.

Anonymous said...

Good job. Trump's a dummy. But so is the current President. Both won fair and square. The system works. And Russians didn't hack Podesta emails. Podesta was phished. The dope clicked a suspicious link and gave up his password - which was P@ssw0rd. Time to moveon.

Anonymous said...

Is this the same Lee Snover that posts on Bob Casey's page?

Anonymous said...

So does this qualify as "fake news?"

http://www.snopes.com/harvard-professor-wants-electoral-college-to-reject-trump/#!

Or was it merely sophistry and wishful thinking?

Fact checkers indeed.

Anonymous said...

You are Establishment, Holier Than Thou 6:57 --- and you LOST!

Anonymous said...

Bernie, I give you some credit it deserved here. Your article is well written and not slanted one way or the other- Thank you for being and American!

Jamie Kelton said...

I should make a video and tell our celebrities now that President-Elect Trump has won the electoral vote, it's time for them to live up to their promise to leave our nation and be the heroes they make themselves out to be.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Bernie! I enjoyed reading your article. It was both informative and positive.And I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas.

Patriot2 said...

Great article Bernie & I think the dems shouting at the electors demonstrate that deplorables certainly exist in the Clinton camp & have this entire election. None of us acted this way when Obama was elected & we felt just as frustrated then as they do today.

Trump establishing a good relationship with Russia would be a very healthy change from the drums of Cold War from the dems & establishment Republicans like McCain & Graham.

Do people really think that patriot Trump is going to give away the country he loves in any negotiation with Putin. Wouldn't it be great if the US & Russia United to wipe out Islamic extremists as we have more in common with Russia than the Middle East!

Bernie O'Hare said...

There have been plenty of deplorables on both sides. It was an ugly election, but it's over. We'll get you next time.

Anonymous said...

"We'll get you next time."

Great attitude and likely correct. 72% of post-1970 immigrants vote Democratic. At a pace of 1.5 million immigrants per year, the numbers will work against Rs. Their only hope is that immigrants continue to increase population in Los Angeles and New York, states that already are solid blue. Rs should back away from their fight against sanctuary cities. Sanctuary cities lead mostly to a concentration of immigrants in states that don't matter in presidential elections. The left hasn't won the philosophical debate. They've changed the electorate, who display a Pavlovian response to offers of government assistance.

Anonymous said...

"The left hasn't won the philosophical debate. They've changed the electorate, who display a Pavlovian response to offers of government assistance."

What is the "philosophical" debate? Is that like the Right taking over the racist white vote that despises African-American rights? AS to government assistance, do you mean the huge agricultural subsidies that keeps the price of your bread low or the corporate tax structure that rewards the Koch brothers?

Anonymous said...

Preach, 4:23. Don't forget the Republican Pavlovian response to military spending that isn't needed for our defense but keeps jobs in military industries in their states. Even the Military brass don't want some of the stuff, to bad cause taxpayers love to hand their money over to workers making things the government doesn't need.

Give me an Amen. Merry Christmas ya filthy animals!

Anonymous said...

How do these "angels" explain the entire Pussy grabbing phenomena to their daughters and granddaughters?

Anonymous said...

so the loser of the popular vote has gotten the electoral vote.
congrats.
the country will be able to withstand the action of a con man like trump.

Anonymous said...

7:24 Suck it up and take it. If all the Illegals in California didn't vote the bitch would have lost the electoral vote there as well as the popular vote.

Anonymous said...

Remember, in Feb 2009 when the Republicans tried to meet with Obama on the "Stimulus" bill, Obama told Eric Cantor and the GOP to shut up, they lost. Obama let it also be known that they didn't want to work with the Republicans on the Obamacare bill either.


It's your turn now Democrats. Remember... They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind.

Anonymous said...

Patriot2, I do recall the outrage when Obama suggested a reset button and had an open mic moment while suggesting he have more negotiating power once he took office. In short order he became leary of Putin, much in the same way McCain suggests Trump will have his own reality check. Let's remember, a faultering Russian economy helped the US win the cold war. We should not reward Russia with a universal lifting of santions until they have proven themselves a stakeholder in peace. We should lut Amerixa first not oil executives. I am concerned that Trump is still in denial over Ukraine and does not take national security briefings seriously. Yes a few Dems are upset and there are those with buyers remorse. However, i prefer Trump succeed and lead in a balanced way. Trump has to produce and red meat tours and tweets will not sustain his brand, nor will those operatives who call people who raise honest concerns and question regarding some appointments, passive haters of America. Stop trying to divide our Country.

Anonymous said...

8.23
" If all the Illegals in California didn't vote the bitch "

as usual the right wing likes to imagine things.
no proof of such a thing exists.
but the dismay of Democrats is nothing compared to the inevitable teeth gnashing of those voters who supported trump.
let's see how they handle the letdown when the talk from trump does not match the walk.
after all trump voters should be interested in results.
or they can simply admit they fell for a conman's pitch.


Anonymous said...

8:47 " a faultering Russian economy helped the US win the cold war"

The economy of the Soviet Union was never bigger than that of Mexico. All one has to do is look at the United States economy during the Obama years to see what Progressive socialism does to capitalism. We won the cold war because unlike Carter who drove the American Economy into the ground, Reagan lit the engine of our economy through tax cuts and deregulating many things that were throttled by Carter's regulations; just like Obama has done to us.

We'll see if Trump can do the same to the Obama Economy as Reagan did to the Carter Economy.

Anonymous said...

8.28
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/23/obama-says-view-taxes-prevailed-won.html

", President Obama ended a philosophical debate over tax policy with the simple declaration that his opinion prevailed because "I won."

and
"At the meeting, Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the No. 2 House Republican, passed out copies of the Republicans’ five-point stimulus plan. At first blush, Obama said, “Nothing on here looks outlandish or crazy to me,” Obama said, according to a source familiar with the conversation. He seemed particularly receptive to some Republican ideas about increasing benefits to small businesses.

But when the conversation got down to other specifics, it was clear that some of the Republican ideas were clearly non-starters with the new president – including calls to put off tax hikes during the recession. “He rejected that out of hand and said we couldn’t have any hard and fast rules like that,” Cantor said."

http://www.politico.com/story/2009/01/obama-to-gop-i-won-017862

so why would Cantor say President Obama was receptive to republican ideas?
unless Fox news is lying again

Anonymous said...

8.47
and yet.
"During Reagan's presidency, the national debt grew from $997 billion to $2.85 trillion.[19] This led to the U.S. moving from the world's largest international creditor to the world's largest debtor nation."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaganomics

it seems only republicans get praise for increasing the debt.
no real need to remember dubya and his implosion of the debt do we?

Anonymous said...

Carter took the political risks and hired Volcker as fed Chair, not Reagan. Volcker brought the Federal Funds rate down from 20 to 12 percent in Regans first year. Yet trickle down and deficit spending under Reagan handed Bush a recession. Lets not forget the Great Recession greeted Obama the day he walked into office and Republicans did their best to use the economy politically. Just as the rebound was picking up momentum, the great ConservTive Govt shutdown stalled the rebound. Fragile companies that weathered the recession could not sustain the shutdown. The memo announcing layoffs at my company pointed directly to the shutdown. The shutdown created an unstable market and prevented investment all for the sake of brinksmanship politics . Lets hope Congress has learned their lesson.

Anonymous said...

A recount in California would have been fascinating. Every live body, regardless of citizenship found a way to vote for Killary. Of course there is no need. They are a hopeless lot of dewy-eyed liberals who no longer consider themselves to be a part of mainstream America. Let them secede and form their perfect union of fruits and nuts.

Anonymous said...

11.00
"Every live body, regardless of citizenship found a way to vote for Killary."

again with delusions.
try offering some proof.
trump was the Loser of the popular vote.
him and his followers can man up and get over trump's lack of popularity.

Anonymous said...

Hey libtards we won. To the winners goes the pussy!

Anonymous said...

These women are a disgrace to women. How much hate and anger do you have to have in your heart to support someone like Trump?

Bernie O'Hare said...

I know plenty of decent people who support Trump. And i know assholes like you who are quick to condemn someone who does not agree with you.

Anonymous said...

Is it any less valid if it comes from a disgruntled employee or the Morning call reported that one of Allentown's finest restaurants had mouse droppings on the floor of the kitchen and other unhealthy conditions like slime in the ice machine? Would the City Health Department respond differently to the different messengers?

This is what the Democrats are doing now. They're saying it was the Russians that gave Wikileaks Hillary Clinton and John Podesta's emails. Not that what was in those emails was inaccurate, they're going back to the playbook that it was someone Else's fault they lost the election and they're upset that these emails were released to the public.

The Democrats live in a delusional world anyway and are too incompetent to secure their servers from either a disgruntled employee or someone else, and they're the victim of "hackers". That is essentially what the Democrats are deluding themselves about while trying to figure out how they lost the election they believe they should have won.

Anonymous said...

10:24 "During Reagan's presidency, the national debt grew from $997 billion to $2.85 trillion."

I notice you forgot to mention who was in charge of Congress during that time. Tip O'Neil and the Democrats. Two trillion in eight years is child's play compared to what Obama has jacked the national debt up over his past eight years by the way.

Anonymous said...

10:42 you're forgetting that the primary cause of the economic collapse in 2008 was all of the bad debt piling up for years in our banking system. Much of it caused by flimsy loans made possible by President Clinton's financial deregulation. Among his biggest strokes of free-wheeling Clinton Capitalism was the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which repealed the Glass-Steagall Act, a cornerstone of Depression-era regulation.

Clinton also signed the Commodity Futures Modernization Act, which exempted credit-default swaps from regulation. In 1995 Clinton loosened housing rules by rewriting the Community Reinvestment Act, which put added pressure on banks to lend in low-income neighborhoods.

If you want to look at the true cause of the economic malaise we're still in today, after eight years under Obama, where you want to look are Clinton's actions that certainly played a role in creating a permissive lending environment in 2007 when all that worthless paper collapsed the economy.

Anonymous said...

Obama was the biggest con man of all-time with his hopey changey "rising tide to lift all boats" crapola.

Anonymous said...

Clinton Captalism? Graham Leach Baily were Republicans. The bill was passed by 80% Republican vote and 66% democrat. Dems were tied in the Senate and the GOP passed it with a majority. During debate in the House of Representatives, Rep. John Dingell (Democrat of Michigan) argued that the bill would result in banks becoming "too big to fail." Dingell further argued that this would necessarily result in a bailout by the Federal Government. He was right.

True, blanket deregulation contributed to the collapse of banking. Hence the concerns regarding some of Trumps nominations.

We know that when 1 party rules all branches of Govt, bad thinks happen. To the victor goes the spoils.

Patriot2 said...

I don't think we could find a tougher negotiator with Putin than Trump & his new Scy of State will be to bring Russia & the US together to defeat ISIS just as was done in WWII to defeat Hitler.

Russia has more in common with the US than the Middle East & China & both the US & Russia have vast Natural resources to sustain a rebuke of Islamic Terrorism to shut them down forever!!!

Anonymous said...

Based on her Facebook rants that Snover women is a real right wing whacko fanatic.

Anonymous said...

It is sad that the Grand old Party of Lincoln has become the Party of the old Southern Democrat racists, teabaggers and pussy grabbers.

Anonymous said...

5:33 actually, most of the racists in our nation are from the northeast. Just look at how you wrote your comment as an example.

Anonymous said...

More race card crapola.

Anonymous said...

So who said he likes to grab pussy? Who does the tea party work for? Please!

Saying what you wan tis something toddlers do, then you grow up you learn to not offend people if you can avoid it. Also you learn to use tact, unless you are a barbarian. That is how civilized society works. We are descending into a new dark age.

Anonymous said...

When it comes to T4rump, I hope for the best but am prepared for the worst.