Allentown has a large Syrian community, and many of them supported the re-election of Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski. Joe Elias, who is actually Lebanese and has two popular markets in Allentown and Bethlehem, was a Fed Ed supporter. Elias told The Morning Call that what the Mayor did is commonplace there, and wouldn't raise an eyebrow..
Well, Joe, maybe that's why you're here. It was also commonplace for one Lebanese schoolgirl I know -she's now a grandmother - to see a head rolling down the street on her way to class.
That's why she's here.
Americans - and Joe is one of us - tend to be leery of strongarm rulers who gas their own people. And we don't like corrupt politicians who sell their office. .
Call us picky.
Joe, you are a great American and I enjoy your markets, but not your attempt to minimize bribery.
25 comments:
https://www.export.gov/article?id=Lebanon-Corruption
The examples set by Syria and Lebanon are hardly anything to emulate.
Bernie, Amazon is holding up 20
Cities in order to get the best possible deal for their new HQ and 50,000 “new” employees. Isn’t this pay to play utilizing taxpayer money?
I agree with the Amazon comment. Greedy company that pays crappy wages. Why are cities scrambling for them to locate?
You would think Mr. Ellias, who had a son serve in the military during desert storm, would have an American answer, not a jaded middle east response. But of course, he's of middle eastern dissent which have little civil regard for politics without influence peddling.
While Mr. elias is correct in his analysis, there is 3rd world corruption everywhere, his assumption that it is alright is part of the problem, wining and dining is rampant in school districts and local governments, bigger governments have bigger payoffs and corruption. The longer the same party and their cohorts are in power the worse it gets. If you agree that you have corruption in Allentown, Can you imagine what goes on in Harrisburg and Washington. The media is aware of this corruption, but also will partake of the freebees if played correctly. Powlawski must have pissed off the wrong people or didn't pay off enough. His indictment and conviction is an exception not the rule. Government money is other peoples money, it is easily spread around, wherever there is government money the vultures are circling.
Amazon is doing what is best for its stockholders and its business. that is what it is supposed to do, competition drives down costs and prices. There is a difference between open negotiation and corruption. It is another sad statement that people do not see the difference.
I have deleted a few bigoted comments. I detest the modern know-nothing movement, the trend toward isolation and outright fear of other countries. We are blessed to have Syrians and Lebanese living among us. They are great people. Mr. Ellias is himself a great person whose business has created numerous jobs. His son made the ultimate sacrifice or this country. But there's a reason he's here,and not there. The practice of greasing politicians, whether it occurs here or there, ultimately ruins a country.
Thw Amazon analogy is called corporate welfare, not pay-to-play. It is completely legal and completely self-defeating, resulting in states who engage in bidding wars over business. I'd suggest that the only way to end it is as a matter of federal law.
Ed and Lisa pitched hard to low information Jesus voters. Their shameless shilling and hard work paid off.
Ed is a good god fearing man. So what if he’s a crook and a thug?
The cost of doing business in the City Without Limits.
For a bright, decent, honest young man to be cut down by a drunk driver is an unspeakable loss, for the family and the community. That tragedy has nothing to do with sacrifice for the country, or the Pawlowski crime family.
Yes, I mistakenly believed that the young man died in the service of his nation bc of the military statue. I stand corrected. But my point is that Joe Elias is a good American, and needs to understand that greasing politicians is bad, and could explain in part why his home country is such a mess. I tried calling him to tell him that, but missed him and he never called back.
Allentown is full of good, decent, honest people of all colors, creeds, backgrounds and countries of origin.
Edwin and Lisa Pawlowski are not among them.
That these vile, shallow creatures could fool so many is their only truly remarkable quality.
It’s time to take stock of where the man with 47 felony convictions has led us and stop with the rationalizations and justifications for our collective complicitity.
Shame on us.
Mussolini made the trains run on time.
So fucking what?
To fair, here's the full context from the MC.
"In his homeland, Elias added, some of the acts Pawlowski committed wouldn’t raise an eyebrow. Business is largely a matter of trading favors, and what is illegal in the United States is commonplace in other cultures.
That doesn’t lessen the gravity of the mayor’s crimes, however.
“The law must be served,” Elias said."
The MC article is worth a read to see what his other supporters had to say (and who they are).
He did say the law must be served, but I was still astonished at his attempt to justify criminal behavior based on the bad example of a country he left.
So you admit the President is right about Syria?
Aside from one minor strike, Authoritarian Donald Trump has done nothing in Syria that was not done by his predecessor. His is a mouth that roars, nothing more.
A shameful moment for the Allentown Syrian community.
There’s no getting around it.
Corruption is OK in Syria and Lebanon - and where are those countries now - bastions of democracy? Hezzbollah, ISIS, mass murders in The Syrian Christian valley - peace in the Middle East? Sad Mr Elias!
Sad everyone is calling out the mayor they just reelected, reelected under indictment - now can't find any0ne who voted for him 😆
This post has nothing to do with Trump or Amazon. Knock it off.
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