Who I Like
Allentown Mayor - Ray O'Connell (Allentown's point guard in the basketball city of Pennsylvania)
Allentown City Council - Daryl Hendricks, Ed Zucal, Tino Babayan, Santo Napoli (the remaining starters)
Lehigh County Judge - Patricia Fuentes Mulqueen, Maraleen Shields, Eman Jarrah (In a field of some excellent candidates, these three stand out)
Lehigh County Exec - Phil "Grandpa" Armstrong (He is a YouTube sensation)
Lehigh County Comm'r - Geoff Brace, Antonio Pineda
Bethlehem Mayor - Dana Grubb, John Kachmar
Bethlehem City Council - Bryan Callahan (the sole Council member to vote against a tax hike,to say NO to the elimination of four firefighters, and NO to a stormwater fee in the middle of a pandemic)
Northampton County Exec - Lamont McClure (his pandemic response got over $10 million to numerous struggling small businesses)
Northampton County Council - Ron Heckman (at times, a Voice of Reason in the County Council wilderness)
Magisterial District Judge (S Bethlehem) - Tony Rybak
Magisterial District Judge (N Bethlehem) - Will Carpenter
Magisterial District Judge (W Bethlehem, Fountain Hill) - Van Scott (common sense)
Magisterial District Judge (Palmer, Forks) - Susie Hutnik
Magisterial District Judge (Bethlehem Tp) - Pat Broscius
Hanover Tp Supervisor - Mike Prendeville (best run township in the county)
Palmer Tp Supervisor - Dave Colver and Robert Smitty Smith
Who's Scary
Northampton County Exec - Steve Lynch (anti-mask, anti-vaccine, vilifies Democrats, obsessed with national instead of county issues, visited by FBI over his role in Jan 6 pandemic)
Northampton County Council - Tara Zrinski, Kristin Lorah Soldridge, (Zrinski civilly sanctioned for perjury, fear-mongered about PennEast pipeline until rebuked by Bethlehem Tp, promotes issues having nothing to do with county government. Refuses to use microphone). Lorah Soldridge is a Trump extremist)
Allentown Mayor - Ce-Ce Gerlach (voted against needed police officers, voted No to a no-strings-attached grant for police, has alienated police officers and firefighters, dropped a 16 yo boy off at a tent city, filmed aftermath of a suicide before victim's family was notified)
Allentown City Council - Justan Parker Fields, Patrick Palmer. (Both are divisive. Neither is honest)
Allentown City Council - Cynthas Mota (repeatedly tried to have Council appoint convicted felon Hasshan Batts as Mayor, failed to disclose she works for him)
Magisterial District Judge (Bethlehem Tp) - Andrew Tupone (Filed a frivolous petition challenge, alienates fellow workers)
Magisterial District Judge (W Bethlehem, Fountain Hill) - Amy Zanelli (lied to the public about being fired at two child protection agencies, defended looting as "reparations")
Moore Tp Constable - Matt Flower (wife beater, lengthy criminal record, Jan 6 insurrectionist)
Easton School Director -Susan Hartranft-Bittinger (argumentative, full of herself, actually argued with a judge regarding a petition challenge)
Feel free to make your own picks here, or to tel me I scare the shite out of you.
36 comments:
Surprising how many smart people have been conned by Zirinski. She told a friend of mine she is already running for state representative next year. So isn't this race for county office a fraud? Amazing what people will swallow.
What's the deal in Bethlehem Twp, Ward 2? I had a Jan Beatty flier hung on my door and I see she is endorsed by this LV4A. Since, I've seen signs that Commissioner Mike Hudak must have changed his mind and now seeking write-in nomination. Anyone know what the story is?
Amy Zanelli lives in Fountain Hill but her kids attend Calypso & Nitschman. They should attend Fountain Hill / Donnegan and Broughal. Apparently the schools in her district are too diverse for this progressive extremist wingnut. She harangued BASD like a petulant toddler until they caved and, to get her to shut up and go away, gave her kids an “exemption”. How judicious.
All of the incumbents in South Whitehall Township scare the shit outta me
Grampa died in Gracedale separated from Nanna. LaMont terrifies me.
"What's the deal in Bethlehem Twp, Ward 2? I had a Jan Beatty flier hung on my door and I see she is endorsed by this LV4A. Since, I've seen signs that Commissioner Mike Hudak must have changed his mind and now seeking write-in nomination. Anyone know what the story is?"
Will try to reach him.
Folks, I decline to host comments making sweeping generalizations about Democrats or Republicans. Knock that crap off.
Dana Grubb scares me. Bethlehem will be dead if he wins. He wants to make local government bigger, but would not say what positions he would cut. Here come the tax increases.
Mayoral candidate Willie Reynolds and the three women running for Bethlehem City Council who seem to mutually link in terms of campaign style and issues do not scare me as individuals. I believe they all are mostly decent well meaning people. What scares me is the thought of all them winning and then trying to actualize their grand concept plans without practical detailed approaches of how to implement and finance their ideas. Combining this with what seems to be support for increases in population density with multiple large apartment developments in congested transportation corridors that already exist in locations such as South Bethlehem, cause me to believe the future reality of Bethlehem will be far less attractive than the nice smiles and happy talk of the current campaigns would lead us to believe.
I like Ray O'Connell, but it's time to retire. I'm in Matt Tuerk's camp on this one. But then again, anyone but Gerlach, she's nuts.
South Whitehall needs to offload all the incumbents.
You didn't Mention Lori Vargo Heffer,
I thought she scared the Shi% out of you
more than any of the others?
No. She does not scare me. I dislike her and believe her attitude as a public servant is a bit condescending. She can be mean as hell. She also is something of a misandrist. I consider her the most vulnerable Council member.
Also, despite Zrinski’s zaniness, I expect she will win bc she has a following and only needs to come in fifth.
8:57, I wish Tuerk and Julio had dropped out. Gerlach is a real threat to good governance. My issues with Tuerk are his connections to the Mann mob and his inexperience. Allentown will survive if either he or Julio is elected. But the city goes down if Gerlach gets in. The one thing she does well is campaign.
8:54 I listened to that Hillary Kwiatek, WOW she is even further left of Dr. Van Wirt who just ripped Capitalism numerous times in a public meeting, but she doesn't mind the capitalism that generates her big salary, million dollar home and $80,000 car. If these two are working together Bethlehem tax payers are about to get hit with some huge tax increases!
She harangued BASD like a petulant toddler until they caved and, to get her to shut up and go away, gave her kids an “exemption”. How judicious.
May 14, 2021 at 6:12 AM
How unfair.
In the Allentown race I have two thoughts today:
1. I wish Tuerk and/or O'Connell would take the gloves off and run a negative flier on Gerlach. This big alliance between O'Connell and Hyman has been a disappointing flop.
The mail fliers I've received are way too run of the mill, ineffective and polite. Gerlach is on the verge of winning and neither candidate has not called her out at all.
2, I wish there was some kind of polling data available, I'd vote for Tuerk or O'Connell if polling data indicated who was leading. I've heard that O'Connell is polling ahead of Tuerk, but that Gerlach is pulling away. There will be an ominous cloud over the City next Wednesday if this goes down. The Police will be treated like pariahs and the homeless will be treated way better than people paying property tax. I'm sure VYH is feeling like a big win is coming for them.
If you ask Ce-Ce about your article on her, you're banned from her campaign page. If you ask Julio about your article about him and convicts Ed DeGrace and Ed Pawlowski, you're banned from his campaign page.
These are third-world, banana republic bums, not Americans. They shouldn't even be considered for elected office.
Julio is a decent man. He let DisGrace live with him and DisGrace repaid Julio by working for Gerlach and is going around bad-mouthing Julio.
Ray doesn't scare me. But he lied about running for re-election. Repeat: he lied. Good people don't lie. Ray is not good people. Ray is a documented liar, per posts on this blog.
Yes, Van Scott is THE common sense choice. He has integrity, is even-tempered, displays critical thinking skills, is patient, and shows compassion. His candidate possesses none of those qualities. Rather, she relies on political connections and casting aspersions where they are inappropriate and unfounded, when in reality it is she who has some major character flaws which raise some serious questions regarding her fitness for a judicial seat.
If you haven't, I would encourage you to read both bios and make an informed decision. It shouldn't take very long. Just remember, some may think these district judge seats are unimportant. That cannot be further from the truth. District judges may be the only or first encounter the community has with the judicial system. Let's elect someone to the seat who understands the position, is willing to serve full-time, displays a judicial temperament, is a lifelong member of the community he will serve, and has a history of putting public service before being self-serving. The choice is clear...Van Scott.
@11:56
The point, though, is that Julio can't smell a crook 2 inches away.
He didn't know Convict DeGrace was a thug? He was struck deaf, dumb, and blind to the serial felonies of Convict Pawlowski while on Council? How can we trust him to keep City Hall from crawling with crooks when he's practically in a coma when it comes to seeing ethical violations?
Moreover, why can't he explain himself as you just did? Why must he go full third-world, banana republic and silence anyone who dares to ask the question on his campaign page? With that disregard for the spirit of the First Amendment, he's not much of an American.
"Ray doesn't scare me. But he lied about running for re-election. Repeat: he lied. Good people don't lie. Ray is not good people. Ray is a documented liar, per posts on this blog."
He never lied. He changed his mind. Big difference. I know I urged him to run once I heard "Defund the Police" Gerlach was running. Fortunately, he can do so because his wife, who was ill, has recovered. He has explained all this. Calling him a liar is not only untrue, but says something about you.
"Why must he go full third-world, banana republic"
Perhaps because you use language like that, which betrays prejudice. The story about DisGrace is quite old and goes back to when Fed Ed was first running. Bringing it up 16 years later is just goofy. If you are who I think you are, you have a reputation of trolling campaign pages and have been blocked many times. Maybe it's you.
@12:38
Based on her own words, it is pretty apparent the disdain Zanelli has for law enforcement professionals. So, I find it disturbing (and outrageous) that she visited Fountain Hill for a photo op with the cruiser for which she claims to have secured funds. Rumor is the money was already there, merely reallocated from personnel to material. The timing, also, is a bit suspect. Why Fountain Hill. Because she knew she was running for an office there. It's clear...she wants it both ways. Pandering to the left...defund the police...and to the right...support law enforcement. I hope the residents of Fountain Hill and West Bethlehem show her it doesn't work that way. She is the epitome of the politician who is untrue to herself and, therefore, can't be true to those she claims she wants to serve. Polonius (from Shakespeare's Hamlet) said it best... ‘This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.’ She needs a trip to the mirror and some deep soul searching.
Benny Long as a SWT commissioner is fucking scary.... Pray to baby Jesus he doesn't get appointed
Matt Flower running for Moore Township Constable is incredibly scary when you look at his lengthy record. No one could have that many legal problems unless he has some serious anger management issues. It is especially concerning when you look at the number of serious charges that he has managed to plead down to lesser offenses. This speaks to the ease at which the justice system can be manipulated. If someone has the financial means to maneuver their way out of the trouble that is brought on by their actions, how is there any justice or accountability? This case is one to follow no matter what the outcome of the election is because it speaks to the bigger issue of the loopholes and lack of regulation that would even allow someone like this to run in the first place.
Do not vote for Reynolds. Bethlehem is turning into Allentown. Developers own the city and massive buildings are going up. Landlords are neglecting their properties. The roads are full of illegal vehicles and bicycle gangs blocking traffic..
Sadly, good old Bethlehem is becoming a craphole. Its been going on for a few years now and I fear it will only get worse with this new crew of loopy council people and Reynolds. A real damn shame. Was once a nice place.
Scary is when the politician has that million dollar smile and your family holds him responsible for Gram's death and no funeral due to fumbling Gracedale, the deadliest LTCF in PA. We trusted him. He smiled and killed Gram.
Who can be scared of a guy who has a halo? (as shown in photo paired with this text)
It's about time that Hudak gets the boot...
That's about as close as he'll get to a halo. Sure kept a close watch on Pawloski. Ain't ?
Bethlehem has some crazy far left people in office and running for office. Reynolds has joined the Van Wirt crowd and Crampsie-Smith isn't too far behind and they are being joined by another loon Kwiatek. Socialism coming to Bethlehem!
There is a great deal at stake in the Bethlehem Elections. For example, Stefanos restaurant may be demolished and a huge monolithic apartment building is planned for the site. The next Mayor and council will have a great deal to do with that.
Bethlehem is now ruled by developers. Hell, even there economic and development people have the developers tell them how to write up the laws. They are carpetbaggers who leave at the end of the day. Do we want more of that? So next we have another huge 'luxury' apartment building on a busy street that is already clogged. Another behemoth structure in an already dense residential neighborhood.
When is it time to stop this Bethlehem. Sadly I fear most voters are swayed by flashy expensive media and big money campaigns that are selling BS.
Here is something to consider. They say that people like to be surrounded by people who reflect back personality traits similar as yourself. So when people vote for felons, wife beaters, cheaters, thieves, bigots, racists, thugs, embezzlers and other common criminals are they just voting for reflections of themselves. And are they not honest enough with themselves to realize the way they are. or are they in a position of misery loves company. Or are they voting for bigger degenerates so it makes themselves feel better and can play the blame game later.
@12:03. You are talking marketing and most really good marketing people will quietly admit humans are for the most part stupid. They dumbly follow what they are told or what they see. They rarely go beyond the surface and beyond the first level of question. The follow in a heard like sheep or in a path like cows. They are even less inclined to admit when something is wrong. Heck on 7% complain and far less ever do anything about it. So Politicians have learned to exploit people and their lacking's. There are specific political marketing tactics out there such as telling someone something enough they will believe you. Another is set the tone but telling a smaller lie and then telling a whopper of a lie and let the people then believe the first lie since it wasn't oh so bad. Remember the old adage in political thievery, Make the steal big enough that you suck in those around you as conspirators and then non of them can come after you because they are just as guilty. And that is where we are because noon of them can do anything or are afraid to really go after another because they are just as guilty.
I hate to use these examples but they are true. Clinton did so many bad things with her server and should have been tried, convicted , and put away for such very long time but the other politicians could not do anything about it because they were just as guilty as her. Heck Trump was event caught up in not being able to do anything because he would have had to go after his on daughter and son in law for similar violations.
And trump while in office gave away so much and even pardons of some of the sleaziest people in this country but the people who should have been in the middle to monitor it did nothing because during previous presidents they were right there trying to pull the same crap.
But circling right back to the point you were making people would rather ignore it then do something about it and thereby allowing themselves to be swayed stupidly to the lesser of the evil's.
Flower was soundly defeated in the Moore Twp Constable contest.
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