Local Government TV

Wednesday, February 09, 2022

Three O'Hares

The original:


I adored my grandfather, who took me for walks nearly every day I stayed with him. He was a very good lawyer and was self-taught. Although his brothers Felix and John got admitted at Georgetown, my grandfather read the law and was admitted after examination by his local bar. Although he failed in his bid to become DA, he did manage to get himself appointed to a Board of View that would compensate landowners whose properties were taken by utilities. That didn't last long because his awards were always higher than even the owner's appraisals. 

He once represented a murderer and got his sentence reduced to life from the death penalty.

"Jesus Christ, Barnie, I'd rather die," said his unhappy client. 

"Hold on, I'll make a motion."  

My grandfather was a real Democrat back in the day when Democrats stood up for the beleaguered working man (unless they murdered someone).

Second Edition:


Unlike my grandfather, my father actually won a race for DA. He only served one term. During his time in office, he uncovered and prosecuted police corruption in Bethlehem. Then Mayor Gordon Payrow was furious that someone would suggest his city officials were tainted, but they were. He did change his tune after all the cops involved were convicted. 

My Dad was also a real Democrat because, like his father, he stood up for the working man.  

The turd:


Unlike my forbears, I've never run for anything. In fact, I'd never vote for someone like me. The first two editions had distinguished legal careers. Me? Well, I did attract the attention of the Pa. Supremes, who retired me a tad early. 

But like my two predecessors, I do my best to stand up for the working man, afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. 

18 comments:

  1. Great story. You should be proud of the tradition. The working man needs protection. You have a good record. However, lately you have slipped because pf your love of McClure and Deritnger. These republicans posing as democrats are ruthless. McClure has handed out bonuses because he knows they will go away with time. Sadly, big union bosses are fine with it. We need real long-lasting wage reviews. Why not a pay study. People have been told don't even talk about it. We have even been told county council has been ordered not to bring it up or McClure will have them defeated. So yes, you have been a true friend but please get over your love e of McClure and help working men and women with a fair pay study.

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  2. Bernie you afflict all!

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  3. Sidebar is not visible (again)

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  4. WEhen uploading pics of three O'Hares, it no doubt broke my sidebar. Fixed.

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  5. " People have been told don't even talk about it. We have even been told county council has been ordered not to bring it up or McClure will have them defeated. "

    This is nonsense. County Council set aside $450k precisely so it can pay for a study. It was discussed quite a bit at the time and I used this as a question to all Council candidates. Rs refused to answer and Zrinski was opposed, but all other Dems supported it.

    McClure lacks the power to have anyone defeated. He won an election against an idiot but it was no mandate or landslide. The Exec and at-large races are very dependent on what is going on nationally.

    I have advocated a pay study for years. McClure has made no effort to silence me.

    So I pretty much reject your assertions about him or Dertinger.

    I agree your union reps have failed to serve you well. The remedy for that is decertification and reliance on the career service system. Unfortunately, administrations have failed to follow career service regs regarding step increases.

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  6. Maybe 1:56 has a point. You only get one side of the story when you talk to the administration. Just as the rank and file have an agenda, so does the administration. The truth is in there, it just needs to be teased out. McClure is not popular as seen in the last election. Your admitted bias does present a credibility issue with your readers, like it or not. McClure is an astute fellow and knows you will cry foul if he asked you not to print a story. I'm confident he realizes the blog is well read, you are friendly to his administration and him personally and most importantly, you don't answer to him.
    I'm in management, and the flow of information is always controlled, both ways. Sometimes you have to triangulate to get a good fix.
    If memory serves me right, you give the rank and file a rough ride when they comment. What would BO I and II do?
    You can't make everyone happy and if you could, would you?

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  7. Your memory fails you. I give disgruntled ex workers a hard time when they come on here and lie, as they sometimes have. I have both supported and criticized county workers over the years. I stood up for workers who were fired for sending naughty emails to each other. I have long maintained their wages are too low. But I hate when they attempt to lynch someone, as they once did to a former HR Director. I criticized them and McClure (he was then on Council) over that mob action. I criticized prima donna caseworkers in CYF who were not working during COVID while nearly everyone else was. I have overall been an employee advocate.

    I do believe that McClure, as Exec, is a much different animal than he was in his early years on Council. He has done more in four years than any Exec I can remember. He has been very transparent and responsive. He has not covered up or hidden bad news from Gracedale, but owns it. He restored medical benefits taken by Brown. I agree he is stubborn and will argue forcefully. Some view this as intimidation. But I don't. I prefer a tough conversation over niceties. And he does listen. If wrong, he will sometimes (not always) change course. i have supported most of what he's done bc I've agreed with him.

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  8. Pardon my interruption, but had you not mentioned a name in your supportive second paragraph 2, I’d think you were writing about President Trump. Seriously. I suppose there’s a difference in the quality of lenses each of us purchased to wear!

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  9. The third photo has a 5150, lick the windows feel to it. Bloodlines are like viruses. The second mutation is more virulent, but mostly harmless.

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  10. I hope you have the two items in the first two pictures. That would cool to have. Am curious to read about the corrupt Beth cops. As kid I don't remember my parents talking about this. I do remember a cop that would spend hours on duty in my neighborhood with a local woman. Having the cop car on our street was a good deterrent though. Go figure!

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  11. Great history! Thanks for all you're doing, Bernie!

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  12. Bernie: First--Your father and grandfather were extraordinary. You certainly inherited their brains. Yours, like most families, had its problems. Too bad people did not recognize how destructive alcohol can be--and how addictive it is. You have a sense of humor about yourself but there must be a lot of pain.

    McClure is no saint. He certainly is not transparent in all respects. Soon to come will be details of his participation in the grotesque squander of taxpayer funds and the attempted torpedo of a livelihood. One thing he needs to improve on: accurately assessing his opponents because some will just never stop until justice is done and the rule of law prevails.

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  13. Bernie: First--Your father and grandfather were extraordinary. You certainly inherited their brains. Yours, like most families, had its problems. Too bad people did not recognize how destructive alcohol can be--and how addictive it is. You have a sense of humor about yourself but there must be a lot of pain.

    McClure is no saint. He certainly is not transparent in all respects. Soon to come will be details of his participation in the grotesque squander of taxpayer funds and the attempted torpedo of a livelihood. One thing he needs to improve on: accurately assessing his opponents because some will just never stop until justice is done and the rule of law prevails.

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  14. "He has been very transparent and responsive"

    If you only knew. Processed and approved information is released. Even Council is excluded from facts. You can't ask about what you don't know.


    "He has not covered up or hidden bad news from Gracedale,"

    That is just false. Every word said about Gracedale is pre-approved. Ask the managers. We have been told he has even tried to get council to stop talking about it at meetings. The threats are real.

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  15. The working man and woman need you in their corner. Keep fighting the good fight.

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  16. I agree he's no saint. But those who claim he

    St. Bernard

    " Every word said about Gracedale is pre-approved. Ask the managers."

    OK, I will reach out. And when they do not corroborate you, you will just claim they've been silenced. This is utter horseshit, especially in NorCo. Nothing stays secret here for more than five minutes. The only bad shit I heard about Gracedale was when a bunch of nurses ignored a pressure wound dressing for a month and lied about it in their reports. That had nothing to do with McClure or Jennifer Stewart-King. It was instead disgruntled workers who demonstrated how much they care by nearly killing a resident.

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  17. I like the "Real Democrat" moniker. In my mind, that refers to protecting the working class, the environment, hard work, equal opportunity for all, shared sacrifice/shared benefit, leaving the community better place. Social media has given platform for people to cast that as a negative and use a number of buzz words and label to demean folks to shut them down. These are the social media pirates that seem content with serving themselves. That is the DJT way. We all have that crazy family member that may be a little goofy but we love them and welcome them nonetheless. It would seem some democrats have far left views and are given voice, but when it comes down to it, things seem to end up closer to the center than "off-the-cliff". I will let Rs reflect on their own party. TI hope we all can REJECT extremism and conspiracies in all its forms and get back to a "Normal America".

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You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.