IV. Bennett promises Dental Hygienist in Every School, Three Month Check Ups

This is the third in a series of questions posed to LV Congressman Charlie Dent and challenger Sam bennett during last night's JCC debate.

Question: Forty-six million Americans are estimated to be without health insurance. How do you view the current health care system and what approaches, if any, would you take to better the system?

Bennett: "I have a friend in Bethlehem, and her daughter, Helen, died of ovarian cancer. Why did she die? Because she never had a check up? Why did she never have a check up? She didn't have health care. She left two teen-aged children behind and her husband.

"Right now, we have 200,000 children right here in Pa. that don't even have any health care. My opponent receives free lifetime health care paid for by the taxpayers of Pennsylvania. Apparently, what's good enough for him isn't good enough for the rest of us.

"When it came to expanding coverage for children, for veterans, for national reservists, and national guard, my opponent voted No. When it came to voting for seniors to go to Canada to buy low cost prescription drugs or to allow us to negotiate prices for Medicare, he voted No.

"I say Cain [?]. I say Yes to quality health care for every American irregardless [sic] of your income, irregardless [sic] of your pre-existing condition and irregardless [sic] of your employer. Of you can't afford health care coverage or are overpaying right now, we're gonna' put you on the same plan that sitting members of U.S. Congress currently enjoy.

"Right now, we only spend 3% of our health care dollar on prevention. So let's put a nurse practitioner and a dental hygienist at every school in America so every American child has a chance for a three month check up.

"Right here and now in front of you today, I'm making a pledge. I will not accept any government health care until every American has health care every bit as good as sitting members of U.S. Congress."

Dent: "First, before we get to the health care issue, I want to address about four or five false statements my opponent just made. She said I voted against protecting pensions. That's absolutely false. I voted for the Pension Protection Act to make it easier to shore up defined benefit programs . . . . So she's completely wrong. I actually voted for the bill.

"I oppose privatization of Social Security, unlike what she said.

"With respect to Veterans' benefits, I want to be very clear. I voted for record increases in veterans' health and other veterans' health benefits. That is a fact. That is on the record. I'd like to point out, too, that I just voted recently for legislation to create a new GI Bill in educational benefits for our veterans who served after 9/11/01 so they can go to college. Also, listening to those men and women in Afghanistan, who I met, they wanted to make sure that if they didn't use the education benefit, that it could be used by their spouse. We included that into the law. So I've been very good on veterans' benefits, on veterans' health. She simply doesn't understand the issue.

"With respect to health care, I'd like to point out a few other things. First, access, affordability and quality are the things we need to focus on.

"I believe an individual should get the same favorable tax treatment we give businesses in terms of providing access to health insurance. It's true we have 47 million uninsured Americans. We have to break that number down. We have to make sure that if an individual wants to buy insurance, give him that tax credit. If they don't have enough income to realize that credit, give him a refundable tax credit so that they can buy a policy for themselves or their families.

"With respect to - - -, we need medical liability reform, we need tort reform to help drive down costs and in a bipartisan way.

"We can deal with the issue of health IT, electronic medical records. We can save hundreds of billions of dollars if we do this right. We have to drive down costs.

"I voted to expand the children's health insurance program. I voted twice to override the president on that particular piece of legislation.

"Finally, with respect to bailouts, I'll say once again, I voted against George bush and Sam Bennett on the Fannie Freddie bailout. You were for it. I was opposed to it."

I. Bennett & Dent Refuse to Agree at JCC

Allentown's beautiful Jewish Community Center was the setting for last night's televised debate between LV Congressman Charlie Dent and challenger Sam Bennett . A giddy crowd of nearly two hundred people (and one miniature French poodle) waited for the show to start, munching on cookies and swilling down bottled water and coffee. We are mutants, people who actually prefer a congressional debate to an exciting Eagles-Steelers game.

We probably should all be committed.

Two Allentown cops were on hand in case a blogger started rolling around on the floor or foaming at the mouth. Since nobody was actually willing to throw a punch, the cops slipped off to a side room to watch the game.

So who won?

Judging from the applause in the beginning, during eight minute speeches from each contender, I'd say most of us miscreants thought Sam came out on top. They're already posting comments on my previous blog about tonight's festivities. By night's end, however, it was Charlie Dent who was swarmed by spectators while Sam Bennett was forced to wander the room, hoping for a few minutes with different people.

Dent was clearly the better debater, informative and extemporaneous. Bennett, on the other hand, was actually reading off cheat sheets. When Dent spoke, instead of listening with the respect that Dent gave her, she would smile and shake her head "No" the entire time. Don't believe me? You can make your own call, thanks to a webcast done by Channel 69 .

This debate will also be rebroadcast on Channel 69, making it the first of three televised face offs between the two candidates. There will also be two non televised showdowns.

So much for Bennett's debate ducking charges.

Candidates answered seven audience-prepared questions, vetted by a panel of three rabbis, about energy independence, job creation, health care, Israel, Iraq, immigration and our local economy. I will transcribe two of their answers below, and hope to have a few more by Tuesday. Three of these questions concerned foreign policy and national security, playing into Dent's strength and Bennett's weakness. Nowhere was that more apparent than when she declared Hamas "must behave."

These are not elementary school children, Sam.

One thing's very clear. There's no love lost between these two. Before the night was over, they were both accusing each other of personal attacks. They may belong to the same church, but I'll bet they sit in different pews.

Bennett teed off with this, after the question about Iraq. "While we're talking about war, I would like to point out - Charlie, I guess there's no more Mr. Nice Guy anymore. I have to tell you I've been disappointed that everything you've done in this campaign has been a personal attack upon me in TV, radio and mail. Our country is in a terrible state, our finances melting and we are at war. Charlie and I actually go to church together and I have to ask you a question, Charlie. Are you proud of the way you've been conducting this campaign?"

"Yes, if you want an answer," responded Dent. She didn't. "Onto Iraq."

Dent responded at the end of the evening. "I want to say something about personal attacks. During this campaign, she accused me of using my job to enrich myself without one shred of evidence or substantiation. When she was called on it, she said, 'Big Gas, Big Oil.' That's a bunch of hot air. It was offensive and insulting to me and to my wife, especially to my wife. We don't like that. That's a personal attack."

"This summer, in July, she talks about nasty campaigns, I was burying my aunt at Arlington National Cemetery. . . . The Democratic Congressional Committee on that day started attacking me falsely and calling me names."

Blogger AJ Cordi served as cameraman and beautiful Pam Varkony was color commentator, passing me hilarious notes at different points. She's already posted her Perspectives. Blogger Michael Molovinsky, who earlier today called Rendell a "reluctant Jew," is hiding in some bunker somewhere.

II. Dent & Bennett's Contrasting Views on Energy

Question: What is your vision for bringing the U.S. to energy independence?

Bennett: "I'd like to point out that on 191 there's a gas station that happened to change hands right around the time that George Bush took office. Immortalized on that sign it says, 'Gas, 1.29 a gallon.' Now we're paying $20 to $40 more to fill up our cars. There obviously has been a problem here.

"My opponent's priority is continuing the Big Oil agenda of the past. My agenda will be the renewable energy policies of the future. My opponent has accepted $75,000 in donations from Big Oil and then gave $13 billion in tax breaks to those same companies. He's all for bailing out corporations, but when it came to making sure that, uh - I want to make sure I got my facts right on this one [Bennett looks at her cue cards] - when it came to making sure that we prosecuted price gougers and opened up oil reserves, he voted No. When it came to having renewable energy standards for electric utilities or incentives for efficiency, once again, he votes No.

"I have worked to end America's dependency on Middle East Oil in ten years. We need to focus on a long-term strategy to accomplish that and a short-term strategy.

"One of the short-term strategies? We do need to drill and we need to drill on the 58 million acres we currently have. Long-term? We need to insure that we invest in renewable energy - solar, wind, geo-thermal, hydroelectric.

"A generation ago it was the race to space. For us, it is the race of the alternative energy industry and future that this America can hold onto."

Dent: "My opponent has criticized me [in her opening remarks] because I voted against the Freddie-Fannie bailout. No one was fired. No one was fired. The federal government stepped in and bailed out Freddie and Fannie and no one was fired and she criticized me for voting against that bill. Last time I checked, you supported that piece of legislation and I did not. That was the only bailout that I've had to vote on.

"I want to point out, too, with respect to price gouging, I certainly have voted for anti-price gouging legislation on more than one occasion. I voted, too, against speculators. I voted on a number of issues she's mentioned - alternative and renewable fuels.

"Many of those alternative and renewable fuels and tax credits, I voted for the Energy Act of 2005. So did Barack Obama. He voted to extend those, and John McCain actually voted against that particular piece of legislation. So I have voted for all these renewables and all these alternatives.

"The difference is she wants to raise your taxes on American-produced energy to pay for all of this. I want to use Alaska's revenues and royalties as well as the Outer Coastal Shelf to pay for these renewables and alternatives.

"She wants higher prices on energy, I don't. She mentioned renewable portfolio standards. if we were to do what she's advocating, your electric utility bills will skyrocket. We're already facing the rates cap coming off in Pennsylvania in 2010 . . .

[Someone in audience starts a catcall]

". . . the renewable portfolio standard that she advocated - we don't allow nuclear, we don't allow waste coal, which is what we allow in Pennsylvania - it will shoot up your rates all across this country. Believe me, be ready. She wants higher electric utility bills, higher prices at the pump. She doesn't support American exploration and American jobs. She wants to outsource it to OPEC, which will make us more dependent on unstable parts of the world for our oil. That's not where we should be.

"We should be looking at self-reliance, and I'm the guy to do it."

Blogger's Note: According to Morning Call Road Warrior Dan Hartzell, the $1.29 gas station was closes sometime between Nov '01 and May '02.

III. Dent & Bennett Can Create New Jobs. Really!

Question: What would you do to create jobs or bring outsourced jobs back to the Lehigh Valley?

Dent: "Well, first, jobs is what many of us are most concerned about. If you want to create jobs in energy, I can tell you a few things we ought not to do.

"We can't litigate and tax our way into a prosperous future.

"One thing I would like to quickly point out on the issue of jobs is that I spend a lot of time visiting local companies and they tell me everywhere I go, 'Don't raise that capital gains tax.' If you want us to invest in alternative and renewable energy, if you raise that tax on savings and investment, you'll make it that much more difficult to create jobs.

"My opponent and I disagree on the Employee Free Choice Act, the card check bill. She wants to eliminate secret ballots when companies are organized. I'll tell you what. Most of my manufacturers have said to me, 'Please don't do that. You'll make it difficult for us to expand; you'll be incenting us to go elsewhere.' She supports that legislation. I don't. I believe that workers should have the right to vote in a secret ballot. That's important. It protects workers."

[Applause, followed by catcalls from the dude in a wheel chair with a miniature French poodle. It might have been the poodle.]

"I'd like to finish my answer, thank you. I'm reclaiming my time, as they say in Washington."

"Jobs are a critical issue and we need significant tort reform and we're going to need some regulatory reform, too. I'd be happy at some point to talk about what happened on Wall Street and the financial meltdown up there.

"On the energy side, this is where we really need to get smart. We can create enormous amounts of jobs in America if we simply have policy makers who say yes to American energy, say yes to oil shale, say yes to nuclear, say yes to clean coal. Air Products, right up the street here - they're a leader in coal gasification, synthetic fuels, coal liquids. We're doing it here. We have to say yes.

"We need to incentivize and we have a high corporate income tax, one of the highest in the industrialized world. Thirty-five percent. That's causing jobs to go overseas. We need to address that issue. It's critically important that we do so.

"I yield back my time."

Bennett: "I have a friend who works at Bethlehem Steel who's a hero. All his skin on his hands and his forearms is burned off because once on a shift at Bethlehem Steel, he saved the men on the shift. When Bethlehem Steel closed down, he lost his job, he lost his health care and he lost his pension. In the world's richest nation, we should be able to do better than that.

"Let's take a look at that meltdown on Wall Street, a clear indicator that the Bush-Dent economic policies have failed.

"My opponent is all for bailing out corporations, but when it comes to protecting workers' pensions, he says No. When it comes to people whose homes have been foreclosed on to stay in those homes, once again, he votes No. When it comes to replacing Social Security with private risk accounts, he says he's open to the idea. Imagine what would happen to millions of Americans with the current fall of the Dow if that idea had borne fruition.

"That being said, America has the most productive and innovative workforce in the world. The alternative energy manufacturing industry and retrofit manufacturing industry represent a terrific opportunity for us to create high-paying jobs right here.

"So imagine this. You receive a big tax credit for putting solar energy panels on your home. And there's a young business owner who's given tax credits for starting a business to build those solar panels for you, and it's hooked up through PPL on the grid. Then we find that that contractor and manufacturer will have to produce those solar panels. We have a new industry built, right underneath our feet.

"Henry Ford created the American middle class in our powerful economy when he paid his workers enough so that they could afford to buy the cars that they were manufacturing. That just makes good business sense. Of the two of us, I'm the one who's a twenty year small business owner and five-year corporate executive.

"If it was good enough for Henry Ford, it could be good enough for us."

The Folly of Passenger Rail Service

Former Wall Street money manager Paul Marin chairs the LVEDC's Transportation Committee and is a LANTA board member. Those two facts, all by themselves, make me suspicious. He's also been identified as the driving force behind an effort to bring passenger rail to the Lehigh Valley. He's already persuaded the publicly-funded LVEDC to kick in $100,000 for a study, and wants Lehigh and Northampton County to kick in the rest. An unelected official wants to spend $250,000 in public funds to study the notion of a passenger rail service from NYC to Easton.

That's great for commuters. For the rest of us, alarm bells should be sounding as loudly as those on any train.

I'd love the idea of light rail or expanded bus service in the Lehigh Valley. But a passenger rail service connecting the Lehigh Valley with the Big Apple will create the very congestion it is designed to eliminate. It will gobble up the very green space that we spend millions to preserve as developers build more homes for commuters. Our school districts, stressed with the burden of educating all their children, will increase taxes even more. It will destroy whatever rural charm is left. We all will be funding a service that benefits very few of us.

I love choo choo trains as much as the next person, but prefer to see them winding around Christmas trees, not carrying an army of commuters to invade the Lehigh Valley and increase our cost of living.

Amazingly, large segments of the Lehigh Valley's progressive community have been brainwashed by this folly. This Tuesday, there will be an 8 PM open house at Easton's Third Street Alliance (41 N. 3rd Street), starring Paul Marin.

A well-meaning puff blog is also promoting this effort to have all of us make life easier for commuters and real estate developers.

Bennett and Dent to Get Third Degree at the JCC

When: Sunday, September 21st, 7 PM. Yep, that's tomorrow!

Where: Jewish Community Center, 702 N. 22d St, Allentown Pa. 18104. For directions, click here.

If you'd like to question LV congressional challenger Sam Bennett or incumbent Charlie Dent, now's your chance.

Allen Canaries Are Early Warning System for Allentown

Canaries, a coal miner's early warning system, drop over from carbon monoxide or methane poisoning before those deadly fumes can reach miners. Allen Canaries are dropping over, too, sending their own warning in Allentown.

Allentown resident Scott Armstrong, who publishes the informative Allentown Commentator, has noticed those dying Canaries. He has kindly allowed me to cross post his well-written, but sad, report here.

If one wanted to witness firsthand a perfect metaphor of Allentown's decline there was no better place then in one of the many available seats in the hometown section of J. Birney Crumb Stadium tonight. It was there that Bethlehem's Liberty High School rolled over the once mighty Canaries 62 to zero. It wasn't just the football team that was overwhelmed by the visitors; the visitors outshined the hometown in eery way. Liberty fans filled their stands, their band was large, disciplined and impressive (they will be going to Pasadena for this year's Rose Bowl Parade), their cheerleaders were motivated and having fun… Meanwhile the Allen seats were occupied by only a few odd students and a smattering of parents who came out in support of their children who were on the field as players, band members or cheerleaders.

Clearly tonight's match was more than just a football game, it was a contest between a functioning municipality and school district and a non-functioning school district and municipality. It wasn't pretty and although I wore an Allentown Band parent T-Shirt with the words "Allen Pride" I felt ashamed that my son's school experience routinely included this sort of humiliation.

Fifteen years ago we made the decision to move into Allentown.

Clearly that was a big mistake.

Personally, I think it's the name. I can understand a Hawk or a Huskie, but Tweety Bird?

The Northampton County Hangmen Lynch Connie Sutton Falk

Last night, I saw a hangin'.

A tidal wave of at least sixty county workers, each wearing bright green AFSCME T-shirts, had massed into Northampton County Council chambers. Dressed in green, they were seeing red. Hell hath no fury like a county worker scorned. They were there to prove who's boss - them. They wanted to see a hangin', too.

County Council was considering an ordinance that will henceforth require all employment policy changes to go through the Personnel Commission. If a policy is actually a regulation, it must be approved by county council.

Incensed by sixty-three policy changes dealing with working hours, conditions of employment and a "ton of stuff" over a two-week time frame, union workers wanted to stop the administration. Last night, they made their plea to the Northampton County Hangmen. They picked a good night. The Northampton County Bulldog, Ron Angle, is the one member of Northampton Council who would have stood up to a lynch mob of green T-shirts. But he was detained at a viewing.

Hangman Charles Dertinger, who has a few union T-shirts of his own, played to the lynch mob. "The county executive campaigned on the issue of building morale, and morale has never been worse simply because the employees are being treated like garbage." Naturally, the green T-shirts applauded. Employee policies must be the equivalent of waterboarding.

Hangwoman Diane Neiper added her voice to the choir, too. "They put our employees in stressful situations that really didn't have to happen if, months ago, we would have just stopped doing those policies and said, 'Let's back up. Let's talk. Let's get this done the right way.'" The green T-shirted lynch mob exploded in applause again.

Hangmen Prez McHale reviewed these policy changes, and said the one that caught her eagle eye was a policy change that eliminates retirement care for new employees. That was something Stoffa had cleared in last year's budget. Maybe they forgot.

Linda Markwith, who works in Human Resources, told the Hangmen this proposed ordinance would violate the county's Home Rule Charter. County Solicitor Karl Longenbach agreed. "Passage of this Ordinance is an unwarranted and unlawful incursion into the power of the county executive." Karl talks like that, even to hangmen. But County Council Solicitor Lenny Zito had previously told the hangmen this proposed ordinance is lawful. Since Zito was telling the hangmen what they already wanted to hear, his legal argument prevailed.

The ordinance passed unanimously.

Is it illegal? Beats me. I can understand why it was adopted, especially after hearing what Ann McHale had to say about the "policy" eliminating retirement health care for new hires. Perhaps the hangmen were just concerned about the county workforce.

Nah.

It was all about hanging Stoffa and his cabinet. Immediately after their unanimous vote to interfere with the executive's authority over his own workforce, the hangmen also voted to demand that HR Director Connie Falk Sutton resign.

In his usual melodramatic tones, Hangman Lamont McClure led the lynch mob. "We must take a strong stand and let them know that Council does not believe that it is our job to have to clean up the mess that they create by their extralegal activities." [Green T-shirts applaud]. "Tonight I make a motion that county council demonstrates its sense that Connie Sutton Falk should resign." [Thunderous applause and cheering from the green T-shirts, who produce a rope].

While all of this was going on, Sutton was sitting quietly in front of me, a pawn being played by mean-spirited hangmen whose really want to slip that noose around John Stoffa's neck. I felt bad for her. It took courage to endure this unnecessary humiliation.

Dertinger claimed Sutton Falk "has taken just about every effort to either be condescending to this body, to not answer our questions or skirt around them." "Having witnessed the abrasiveness of this Director towards Council, and we're elected to sit here, I can't imagine what it's like for those who are working here. I think it is not only within our purview but it's our responsibility to call out when we see something of this magnitude, rather than sit idly by and let it continue."

I attend most county council meetings, and I've never seen Sutton Falk act disrespectfully towards any member of council. In fact, her attendance at these meetings, in and of itself, is a sign of respect. But everybody wanted a hangin'.

McHale added she gets lots of phone calls complaining about Connie. Horrors! Employees complain about the HR Director. There's a shocker!

Mike Dowd may have supported the ordinance, but hangin' was too much for him. "I'm not sure that this is our responsibility." It was too much for Peg Ferraro, too. "This is not in our purview and I feel this is inappropriate. I've been around here since 1989 and I think there have been more problems with Directors of Human Resources than any other job here. It's not an easy job and it's not easy to please everyone. I just feel this is inappropriate."

Laconic John Stoffa said, "Thank you, Peg," but was quickly silenced with an "excuse me" from McHale. What does Stoffa think this is, a democracy? How dare he interfere with the Northampton County Hangmen!

Sutton Falk, who sat mutely, was given no notice of this motion. She was afforded no opportunity to be heard. Not that it would have mattered.

Talk about abrasive!

Wayne Grube, another old-timer, spoke out. "Maybe it should happen and maybe it shouldn't. But I'm gonna' tell you something. I hope the rest of you employees don't think that this is going to be a butcher block for people in the administration every time that something happens. If these people feel they can do it, I'm not going to be a part of it. I will not put up with coming in here every two weeks and three weeks and carrying out an execution. . . . This is not a home of execution."

After that magnificent speech, which rails against a tyranny of the majority, Grube inexplicably voted with McHale, Dertinger Neiper and McClure to request Connie to resign. The trap door came open and down Connie descended.

The fallacy in all of this is that the people elected John Stoffa to administer the county, not county council, AFSCME or the county workforce. He's the boss and they work for him. They think it's the other way around. The Hangmen have now given a green light to a lynch mob in green T-shirts, signalling that everyone in Stoffa's cabinet in fair game.

"What'd you think?" a giddy deputy asked me as I left county council early, disgusted and in need of a shower. What I think is that any judge reviewing this ordinance will see what the Hangmen's real motive was, thanks to Hangman McClure's idiotic and just plain nasty motion.

Who's next? The green T-shirts will applaud and cheer as other necks are stretched on the gallows, but where will they hide when the hangmen come for them?

And they will.

Then through the town the Hangmen came
And called in the empty streets my name --
And I looked at the gallows soaring tall
And thought, "There is no one left at all."

(Blogger's Note: The poem quoted is Maurice Ogden's The Hangman)

Update: Both The Express Times and Morning Call have excellent, and more objective, reports of last night's lynching. Sadly, it is probablt the last report we will ever see filed by Morning Call reporter Joe Nixon, a real class act in his prime, who is leaving the paper for a job with a little more stability.

Bennett's Top Ten List

In a news release aimed at LV Congressman Charlie Dent's refusal to agree to more than four or five debates, challenger Sam Bennett ticks off ten reasons why she thinks she is a better candidate.

Unlike a Letterman Top Ten, there are no jokes.

"1. Our country needs change. Dent has had it his way in Washington for four years and four out of five times Charles W. Dent with George W. Bush.

2. Folks want to bring that change home. Dent attacks Sam’s work to help clean up Lehigh Valley communities as “money wasted” while his only two legislative accomplishments in four years are renaming post-offices.

3. Pennsylvania has suffered 1400 casualties in Iraq. Dent went to Washington, knowing there were no WMD’s and still votes to use trillions of dollars in Iraq.

4. When our troops are gone, Dent votes to tax military families, and when they come home, he says NO to their healthcare and job training.

5. Wages are falling and the wealth gap is growing while Dent makes three times the income of the average Lehigh Valley voter. Then he votes NO for fully raising the minimum wage and ensuring equal pay for equal work.

6. 212,000 Pennsylvania kids are uninsured as Dent accepts taxpayer-funded healthcare. Then he votes NO for expanding it for kids and military reservists.

7. Companies like Mack Trucks cut jobs in the Lehigh Valley and their mega millionaire CEO’s still cut checks to Dent for thousands of dollars. Then he votes NO to stopping CAFTA deals that trade Pennsylvania jobs for corporate profits and NO to the Employee Free Choice Act to give workers a fair shake.

8. Special interests are trying to take over Washington, and Dent accepts more than $90,000 from lobbyists. Then he refuses to give it back.

9. Gas prices are soaring and so are Dent’s campaign contributions from Big Oil. Dent accepts more than $75,000 from Big Oil and gives Big Oil $14 billion in tax breaks instead of investing in renewable energy, says NO to renewable energy, and says NO to efficiency and conservation.

10. Prescription drug costs are skyrocketing while Dent accepts tens of thousands of dollars from Big Pharma. And he votes NO for negotiating drug prices for Medicare patients and NO to allowing seniors to import FDA approved prescriptions from Canada."

Sounds pretty good on its face, huh? But much of what she is saying is simply untrue.

If you look at the very first statement, for example, in which Bennett complains that Dent supports Bush 80% of the time, the reality is much different. Congressional Quarterly (Vol. 66, page 2050) analyzed 2,646 roll call votes. Its determination is that Dent is actually the 11th most independent Republican in the House. His votes have supported Bush just 60% of the time.

And so it goes with the rest of that misleading list.

Dent not only supported children's health care, but voted to override a presidential veto. He has been a minimum wage rubber stamp, and was one of thirty Republicans who opposed adjourning until that was accomplished. His supposed connection to Big Oil is in reality a connection to many Lehigh Valley residents who work for utilities and alternative energy companies like Air Products. Dent's grandfather, a long-time UGI worker with an 8th grade education, was one of these people. "He thought that was honorable work and my opponent clearly thinks that people who work in the energy sector are dishonorable." As far as Iraq is concerned, Charlie worked with Democrats and Republicans to try and pass legislation that would have enacted the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group into law.

The Dent camp has told me it will no longer respond to charges without citations.

Sam Bennett Gets a New Web Page

. . . but she's not gong to like it. Scam Bennett, a parody of her own campaign web page, is actually a factual indictment of her candidacy. Naturally, it's paid for by Charlie Dent for Congress.

Ron Angle, the Northampton County Bulldog, Growls at Bethlehem Township (and Everyone Else)

When yesterday's combined meeting of Northampton County's Personnal and Finance Committee got underway, it looked like it was going to be a pretty quick meeting. Council members John Cusick, Wayne Grube and Diane Neiper raced through an agenda of appointments with practically no discussion. That's the way most local governments work. Quick meetings. Little discussion. Dog and pony shows.

But that's not what happened. He was late, but the Northampton County Bulldog - Ron Angle - was in the house. Cusick and Grube were dressed in coat and tie, just like nearly everyone else. Ron was sporting an old farmer's hat, dirty T-shirt and paint-spattered shorts held up by three inch wide Erkel suspenders. As he made his way to the dais, an unlit stogie was gripped between his teeth.

But in a matter of moments, there was little doubt about who was in command. Although the trio of other council members had already approved appointments to the Revenue Appeals Board, the Bulldog had questions.

"Aren't these people realtors?" he asked. "They have a vested interest in real estate. Is it good or bad to appoint realtors?"

He also groused about the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation. County Exec Stoffa and Council Prez Ann McHale were being appointed to participate in the shenanigans there, and Angle has always been irritated that this nonprofit, which accepts county money, would close its books to him. He glared at Stoffa, who was defending the LVEDC.

"Can you tell me that you and I can go there tomorrow and they'll let me look at the books?"

Stoffa smiled and said, "Will you be dressed?"

"People didn't elect me for my wardrobe, by the way."

Ron's next victim was the prison, where we heard for the 26,874th time about the problems with new timecards for the corrections officers.

"In the world they live in, they don't want you screwing with their hours. It's their own little world."

On a roll, Angle's next volley was delivered at the sheriff's department, which was there to explain its attempt to become the first sheriff's department in the whole wide world to ever be certified by the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Committee. They hired a lawyer and everything.

Ron asked Sheriff Hawbecker, "Isn't it reaching a little too far to say sheriffs are in law enforcement. Basically, it's an arm of the courts. The sheriff's primary mission is not law enforcement."

Sheriff Hawbecker: "97-98% of our work is generated by the courts, there's no doubt about that. We make about 12 criminal arrests per year."

The Bulldog: "How many firearms do you collect every year?"

No one had a quick answer, and then Angle asked Controller Steve Barron, "When have you last audited the firearms?"

Audit Manager Frank Kedl: "That's the first I'm aware they have guns."

Sheriff Hawbecker: "In 23 years, I've never had anyone from the outside come in and conduct an audit."

The Bulldog: "If you have several thousand guns, it's very easy for four or five to go home."

From the Revenue Appeals Board to the sheriff's department, Angle fired away. But was he content to stop there?

Nope.

His final grenade was at Bethlehem Township, which has apparently asked the county for some of the unused bond money that's lying around collecting dust. Noting how Bethlehem Township zoners have rejected the proposed county treatment center out of hand, Angle had some comments for the "stupid people in Bethlehem Township." "I never in all my years seen a planning commission say, 'Don't come back here, we're not giving you a treatment center.' Are we no better than them? In the real world I live in, that's how it goes. Screw 'em. I wouldn't transfer 15 cents to the sons of bitches."

County exec Stoffa told Angle, "We'll get it." Ron just laughed and said, "How old are you? It's a tainted planning commission and a tainted zoning hearing board. They'll string you out for five years."

A meeting that started at 4 PM finally ended at 5:30 PM.

It was The Northampton County Bulldog at his worst.

It was also the Northampton County Bulldog at his best.

As he was leaving for his bunker up north, Angle snarled at me and said, "Stop laughing, O'Hare. You dress worse than I do."

True, but I'm so much more diplomatic.

Bennett Hedges on Offshore Drilling

Just two weeks ago, LV Congressional candidate Sam Bennett told me she opposes offshore drilling. "I feel that that would be a misguided, short-term benefit effort. To be honest with you, if we drilled in those places, if we started tomorrow, we would not see a drop of oil from those places for years." She added, "I think it's a short-term mistake."

That was then.

In yesterday's interview, she had changed course.

Morning Call (Darryl Isherwood): Are you in favor now of this new proposal to allow offshore drilling more than 50 miles off shore?

Bennett: "What I would say, Darryl, is clearly, in order to move legislation forward, which is what we need to do, we need to start acting, if we are going to compromise on both sides of the aisle. And I felt that this bill was an effective compromise. We need to roll up our sleeves and get something done. We need to move this argument off the political tables. We have a job that Congress has to get done here. So if there's a compromise to make, we will make them. But I would have voted Yes to this particular bill."

LVRamblings (Bernie O'Hare): Charlie Dent called the legislation passed yesterday a cynical effort by Speaker Pelosi to appear as though Congress supports offshore drilling, but making it impossible for it to ever occur. For example, it denies revenue sharing among the states, 88% of the most promising areas will never be explored, the legislation also says no to clean coal, it says no to nuclear, and Dent says he's from Pennsylvania, so why would he support legislation that vetoes the use of all types of energy sources to solve our energy crisis? He pointed to another piece of legislation that has 135 cosponsors that does permit these things, and suggested that Congress should adopt that. Also, I've been told this legislation is DOA in the Senate. So what's your take on Charlie Dent's position?

Bennett: "My take on his position, and this is a pattern I've seen in his voting record, he consistently will vote against strong pieces of legislation and pick some sort of minor issue. The issue here isn't drilling. The issue here is moving our nation to a new way of getting our energy . . . "

O'Hare: Well, I think that's his point. His point is that it denies diversification. It says no to clean coal, no to nuclear, there's no diversification. it actually makes it impossible for offshore drilling the way it's written.

Bennett: "I would have to beg to differ with you. It's not against diversification at all. We're talking about solar, we're talking about wind, we're talking about geothermal. Quite frankly, Bernie, we're talking about a methodology for generating energy that may not have been invented yet, and that's why we need to heavily invest in R&D.

"I think strongly that what Charlie Dent is doing again is distracting from the true issue at hand because we need to move forward. We need to move forward with strong bipartisan legislation. I am in support of this particular piece of legislation and stop the equivocating. That's what Charlie Dent is doing . He's doing it in the same way that he says he won't debate, right?"

O'Hare: You have five debates with him, correct?

Bennett: "We have four that are on the docket. most of those are candidates' forums. And there are three traditional major ones we traditionally do that he doesn't want to do. And you know why? Because he does not want to be attached to this vote."

(Blogger's Note: I will post more of this interview tomorrow.)

Bennett and Dent Will Face Off at Least Four Times

Yesterday, LV Congressional candidate Sam Bennett conducted her second telephone news conference with a number of reporters and bloggers. Even though she and her entire team know I support incumbent Charlie Dent, she was still kind enough to invite me.

Penna. Avenue (Josh Drobnyk): I'm a little confused about what debates you both agreed to and what debates you're pushing for. Which ones are on the table, even if they're just forums, with the two of you?

Bennett: "Yeah, well, we have one coming up this Sunday and it is a candidates' forum at the Jewish Community Center. And we are pushing for there to be a debate at Muhlenberg, for there to be a debate at NCCC and, of course, the traditional Express Times debate.

Drobnyk: So the JCC is the only one? I was under the impression - they had told me there was going to be a debate at the Chamber . . .

Bennett: "Yeah, Actually, that's , there's the Chamber of Commerce, yes, you're absolutely correct. And also, . . . "

Drobnyk: That's an actual debate - as opposed to a forum?

Bennett: "No, I think that's a forum. I think that's part of Tony Iannelli's Business Matters TV program."

Drobnyk: O.K.

Gary Ritterstein: "Part of the problem here is that the Congressman is picking and choosing his forums and he's leaving out some of the largest and best attended options that are on the table. He's dodging the opportunity to talk to most voters and to put both candidates in front of the most voters over the next 48 or 49 days before the election.

Drobnyk: Just so I'm clear, though, what has been agreed to, as far as when you two are going to sit down? Are the JCC and Chamber the only events or are there others?

Bennett: "We have others scheduled, hold on. . . . We have others scheduled. The Citizens Action Committee, the Chamber of Commerce, the Jewish Community Center and I'm double-checking on one - yes- PBS, Channel 39.

Drobnyk: O.K. And when is that?

Bennett: "I've got October 23rd, Josh, for PBS, and Community Action Committee, you know, Alan Jennings' organization, that's the 15th of October.."

Water Boil Advisory in Much of Northampton County

A message from a reader:

Just listening to police scanner in office this morning, heard that a water boil advisory was issued to Easton, Palmer Township, Pen Argyl, Plainfield Twp, Saylorsburg, Wind Gap, Forks, Nazareth, Bushkill, Upper and Lower Nazareth, Tatamy, Stockertown.

Boil for at least 1 Min. before consumption.

Update: The boil water advisory is also listed on the Channel 69 news site. Water may contain disease-causing organisms. And I just drank a big bottle of water.

Afternoon Update: The text of the news release, along with recommendations, is located here.

Easton's Seizure Law, Aimed at Prostitution, Faces Unhappy Ending

Flamboyant Easton attorney Gary Asteak, one of Northampton County's finest criminal defense lawyers, could probably earn a living as a celebrity look-a-like. He discovered this in his younger years, during a holiday out West. The hotel he was staying kept giving him outstanding treatment, like chocolate on his pillows and complimentary bottles of wine. Only when he was leaving did he learn that the manager was convinced that Gary was actually Frank Zappa.

Last month, it happened again.

A few years older, Gary's appearance at Nazareth's Martin guitar celebration sparked rumors that Willie Nelson was in the house.

In reality, Asteak is one of the sharpest legal minds in the Lehigh Valley, with a particular fondness for constitutional arguments and underdogs. Last year, Gary represented a libertarian who outraged the tender sensitivities of Washington Township police by flying his flag upside down. When his client was charged with insulting the American flag, Gary asked, "How the hell do you insult the American flag? What do you do, walk up to it and start cursing?"

The charges were dismissed.

Gary is also the attorney who, pro bono, represented a skaterboarder cited by Nazareth police for doing stunts in the unused portion of a basketball court.

The charges were dismissed.

Beginning to see a pattern?

Yesterday, Asteak challenged Easton's Seizure and Forfeiture Ordinance, enacted in July to stop johns from cruisin' the streets, looking for working girls. If caught, the john's car is taken. That should put a damper on the world's oldest profession, eh?

Asteak's lawsuit attacks the ordinance for four basic reasons.

First, it is preempted by state laws that already address the offense of soliciting prostitutes.

Second, taking someone's car away for a minor offense in many cases deprives that person of his livelihood. For that reason, seizure is cruel and unusual punishment. It is "grossly disproportional to the gravity of the offense."

Third, cars are being seized without notice or a prompt post-seizure hearing, and that violates due process. According to the ordinance itself, "Seizure without process may be made." What's even worse, it's up to the officer's discretion whether that car should actually be seized, which leads to uneven enforcement. Former Palmer top cop Nick DiVietro, who amazingly solicited an undercover cop at age 81, is already a beneficiary of this discretion. His Crown Victoria was returned.

Isn't that nice?

Finally, there is no real nexus between the crime and the vehicles seized. The vehicle is incidental, not instrumental, in the commission of the offense.

Gary's client is going to have a happy ending, just not the one he was expecting.

Is Wall Street Kaput?

According to a news release from LV Congressional candidate Sam Bennett, "failed Republican economic policies" are the root cause of Wall Street's collapse on Monday. Communications Director Gary Ritterstein points to a "lack of oversight by the Republicans in Washington" that have endangered pensions for many hard-working people. "Worse, when it comes time to making it harder for companies to freeze or eliminate those pensions, Dent says NO. He believes in bailing out corporations, but refuses to help folks facing foreclosure. When it comes to funding $15 billion to help families stay in their home, he votes NO to that too.”

Campaign manager Shawn Millan tells me Charlie Dent actually voted in favor of the Pension Protection Act, which helps insure that employers fully fund worker benefits. So I think Gary got that part wrong.

But Gary has an unlikely ally - John McCain - who acknowledges the "casual oversight" on Wall Street. McCain has previously supported market deregulation.

While the left blames the right and the right blames the left, Washington Post op-ed columnist Robert J. Samuelson posits a more basic explanation for the crisis - greed and fear, which transcend ideologies. "Greed and fear, which routinely govern financial markets, have seeded this global crisis. Just when it will end isn't clear."

John Morganelli: The Case of the Missing DA

I am here today in Centre County to speak about the disappearance of longtime district attorney Ray Gricar. Ray served the people of Centre County as their elected district attorney for almost 20 years. Ray devoted his career to upholding the laws of our Commonwealth and protecting the public from crime and violence. The people of Centre County knew Ray both as a friend and as a dedicated public servant Ray was a colleague of mine, and I considered him a friend. He was a likable and effective district attorney, and his disappearance troubles not only this county, but also many people across this state. And, of course his family, who not only miss Ray, but who are left with a sense of helplessness with respect to trying to find out what happened to him.

Ray disappeared on April 15, 2005. On the day he disappeared, Ray was last seen in Lewisburg, in Union County. After that sighting no one knows what happened to Ray. For more than three years, Ray’s family and friends have been seeking answers about his disappearance. They are justifiably frustrated by an investigation that has made agonizingly little progress and now appears to have stalled. I know that Bellefonte police, the Centre County District Attorney's office and 20 other law enforcement personnel have worked tirelessly on this case and have done their best to solve this mystery.

As a district attorney for 16 years, I know how difficult it can be to solve cases without any apparent leads. But this is no ordinary case. It involves the unexplained disappearance of an elected state district attorney. District attorneys are charged with the responsibility of prosecuting thousands of criminal cases each year and are the chief law enforcement officers in their respective counties. The unexplained disappearance of a state DA strikes at the heart of our security because it may represent retaliation by some criminal against the criminal justice system as well as a personal attack on a specific prosecutor. But local prosecutors and police have limited resources and can only do so much with any single case.

The circumstances surrounding this case cry out for leadership from the Attorney General’s office. Concerned citizens, including Montour County District Attorney Bob Buehner and former Clinton County DA Ted McKnight, have called on Attorney General Corbett to mobilize the superior resources of the Attorney General’s office to uncover the truth of Ray’s disappearance. The Attorney General is best-equipped to lead and coordinate a multi-county investigation. Unfortunately, however, Mr. Corbett shows no interest in this matter and has failed to involve his office in any meaningful way. Mr. Corbett’s spokesman has been quoted as asking, “What could we do that isn’t being done?” Centre Daily article by Pete Bosak. January 1, 2006 The Attorney General is not even involved in this case, yet he seems to be throwing up his hands. How can he suggest that nothing can be done when he hasn’t even tried? It is time that the people of Centre County and Pennsylvania have an Attorney General who believes that it his duty to take an active role in a case of this magnitude.

Therefore, today, I am announcing that if elected Attorney General, I will also establish a Cold Case Homicide Unit within the Attorney General’s office.. The Ray Gricar case will be the very first case for this unit. The unit will be comprised of experienced homicide investigators. The unit will utilize the resources of the state to attempt to solve these difficult cases. This unit will furnish local authorities with the extra resources, funds, manpower, and technical assistance needed to solve long-outstanding cases of murder or suspected murder. I promise to exhaust every possible lead in this investigation. Of course there’s no way to know for certain if greater interest and involvement from the Attorney General in Ray’s case would have helped uncover the truth of what happened on April 15, 2005. But it couldn’t have hurt. As things stand, the truth goes undiscovered and a possible crime goes unpunished. I believe that with additional attention and resources we will be able to deliver the closure that Ray, his friends and family, and others like him most certainly deserve.

Blogger's Note: Ray Gricar's family has set up a web page with more information.

Charlie Dent Warns Congress to Adopt Bipartisan Approach to Energy Crisis

A forceful Charlie Dent told Congress yesterday that it's time to adopt a bipartisan approach to our energy crisis.

Gary Asteak: Easton Can't Seize Johns' Cars

Here's a shocker.

Prominent constitutional law attorney Gary Asteak today challenged Easton's recently enacted seizure and forfeiture ordinance, under which cops have been confiscating the cars of johns on the prowl for street hookers.

I'll have details tomorrow. First, I'm going to interview a few hookers.

Sam Bennett Needs Revolving Door for Campaign Managers

First it was Jeffrey Cook, a union organizer from Coopersburg. Next, Hannah Miller, who comes from the Philly area, signed on as Sam Bennett's Campaign Manager. Then, following the advice of national Democrats, Miller was replaced by Kathryn Seck.

Looks like Kathryn Seck has returned to D.C.

Sam Bennett explains the revolving door.

"We are so grateful to Kathryn Seck for helping our campaign get to where we are. Josh Levin will be joining us. He has the campaign experience and the leadership ability that we'll need to move our campaign forward on the path to victory."

If I have the right Josh Levin, he's a former budget analyst from Chicago who most recently was managing a congressional race in Ohio.

He gets around, too.

Update: The Morning Call also has an account of Seck's departure. It appears that I do have the right Josh Levin, and that Seck's departure was less amicable than Bennett would have us believe. According to The Morning Call account, this is Bennett's third shake up at the top. By my account, this is number four, although Cook may not have been an official Campaign Manager,