The Allentown City Democrats were having a grand old time at the Allentown Brew Works last night, but around the rest of the county, and especially over in Northampton County, Democrats were drowning their sorrows.
Allentown's elections went the way everyone pretty much expected. It wasn't so much a matter of who would win, but by how big a margin.
Mayor Pawlowski crushed challenger Tony Phillips by about a three to one margin.
In Lehigh County overall, the general consensus for County Executive was that Don Cunningham would roll over Scott Ott.
That was WAYYYYYY WRONG!
As of Wednesday Morning, it appears Cunningham squeaked out a victory of with a margin of just over 800 votes out of 41,000 that were cast. (That is barely 20% turnout of registered voters, by the way.)
There is something to be said for taking the electorate for granted. In this game of High stakes political poker, Don Cunningham went all in, and barely escaped to stay in the game. The Democratic candidates he sponsored for commissioner both went down in flames.
I don't think either deserved such an ignominious fate, I thought they were two of the better candidates ever put up by Democrats. We will never know if they could have made a better race of it on their own, because in hindsight it is obvious that both were tainted in the voters' eyes by their affiliation with the incumbent County Executive. I believe that both candidates made a fatal mistake in accepting his financial support at such a high level.
Don was trying to stack the deck, and instead now finds it stacked against him for another four years. Don made a tactical error politically that most of us never thought he would make.
He mocked the power of the pulpit.
The Devoutly religious are just as dependable about voting as they are attending services, likewise, the less religious are more apathetic about voting. I can't help but think that in six months, when the turnout statistics become available, we will see that turnout among registered Republicans in the Lehigh Valley will be around 25%, and that of Registered Democrats will be under 15%. That is exactly what skewers projected turnouts, and why what works in theory never works in practice. That is why Glenn Eckhart keeps winning his Commissioner's district, because his voters show up, and the opponents are at Starbucks having a double Latte.
That is why registration advantages don't mean crap. All that matters is who turns out, and who actually votes.
I will write more on this later, but the final word for now is that local Democrats have been sitting on their rears since last November taking things for granted. Now they have a wake up call. Just because there are more of you doesn't mean you will win, you have to execute the mission and do your job. Showing up doesn't guarantee victory, and that attitude is why we now have a nutcase Ideologue like Joan Orie Melvin on the Supreme Court.
Thanks. So much for redistricting getting done without political overtones.
12 comments:
"Showing up doesn't guarantee victory, and that attitude is why we now have a nutcase Ideologue like Joan Orie Melvin on the Supreme Court."
Pretty strong words! You need to back that up! I would say that most people that run for office are ideologues to some degree, including you, but nutcases?
I don't consider myself an ideologue at all. I am sure many would argue I am a nutcase.
But Orie Melvin is so far right wing she makes Glenn Beck look like a moderate. I held my nose and voted for Panella, his blind eye concerning the crooked Luzerne County judges bothered me, but he was far better than Orie Melvin.
What makes Orie a right wing extremist? Could that be that she is a confessed Christian, gun rights advocate and pro-life? You still have not qualified your statement of ideologue as it applies to her, at least in your mind.
Okay, Did you see the banner Orie Melvin had up with the Hammer and sickle through President Obama's name? How far right do you want to go?
I am an NRA member, and military Vet. I am pro life, as i believe woman should have the right to make their own choices without government intervention.
I always find it hypocrisy that certain R's don't want government regulating business, but have no problem trying to regulate a woman's ability to procreate.
And you call Orie Melvin a "Confessed" Christian? What the hell does that mean? I went to confession a lot growing up Catholic, was her Christianity supposed to be a secret?
Do yourself a favor and dig out a copy of Roget's Thesaurus next time before you try using words with more than one syllable in a sentence
"I am pro life, as i believe woman should have the right to make their own choices without government intervention."
"R's don't want government regulating business, but have no problem trying to regulate a woman's ability to procreate."
So killing the unborn is a business that some repubs want to regulate? Ability to procreate means to kill an unborn after a woman gets pregnant? Why not controlling procreation by not getting pregnant instead. Abortion is not the best means of controlling procreation! I question your "pro-life" position.
"And you call Orie Melvin a "Confessed" Christian?"
I did not! I asked if you were calling her a ideologue by her beliefs which I am not sure of but you seem to know that she is an ideologue for some reason. I just wanted to know what those reasons were.
Orie Melvin's banner was great.
Obama's "Redistribution of wealth to it's rightful owners" statements BEG for that kind of campaign sign.
Obama's lack of promised transparency BEG for that kind of sign.
Obama's tax cheats and lobbyists in his administration BEG for that kind of campaign sign.
Obama's Czar This, Czar That BEG for that kind of campaign sign.
Obama's inability to "govern from the center" as promised BEG for that kind of sign.
VAN JONES begged for that sign.
ANITA DUNN (Mao Tse Tung is one of my two favorite philosophers) BEGGED for that sign
Democrats don't have a monopoly on playing tough politics, just ACORN and SEIU.
Was it not exactly one year ago today that Democrats were everywhere gloating, chanting and screaming "WE WON, GET OVER IT"?
Backlash?
Backlash against the radical left wing Obama, Pelosi and the gang?
anon 2:21, you write in your comment that Orie was a "confessed Christian." Now you say you didn't?
I was asking you to explain. And before you go bonkers on birth control, please know that I am adopted, my mother had me and gave me up. I am thankful she did not choose abortion.
All I am saying is that we have no business regulating morality.
It amazes me that extreme R's are so interested in protecting the rights of the unborn, but once they are here, have no interest in protecting their right to eat.
You are right, abortion is a moral issue, a human rights issue. Most liberal politicians and voters think abortion is a legal issue. They say abortion is ok because it is legal. The Supreme court says so. Most conservatives say that abortion is a moral issue. My church says the same thing. I prefer to follow my church, not politicians who can make anything legal. I too am an orphan, all the more reason to be against abortion.
It is the liberals that are trying to regulate morals through legal rights of "privacy" which does not exist. Even Alan Derschowitz says it was bad law.
"It amazes me that extreme R's are so interested in protecting the rights of the unborn, but once they are here, have no interest in protecting their right to eat."
Hogwash! Conservatives give more in charity than liberals do. The libs prefer to let the government do it by raising taxes.
"you write in your comment that Orie was a "confessed Christian." Now you say you didn't?"
This is what I said: "Could that be that she is a confessed Christian,"
I used the word "could" Get out your thesaurus Chris!
Anon, let us agree to disagree, I still maintain that "confessed Christian" is a confusing description of Orie Melvin. I also would say that using how much money conservatives give to help the hungry as an excuse to not fund programs like school breakfast for kids is lame to me.
Children depend on adults to look out for them, and it bothers me that they are so easily used as political pawns.
Ever notice how D's and R's both do that, either using kids as shields, or cutting programs that help kids under the guise of fiscal responsibility?
I hate that we punish kids for the sins of adults.
On that note, I admire Glenn Eckhart for reaching into his own pocket to pay security for kids basketball programs and keep it going. Glenn showed where his heart was. I will take some hits for defending him, but he didn't do a political thing, he did a human thing.
I think far too many of our electeds are more political creatures than human.
"It amazes me that extreme R's are so interested in protecting the rights of the unborn, but once they are here, have no interest in protecting their right to eat."
The right to be born trumps all other rights or should. Without that right, all other rights mean nothing. The best way to insure children don't go hungry is to encourage mothers and fathers to marry and provide a good family environment for children to grow up and prosper, not to make them dependent on government. I never see the libs encourage the poor to educate themselves, get married and go to work for the good of their children or society. How can we help those that will not help themselves. We all know what the statistics are. Out of wedlock births are almost 75 % of all children born to African Americans and the Dems say nothing. I think the votes mean more to the dems than the failure of the black communities to integrate with society as productive citizens. We all know this to be true but political correctness is running rampant in politics. People who speak truth are chastized. It's time to be honest and to face the problems we have, especially in the minority communities. Instead we fear to go into those areas and we stay out and give lip service about how much we care and then expect the government to do our charity work for us. The problem is so bad now that only "tough love" will work.
"I hate that we punish kids for the sins of adults"
I don't know who "we" is but many mothers abort their own for their sins and think it is their right. My church says abortion is wrong and almost all democrats say it isn't. Which one is right? My allegiance is to the church and Christ, not a political party.
Anyhow, thanks for the "debate", I welcome debate without trashing others. After all, we do this to convince others that we are right and I certainly believe I am right.
can't wait for next election. hopefully a woman runs for mayor. workin on that.lol
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