Elections are a Nuisance

It seems the East Hempfield GOP Committee thinks voter's opinions don't matter, and if they had their way would do away with primary elections because they find them to be a nuisance. They don't want Doug Brubaker to be elected township supervisor because he has close ties to another supervisor, Heidi Wheaton (another party bolter). So the feeble attempts at party purification continue with the East Hempfield GOP supporting a write-in candidate, primary election loser Ed LeFevre. First County Coroner Kirchner was disciplined by having his nominating petitions successfully challenged and now they are trying to punish Wheaton by punishing her associates. Remember the GOP mentality has always been any friend of my enemy is my enemy too. For more about this read Party rejects primary winner.

Fair is Fair

Today's Intelligencer Journal reports that Lancaster County Coroner Gary Kirchner has been booted off the ballot because of improperly collected signatures on his nominating petition. It seems that Republican committeeman Immo Sulyok has nothing better to do then try to get Republicans running as independents booted off the ballot (in the article he also admits to scrutinizing Jere Swarr's petition).

Now lets look at this logically. Does either candidate really stand a chance at winning the election this fall? Highly unlikely, so what could Sulyok's motivation be other then mean spirited retribution aimed at party bolters? Or will he argue that it is only "fair".

In the issue of fairness Krichner should not appear on the ballot based on the antiquated rules that govern elections in the state of Pennsylvania. But to also be fair why should an Independent need to collect 888 signatures to get on the ballot when the Republican and Democratic candidates only need 250 signatures? If fair is fair then it is time to change these antiquated laws so that every candidate, no matter what their political party, is held to the exact same standard to get on the ballot. Anything else would be simply discriminatory, unfair and un-American.

Pot...Kettle...Black

The Lancaster New Era reported today that our Chester County Congressman Joe Pitts is co-sponsoring a bill calling on the U.S. to boycott next years Olympic Games in Beijing, China because of their poor human rights record. I think this is a noble gesture and I do think the U.S. should boycott the games but I wonder if we've lost the moral authority to do so with any real meaning. The thing that makes this story interesting is Joe's own poor human rights voting record as our congressman. Some highlights as reported by OnTheIssues.org are:

• Voted YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent. (Dec 2005)
• Voted YES on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. (May 2000)
• Voted YES on restricting independent grassroots political committees. (Apr 2006)
• Voted YES on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant. (Sep 2006)
• Voted YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight. (Apr 2006)
• Voted NO on restricting employer interference in union organizing. (Mar 2007)

One wonders if Joe's motivation is real repentance for his own poor human rights record or just another moment of holier then thou political grandstanding. Methinks it's the latter.

When Will Americans Have Had Enough

Here is a sobering video about the erosion of Constitutional rights of Americans. Aren't our elected leaders supposed to protect the US CONSTITUTION from all enemies, foreign or DOMESTIC? It seems to me that we've complacently allowed the foxes to guard the hen house. Sure it might make you angry but what are you going to do about it?

Welcome

I am not running for any public office (yet). This blog will be about politics and politicians that effect the lives of people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It will also be an effort to communicate more balanced dialog and analysis then what is reported in the local "news".