Ambrose was right

“We will not passively experience change. We will make change. But to shape our future, we need a new vision of government.”--Governor Pete Wilson

After reading that quote, you’re probably expecting a rant against Obama, Kanjorski or any one of those other buffoons currently spending this country into insignificance. Sorry, but that rant is not forthcoming. Not today, that is.

No, interestingly enough, that quote appears on the front page of a Christine Katsock for Mayor flier I hold in these nicotine-stained fingers. Here’s another quote from that same flier, “We will not suffer the future. We will shape it.”

Well, after her recent vote to retain a school board president under federal indictment, I’d say her very first attempt at shaping the future has the voters around here suffering through some buyer’s remorse. And she hasn’t even warmed her seat yet.

Oh-for-one, girl.

Vision, Christine? Vision? I’d say that vision of yours closely resembles the status quo. Go along to get along. Don’t make any waves. The establishment needs you, and now you need it.

The ‘ayes’ have it, and the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board is in the running for being named the new laughing stock in a county riddled with and managed by way of congenital dishonesty. Because, to pretend that the indicted should be leading the way is to make sophistry of honesty.

From Gort42.blogspot.com:

She had no comment when asked to explain her vote for Pizzella but it's not hard to figure out if you look at her Campaign Finance Report. Frank Pizzella was her top cash contributor pitching in $3000. She also got $1800 as a in-kind contribution from the Friends of Frank Pizzella. Other notable contributions came from engineer Michael Pasonick who does business with just about every government agency in Luzerne County and has been implicated in the ongoing corruption scandal.

Outstanding bit of research there, Gort. You are born again hard, my man. When next we get together and pray at the nozzle of the yellow sudsies, I'm buying.

(Editor's note: Aren't bloggers just a total pain in the ass?)

So, is she our very first ‘good old chick?’
　
In the 11th Congressional District:

Okay. Corey O’Brien is in. Lou Barletta is in. Some bomb-throwing, yet heretofore unknown republican is in. And hopefully, one way or another, Congressman Kanjorski, who is to likeability, ethics and legislative prowess what hemorrhoids are to great, great fun, is out. Hopefully.

Or has he gotten ‘too big to fail?’

I meant to respond to the following, but I simply forgot to. Better late than never, I suppose.

bethany said...

What was Ambrose Meletsky like? What were his views/ political leanings?
I am curious.

December 3, 2009 9:41 AM

I first met Ambrose at a city council meeting and I was amazed by his level of passion and energy, if not, the unmistakable fact that he was outraged by the then actions of our city government. I also saw him in action at a county commissioner meeting, as well as the very first informational get-together for the first go-round with the home rule experiment.

I got the impression that he didn't like me. Although, when first I started writing about Wilkes-Barre's impending ruination, I used to get that a lot. For the most part, nobody in these parts had ever been exposed to what would later be called a political blog. And no one had ever seen it done on such a close up and personal basis. Basically, nobody seemed to know what to make of me and my earliest efforts that began in December of 2000. Hence, the chases through the streets, the cursing, the chest bumps, the middle fingers, the attempts at intimidation and what have you.

I believe he was already in his early 80s, and I used to think about how high his blood pressure must have been spiking. To say he was upset, to say he was full of fire, to say he took the inactions of our elected and appointed leaders personally would be a gross understatement.

But there was one thing, one constant, that always set him apart from the others that would stand before the elected bodies and let them have it with their fiery diatribes. The thing was, he always knew what he was talking about. The guy paid close attention to the goings-on, and he did his necessary homework and fact-checking as well. He was right.

He was informed and then some, he was always passionate, but most of all, the guy was absolutely fearless. And if you cared at all about your community at that time, you had to see him as inspirational. I know I did.

As far as his political leanings are concerned, I don’t remember him wearing any on his sleeve, except for the obvious, that Luzerne County needed a robust second political party. Mostly, all I can remember was his utter disdain for the elected and appointed in this county, most of whom are either gone or now indicted, or yet to be indicted.

At this point, with the corruption scandal still in overdrive and with the finish line still well out of sight, they should mount a plaque in the courthouse that reads, ‘Ambrose was right.’

Here, here.

One another thing about Ambrose, he didn’t attend the city or county meetings to glean information, he went to those meetings armed with information. A lesson not lost on myself.

Funny, over the years, many a person has asked me how I could know about everything that was afoot at City Hall without ever attending city council meetings, or ever setting foot in City Hall for that matter.

How? By doing what he did, by seeking out the vital information long before any confrontations were necessary. Arm yourself with the facts and numbers and then have it, be it attending meetings, writing letters to the editors, calling talk radio or making incessant noise on the internet.

Before you go to wherever it is you’re going to, arm yourself with the facts. And while some of us have gone there in spite of our fears of retribution and whatnot, never did I detect any trepidation on Ambrose’s part. Another lesson not lost on your annoying author.

I hope that helps.

It’s Sunday, and I’ve got to show my usual reverence to NFL football.

How 'bout them Steelers!?!

Gotta go.

Later