Home Rule, Yes?

According to a newly released poll, challenger Tom Marino has a huge edge over incumbent congressman Chris Carney in the 10th Congressional District.

The poll conducted over the weekend by myself showed likely-to-register voters leaning towards Marino 75% to 25%, with the margin of error hovering somewhere in the neighborhood of 100% or so.

6 of the 8 respondents said they would vote for Marino, if they happen to get out of bed on November the 2nd. And being that the United States has all but banned gainful employment, most of these likely-to-register to voters have no reason to climb out of the rack on election day.

Somehow, those Cardiac Kids wearing Atlanta Braves uniforms qualified for the playoffs on the very last day of the season. Bobby Cox lives on to coach for at least a few more days. If you call yourself a baseball fan, you have to admire this guy.

With the key injuries this club has suffered, it’s likely that Bobby Cox never coaches another World Series game. No, it seems those mercenaries from just south of here a ways--the Philthydumpia Yankees--have bought enough high-priced talent to move on.

Regardless, it’s been fun to watch.

“C’mon Chip!”

While I run the risk of disappointing Renita Fennick by saying so, there is no way I can vote for Republican Tom Corbett to be the next governor of this hopelessly flailing state.

I’ve compared the candidates, and I believe Dan Onorato to be the better of the two candidates. I like his track record, I like what he’s been saying, and I feel that his stated goals are more than reasonable, doable if you will. I also think he’d be more adept at creating jobs as well as creating incentives for employers to come here.

And I do not like the fact that Tom Corbett seems to be in the pocket of the energy companies lining up to drill every square foot of our area.

As far as the Home Rule question is concerned, I am going to duct tape over both of my nostrils and vote in the affirmative.

I don’t like having an appointed executive. And I do not trust the entrenched democratic party in this county. So long as they capture the majority of the 11 council seats (or whatever they’re called), the same old party that brought shame and scandal upon this county will be appointing that county executive. And I don’t trust that, nor do I trust anyone involved to do the right thing.

They promise an exhaustive search that will result in the hiring or some uber qualified county manager from the ranks of the proven and successful county managers out there.

But what’s to stop them from claiming they did not like the available choices and hiring some long time party hack? As I said to Sue Henry on her show some weeks back, who’s to say that Bill Brace or Bob Reilly will not end up filling that position?

I know, I know. According to Jim Haggerty and his crew, that could never happen because this document, this new charter promises perfection and Nirvana and goodness and rainbows and chocolate-covered rain and unfettered prosperity for all. To listen to them tell it, even the kids at Fat Camp will immediately drop 50 pounds if this here proposed charter becomes the new modus operandi.

With all of that circumlocution typed, yeah, I’m going to have my nose surgically removed and vote for it. It’s a shame it has to come to this, voting for something you don’t really believe in. But what’s the alternative? Doing as we’ve always done while hoping for better result?
It comes down to this, who or what do I trust less? The new system? Or the entrenched political party that keeps on giving to itself?

Living in this corrupt place, I say we have no choice but to give the new system a whirl.

One-liners

Wifey and I cycled through the city on Saturday. Interestingly, despite what the terminally negative would have you believe, we saw a cop in the Intermodal complex, another in front of Dunkin Donuts, and yet another walking in the center of Public Square, with his cruiser parked nearby. Oh, and the center city patrol car.

Isn’t it interesting how our police officers are invisible to everyone but me?

I find it amazing to hear people complaining when paving comes to their block? And to have a city councilman chiming in?

It must be me.

I was working on Logan Street this past Friday. And being a one-way alley, that meant I had to wander on down to Coal Street to make my escape.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t it announced that Coal Street is being replaced, reworked, redirected and made into something vaguely resembling a causeway? Wasn’t a major hint provided that perhaps we should seek out alternate routes during this extensive construction project?

It was bumper to bumper to freaking bumper in both directions.

Some folks deserve what they get.

I think I’m falling in love with Flo from the Progressive Insurance commercials. Is that bad?

Yeah, I suppose it is. Guys liking girls? What an old-fashioned concept.

Maybe I should call the Geico caveman.

Later