Let’s Party

Link:  Kutztown Democrats

What Was The Message

The Blue Dog Democrats are saying that President Obama’s agenda is too progressive and that is why the governor’s races were won by Republicans.  Progressive Democrats are saying that Congress is moving too slowly on health care reform and that is why Republicans won these two governor’s races.  I have a different view.

In Virginia, the Democratic Party had a boring DINO as their candidate so the Democrats just stayed home.  In New Jersey, Corzine had his own issues, mainly, high property taxes.  Too bad for New Jersey, because Christi won’t be any better than Corzine.

The reason that the Democrats lost these two races is because of a poor choice of candidates.  If Democrats want to win next year, then they need candidates that excite the voters, especially the young voters and they need to stop fighting among themselves and get health care reform with a public option passed for Americans.  They also need to do something about keeping good paying jobs in this country and discourage companies from supplying jobs to China.

Republicans always show up to vote regardless of the qualifications of their candidate.  If Stalin or Hilter were the Republican candidate for office, the Republicans would still show up and vote for the Republican.  Democrats don’t operate that way.  Rather than vote for a poor candidate, Democrats will stay home.  This is how Republicans win elections.  It’s not that Republicans have highly qualified candidates that represent the values of Americans, it’s that Democrats have poor candidates.

Let this be a wake-up call to the Democratic Party leaders.  We will no longer hold our noses and vote for someone just because there is a “D” behind their name.  We want strong, progressive candidates who are willing to work for the good of all Americans and not just corporations and Wall Street.

If The Voters Only Knew

That Nelson Long was planning on retiring in two years, the outcome from Tuesday’s election may have been different.

Among his plans for the office are straightening out problems in the tax claim office and streamlining the county tax collection system.

Retirement also is on his agenda in two years when he reaches age 72, Long said.

He was just re-elected into office as Treasurer for Berks County. What this means is that he is planning on being a “quitter”. Berks County residents better make sure that an independent audit is done before Long leaves office. After all, he still has some explaining to do to the tax payers regarding monies spent on furniture and trips and there still is that investement risk (derivatives and junk bonds) that tax payers should be concerned about.

Nelson Long… another dishonest Republican bringing “tricks” to the voters.

Speak Up and VOTE!

Special thank you to Rachel Steward and her friends for making this great video.

Berks County Row Offices – Democrats 2009

Born and raised in Berks County, Charles Corbit will work hard and work smart to make sure the Prothonotary’s Office works for the tax payers of Berks County.  With two decades of private sector experience, Charles will update obsolete technology to reduce costs and ensure secure document filing.  Under his leadership, the Prothonotary’s Office will provide fast retrieval and quality service to all customers.  That’s better for Berks.

It time for someone with energy, leadership experience and computer knowledge to manage the important legal documents that are vital to the tax payers of Berks County.  We need change.  Charles will not spend his time decorating his office for the holidays nor will he be doing “political work” on taxpayer’s time.  Instead, he will be working hard for everyone in Berks County.

Serving the people of Berks County as our present Coroner, Dennis J. Hess has accomplished much in his first term.  By restoring professionalism and integrity to the Coroner’s Office, Dennis and his staff have earned the trust of the people of Berks County and built strong working relationships with all their constituents, including funeral homes, ambulance and fire companies, hospitals, law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office.

Unlike the previous Coroner (Bybel), Dennis Hess has NOT incurred any costly lawsuits against the Coroner’s Office.

With 25 years of leadership experience at Med-Ed and FirstEnergy in finance, operations and administration, Carole can bring fresh thinking to the challenges that face the County and the Treasurer’s Office.  She will improve operations, increase efficiency and control costs through better use of technology and strengthening the departments commitment to customer service.  Carole has the knowledge, enthusiasm and commitment to work hard for the people of Berks County.

Carole Snyder will establish a policy of openness with all funds and operations, unlike the current Treasurer that refused an Internal Audit.  She will work to minimize the huge pension fund investment losses which must be made up from taxpayer dollars.  The current Treasurer (Nelson Long) oversaw two huge losses of pension funds in excess of $50 million in the past ten years.

VOTE FOR THESE DEMOCRATS ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd AND PUT AN END TO ALL THE WASTE OF TAX PAYERS MONEY BY THE REPUBLICANS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

Vote straight Democratic Party.  We can not afford 4 more years of Republicans wasting our tax dollars.

Vote For These Judges – 2009

From the honorable Senator Casey:

This Tuesday, November 3rd, is an important election in Pennsylvania and we need you to get out and vote.

In addition to important local contests, there are several key judicial offices on the ballot. A fair and impartial judiciary is essential to the future success of Pennsylvania, and so I hope you will join me in supporting these highly qualified Democratic candidates.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Judge Jack Panella

Pennsylvania Superior Court
Judge Anne Lazarus
Judge Robert Colville
Kevin Francis McCarthy
Judge Teresa Sarmina

Commonwealth Court
Linda Judson
Barbara Behrend Ernsberger

These candidates need your support, so please take the time to make it to the polls and cast your vote.

To find your local polling place, please visit: www.votespa.com

Thank you,

Bob

Berks County Row Offices – Republicans 2009

Mary Ann Sutton is the current Prothonotary for Berks County. She is 73 years old and even though she claims to have implemented the software purchased by the tax payers of Berks County for streamlining the document management that is required by the Prothonotary’s office, she doesn’t take full advantage of this software. It’s time for her to retire and enjoy her thirteen grandchildren and her Social Security.  We need a person with leadership and computer skills that will save the tax payer’s money by fully implementing the software purchased by Berks County.  Not someone that is more interested in decorating her office for the holidays than learning new skills that would save Berks County money.  Sutton needs to hire consultants to do the work that she and her staff should be doing.  That’s not efficiency nor is that cost effective.

Now this isn’t illegal, but, it is questionable.  If you visit the Berks County Republican Committee website and click on Maryann Sutton’s name you get a link to her email account (msutton@countyofberks.com), the one that is paid for by the tax payers of Berks County.  How much “party politics” does Maryann Sutton do on the tax payers time when she should be working for us instead?

Nicholas Bybel, 76 years old, is trying to make a comeback as Coroner for Berks County.  He made a statement to the Pottstown Mercury saying that he was going to fire employees if he gets elected and hire medical staff to do the coroner assistant work.  Berks County was sued for this very reason before, must we visit this again?   Bybel lost the primary 4 years ago to an unknown lawyer because Berk’s County tax payers had enough of covering all the lawsuits that Bybel had incurred against the Coroner’s Office.   He lied by making a false statement regarding endorsements (see previous post).  Besides, he too, should be enjoying his retirement and stop wanting the Berks County tax payers to raise his standard of living.  Our current Coroner is doing an excellent job.  He has NOT incurred any lawsuits because he does his job.  We had Bybel once and that was enough.  Say “bye, bye to Bybel”.

Nelson Long, 70 years old, is the “youngster” running on the Republican ticket.  His position as Treasurer leaves many questions such as:

1. Why does he repeatedly refuse to allow scutiny of the County Record Improvement Fund by Internal Audit?

2.  How does he justify expenditures for furniture, appliances and trips using Record Improvement Money?

3.  Why does he risk losing money in the Berks County pension fund by recommending that the County invest 8% of these funds in junk bonds?  (Can anyone say ‘derivatives’?)

4.  Why did he try to hide the fact that he failed to include the cost of outsourcing work for the Tax Claim office to his campaign Chair by claiming that he saved money when in fact he didn’t?

5.  How does he explain two huge losses of pension fund assets in excess of $50 million (ouch) in the past ten years that he oversaw?

6.  Why does he ignore repeated recommendations of the PA Auditor General to provide proper checks and balances over the handling of cash? (from audit reports for periods ended 2002 and 2006).

7.  Is he too computer illiterate to implement the Cash Management portion of the County’s new computer system that was paid for by the tax payers?

WHAT IS NELSON LONG HIDING FROM THE TAX PAYERS OF BERKS COUNTY?  INSTEAD OF TRASHING HIS OPPONENT WITH LIES, HE HAS EXPLAINING TO DO REGARDING HIS MANAGEMENT OF BERKS COUNTY FUNDS.

It time for him to retire, also.  We need someone that is willing to use the Record Improvement Fund for its intended purpose as is done in other counties.  Berks County is way behind the times and it is costing the County money.  We need someone that can implement the proper checks and balances to safeguard Berks County assets.  So far, Nelson Long has failed in protecting Berks County assets.  We can’t afford to trust him with our money any longer.

Bybel Lies

10/28/09

News Release: League of Women Voters of Berks County

In a campaign mass mailing by the Republican candidate for Berks County Coroner there is the following statement:

“FACT: Nick Bybel MD is the most qualified candidate for the office of coroner. (League of Women Voters Forum, 9/29/09)”

While this statement may have been made during the Candidates Forum by a candidate or a supporter, it was not made by the League of Women Voters of Berks County moderator. We are demanding a written retraction of this misleading statement from the Elect Doctor Bybel Corner Committee and the Berks County Republican Committee, immediately. We further demand that this retraction be mailed to the mailing list which received the erroneous material as well as a retraction to appear in the Reading Eagle.

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization that does not endorse candidates but provides forums to inform voters.  The League does not support or oppose any political party or any candidate, but does and always has taken stands on issues which its members have studied.

According to our By-Laws, Article II, Section 2, The League shall not support or oppose any political party or any candidate. (copies available upon request)

The League of Women Voters began formally as an organization in February 1920 in Chicago, six months before the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote. Our mission is to LET PEOPLE KNOW. MAKE PEOPLE CARE. HELP PEOPLE ACT. The purpose of the LWV is to create in citizens a sense of responsibility for knowing about governmental problems and doing something about them. Through study and action on issues affected by government and through its services to voters, the League seeks to encourage the informed citizen who actively participates in government.

Citizens are encouraged to vote for the candidates they think best on November 3.

Sincerely,

Pamela S Gockley President of the League of Women Voters of Berks County

What Is The Difference?

Arlen Specter and Pat Toomey, what is the difference between the two? See the real Arlen Specter.

Now that the polls show that Joe Sestak is gaining on Specter, Arlen has a change of heart and supports a public option for health care.

There’s been a lot of flip-floppin’ with Arlen Specter over the years. I’m not sure where he really stands on issues. Is Arlen Specter only changing his position on issues so that he can get re-elected or does he really believe what he is now saying?

As someone that has been sexually harassed on the job, I’m still finding it difficult to get past Arlen Specter’s treatment of Anita Hill. It is not easy to come forward and report sexual harassment. Clarence Thomas is Supreme Court Justice because of Specter’s bashing of Anita Hill.

How can we trust Arlen Specter?

President’s Weekly Address – Oct 17 2009

President Obama speaks truth to the health insurance monopolies industry.