Cluttered items from an empty mind:
Let's put to rest the legend that Fast Eddie is a political genius. The governor can't seem to get anything through the state legislature, and the spanking Pennsylvanians gave to Act 1 on Tuesday suggests he can't get over on the voters, either.
The gov says voters "were confused" and didn't have enough information. Or maybe, unfortunately for him, we weren't confused, did have enough information and saw that this wasn't tax reform --- it was just a shell game that was going to result in higher taxes for millions of Pennsylvanians.
Arguably his tenure as head of the Democratic National Committee was undistinguished. Also consider such boneheaded moves as his apparent endorsement (quickly retracted) of Rick Santorum and the way that he goaded Teresa Kerry into confronting Colin McNickle back in 2004.
I'm not saying he's incompetent, but it's clear that the skills he used to become a power-broker in Philadelphia do not translate statewide. For whatever reason, he keeps misreading the mood of the citizens and other elected officials, making his political acumen looks less "David L. Lawrence in his prime" and more "second-term Milton Shapp."
If anyone on the national political scene still thinks Ed Rendell might make a good presidential or vice-presidential candidate, they're seriously out of touch.
. . .
Does anyone actually like having campaign workers lined up outside the polling place, thrusting slate cards in their hands? More to the point, does anyone actually make up their mind based on the slate card someone handed to them five minutes earlier?
If so, that person should not be allowed to vote. In fact, I'm against letting them pick the toppings for their "MTO" at Sheetz.
I do read the political literature sent out by candidates and my union (I'm a very lonely man), but I can't stand running the gauntlet just to get inside. Usually, though, I just mumble "thanks" and stuff the slate card they give me into the garbage. Very occasionally I will refuse to accept a slate card from someone, which has caused a couple of arguments. (There are a few Mon-Yough area politicians who I wouldn't vote for if their opponents were Pol Pot and Satan.)
There has to be a better way to campaign than shoving those stupid things in our faces minutes before we're supposed to vote.
. . .
Speaking of the atmosphere at the polling place, why does a little bit of authority turn some people into martinets? In Pennsylvania, elected constables function like deputy sheriffs --- they serve court papers and transport prisoners, and can also provide security at district magistrates' offices or polling places. Where deputy sheriffs work mostly on the county level, however, constables work mostly in local communities.
I've met many constables who were great, hard-working guys (believe me, many of them don't make much money and bust their humps). But I've met a few whose self importance was all out of proportion to their competence.
We had a constable at our polling place who was barking orders at voters for no apparent reason other than to justify his existence. (Our little polling place in North Bittyburg, Ward 3, Precinct 1, only got about 200 voters all day, so he wasn't exactly trying to control a surging throng of humanity.)
Maybe that hard-ass attitude is necessary when he's hauling DUIs and crackheads downtown for arraignment, but it sure seems self-defeating on election day.
No one has a constitutional right for life to be pleasant, but it's hard enough to get people to vote without making them confront the electioneers outside, and then the wanna-be Soviet prison guards inside.
Nebnose Notebook: Last year the Almanac raised a stink over CSX Transportation's failure to properly repair the River Road grade crossing in Port Vue. After an investigation by the state Public Utility Commission, the railroad eventually fixed the problem.
It's still bumpy --- compare CSX's work to the fine job Norfolk Southern did on its crossings recently in Dravosburg --- but at least you no longer have to drive into incoming traffic to avoid the washouts.
Unfortunately, CSX still hasn't fixed another long-running problem at the River Road crossing --- the malfunctioning gates. For several years, the gates have been screwy. At any given time one will stay down and the other one will go up, and the lights keep flashing, even when there's no train in sight.
They did it again last night, and like a good buttinski, I stopped at a pay phone Downtown and called CSX's railroad crossing hotline. After listening to the phone ring more than 20 times, someone answered, and I told them the crossing was out of order. (I even gave them the correct CSX ID number --- 584 680 K --- because that's the kind of nebnose I am.)
. . .
CSX Operator: "And what is your name?"
Me: "I'd rather not give that."
CSX Operator: "You have to give me a name and a call-back number."
Me: "Why? Isn't it enough to tell you that the crossing is screwed up?"
CSX Operator: "OK, what organization or agency are you with?"
Me: "I'm not with any organization."
CSX Operator: "Well, then you have to give me your name."
Me: "No, I don't, and besides, I'm at a pay phone, so it's not going to do you any good to call me back here."
CSX Operator: "So, you're refusing to provide me with your name or telephone number, is that what you're saying?"
Me: "All I'm telling you is that your crossing is stuck, and that you should probably have someone check it out. Isn't that enough?"
CSX Operator: "Thank you for calling."
. . .
For all I know those gates are still stuck --- I didn't head over there this morning --- but too many people already try to beat trains at that crossing. (Several cars have been struck and there's been at least one pedestrian fatality.) Frankly, the recurring malfunctions only encourage drivers to go around the gates when they see them down.
CSX's website says that it's "obsessed with safety." It seems like they're more obsessed with bureaucratic bullcrap and they're paying lip service to safety, but that's just me.
Railroads play a vital transportation role, especially as the price of gasoline and diesel fuel keeps rising (it's almost $3 per gallon in the Mon-Yough area), so we shouldn't begrudge their presence.
But it's not too much for McKeesport and Port Vue residents to ask for a functional, safe grade crossing on River Road.
. . .
More Nebbing: I don't know C.L. "Jay" Jabbour, who's running in tomorrow's Democratic Primary for Allegheny County Council District 9. I know a few people from West Mifflin who respect him, and I know they still speak highly of him down at the LaRosa Boys & Girls Club.
Still, I wonder whether Jabbour's constant electioneering should cause anyone to doubt his commitment to serving in office.
Jabbour served several terms on West Mifflin borough council before losing a re-election bid in 1993. In the meantime, he ran unsuccessfully for state representative in 1982, 1984, 1990, 1992, 1994 and 1996.
In 1998 he was elected to West Mifflin council again but within a year was running for Allegheny County council. In 2001 he was appointed to fill Richard Olasz Sr.'s term on council, forcing him to resign from borough council, then won election to the county seat in his own right. (Olasz and Jabbour have long been bitter political enemies.)
In 2006 Jabbour resigned from county council to run for state representative again. Now he's running for county council again.
There are too few good people running for local offices, and if someone thinks they can make a positive difference, they should run. Considering that Jabbour bailed out on District 9 just a year ago, should voters give him another chance? And do they have any guarantee that he won't run for state representative or some other office next year?
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