If things are so bad in NEPA, why do people stay? (Scranton: health insurance, budget)

[weluvpa]

Originally Posted by MrKrabs

People vote as they are told to by the media, and know nothing but sound bites fed to them by the media about their candidates.

In a one paper town we know who the media is going to goto bat for that is for sure.

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

In a one paper town we know who the media is going to goto bat for that is for sure.

Exactly. Even on the Times' website, you're greeted by Doherty's cocky smirking grin plastered all over the front page, giving the usual empty rhetoric about how he's moving the city "forward" and how he's "building the future now." Looks to me like the future is a lot of tax-exempt white elephant buildings and a ton of debt.

Which really pi$$es me off, because I do really like living here. And to have one idiotic goofball politican ruin the future of the city for our children by spending our money like a drunken sailor to bankroll his political career and his ego, and to have so many dumba$$es who believe his empty rhetoric pushed by the Times and keep voting him in, saddens me.

[weluvpa]

Wait and see how much we are going to be on the hook for with this Connell Building project and for what?

[FightinPhils]

And this Grieboski clown who will supposedly be bringing in some "world leaders" for some conference.....he was also hinting around that he's looking for government handouts.

For how much I, and others, complain about people on welfare, I have to say that I would rather some poor person, even a lazy one at that, get a free handout in the way of a small welfare check and some food stamps, than these corporate slugs getting their government handouts and KOZs. Tell Griboski, Sorvino, Southern Union, and the rest of the big corporate leeches to take a hike. But the politicians love to throw our tax money at them because then they get the headline story and the photo op and act like they're doing us a favor, while they put another feather in their cap for the next political run.

[loveinbloom]

Bravo...the politicians here (Scranton) scare the daylights out of me. We are seriously thinking of buying outside the City limits, all I have seen is spend, spend, spend without seeing any concrete appreciable returns estimated.

We all know taxpayers are at the bottom of the hill when sh** rolls down; I see nothing but incredible future tax hikes for this cityhomeowners in this city!

[johnqpublic]

Born and raised here, I have followed politics since a young person. This area recycles their politicians. When someone new tries to buck the system and run for office the media and the political families circle the wagons and cut off the new guy at the knees.. people think Im a conspiracy nut, but I firmly believe a unfettered federal investigation with a forensic accountant team would shake this area to its core...Theres a lot of nervous people at the County level now...

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by johnqpublic

Born and raised here, I have followed politics since a young person. This area recycles their politicians. When someone new tries to buck the system and run for office the media and the political families circle the wagons and cut off the new guy at the knees.. people think Im a conspiracy nut, but I firmly believe a unfettered federal investigation with a forensic accountant team would shake this area to its core...Theres a lot of nervous people at the County level now...

I agree 100%. The politics in Scranton and most of this area is like Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall. There is definitely an inbred political machine that doesn't take kindly to the non-connected. That's why its so hard to effect change around here.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by johnqpublic

Born and raised here, I have followed politics since a young person. This area recycles their politicians. When someone new tries to buck the system and run for office the media and the political families circle the wagons and cut off the new guy at the knees.. people think Im a conspiracy nut, but I firmly believe a unfettered federal investigation with a forensic accountant team would shake this area to its core...Theres a lot of nervous people at the County level now...

That's usually (but not necessarily) the case. For example, look at Chris Carney. He was a Democrat who won in a heavily Republican district against his incumbent opponent, Don Sherwood. There's growing fervor behind the movement for Lou Barletta to oust Paul Kanjorski, whose greatest accomplishments to date have been championing that stupid inflatable dam project and "saving Tobyhanna." Oh yeah. I almost forgot that he diverted revitalization funding away from Downtown Nanticoke in favor of the Hotel Sterling project in Wilkes-Barre, and as someone who parks a half-block away from this structure, let me just tell you they've been making progress on that property head over heels!

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by MrKrabs

There are some dumb voters in Scranton....3 terms of Jimmy Connors and possibly 3 terms of Chris "pi$$ away all our money at Nay Aug" Doherty. Stupidity and apathy are the key words to describe Scranton's voters. Although I think that can be said for voters everywhere.....how else could you explain 2 terms of Bush/Cheney in the White House and 2 terms of "Fast Eddie" Rendell in the governor's mansion? Not to mention all of the front runners in the 2008 presidential race, Hillary, Obama, and McCain are all poor candidates. Voters everywhere are dumb, and there are too many apathetic people who are too lazy to really research the issues and vote for a candidate they truly believe in. People vote as they are told to by the media, and know nothing but sound bites fed to them by the media about their candidates.

Well, we have the rural South to thank for Bush. "Gotta get dem der terrorists; shoot first and then deflect questions later."

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by SWB

That's usually (but not necessarily) the case. For example, look at Chris Carney. He was a Democrat who won in a heavily Republican district against his incumbent opponent, Don Sherwood.

There is only one reason Carney won: Sherwood's affair. Sherwood would have walked back into office if not for that scandal.