I Am Finally Done With Politics...I Think (The End)

So where does leave me? I am political to my core.

I think about politics constantly it is often all I talk about it is the thing that has consumed me since I was a small child. I remember using my matchbox cars in a re-creation of a political convention. I had a set of presidential figurines; the conversations Eisenhower had with Thomas Jefferson were epic. I have a sign that says “Office of the Mayor” over my desk. I have a collection of campaign buttons that goes back to William Jennings Bryant. I was moved to tears at the Hall of Presidents at Disney World. In college one of my professors caught me poring over the Village Voice political endorsement.

Two weeks ago on election night I hung out with my friends Jon Geeting (blogger and big thinker) and Hillary Kwiatek (former candidate, community activist and super mom) talking, gossiping, comparing notes and constantly checking on election results via our cell phones. As the evening wound down I realized that here I was sitting at the Brew Works obsessing over campaigns and politics when I just began a series of blog posts about how I was through with politics. Hillary shook her head and Jon said I will never really be able to walk away but perhaps I am better as a free agent and not a political partisan.

Jon is right. I can’t just walk away from my interest in politics but am not very good at the campaign and party stuff anymore. Will I continue to speak out on issues? Yes. Will I ask my friends to vote for candidates who I think are worthy of their votes? Yes.

If State Rep. Bob Freeman needs my help, I am there. If Hillary Kwiatek or some other close friend decides to enter the arena, chances are I will be there. But, other than that I can’t imagine a candidate capturing my imagination enough to inspire my involvement.

I will be resigning from the Democratic Committee for the reasons laid out here over the past two weeks.

For me for now; politics is a spectator sport.

I Am Finally Done With Politics...I Think (Part 4)

By the time the 2010 May primary election came about I was pretty stoked to vote. I was convinced that Joe Sestak was going to rid us of Arlen Specter and I believed that John Callahan was the right candidate for Congress. So, when I walked into the voting booth I was in a very jovial mood and enjoyed voting for candidates I wanted to vote for and not just being forced to pick the better of the lesser. When I got to the end of the ballot I saw that no one was running for the male position for the Northampton County Democratic Committee so I wrote in Donald C. Flad Jr. I remember joking about it on the way home and never thought of it again.

A few weeks later I received a letter from the Voter Registration office stating that won the election by one vote.

I had been a Democratic Committeeman in the past and even served an appointed term on the Democratic State Committee. I was enthused again about politics so I figured I would give party politics a shot again. A decision I would soon second guess.

The newly elected committee was called to meet to select a new leadership team. I have been to a number of these meetings and it is always a great evening of socializing, catching up and gossiping. I saw some old friends and met some of the new comers to the scene. This batch of new comers was mostly the Barack Obama supporting true believers and many were elected by write in votes. They joined the Democratic Committee to support their President and to make a difference in the party. The old timers were of course disdainful of the newbie’s, which was distressing because many of them were the reformers when I was last on the committee. A few weeks later I received notice that that there was a procedural error during the election of chairman and it had to be re-held. I couldn’t make it so I sent a friend as a proxy.

Once the dust was settled on the chairman’s election and Walt Garvin was confirmed as the party’s new leader it was time to hold a meeting for the entire county committee to meet and organize. This meeting was held in a pavilion at Louise Moore County Park. It was an awkward spot for a meeting but so be it. The fresh faces came with a list of resolutions they wanted to enact, all very worthwhile but many of them showed a real lack of understanding of how a county party operates. These resolutions set off a battle between the old and the new. Tempers were lost, hopes were dashed and many of the old timers (many younger than me) became the people I detested a long time ago. After much arguing over really stupid things I had enough. I took the floor and reminded everyone that we had one mission and one mission only it was to elect our slate of candidates and maybe we could set the bullshit aside for a few months and meet again to discuss these issues once John Callahan was elected in November. After another hour of Sturm und Drang the meeting ended. I stayed for another hour to give a pep talk to the newbies and encouraged many of them to keep fighting and wear the bastards down. A few of the old timers tried to insult me by telling me that I had not changed.

I got into the car, called home and said “Why the fuck did I do this?” I got home and paced around for some time recounting the meeting and all the while my guy just sat there and listened. He did ask how any of this was going elect Sestak and Callahan.

I realized then that I did not want to be part of the official Democratic Party organization. I remained on the committee but I did not attend any more meeting until it was time to elect a new Vice Chair. The previous one resigned in disgust and I was told was taunted rather obscenely on her way out the door. I had a great time at the meeting to elect the new Vice Chair; I schmoozed, people told me they loved my tweets and blog and I caught up with some pals. The meeting itself was an embarrassment of bad management and again there was fighting, red faces, name calling and battles over the things that really don’t matter. Compromise is not a word that is understood with the Democratic committee of Northampton County.

Bernie O’Hare acted up quite foolishly and I told him so. He openly supported a number of Republican’s and tried to vote as a member of the committee. A member of the Democratic Committee can only support Democrats. I questioned Bernie’s motives and told him he had bigger fish to fry. I challenged him to explain if being a thorn in the side of the Democratic Committee was going to accomplish anything of merit. Again, I called home and ranted.

I missed a few more meetings, voted to sell Gracedale and then Chairman Garvin exposed a candidate’s sex life to the public.

Dawn struck Marblehead; I had made a mistake, I decided that much of politics was beneath me.

End part 4……….

Anderson Cooper Getting Involved

I found this picture of Anderson Cooper getting involved and not just standing back and observing a story.

Mr. Cooper was covering events in Haiti and rescued this child during a demonstration that had turned violent. I am not sure when this was taken.

Good for Anderson Cooper for not just being a passive observer. More journalists need to be activists as well.

Congressman Dent's Brave Vote

I would like to thank Cong. Charlie Dent for his brave vote confirming the expression "In God We Trust" remains the official slogan of the USA.

It took a lot of guts for Mr. Dent to stand up to the forces of evil that are trying to destroy this nation and I know that it was a difficult vote for our Congressman. It was so important that it was the major focus of Mr. Dent's party this past week.

God Bless you Mr. Dent, I know that this brave vote will create a lot jobs and make our economy stronger. Mr. Dent's leadership on issues like this job creating piece of legislation should be admired.

Coming Out & Political Coming Out

A short time ago I wrote a 3 part series about coming out to my family, I have now just written 3 parts (though it will end up being longer) about why I may be done with politics. This one is a combination.

To those of you out there who are straight but not narrow, thanks for the support and I appreciate it. However you will never fully understand the coming out process because you will never have to do it. You may be supportive, you may show empathy, you may be there for the person going through with a shoulder to cry on but you are not the one going through it.

Coming out never ends…..ever.

People I meet ask me about my wife because I wear a wedding type band on my left hand.

People ask me if I am married and when I say no it opens up more questions or when I say no but I am in long term committed relationship they ask me why I am unwilling to marry her. When I tell them I am not allowed to get married they are completely lost. And, then I have to come out.

“So Don we are having a little party after the Chamber mixer please bring your wife.” When I arrive solo, I have to come out.

Fundraising tickets are often discounted for a couple. My guy is just not into these types of social events so not only do I pay a higher rate of taxes I am also forced to pay a higher rate for charity or political fundraising. I may find a suitable female to bring along and when we are asked about our relationship as a couple. I explain that my “date” is married, I have to come out.

When filling out a benefits package at work, I have to come out.

When shopping for a car, I have lousy credit, I have to come out.

At my 20^th year class reunion, I had to come out. I bailed on them ever since.

A childhood friend finds me and I have to explain why I never got married, coming out again. I had to come out a childhood friend’s father’s funeral.

Then there is politics.

My recent posting on L ‘Affair Simao prompted Jon Geeting (genius, wonder kid) to question whether I would think the same way if a straight candidate went through the same thing. He also wondered if there was a double standard for gay candidates. One of commenter’s wondered why Tony Simao did not campaign as an openly gay candidate and Jon accused Simao playing the gay card to garner some sympathy and victimhood status.

If you are straight you sex life is never part of the campaign but if you are gay it is. That is the double standard.

No President has ever had to prove his birth was constitutional but the black President had to, that too is a double standard. A straight candidate does not have to explain his/her divorce(s) but I would have to announce to the world that I have shared my life with a man and since he is black I would no doubt be required to bring his birth certificate with me.

Tony Simao did not play the gay card Walt Garvin did. Chairman Garvin is very smart and even shrewder; he brought this up because he knew there is a segment in this city that would be offended by Tony’s gayness and horrified that he was sexual.

Perhaps Tony Simao did not make his homosexuality part of the campaign because he did not think it was an issue or perhaps he knew it would have a negative impact on his tea bagger supporters. Either way what a candidate does with his penis is no one’s business unless what he does is not consensual

Jon asked if I would think the same way if Garvin had nude photos of Ron Angle. Yes I would, ones sex life is not subject to public debate. Most Democrats defended President Clinton and yet here is the party trying to exploit the sex life of someone running for Bethlehem City Council.

One of the reasons I never ran for public office is because I was unwilling to put my guy through the public coming out process. He was a public school teacher I thought of the added strain and or threat that my running as an out, loud and proud candidate could have caused. Would one of my opponents try to get to me by smearing my partner and threatening his career? I decided rather quickly that I would never run for office since my guy is more important me than anything else.

I Am Finally Done With Politics...I Think (Part 3)

Two weeks ago the Chairman of the Northampton County Democratic Party announced that one of the Republican candidates for Bethlehem City Council posted a picture of his penis on a gay sex/porn website.

This is disgraceful

This is disgusting

This is awful

This should force the Chairman of the Northampton County Party to resign.

If a horny young man wants to share his goods with other horny young men who am I to judge.

I do not care to whom a candidate or an office holder shows his dick. As long it is consenting.

How does this photo op in any way impact on the way police protect my street, how my leaves are picked up, and how many tourists come to town to support our small business people (Hell it may even help).

When I first read about this story my initial reaction was to resign from my position as a Democratic Committeeman immediately because I believe the purpose Walt Garvin’s announcement was to smear Tony Simao with “being gay” or worse yet “being gay and Republican.”

I don’t understand how someone can be gay & Republican but a lot of folks are.

I don’t know Mr. Simao views on gay rights issues but I believe he has the right to show his dick to whoever is willing look at it.

After two weeks of discussion with my guy and other trusted sounding boards I have decided that I do not want to be part of this Northampton County Democratic Party. Chairman Garvin will be receiving my resignation letter by the end of the week.

What Chairman Garvin did was homophobic.

This is another reason I am finally done with politics

End part 3

I Am Finally Done With Politics...I Think (Part 2)

My friend Tina Smith, the force of nature, who is President of the Nazareth Chamber of Commerce, asked me to help out with a political debate co-sponsored with Slate Belt Chamber of Commerce. The debate was between County Councilman Ron Angle and his Democratic opponent Wind Gap Council President Scott Parsons. The undercard for the evening was a debate between incumbent County Controller Stephen Barron and Hanover Twp. Supervisor Stephen Salvesen.

I thought I was going to help edit audience questions or write questions in the absence of inquiries from the crowd. I ended up being the official time keeper for the event. I think I have found a new hobby, this kid can keep time, hold up a 10 second warning and what I can do with a red light and buzzer is nothing short of epic.

Being the time keeper forced me to pay attention to what the candidates were saying. I had a great time but I became even more disillusioned by politics.

We had two really knowledgeable incumbents both were clearly at the top of their game versus two very nice men, who cared about public service.

Stephen Barron seems capable and by most news accounts runs a well operated department. But he also appears to be overly partisan, a bit of a bully, into power, very ambitious and kind of too slick & snarky by far.

Stephen Salvesen is a man from a different era. He is tall, gray haired and very patrician. He had impeccable manners a firm handshake and looked me in the eye while speaking to me. Mr. Barron made fleeting eye contact and looked for someone more important (he clearly had no idea who I used to be). Mr. Salvesen is a retired businessman who seems to care about public service but at least on this night was clearly unprepared not only for the debate but for the position he was seeking. I lost count of how many times he said “I don’t know”; he even said “I don’t know what Mr. Barron does”. If Mr. Salvesen does not know what the County Controller does perhaps he should not be running for that office.

Councilman Angle needs no introduction or description to anyone who follows local politics. People either love him or detest him and he is very proud of the fact that he is disliked. In fact he mentioned how proud he was throughout the hour. I have to say that I was expecting Mr. Angle to be a completely unhinged mad man and I was disappointed in his relatively low key performance. Yes he was a tad rude and yes he interrupted his opponent too many times and his side half mumbled insults were annoying but I expected horns and fire and what I got was a man who knows what he is talking about. I don’t like Mr. Angle’s style and I don’t agree with very much of his political philosophy but I have never met someone who knows the ins and outs of county government better.

Scott Parsons is someone I could be comfortable voting for had he been better prepared for the debate and better informed about the issues facing the county right now. I liked his view of the role of government and his desire to bring some civility to politics, something Mr. Angle mocked constantly. The civility thing seemed to be the only issue Mr. Parsons seemed comfortable with and knowledgeable about. Ron Angle is a proven vote getter in that part of the county and it is going to take more than “Can’t we all just get along” to beat him.

So at the end of the night I was left with a feeling of dismay. Do the voters stick with obnoxious, unpleasant and perhaps competent incumbents or do they vote for apparently decent guys who want to bring a little calm and civility to public office. Guys who know what they are doing vs. guys who may need a little (Mr. Parsons) or a lot (Mr. Salvesen) on the job training.

Voting is often like pissing in the wind…You get relief but you also get wet with your own urine.

Do I really want to remain in a process that makes doing the right thing (voting, campaigning) seem so unsatisfying?

Do I really want to keep settling for the lesser of the evils? I have tried to always support the candidate that I thought would try to do the right thing but often after the primary I have had to swallow my pride and integrity and support the Democrat who really was just better than the Republican because he/she was a Democrat – I have rarely been satisfied.

End part two….