Cap & Trade...It's A Winner

American's love winners, and we love lists: Dave Letterman has made himself famous with his "Top Ten" of everything from why he loves New York to ways to know your spouse is having an affair.

Maybe he'd like to take a shot at "Ten Reasons Why the new Cap & Trade bill is the worse legislation ever conceived in Washington". Now there's a winning distinction of which Congress can be proud.

As much as I like to think I'm well informed, I admit the details of this bill escaped me until I received a press release from Congressman Charlie Dent's office saying it had passed the house by a very narrow margin, 219 Ayes, 212 Noes. Forty-four Democrats had the courage to vote against it. Eight Republicans sold their soul for God-knows-what reason and voted for it. The list of who's who can be found here.

Not only did the closeness of the vote catch my attention, but the statistics contained within Dent's press statement stunned me. The Penna. Public Utilities Commission, a group not known for often taking the side of the taxpayer, said the cost of "Cap & Trade" would be "staggering". They went on to predict that Penna. could lose 66,000 jobs if the bill passes the Senate.

In the past two weeks since the House vote, Dent has been out raising the alarm about how much damage this bill can do to our economy. On Lehigh Valley Rambling's, Bernie O'Hare has a comprehensive report of Dent's appearance this week at a Nazareth town meeting where Dent laid out the case for putting a stop to this impending disaster.

Today, on my internet radio show, Congressman Dent, Fox News commentator Andrea Tantaros, and Republican activist Charles Snelling continued to drive home the point with dire warnings about jobs fleeing overseas, government controls, international shifts of wealth, and exhortations to flood your Senator's offices with emails and phone calls telling them you'll never vote for them again if they support Cap & Trade. Here's some motivation: If this legislation passes, the low-end estimate is that it will cost $3000 per family per year in increased costs.

I came away from the show with a renewed commitment to do everything I can to continue this fight. Earlier tonight, I wrote to both Senators Specter and Casey. As I went to post links to their contact pages, I found Sen. Specter's site was down, so it looks like a lot of other Americans are doing the same thing. Word inside the beltway is that the President and Harry Reid do NOT have the 60 votes they need. Do your part...keep up the pressure.

Weekend Warnderings - July 5, 2009

Every Independence Day is special; a time to remember what a miracle this country really is. When you think about the process and the people that produced our Declaration Of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights and the fact that those documents still are at the core of our government 233 years later, the word "miracle" seems appropriate.

As with many holidays, the meaning often disappears behind the commercialism and the parties. This year, thanks to a group of international visitors from Lehigh University's Iacocca Institute Global Village, some of us had the opportunity to be reminded of our blessings during a picture perfect summer afternoon.

I have been involved with the Global Village program almost since its inception; it is a unique chance to spend time with young professionals from around the world. This year, 53 countries are represented. The "Villagers" do just what the name implies...they build a village of interconnected relationships and networks while taking intensive courses in business, management, and leadership. The goal is not only for them to return to their countries with the ability to build a successful future for themselves and their homeland, it is also to maintain the friendships they have made.

The theory being that people and countries with a future, or at least hope for a future, are more prone to focus on building success than increasing violence. An example heard during our Fourth of July celebration was how the Serbian and Croatian members of the Village were becoming friends.

As we shared our traditional picnic foods with Nasima from Afghanistan, João of Portugal, Kalpana of India, and Asaf of Israel, we heard stories of personal dreams, cultural conflicts, and government turmoil: Sitting in the sun, in the West End of Allentown, with red, white, and blue banners blowing in the breeze, anything seemed possible, even a world that will eventually be at peace; but peace can be elusive.

As the first fireworks from J. Birney Crumb Stadium lit up the night sky, Nasima jerked away so violently, ducking down, covering her head, that it took several seconds for me to realize what was happening. Taking her arm, I reassured her that this was a celebration and nothing would harm us. She looked at me with a mixture of determination and sadness and said, "When I hear this noise in my country, someone has died".

This Independence Day is one that will long be remembered for the friendships formed and lessons learned. May we never forget the sacrifices that are constantly being made around the world for freedom, from the protesters in Iran to our troops in Iraq. God Bless America.

Blogger's Note: My thanks to David Gwyn for the lovely photos...and for being a lovely son-in-law.

Reassuring Leadership

After a week off, this post may seem like ancient history, but I'm going to write it anyway because I think the story should be shared.

On June 15 I wrote a post titled "No Fresh Air This Summer" about several break-ins in my neighborhood. The post also included the details of a very disconcerting incident involving a scream in the dark, a gunshot, and less than stellar response from the APD.

Within 24 hours, Asst. Chief Ron Manescu had called me to discuss the incident and within 48 hours, Captain Steven Mould had emailed asking if we could speak on the phone.

Ron Manescu and I have known each other for over ten years. As I've posted before, when I was running for mayor, he was one of my top three choices for chief. He was not calling in an official capacity. Our conversation was informal and off the record, so it will suffice to say that he was inquiring as to whether there were more details than he read in the post.

Captain Mould and I have been in the same room together at a few meetings, but we don't really know each other. I was impressed with his professionalism and his concern for trying to piece together what happened the night of the incident I reported. He was, as he should be, concerned about being fair to his officers and wanting to get both sides of the story. He ended our conversation with a commitment to get back to me once he's looked in to it.

One of the privileges of writing a blog, or anything for that matter that other people take the time and energy to read, is to tell both sides of the story to the best of one's ability. So since I didn't hesitate to write about a not very positive experience regarding my 911 call. I want to also write about the positive, timely and concerned response I received from the Department's leadership.

Even when things don't go well, it's important to remember that these men and women put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, and they do it under less than ideal conditions. I think Asst. Cheif Manescu summed it up well in an email he sent after our conversation...

From a professional note, I see in the eyes of these overworked men and women, the strain of trying to keep up, and how they quietly bear the tremendous responsibility of solving difficult and complex cases. I am amazed some come to work; which is a testament to their dedication and care of the community they work in.

Above and below them, they are expected to do exactly as you described – more with less – and if they fail, it is easy to point the fault in their direction.

Numbers Don't Always Tell The Story

The front page story in Sunday's Morning Call, titled "Many Allentown homicides unsolved", paints a discouraging, but not surprising picture of the effectiveness of the Allentown Police Department. Since the Afflerbach pension plan went in to effect, the APD has been the poster child for how to try to do more with less: More murders, gangs, and drugs...less officers.

When it comes to the Detective Bureau, the number of "11" quoted in the story includes the Asst. Chief and two Sergeants who are responsible for administration and oversight. The actual number of detectives who are out on the street is "8". A far cry from the Bureau's high number of 14 detectives; 18 if you count the captain and lieutenants who were previously part of the unit. That layer of "middle management" has been eliminated; depleted by the lure of lucrative retirements.

With Allentown's murder rate equaling or breaking records each year, it seems unfair to portray those who remain in APD, or those who are willing to join, as inept at solving crimes when they are working at such a disadvantage. It's important to keep in mind that not only is there almost 50% fewer dectives, there is more crime and just as much paperwork, not to mention court appearances and testimony. It's no wonder the arrest rate is down.

And while we're on the subject, I want to point out that Vice is, percentage wise, in even worse shape, down to 7 members from their high of 18. I'll bet the bad guys have the word out on the street..."Yeah, go to Allentown. They can't keep up with us there."

As I've stated many times in this blog, I'm a proponent of the concept of community policing, but with a high percentage of serious crimes going unsolved, perhaps the emphasis on community policing needs to take a temporary back seat until the gangs, drugs, and murderers are under control.

More Allentown Budget News...On Camera

There's another frightening story by Jarrett Renshaw in today's Morning Call about the Allentown budget. Even the city's controller, Bill Hoffman, has stopped buying the administration's smoke and mirror routine. If you haven't read it, you're missing some valuable information about what could well be a $9 million shortfall.

While covering last night's city council meeting, Renshaw also turned on his Flip Video Camera. If you care about the finances of Allentown, these clips posted on Queen City Daily are must watch viewing: Sounds like Councilwoman Jeanette Eichenwald is quickly losing patience with the whole tap dance, too.

For those of us who have been shouting from the rooftops that the city is in much worse financial shape than the Pawlowski administration has been willing to admit, there is little satisfaction in watching this other shoe slowly fall.

Freedom Is Not Free...

I'm headed out of town on business, but didn't want to leave without publicly stating my support for the people of Iran. Watching hundreds of thousands of them pour into the streets, defying the government and their thugs, is a stunning reminder that Freedom Is Not Free.

Most Americans never contemplate what it is like to live in a place that can shut down your phone calls, your internet access, and even restrict whether you can leave your house. According to CNN, international news crews are now also being controlled and intimidated.

In the "for what it's worth" category, I disagreed with Senator McCain's statement today. I do not think President Obama should be speaking out more forcefully in support of the protesters. Such dialog only plays in to the hands of Iran's hardliners. Hopefully our CIA has been doing its job and we have operatives on the ground who are working with the protesters.

The Iranians may not prevail this time; the odds are stacked against them, but they have spoken with great courage, the entire world has heard them, and they have moved their country closer to the freedom all people seek.

No Fresh Air This Summer....

Just when we thought that summer meant lazy hazy days and warm soft evenings, we get reminded that it also means an increase in crime. Two homes in my neighborhood were robbed recently; the modus operandi was the same in both cases...the perpetrator crawled in an open window. More about those incidents in a moment.

First, a story of my own. My office is on the front lower level of my house, by a window. It's the closest room in our home to the outside and the street. Since I often work late into the evening I'm in a position to hear most of what goes on, which in this residential neighborhood usually isn't much, especially after dark.

One night last week, around 10:30 p.m., I heard a woman scream: It was blood-curdling; the sound someone makes when they're truly terrified or think they're going to die. At the risk of sounding dramatic, I will tell you it sent me flying out of my chair and up the stairs. By the time I got to the front door, my husband who had just gone to bed, was already there. He told me not to open the door till he got his gun. While he was gone, I heard a shot outside, just one, and then there was silence. I called 911.

Our across the street neighbors had guests who seemed to be filtering out of the house, so I called to tell them what I'd heard and to let them know the police were on their way. My neighbor told me he thought he'd heard a scream but that he dismissed it because he had a house full of noisy teenagers and multiple TV sets turned on.

Two squad cars arrived in about ten minutes. They walked up and down our alley, spoke with the neighbors, and came over to tell us they couldn't find anything. I wish the story ended there, but it doesn't. The officer went out of his way to try to convince me that I hadn't heard a woman scream, including speaking to me in a very condescending manner and then implying that I didn't know what a gun shot sounded like.

I've heard from other citizens about treatment like this, but all my experiences with the APD prior to this have been positive ones: I'd never before been on the receiving end of this kind of arrogance. One of the last things the officer said to me before leaving is, "You probably just heard your television. We don't get many calls in this neighborhood."

Really....

To follow is a message I received several days ago from a nearby neighbor:

I was robbed today. Someone came through my living room window which was open. Whoever came through the window had to be fairly small since it's not a large window and wasn't open very wide - they did not open it any further than it was open. The police officer said they were pretty brazen coming up onto the front porch and going through the front window. I agree - in fact thought of any window that one would be the one least likely to be used - silly me.

They took my jewelry box. It is a dark brown box with a top that opens with a mirror in it, and two drawers. If you see it discarded in the area call the police, please try not to touch the outside of the box so it can be dusted for fingerprints. They put it in my gym bag which is black and blue with "Runner's World" on the side. As they left through my back door, they took a digital camera.

I did hear of another daytime robbery in the area that occurred when the homeowners were at work. It sounds very similar to my situation - only jewelry was stolen. In both instances, no one was home. Clearly, in both cases, the homes were being watched and the burglars knew our schedules.

So the moral of these stories seems to be...

No fresh air for you this summer: Keep your windows closed and locked, at least when you're not at home.

Be aware of your surroundings; if your instincts tell you someone or something is not right, listen to them.

And please don't bother the APD unless you have a smoking gun, a bleeding body, or all your jewelry is missing.

A Meeting Of The Minds

Early this morning, a group of local Republicans, from Lehigh and Northampton Counties, gathered over coffee and bagels to discuss the future of the Grand Old Party from both a national and local perspective. As reported by Scott Krause in a story titled, "Lehigh Valley Effort: The definition of a Republican", in the June 3 edition of The Morning Call, the meeting was called by long-time Republican activist and king-maker, Charles Snelling, along with several other familiar figures in the Party.

But it wasn't Snelling or any of the older "town father" types who led the meeting, it was Wayne Woodman, who as I understand it has been a fundraiser and "behind the scenes" person in Republican politics from California to Pennsylvania. Woodman delivered the opening address and facilitated the meeting, which was no small challenge thanks to a lot of very healthy egos being in the room, including an extremely vocal female member of the group who tried right from the get-go to dominate the discussion; being the first to raise her hand and then launch into a lecture about religion, the unborn, and Sarah Palin.

Since I was invited as a participant and not as a journalist, I will mention no names except those of the leadership who have already voluntarily identified themselves to the paper. It will suffice to say that after one and a half hours, there was no consensus nor specific results, although I doubt anyone expected such outcomes from a first meeting.

Woodman did a good job of trying to straddle both sides of the chasm without falling in. He echoed Newt Gingrich's remark from the recent GOP Senate-House fundraiser where he said, "I am happy that Dick Cheney is a Republican. I am also happy that Colin Powell is a Republican."

To my ears, one of the best statements made during the meeting was when Woodman talked about the need to stop blaming the "liberal media" and everybody else for the situation in which the Republican Party now finds itself. He told the group that they need to ask themselves "Why" has Colin Powell drifted away from the Party, not to blame Colin Powell. To further make the point, Woodman told the room that there are a lot of people who identify themselves as Protestants. Within that classification, you will find Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, and many more, but in the final analysis, they all still call themselves Protestants. That's what being a Republican should be like...everyone subscribes to same the core tenants, but they may go about honoring them in different ways.

The meeting probably could have gone on till noon, but by 9:30, the room had to be relinquished for another function. Oh yes, did I mention, the room was in the Lehigh Country Club? Not to be disrespectful to my hosts, but don't you think holding a meeting about the future of the Party, in the middle of a recession, at a country club, is just a little tone-deaf? I think the Starlight Diner has a private room and I know they have coffee and bagels.

The "next steps" included Woodman committing to contact each member of the group for a one-on-one discussion about what they see as hurdles to be overcome and how they suggest getting past them. From what I saw and heard in that room today, Mr. Woodman has his work cut out for him, but no more so than Republican leaders all across the country.

According to a recent USA Today/Gallup poll, 47% of Republicans and right leaning Independents failed to come up with a single name when asked who speaks for the Republican Party. And 33% of the respondents said they hold an unfavorable view of the Party.

If Republicans are to find their way out of the wilderness, I believe that meetings like the one held today, can play a crucial role in the journey.

Farewell To A Friend...

Today marks the last time that Glenn Kranzley will walk in to The Morning Call building on Sixth St., in Allentown, with the ability to influence the opinion of thousands of people across the region. Glenn, like so many others, has been caught in the gathering storm brought on by the downsizing and re-positioning of the newspaper industry.

For much of his adult life Glenn Kranzley has been a newspaper man; the last twenty-four of them at TMC where he worked in "opinion & editorial", first under some wonderful editors, like Dick Brunner, who he credits with helping to establish the paper's reputation across the state for incisive analysis and hard-hitting editorials.

When Glenn became Editor of the Opinion Pages and a Vice President of the paper, he brought with him more than those lessons learned; he brought a love of journalism, and very importantly, he brought with him his "born and raised" knowledge of the Lehigh Valley...he knew everyone, and he knew where the "bodies were buried".

To those of us who have lived here all or most of our lives, The Morning Call is an institution, a constant that you can count on each morning to inform and enlighten you. Even in it's recently altered state, it still provides trusted information and insight.

It's hard to believe that Glenn Kranzley's knowledge, instincts, and enthusiasm for the newspaper business will no longer be part of of that information and insight.

Glenn's leaving the paper is also a personal loss: Eight years ago, after I had left political office, Glenn asked me if I would like to write a regular column. That question changed the direction of my life. What I found over the past years was not only a passion for writing, I found a friend and mentor.

Glenn, your voice and your leadership will be greatly missed by this community. I know I am just one of many who wish you well and look forward to hearing where you will next take your talent and your wisdom. Godspeed.

Those Neon Lights Are Bright On Broadway

There seems to be a musical theme running through this blog lately, from Country, "Beer for the Horses", to Oldies, "Up On The Roof", to R&B, "On Broadway"....

And that's where I'm headed, to The Marriott Marquis on Times Square, where I will be serving as a judge for the 2009 American Women in Radio & Television Gracie Awards. I'm really looking forward to getting dressed up and stepping out in the Big Apple, especially in honor of my female colleagues who have written and produced some amazing news stories and documentaries over this past year.

But the excitement doesn't end there: On Thursday, I'll be broadcasting my internet radio show, live, from the home of Business Council for Peace Founder, Toni Maloney, who just happens to live in "The Hamptons". Toni is an amazing woman who formed "Bpeace" as a result of watching the Twin Towers explode in to flames from her lower Manhattan office on 9-11.

After all that activity, a little relaxation is in order and what better place to do it than in one of the great playgrounds of the rich and famous. I've never been to "The Hamptons" before, so this should be fun. I also haven't written a "Weekend Wanderings" post on this blog in a while; this may be the perfect opportunity.

While I'm gone, please hold down the fort, and for heaven's sake, don't get arrested by the Beer Police at Wegman's !