tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post110714785216488603..comments2023-10-24T11:05:25.288-04:00Comments on Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: Diven's in GOP: "Who's Next"?Mark Rauterkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157914569686528007noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-1109170218143783072005-02-23T09:50:00.000-05:002005-02-23T09:50:00.000-05:00Jim Motznik, a former staffer with Michael D, and ...Jim Motznik, a former staffer with Michael D, and now city council member and a Dem -- won't be switching to the GOP. No way he said to me. But, he might be running for Diven's house seat should it become open.Mark Rauterkushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17157914569686528007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-1108303763824553972005-02-13T09:09:00.000-05:002005-02-13T09:09:00.000-05:00Readshaw is a Democrat, purely for registration pu...Readshaw is a Democrat, purely for registration purposes in his district. If I recall, he does cross file during the primaries. He is a very classy guy, but he is not the YES man that the Democratic "leadership" is looking for. <br /><br />The "leadership" did try to bounce him from the legislature during redistricting. The lopped his district and Kaiser's district together. It just worked out that Kaiser, who is equally as classy, took one for the honest people and didn't run again.<br /><br />The "leadership" could have kept both of those democrats by just squeezing retiring Tom Michlovic's district out of existence and saving Kaiser and Readshaw. But they didn't want them because they are not YES men.<br /><br />The problem in fixing our region for the longterm is to not jump ship to another party, but to get rid of the YES men that DeWeese and Veon can count on. Losing Diven is bad, because he cannot even vote against them when electing leadership. <br /><br />What is needed is to rid the legislature of people that are YES men like Ruffing and Gergely and Levdansky. If they would drop from the legislature and be replaced in a primary, by a Democrat, with honest and independent views then DeWeese and Veon would no longer be considered Democratic Leaders.<br /><br />It is so frustrating to see the Democratic Party be the party in power in this region, but also be the party that is just not smart enough to bring it all together and put our region on a forward footing. To see the Republican Party have such a "death grip" on control of both houses (while Kerry and Rendell can do so well in PA) and will seemingly never lose control with such an overwheling majority.<br /><br />Democrats should wake up every moring, look in the mirror, and just puke all over themselves for allowing this "old gaurd" to run us into the ground.<br /><br />Finally, Levdansky used to be independent and a forward thinker, but now has turned into the DeWeese/Veon Robot...Gergely never had a chance as he had to sell his soul from the get go just to get there and to stay there in a second term...and Ruffing, he is reportedly not even on the house floor for most votes and totally uninvolved in Harrisburg and his district, so the DeWeese/Veon have their perfect dummy to control, although he vowed to not be that person when he won his seat.<br /><br />The bottom line is the Republican's will keep taking control of seats that should be Democrat and will eventually run Allegheny County for a long time, much like the Democrats have; hopefully they will have more success and not become the evil machine that the Democrats will be remembered for.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-1107296423926289142005-02-01T17:20:00.000-05:002005-02-01T17:20:00.000-05:00Democrats in Pittsburgh has fiscally run the city ...Democrats in Pittsburgh has fiscally run the city into the ground for 60 years. Republicans haven't had a chance on any level, so accussing them of of financial mismanagement is completely and utterly without merit.<br /><br />Harry Readshaw has been courted by the Republican party for most of the 10+ years he's been in the state legislature. If the Democratic machine doesn't respect Readshaw, don't be surprised to see him do something that some would think was unthinkable a year ago. Until then, get well, Harry. He's without question the classiest politician in western PA. Bar none.Thomas Leturgeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07452123582626408864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-1107240607127154142005-02-01T01:50:00.000-05:002005-02-01T01:50:00.000-05:00Why would the Republicans overlook "socially liber...Why would the Republicans overlook "socially liberal" for the sake of "fiscally conservative"? I'll admit I pay more attention to the federal budget than any local one, but I haven't known the Republican Party to be fiscally responsible in my entire lifetime.benzadohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00595166314446453601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-1107230991676115462005-01-31T23:09:00.000-05:002005-01-31T23:09:00.000-05:00I don't even know why Harry's name is being brough...I don't even know why Harry's name is being brought up??<br /><br />He is a Dem and will not change.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-1107180236614531732005-01-31T09:03:00.000-05:002005-01-31T09:03:00.000-05:00Harry's move -- of that of any other -- would be s...Harry's move -- of that of any other -- would be something to really cheer about. <br /><br />A move to rather than a push from is different. And, a move over the divide within the same house is also to be respected more so than an attempt at a leap to a different house different party.<br /><br />Thanks for the insights on David J. too.Mark Rauterkushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17157914569686528007noreply@blogger.com