Two more points from the election

Some people don't seem to understand one simple fact:

You win elections by addition.

Campaigns that leverage subtraction do not win.

Furthermore, the 5 to 1 voter registration advantage for the Dems makes a mountain for any Republican to climb.

Meanwhile, what is the voter registration advantage for Dems over a Libertarian?

If DeSantis had to climb a mountain to win, then I would have needed to climb the Rocky Mountain Range to edge out my D-Party opponent.

A 50-to-1 ratio, not 5-to-1, fits the struggle in the L-to-D race. The results were 10-to-1.

Now let's talk about a 'landslide.'

Democrats cruise, of course. And first breath from Lamb is "AUDIT" from outside consultants

Of course the Ds won. But look at the telling statement from Michael Lamb. He wants an 'audit.' That is his pet word, as he said audit 412 times in our 30-minute debate. See the video at Rauterkus.blip.tv.

From today's P-G:

Democrats cruise in other Pittsburgh City Hall contests 'Tomorrow, I'm going to be sending a letter to the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority and the [City] Council asking them if they'd consider funding an audit of the controller's office,' he said. An accounting firm should pore over the controller's performance, he said.

Michael Lamb is calling for the audit to be done by an outside vendor. Lamb is the elected controller. Lamb is the person who is to do the audit. But in Lamb's first breath, he trys to pass the work of audits to others.

Furthermore, Lamb wants an audit of the auditors. These auditors that Lamb wants to audit are meaningless. The controller's office isn't worth an audit from outside auditors. The controller's office is redundant in this period of Pittsburgh's public government. The controller's office has been marginalized because of decades of miss-management and one-party rule.

I have said that the controller's office is like the fourth fiddle in a string quartet. Sitting in the first and second chairs are the overlords. Then comes city council. Then, finally, comes the controller. The controller's financial watchdog status is in the toilet. Calling for audits of those who should be doing audits is not the way to battle back to make the controller's office meaningful again.

Pittsburgh needs accountability from elected officials who are willing to do the hard work themselves. Accountability does not come from passing the buck to others who are not elected.

Within Michael Lamb's telling statement, there is more. Lamb wants to spend government money on a new study. Lamb wants to hire some foundation, accounting firm, or outside consultants. Lamb wants to pay them, with taxpayer money. Of course it is going to cost us -- the taxpayers. And, of course the payment is going to go to 'pay to play' benefactors.

Do you think Lamb intends to be putting up a public bid process for the outside audit of the inside auditors (controller's office)? Do you think that this will be a "minority contract?" Lamb really wants to look at how the city lets its contracts -- yeah right.

But here is the worst part. Michael Lamb is begging to the OVERLORDS. He just got elected with fricking 89.xxx percent of the vote, and his first statement within minutes to the press amounts to a puckering of his lips to kiss ass to the OVERLORDS.

Get off your knees.

Do it yourself.

Grow an audit on your own.

Spend less, not more.

Lamb might want to clean house -- but -- he knows he can't do it himself. If Lamb knew that he couldn't do the job himself, perhaps he should not have run for the position.

Oh, but let's not forget. Lamb needed a new government paycheck because his is about to expire at the end of the year.

I got 'crushed' in the election yesterday. Well, it seems to me, that's par for the course. The citizens of Pittsburgh are getting crushed everyday by its city government.

Make no mistake. As Michael Lamb says that he'll be sending a letter to the ICA (Intergovernmental Cooperatiion Authority) begging them to fund an audit of the auditors -- we (the taxpayers) are screwed.

Lamb's first step out of the gate is expensive begging for additional navel gazing that has nothing to do with freedom, liberty nor keeping our kids competitive and local.

Told ya.

Who wants to call that 'good government' now?

I'm crushed. Plus, I'm correct.

And happily, I'm free to blab about the mindlessness of the one-party folly and domination that will insure that the region's downward spiral sustains itself.

I went be back, starting today. walking to city hall talking about various news elements. I'll be back at next week's council meeting. Tonight's county council meeting and Thursday's county budget meeting might go on without me.

Frist posted at 6:57 am.

Results of the elections, at first glance

MAYOR CITYWIDE
(VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ) 1
LUKE RAVENSTAHL (DEM) . . . . . . 42,290 = 63.23%
MARK F DESANTIS (REP) . . . . . . 23,313 = 34.85%
TONY OLIVA (LIB) . . . . . . . . 500 = .75%
RYAN SCOTT (SOC) . . . . . . . . 534 = .80%
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 249 = .37%

This is really bad news. Tony got beat by Ryan. Ouch. Every vote counts!

CONTROLLER CITYWIDE
(VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ) 1
MICHAEL E LAMB (DEM). . . . . . . 54,258 = 89.40%
MARK RAUTERKUS (LIB). . . . . . . 6,352 = 10.47%
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 83 = .14%

This is good news. I got well over 6,000 votes. Ten and a half-percent isn't what I was looking for -- but it is what I got in the polling that I did last week.
I spent $250. Let's do the math. I got votes for about $.04 each.

Even in 2001, when I ran city wide, I got votes for $.30 each.

There are 1,500 Libertarians in the county. It might be right to say that there are 600 or so Libertarians in the city. Each Libertarian generated 10 votes. I think that there are 100,000 registered Ds in the city. Does that mean each D generated half a vote for Lamb.

MEMBER OF COUNCIL DISTRICT 1
(VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ) 1
DARLENE M HARRIS (DEM) . . . . . . 4,880 =74.37%
DAVID SCHUILENBURG (IND) . . . . . 1,672 =25.48%
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 10 =.15%

Way to go David. If he would have been able to have a few debates, that race would have been very, very close.

MEMBER OF COUNCIL DISTRICT 3
(VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ) 1
BRUCE A KRAUS (DEM) . . . . . . . 4,463 = 86.13%
MARK RAUTERKUS (LIB). . . . . . . 675 = 13.03%
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 44 = .85%

Who are those 44 people doing write ins? What did they say? I did better in the city council race as far as percentage against the opponent by two+ percent.

The 675 in the council vote is about 1/10th of the 6,352 I got in the city. There are 9 council districts. Time will tell if I did better in some districts and worse in others.

MEMBER OF COUNCIL DISTRICT 5
(VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ) 1
DOUGLAS SHIELDS (DEM) . . . . . . 8,067 = 99.20%
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 65 .80%

Today, Doug Shields, City Council President got 8,000 votes. I got about 7,000 votes. That is a good showing for Doug.

MEMBER OF COUNCIL DISTRICT 7
(VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ) 1
PATRICK DOWD (DEM) . . . . . . . 7,410 = 98.89%
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 83 = 1.11%

MEMBER OF COUNCIL DISTRICT 9
(VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ) 1
RICKY V BURGESS (DEM) . . . . . . 5,335 = 89.62%
DAVID C ADAMS (IND) . . . . . . . 604 = 10.15%
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 14 = .24%

Oh well.

A third party with no money (<$250) is about one quarter of what a 2nd party with $300,000 gets in terms of total votes.

More arm-chair quarterbacking tomorrow.

Told ya!

My polling efforts proved to be perfect. I knew Luke would get between 63 and 65%. I knew I had 10% of the vote for city controller.

There was no "margin of error." I didn't need a margin. There was no error.

I ran the best and most accurate poll in this election cycle, as a hobby.

I don't like the results nor the predicted outcome, but, I reported them, honestly.

South Side poll workers were well fed

I walked into a polling place in the last afternoon along with State Rep., Joe Preston. The poll workers there were H U N G R Y. They let him know about it. They were staying hungry too.

Just 90-seconds ago I had a call from the Market House. Things were different there thanks to the over-reaching, cake pushing.

I spent the afternoon and evening with David C. Adams, Independent candidate for city council in the 9th district. We had a good time buzzing most of those polling places together. I was with David Schuilenburg as the early results came in on the internet.

Dave Schuilenburg was at 25% or so and he didn't have a single debate. There was no debate for the city council district 3 race either. The possibility of having an election without a single debate is so Pittsburgh. That is unreal to me. The only thing nearly as bad is no opposition at all. But, no debates among candidates on the ballot has got to be worse.

Westwood rocks. The voting there was better than anything I saw all day. Had lunch over there.

The early visits were to the polling places in the South Side, the SS Slopes and Allentown. I never got to Oakland, but I figured Tony lived there.

This is a big city.

I had a good time on election day.

Honz Man should know, by now, how many times I was on the ballot. Twice Fred. One for each thumbs. Can you count that high?

Mean while, Marty Griffin, KDKA's other personality and mean-spirited investigative reporter that is oblivious to the obvious, was barking about the lack of opposition to various races. Jeepers, who is going to run against Onorato and get stabbed in the back hundreds of time by Marty Griffin on the airwaves????

Good night.

Early Returns covered my polling release from Friday. Only noticed today

Post-Gazette NOW - Local News - Early Returns: "In the absence of other polls ... Both Mr. Ravenstahl's and Mr. DeSantis' camps have kept their polling under wraps. No credible independent poll has been conducted. That has spawned no end of chatter about who has what data and why they're hiding it.

So into the breach steps Mr. Rauterkus, who is running for not just council, but also city controller.

Mr. Rauterkus, a swim coach and repeat candidate who is a beacon of openness in a stormy sea of campaign secrecy, said his automated phone poll gleaned 715 respondents.

He e-mailed us to let us know that 63 percent of respondents favored Mr. Ravenstahl, versus 21 percent for Mr. DeSantis, 3 percent for Libertarian Tony Oliva, and 1 percent for Socialist Ryan Scott. Combined, 'unsure' and 'not telling' polled 18 percent.

In his own controller's race, Mr. Rauterkus reported that he was trailing Democrat Michael Lamb 52 percent to 10 percent, but noted that the 38 percent who were undecided put him within striking distance, if he can win them all and then some.

Early Returns cautions that Mr. Rauterkus isn't a professional pollster, and didn't calculate a margin of error. That said, for his take on the numbers, go here and scroll down to his Friday posting.

Hey Rich Lord.... There is NO MARGIN OF ERROR. I got it on the nose. Right on the money.

I said Luke would get between 63 and 65%. That is just what he got.

I said that I was at 10%. That is just what I got.

I could NOT have been more exact.

On election day there are NO undecided. And, EVERYONE is in the "I'm NOT TELLING" mode with the secret ballot. In the polling, they had to tell me.

I may not be a professional pollster -- but -- as a hobby, I'm better than everything and anything you've got. And I'm better than everything and anything out there, period.

Post-Gazette NOW - Local News - Early Returns

November 5, 2007 - P-G Early Returns blog had this.

Post-Gazette NOW - Local News - Early Returns
Jumping the Gun edition

A day before he faces the voters, Bruce Kraus showed up in Pittsburgh City Council chambers, to the consternation of the man he hopes to replace, Councilman Jeff Koch.

Mr. Kraus, a Democrat who faces Libertarian Mark Rauterkus in tomorrow's General Election, came to speak out against a request by Folino's Ristorante to keep a decorative fence in front of its East Carson Street location. Like a handful of other restaurants on Carson, Folino's wants its sidewalk-sitting patrons to dine within a better-defined space.

Some South Siders, though, feel the trend toward fenced-in outdoor seating threatens the street's wobbly balance between partygoers and residents.

"If you add capacity to the bars, you add to the problems they're trying to deal with right now," said businessman Tom Smith, citing public urination, noise and congestion as the potential results of a proliferation of outdoor seating areas. Mr. Smith is president of the South Side Chamber of Commerce, but stressed that the organization has taken no position on the Folino's request.

Mr. Koch argued for allowing the fence, saying it will leave 7 feet of open sidewalk for pedestrians, and noting that other Carson establishments have them. He also shot a few sidelong glances at Mr. Kraus, who was sitting in the audience.

"Mr. Kraus, if he wins, come January, he has the right to turn any [sidewalk] encroachment down that he wants," Mr. Koch told council. He said many of the opponents to the Folino's request, who are bombarding him with e-mails, don't even live in the city. "It's ridiculous. It's a witch hunt."

After the meeting, Mr. Koch said Mr. Kraus was just irked because Folino's supported the incumbent in the May primary. That incumbent, Mr. Koch, lost the race.

"There's nothing political about this whatsoever," said Mr. Kraus. "If we permit one to have a permanent encroachment, when the other 20 come [and ask for the same] ... then what do we say to them?"

Council decided to postpone voting on the Folino's fence until after an as-yet-unscheduled public hearing on sidewalk encroachments.

Here is the deal. Kraus is not in favor of property rights. Kraus will act like a socialist / communist / liberal democrat.

Furthermore, Kraus will serve up "pay back." This is a power trip for him. To the victor go the spoils in that world.

Eminent Domain -- no problem with him.

Voting For My Buddies...Early Voting Observations 2007

The poll worker showed me the electronic touch panel this morning at approximately 7:05 a.m., as I wanted to make sure I made my twice annual votes mattered before trudging off to work.

Some of the choices were easy. Mark DeSantis for Mayor. Check. Mark Rauterkus for Pittsburgh Controller. Check. There may have been one judge I needed to retain, but the others were given the proverbial heave-ho on my ballot.

There were also a number of races that were uncontested: Allegheny County Chief Executive and District Attorney among them. I almost always write myself in for something and this year it was the County Council special election in my area. Of course, the winner will be a nameless, faceless Democrat who will continue to do nothing but be invisible.

I voted my friend Lou in for Allegheny County Treasurer, as I’m certain he’d be a better bean counter than the guy we currently have. I also wrote my friend Bob in as Allegheny County District Attorney.

Now I sit, listening for nuggets of information. Mayor Luke may or may not have broken the law by glad-handing inside a polling place. Former Republican Mayoral candidate Joe Weinroth says that DeSantis won his polling place, two-to-one.

The night’s still young, but two things remain certain: I will not win County Council and Ron Paul has just as much chance to be our next President.

Schenley High School meeting

Mr. Lopez, Chief of High School Reform, is holding a meeting about the pending closing of the school at 6 pm, Thursday, Nov 8, 2007, in the Schenley auditorium.

The Tribune-Review incorrectly stated that it was a meeting for students. Please try to attend.

It is important that we show the strength of the IS/IB program and that we want to have a say in major changes to our program. Maybe (and this is a very big maybe) we will decide that the move to Reizenstein is workable but there are many questions that need to be answered. I think it is especially important that families who do not live in the East End be represented well. If there are any Phillips parents reading this, can you please spread the word at your school.

Also, keep in mind and mark it on your calendars that a special board hearing will be held on Nov. 27.

Thanks Amy!
I'll be there.

Ohligarchy: Hooma Gunna Vote Fer?

Suburban endorsement for a write-in vote. Okay.

Ohligarchy: Hooma Gunna Vote Fer? Saddam Hussein, in his last election before being deposed, won 100% of the vote. That should never happen in America, not even at the lowest level. Democrat Dan Onorato will coast to victory, which means that I have about eight hours to think of a name to write in. Perhaps Mark Rauterkus? Yeah, that's the ticket.

Doing the unthinkable -- Some South Siders go to out and vote twice

They get to vote twice, for me, legally.

I'll vote twice for me too.

This way I'm not quite the lone wolf that I used to be.

Plus, there are other buddies too. One, an ex-paratrooper, Tony Oliva, Libertarian, a former D1 (NCAA Division I) footballer. And the other candidate buddies both named Dave . Think David and Goliath. One Dave is an ex-marine and the other Dave is a 911 operator. So, I'm in good company. The third Dave, David Tessitor, is at-large and all over the map, generally. Standing next to him makes me look focused.

Let's vote. Let's keep democracy alive. Let's elect people who understand the constitution while possessing a long view so that the kids here have hope for our shared political landscape for the years to come. And there is very little hope when little ones play around in the dirt that reeks of lead poison while others in power just hunker down -- too busy to notify anyone and communicate.

Kraus, Lamb, Harris did little in this campaign. They were hunkered down. I have great faith that they'll do the same in office. Meanwhile, the kids are weaker. The future is more bleak.

Hats off to Luke Ravenstahl for coming out to debate, some. Too bad Luke is responsible for doing nothing else and lack of notifications on the dangerous playground conditions for months. Luke came out to debate, and he survived. Lucky for him.

Dave for Council in District 1 -- email on election day

Well, another election has come & gone, and the outcome is now in the hands of the voters. And while our district & the city face enormous challenges & important choices ahead, one thing our team can pride itself in is having run a clean campaign & having worked diligently in getting our message of change out to voters. Though it was somewhat challenging at times, we were met with immense interest & favorable reception when meeting directly with voters. The consensus is clear. People are now ready to move forward, & they want to hear about the ideas that will improve Pittsburgh in the long run.

As this campaign comes to a close, I would just like to take an opportunity to personally thank the great many of you who have helped over the past 12 months. Along with longing for better leadership, many of you took precious time out of your personal lives to help in this campaign, and we would not have been able to make as many great in-roads across this great district had it not been for all your help. No matter what happens tomorrow, we made our mark and laid the roots which will allow voters to choose a new & progressive course when they are ready. Thank you again for all your help, and more importantly, thank you for the opportunity to have worked so closely with many of you. Great friendships were forged, new relationships established, and it has been quite an honor.

In closing, allow me to also take this opportunity to invite you to join us as we watch the results come in at our post-election night party. The polls open at 7am, and close at 8pm, and we will be meeting afterwards at Max’s Allegheny Tavern on the lower North Side, located at 537 Suismon Street (located on the corner of Middle Street, 1 block west of East Street). If you can’t make it, we will understand. However, whatever you do, please remember to vote. As we have seen in recent years in races at all levels, every vote does count and can make all the difference.

Greatest respects & God Bless,

Dave Schuilenburg

(phone # moved to comments)

about Freedom, Prosperity and Peace

Michael Lamb for Controller blog got updated on May 10.

Michael Lamb for Controller Endorsements!!! May 10th, 2007

Check out the button!

The best prediction yet

Google Calendar Tuesday - Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and snow showers. Highs in the lower 40s. West winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.

We're talking Steeler weather for election day after a Monday Night Football game.

Perhaps hell will begin to freeze over starting on Wednesday morning.

Secure those campaign signs, else we'll have a lot of urban tumbleweed and floppy litter on a stick.

The American Entrepreneur - Newsletter Articles - Pittsburgh's Last�Chance?

A long rant from Ron Morris about the election features a call to vote for Mark DeSantis.

The American Entrepreneur - Newsletter Articles - Pittsburgh's Last�Chance?: "This election is our one and only chance to make this all happen."

Sitting ducks: An inactive Pittsburgh is looking for trouble

Sitting ducks: An inactive Pittsburgh is looking for trouble: Living well is the best revenge.

Debate for city council, district 9: David C. Adams vs. Ricky Burgess

First 20+ minutes of the debate.

Click To Play

Bio from David C. Adams from the League of Women Voters online guide

David C Adams, 49, Pittsburgh, Ward 13

http://TheNeighborhoodAwarenessProgram.org

Education: B.S., Villanova University, 1980;
M. A., Princeton University, 1982;
University of Pittsburgh, 2005-present: Public Administration;
Giant Eagle, 2003-2005: Accelerated Management Training Program;
California University of Pennsylvania, 1985-1987: Speech Communications;
U.S.M.C., U.S.N., U.S.A.R., 1976-1985

Occupation: University of Pittsburgh, Facilities Management;
President, Conscience Newsletter, and The Conscience Group

Qualifications: Leadership Experience; Creator of Comprehensive Citywide Crime Prevention Program

Answer: 1. Alternative Funding: I would utilize the many resources of this city, and our geography to open marketing opportunities which would be exclusively directed to fund, and impact the city’s bottom line. The beauty of this idea, is the fact that corporations, small and large business, organizations, and sporting entities would help the city, as they market their products, goods or services. I believe this opportunity would also generate new business to the city. The marketing opportunities would be developed to ensure every business owner in Pittsburgh could join this opportunity, with price scales to fit every budget of business, including a payment plan.

2. Public Safety: Fire, Police, Ambulance, Emergency Services etc.