Pattye Benson

Community Matters

Negative Political Campaigning Needs to End . . . Election Day 2010 Cannot Come Soon Enough!

Tuesday cannot get here soon enough! Turn on the television and you are certain to see a barrage of negative campaign ads from various candidates attacking their opponents. With Election Day 2010 just days away, households across America are being attacked by negative political ads. Without an invitation, the negative attack ads are finding their way into our homes, by way of television, robo-calls, on our computers and in our mailboxes.

Everyday someone says to me they cannot wait until Wednesday when it’s over, and Election Day 2010 will be only a memory. The amount of time, energy and money spent on negative sound bites feels eternal… and maybe it is. With unlimited dollars (both domestic and foreign) buying airtime, it takes a persistent and dedicated voter to ferret-out all the paid-for misinformation. People complain and say they hate the ads, the mailers, the political phone calls and the mudslinging that we see in the news articles and the opinion pieces. But they must work. After all, it is amazing how much money is spent on these political campaigns.

Look at the contents of the political ads on TV and in the campaign mailers. The distortion, the exaggerations, the misleading claims – the blatant lies. True or false? Fact or Fiction? Most of the campaign ads are more like half-truths, half-falsehoods – and a lot of embellishment.

But do these negative ads actually work . . . do they influence decisions? I would like to hope that they don’t work and that they don’t influence voters. I want to believe that voters are smarter and more informed and that they rise above the distortions and exaggerations. Unfortunately, psychological research has shown that the brain processes negative information more deeply than positive information. Guess political campaigners support the scientific research and have decided that negative ads do work – at least better than positive ads.

By the time the calendar hit mid-October, the viciousness of the negative ads had picked up momentum. And it is no surprise that the closer the individual race, the more negative the ads. Research suggests that negative campaign ads work even though people hate them. I think the potential also exists that people just get tired of the negative campaign season and that this feeling can actually drive the voter turnout down. Eventually, after being influenced by the candidate’s negative campaigning, is it possible that a voter would just stay home on Tuesday, thinking “why bother?”

Negative ads can have a powerful impact; people tend to remember them. . . . Isn’t that why bad news always enjoys more ‘play time’ on TV than good news. I would bet that none of these ads tells the whole truth – the truth you would accept as a reasonable person. Almost all the negative ads are partial or biased on one way or another or just misleading. In a perfect world, positive ads would have as much an impact as the negative ones. What would happen if someone ran an issue-based campaign with no mention of the opponent and no mudslinging? Would an issue-based campaign ever be possible in today’s society? Would it even work?

Where does all this leave us for Election Day; what is a voter to do? There are no campaign enforcement police making sure everyone is telling the truth. My hope for all of you who hold the privilege to vote is to think for yourself. Do a little research and use that developed human brain of yours. Please try not to be influenced by the negative campaign ads. Your vote is worth more than a nay saying ad or a half-truth campaign mailer.

I hope that residents in our community have enough sense and reason to make logical decisions and can only hope that others beyond Tredyffrin will do the same. I would ask that you stay informed by multiple sources. Think for yourself, beyond what your neighbor, your friend or co-worker favors. Know the candidates and support those who have shown ethical behavior. Exercise your right to vote in a sane, thoughtful manner and make your vote count this Tuesday!

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  1. The negative campaigning in this election is like ‘middle school’ , he did this, she did that. We need solutions and we need them now. Please VOTE on Tuesday, Nov. 2. Encourage everyone you know to get out to make an educated and informed vote!

  2. While its true this Nov 2nd may mark the end of another over the top negative campaign season, the unfortunate reality is that it also begins the next cycle for what is sure to be an even more hostile presidential campaign cycle.

  3. Too often positive things never get credit – think about this space where Warren having his family on the cover of his direct mail pieces was degraded and called “disgusting” among many other things.

    So you try and do the “Hi I am Warren Kampf” approach and that draws howls from his detractors…

    In the spirit of positive news, Warren Kampf was endorsed by the Pottstown Mercury, they endorsed Paul in 2008… That is positive!!!!

    Happy Halloween, have fun on Tuesday get out and vote!!!

    1. The Pottstown Mercury endorsement is interesting. It cites Warren’s promise for fiscal control. After promising not to raise taxes, Kampf raised taxes 2x. Last year, Kampf voted to spend $ raised by a sewer fee increase. Finally, He’s depleted the rainy day fund by over $1 Million. Warren Kampf may be many things. Fiscally controlled and responsible are not among those things.

      Paul Drucker promised not to raise taxes and he kept that promise. In his time as state rep, the Personal Income Tax rate has never gone up. Paul has managed to bring more $’s back to Tredyffrin that Carole Rubley ever did.

      Here’s another irony. One of Kampf’s chief supporters, School Board Member Kevin Mahoney, has actively advocated for an Earned Income Tax. So far, I have not heard Kampf rebuke those statements. Two additional primary supporters are Andrea Felkens and Pat Wood, two of the chief reasons why the TESD finances are in bad shape.

      About the only thing Kampf ever accomplished was advancing a backroom deal for St. David’s Golf Club.

      Kampf may win. Should that happen, I trust you will hold him accountable for his votes. Let’s see just how “independent” he will be.

      Here are a few of Paul Drucker’s Endorsements:

      – Chester County Fire Chiefs (Along with Pat Meehan and Jim Gerlach)
      – Tredyffrin Police Association
      – Chester County FOP
      – Montgomery County FOP
      – Pennsylvania State FOP
      – Pennsylvania Fire Firefighters (state IFFA)
      – Phoenixville Mayor Leo Scoda

      1. TredyffrinRepublican,
        As John McEnroe would say “you can not be serious”….
        Paul kept his promise not to raise taxes???
        HB 1531 10/2/09 – Paul voted YES to a Billion Dollar Tax Increase
        SB 1155 9/29/10 – Paul voted YES to another $400 Million in Tax increases….
        Not sure what promise you speak of but clearly he voted to raise taxes TWICE in two years…
        I am okay with a differing of opinion as we have on who the better candidate is, but facts is facts, right? Paul Drucker voted to raise taxes twice.
        Warren, yes the BOS raised taxes twice. While I do not excuse that I also am able to rationalize that one of the “tax increases” you site is really a leveling of the sewer fees and it came out to about $30 per year per household. Not exactly the “tax increase” that Paul voted for twice!!!!

        I promise (as I have in this space before and in other spaces) that when Warren wins tomorrow, and all data points to that even Paul’s last poll that the Democrats in Harrisburg did on 10/26, I will hold him accountable.

        Endorsements for Warren:
        – Chester County Chamber of Commerce (Huge)
        – Main Line Chamber of Commerce (Huge – went for Paul in 2008)
        – Carole Rubley – Former State Rep (Did not endorse Guy in 2008)
        – Terence Farrell – Chester County Commissioner
        – Carol Aichele – Chester County Commissioner
        – ELEVEN current or Former Supervisors (Paul has what?,one!)
        – SIX School Board Members
        That is a lot of folks who stood up and put their name behind Warren…

        Contrast that to Paul:
        – Chester County Fire Chiefs – UNION, no big surprise
        – Tredyffrin Police Association – UNION, no surprise
        – Chester County FOP, UNION, no surprise
        – Montgomery County FOP, same
        – Pennsylvania State FOP, same
        – Pennsylvania Fire Firefighters (state IFFA), same
        – Phoenixville Mayor Leo Scoda – come on no one takes this one seriously…

        When you match them up I think you see a pattern, faceless organizations that are unions support Paul, people that are more picky about where their name would be used, overwhlelmingly support Warren. It really is a microcosm of the campaigns…

        Tomorrow should be very interesting, I agree that Warren will win, it will be 5-7 points and I know that Warren will work very hard to unify those detractors. I hope people keep an open mind and are willing to work with him, if so this area will benefit greatly under his leadership. If we “hunker down” for two years lying in wait for that next gotcha moment I am not sure how that best serves anyone…

        Have a great day everyone!

        1. “- Chester County Fire Chiefs – UNION, no big surprise”

          Not a union. Nice try though. This is composed of all the Volunteer Fire Chief’s in Chester County, including those in the 157th according to their website.

          “- Main Line Chamber of Commerce (Huge – went for Paul in 2008)”

          The MLCC Legislative Committee recommeded Drucker, but the voting body went against their recommendation. However, is a nice endorsement for Kampf.

          “- Carole Rubley – Former State Rep (Did not endorse Guy in 2008)”

          Actually she did at the last minute. If you had some historical prospective, she did a robo call and green lawn signs were put up at each polling location in Tredyffrin and other spots??? with a positive quote about Guy from Rubley.

          “- Tredyffrin Police Association – UNION, no surprise”

          Kampf drove the Tredyffrin Police to arbitration and demonstrated his lack of communication skills. For a person who has ‘earned his stripes’ in the courtroom you should question why no Police are behind him.

          When I get home today I don’t want to hear another whiny robo call from his Kampfs first girlfriend, the guy who cut his hair, etc. Kampf needs to defend himself and not hide behind others.

          I am not a fan of Drucker or Kampf so I will be writing in Sean or maybe Pattye or maybe Ray Clarke. Not sure yet. Better yet, Paul Olson.

        2. “ELEVEN current or Former Supervisors (Paul has what?,one!)”

          All Republicans. I am shocked.

          “SIX School Board Members”

          All Republicans. I am shocked.

          “Phoenixville Mayor Leo Scoda – come on no one takes this one seriously…”

          A Democrat. I am shocked.

        3. Carole Rubley? Where did Carole Rubley endorse Warren? Please point to a specific press release where it says that Carole has “endorsed” Warren.

          As a Warren Kampf supporter, staffer and GOP Committee Person, as to Mayor Scoda, you are saying that he and Phoenixville is not worthy of respect. That is what you are saying. And if Mr. Kampf does not come out now and denounce your words, he is adopting them.

          Please get back to us with proof of Carole Rubley’s “endorsement” of Warren Kampf.

      2. AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH.

        Once again — another claim to try to blame Warren Kampf for the weather. I left the school board in 2001……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
        PLEASE find soemthing about Paul Drucker you can support and stop tryiing to create reasons to oppose Warren Kampf.

        Hey — today’s mailing either was scary or desperate — a picture of Trish Kreek on a full page supporting Drucker. Trish Kreek — “former committee person” ….let’s tell it like it is — Trish Kreek — former supervisor, defeated by Warren Kampf. Wonder where her bias comes from??? Maybe Paul promised her a job?

  4. Negative campaigning will end when campaigning ends. Read about the Rally in DC yesterday and how civil and pleasant it way.
    Can we end the campaigning here, now? Everyone go vote and we’ll all talk about the leaves for a couple of days. It is awesome weather, isn’t it? Trick or treaters have a nice night ahead of them…before the clocks change too! Conestoga won their soccer game last night in Penalty kicks! Life, when viewed optimistically, is good.

  5. It seems to me that one major contributor to the problem is the distortion that results from tiny fragments being excerpted from statements/speeches/votes/etc., and the whole context of the position being lost. I don’t see a solution, though, under the current way the game is played.

    The concert/comedy show/rally was great fun with a huge attendance. Most of the signs were clever; the one I enjoyed most was “Stop the govnment putting red squiggles in my missges”.

    (No prizes for guessing which words the red squiggles underlined!).

  6. I find it funny that no one from Mr. Drucker’s camp has commented on the fact that Mr. Drucker’s campaign did, in fact, attack Warren Kampf for wanting to “cut Social Security.”

    These people were so high-and-mighty decrying Warren’s mom’s phone call — saying how stupid it was, Drucker hadn’t attacked, it was a federal issue, etc.

    Apparently, the Kampf campaign knew something b/c they hit it right on the head.

    I will agree with the Drucker supporters on one thing here though: Social Security is a federal issue and won’t come up in the House, so I guess that makes Mr. Drucker stupid as well?

    The negatives need to end, but they won’t because that’s what people react to…not the happy stuff. If people change, campaigns will change.

    1. What is fair to say is that Warren embraces the Tea Party, which does have a radical agenda to cut things like Social Security and most other federal programs. What it does imply is that Warren would be amendable to cutting programs that protect the weakest in our society.

      The piece from Warren’s campaign that shows Paul wearing lots of gold chains with dollar signs was very offensive.

      My question is, why does Warren gravitate toward the Tea Party: the party of Sharon Angle, Glenn Beck, Michelle Bachman, Sarah Palin and Chistine O’Donnell?

      1. 1/ Stop trying to tie Warren to the Tea Party. It was a Paul Drucker led initiative and failed… miserably.
        Warren has never said he would cut ANY program that helps people… His budget cuts as a Supervisor were in concert with MORE money to Police, fire and First Responders… so stop…

        2/ Paul’s “bling” piece as my neighbor called it was not done by the Kampf campaign it was done by the Young Conservatives of PA… NOT WARREN…

        Because Drucker is so out of step and TWICE voted for tax increases (HB 1531 and SB 1155) he is targeted by conservative groups across the state – also because of his stance of support in tolling 422 he is at odds with a local group of businesses… Thus the pieces you are seeing are not necessarily Warren approved pieces, you can always tell when you look at the “paid by” section..,
        Warren Kampf for State Rep, Friends of Warren, Republican Party of PA; those are Warren approved…

        The ad was kind of funny in a silly way though come on…

        3/ Warren does not gravitate towards the tea party. Are you sitting out the election since Paul Drucker met multiple times with the Tea Party and you have no idea what they discusses? How about State Sen. Dinniman? He is a known serial meeter with them… Maybe Andy and Paul are secretly Tea Party Members…
        Fox and Mulder should be on the case!
        Trying to tie Warren to names like that is no different than the D’s showing Rick Santorum’s picture next to a R candidate… it is without substance.

        Hope that helps

  7. @PhoenixvilleVoter

    The half page add in this past Main Line Suburban Life has a list of local endorsements for Warren, including Carole Rubley at the very top of the page.

    The ad doesn’t appear online, but I’m sure someone else can confirm as well. I don’t recall seeing it in print anywhere else.

    1. Rubley was listed in early mailings from Kampf and in the piece with a number of Tredyffrin leaders.

      It was also, as you say, in the Suburban.

    2. Howard you are correct; page three of this week’s suburban had the 1/2 page endorsement piece – Carole Rubley was there… as she was in the direct mail pieces throughout the general election cycle.

      Mayor Scoda? He is the chairperson for Paul’s campaign… he is a union member…

      I am pointing out that no one takes that addition to the endorsements seriously. It would be like Warren’s team all doing endorsements… Of course we all endorse Warren… bu working with and for him he say it every day… Phoenixville is very important and I know as your State Rep Warren will do a lot of good for you. Paul did not do much for Phoenixville, wait I don’t think he did anything… so I know you will appreciate Warren’s envolvment in the community!

      1. ************
        Paul did not do much for Phoenixville, wait I don’t think he did anything…
        ************

        No: Paul didn’t do much. Among other things, he helped secure a $500K grant so the owners of the Colonial Theatre could acquire the property next door.

        So, what’s Ken Buckwalter doing for your guy these days? Typically, somebody of Ken’s stature and standing with the party would be there to endorse. especially since he won Phoenixville and Sch. in the primary.

        Sean, your a first class idiot. As self appointed spokesman for the Kampf campaign, you disrespect the Mayor. And then you turn around and tell folks how much Warren will do. He hasn’t spent any time in Phoenixville. He couldn’t be bothered to have a campaign office there. Warren didn’t even join the Phoenixville Chamber. When he got the bill, he withdrew his app.

        Mayor Scoda wins by 70% or so. If you don’t take that endorsement seriously, your an idiot.

        Oh yes, Warren Kampf is a friend to Phoenixville.

        1. John why do you continue to post under Anon… Its not even a decent ruse… I liked dueling you without your name de plume… It was fun… no its kinda boring since I have gotten the better of you so often…

          Ken? I am not sure what he is doing. Last I heard he was on vacation… Hope he had fun!
          I have not spoken with him in a few weeks. I am too busy being an “idiot” — I did not see Doug Pike endorse Manny Trivedi, should I take that as a sign that Doug is the Deputy Chief of Staff now for Gerlach?
          Ken is his own guy… you would have to ask Ken to post a comment here what he has done for the campaign and what level he supports Warren. I do not speak for him and I would not put words in his mouth. He supports Warren and that is all I know.

          Your wrong on a few points, so if I may…
          1/ Warren pays as he goes with the Phoenixville Chamber. Many folks do that as they pick and choose the events that they want to attend… (Warren does not have unlimited funds and IS a fiscal conservative, so the strategy makes perfect sense to someone who ran a pretty big business unit and could still not afford to join every chamber of commerce where we did biz)
          Warren did not get a bill and then wd, he still goes to the events his schedule allows. You should write fiction… It was very convincing your version, not true but you had me on the edge of the seat.

          2/ I am so glad you threw me the softball about “not spending any time in Phoenixville”
          I was with Warren almost EVERY 1st Friday in Phoenixville- not July and September as they were Holiday weekends – but every other one… I did not see Paul ONCE! His Legislative aide, Dave was there with a small table but Paul could not be bothered… (Isn’t Dave prohibited from working on the campaign as a paid member of the staff? oh well ethics be damed and all he is a Democrat in the State House and its a tough line campaign/////legislative staff)
          Warren knocked on a huge amount of doors in PHX, more than Paul I would wager…
          Warren had three events that I can count quickly off the top of my head there… There is a limited time and you serve many masters… its a big territory!
          Campaign office you say? Why would he need more than one campaign office? Paul has two and what do you think that rent costs… See the difference in being a fiscal conservative and a free spender of other people’s money – an office is an office, whether it is in Paoli, Phx, or Schuylkill… So in your scenario, Paul does not care about Montgomery County as he does not have a campaign office there? Shannondell? He could not care less about those older folks obviously – there is no campaign office there…
          I know what Paul is paying for the Paoli office and it is steep!!!

          Mayor Scoda wins by 70%? I hope so – the town is 70% dems… Good people over there… Loyal to their guy – heck he won them a state title in girls tennis. That is awesome… but please; that would be like me doing an endorsement… I think everyone knows I endorse Warren, same as Leo… you can make hay all you want out of my comment but the fact is Scoda’s endorsement does not get Paul one more vote… He is not Carole Rubley or Terence Farrell!

          Township Sup of Schuylkill Barb Cohen worked on Paul’s last campaign, actively campaigned for him at events and election day… instead this year, she donated a lot of moeny to Warren, spent time with him showing him around and introducing him to all the leaders in Phoenixville and Schuylkill… wonder why she would do that? She is a very nice lady but I doubt she did that just because she is a good woman. I am sure she like a lot of people expected Paul to be involved more locally and he has not been…
          Twenty four hours… care to make a prediction?

  8. What one person (liberal) thinks is radical is another persons normal. Look how far radical left O and the Congress have gone. Nothing more “radical” than that. Physics… for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

    Hope Warren wins. I’ll give him a shot. Drucker and the rest have had theirs..

    1. Question: how have you been negatively impacted by Paul; either as a supervisor or as a state rep? He never raised your taxes as a supervisor. He has never raised personal income taxes as a state rep.

      I find it interesting that the GOP talking points talk about the evils of debt. And yet the bail out, which was a Bush/GOP orchestrated event, was entirely debt driven. That was a Hank Paulson/Goldman Sachs driven affair.

      What has Kampf done that would indicate that he could address the fiscal problems that plague Harrisburg. Kampf has told us that he has magically, by himself, solved the fiscal problems in Tredyffrin, without raising taxes and without depleting the rainy day fund. If you include next year, the rainy day fund has been/will be depleted by $2+ Million.

      I think Kampf sold you something and you bought into it, without much in the way of proof.

  9. Pattye-

    You are completely right. This negative campaigning is disgusting, and it pushes good people like you out of politics. And then we wonder why politicians are such tools?

    I wish both of our local political parties could end the dirty tricks at least for our local elections. It’s one thing for Senators and Presidents to go negative, but we’ve had really nasty BOS and School Board races in this township. I remember the mean-spirited Mr. Tredyffrin blog and then I remember the negative lies the TTGOP spread about you. So both parties are negative even in local elections. And that’s just a darn shame!

  10. “Here’s another irony. One of Kampf’s chief supporters, School Board Member Kevin Mahoney, has actively advocated for an Earned Income Tax. So far, I have not heard Kampf rebuke those statements. Two additional primary supporters are Andrea Felkens and Pat Wood, two of the chief reasons why the TESD finances are in bad shape.”

    Tredyffrin Republican-

    This is an example of negative campaigning…and a really bad one. For example, you are attacking people who aren’t even on the School Board anymore as a way to attack Warren. Why pick on Andrea and Pat? They’re retired and worked hard for this district. If you think you can do better, run for School Board. But there’s no cause for attacking Pat and Andrea.

    As for Kevin Mahoney, it seems a bit unfair to pick on him as well. First, Warren can’t control what the people who endorse him support. Second, many people on this blog agree with Kevin Mahoney’s position on the EIT.

    1. People typically endorse those who are like minded. Warren has cited the leadership of these people. I guarantee you, if Warren gets elected, he will cite the EIT has a way of taxation that fosters local control. As a supervisor, he would never endorse such a policy because it would require him to be in favor of a tax. As a state rep, he can embrace the idea of an EIT because he would never be in a position to vote for it.

      I can tell you this, if one of my main supporters came out for something I was against, I would be very vocal on separating myself from that person. We have not heard anything from Kampf on this. A reasonable conclusion is that Warren has not come out of the closet as far as an EIT is concerned.

      As for Andrea and Pat, they are largely responsible for why things are were they are. They gave the store away to the unions. And yet, Kampf cites their good leadership as reasons why he is proud of their support. And at the same time, he bashes the unions, the very unions that were benefactors of Andrea’s and Pat’s superior negotiating skills.

      1. This is sad really… you are so desperate you are trying to put Kevins words in Warrens mouth…
        Fans of Carole Rubley and Judy DiFillipo, I have good news – since they endorsed Warren it must comfort you tomorrow as you make your voting decision to know how like minded they are

        Kevin is not a “main supporter”… He is a good man who is a supporter along with many other prominent people of the 157th. Did you see the suburban? That was an impressive list…
        One last thought on this, why would Warren speak up on this issue? At this point he is a Township Supervisor and has no responsibility for the TE School board, you do know they are independent bodies right?
        Your “reasonable” conclusion is anything but… When Paul union cronies got into legal trouble in King of Prussia, where were Pauls words distancing himself?
        Oh that is right we are still waiting….
        Its not the same as Pauls instance is worse, anyone who would expect Warren to comment on Kevin’s sound bite is uninformed and disconnected from the way things work in the world.
        Where did the Dems get this guy?
        Your priceless….
        But keep trying…

        1. After the election, take your lack of credibility and conspiracy theories back to Schuylkill township. You’d be doing Warren a huge favor.

        2. Neither Carole Rubley or Judy DiFilippo endorsed Warren! The Kampf campaign was allowed to use their names ONCE. Instead their names were used in a second mailer & the MLS 1/2-page ad as supporters. Disgraceful! Just so the voting public would think they had endorsed Warren.

      2. John

        Please knock it off. I’m not running for anything and if you knew ANYTHING about my time on the school board, you would shut your mouth. Not possible for you, but sure is something those of us who remember your blog and its ugliness would dream about.

        As I said above — I left the board in 2001 and the unions were agreeable and working together. The starting salary was not even on the schedule — and I did the schedule without union approvals for the final 3 years. There have been two contracts since my departure….none with my imprint (or praise I might add). And folks need to get over the notion that the union has the store…..the union has the PSEA….and the PSEA has folks like Drucker….who still claims in his last piece that his vote on the pension plan (which is a bill that didn’t go forward) saved the taxpayers $25 BILLION….though the data suggests it is more expensive than doing nothing. For all your Kampf bashing, it sure would be nice if you could find something positive about Paul that sticks (besides that money he got from Dwight Evans for the Paoli TC — which is probably why he cast votes for major tax increases and pork projects — payback).

        1. My wife forbade me from blogging again – but – I have to comment on the ridiculous lengths some bloggers (“Anon” aka John Peterson?) go to blame former school board members for the current budget woes.

          Come on – blaming someone who left in 2001? It would be more fair to blame me (1999-2007) but even that is a stretch. Andrea has pointed out some of the problems presented by state law when it comes to negotiating with the teachers union. I know some people don’t want to hear this, but it does have a lot to do with Harrisburg.

          Let’s not forget that the state legislature changed the pension benefit multiplier – a blatant pension grab favoring state employee unions, including the teachers – unleashing (with the stroke of a pen!) a tsunami of red ink which engulfed all 501 school districts in Pennsylvania – all of them.

          Are all 501 school boards composed of fiscal incompetents who gave the store away?

          The issue of which candidate would do a better job addressing the PSERS issue is highly relevant to this race. The voters should ask themsleves which candidate is more likely to stand up to state unions and work for a real solution to the problem, not just a band-aid and kick the can down the road.

  11. John, we finally agree on something!

    “People typically endorse those who are like minded”

    Didn’t the Local 401 Iron Workers Union donate money to Drucker’s campaign?
    The same thugs who (probably) attacked those workers at the King of Prussia mall? Did he ever return that money to them? Or even denounce those attacks?

    John, one last thing… I know I speak for many on this blog who are dying to know who you plan on voting for and why… lol

  12. When the Republicans decided to publicly announce who had and who had not donated private $$ to the Tredyffrin Public Library (hello, Paul Olson), I switched to voting Democratic in Tredyffirn Township. Kampf is one of the coterie of Republicans who have run the Township for years. They turn down highly educated and qualified people for certain Township positions in favor of their sub-par cronies who have no qualifications except that they are Republicans. I am tired of rich Republicans running my township, raising my taxes, etc. Attend a School Board meeting and you’ll witness first-hand Republican smug entitlement (and, in certain cases, dead weight that should have been voted out years ago).

    1. Out of curiosity, did you also switch to voting Democratic in state and national elections as well, or only for the local township races?

    2. Jane
      There are 9 elected members of the school board. I would suggest that any smugness you see is because no one pays any attention to what happens until it hits squarely home. Perhaps you can take some of your energy and interest and run yourself….it’s about 20-30 hours some weeks — and all kinds of community gratitude comes your way….especially years later when the high school renovation is finished, the administrative staff is stable, and your own kids are through college. Very satisfying.

  13. face it, I doubt you were ever a Republican. So cursed are the “rich Republicans”, whoever they are. Let’s ALL be, then, poor Democrats. This is why Obama and his national and local acolytes will go down in history as Carteresque failures.

    names names names… why don’t you just go to work, employ someone, and maybe YOU will become RICH. Then you can give it all away if you so chose. Raise the capital gains tax, even if it means LESS income to the government. this is a famous quote from…….??? Lesson learned.

    1. You are quite welcome – maybe I’ll see you at the polls.
      Should be quite interesting to see how the various races go. I’m just glad I’m not running for anything. I don’t think I’ll ever do that again!

      (If the Hindus and Buddists are right, and I have additional lifetimes to go, I think I’ll skip politics for a few more lifetimes too)

  14. John-

    It’s just completely unfair to attack Pat Wood, Andrea Felkins and Kevin Mahoney. You may not agree with their endorsement of Warren Kampf, but all three of them served our district for years in an unpaid position and did their best for our schools.

    And only 1 of them is even still on the school board. So it’s particularly mean to attack people who aren’t even public figures or running for office.

    If we attack people like this, who will want to serve? From what I hear, it’s incredibly difficult for both the TTDEMS and TTGOP to even find people willing to run for School Board. Unlike the BOS, there is $0 compensation for the School Board. And unlike the BOS, they generally (with the exception of Carole Aichele) only ever run for the School Board. It’s not like you need to attack Pat, Andrea and Kevin because you want to derail their campaign for congress or state rep or something. They are just private citizens…please leave them alone. Didn’t you read Pattye’s post about how negative campaigning is bad? This is why people respect Pattye…she is actually a nice person. Please try to follow her good example.

        1. Hey Pattye — as an unpaid school board member, I can tell you the answer to what they are paid is “Only $3,000″….. :)
          The polls are closed. Maybe we can close all this pain too.

    1. Again, thank you. You are especially accurate in that the parties are struggling to find people who will run — since negative campaigning is the method of the moment…there was none of that when I ran for the first time in 1991.
      And for Jane — you don’t need to consider any part of the school board as partisan. WHen I was on the board, there were 3 people on the board who switched from Dem to Rep to run for the board — because the Dem Party didn’t have the “machine” in place to do any endorsing. So it has never been about party. In fact, I wish it was party-free always, as looking at neighboring districts where the parties take turns running things, they rarely move forward reversing each other every term.
      So — any smugness you sense from the school board comes from the fact that no one pays any attention until something affects them personally and then the room is filled with indignation. It makes doing the job seem somewhat pointless at times. My phrase — ‘folks with all the answers rarely have all the information.” So hang in there — run yourself. It’s community service, not politics.

  15. I did once vote Republican. And, “flyersfan,” I have worked fulltime all of my life, so I don’t really appreciate the “why don’t you just go to work” comment. My tax money from my hard earned paycheck has been going to TT for years.

    I did not vote for Obama in 2008. I am a registered Republican who votes Democratic for every Township and School Board position because I am tired of Tredyffrin being run by a single party. I have attended BOS and School Board meetings and witnessed Republican elitism and smugness firsthand. I have seen highly qualified engineers, attorneys, etc. been turned down for Township appointments simply because they are Democrats. I have seen those positions filled by vastly underqualified Republican cronies of the BOS. I would never name names because it would be hurtful, but we all know what goes on at those TT BOS meetings . They KNOW they will never be voted out so they do whatever they want, unchecked. As a Republican I am ashamed of the antics that took place a few years ago regarding the library donations and I am ashamed of the St. Davids Golf Club nonsense. It gives our party a bad name in this township.

    1. I remain suspicious, Jane barlow. Republicans usually do not say ” rich republicans” . It is pejorative and unlikely.

      Whatever. It doesn’t really matter, does it?

      I just wish that Democrats could dominate the BOS so we can see how lily white they are. Well, if the national body politic is any indication, I doubt they would be.
      Politics.. dirty game.

  16. Jane-

    It sounds to me like you are angry at the BOS. And I can understand why. They do seem fairly partisan, and many of them have used the BOS to get higher office (State Rep or Gov’t appointments). But I can’t think of a St Davids or Library funding type example for the School Board. Can you?

    Our school board is more bipartisan than the BOS (3 Democrats, 6 Republicans). They don’t seem as political. If they were acting out of smug Republican entitlement, wouldn’t the 3 Democrats vote differently than the Republicans? Isn’t it just possible that they are doing a good job and actually trying to be fair?

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