Allegheny County Executive: The best news associated with this Election Day is that citizens will soon be rid of Dan Onorato (left, with junior aide), under whose lack of leadership the County of Allegheny is in shambles, acutely failing nearly everyone who comes in contact with county government and chronically violating the United States Constitution and fundamental decency. The sole consolation for those who will elect half-heartedly Infindorsed Rich Fitzgerald to succeed Onorato is a slim hope that Fitzgerald's coziness with Onorato policies and playmates will be cast aside in January, when Onorato is to become an unproductive lobbyist collecting a six-figure reward for eight years of favors funded by taxpayers. Republican Raja, an unattractive candidate, deserves sympathy -- he has paid dearly for being duped by Republican Party leadership and by a sleazy set of campaign consultants -- but not votes.Allegheny County Controller: After overcoming a familial connection with ugly InsolvenCity politics to become a worthwhile legislator, and overcoming her most worthy competition by defeating Valerie McDonald Roberts in the primary, Chelsa Wagner has earned the Infindorsement.
Allegheny County Treasurer: A small-town pol of the type that has shackled our region for decades, but a likeable and relatively effective one, John Weinstein carries the Infindorsement with him to victory on Tuesday.
Allegheny County District Attorney: Jordan Miles merits the Infindorsement; incumbent Steven A. Zappala Jr. is far too conflicted to deserve the additional term of office oblivious voters will provide on Tuesday.
Allegheny County Council: Infindorsed candidates are John DeFazio (Democratic at-large), Edward Kress (Republican at-large, although Republicans were silly enough to nominate tiresome but loud ineffectiveness embodied by partisan flamethrower Heather Heidelbaugh), District 2's Jan Rea, District 5's Vince Gastgeb, District 6's John Palmiere, District 10's William Robinson, District 11's Barbara Daly Danko, and District 13's Amanda Hawkins Green. In the sole contested race, in which Republican Michael Dell offers unsophisticated but well-meaning opinions against Nick Futules' proven insipidity, the Infindorsement belongs to Michael Dell, largely because Futules chose cowardice over conviction (an easy call for someone who lacks conviction) in ducking the drink tax vote.
Pittsburgh City Council: Infindorsees Darlene Harris (District 1), Bruce Kraus (District 3), and Dr. Patrick Dowd (District 7) are a flawed and fractious bunch, but they appear to constitute the principal hope for averting catastrophe in InsolvenCity until a competent mayor takes office. With Natalia Rudiak, Bill Peduto, and District 5 rookie Corey O'Connor (who holds an Infindorsement crafted entirely of hope), they possess a responsibility to forge a durable coalition against List-Maker predations and parking privateers.
Pennsylvania Superior Court: David Wecht was chosen for the bench too young, primarily on name recognition, but needs only outpace a lame Republican to get the Infindorsement and easily meets that standard.
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court: Kathryn Boockvar is too young for an appellate position, but is nonetheless plainly preferable to her opponent and therefore takes the Infindorsement to the polls.
Judicial retention (Pennsylvania): Voters should consider retaining Infindorsed judges Renee Cohn Jubelirer and Mary Hannah Leavitt (Commonwealth Court). Voters should push the "reset" button and create vacancies with respect to the judicial positions currently entrusted to Michael Eakin (Supreme Court), John Bender and Mary Janes Bowes (Superior Court), and Robin Simpson (Commonwealth Court)
Judicial retention (Allegheny County): The Infindorsed candidates for retention are Kathleen Durkin and Randal Todd. Voters should thank David Cashman, Guido DeAngelis, Michael A. Della Vecchia for their judicial service with a vote to return them to the pool of local pols.
Library funding referendum (City of Pittsburgh): Although a county-wide funding mechanism -- such as Regional Asset District revenues, which would be adequate for this purpose were relevant board members to refrain from self-promoting, hypocritical ass-kissing in the form of iniquitous subsidization of entertainments preferred by the tuxedoed corporate class -- would be preferable, we encourage InsolvenCity voters to recall the wisdom of Emil Faber ("Knowledge is Good") and support public libraries by voting to enact a modest tax.
Infytune: Salt Of The Earth, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger
Infytune: Electioneering, Radiohead
Infytune: Won't Get Fooled Again, The Who
19 comments:
I just for the first time noticed that we're dealing with a different DeFazio than the one I'd been assuming.
Nobody connects the dots like Infynonymous....that riff on the county coming apart at the seams under the last days of Onorato is the kind of thing the "real journalists" should be doing
Pretty sure the DA has to be a lawyer. Also what is your problem with Mike DellaVecchia, Dave Cashman & Guido DeAngelos?
I'd love to know the reason for you vote of no confidence in the judicial races. Not that I don't take your word as authoritative. I just like to sound well reasoned and "Infy said so" doesn't convince everyone.
Go figure - straight democrat ticket. All people who will destroy the viability of Pittsburgh
Dan 'The Drink Tax Man' Onorato simply kicked the can down the road with respect to spending cuts (e.g. the public-sector Unions) as will Fitzgerald.. a truely scummy politician if there ever was one. Every program should be CUT. Pubic-sector employees should be forced to take concessions.. no one is forcing them to stay employed with the County (or City or State or School Districts, etc.).. the $$ are not sustainable.
No one will face up to the Unions.. in my lifetime or my residency in Western PA.. hopefully, the latter is *much* shorter than the former.
Go on. You've never mentioned this before. I'm intrigued to hear your full and detailed reasoning.
By endorsing the retention of Kathy Durkin AND the ouster of Cashman, Della Vecchia and DeAngelis, you've proven on thing - that you are not a lawyer.
Alright, I'm opening it up. What is the deal with everyone's antipathy for Raja's "consultants"? I can understand the tactical stupidity of not going after the Democratic party line on property reassessments, and I can understand Infin maybe going over the rails, but the Trib? They have been ruthless. Did they insult the House of St. Barnabus or something?
Regarding Common Pleas judicial retention: The bench is weak. Factors include "social promotion" of district justices; candidates elected primarily because of others' connections; undesirable coziness with prosecutors and/or politicians; and lack of Democratic Party effectiveness and leadership.
With respect to each candidate who did not make our cut, at least one of those factors (usually more) disinclined Infindorsement. Lack of an Infindorsement does not necessarily imply bad character or objectionable conduct; in many cases, it merely implies a sense that Allegheny County can and should do better.
Or, of course, we could be wrong.
The Raja campaign's manager is a relatively green, bull-in-china-shop ideologue unsuited for an Allegheny County campaign. Picking him was Raja's mistake, and his candidacy's loss. Persuading Raja that big self-financing was an appropriate response to the lack of financial support for the candidacy was his consultants' mistake (unless viewed from the consultants' short-term financial perspective).
Has anyone familiar with effective campaigns opined that Raja has been well-served?
why does anyone care what this moron blog says? nobody - I mean nobody - is going to vote based on this moron, it just gives city council payroll people something to do, reading a blog on city time
I disagree. I think the local political analysis here is as good as anywhere I find. Not saying I would just blindly follow anyone advice in the voting booth but, I will most definitely keep these Infidorsements in mind!
Hey, Infinonymous you pick good songs too!
Infy please change your DA vote to my candidate, Rollo Tomasi
Based on your endorsements, I'll be writing in Jordan Miles. And don't forget that anti-fracking lady for ACE. What's her name again?
Sometimes, when I look at the ballot, all I can do to keep myself from running away is to keep thinking that, statistically, there is almost no chance my vote will matter.
I'm never distraught by how much my vote statistically counts, it's the political maneuvers outside the elections that bother me. I'm tired of candidates running unopposed in general elections because a party can't be bothered to field a candidate. Come on, Republicans, you mean to tell me you can't find ONE Orie supporter to give even a token challenge to Stephen Z.?
Anonymous said...
Go figure - straight democrat ticket.
November 6, 2011 7:00 PM
That's a bunch of error in a few words.
Four or five Republicans were Infindorsed.
Not the first time.
Democrats take as many shots as do Republicans around here.
It is "Democratic," not "democrat," at least among the literate.
Other than that, fantastic comment!
this blog is awesome
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