Some voices have
contributed apt and concrete points (and
interesting,
timely background) to the discussion concerning next Monday's election of a council president in InsolvenCity.
(Others, however, have offered nothing better than
wisecracks,
snide asides and
sarcasm.)
The
process and posturing may have rendered the result irrelevant. If council can not assemble and maintain a coalition that changes city government's course -- including, but not limited to,
resisting the
broadband streaming of
bad and
worse ideas from the mayor's office (and its for-profit subsidiaries,
Merrill Lynch,
JPMorgan,
Merrill Lynch,
Morgan Stanley, and whatever company
John Verbanac happens to
prefer)-- the choice of a president won't determine much beyond which few miles of city streets are to be resurfaced.
(Don't forget that a couple of council members are convinced
Vince Lombardi said, or at least meant, "paving.")
The ingredie
nts for council's renaissance appeared to be in place when Kraus, Rudiak, Dowd, Shields and Peduto formed a progressive majority-to-be (with several candidates for a sixth member of an effective coalition). That progress seems to have become illusory, however, as Dr. Dowd has begun to embody Bluto's "
seven years of college down the drain," inexplicably gravitating toward the mayor's office (and the
mayor's lackey).
Optimism should accompany each New Year, inclining mention of the bright spots in InsolvenCity's changing government.
Jim Motznik has
departed council, passing the
Motznik Chair In Advanced Mayo
ral Fealty to Rev. Rickey Burgess. Motznik takes his sewer boots (right) and
old school political philosophy (and resume) to a district justice's office, elected by voters who apparently share Mr. Motznik's theories of constitutional jurisprudence. (This is a list of bright spots for city government, not for the Commonwealth's
UnifiedJudicial System.
Labeling Motznik the Ravenstahl administration's most reliable and aggressive sycophant should not discount the energetic servility of Tonya Payne, who is probably
looking for ready to start a
temporary new gig bridging her
bootlicking for the mayor service to the city and her
bid for higher office.
Natalia Rudiak seems likely to be, and Daniel Lavelle might be, a welcome force for good in the seats vacated by Motznik and Payne. But if Dowd continues to portray Anakin Skywalker, the consequent disruption in the force may be too great for even two eager new rebel fighters to overcome as a troubled system seeks
A New Hope.
UPPERDATE: Atop the
Slag Heap is a guess that Theresa Kail-Smith would be the consolation prize were Bill Peduto unable to arrange five votes. This prompts two observations: (1) it is difficult to believe that Natalia Rudiak could embrace the Dark Side this soon, and (2) if Kail-Smith's level of
inexperience is considered adequate, why would Rudiak be excluded from consideration? A better bet than Smith-for-president is the
Heaper's summary of InsolvenCity 2009.
f politically perfect family life -- at public events, on election day(s), in earned media -- was disingenuous. The announcement's timing was politically calculated, and it is difficult to square the claim that Luke is paying a top-shelf Philadelphia lawyer's bill from personal funds with the published mayoral salary. These points deserve mention, but only because they involve a public official acting in public.
g FreeCreditReport.com's catchy jingles?
the foundation of a blood feud of Orie-Hart proportions. In practical terms, and in Dr. Dowd's increasingly insular world, friction with Peduto (and Doug Shields) constitutes justification for voting for Rev. Ricky Burgess or Theresa Kail-Smith (or whomever the Ravenstahl camp views on Monday as the most viable obstacle to council independence and a progressive agenda).
solid North Carolina team, in a bowl at Charlotte. More important, Pitt's recruiting has created enough breadth and depth to avoid overburdening a few standouts (while, like relying on role players to be pillars, had become Pitt's custom). Previous Panther teams might have relied on Mike Shanahan and Ray Graham as workhorses; this year's roster enabled them to complement Jonathan Baldwin and Dion Lewis, and profitably cast Bill Stull 
as a facilitator rather than a linchpin. The Panthers had both all-conference tight ends and a stacked defensive line. Pitt's defensive weaknesses off the line were noticeable primarily because the Panthers were consistently strong elsewhere. Dave Wannestadt and his staff have pointed Pitt in a proper direction.
observers with two wins to start their conference schedule. Defeating the fifth-ranked and unbeaten Orange in Syracuse suggests these Panthers could turn a rebuilding year into a successful season, despite a lack of dependable scorers in a brutal league. If this is what a down season looks like in Oakland, the Pitt basketball program is solid.
but Penn State outlasted Louisiana State, its eleventh win in a top-ten season. Penn State's schedule and season resembled Pitt's -- too many wins against weaklings, losses against the few tough opponents. A Pitt-Penn State game would have been preferable to Penn State's Syracuse or Eastern Illinois game, or to Pitt's North Carolina State or Buffalo game.
after a unanimous council approved prevailing wage legislation, 
he point of intoxication ("an intoxicated consumer is our best customer"), and some might argue a financially stressed casino could be especially tempted to act irresponsibly.
oo much to ask the liquor control board to investigate the circumstances of Mr. White's reported misadventure? North Side residents already must deal with the effluent of the biggest nuisance bar in town; it seems cruel to expect them to put up with a 24-hour operation producing scenes such as this.
re so intense they appear to have warped the space-time continuum, because Pittsburgh is now at least a month ahead of Punxsutawney: It seems more and more likely that January 4th will signal four more years of winter for Pittsburgh.
