Actually, the tax was not exactly a renewal--it was new and different because it was to be made permanent. Why in the world are the people at the Board of Elections the only ones to be suspended? They did not draft the resolution. And the criminal investigation is a total joke--I am sure the County Administrator must be behind that deal--anyone who disagrees with him is subject to an effort on his part to make that a criminal offense and because he controls the purse strings, the sheriff and every other agency head has to dance to his tune. Wake up, Mahoning County!!
Why so critical? It does not have to be either/or--giving to missions does not mean not doing for Youngstown. Anything anyone does out of the goodness of their hearts is a plus.
Why don't these political figures keep their mouths shut? If Jim Traficant's friends want to give him a welcome home party, that is their business. There are people who are his friends and appreciate the many good things he did for this area. Unlike many politicians whose loyalty and friendship depend on how they will play for their re-election, there are people who are friends through thick and thin. He may not have been perfect, but he certainly did not deserve the prison sentence that he got. Every time I think of the roster of witnesses against him, I get sick--self serving disgusting human beings who were only interested in keeping their own rear ends covered because of threats by the feds to prosecute them. Jim's big mistake was in representing himself and relying on a bunch of losers for legal advice. Any good lawyer would have made mincemeat out of those witnesses--they were people who had their noses so far up Jim's rear while he was congressman and wimped out as cowards during his trial.
Sometimes I feel like I've gone through the looking glass when I read media comments.
Examples:
Senator Kennedy revered as an icon after leaving a young woman to drown in a car he drove off a road in Chappaquidick--autopsy revealed, if I am not mistaken, that she lived for a period of time afterwards while he was calling friends and making arrangements for PR spin. (I am not being critical--he got a second chance and really did splendidly and the whole thing haunted him forever, I think) Michael Jackson--pays off the family of a youth claiming improper activities on the part of Jackson--is tried, although acquitted, of another charge of pedophilia--known drug addict, obtaining all kinds of drugs contary to law--revered, covered adoringlyand ad nauseum by the media. Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, involved in murder of a person--on his merry way playing for the NFL with nary a critic saying a word. Michael Vick--served his time for terrible criminal acts involving dogs--vilified by the media, people frothing at the mouth because he is being given a second chance to make his living Jim Traficant--paid his debt to society--vilified by self righteous media (De Souza, for example) and public figure (Humphries of the Chamber of Commerce) and very little of the good that he did being noted and media licking its chops over his requirements for probation Donte Stallworth--vilified by the media, even though his driving under the influence was NOT the cause of man's death--manned up to his DUI--vilified by the media and rejoicing because he is suspended from NFL Placido Burress--shot himself accidentally with firearm not registered in State of New York, though had been registered in Florida--sent to prison--media rejoicing self righteously and public being happy and judgmental.
Would someone explain to me the criteria for being given a second chance? I just do not understand this. Also, I might add, if all of the people for whom Jim Traficant did good things as a part of his job as congressman and for nothing at all in return were to buy tickets for his welcome home party, there would not be enough room in Mr. Anthony's. I find these double standards totally disgusting.
I do not think PETA does anything constructive for animal welfare--all they seem to do is seek outrageous publicity. I respect the ASPCA which actually investigates animal cruelty and rescues animals to be placed in responsible ownership.
Typical scenario: Puppet commissioners "We have no money--cannot give you any" (Tablack in the background, pulling strings) Something happens, either agencies kowtow sufficiently to Tablack or are making enough of a fuss. Tablack comes riding in on the white horse, knight in shining armor, "found the money" Well, either the commissioners and Tablack are stupid, not knowing they had the money, or are deceptive, knowing they had it and not revealing it. Why does the Vindicator treat them with such kid gloves in the face of all of the outrageous things they have don? Having to pay Cafaros close to a million dollars, having to pay for Oak Hill Renaissance and being liable for back taxes when they could have had the building for nothing with $400,000 for expenses? Who at the Vindicator is in bed with them? I am so disgusted--the Vindicator can be so venomous in their supposed investigative reporting and self righteous condemnations of some targets, but let these circus performers off with NO
Grandstanding as usual. Is there no justice? When is the truth about the commissioners and Tablack going to come out? The only negative comment has been regarding Tablack's raise, but otherwise the Vindy is in their pockets. Revolting.
Posted on November 7 at 7:01 p.m.
Can we ever thank these veterans and the others of all the wars? Thanks to their sacrifices, we enjoy our precious freedoms. God bless!!
Posted on November 4 at 12:37 p.m.
Actually, the tax was not exactly a renewal--it was new and different because it was to be made permanent. Why in the world are the people at the Board of Elections the only ones to be suspended? They did not draft the resolution. And the criminal investigation is a total joke--I am sure the County Administrator must be behind that deal--anyone who disagrees with him is subject to an effort on his part to make that a criminal offense and because he controls the purse strings, the sheriff and every other agency head has to dance to his tune. Wake up, Mahoning County!!
Posted on October 7 at 12:56 p.m.
Why so critical? It does not have to be either/or--giving to missions does not mean not doing for Youngstown. Anything anyone does out of the goodness of their hearts is a plus.
Posted on September 14 at 12:08 p.m.
Bertram, give it a rest! I am starting to envision you as frothing at the mouth and chewing on a carpet because you are so frustrated that people are not stoning Jim Traficant and driving him out of town. Actually, you should be sharing your salary with him because you would certainly have written very little else in all of these years. Oh, yes, I do forget your time worn cliché, "feeding at the public trough" to describe all public employees, even the majority of dedicated workers. Your petty ad hominem attacks get more and more mean spirited as time goes on. They show more about you than about Jimbo--apparently you cannot understand the concept of true friendship that does not kick people to the curb when they have problems or when it becomes opportunistic to do so. I would cancel my subscription to the Vindy, except that I believe you should keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. I remember the days when you had your own bar stool at the End of the Tunnel--you certainly have become sickenly self righteous since then.
Posted on September 1 at 1:17 p.m.
Why don't these political figures keep their mouths shut? If Jim Traficant's friends want to give him a welcome home party, that is their business. There are people who are his friends and appreciate the many good things he did for this area. Unlike many politicians whose loyalty and friendship depend on how they will play for their re-election, there are people who are friends through thick and thin. He may not have been perfect, but he certainly did not deserve the prison sentence that he got. Every time I think of the roster of witnesses against him, I get sick--self serving disgusting human beings who were only interested in keeping their own rear ends covered because of threats by the feds to prosecute them. Jim's big mistake was in representing himself and relying on a bunch of losers for legal advice. Any good lawyer would have made mincemeat out of those witnesses--they were people who had their noses so far up Jim's rear while he was congressman and wimped out as cowards during his trial.
Posted on August 31 at 2:33 p.m.
Sometimes I feel like I've gone through the looking glass when I read media comments.
Examples:
Senator Kennedy revered as an icon after leaving a young woman to drown in a car he drove off a road in Chappaquidick--autopsy revealed, if I am not mistaken, that she lived for a period of time afterwards while he was calling friends and making arrangements for PR spin. (I am not being critical--he got a second chance and really did splendidly and the whole thing haunted him forever, I think)
Michael Jackson--pays off the family of a youth claiming improper activities on the part of Jackson--is tried, although acquitted, of another charge of pedophilia--known drug addict, obtaining all kinds of drugs contary to law--revered, covered adoringlyand ad nauseum by the media.
Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, involved in murder of a person--on his merry way playing for the NFL with nary a critic saying a word.
Michael Vick--served his time for terrible criminal acts involving dogs--vilified by the media, people frothing at the mouth because he is being given a second chance to make his living
Jim Traficant--paid his debt to society--vilified by self righteous media (De Souza, for example) and public figure (Humphries of the Chamber of Commerce) and very little of the good that he did being noted and media licking its chops over his requirements for probation
Donte Stallworth--vilified by the media, even though his driving under the influence was NOT the cause of man's death--manned up to his DUI--vilified by the media and rejoicing because he is suspended from NFL
Placido Burress--shot himself accidentally with firearm not registered in State of New York, though had been registered in Florida--sent to prison--media rejoicing self righteously and public being happy and judgmental.
Would someone explain to me the criteria for being given a second chance? I just do not understand this. Also, I might add, if all of the people for whom Jim Traficant did good things as a part of his job as congressman and for nothing at all in return were to buy tickets for his welcome home party, there would not be enough room in Mr. Anthony's. I find these double standards totally disgusting.
Posted on April 18 at 2:08 p.m.
I do not think PETA does anything constructive for animal welfare--all they seem to do is seek outrageous publicity. I respect the ASPCA which actually investigates animal cruelty and rescues animals to be placed in responsible ownership.
Posted on April 17 at 2:47 p.m.
Don't know why--got posted before I finished--"let these circus performers off with NO CRITICISM.
Posted on April 17 at 2:43 p.m.
Typical scenario: Puppet commissioners "We have no money--cannot give you any" (Tablack in the background, pulling strings) Something happens, either agencies kowtow sufficiently to Tablack or are making enough of a fuss. Tablack comes riding in on the white horse, knight in shining armor, "found the money" Well, either the commissioners and Tablack are stupid, not knowing they had the money, or are deceptive, knowing they had it and not revealing it. Why does the Vindicator treat them with such kid gloves in the face of all of the outrageous things they have don? Having to pay Cafaros close to a million dollars, having to pay for Oak Hill Renaissance and being liable for back taxes when they could have had the building for nothing with $400,000 for expenses? Who at the Vindicator is in bed with them? I am so disgusted--the Vindicator can be so venomous in their supposed investigative reporting and self righteous condemnations of some targets, but let these circus performers off with NO
Posted on March 7 at 11:32 p.m.
Grandstanding as usual. Is there no justice? When is the truth about the commissioners and Tablack going to come out? The only negative comment has been regarding Tablack's raise, but otherwise the Vindy is in their pockets. Revolting.