Tube City Almanac

November 13, 2006

Deep Items From a Shallow Mind

Category: default || By jt3y

I had something of a perfect storm late last week --- the water heater blew up and the two-hour job of replacing it took all day, and then I came down with a bad cold --- so you were spared my bloviating on the results of the elections. Keep that in mind: There's something else to be grateful for on Thanksgiving.

I will drop a few pearls of wisdom (actually, they're more like "cubic zirconia of obviousness") on you, however.

  • Rick Santorum's concession speech was one of the most graceful and compassionate things I've ever heard him say. I knew there was a reason he had so impressed me years ago, before he became the spokesman for the Grand Inquisition. If he had behaved that thoughtfully and with such good humor during the past 12 years, he'd have won re-election.

    I'm glad to see Santorum still has that in him, and if he does run for governor in four years --- as many people seem to think he might --- I hope he comes back with that humility intact. It would serve him, and the people of Pennsylvania, well.


  • Speaking of Santorum's concession speech, several people have sent me jokes about his children, who were on the platform with him. No offense, folks, but I'm not even going to dignify them. That's beyond the pale: Whatever you perceive as his political sins, don't visit them upon his kids.

    They love their dad, and they were there to support him --- of course they were crying and upset. C'mon and grow up.


  • The only other election item of note, for me, was that Mike Veon lost. Mike Veon lost! Let me say it again: Mike Veon lost!

    When I heard the news, I wanted to dance around like Eric Cartman on "South Park": "Na na na na na na, made you eat your pay-raise."

    One Democratic official told the Beaver County Times that voters "just committed suicide" by rejecting Veon. Oh, please. Get over yourself. If you're worried that his replacement won't know how to bring home pork, I'm sure he'll figure out --- they always do.

    Frankly, Veon has soaked the taxpayers of Beaver County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for years and years, both directly (through his unabashed use of personal perks and gratituties) and indirectly (by failing to use his power to do anything to reduce the size of state government or to reform property taxation, to give just two examples).

    The voters of Beaver County "committed suicide"? No --- they went to the window, all right, but instead of jumping, they opened it up and yelled ... well, you know the rest.

    Veon's lucky they were satisfied just using voting machines. In an earlier time, they'd have used tar and feathers.


  • Finally, a commenter asked about Thursday's cartoon: "Is Bob Casey going to commute daily from Scranton to Washington, D.C.?" That's a reference to a frequent complaint about Santorum --- namely that he was gaming the voters of Pennsylvania by taking charter school money while living in Virginia.

    Actually, I suspect Casey will do what generations of congress-critters and senators have done --- he'll rent an apartment in the DeeCee area and travel back and forth on weekends.

    I'm more surprised that no one commented on the logical fallacy of having a Quaker kick someone. You knew that was supposed to be a Quaker, right?

    I know, don't give up my day job (I have a day job?).


See yinz tomorrow. Lots o' local Mon-Yough stuff coming up this week, kiddies --- better buckle your seat belts n'at.






Your Comments are Welcome!

U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum accused state Treasurer Bob Casey of “aiding and abetting terrorism and genocide,” saying Sunday that state pension funds are invested with companies linked to terrorist-sponsoring states.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Monday, October 30, 2006

“I congratulate him, and I mean that wholeheartedly. He ran an excellent campaign. He is a fine man and I know that he will do a fine job for Pennsylvania. Please give him a round of applause.”
Senator Rick Santorum conceding to Bob Casey, election night, Tuesday, November 7, 2006

The gracious concession speech is a tradition in American politics. The honorable campaign is not. Which is the true measure of a person’s character? Did Senator Santorum’s concession speech show humility or was it disingenuous and self-serving? Either way, it was a sound political move.
Strisi - November 13, 2006



Sen. Torquemada has spent much of his career demonizing people he doesn’t agree with —- gays, liberals, working mothers, non-Christians, moderates, people who take more napkins at Wendy’s than they need —- so the gracious campaign speech isn’t a tradition for him. But I see your point.

Again, if he had displayed any of that grace over the previous 12 years, things might have been different last Tuesday.

I think his often intemperate words for his enemies also explain why there’s so much ill-concealed glee over his defeat.
Webmaster (URL) - November 13, 2006



If Senator Santorum had displayed any of that grace over the past 12 years, he wouldn’t be who he is — as you aptly describe him — our century’s scion of the Spanish Inquisition. My point is that neither he, nor many of the traditional conventions of politics are honorable. Lee Atwater, Karl Rove and John Brabender did not invent character assassination as a campaign tool. They simply put a new edge on an old sword. Some candidates hold that sword with a dainty grip. Rick Santorum grabbed it tight with both hands.

Was there humility in his concession speech? Were his teary- eyed children a sympathetic sight? For a moment, I thought so. Then I remembered what Rick stood for. I thought of the tears of the families of all the Iraq War casualties. That speech was sound politics. I hope that in his case it’s too little, too late.
Strisi - November 14, 2006



This was a weird election. I voted for candidates I felt were the best running for their particular posts. Three of four were losers so you can guess at least two of my choices. I also can say at least one was neutralized by a dear disabled relative’s vote (who probably has a better sense for current events that a lot of allegedly normal folk). Now that the election is over, we’re already reaping the benefits, including the prospect of higher taxes in a state where casinos were supposed to be a panacea. Meanwhile, my one winning candidate seems to have something in common with a former North Hills lawmaker. Weird.
Does it really matter? - November 14, 2006



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