tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post3922789314805026633..comments2023-12-24T05:26:48.861-05:00Comments on The Pittsburgh Comet: Day's events: Campaign Finance exception triggered, Patrick Dowd endorsesBram Reichbaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-62583035024147736012013-04-08T18:20:09.867-04:002013-04-08T18:20:09.867-04:00SORRY I WAS GRUMPY ON April 7, 2013 at 6:48 PMSORRY I WAS GRUMPY ON April 7, 2013 at 6:48 PMBram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-2256587743141714452013-04-08T10:24:07.216-04:002013-04-08T10:24:07.216-04:00flybylight:
And we have to get over this obsessio...flybylight:<br /><br />And we have to get over this obsession with the "spirit" of the law.<br /><br />We don't live in a society where people are often bound to the spirit of the law. If we did, we probably wouldn't need laws or lawyers.<br /><br />As you know, we codify laws because the boundaries established in laws are the bare minimum we will, as a society, accept in terms of the behavior of individuals, groups and organizations.<br /><br />I can't expect you to live up to my hopes and dreams. I should be able to expect you to live up to the "letter" of the laws that govern our society.<br /><br />Shawn Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02199246577083781115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-37279917621172690902013-04-08T10:19:16.593-04:002013-04-08T10:19:16.593-04:00flybylight:
Like it or not, whether we agree with...flybylight:<br /><br />Like it or not, whether we agree with it or not, any citizen wishing to seek elective office is entitled, under the First Amendment, to spend as much of their own personal resources as they choose, because the Supreme Court rules that as "protected speech."<br /><br />So, barring the two millionaire's clauses, the Ordinance would have faced a short half-life, because the minute it was challenged by some candidate wishing to contribute, say, $15,000 of his own money into his own campaign, he/she would have marched straight down to 700 Grant Street, and that would have been the end of it right there, two years ago.<br /><br />Having established that, the only way any Campaign Finance regulation would be fair is to account for that for the candidates who don't have that luxury.<br /><br />The question you should be asking -- because it is key -- is how did the legislation pass in its' final version with the flaws it contains?<br /><br />How did City Council pass Comprehensive Campaign Finance Regulations that only tie the hands of candidates for City Council? How did that get not 5, 6, 7 or 8 but 9 votes?<br /><br />Of course Mayor Ravenstahl signed it, no one on Council objected.<br /><br />And of course he followed it, he was the only candidate for Mayor who managed to raise a million dollars while following it.<br /><br />The legislation, in theory, sounds good, but in practice, is perhaps the single best piece of incumbency protection legislation ever passed by City Council.<br /><br />And it gets better. You'll have to wait until my longer explanation graces this site to read it, though.Shawn Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02199246577083781115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-9942460547448187282013-04-08T10:01:51.477-04:002013-04-08T10:01:51.477-04:00Shawn Carter, your post yesterday points to a prob...Shawn Carter, your post yesterday points to a problem that really needs to be addressed in city government - the decline of the City Council into no-discussion legislation.<br /><br />How could a piece of legislation get passed with such a thing as a millionaire's trigger? By arriving at the table, sloughing around on the table, being beaten up for high-horse postures standing for low-count corruptibility, and then being passed with the thought that "we should just get it passed already, we can fix it later."<br /><br />You are still working in City Council, you could make discussion - real, deep, complete, and engaging discussion - of legislation happen before it is even introduced. I know you know how, you and I both have attempted it. I don't mean just going to everyone's office and trying to gloss over the issues and get them to agree to vote on it, I mean sitting down at a table with your colleagues and discussing the ins and outs of the legislation, bringing in outside opinions (not paid consultants or yes-persons, not anyone with a vested interest in it passing with loopholes), and making it the best it can be.<br /><br />I am saddened by the judge's decision, because the spirit of the law, the intention of the millionaire's clause, was that a person with boundless personal resources (not campaign money, not loans) should not have an unfair advantage.<br /><br />I am saddened that we even need money to get people's attention in an election.<br /><br />flybylighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18435937236829741806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-56198108344502598052013-04-07T18:48:10.633-04:002013-04-07T18:48:10.633-04:00Each and every person who comments on this blog is...Each and every person who comments on this blog is a hack, aren't they? :o How long has it been this way?Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-18627250788567051952013-04-07T15:16:23.041-04:002013-04-07T15:16:23.041-04:00Jack Wagner has spent the last 18 years working i...Jack Wagner has spent the last 18 years working in Harrisburg. He has not been a decision maker or policy maker in Pittsburgh. Bill Peduto has spent the last 18 years being an active decision and policy maker in a Pittsburgh. And yet Wagner in a short two weeks has overtaken the presumptive leader in the race with little effort. Menawhile Peduto seems to be stuck at 30 %. Honestly, if you're not sure of Peduto after he's spent the last 6 years being the the the face of mayoral opposition, you're not going there. I haven't even seen or heard a commercial yet, but it looks like voters are settling in early !Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-87019689734533586822013-04-07T05:40:07.403-04:002013-04-07T05:40:07.403-04:00Helen,
And as for what is in the interest of &quo...Helen,<br /><br />And as for what is in the interest of "We The People Without Deep Pockets", a large group of which I am a member, it never serves our interests to be told that laws we generally support aren't actually capable of doing what they're advertised to do because our elected local lawmakers didn't bother to either due their due diligence, proofread or don't really understand the law. <br /><br />Shawn Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02199246577083781115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-49827763715723077532013-04-07T05:34:56.860-04:002013-04-07T05:34:56.860-04:00Helen,
The real question is, "Why, since the...Helen,<br /><br />The real question is, "Why, since the millionaire's clause was a part of the Ordinance, and Councilman Peduto, who wrote the Ordinance, was aware of that, knowing that Michael Lamb had likely already triggered it, did he not simply follow the remedy provided by the millionaire's clause and raise money with no limits?"<br /><br />I'll answer: Less-than-desirable statutory construction.<br /><br />This much is clear: Almost no one who is/was subject to the Ordinance was clear on how it was to properly operate, Councilman Peduto included.<br /><br />Helen, you should read the Ordinance with a keen eye and you will find that, as written, the Ordinance doesn't work, for numerous reasons. <br /><br />Anytime a law is written with multiple, plausible interpretations, THAT's a problem.<br /><br />Blame Jack Wagner and Michael Lamb all you want. The person you should blame is the person who wrote it.<br /><br />When a law is broken, blame the lawbreaker. When following the law results in the occurence of multiple ubsurdities, blame the law.<br /><br /><br />Shawn Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02199246577083781115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-1394831784988158492013-04-06T14:18:48.474-04:002013-04-06T14:18:48.474-04:00To all those that think passing illegal legislatio...To all those that think passing illegal legislation like gun bans and fracking bans because "at least Bill is standing for something." How did his poorly written election law work out for ya? Guy can't even be good at being bad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-54614718831901055142013-04-06T08:44:37.770-04:002013-04-06T08:44:37.770-04:00To Bram - most Ward Chairs work in the city. Part ...To Bram - most Ward Chairs work in the city. Part of the deal - they get the people in power their votes - they then get a job with the City. The reason why Peduto and Rudiak did not go for the democratic endorsement is because the vote is in the bag - as the ward chairs will all vote for Lukie then. How could you not if you work for the City and Lukie is the mayor? This is a governance flaw but obviously a strategic ploy for those in power. If you seek the democratic endorsement and then not get it, you cannot run as an independent. Some of these ward chairs have thug-like mentality and because they are there due to their democratic affiliation - They run the others into the ground especially those they see as a threat. They are obviously not there because they are qualified for their jobs but because of their political affiliations. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-37705428199021944702013-04-06T02:03:18.501-04:002013-04-06T02:03:18.501-04:00I might livetweet if I can get service in there.I might livetweet if I can get service in there.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-69760824055960984542013-04-05T22:54:09.755-04:002013-04-05T22:54:09.755-04:00Well, a pretty lazy attempt at Excellency X2, even...Well, a pretty lazy attempt at Excellency X2, even if I do say so myself. <br /><br />I'll be at the debate, but I'm already way behind on my promised Part II post to the Comet, so I'm bowing out.Helen Gerhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010369817073080001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-24846894072764029702013-04-05T22:45:16.547-04:002013-04-05T22:45:16.547-04:00Flattery .... bucking to get called Excellency X 2...Flattery .... bucking to get called Excellency X 2. <br /><br />:)<br /><br />Have a good weekend all.<br /><br />Who is going to live blog the next debate on Saturday, in less than a day? Remember, wifi isn't so good in the ex-Peabody auditorium / lobby. Anyone with a simple audio recorder for a mp3 file would be welcomed too. <br /><br />Mark Rauterkushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17157914569686528007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-66342405287561692212013-04-05T22:30:10.261-04:002013-04-05T22:30:10.261-04:00@Mark
I'm all for public financed elections, ...@Mark<br /><br />I'm all for public financed elections, increasingly common around the world and with generally good results, or at least with clear betterment.<br /><br />By the way, I meant to second Bram's compliment on the excellency of one of your recent comments - too sleepy to go find it right now.<br /><br />Helen Gerhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010369817073080001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-13866796833433817762013-04-05T22:18:07.683-04:002013-04-05T22:18:07.683-04:00None can level the playing field. Can't happen...None can level the playing field. Can't happen. Trying to do so is foolish, IMHO. <br /><br />Rather, the thing to do is illuminate it fully. There are bumps, holes, grades, steepness and all sorts of other nasty ways that the field of life is less than fair or even close to being fair. <br /><br />Point them out. <br /><br />Having OPEN and FULLY TRANSPARENT PACs with real time reporting of every cent going in and coming out of the campaign is what I'm talking about. <br /><br />An equitable democratic process and the possibility of a far more fair and level playing field comes with public financed elections. I'm not sure that's ideal either. But that's the only real way to get something that is far more fair with a level playing field.Mark Rauterkushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17157914569686528007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-91538391935911475742013-04-05T22:05:30.415-04:002013-04-05T22:05:30.415-04:00Sophistic packaging, tangled qualifications, legal...Sophistic packaging, tangled qualifications, legalistic prettification of "Good Old Rich Boys Unite Again" - whatever you want to call it, Wagner's attack on the actual practice of that campaign finance law did real damage to equitable democratic process and the possibility of a far more fair and level playing field. Helen Gerhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010369817073080001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-32165207089043568132013-04-05T21:38:44.052-04:002013-04-05T21:38:44.052-04:00@Shawn
You write: "It clearly wasn't in ...@Shawn<br /><br />You write: "It clearly wasn't in Wagner's interest to raise his attack(s) on the validity of the law itself."<br /><br />It clearly wasn't in the interest of We the People Without Deep Pockets for Wagner to challenge and invalidate that law for this election. Helen Gerhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010369817073080001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-67454598285493714822013-04-05T20:29:46.600-04:002013-04-05T20:29:46.600-04:00Bram,
In government, a law is presumed valid unle...Bram,<br /><br />In government, a law is presumed valid unless it is successfully challenged.<br /><br />It clearly wasn't in Wagner's interest to raise his attack(s) on the validity of the law itself.<br /><br />He desired an immediate ruling from the Court. Had he raised his attack on the validity of the law, we might still not have a ruling.<br /><br />And had the millionaire's clause not been implicated, the judge would have ruled that the contribution limits don't even apply to Mayor/Controller elections in the first place.<br /><br />Nobody puts their money where my mouth is... That's why you still have a job! LOLShawn Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02199246577083781115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-54691891340191655062013-04-05T15:52:34.706-04:002013-04-05T15:52:34.706-04:00Ward chair. You know, Pete Wagner is Democratic ch...Ward chair. You know, Pete Wagner is Democratic chairman of the 19th Ward, Jeanne Clark is chairman of the 7th Ward, Sam Hens-Greco is 14th Ward chair. The elected leader of each ward. In some wards, the chair dictates who their underlings, the county party committeemembers in that ward, will vote for at the party endorsement and in the election.<br /><br />The "common plea", BTW, is a downtown restaurant frequented by drunken judges. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-1873448438010552952013-04-05T14:37:28.399-04:002013-04-05T14:37:28.399-04:00Well, by failing on the "c'mon, pretty pl...Well, by failing on the "c'mon, pretty please" defense and then succeeding using a clause of the actual law itself, that's a pretty good indication that the law means something.<br /><br />If you think Wagner might have succeeded by challenging the validity of the law, why didn't he just do that? It would have done us all a favor and embarrassed his opponent to boot. Funny he didn't put his money where your mouth is.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-36800674422708052042013-04-05T11:51:30.700-04:002013-04-05T11:51:30.700-04:00Bram,
You have to stop saying that the judge rul...Bram, <br /><br />You have to stop saying that the judge ruled that the Ordinance was "valid and enforceable."<br /><br />No one asked him to rule on that.<br /><br />The Plaintiff in an action demanding enforcement certainly doesn't stand to benefit by questioning the validity of the law he's asking a judge to enforce, and Wagner DID NOT ASK Judge James to rule on whether it was enforceable.<br /><br />Wagner simply went into Court to get a ruling consistent with his desired interpretation of the Ordinance, which failed on first pass, and succeeded on the second one.<br /><br />We are all entitled to our own opinion, but the facts are the facts.Shawn Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02199246577083781115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-61883498105324053582013-04-05T11:42:52.695-04:002013-04-05T11:42:52.695-04:00Oh Bram, so close yet so far away! And while MH is...Oh Bram, so close yet so far away! And while MH is as always humorous, in the political vernacular, a ward chair is the Democratic Chairperson. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-9129282650782480572013-04-05T10:30:35.001-04:002013-04-05T10:30:35.001-04:00They are what you put in the street to hold your p...They are what you put in the street to hold your place along the route of the Leave It To Beaver parade.MHnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-60178719328710130602013-04-05T09:20:29.992-04:002013-04-05T09:20:29.992-04:00Anon 12:56 - what the heck are "ward chairs&q...Anon 12:56 - what the heck are "ward chairs"?Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-77919773616364195022013-04-05T08:43:30.119-04:002013-04-05T08:43:30.119-04:00Can Josh Joshua Wander go ahead and get a $1M dona...<i>Can Josh Joshua Wander go ahead and get a $1M donation from the PAC of Barbara Haeffer or Jeb Bush?</i><br /><br />I'm going to go ahead and bet that neither of them really wants to risk $1 million on that much of a long shot.MHnoreply@blogger.com