Everyone's Opinion Newsletter

The PA Leadership Conference in Harrisburg I attended last March for the Campaign and Candidates class seems like years ago instead of months. I was trying to get the best grasp possible to see what it would take to win a seat on the Altoona City Council. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, however, I learned quickly on that day that it was going to be a tough task. Unsuccessful candidates from all over the Commonwealth who ran in previous elections stood up one by one at different times during the classes and tried to explain how things went dreadfully wrong in their respective campaigns. The fear of losing stuck with me until about 10:00pm on November 3rd when the final numbers came in showing a victory for the Citizens For Dave team (and believe me, it was a team effort to say the least!).

The thought of making too many rookie mistakes constantly bothered me. If you haven’t figured it out by now I am somewhat competitive. What’s the best type of handout? What’s the best way to handle the press? When do I start going door to door? Which neighborhood do I start my door to door work in? When is the best time to put out yard signs? Things I never had to concern myself with before became everyday decisions. The kicker in the matter is that I was confident I could do a good job on Council. However, the hurdle of the election was the part that had me concerned.

Leaving the radio gig to run for office was my first tough decision. I enjoyed my time with the folks at WRTA. Thankfully the process allowed me to meet some great folks and make friends that will last a lifetime including the other candidates in the race. One of the greatest blessings of the past summer was getting to know Michael Haire, Jason Ibrahim (my fellow Republican Candidates) and their families. These guys are great community minded men and worked very hard throughout the summer and fall. We encouraged each other to keep at it no matter how tired we got. Michael and I would talk about every evening concerning what we did or what ground we covered that day.

The Primary Election went well and was a good springboard into the summer. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lois Kanishiki (President of The Blair County Republican Women) for setting up the “meet the candidates” events. Primary Election Day was good practice for most of the people that worked polls for me because this was the first time they ever got involved in a political campaign. We all did double duty by asking folks to vote for me and also for Joy Foreman for Jury Commissioner.

Monday July 6th, (the day after the Tea Party Picnic) I started going door to door in East Juniata. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet folks and discuss the issues. In August I was making my way through Garden Heights. It will be a long time before I forget those 90 degree Saturdays hiking the hills to meet supervoters. From Labor Day to Election Day I think I ate dinner with Councilman Bill Schirf more than with my own family. We always seemed to show up at events at the same time. Whether it was hotdogs and kraut, hamburgers or whatever was being served our new Mayor (Mayoral candidate at the time) was there when I was so we had nice conversations. The last three weeks leading up to November third were a blur.

I am thankful for the folks on the Blair County Republican Committee who worked hard for all the GOP candidates. A.C. Stickel, (Chairman of the Committee) was very supportive and always willing to offer advice and help throughout the process. Michael, Jason and I were all at the Faith Baptist Church polling place right until 8:00 pm on Election night. We encouraged one another to the end.

I would like to thank Jeff Neff and the EON staff for offering the candidates websites and a forum to get the message out to the people of Central PA. EON is a vital part of the political process and a forum that gives all the opportunity to have a voice.

I would like to thank the voters for electing me to Altoona City Council and I’m looking forward to working for the people of our city. Now the real work begins.

Dave Butterbaugh

Altoona City Councilman

With all the debates over national health care and continued war it seems that a vital issue to Pennsylvanians is being overlooked. That issue is the further deregulation of our electricity providers. It has already been scheduled by our state government to go into effect next year.

As with all “deregulation” the stated purpose is to provide incentive for competition across state and local lines. We will, according to the key word riddled arguments of deregulation supporters, be able to get electricity for less as deregulation opens the door to competitive pricing from various providers. This is the same thing they did in California, a few years before the Enron scandal. Deregulation and poor oversight are what allowed Enron to systematically scam everyone.

I’m going to ask you all a question: What is the natural result of competition? The answer that stands foremost in my mind is the creation of a winner. In most competitive fields, one person/group wins and many fail. What this means for prices is that at first we may experience the almighty realization of lower prices, but eventually the larger providers will buy up all the others and there will only be a few mega-corps left. This is called a monopoly. Monopolies without regulation lead to poor service at high cost because there are no alternative sources of service.

In the past many power companies were locally commissioned to provide electricity to a small area. These companies turned a healthy profit, but were not beholden to the corporate need for more customers and fiscal growth. For example, the Board of Light in the town of Ilion, New York gave away power for the month of December as a Christmas gift to the community every year. They also put up street lights and powered them for free. Through all that they remained solvent and profitable until large scale corporate structures were imposed and took authority away from the Board (Doukas, 146-149).

Deregulation, trickle down, and Reganomics in general do not work. They are lies imposed by the corporate power structure that pays for our “representatives” costly election campaigns. They are falsehood born out of greed, designed to keep the resources and lucre at the top. The only thing that deregulation does is allow freedom to increase prices. The only things that trickle down are leftovers and debris. Our politicians line their pockets with our tax dollars, corporate contributions, and illegal graft and we sit idly by and let them take us for all we are worth!

(Ref: Doukas, Dimitra. Worked Over. Ithaca and London: Cornell UP, 2003. Print.)

Dave,

Hollidaysburg, PA

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a safe and praise-filled Thanksgiving!

On Sunday, November 22nd, Hollidaysburg will host key winter events, beginning at 2:00 pm with the Hollidaysburg Community Partnership's Annual Winterfest Parade.

During this time, the U.S. Postal Service will collect Letters to Santa. Bring non-perishable food items and unwrapped toys to support local charitable efforts.

Later Sunday night, prepare for a free Christmas Concert at 7:00 pm performed by The Hollidaysburg Community Band at the First United Methodist Church.

Bring a non-perishable food item to benefit the American Rescue Workers Mission for admission.

Penn State Altoona’s chapter of Kappa Delta Pi presents Bill Ayers, Thursday, December 10 in the Slep Student Center. Ayers will speak on, “Democracy and Public Schools” from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

During the 2008 Presidential campaign, a controversy arose over his past contacts with President Barack Obama. Ayers had formerly been involved with an anti-government extremist group called Weather Underground Organization.

Ayers is now an elementary education theorist who works with education reform, curriculum, and instruction. He is a professor in the College of Education at the University of Illinois.

The event is free and open to the public, and is first-come, first-seated.

The Blair County Republican Women will host a dinner with State Senator John Eichelberger on Thursday, November 19 at 6:00 p.m. at Hoss’s in Duncansville. Guests will order off the menu.

The club will be accepting monetary donations and paper towels for the Blair County Wildlife Rehabilitation Center that evening.

R.S.V.P.s can be sent to Lois, the organization’s president at: Lois@nb.net or 207-0011

The group’s website is: www.BlairRepublicanWomen.com

Last night, the House voted on a trillion dollar healthcare plan which was sharply split between parties. Republican alternatives were turned down.

A statement released by 9th district Rep. Bill Shuster before the vote:

“The people of the 9th district and their fellow Americans across this nation want to know why Congress is focused on Speaker Pelosi’s plan to take over healthcare and impose a major energy tax through cap and trade instead of focusing their attention on an economic plan that could create jobs. I saw this concern yesterday as thousands of regular Americans took to the Capitol to demand real action to halt the mismanaged government Speaker Pelosi is presiding over.

I continue to join my House Republican colleagues and a growing majority of the American people in standing for real solutions that will help create jobs, instill fiscal sanity in Washington and lower healthcare costs.”