Small In The Saddle...

I should have been a cowboy.

Riding the range all day, mending fences, tellin' doggies to get along, lazing around a campfire with the boys and eatin' hubcap-sized plates full of beans, passing copious amounts of gas, sleeping under desert skies.

Ahhhh, now there's the life. Dirty, smelly, not a care in the world.

Instead, I got into broadcasting; first radio, then television. Some would say that dirty and smelly fits the broadcasting nicely at times. You'll get no argument here, pardner.

Next stop along the dusty trail of life was animal sheltering, which itself can be malodorous at times - I don't mind an ounce. Then this cowboy was tempted to mosey on a bit and darned near saddled back up, riding off into those mysterious canyons where the political life hides, places where the sun never quite manages to shine.

For any number of reasons spelled out in the previous post on this blog, I did not.

I have no regrets whatsoever. My promise right from the very beginning was to never make any promise I could not keep. No one can make an accusation of my breaking that promise.

Then there's my fellow political-weenie pal, David Yonki, who posted on his blog, "...And folks, let’s face facts, being a Congressman isn’t what it used to be. Even though I love politics, there are so many of my fellow Americans if you will who have nothing but disdain for the political process."

Pop over and visit David's blog http://lulacpoliticaletter.blogspot.com/ I'm betting you'll enjoy it greatly.

So how do I feel about things?

Pretty darned good, to answer my own question. That being said, I do have a few concerns. Let's say there are a few burrs under my saddle.

The biggest burr of all comes from those who seem to think my interest in politics is a recent development. Wrong. Those who believe that should go and have a few laughs with that handful who believe I know very little about politics. Again, wrong.

Neither assumption could be further from the truth. Anyone who has known me for more than seven minutes knows the passion that can sizzle within me when it comes to politics.

Not too many years after my obligatory pony picture was taken at Rocky Glen Park, I stood within a damp throng in the hot, steamy, and cavernous Watres Armory along Adams Avenue in Scranton. We waited, and waited, and waited.

We waited for the man we all just knew would be the next president of The United States. It was worth the wait. Elecricity crackled in the air as the crowd screamed when John Fitzgerald Kennedy's motorcade finally pulled to a stop at the Myrtle Street entrance to the Armory and word spread like a tsunami's surge that "he" was here.

JFK's striding to the stage coaxed forth a roar that had to have been audible at every saloon in Minooka, all of which were surely empty that night. It was magic. I got it. And I loved politics from that night forward, and have never taken a time out.

If only by default, if only by being a political-weenie most of my life, I happen to know a great deal about the process. There are many times I believe I know more than is good for me. Much of what I know makes me sad, it shakes my faith in the system that is supposed to be the very foundation of who we are as a nation.

"We the people..." may in theory still control this great country with its states, counties, cities, townships and boroughs, but every time we elect or re-elect candidates, we temporarily turn the keys over to them. Some of "them" are not worthy keepers of the keys.

For now, my political ambitions, while not tucked away down in the basement for good, have been put on hold while I get back to the business at hand here The SPCA of Luzerne County.

It Didn't Cost A Million Dollars...

The roller coaster in that picture, it's that roller coaster that immediately forces my eyes to go right to it. That was Ben Sterling's Million Dollar Coaster, the one that never did cost a million dollars.

Mr. Sterling was one of the handful of people who at one time or another owned Rocky Glen Park. It's my understanding that Sterling was the man most singurlarly responsible for Rocky Glen hitting its greatest strides, mostly in the 40s and 50s. In 1957 that Million Dollar Coaster burned down. What was left was then torn down. From there, most all historical accounts paint a slow, steady, and sad demise of Rock Glen Park, right up until its complete closing in 1998. Why in the name of all that is fun this area cannot support an amusement park baffles me. I mean, politics can be one hell of a spectator sport hereabouts, but we need rides, big rides, scary rides.

Giddy-up...

I can't stop staring at that picture, which was among many my sisters and a brother-in-law have rounded up, scanned, and sent to me.

It's a fine looking pony, and it sure seems like a humid, hazy, gooey summer day at "the glen" as most called it back then. What I'm trying to remember is if I remember sitting there like a dolt and having my picture taken. If you look at the left side of the photo, you'll see an adult forearm steadying the pony, which would tell you that I wasn't exactly galloping around hell-bent for leather, stopping only for a quick snap of me saying, "Howdy, ma'm..." before yeee-haaa-ing my way off again in a cloud of dust.

And my feet don't reach the stirrups, my legs had a long way to go before being ready to ride 'em hard and put 'em away wet. But I did see Gene Autry once...at The CYC in Scranton. He was actually on a stage with his horse Champion. It was kind of lost on me. I was more of a Roy Rogers and Gabby Hayes guy myself.

And I was once considered a distinct and serious possibility as a candidate for The U.S. House of Representatives. Of that, I am both humbled and proud.

Maybe my feet do indeed now reach the stirrups.

A Tough but Proper Decision...

I suppose what follows will surprise a few, not at all surprise some, disappoint a couple people, and likewise make at least a handful of others happy.

I'll risk a little here and be immodest in saying that my decision will also cause a sigh of relief under some roofs.

My decision leaves one less dog to bark at the caravan as it moves on. (Sorry, but the "dog" reference just had to happen.)

To say that the matter has caused me serious mental calisthenics is about right; to say that I wrestled hard and long over a decision would not be inaccurate.

As I wrote way back in July, being encouraged to run for congress is heady stuff, it really is one hell of a notion, a powerful jolt to one's ego. But that's all on paper.

Like so many other things in life, running for congress "looks good on paper."

The reality is quite different.

For all those who encouraged me to do this, thanks a million.

To all who vowed their support should I decide to do this, thanks a million.

To those who wished I wouldn't do this, you got your wish. You're welcome.

The why behind the decision is really pretty simple. At this moment in time, here in 2008, I am thrilled to be doing what I am doing.

I love my job. That's it. Plain. Simple. Unadorned. I love my job and presently have no interest in walking away from it.

It's been a long, long time since that statement could be made. It's true - I love my job, and I love my life right now. I don't want to turn my lifestyle upside down, and I especially don't want to fail in my commitment to The SPCA of Luzerne County.

Should you care to call me an altruistic fool, please help yourself. If it's the worst you can say about me, wonderful.

That's it. I love my job. I don't want to leave my job. I don't want to be a member of congress...at least not right now. My coming of age was in a generation which was constantly reminded and encouraged to "...be true to yourself." So, why not? Forgive me for being just that, true to myself.

My conscience is clear on the matter; had I gotten in, it would not have been with heart, body, soul, psyche, and every cell within me. I never misled anyone on that.

Getting in and running anything less than a bona fide and honest-to-God 100% earnest campaign would have been unfair to those who supported and encouraged me. It would have been an insult to their generosity and caring. It would have been disloyal, and I have always placed a very high value on loyalty; knowing that to get loyalty, you have to give it. The same applies to respect.

Personal thoughts and feelings...

What has stunned me every time I heard it was, "I hope you're not going to get into politics."

And I heard it a lot, probably daily. It was generally followed by a rant about how dirty and slimy politics is, and how getting into the mess would somehow soil me. People seemed very concerned about me getting dirtied by the process.

It makes me sad. Public service should be a noble and honorable calling. To me, it still is. That others don't see it as such should be of great concern to us all.

It's a clarion call, perhaps more of a shrill and screaming voice, telling us that politicians, whether recently-elected, forever-incumbent, attempting to become incumbent, are not held in high regard by Americans in the main. Now is not a good time to be an elected official. We need to change that.

Easy To Assemble?

Apparently some person, or persons, has managed to discover that I have indeed requested the official and genuine Nomination Petition Form Packet authorizing me, or my agents, to run around and ask registered voters to sign on the dotted line.

Someone has already suggested that there is no need to request the forms, that by golly, you can just download 'em. Ahh, no, not so fast there.

The following is from the PA State Department's Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation.

• BECAUSE THESE FORMS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS AT THE TIME OF FILING, YOU MUST REQUEST AN OFFICIAL PACKET OF FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS, IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO.

They made me do it. I had no choice. An official request was required, so officially I requested. My Official Packet is on its way via UPS. Wouldn't you think the state would use the USPS? No, they use UPS.

And don't you just wonder a little why it is that the PA Department of State handles the details of those running for federal office? The Federal Election Commission doesn't get their hands on much of anything until, and if, you start raising, accumulating, and spending money. Here come some details...

• First day you or someone representing you can begin asking for signatures is January 22nd. If you sign, you're then a signatory. There is no obligation, no sales representative will call.


• The last day you can scrounge for signatures is February 12th. So, if you're hoping to round up a 1,000 or more friends, you need to shake your tail and get along with things.


• February 12th also is the day you actually file those petitions. But you're not anywhere near home yet.

More dates to consider...

• On February 13th you circulate and file nomination papers.


• By February 27th, if all is well and you've made it this far, now is when you face the last day you can change your mind and withdraw.


• If you miss this deadline, you're on the ballot, whether you like it or not, whether your opponents like it or not. Hello, candidate! You can sit home and stare out the window waiting for the crocuses to poke through the rich and marvelous Spring soil, but you're still on that ballot. If you somehow capture the nomination, I suppose you'll have to leave the window and go somewhere to do something.

Boy, do I have all the answers or what? Hardly. I have so few. Questions, I got.

For example: You need 1,000 signatures and $150.00 to file. From where do those signatures need come? They do have to be from registered voters of the same party as you, and they are subject to examination and elimination should it be discovered that they are flawed in some way.

But...where do the signatories need to be domiciled? Must they be residents of the district which you hope to represent? Given that you need not live in a congressional district to represent that district, shouldn't it follow that the signatories need not reside there either? Shouldn't it only matter that they are residents of Pennsylvania since it is Pennsylvania's Department of State that oversees all of this?

I'm getting a headache. Maybe when my official packet arrives, all will be crystal clear. Oh, and if you're thinking about a run for president, this coming Monday is the deadline to file here in Pennsylvania.

P.S. Above to the left is an official seal of Pennsylvania circa 1902. Since it's no longer in use, using it should be just fine. If it's not good enough for the state, it can't be too good for me.