Category: Bob Small

Jeff Jones Wants Change And Improvement In Upper Darby

Jeff Jones Wants Change And Improvement In Upper Darby

By Bob Small

Pennsylvania House District 163 consists of the 1st and 2nd districts of Upper Darby, along with parts of the 3rd and 5th; , the 3rd, 4th and 5th wards of Darby Township; and Aldan, Clifton Heights and Collingdale boroughs.

The incumbent is Heather Boyd who had been chief of staff for state Rep. Leanne Kruger and a senior advisor to Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon.

She also founded the Delaware County Chapter of NOW and served seven years as chairwoman of the Upper Darby Democratic Committe.

She is married to Sean Mcintosh and they have four boys. Ms. Boyd has an MA degrees in art history from the University of Michigan and History of American Civilization from the University of Delaware.

Her GOP challenger Jeff Jones, who grew up in Camden, N.J. and became a senior manager of asset management, development and personal training; the vice chairman of Upper Darby Weed and Seed; and numerous other charities and enterprises.

A prime goal is to improve the quality of life in his district.

He is married and has five children. He is a Current Upper Darby GOP 3rd District Committee Leader and Committeeman of Upper Darby 3rd District 1st Precinct.

Jeff Jones Wants Change And Improvement In Upper Darby
Jeff Jones
Jeff Jones Wants Change And Improvement In Upper Darby
Heather Boyd

Jeff Jones Wants Change And Improvement In Upper Darby

Gabby Mendez Gets Day Of Action

Gabby Mendez Gets Day Of Action

By Bob Small

Pennsylvania House District 162 is most of Ridley, the 1st and 2nd wards of Darby Township and the boroughs of Folcroft, Glenolden, Norwood, Prospect Park, Ridley Park, Rutledge and Sharon Hill.

It’s been generally Republican but Democrat David Deloso holds it now.

Deloso was business agent for Teamsters Local 107 for a decade before taking office.

He is a graduate of Academy Park High School and attended Mansfield University.

He is married with children.

Seeking to unseat him is Gabriella Mendez a graduate of Interboro High School to West Chester University where she majored in political science and minored in Spanish.

When she was 14 her mother died of ovarian cancer a. How her family and friends handled it taught her “the value of resilience and community,” she said.

“I believe in people over politics and refuse to conform to the typical mold of political candidates,” she said.

She is having a day of action, Tuesday, Oct. 26, with much of it occuring during Folcroft Community Day, on Delmar Drive, noon to 6 p.m.; and a special rally at 2 p.m. at the Ridley High School parking lot, 901 Morton Ave.

Gabby has been endorsed by the Delaware County Young Republicans and Philly’s Log Cabin Young Republicans

For a profile, see Gabriella Mendez: Young and Eager to Serve Her .

Gabby Mendez Gets Day Of Action
Gabby Mendez

Gabby Mendez Gets Day Of Action

Woman Takes On Ancient Legislator In 166th

Woman Takes On Ancient Legislator In 166th

By Bob Small

In the venerable (1801) British House of Commons, the title Father of the House is bestowed on the member with the most continuous service. Many of them are kicked upstairs to the House of Lords with its 805 members.

Only China has a larger congress, by the way.

Sadly, we have no equivalent place to send “career” legislators.

Greg Vitali (D-166) was first elected in 1993. There are, at least 19 past and present House members who have had longer terms.

Two of them are from Delaware County being Republicans Matthew J. Ryan and Nicholas A. Miccozzie.

The 166th District includes parts of Haverford and Radnor in Delaware County and Lower Merion in Montco.

Vitali’s predecessor was Stephen Friend who served from 1976-1992.

Vitali received his law degree from Villanova in 1981 and practiced for a decade. He lists his occupation as “legislator” on his website.

We wonder if our Founding Fathers meant this to be an occupation.

He has a long-time marriage to his wife Lynn.

The Republican opposition is Kay Dugery She describes herself as an executive recruiting consultant with an MBA from Villanova.

Mrs. Dugery started out as a Judge of Elections. She has worked with the Interfaith Hospitality network, and homeless causes.

She and her husband Peter have three children, three cats, and two dogs.

Woman Takes On Ancient Legislator In 166th

Final Free And Equal Debate Is Oct. 23

Final Free And Equal Debate Is Oct. 23

By Bob Small

The fourth and final Free and Equal Presidential Debate is 8 p.m., Oct. 23. .

This one will be less than two weeks before Nov. 5 Election Day. The co-hosts will be Free and Equal Co-founder Christina Tobin and former US Comptroller General David M. Walker.

The participants, as in the last one, are Libertarian Chase Oliver, Green Party Dr. Jill Stein, and Constitution Party Randall Terry. Both Oliver and Stein are on the Pennsylvania Ballot, while Terry was “lawfared” off it.

Other Constitution Party candidates remain however and can be found here

Walker served as U.S. Comptroller (1998-2008). He was founder and of Comeback America Initiative (CAO).

He said debtors’ prisons are basically back.

He is the author of Comeback America: Turning the Country Around

This forum will be presented live on You tube. Their broadcasting partners are C-Span, rumble and Scripps news and, presumably, the forum will be on these outlets. This will be a theater of ideas and, if like the last one, highly entertaining.

Final Free And Equal Debate Is Oct. 23

Pedophile Vs MAPS Is More Than A Matter Of Words

Pedophile Vs MAPS Is More Than A Matter Of Words

By Bob Small

Thanks to Scott from Vermont — who just transitioned to Pennsylvania — for the information about the change in semantics where pedophiles are now called “minor attracted persons” or MAPS.

In the–now-removed– promotion material we have the statement “Most of all, it’s a time for us to feel fully accepted as we are and for us to feel pride in who we are. ‘ Maybe there’s a new phrase we’ll be hearing ‘MAPP pride.”

Of course, this redefinition has an academic source and that would be Allyn Walker a former criminology and sociology professor at Old Dominion University.

Walker wrote A Long, Dark Shadow: Minor-Attracted People and Their Pursuit of Dignity. He mentions his organization B4U-ACT and explains it uses the term MAPs, rather than the term ‘pedophile,’ to “decrease stigma against this group.”  He adds. “the fact of children’s inability to consent to sex is irrelevant to the application of the term ‘sexual orientation”

After leaving Old Dominion, Allyn was hired by John Hopkins University. Allyn is a member of the transgender community.

And Dr. Frederick Berlin, founder of the sexual disorders clinic at Johns Hopkins Hospital, says those sexually attracted to children should learn not to feel ashamed of their condition.

Obviously, not everyone thinks this change in semantics is a good thing. Though there’s one perspective here,

“I believe, as is so often done, this is the first step toward normalizing abnormal behavior,” says Joyce Krawiec

Returning to B4U-Act , some of their aims are laudable. Promoting services for self-identified pedophiles to seek assistance before they act on their urges is a good thing, for instance.

It’s the concept of normalization that gives us pause.

How one feels like this may depend on how you regard a movie called The Mark (1961) about a man seeking to recover from this condition.

Pedophile Vs MAPS Is More Than A Matter Of Words

Pedophile Vs MAPS Is More Than A Matter Of Words

Craig Williams Runs To Retain Seat

Craig Williams Runs To Retain Seat

By Bob Small

Delaware County has 11 members of the Pennsylvania House and all but one –Craig Williams (R-160) — are Democrat Seven are female, three are male.

All are up for re-election

Running unopposed are PA 159 Carol Kazeem (D-159), Gina H. Curry (D-164), Regina D. Young (D-185) and Joanna E. McClinton (D-191).

Williams 160th District consists of parts of Chester and Delaware counties. It has been held by Republicans since 1979.

Williams has held holds the office since 2020. He won re-election in 2022 beating Catherin Spahr with 52.4 percent of the vote.

Williams received his JD degree from the University of Florida,and has an L.L.M. From Columbia University School of Law. He was a USMC 2nd lieutenant during the Persian Gulf War.

He has been a assistant US Attorney. He has run for US Congress (2008) but lost to the Admiral (Joe Sestak). More recently he lost rather resoundingly to Dave Sunday for the attorney general nomination. He lives in Glen Mills with his wife Jennifer, and their four children.

His opponent is Democrat Elizabeth Moro who has been endorsed by Gov. Shapiro. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Western Michigan University with degrees in political science, political policy, and women’s sudies. She lives in Chadds Ford, Pa with her husband Vince, where they raise sheep and bees. They have four adult children.

She is the author of The Civil Grace Project and a co-founder of Neighbors For Crebilly

See also Elizabeth Moro.

Craig Williams Runs To Retain Seat

The New Rules Of Protest At Swarthmore

The New Rules Of Protest At Swarthmore

By Bob Small

Last semester’s Swarthmore College pro-Palestinian tent city made the college revisit its student handbook. Certain activities are now proscribed, including “excessive noise” including “bullhorns and chanting”

And they are banning encampments.

Johnathan Washington, associate professor of linguistics does not seem to approve.,

“In protest, people are going to feel uncomfortable,” he said. “But that’s not harmful. That’s challenging people’s thinking, which is the whole point of protest.”

Students for Justice in Palestine members Ragad Ahmad and Kaliab Tale, both members of the Class of ’26, say that Swarthmore “has charged the most students as a percentage of total student body out of 14 comparable institutions,” including Bryn Mawr and Haverford.

“This is an attempt to silence the people and chill speech,” said Philadelphia ACLU attorney Soloman Furious Worlds.

According to Democracy Now! – students at Cornell, the University of Maryland have returned to the fray.

Columbia has also began again.

The “Poison Ivy” league continues a strong record of supporting radical causes. The Nazi chant came from Harvard football cheers “and was imported to Germany by Ernst “Putzy” Hanfstaengl, a Harvard man in good standing who befriended Hitler and helped build a more respectable brand for the National Socialists.

Eugenics was also imported to Germany from the “Poison Ivy League, not only against Jews but also against German disabled and others deemed to be “life unworthy of life.”

Margaret Sanger one of the founders of Planned Parenthood, supported eugenics.

For some background on how the election intersects with the Pro-Palestinian protests visit Pro-Palestinian protests return to campuses adding. 

Locally The University of Pennsylvania “has banned demonstrations  in classrooms, offices, residences.”

Other schools taking various actions are the California State system, the Universities of California, South Florida and Yale.

Universities throughout the country are seeking various ways to allow free speech while avoiding chaos and disruption, however.

Vanderbilt University Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said in response to a question about handling protests. “ Another way to say this is the job of a university is to encourage debates, not to settle them. “

See also A Mass. civil liberties attorney breaks down new campus … and FAQ for Student Protests on Campus

The New Rules Of Protest At Swarthmore

The New Rules Of Protest At Swarthmore

Illegals Can Get Drivers Licenses In Many States

Illegals Can Get Drivers Licenses In Many States

By Bob Small

While working on my previous article on Haitian immigrants, we discovered this notice from Catholic Charities concerning a march in March 2019 to get drivers licenses for illegals. It was sponsored by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton had the target was the New Jersey State House. The result was NJ A4743 becoming law which allowed driver’s licenses to be issued without requiring “proof of lawful presence”.

This led me to look at other states and we found Brief States Offering Driver’s Licenses to Immigrants and Obtaining a Driver’s License as an Undocumented Immigrant

We quoted both articles, a year apart, because both cited 19 states and DC, in other words, no change.

Pennsylvania has a bill to get licences for illegals. It’s House Bill 769.

The prime sponsor of this is Danillo Burgos (D-Phila-197). For the last two weeks, we have sent questions on his website and spoke to his staff as to whether the Feds would have access to this information. He finally sent us his constituent newsletter. If you sponsor legislation, shouldn’t you be willing to answer questions about it?

Let me end this with some questions;

Should illegal immigrants have access to drivers licenses, especially considering they are already driving as part of their daily lives and work?

Can they be mandated to have insurance for any accidents they may be involved in?

Will a driver’s license entitle them to vote or are there controls put in?

Lastly, when does a government, Democrat or Republican, have the political will to reduce this enormous backlog by putting those immigrants who should be here on the path to citizenship while returning the criminals to their country,

To be fair, neither the UK nor the European Union or any other country or group of countries has managed to resolve this. Could probably write the same column in 2034.

Illegals Can Get Drivers Licenses In Many States

Illegals Can Get Drivers Licenses In Many States

Pennsylvania Sample Ballot Released

Pennsylvania Sample Ballot Released

By Bob Small

Pennsylvania’s sample ballot for Nov. 5 is out and here is what’s listed. The main party Presidential candidates are Kamala Harris and Donald J. Trump.

The alternative candidates are Libertarian Chase Oliver, famously known for defining himself as “armed and gay”; and Green Party’s Jill Stein who stands for a peace ceasefire in the Middle East, among other stands.

One could also do a write-in vote for Cornell West, who was “lawfared” off the ballot by the Dems.

In the U.S. Senate race Democrat incumbent Robert P. Casey, Jr. is being challenged by Republican Dave McCormick, whom you might remember from losing to Dr. Oz In the Pennsylvania primary two years ago.

Oz lost to John Fetterman in the general election.

The three alternative candidates are Green Party’s Leila Hazou, Constitution Party’s Marty Selker and Libertarian John C. Thomas.

This is one race where the major party choices might encourage one to investigate the Alternative party candidates.

The Attorney General’s features Democrat Eugene De Pasquale taking on Republican Dave Sunday for the seat now held by Michelle A. Henry, who is no seeking re-election.running again.

The alternative party candidates are Libertarian Robert Cowburn, Constitutional Party’s Justin L. Magill; Green Party’s Richard L. Weiss; and Forward Party’s Eric L. Settle.

The Auditor General race has Republican incumbent Tim DeFoor being challenged by Democrat Malcolm Kenyatta.

The Alternative candidates are Eric K. Anton of the American Solidarity Party; Constitutional Party’s Bob Goodrich; and Libertarian Reece Smith.

The State Treasurer race has Republican incumbent Stacy Garrity facing Democrat Erin Mcclelland.

Alternative Candidates are Constitutional Party’s Troy Bowman; Libertarian Nicholas Ciesielski; and Forward Party’s Chris Foster.

These are the relevant websites of the Alternative candidates and parties;

Pennsylvania (American Solidarity Party)

The Constitution Party of Pennsylvania

PA Forward Party

Green Party of Pennsylvania

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania

There’s also information about many of these alternative candidates and parties under my byline on this blog.

Pennsylvania Sample Ballot Released

Green Party On The 2024 Ballot

Green Party On The 2024 Ballot

By Bob Small

Best to clear this up first. As a recovering Green Party member of the once-active Delco Green Party,I can say that he party bureaucracy will never improve.

This year the Green Party of Pennsylvania Green Party of Pennsylvania managed to place three candidates on the ballot. Unofficially — Cornell West is still trying to fight off a challenge -, the other alternative parties candidate tallies are Constitution Party none, Forward Party 2, and Libertarian Party almost a dozen.

The Green’s presidential candidate, Dr. Jill Stein hopes to be on every state Green Party ballot except Alaska (see below).

Richard L. Weiss is the Green Party candidate for Pennsylvania Attorney General. His J. D. is from the University of Denver. Previously, he was a Ford Foundation fellow in Public International Law at Washington D.C.’s American University. His MBA is from the University of Chicago. Among his many opinions are concerns this one on policing: All training and equipment should be devoted to taking suspects alive, and a death considered a failure.

The Green’s Senate candidate is Leila Hazou who received an MBA from Loyola College. She runs a soap and candle store in Milford and is proud to be a successful Palestinian business woman.

Her and her husband live with their menagerie of animals.

The Green Party of Alaska are traditional rebels from the rest of the party.

In 2020 they refused to place Howie Hawkins ticket on the ballot and substituted Jessie Ventura. After this rebellion, they were officially decertified by the national party.

This year, their candidates are Jasmine Sherman and Tanda Blubear. There is plenty of information on both candidates. You may decide to do a write-in. Among their policies are “rights for sentient beings” and |”abolish the police policy”

Why there remains a separate Alaska Green Party remains perplexing, to say the least.

There was no reply from either the National or Pa. Greens to my emails sent two weeks ago about this subject.

Green Party On The 2024 Ballot

Green Party On The 2024 Ballot