The LuLac Edition #539, August 18th, 2008

PHOTO INDEX: OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT BUTTON, MID VALLEY TEE SHIRT. ("MY SCHOOL DIRECTORS WENT ON A $36,000 JUNKET TO DISNEY AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS TEESHIRT"!!!)

THE POLITICAL CLASS

Another edition of the LuLac Political class. To refresh your memory, the “Political Class” is still another segment of the population that gets special privileges above and beyond what the normal working class “Joe” or “Jane” gets. Yesterday the Times Tribune reported on the Mid Valley School District Board of Directors. A group of directors went on a junket earlier this year to Disney in Florida and spent a whopping $36,000 on lodging, meals, in room movies, glasses of pinot grigio wine, sunscreen, happy meals, and mini bars. Now let me just say this at the get go: I agree that these conferences are valuable to get new ideas to run your district. The sharing of new information, technologies and contacts is something that if done correctly, can benefit a government entity. Those stated goals could be accomplished by sending one or two representatives. But not 7 people! And that’s what the Mid Valley School District did. Seven people were sent to one conference in one business quarter. I’ve heard of different people going at different times of year, but nothing like this onslaught and invasion of Orlando. Plus, the inclusion of family members in this trip is just wrong. Now I can understand how you might want little Egbert and Tillie to come with mom and dad on a trip. But you should not have the district pay for your kids and your wife. If you don’t have the economic chops to take them and pay their way: GET A BABY SITTER! I begrudge no public or business official a chance for advanced learning. With Mrs. LuLac’s travel itinerary, I have had the opportunity to see places I wouldn’t never have seen. But I paid my own way and when I couldn’t, guess what, it was me and the dog batching it for a few days living on Tab, Alfredo’s Pizza and Krispy Kreme donuts. I also had an uncle on a local school board, he never, ever took his family. But we are in a different time. The Political Class gets to do what it wants because they are never turned out of office. Not that it will matter to the good people of D.C., Throop and the surrounding areas of the Mid Valley, but here’s a listing of the people who spent over and above what they needed to do in sunny Florida back in March. Mid Valley school directors who attended included board President John Gilgallon, Deborah Shevchik, Thomas Logan, Lisa Rovinsky, Mary Ruth Tanner and Mark Runco. High school Principal Randy Parry also attended. As they used to say in the movie “Wayne’s World”, “Party On!!” After all, the taxpayers of the Lac are paying.

OBAMA TOWN

During the weekend, I tried to locate the Obama headquarters in Wilkes Barre. Admittedly I was getting a procedure when the headquarters opened up to great fanfare. I heard about how big the place was, how much room was available and what a great location it was in. So during the weekend I went to look for the building. And I had a hard time finding it. I thought maybe it would be near Mark II, or Wendy’s. Instead, it appears the headquarters is a few blocks down. The parking area doesn’t look plentiful, the storefront is not attractive and the location is just not that condusive to the “walk in”, downtown headquarters that have been traditionally part of a political campaign. This is just a subjective, personal opinion. I could be wrong on this and wish the Obama campaign real success. But I know a few people who wouldn’t go out of their way to volunteer with a set up like this one.

NO RESPONSE

A very good friend of mine lives in Denver. He is politically connected to the Colorado Democratic Party and as a former resident of Kingston and former King’s College grad, he thought it might be a great idea to contact local officials and see if they would be interested staying rent free with him 10 minutes outside the Convention Hall. He contacted the Chair of the Luzerne County party a few months back. There were attempts to contact others to. No response. The offer was made and let’s hope when the delegates return from Denver we aren’t treated to how much hotels cost and what a personal sacrifice it was to go there because there was another way. But no one responded. Oh well, I guess he didn’t offer a mini bar.