The LuLac Edition #2674, June 13th, 2014

Our "13 Questions" logo.

13 QUESTIONS

1. You seem to be having buyer’s remorse over President Obama?

It might appear that way but not really. The alternatives just weren’t that pretty. I was for Hillary Clinton in 2008 and will be for her in 2016 God willing. Under the Obama administration we’ve transitioned out of two wars, we passed the Affordable Care Act, there has been credit card reform, crime has dropped, unemployment has dropped, the stock market is going great guns, we are closer to energy independence and Osama Bin Laden is dead.
But there could have been so many other things accomplished if he struck in his first two years when he had the majority, and if he surrounded himself with political pros instead of people who have no clue on how to run a White House. Still like the guy but think he is not the manager and Executive he seems to think he is. I think Joe Biden would have been a better manager.

2. Don Zimmer the old Boston Red Sox manager recently passed away, you ever meet him?

Twice. On Opening Day in 1981 when he was the manager of the Rangers. Just shook his hand while I was trying to get to the box where Ed Koch the then New York City Mayor and New York Governor Hugh Carey were sitting.
In 1987 when Zimmer was the bench coach for Roger Craig in San Francisco I tried to score an interview with the then manager. I tried to catch him before the game and was wandering around the clubhouse. Zimmer asked me if I needed help and I told him what I needed. He told me Craig was in a meeting and to come back after the game. I did and when I was leaving Zim was sitting on a chair basking in the glow of a Giants victory. He noticed me and said, “You see Roger?” I replied “Yes”. He shot back, “Good thing we won, if we didn’t, all bets would be off”. Nice man. A baseball lifer.

3. Where do you think the Charter Yes people went wrong in their campaign?

I think the perception was that Chuck Volpe was running the show. Maybe there might have been other people on point instead of him. He did himself no good by trying to take the burden on himself. Also, the fact is government reform usually take a generation. The first charter vote in Luzerne County in’75 was defeated and then not introduced again until the next century. So it takes time.

4. Favorite summer time TV guilty pleasure?

“24” and “Major Crimes”.

5. What do we do about the gun violence in this country?

No idea. Just be careful and don’t talk to strangers. Since Sandy Hook there have been over 70 school shootings in this country. The gun lovers will say it’s people not guns, and they are right. To me this is a manifestation of budget cuts in Social Services, and Mental Health. But I just don’t know. I think that there has to be a ban on Assault weapons where the crazies don’t get a chance to reload. As far as hunters and sportsman, I don’t care if they have an arsenal as long as they use it for hunting and keep it locked up.

6. I’m sure you watched the canonization of John XXIII and John Paul I. Have you ever experienced a miracle?

Two. My wife staying with me this long and the Citizen’s Voice newspaper carrier hitting the front porch more than twice out of seven days.

7. Know you love Abe’s on South Main, but favorite  summertime dog at the LuLac house?

Abe’s uses Berk’s and they’re fine but I like Sabrett’s for home.

8. The Eric Cantor election was a shock. Will we see more of the same?

I’m sure of it. The incredible thing about that race in Virginia was that money didn’t help Cantor. If anything the ads against his opponent gave David Brat name recognition. Cantor spent 150,000 on steak house dinners, Brat spent $50,000 less than that. Voters are going to come out hard and fast because they know there are problems that need to be fixed. But I question how much electing a person to the right of Cantor will help move things along. The Tea Party loves to be the conscience of the party but other than Ronald Reagan’s election in 1980, conscience doesn’t translate into wins. Plus you have to believe that GOP House members are going to be afraid to budge on any issue that might get them defeated.

9. We know how many ties you own, how about Hawaiian shirts?

About 8 but I only wear four that are my “go to” pieces. I really should get rid of the other four.

10. If parties are not that strong anymore, what will replace them?

Social media. There are people with Facebook pages that can drive more turnout in some cases than a County Chairman in this era. But it has to be on a specific issue which will drive the voters.

11. As a tax payer in the Wilkes Barre Area School District, what are your thoughts on the prospect of new schools or one central location?

Well as always with this area, important issues are kicked down the road. This should have been dealt with 30 years ago when it would have been cheaper and there would be more money from the tax base.

12. Do you think the Eric Cantor defeat can send a message to all Republican especially Congressman Barletta?

Oh yes. The Congressman is an honest, plain spoken, reasonable man who doesn’t pull any punches. He has not been in lockstep with the fringe of his party so I can see a challenge down the road. But he is likable and has worked at his job. I can't win speaking about Barletta. My Democratic friends think I'm brain washed when I say he is a good guy and the people to the right of him think he should be more dogmatic. But I wouldn’t rule any challenge out in the future.

13. Are you going to see the Four Seasons movie Jersey Boys and did see the play?

I’ll see the movie mainly because it is directed by Clint Eastwood. I wasn’t interested in seeing the play because I lived the life of a Seasons fan. Kind of like why I would never see a Beatles tribute band.