Free Press – August 14, 2008

Regional Resource Sharing, Obama Poll Close But Should Not Be

Dear Friends,

Good morning. Today, I want to share my thoughts about the disconnect in this Presidential election year. But first, two weeks ago, local elected officials from the region encompassing the Quakertown school district met to discuss how to pool their resources and save money.

They didn’t get very far.

True, getting borough council people from Quakertown, Richlandtown, and Trumbauersville, plus supervisors from Haycock, Milford, and Richland Townships, plus school directors to sit down together was a remarkable accomplishment.

Richland’s Supervisor Rick Orloff is a proponent of a regional police force…but Milford Township does not agree. Milford probably figures that a regional police force will increase its costs where there is none today. Milford relies upon the Pennsylvania State Police to handle problems in the township. I don’t think that the state police charges Milford for the service.

It sounds like Scott McElree agrees with Milford. The Quakertown Police Chief and Borough Manager believes that a combined police department can increase coverage but often at a price. “That is what you’ll hear from regional departments,” McElree told a reporter.

Is it likely that the six municipalities, which make up the Quakertown school district, will merge anytime soon? Probably not. It’s obvious that a combined six-municipality government wouldn’t need six managers, six zoning officers, six engineers, six solicitors, and on and on. The problem is that who among them would voluntarily give up their jobs? Which municipality would diminish its fiefdom; reduce its power?

Friends, we’re stuck. Only the state legislature can combine local governments and legislators don’t have the courage to tackle this problem. Unfortunately, the legislature didn’t consolidate the 2,600 municipalities into 501 as it did with 2,600 school districts [into 501] in the early 1950’s.

So, Pennsylvania will continue to be a haven for developers who know how to divide and conquer.

And now to the Presidential election.

All polls point to big gains for the Democrats in the Congressional elections this year. Dissatisfaction with President Bush’s handling of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, the energy crisis, and growing fears of a recession have created the perfect storm for Democrat victories everywhere…except in the race between John McCain and Barrack Obama.

Polls show that the spread between the two candidates is razor thin. Why? Wouldn’t you think that the Republican record for the last eight years would give any Democratic presidential candidate a tremendous edge?

Maybe not.

Obama gets high marks from minorities and young voters. But historically, they don’t vote. Older, especially retired, white people are those who vote regularly in November.

Unfortunately, racial prejudice is alive and well in America. I can’t tell you how many intelligent people I know say that Obama is not ready to be America’s President. Is that a subtle code for they won’t vote for a black man?

Consider Obama’s dilemma. Before his world wind trip, he was criticized because he had no international standing. But those historic visits proved that world leaders were impressed with Obama, and quite ready to greet him as an equal. Now, Obama’s opponents claim that his international popularity equates to Hollywood stardom…and that’s presumed to be bad.

I don’t understand the dynamics unless it’s about race.

How can John McCain get away with preaching that Washington’s been heading down the wrong road for three decades when he’s been in the Senate for 26 of those 30 years? Won’t voters realize that a McCain victory equates to four more years for the George W. Bush team?

I think that the key to Obama’s success or failure will lie with the young and the minority voter. And that is exactly what older, white people fear…alas. Worse, Obama’s a Harvard University intellectual. So is his Princeton trained wife. Is America ready for an “uppity” black President?

Maybe yes…maybe no. Stay tuned.

Sincerely,

Charles Meredith