This Time it Wasn't Corbett's Fault

I was listening to Steve Corbett yesterday afternoon, as I drove to Panera bread for something to eat. What was interesting at that moment was the fact that a caller...someone who is a regular speaker* at City Council meetings...was vehemently defending John Blake. It irony of it all was so thick that it was the verbal equivalent of road tar. This speaker regularly bashes Mayor Doherty for all his "inside" deals, yet came out swinging to defend a guy who most likely was picked by Bob Mellow...as part of an "inside" deal...to be his replacement.

Yes, in Scranton politics, logic and proportion are about as meaningful as they were to Alice in Wonderland. Ponder this: this caller said that he "knows" John Blake and that he is an honest guy. Compare that statement to everything that is going to come out from Bob Mellow's supporters who "know him to be an honest guy". To his credit, Steve Corbett did go after the "how do you know he is honest" part, but the caller didn't say anything more than the "I know this guy" angle. Wow, how typically Scranton of this guy. "I know Stash from back in the day in Minooka...he's a good guy" and therefore Stash should be given legislative responsibility and a state salary.

I loathe the weak minded. I loathe the simple follower. I am disgusted by those who refuse to look at a situation from anywhere other than their narrow little mental perspective. For God's sake, Bob Mellow just didn't appear out of thin air...he was created and nurtured by an electorate that didn't want to look at what he was doing. Since he was a "good guy" it didn't matter what he did, as long as the bacon kept coming home (although the entire rest of the pig was going back to Mellow's freezer).

In point of fact I don't know John Blake, just like I don't know most politicians around here. In fact, the only one I've ever spoken to at any length is Mayor Doherty, and hell, I've been pretty critical of the guy from time to time. But back to John Blake: Since I don't know him, unlike the sheeple caller to Corbett's show, he gets no automatic pass here. In fact, I'll take it one step further as basically I agree with Steve Corbett in that John Blake is starting this from a negative position, clearly being the anointed preference for a man who most likely will be indicted by federal authorities.

That hug may have felt nice Mr Blake, but I think you are going to find that it costs you more than about 20 seconds.


(*) I'd mention the guy's name, but why give him even more attention? This person's only claim to fame is that he appears at council meetings and whines.