It looks like another political pundit has weighed in on the May 1 City of Manassas election. It sure doesn’t sounds like what our friends were reporting to us. I guess you just had to be there. Anyway, the following text is from Doug Brown’s blog, A Bridge Too Far. Since we were immediately referenced , we couldn’t help but talk back and just get a little sassy. Doug’s words are black. Ours are hot sizzzling pink, the color of talkin’ back.
The Moonhowlers’ favorite GOP chairman Steve Thomas{We don’t often agree with Steve but he isn’t obnoxious.] and the MGOP won a clear victory in last Tuesday’s May 1st election, according to some observers [Yes, those observers would include the voting majority, who elected the entire GOP ticket. Sounds like a victory to us]. But does a Party really win a clear victory by jettisoning half its traditional base and replacing them with scab voters from the political left?[Let’s see. If you are talking about the 997 people who voted for Sheryl Bass, a Republican in good standing, and not the Independent Jerry Carman, who many convention attendees, including Doug Brown chose to support, we think the GOP might have come out the winner in this deal. A bonus was Charles Sutherland’s stunning defeat. F.O.D’s or “Friends of Doug, don’t do well in elections] Normally when an outpost loses half its forces, and is overrun by opposing forces the commanding officer is not heralded as a victor, unless of course those doing the heralding are members of the opposing forces or sympathetic to them. [And how many of your preferred candidates won?]’]
Approximately 800 conservatives and social conservatives took a walk away from the MGOP last Tuesday. Many of them constitute what some liberal leaning Republicans in the city somewhat derisively refer to as ‘Aveni’s Army.’[Gaining the support of the approximately 1000 members of the “pink army”…advantage GOP] While that might be giving Councilman Aveni more authority than he has or exercises over his supporters, no doubt many Aveni supporters and like-minded conservatives did walk away from the MGOP last Tuesday [He means conservatives like him who violated their convention pledge to support the nominees. Do we smell hypocrisy?]. Why? Because, they were almost immediately targeted by the Republican establishment in the city following the Republican convention after one of the establishment’s own Sheryl Bass lost a spot on the Republican ballot. [Doug Brown, revising history. The Carman campaign papered the windshields of the GOP convention and had his signs in the yards of convention attendees long before there was any mention of a write-in campaign].
However, the whisper campaign against Aveni’s Army started by the wives of the chairman and the former chairman that Aveni engineered Ian Lovejoy’s victory at the convention simply wasn’t true [Wives and whisper campaigns? Where do you think they might have gotten THAT idea? Is that anything like the Baroness Aveni exposing the Baron’s support of Carman on your blog, Doug?] Lovejoy’s victory at the convention was a result of the hard work and talents of Ian Lovejoy [we don’t dispute that he worked hard to get people to the convention]. Sure Ian had the support of Aveni, Jackson Miller, the Tea Party and other conservatives [who also worked hard to get people to the convention, we’re told] but Ian reached out to everyone in Manassas [and was rewarded for it by being elected]. The failure of the Party leadership to champion Ian’s openness and inclusive message while he maintained his commitment to his core principles, was a disgraceful, myopic moment for the local Republican Party, which will have long term consequences for the Party [Ah Doug, there you go again, revising history. The party leadership DID support Lovejoy, or did you miss that Letter to the Editor at manassaspatch.com, written by our favorite chairman, not to mention that Lovejoy won as a Republican nominee. Carman, the independent supported by the Tea Party LOST.]
Instead, the Republican establishment orchestrated a fake grassroots campaign against the outcome of their own convention [As opposed to the grassroots campaign of the Tea Party for Carman, many of whom attended the convention and its founder giving Lovejoy’s nominating speech?], with no acknowledgement that the real reason for Bass’s loss was her own poorly thought out strategy and the bullet voting of a number of Democrats, ADCO clients, and MBT season ticket holders who crashed the convention hoping to save the embattled Wolfe. [Oh Doug, where DO you get your facts? We understand that there was far more bullet-voting for Lovejoy than any other convention candidate, which contributed to his being the highest vote total. That’s expected at a convention.]
The resulting yard sign battle of Manassas, as Ian Lovejoy amusingly referred to it, eventually made Independent Jerry Carman a viable candidate [Carman’s signs appeared in MANY yards, long before even a hint of pink hit the streets], but Carman’s candidacy was also used as a straw man by the Republican establishment to fuel resentment against the city’s Social Conservatives and make Sheryl Bass a viable write-in vote against their own nominee, Ian Lovejoy. [More overreach Doug, Ian won. On the GOP ticket. The MGOP ran against the independent and Democrat. It was the Tea Party that ran against the GOP, and lost ]
This internecine warfare within the MGOP was ugly [Didn’t have anything to do with that, did you Doug?] and provided some entertainment for the more liberal leaning Republicans in the city, Harrover’s Hackers and their sidekicks on the loony left, but it wasn’t the ugliest tactic used by the establishment MGOP to manipulate the City’s May 1st election, and unfortunately few in Manassas, even among the politicians, including the MGOP Chairman, appear cognizant that it even happened [What ever could this conspiracy be, if the politicians and chairman you so detest were unaware? Must be a massive conspiracy]. The ugliest tactic by the establishment MGOP changed the dynamic of the entire election and raises the question is Manassas just a city destined to always be bumbling, bungling and bobbitting itself into the media’s spotlight?
Next: Why Lori Perez is Important.
Might it have something to do with this election day rant on the dark site:
Doug Brown said on 1 May 2012 at 10:08 am:
Greg,
Minor correction I did not endorse the candidates supporting these Manassas residents, I applaud them, and I do like Jon Way and I voted for him at the convention. However, I can not support any incumbent running for office in Manassas at this time. I am voting for Ian and Jerry for the city council and a straight challenger ticket for the School Board: Sutherland, Purdy and Chavez.
Why? Lori Perez.
Where are the Lady Macbeths of Manassas when a woman is really the target of dirty tricks and a corrupt cabal?
Manassas residents want to shake things up today write-in Lori Perez for Mayor!
p.s. Hal did you really think I was going to sell my soul for an Okra Chicken sandwich?
So, it would appear that Doug Brown criticizes Republicans and moderate independents (as well as a few Democrats we think) for voting for the winning Republican ticket, or Sheryl Bass (a Republican when we last checked) yet he publically admits that he is only supporting one Republican nominee, while supporting an independent, and manages to impune the character of the Mayor while he’s at it. While we ‘howlers are independents (and sometimes even lean towards the D word), even we can see that Doug Brown is no loyal Republican, and the party most likely better off without him. Someone please send Doug Brown a copy of Dale Carnegie’s book “How to Win Friends and Influence People”.
The Not-the-Mainstream Republicans are the gift that keeps on giving.
I imagine there will be a lot of familiar faces at those black-tie arts events. Mr. Wolfe owes a lot of “free” tickets to his “friends”.
What has been utterly transparent to many of your readers is that, despite your professions that you and Elena don’t like to get involved in City politics, you wanted to stick it to Mr. Aveni because he is pro-life.
What about the other 5 of them, Emma? Are they pro-choice? Didn’t think so.
We haven’t stuck it to anyone. At any point have we called anyone a thief, an un-nice person? Didn’t think so. Have we called anyone’s wife an old has-been? No. Unlike you, we don’t sit around attempting to think up ways to be cruel to people.
Frankly, I don’t chew people up for their personal beliefs. I chew people up for enacting legislation for taking away other women’s right to choose and I would do so without apology.
I chew people up for attempting to defund Planned Parenthood and for passing legislation that would require an ultra-sound as a pre-requisite for an abortion–again, without apology. However, this thread isn’t about Jackson Miller or Bob Marshall. They will get a turn but not for their beliefs, but for their actions.
You might try to divert and start a fight with me about choice. You will not win.
I for one am glad that this blog is taking an interest in city politics. Greg has always meddled in the city, and he lives in the county. This Doug Brown character is just a nasty, angry man, who likes to bully people. He likes to bully women especially. Mrs. Bass. The wives of the current and past GOP chairman. Why should these poor excuses for men do all the talking? A toast to the Moonhowling Ladies for standing up to them.
@Oy Vey, well thanks you Ov Vey. I don’t know if we are standing up to them as much as we are just listening to what the more moderate folks in Manassas have to say and reporting it.
We kept having requests from our City friends to cover the election from a non-Tea Party, far right perspective. We hesitated and then decided to damn the torpedoes so to speak. I live near the City and at one time lived IN the City before it was a City. Lots of friends and a relative or two over there.
I am sorry any women feel that they have been bullied. I have a feeling that nonsense had better stop as in yesterday!
The difference between a politican and an obstructionist is the differences between coming together in compromise, recognizing the concerns of both, and alway s having to come “my” way.
I don’t object to the ‘howlers doing some coverage same as it doesn’t bother me that bvbl or even the WaPo covers city politics.
As to the whole city/county thing, well, we have county folks speak at almost every Council meeting so some Howler reporting is fine with me. While I may or may not agree with the analysis here I do value thoughtful discussion. It’s nice to have a forum for those discussions that I don’t have to moderate…:)
Andy, I feel your pain. LOL. It’s been one of those weeks already.
Hopefully we have been fair. We always strive to be fair and accurate.
Personally I like the phrase “Harrover’s Hackers”….pretty catchy name for a band of pirates…LOL!
Amused at the “800” and over on Doug’s blog asked for clarification there. It was those who voted for Carmen and Sutherland. Bundled two different runs into one – Carmen = Council and Sutherland = School Board….and not one thought to people voted for Sutherland only only only hoping to dump either one or both of the long term incumbants. It was like what I said to Ellen Purdy – she will get elected simply as many of us want new blood especially high-speed professionals with the skill set needed to steer the schools back on track. She won, Charles didn’t only because in my mind he got so wrapped on one single issue of the Free/Reduced lunch directly related to high number of Hispanics. Not even looking at the factor as I kept trying to tell him we have increased people in Social Services and once your in any of them, the eligibility for the various SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) happens. He even rallied against the Summer Food Program….as for me, feeding the kids is a must since that was always a rule in my house growing up and even now – food on the table is top priority.
Actually the plan I heard was a pretty good one, Ray. Take your least functioning kids and put them in summer school and feed them during the all day encounter. Hungry kids don’t learn. Doing something like that would improve the schools. Now, is that how the City Schools want to spend their money? that is another thing but it certainly wouldn’t hurt.
@Emma
Emma, it was not the issue of pro-choice or pro-life; it was as noted by Moon actions such as his standing up in Catholic Services to rally people to come and speak to City Council back when Bob Marshall wanted the resolution to support regulation. Which in reality was not regulation, but a shot directly at the clinics. That action also got around to those of us who object to such actions by our elected.
As for Mark Wolfe, he was right back then saying that resolution was beyond the scope of the sovereign, statutory powers of the City and at the time cost him….and yet, vindication is a wonderful thing as the voters spoke and return him to Council.
Ray, I hesitated to bring all that up because I couldn’t remember all the details. Mark Wolfe was right to not vote for something that was beyond the scope of the city powers but he became targetted over it. That is a hell of a thing to target someone over. John Jenkins and Frank Principi also withheld votes when the county tried the same STUPID grandstanding. Same reason.
It reminded me of a kangaroo court or a mock vote as school.
Ray, I’m not sure why others did or didn’t vote for Charles Sutherland, but I know why I didn’t. He was soooooo negative. Everything out of his mouth, every word he wrote was an attack on someone. I voted for Purdy and Chavez because they ran on positive ideas, and weren’t stuck attacking people.
@Ray Beverage Actually, barely 3,000 of the 37,000 or so voters spoke. The ones who sat it out have no right to complain, but there is no way that that number is in any way representative of the City as a whole.
substitute “residents” for “voters.” My bad.
@Ray Beverage I have seen time and again on this blog posters saying that people should keep their religious beliefs in church. Mr. Aveni was speaking to his fellow parishioners, in his church. Now that’s a problem?
And just what was he speaking to them about? City business? How about those who aren’t members of the club so to speak? Are they disenfranchised? Maybe a neighbor could invite them to church.
I can’t ever remember seeing that religious beliefs should be kept in church. I always thought you were supposed to go, listen, learn, refresh, renew and come out walking the walk rather than talking the talk. I think Greg Reynolds says it best.
What I might have said is don’t try to have your religious beliefs legislated.
“Maybe a neighbor could invite them to church.”
I think Elena has already scared the be-jeezus out of anyone who might ever try to invite her to church.
Why do you personalize everything? I said “blog posters,” not “Moon.”
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf
As a politician, Marc Aveni, or rather his church, better be careful of what is said in church and whether he advocates for any particular candidates or fails to present an unbiased discussion of political candidates.
I speak for the blog in general. Who else is going to do it?
Nothing has been personalized other than how I feel.
Should I perhaps personalize more? Should I read something in to the fact that someone continually comes on to our blog just to be obnoxious and to do gotchas rather than participate in an exchange of ideas?
As for Elena, I seriously doubt if she cares since she isn’t a city resident. I would not hesitate to ask her to go to church with me and she would not hesitate to invite me to synagogue with her. that’s probably because it would be an invitation, not a scope, if you get my drift.
What continues to be a problem both locally and nationally is the blurring of lines between ones church and one’s government.
It would be my preference that churches not be tax-exempt, so as not to be beholden to or restricted by the government in any way in its speech. However, Mr. Aveni’s activities do not in any way even come close to the IRS threshold. But nice try anyway.
@Emma
Love those straw men, don’t you?
@Censored bybvbl Were you there? Somehow, I doubt it. I was.
So are you a member of Aveni’s Army? Is that what I read they were called? What is the objective of the group? Am I to suspect Life as we knew it to be gone soon in the City or are the goals less lofty?
@Emma
Emma, you are so right in saying it does not the folks who voted are reflective of the total population of over 37,000 of which just over 20,000 are listed as registered voters. As others have said, if you want to have a say, vote…if not, like you wrote, you have no room to complain. Why so few vote in the local election every time is one Big Dog and all the rest of the electorate ponder.
@Censored bybvbl
Thanks for posting the guide and your point is on the spot – religious organizations walk a dangerous line. The guide just says part of it – where it gets deeper is looking into the IRS rulings and warnings to religious/charitable organizations from back in 2008 and that Presidential campaign. The hard line gets crossed is when the political statement to influence is made from the pulpit; the fine line is when under the guise of a member, an elected official stands up to rally the group in support of political action. The IRS quick answer was if someone does that, the person at the pulpit should then say the person’s statement is not that of the organization.
So can the church chatter just continue to rally the troops if the pulpit renounces what is being said?
LOL, I’m not a member of any army. I’m not even what one might consider a “good” Catholic. But Mr. Aveni is a good man, and it’s sad to see his good name smeared. Glad the Wolfe Family Fan Club is so willing to overlook Mr. Wolfe’s antics while attacking another for what he says within the walls of his church.
Emma,
Coming from someone who told a poster once they family was one traffic stop away from having their family torn apart, any comment from you about ME scaring people going to church is the height of hypocrisy.
Do you know how many Jewish friends I have? NONE, there aren’t any many jews around the western end of PWC. All my friends are Christian, in fact, my husband isn’t Jewish. See, here is the thing, I don’t ask my friends or my family to change their belief system, I don’t think they NEED changing. That you are unable to see the difference speaks more to your world view than anything I could ever be accused of propogating.
I
I have no idea how your little attack relates in any way to anything I said. Why should you care what is said inside the walls of a church? No one is trying to convert you to anything. You’re not even a City resident with any real skin in the game, except to come to the City to enjoy the amenities I pay for. Aren’t you outraged that a large part of the reason why the North Carolina gay-marriage ban passed was because of a large and organized effort by black churches there? If you’re not, then I would have to say that you’re the hypocrite here. Mr. Aveni’s activities don’t come even remotely close to that effort.
@Elena