Why Does the Mahoning Valley Lag Behind the Times?
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Categories: Economic Fairness and Security, Election Reform, Social Justice, Public Infrastructure / Transportation, Energy Policy, Workers' Rights, Opinion
Categories: Economic Fairness and Security, Election Reform, Social Justice, Public Infrastructure / Transportation, Energy Policy, Workers' Rights, Opinion
Why the Valley Lags Behind the Times
Posted by: Dspisak (IP Logged)
Date: May 10, 2008 09:51AM
Why does the Mahoning Valley seem like it lags 50 years behing the rest of the country and state?
It's because we continue to re-elect the same old tired politicians to Columbus. Term-limits were to bring new blood into government....instead all we did what allow our old blood politicians to play musicial chairs with legistlative jobs.
Mr. Gerberry got term-limited out....Mr. Carano took a government position, Mr. Gerberry went back to Columbus as state rep to replace Mr. Carano.
Now that Mr. Boccheri looks like he will be the next congressman of Stark County, Mr. Gerberry has already been mentioned as to appointed back to the Ohio Senate. As so it goes.
We don't want to support WRTA because people believe they don't need to use the bus and don't want the poor or possible gang members to use the system to get to our retail centers on 224 or Mahoning Ave.
Now as we see the city of Youngstown shrink and gas prices rise, this communtiy will return to what this area looked like during the great depression. Being 49 years old, my parents told me stories of how they couldn't afford cars because of low wages, and had to use mass trnsportation to get to retail centers in downtown Youngstown. History is beginning to repeat itself in the valley.
We will need mass transit to get to retail centers on 224....we do need living wage jobs in the valley. We need new renewable energy companies and manufacturing jobs brought back to this valley that will require blue collar skills to build the mechanical components for renewable energy equipment.
As far as our fear of gangs and increased violence, when we had manufacturing jobs people could go to work, make a living wage, and did not have to commit crime.
Let's bring back that concept to the valley. Let us have renewable manufacturing jobs available so we can tell our youth, "put down the handgun, pick up a chaulk gun, earn a living wage, and help your family incoprporate renewable energy sources to's your family and neighbor's homes to help them save money on soaring energy costs."
That's what my Independent Green Party run for State Representative for the 60th district is all about. You can tell a lot about a country, a city, and a valley on how they help their poor,working, and middle class.
In Friday's Vindicator Editorial Cartoon we see the Myanmar Junta holding up his hand and in the other hand holding a sign reading " No Foreign Aid." That is actually what our current old-time politicians are saying to the rest of the federal, state, and business world.
We don't need or want your help or aid beacuse we fear will lose control of our power base.
The Local Democratic Party that supported the poor, working, and middle class and in return my father grew up and supported this party in the 1930's and 1940's is not that same party that we have today. Today's local Democrats like Bob Hagan support the over 100 lobbyists and Corportate PACS that place money in Hagan's political war chest each year. Since the local Democrats no longer support the poor working, and middle class of the valley, it is time we elect independents and show the local Democratic machine the door.
We wonder why less and less people become active and engaged in the civic duty of voting. It's because the local party bosses decide for us who to support.
Some people have asked if I were elected to the state house what my one vote could do to change things for the better. Well, my one vote in the house may not be able to change things, but my one voice would be outside the state house each week with a microphone or mega phone leading a march around the state house with the poor, working, and middle class demanding living wages jobs, better health care, better school funding, and making Ohio a better place to live and raise our families.
Dennis Spisak-Independent Green Party Candidate for State Representative-60th District
campaign site: Http://votespisak.tripod.com
Posted by: Dspisak (IP Logged)
Date: May 10, 2008 09:51AM
Why does the Mahoning Valley seem like it lags 50 years behing the rest of the country and state?
It's because we continue to re-elect the same old tired politicians to Columbus. Term-limits were to bring new blood into government....instead all we did what allow our old blood politicians to play musicial chairs with legistlative jobs.
Mr. Gerberry got term-limited out....Mr. Carano took a government position, Mr. Gerberry went back to Columbus as state rep to replace Mr. Carano.
Now that Mr. Boccheri looks like he will be the next congressman of Stark County, Mr. Gerberry has already been mentioned as to appointed back to the Ohio Senate. As so it goes.
We don't want to support WRTA because people believe they don't need to use the bus and don't want the poor or possible gang members to use the system to get to our retail centers on 224 or Mahoning Ave.
Now as we see the city of Youngstown shrink and gas prices rise, this communtiy will return to what this area looked like during the great depression. Being 49 years old, my parents told me stories of how they couldn't afford cars because of low wages, and had to use mass trnsportation to get to retail centers in downtown Youngstown. History is beginning to repeat itself in the valley.
We will need mass transit to get to retail centers on 224....we do need living wage jobs in the valley. We need new renewable energy companies and manufacturing jobs brought back to this valley that will require blue collar skills to build the mechanical components for renewable energy equipment.
As far as our fear of gangs and increased violence, when we had manufacturing jobs people could go to work, make a living wage, and did not have to commit crime.
Let's bring back that concept to the valley. Let us have renewable manufacturing jobs available so we can tell our youth, "put down the handgun, pick up a chaulk gun, earn a living wage, and help your family incoprporate renewable energy sources to's your family and neighbor's homes to help them save money on soaring energy costs."
That's what my Independent Green Party run for State Representative for the 60th district is all about. You can tell a lot about a country, a city, and a valley on how they help their poor,working, and middle class.
In Friday's Vindicator Editorial Cartoon we see the Myanmar Junta holding up his hand and in the other hand holding a sign reading " No Foreign Aid." That is actually what our current old-time politicians are saying to the rest of the federal, state, and business world.
We don't need or want your help or aid beacuse we fear will lose control of our power base.
The Local Democratic Party that supported the poor, working, and middle class and in return my father grew up and supported this party in the 1930's and 1940's is not that same party that we have today. Today's local Democrats like Bob Hagan support the over 100 lobbyists and Corportate PACS that place money in Hagan's political war chest each year. Since the local Democrats no longer support the poor working, and middle class of the valley, it is time we elect independents and show the local Democratic machine the door.
We wonder why less and less people become active and engaged in the civic duty of voting. It's because the local party bosses decide for us who to support.
Some people have asked if I were elected to the state house what my one vote could do to change things for the better. Well, my one vote in the house may not be able to change things, but my one voice would be outside the state house each week with a microphone or mega phone leading a march around the state house with the poor, working, and middle class demanding living wages jobs, better health care, better school funding, and making Ohio a better place to live and raise our families.
Dennis Spisak-Independent Green Party Candidate for State Representative-60th District
campaign site: Http://votespisak.tripod.com
http://www.ohioforjohnmccain.c om