chips already has a great thread on the story about the radnor democratic party tearing itself apart over the upcoming john nagle candidacy, but i would feel remiss if i didnt do a post on sam strikes recent article in the main line suburban life, which not only covered the controversy, but also gave a starkly revealing contrast between conservancy founder (and habitual doofus) elaine paul schaefer, and a true good government advocate, chip layfield -

http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2009/09/09/main_line_suburban_life/news/doc4aa6f08027198999894494.txt

Are Radnor Dems Their Own Victims?

By Sam Strike

Democratic candidates in Radnor this November have another chance to make their party the majority on the local governing boards for the first time.

Voter registration in the township is in their favor, the party is leading the country on a federal level, and the possibility of a majority is a real one.

Yet the Radnor Democrats didn’t run candidates in two of the four Board of Commissioners races this year, which might cause some optionless voters to wonder what is going on with the party.

Residents of the second and sixth wards will be voting for, barring any write-in campaigns, incumbent Republican Kevin Higgins and Republican Donald Curley, respectively.

Radnor Democratic Committee chair Bruce Bikin admitted that he and others in the committee had problems finding candidates for those wards, including those who had run before.

“There’s some sense that Kevin Higgins is doing a pretty good job and there wasn’t anyone interested in taking that on,” he said of the Second Ward, a historically Republican stronghold.

Those he approached asked what would be the upside of running for a post on a board that is facing possible future litigation from former township manager Dave Bashore, a deficit in the millions and a future that may include restructuring and more layoffs.

“There’s so much stuff going on and so many problems looking ahead... There’s a real fear that the board might become really partisan... that it becomes a mini-Congress where nobody can get together to discuss good ideas.”

The current board of commissioners itself has not quite been in unison with some doggedly pursuing the allegations made against Bashore and others admitting publicly that they had wanted to let him go quietly.

Fifth Ward commissioner Lisa Paolino resigned from her seat last month after 10 years on the board; a rumor of resignation from another board member is circulating.

A new manager is set to be hired shortly, and a new finance director is also needed. Police and civilian union contracts will be up for renewal in the next few years.

It’s not an easy job (for the $1,200 annual stipend that commissioners are paid), everyone would agree.

Also, Bikin said, questions from would-be candidates included, “Am I going to have to do the kind of fighting [former commissioner] Dave Cannan did just to move the board forward? Are we going to be fighting with the majority over issues that should be common sense?”

The Democrats could have had, come the November election, a 5-2 majority of the board (versus the recent 2-5 minority) if they had run candidates in all elections and won them.

“In some ways we’re sort of victims of our own success,” he said. “Some don’t want to run the risk of facing Christina Perrone from the audience.”

Perrone, who ran for and lost the Second Ward seat four years ago, has become an outspoken township government scrutinizer and was one of a few people responsible for bringing to light the accusations that were leveled against former manager Bashore.

Last week she resigned from her committeeperson position with the Radnor Democratic Committee because she said she is unable to support all of the candidates the party is putting forward in this election. It’s typical for bylaws to require public support for candidates from committeepeople and members of the party’s executive board.

Daniel Sherry Jr. also resigned last week from his elected position of party secretary for the same reason, writing in his letter, “The Democratic candidates running for the Board of Commissioners and for School Board are unquestionably deserving of unanimous and enthusiastic support from the committee and its officers.”

But Sherry and Perrone say they can’t do that. They don’t share the belief expressed by some members of the committee at its meeting last Wednesday that the top priority of the local party is getting Democratic candidates elected.

Specifically, the two say they cannot support potential candidate John Nagle, who may run to fill the seat vacated by Paolino, who beat Nagle in the previous two elections. The issue was discussed at their meeting, which was attended by this reporter.

There, vice chair George Badey III said that one of the things he loved about the party was its openness and its ability to debate party problems, even in front of a reporter.

“That’s what the Democratic Party is. If you came to other meetings you would see debates on other issues,” he said earlier this week.

“We let people speak their mind and we want people to speak their mind. We want there to be robust debate,” Badey said, adding that there is not a “rift” in the party.

Friends with both Perrone and Sherry, Badey said he hopes they stay involved in the party, calling them “passionate and articulate” people.

Sherry said that Bikin and Badey are “very principled individuals, emblematic of our values, and I trust they will continue to do an excellent job building the party in Radnor.”

But he and Perrone say that they cannot support the values and principles that the party espouses (“accountability, openness, civility and fiscal discipline”) while simultaneously supporting some of its candidates.

Elaine Paul Schaefer, the Democratic candidate in the township’s Fourth Ward race, said that the agenda of the party “is and should be to get Democrats elected and move forward in a new, positive era in Radnor Township... And the way you effect change is to get into leadership positions.”

Schaefer also noted that many young voters today are more loyal to particular issues than to one party.

“This is not national politics where there are two sides of the aisle... It shouldn’t be and I believe it is for most people,” she said of local government.

Chip Layfield, a Wayne resident and Democratic activist who has run many local campaigns, said that his hope “is in the values in our masthead.”

“Campaigns come and go, candidates come and go, but the committee endures,” he said. “Standing on principles sometimes even trumps getting Democrats elected.”

As for the future of the Democratic Party in Radnor, Bikin, who has chaired it for nearly seven years, said, “Given the dynamics of politics and the way people move and registrations change, things are moving forward – perhaps in not a straight a line that I would appreciate. But hey, that’s life.”

seriously - elaine paul schaefer is a joke. i still cant believe that, in the midst of a very competitive campaign, and in the middle of very significant democratic party fracas, she would spew this nugget out of her gullet -

Elaine Paul Schaefer, the Democratic candidate in the township’s Fourth Ward race, said that the agenda of the party “is and should be to get Democrats elected and move forward in a new, positive era in Radnor Township... And the way you effect change is to get into leadership positions.”

Schaefer also noted that many young voters today are more loyal to particular issues than to one party.

“This is not national politics where there are two sides of the aisle... It shouldn’t be and I believe it is for most people,” she said of local government.

i had been half-kdding when i previously compared schaefer with miss teen south carolina, but now, i think schaefer has entered uncharted dumbness territory. she really thinks that the only way to 'effect change' is 'to get into leadership positions'? i think a few bloggers on here might have a few things to say about that.

also, i think its pretty stupid for schaefer (who hugged dave bashore at his termination hearing) to claim that the agenda of the radnor democratic party is to just get democrats elected. thats a real nice agenda. thats really a great way to pitch your brand to the public - 'hi voters, we are radnor democrats. our agenda is to make sure democratic politicians get elected. thats why we keep endorsing bill spingler every four years, and why we keep endorsing brucie rapoport.'

thankfully, in the midst of the swirling fog that makes up elaine paul schaefers brain, chip layfield put forward a very reasonable and smart quotation -

Chip Layfield, a Wayne resident and Democratic activist who has run many local campaigns, said that his hope “is in the values in our masthead.”

“Campaigns come and go, candidates come and go, but the committee endures,” he said. “Standing on principles sometimes even trumps getting Democrats elected.”

there, ladies and gentleman, is the difference between a greedy politician ('support me, elect me, make me your leader, its all about me!') and an advocate ('remember the values in our masthead').

also, i dont want to pass up the opportunity to publish the latest elitist, craptastic letter published on behalf of the smoldering shambles that is the schaefer campaign -

http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2009/09/09/main_line_suburban_life/opinion/doc4aa7cdc530d67204361973.txt

Supporting Schaefer

To the Editor:

We have lived in Radnor Township for nearly 20 years and would hardly call ourselves politically active. In fact, until a couple years ago we had never attended a school-board or township-commissioner meeting. We had watched occasional meetings on television and were amazed at the passionate yet outrageous behavior of some of those in the audience and on the boards. Recent events and continued outrageous behavior have drawn unfavorable attention to the township on numerous occasions. We think we’d all like to say we have seen the last of that sort of attention.

We can’t vouch for the likely behavior and inherent character of all the incumbents and candidates for commissioner, but we can vouch for and heartily endorse Elaine Paul Schaefer. We have known Elaine for a decade and she continually impresses us as a forthright, intelligent and dedicated professional. She’s a caring mother who’s a natural leader. She will bring her dignity and class to the Board of Commissioners and immediately make a significant positive impact on the leadership of our community. Please join us in supporting Elaine for Township Commissioner.

Marty and Regina Connor, Radnor

oh, those terrible, passionate speakers at radnors meetings - why wont they all go away so that life can return to normal in stepford, where no one questions, no one complains, and the conservancy, oops - i mean the commissioners, can go about their business behind closed doors?!?

please god, let elaine paul schaefer get elected, so that she can make bill spingler our president, and the public and the press can be kept completely in the dark, just like a bunch of mushrooms - and not the delicious type that will probably be sold in the future, illegally (along with chicken, eggs, and beef) at the willows cottage.

sure, our property taxes will go up over 30 percent, and the scott family will get 20 million dollars, but its a small price to pay to have the wonderful elaine paul schaefer serving herself - oops, I mean us, on the radnor board of commissioners!