RANDOM THOUGHTS

  This is a week of morning appointments and little time to post. I was going to give an opinion on Trump’s speech and the Democrat’s response, but what can I write about something that will not change? Moreover, there was a basketball game I wanted to watch.

  Tuesday night Trump read!!!! his comments. Not his usual “shooting from his mouth” but still quoting statistics that were, according to all the pundits, distorted . He made a “humanitarian” appeal coupled with scare tactics. Many will believe him. But I can not believe the 800000 government employees who will not get paid are supportive of his unyielding demands. Nor his request that vendors and landlords owed money not try to collect, will be popular and Trump supportive.

  The Democrats will try to fund the government, but I agree with them that there may be a better way to improve border security than a 2000-mile concrete or steel barrier.

  Politicians rarely keep campaign promises especially when they are ridiculous; “The Mexicans will pay for the wall”. The Wall has become Trump’s “Custer’s last stand” and he will not yield. 
  Trump's words:“I've watched the politicians,” he said in his announcement speech in June 2015. “I've dealt with them all my life. If you can't make a good deal with a politician, then there's something wrong with you. You're certainly not very good.”
 Instead the “Master of the Deal” has demanded my terms or no deal.

  As always, the cartoonists have been busy.

BRIEF NOTE

Just a brief note. Last night's council meeting was as expected full of yes votes. The only surprise was the change in Council Presidents. I would hope that the 2019 Council will ,be more public friendly than the 2018 one. However it appears unlikely since this Council has adopted a 7 pm starting time for all meetings making i t difficult for those who must dine  at 6pm to attend. I presume the Councilors will have food waiting for them before the meeting.

Tonight at 9pm PONTUS  will continue his attempts to negate the Constitution and establish an Autocratic government, which he has shown to admire.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

  Dan has pointed out several changes in appointments that will take place Monday night at the Council’s reorganization meeting. Since there have been no reason given, we can assume that it is politics as usual.

 It might be of interest to the public that among the many resolutions are ones to “approved vendors”. By eliminating the “bidding process” in awarding contracts could this be a route to payola for political favorites.

  As a possible example, the contract with DAVID L. MINCHELLO ESQ OF RAINONE COUGHLIN MINCHELLO, LLC to provide legal services to the City and to act as the Council’s legal advisor at a stipend of $9500.00 per month payable to his firm allows him to delegate services to other members of his firm. That is 114K a year.

   In addition, in his role as Corporation Counsel he is responsible for “d: Management and assignment of all legal matters”. I presume that this gives him authority to contract various legal firms as (a) Bond Counsel-9 firms, (b) Litigation/Defense Counsel-16 firms, (c) Redevelopment Counsel-3 firms,(d)  Special Counsel for Tax Appeals, in rem Tax Foreclosure and Abandoned properties rehabilitation act enforcement-7 firms,(e) Workman’s Compensation Counsel-5 firms. Some like the Weiner Law Group or Palumbo, Renaud & DeAppollonio are approved vendors in more than one group.

  Since the Council is routinely approving contracts with various firms for sums up to 50K has anyone question the actual cost to the City for legal services. Or would a full time Corporation Counsel be more economical? That should be the Council’s job to find out; or for what are they compensated?

A NEW YEAR ???

    Too soon to tell if it will be “happy & prosperous”; it is only the 4^th day of 2019. Winter has returned. It will be the 14^th day of the government shutdown, and the Deal Maker will not deal. The Democrat s have only one agenda; get Trump. Our foreign policy seems to be one of building a wall around the USA and the hell with our allies. Already candidates for 2000 are presenting themselves.

   The cartoonists may lighten the gloom: 

A

HAPPY

HEALTHY

PROSPEROUS

2019

TO ALL