Josh First's Blog

Vote today!

Maybe this election is boring to you. Maybe Trump isn’t on today’s ballot. Maybe these are boring people and boring positions.

Doesn’t matter, because you have to vote. Every American citizen must vote every time there is an election. Or else we lose the country.

Today, the “hot” elections are for Dauphin County commissioners, and I recommend Mike Pries and Chad Saylor, (and George Hartwick for the two Democrats who read this blog). Despite having different letters (R,D) after their names, these three guys get along very well and have kept taxes from being raised in Dauphin County forever. Besides, no county commissioner anywhere else in PA is nearly as entertaining as George Hartwick. His news stories usually involve a well-drained bottle of Crown Royal somewhere along the line. I like a politician who knows his business.

I will vote YES to retain Victor Stabile as a judge on the Superior Court, and I am voting NO to NOT RETAIN Jack Panella on the Superior Court. Panella is the worst sort of judicial activists, and our judicial branch is in tatters as a result. No, no, no. Go sit in the corner and learn all about the law again, Mr. Panella.

Matthew Pianka is running for magisterial judge in Uptown Harrisburg. His mom Barb held the position for a long time. His dad Jim held the job for a long time before Barb. I am no fan of political dynasties, but in Harrisburg we get to choose, on the one hand, between normal Democrats like Matthew who are rational and logical, albeit they have different principles or values than someone like me, or, on the other hand, complete crackpots who peddle racial politics and who will throw the rule of law out the window in the place where justice matters most – your neighborhood. So vote for Matthew Pianka, he’s a nice guy with a cute kid and a nice wife, and a dog, I think, and he’s bright. And personable.

On principle, I cannot in good conscience vote for any other Democrats than those above. The Democrat Party has gone off the rails, politically, culturally, lawlessly, and while I won’t tell you the Republican Party is so great, I will say at least they are not actively trying to destroy America like the Democrats. It is true that the Republicans actually do not actively try to do anything, and in their defense, this might be a good thing in politics.

YES Carolyn Carluccio for PA Supreme Court.

YES Maria Battista and Harry Smail for Superior Court.

YES Megan Martin for Commonwealth Court

YES Courtney Powell for Court of Common Pleas (I met Courtney. She is the most normal, smart, professional Mom type ever, and America needs more people like her in our court rooms)

YES John McDonald for Dauphin County Clerk of Courts. I met John and he is a sweet, gentle giant of a man. And I think he will be the first black person in this position, ever. Very cool. Go get ’em, John.

The Recorder of Deeds and county treasurer have to be the most dull positions, but we still have to pay attention to who is running. Jim Zugay has been Recorder of Deeds for a thousand years and yes, that is exactly the kind of job a career politician ought to be in, so I hope you win, Jim. Nick DiFrancesco wants to be Treasurer. He’s crazy enough to fully embrace this mind-numbing job, and he has already done a bunch of other county jobs. OK, Nick, I hope you get what you want. No backsies!