Even the Loyal Can Fall
One expects the heel of the political jackboot to come down on party opponents, but what to think when it lands on the neck of a loyalist?
A sad sidelight on the primary election surfaced when one of the most visible handmaidens of the RDO was denied the party line for a city committee seat. This is a person who had been a legislative aide to the chairman, who moved from his office south to City Hall even before a new city title was created for her and another former aide when the new administration took charge.
As someone who could be counted on to do the right thing politically, this person had served on the school board and city boards, most recently being the mayor’s designee to the Planning Board.
But somehow things changed.
Denied a petition, as the story goes, this true-blue party loyalist was so nonplussed that she took out her own petition. Her slogan? “Real Democrat.”
Maybe the past was just a dream in her mind and now a nightmare.
She can still be seen, sans epaulets, at some of her usual stations. But how soon before she is gone, disappeared from the scene for unnamed crimes, her faithful service a bitter memory?
Let this be a lesson to those who pledge allegiance to a powerbroker. The hand over your heart can fly to your mouth in disbelief when the boot comes down. Call it the fickle finger of fate or just the finger, when it points to you, you’re gone.
--Bernice Paglia
A sad sidelight on the primary election surfaced when one of the most visible handmaidens of the RDO was denied the party line for a city committee seat. This is a person who had been a legislative aide to the chairman, who moved from his office south to City Hall even before a new city title was created for her and another former aide when the new administration took charge.
As someone who could be counted on to do the right thing politically, this person had served on the school board and city boards, most recently being the mayor’s designee to the Planning Board.
But somehow things changed.
Denied a petition, as the story goes, this true-blue party loyalist was so nonplussed that she took out her own petition. Her slogan? “Real Democrat.”
Maybe the past was just a dream in her mind and now a nightmare.
She can still be seen, sans epaulets, at some of her usual stations. But how soon before she is gone, disappeared from the scene for unnamed crimes, her faithful service a bitter memory?
Let this be a lesson to those who pledge allegiance to a powerbroker. The hand over your heart can fly to your mouth in disbelief when the boot comes down. Call it the fickle finger of fate or just the finger, when it points to you, you’re gone.
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 2:10 PM
5 Comments:
This is a person who has had many responsibilities as a city employee and didn't fulfill them. Talk is cheap but when required work doesn't get done it creates all kinds of problems. One good example is the current fuss about board and commission vacancies. Applications have been passed along to this individual for the mayor's attention but were apparently "lost" somewhere before the mayor got to see them. If you don't do the job you were hired to do you have no right to keep it and no right to complain if you get fired. There are too many useless patronage employees in municipal governments everywhere, not just in Plainfield, and taxpayers shouldn't have to be paying them for jobs they don't do. True-blue party loyalty is no substitute for responsible and quality performance, whether it's a paying job or you have volunteered to do it.
Bernice, Jerry Green keeps insisting that he was not backing the individual you are talking about, but the truth is that she was supposed to split the vote in the 1-4 committee so that committee woman Liz D'Aversa would lose. She didn't even circulate her own petition. The D'Aversas have long been thorns in Jerry's side and this was the only way he could see to get rid of them. I will believe this individual you talk about has been "dissed" by Green when she loses her job. She has built up enough pension time at her current pay rate to retire with a much bigger pension. I don't think this was anything but planned completely by the assemblyman.
Wow, Bernice - you're really on a roll today. Usually you shy away from overt political commentary in favor of strict reportage. (Just the facts, mam.) Thanks for your perspectives!
Ah yes Bernice. Your daily poop. Seems you are finding poopability in everything you see around you.
Maybe you should call your blog the Plain-pooper.
You keep pooping, Bernice. Those who take offense to your honest and unbiased comments seem to me to be those who have something to gain from being loyal to the machine. The one consolation is that at some point, they too will become a victim. Thanks as always for not cowering to pressure.
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