"The Unthinkable Becomes a Reality?"

Whether the opposition is Rendell, Katz, Green, Street, Knox, Santa Claus, Elmo, or the Easter Bunny, Mr. Nutter should not be reelected as mayor.

Since 2008, I've written extensively about the misadventures of Mr. Nutter and how woeful he's been as mayor for one of the greatest cities in the Republic. Since his stint as mayor, all we've gotten from him is:

• Unlimited excuses

• Elimination of services

• Lack of depth in creating and implementing effective policies to stimulate economic growth

And

• Arrogance

Philadelphia and its residents deserve better than this poor leadership that Mr. Nutter has provided up to this point. Could it be that the Philadelphia Democratic Party regarding its mayors is taking nearly 30 years of support for granted?

We've had 8 years of Mr. Goode, 8 years of Mr. Rendell, 8 years of Mr. Street and quit possibly, gulp--8 years of Mr. Nutter.

Mr. Goode had his moments and was on his way to being considered one of the best mayor's the city had until well, the MOVE Massacre. Ed "America's Mayor" Rendell was responsible for the face lift to Center City that re-energized economic growth at the time but not much else, and John Street increased social services in the city that was sorely lacking, but he also had an administration and associates so corrupt that they never met a kickback they didn't like. This brings us to Mr. Nutter. His achievements have been so far and few that I would have to grade them on a curve in order for him to receive a passing grade--and on too many occasions Mr. Nutter looked lost and dazed like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights of the issues in Philadelphia.

Mr. Nutter's supporters will say he inherited a horrific economy, but in Mr. Street's defense, he managed to leave the city with a surplus when he left office. In my humble opinion, that type of rhetoric doesn't even fly with President Obama. Mr. Nutter wanted the job because he had a better mouse trap--well, you got it! Now shut-up about how bad the economy was when you became mayor and fix it. We are at 11.9 percent unemployment. If we Philadelphians tighten our belts anymore, third-world nations will begin sponsoring a Philadelphian.

Maybe what Philadelphia needs is a Republican mayor. Maybe they would be effective, and in the process, awaken the Democratic Party to the reality that their hibernation in which they've been in for nearly 30 years is over.


Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra, Ultra Progressive.

“Dinner is Served…In the Public Schools?”

Washington DC public schools, is one of the most impoverished regions in the Republic and is struggling to cope with sharp increases in poverty over the last 5 years.

According to 2009 census more than 6,000 DC residents fell below the poverty line for 2008-2009 and as unemployment continues to grow in 2010, more families have fallen into poverty.

According to the Washington Post, Washington DC public schools are responding by expanding their school meal programs even further that includes serving dinner to more than 10,000 hungry children in the district. It is estimated that the program, which will cost the school system about $5.7 million this year, comes at a time of heightened concern about childhood poverty in the city.

Let me be candid, for millions of children in the Republic, school meals are the only source of food they will eat within 24 hours. We’ve been focusing on decreasing childhood obesity all the while our youth are being underfed in the process.

As a great nation, can we not feed the children and has the Republic become a third-world nation or is it that we just don’t care? I guess the money that’s earmarked to construct new prisons than innovative public schools that could also feed those in need will provide three square meals for the youth once they arrive there.



Anthony P. Johnson

“The Republic: Our Commonality.”

My hope is that the parties of Democrats, Tea/Republicans, Green, Libertarian, Independents, and Progressives, can find commonality in our beliefs about how to provide for all the citizens in the Republic.

If many of us could simply talk to one another other instead of "at" each other I think--rather I know--we could move the Republic in a direction that 10,000 years from now poets will still have difficulty writing sonnets about our descent to the stars.

Many use the term "Yes We Can" as a catch phrase, but it means so much more:

• Yes We Can find a cure for Cancer and HIV/AIDS

• Yes We Can end poverty and homelessness

• Yes We Can end illiteracy and build innovative schools that will create entrepreneurs, and scholars

• Yes We Can create a government that will be above corruption, and when needed, prosecute Wall Street and elected officials that violate effectively serving its citizenry

• Yes We Can remove, rebuke, refute, render powerless, repudiate--not to be confused by Mrs. Palin's "Refudiate" those Americans whose intent it is to divide us through fear, lies and misconceptions.

I want to be clear when I say yes we can once again be the beacon of hope that the rest of the world has come to admire in us--if only we are willing to make what's best for the Republic our commonality.



Anthony P. Johnson