Wally Zimolong, running in the 182nd
Submitted by gowest on Wed, 02/27/2008 - 4:10pm.
Does anyone know Wally Zimolong? I just came across his website: http://www.wallyzimolong.com/
He looks like a young guy, and figured someone must know him, and what his deal is.. I guess most likely he'll be running against Babette Joseph's, since Larry Farnese dropped out of that race. He also seems to go out of his way to be non-partisan on his site, despite his choice of picture..
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It's way past the deadline
It's way past the deadline to file to run in the primary so with the prominent picture with John McCain, I'm assuming he is running as a Republican. But that website has got take the cake for the most soft sell Republican approach ever. If he was running as an "Independent" I am pretty sure he would say it.
-Sean
MrLuigi, my cat, actually only types half as badly as I do.
182nd
Gowest - Thank you for visiting my site. You are right that I am non-partisan on my site. If you are looking for divisive and partisan politics, I am sorry, because I am not your candidate. Partisan politics and hard sells are not going to solve our problems.
I am a Republican and I am proud of that. But, I am also my own man - I am not George Bush or Dick Chaney. So, if people are going to dismiss me simply because I am a Republican that is unfortunate.
Our City and our Nation is tired of partisan politics and wants solutions. If your readers want solutions too, then please visit my web page or send me an email - zimolong2008@gmail.com. I would be happy to discuss issues with you or to meet with anyone personally.
Thanks Wally2008
Wally2008,
Thanks for the reply, and I think it's great that you have posted on this website. There aren't too many Republicans on this site, and I think it's great that you are engaging a broad and diverse audience. What do you see as the priorities for the 182nd District?
Priorities
It is a shame that more Republicans do not post on your site. The young citizens of Philadelphia need to look beyond names like liberal or conservative or Democrat or Republican and find common ground to move us forward. For example, everyone on this site cares deeply about Philadelphia and is engaged politically. We should not let our differences on policy get in the way of our shared desire to see Philadelphia do better.
The 182nd is a great District and I would not live anywhere else. I want the 182nd District to be a model. My priorities are simple yet important - crime, jobs, and education. FIrst, we need to make sure we feel safe in the 182nd. Second, we need to create a business friendly environment that rewards job creation and creates jobs people can be proud of. Third, we need to be the beacon of education with the best traditional schools and the best charter schools. We need to think outside the box.
wallyzimolong.com
But there are fundamental differences between the Parties
which is why, I assume, you're a Republican. That means something doesn't it? For instance, your emphasis on a "business friendly environment" as the means you focus on to "reward job creation" and "jobs that people can be proud of." To me that is code language for adopting and promoting a pro-corporate agenda. Most Democrats don't view political action through the prism of what can be done to help business. That perspective usually means opposing health and safety protections for workers, failing to regulate environmentally backward companies, opposing minimum wage increases, and putting the burden of taxation on low wage workers, rather than corporations and the wealthy. Republicans are free, of course, to promote those policies, but it is not foolhardy of those who favor a different perspective to be aware that your Party and its leaders are almost always on the other side.
Stan - you keep focusing on
Stan - you keep focusing on the differences and same old tired rhetoric and nothing will be done. I will be focusing on how we can revitalize the 182nd District and bring imaginative solutions to our problems.
Wally, it is a simple fact
Wally, it is a simple fact that the PA GOP endlessly denies desperately needed funding for Philly.
When our schools are underfunded, to the tune of a billion dollars a year, and the house GOP wants no part of actually coming up with revenue to close that gap, why would any progressives support a Republican?
Republicans are Good... Republican Patronage Machines? Bad.
I would be happy to see more Republican representation in our government. Actually, I would rather see the DCC machine abolished and would also like to see a bit more partisan infighting as a method of additional checks and balances in city government. [Who better to monitor, investigate and prosecute waste and corruption than the minority party?]
But what I don't want to see is the likes of patronage machines.
Take Philadelphia's most famous local Republican patronage machine, the Parking Authority.
The PPA plows all of their revenue back into their bloated salaries. The City barely benefits, and at the same time the PPA irritates visitors to our town.
Not only that, PPA employees generate 2x as much Worker's Comp claims than more dangerous jobs, such as working at the PPD or PFD.
Example: One PPA employee filed 4 worker's comp claims for OJT injuries... for... SPIDER BITES! WTF?
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20080302_Editorial__Phila__Parkin...
The PPA could be plowing almost $100 million dollars a year into the city budget to help out the bloated employee pension fund and with demolishing craptastic schools and building newer state-of-the-art facilities. But apparently the PPA's mission is to grease its own back. Where's the accountability? What public benefit is this agency giving us?
You want more Republicans and then blast Republicans?
I'm sorry, I don't see the logic.
Btw, as you would know if you read this blog regularly, those of us Democrats who post here are hardly unaware of the problems in the local, state and national Democratic Parties. We fight hard to fix those problems. We just don't think the Republican Party offers any part of that fix, while presenting a huge number of problems of its own. Like the ones I mentioned in my last post, all of which Wally conveniently ignored in his reply.
RCC and GOP... 2 Different Beasts
You have to differentiate between an average, sitting on the couch watching Everybody Loves Raymond, Republican... and the Republican City Committee and the Pennsylvania GOP.
The party, especially locally, is not exactly aligned well with their actual constituents or their concerns. The loss of David Oh is the best recent example of that happening.
I'm registered Democratic, but as a libertarian (little L), I find myself voting in both aisles although it's not due to lack of want.
Crime and BPT are my two top issues, and I'll vote for any Republican that expresses a genuine drive to lower the former and eliminate the latter.
Now, I can see why you would want to be with the GOP
especially on the BPT issue. Although the Democrats are hardly great on it, at least there's some skepticism that tax cuts are the answer to turning water into wine. Among Republicans, there is no doubt.
"You got chocolate in my peant butter", etc.
East Chestnut and Stan Shapiro discuss the BPT. This may be interesting.
-Sean
MrLuigi, my cat, actually only types half as badly as I do.