Blooms in the Desert

left panel: Texas desert flower that blooms on cattle droppings ('turd blossoms')-  right panel: One Hoboken's mayoral candidate Tim Occhipinti with One Hoboken's Communications Director, Amanda Palasciano

Well, folks. We've had a few days to reflect upon what's been called the "dirtiest election in Hoboken history" that's turned Dark Side strongholds like Marine View Plaza Zimmer-Green.  (Terry Castellano turned green when she heard the news)

GA would tell the Dark Siders, I've read your reactions on Facebook, and have this advice:  get 'real' with yourselves to understand why Reform kicked (your) ass.

Play the Imagine Game.

Imagine Reform had tried to (1) kill our only hospital thus forcing a $52,000,000 bond default on Hoboken taxpayers and massive tax increases or citywide layoffs and would kill 1,200 jobs and trash our credit rating making it impossible to bond for funding city operations,   (2) used the courts to oust a City Council member preventing zoning board appointments which has backed up applicants as far as the eye can see and hurt our economy, (3) refused to bond for a traffic light to open a park, (4) refused to bond for repairs to Pier C park,  (5) voted down repaving Washington street with 'free' (GRANT) money,  (6) voted AGAINST bonding for new HOP buses used by senior citizens, (7) voted NO on ordinance changes to LOWER FLOOD INSURANCE for EVERYBODY,(8) attacked a FLOOD VICTIM forced out of her home during it's reconstruction and on and on....

WE didn't do that stuff, Dark Side people (DSP)--YOU did.   

When GA walked down Adams Street last week in my Green Shirt and an old man on his 3rd Ward stoop shouted, "I love your shirt!" (true story) you know Dark Siders, you've got problems.  That was your base. Your selfishness and stupidity have turned your own against you. 

But I digress.

GA thought of the desert flower ('turd blossom') that grows- literally, on shit as a metaphor for the One Hoboken campaign, which GA believes will be remembered as the shittiest in our city's history.

From that crap pile grows many flowers.

The obvious one would be love, but that's none of GA's business. But since it was posted on Facebook, in the public domain, One Hoboken's Communications Director has changed her Facebook relationship status to "In a relationship" so let's all leave the Two Lovebirds alone and wish them well.

Another flower?   From the Dark Side heap of dung rises the validation of Reform as a political force and not a cult of tree-huggers.  Of course, Dawn Zimmer is the figure head, the leader.   But it's not about Dawn Zimmer, it's about what she does, what she represents: good government and concern for the people who live here.

The next flower would be affirmation; the public's confidence in Kids First and their fantastic work for the Hoboken Public School district's kids.  GA wants to acknowledge the hard work of campaign manager Deirdre Wall , Kids First members, the volunteers and all of their family members who had to sacrifice a hot meal, clean laundry or companionship while their loved one was on the campaign trail. YOU ROCK.

Another flower, and this is one is big: the repudiation of Beth Mason's uber-costly, defamation-fest against Ravi Bhalla: on Facebook, YouTube and in The Hoboken Reporter.  GA heard that his 6 year-old daughter was hearing that her daddy was on YouTube from her little friends.  Excuse me, Beth Mason but what did running ads on a medium watched by teens and children have to do with prevailing in this race?  Absofuckinglutley NOTHING.  GA also heard that Mason's attorneys sent a letter to Bhalla's employer. Excuse me, Beth Mason but what did threatening Bhalla's employer have to do with prevailing in this race?   Ditto.  You and your evil henchman (with gills and flippers) like to hurt people, and their families.  For you two, it's not about politics. Politics are an excuse for asymmetric bullying.   And it is asymmetric. Just like the beefy, muscled schoolyard bully who can swing the hardest punch at his target, you swing the hardest punch with your wallet.  Ravi was your target this year. But the flower rising from the shit you pelted at our community grows tallest and brightest.

There is a budding flower, and this one is for the Dark Side.  Because DSPs must live with the results of Beth Mason's repulsive shit-storm and tanking of Ruben (the third ticket was her idea), and her double-crossing  flounder (first he double-crosses Mason by canoodling with Mark Albiez and Paul Swibinski throughout the campaign, then double-crosses the Russos by calling Anthony Russo a "criminal" on midnight flyers).  Think about it.  Beth Mason created the Third Ticket which doomed Ruben.  Beth Mason forces her traitorous incompetent anchovy on every campaign she touches.

Think of Mason's wallet as an anchor on a short rope- it will pull you and your campaign under.

So that budding turd blossom is Hope that the Dark Side will clean house.  As that wise mystery-columnist Mr./Ms. Hangin on the Vine wrote about this election: "they do not know the difference between a negative campaign and a dirty one. Negative campaigns result in their share of victories, dirty ones rarely."  You cannot sail with that anchor on board. Think about it next time you see that wallet and her traitorous trout coming at you.

If flowers can bloom on crap in the desert, there is hope for a better Dark Side.