The Vindicator
Letters to the Editor
Sir:
Once again, Bertram De Souza’s ramble on the state of politics in Mahoning County can’t abide without comment. In his column “What Are Voters Thinking?” he once again attacks the quality of Republican Party candidates specifically referencing the Republican candidate for Auditor, Tracey Winbush. He should be ashamed of himself.
1) In what way was Tracey Winbush unqualified to be Auditor? In a previous column, he made much of her not having a college degree in accounting or law. As a lawyer, I can tell you my most successful clients don’t have college degrees, graduating instead from the School of Hard Knocks. Perhaps Bertram should do us a favor and review which of our elected public officials do or don’t have college degrees, and amend previous Vindicator endorsements accordingly. As Chairman Munroe so aptly pointed out in his letter after De Souza’s last rant, the prisons are littered with “qualified” college graduates from this area. Tracey is a business woman, has actually taken numerous college level courses, is an active Rotarian, sits on numerous area boards, is a community activist, a hard worker, a fast learner, and honest. What do you see in her, Bertram, that makes her unqualified?
2) The local Republican Party fielded some great candidates this past election, and the Vindicator chose to ignore all of them. Matt Lewis and Mike Pestian ran outstanding campaigns for State Senator and the 59th State Rep District with little resources against all odds. I was close to the Pestian campaign. He knocked on over 10,500 doors meeting the constituents. He is a successful businessman, a good family man with a great personality, and a relentless campaigner. He reached out to local teacher unions and attended other local union events not normally frequented by Republicans. Both of these campaigns were managed by a group of Young Republicans who spent countless hours doing the drudge work to make them viable. Yet the Vindicator gave absolutely NO coverage to these guys notwithstanding numerous attempts to bring attention to their efforts, qualifications and issues…not five words. So Bertram, don’t you and your paper dare complain about the lack of qualified Republican candidates and the lack of new young local political activists when they are right there in front of your face and you deliberately choose not to see them. How about getting up from your desk, talk to some of these folks about what is going on in this area, and do some actual reporting instead of pontificating?
3) Finally, a word to those Republicans at all levels of the party, who donate money on a regular basis to Democratic candidates and not the Republican candidates. Stop it. Come home. If you want Mahoning County to have a viable two party system, now is the time to re-examine what we have to offer and work with us to further develop a viable alternative to one party county rule. There is a new wave sweeping the nation and state. It is now here in Mahoning County. We would be glad to have you join the ride.
Mark G. Mangie
Attorney at Law
Finance Chairman, Mahoning
County Republican Party
Letters to the Editor
Sir:
Once again, Bertram De Souza’s ramble on the state of politics in Mahoning County can’t abide without comment. In his column “What Are Voters Thinking?” he once again attacks the quality of Republican Party candidates specifically referencing the Republican candidate for Auditor, Tracey Winbush. He should be ashamed of himself.
1) In what way was Tracey Winbush unqualified to be Auditor? In a previous column, he made much of her not having a college degree in accounting or law. As a lawyer, I can tell you my most successful clients don’t have college degrees, graduating instead from the School of Hard Knocks. Perhaps Bertram should do us a favor and review which of our elected public officials do or don’t have college degrees, and amend previous Vindicator endorsements accordingly. As Chairman Munroe so aptly pointed out in his letter after De Souza’s last rant, the prisons are littered with “qualified” college graduates from this area. Tracey is a business woman, has actually taken numerous college level courses, is an active Rotarian, sits on numerous area boards, is a community activist, a hard worker, a fast learner, and honest. What do you see in her, Bertram, that makes her unqualified?
2) The local Republican Party fielded some great candidates this past election, and the Vindicator chose to ignore all of them. Matt Lewis and Mike Pestian ran outstanding campaigns for State Senator and the 59th State Rep District with little resources against all odds. I was close to the Pestian campaign. He knocked on over 10,500 doors meeting the constituents. He is a successful businessman, a good family man with a great personality, and a relentless campaigner. He reached out to local teacher unions and attended other local union events not normally frequented by Republicans. Both of these campaigns were managed by a group of Young Republicans who spent countless hours doing the drudge work to make them viable. Yet the Vindicator gave absolutely NO coverage to these guys notwithstanding numerous attempts to bring attention to their efforts, qualifications and issues…not five words. So Bertram, don’t you and your paper dare complain about the lack of qualified Republican candidates and the lack of new young local political activists when they are right there in front of your face and you deliberately choose not to see them. How about getting up from your desk, talk to some of these folks about what is going on in this area, and do some actual reporting instead of pontificating?
3) Finally, a word to those Republicans at all levels of the party, who donate money on a regular basis to Democratic candidates and not the Republican candidates. Stop it. Come home. If you want Mahoning County to have a viable two party system, now is the time to re-examine what we have to offer and work with us to further develop a viable alternative to one party county rule. There is a new wave sweeping the nation and state. It is now here in Mahoning County. We would be glad to have you join the ride.
Mark G. Mangie
Attorney at Law
Finance Chairman, Mahoning
County Republican Party
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