Nancy Satterfield Gearhart -- 1953 - 2012

Tuckahoe Haiku

little Paul runs behind old Edwin's plow
way down in Tuckahoe Neck where soil is rich and deep

a Spring shower waters seeds that they sow
and reveals old Indian stones for little Paul to reap

Tuckahoe River And Old Railroad Bridge

Year End Toblog Ramble

I just got back from Philly, and I am thinking about all kinds of things my trip to my friend Trip's has made clear.

First, the decline of the Philly part of traditional urban America is over. Good 'ole Trip from Texas by way of Greensboro, lives in a part of Philly, where people like me would have gone to commit suicide not too many years ago. Beautiful row homes rise among the ruins and empty lots around Thompson and North 7th. In fact, a majority of the homes for blocks around are either new or renovated. Now, these aren't "evil gentrifiers" taking over to dispossess the urban poor. The whole host of the tapestry that makes America was to be seen in all of this wonderful development. Did I say "development"? Well yes, the hand of government both local and federal is quite evident here. From actual incentives to builders, to significant help to buyers, government has definitely been more than a midwife to this Renaissance. Face it, if both Democrats and Republicans are locomotives for big government, we the consumers of political BS need to be more selective as to which type of big government we want lording over us -- sorry Ron Paul, it's too late.

FACEBOOK! I love it! It has brought me back in touch with so many people, who I have actually now seen again after many years. Projects long ago abandoned that should have been continued, in music, or friendship, have come back to life. Those who say they don't have time for FB, should think again. In our uber mobile lifestyle, this cyber reunion is a great vehicle to restore community.

Good 'ole Ridgely did some house cleaning. P.T. Barnum was right that a "sucker is born every minute". From the look of what was governing our fair town, one was born every second. Well, Mumford and Co. have done some house cleaning, and the clowns were sent packing. Now, everything isn't perfect, but is anything in this world? The "house cleaning" does leave me with a problem, though. The foolishness that used to go on in town hall provided foil for many a Toblog article--nearly killed the Toblog bullmeter. Now that the circus has left town, I don't have nearly as much to write about. I'm sure, however, that something will surface and the comedy will continue. Happy New Year!

Bona Saturnalia

Back in the day (753 B.C. to 390 A.D.),this year end celebration started on the 17th. The yearly celebration continued until public displays of pagan worship were banned by the emperor Theodosius. The date of the birth of Christ isn't clear, but the choice of December 25th was most likely seen as a way of co-opting this popular holiday into the Christian tradition. Anyhow, no harm in a little anachronistic merriment--bona Saturnalia!

Putting The Final Touches On Cambridge Mural

Divorce!

Did that title get your attention? The sad reality in this town is the fact that if Nancy and I were to be divorced, we could both serve on the town charter reform commission. Currently, we both can't serve since we are family. I love the way our town government is out in front promoting family values!

Originally, the question of family members serving together was brought up by our recently fired town manager. Although he proclaimed piously that he simply wanted to include more citizens on boards and commissions, many of us thought he was simply trying to exclude certain persons annoying to him and his agenda. Why the commissioners who fired this town finance wizard persist in this policy is beyond me. Could you imagine the uproar if the commissioners said that there can't be too many persons of color on a commission? Their position on the family is just as harmful to the social fabric.

Ridgely has come a long way in the 14 years that I have been serving on the planning and zoning commission. I'll never forget the debate on passing our first preservation guidelines which subsequently saved the endangered old homes on Central Ave. Yet, another town manager stood up and denounced us saying "ah hah, it is about preservation". Well, yes it was. I suppose he was trying to appeal to those who think preservation is a dirty word or would get in the way of developer profits.

A politician can appeal to our better or lesser angels. In Ridgely, the fallen angels local demagogues appeal to include the haters of anything old--everything from old homes to old trees. The difference between Ridgely and a Podunk is its traditions! It's sad the way our town is divided. The progressive coalition which protects the town's heritage, and small town quality of life, has barely won the last few elections and is always close to defeat by mediocrity.

Along with my wife, I have spent an enormous amount of time on this town over the years. There have been successes but only with constant vigilance. This has a price. I wonder how my daughter's life would be different if so many of my waking hours hadn't been spent worrying about the town? You don't want my services on the charter commission --well, throw me in the brier patch! I hereby resign all my other town commission positions too.

Of Charter Change, Couples Serving The Town, Awful Voting Choices; Impeachment

(click on to enlarge)

We received the above letter along with our outrageous water bill today.

Some people in town have forfeited their right to an opinion. One of them is Commissioner Epperly-Glover. WHAT RIGHT DOES ONE OF THE TWO COMMISSION SUPPORTERS OF THE $1.5 MILLION LOAN FOR DEVELOPMENT DISASTER HAVE TO TELL ANYONE HERE WHAT THEY CAN OR CAN'T DO?? THIS IS THE LOAN THAT PUSHED OUR TOWN OVER THE CLIFF. NANCY AND I WERE THE BIGGEST OPPONENTS OF THIS $1.5 MILLION IDIOCY!

Maybe the first charter change should allow for impeachment. There are a lot of people in this town who think you should be IMPEACHED for you actions regarding the $1.5 million. But that REQUIRES charter change. And, of course, you don't want both of us to serve on the charter change commission despite our many years of service to this town both together and separately as elected or appointed members of the town commission, planning and zoning commission, tree commission, rails to trails committee, parks and recreation commission, and historic commission.

By the way, when are you going to post your new family values proclamation on the town hall door -- no couples need apply? (For more info on the disastrous loan see my June 12th post.)

Roman Redux ?

America and the Roman Republic/Empire have each had an immense impact on their respective ages. We haven't yet been around as long as Rome, but taking into account modern time compression, our worldwide impact has been as enormous. We are loved, hated, and emulated.

Rome is also a cautionary tale, and the founding fathers constructed a republic of checks and balances in order to avoid the fate of the Roman Republic. Despite the founders best intentions, all my life, I've heard that we are becoming more "Roman" in many undesirable ways. My 6th grade teacher, for example, warned against American emulation of Roman "bread and circuses". Then, (in 1966) the reaction to LBJ's "Great Society" was setting in, and apprehension of welfare state supported decadence was starting to grow. What you don't like about Rome, or modern America, has as much to do with your own political perspective as anything.

Today, a whole host of books have recently come out making comparisons between us and Rome such as: "Are We Rome?:The Fall of a Empire and the Fate of America" by Cullen Murphy or "New Dark Age Ahead" by Jane Jacobs. Also, there a number analyzing the "fall" like: "The Fall of the Roman Empire: "A New History of Rome and the Barbarians" by Peter Heather or "The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization" by Bryan Ward-Perkins.

By the way, whether or not there was EVEN a "fall", or simply a "transformation", has been debated throughout my lifetime. Lately, the "fall" guys have been making a comeback. And, whether you believe there was a "fall" or not, ALSO depends a lot on your political point of view too. Like Pollyanna said: "..why, those German invaders were simply contributing to the multicultural diversity of Roman society.." Yes, of course, I get it now!

I do agree that there was a "fall", AND a "transformation" too. Your society would certainly be "transformed" if its government were to "fall" and be taken over by a horde of well armed barbarians.

Let's forget about the PC BS. We are not "all the same" and we have to ask ourselves how could such a group of backward barbarians take over the most advanced society on earth? Something must have gone astray with that society long before the Goths arrived in Rome. And, ever since Edward Gibbon, we've been trying to figure out even which questions to ask. Let's ask the main questions.

Let's start with sexual deviancy and orgies. (Now, I have your attention.) Was Roman moral corruption the culprit? Roman orgies and Satyricon like escapades are legendary. However, chronicles of the empire of sexual deviance occurred at the height of its prowess . By the time the Goths walked through the Salarian gate in 410(yes, "walked" -- the descendants of Caesar's legions opened the gate), Christian mores prevailed. Christian Bishops such as Ambrose, forced emperors such as Theodosius, to public penance a few years earlier for their excesses. (Caligula wouldn't have approved.) In a Christian sense, the Rome of Late Antiquity, wasn't decadent.

Was the problem one of the concentration of power in fewer and fewer hands? Such a problem certainly weakens a society's political culture. And, America certainly has a problem with the growing concentration of executive power. From the White House to town halls, power is increasingly held in executive hands. At the federal level, our government more and more resembles the Principate of Augustus, which preserved the appearance of a republic but concentrated all power in the emperor's hands. At the small town level, the "Imperial Presidency" is mimicked across America as more and more power is concentrated in executive hands under the pretense of "executive streamlining".

Or, is the problem one of a people who have given up and can't or won't defend themselves? Certainly, by the time of the late empire, Romans were scarce in the barbarian dominated legions. Romans were no longer fighters. Aetius was a loner. They had also given up on civic (curiale) activity and were the kind of sheep that we don't usually associate with the vigorous defense of anything.

America isn't there yet. Our military is a great barometer of realty and it's hardly a barbarized Roman entity. Overwhelmingly, our middle class supports our military. We, also, still volunteer to serve our local communities. We may be ignored or held in contempt by the rising tide of bureaucratic centralizers, and some of our political elite, but we can still mold our community's destiny.

The health of our middle American political culture, which is the backbone of the Republic, is no where near the Roman equivalent of Late Antiquity. What De Tocqueville appreciated and admired in 1835, is still alive locally. With our civic energy, we are unique in the world.

Today, we have no shortage of challenges and need this civic capital. Events like 911 or our current financial crisis would have already brought down a state whose people had ALREADY been reduced to grovelling serfdom.

Although we look less and less like the republic that the founders envisioned, with the machinery of Washington overwhelmingly in the hand's of the executive branch, our people, particularly the middle class, retain a strong sense of individual initiative and decency. We are still a vigorous people. We are not at all like the Romans of the LATE EMPIRE. Predictions that Americans would "open the gates" to an Alaric are a bit too premature.

Tip O'Neal was right when he said:"all politics is local". The federal reflects the local. This means that we need, however, to get to work in our communities, where ultimately, the American way will be won or lost. It is at home where our strength exists, and our renewal will begin, if our democratic experiment is to continue.

Thank You Kathy Smith

Kathy Smith faces personal problems that take precedence over the political. Three members of her family have cancer and our prayers should be with her. Normally, giving up an elected office is self defeating, but not in this case.

I can't thank her enough for her role in SAVING our town from bankruptcy. Had she not stood alone (very Churchill like) our already staggering financial meltdown would have been fatal. Can you imagine what would have happened if the town manager's pick would have beaten her in the '08 election? (They deny it now, but please remember who was out and about campaigning for the town manager party that year when you pay your outrageous water bills. Those folks deserve to dwell in the political wilderness forever!)

Although she can't be replaced, and we will all miss Kathy, I hope that the commissioners will appoint someone of her calibre to finish out her term. Thank you Kathy!