The Thanksgiving Edition

Today is Thanksgiving. It is a little hard to believe it has already come and that tomorrow officially kicks off the holiday extravaganza—yes, I know tomorrow is Black Friday. My cousin at dinner informed me of her intent to go out at three in the morning to buy herself a 42 inch LCD television, and nothing says holidays like standing outside in the freezing cold waiting to rush the doors and buy a massive television.

I will be braving the stores a little later on as J.C. Penny’s has some pretty good deals. Can you say 70% off pants and dress shirts? I seriously need the pants and the shirts, otherwise I would be staying in bed.

This has been kind of a bittersweet Thanksgiving, as most of the family on my father’s side has passed away over the last two years. It is sad my grandparents and aunts and uncles are no longer with us, but it is kind of a relief to actually have a holiday meal without having to go home feeling angry or depressed. I will admit this was a very unusual thing this year, as there was no fighting, no arguing on the telephone, no snide remarks about the food, and no airing of the grievances like is typical of the Seinfeld holiday “Festivus”. It was just a “normal” holiday without all of the drama, and it is definitely something I can get used to.

We actually spent Thanksgiving with my mom’s side of the family this year. It was good seeing my other cousins for a change, and my aunts and uncles and grandmother who have been quite supportive over the last few years. It is really a shame I was unable to hang out more with my cousins from down in Mansfield over the years, it seems like they would have been a lot of fun to be around. I really need to make it a point to get down there more often, as the reality is they are really all the family I have left. My cousin is turning 21 fairly soon, and she would be a blast to hang out with more often.

There is a lot to be thankful for this year. Family, friends, a good education, health, and work of some kind are just a few. Work is not perfect, but at least it is something.

I am hoping this year is going to be a better year. It is a year of transition, and certainly an end of an era in many respects. As to that remark, I can only say sometimes we need to let go of certain things and move on. It is both a happy and a sad thing, and I guess this is typical of most changes.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and have a very enjoyable holiday weekend!

The Mang
Conservative Capo of Youngstown

In Support of the YSU Fee, but with Limitations

Youngstown State is a particularly unique school when it comes to the topic of student activities. By and large, majority of the students on the campus of YSU are not involved in extra-curricular programs and student groups because they are either commuters or simply do not care about joining a student organization. At the same time, you have a small amount of students that really do want to make YSU a better place by providing the funds necessary to create an atmosphere conducive to both learning and socializing apart from daily class work. So, what do you do with this situation? Do you levy this fee for the betterment of a small interest in spite of the majority of people that do not use it? Or do you do this because this is something that will encourage people to join student groups because there is money now available? As I said, the situation is unique.

There is a severe lack of money for student groups. I know this because I used to be the president of the College Republicans at YSU. I can attest to the lack of money available, and I know other heads of student organizations that will say the same thing.

YSU student groups are disadvantaged particularly because there is not a whole lot of money in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties to find outside of SGA. Sure, people will give money to the University, but you would be hard pressed to find anyone that is going to give any kind of significant money to a student group. If you couple that with the fact that there is a lack of students on campus after class making it hard for things like recruitment, holding meetings, and holding events that are both social and academic in nature, then we find ourselves in the situation like we are in at YSU currently.

If this was a normal situation, I would be against this additional fee. Anytime I hear a fee or a tax would be going towards subsidizing a small minority of people in spite of the fact the vast majority of people would not be benefiting, I am always wary.

However, this situation is not normal. With few exceptions, trying to run a successful student group at YSU with a lack of funding is near impossible. I wish that was not the case, but it is the truth. Organizations at universities in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Akron, Cincinnati, Athens, Kent, and Steubenville all are successful because they readily have some kind of access to funds of some kind, be it from within the university or from the surrounding cities and suburbs. YSU does not have that luxury, and our groups do suffer for it.

The question though that needs to be asked is, if this fee does come to fruition, would this additional money going to student groups further student involvement on campus? To be completely honest, I cannot say with certainty it would given the situation at YSU currently. I would like to think so, but part of me believes this extra money would not make a difference.

That aside, I believe this additional money would provide a means that would encourage more involvement simply because the access to the money is available for students that want to participate in academic related activities or to do events that are academic in nature.

I would like to make sure though that this kind of fee does not go out of control, and that is something I hope SGA would ensure. The only danger with this is future levying of fees on students, and that can be a slippery slope to more fees. Having said that, I would like to see a limitation on levying future fees to a certain dollar amount every so many years. That or subject any subsequent increase in student fees by the SGA to a vote by the student body.

As typical of most government bodies, the more money that is available, the more money that is spent, so naturally I would hope there would be some kind of restriction on any future fees. I think the additional fee will be helpful, but I certainly believe it needs to be restricted in the future.

The Mang
Conservative Capo of Youngstown

Christmas Rock: Steamroller and TSO. Is One Truly Better?

Youngstown seems to have been rocked with the season, as we have had two outstanding groups come here to perform. Trans-Siberian Orchestra came to town a couple of weeks ago, gracing the Covelli Centre in all of their excellence. Tonight, Mannheim Steamroller performed to a near sellout crowd at the DeYor Center and rocked hard.

Over the last few years, TSO has gained an international fame, and as time has gone on, has gradually taken the lead over the original “Christmas rock” group Mannheim Steamroller. Granted Chip Davis and Steamroller have other works aside from their Christmas music, but predominantly they are known for the Christmas fare.

The question has been raised about which group is better, and of course every person is going to have their opinion on this. A lot of people are not going to know who either group is, simply because they might not be into Christmas music. A lot of the older generation (talking thirties +) are going to have a preference towards Mannheim Steamroller, as that was the group they grew up with and know. For the under 30 crowd, you will see a preference towards TSO for the same reasons. TSO rocks a lot harder than Steamroller, and anything less than TSO is going to be considered too soft.

The Mang’s perspective: these two groups simply cannot be compared, and I will tell you why. The kind of shows they put on are significantly different, and the kind of music they play is also different. Both rock very hard (and I say that having seen what they are capable of live), but it simply is not the same playing field.

Granted, I will highlight the strengths of each group at the end of this.

The shows are completely different. TSO has a hell of a light show to accompany what is best considered an “arena rock” performance. I have never seen anything quite like it, and it was a memorable performance when I saw them when they first came to Youngstown a few years ago. It was Christmas metal at its finest.

Mannheim Steamroller basically goes on stage and rocks out. There are no pyrotechnics, the light show is not nearly as involved as what TSO presents, and there is not really a story that ties the entire show together. They just have a number of talented musicians that really enjoy playing, and do a phenomenal job doing so.

Musically, Mannheim Steamroller is not of the same genre as TSO. Yes, there is some crossover and similarities, but some of the songs are very different. For instance, Mannheim Steamroller’s second half of the show emphasized Renaissance rooted Christmas music. It was awesome. Was it as hard rocking as TSO? No, but that does not mean it was worse or better. It just means it was different.

I am not sure how you can compare a song like “Still, Still, Still” by Mannheim Steamroller to any song by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It is a beautiful arrangement but it is not hard rocking. Better, or different? Same thing goes for “Veni Veni” by Steamroller. These songs are not specifically arena rock or metal.

Where are the similarities? You can compare songs to see which group rocks harder. “Carol of the Bells” by Steamroller to “Christmas in Sarajevo” by TSO. Both are outstanding arrangements, and I am even hesitant to pick which one is better. Again, this is really a matter of personal taste, because even these two arrangements I would not consider to be of the same genre.

Some songs cannot be compared, because there are some songs one group has done that the other has not. I would love to see a Trans-Siberian Orchestra version of “Los Peces en el Rio”. The Mannheim Steamroller version is awesome, but TSO could have an awesome metal spin on this if they get around to it.

Strengths of TSO: phenomenal show, unique metal arrangements for Christmas songs, and very hard rocking. If you had to choose the show to see if both were performing on the same night, it would have to be TSO hands down. They have outstanding musical talent and a great show to accompany it.

Strengths of Mannheim Steamroller: outstanding musical arrangements that cover a wide variety of musical genres and eras, and the musicians are versatile and can play a number of different instruments extremely well. They can rock hard if they want to, and their drummer, Tom Sharpe, is unbelievable in his talent. They can also take it down and play beautiful compositions, as arranged by Chip Davis.

Both are outstanding, but this writer is not going to make a choice on which is better. Both are equally talented in their abilities.









The Mang
Conservative Capo of Youngstown

Best in the NFL? The Case for the AFC North

It has now come to that point in the season where people start making declarations of which team is the best in the NFL. Some are already picking Super Bowl matchups. Steelers-Vikings, Bengals-Saints, New England-Dallas, take your pick, these are all possible matchups. But it begs the question, which team currently is the best in the NFL?

The Saints and Colts are running hot right now and either team could make a good case. Patriots are always a tough team to beat, and though they have had some issues, they are still worthy opponents. The Broncos had the number one defense until recently, but they lost two straight to AFC North teams. The Vikings are highly touted as a favorite for the Super Bowl, but they themselves are subject to question because with the exception of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens, the Vikings have not come across anyone with a winning record. They narrowly beat the Ravens, and they lost to the Steelers. Are they truly Super Bowl material? What about the dark horses out there lying in wait for the playoffs?

I want to make the case for the AFC North though, not particularly because I have a bias towards the Steelers but certainly because of the level of playing three out of the four teams are playing at. AFC North represents smash mouth football—period. You would be hard pressed to find another division that plays as brutal as these teams do. The Steelers and Ravens have been known for this style of playing, and last year more than proved how brutal a game can get when these two teams meet. Personally, I have not seen a series of games as hard hitting as I have seen when the Steelers and Ravens matched up those three times last year.

What about the Bengals? I am impressed with the Bengals, truly I am. They are definite contenders this year, and they proved that when they swept the Ravens and beat the Steelers. I have no doubt in my mind that if the Bengals keep playing at this high level of roughness that is so customary in this division, they will go far in the playoffs or get to the Super Bowl. They have a decent running game, a good passing game, and defensively have really stepped up their game. They have a lot of weapons to work with and they will be a tough team to beat both in and outside of the AFC North division.

Also, it should be mentioned that if the Steelers lose to the Bengals, I believe the Bengals will win the AFC North. If the Steelers win, it will make things here on out very interesting.

What about the Steelers? There is a lot to talk about with the Steelers. They have turned their style of defense into both an art and a science, and though they have taken some hits with some key injuries like Aaron Smith and Lawrence Timmons, the return of Troy Polamalu and the adjustments made to the defensive line have made this defense as strong as it has ever been. Offensively, they look like a very balanced team. The combination of running backs in Mendenhall, Moore, and Parker (currently injured) make this team dangerous. They tore up the number one defense on the ground last night in Denver if that is any indication. The receivers are very high quality, and Roethlisberger has not only individuals like Ward, Holmes, and Wallace to throw to, but also has Heath Miller at tight end, who is money in the bank.

I am not sure how you beat the Steelers at this point, but if there is anyone out there who can do it, it has to be the Cincinnati Bengals or the Baltimore Ravens.

What about the Ravens? I still believe the Ravens have a good team. Granted they have had a rough year so far, but fundamentally I believe they are still a tough team to beat. The Steelers are going to have their hands full, and Cincinnati’s efforts were no walk in the park either. Playoff potential for the Ravens? They can still make it supposing the Steelers and Bengals take some key losses over the remainder of the season, and if the Ravens significantly step up their playing and work on fixing some of their defensive problems. While this is not the Ravens of the 2008 season, they still are no slouch on the field.

What about the Browns? To put it as short as I can, there is always next season. That does not mean the Browns fan should not be completely outraged, because they should be. They got a bad deal this year in Mangini, and though I have tried to play up Mangini as best I could, I simply cannot justify this poor season. The management is terrible, the team does not have a goal or identity, and frankly it is time to start over. It is not entirely the players fault, as most of this is a management problem. I want to see a strong Browns team, because it makes the division that much stronger. But I do believe Cleveland is being cheated big time.

Regardless, the AFC North is going to have some kind of representation in the playoffs this year from one or more of these teams, and they will make a devastating impact on whomever they end up facing off against.

My prediction: Someone from the AFC North is making the Super Bowl this year. In the meantime, enjoy the picture of this Bengals cheerleader. If the Bengals play as perfect as she looks, they go to the Super Bowl.

The Mang
Conservative Capo of Youngstown

A Congress Full of Sonny Corleone's: Let's Not Forget Who the True Boss Is

I suppose you are a true politico if you spend your Saturday evening watching the healthcare debate on C-SPAN. In many circles, this is the ultimate is lameness. There is no alcohol, no glamorous women, no evening scene, but a whole lot of coffee and cigarettes. There is a degree of making observations, complaining about the opposition, and planning on what the next step will be in the process, but it is far from anything anyone in my age category would consider “a good time”. I wish I had more friends that had an interest in politics and such (and I certainly wish I had more lady friends that had an interest), but I guess we have to run in our own circles sometimes, even if means sacrificing certain social aspects in the interest of being unique and having a hobby.

The House of Representatives passed their version of the healthcare bill 220-215. While I am certain these people are completely insane and have a political death wish, we saw history in the making tonight. Watching Speaker Pelosi waltz up to the podium to announce the final results was enough to make anyone rethink eating (as the mere sound of her voice causes the stirring of the stomach deep from within). Listening to her speak about how since one Republican voted for the bill makes it a “bi-partisan” bill makes me quite unhappy, because in some way she probably does believe that in her warped mind, or she is putting on a pretty good act. Anymore, it is hard to tell with these people.

We ended up flicking back and forth between the debate and The Godfather Saga tonight. A friend of mine actually got a brand new flat screen TV, a Visio, and Al Pacino and Marlon Brando looked better than ever. I began to watch and then thought about the characters themselves.

If you think about it, we have a ton of Santino Corleone’s in Congress today. When I say that, I mean we have a lot of people acting purely on emotion, sometimes getting good results, but oftentimes getting a bad result. Healthcare is emotionally a supercharged issue, and we have a Congress that charged into this thing headfirst without really considering the repercussions, much like Sonny would do in The Godfather. They may be completely well intentioned, but they totally disregard the future results of the decision they are acting on today.

I do not need to tell you what happened to Santino, and if Congress is not careful in their approach to things, they will be heading down the same path. Of course, rather than getting pumped full of bullets at a toll booth, they will be getting the boot from D.C.

Congressmen should not be like Santino Corleone. Congress should be like Tom Hagen, a consigliere. Consigliere’s provide counsel, look into things, give recommendations, and advise. However, the boss does not have to agree with the consigliere. Furthermore, if the boss is not satisfied with the consigliere, a replacement can be brought in at the word of the boss.

The American people are like Don Corleone, the boss. The people decide who is going to represent them in Congress and allows them to make their own recommendations on bills. The only difference is we actually give them the power to make the bill decisions. However, the American people still reserve the right to keep or dismiss Congress, just as Michael Corleone had the right to keep or dismiss Tom Hagen from his duties.

Unfortunately today, the boss and the consigliere are having a disagreement. Congress wants to pass healthcare reform, but the American people are not enthusiastic. Some polls have Americans equally favoring and disfavoring the new healthcare legislation, and some polls like Rasmussen have more people opposing than supporting healthcare reform.

The don is left with a choice. Keep the consigliere or dismiss him? If Congress tries to pass this 2,000 page monstrosity against the wishes of the American people (let’s be honest, 220-215 is hardly a mandate folks), will America give Congress the boot in 2010? Congress is not the boss, although it is trying to be given how it has approached different pieces of legislation over 2009.

I said earlier Congress is full of Santino Corleone’s. As Vito Corleone said, “Santino made a terrible don”. He did not think rationally all the time and was ruled by his emotions, and that has become evident with the current Congress we have. There is a very good reason these people are not the boss, and a very good reason why the American people ARE the boss.

Congress should not forget who they work for, or they will be replaced by the true boss: the American people.


The Mang
Conservative Capo of Youngstown

Small Cracks in a Windshield: Democratic Power is Slipping in Mahoning County

I have been thinking about the last few days today trying to figure out what happened election day and what it means. A friend of mine basically said these kinds of things happen for a reason, and I have received a number of phone calls giving encouragement. I am grateful for good friends and family. But I do not want to talk about the recent election results, but I rather want to talk about the future of the Mahoning Valley.

This election proves a relative unknown can stand up to the entrenched “old guard” of the area and have a decent showing. On November 3rd, you saw an unknown candidate come into a race of entrenched politicians and beat the incumbent and pull within 310 votes of the challenger who had 23 years of political experience. That is a damn good accomplishment for anyone in Mahoning County, especially for a Republican. Yes, Zarlenga won, but it was an embarrassing showing for someone who should have swept house. We lost by 13%, and given the precinct breakdowns (loss by 28 in one, loss by 40 in another, won by 37 in my own, and so forth), we have a much better idea how to approach things next time.

Dick McCarthy got the ball rolling though when he ran against Ron Gerberry, because Dick was a relative unknown in the 59th House District. The results were Gerberry 60% McCarthy 40%. In Mahoning County, that is good for any Republican. If McCarthy comes back to run, you will see that margin slip further in his favor.

The reality is the Democratic hold in this county is cracking. It is slow mind you, but it is cracking. There are subtle indicators and whispers of it (and it will never be conceded by anyone in the Democratic power structure), but I know it and I think they know it. Do you think it was a coincidence that my opponent who has been out of politics for six years suddenly had the urge to jump back in at her age?

A 24 year old Republican running in Mahoning County that has a strong education and who has been active in politics for almost six years locally? That is a terrifying notion to an older Democratic Party that is trying to hold on, and I have no doubt in my mind this probably played some kind of role in why we had three people in this race instead of two. And you can bet they are terrified of young and teenage Republicans too. They will never admit to it, but I know what they see, and they see a potential threat in the making if any younger Republicans step up.

For Republicans to make breakthroughs in Mahoning County, we need to start at the township, council, and school board levels. Period. We can put up county candidates and state representative candidates now until hell freezes over, but it is not going to make one damn difference if our people are not at the lower rungs of the political spectrum.

We need young people who are not entrenched in local politics. That is why I am absolutely thrilled there are Teenage Republicans and College Republicans. Even at those young ages, these people do know the score and have some good ideas. They are bright, energetic, and are not tainted like every other current officeholder who has been in power recently or from the past. To the old guard, that is another terrifying notion.

I am treating the Democratic power hold as a windshield. One small crack is all it will take to threaten the integrity of the windshield, and one or two bumps in the road can cause massive fractures and a complete shatter. A close Republican loss can give hope, and one or two Republican wins can fracture the Democratic machine beyond repair. It may take awhile to get there, but it is a lot closer than what you might think.

All we need is a little momentum, and you will see it soon.

The Mang
Conservative Capo of Youngstown and Future Canfield Trustee Candidate in 2011

Election Day Recap: We Lost, But We Scared the Hell Out of Them

Before dwelling on the events that transpired election day, I do want to first thank enormously the team I worked with on this campaign—Donovan O’Neil, Ryan and Evan Beil, Amber and Josh Ivack, John Blue, Jim Shaw, Claudia Kovach, Michelle Jones, and Mara Frisco. I am extremely proud of all of these individuals because they put a ton of time in on this campaign and put in numerous hours when they didn’t have to.

Accomplishments: knocked 1,250 doors (most of which on the weekends), passed out literature at football games every home game, and put in a full day on election day. Congratulations guys, we are the only campaign in our race that did any of those things, because our opposition ran on an entrenched name and had someone else run her campaign for her. We ran this campaign on the up and up, and it was clean. We did not shamelessly attach ourselves to someone else in another race, and we actually put the man hours in on this unlike my opponent. Congratulations guys for doing this the right way. We also won 1/8 precincts, so it was not a clean sweep. 5/8 of those precinct losses were marginal, within 20 votes.

If you want to see the Republican resurgence in Mahoning County, look no further than these people. Most of them are either in high school or college, and we literally scared the hell out of the opposition in this race. We beat the pants off the incumbent and nearly knocked off one of the entrenched “old guard” challengers who really ran on her name than putting forth any meaningful time. How do I know this? Well, when you talk to over 1,000 people and they say you are the first one who came knocking on the door, you find out who is campaigning and who is running on a name pretty quickly.

As far as my opponent, I will not say much. Typically, the best person does not win elections, but the best campaigner. This time, neither the best person nor the best campaigner won. I believe in all of my heart we ran the best campaign, but because an entrenched politician suddenly showed an interest in running for office after lying dormant for a number of years and used her name recognition to campaign, we are now stuck with the same old politics we have seen in Mahoning County for the last thirty years. She did not deserve to win, and I am not sorry for saying it. I have been told there is a lot more to this story than what meets the eye, but I will wait to see what transpires in January before making any kind of judgment.

I am not afraid to run again, and you can bet I will be back making waves not only in 2011 but as soon as January arrives. The politics of this town is dirty, rough and tumble, and in your face, and damn it I am not afraid of these people anymore. I may have difficulty speaking at times, and I may not have a loud voice or an overtly talkative nature, but I am a good listener, and I do not owe any favors to anyone. And there is not one politician in this town currently who can say that. I lack the bravado and ego of these people, and I smell BS from ten miles away. Most of the politics in this town is bravado by the way.

And that, my friends, is why these people are so afraid. And that is why you all need to run, particularly those in college and high school currently. You do not owe any allegiance to anyone and you do not owe any favors. Mahoning County needs fresh faces that are not entrenched

We did a good thing here today everyone, and though I am a little angry about how things turned out, I am extremely proud we ran a clean campaign and to have worked with all of you these last few weeks. We came farther than many expected us to, and we managed to catch a lot of people off guard. I look forward to working with you again soon, be it on my own campaign or your own campaigns in the future.

Alex Mangie
The Mang
Conservative Capo of Youngstown and Future Trustee Candidate for Canfield 2011