Matthews Finally at a Crossroads

"Down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees.
Asked the Lord above for mercy, "Save me if you please."
("Crossroads", 1936-Robert Johnson)

For the past 14 months, I have continuously picked on one person, in particular, more than others...Jim Matthews.

I've been hard on Jim for many reasons, and justifiably so. I worked hard to get Jim elected. What I lacked in financial contributions, I more than made up for in sweat-equity, going door to door, asking people to elect Jim and Bruce as Commissioners, even as I, myself was running for supervisor in Whitemarsh Township.

Right after the election, I was more than pleased to see that Jim and Bruce had been elected commissioners (and, even while suffering defeat in my own race) was overjoyed that we still held on to Republican control at the courthouse.

All of that ended at the first meeting of the commissioners, when Jim Matthews turned his back on myself and every other Republican in Montgomery County, when he formed a power-sharing alliance with lifelong democratic operative Joe Hoefel.

Hoffel, with the blessing of Matthews has all but given control of the courthouse and One Montgomery over to the democrats, after 140+ years of good, solid, Republican control.

On that day, Jim showed me that my "proverbial" blood, sweat and tears were shed in vain.

Fast-forward to this week...

"If I was perfect
Then this would be easy
Either road's plausible
On both I could drown"
("Crossroads", 2008-Avenged Sevenfold)

Thursday, March 19, 2009 has Jim Matthews standing at a crossroads of sorts.

First of all, Controller Dianne Morgen is proposing to hire a well-known partisan democrat hatchet-man as her deputy controller. Jim's vote could shoot down another partisan hire by the democrat controller...but, will he?

Also, and even more egregious, commissioner Hoeffle will propose a set of "ethics reforms" that will be a set of partisan landmines for Republicans in county government, seeking elected office. These proposals would ban any employee who makes a predetermined salary to be barred from seeking political office as innocuous as dog catcher.

For the past 9 years, Jim Matthews has been against this type of proposals while a commissioner, proposals which would, essentially, bar the first deputy of any of the row offices from seeking that position, unless he or she first quit their job. The big question is, has the past 9 years been for naught?

Jim Matthews is at a crossroads...doing the right thing, and the Republican thing, mind you, are synonymous. Will Jim do the right thing, or will he finally cast his final lot with Huffel and the Dems?

It's time for Jim to do the right thing.

'What is at your back? Which way do you turn?
Who will come to find you first?
Your devils or your gods?
("Crossroads" 1989-Tracy Chapman)