StopLouBarletta.com

What could be better that StopLouBarletta.com, you ask?  “NOTHING!”, I respond.  But do you know what is just as good?  The StopLouBarletta.com Facebook and Twitter pages!  If you use any of these social platforms, please take a few moments to become followers.  I guarantee that it will be worth you time.

StopLouBarletta.com on Facebook (click HERE to go to the page)
The StopLouBarletta Facebook page allows users of Facebook to come together for some intelligent discussion and debate about Lou Barletta and all that he does, and does not, represent.  Current members include popular local bloggers, residents of Hazleton, constituents of the 11th Congressional District (which Barletta is seeking to represent in Congress) and people who are just concerned/interested in the issues surrounding Lou Barletta and his campaign for Congress.  The group is open to everyone and it provides a good opportunity for people to express their opinions, ask questions of myself and others, and post links to other interesting content (websites, blogs, videos, news articles, etc.).

In addition to all of that, I also use the Facebook group to post links to updates to this site.  This allows users the benefit of being able to keep up to date with StopLouBarletta right from their Facebook page.  It’s also allows all of you an easy way to share all of this information with your friends on Facebook.  Once you’re a member of the group, it’s really easy to invite your Facebook friends to join the group and to post links right to your own Facebook profile.

If you would like to join the StopLouBarletta Facebook Group, click HERE.

StopLouBarletta.com on Twitter (click HERE to go to the page)
The StopLouBarletta Twitter account is where I can send quick thoughts about Barletta, the campaign, and anything else that I want to get out to the masses.  Twitter is one of the fastest growing social networks in the world and the features that the service provides are really great.  From the Twitter account, I post links to new posts on this site, provide additional thoughts on Barletta and his campaign, and interact with other Twitter users.

But what’s the best reason to follow StopLouBarletta on Twitter?  Because even Mayor Lou Barletta is a follower of the site!  Yup, my biggest fan, Lou Barletta, has his very own Twitter account (which can be found HERE) and he uses it to, among other things, keep up to date on all the exciting stuff that’s going on with this site.  So, hey, if Lou Barletta follows StopLouBarletta on Twitter, you should, too.

If you would like to follow StopLouBarletta on Twitter, click HERE.

So there you have it, friends.  That’s my little plug for the Twitter and Facebook profiles, both of which I hope you will consider following.  For over two years, now, StopLouBarletta.com has stood up in opposition to Mayor Barletta and his efforts to obtain higher office.  Facebook and Twitter allow me to reach new audiences and provide a way for me to interact with people that this site simply doesn’t allow.  Please take the time to consider following us on Facebook and Twitter, and encourage all your friends to do the same.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

Hello and welcome to StopLouBarletta.com.  For two years now, this site has been standing in opposition to Lou Barletta, mayor of Hazleton, PA, and his efforts to be elected to higher office.  On this site, I’ve explained, and will continue to explain, why I am so opposed to Mayor Barletta being elected to any higher office, especially the United States Congress.  The number of visitors to this site continues to increase, almost daily, so I’d like to take a moment to explain who I am, why this site exists, and (for those that don’t know), who Lou Barletta is.  For many of you, this post will serve as a review for things you already know.  For others, I hope it proves to be a good starting point.

My name is Dan Cheek and I am the owner and operator of StopLouBarletta.com.  As of this writing, I’m 28 years old and live with my wife, Krissy, and our dog, Molly.  We live just outside of Scranton, PA.  I graduated from North Pocono High School in 1999 and joined the US Army shortly afterwords.  I served in the Army for four years (2000 – 2004) as a tanker in various armored units.  I was stationed at Fort Knox (KY), Fort Iriwn (CA), and Camp Casey (South Korea).  I was honorably discharged in 2004.  I worked for about a year at RCN, a national telecommunications company, working out of Wilkes-Barre, PA.  I enrolled at Wilkes University in 2005 and graduated in 2009 with my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.  I am currently the co-owner and president of Laser Burn Media.

As for who Mayor Lou Barletta is, I’ll let him introduce himself.  Here is his official biography from his website….

“Louis J. Barletta is the mayor of Hazleton, Pennsylvania – a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a two-to-one margin. Born and raised in Hazleton, he left his family businesses to create his own company with his wife, Mary Grace, building one of the largest companies of its type in the country. They are the parents of four daughters, Kelly, April, Lindsey, and Grace, and have one grandson, Gabriel Louis.

Lou Barletta was elected to Hazleton City Council in 1998, and became mayor in 2000. He inherited a massive budget shortfall, and was able to turn the city of Hazleton around with tough prudent financial decisions, earning statewide praise and recognition. He now leads Hazleton through one of the most impressive revitalizations in regional history.

In September, 2004, Mayor Barletta was appointed by the White House to serve as a member of the United Nation Advisory Committee of Local Authorities representing the United States of America. In February, 2006, Mayor Barletta was appointed to serve on the Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities Legislative Committee. Also in February, 2006, Mayor Barletta was appointed to serve on the Republican National Committee Chairman’s Advisory Committee on Catholic Outreach. Mayor Barletta is on the National Board of Advisors of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, (FAIR). He also is a Board Member of the Northeast District of the Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities, and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Luzerne County Community College. In 2008, he was named “Mayor of the Year” by the Pennsylvania State Mayor’s Association.”

I started StopLouBarletta.com in April of 2008 as a way of voicing opposition to his 2nd run for Congress.  Barletta had run against Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-11) in 2006 and had lost.  By a lot.  In 2008, after receiving all sorts of national exposure for his controversial and unconstitutional “Illegal Immigration Relief Act”, Barletta decided to try and run again.  He was endorsed by David Duke, one of the nation’s leading racists and former member of the Ku Klux Klan leadership.  Barletta was also receiving large financial support from convicted drug dealers and indicted politicians.  Additionally, as mayor of Hazleton, Barletta had run Hazleton into the ground.  It continues to teeter on the brink of bankruptcy and has one of the worst economies in the state.  For all of these reasons, I was deeply opposed to Lou Barletta being elected to higher office and this website represents my efforts to keep him out of Congress.

Both Mayor Barletta and myself are members of the Republican Party.  I’ve been a Republican since I was old enough to register to vote and consider myself a moderate.  Lou Barletta was a Democrat and now, after switching parties, wants to represent the Republican Party in Congress.  Many people have asked if I’m a Republican and Lou Barletta is (for now) a Republican, why I would be so opposed to him.  My answer is this: Lou Barletta does not represent my views.  He is an incompetent fear and hate monger who has a proven track record of making stupid decisions and then blaming everyone else for the consequences of his actions.  I think the Republican Party, and the voters of the 11th Congressional District, can do better.  In short, I would rather have anyone in office, even a Democrat, than Lou Barletta.  I am not a mindless sheep and I refuse to throw my support behind whomever the party leadership props up as a candidate.

Mayor Barletta has already ruined Hazleton.  Seriously, Barletta’s failures were of such an epic proportion that Temple University now teaches a course attempting to explain how he managed it.  StopLouBarletta.com is determined to keep Lou Barletta from taking his brand of “leadership” to the halls of the US Congress.  This nation has enough problems right now without having to worry about Lou Barletta being in a position to make things worse for all of us.  Lou Barletta does not deserve to be elected to the United States Congress.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

Gort, the legendary local political blogger, is putting a “blogger meetup” together.  The event, which is open to everyone interested, will be held on Friday, March 26th at 5pm.  It will be hosted at Rooney’s Irish Pub in Pittston, PA.  In addition to local bloggers, the event will also feature politicians from the area, providing an opportunity for everyone to ask some questions or express some opinions.

I will be attending the event, representing StopLouBarletta.com.  I’ve been told that all of the 11th Congressional District candidates have been invited, including Mayor Lou Barletta.  I’m actually kind of hoping that Barletta does show up.  I’m not looking to yell or throw things at him, but I’d like the opportunity to maybe sit down with the man for a few minutes and have some back-and-forth on some of the things that I’ve been posting on this blog for the past couple of years.  Obviously, I’m not expecting Barletta to be a fan of the site, but I’m actually interested in hearing his response to some of the issues that I’ve been talking (or ranting, depending on your view) about for a while, now.

I’m also really looking forward to meeting some other bloggers who cover local politics, even the ones that have been ripping me since this blog’s inception.  Many of these bloggers have been covering the world of NEPA politics for far longer than I have and are bound to have a wealth of insight into many hot-topic issues.  And, in addition to all of that, it’s also a great opportunity for me to meet some of my readers, and vice-versa.  So, consider yourselves all formally invited to the event.  I hope all of you can make it.

Anyway, here are the details….

NEPA Blogger Meetup
When: Friday, March 26th 2010
Where: Rooney’s Irish Pub (67 S. Main Street, Pittston, PA 18704)
Time: 5pm

So, if you can make it, stop on by for a few drinks and some (hopefully) intelligent conversation.  Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, and if you know of any local bloggers, pass along an invite to them, as well.  It should be a great time.  See you then!

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, all!  I hope this season finds you and your family safe, loved, and healthy.  During the holidays, I really haven’t posted to the site, but rest assured I intend to keep StopLouBarletta.com very active in the coming days, weeks, and months.  I believe, as I believed when I started this site, that this website serves as an important voice of opposition to Mayor Lou Barletta and his leadership.  This is why I have remained, and will remain, very active and vocal in my opposition to his candidacy for higher office.

I would like to take a moment to wish Mayor Barletta and his family a happy holiday, as well.  When blogging or talking about politics, it’s very easy to forget that there are people and families involved.  And while I am adamantly opposed to Mr. Barletta serving in the United States Congress, I hold nothing against him as a person.  In the heat of the moment, the distinction between the two can, and often does, get blurred.  Mayor Barletta is a career politician and I’m sure has a thick skin and is well experienced in brushing off my criticisms of his leadership and political aspirations, if he is even aware of this blog at all.  Regardless of how this election turns out, I wish nothing but the best for Mayor Barletta and his family.  I just hope that the best doesn’t involve him being elected to higher office.

I’m also planning to participate in Project 52.  For those that don’t know, Project 52 is a collection of bloggers, of all sorts, who have pledged to write at least one blog post per week, every week, in 2010.  It’s free to join and if you have a blog, it might be worth checking out.  The whole concept is to provide incentive and motivation to keep your blog updated and current, something many (most?) bloggers fail to do.

And while I’m at it, I’d also like to invite all of you to follow StopLouBarletta on Twitter (@StopLouBarletta) and on Facebook.  I’ve also set up a YouTube channel, where I hope to post several StopLouBarletta related videos over the coming weeks and months.  I’ve set all of this up because I sincerely want StopLouBarletta to be as interactive as possible.  I also want it, obviously, to have the biggest reach as possible.  Hopefully, with a strong presence across all of these platforms, both of those goals can be achieved.

So, as I said at the opening of this post, I hope all of you have a great holiday and a safe 2010.  We’ll have lots of time to scream, yell, hurl insults and accusations, and do as much as possible to hurt feelings and grind the opposition into the dirt.  However, for the next couple of hours at least, let’s just try to get along and enjoy our time of this spinning blue rock.  See you next year, all!

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

I’m happy to announce that StopLouBarletta.com now has both a Twitter feed and a Facebook page. I wanted to do this (and have been meaning to do it for a while now…) because I think that it’s important to utilize both of these powerful tools to broaden the reach of the website. Twitter has proven itself to be one of the most powerful communication tools of this decade, especially in light of how effective it’s been in the Iran election fiasco. And Facebook has become, I think it’s safe to say, the most popular and most useful social networking site on the Internet. Combined with the main website, I think both of these online platforms will make a nice addition to the StopLouBarletta family.

The StopLouBarletta Facebook page can be found HERE. Anyone can join and can invite others to join, as well. I’ll keep the page updated with the latest Lou Barletta news, as well as post some conversation threads. I hope that the page can be used to further the discussion and debate about Mayor Barletta and his quest to obtain higher political office.

To follow the Twitter feed, simply go HERE. In addition to posting alerts to new blog posts, I’ll also use the feed to offer additional thoughts and opinions about Mayor Barletta, his policies, and his positions (or lack therof…). To keep it from getting monotonous, I’ll also post some comments about other things, as well (current events, local/national politics, movies, etc.).

I’d really appreciate it if you’d consider joining the Facebook page and following the Twitter feed. And please, please, please, join in on the conversation with your own thoughts and opinions. As I’ve said repeatedly, I’d rather have a conversation than conduct a sermon. Thanks, guys and gals!

All for now.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

The votes are in and I am very, very pleased to say that Mayor Lou Barletta of Hazleton will be keeping his job as mayor and will NOT be moving on to the halls of the United States Congress.  For months, Mayor Barletta waged a political campaign that has relied upon lies, misinformation, and scare tactics.  He refused to take stands on real, important issues.  In the end, the voters of Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District saw Mayor Barletta for what he truly is: A narrow minded politician who lacked any real leadership skills or intelligent ideas for moving this country forward.

As a Republican, I would have liked to see a Republican take Kanjorski’s place, assuming that the person was someone worthy of representing both the people of the 11th Congressional District and the Republican Party in the United States Congress.  Clearly, Lou Barletta was not that type of person.  He has a proven track record of failure and during his tenure as the mayor of Hazleton, has drilled that city so far into the ground that it will take years to recover from his blundered leadership.

According to the Associated Press, Paul Kanjorski won the election by getting 140,119 votes to Mayor Barletta’s 130,649.  This election was one of the most exciting and closest elections in the country.  Lou Barletta came close to obtaining the title of “Congressman”, but, for the second time, came up short.  I can honestly say that both the country and the Republican Party is all the better for it.  Had Mayor Barletta been elevated to the rank of Congressman, he would have almost certainly have embarrassed both.

It’s getting late so I’ll end this post here.  In the coming days, I’ll post some final thoughts on Mayor Barletta and my plans for the future of this site.  I would like to thank everyone who has helped make this site as successful as it has been.  Thank you to all of the bloggers who linked to this site.  Thank you for all of the people who emailed me and left comments.  Regardless of whether or not you agreed with me, I always respected your opinions and was glad to hear from all of you.

Lou Barletta has been stopped and that, I think, is a very good thing indeed.  Good night, all.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

**Update 5 November 2008 7:10am**
Here is a video of Paul Kanjorski talking about his victory and where both he and Mayor Barletta stand going forward:

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About two weeks ago, I sat down for an interview with a reporter for The New Republic.  She had come to the area to gather research for an article that she was writing about Mayor Lou Barletta and his bid for the United States Congress.  In addition to me, the reporter, Marin Cogan, spoke to several other people who all had some insight into the race.  The article was published yesterday.

If you are interested in reading the article, and Ms. Cognan’s gathered insights on Mayor Lou Barletta’s bid for Congress, you can do so by clicking HERE.

On Tuesday, the nation goes to vote.  Between now and then, I will be posting a few more blog posts here, just summing up my main arguments against Mayor Barletta and why I feel he would be a poor choice to represent the 11th District in Congress.

All for now.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

As you may have noticed, this website has undergone a massive upgrade in the past couple of days.  Almost every aspect of it has been upgraded and improved.  Even though this has kept me from writing new posts, I think the effort will prove worth it in the long run.  All of this upgrading and improving has been done in preparation of a big push to help keep Lou Barletta out of the United States Congress.

In the coming days, I plan to really ratchet up the StopLouBarletta operation.  Daily press releases will be sent out.  I will be submitting more letters to editors, to papers all over the 11th Congressional District.  Phone calls will be made to local and national talk radio shows.  I, along with some of my friends, are working on a series of videos to be displayed both on this site and on YouTube.  Flyers will be uploaded to this site so people can print them out and distribute them.

Additionally, with your help, I’m also planning on purchasing some anti-Lou Barletta advertising, probably in October and November, when the election gets closer.  You can donate, any amount, to the StopLouBarletta.com War Chest, via PayPal.  The donation button is on the right hand side of this site, over on the sidebar.  Any and all money raised will be used to help offset the costs of running this site and, primarily, used to purchase ad space.

I still have quite a bit of work to do, but I do plan on begin posting on a regular basis once again before the week is out.  I really appreciate all of the support that I’ve received from people.  Your emails and comments have helped me stay focused and given me the encouragement I needed to keep things going, here.  And to all of the people who’ve posted comments and sent emails criticizing me and this site; Thank you, too.  While we may disagree, on everything, I really do appreciate your opinions.

All for now.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com