MCTV is closing, yet the Manchester City Democratic Party Award Mike Lopez & Bob Backus

Par for the course with Lopez (4.00 / 1)

Mike Lopez is a problem that needs to be addressed.

He "co-sponsored" Ted Gatsas' budgets for FY 2009 and FY 2010. You remember, the budgets that gutted school funding? The budgets that raised property taxes by around 8%? The budgets that tapped one-time reserves to pay for operating expenses, a big budgetary mistake? The budgets that bungled revenue projections?

Lopez has also been playing patty-cake with Joe Kelly Levasseur for the last few years. When Lopez wants to float dirt, he talks to JKL and lets him play the hatchet man.  

America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. -Harry Truman

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by: Peter Sullivan @ Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 12:37:39 PM CST

Even though I have lived in Manchester for only five months I couldn't vote for Lopez (0.00 / 0)

I have a nodding acquaintance with him, but could couldn't vote for him after he co-sponsored the Gatsas budget.

But I will defer to other Manchester residents about the wisdom of this award. Am I missing something?

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by: Putney Swope @ Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 21:03:23 PM CST

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Everyone in Manchester gets an award. n/t (4.00 / 1)

Democrats solve problems, Republicans sit and say no.

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by: Ray Buckley @ Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 21:20:54 PM CST

That's B.S. (4.00 / 1)

And the last person who should be getting an award is Mike Lopez. After being Teddy's toadie for the last two budget cycles, his cutting deals with Joe Levasseur, and his spreading false rumors about President Obama's patriotism, I have to wonder if the only reason he;s a Democrat is the ability to suck money out of the City Dems campaign coffers.

Did anyone ever give Diane Swasey an award after the hours she spent stuffing envelopes and making phone calls? What about Frank Weaver, who, for all of his eccentricities, has busted his hump for Democrats like no one else for thirty-five years?  

America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. -Harry Truman

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by: Peter Sullivan @ Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 21:51:10 PM CST

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Yup and I even gave one to you! n/t (0.00 / 0)

Democrats solve problems, Republicans sit and say no.

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by: Ray Buckley @ Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 22:16:37 PM CST

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Rich Denton and George Der got one as well! (0.00 / 0)

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by: mrollo @ Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 07:57:31 AM CST

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Two people who definitely deserved honors (0.00 / 0)

My impression was that Raymond was talking about the "dinner awards", the ones that are handed out at Flag Day and similar events. It seems at times that these rotate between assorted people named Reardon, Craig, Soucy, and Sullivan. Not that any of these folks are undeserving; it just reinforces the perception that the Democratic Party in Manchester can be a bit too insular.


America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. -Harry Truman

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by: Peter Sullivan @ Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 09:20:29 AM CST

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That does it (4.00 / 2)

When you criticize awards given to people named Reardon, Soucy and Sullivan, you have crossed the line (there are enough Craigs that they can fend for themselves)!  :)


"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 12:02:20 PM CST

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LOL! (0.00 / 0)

If my memory serves me correct...

During my time as city chair from 1998-2007

CA Soucy - 1998 Flag Day
Henry Sullivan - 1999 Flag Day
Kathy Sullivan - 2004 Flag Day

Donna Soucy - The first Soucy Award
Kathy Sullivan - The first Sullivan Award

Judy Reardon - St. Patrick's Day 2002
Jim Craig - St. Patrick's Day 2004
Kathy Sullivan - St. Patrick's Day 2007?

Donna Soucy - Hillary Clinton Award 2007

9 out of about 150 is less than 5%...

Democrats solve problems, Republicans sit and say no.

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by: Ray Buckley @ Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 12:52:14 PM CST

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You are correct Rollo...as did... (0.00 / 0)

about 150 others during my nine years as city chair.  In my 2 1/2 years as state chair I have presented 41 awards with 13 more coming on December 2nd!

Peter might be thinking that he hears the Soucy and Sullivan names alot without remembering that the City Democrats have the C. Arthur and Lillian Soucy Award and the Henry and Mary Sullivan Award.

Democrats solve problems, Republicans sit and say no.

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by: Ray Buckley @ Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 11:03:58 AM CST

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Your popularity (0.00 / 0)

with Harris Trophy cannot be overstated!

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by: meaginnh @ Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 12:44:13 PM CST

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That is an understatement...n/t (0.00 / 0)

Democrats solve problems, Republicans sit and say no.

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by: Ray Buckley @ Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 12:53:25 PM CST

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Let's get back to the real point (4.00 / 2)

When do people like Lopez cross the point of no return?

He's backed McCain, badmouthed Obama, given Gatsas cover for his assault on school funding, kissed Levasseur's backside, and sucked up to the circus that is MCAM.

Does he deserve the support of Manchester Democrats?

What about his buddy Paul Martineau, who served as a host of an Ovide Lamontagne "don't call it a fundraiser"?

Where is the tipping point?

The party made it clear that Art Beaudry and Deb Gagnon-Langton were persona non grata, but Lopez pulls the same sort of stuff and gets away with it.

Why?

America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. -Harry Truman

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by: Peter Sullivan @ Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 13:24:56 PM CST

Will Mike Lopez be rewarded with vice-chair of the Aldermanic Board again? (4.00 / 1)

Mike Lopez created a budget with Ted Gatsas that knowingly broke the contract with MCTV.
Mike Lopez took MCTV, a nationally award winning student centered program, and created havoc, for what reason?
MCTV offered a 15% reduction which was given the nod by the School Board, and the Aldermanic Board wouldn't even take the time to bring it up for discussion? Just that action alone proves that Frank Guinta, Mike Lopez and Ted Gatsas are not interested in MCTV because of money, they are only interested in closing MCTV.
Mike Lopez set MCTV up for Ted Gatsas to privatize it. This is not my idea alone. As previously reported by NH Business Review, when Ted Gatsas talks about privatizing access TV, Meridian Communications is not far behind. Do we all remember who is behind Meridian Communications? That would be Jack Heath and Mike Biundo. Does that show you will be controlling the media in Manchester!
Mike Lopez is the last person that the City Democratic Party should have given an award to. On the other hand, the City Republican Party should erect him a statue!

kbartek

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by: kbartek @ Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 18:50:30 PM CST

Sadly, he probably will (0.00 / 0)

Just look at this thread. Lopez shanks Democrats and, more to the point, Democratic values on a regular basis, yet many in the party simply give him a free pass.

It's time for a wholesale change in Manchester city politics. We have some excellent new aldermen in Joyce, Garth, and Patrick. They "get it".

What needs to happen next is for younger, professional types to take an active interest in city politics, and for the Democratic Party to welcome them. It does us no good to bring intelligent and articulate new people into the process if we are just going to chase them off because they don't have enough relatives who belong to Sweeney Post or AFSCME.


America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. -Harry Truman

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by: Peter Sullivan @ Fri Nov 13, 2009 at 18:49:10 PM CST

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