Politics & Government

Opinion: Partisan Politics Played Role in Supervisor Selection

Warminster Supervisor Frank Feinberg believes the decision to not fill an empty Democratic seat with another Democrat was a failure in bipartisanship.

The following opinion piece was submitted Wednesday morning by Warminster Supervisor Frank Feinberg.

I believe we have all read about or heard commentary on TV how partisan politics and self interests in Washington have had a negative impact on the function of government and our lives.

To a lesser extent we hear about these same problems in Harrisburg. Not that the problems are less, but that we just do not hear about them as much from the media. 

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I believed we did not have this type of strong partisan politics in Warminster. Although I have seen bad behavior by individuals, it didn't seem to reflect an overall way of doing things by a party.

Well, on Thursday night, March 15, my eyes were opened, I was awakened to the truths of Warminster politics.  I learned that there is more than one way of defining bipartisanship.

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When we Democrats took the Board of Supervisor majority in 2008, there were no Democrats (0 for 15) on the Township Planning, Zoning or Water Authority boards after 14 years of a Republican majority. But to be fair, previous Democratic administrations where no less partisan.  

I believed we needed to change that partisan culture and so we implemented bipartisanship by filling about 60 percent of appointments with competent Republicans and conducted Township business by consensus whenever possible.

Of course, we took criticism from both Republicans and Democrats each claiming too few appointments.  It is impossible to please everyone no matter what you do.

Practicing bipartisanship is only meaningful when in the majority. Anything else is self-serving.

While promoting the word bipartisanship for those 4 years of Democratic majority, the Republican Board members had their chance to act on this concept in filling the vacant seat of a Democratic Supervisor at the March 15 meeting. They talked the talk but failed to walk the walk.  hey played total partisan politics by appointing a Republican to that vacant seat.

Apparently doing what is right is vastly different from doing what is politically right (advantageous). I have tried to do what is right and foolishly thought others would as well. Well, I was wrong. I feel I have been personally betrayed and worse, in my opinion, is that this Republican Board has betrayed the thousands of Democrats who voted for a Democratic Supervisor.  

By taking this action they have demonstrated that they do not represent all residents of Warminster, regardless of political party. They have done the politically right thing - for them.

They have changed the course of government in Warminster and headed the Township back in the unwise direction of total political control by one party.  In my opinion, it is only a matter of time before the old “politics as usual” is back in Warminster, where decisions are made to benefit the “party” rather than we residents.  To me, it’s about honor and integrity, not playing political games because you can.  I guess the attempt at "take the politics out of it" has failed in Warminster.

Accepting this type of behavior from elected officials is why government is failing. Washington and Harrisburg is forgetting the mainstays of government to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens.    

Given the past four years (of political compromise and accommodation by the Democrats) I did not expect this blatant abuse of power to happen (so quickly) in Warminster; but it has. 

The first step in the wrong direction has been taken; we will see what follows.

Frank Feinberg

Warminster Township Supervisor

Email: fxfrank@comcast.net


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