This year's Monmouth County Fair has seen great feedback for all of our candidates. The Monmouth GOP booth has been well staffed and well attended by the public. With all the shenanigans going on down in Washington, people are ripe for real change, and we've got the people to provide it.
Interestingly, 2010 has seen the unprecedented circumstance of the Democrats having no County Fair booth. None. Zip, zero, nada. Why would they do that? Lack of volunteers? Naah, they pay their volunteers. They'd show up for a check.
Think about it.
Imagine County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) John D'Amico a/k/a "Flippy" campaigning among the great unwashed masses, the hoi polloi (οἱ πολλοί). Exactly. He would be out of his element and would likely lose votes by talking down to people. Not to mention that if you give him time, he will switch sides on an issue, hence the moniker Flippy in the first place.
But it probably really has to do with their congressional candidates. I don't know about their 4th District candidate, Howard Kleinhendler, but could you just imagine Frank Pallone and Rush Holt in an unscripted moment? They would have to face actual questions from actual constituents! They both would probably wander off to the woods looking for ACORNs. Actually, couldn't you imagine the bully Holt trying to grab funnel cake or cotton candy out of some kid's hand?
So it's pretty obvious that the Dems would prefer to rely on glossy mailers and smooth commercials than actual impromptu contact with the public.
In the spirit of the County Fair and impromptu comments, I'd like to close with some nostalgia from County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) Amy Mallet, from last year's fair. Remember her very chipper shot about"rides for the fat children"?
Since last year the county took down the link. We searched YouTube but couldn't find the video, so here's the text of what Mallet said:
"You look around, first of all, the sun is shining, it's a beautiful day here, but rain or shine it's a great place to be, and it's a great place to be able to celebrate our county and all that it has to offer. And we've got folks here with crafts, 4-H; we've got rides for the fat children, for families; we've got something here for everyone. So I say everybody should just come out and enjoy the fair."
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FIASCO VI
Da Truth Squad has a post about an appointee in Freehold Borough who turned out to be an illegal alien! Seems that for three years, in spite of the fact that the borough is infested with illegals the council was oblivious to this fact, and the fact that he was actually living in Howell. You just can't make this stuff up, people.
CURLEY SPEAKS OUT
Freeholder John P. Curley expressed concern at the June 10th Freeholders' meeting about the county's bidding process for trucks and equipment in the Department of Public Works and Engineering.
His concern stemmed not from the activities of the County Purchasing Department (cub reporter Bob Jordan or his editors left that part out), but from the actual writing of specifications within Public Works and Engineering itself. This is of severe concern, as we do not want to go back to the years of the past where corruption led to the F. B. I.'s big Operation Bid-Rig investigation.
Since then, we have discovered that the freeholders met with Public Works Director John W. Tobia, and while we are not privy to the actual discussion that went on in the meeting, we understand that he was directed to refine the spec-writing process in his department so as to avoid any taint of favoritism. When the freeholders give a directive to a subordinate it is to be obeyed, and we are told that any misunderstanding in this matter has been resolved.
John Tobia has been a very capable official; time will tell whether that continues or if he becomes the next "curmudgeon".
Anyone wanna guess why else this is relevant? And why are we bringing it up now? Here's why: It puts to bed County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) John D'Amico's whole concept that Monmouth County needs an inspector general or ethics board. Why? Because a freeholder did his job. It's that simple. When an item of concern was brought to John Curley's attention, he researched it and brought it to the entire Board of Freeholders for further action. Some may not like it, but it is what it is. Once presented with the information, the Board, after reviewing the facts and depending upon the severity of the situation, can dismiss it, reiterate and clarify county policy to the official in question, use the county's in-house disciplinary process up to and including termination (firing), or refer the case to law enforcement for prosecution. In this case a clarification was seen as sufficient. We're sure that Curley and the other freeholders will continue to monitor this.
Ironically, for all his talk about ethics, Flippy D'Amico ("This county can not afford to have another Bid Rig"), never expressed any concern about the specs and never brought it up to the Board. Seems he was more interested in theory than in practice.
This should be the final nail in the coffin for D'Amico's inspector general or ethics review board or whatever the hell he wants to call it the next time he brings it up. With an accountable Board of Freeholders, engaged in their responsibilities, there is no need for an additional layer of bureaucracy in county government.
There's also no need for Flippy D'Amico in county government.
His concern stemmed not from the activities of the County Purchasing Department (cub reporter Bob Jordan or his editors left that part out), but from the actual writing of specifications within Public Works and Engineering itself. This is of severe concern, as we do not want to go back to the years of the past where corruption led to the F. B. I.'s big Operation Bid-Rig investigation.
Since then, we have discovered that the freeholders met with Public Works Director John W. Tobia, and while we are not privy to the actual discussion that went on in the meeting, we understand that he was directed to refine the spec-writing process in his department so as to avoid any taint of favoritism. When the freeholders give a directive to a subordinate it is to be obeyed, and we are told that any misunderstanding in this matter has been resolved.
John Tobia has been a very capable official; time will tell whether that continues or if he becomes the next "curmudgeon".
Anyone wanna guess why else this is relevant? And why are we bringing it up now? Here's why: It puts to bed County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) John D'Amico's whole concept that Monmouth County needs an inspector general or ethics board. Why? Because a freeholder did his job. It's that simple. When an item of concern was brought to John Curley's attention, he researched it and brought it to the entire Board of Freeholders for further action. Some may not like it, but it is what it is. Once presented with the information, the Board, after reviewing the facts and depending upon the severity of the situation, can dismiss it, reiterate and clarify county policy to the official in question, use the county's in-house disciplinary process up to and including termination (firing), or refer the case to law enforcement for prosecution. In this case a clarification was seen as sufficient. We're sure that Curley and the other freeholders will continue to monitor this.
Ironically, for all his talk about ethics, Flippy D'Amico ("This county can not afford to have another Bid Rig"), never expressed any concern about the specs and never brought it up to the Board. Seems he was more interested in theory than in practice.
This should be the final nail in the coffin for D'Amico's inspector general or ethics review board or whatever the hell he wants to call it the next time he brings it up. With an accountable Board of Freeholders, engaged in their responsibilities, there is no need for an additional layer of bureaucracy in county government.
There's also no need for Flippy D'Amico in county government.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
JOE AZZOLINA BRIDGE
Senate Bill No. 2073 Designates bridge on Route 36 over Shrewsbury River (a/k/a Highlands Bridge) as "Captain Joseph Azzolina Memorial Bridge."
This bill was recently introduced by Senators Sean Kean and Joe Kyrillos (primary sponsors), and Bob Singer as co-sponsor. A-2938, an identical bill in the Assembly, was sponsored by Mary Pat Angelini and Declan O'Scanlon.
Referred to the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee.
This bill was recently introduced by Senators Sean Kean and Joe Kyrillos (primary sponsors), and Bob Singer as co-sponsor. A-2938, an identical bill in the Assembly, was sponsored by Mary Pat Angelini and Declan O'Scanlon.
Referred to the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee.
NORCROSS SUPPORTED LONEGAN!
Norcross supported Lonegan??? Gadzooks! No way! A few weeks back Fred Driscoll at The State wrote, "We also want to shout out South Jersey Democrat boss David Norcross, who, it was rumored, funneled cash to the Lonegan backed group New Jersey Americans for Prosperity during the 2009 primary. Ha, and AFP has just been characterized as Chris Christie’s right wing attack dog by State Senator and NJ Democrat Chairman John Wisniewski (lawl!)."
South Jersey Democrat boss David Norcross. Now, we've heard of South Jersey Democrat boss George Norcross and his brother labor boss/State Senator Donald Norcross, but David? Who is David Norcross?
It didn't take the Honest Abe Research Foundation long to find out. David A. Norcross of Moorestown is the Republican Norcross. We don't know whether he's related to George and Don, but, as the Norcrosses were an early family in the Camden area and are reasonably numerous in the area today, we would suppose that they may be a very distant relatives.
In the mid 1970's David Norcross was the first executive director of the State Election Law Enforcement Commission. In 1976 he was our candidate for U. S. Senate against Democrat and future Abscam felon Harrison A. Williams. From 1977 to 1981 he served as Republican State Chairman. He also was Republican National Committeeman from New Jersey and has served in other positions at the RNC up to the present. Recently he was state co-chair of the Mitt Romney for President campaign, and was considered in 2008 as a possible replacement for Rep. Jim Saxton in the 3rd Congressional District.
With a pedigree like that, it's not news that Dave Norcross would contribute to Steve Lonegan's group, or any other Republican. Looks like Fred Driscoll got his Norcrosses crossed.
South Jersey Democrat boss David Norcross. Now, we've heard of South Jersey Democrat boss George Norcross and his brother labor boss/State Senator Donald Norcross, but David? Who is David Norcross?
It didn't take the Honest Abe Research Foundation long to find out. David A. Norcross of Moorestown is the Republican Norcross. We don't know whether he's related to George and Don, but, as the Norcrosses were an early family in the Camden area and are reasonably numerous in the area today, we would suppose that they may be a very distant relatives.
In the mid 1970's David Norcross was the first executive director of the State Election Law Enforcement Commission. In 1976 he was our candidate for U. S. Senate against Democrat and future Abscam felon Harrison A. Williams. From 1977 to 1981 he served as Republican State Chairman. He also was Republican National Committeeman from New Jersey and has served in other positions at the RNC up to the present. Recently he was state co-chair of the Mitt Romney for President campaign, and was considered in 2008 as a possible replacement for Rep. Jim Saxton in the 3rd Congressional District.
With a pedigree like that, it's not news that Dave Norcross would contribute to Steve Lonegan's group, or any other Republican. Looks like Fred Driscoll got his Norcrosses crossed.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
OXLEY: TWO MORE YEARS
This coming Tuesday, the Republican County Committee will meet at Colts Neck High School to elect a County Chairperson for the next two years. The Monmouth County Republican Blog wholeheartedly supports the reelection of Chairman Joseph W. Oxley.
Why?
Joe may not be the perfect Chairman but he is the best Chairman for our Party at this time. A Chairman must lead, not follow, and Joe has done just that. Contrast with his predecessors and see what I mean.
Prior to six years ago we had a situation where our great Party was on autopilot. Bill Dowd, the Chairman at the time was a near absentee leader who seemingly couldn't be bothered with the minutiae of running a party-in-power. This detachment allowed factions and interests to develop, diluting our Party's strength, and creating fertile ground for the fungus of political corruption. When he finally did exercise authority, he did so in a ham-fisted manner which resulted in a contested primary for Freeholder, and ultimately the replacement of the Chairman.
The new Chairman, Fred Niemann, started with much promise. Conventions were held for the first time, and participation was high. Still, the factions that had developed under the previous chairman were still there and pursued their ends. Additionally and more importantly, fundraising took a dark turn with the establishment of multiple PACs and the acceptance of contributions from the likes of Solomon Dwek and others. After two years, Fred didn't seek reelection and was out.
Enter Adam Puharic. Adam spoke of ending factionalism, but instead chose up sides and participated in it with cheer. He devoted much of his Chairmanship to the divisive pursuit of Freeholder Anna Little and her removal from the Board even if it meant electing a Democrat. During this time we saw the emergence of Alan Moretti, the Monmouth Rastaman, a pro-Adam blogger who's sole purpose was to get Little, including the use of libel. It was also during this time that we began losing seats on the Board of Freeholders, culminating in the Democrats taking control of the Board for a year. Adam didn't run again, and the train wreck that was his Chairmanship was over.
Two years ago, former Sheriff Joe Oxley was unanimously elected as County Chairman and walked into a mess. Our Party was as if a reality show had been taped and left the set behind. Since then, we have regained control of the County, fundraising is up and events are fun again, no longer filled with tension and hate. Joe avoids participation in factions, preferring to let them wither on the vine. And Governor Christie racked up solid majorities here in Monmouth County. Our Party is in a position of strength again.
There is more to be done. While we have made great gains in the towns, we need to do more work on strengthening the locals. The municipalities are the foundation of our strength on the county and state level; they are also the bench for the recruitment of future County and Legislative candidates. The stronger our foundation, the weaker the Democrats'; the deeper our bench, the shallower theirs is. Joe is our best prospect for this and he deserves another term as chairman.
We don't want to dwell on the opposition but something should be said. Howell Chairman John Costigan is seeking Joe's job. John is not a bad guy, but he's just not right for the County Chairmanship. Howell is an important town, second only to Middletown in size. That in itself does not automatically qualify the Howell Chairperson to be County Chair. If so, Norine Kelly would have been County Chair already!
There was a small snafu in Howell this spring. In obtaining signatures for County Committee petitions, John used outdated signature requirement numbers. This resulted in the rejection of the overwhelming majority of petitions by the Township Clerk. While this was an honest error and I'm sure John resolved it by getting most of the seats filled by write-ins in the primary, our County Chairman needs to be ahead of the curve and on top of these things. The Democrats could have wreaked all sorts of havoc in a case like that.
So, Joe Oxley is the one !
Why?
Joe may not be the perfect Chairman but he is the best Chairman for our Party at this time. A Chairman must lead, not follow, and Joe has done just that. Contrast with his predecessors and see what I mean.
Prior to six years ago we had a situation where our great Party was on autopilot. Bill Dowd, the Chairman at the time was a near absentee leader who seemingly couldn't be bothered with the minutiae of running a party-in-power. This detachment allowed factions and interests to develop, diluting our Party's strength, and creating fertile ground for the fungus of political corruption. When he finally did exercise authority, he did so in a ham-fisted manner which resulted in a contested primary for Freeholder, and ultimately the replacement of the Chairman.
The new Chairman, Fred Niemann, started with much promise. Conventions were held for the first time, and participation was high. Still, the factions that had developed under the previous chairman were still there and pursued their ends. Additionally and more importantly, fundraising took a dark turn with the establishment of multiple PACs and the acceptance of contributions from the likes of Solomon Dwek and others. After two years, Fred didn't seek reelection and was out.
Enter Adam Puharic. Adam spoke of ending factionalism, but instead chose up sides and participated in it with cheer. He devoted much of his Chairmanship to the divisive pursuit of Freeholder Anna Little and her removal from the Board even if it meant electing a Democrat. During this time we saw the emergence of Alan Moretti, the Monmouth Rastaman, a pro-Adam blogger who's sole purpose was to get Little, including the use of libel. It was also during this time that we began losing seats on the Board of Freeholders, culminating in the Democrats taking control of the Board for a year. Adam didn't run again, and the train wreck that was his Chairmanship was over.
Two years ago, former Sheriff Joe Oxley was unanimously elected as County Chairman and walked into a mess. Our Party was as if a reality show had been taped and left the set behind. Since then, we have regained control of the County, fundraising is up and events are fun again, no longer filled with tension and hate. Joe avoids participation in factions, preferring to let them wither on the vine. And Governor Christie racked up solid majorities here in Monmouth County. Our Party is in a position of strength again.
There is more to be done. While we have made great gains in the towns, we need to do more work on strengthening the locals. The municipalities are the foundation of our strength on the county and state level; they are also the bench for the recruitment of future County and Legislative candidates. The stronger our foundation, the weaker the Democrats'; the deeper our bench, the shallower theirs is. Joe is our best prospect for this and he deserves another term as chairman.
We don't want to dwell on the opposition but something should be said. Howell Chairman John Costigan is seeking Joe's job. John is not a bad guy, but he's just not right for the County Chairmanship. Howell is an important town, second only to Middletown in size. That in itself does not automatically qualify the Howell Chairperson to be County Chair. If so, Norine Kelly would have been County Chair already!
There was a small snafu in Howell this spring. In obtaining signatures for County Committee petitions, John used outdated signature requirement numbers. This resulted in the rejection of the overwhelming majority of petitions by the Township Clerk. While this was an honest error and I'm sure John resolved it by getting most of the seats filled by write-ins in the primary, our County Chairman needs to be ahead of the curve and on top of these things. The Democrats could have wreaked all sorts of havoc in a case like that.
So, Joe Oxley is the one !
Monday, January 25, 2010
SOVIET FLIPPY?
Now, we're not exactly saying that County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) John D'Amico (a/k/a "Flippy") is a communist (well, kinda sorta), but the Honest Abe Research Foundation has uncovered an article in The Great Soviet Encyclopedia which sure sounds like him! Interestingly, it's the article on counties.
Here's the text:
COUNTY. (1) In the feudal period, a hereditary feudal possession headed by a count.
(2) An administrative-territorial unit in several bourgeois countries. In the USA, 47 states are divided into counties (a total of more than 3,000 counties). Counties are governed by elected county councils. In Great Britain there are administrative counties and county boroughs. The administration of counties is directed by elected councils, including so-called aldermen, who are co-opted by the council. The administration of counties also includes representatives of the central government -- for example, the lord lieutenant and sheriff. The Australian Commonwealth, some Canadian provinces, and New Zealand also have counties.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Third Edition, Volume 7, Alexander M. Prokhorov, Editor in Chief, Moscow, 1970 (English translation by Macmillan & Co.)
Now it sounds like the Soviets were kind of talking out of their ass, but isn't that Flippy to a "T"? Maybe we should be calling him County Commissar instead of County Commissioner!
Speaking of Flippy, about a month ago we wrote a post about how the Freeholders, on a strict party-line vote, passed a resolution "recommending substitution of the term 'Commissioner' for the term 'Freeholder' in Statutes pertaining to County Government". At the time, we called for its speedy repeal by the new Board.
The new Board has recently repealed the resolution, albeit again on a party line vote, with Republicans John Curley, Rob Clifton and Lillian Burry voting in favor of repeal, and Democrats Flippy and Amy "Fat Children" Mallet voting against.
Here's the text:
RESOLUTION RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO 09-1230 RECOMMENDING SUBSTITUTION OF THE TERM "COMMISSIONER" FOR THE TERM "FREEHOLDER" IN STATUTES PERTAINING TO COUNTY GOVERNMENT
WHEREAS, in the judgment of the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Monmouth, it is advisable and in the best interest of the County to rescind Resolution 09-1230 which recommended the substitution of the term "Commissioner" for the term "Freeholder" in statutes pertaining to County Government; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Monmouth that Resolution 09-1230 be and same is hereby rescinded in its entirety.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution shall be sent to Governor Jon S. Corzine, Governor-Elect Christopher J. Christie, the President of the New Jersey State Senate, the Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly, all State Legislators representing legislative districts in Monmouth County, the New Jersey Association of Counties, and the Boards of Chosen Freeholders of all of the Counties in New Jersey.
Short and sweet.
So, hopefully this quixotic endeavor at PC crap is over and done with. The Republican majority did the right thing in repealing last month's resolution. It shows what a clueless whack job D'Amico is and what a blind follower Amy Mallet is.
They should be repealed when their terms come up.
Here's the text:
COUNTY. (1) In the feudal period, a hereditary feudal possession headed by a count.
(2) An administrative-territorial unit in several bourgeois countries. In the USA, 47 states are divided into counties (a total of more than 3,000 counties). Counties are governed by elected county councils. In Great Britain there are administrative counties and county boroughs. The administration of counties is directed by elected councils, including so-called aldermen, who are co-opted by the council. The administration of counties also includes representatives of the central government -- for example, the lord lieutenant and sheriff. The Australian Commonwealth, some Canadian provinces, and New Zealand also have counties.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Third Edition, Volume 7, Alexander M. Prokhorov, Editor in Chief, Moscow, 1970 (English translation by Macmillan & Co.)
Now it sounds like the Soviets were kind of talking out of their ass, but isn't that Flippy to a "T"? Maybe we should be calling him County Commissar instead of County Commissioner!
Speaking of Flippy, about a month ago we wrote a post about how the Freeholders, on a strict party-line vote, passed a resolution "recommending substitution of the term 'Commissioner' for the term 'Freeholder' in Statutes pertaining to County Government". At the time, we called for its speedy repeal by the new Board.
The new Board has recently repealed the resolution, albeit again on a party line vote, with Republicans John Curley, Rob Clifton and Lillian Burry voting in favor of repeal, and Democrats Flippy and Amy "Fat Children" Mallet voting against.
Here's the text:
RESOLUTION RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO 09-1230 RECOMMENDING SUBSTITUTION OF THE TERM "COMMISSIONER" FOR THE TERM "FREEHOLDER" IN STATUTES PERTAINING TO COUNTY GOVERNMENT
WHEREAS, in the judgment of the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Monmouth, it is advisable and in the best interest of the County to rescind Resolution 09-1230 which recommended the substitution of the term "Commissioner" for the term "Freeholder" in statutes pertaining to County Government; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Monmouth that Resolution 09-1230 be and same is hereby rescinded in its entirety.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution shall be sent to Governor Jon S. Corzine, Governor-Elect Christopher J. Christie, the President of the New Jersey State Senate, the Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly, all State Legislators representing legislative districts in Monmouth County, the New Jersey Association of Counties, and the Boards of Chosen Freeholders of all of the Counties in New Jersey.
Short and sweet.
So, hopefully this quixotic endeavor at PC crap is over and done with. The Republican majority did the right thing in repealing last month's resolution. It shows what a clueless whack job D'Amico is and what a blind follower Amy Mallet is.
They should be repealed when their terms come up.
Monday, January 18, 2010
GEORGE W. CHRISTIE?
With Rasmussen Poll numbers at 57% favorable, and with multitudes of Republicans, Democrats and others full of hope for soon-to-be Governor Chris Christie and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno to straighten out New Jersey, he goes into his inauguration with a lot of good will. But will it last?
Let's be real here. Once the festivities are over and the red, white and blue bunting gives way to green eyeshades, line-item veto pens and razor blades, reality will quickly set in. That reality is the forces of the left arrayed against our new governor doing anything they can to bring his popularity down and to make him fail.
Here are a few:
The media. Although Christie received endorsements from various newspapers in the state, others, like the Star-Ledger, maintain a strong Democratic Party bent. Indeed, the Star-Ledger operates almost as a Democratic house organ. With a general leftward bias in the journalistic world, and a strong "circle the wagons" mentality among Democrats and the left in general, expect trouble from the media. The attempt to criticize his Cabinet as "not diverse enough" is just the beginning.
Public employee unions. Well, their leaders, anyway, were among the Bozo-coiffed Gov. Corzine's most ardent supporters. The rank-and-file it seems may have been more split on who would best serve their needs. That having been said, it is the leaders who have the bully pulpit, and who will be most vocal. Once the time comes for tackling the budget, payroll and the pension system, expect the union bosses to pull out all the stops in their quest to maintain the status quo, including a full-blown media barrage.
Academia. Yes, I know, it sounds like a disease, but of course it's all the college professors and other so-called educators engaged in indoctrinating our youth. There is somewhat of an overlap here with the public employee unions. Professors are also consulted by the media as well when they need an "expert".
The Courts. One of the three independent branches of state government. Particularly on the Supreme Court level, it is also a branch that has in past years run amok, running roughshod over both the executive and legislative branches. The New Jersey Supreme Court is not only a hotbed of left-wing activism (the enforcement arm of the Democratic Party), it is also a national laughingstock since it is populated with political hacks light in appellate experience. Knowing that Christie may find himself filling some seats on this bench, and knowing that there is an expectation that he will attempt to drag the Court, kicking and screaming, to the center, expect some shenanigans from the "because I said so" court that brought you Mt. Laurel, Lautenberg and other messes.
ACORN (and like groups). The far left, "progressive" community views the Christie-Guadagno victory as an anomaly, a departure from the natural order. They do not view it as an electorate exercising its franchise; as government with the consent of the governed. I mean, we're talking an organization which thought it OK to help a pimp establish a brothel populated with underage, trafficked girls. Expect these types of groups to go into hyperdrive in attempting to return New Jersey to the "progressive" ranks. This could include voter registration drives in urban areas (ACORN has been known to "register" ficticious people) as well as among the illegal alien community in order to swell Democratic Party ranks.
The Democratic Party itself. Behind all the calls for bipartisanship and unity in working together, the New Jersey Democratic Party is a wounded animal, and that is when it is most dangerous. They just lost the source not only of patronage jobs, but of state aid (read, "Christmas tree") to cities controlled by entrenched Democratic Party machines. If you think they will go quietly on this issue, just try taking a bowl of Alpo® from a hungry Pit Bull and see what happens. We have already seen evidence of this with Corzine's binge of lame-duck appointments, some to agencies that he has neglected for the last four years.
The above are but a sampling of what Governor Christie faces when he takes office tomorrow. There are other factions to contend with as well, and they all work together at least part of the time. Of any Republican governor in recent memory, Christie is probably best suited to deal with these factions. He was a tough prosecutor, and his combative nature and plain-spokenness will serve him well in dealing with these forces, as will his ability to go straight to the people.
Expect the Democrats to attempt to "Bush-ize" the Governor. What I would ask the Dems is, "Do you feel lucky? Well, Do ya?"
Let's be real here. Once the festivities are over and the red, white and blue bunting gives way to green eyeshades, line-item veto pens and razor blades, reality will quickly set in. That reality is the forces of the left arrayed against our new governor doing anything they can to bring his popularity down and to make him fail.
Here are a few:
The media. Although Christie received endorsements from various newspapers in the state, others, like the Star-Ledger, maintain a strong Democratic Party bent. Indeed, the Star-Ledger operates almost as a Democratic house organ. With a general leftward bias in the journalistic world, and a strong "circle the wagons" mentality among Democrats and the left in general, expect trouble from the media. The attempt to criticize his Cabinet as "not diverse enough" is just the beginning.
Public employee unions. Well, their leaders, anyway, were among the Bozo-coiffed Gov. Corzine's most ardent supporters. The rank-and-file it seems may have been more split on who would best serve their needs. That having been said, it is the leaders who have the bully pulpit, and who will be most vocal. Once the time comes for tackling the budget, payroll and the pension system, expect the union bosses to pull out all the stops in their quest to maintain the status quo, including a full-blown media barrage.
Academia. Yes, I know, it sounds like a disease, but of course it's all the college professors and other so-called educators engaged in indoctrinating our youth. There is somewhat of an overlap here with the public employee unions. Professors are also consulted by the media as well when they need an "expert".
The Courts. One of the three independent branches of state government. Particularly on the Supreme Court level, it is also a branch that has in past years run amok, running roughshod over both the executive and legislative branches. The New Jersey Supreme Court is not only a hotbed of left-wing activism (the enforcement arm of the Democratic Party), it is also a national laughingstock since it is populated with political hacks light in appellate experience. Knowing that Christie may find himself filling some seats on this bench, and knowing that there is an expectation that he will attempt to drag the Court, kicking and screaming, to the center, expect some shenanigans from the "because I said so" court that brought you Mt. Laurel, Lautenberg and other messes.
ACORN (and like groups). The far left, "progressive" community views the Christie-Guadagno victory as an anomaly, a departure from the natural order. They do not view it as an electorate exercising its franchise; as government with the consent of the governed. I mean, we're talking an organization which thought it OK to help a pimp establish a brothel populated with underage, trafficked girls. Expect these types of groups to go into hyperdrive in attempting to return New Jersey to the "progressive" ranks. This could include voter registration drives in urban areas (ACORN has been known to "register" ficticious people) as well as among the illegal alien community in order to swell Democratic Party ranks.
The Democratic Party itself. Behind all the calls for bipartisanship and unity in working together, the New Jersey Democratic Party is a wounded animal, and that is when it is most dangerous. They just lost the source not only of patronage jobs, but of state aid (read, "Christmas tree") to cities controlled by entrenched Democratic Party machines. If you think they will go quietly on this issue, just try taking a bowl of Alpo® from a hungry Pit Bull and see what happens. We have already seen evidence of this with Corzine's binge of lame-duck appointments, some to agencies that he has neglected for the last four years.
The above are but a sampling of what Governor Christie faces when he takes office tomorrow. There are other factions to contend with as well, and they all work together at least part of the time. Of any Republican governor in recent memory, Christie is probably best suited to deal with these factions. He was a tough prosecutor, and his combative nature and plain-spokenness will serve him well in dealing with these forces, as will his ability to go straight to the people.
Expect the Democrats to attempt to "Bush-ize" the Governor. What I would ask the Dems is, "Do you feel lucky? Well, Do ya?"
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