By Dan Jacobson, Originally published in the July 7 edition of the triCityNews
And people object to the language in this newspaper? Turns out we’re not so out of line.
Check out Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney ripping into Republican Governor Chris Christie last weekend – in a front page story in the Star-Ledger, the biggest newspaper in the state:
He’s mean-spirited. He’s angry. If you don’t like what he says, I liken it to being spoiled…(it’s) I’m going to get my way, or else. He’s a rotten prick.
Hilarious.
After all, only a few days before the two stood together at the signing of the controversial pension reform bill. They called each other friends and partners. The Governor hailed this bipartisan cooperation as a national model.
So much for that! Days later Christie vetoed the Democratic budget – and used his power to unilaterally reduce budget items, including funds for some pretty vulnerable people. Sweeney said it was political retaliation against those opposing the Governor:
This is all about him being a bully and a punk. I wanted to punch him in the head…To prove a point to me – a guy who has stood side by side with him, and made tough decisions – for him to punish people to prove a political point? He’s just a rotten bastard to do what he did.
Listen, you can punch me in the face and knock me down, do what you want. But don’t be vindictive and punish innocent people. These people didn’t do anything to him. It’s like a bank robber taking hostages. And now he’s starting to shoot people.
I liken it to being spoiled…He’s just a cruel man.
Hey, even we’ve never used the word “prick” in these pages. (Probably because we never thought of it.) But now that the Star-Ledger says it’s OK, well, let’s face it: Governor Christie can be a prick.
Not that he isn’t right most of the time on economic issues. I’d vote for the pension and benefits reform bill. But there’s just something about the guy I never liked. It’s just a visceral reaction. Of course, no way was I going to vote for that prick Jon Corzine in the last election. What a buffoon. So I voted for Independent Chris Daggett, who may or may not be a prick.
Anyway, I’m running for the state Assembly this year as an Independent. I have a strong libertarian streak on economics and social issues. And I have no interest in being a politician or acting like one. Way too cheesy. I’d simply want to do the job of an Assemblyman. Imagine that.
But if elected, there’s one huge perk I’m going to milk for all it’s worth: The entertainment value of being down in Trenton with all these clowns. It would be outrageous. Just fantastic. I couldn’t help but insert myself right into the middle of it. Who could resist such centrifugal forces of absurdity? And to own a newspaper and be able to write about it all the time! I’m sorry, you people have got to elect me. You’ve got to!
I first went to Trenton in 1984 as an aide to then state Senator Frank Pallone. I got elected to the state Assembly as a Democrat at age 28 and served a term in 1990-91. Even had a physical altercation with the Assembly Speaker, who was a member of my own party, after I led a revolt on a controversial education funding bill. So I’ve seen some action real up close and personal down there. Pretty wild stuff.
But I never saw anything like the drama unfolding between Sweeney and Christie. And the set design in the background is just fabulous: The Democratic Party imploding – tearing itself up as Democratic leaders like Sweeney sided with the Governor on pension and benefit reform, while lower ranking Democratic legislators bitterly blasted their own leadership to suck up to their union sponsors. And now suddenly – out of nowhere – Sweeney and Christie are in a steel caged wrestling match.
What a spectacle! Man, give Governor Christie credit for choreographing the whole show. It’s brilliant. After Democratic leaders stuck their necks out for him on pension and benefit reform – giving him even greater national prominence – the Governor turned on them just days later when he blasted their proposed budget. What treachery.
What a prick!
Of course, Christie was completely right in his comments. But he’s still a prick:
The proposed budget from the Democrats is just more of the same unrealistic, pie in the sky, fantasy budgeting they brought to New Jersey for the eight years before we arrived. Instead of continuing to put New Jersey on strong fiscal footing, this proposal reaffirms the Democrats’ commitment to job-killing tax increases and an unrepentant addiction to spending. New Jerseyans are the most over-taxed citizens in America and they want us to reduce spending and make government smaller. This proposal only serves to denigrate all of the hard choices made over the last year that broke from decades of state government spending money that just doesn’t exist.
Got to say, the level of our political discourse has sunk to new lows with the publication of that Sunday front page Star-Ledger article – with the most powerful Democrat in Trenton calling our Republican Governor “a rotten prick.”
If elected, I promise that you won’t see this Publisher use such language in the state capitol. I’d use it in these pages, of course. But not while walking around in my official capacity as a state Assemblyman.
Then again, I’d tell a reporter that something is bullshit. Although I wouldn’t call any other elected officials assholes. Certainly not “rotten pricks”.
You know, I got to think this through now that the Star-Ledger has totally changed the rules. Got to make sure we keep our standards current so people know what’s acceptable behavior.
After all, we’re the triCityNews. We’re here to help.
(The 11th District where I’m running includes: Asbury Park, Long Branch, Red Bank, Ocean Township, Neptune, Neptune City, Interlaken, Deal, Allenhurst, Loch Arbour, West Long Branch, Eatontown, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, Colts Neck, Freehold Township and Freehold Borough.)
Senate President Steve Sweeney told The Star LedgerEditorial Board that he is groveling to get back into the good graces of the NJEA. He didn’t put it exactly that way, but that is the effect of his pronouncement that he will not allow two key components of Governor Christie’s educations reforms…merit pay and ending seniority protections from layoffs.
Governor Christie gave himself plenty of room to negotiate when he increased the budget surplus by $270 million while cutting transitional aid to the cities by $139 million. The Democrats want that money, and other monies that Christie cut back. If the cities don’t get the money they could face bankruptcy.
Christie shouldn’t give an dime back to the cities unless he gets everything he wants in education reform. If Sweeney and the Democrats don’t go along because they’re trying to get back into the good graces of the NJEA, let the voters decide.
Let’s have the coming election, in which the entire legislature is up for grabs, be a referendum on Christie’s agenda vs the NJEA agenda.
Assembly Republicans Caroline Casagrande, R-Monmouth and Mercer; Nancy F. Muñoz, R-Union, Essex, Morris and Somerset; Mary Pat Angelini, R-Monmouth; DiAnne Gove, R-Ocean, Amy H. Handlin, R-Monmouth and Middlesex; and Denise Coyle, R-Somerset and Morris, issued the following statement about the Fiscal Year 2012 Budget that fully funds healthcare to low-income and uninsured women through Federally Qualified Health Centers:
“Protecting women’s healthcare, not political agendas, is our primary concern and we are thrilled that New Jersey will fully fund vital health services for women, and their children, through clinics that provide legitimate healthcare.
“Uninsured and low-income women will continue to have access to comprehensive healthcare services in all 21 counties. It is important to note that funding of these vital services has increased by $30 million over the past two years.
“We have proven that it is possible to have a responsible, legal and balanced budget while continuing to fund healthcare programs that are crucial to women and children.”
Senate President Steve Sweeney’s line of bull nearly cost him his life today as a lightning stike just missed him during an on camera interview with the Philadelphia Fox-TV affiliate.
Sweeney’s been lying all week. Not just about the budget and the Governor’s prick. I invited him onto the LaRossa and Gallagher “Real Jersey Guys” Radio Show to talk about the State budget and his now famous remarks to Tom Moran about the Governor. Rather than turn us down because we would challenge him, Sweeney’s spokesman Chris Donnelly said the Senate President was booked all week and suggestted we try at another time. Since then Sweeney’s been a rotten media whore.
That’s ok, former Senator Dick LaRossa and I did fine without him. Here’s a recording of the show:
Middletown- Trenton Democrats’ empty budgetary promises and political rhetoric just more of the same.Senator Joe Kyrillos released the following statement demanding that Trenton Democrats take a moment to understand that their election year games have real consequences.
“Trenton Democrats are using an election year to play on the emotions and real issues of our neediest citizens. By passing a budget filled with empty promises – but no funding – Trenton Democrats have crossed the line into the dangerous and disingenuous. Not only are they playing election year politics, they are doing so in a manner that misleads the public about specific programs, as well as the state’s finances. Democrats overstate the surplus while ignoring that education funding has gone up $850 million over last year, funding for the AIDS Drug Distribution Program has been protected at the same level as last year, and hospital funding has gone up by $20 million.
“If these Democrats have any sense of decency they will be honest with the people they claim they want to help, instead of continuing to put forward myths, lies and distortions about what we can really afford.”
TRENTON – The political theater being carried out by Trenton Democrats over their unconstitutional budget is disingenuous and must end.Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon released the following statement demanding Trenton Democrats start being honest about their budget and to stop misleading New Jerseyans:
“Trenton Democrats’ sickening display of political posturing has to immediately end. Democrats know that their budget did not provide funding for their election year spending spree yet they continue to play on the emotions of our residents.
“New Jersey women still have access to comprehensive health care services in every county and under Governor Christie support for Family Health Services has increased by more than $30 million. By using blatant distortions and lies about program funding, they are misleading the public about what services will and will not be available to them. This is a dangerous new low. This shocking display proves that the current Democratic leadership lacks the soul necessary to govern.”
Atlantic City continues to suffer from competition in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut.
The Christie Administration’s plans to prop up and clean up the city might make a difference, but will those efforts attract gamblers away from casinos closer to their homes?
What Atlantic City is an attractive celebrity spokesperson who can generate world wide publicity and carnival like curiosity.
Governor Chris Christie dropped his bombshell budget on the Trenton Democrats last week and then took off on a two week vacation with his family, leaving a media vacuum for Senate President Steve Sweeney and the Democrats in the legislature to try to fill.
Sweeney got some national attention by calling Christie a “rotten prick” and a “bastard” who hurts people and now the Senate is scheduled to hold votes to over ride Christie’s budget next week. The Assembly is scheduling hearings on the impact of Christie’s cuts but hasn’t scheduled any override votes. It is all political theater. The budget that the Democrats submitted to Christie was political theater. They planned on giving Christie a budget he would cut so that they could spend the summer and fall using his cuts against the Republicans in the legislative election campaigns.
Christie is a “bastard” because he outwitted the Democrats, again. By trying to box Christie in, forcing him to make cuts to popular programs they could use against him in the coming election, the Democrats unwittingly gave Christie the leverage he needs to accelerate his reform agenda.
Christie cut $139 million of $149 million from the urban “transitional aid” program. New Jersey’s cities, Asbury Park, Camden, Trenton, Newark, et al, can not operate without that money. The cities can’t legally lay employees off fast enough due to civil service rules, which takes spending cuts off the table. Asbury Park would have to raise their property taxes by 101% to make up the the funds that Christie cut. That would be fun to watch, but I don’t think they could collect those taxes. If they did, they’d prove that the transitional aid wasn’t necessary.
While Christie was gutting the urban budgets and other programs dear to the Democrats, he also added $300 million to the surplus.
The Democrats will keep making noise that nobody hears until Christie gets back from vacation. Then they will start negotiating. But now Christie has the leverage because the Democrats gave it to him while thinking they had in a political poor position. Christie wants education reform, especially tenure reform. He wants the rest of his tool kit passed, especially civil service reform. He couldn’t get that from the legislature over the last year. Now he has what they need, what they must have.
The cities will get the transitional aid money. Christie will get his reforms passed before Labor Day.
Given the new legislative map, it is unlikely that the GOP will make significant gains in the legislature this coming election. However, it looks to me like Christie has positioned himself to extract reforms from the Democrats that are more landmark than the pension and benefit reforms recently passed. Christie and the GOP legislative team are positioned to enter September with major triumphs.
The Middletown Democrats have selected a replacement for Alex Desevo on their Township Committee slate, according to Middletown Mike and RedBankGreen.
Now that the news has made it to MMM, the APP will probably get around to reporting it.
Middletown Mike said the candidate was not even known to him prior to her introduction to the Middletown Democratic Committee, so MMM is not about to boost her name recognition at this point.
She seems like a nice lady who has no clue about how municipal government works. Mike says she spoke about how upset she is with Middletown’s bonding. Excuse my skepticism, but I highly doubt bonding has been keeping her up at night. Sounds to me like she was tutored on the Middletown Dems talking points before she addressed the committee.
MMM will eventually report the candidate’s name and background. For now we’ll refer to the Middletown Democratic slate as What’shername and What’shisname.
