Former Lousiana Governor Buddy Roemer dances with a question from a Bayshore Tea Party Group member.
A presidential candidate visiting New Jersey at this point in an election cycle is usually looking for money, like Mitt Romney will be doing in Parsippanny on Monday.
Why former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer requested to meet the Bayshore Tea Party Group yesterday remains a mystery. If he wanted money, he never asked for it. He touted the fact that he won’t accept donations over $100, and that his average donation is $55, but he never asked. He boasted that he’s raised “a third of a million dollars.”
Asked why he was spending a Saturday in December in New Jersey rather than Iowa or New Hamsphire, Roemer responded, “I’m not in Iowa because it costs $2 million to compete there and I don’t have $2 million. I am in New Hampshire. A lot of people are going to be surprised by my showing in New Hampshire.”
Roemer’s conservative yet populist message would seem to be a perfect fit for the Tea Party crowd. But Roemer clearly wasn’t prepared to be questioned by the group of 20 Tea Party members who are obviously as well informed as they are passionate. He got himself in trouble with the group while embracing the Occupy Wall Street slogan of 1% vs 99% while decrying the influence of money in the presidential campaign. A debate ensued which devolved into bickering over whether or not corporations are people. A Tea Partier arguing that corporations are shareholders, employees and customers. Roemer arguing that a corporation has never been drafted into the military.
No one born after 1957 has been drafted into the military either.
Roemer eventually backed off the 1% vs. 99% slogan, apologizing for “using the language of the day” to make a point.
Roemer said he was competing for the GOP nomination, while acknowledging that he has been in touch with Americans Elect 2012 about a third party candidacy. That didn’t sit well with his audience either, who were concerned about a third party candidate helping President Obama get reelected and about Americans Elect’s funding from special interests. Roemer acknowledged that he hadn’t vetted Americans Elect prior to allowing his name to be attached to the group.
The former governor and congressman was particularly critical of Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, decrying the special interests funding their campaigns. He said Huntsman’s father is using legal loopholes to funnel $20 million to his son’s campaign. Roemer really doesn’t like Gingrich, with whom he served in Congress.
“There is no president amongst the current GOP front runners,” Roemer declared. There wasn’t a president at the Bayshore Tea Party Group office either.
At that’s too bad. There is a great deal about Roemer’s core message that is attractive.
He favors a flat tax; 17% of all income for all, individuals and corporations, over the first $50,000 earned. When asked about the fair tax, a national sales tax, Roemer said he could go that way too.
Roemer said he’s a fair trader, not a free trader. He would use tariffs and economic sanctions to bring balance to our relationships with China and Saudi Arabia. Tariffs on all oil importers, except Mexico and Canada, as well as the end of subsidies for unproven energy technologies, would be the keys to creating energy independence in a Roemer administration.
On foreign policy, Roemer said American should not be the world’s policeman. That he would emphasize economic sanctions to advance our interests, but would keep a strong military in the background. He was absolute that he would not allow Iran to have nuclear weapons.
Posted: December 11th, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2012 Presidential Politics, Bayshore Tea Party Group | Tags: Americans Elect 2012, Bayshore Tea Party Group, Buddy Roemer, Jon Huntsman, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich | 7 Comments »
The Monmouth County area Tea Parties are coming together to in order to make their presence felt in the upcoming county committee election to replace Assemblyman-elect Rob Clifton on the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders.
The Bayshore Tea Party Group, the Jersey Shore Tea Party Patriots and the East Jersey Tea Party will hold a joint meeting to endorse a Freeholder candidate on January 10th, 2012, 7PM at the West Park Recreation Center in Oakhusrt, Ocean Township. The Monmouth and Colts Neck Tea Parties have also been invited to participate.
Bob Gordon, co-founder of the Bayshore Tea Party Group, says that between the groups there are 25 county committee members eligible to vote on January 14th when the county committee convenes to elect Clifton’s successor. They are potentially a significant voting block.
The Tea Parties extended invitations this afternoon to each of the declared candidates to speak at the January 10th meeting. Following the candidates presentations and a Q and A, a secret ballot will be taken. The winner of the groups’ endorsement will be announced upon the tabulation of the ballots.
Howell Mayor Bob Walsh and Manalapan Deputy Mayor Ryan Green have accepted. Holmdel Deputy Mayor Serena DiMaso is juggling a scheduling conflict. Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter Doyle has yet to respond, according to Barbara Gonzalez, the another co-founder of BTPG.
Gonzalez said she checked the calendars on the Monmouth County GOP Website and the Monmouth County Affiliated Republican Club’s site before scheduling the event, in order to avoid a conflict.
Posted: December 7th, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Bayshore Tea Party Group, Monmouth County, Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, Monmouth County Republican Committee, Monmouth GOP Affiliated Club | Tags: Barbara Gonzalez, Bayshore Tea Party Group, Bob Gordon, Bob Walsh, Colts Neck Tea Party, Jackson Tea Party, Jersey Shore Tea Party, Monmouth County Affiliated Republican Club, Monmouth County Freeholders, Monmouth County Republican Organization, Monmouth GOP, Monmouth Tea Party, Peter Doyle, Rob Clifton, Ryan Green, Serena DiMaso, Tea Party, West Park Recreation Center | 6 Comments »
Former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer, a contender for the Americans Elect 2012 presidential nomination, will be visiting the offices of the Bayshore Tea Party Group this Saturday December 10th at 12:30 PM.
Roemer served in Congress from 1981 through 1988 as a conservative Democrat who often supported President Reagan’s agenda. He served as the governor of Louisiana from 1988-1992 as both a Democrat and a Republican.
A Harvard MBA, Roemer bills himself as the only candidate with executive, legislative and private sector experience.
BTPG co-founder Barbara Gonzalez said Roemer’s visit does not imply the group’s support of his candidacy. “We received a phone call from Roemer’s office stating that he would like to make our group his first stop while touring New Jersey, we polled our members and there is sufficient interest in meeting him. We’ve also heard interest from people outside of our group expressed.”
The Bayshore Tea Party Group’s office is at 275 Highway 35, Red Bank (Middletown Twp), NJ 07701
Posted: December 6th, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2012 Presidential Politics, Bayshore Tea Party Group | Tags: Americans Elect 2012, Barbara Gonzalez, Bayshore Tea Party Group, Buddy Roemer | 2 Comments »
Bayshore Tea Party Group Standing By Their Man
GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain is reassessing his candidacy in the wake of allegations of a 13 year extra-marital affair, according to a story broken by National Review Online. NRO reports that they had a writer on Cain’s five minute conference call with his senior staff wherein he discussed his campaign’s latest setback.
Cain has denied the affair, as he has denied allegations of sexual harassment while he was the CEO of the National Restaurant Association.
Cain attempted shore up his weak foreign policy credentials by issuing his denials in German, “nine, nine, nine.”
Locally, Bayshore Tea Party Group leader Barbara Gonzalez told Politickernj that her group continues to support Cain, “Until they can prove something, we continue to support him….it’s a smear campaign….no one is buying it.”
Posted: November 29th, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2012 Presidential Politics, Bayshore Tea Party Group | Tags: Barbara Gonzalez, Bayshore Tea Party Group, Herman Cain, National Review Online, Politickernj | 20 Comments »
Should we care?
That’s the question that Bergen Record Columnist Charles Stile asks this morning at NorthJersey.com.
Stile is wondering how Lonegan is reacting to American For Prosperity benefactor David Koch’s declaration that Governor Christie is “my kind of guy” at the super secret corporate donors meeting in Colorado last June. That was the meeting where Christie told the tale of how he saved Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver’s position by lining up Assembly Republicans to vote for her had the Democrats staged a coup to prevent the pension and benefits reform bill from being posted.
Strangely, Lonegan who is never shy with the press, rebuffed Stile’s inquiry four times in two weeks.
Stile probably hasn’t noticed that Lonegan’s rare pontifications about Christie have been positive since April of this year. That is when Christie prevailed upon Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips to get Lonegan to tone his rhetoric down, as reported at the time by the now defunct TheStateNJ.com.
Lonegan’s focus has been on co-opting and controlling New Jersey’s Tea Party movement and attempting to destroy Tea Parties he can’t control, if The Bulldog Pundit, Gene Hoyas’ body of work over this summer is accurate.
Hoyas has been white knighting for the Bay Shore Tea Party Group which has suffered ad hominem attacks from conservative websites that Hoyas says are Lonegan mouthpieces. Hoyas’ smoking gun that Lonegan, and Senator Mike Doherty, are behind the attacks is that they haven’t publically called for the conservatives sites to stop picking on the BTPG.
All of this nonsense, from Stile’s piece this morning, to Hoyas and other purists fighting all summer, to Lonegan trying to control Tea Parties, if he is, are gifts to the Democrats who are on track to keep control of the legislature in Trenton.
Stile could have written about the current and ongoing rifts within the Democratic party, rather than suggesting to his readers that Christie is more “far right” than Lonegan. Instead he attempted to tweak Lonegan into reigniting a battle that he surrendered months ago. We should expect that from Stiles as a center-left opinion leader.
But Hoyas and other conservatives fighting with each other, as well as the ongoing ideological Inquisition of RINO hunters is nothing more than a circular firing squad.
Now that they have wasted the summer, it is time for all the ideological purists to stop fighting over which angel does a better dance on the head of a pin and get to work electing candidates who are right and center-right.
Posted: September 18th, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Bayshore Tea Party Group, Chris Christie, NJ Media, Steve Lonegan | Tags: Bayshore Tea Party Group, Charles Stile, Chris Christie, David Koch, Gene Hoyas, Senator Mike Doherty, Sheila Oliver, Steve Lonegan | 12 Comments »
By Barbara Gonzalez, published in The Press (formerly The Asbury Park Press) on August 12, 2012
As the founder of The Bayshore Tea Party, I must take exception to the Press’ Aug. 7 editorial, “The deadly sins of the Tea Party.” It showed a lack of understanding about the Tea Party, our motives and objectives. But it did reveal a lot about the mindset of the editors.
The editorial states that refusal to raise the debt ceiling would constitute the “first default in American history.” In 1933, President Roosevelt confiscated privately held gold. In 1971, President Nixon took the U.S. off the gold standard.
We are upset, not “angry” as the editorial stated, that the actions of the federal government have put each and every American over $46,000 in debt to creditors.
We are upset Congress has “borrowed” $2.6 trillion of the assets in the Social Security Trust Fund, which they have no way to pay back. Borrowing of this nature in private enterprise is called embezzlement, but in the world of politics it is called an “investment.”
We believe the president and Congress engaged in “intellectual sloth” by passing the health care bill without reading it.
The editorial asserted that federal, state and local income taxes are at historical lows. It only mentioned federal, state and local income taxes. It failed to take into account payroll, sales and embedded taxes. When all taxes are factored in, the real total of taxes paid is more than 45 percent.
Many Press editorials and special investigative reports have highlighted government waste. Now, we are being taken to task for calling on the government to fix the very things the Press exposed.
The Press implies that the Tea Party shows too much “courage.” Did the Founding Fathers show too much courage by refusing to prostrate themselves to King George?
Courage is precisely what is needed today. The courage to speak out and tell self-serving politicians that they work for the people and not the other way around.
As for raising taxes on the “wealthiest Americans,” how about defining “wealthiest Americans?” The federal government could tax every person who earns $250,000 or more per year the entire amount and it wouldn’t raise nearly the amount needed to cover the increase in spending. The “wealthy” would simply park their money in the tax shelters their friends in Washington have created.
The editorial called the raising of the debt ceiling by $2.1 trillion “routine,” leading one to conclude the Press has lost touch with reality. What is “prudent” about borrowing $2.1 trillion that you have no way to pay back, a fact that was evident to Standard & Poor’s and our nation’s creditors? Prudence is only borrowing what you can afford to pay back. Stupidity and greed is borrowing more than that amount.
In the week since Congress and the president raised the debt ceiling, the “prudent” course according to the Press, the Dow Jones Industrials have dropped more than 1,000 points. Do you still believe it was prudent to increase our debt?
In short, the markets do not believe the United States will be able to pay back the debt without government gimmicks such as inflating the money supply. In the minds of investors and foreign nations, we have defaulted, whether the government admits it or not.
Finally, the Press seems to be lacking the virtue of truth. The truth is the president and Congress keep increasing our debt to the point that future Americans will be living in financial servitude if something is not done to break this cycle. This is being borne out by China’s comments over the weekend that the United States has to get its financial house in order.
China became our biggest creditor thanks to the economic illiteracy that emanates in the White House and the halls of Congress, regardless of whether it is the Republicans or Democrats in charge.
Posted: August 13th, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Bayshore Tea Party Group, NJ Media | Tags: Asbury Park Press, Barabara Gonzalez, Bayshore Tea Party, Neptune Nudniks | 4 Comments »
Lawsuit challenges the validity of the New Jersey Legislative District Map
Red Bank, NJ – The Bayshore Tea Party group along with 38 Plaintiffs, representing all 21 counties in New Jersey, filed a civil action today against the Democrat members of the New Jersey Apportionment Commission, the 11th Member, Alan Rosenthal, Kim Guadagno, in her official capacity as Secretary of State of New Jersey, Paula Dow, Attorney General and Robert F. Giles, Director of the Division of Elections of the State of New Jersey, in Superior Court, Chancery Division, Ocean County.
The action claims the Legislative district map approved by the commission on April 3, 2011, is in violation of the Federal and New Jersey Constitutions. It is further stated that other federal and state laws were violated against the interests of the registered voters of New Jersey.
According to the preliminary statement filed today in court, the Commission Map in its current construction dilutes or nullifies the voice of the voters in the southern half of the state and in the state’s two largest municipalities, Newark and Jersey City. The lawsuit claims the Commission Map over-packed the southern half of the state causing an unconstitutional 18% deviation, which is 8% higher than the 10% deviation permitted by US Supreme Court precedent. Also, alleged in this suit are illegal splits of Newark and Jersey City from three districts each to two. These splits dilute the representation of these urban municipalities by reducing the number of elected legislators from 9 representatives to 6 in violation of New Jersey Supreme Court precedent.
Barbara Gonzalez, founder of Bayshore Tea Party Group and a Plaintiff in the suit said “After reviewing the commission map, I noticed several violations affecting the voter’s integrity. This lawsuit is crucial to protect the longstanding ‘one person, one vote’ principle. I hope our diligence will raise voter awareness of the voters of New Jersey to recognize the value of their vote.”
The 42 page complaint can be viewed and downloaded here.
Posted: April 21st, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Bayshore Tea Party Group, Reapportionment, Redistricting | Tags: Bayshore Tea Party Group, Legislative Reapportionment, Press Release | 24 Comments »
A Community Outreach Benefiting the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit
Middletown, NJ – The Bayshore Tea Party Group is sponsoring “Two Tons for our Troops,” a supply drive for the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, “America’s 911 Force” now in international deployment.
A Marine Expeditionary Unit has about 2,200 personnel and consists of command, infantry, aviation and combat logistics. The 13th MEU is based out of Camp Pendleton, CA.
The Bayshore Tea Party Group has set a deadline of May 15 to collect two tons of supplies. Communities, individuals and other organizations are encouraged to help reach that ambitious goal. The collection point is 275 Route 35 North, Red Bank NJ 07701 (just north of the Pine Street jug handle.) The following items would be gratefully accepted and appreciated:
ENTERTAINMENT
X-box games, DVDs, games, books, magazines
FOOD – Non Perishable Only
Non-melting candy, powdered drink mixes, Gatorade mix, chips, protein powder/bars, beef jerky, Airborne, Vitamin tablets, Emergen-C
TOILETRIES
hand sanitizer, body wash, toilet paper, body lotion, mouth wash, foot powder, chap stick, Clorox wipes, toothpaste, tooth brush, nail clippers, bath towels, Lysol, Q tips, face wash, dental floss shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, shower curtain, small bath rugs, febreeze, hook toilet fresheners
CLOTHING
Black/brown socks, white ankle socks for PT
MISCELLANEOUS
Stamps, envelopes/stationery, notebooks, phone cards, paper towels, hair clippers, batteries (AA/AAA 3 VOLT), duct tape, small fans, large trash bags, cable ties, combo locks
Please visit our website at www.bayshoreteaparty.org for information on how you can become involved with the effort to restore American exceptionalism and fix our broken state and federal governments.
The Bayshore Tea Party Group Headquarters is located at 275 Rt. 35N in Fairview, NJ. Please contact [email protected] or call 732-842-6652 for more information.
Posted: April 18th, 2011 | Author: admin | Filed under: Bayshore Tea Party Group | Tags: Bayshore Tea Party Group, Press Release, Two Tons for our Troops | 3 Comments »
While politicians draw lines to save their jobs the People’s Map creates genuine competition
Middletown, NJ –Several articles have come out recently displaying the hysterics surrounding the possibility of a handful of legislators who may lose their jobs as a result of the Apportionment Commission’s final map. Meanwhile, an analysis of “The People’s Map” illustrates nicely how genuine competition between and among parties and incumbents can be easily achieved by simply drawing district lines according to the Constitution.
Below are some of the intra-party battles created as a result of the non-gerrymandered map produced by the Bayshore Tea Party Group:
- · District 4: Sen. Steve Sweeney (D) v. Sen. Fred Madden (D)
- · District 13: Sen. Joe Kyrillos (R) v. Sen. Jenifer Beck (R)
- · District 21: Sen. Barbara Buono (D) v. Sen. Bob Smith (D)
- · District 27: Sen. Anthony R. Bucco (R) v. Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R)
- · District 31: Sen. Brian Stack (D) v. Sen. Nicholas Sacco (D)
- · District 9: Asm. Ronald Dancer v. Asw. Diane Gove v. Asm. Brian Rumpf
There are 11 additional districts in which incumbents of the same party would be pitted against one another. This is what representative democracy should look like.
While politicians holed up in lavish accommodations at one of New Brunswick’s finest hotels wheel and deal for their own personal benefit, voters are left with the scraps from a rancid political meal. “The People’s Map” changes that dynamic and forces long-term incumbents, many of whom have benefited for a decade from our previously Gerrymandered districts, to defend their records with their constituents and actually campaign for reelection.
It is a uniquely American ideal that no man should be entitled to the benefit of another’s labor. This ideal is no more applicable than in the world of electoral politics.
Upon discovering the information, primary map-maker and Bayshore Tea Party Group Redistricting Committee Chairman Sean Spinello stated:
“One thing that struck me with all the attempts at manipulating the matchups and wanting easy victories was that it sounded like old time boxing promoters…except with less integrity.”
The Bayshore Tea Party Group was heartened recently by NJ Apportionment Commission Co-Chairman and Assemblyman John Wisniewski’s statement citing the importance of adhering to the NJ Constitution with regard to the legislative map drawing, as reported in The Star-Ledger on March 28.
As per Chairman Wisniewski’s admonition, we expect that the Commission will issue a map fully compliant with law and the New Jersey Constitution, such as “The People’s Map.”
Please visit our website at www.bayshoreteaparty.org for information on how you can become involved with the effort to restore American Exceptionalism and fix our broken government. [email protected] or call 732-842-6652 for more information.
The Bayshore Tea Party Group Headquarters is located at 275 Rt. 35N in Middleotwn,NJ. Please contact
Posted: April 1st, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Bayshore Tea Party Group, Reapportionment, Redistricting, Uncategorized | Tags: Bayshore Tea Party Group, People's Map, Press Release, Redistricting | 1 Comment »
Revised Map Makes Minor Substantive and Cosmetic Changes
Middletown, NJ – The Bayshore Tea Party Group issued a revised version of “The People’s Map” to the Apportionment Commission. The changes are as follows:
· Moves Egg Harbor Township, Weymouth and Estell Manor from District 2 to District 1;
· Moves Atlantic City, Brigantine and Absecon from District 1 to District 2;
· Makes cosmetic corrections to several inadvertently miscolored municipalities that do not affect the population outcomes of any other District.
In response to inquiries received following the release of “The People’s Map”, the Bayshore Tea Party Group Redistricting Committee would like to clarify some questions the public may have with the creation of our map:
“The People’s Map” was created entirely by hand and without the assistance of any computer program, such as the program in use by the Apportionment Commission and political parties;
“The People’s Map” was drawn using public census data obtained via the internet, pencils and a calculator;
No funding or other outside support from any person or organization was provided for the creation of “The People’s Map”. The aforementioned pencils, paper and calculators were provided by the Bayshore Tea Party Group, which is funded entirely through the generous donations of our members and the public.
The Bayshore Tea Party Group would like to acknowledge and thank Monmouth University’s Patrick Murray for the notes he provided upon his review of our map.
BTPG would also like to publicly acknowledge Jim Meyer of Gateway Press in Atlantic Highlands, NJ for his hard work in preparing “The People’s Map.”
Please visit our website at www.bayshoreteaparty.org for information on how you can become involved with the effort to restore American Exceptionalism and fix our broken government.
The Bayshore Tea Party Group Headquarters is located at 275 Rt. 35N in Fairview, NJ. Please contact [email protected] or call 732-804-3733 for more information.
Posted: March 28th, 2011 | Author: admin | Filed under: Bayshore Tea Party Group, Redistricting | Tags: Bayshore Tea Party Group, Legislative Map, Press Release, Redistricting | 4 Comments »