Project Interchange trip to Israel: Day 1

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande

By Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande

I am here in beautiful Israel as part of Project Interchange, a program of the American Jewish Council. Despite the worldwide travel alert, I feel very safe.

For my first seminar, we had a fascinating introduction to Israeli society and politics with Dr. Elinat Wilf, a former member of Knesset. She described Israel for us as an idea of the mind. At the end of the Seder you say, “To next year in Jerusalem.” The worldwide Jewish community decided to make that happen literally by founding Israel. It is an incredibly diverse nation of immigrants. It is a Jewish state, which can be confusing for Americans, who are used to the separation of church and state. Zionism is an idea about bringing ethnic Jews together. I found it very surprising when our speaker identified herself as a Jew who is an atheist. She said many people in Israel are non-practicing Jews religiously, but practice the culture. Israel has a very sizable minority population – approximately 20 percent Muslim and Christian.

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Sociological Strip Search Bill Is Back Again

This bill is like herpes. It keeps coming back.  We’ve been fighting it since June of 2011.

The state legislature is once again looking to authorize public schools to interrogate your children about private family matters and your political views.  The IRS, NSA , TSA and Drones can’t catch everything.  The government needs school children to spy on their families too. If the schools can get the information from the kids, the federal government sends money.

Assembly Bill A2421 is up for a vote before the full Assembly this afternoon.  Call or email you legislators now, right now, and tell them to vote NO.  Call or email Governor Christie and ask that he veto the bill if it passes and gets to him.  It has already passed the Senate.

The original bill would have removed a requirement that parents provide written consent before schools can ask students questions like this:

(1) political affiliations;

(2) mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student or the student’s family;

(3) sexual behavior and attitudes;

(4) illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning behavior;

(5) critical appraisals of other individuals with whom a respondent has a close family relationship;

(6) legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers;

(7) income, other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under a program; or

(8) social security number.

If this bill become law, schools will simply have to notify parents that the survey will take place.  No written consent for their children to participate “voluntarily” will be required.

In an effort to thwart opposition, the sponsors have proposed amending the bill to remove questions about political affiliation, sexual behavior/attitudes and social security number from authorized questions.  The amendment would also prohibit the intrusive information collected from being used for marketing or other commercial purposes “not related to education” (drive a truck through that loop hole).  The amendment makes the bill no less dangerous or objectionable.

GET WRITTEN PARENTAL CONSENT.  Educators get that consent for field trips, etc.  The argument that it is too difficult to get for intrusive survey is bull.’ Assuming” that parents are just not paying attention is as disingenuous the telemarketer assuming you will love that ginzu knife they’re giving you for a ‘free trial.’

The proponents of the bill want to allow schools to employ a scamming tactic referred to as “negative consent.”  That’s the technique that telemarketers use when they offer you a product or service for “free” for 30 days.  If you don’t take affirmative action to cancel the “free trial” your credit card is charged monthly until you catch up with the scammers and cancel.

Our ongoing thanks to Carolee Adams, President of the Eagle Forum of New Jersey, for fighting this government intrusion into our personal lives, and for keeping us informed.

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Steve Sweeney’s Hissy Fit

NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) is having another tantrum.

The puerile legislator who called Governor Chris Christie a prick over a budget veto and responded to Superstorm Sandy by calling for the elimination of beach badges on the Jersey Shore is upset that he will face competition in November.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) had the audacity to recruit a strong candidate, Niki Trunk, to challenge Sweeney in the 3rd legislative district. Sweeney’s been pissed about that for months, as if he is entitled to being reelected without having to make his case to the voters in November.

Sweeney went off the deep end when he learned that Kean donated $8200 to Trunk’s campaign.

Yesterday Sweeney knocked all Republican sponsored legislation off of the Senate’s agenda.  The following bills won’t be heard in committee next week:

S1071, permitting conversion of fines for violation of certain municipal ordinances into tax liens; S1726, requiring municipalities to comply with state audit prior to receiving state aid; S1852, authorizing municipalities to deliver property tax bills, construction permits and receipts for payment via email; S2494, permitting municipalities to use beach fees to improve tourist areas; S2617, properly closing the hazardous Fenimore Landfill; S2618, concerning valuation of properties condemned for dune construction or beach replenishment; and S2457, making discretionary driver’s license suspension for first offense of driving without motor vehicle liability insurance.

Let’s get rid of Steve Sweeney.  Donate to Niki Trunk’s campaign account.  Volunteer for her campaign.

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Handlin’s Legislation Will Spur Job Growth

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin

Legislation that would eliminate the scheduled 10% surcharge on employers’ unemployment insurance tax was cleared by the Assembly Labor Committee today.

The bill, A-4112/A-3675, sponsored by Assemblywomen Amy Handlin (R-13, Monmouth) and Alison Little McHose (R-24, Hunterdon, Morris, Warren and Sussex), postpones the implementation of the surcharge, which is currently scheduled to go into effect on July 1, for one year.  An identical bill, S-2404, passed the State Senate unanimously in February.

The Office of Legislative Services estimates that eliminating the surcharge will save employers $300 million in the coming fiscal year.

“The timing of this legislation is critical as we approach the summer season and with the effort to restore the Jersey Shore well underway,” stated Handlin. “Rebuilding communities involves both residential and commercial redevelopment. Companies who invest in our economy would face significant unemployment insurance increases which could impact their hiring decisions. This legislation ensures that the strides made in putting people back to work will  not be affected by the cost increases that would have been felt under this  surcharge.”

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Double Dose of Bad News For Buono

Yet, good news for Trenton Democrats—the NJ Republicans are trying to lose

By Art Gallagher

State Senator Barbara Buono, the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor, received two doses of bad news today (so far) for her fledgling campaign to unseat Governor Chris Christie in November.

1) A Quinnipiac poll released today indicates that Buono has made no progress over the last month in increasing her dismal name recognition.  78% of those polled don’t know enough about Buono to form an opinion. That compares to 79% last month.  Of the few who recognize her name, 43% have an unfavorable opinion.

Christie’s numbers remain amazingly strong. 67% approve of the job he is doing as governor.  66% says he deserves to be reelected. In a head to head match up with Buono, Christie wins 58%-26%, with 13% out to lunch.

2) Even worse for Buono, PolitickerNJ reports that she is likely to be the only major party gubernatorial candidate in the history of New Jersey’s matching funds campaign program not to qualify for the maximum amount. PolitickerNJ said that Buono has raised only $29,000 per week since she declared her candidacy in December.  In order to earn the maximum $2 million in state matching funds for the primary, she would have to raise $216,000 per week over the next six weeks of the primary campaign.

Christie has opted out of the state matching funds program and has raised upwards of $5 million to date for the primary.

Trenton Republicans Trying to Lose

With Chrisite’s polling and financial numbers so strong, one would think that the Trenton Democrats that control the legislature would be concerned about Christie coattails.  Trenton Republicans seem enthused about the prospect of taking control of the legislature, but so far their campaign is deploying the stupidest strategy imaginable.

I’m not a professional political strategist, I just play one of the Internet.  In my not so humble opinion the NJ GOP‘s campaign against Corzine Democrats is the dumbest political strategy since Christine O’Donnell declared she is not a witch.

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Casagrande a ‘Rising Star’

Monmouth County Legislator Has A Message That Republicans Badly Need To Win

Gannett’s New Jersey newspapers and websites published a list of New Jersey’s political “Rising Stars” yesterday.  The editorial says those on the list are young (most are under 40, all are under 50) politicos that are likely to emerge as the “next generation” of leaders on the regional or state levels of New Jersey government and politics.

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande is the only Monmouth County leader who made the top twelve of the list.  As a three term Assemblywoman seeking her fourth term and the Assembly Minority’s Policy Co-Chair, one could argue that Casagrande is in the current generation of leadership.  But at 36, her star is still very much “rising.”

If you are fortunate enough to talk to Casagrande about policy and politics, you will quickly realize that the real power of her ‘light’ is largely ‘hidden under a bushel.’

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Bellew Invokes Margaret Thatcher As Inspiration For Her Candidacy

“The world lost a giant yesterday,” said Leigh-Ann Bellew, Republican candidate for State Senate in District 13. “My condolences go out to the family of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. She blazed the path for women like me to enter into politics, showing that a strong woman can be an effective leader.”

In a statement released this afternoon, Bellew called for men and women alike to emulate Thatcher’s strong leadership, free market principles and reverence for life.

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Bellew says she’s not the Bayshore Tea Party Group’s candidate

Republican challenger for State Senate in the 13th Legislative District told MoreMonmouthMusings that she is not the Bayshore Tea Party Group’s candidate, as we have been reporting.

“While Bayshore will likely support me, I am not their candidate,” said Bellew, “I have a professional team running this campaign and much of my support will come from outside the tea party.”

Bellew is running against Senator Joe Kyrillos for the GOP nomination in the June 4th primary.

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Leigh-Ann Bellew is preparing to challenge Kyrillos

Former congressional candidate Leigh-Ann Bellew of Union Beach is circulating a petition to run for State Senate in the 13th Legislative District, according to multiple sources familiar with the petition.

Petitions with at least 100 signatures are due to be filed with the Secretary of State/Division of Elections in Trenton on Monday, April 1st.  13th district incumbent Senator Joe Kyrillos’ petition with 200 signatures has been filed.

Bellew, 43, was the Republican nominee for Congress against Frank Pallone in 2006, running on the theme Mom on a Mission. She managed Anna Little’s primary campaign against Diane Gooch in 2010.

Bellew is a pro-life conservative who describes her political philosophy as Constitutionalist.

Bellew told MoreMonmouthMusings that she has collected about 200 signatures but has not made a final decision to run.  She said she hopes to talk with Kryillos, who she said she likes personally.

“I am not happy with Joe’s apparent lack of conviction and leadership on important issues like life and the second amendment,” said Bellew ,”he says he’s pro-life personally and has a good voting record for life, but he blows with the win with his rhetoric. That’s not leadership.

‘Joe’s record on the second amendment is not good.  He favors restricting gun rights.  That is a big problem, especially given our current government in Washington.  We need leaders on all levels to protect our rights.”

Bellew said she would make her final decision about running over the weekend.

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Cryan Shameful

Assemblyman Joe Cryan and Senator Barbara Buono. Photo credit: NJ Assembly Democrats

Assemblyman Joseph Cyran, the former Democratic State Chairman, used the computers of his legislative office and computers of the Union County Sheriff’s Office where he is employed as an undersheriff to exchange sexually explicit emails with a woman he repeatedly denied being involved with, according to a New York Post report.

In the emails, which can be viewed here, Cryan and Karen Golding, a former Corzine staffer and a lobbyist, read like cyber foreplay. The couple wrote graphic details, during work hours, of what they will do to each other in coming trysts. Cryan frequently describes his state of arousal and on at least one occassion invited Golding to his legislative office for a sexual encounter on his desk. “Surprise visits are welcome”, Cryan wrote in addition to the specific invitation for the desktop encounter.

The emails are part of a pleading in Morris County Superior Court wherein Golding argues for a sentance reduction for her conviction for stalking Cryan after their relationship ended.   The NYPost says that Cryan has fought for years to keep the emails from becoming public.

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