What an informative show we had yesterday! Having just listened to a recording of the show, I am really impressed with the breadth of knowledge of our two guests, former Colorado Senate President John Andrews and New Jersey Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, and with their ability to share so much with our audience so concisely.
In the first half hour of the show, Andrews discusses the many reforms that have been enacted in Colorado over the last twenty year that have made government smaller and more affordable.
Colorado has had term limits for elected officials for twenty years. Andrews gave us a candid view of how they are working.
Colorado has a Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR), a constitutional provision that requires that all tax increases and all government spending that exceeds a formula of inflation and population growth at all levels of government be approved by the voters. Andrews discusses this in depth. His segment of the show should be required listening for all New Jersey policy makers and advisers.
During the second half hour of the show we were privledged to have Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, the Republican Budget Officer and Policy Co-Chair join us.
O’Scanlon got into the nitty gritty of the pension and benefits bill passed this week in Trenton. O’Scanlon made the case that the bill is not Reform In Name Only and discussed how it will impact the budget that will be crafted over the next week.
I hope you enjoy the show and that you tune in next week to the live show on Tuesday from 5PM-6PM on WIFI AM 1460.
For those of you who missed it, the first LaRossa and Gallagher Radio Show featuring former Senator Richard LaRossa and your favorite blogger was broadcast on Tuesday afternoon at 5PM on WIFI 1460 AM and on the Internet at WIFIAM1460.com
Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore was our first guest. As my friend James said after the show, we exposed Fiore as a Republican as he discussed the challenges and accomplishments of the Middletown Township Committee in putting together their first budget in the era of the 2% cap.
At the 48:28 mark of the show we had an exclusive guest call in, Congressman Anthony Weiner. Keep in mind the show was on Tuesday. Weiner was still in denial of his fate.
During the past few days, Michele Bachman has achieved major political milestones.Last night, however, in the New Hampshire Republican presidential debate, I really believe that with her outstanding performance, she eliminated any chance the absent Sarah Palin had to compete for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.Michele now occupies the space Palin covets, that of the conservative alternative to the center-right candidate, Mitt Romney.
Romney also performed well in the debate.Tim Pawlenty failed to establish himself as a dynamic center-right alternative to Mitt.Instead, Pawlenty resembles the late Dallas Cowboys football coach Tom Landry – a national cure for insomnia.As for Newt Gingrich, it is hard to take seriously a man who attributed his extra-marital affair in part to his love for his country.
In fact, I believe the 2012 GOP presidential nomination will in the end be decided in a contest between Romney and Bachmann – with Senator Marco Rubio of Florida being the Republican vice presidential nominee of either candidate.
Michele Bachmann’s political “winning streak” began Saturday, June 11 with her interview by Stephen Moore in the Wall Street Journal.In this article, she established herself as a person of major intellectual competency and issue awareness.While Sarah Palin has been lambasted by liberal media as a person lacking in intellectual curiosity and knowledge of issues, this criticism cannot be made of Michele Bachmann with any credibility.The following is a link to the interview:
Early on Monday, June 13, Bachmann announced her candidacy for the Presidency.She has the most competent team in the race, two members of which have significant New Jersey experience.
In charge of the campaign will be Ed Rollins, who managed Christie Whitman’s come from behind 1993 New Jersey gubernatorial victory over Jim Florio.Notwithstanding Ed’s post-election meltdown, he ran a superb campaign with a superb candidate.He is one of America’s top political strategists.
Bachmann has hired as pollster Ed Goeas, CEO of The Tarrance Group.Ed has handled a number of New Jersey campaigns, including the gubernatorial campaigns of Christie Whitman, and he may well be the best Republican pollster in the nation.
Finally, Michele has hired Brett O’Donnell, advisor to George W. Bush and John McCain.He is considered to be the best debate coach in politics.
Thus, Bachmann brings to the race an A-Team.She also, however, has a most impressive resume and compelling biography as well.
After graduating from high school, Michele spent time working on a kibbutz in Israel.She later obtained the following degrees: a B.A., a J.D., and an L.L.M. degree in taxation.She served as an attorney for the Internal Revenue Service for five years.
Many politicians preach family values.Michele Bachmann practices what she preaches.She and her husband, Marcus are the parents of five children.They have provided foster care for 23 other children.
She also has a made-to-order political base:Tea Party members will vote for her overwhelmingly in the primaries.
Liberal pundits laugh and sneer when the name Michele Bachmann is mentioned.This actually plays into her hands.When debate viewers see Bachmann give an outstanding competent and polished performance, as she did in last night’s New Hampshire debate, they are shocked.Her liberal critics have established a low bar for her, which she can jump over with ease.
I don’t know yet which of the two leading Republicans I will support for the nomination, Mitt Romney or Michele Bachmann.I like them both.It is wrong for people to disparage the Republican presidential primary field when you have two excellent candidates like these.I can support either of these two potential nominees with enthusiasm.
I expect a number of scathing liberal slanderous comments regarding Michele Bachmann to be posted underneath this column.From her point of view, the more the merrier.She handles these attacks much better than Sarah Palin.Michele Bachmann is the most underrated Republican in the nation.
Alan J. Steinberg served as Regional Administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush. Region 2 EPA consists of the states of New York and New Jersey, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and eight federally recognized Indian nations. Under former New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman, he served as Executive Director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. He currently serves on the political science faculty of Monmouth University.
CNN’s Piers Morgan came to New Jersey recently to interview Governor Chris Christie. The two men sat at Christie’s high school in Livington and at Christie’s home where Morgan also met the First Lady and the Christie children.
The taped interview will air on Tuesday, June 14, 9PM on CNN
Congressman Anthony Weiner continues to ignore calls from the highest levels of his party to resign his office. He wants a leave of absence and rehabilitation instead.
TMZ.com released 11 photos that Weiner took of himself with his blackberry in the House of Representatives Gym. Some were clothed, some nude or near nude. All weird. All sent to at least one woman.
I don’t see why Weiner even wants to hang on at this point. His political career is over.
Weiner should be calling Charlie Sheen and/or Jerry Springer looking for a gig as a reality TV show co-host.
The fifth biennial Jersey Shore Workcamp will occur in Monmouth County during the week of July 10th through 16th.
Founded by Bill and Gail Bechtoldt, the owners of Koch Flowers and Gifts, Middletown, in 1999, the project brings 440 teenagers from throughout North America to perform home repairs for the needy.
This year the project has accepted 130 applications for home repairs. Bill Bechtoldt expects that the camp will complete between 80 and 100 of the requested repairs during the week that the teenagers are working.
Here’s a video of an NJN report on the camp in 2007:
The Bechtoldt’s are looking for help from the community as they prepare for the teenagers arrival.
There is a need for 200 ladders, both steps and extensions, which will be returned upon completion of the project.
Donations of paint brushes and rollers are needed.
Volunteer labor is needed on July 6, 7, and 8th to dig holes and pour concrete at seven sites where wheelchair ramps will be built during the project. The bearings must be inspected before the teenagers can build the ramps.
Volunteers are also need to deliver paint and other materials to the sites on July 6,7 an 8.
Bechtoldt is also looking for volunteers for the weeks after the camp to perform clean up and to complete repairs the campers do not reach.
Money is always needed. The cost of materials this year is $45,000.
To volunteer, lend a ladder or donate paint brushes or rollers contact Bill or Gail Bechtoldt at 732-671-1036.
Send money to Jersey Shore Workcamp, 1870 Route 35, Middletown, NJ 07748.
Jersey Shore Workcamp is a 501 c 3 non-profit.
High school students 14 years of age and older can still be enrolled into the project here.
As the news of Anthony Weiner’s auto erotic photography becomes even more tawdry, Strong New Jersey Chairwoman Diane Gooch is stepping up her campaign to pressure Weiner to resign with radio ads.
Strong New Jersey launched a nationwide petition drive on the Internet 22 hours after Weiner’s Monday press conference in which he confessed to sending lewd photos of himself via the Internet to six women over a three year period including after he was married.
In the last twenty-four hours news was released the Weiner’s wife is pregnant and a photo of his nude genitals has been posted on the Internet.
Since the petition drive was launched at 2pm on Tuesday, over 5000 people have signed at WeinerMustResign.com, according to, according to Strong New Jersey spokesman Tony Sayegh.
Democratic primary voters in the 13th legislative district saw the words “No Nomination Made” on the top of their ballots in the slot for State Senator yesterday. Former Hazlet Mayor Christopher Cullen was endorsed by the Monmouth County Democratic mini-convention in April but failed to file his petitions with the Secretary of State.
385 of the 2,099 Democratic voters in the district cast a write-in vote for Senator. Cullen is expected to be the candidate after all of those votes are manually counted. He will then face Senator Joe Kyrillos in the general election. Kyrillos received 2,103 votes in the Republican primary against 23 write-ins.
For the Assembly in the 13th, Republican incumbents Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon were nominated with 2,073 and 1,998 votes, respectively. There were 15 write-in votes. Democrats nominated former Hazlet Mayor Kevin Lavan with 1,572 votes and former Middletown Committeeman Patrick Short with 1,551 votes. There were 23 write-ins.
