Nelson Appointed To NJEDA

Governor Chris Christie has appointed Brian M. Nelson, Esq. to the Board of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

Nelson is the Managing Partner of Nelson, Supko & Hanlon, LLC, Shrewsbury.  He is the municipal attorney for Middletown and Tinton Falls.

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Court Reverses Itself, Carl Lewis Is Off The Ballot

Politickernj and the Star Ledger are reporting that the three judge panel of the Third District Court Federal Appeals Court reversed its earlier order that Carl Lewis be on the ballot as a State Senate candidate in the 8th legislative district.

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, acting in her capacity as Secretary of State, had ordered Lewis off the ballot because he does not meet the state constitutional residency requirement.  Today’s order affirms Guadagno’s position.

Politickernj said that the Democrats might make Lewis an Assembly candidate since the Assembly only has a two year residency requirement, compared to the Senate’s four year requirement.

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Does Congressional Seniority Matter? Should It Trump Competitiveness?

In a piece published at Politickernj and on his Real Numbers blog, Monmouth University Polling Director Patrick Murray argues that district competitiveness should be less of a consideration in drawing the new congressional map than he argued it should have been in the state legislative map.

Murray says that no other state uses competitiveness as a criteria for drawing their maps and that New Jersey would be at a disadvantage if it did so.

“If you were expecting me to argue the same for the Congressional redistricting process, though, you would be wrong.  The influence of any state’s delegation is based largely on their influence with the upper echelons of Congressional leadership.  Absolute seniority in itself is not important, but some degree of longevity is necessary for members of our delegation to establish those important relationships.

Since few other states use competitiveness to guide their redistricting process, New Jersey would be put at a disadvantage if it did.  Even if it made a concerted effort, our commission could probably only create 3 to 5 truly competitive districts – out of 435 nationwide.  While that might boost voter turnout in those districts, it would do little to increase the influence of New Jersey as a whole. Influence that we sorely need, considering how little we get back in federal spending for every tax dollar we send to Washington.”
 

While this argument is consistent with conventional thinking about congress, I’m not sure that it matches up with the current reality in Washington. 

It certainly does not match up with the current reality of the New Jersey congressional delegation, by Murray’s own words in the last sentence.  If we are getting so little back from Washington with our current delegation, most of whom have significant longevity, what good is their seniority doing us?  Would be do much worse, or any worse, with a bunch of freshmen?

In the current congress, the freshmen are running the show, much to the chagrin of the left wing media, the White House and everyone else who thinks congressmen should go to Washington to compromise rather than to do what they promised their constituents they would do during the campaigns.

New Jersey congressmen have an inauspicious history of leadership and influence.  Donald Payne and Frank Pallone are the most senior Democrats in the New Jersey delegation.  Neither have ever been leaders of note in Washington. Neither has an impressive record of getting legislation passed.

Republican Chris Smith is the longest serving member of the New Jersey delegation.  No one can deny that Smith is a leader.  He has had more legislation passed that any other member of congress.  His influence as a human rights advocate and champion of the unborn is global.  However, he is not a congressional leader.  Even with his 30 years on the hill and Republicans back in power, he is not a committee chairman or even a sub-committee chairman.

Robert Menendez has been an exception to New Jersey’s lack of congressional leadership.  He catapulted over Pallone, Payne and many other Democrats throughout the country in establishing himself as a congressional leader, eventually becoming the third highest ranking Democrat in congress before moving up to the Senate.

Worse for New Jersey residents than the lack of influence in congress that our representatives have, is some members’ lack of concern for the will of their constituents.  As Murray said during his appearance on the Real Jersey Guys Radio show on August 2, New Jersey members of congress vote however they want, regardless of how constituents feel about an issue, because gerrymandering has made their jobs so safe.

This is clearly the case in Monmouth County, the majority of which is divided between Frank Pallone’s 6th district and Rush Holt’s 12th.  Murray accurately portrays the 6th and 12th as among the most gerrymandered districts.  As a result of how these districts have been drawn in the past, much of Monmouth County is essentially disenfranchised from congressional representation.  One could easily make an argument that the suburban areas of Pallone and Holt’s districts do not have a congressman, while the urban areas have two.

Murray and I agree that congressmen need incentive to serve and represent their constituents.  There is no incentive like competition.   The congressional redistricting commission should make competiveness a prime consideration in drawing the new map.  Without competition, seniority is not all that is cracked up to be, as New Jersey’s congressional delegation has clearly demonstrated.

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$500 Million In State Revenues Projected From New Racino

New York State, that is.

A new “racino” with only electronic gambling is set to open next month at Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, NY.  The facility is expected to generate $10 billion in annual betting, $500 million in annual revenue to the State of New York, and 1300 jobs.  The $10 billion bet at Aqueduct will top the $7 billion annual handle at the Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway.

So says today’s New York Post.

The Meadowlands Racetrack is closer to Mid-town Manhattan than Jamaica or Yonkers.

Would someone tell me again why New Jersey is leaving all of that money “on the table?”

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Linker Drops Out of U.S. Senate Race

Political newcomer Ian Linker, the only declared candidate for the GOP nomination to challenge Senator Robert Menendez in 2012, terminated his candidacy due to his wife’s health.

In a statement posted on the Ridgewood Blog this evening, Linker said:

I launched my campaign for the U.S. Senate because America is on an unsustainable course. And for the future of our country I could not sit idly by and allow politicians to destroy the last best hope for freedom on earth. Without bold, principled leadership in Washington, America could become, in the not-to-distant future, a second-rate power along the lines of a half dozen European countries now facing severe crises. Career politicians more concerned about their own reelection have failed to solve our problems and have in many cases actually caused them. They have brought America to the brink.

My family inspired me to run for the U.S. Senate. Now, I must exit this race for them as well.

About eight years ago my wife was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Over the years, her illness has been relatively under control until very recently when it began to rapidly progress. I have been dedicating as much time as possible to my family, which has been to the detriment of my campaign. My family must be my priority and to run an effective U.S. Senate campaign I would be neglecting my duties as a father and as a husband given my wife’s current condition. With two young children at home, I have a moral obligation to take care of my family before anything else and must put off running for political office at this time.

I hope, and pray, that Republicans in New Jersey nominate a principled conservative for the U.S. Senate in 2012 who cares about making a positive difference for our future. I would look forward to supporting this individual to the fullest extent possible.

I want to thank all the wonderful folks who supported me during my brief campaign and I look forward to seeing and working with you all in the future

State Senator Joe Kyrillos, a potential candidate for the NJ GOP 2012 U.S. Senate nomination said, ” I had a nice lunch with Ian over the summer and found him to be a bright and good man.  I am sorry to hear about his wife’s condition.”

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BECK, ANGELINI AND CASAGRANDE RECEIVE ENDORSEMENT OF NEW JERSEY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

11^th District Republican candidates Senator Jennifer Beck and Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande issued the following statement after receiving the endorsement of New Jersey Organization for a Better State (NEW JOBS), the business PAC affiliated with the New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA):

 “We are honored that the NJBIA has endorsed us for re-election. We have spent a good amount of out time in Trenton advocating for policies which will attract and retain businesses and allow them to flourish. To create jobs, government should be removing barriers to help businesses succeed, not putting them up through high taxes and strangling regulation. If we are re-elected, we will continue our advocacy for business and job creation.

 As representatives of the business community in New Jersey, NJBIA knows better than most what their members need to succeed. We thank them for recognizing our efforts and look forward to working with them and their individual members in the future.”

 NJBIA is comprised of  22,000 members representing every industry in the State, including manufacturers, service providers, retailers, wholesalers, builders and engineers. As a group, their members employ more than one million people, one-third of the State’s private-sector workforce. Three-quarters of their members are small companies with fewer than 25 employees.

NEW JOBS is an independent political action committee affiliated with the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey, Monmouth-Ocean Development Council, Morris County Chamber of Commerce, Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce and other regional business groups.

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Happy Birthday Anna Little

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Governor Christie On Urban Education Reform: “These Are The Big Fights”

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Is Gay Marriage A Simple Issue?

In the New Jersey’s 11th legislative district, which comprises much of Monmouth County, 6 of the 7 candidates vying for 3 seats, one in the Senate and two in the Assembly, have come out in favor of same sex marriage.  Two of the candidates, Republicans Senator Jennifer Beck and Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini said they would break with their party and vote to override Governor Christie’s veto of a same sex marriage if given the opportunity.

Republican Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande has corrected the widely held perception that she would vote against gay marriage by saying only that she hasn’t publicly taken a position on the issue.   She said her focus has been on fiscal issues and that she would need to study the civil union law before taking a stand on gay marriage.

Casagrande’s refusal to take a position on the politically expedient schedule of Garden State Equality has drawn criticism from her opponent Dan Jacobson and others.  Jacobson said the issue has already been hotly debated and the issue should be simple.

Casagrande says it’s not so simple, “I haven’t seen a bill,” said Casagrande,  “What about protections for religious institutions?  If the issue is so simple, why did Steve Sweeney vote no and then change his mind later?”

If the issue was really simple, Blue Jersey blogger Jay Lassiter, Save Jersey Blogger-in-Chief Matt Rooney and I would not have been able to spend over 40 minutes discussing it on the radio yesterday.

The issue is not simple to me.  I believe that all people should have equal rights under the law.  I don’t believe that homosexuals are deviant or immoral.  I believe homosexuals are the way God made them.  I created an exercise to demonstrate that sexual orientation is not a choice almost three years ago.  Check it out only if you’re willing to be disturbed.

Yet, I understand those who are morally opposed to gay marriage.  I understand the argument that marriage is an institution that was defined milleniums ago, before any government that currently exists on our planet was conceived.  I understand the desire of those who live their lives dedicated to or in aspiration of those traditions not to have their marriages redefined by a legislative body with an approval rating below 30%.

I suspect those who think the issue is simple, pro or con, think their opposites are just wrong.  I suspect many who think the issue is simple, pro or con, have little respect for and even have distain for those who disagree with them.  I think that is wrong.

Listen to the show, it you care about the issue.  It is an interesting and civil conversation between three smart people with differing views who found enough common ground that Lassiter suggested the three of us run for the legislature together.

The first 18 minutes of the show is Matt and I talking politics and a three minute break to fix some technical difficulties.  Jay joins us at the 18:20 mark.  In the last ten minutes of the show there is some good natured political sparring.

I hope that you are entertained and informed by the show, which was sponsored by Repatriot Radio.

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Cory Booker – The Man With The Shovel

By Grace Cangemi

Newark must be booming.  After all, Mayor Cory Booker has enough time on his hands to get involved down here in Monmouth County.  Why else would the Mayor of the largest city in the state get involved in legislative races outside his district? 

Newark is once again mire in scandal.  As Booker’s former Deputy Mayor faces corruption charges for allegedly fixing government contracts in return for political contributions, democrat legislative candidates in Monmouth County are bringing Booker to town.  Let’s hope it’s to raise money and not to offer suggestions on responsible leadership and fiscal policy. 

Today, in the midst of a financial environment that has everyone else in the state tightening their belts, Booker scored an additional $32 million in emergency aid to Newark.  Add that to the more than $91 million Newark has already received.  Monmouth County’s aid was less than $79 million total this year.   In other words, Newark will receive about $44 million more than all of Monmouth County combined.  Instead of throwing fundraisers for Monmouth County legislative candidates, Booker should be sending thank you notes to every taxpayer in the state.

In the past, Booker has been pounded for spending alarming amounts of money on both federal and state lobbyists.  Newark is still in fiscal turmoil.  An ethics scandal that alleges that political contributions and cronyism influenced contracts in the city won’t go away.  Newark alone gets more money than every municipality in Monmouth County combined.   I guess that makes Cory Booker a hell of a fundraiser.  But there have to be better leaders that Monmouth County dems can look to.  There must be men and women in the democrat party who offer a better example than Booker.

Oh yeah, he shoveled snow after the blizzard.  Booker hasn’t been able to dig Newark out of corruption and debt, but he sure can shovel.   Maybe that’s why Monmouth County dems are bringing him down – to help with the shoveling.

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