Gallagher on Power and Politics this weekend

Luke Margolis, Art Gallagher and Jay Lassiter on the News12 set

Your favorite blogger appears on News12’s Power and Politics with Luke Margolis this weekend opposite the indefatigable Democratic activist Jay Lassiter.

Our topic was Congressman Chris Smith’s commitment to human rights and his controversial comments regarding LGBT rights vs human rights last month.

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Don’t Count On GOP Legislators Voting To Override Christie’s Port Authority Reform Veto

By Art Gallagher

In his OpEd published this morning, former Kean and Whitman Administration spokesman Carl Golden makes the case why it is safe for New Jersey’s Republican legislators to defy Governor Chris Christie and join the Democratic majority in overriding Christie’s of the Port Authority reform legislation.

The two identical bills that Governors Christie and Cuomo vetoed on the Saturday between Christmas and New Years Day had passed overwhelmingly with bi-partisan support in both houses of the New Jersey and New York legislatures. The bills would have required increased transparency and accountability on the part of Port Authority of NY/NJ.

In vetoing the bills, Christie and Cuomo endorsed reforms proposed by a panel they had appointed and urged both legislatures to adopt them instead.  But as Golden noted in his OpEd, the vetoes have been widely viewed as maintaining the status quo of disfunctionality, wasteful spending and gubernatorial abuse at Port Authority.

In his five years in office, none of Christie’s vetoes have been overridden, even if the original bills passed the legislature with bi-partisan support and by veto proof majorities.  Republican legislators have frequently “flip-flopped” and changed their votes to uphold the Governor’s will.   As Golden explains,

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Winners and Losers of 2014

Winners

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon led the effort to terminate New Jersey’s Red Light Camera Program.

O’Scanlon and Co. have been relentless in monitoring the Red Light Camera Program and telling the truth about it. They have hired independent experts to investigate complaints and document fraud within the program.  They have sorted through data that has regularly been obfuscated by the red light camera companies (and bureaucrats friendly to them) to reflect improved safety conditions at RCL intersections where in fact conditions had often worsened.   They have worked hard in getting the word out about the program’s failure and corruption. They have countered expensive advertising campaigns by the red light camera companies and countered expensive lobbyists working the halls of the Statehouse, without the benefit of the profits the red light camera companies stole from the motoring public to fund their efforts.

In thwarting the Red Light Camera Program’s renewal, O’Scanlon has proved himself to be “the real deal”….a leader who fights for the right thing because it is the right thing. He is an example of what a “public servant” should be.

Christine Giordano Hanlon 

Dubbed The Architect by Monmouth GOP Chairman Shaun Golden, Hanlon designed Golden’s defeat of John Bennett for leadership of the County Party, avenging her razor thin 3 vote defeat by Bennett in 2012.  By building a coalition of previous regional rivals and splitting Bennett’s 2012 coalition, which he failed to nourish, Hanlon demonstrated strategic leadership without seeking the limelight or accolades.

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Even the Asbury Park Press Advertises on MoreMonmouthMusings!

The Asbury Park Press wants their readers back so bad that they are advertising on MoreMonmouthMusings!  Their ad sneaked in this morning through a national syndicate we participate in.   We’d have to think long and hard about accepting their ad had they contacted us directly, because we have major reservations about the product they produce.

But, we’ll accept their ad as an endorsement of how well MMM has been able to attract the attention of Monmouth County and New Jersey readers.

To celebrate the endorsement, we’re having a sale.

APP’s ad is offering 50% off on subscriptions for three months.  We promise to keep our content free for three months.

We’re offering 50% off on ads for three months, starting on November 5. We’re sold out until then for most ad packages.  This is a great deal for retailers, restaurants, theaters, car dealers, contractors, real estate brokers, lawyers, accountants and banks, especially as we enter the holiday season.

MMM’s traffic is up 41%, year to date over 2013, and growing.  We’ve already exceeded our 2013 readership by 81,000, and we’re only two weeks into the fourth quarter of the year.

If you want to get in on this great deal, contact Art Gallagher now at [email protected] or 732-208-2240.  Don’t wait.  This offer expires on October 31.

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Depressing scene at Brookdale Job Fair

By Art Gallagher
[email protected]

Hundreds of middle-aged people looking for work at Brookdale this morning. April 4, 2014

When I was readying to leave the house this morning,  my wife asked if I was working on a story.  “No, I’m looking for a job,” I replied.  Her head snapped up in surprise. In all the years she’s known me I’ve never said those words.  I’ve always been the owner, or early in our relationship, an unmanageable top producing salesman.

The truth is I wasn’t sure what I was doing when I headed into the job fair at Brookdale Community College this morning.  I met a NJ.com reporter who got the ax yesterday, effective in September, in the overflowing parking lot outside of Collins Arena.  “Working a story or looking for a job?” I asked him.  “A little of both,” he replied before getting called away to cover a fatal car accident in Howell.

I was doing a little of both too. I’m having more fun building this business, MMM, than I had in building any of the others I’ve built or help build, but the revenue is not coming fast enough.  If the big media companies are contracting, there’s no harm in taking a look at what is out there, especially if I can make a story out of it and meet potential advertisers.

“Ha, you’re here looking for advertisers,” a recruiter from Town Square Media said to me when I introduced myself and asked her what an Integrated Sales Person was. She got me, but if Town Square wants to buy MMM, give me a radio show, blog and a fat check, I’ll listen.  An Integrated Sales Person sells ad for websites, radio shows and other mediums, I found out.  I’m now looking for one of those.  The recruiter either wasn’t aggressive or quickly sized me up as not a good fit. Probably both.

The Asbury Park Press’s recruiter was telling visitors to their booth that they weren’t hiring until they finish their across the street move in Neptune. Why were they there? Gannett would have to write a really big check and give me more authority than any corporate nudnik would consider in order to get me to fix that mess.

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What would you ask Kathleen Sebelius if you had the chance?

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius is scheduled to hold a press conference to kick off Enrollment Week ahead of the March 31 Affordable Healthcare Act sign up deadline Monday morning at Montclair State University.

MMM has been invited and Art Gallagher will attend.

What would you like Art to ask the Secretary if he’s lucking enough to be called on?  Leave your questions in the comments, please.

MMM will be live-streaming the press conference  at 10:30am Monday morning.

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Online Gaming Still Has Bugs

By Art Gallagher

My first hand was blackjack and my $5 bet paid $7.50.  Not a bad start to my Internet Gambling experience.  Within a few minutes the $20 I deposited with BorgataCasino.com was up to $37.50.   I wanted to double my money and quit for the day.

Within about 10 minutes my balance was $5 dollars and I lowered my bet to $1.00.  I was down to $1.00 and could feel the urge to deposit more money, despite my promise to myself to quit playing when I either won or lost $20. Then my luck changed again.  I inched my balance back up to $15 when I increased my bet back to $5.  Within another 15 minutes I met my goal of doubling my $20.  With $40.01 in my account I stopped playing.

There was a small message on the screen. “Your $50 bonus is awaiting you.”  Cool!

I claimed my $50 gift.   You can’t withdraw the money, you have to wager it.  My balance was now $90.01.  I had to play the $50 by Wednesday or lose it.  So I put $50 on the virtual table and started making $5 bets.

After a few hands, the $50 was down to $45 and I got booted.  A message popped up on my screen that said I was outside the State of New Jersey, which I wasn’t, and that gaming regulations required my wagering be terminated.

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Middletown Democrats, Asbury Park Press Follow MMM’s Lead In Endorsing Pallone

Following the lead of MoreMonmouthMusings, the Middletown Democrats and the Asbury Park Press have endorsed Congressman Frank Pallone for the Democratic nomination to complete the term of the late U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg.

Frank Pallone at 2010 Highlands Clamfest.
The 19th annual clamfest ends today in Highlands. Pallone was there on Friday night

MMM, the first website in the world to endorse Pallone for the Senate nomination, did so on June 25 because the congressman asked publisher Art Gallagher for help, because Gallagher believes the Republican nominee, likely to be former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, stands a better chance against Pallone than against Newark Mayor Cory Booker, and most importantly, a vacancy in Pallone’s 6th district congressional seat would be fantastic for MMM’s web traffic.  Our advertisers would love it!

The Middletown Dems say they endorsed Pallone because he “did the best he could” on a variety of issues.  In reality, they are hoping for money from Pallone to fund races even porn distributors are taking a pass on.

The Asbury Park Press endorsed Pallone, even though they say, “Voters can’t go wrong, no matter which way they lean in this primary, ” because they hope hometown Pallone will spend some advertising dollars,drive up newsstand sales and website visits.

All three endorsements come down to money.  Only MMM will admit that.  We like money and we need it!  Go Frank Go!

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Why I am voting against Leigh-Ann Bellew on June 4

By Art Gallagher

Yesterday I was interviewed by The Star Ledger and went on the record saying that I would be voting for Joe Kyrillos for State Senate in the 13th Legislative District Republican primary on June 4th.   Consistent with my slogan of being fair and biased, it is appropriate that I tell you, my readers and the reason my opinion matters to The Star Ledger, that MMM is now part of the story and that I have made a decision that can’t help but color my coverage of the rest of the campaign.

MMM is part of the LD 13 story, instead of just covering the story, because we’ve provided the bulk of the media coverage of the primary campaign to date and because Kyrillos’ challenger, Leigh-Ann Bellew, attacked this site in a press release, according to The Star Ledger.

On many important issues, Life and The Right to Bear Arms in particular, I am in more philosophical agreement with Bellew than I am with Kyrillos.   Despite my philosophical differences with Kyrillos, the choice between him and Bellew has become a very easy one.  Kyrillos is a very good State Senator.  Bellew is a deeply flawed candidate.  She never should have exposed herself, her family, and friends who care about her deeply to the rigors and vetting of this campaign.

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Bellew Attacks MMM

The Bellew for State Senate campaign issued a press release this morning wherein they refer to MoreMonmouthMusings and its commenters as “a sympathetic band of faux journalists who could appear on campaign reports for in-kind contributions as paid communication staff.”

The Kyrillos campaign issued a childish response to a serious issue regarding the hypocrisy of Joe Kyrillos, Declan O’Scanlon, and Amy Handlin using a taxpayer funded website to praise a group in the face that they have been stabbing in the back politically.  Calling the Tea Party silly and outrageous, the Kyrillos continues to demonstrate a distain for citizen patriots fighting to make New Jersey and America stronger. He knows that the voters are not warming up to him as they learn about his liberal voting record. So instead of engaging them at a candidate event, he and his campaign have turned to a sympathetic band of faux journalists who could appear on campaign reports for in-kind contributions as paid communication staff.

MMM is the only media outlet that carried the Kyrillos campaign’s statement calling Bellew “silly and foolish” over her press release attacking Kyrillos, O’Scanlon and Handlin for their release condemning the IRS and the Obama Administration for their illegal targeting of Conservative and Tea Party groups.

What a difference seven weeks makes.

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